Chapter 48: Lure the enemy deeper (1/2)
In Lombardy, the situation is very unfavorable to Austria. The Italian-Austrian war is definitely not as simple as recorded in the history books. There are bourgeois and noble rebellions inside, and enemy forces outside.
The reinforcements sent by the Vienna government were suppressing the rebellion in Venice at this time. Only one Austrian division reached the front line. Marshal Radkis now has less than 30,000 troops.
This number is double that of the same period in history. Otherwise, it would have been retreating from Milan as long as in history.
Taking a closer look at the map on the table, and considering the current international situation, Marshal Radkis made a surprising decision at the military conference.
”Order the troops to be ready, we will give up Milan on April 1st!”
”What? Lord Marshal, are you sure this is not a joke?” Vic asked somehow incredulously.
”How much will Vic, I'm pretty sure what I'm doing!” Marshal Radkis said without change.
”But, Marshal, we are not at the point where we have to retreat. Once the rebellion in the Venetian region is suppressed, our reinforcements will arrive and there will be no problem in blocking the Kingdom of Sardinia!” Vic asked somehow.
This is not the suspicion of Victor alone. Many of the officers present felt that it was difficult to accept. Why did they retreat if they could win?
”It's very simple. We can block the offensive of the Kingdom of Sardinia, but we can't defeat the enemy's ability when we are worried about internal and external problems.
The Lombard party has already colluded with the Kingdom of Sardinia, and if our two sides confront each other for a long time, the rebellion will continue.
This also involves political and economic aspects. In short, the Vienna government has authorized me to deal with Italy with full authority. You just need to execute the order! Marshal Radkis explained coldly
The pressure to abandon Lombardy is absolutely not small, and it will even cause a series of chain reactions. Under normal circumstances, this responsibility is not what generals are willing to bear.
Marshal Radkis dared to do so, and it had nothing to do with the orders from the Vienna government. As long as the final victory, don't care about the city's gains and losses.
In his view, this is a high-level government in Vienna, and also found the crisis in the Italian theater. If the problem cannot be solved as soon as possible, then the Papal States, the Principality of Tuscany, and the Kingdom of Naples will all come.
To deal with the Kingdom of Sardinia and the insurgents alone, Marshal Radkis's forces are still sufficient. Once these states have joined the war, it is dangerous.
Rather than abandoning the Lombardy region first, the Kingdom of Sardinia occupied these sites, and the other three states of Italy would not participate in the war.
Anyway, they all declared war due to public opinion. The main armies of several states have not yet dispatched. Now they are all volunteers who are organized by the people.
If the kingdom of Sardinia occupied these areas, the folk explanations passed, even if it was out of envy, jealousy and hatred, they would not send troops to fight the Sardinian kingdom.
There will be internal fighting without external troubles, and the internal contradictions of the Italian states are also not small. Now it is only the political needs to transfer the hatred of the people to Austria.
However, this situation cannot continue, and everything can be deceived, but the stomach can't be deceived. People always have to eat.
The economic crisis is still going on. The number of unemployed in Italy is quite large. If this problem cannot be solved, contradictions will still erupt.
Apart from Italians, the attitudes of Britain and France are also a problem.