Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 81
Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Battle of Venice
Translator: 549690339
War is a matter of money and provisions. It’s impossible for the Kingdom of
Sardinia to fight indefinitely, and loans from John Bull aren’t easy to come by. Given the current state of the Kingdom of Sardinia, getting another loan is almost impossible.
Now the Hungarian Republic is in dire straits. If the Austrian civil war ends but the Venice conflict has not, one can imagine the consequences.
On the Venice frontline, the headquarters of the Sardinian Kingdom army,
Bardorio was spiritedly directing operations—no, commanding the troops.
Putting aside the relative combat strength of the forces, at least in terms of troop numbers, the Kingdom of Sardinia had an absolute advantage.
The Austrian Empire could commit no more than one hundred thousand troops to the Venice battlefield, whereas Bardorio had two hundred thousand soldiers at his command. Even with some forces tied up due to the Lombardy uprising, he still had one hundred sixty thousand.
“Marshal, we have news from home. The Vienna Government has dispatched fifty thousand reinforcements to the Venice Area, ordering us to conquer Venice before the enemy reinforcements arrive!”
The intelligence staff’s words scared Bardorio out of his wits, and he hastily asked, “When will the enemy’s reinforcements arrive in Venice?”
“The Vienna Government has drawn fifty thousand troops from the Austrian corps, who are now marching from Kop Castle. They will arrive in no later than a fortnight and at the earliest in ten days.”
Hearing this news, Bardorio cast his gaze upon the map and began to examine it carefully.
Launching the offensive on Venice was initially intended to force the Austrian army to send help back, thereby alleviating the pressure on the Hungarian Republic.
However, this was predicated on the conquest of Venice by the Kingdom of Sardinia. With both sides still locked in fierce combat, the addition of fifty thousand Austrian troops at this juncture would make a fight futile.
If they could save the Hungarian Republic, then achieving nothing on the Venice battlefield would still be strategically viable.
Bardorio was not optimistic about the Hungarian Republic’s chances; even if Austria was down fifty thousand troops, it would still not change the outcome of the war.
Without hesitation, Bardorio decisively ordered, “We don’t have much time.
Order the troops to prepare. We launch the attack tomorrow morning at 9:30! General Messe, you take the Second and Eighth Divisions and must conquer Trento within three days. Then cut through to the enemy’s rear and sever their supply line.
General Fake Yu…”
At the Austrian Army headquarters, Marshal Radetzky had also received news of the reinforcements, even earlier than the Italians.
The progress on the Hungarian battlefield had been too smooth. The Bohemian Corps had already crossed the Danube River and besieged Budapest, with the Croatian Corps less than one hundred kilometers from Budapest.
At this moment, the importance of the Austrian corps had diminished. There was no need for so much manpower, so naturally, Franz chose to reinforce the Venice battlefield.
Marshal Radetzky’s hanging heart had settled. Without reinforcements, relying solely on his own troops to battle the enemy would mean even if victorious, he would be unable to expand the victory further.
“Marshal, should we change our military deployment and wait for the reinforcements to arrive before engaging the enemy in a decisive battle?” General Victor suggested.
Marshal Radetzky shook his head and said, “No need. By now, the front-line troops are probably already engaged. It’s too late to change the military deployment.
I’ve already ordered the reinforcements to discard their baggage to hasten their march. Under normal circumstances, they should still be able to make it in time for this war.’
Without a doubt, the Kingdom of Sardinia had misjudged the situation; they did not anticipate that the Austrian reinforcements would advance lightly equipped.
This was the advantage of fighting on home turf; when necessary, they could march with just light weaponry, relying on local governments along the way to supply food, and replenishing ammunition in Venice.
The turning point in the Austro-Sardinian War had now materialized, focusing on the element of time.
If Bardorio could defeat the Austrian army before the reinforcements arrived, the Kingdom of Sardinia would temporarily gain a military advantage, and there might still be a chance for a dignified conclusion to the war.
On the other hand, if the Austrian army under Marshal Radetzky emerged victorious, then the Kingdom of Sardinia would have to prepare for a defense of their homeland.
On May 9, 1848, the Battle of Venice erupted, and it was the Tuscany forces— who had run the fastest—that suffered first.
Well, Grand Duke Leopold Il of Tuscany was also propped up by Austria, and he had no real desire to wage war against Austria; it was only due to public pressure that he deployed his troops.
Leopold Il’s capabilities in strategic cunning were certainly adequate; at the
very least, he excelled at using others to do his dirty work, such as when he
skillfully duped the nationalists into joining the expeditionary force.
Not everyone possesses self-awareness; for instance, Mr. Mahler, the nationalist leader from Tuscany, considered himself a military genius. He assumed the position of commander, ready to capitalize politically on the war.
“General, the fish have entered the net so quickly; could there be a problem?” Chief of Staff Feslav asked uncertainly.
“A problem? According to intelligence, this enemy force is operating alone, with the nearest enemy troops situated thirty kilometers away.
By the time their reinforcements arrive, the battle will already be over. Do you think this mere force of five thousand can hold back our Sixth Division for an entire day?” analyzed Division General Mörck.
“But the enemy’s behavior seems absurdly stupid, doesn’t it? To venture so deeply alone with so few men; do they think they are Napoleon?” Chief of Staff Feslav furrowed his brow.
“Why worry so much? Our task is to eliminate this protruding enemy force. Regardless of their plans, we’ll eat the bait first and ask questions later.
This enemy is comprised of forces from four sub-states with plenty of internal strife—maybe this Tuscan army has already been sold out!” speculated Mörck.
After pondering, Feslav found no issues and thus responded, “Alright, let’s strike first, then talk. But let’s send out more scouts, just in case the enemy has reinforcements! ”
As the minutes and seconds passed, with Mörck’s command, the sounds of gunfire started to rattle, and the Battle of Venice formally commenced.
Caught off guard by the sudden enemy attack, the marching Tuscan forces were thrown into disarray.
Mahler was an excellent orator, and perhaps could have been a fine writer, but he was certainly not a military man.
Mahler had little respect for the decaying Tuscan nobility officers; the officers in this expeditionary force were personally appointed by him, consisting mostly of patriotic youths.
Full of vigor, they disapproved of their comrades’ sluggish marching pace, and so they hastened their step, inadvertently moving to the very front.
Their perceptions, shaped by propaganda, convinced them that the Austrian Empire was decrepit and its army could be easily defeated; Sardinia’s bloodless conquest of Lombardy only strengthened this belief.
Thus, when encountering the enemy, their initial reaction was not panic but joy, and they immediately ordered a counterattack without hesitation. The young officers led by example, charging to the forefront..
