Chapter 9 Contact War
February 1, 1864.
The Prussian and Austrian coalition forces arrived at the south bank of the Aida River. Taking advantage of the darkness of the night and the cover of the vast fog rising from the surface of the river, the troops and horses traveled across the silent and winding Aida River.
The German Joint Forces Command on the south bank mobilized all available ships and all the large and small bridges under its control to hastily cross the icy Ida River.
Tens of thousands of troops marching hastily in front of the narrow and calm Aida River caused quite a stir.
Even if the army had made full preparations before setting out, large-scale troop movements could still be observed by Danish scouts as long as they were not blind or deaf.
But the Danes could only watch everything happen. The Allied forces had an absolute advantage in strength, and the Allied forces scattered across the narrow terrain of the Jutland Peninsula were simply overwhelming for a small country like Denmark.
The Ida River is winding and has many landing spots, making it difficult to defend. What's more, the Ida River originates from the hills south of Kiel, has a slow flow and a narrow river surface, making it impossible to defend.
Unless the whole country works together to build a defense line that stretches for a hundred miles along the Ida River, it is naturally impossible for Denmark, with a population of only a few million, to do so 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 afar, watching the reconnaissance cavalry wandering around the edge of the allied forces.
In this strange environment, the two sides stared at each other, reaching a delicate balance.
The Danish military did not dare to delay. While withdrawing its forces to confront the coalition forces, it also rushed the news that the German coalition forces had crossed the Eder River to the royal capital.
Waiting for the government's instructions and taking corresponding measures, as the defending party and also the disadvantaged party, the Danish Army did not dare to act on its own.
Exaggerate the problem as much as possible and convey the dangerous situation to the rear as much as possible, so that even if there is a subsequent failure, the blame can be pushed onto the enemy.
It’s not that the soldiers were slack, but that the Germans lacked martial ethics. The two rogue countries brought a bunch of little brothers to attack me.
Even if I fail, it will be the government’s own political failure. The enemy is so strong, and you can’t bring your allies to the fight. Just wait to step down!
Of course the Danish government could not sit idly by, so the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urgently contacted the British ambassador.
The Prime Minister personally led a team to seek help from the British ambassador, and the government sent envoys to Russia, France, and even Sweden.
It is a pity that the envoys of various countries were vague in their statements, but Britain still clearly supported Denmark. However, when it came to the issue of sending troops, the British said that they were waiting for domestic news. Don't worry, I believe the kingdom will respond soon.
February 2nd.
The Prussians took the lead in launching a tentative attack on the Danish positions, attempting to outflank the Danes.
…
Half an hour ago
The winter on the Jutland Peninsula is still cold. The cold wind blows across the faces of the soldiers holding steel guns, and the cold air exhaled from their mouths instantly forms a white mist in front of their eyes.
The leading officer took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. On the cigarette box was printed the exquisite "Cornflower" mark, which is the trademark of the Ernst Tobacco Factory.
He opened the paper lid on the cigarette box, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.
He casually pulled out a kerosene lighter from his pocket, leaned against the earth wall in the tunnel, tucked his head in, protected the air vent with one hand, and turned the flint pulley with the other hand. A burst of sparks sprayed out violently, instantly igniting the oil-soaked cotton wick in front of him.
The young officer put his mouth to the flame and lit the cigarette. The front of the cigarette began to emit a flickering red flame.
Take a deep breath, let the smoke flow through your throat, into your lungs, and then exhale large puffs of smoke along with your breath.
The young officer felt refreshed, and his inner anxiety seemed to be relieved. He began to calmly wait for the order to charge.
…
As the command was issued, the Prussian army began to attack. Led by officers, the soldiers charged towards the Danish fortifications.
Accompanied by the roar of artillery fire, the battle-hardened Prussian soldiers advanced steadily forward, and no one dared to retreat.
The soldiers only rely on the attack and the guns in their hands. They can change bullets, aim and shoot in one go.
The artillery fire was intertwined, creating pits one after another on the ground. The dust was filled with smoke, and only the flashes from the enemy's guns and artillery fire guided the way forward.
“Bang… bang… bang…”
Amid a fierce barrage of gunfire, the Danes successfully blocked the Prussian attack by relying on their fortifications and geographical advantages.
Although the Prussian soldiers were still attacking, the gunfire was noticeably less frequent.
The first wave of attack did not achieve the expected effect. The charging troops suffered heavy casualties, but they did not defeat the disciplined Prussian army. As a test, the rear command post decisively ordered the attacking troops to withdraw in an orderly manner.
The first round of fighting between the Allied Forces and Denmark ended like this. To the Danes, the Prussian barbarians were nothing more than that.
The Prussian rear commander didn't care. This was just an appetizer. The artillery in the rear had not yet been put in place. The previous attack was just a test of the quality of the Danish army.
The Danes still had some destructive power, but in the eyes of the Prussian officers it was far from enough.
The Prussians are not afraid of fighting tough battles. As the country with the most martial virtues in Europe, they have seen all kinds of battles.
Moreover, this time it was only Prussia that was testing alone; the German Confederation and the Austrian Empire had not yet taken action!
The strength of these parties can be said to be several times that of the Danes. For the Kingdom of Prussia, which had to deal with powerful countries such as France, Russia, and Austria, it had always exploded in adversity in the past.
I totally look down upon a declining country like Denmark, and I feel overconfident when I am in such a favorable situation.
The Danes were able to win the last time (the First Schleswig War) more because they relied on international forces, but this time the Danish government was politically sluggish.
There was no timely contact with other countries on the European continent to provide support, such as Britain, which had already warned Prussia.
The British have not made any big moves yet. As a naval power, it is impossible for them to act alone and show off their strength on the European continent.
As for France, it could have interrupted Prussia's plan, but Bismarck had already mastered the diplomatic field and exchanged other interests for the silence of Napoleon III's government.
The British hoped to win over Tsarist Russia, but in the last Crimean War, Britain and France jointly inflicted heavy damage on the Russians, so it was naturally impossible for Russia to interfere in European affairs at this time.
This put the British in a dilemma. It was impossible for the navy to go ashore and fight the Prussian barbarians!
Therefore, the British could only give the Danes all their support verbally, but they had no sincerity in sending troops.
Maintaining the balance of power on the European continent is Britain's national policy, and Denmark's loss of two duchies has absolutely no impact on the situation on the continent.
At most, the Danes would withdraw to the interior of the Jutland Peninsula and lose some land. Moreover, the defeated Danes would inevitably intensify their hatred towards Prussia and stand more firmly on the side of the British, laying a hidden chess piece for Britain on the European continent when the next European turmoil occurs.
Of course, the British had other tricks they could use, but they were far from meeting the requirements of war, and the Danes did not use their full strength!
You should know that although Denmark is a small country, it has been developed in history. The last Schleswig War alone demonstrated its impressive strength.
The Danes controlled the outlet to the Baltic Sea, had a superior geographical location, and a developed economy, and could still support a considerable army today.
War is always full of uncertainty. What if the Danes survive? Moreover, the Danish government showed extraordinary confidence before the war began, otherwise it would not have reached this point.
Although I don't know where the Danish government gets its confidence from (at least Ernst thinks so), it does not prevent the Danish government from being slow in the field of diplomacy.
Now Prussia has stabilized most of the powerful countries through alliances, and has also won over Austria and the German Confederation.
The pressure on public opinion and diplomacy was gone, and as long as there was no major military setback, Schleswig and Holstein would be easy targets. However, the prerequisite was to deal with Austria after the war, but Bismarck had already made up his mind.
(End of this chapter)
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