In the Governor’s Palace of East Africa, Governor Friedrich, brimming with vigor, addressed the crowd: “You are all top graduates of the Austrian Military Academy with some of you even breaking academic records. But that alone isn’t enough. Great generals are forged on the battlefield. The Empire cherishes peace, and there aren’t enough wars to give you real combat experience. Now, there’s an opportunity to let you confront the brutality of war prematurely. However, it carries significant risks. Participation is entirely voluntary. If you’re afraid, you may withdraw now.” The fact that they were standing there already proved their resolve. If they had been afraid, they would not have come in the first place. Seemingly satisfied with their reaction, Governor Friedrich softened his tone, “Good. Since you have chosen to take part in this operation, then once you step out of this door, you will no longer be active-duty soldiers of Austria. Whatever happens during this trial has nothing to do with the Austrian government. Only those who survive and return will have their military status reinstated. As your senior, I offer this advice: Learn to survive on the battlefield before chasing glory. Protecting yourself is as vital a skill for a commander as any strategy. The Empire invested heavily in your training… not to waste you as cannon fodder. Bravery and recklessness are not the same thing. Now, I will begin the roll call.” “Oskar von Hutier.” A young officer stepped forward and responded, “Here!” Governor Friedrich said, “Lieutenant Colonel Hutier, you will be the commander of this operation. I expect you to bring all these young men back in one piece.” “Yes, sir!” Oskar von Hutier replied. Governor Friedrich nodded. “Your mission is to use the Mahdist rebels to create trouble for the French.” Seeing the confusion on their faces, Friedrich smiled and said, “Do not be surprised. Even with our support and that of the British, the rebels have no chance of defeating the French. The gap in strength is too great. The outcome of this war was decided from the start. You are being sent there for training, not to throw your lives away. There is no pressure on you in this conflict. You are free to use any tactics you see fit. Winning or losing doesn’t matter to us. Your success depends entirely on your own abilities. Of course, the key is whether you can persuade the natives to follow your lead. If any of you are capable of raising your own rebel force to fight the French, I have no objections. The results you achieve on the battlefield will determine how much material support you receive, which will strengthen your influence among the rebels. At the start, each of you will be equipped with an infantry regiment’s worth of supplies. Whether to give it and when to give it to the rebels is entirely up to you.” Training high-ranking officers is completely different from training junior officers. Junior officers only need to follow orders and be brave in battle. High-ranking officers, however, have much more to learn. They need skills in organization and management, tactical command, and battlefield adaptability. Not only is there more to study, but the competition is also far more intense. Every stage comes with assessments, and only the best can advance to the next level of training. With such a high cost of training, these officers are not meant to be sent charging into battle. Learning how to stay alive on the battlefield is also a required course. The war between the Sudanese rebels and the French is a real-world test. No matter how skilled someone is in theoretical strategy, nothing compares to actual combat experience. Sending them directly against the French shows the high expectations the Austrian military has for them. Otherwise, they would have simply deployed experienced officers instead. After finishing his speech, Friedrich continued the roll call. “Erich von Falkenhayn, Potiorek, Straussenburg…” One by one, names that would later become legendary appeared on the list. After decades of effort by Franz, the Austrian military’s recruitment was no longer limited to Austria alone. All citizens of the Holy Roman Empire were eligible to enlist in the military, including those from the northern German regions. This was especially true after the Russo-Prussian War, when financial pressure forced the Prussian government to abandon its militaristic path. The Prussian Army had to reduce its size, and naturally, investment in military academies also declined. In fact, the more foresighted Junker nobles had long been hedging their bets. The older generation served in the Prussian Army, while the younger generation studied in Austria. Now that Prussia had declined, these military students no longer needed to return. There were no positions for them anyway. Joining the Austrian Army became their best option. For Franz, who was determined to unify the German territories, these officers from northern Germany were not a problem. In the end, only the most capable would rise to the top. Governor Friedrich, full of ambition, was born in 1856, meaning he was not much older than the men before him. TN: I’m now sure this is referring to Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen due to the birth year However, he was fortunate enough to participate in the Near East War, where he advanced rapidly by fighting the Ottomans and ultimately distinguished himself. Of course, being born into the right family played an even bigger role. As the son of Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria, he had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Even without great ability, he would have still done well. But since he was competent, his rise was inevitable. Originally, he had intended to use the Near East War merely as a way to gain prestige, but instead, he truly honed his skills. A capable member of the royal family was a rarity, so he was naturally given proper training. Rather than enjoying the fine wine and grand banquets of Vienna, Friedrich was unceremoniously sent to East Africa by Franz. But young men are rarely content with idleness. Friedrich was not one to sit around and waste his potential. He had ambitions of his own. In the original timeline, despite spending years indulging in Vienna’s decadence, he was still able to lead troops into battle. Now, with real experience, there was no doubt he would do even better. Under Franz’s influence, the atmosphere in Vienna had become significantly stronger and more disciplined compared to the same period in history. With an emperor uninterested in luxury and indulgence, the bureaucrats and nobility naturally followed suit. Changes in societal values had the strongest impact on the next generation. Nobles born after the 1848 Revolutions were generally more capable than those of the previous era. As a colonial governor, Friedrich had considerable authority. As long as the government did not explicitly forbid something, he was free to act. Causing trouble for the French was certainly not prohibited. As long as there was no concrete evidence, there would be no consequences. Eager to make a name for himself in his new position, Friedrich personally planned this operation. To prepare, he visited the major Austrian governors in Africa and gathered a stockpile of outdated equipment from them. Without direct involvement from the Austrian government, the resources available to Friedrich were limited. These old supplies would serve as his bargaining chips in influencing the Mahdist uprising. There was no additional investment, but it was not a deception either. Once results were achieved, securing government funding would become much easier. The idea of “Franco-Austrian friendship” was even more unreliable than “Anglo-Austrian friendship.” A look at history made it clear: Europe’s past few centuries had largely been a struggle between the Habsburgs and the French. Now, with France standing in the way of German unification, most Austrians saw them as their greatest enemy, without exception. Friedrich felt no guilt about undermining the French. In fact, by not sending active-duty soldiers, he was already showing some courtesy to the French government. At most, a few newly graduated cadets were involved. Even if the French discovered them, Friedrich could easily handle the situation. *** https://postimg.cc/gallery/PwXsBkC (Maps of the current territories of the countries in this novel made by ScH)
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Thanks for the chapter!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they end up usurping French "rule" of Egypt in the end?