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Chapter 737: No Compromise!

The ministers' expressions grew even grimmer once the Duke of Broglie finished speaking.

One hundred sixty thousand troops against four hundred thousand—this was destined to be an incredibly difficult war.

Joseph, however, smiled. "You see, there's no need for us to concede any interests to Austria."

Everyone exchanged puzzled glances.

Joseph continued, "Aside from the weaponry and training of our army, the enemy's forces are drawn from so many different countries that coordinating and commanding them uniformly will be exceedingly difficult, let alone achieving mutual cooperation. We should be confident in our ability to defeat them."

This wasn't arrogance on his part; it was a conclusion drawn from the historical outcomes of the First Anti-French Coalition.

Historically, the declaration of war against France involved not only Britain, Prussia, Austria, and Portugal but also Spain and the Italian city-states.

Yet now, Spain would certainly not side with Britain. Although the Spanish army was notoriously incompetent, this shift meant the Anti-French Coalition would be slightly smaller.

Furthermore, historically, Prussia and Austria hadn't fought the Silesian Wars, so their national strength had been more robust than at present.

Of course, Britain's historical entry into the war was relatively late, generally joining the Anti-French Coalition only after Prussia and Austria suffered a defeat on the northern front. This time, however, Britain was actively participating and fully committed.

At the same time, while Prussia and Austria had been depleted by the Silesian Wars, they had also gained a contingent of veterans who had seen real combat. So, on balance, their overall strength was roughly the same.

But looking at France, the situation was different.

During the First Anti-French Coalition, France had just endured the devastation of the Great Revolution, and its national strength had not yet recovered. Many nobles, including numerous excellent military officers, had fled abroad, causing a significant decline in the army's capabilities.

Despite the revolutionary fervor, the combat power of those forces was several tiers below that of France's current elite Royal Guard.

The outcome of the First Anti-French Coalition was well-known: after an initial minor setback, France pushed all the way to the Rhine River.

In this lifetime, with a modernized army and a France that hadn't experienced political turmoil, Joseph simply couldn't perform worse than in history.

Even if, by some million-to-one chance, he underperformed and the war turned unfavorable, one must remember that France was only deploying its standing army. He still held the ultimate weapon: General Mobilization.

Current France had undergone land reform!

Those peasants who had bought land would fight tooth and nail against His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's enemies the moment Joseph called upon them.

With a population of 30 million, mobilizing a hundred to two hundred thousand troops should be no problem for France.

However, France's senior ministers saw many major European powers arrayed against France, and their hearts were inevitably filled with apprehension.

Trade Minister Bailly hesitated, then rose and said, "Your Highness, perhaps we could first reach out to Austria. After all, reducing one enemy is always beneficial."

Joseph took a deep breath, his gaze sharp as he swept across everyone, raising his voice. "I repeat, from this moment on, our discussions will focus on only one thing: how to prepare for war.

"Any who dare to antagonize France shall receive our thunderous punishment, not our compromise!"

The conference room fell silent instantly.

Some covertly glanced at Queen Marie, only to see her hands clasped, head bowed, and utterly silent—Queen Marie had never faced such a grand spectacle, her mind already a chaotic mess. What ideas could she possibly have? If not for her son's steady presence, she would likely be asking the ministers, 'What should we do?'

Brienne, as Chief Minister, was the first to rise, declaring loudly to the Crown Prince, "Yes, Your Highness! France will never compromise!"

The other ministers' eyes began to harden, and they rose, shouting in unison, "No compromise!"

Joseph nodded in satisfaction, gesturing for everyone to sit.

Brienne then said, "Your Highness, financially, in an extreme situation, we can allocate 90 million francs for military expenses. However, to ensure no unforeseen issues arise, I suggest we consider taking out loans from neutral countries or private financial groups in advance."

While 90 million francs seemed substantial, it was only enough to sustain 160,000 troops and the navy's operations for about four or five months.

Mirabeau followed, "Industrial raw materials also need to be stockpiled. I mean, once war breaks out, it may be difficult for us to obtain raw materials from overseas."

Talleyrand nodded. "Therefore, we should employ some diplomatic maneuvers to delay the start of the war as much as possible, to allow for more time to prepare..."

"Food reserves are currently quite sufficient. Over 3 million pounds of grain from Poland will arrive soon, bringing our strategic grain reserves to about 80% of maximum capacity..."

"Domestic war propaganda must be strengthened..."

"I suggest we can enact a 'Reserve Military Service Law' to improve mobilization efficiency..."

After setting the tone, Joseph mostly listened quietly.

France was like a colossal machine, and over these years, he had racked his brains, eliminating its faults one by one, ensuring every component, every gear, operated in optimal condition.

Now, without his direct intervention, this national machine could swiftly spring into action, handling everything with perfect order.

The cabinet meeting lasted an entire day, and then half a day more on the following day. Edicts and directives were continuously dispatched from Versailles to every corner of France.

The whole of France seemed to rumble, stirring with an irresistible momentum.

Simultaneously, hundreds of thousands of troops from Prussia, Austria, and other nations began to converge on the French border.

The British Mediterranean Fleet and Atlantic Fleet had also largely completed their mobilization, sailing out of their naval ports in succession, their dark mass of warships covering the sea.

Of course, such a large-scale military deployment would take at least two or three months to fully complete.

After arranging all the war preparations, Joseph entrusted domestic affairs to Brienne and the others, then traveled by carriage to Madrid, Spain.

Originally, this task could have been left to Talleyrand, but after careful consideration, Joseph decided it would be better to go in person.

Historically, France had confronted the entire Anti-French Coalition alone.

While the Great Revolution's impact undoubtedly fueled discontent among other European monarchs, it was more often the self-aggrandizement and crude diplomatic tactics of the Directory and later Emperor Napoleon that led to this isolation.

Joseph naturally wouldn't repeat their mistakes.

Why not secure allies if possible?

Especially a country like Spain, whose king, like France's, belonged to the Bourbon dynasty. Spain had no major conflicts of interest with France and was unlikely to develop into a threat, making it a heaven-sent ally.

It was important to remember that while the Spanish army was poor, Spain possessed the world's third-largest navy.

The combined navies of Spain and France would approach 80% of the British Navy's size.

While the French Navy could, relying on its steam frigates, contend with the British fleet in the Mediterranean, Spanish assistance would ensure full control over the Mediterranean Sea.