BXBX NOVEL Chapter 89 Looking Bad For The Allied Forces
In the commune of Roverbella, two hours after the decisive battle between French and Austrian forces, Napoleon and Wurmser were in the drawing room of one the city\'s best apartments.
They sat across one another, their gazes meeting as if to ascertain and study the measure of their opponent. The room was adorned with elegant furnishings, a stark contrast to the chaos and destruction that had unfolded on the battlefield just hours ago. The air crackled with tension as both men were keenly aware of the significance of this meeting.
Napoleon, exuding confidence and authority, leaned back in his chair, his piercing gaze fixed upon Wurmser. He studied the defeated commander with a mixture of respect and curiosity. Wurmser, though physically fatigued and emotionally drained, maintained a stoic composure, refusing to show any signs of weakness.
After a moment of silence that felt like an eternity, Napoleon broke the ice.
"General Wurmser, I must acknowledge and commend your valiant efforts, which I hold in the highest regard... My apologies for any errors in my German. However, let us address the reality of the situation. Austria currently finds itself vulnerable from the south, and in the interest of preventing further bloodshed, I propose an armistice. The terms I present are straightforward: Austria must cease its hostilities against France and provide a solemn commitment to refrain from engaging in future conflicts with our nation."
Wurmser\'s gaze hardened, his pride and determination shining through his fatigue. He leaned forward, meeting Napoleon\'s eyes with unwavering resolve.
"General Bonaparte, while I acknowledge the dire circumstances we face, your terms require a complete surrender of Austria\'s sovereignty. I don\'t think my country would accept such demands. And you must be misunderstanding something. Even if you defeat me, I will be simply replaced by another commander."
"And just like you and Beaulieu, they will fall by my hand." Napoleon interrupted proudly. "We have decimated your army in Italy, if your country wishes to continue the war then so be it."
"Young generals these days are sure to be prideful and arrogant, huh..." Wurmser muttered under his breath, his voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and resignation. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Napoleon. "My forces under me surrender to you, Napoleon, but Austria itself, that I cannot surrender," he declared.
Napoleon ran his tongue around his cheek and clicked it. "Hmm... I take it you are not willing to entertain the idea of an armistice. Very well, General Wurmser. If Austria is determined to continue the war, then I shall do what is necessary to protect the interests of France," he rose up to his feet and buttoned his jacket.
"Oh, under the circumstances, I must declare you, your officers, and troops as prisoners of war," Napoleon declared, his voice firm but measured. "Rest assured, General Wurmser, your rights as prisoners will be respected and safeguarded in accordance with the laws of war. You and your men will be treated with dignity and receive fair treatment during your captivity."
Wurmser\'s tired eyes widened in surprise at Napoleon\'s unexpected declaration. He had expected a fierce and uncompromising response, yet the mention of respecting their rights as prisoners caught him off guard. He searched Napoleon\'s face for any hint of deception but found none. The young general\'s eyes held a certain sincerity that he couldn\'t ignore.
"Es ist eine Freude, mit Ihnen zu sprechen, Herr Wurmser," Napoleon said before leaving the room.
In the hallway, Napoleon\'s Generals waiting for him aside greeted him with a salute.
"So what did he say? Did he accept the armistice?" Berthier asked.
"He didn\'t even entertain it, which means we are still at war with the Austrians. For that, we\'ll have to continue our campaign."
Napoleon entered one of the rooms and placed a map on the table. "We\'ll head northward, here in Tarvis. Take that city, and the Austrian capital of Vienna will be within our reach,"
His generals nodded in agreement, all supporting Napoleon\'s plan. In the last four months, he had led them to victory after victory. No one could object and deny the effectiveness of his strategic brilliance. When France\'s army of the Rhine was doing badly against the Austrians, Napoleon was steamrolling through Italy, defying the odds and emerging as a formidable military leader.
***
October 10th, 1796, Buckingham Palace, United Kingdom.
King Louis XVI was in the study room of King George III.
"You called for me, George?" Louis asked.
George looked up from his papers, his brow furrowed with concern.
"Louis, just in time. Please, have a seat," George gestured towards a chair opposite him. Louis complied, taking a seat and leaning forward, his face etched with worry.
"Louis, news has reached us that the Austrians are being defeated in Italy under the command of a young general that goes by the name, Napoleon Bonaparte. Although the Austrian army in the north is doing well, their southern territory is exposed. It\'s only a matter of time before we hear Austria making a peace treaty with France."
"So…what should we do, George? I have been waiting since my arrival here in London to get back on my throne."
"And we are doing everything we can to make that happen," George said and continued. "But unfortunately, all of our efforts have thus far failed. In the Vendée region, the royalist forces we supported have suffered defeat. And in the south, our navy has faced significant losses, including talented men like Commodore Horatio Nelson. His loss is a devastating blow to our naval supremacy in the region. To prevent further loss of ships, I had no choice but to order an immediate withdrawal of our navy from the region."
"Why?" Louis asked, his eyes widening.
"Because it\'s best that we use the remainder of our ships to protect the island from the possible invasion of the French revolutionary forces," George replied solemnly.
"So what can we do?" Louis inquired.
"For now, all we can do is maintain a naval blockade in their western and northern coast and hope that the Austrians can hold their ground."