Chapter 1267: Meeting
Passau is located at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers, making it difficult for large armies to deploy there.
At the same time, Passau's old town is built on a cliff, and nearby is the Veste Oberhaus, constructed in Roman times. If the Austrian army manages to establish its defenses there, it will be very difficult to break through.
Moreau immediately said, "Your Highness, let me go reinforce General Masséna."
His legion had returned to Munich from Amberg for rest two days prior and was currently positioned just over 80 kilometers from Passau.
Berthier quickly intervened, "General, your soldiers have just endured continuous fierce battles; they must rest now."
Moreau sighed and lowered his head, falling silent. The Fifth Army Group and the Twelfth Division had indeed fought to their limits, and their weapons and ammunition had not yet been resupplied.
Berthier then turned to Joseph and said, "Your Highness, I suggest the entire army immediately undertake a forced march to Passau to lay siege with overwhelming numerical superiority."
Moreau immediately waved his hand, "The area around Passau is crisscrossed with rivers; at most, only twenty to thirty thousand men can be committed to an attack at once. Attempting a forced crossing downstream on the Danube would easily expose us to enemy attack."
He mused for a moment, then looked at Joseph. "Your Highness, we don't need to wear down the enemy at Passau at all.
Berthier disagreed, "Such a large-scale troop movement would be difficult to conceal from the Austrians. They would only need to dispatch troops nearby to defend Klagenfurt, and our army would return empty-handed."
Joseph made a calming gesture towards the two fiercely debating generals. "As General Berthier said, it's not just the Fifth Army Group; almost all legions need a good period of rest.
"Oh, that includes Masséna's Legion as well. Let them block the outer perimeter of Passau; do not launch a direct assault."
The three legions that had previously rushed towards Prussia had all marched at forced-march pace, severely depleting their soldiers' physical strength. The defense of Baden had been equally brutal. Currently, only the fresh recruits recently transferred from Paris to the front lines were in relatively good condition.
Moreau and Berthier exchanged glances, then both said anxiously, "Your Highness, now is the best time to utterly defeat the Coalition Forces!"
"We cannot give the Austrians time to set up their defenses..."
Joseph smiled, once again raising his hand to gesture for calm. "Rest is for fighting better. Moreover, we need to wait for our reinforcements to be ready, then launch a decisive attack into Austria from the Ore Mountains."
Austria's terrain was highly advantageous; its entire western side was mountainous, leaving only three points of attack: Passau in the west, Klagenfurt in the south, and the Ore Mountains in the north.
Among these, the Ore Mountains were the least favorable for French operations.
The Ore Mountains were in northern Austria. Attacking there would require bypassing the entire Bohemian mountain range. From Baden, the full distance would exceed 900 kilometers.
Although Prussia could now provide some supplies to the French army, everyone knew they simply couldn't sustain the logistics for hundreds of thousands of troops, let alone provide ammunition that the French army used, which they might not have even seen before.
Moreau quickly interjected, "Your Highness, attacking from northern Austria would create immense logistical pressure. Furthermore, troop movements would be very troublesome.
"Uh, are the reinforcements you mentioned... Prussia?"
Joseph lightly shook the reins, urging his horse to quicken its pace, and said without looking back, "As long as the war can be concluded swiftly, logistics won't be an issue.
"As for reinforcements, my special envoy should currently be finalizing the operational plan with them.
"During this time, you two must handle troop replenishment and logistical arrangements. I will return to Stuttgart tomorrow."
Berthier couldn't understand why the Crown Prince was so relaxed and quickly spurred his horse to catch up. "Stuttgart? But the front lines still need your command..."
Joseph raised a hand and waved it dismissively. "There won't be any major battles for at least another month and a half. I have only one thing to do now, and that is to hold a meeting."
...
March 19, 1799.
Stuttgart.
For centuries, this city had never been as bustling as it was today.
The streets were packed with curious onlookers, and vendors weaved through the crowds, hawking their wares.
Almost every half-hour, a band by the roadside would strike up a tune, followed by a procession of lavish carriages, escorted by French cavalry.
The citizens of Stuttgart keenly observed the flags on the carriages, using them to identify the occupants. "Oh, look, that must be the Archbishop of Mainz, right?"
"His carriage is far more luxurious than that of the Count of Mecklenburg who just passed."
"Indeed, only the Archbishop of Cologne's procession, which arrived this morning, could compare..."
"However, the Archbishop of Cologne had far fewer cavalry guards than he does."
"Speaking of escorts, the Grand Duke of Baden's entourage was the most impressive of all..."
At two in the afternoon, dozens of carriages were parked haphazardly across the square of Stuttgart's New Palace. Flags of various colors and designs fluttered and rustled in the spring breeze.
Inside the grand hall on the palace's ground floor, rulers from nearly all the North German states were gathered. In addition, representatives from Baden, Bavaria, Augsburg, and even the Netherlands were present.
They clustered in small groups, whispering amongst themselves. Some looked worried, while others were beaming with smiles.
Before long, a melodious tune sounded from outside the doors. Then, tall French grenadiers on either side stood at attention, and the Crown Prince of France, clad in a hussar uniform, entered the hall between them.
Everyone immediately stopped talking and turned their gaze towards him.
Joseph walked to the head of the conference table in the center of the hall and stood still, whereupon the music immediately ceased.
He smiled, raised a hand to acknowledge the assembly, then declared loudly, "Thank you all for attending this 'Stuttgart Summit.'
"This will be an important meeting to bring peace and prosperity to all of Germany!
"As is widely known, certain brutal, aggressive nations ignited a wicked war, leaving the entire European continent to groan in the flames of conflict.
"Fortunately, blessed by Providence, the forces of justice have prevailed, and the aggressors have now been driven from North Germany.
"To prevent the resurgence of war, we must, with foresight and inclusiveness, forge a new order based on equality and shared prosperity.
"May this conference mark a turning point in history, and may future generations remember our efforts for continental peace!"
The people in the hall were momentarily stunned. In the past, only the Holy Roman Emperor had been able to deliver such an address before them.
No, even the Holy Roman Emperor would likely have found it difficult to gather nations like Prussia and the Netherlands to discuss a so-called "new order."
But now, with the European continent west of Saxony-Austria largely under French control, no one at this moment raised any objections.
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