On July 5th, 1804, at Hofburg Palace, Napoleon worked on renovating one of the state rooms to transform it into a war room. His intention was to have a command center from which he could oversee and direct the French Army's actions currently engaged in battle against coalition forces at Austerlitz.
Aware that the coalition forces possessed advanced weaponry, such as bolt-action rifles and artillery, the safety of a head of state in the midst of battle had become a concern. Stray bullets or artillery fire posed significant threats.
But even when he was far away from the battlefield, Napoleon could vividly picture the unfolding battle through reports from the Corps Generals.
The coalition forces had fortified their position in front of the Pratzen Heights, diligently digging trenches that created a desolate no man's land just before their defensive lines. This barren stretch of terrain had been fortified with machine guns, turning it into a deadly obstacle for any advancing forces.
Not only that, but the coalition had a formidable arsenal of both old and modern artillery, relentlessly pounding the advancing French forces. To shield the troops from the relentless bombardment, the French had to respond by digging their own defensive positions.
Days turned into weeks, and the battle of Austerlitz continued to rage on. With both sides gaining nothing but an inch of land.
"So this is the future huh?" Armand, Private Secretary of the Imperial Household, commented as he looked at the map.
Napoleon clicked his tongue. He had brought it upon himself and this is one of the results. A trench warfare from World War 1. Over the course of the battle, almost 300,000 shells were fired, two million bullets, the casualties are in the tens of thousands with the French suffering fifteen thousand, and the coalition 25,000, making it the single largest casualties in the war of Europe. It kept increasing by the second, minute, and hour.
Heavy factories in France were in overdrive, churning out an incessant stream of bullets, shells, and artillery pieces to sustain the brutal conflict at Austerlitz. The demands of this modern warfare were unlike anything the world had encountered before. The world has really adapted fast.
"There's no problem," Napoleon said confidently. "This is the war that we can win."
Armand tilted his head to the side, quizzically. "How so, Sire?"
Napoleon leaned closer to the map, his finger tracing the intricate lines of the battlefield. "Because Armand, to maintain their hold on the Pratzen Heights, the coalition forces need an endless supply of ammunition and fresh troops. They may boast a large pool of recruits, but when it comes to industrial output, we have the upper hand. Our factories have been well established for the last twenty years, churning out the necessary supplies to keep our army moving."
He continued. "This is not a battle of old tactics and grand maneuvers. It's a battle of attrition, where the strength of our industries will determine the outcome. We're not just fighting on the battlefield; we're fighting in the factories, the workshops, and the foundries. Those who can produce more bullets, shells, and soldiers will ultimately prevail."
Napoleon already realized what the coalition forces were doing prior to the war, instead of advancing towards Vienna, the coalition forces decided to be on the defensive. It must be one of their Generals suggesting they do that. Their idea was good, prolonging the conflict and when both sides were exhausted, favorable peace terms may emerge. But what they failed to account for was the industrial might of France and its extensive network of railways.
Railways are utilized to transport troops and essential supplies from France to Vienna efficiently. And those materials are then delivered to the front, every day. The coalition force? They don't have such capability. They were industrially behind France, their railways weren't that extensive and connected. Russia, who was the only nation that could rival France in terms of industrial output, lagged behind in terms of logistics.
There was no direct route from St. Petersburg to Berlin; the railway connection was still under construction, leaving a logistical gap. So Napoleon knew that time was on his side in this modern war of attrition.
But that doesn't mean Napoleon would let things be the way they were. He wanted to end this conflict by the end of August. And with that, he devised a plan that was created months prior to the start of the conflict.
***
August 30th, 1804, two months into the Battle of Austerlitz. At the coalition forces headquarters. The three heads of states were in a meeting.
Tsar Paul I slammed the table with his fist. "This war is getting expensive by the day. It's been a month and yet nothing significant has changed on the battlefield!?"
"Who would have thought that the ammunition needed for those modern weapons would be so vast and insatiable?" Emperor Francis II chimed in.
