Holy Roman Empire Chapter 698

Chapter 698: Chapter 271: Not Enough Officers

Theory and reality often run counter to each other. Perhaps it was owing to Major General Obodo's effective countermeasures, or perhaps the officers had no way out. The Fourth Russian Army, under siege, erupted with a combat force that exceeded Prussian expectations.

Seven days flashed by, and the Fourth Army, like a nail, was firmly embedded there, presenting a dilemma for the advancing Prussian troops.

Looking at the continuously rising number of casualties in his hand, and thinking of his own mission, General Hansgeya's beard was almost turning white with worry.

The enemy had lost more than half its troops, yet showed no sign of surrendering, making it clear they preferred to fight to the end.

If the Russian Army was this tenacious, there was no point in continuing the war. The Prusso-Polish Federation had a limited population and could not sustain such a war of attrition.

Rubbing his forehead, Hansgeya instructed his adjutant, “Send a telegram to headquarters, report our situation in detail, and tell Marshal Maoqi to give us five more days. I guarantee that we can annihilate this enemy force.

If other regions need support, we can start by redeploying some troops away from here. We no longer need so many forces surrounding them.”

After several days of combat, Hansgeya was certain the enemy would not run. To complete his mission, he even deliberately left an escape route to lure the enemy into attempting a breakout.

The result was that the enemy, as if blind to it, staunchly held their ground, giving him no opportunity to exploit.

To not seize the chance to escape was completely illogical; Hansgeya did not know what the Russian commander was thinking, but for sure, he was extremely frustrated.

“Yes, General!”

It wasn't just the Prussian Army that was frustrated; the besieged Major General Obodo was even more troubled. The Prussians, as if gone mad, initiated relentless attacks without concern for their own casualties, leaving the Fourth Army only able to defend without any ability to counterattack.

Once encircled, he was completely in the dark about the situation outside and had no idea why the enemy was so frenzied.

The wails sounded, and airships flew in from the horizon. This was the most joyous yet tense moment for the Russian Army each day.

Starting from some unknown point in time, the roaring airships had become the Fourth Army's pillar of morale, bringing them hope for life.

This was the most nerve-wracking moment. Except for the first few days, subsequently, every arrival of the airship troops was accompanied by an inevitable air battle.

In just over ten days, the Russian Army had lost thirty-five downed airships, with almost three airships destroyed in aerial combat daily.

Of course, the Prussian Army was not having an easy time either. The gap between the two forces was trivial; the airship troops might be where the fighting capacity of Prussia and Russia was most closely matched.

Obodo picked up his binoculars to observe the breathtaking air battle, silently counting in his heart, “1, 2, 3, 4… 49.”

“49” airships, a number that filled Obodo's heart with wild joy, had increased by a full third over yesterday, whereas the enemy had only half this number.

A numerical difference of half, and even if there were transport airships amongst the Russian airships, they still held an absolute advantage.

Although there were distinctions between combat airships and transport airships at this time, it was common for transport airships to be used in combat.

These airships were behemoths that could withstand several ordinary bullets. Heavy machine guns for aviation had not been invented yet, and the real killer move was still artillery.

Whether it was combat airships or transport airships outfitted with cannons, they could enter the battlefield. Their accuracy was pitifully low, but if they hit, the result was the same for both–vulnerable targets.

In essence, airships were not designed for close combat; their high cost could make any country weep with pain. The Prusso-Russian War marked the beginning of the earliest aerial combat in human history.

Seeing that the fight was futile, the Prussian airship troops made a decisive retreat. The Russian Army, focusing on dropping strategic supplies, paid no attention to pursuit.

Perhaps the Fourth Army's numbers had diminished; or perhaps the higher ups at headquarters had a moment of generosity, empathizing with the Fourth Army's soldiers for their hard battle. Today's supplies were exceptionally plentiful.

Rare vegetables, fresh beef, ham, cheese, bread, butter, and soy flour appeared, making even Obodo hungry.

As a commander, Obodo quickly realized it likely wasn't out of kindness from the higher-ups but that the worth of the Fourth Army had increased.

Their greatest value lay in holding five or six hundred thousand Prussian troops right here; if they needed to risk their lives, naturally, the treatment had to improve.

Shaking his head, he dismissed the thoughts swirling in his mind, Major General Obodo instructed the guard beside him, “Send someone to search carefully for any orders from headquarters.”

Before the guard could respond, a young officer hurried over with a document in hand, “General, this is a battle report from headquarters.”

Obodo dodged the document and quickly opened it to read. The more he read, the darker his expression became, as if the sky had fallen.

It wasn't that the situation was bad–on the battlefield overall, things were going quite well, and the Russian Army was getting closer to winning the war by the day.

On October 28, 1880, the Fifth and Seventh Russian Armies launched attacks from the northeast on the Warsaw region, and now they were at the outskirts of Warsaw City.

On November 1, the First and Second Russian Armies initiated the Battle of East Prussia.

With the navy's cover, on November 3, the Russian Army landed in the Gdynia region and secured a complete victory.

On November 5, the Russian Army made another successful landing in Kolobrzeg.

