Chapter 283: Following the Strong
Joseph smiled contentedly. This way, he had secured Emperor Napoleon's loyalty. As for his heart... Emperor Napoleon was only 20 years old; there would be plenty of time and opportunities to cultivate their relationship in the future.
He and Berthier entered the General Staff Headquarters. He took a seat at the head of the table and gestured for everyone to sit down. "Please, everyone, take a seat.
"I've already reviewed the reports from the General Staff. Your work has been excellent; you've managed to get everything up and running in a very short time."
Of course, most of the credit belonged to Berthier.
If his skill in leading armies was a 70 out of 100, then his auxiliary staff work would undoubtedly score a perfect 100. It wasn't that he could only score 100, but that 100 was the highest possible score. In this regard, he was undoubtedly France's most outstanding genius!
Berthier and the officers immediately stood up, declaring loudly, "It is our honor to serve His Majesty the King!"
Joseph gestured for everyone to sit down and continued, "Besides the basic recruitment and training efforts during this period, the General Staff still has quite a few tasks to handle.
"First, we need to conduct an 'All-Army Combat Assessment.'
"All legions must participate. Any that meet the assessment standards will earn the 'Royal' designation. Officers who perform exceptionally well during the assessment will also be promoted."
Joseph chuckled, shaking his head. "No, if you knew the assessment standards, you would find these rewards quite reasonable."
"Then, what are the assessment standards?"
"The daily training standards of the Guards Corps, slightly elevated. Any legion that can meet those will be considered to have passed."
Upon hearing this, Berthier immediately broke into a knowing smile. 'Throughout all of France, apart from the Royal Guard Legion, even including the elite Swiss Guard, who could possibly complete a 5-kilometer run in under 22 minutes? Not to mention carrying an 18-pound load...'
There were still several other events, such as shooting, formation drills, obstacle courses, and tactical coordination. Not only would the old-style armies likely fail to meet the standards for these, some of these training exercises they probably hadn't even heard of!
A staff officer, who had been promoted from the Guards Corps, hesitated. "Your Highness, it's unlikely any legion will pass this assessment. So, what is the purpose of it?"
"An excellent question," Joseph said, giving him an approving look. "After the assessment, they will undoubtedly declare, 'No one can meet such standards.' At that point, the Guards Corps will shatter their confidence and show them what true elites are."
Berthier and the others exchanged peculiar glances. 'The Crown Prince is truly ruthless! This will make the soldiers of other legions live under the shadow of the Guards Corps indefinitely.'
Joseph smiled faintly again. "Remember, after the assessment concludes, distribute application forms to the members of those legions."
Berthier didn't immediately grasp his meaning. "Application forms?"
"Yes, application forms to join the Guards Corps. Remember, the approval process must be strict. Only those with talent and courage should be accepted; no dregs are to enter the Guards Corps!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Joseph didn't expect this single demonstration to completely win over the noble officers, but it would at least leave a deep impression on their minds.
Ultimately, to truly convince them, the Guards Corps would need to achieve remarkable results on the battlefield.
The previous battle in Tunisia, where their opponents were merely North African armies whose equipment, training, and command were entirely behind the times. As for the engagement against the Montcalm Legion, it involved an element of calculation. Neither of these could truly convince those arrogant French noble officers.
Only by facing true European armies and achieving overwhelming victories could the Guards Corps truly demonstrate its formidable combat prowess.
Soldiers inherently respect strength. As long as you are strong enough, they will naturally follow you.
Just like Emperor Napoleon, whether he established a republic or declared himself emperor, from noble to commoner, everyone followed him without hesitation. Even when exiled, a single word from him could make countless soldiers cheer and flock to him upon his return.
After discussing some of the finer points of the All-Army Combat Assessment with the staff, Joseph continued, "Next, we need to address the situation in the Far East.
"I wonder if any of you have received news that the Kingdom of Mysore in India has had a dispute with the Dutch and the Travancore princely state?"
Berthier and the others looked at each other in dismay. An officer quickly left the meeting room and soon returned with a document.
After the staff officers circulated the document, they all looked at His Highness the Crown Prince with some surprise.
It was intelligence that had arrived from Pondicherry, India, just two days prior, stating that there was a possibility of conflict among the princely states in southwestern India, with a Dutch involvement. As for the details, nothing specific was mentioned.
Yet His Highness the Crown Prince seemed to know everything about the situation there. 'Had the Intelligence Bureau already extended its reach to the Far East?!'
Joseph naturally wouldn't explain it to them; it would be impossible to clarify. The Intelligence Bureau had only just managed to establish itself in North Africa, and was merely beginning to infiltrate America; the Far East was, of course, entirely out of the question.
Currently, intelligence from the Far East was provided by merchants and diplomats, so the information was very vague.
Only he, with his special advantage, knew the detailed circumstances.
Joseph also glanced at the military's intelligence report. He then proceeded to brief the staff officers on the situation in Mysore. "The root of the matter is that the Raja of Travancore purchased two fortresses located within Mysore territory...
"That's essentially what happened. Tipu Sultan of Mysore has always been assertive; he would never permit a hostile princely state to establish two strongholds right under his nose. Therefore, I believe it is highly probable that he will declare war on Travancore."
A staff officer mused, "We have interests in Travancore, perhaps we should offer them support."
Joseph shook his head. "Quite the contrary, Major.
"Travancore is no match for Mysore, and they will inevitably seek assistance from the British.
"The British have long held a grudge against Mysore; it is the only kingdom in India that hasn't submitted to them. Thus, they will certainly seize this opportunity to declare war on Mysore."
He surveyed the room. "Our interests in Travancore are negligible, and in fact, throughout the entire Far East, we merely have a presence, with no significant interests whatsoever.
"Therefore, our objective should be to make the British expend as many resources as possible in the Far East!
"In other words, we will support Mysore."
The staff officers exchanged glances once more, and all slowly nodded.
Berthier, however, hesitated. "Your Highness, if we directly deploy troops, it could very likely provoke Britain into a full-scale war against us."
Joseph nodded. "Therefore, we must conceal ourselves as much as possible.
"Primarily, we will aid Mysore with weapons and equipment—we should try to avoid using French weaponry—and dispatch officers. As for troops, we can select a small number of Tunisians to go, as they share the same religious beliefs as the Mysoreans."
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