"If this continues for another month, the treasury will run dry," King Frederick William III of Prussia added, a deep sense of concern etched on his face. "I knew the battle of attrition General Kutuzov made was bad. Yes it did stop the French from advancing but it's bleeding us dry, and it's not achieving the decisive victory we hoped for," he lamented.
"Latest report from the front said that our forces are running low on ammunition. My factories in St. Petersburg, who is producing most of the needed munitions, is working day and night, but it can barely keep up with the demand. Not to mention the fact, it takes five days to get here. This is the reason why both of your nations have to industrialize. Without us, your countries would have been overrun by the French," Tsar Paul I said, his gaze flickering at the two.
Francis II and Frederick William III were silent after hearing that. What he said was true, if Russia was not in the war, the situation for the coalition forces would have been dire indeed.
"We're really not ready in this modern warfare," Francis II commented, breaking the ice.
"If France wins this war, its position as Master of Europe is sealed," King Frederick William III added gravely. "We shan't show weakness to the enemy."
***
At the bottom of the Pratzen Heights was a line of trench systems, fortifications, and a continuous string of machine gun emplacements. This defensive network was a formidable obstacle, and the French forces under Napoleon's command had encountered great difficulty in advancing further.
General Kutuzov was peering from his binocular, looking towards the French entrenched position. His brows furrowed as he wondered where they were. Their shelling stopped, it was dead silent.
As much as he wanted to fire artillery shells on their position, he couldn't due to supply shortages. The reports from the front lines had been grim, with dwindling ammunition supplies and exhausted troops. The coalition forces were stretched to their limits, and Kutuzov knew that the situation was becoming increasingly dire.
He is starting to regret his plan of exhausting the enemy. At first, he didn't know how powerful France's industry was, but now it had become painfully clear. He had so much to learn.
Suddenly—the night sky above the battlefield was momentarily pierced by a series of bright flashes as the French fired illumination shells.
The battlefield, which had been shrouded in darkness, was now lit up like a surreal dreamscape.
Before anyone could react, a deafening roar echoed across the battlefield as the French artillery opened fire. Shells rained down on the coalition trench positions, causing explosions that sent plumes of earth and debris into the air.
Kutuzov quickly ordered his men to take cover in the trench bunkers, which is something the French favorite of doing. But this time, it was different.
Kutuzov observed a concerning development from the north: French soldiers advancing steadily toward their position, all the while artillery shells rained down ahead of them.
The machine gunners couldn't fire because the French artillery shells created chaos and confusion within the coalition trenches.
The relentless bombardment was designed to disrupt the defenders and keep them pinned down, effectively neutralizing their ability to return fire.
In the midst of the chaos, Kutuzov barked orders to his officers, urging them to maintain discipline and keep their men calm. But—it was futile.
Moments later, the French infantry arrived at their trenches, jumping down, and a fierce close-combat ensued. Bayonets clashed and the sound of bolt-action rifle fire echoed through the smoke-filled trenches.
The coalition forces fought desperately, trying to hold their positions against the onslaught of the French infantry. It was a brutal and chaotic melee, with soldiers from both sides locked in deadly combat.
General Kutuzov, covered in mud and sweat, continued to rally his troops. He knew that their survival depended on holding the line against the French advance. If they lose this, then the French would have a clear path to Berlin.
Even though it's not his country, if Berlin falls, so does Austria. It will be only Russia to stand against France. However, the battle of Austerlitz drained them of precious resources—Wait that was it!
The French could have done their tactic earlier in the war but chose not to. Because they believed that if they did so early, the Russians would simply retreat near the border. But they were manipulated to stay committed to this battle. They were led to this false sense of commitment, the initial battle where they successfully repelled the French advance made them think the attrition was working. But it's not.
Now even if Russia were to retreat near their border, they won't have the resources to fight France.
"How terrifying!" Kutuzov commented. Now he understood the true concept of new modern warfare.
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