On November 7, the Southern Russian Army broke through the Prussian defense.

The next day, the Russian troops split into three divisions, with the Eighth Army marching straight towards Berlin, the Ninth turning north to attack Poznan, and the Tenth responsible for central support.

The battlefield was rich with good news, except there was no message of relief for the Fourth Army. The implication was obvious, and although it hadn't been explicitly stated, the warning was very clear.

The rapid progress of the Russian forces was inseparable from the efforts of the Fourth Army. If they hadn't tied up the Prussian Army's mobile forces, neither the Fifth nor the Seventh army would have had the guts to approach Warsaw, and the Southern Army wouldn't dare to split their forces in three.

In such a scenario, whoever failed to maintain this hard-won situation would be held accountable.

There were no explicit orders, but this battle report was the best order. Obodo was very clear that they were not only treating the Fourth Army as expendable; they were outright using them as sacrificial pawns.

If they had broken through earlier, at worst they would have lost their own heads; now, if they ran, their whole family would end up on the guillotine.

Don't think that because the killing of nobility isn't fashionable in Europe, one can rest easy. Alexander II had the reputation of a “Butcher”; if he hadn't executed people, how could his reforms have succeeded?

After some thought, Obodo instructed, “Announce this good news to all troops, tell them victory is within sight, just hold on for another half a month, and we will have Warsaw!”

“Seeing through things without pointing them out” is also one of the survival rules in this cruel world. The wise could see clearly, while those who couldn't comprehend were simply thick-headed; to these soldiers, the battle report was genuinely good news.

Hold on for half a month?

Obodo himself didn't believe it; he felt that the fact the Fourth Army had held out until now was already beyond their normal capacity.

But people tend to follow blindly, especially when victory seems close at hand, they always manage to hypnotize themselves and unleash unimaginable fighting power.

Deep inside, Obodo had decided–to hold the Prussian main force for as long as possible, and if they really couldn't hold on anymore, then stay behind as molehill dwellers.

As long as the Fourth Army didn't retreat and continued to hold on here, no one could blame him for any failure.

Fortunately, the soldiers were unaware of Obodo's unscrupulous thoughts, or else the morale that was so hard to build up would deflate once again.

Sometimes, ignorance is a blessing; being immersed in a sea of hope is always better than knowing the bitter truth and plunging into despair.

With the Prussian forces comprehensively at a disadvantage on the battlefield, the Berlin Government was in total panic, and even Marshal Maoqi's repeated assurances couldn't dispel everyone's doubts.

Full mobilization was necessary; as long as one could bear arms, they were required to join the battle.

It doesn't matter if there are not enough officers, the officers of the main forces cannot be touched, so they will have to be pulled from local troops.

If that really doesn't work, we'll find someone to fill in temporarily until a suitable replacement is found. If a suitable one never appears, then naturally there is no need for a replacement.

The enemy is about to reach Berlin, so who has the time to care about quality! First, we need to boost our numbers, which at the very least can increase everyone's sense of security.

While Berlin is in the midst of military mobilization, it also hasn't forgotten to launch a diplomatic offensive.

Seeking the support of minor players such as the Ottoman, Central Asian Countries, and the German Federation is now futile, as they have lost the capacity to influence the outcome of the war.

At this stage, what the Prusso Federation needs is the support of the great powers. The European Continent is unlike other regions; what is gained on the battlefield can just as easily be relinquished at the negotiation table.

The Berlin Government is not delusional enough to expect the Russians to return empty-handed, but acquiring the support of the great powers to preserve its strength as much as possible is still necessary.

In Vienna Palace, Franz had just sent away the special envoy sent by the Berlin Government.

To be honest, he was quite puzzled. The war had not yet been decided, why was the Berlin Government in such a hurry?

It appears that the Russians are advancing triumphantly on the battlefield, but the war is not over yet. Inside the Prusso Federation, there are still six to seven hundred thousand new recruits. Even if these troops are weak in combat power, they should be able to defend a city, right?

Faced with Franz's doubts, Chief of Staff Albrecht explained, “Your Majesty, as the battle has unfolded, the number of casualties in the Prusso Federation's army has already surpassed one million, with the dead alone exceeding three hundred thousand.

If we talk about the loss of ordinary soldiers, they can be replaced immediately, but the loss of junior officers is much harder to compensate for.

Based on the data we've collected and analyzed, the casualty rate of Nobility Officers in the Prussian Army is far higher than that of ordinary soldiers at 13.5%, and it is approaching 20%.

The Prussian Army is suffering from a shortage of officers, not just because of this war, but also due to the previous one.

In the first Prusso-Russian war, the new generation of Junker aristocracy suffered heavy casualties. Now they are not only short of junior officers but also seriously lacking in mid-level officers, and even the high-ranking officers are actually insufficient.

The lack of qualified officers has a very large impact on the combat effectiveness of the army. Compared to the start of the war, the combat effectiveness of the Prussian Army has actually declined.

This became evident from their siege of the Fourth Russian Army; if it had been the Prussian Army at its peak, there would have been no need for such a prolonged engagement.

