Chapter 395: The Helplessness of Pawns
The outcome of the Battle of East Prussia left Europe stunned. This result was difficult for everyone to accept, and no one had expected Prussia to launch a counteroffensive.
Many armchair experts, who had been confidently offering analyses, believed that the earlier loss of East Prussia was a deliberate strategy by the Prussians to lure the enemy deep into their territory.
Riding on the shoulders of the Russian defeat, the Kingdom of Prussia rose to fame in a single battle. Even their commander, Moltke, skyrocketed to fame overnight, becoming one of the most formidable generals of the time.
As the main person involved, Moltke did not want to take credit for this success. He could swear to God that he had never intended to abandon East Prussia.
Did they really think that reclaiming East Prussia was sufficient? Just look at how few people remained in the area to understand the severity of the situation.
After retaking East Prussia, the population counted was less than eighty thousand. Before the war, the population was over a million. Even counting those tens of thousands that were still in the military, the total would only be a bit over a hundred thousand.
The remaining 800,000-900,000 people were gone because of this war. Whether they perished in the flames of battle or migrated to Austrias colonies, for the Kingdom of Prussia, these people were lost.
Would the Kingdom of Prussia dare to demand people from Austria now? The Austrian government was probably still considering whether to come over and reclaim Silesia.
Coming forward at this time would be inviting trouble upon oneself, wouldnt it?
The Prussian government did not want to cede the Silesia region. Austrias support for the Russians during the war had already violated their initial agreement.
However, as everyone knew about the great powers, they often had thick skins. Unless the Kingdom of Prussia provided evidence, the Austrian government would never admit to having supported the Russians.
As for why there was so much Austrian equipment among the Russian troops?
The Russian and Austrian equipment came from the same source, a fact known worldwide. It was normal for Austrian equipment to appear; the problem would be if it didnt.
These were all produced by the Russians themselves. After all, the Russian Empire was a dominant force on the European continent. How could they possibly fail to produce their own weapons and equipment?
If strategic supplies bore the marks of Austrian companies, it was even less worth mentioning. They were all knock-offs made by the Russians. Of course, they would look the same.
Those who doubted could go check in the Russian Empire. The Russian government was quite accommodating. At most, they might send them to plant potatoes in Siberia.
Evidence? It would be best not to bring it forward. Revealing it would make everyone lose face, so it would be better for all to maintain a tacit silence.
The initial agreement wasnt even put down in writing. It was all verbal promises. Pretending as if nothing had happened would be the best course of action, wouldnt it?
But the soldiers from East Prussia were not satisfied.
Their families were missing, not knowing their life or death. They needed a clear answer: were they captured by the Russians or tricked into fleeing?
When news spread that East Prussia was voluntarily abandoned, everyone could not bear it anymore. A mutiny occurred, and tens of thousands of troops demanded an explanation from the Prussian government.
Moltke, the commander-in-chief, became a sinner in many peoples eyes. If the military high command hadnt known that the loss of East Prussia was an accident, William I would have made Moltke the scapegoat.
Now, they definitely could not do that as it would demoralize the troops under his command.
Of course, until the situation was clarified, this suspicion couldnt be eliminated. The blame still fell on Moltke, the commander, though he would not be held responsible.
William I was a wise man. He would only burn the bridge after crossing the river, and discard the millstone after grinding the grain. They had to get across the river and finish grinding first before taking any action.
The pause in the Russo-Prussian War was only temporary. It was merely because winter was coming, and fighting couldnt continue. A new test awaited them next year, so this was not the time to offend the military.
Moreover, such obvious attempts to sow discord, if William I couldnt see through it, how could he rule as king?
The Prussian government promptly provided explanations, guaranteeing that East Prussia was not intentionally abandoned. They also disclosed the strategic plans deployed to defend East Prussia.
The officer originally responsible for guarding the coastal areas took all the blame for the loss of East Prussia and was brought to military court.
Subsequently, the news was released about the evacuation of the East Prussian population to the Austrian colonies for refuge. Religious figures were also invited to testify, confirming that most of the people were still alive.
William I pledged that after the war, the government would fund bringing them back from overseas.
Noble officers were also working on convincing the soldiers. Given the ongoing war, the East Prussian region could at any time become a battlefield again. For the safety of the civilians, it was better for them to seek refuge overseas.
The mutiny came quickly and dispersed even faster. While calming the soldiers, efforts were also made to direct their hatred towards the Russians.
Numerous religious figures and the civilians who didnt evacuate served as witnesses. It was entirely due to the Russians wrongdoings and the inability to survive that everyone fled overseas.
William I felt weary. After comforting the soldiers, he also had to appease the nobility. The Junker nobility of East Prussia suffered greatly, having sacrificed for the nation, and they would certainly have to be compensated after the war.
That wasnt all. War results in casualties. Behind the glorious victories, a large number of Prussian soldiers closed their eyes forever.
In the Berlin Palace, watching the continually increasing death toll, William Is heart was bleeding.
Indeed, in the Battle of East Prussia, they achieved a great victory. They not only recaptured East Prussia and occupied the Lithuanian territory but also drove the Russian forces attacking Poland back and even occupied parts of Belarus.
However, this didnt mean the Prussian army was truly as formidable as it seemed, capable of effortlessly defeating the Russians.
