Milan City Marshal Badoglio’s frustration was growing. After the announcement of the annexation of Lombardy by the Kingdom of Sardinia on April 7, a wave of democratic activists took to the streets in protest. In matters of state, Marshal Badoglio had no authority to voice his opinion, especially to these seemingly insignificant commoners. Troops were immediately dispatched to disperse the protesters. Fortunately, the Austrian military had already crushed an earlier wave of resistance, effectively dealing with the most formidable opposition. Those associated with the interim government had either been bribed or subjected to various forms of imprisonment. The remaining dissenting voices were mostly skilled at using empty rhetoric. “Marshal, another group has gathered outside, demanding your intervention to take back Venice!” the aide whispered. This was not the first time such petitions had been made. There were various demands for independence, requests for more autonomy, pleas for additional food supplies... Whether or not Badoglio possessed ultimate authority, it seemed that the people of Lombardy had designated him as their preferred intermediary. Whenever problems arose, they sought an audience with Marshal Badoglio. Maintaining the image of a revered figure was no easy task. To maintain his esteemed reputation, Badoglio had to project an image of humility and a willingness to listen to advice. Except for the independence advocates, whom he had ordered the troops to disperse, Badoglio often met with representatives of other petitioning groups. During these meetings, he explained the challenges he faced in trying to address their concerns. For example, his most frequently used rationale was the principle that soldiers should not interfere in political affairs. Repeating this statement over time, Badoglio had begun to truly believe in its validity. Lately, he refrained from interfering in Lombardy’s affairs unless local government officials sought his guidance. “Let their representatives in,” Badoglio declared, his brow furrowed. This time there was no way around it. Sending troops to Venice wasn’t just a political matter; it had significant military implications. With command of the frontline forces of the Kingdom of Sardinia, Badoglio was the logical point of contact. Soon two youthful individuals, resembling students, were ushered in. Badoglio’s brow furrowed even deeper. Dealing with teenagers and their youthful ideals was always a challenge. “Esteemed Marshal, I’m Rim, and this is Thomson. It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Observing the enthusiastic young men, Badoglio replied with courtesy, “I am also pleased to meet you both. May I see the petition first?” “Oh, certainly!” Rim replied promptly. Badoglio took the petition and quickly read its contents. It was an impassioned letter, full of fervent appeals, accompanied by numerous, densely packed signatures at the end. He couldn’t help but find it almost touching. “I have received your petition, and I will deliver it to the king immediately. However, I cannot reveal the timing of the attack on Venice, as it’s a military secret. We are currently making extensive pre-war preparations to avoid the mistakes of the past that led to food shortages. This time we are taking more time to prepare so that we don’t have to stop military operations due to lack of supplies. The Austrian forces have a total strength of about five to six hundred thousand troops, and when the Battle of Venice begins, they’ll probably send reinforcements. Right now, my available forces are not enough. We have domestic reinforcements on the way, and newly recruited troops in Lombardy are still being trained. All this takes time. But please trust that victory will eventually be ours!” The two young men nodded in agreement as they listened to Badoglio’s explanation. They were both newcomers to military affairs and in this pre-Internet era, their knowledge of Austria’s domestic situation was limited. According to their conventional thinking, Austria must be incredibly formidable. If Marshal Badoglio, who was considered to be the most outstanding military commander of the time capable of defeating Austria, supported these statements, then they must have some merit. “Victory is unquestionably on our side, Marshal. We all have unwavering faith in you. There’s no doubt about your extraordinary talent. Any allegations of your cowardice are merely born of envy!” Thomson blurted out hastily. Badoglio suddenly felt a surge of frustration. Could they please not be so blunt? Their straightforwardness might cost them friends. Attack Venice? Is that a wise idea? Do they really think Austria is a pushover? At present, Marshal Badoglio reportedly commanded an army of 150,000 men on paper, outnumbering the Austrians by almost a third. Beneath these impressive numbers, however, lay a cause for concern. Of those 150,000 troops, an astonishing 70,000 had been hastily recruited from the local population. The Austrian government had long been suspicious of the Italians, which led the Austrian military to avoid maintaining a reserve force in the region. As a result, the soldiers currently under Badoglio’s command were mostly individuals who were farmers who had just put down their hoes or workers in the city. Even in the lower ranks, there was a noticeable shortage of military officers. Unlike their German counterparts, the Italian region, especially the heavily commercialized Lombardy, lacked a strong tradition of military expertise among the local nobility. Their once renowned martial prowess had diminished over time. This hastily organized force was primarily intended to fill the ranks, lacking even an adequate number of rifles. Its primary role was to provide logistical support and some local security, although its capabilities in these areas were limited. To send them into battle would be to give the enemy easy targets. The army of the Kingdom of Sardinia remained the true backbone of this war. Admittedly, the idea of an 80,000-strong Sardinian army facing off against a 100,000-strong Austrian force may seem precarious. Perhaps this imbalance of power played a role in the decision to halt their offensive. These specific details, however, remained unknown to the general public, which focused primarily on calculations of total military strength. The Austrian forces in the Italian region numbered only 100,000, and their ranks had been reduced by several thousand due to their involvement in suppressing the revolution. With the cooperation of the Venetian population, could the mighty army of the Kingdom of Sardinia, with its 150,000 men, not overcome the relatively modest Austrian force of 90,000? Despite his heavy responsibilities, Marshal Badoglio found some relief in his situation. Influential figures in Lombardy, who had recently sworn allegiance to the Kingdom of Sardinia, were reluctant to stir up trouble. He had delegates, mostly students, whom he could temporarily sway in his favor. King Charles Albert, however, faced a different predicament. The Kingdom of Sardinia was fraught with various internal factions, and the war served as a convenient distraction to deflect domestic tensions. Nevertheless, things had escalated beyond control, and radical nationalists were incessantly urging him to launch an offensive against Venice. This predicament was the result of King Charles’s own actions. In an effort to ease political pressure in his domain, he had widely publicized the supposed triumphs of the Sardinian army in Lombardy, causing many to underestimate Austria’s strength. Public opinion could be a volatile and unpredictable force at times. Charles Albert had either forgotten the age-old adage that “too much of anything is bad,” or he was powerless against the overwhelming influence of public opinion. At the time, nationalism was on the rise in Italy, with Sardinia serving as a focal point for fervent nationalist sentiment. Fueled by perceived victories over the Austrian army, nationalism was once again on the rise. By this time, nationalism and patriotism had escalated to a dangerous level. The people were constantly reminded that Venice was still under Austrian rule. Since the annexation of Lombardy by the Kingdom of Sardinia, the entire population celebrated the further unification of Italy. However, Austria’s hold on Venice had become an intolerable obstacle. The Kingdom of Sardinia now found itself in a difficult situation with no easy solutions.
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