African Entrepreneurship Records

  Chapter 9 Contact War

   February 1, 1864.

  The Prussian-Austrian Allied Forces reached the south bank of the Ada River. Taking advantage of the darkness under the darkness of night, under the cover of the rising and pervasive mist on the river surface, people and horses walked on the quiet and winding Ada River.

  The German Allied Army Command on the south bank mobilized all available ships, and hurriedly passed the icy Ida River with the large and small bridges at its disposal.

   Tens of thousands of troops marched eagerly in front of the narrow and calm Ida River, and the movement they brought was not small.

   Even if the army has made complete preparations before departure, large-scale army mobilization can still be observed as long as the Danish scouts are not blind or deaf.

  But the Danes can only watch everything happen. The coalition forces have an absolute advantage, and the coalition forces scattered on the narrow terrain of the Jutland Peninsula are simply overwhelming for a small country like Denmark.

  The Aida River twists and turns, and there are many places where it can land, making it difficult to defend. What's more terrible is the Ida River, which originated in the southern hills of Kiel. The water flow is gentle and the river surface is not wide, so it is destined to be unable to hold on.

   Unless the whole country builds a line of defense that stretches for hundreds of miles along the Ida River, it is naturally impossible for Denmark, which has a population of only a few million, to do it in a short period of time.

   Soon, the vanguard of the coalition forces landed on the north bank and began to build coastal positions.

  The Danish army did not dare to act rashly for the time being, but just watched from a distance, and the scout cavalry wandered on the edge of the coalition forces.

  In this weird environment, the two sides stared at each other, reaching a delicate balance.

  The Danish military did not dare to neglect. While shrinking its forces and confronting the coalition forces, it rushed to send the news that the German coalition forces had crossed the Ida River to the capital.

  Wait for the government's instructions and take corresponding measures. As a defensive side and a disadvantaged side at the same time, the Danish Army dare not act without authorization.

  Exaggerate the problem as much as possible, and convey the dangerous situation to the rear as much as possible, so that even if the follow-up fails, the blame can be pushed to the enemy.

   It's not that the soldiers are slacking off, but that the Germans don't talk about martial arts, and the two rogue countries dragged a bunch of younger brothers to attack me.

  Even if I fail, it is the failure of the government’s own politics. The enemy is so strong, you still can’t bring down your allies, just wait to step down!

  Of course, the Danish government cannot sit still. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urgently contacted the British ambassador.

  The prime minister personally led a team to seek help from the British ambassador, while the government sent envoys to Russia, France, and even Sweden.

   It's a pity that the ministers of various countries are vague, but Britain still clearly supports Denmark. However, when it comes to sending troops, the British said that they are waiting for domestic news. Don't worry, I believe the kingdom will respond soon.

   February 2.

  Prussia took the lead in a tentative attack on the Danish positions, trying to outflank the Danes.

  …

Half an hour ago

  The winter on the Jutland peninsula is still cold. The cold wind blows over the faces of soldiers holding steel guns, and the cold air exhaled from their mouths instantly forms a white mist in front of them.

  The officer leading the team took out a pack of cigarettes from his arms, on which was printed the exquisite mark of "Cornflower", which was the trademark of Ernst Tobacco Factory.

  Open the paper lid on the cigarette box, pull out one from inside, put it in your mouth and hold it.

He casually took out a kerosene lighter from his pocket, leaned against the earth wall in the tunnel, hunched his head, protected the air vent with one hand, and turned the flint pulley with the other hand, a burst of sparks shot out violently, instantly igniting the fire in front of him. Oil-soaked cotton wick.

  The young officer, with his mouth facing the flames, ignited the cigarette in his mouth. The tip of the cigarette began to emit a flickering red flame,

   Take a big breath, pass through the throat, flow in the lung lobes, and then exhale a large puff of smoke along the breath.

  The young officer felt refreshed, and his anxiety seemed to have been relieved. Began to calmly wait for the command to charge.

  …

   Following the command, the Prussian army began to attack. Under the leadership of the officer, the soldiers charged towards the Danish fortifications.

