Make France Great Again-Chapter 639 - 630: Allies Ready

Chapter 639: Chapter 630: Allies Ready
"According to the intelligence from the Tatar cavalry, the newly appointed Russian commander Gorchakov is intensively training the troops at Perekop! I believe that in the near future, a war will break out on the north shore... the Fedorovskaya Ridge... and here!"
Commander Pelissier lightly stomped the ground beneath his feet to indicate.
To be honest, he himself did not like this method of defending and waiting for the enemy to attack.
However, these were the orders personally given by His Majesty the Emperor, and he had no choice but to carry them out.
Thus, Pelissier had no option but to fortify and build defensive installations in Sevastopol.
This construction lasted for more than two months, and during this time, Pelissier not only overhauled the defense systems on both the northern and southern shores of Sevastopol, transforming them into veritable gigantic forts, but also built numerous fortifications at strategic locations outside Sevastopol, in the town of Yevpatoria, just waiting for Gorchakov to lead his troops in attack so that Pelissier could show them what a head-on collision truly means.
"If Gorchakov is unwilling to attack directly, then I fear these defensive works will be of no use at all!" said Marshal Lagren with a sigh, while carelessly twirling the Marshal’s staff.
"No, it won’t happen!" Pelissier firmly assured Marshal Lagren, "If Gorchakov genuinely didn’t wish to retake the Sevastopol Fortress, why would he gather a large army at the Perekop Fortress!
Currently, the entire Russian mobile troops in the southern front are concentrated there, Gorchakov won’t sit idly by."
At this point, Pelissier paused, then continued in a lighter tone, "Even if we have to continue dragging it out with the Russian Empire, I am convinced that victory will ultimately be ours! Russia doesn’t have the financial resources like our two countries!"
"Indeed!" Commander Lagren nodded, fully aware of the vast disparities between Russia and England and France.
The Allied Forces, with control over the Black Sea region’s naval supremacy, can retrieve whatever they want from the French mainland at any moment.
Moreover, as the Allied Forces in the Sevastopol Fortress gradually stabilized, many French stores began to appear in Sevastopol.
The soldiers of the Allied Forces could purchase luxury goods from the Paris region and wine from the Bordeaux region in Sevastopol, inadvertently altering the entire economic and ecological environment of Sevastopol.
The residents of Sevastopol, who once served the Russian Empire, have now become the most loyal collaborators with the Allied Forces.
The resistance, which was originally weak, has completely collapsed under the financial and material assault of the Allied Forces.
If the Allied Forces’ fortresses could stay there like history for another year or so, Sevastopol could form a comprador group under the industrial system of the Allied Forces.
Just like the ultimately formed regime in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the Russian Imperial Army doesn’t have the conditions the Allied Forces do; they’re forced to rely on manpower and animal power, regardless of cost, to barely maintain their precarious logistics, while also having to guard against the all-pervasive Tatar spies and bandits on the Crimea Peninsula.
Moreover, the Russian Empire currently faces combined blows from England and France not only in the military field but also in the financial domain.
The foolish Russian Imperial Minister of Finance, in an attempt to maintain the stability of the ruble, began to sell gold uncontrollably.
However, the current international gold market is being suppressed by England and France together, with gold prices generally declining.
Many nobles residing in St. Petersburg have had to exchange gold through their channels while converting it into hard currencies such as the franc and the pound.
The St. Petersburg nobility is unaware that their unconscious actions have indirectly diverted a substantial amount of the oversupplied francs.
The entire Russian economy has plunged into a semi-collapsed state amid internal and external problems.
The last time the Russian Empire’s finance collapsed was during the Napoleonic Wars, when Russia had relied on a continuous influx of funds from the Kingdom of Britain to rise swiftly.
This time, the Kingdom of Britain stands opposed to the Russian Empire, ensuring that they are destined to face a doomed ending.
Of course, these observations are just generalities; to commanders like Pelissier, they cannot afford to focus beyond military matters, yet from their perspective, the mass gathering of troops by the Russian Empire without stable logistics is sheer madness.
Either Gorchakov intends to drag the Russian army to death with him, or he wants to gamble everything on the Crimean scenario.
Winning would solve everything, losing would end everything.
The second possibility is clearly more likely than the first.
"However, we can’t keep going on like this!" Marshal Lagren said, with a hint of concern, "Every extra day we stay here costs us a hefty sum! I fear if we stay too long, our allies won’t be able to bear it!"