In reality, these territories were all yielded by the Russians themselves. As the saying goes: the extent of territory one can occupy on the battlefield depends on how much the enemy is willing to concede.
The main force of the Russian army suffered heavy losses, morale collapsed, and they were defeated and in disarray. Naturally, the Prussian army followed behind, taking over the territories.
If they truly had to fight all the way, how could they have possibly advanced 200-300 kilometers within just half a month? This wasnt the era of blitzkrieg. Reliant on marching on foot, warfare couldnt be conducted quickly even if one wanted to.
The military achievements were brilliant, but the casualties were horrifying. Behind the victory, the Prussian army paid a painful price during the entire Battle of East Prussia, with losses reaching as high as 142,000.
Of these, 74,000 were killed in action, 38,000 were disabled due to injuries, 3,216 died from diseases or accidents, and 27,000 required long-term recuperation.
And thats not all. From the outbreak of the war until now, the total military losses of the Prussian army have exceeded 280,000.
Apart from military losses, civilian casualties were even greater. The Russian navy raided the coastal areas, causing considerable casualties among civilians. If one includes those exploited by Austria during these turbulent times, the total number approaches nearly a million.
Of course, when considering the newly occupied territories, the overall population has increased. However, these new inhabitants dont necessarily have a strong sense of belonging to the Kingdom of Prussia.
Nevertheless, William remains confident. If theres no comparison, then there wont be any harm. With the Russian government as a reference, he believes the people will make the right choice.
As long as these new inhabitants are assimilated over a decade or two, they will become the foundation of the Kingdom of Prussia. In this regard, their predecessors have set examples.
The most crucial issue now is to expand the gains and end the war; the Kingdom of Prussia is too small and needs to expand.
Since they had already offended the Russians, there was no need to hold back from offending them even further. The best choice was to carve out as much territory from the Russians as possible to strengthen the Kingdom of Prussia.
As long as they were strong enough, it did not matter if the Russians wanted revenge. The Kingdom of Prussia had never feared war, even against the Russians.
Your Majesty, winter has arrived, and we cant continue the war now. I suggest abandoning the territory of Lithuania and withdrawing our troops to defend East Prussia.
The words of Prime Minister Franck interrupted William Is daydreams, pulling him back to reality.
Whats the reason? You should know what abandoning the territory of Lithuania implies politically, shouldnt you?
From a military perspective, defending East Prussia was certainly the best option as they could directly use domestic railways to transport supplies.
Defending the territory of Lithuania was different. The supply lines would increase by over two hundred kilometers, and without railways connected to the homeland, the logistical pressure would significantly increase.
However, politically, occupying the territory of Lithuania signifies that the Kingdom of Prussia has gained the upper hand in this war. Not only can it boost morale and spirit among the troops, but it can also encourage their financial backers to increase their investment.
In William Is view, the winter in Lithuania wasnt too cold for the Prussian army to endure. There are also rivers within the territory to alleviate logistical pressures, so there should be no major issues in holding onto the territory of Lithuania.
Prime Minister Franck said cautiously, Now that the war has progressed to this stage, we also need to consider the aftermath. We should consider negotiating with the Russians to secure the fruits of our victory.
If we occupy the territory of Lithuania, the Russian government will not negotiate with us. Even if it was for the sake of face, they will not agree to a ceasefire at this time.
This was not just about face. It also concerned the personal prestige of Alexander II. Losing a war and then sitting at the negotiating table was not something he could tolerate.
If they really lost the war without a chance for a comeback, then regardless of prestige, they would have to accept defeat.
However, the Russians hadnt actually lost the war; they had only lost one battle.
Prime Minister Franck clearly didnt want to continue clashing with the Russians and planned to seize this opportunity to stop. Annexing Russian territory was never within his plans.
William I replied with a wry smile, Prime Minister, at this stage of the war, if we dont have sufficient gains, what can we tell the people in the country?
Moreover, aid from the British is not easily obtained. The British governments support for our annexation of the Baltic region is more than just support.
If we cant deliver on our end, without British backing in the future, how can we proceed in the future?
From the moment the military instigated this war, we have merely been a pawn, not the flag-bearer. A pawn cannot lose its value, otherwise it becomes a discarded piece.
Being at odds with the Russians to the end was not what William I wanted. Reality, however, told him that he must fight the Russians to the end.
The victory in the Battle of East Prussia strengthened the resolve of the war hawks, leading to a sharp increase in the power of radical groups. They wanted to seize benefits during the war.
A mere Kingdom of Denmark couldnt satisfy their appetites. Moreover, the Kingdom of Prussia dared not annex the entire Kingdom of Denmark. At most, they would only take a piece of land.
At this stage of the war, the Kingdom of Prussia had amassed substantial debts, and their backers would not allow them to stop.
Not only the British needed them to confront the Russians, but the French and Austrians also required them to continue weakening the Russians. If they couldnt achieve this, then the Kingdom of Prussia would lose its value.
Prime Minister Franck was kept in the dark because, from the beginning, he was anti-war, so foreign countries did not make contact with him.
After the outbreak of the war, the military took the lead, and the government merely played a supporting role, sidelining the prime minister.
He was not ousted because William I did not want to see the military dominate entirely even keeping Franck in his position. He was unwilling to hand over the position of prime minister to the military.
Upon hearing this news, Prime Minister Francks face turned ashen as he left the palace in a daze.