Add Bookmark | Recommend this book | Back to the book page | My bookshelf | Mobile Reading

Free Web Novel,Novel online - All in oicq.net -> Historic -> Gun King

Volume 8 From the Mediterranean to... Chapter 92 The Mission of the Baltic Naval Regiment (...

Previous page        Return to Catalog        Next page

    In fact, before the war began, when Napoleon arrived at the port of Danzig and convened a meeting of the Grand Army here, the emperor's stepson and Governor of Italy, Prince Eugene, made a quite constructive suggestion at the military meeting: to occupy the French army before  Feudal serfdom was abolished in the Russian lands under the Russian Empire, the properties of the fugitive nobles were confiscated, and the peasants who were willing to help the French army were distributed free of charge.  ¡°Obviously, this was a suggestion instigated by Desai behind the scenes, but it was ultimately vetoed by the emperor.  Because Napoleon insisted that his personal friendship with the "Alexander Brothers" still existed, as long as he successfully surrounded and annihilated the main force of 200,000 Russian troops, the Tsar would have to grovel and personally go to the Grand Army camp to actively seek peace, and then recognize that Napoleon's empire was the third largest in Europe.  Unparalleled dominance.  If a French-style violent revolution is instigated in Russia, it will inevitably lead to a complete break between Russia and France, leading to a life-and-death situation that will make peace elusive.  Since Napoleon is not willing to do it, then Desai is more courageous. He does not have Napoleon's worries and illusions.  As for the chosen revolutionary pilot area, it is a small Baltic country with a majority of Lutherans, which was originally the sphere of influence of the Polish Federation, rather than the territory of the East Slavs concentrated in the traditional Orthodox Church.  Based on humanistic considerations, even if the serfs were released and the land was distributed free of charge, Desai never naively believed that the Lithuanians and Latvians would be united with the Poles and would not hesitate to assist the Poles in resisting the Russian army.  Desai¡¯s real purpose is nothing more than to use the land issue to create discordant antagonism between the local people and the fleeing nobles, so as to win himself an extremely valuable buffer time so that he can free up his hands to deal with the Russians.  Once the fugitive nobles come back with the support of the Russian army, they will inevitably not recognize the fait accompli of the agrarian revolution. They will naturally confiscate the cultivated land of the peasants and reduce them to serfs without personal freedom again.  As a result, the conflicts between the two sides intensified and eventually broke out.  Desai knows very well that violence and fear are excellent means of mobilizing the people at the bottom.  The fundamental essence of this "Agrarian Revolution" in a foreign country is a large-scale social mobilization movement using propaganda, violence and fear, and artificially created two opposing classes of peasants and aristocrats (Russian authorities), fighting against each other.  A "letter of surrender" for hatred and fighting with each other.  As for the confiscation and redistribution of wealth and land, it is nothing more than a poisonous bait set in the early stage to realize this "voting certificate" movement, that is, to successfully mobilize a large number of farmers and achieve victory in political and military struggles.  However, in actual operation, unexpected situations occurred.  The peasants, most of whom had become masters and were assigned land, were still hesitant and unwilling to openly oppose the nobility and the Russians, nor did they take the initiative to join the ranks of the Polish liberators.  Although these devout Christians have lived in poverty for a long time, they are still accustomed to the traditional order.  Officially due to their traditional and conservative attitude, the work of the "Council of Agriculture" encountered great difficulties and obstacles.  In order to further promote the "rapid development of the revolution", Desai immediately acquiesced, which should be a method that condoned the Jacobin radicals.  And this method is killing!  Soon, the left-wing radicals who controlled the "Council of Agriculture" imitated Paris in 1793 and put forward an extremely loud slogan: "Whoever is not on our side is our enemy."  Either support or oppose; either kill or be killed. There is no third way.  As for the targets of the massacre, they were not only Russians and reactionary nobles, but also other uncooperative peasants.  After actively or passively participating in these cruel events, the farmers found out that they could no longer wash away the blood on their hands, and had to take refuge with the King of Poland on the road of no return.  It was a series of brutal massacres that completely polarized social relations in the occupied areas, and no one could stay out of it.  So, Desai¡¯s goal has been achieved!  ¡­ In September, this ¡°Agrarian Revolution Storm¡± quickly swept through the central and northern Lithuania and southern Latvia occupied by Desai.  While more than 2 million serfs benefited from it, tens of thousands of "reactionary forces" died at the hands of their compatriots.  During this period, very few Russians and traditional nobles were massacred, and most were feudal remnants who were unwilling to cooperate with the "Council of Agriculture."  In order to continue to defend the achievements of the revolution and check out the hostile forces in the area, about 100,000 people voluntarily joined the "Agricultural Committee" to organize the villagers' self-defense forces. They were armed with simple weapons such as spears and broadswords and received Polish instructors three times a week.  military training.  Soon after, nearly 20,000 self-defence members who performed well in military training and fighting against the enemy and were loyal to the King of Poland broke away.It was directly under the jurisdiction of the "Council of Agriculture" and was centralized and organized into the newly established "Lithuanian First Army", under the command of General Barbanegger. The weapons and equipment have also been greatly improved, but they are all old-fashioned after the Baltic Navy Regiment was re-equipped.  