As the Allied forces are composed of Britain, France, Sardinia, and Turkey, Britain and France can rely on their substantial financial resources to keep going, while Sardinia and the Ottoman Empire may find it difficult to sustain a prolonged standoff.
One is a mid-sized country on the Apennine Peninsula, with an annual revenue far less than that of the Kingdom of Belgium. The other is a feudal comprador empire in a transitional period, lucky enough if it isn’t in foreign debt, let alone with any surplus.
Marshal Lagren does not expect them to be able to hold on as Britain and France do.
[Incidentally, in the present Crimea Peninsula, the leading number of troops in the Allied forces is still from France (70,000), followed by the Kingdom of Britain, recently replenished (40,000). Next is the Ottoman Empire, which had 10,000 troops redeployed a few days ago (35,000), and finally, the Kingdom of Sardinia (20,000), totaling about 165,000. The deployment of the troops stretches from the north shore of Sevastopol to Camish Port (with almost 5,000 stationed in Yevpatoria Town).
As for the Russian Imperial Army, a conservative estimate puts their numbers at around 230,000.]
"Rest assured, Commander Lagren; it won’t be long before they launch an attack!" Pelissier said to Lagren: "Concentrating large forces from Perekop to Simferopol is financially consuming! The Russian Empire will find it even tougher against our allies!"
"If it turns out as you say, all the better!" Lagren tapped his Marshal’s staff gently in his palm, then suddenly inquired of Pelissier: "By the way, how is Marshal Saint Arno doing? I haven’t heard from him in a long time!"
"Marshal’s health is quite well," Pelissier replied in his usual tone: "Moreover, he has been ennobled as Count of Sevastopol by His Majesty the Emperor!"
"Count of Sevastopol?" Marshal Lagren exclaimed with exaggerated tone: "It hasn’t been long, and Marshal Saint Arno has become Count Saint Arno! In that case, serving as his deputy, you must have also been awarded a commendation!"
Pelissier’s expression darkened as he shook his head and responded to Commander Lagren: "My accomplishments pale compared to any General from the Empire era, so how could I expect any reward! Not getting criticized is fortunate enough!"
As Pelissier and Commander Lagren conversed, a soldier ran up to Pelissier and told him: "Commander, the Emperor’s envoy has arrived at the dock! Deputy Commander Conrobel specifically instructed me to inform you!"
"See, the commendation is here," Marshal Lagren mildly teased.
Pelissier’s expression also showed a hint of joy as he bid farewell to Commander Lagren.
"Go! Go! Accept the honor that belongs to you!" Commander Lagren waved his hand as he responded to Pelissier.
Subsequently, Pelissier descended from Inkman Mountain on foot and rode a horse to the vicinity of the Expeditionary Army Headquarters.
When Pelissier arrived near the Expeditionary Army Headquarters, a cavalry team dressed in Imperial Guard uniforms stood smartly, in two columns, on either side of the entrance to the headquarters, the formation stretching from the entrance to the last step, each holding their sabers aloft in a cross.
"What are you doing?" Pelissier sternly questioned.
The Guard Cavalry did not speak; they simply said in unison: "Commander Pelissier, please come in!"
Baffled, Pelissier ascended the first step of the Expeditionary Army Headquarters, upon which all sabers were simultaneously sheathed.
Pelissier walked up to the entrance of the Expeditionary Army Headquarters, standing at the door, peering inside.
All the General-level officers of the French Expeditionary Army stood upright, and behind them seemed to be someone else.
"What’s the meaning of this?" Pelissier asked the assembled Generals with curiosity.
Almost instantly upon Pelissier’s query, thunderous applause erupted from inside the Expeditionary Army Headquarters, all the Generals clapping for Pelissier, smiling warmly.
After a while, the applause was halted by a voice,
a voice Pelissier knew all too well, belonging to someone who should have returned to Paris but was standing here.
"Make way!" Jerome Bonaparte’s voice echoed in Pelissier’s ears once more.
All the Generals stepped aside to make a path for Pelissier, revealing Emperor Jerome Bonaparte and Imperial Marshal Renio.
"Your Majesty!" Pelissier exclaimed, looking at the unexpected Jerome Bonaparte before him.
"General Pelissier, come over here!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Pelissier.
"Yes!" Pelissier hurriedly came to Jerome Bonaparte’s side.
"General Pelissier... No, from now on, it should be Marshal Pelissier!" Jerome Bonaparte clapped, and an attendant carrying a tray stepped forward.
The tray held the symbol of the Imperial Marshal’s short staff, a Golden Grand Cross Medal, and a Red Ribbon.