Chapitre 49: Chapter 49: The Prince's Strategic Vision
Chapter 49: The Prince's Strategic Vision
The large fountain reflected a pleasant spectrum of colors under the sunlight.
Before Joseph could speak, André couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer and asked, "Your Highness, I really want to know, how did you make the Prussians retreat?"
For the past few days, he couldn't stop thinking about the moment when he had been ready to face death, only for the Prussian forces to suddenly withdraw.
Dubois was about to scold André for his lack of decorum, but when he heard the words "make the Prussians retreat," he was stunned. "So the situation in the Netherlands was really planned by Your Highness?"
Unlike the Davout family, Dubois had no insider connections, so while he had heard rumors that the Prince was involved in the Dutch situation, this was the first time he had confirmation.
André nodded eagerly and looked at the Prince with anticipation.
Joseph smiled and said, "I can't reveal all the details, but in short, I handed Wilhelmina over to the police in the Southern Netherlands, who then sent her back to Prussia. At the same time, I had the Patriots invite Prince Orange back to Amsterdam. With that, King William II had no excuse to continue intervening in the Netherlands."
These simple words carried a lot of weight—how he found Wilhelmina, how he managed to move her to the Southern Netherlands, and how he timed her return to Prussia perfectly without arousing King William II's suspicion of France...
André and Dubois exchanged glances, each seeing the other's amazement and admiration. The Prince's methods were truly extraordinary! But given the sensitive nature of the matter, they couldn't pry any further, even though they were dying to know more.
Soon, they began recounting the bloody and intense battles on the Dutch front, particularly the last day when the Prussian assault was ferocious. Out of the 300 French volunteers, more than 40 were killed or wounded.
André's expression grew serious as he sighed, "The Prussian military discipline is rigorous, and their training is excellent. If the fighting had continued, I doubt the Dutch could have held out until nightfall."
Dubois nodded. "Right now, Alexandre is studying the Prussian military system and training methods. According to him..." He glanced at Joseph and cautiously added, "The Prussian army's combat capability is about one-third better than the French army's."
Joseph knew that this assessment wasn't an exaggeration. Prussia had once been known as Europe's foremost land army. The Junker aristocracy's military training system was comprehensive and strict, combined with the Germanic resilience and obedience. Although their prowess had declined somewhat, their combat capabilities were still formidable.
He solemnly agreed, "The French military system is outdated and in desperate need of comprehensive reform."
In history, the old French military had suffered multiple defeats on the battlefield until Napoleon's rise stabilized the situation. Under Napoleon's leadership, the military was reformed, eventually becoming a dominant force in Europe.
Dubois immediately concurred, "Indeed, Your Highness. Alexandre and I have often discussed this. We should fully learn from the Prussians to face future challenges!"
"Learn from the Prussians?" Joseph looked at him and shook his head slightly. "What we need to do is surpass the Prussian army, not merely learn from them."
André and Dubois exchanged another glance. "Then what does Your Highness suggest for military reform?"
Joseph had already thought about this before, so he responded without hesitation, "The biggest problem with the French army is its fragmentation—there's no unified command, no standardized training, and the quality of equipment and personnel varies greatly. When a large-scale battle occurs, the army may look large on paper, but very few units are actually effective in combat..."
Since they were discussing military reform, Joseph continued the topic, outlining the need to abolish local regiments, unify the army under national command, increase the number of officers and their training, and implement new tactics.
As Joseph spoke, André and Dubois listened in awe, their eyes widening with each passing word. The Prince was only thirteen years old, yet he had such a strategic vision. In contrast, despite several years of military school, they realized they had merely been repeating the experiences of their predecessors, almost as if they hadn't been thinking for themselves.
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