The shortage of officers is not anyone's fault. The Prusso Federation has already done well, having reserved enough officers to command an army of one million five hundred thousand.

This number, in theory, should have been sufficient to deal with any war. Before the outbreak of the Prusso-Russian War, no one could have foreseen that the war would escalate to the current scale.

Whether it is the Prusso Federation or the Russian Empire, their mobilization capacity has exceeded our expectations.”

It's not only the people of this era who are surprised, even Franz, the transmigrator, did not foresee that Prussia and Russia could achieve what they have today.

Their mobilization capacity is almost approaching that of the First World War. The Prusso Federation mobilized over two million six hundred thousand troops, and the Russians, crazed with war fever, mobilized nearly four million troops.

This number isn't the end; the troop counts of both sides are like inflating balloons, ever-expanding.

Just like the balloon, as the number of troops inflates, their combat effectiveness also continues to decline.

This is more evident in the Prussian Army since they follow a path of quality; the Russians started out with quantity, and although their combat effectiveness has also fallen, since the quality wasn't strong to begin with, the degree of this decline isn't as steep.

Franz, puzzled, asked, “As I understand it, many of the officials in the Berlin Government come from the military. Now that we're in a time of crisis, it shouldn't be much of a problem to have them return to duty on an emergency basis.

With these people setting the example and the promotion of some civilian soldiers to officer positions, the issue of insufficient junior officers should be solved. There's no need for the Berlin Government to be so anxious, is there?”

This isn't Franz talking nonsense; many officials in the Berlin Government come from a military background. This is the case not just for the Prusso Federation but for Austria as well.

Under the system of universal conscription, not only government officials have served in the military but people from all walks of life have had a stint in the armed forces.

In times of crisis, recalling them back to the forces would also be a solution to the shortage of officers.

Albrecht shook his head, “Your Majesty, these people seem to have organizational abilities, but they are simply not suited for the military.

In the Prusso Federation, the officer corps is dominated by the Junker aristocracy, influenced by traditional power. The most excellent talents among them, or rather those most suited for the military, would develop their careers there long-term.

Most of those who retire from the military and then enter government departments are actually rejects who were eliminated halfway, and their military abilities are already questionable.

If these people are reluctantly reinstated, their rank would correspond to their previous military positions, but this rank has no bearing on their command capabilities.

To have a group of bureaucrats with unknown military abilities in charge of troops is simply unimaginable.

I believe that they might even be inferior to first-year military academy students, who at least are full of zeal, do not shirk responsibility or pass the buck, and can strictly follow orders.”

Franz nodded with a hint of embarrassment. Having bureaucrats command troops was indeed a huge pitfall. It could entangle the army in political struggles before a war even begins.

After a pause, Albrecht added, “Promoting non-noble officers is something the Prussian Army has already started doing. However, these soldiers have not received military academy education, so their potential for development is extremely limited, and only a very small number can serve as officers.

Currently, the number of commoner officers among the lower ranks of the Prussian Army is actually not small. But their performance is not good, and many problems have arisen.”

Franz seemed hesitant to speak. The issue with commoner officers is a tough problem across European countries.

It's not as later generations claim, that the nobility monopolized the military and excluded commoner officers.

In reality, the nobility is only interested in middle and high-level positions. The lower company and platoon-level positions are simply not their goal; nobody is that shortsighted.

The real issue lies in military literacy, common soldiers have never been exposed to this knowledge, so how can they become qualified officers?

It can be said that in peacetime, the pathways for common soldiers to rise up were locked down early, and only a rare few geniuses could become officers.

War times indeed present opportunities, but the condition is that they need to survive. Military honors are not so easily earned; they must be exchanged with one's life.

Even lower-ranked noble officers must lead the charge. Not to mention commoner officers, who will probably have many dangerous tasks fall upon them.

No matter how talented you are, only if you survive the battlefield will you have a future; otherwise, you become a martyr.

Having earned military honors is not the end. Quite the contrary, it is only the beginning.

Upon being promoted to a higher position, the demands are even greater. The requirements for an individual's military literacy also become much higher.

In peacetime, there's a chance to study at a military academy and become competent after returning. During wartime, that's not an option; the war won't wait for anyone.

To some extent, Albrecht's complaint about the poor military literacy of commoner officers is an undeniable fact.

Aside from a few rare geniuses, most of the promoted commoner officers are like ducks out of water, struggling to adjust in a short time is quite normal.

The military is a place that believes in the survival of the fittest; no one will consider so many reasons, nor will they give you time to learn at your own pace.

If you're not up to snuff, you'll face ostracism, and without even needing to employ any tactics, you'll be squeezed out.

It's not just commoner officers; many nobles' offspring, with insufficient abilities, will be pushed out just the same.

Not only now but even in the future, there is only one way forward for commoner officers–military academy.

Through school education, they enhance their military literacy and bridge the capability gap with nobility officers.

This path is also challenging, with limited enrollment in higher military academies, it's like a single-log bridge crossed by a throng of soldiers; they also face competition from nobility candidates.

Impacted by educational resources, without being a genius, it is practically impossible to break through.”

Chapter end

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