  Accompanied by the roar of artillery fire, the experienced Prussian soldiers advanced steadily forward, and no one dared to retreat.

  Only the attack and the guns in the hands are the soldiers' reliance, reloading, aiming, shooting, all in one go.

  The artillery fire was intertwined, smashing potholes one after another on the ground. The dust is filled with gunpowder smoke, and only the flames of enemy gunfire guide the way forward.

   "Boom...boom...boom..."

  In a burst of intense gunfire, the Danes relied on fortifications and geographical advantages to successfully block the Prussian attack.

  Although the Prussian soldiers were still attacking, the gunfire was obviously a little sparser.

  The first wave of offensive did not achieve the desired effect. The assault troops suffered heavy casualties, but they did not defeat the disciplined Prussian army. As a test, the rear command post decisively ordered the storming troops to withdraw in an orderly manner.

  The first exchange of fire between the coalition forces and Denmark ended in this way. For the Danes, the Prussian barbarians were nothing more than that.

  Prussia's rear commander doesn't care, this is just an appetizer, so where is it going! The artillery in the rear was not yet in place, and the previous attack was just a test of the quality of the Danish Army.

  The Danes are still somewhat destructive, but in the eyes of the Prussian officers, it is not enough.

  Prussians are the least afraid of tough battles. As the country with the most martial arts in Europe, they have never seen any battles.

   And this time, it was only Prussia who tried it alone. The German Confederation and the Austrian Empire have not yet made a move!

  The strength of several parties can be said to be several times that of the Danes. For the Kingdom of Prussia, which deals with France, Russia, Austria and other powerful countries, it used to explode in adversity.

  Countries like Denmark, which have already declined, are completely looked down upon. This kind of tailwind is simply not full of self-confidence.

  The last time the Danes were able to win (the first Schleswig War), they relied more on international forces. This time, the Danish government was politically insensitive.

   Did not connect with other countries on the European continent in time to cheer, such as Britain, which had previously warned Prussia.

  The British have not made any major moves yet. As a naval power, it is impossible for the British to act alone to show off their power on the European continent.

  As for France, it can interrupt Prussia's plan, but Bismarck has already understood the diplomatic field, and exchanged other interests for the silence of the Napoleon III government.

  The British hope to win Tsarist Russia into the water, but the last time the Crimean War, Britain and France jointly injured the Russians, it is naturally impossible for Russia to interfere with Europa Universalis at this time.

   This made the British have a difficult time. It is impossible for the navy to go ashore and fight the Prussian barbarians!

  So the British can only verbally give the Danes all support, but they have no sincerity to send troops.

  Maintaining the balance of power in continental Europe is of course the national policy of the United Kingdom, and the loss of Denmark's two duchies will not affect the situation on the mainland at all.

At most, the Danes retreated to the interior of the Jutland Peninsula and lost some land, and the defeated Danes will inevitably intensify their hatred of Prussia, and stand more firmly on the side of the British to prepare for the next European turmoil. Make a fool of yourself.

   Of course, the British have other tricks they can use, which are far from meeting the requirements of war, and the Danes have not used their full strength!

   You must know that although Denmark is a small country, it has also been developed in history. The last Schleswig War alone showed impressive strength.

  The Danes control the mouth of the Baltic Sea. With a superior geographical location and a developed economy, they can support a considerable number of troops even now.

  Wars are always full of uncertainty, what if the Danes survive? Moreover, the Danish government showed extraordinary self-confidence before the war started, otherwise it would not be able to get to this point.

  Although I don’t know where the confidence of the Danish government comes from (at least Ernst thinks so). But it does not hinder the dullness of the Danish government in the diplomatic field.

   Now Prussia has stabilized most of the powerful countries through vertical and horizontal alliances, and has also won over Austria and the German Confederation.

  The pressure of public opinion and diplomacy is gone. As long as the military does not suffer major setbacks, Schleswig and Holstein are the meat in the bowl. However, the premise is that Austria will be settled after the war, but Bismarck already has a plan in mind.

  (end of this chapter)