Chapter 1078 The Night Before

The German Federal New Army claimed to have 700,000 soldiers, but in fact there were only 250,000 soldiers. Although the Austrian Empire's Salzburg garrison had only 80,000 soldiers, the entire fortress did not have a trace of nervousness as if facing a great enemy.

The surrounding people were immediately placed in the city for refuge, and the temporary conscription office line was longer than the relief center line.

Salzburg was a military stronghold on the border of the Austrian Empire. The people were martial, and the catalysis of nationalism magnified this military tradition without limit.

From the 15-year-old boy who had just completed the coming-of-age ceremony to the old man in his 50s and 60s, all of them were waiting for the selection of the conscription officer with a firm look, but the momentum of unity and common hatred of the enemy was not to be underestimated.

At the moment of life and death, national emotions are most easily aroused. The confused and fearful people are in urgent need of a great cause. As long as someone guides them a little, an irreversible torrent will be formed.

Defending the country is obviously just, and those invaders are undoubtedly unforgivable enemies.

It has to be admitted that nationalism has an incomparable advantage in military mobilization and morale enhancement, and it can easily drive people crazy.

Especially for the lower-class people, they can not only sacrifice themselves, but also force their families to fight with them.

The father took his sons to the battlefield, and the mother who stayed behind would say at parting: "Don't come back if you can't win."

Just like the ancient Spartans said, "With it or on it!" ("Either take your shield to triumph, or die on the battlefield!")

In addition, according to the new code of the Austrian Empire, if there is a war, all nobles except scholars and officials must serve, otherwise they must pay ten to one hundred times the surrogate fee (depending on the title).

Scholars include: scientific researchers, and master workers in all industries, etc.

The nobles of this era still have some face, even if they are scared to death, they have to pretend to be leisurely and righteous.

In fact, it is mainly because most noble families cannot afford the expensive surrogate fee, and being deprived of their noble status and sent to the colonies for transformation is an unacceptable result.

In fact, the life in the colonies of the Austrian Empire was much better than that in the colonies of other countries, but people were deeply afraid of the unknown.

Especially at that time, the African continent was also called "white forbidden zone", "plague continent" and "monster nest". Unless they were desperate or on a pirate ship, it was a field that most people did not want to set foot in their lives.

The nobles complained at first, but soon someone linked the behavior of the German Federation at this time with the French Revolution.

The parliament had to kill the emperor first, and then send the nobles to the guillotine one by one and deprive them of their property.

These people knew the truth of the matter too well. After all, many families had taken in the widows of French nobles, and even robbed and deceived the convoys of nobles in distress.

Soon they became more radical than ordinary soldiers, even more radical than those loyal supporters and nationalists of the Austrian Empire.

As the martyrs said, "The power of example is infinite." The nobles' ability to stand up was a great encouragement and comfort to ordinary people and soldiers, and even an incentive, a more real incentive than any words and reward and punishment mechanism.

Of course, the church would not be content to be lonely at this time. The priests distributed communion and relief to the refugees while helping them recall the bitter past.

The priests did not say a bad word about the German Confederation, but every listener was so angry that they gnashed their teeth and wished that they could hang the factory owners' thugs and Jewish accomplices in the National Assembly on the crooked tree at the head of the village.

Those Protestants who were bewitched and helped the evil should be crushed to ashes (a Catholic characteristic. Although Franz asked the church to be tolerant, he could only control the top leaders at present, and some hatred was engraved in his bones).

In fact, many Bavarians did not approve of the Bavarian government's servile attitude towards the National Assembly, and did not want to go to war with the Austrian Empire next door.

So before the arrival of the German Federal Army, several Bavarian troops defected to Austria in an organized manner. The commander of the garrison in Salzburg was not at ease with these rebels, so he did not allow them to enter the city.

After learning about this, Franz placed these Bavarian troops in an abandoned village far away from the center of the battlefield, and sent people to deliver food supplies to them.

In Franz's opinion, there is nothing wrong with more spectators. In addition to these Bavarians, there are many volunteers and noble armed forces from other German states.

In addition to the traditions from the Holy Roman Empire, some keen nobles have noticed the unusualness of this war, and the bold have begun to bet.

Due to the existence of railways, the military strength of both sides has increased rapidly.

However, the waiting time was not long. Franz did not lead the army to the battle this time. After all, the times are different from the past. As an emperor, he has too many things to deal with.

In particular, the aftermath of the war will be a big trouble. If you are not careful, you will have to follow the old path of others. Although it will be very cool in the eyes of some people, it is just a meaningless massacre in the eyes of Franz.

Franz decided to let Archduke Albrecht, the hero in the minds of German nationalists, lead the battle and draw elite troops from Pressburg and Vienna to fully resolve the threat from the West.

More troops were transferred from Italy to fill the eastern line, but the commander-in-chief did not change. Marshal Radetzky went north, while Haynau stayed behind to continue dealing with the Hungarians.

Vincent Maurice, the commander-in-chief of the German Confederation, was not a mediocre person. He had seen the strength of the Austrian Empire's army. He knew that if he did not take action at this time, his advantage would only become smaller and smaller.

Once the Austrians sent their main force to Salzburg, the Austrian army would have a hundred ways to kill this group of rabble in their hands. The Austrian airship force alone was an unsolvable problem.

The French were the best example. They thought of countless ways but could not get rid of the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.

In the end, Henry Arsene came up with a solution that was not a solution, which was to run. The Austrian airship force had no way to deal with the fleeing French army.

So Vincent Maurice decided to concentrate his elite troops to capture a star-shaped fortress on the outer flank of Salzburg first.

When Archduke Albrecht arrived in Salzburg, the battle was over. What he did not expect was that in the face of the fierce attack of the main force of the Federation, the fortress defenders did not panic, but organized a counterattack.

"What are the losses?"

"Our army killed 512 people, injured 3398, and another 208 people missing."

"Where are the enemy troops?"

"I don't know, they are all over the ground."

"Are there no prisoners?"

"No!"

The officer answered loudly, revealing pride.

"Go back to your post."

"Yes, sir!"

Archduke Albrecht sighed imperceptibly, thinking that it was just as Franz said, if he didn't come, more people would die.

Albrecht stood on the main castle of Salzburg and stared at the endless campfires on the other side of the river for a long time, and finally called his adjutant.

"Commander, are you going to send a letter of persuasion to the enemy as usual?"

"No, the decisive battle will be tomorrow."