Chapter 983: Lion or Wild Dog
The significance of the Paris Police Academy to the French army had long since transcended that of a mere military school. It had become the symbol of the military spirit, the architect of training standards, and the fountainhead of advanced command and tactical innovation.
As a result, what was being held was no longer a simple school anniversary, but rather a grand celebration for the entire military.
The moment His Royal Highness the Crown Prince appeared within everyone's sight, Masséna shouted at the top of his lungs, "All units, attention! Salute!"
From the plaza outside the Military University all the way to the parade grounds on the south side of the academy, over ten thousand officers and soldiers snapped to attention simultaneously. A sound like a crashing wave erupted as they turned their eyes toward the Crown Prince in a crisp, collective salute.
Escorted by a throng of officers, Joseph arrived at the parade grounds—large enough to hold ten thousand men—and ascended the reviewing stand on the north side.
Every soldier on the field strained to puff out their chest as far as possible, each hoping the Crown Prince might spare them a single glance.
The privilege of attending this anniversary was not easily earned; almost everyone present had performed exceptionally on the battlefield or belonged to a recognized elite unit.
Joseph scanned the entire field, took a deep breath, and projected his voice clearly: "I am honored to stand before you as your Commandant and to share this glorious moment with all of you!
"The Paris Police Academy is a great institution born alongside glory. It serves the security and prosperity of France..."
Joseph had spent a full half-month memorizing today's speech. He still remembered some details from the academy's early days, but once the scale had expanded to three thousand students, he had to rely on memorized records.
However, these meticulous details made every officer and soldier feel a genuine sense of closeness to His Highness.
Once Joseph finished his opening remarks, the celebration officially commenced.
First came the grand drill maneuvers, followed by military band performances, marksmanship displays, and stories shared by Meritorious Soldiers about their experiences on the battlefield.
It wasn't until five in the evening that the participating soldiers temporarily departed—there were still live-fire exercises scheduled for the following two days.
Inside the academy's auditorium, hundreds of officers of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and above gathered, awaiting the arrival of the Crown Prince. In truth, this was the main event of the anniversary.
Several former officers from the Army of Italy looked at Masséna and Moreau in the front row with complex emotions. General Bonaparte should have been among them, but they all knew he was currently held in the Military Police detention center.
A Colonel finally couldn't help but whisper, "The General may have violated military discipline, but he did it to teach those Austrians a lesson."
The "Insubordination" incident had occurred over a month ago, and most high-ranking officers had already gathered the inside story.
The officer beside him nodded. "The General Staff went a bit too far this time. Normally, a reprimand or at most a demotion would suffice, but the General was sent to a court-martial."
Another Brigadier General glanced around before leaning in toward the group. "I heard the General might be exiled this time."
The group of officers all shook their heads and sighed.
The Colonel from before spoke in a gruff voice, "Let's petition the Crown Prince together. Let's ask him to pardon the General."
"You're right. The General has achieved outstanding military feats. France cannot do without him."
"I'll bring it up to His Highness in a moment. You all back me up..."
Sitting in the front row, Moreau turned his head to glance at the group and frowned. He then used his eyes to signal his subordinates to distance themselves from them.
Before long, Joseph strode into the auditorium, dressed in a sharp cavalry uniform with two medals pinned to his chest.
Every officer stood to attention with a sharp rustle of fabric.
Joseph raised his hat slightly, gesturing for them to be seated.
Just when everyone expected the Crown Prince to read out promotion orders or offer words of encouragement, they heard him speak loudly:
"I know you don't want to just sit here. You don't want to attend some anniversary or listen to me talk. You want to be holding a victory parade in Vienna right now, or pounding Potsdam with your cannons. You want to accept a surrender in Königsberg and march all the way to the lower reaches of the Danube."
The eyes of most officers present instantly lit up, their fists clenching in excitement.
Joseph continued, "I know what you're thinking. You think France possesses the best soldiers in Europe and the finest weapons, enough to fight Austria and Prussia on two fronts simultaneously and crush them!
"You're thinking that our percussion cap muskets and cannons shouldn't be sitting in warehouses; they should be on the North German Plain and at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains!"
Joseph looked around, almost able to hear their pounding hearts, yet he lowered his tone slightly. "You are correct. Our army can do exactly that. Of that, I am absolutely certain.
"But what comes after? I need you to think carefully about what kind of situation we would face."
His tone shifted. "I don't know if any of you have ever seen wild dogs fight.
"I have.
"Usually, there is a very fierce 'alpha dog.' It's powerful and will bite down on a challenger, tearing at it with all its might.
"Similarly, the younger wild dogs will bite back and refuse to let go, thrashing, pinning, and rolling in the dirt.
"This kind of battle can sometimes last for over an hour. Usually, the alpha dog will win, driving away or killing the challenger."
He looked at the officers below the stage again. "Do you believe France should become the 'alpha dog' of the European continent, biting to death any opponent who dares offend us?"
The auditorium fell deathly silent. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were fixed on the Crown Prince, waiting for his next words.
Joseph swung his hand forcefully. "No! We are not a 'wild dog.' No matter how fierce an alpha dog is, it can still have its bones broken or its wounds infected by a challenger. When that happens, that vulture across the English Channel will take the opportunity to swoop down and tear at our flesh.
"Therefore, France must be a lion! Surveying the continent, enjoying all the prey. If necessary, we can swat those wild dogs to death at any time without suffering a scratch.
"Even that vulture—if it dares to land and forage, it will be torn to shreds just the same."
He exhaled. "Remember, before we have fully grown into a lion, we must avoid getting locked in a brawl with other 'wild dogs.' That will only leave us wounded, bleeding, and weakened.
"What France needs to do right now is stabilize the market, develop industry and agriculture, and increase our population.
"Only when we can produce billions of francs in military spending at a moment's notice without it impacting our finances will we avoid the trap of a bloody struggle with other 'wild dogs.'
"At the same time, we must launch the Second Military Reform.
"Yes, being satisfied with the status quo is equivalent to regression. Prussia and Austria will soon learn from us and reform their armies. The British have even formed a new army remarkably similar to our own."
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