Chapter 334: Knowing Where to Draw the Line
The parliamentary election system in the Southern Netherlands provided just such an opportunity.
Vonck's Conservatives had previously been suppressed by Van der Noot, but with the 'extraordinary feat' of saving General Wit's army, they had made a strong return to parliament.
It was foreseeable that with the support of General Wit and the soldiers of the Southern Netherlands, the Conservatives would possess the strength to contend with the Liberals. And Vonck would undoubtedly seek revenge for his prior exclusion.
Joseph merely needed to provide some resources, balance the two factions, and fan the flames through public opinion; then the Netherlandish Rebels would be left with nothing but political infighting.
In later eras, whether in America or Europe, whenever the power between political parties was closely matched, they would tear each other apart without any external instigation, let alone new players in the electoral game like Van der Noot and Vonck.
Of course, all of this had a prerequisite: that Austria, the powerful enemy capable of uniting the people of the Southern Netherlands, would no longer appear.
To achieve this, the Guards Corps still had many roles to play.
...
"What? You mean pursuing General Blücher?" General Leo, commander of the Austrian forces in Luxembourg, asked Berthier nervously, swallowing hard. He then looked pleadingly at Lefebvre, who was standing nearby. "Do you think this is feasible?"
However, Lefebvre declared with a serious expression, "General Leo, I recall that His Majesty Emperor Joseph II's order was to reclaim the entire Southern Netherlands."
"Now, both the Prussians and the Netherlandish Rebels have just suffered a crushing defeat; it is an excellent opportunity for you to press the advantage and reclaim lost territory."
Leo instinctively shook his head, thinking, 'That was your victory; what advantage do I have to press?'
Berthier glared dramatically at Leo. "Are you afraid to fight? Or do you intend to defy your Emperor's orders?"
"Ah, no!" Leo straightened up with a start, thrust out his chest, and declared loudly, "Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Even if I am torn to shreds, I will reclaim the Southern Netherlands!"
"I knew it, you are Austria's most valiant general." Berthier smiled, patting his shoulder. "Rest assured, France is declaring war on the Southern Netherlandish Rebels. Should any Southern Netherlandish troops appear, I will fight alongside you!"
Hearing that the French would help, Leo finally relaxed a little, chuckling wryly. "I trust, General, that you've already prepared your battle plans?"
Berthier nodded. "Tomorrow at noon, you can launch your attack on the Prussian positions southeast of Liège."
"Tomorrow? Me?"
"Yes. The longer you delay, the more complete the Prussians' defensive preparations will become. I believe it's best for you to attack as soon as possible."
...
Joseph was unaware that, although he had tried his best to keep the number of Prussian soldiers captured or killed under 4,000 to reduce the French army's presence, the battle in Luxembourg still caused a considerable stir across the European continent.
Politicians across Europe were discussing how, despite no formal alliance between France and Austria, and no declaration of war by France against Prussia, the current situation undeniably pointed towards a Franco-Austrian collaboration against Prussia.
Potsdam, the administrative center of Prussia.
Sanssouci Palace.
King William II, formally dressed, looked at the Hanoverian Special Envoy before him with pleasant surprise. "I warmly welcome His Excellency the Governor's suggestion to send more troops."
"So, how many troops does Hanover intend to send to Silesia? Oh, I will do my utmost to provide logistical support."
The Hanoverian Special Envoy bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, the Governor will dispatch another 30,000 troops as per your wishes. However, their destination will not only be Silesia but also Luxembourg."
A wave of delight surged through William II. With the 12,000 soldiers Hanover had previously dispatched, over 40,000 Hanoverians would now join the conflict. This would significantly impact the situation in Silesia.
Moreover, he had heard the word 'Majesty.' That meant the British were also closely monitoring the war. It was important to remember that the Hanoverian Prince-Elector was currently also the King of England; while nominally an independent German state, Hanover was effectively an English exclave.
With the strong support of his British allies, his chances of victory had increased considerably.
However, Prussia had little interest in Luxembourg. If it weren't for wanting to weaken Austria, he would have long since recalled all the troops from the Southern Netherlands. Yet the British were very concerned about the region. Was it because the French had won a battle there? Or did Britain have some commitment to the Dutch?
Considering this, William II said to the Special Envoy, "You should be well aware that the core of the war currently lies in Silesia. If we can concentrate our forces to repel the Austrians, and even push deep into Bohemia, then both the Southern Netherlands and Luxembourg could be easily secured by the Dutch alone."
"I will certainly convey your suggestion to His Excellency the Governor." The Special Envoy bowed slightly. "However, before His Majesty makes a decision, 20,000 Hanoverian troops will continue to proceed to Luxembourg to assist General Blücher."
The British were not particularly concerned about the Silesian campaign; even the Russians paid more attention to it than they did, as it was, after all, an internal 'German affair.'
However, the French had intervened in Luxembourg, and that region was very close to France.
If France's momentum couldn't be curbed in time, the Southern Netherlandish rebels alone would struggle to withstand the French army. Should the French reach the Rhine River estuary, it would inflict a massive blow to British trade.
Therefore, King George III quickly decided to commit Hanover's full strength to reinforce the Southern Netherlands. The British Parliament also swiftly approved aid allocations for the Southern Netherlands.
Concurrently, the Dutch would also dispatch an army of several thousand to the Southern Netherlands. Although the Dutch were reluctant to clash with the French, merging with the Southern Netherlands had always been their greatest dream.
Should the French show any inclination to occupy the Southern Netherlands, the Dutch would risk offending France to protect their 'ancestral lands' in the Netherlands. Moreover, they had British backing this time.
Vienna.
Schönbrunn Palace.
Emperor Joseph II was already utterly exhausted by the protracted war in Silesia.
Austria's current financial situation was also far from ideal. He had invested significant funds in reforms over recent years, and if the war dragged on indefinitely, Austria might well collapse before Prussia did.
Fortunately, news arrived this morning of the Prussian defeat in Luxembourg, allowing him to gasp for air in his ocean of anxiety.
Leopold II stood by his bedside, also smiling. "Your Majesty, the French have stopped about one kilometer from Liège. It seems our sister knows where to draw the line."
According to the political understanding between France and Austria, Luxembourg was considered France's 'payment,' but the Southern Netherlands was not to be touched by France.
And the French were reassuring Austria through their actions.
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