Flintlock guns. The raging agrarian revolution soon spread to the rich southern Lithuania. A few serfs incited by the "Council of Agriculture" refused to pay taxes to the landowners and refused to provide free labor. Two villages near the center  A serf rebellion also broke out. Although the number of participants was small and the scale was small, the bloody methods of the mob frightened the "Lithuanian Committee of Seven" appointed by Napoleon. At first, these Lithuanian nobles, together with the French lieutenant governor appointed by the emperor,  Envoys were sent to Siauliai to lodge a solemn protest with Marshal Desai who was in the city, demanding that he immediately stop this damn violent revolution. However, three envoys sent by the nobles of southern Lithuania were on the way.  He was ambushed and died violently. Of course, Desai's representative in Vilna claimed that all this was a despicable act by Russian spies lurking in the city, but everyone with a clear eye knew it. Only one day later, the seven-member committee strongly opposed Desai and boycotted it.  The three Lithuanian commissioners who merged with Poland were also assassinated at home. Everyone believed that this was a silent warning from the Polish king to the southern nobles, because these noble commissioners tried to contact Marshal MacDonald in the city of Riga to jointly fight against the arrogance.  The arrogant Andrew Desai. In fact, when the Agrarian Revolution was brewing, Marshal Macdonald tried his best to oppose it, but in the end it came to nothing. Due to the lack of effective restraint by Napoleon, the current Polish king became independent and unscrupulous.  When Marshal MacDonald expressed his dissatisfaction, Desai immediately ordered the Baltic Riga Squadron to withdraw from the waters near the Riga Fortress, causing the 10th Army to suffer heavy losses in the attack on Riga.  At the beginning of the month, MacDonald's 10th Army successfully occupied the outer positions of the Riga Fortress. However, 20 days later, the Prussian Army's combat strength of less than 30,000 people was reduced by as much as 30%. As a last resort, MacDonald rushed to Siauliai in person.  Seeking compromise and support with Desai, and promising that as long as Desai resumes the responsibility of logistical support and naval fleet cover, he and his 10th Army will not interfere with the freedom of movement of the Polish army. Also aware of current affairs, including Napoleon's stationing in Vil.  In mid-September, after a secret conversation with Desai¡¯s plenipotentiary envoy, Colonel Penduis, the French Lieutenant Governor made an unusually simple announcement: Due to his poor health, he needed to return to France for recuperation.  . Before Napoleon issued an edict in Moscow, he hurriedly left this terrible place. Before leaving, the deputy governor received a large monetary gift from the Military Intelligence Agency, and then handed over the administrative power of southern Lithuania to Lei, who was loyal to Desai.  On the same day, a Polish army entered Vilna and took over the defense of the city peacefully. Faced with the aggressive momentum of the Polish king, the southern nobles first visited General Redes and asked the new governor to send troops to escort the nobles.  The representatives rushed to Siauliai, met with the Kingdom of Poland, and expressed their willingness to surrender to His Majesty Desai, return Lithuania to the flag of the Polish Federation, unconditionally release the serfs, and fully accept the Polish-style land redemption policy On September 15, with the  The "Committee of Seven" formally surrendered to Desai on behalf of the southern Lithuanian aristocracy, and more than 3 million people in the entire Lithuania and southern Latvia, covering more than 80,000 square kilometers, were re-incorporated into the Polish federal system.  Of course, Desai¡¯s private action did not receive Napoleon¡¯s formal approval or secret acquiescence.  Due to the existence of the laws of both the suzerain state (French Empire) and the vassal state (Polish Federation), it should not be recognized.  But as soon as the news came out, the British Parliament and the Downing Street Cabinet first jumped out to express their support, and the former British Commercial Charge d'Affaires in Warsaw, Sir William Robert, was appointed as the Plenipotentiary Ambassador to the Kingdom of Poland-Lithuania; soon after, Sweden  The ministers in Warsaw of Denmark, Denmark and Catalonia also issued statements formally recognizing Lithuania's integration into the Kingdom of Poland.  As for Prussia and Austria, both countries were silent about this; but in the French capital Paris, the emperor's caretaker cabinet was in chaos. Some people objected loudly, insisting that Desai had betrayed France and should immediately send troops to conquer and force the King of Poland to expel  The British minister gave up his ambition to annex Lithuania.  Soon, some people immediately questioned the sinister intentions of the crusade.  At present, Desai firmly controls the entire territory of Poland and Lithuania and can cut off the logistics supply line of Napoleon's army at any time.  If Poland were pushed to the British side, the consequences would be disastrous.  Not only that, the Spanish battlefield also needs Desai¡¯s support.  In August, after defeating Marshal Marmont's 40,000 French troops at the Battle of Salamanca with a small number of attacks, Wellington led his Anglo-Portuguese coalition into the southwest, less than 15 kilometers away from Madrid.Outside.  If General Derni of the United Kingdom of Catalonia had not sent troops to intervene in time, successfully defended Madrid, and drove the British Expeditionary Force 100 kilometers away from Madrid, the entire war situation in the Iberian Peninsula would be on the verge of collapse.  Therefore, more cabinet members suggested to continue to wait and see and let Emperor Napoleon, who was far away in Moscow, handle the matter.
Didn't finish reading? Add this book to your favoritesI'm a member and bookmarked this chapterCopy the address of this book and recommend it to your friends for pointsChapter error? Click here to report