Like the Franco-Prussian War, a super war in which more than a million legions were strangled, the situation in it was very complicated. In many cases, it was a mess of you and me, and me and you.
For example, the King of France has now retreated to Chalon City, but not all of his legions have been wiped out. There are still many troops that are still in place and are resisting the enemy's attack.
Although the Prussian army was outnumbered, it was impossible to annihilate all the enemy forces due to its rapid progress.
To give a very simple example, the Alsace and Lorraine regions have been nominally occupied by the Prussian army, but many strong French fortresses have not changed hands, and the French military flag is still flying.
Isn't it amazing? This is war, and both sides actually gain momentum! Just like the Chinese game of Go, in the end, you will win with your strength, it depends on your shape!
For example, the temporary headquarters of Old Moltke and Bismarck are now set up in Verdun, but the flag of the Second Empire is still flying in the Verdun Fortress, and a brigade of French troops still stands in the fortress.
Bismarck's headquarters was placed in the urban area not far from the fortress, which meant that the Prussian army only occupied the urban area and some towns, and the Verdun Fortress did not change hands.
This was a mutual stalemate. The French army was divided and surrounded, lacking reinforcements and even less ammunition and supplies. However, the proud French refused to surrender, always imagining that the emperor's army would come to rescue them in the next second.
The Prussian army looked at these troops who had no offensive capabilities and could only trap animals in turtle shells, and lacked interest in attacking fortified areas. There was no point in attacking these trapped animals, not to mention killing people in vain. They might as well surround them and deal with them later.
There are many situations like the Verdun Fortress. In fact, not many French troops were directly annihilated in the entire Franco-Prussian War. Most of them were actually scattered and disrupted.
Many troops who had no time to escape were trapped in the rear area, watching helplessly as hundreds of thousands of Prussian troops showed off their power outside but did not dare to attack.
Not to mention Verdun, even Metz, which was the first to be captured, is still trapped by a French division on the Lorraine Plateau south of the city.
These are the French troops who did not have time to run away at that time, but now they cannot run away even if they want to.
War is actually all-round, and it is impossible to tell what is the front line and what is the rear. A chaotic war always has to wait for several large-scale decisive battles before we can truly see who wins and who loses!
This is actually the extravagant hope of the French. Bazin and the others know very well that as long as they can turn defeat into victory in a certain battle, as long as the legion can launch a counterattack, then these sporadic troops that have fallen behind will return to the establishment again.
Bazin has always had a plan. He wants to counterattack to Metz. As long as he can successfully break through, he can collect at least 70,000 to 80,000 scattered legions along the way.
By then, Bazin will have at least 160,000 to 70,000 fighting elites in his hands, and he will become the most powerful force in the French military!
The key to Bazin's plan is Prince Carl's army in front of him. This obstacle must be defeated, otherwise it will be impossible to fight back to Metz!
Marshal Bazin returned to his headquarters, and he impassionedly lectured his subordinates, "The empire has reached a critical moment of life and death, and we have no retreat!"
"If we go forward, we can gain a chance of survival, and even be famous in history! If we fail, the Second Empire will collapse, and those socialists and republicans will take power by then!"
"We will all lose all rights then! I, Bazan, am not greedy for power, but I will not let those thugs judge me!"
"You all remember clearly that almost all of us have suppressed those thugs over the years, and our hands are stained with their blood!"
"If you don't care about their trial, if you don't care about the final guillotine! Then continue to languish like this!"
"For yourselves! You have to fight this battle well!"
The bloody words aroused the ferocity of all the officers. These were all veteran subordinates who had been commanded by Bazin for many years. Their loyalty was beyond words. When they heard that the marshal had said what he said, everyone was ready to risk their lives!
"Please don't worry, Marshal! It's just a fight to the death! All commanders go to the front line in person, I don't believe that those Prussians are made of iron!"
Boom boom boom... The Prussian artillery was still raging, as if they were laughing at the French's pathetic logistical supply capabilities. The Prussian artillery opened fire without considering the consumption of ammunition.
After half an hour of shelling, a corps of Prussian troops launched a feint attack, but what was surprising was that bursts of noise suddenly came from the French position.
Immediately after the military flags were raised, the marching drums of the Napoleonic era sounded again, and thousands of French troops with bayonets jumped over the sandbag wall and launched a counterattack against the Prussian army.
The officers also took the risk, and all the officers rushed to the front line to command the troops, the blade of the command knife was shining!
The legions of both sides collided with each other after just one shot. More than 20,000 people were strangled together on the battlefield. The impact of bayonets made a harsh sound. The blood filled the air and made even ghosts and gods retreat!
Prince Karl frowned as he looked at the bloody side of the battlefield, "These French veteran regiments are still very good. If it weren't for the collapse of their politics, economy, and armaments, in terms of the quality of individual soldiers, our Prussians would be slightly inferior." A bargain!"
"Haha, but Bazin, you are wrong. I am not here to fight with you today!"
"Send the order...the main force moves southwest...capture all the crossings on the Marne River!"
Bazan never expected that Prince Karl only sent part of the artillery unit and an army to fight with him. The remaining army of more than 100,000 had already begun to quietly move towards the Marne River in the southwest.
The city of Chalon is located on the banks of the Marne River. This stream of the Seine flows from the Langres Plateau all the way west and merges into the Seine River. This was the most important battlefield in World War I and the core of the defense system of Paris, France.
As long as Prince Karl controls the west bank of the Marne River, he will cut off all connections between the French army, Paris and the south, and it will be difficult for all the reinforcements and supplies of the Second Empire to go north.
It is a pity that the Franco-Prussian War was not World War I, and France did not have the backing support of its British allies. The Marne River was not a line of defense at all at the moment, and there were only sporadic troops guarding many ferries.
Prince Charles's feint attack was a great success. By the evening of the same day, his vanguard had captured ten fords and three bridges on the Marne River.
Moreover, Prince Carl’s Legion also captured hundreds of ships!
When Marshal Bazin heard the shocking news, his legs softened and he collapsed on the chair.
"It's over! Now His Majesty can't even go back to Paris... It's over!"
