The frightened French emperor fled northward in a panic when the Prussian army was surrounded by three times his own size. The city of Metz was lost, which also marked that the Marne River defense line was completely controlled by the Prussians.
France controls the two most important strategic locations in the northeast, one is Strasbourg and the other is the Marne River Defense Line. Both of these are important roads that can pass through the Grand Army.
At present, Strasbourg is already crumbling under the attack of the Prussian Vigorous Army, and the Marne River defense line has been completely lost due to the cowardice and incompetence of the French Emperor.
At this moment, northeastern France has completely severed contact with central and southern France. It has become impossible for the support corps in the south to join forces with the French Emperor.
Because the southern and central armies must become attackers and do everything possible to attack the Prussian defensive positions in order to join forces with the French Emperor.
It's really ridiculous. It's obviously in France's own territory, but the invaders and defenders have completely reversed their roles!
The French Emperor, McMahon's Army and the more distant Bazan Army have become two isolated islands in the ocean of Prussian troops in the northeast, gradually washed to pieces in the monstrous flood.
At this moment, the Emperor's eyes no longer had the arrogance of the past, but were replaced by the gloominess often seen in dying old men.
Sitting on the horseback, he watched the desperate scene in front of him, enduring the torture of nervous stomach pain. The skinny old man became smaller and smaller, and he looked like a skinny monkey riding on the horseback.
In the village in front of them, countless soldiers were robbing the villagers of their last rations. The crying villagers knelt on the ground and begged, but all they got in return was a violent beating.
The girl's desperate shouting came through the room. Even a fool would know what was happening there!
But Napoleon III has lost sight of all this, or he doesn't want to see it at all. It's already a miracle that the army can barely maintain its structure at this moment, let alone military discipline!
After the war, many veterans who experienced the Battle of Sedan recalled, “When Metz was defeated, I didn’t know why I continued to fight. There was a chance to break up, but I still followed the emperor! "
"Maybe... that's just a habit!"
That's right. At this moment, the French Emperor controls the army entirely by the power of habit, because the entire army's officer class is still loyal to him. Those people are all military aristocrats promoted by the Bonaparte family.
They could only be loyal to the French Emperor because they knew very well that once the Republic was established, all the privileges of the nobility would be abolished, and the efforts of three generations of their family would become a joke.
If the officer corps of an army is stable, there will not be much trouble, while the ordinary soldiers below will rely more on the power of habit to maintain order.
The Bonaparte family's control over the French army is very strong. There has never been a military mutiny in the two empires established by these uncles and nephews.
In addition to the family's personal cult, a more important factor here is the elite military policy implemented by France, which is the professional military system.
The military service systems in France and Prussia are completely different. In Prussia, all the people are soldiers, and the soldiers and civilians are not separated.
Any healthy adult male must receive military training and perform certain military service before returning to society to engage in various jobs. Once a war breaks out, the country will issue various levels of mobilization orders.
At this time, civilian reserve soldiers will continue to take to the battlefield!
To put it bluntly, this system relies on human sea tactics to win, and it also relies heavily on the huge productivity after the industrial revolution, because only strong productivity can easily and quickly arm an army of millions.
This is not the case for the French. The Bonaparte family has always believed in a policy of elite troops, a tradition left behind when Napoleon the Great swept across Europe.
Elite soldiers are always the backbone of the army, and the role that outstanding veteran groups play on the battlefield is beyond the imagination of conscripts.
Therefore, French Emperor Napoleon III always had a professional army of hundreds of thousands who were only loyal to him. They enlisted as soldiers when they were young and followed the French Emperor in all his wars.
Some died in battle, some were disabled and had to leave the army, and more soldiers were supported by generous military pay. If no accidents occurred, they would be supported until retirement.
Such a corps is basically out of touch with social life. They don't have to accept the chaotic thoughts outside the military camp, let alone worry about where tomorrow's breakfast will be. They can focus all their energy on training.
Such a legion is elite and loyal, and the Emperor of France will certainly feel at ease using it.
Years of life in the military camp have made these soldiers habitually dependent on orders. Even if the war reached this point and no one had any hope of victory, they still did not collapse and still chose to gather under the French Emperor's battle flag.
But that's all they can do. Military discipline will definitely not be maintained!
Napoleon III listened to the miserable screams of the girl in the house next to the road, and he chose to close his eyes and pretend that such a crime had never happened.
It wasn't until the war horse passed the house that the French Emperor said, "McMahon... find a way to send a telegram to Paris... tell everyone that I will stand firm in Sedan and wait for help!"
"Now is a national war. I hope they can put down their barriers and resist the invasion of foreign enemies first!"
"As long as I can drive the enemy out of the country... I am willing to step down and give up the throne!"
"Your Majesty..." The people around were wailing.
"That's it...send a telegram right away!"
At this moment, a fast horse suddenly rushed over and said, "Sir, the city of Reims was raided by enemy cavalry, and two trains transporting food and ammunition to us were intercepted..."
"The train can no longer move forward at this moment. They can only stick to Reims and wait for reinforcements..."
The Emperor waved his hands in pain, "Did you hear that? We have no choice... just send the telegram as I said!"
"Order the army to collect as much food as possible... I'm afraid we will have to stay in Sedan for a long time..."
With the clear order of the French Emperor, these 100,000 troops began to plunder the people unscrupulously, and the entire Ardennes Province was filled with chaos.
All areas where the army marched were like a locust plague. Everything that could be eaten and carried was robbed, and all livestock were requisitioned by the army. For a while, the Ardennes Province turned into a hell on earth.
The stable officer corps, the veteran group restrained by the force of habit, and finally the evil of human nature unleashed by robbery, resulted in the defeat of more than 100,000 French troops actually withdrawing into the Sedan Fortress.
On August 30, 1870, the French Emperor and his army finally withdrew to the Sedan Fortress, and the French Emperor's military flag was raised in the central tower!
