Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 548 Early Stages of the War
By this time, Napoleon III's fanaticism had faded, replaced by fear. Was he worried about the army's fighting capacity? No. The French army was a professional army; when Napoleon I swept across Europe, he relied on a group of tenacious professional soldiers he had trained!

Unfortunately, a large portion of those soldiers died in the cold winds and snow outside Moscow. If those veterans hadn't been lost, perhaps there would have been no Waterloo!

But sir, times have changed! Instead of professional soldiers, Prussia has implemented universal conscription. By leveraging nationalist sentiments and widely mobilizing the populace, all the men of the nation have been transformed into soldiers, thus securing an inexhaustible source of manpower for war!

In fact, the French king had already regretted it after declaring war. He had even considered asking countries like Britain or Russia to mediate and ultimately resolve the crisis at the negotiating table!

But after seeing the latest intelligence from Prussia, the French emperor finally realized that all negotiations were impossible; in fact, Prussia had long been eager to go to war with France!

Especially after Prussia's powerful military mobilization capabilities became apparent, the speed at which 30,000 troops were assembled every day completely stunned Napoleon III. It was only then that he began to re-examine Prussia's military system!
After careful consideration, the French emperor devised a strategy of swift victory, bringing the war to the enemy's territory. It must be said that this was indeed the only good way to break through the predicament at that time.

On April 1, Napoleon III left Paris for Metz to assume command of the newly named Army of the Rhine, which numbered approximately 200,000 men and was expected to grow in strength as French mobilization progressed. Field Marshal McMahon commanded the First Corps near Wiesenberg, while Field Marshal François Camrobelle led the Sixth Corps to Charlon-sur-Marne in northern France as a reserve to prevent a Prussian advance through Belgium.

With Bavaria, Württemberg, and Baden expected to join the war of revenge against Prussia, the First Army would invade the Bavarian Palatinate and, together with the Austrian Imperial Army, "liberate" the four southern German states. The Sixth Army would reinforce any army as needed.

Unfortunately, the Prussian army mobilized much faster than expected to meet the French plan. While the railways continuously transported supplies and soldiers, French logistics were thrown into chaos; those who wanted ammunition received ham, and those who needed food only received tents.

It would be strange if such logistical support could lead to victory, and at this time, Prussia's diplomatic situation improved. Because news of France's intention to annex Belgium had somehow leaked out, Britain announced it would remain neutral in the war. Meanwhile, regarding the selection of the King of Spain, a Habsburg member was favored, mainly because there were no other suitable candidates; the others were either too weak or had personal problems.

Maximilian is the most suitable candidate. Considering that Spain is still a medium-sized country and stability is the most important thing, then we would be letting France down!

The Second and Third Armies, led by General Charles Fross and Field Marshal François Bazin, successfully crossed the Saar River on April 5. They encountered a small Prussian detachment on the outskirts of Saarbrücken, but were not delayed in their efforts to capture the garrison. Later that day, a large-scale battle finally broke out.

The 40th Prussian Regiment of the 16th Infantry Division was quickly driven out of town as the French, with their numerical superiority and more accurate and reliable Chassepot rifles, defeated the Prussian defenders. By the end of the day, French casualty reports estimated 10 dead, wounded, or missing, including one officer, but the total casualties were as high as 86. On the other hand, the Prussians suffered approximately 83 killed, wounded, or missing.

All the French soldiers cheered the victory at Saarbrücken, but just two days later, the German army attacked the border town of Wiesenberg. The subsequent defeat at Wiesenberg forced the French to retreat from Saarbrücken and focus on defending their country.

At this time, Britain also began to take the war seriously, and the atmosphere in the City of London had reached unprecedented heights.

Every bank was swarming with gentlemen seeking information on Prussian government bonds. The moment tellers brought out three million pounds of Prussian bonds, the gentlemen pounced on them like rabid dogs. The stock exchange was even more frenzied; stocks related to Prussia, especially in the military, railway, and steel sectors, had already doubled in value, with prices on the trading board changing almost every minute. In the pre-computer era, stock trading relied entirely on handwritten notes and over-the-counter transactions—the sheer scale of this scene was unimaginable!
"Damn it! Damn it! I always knew the French were no good. If only I had bought in three days earlier... I lost half my profit! Damn it..."

The frustrated investor was so anxious he was stamping his feet. He looked at the prices of government bonds and stocks, regretting it to the core!

Three days ago, Prussian government bonds were unwanted, and the price was at its lowest. But now, in just three days, the price has doubled!
The accumulation of wealth on the financial battlefield is no less than on a real battlefield; some rejoice while others grieve. In any case, Iran is certainly not among those who are worried.

At that moment in Brussels, Belgium, Shah's representative was sitting on the stock exchange, grinning from ear to ear as he looked at the telegrams from London and the local trading prices.

"Well done, Prussia!"

It was thought that the Shah was going all in on Austria and Prussia, but this is how it turned out. It seems that the Shah knew all along that Germany would win this war.

The fact that Iran absorbed 80% of the 1 million taels of Taylor bonds issued by the Prussian government puzzled Berlin bankers, who wondered which wealthy individual had so much money that they could produce it all at once.

The Shah has begun mobilizing all available funds. Depending on the situation, he may be able to allocate 300 million riyals. Let's not set the target too high yet; let's aim to earn 1 billion first!

One billion riyals, one hundred million pounds—this is a fortune even Britain couldn't imagine. With this money as a foundation, the powerful nation the Shah dreamed of could finally be realized! He wouldn't have to worry about funding anymore, and he could use the money to accomplish even more.

Now that he's involved in the Franco-Prussian War, he's facing a world-class financial war. How could he possibly give up such a lucrative opportunity, especially since he can influence the course of the war himself?

Moreover, Shah was well aware that the war would ultimately change dramatically, and the prices of financial products would fluctuate constantly, offering plenty of opportunities to profit from the price differences!

The feeling of profiting from war is truly amazing! It's so exhilarating!

(End of this chapter)