Chapter 91: Politics is King
Chapter 91: Politics as King
The Pope’s Army Command, the power struggle that took place within the Pope’s Kingdom, had by this time spilled over into the frontline army.
“Your Excellency Commander, the great Pope has sent an order ordering us to stop advancing and immediately return to Rome to suppress the rebels!” A middle-aged officer said with a sad face
There was no way around it, before receiving the order from His Holiness the Pope, the cabinet government had also given them military orders, ordering them to cooperate with the Sardinian Kingdom’s army to conquer Venice as soon as possible.
Polking had a headache, to listen to the Pope or to listen to the Cabinet, this was a fatal choice question, one wrong step in the political struggle and all would be lost.
Don’t look at now the democrats seem to have the upper hand, Pope Pius IX exiled to Naples, think that the winner and the loser, in fact, this power struggle has just begun.
The Pope as a religious leader in Europe, that is also the Lord of the Great Summoning, in the country can not do the bourgeoisie, but he can call for help ah, history is the French and Austrians to send troops to help him regain the right.
“His Excellency the Commander, what should we do now, who should we listen to?” An officer asked hesitantly
Polking shook his head helplessly, he really didn’t know what to do, deep down he was inclined towards the Pope, but the problem was that he couldn’t guarantee the Pope’s victory in this political struggle.
This problem didn’t last long when a young officer barged in, breaking the tense atmosphere, “Your Excellency the Commander, the front has been ambushed by the enemy’s main force, requesting for support!”
Without hesitation, Polkin ordered, “Order the second regiment to head for reinforcements immediately, and pass on the order for the rear army’s third regiment to speed up its advance.”
Since the enemy had already fought their way over, there was no need to think so much, let’s fight first!
It’s a pity that the Pope’s country’s army has long since rotted away, the Pope’s guards don’t even dare to use them, so they know what kind of goods they all are.
What happened in the country had long been spread in the military camps, and the papal army, which didn’t have much desire to fight, completely let itself go at this time.
When people’s hearts are scattered, it’s not good to lead the army. If it was on the battlefield, the consequences would be quite touching.
When the second regiment rushed up, the vanguard had already collapsed. What everyone fought for in the age of platoon guns was courage, but unfortunately what the Papal Army lacked was precisely the same.
Seeing the routed soldiers all ran away, I don’t know who took a lead, everyone followed and ran away, the second regiment that just came to reinforce directly collapsed without a fight, a big battle has not yet begun, and so confusedly lost.
……
A breath of running out of twenty miles, the sky gradually darkened, to determine that the Austrian army did not chase over, the papal army only stabilized, General Polking is now still in a daze.
Why the battle has just begun, so confused to lose? There was no way, he was kind of a confused general fighting a confused battle.
Polking was able to rise to the top by relying on his noble birth, and shrewd political acumen, and as for military ability, when did the Papal States need to test military ability when selecting generals?
Looking at the chaotic barracks, Polking frowned and asked: “Nelson loss count out or not?”
“Your Excellency Commander, 3,300 officers and soldiers have returned now, there should be more coming back one after another, we are helping them return to the building!” Nelson replied mechanically
Don’t look at him also called Nelson and think that he is a famous European general, in reality it is just a very coincidental renaming, there are 8,000 people without 10,000 who call this name.
“Ah, God, what kind of battle is this fighting! Summon the officers above the rank of lieutenant colonel to me at once, and come to a meeting.” Polkin growled.
Forgive him, as a noble N generation, the first time on the battlefield to command so many people to fight, suffered a big defeat, did not immediately collapse even if the quality of the heart is good.
This battle, the Pope’s army’s personnel loss is not large, in addition to the vanguard troops were ambushed by the Austrian army, the back of the troops did not even exchange fire with the enemy.
By the third day, the officers and soldiers who returned one after another added up to a total of more than 6,300 people, for a force of 7,000 people, the loss is less than ten percent.
After suffering a defeat, Poljin became conservative and stayed put, waiting for logistical supplies on one side, gathering the defeated soldiers on the other, and watching the situation on the battlefield.
A middle-aged officer whispered, “Your Excellency Commander, Marshal Badorio ordered us to immediately launch an attack on the Austrian army to help the Sardinian army complete its flanking encirclement!”
Polkin sneered. “Ordering us? What is he, Badorio? Since when is a marshal of the Kingdom of Sardinia allowed to command the troops of our Papal States?
Could it be that you think I’m also that stupid bastard Mahld, foolishly running to be cannon fodder for them?
Paul, tell the Sardinians that our army is fighting hard against the enemy’s main force and is unable to support our brother troops, I believe that the valiant Sardinian army will be able to defeat the enemy and win the war!”
On the question of the war against Austria, the four Italian states had verbally agreed, and nominally Marshal Badorio was the commander of the allied forces.
But the actual effectiveness of this Coalition Commander is a matter of who uses who knows.
Originally we are all rivals, this is not a verbal agreement, can eliminate each other’s gap.
The Sardinian army can sit back and watch the Tuscans lose the war, Polking can likewise sit back and watch the Sardinian army and the Austrians fight bitterly.
“Yes, Commander!” Paul replied.
“Order the troops to pack up, we’ll retreat the day after tomorrow and just leave the battlefield to the Sardinians.” Polkin added
Pit mate, who’s afraid of who?
Polking never regarded the Sardinian Kingdom as an ally, in his opinion the Sardinian Kingdom was ambitious to unify Italy, and the threat to the Papal States was still far above Austria.
Not on the battlefield to turn against each other, this is worthy of “allies”.
On the face of it, Polking lost the battle, and if he could not clear the shame of defeat, he would certainly be in bad luck.
However, politically speaking, this defeat was a timely rain, let Polking through the political difficulties.
After fighting the Austrians, the cabinet government side can be accounted for over, he has carried out the order.
It was normal to fail to win the battle, it was a “crime not to fight”, to magnify the strength of the enemy a little and be done with it, anyway, no one thought that the papal army could win Austria, the expectations were not high.
Of course, the Pope’s side will have to put it in another way, for example, because of the attack by the Austrian army, adding a large number of wounded, the retreat speed is naturally slow.
When the slow retreat back, the domestic political struggle should almost be over.
History is always amazingly coincidental, because of the need, Polking made the same choice, after a defeat, withdrew from the war.
Push the book, catfish head new novel “reborn in South Africa as a police officer”, write very good.
Thank you neodymium like helmsman, after the shelf plus one more, now owe a total of four chapters!
Thanks for the votes, happy ????!
(End of chapter)