Chapter 64: Stuck on a Tiger's Back
Milan City.
Marshal Badoer has been feeling increasingly frustrated as of late. Ever since the announcement of the annexation of Lombardy by the Kingdom of Sardinia on April 7th, a wave of democratic activists has emerged, taking to the streets in protest.
There's no denying that when it comes to national affairs, Marshal Badoer has no authority to speak, let alone these insignificant commoners. Naturally, troops were dispatched to disperse them.
Fortunately, the Austrian military had already quelled a wave of resistance, taking care of the most formidable adversaries. Those associated with the interim government were either persuaded through bribery or subjected to various forms of confinement. As for the rest of the dissenting voices, they merely excelled in the art of empty rhetoric.
"Your Excellency, another group of people has gathered outside, petitioning for your intervention to reclaim Venice!" the aide whispered.
This wasn't the first time such petitions had surfaced. There were demands for independence, calls for autonomy, pleas for increased food provisions, and the list went on…
Regardless of whether Badoer had the final say or not, the people of Lombardy seemed to have designated him as their go-to person. Whenever there was an issue, they sought an audience with the Marshal.
Being a hero wasn't an easy task. In order to maintain his illustrious image, Badoer had to put on an appearance of humility and willingness to listen to advice.
Apart from those demanding independence, whom he had sent troops to disperse, he would receive representatives from other petitioning groups. During these meetings, he would explain his challenges while also trying to address their concerns.
For instance, the most frequently used justification he relied on was that soldiers should not interfere in politics.
Repeating this statement over time, Badoer himself had started to believe in its truthfulness. Lately, he refrained from getting involved in the affairs of Lombardy unless approached by local government officials seeking his guidance.
"Allow them to send representatives in," Badoer said, his brow furrowing.
There was no way to avoid it this time. Sending troops to the Venetian region was not just a political issue but also a military matter. With the command of the Sardinian Kingdom's frontline forces under his control, Badoer was the right person to approach.
Soon, two young-looking individuals, resembling students, were brought in. Badoer's brow furrowed even deeper. Dealing with teenagers and their adolescent ideals was always a headache.
"Respected Marshal, I am Rim, and this is Thomson. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
As he observed the enthusiastic young men, Badoer replied politely, "I'm also pleased to meet you both. May I have a look at the petition first?"
"Oh, of course!" Rim replied promptly.
Taking the petition, Badoer swiftly scanned through its contents. It was a passionate letter, filled with fervent appeals, and it was accompanied by numerous signatures densely packed at the end. He couldn't help but feel deeply moved by it all.
"I have received the petition, and I will promptly deliver it to the King. However, I cannot disclose the timing of the attack on Venice as it is a military secret. We are currently preparing for the military offensive, taking into account the lessons learned from our past experiences when inadequate preparations resulted in hunger for all. This time, we are ensuring longer pre-war preparations to avoid being forced to halt the military operations due to food shortages again. The Austrian forces have a total strength of around five to six hundred thousand troops, and once the war with Venice begins, they will undoubtedly send reinforcements. Currently, my available forces are insufficient. Domestic reinforcements are on their way, and the newly recruited troops in Lombardy are still undergoing training. All of this requires time. However, rest assured that victory will ultimately be ours. Please trust that we will emerge triumphant."
Upon hearing Badoer's explanation, the two young men nodded continuously. They were both novices in military affairs, and in this era without the internet, they were not well-informed about the domestic situation in Austria.
Based on their normal thinking, Austria must be incredibly powerful. If Marshal Badoer, who could defeat Austria, was considered the foremost military commander of the time, then his words must be correct.
"Victory will surely be ours, Your Excellency. We all have faith in you. You are by no means the weakling they claim you to be. They are simply envious of your talent!" Thompson blurted out in a panic.
Badoer suddenly felt a rush of frustration. Could they please refrain from being so direct? Such straightforwardness would leave him friendless.
Attack Venice? Isn't that nonsense? Do they really think Austria is a pushover?
At present, Marshal Badoer commanded an army of 150,000 soldiers on paper, outnumbering the Austrians by nearly a third. Yet, beneath the impressive numbers lurked a concern. Among these 150,000 troops, a staggering 70,000 were hastily recruited from the local populace.
The Italians had long been regarded with suspicion by the Viennese government, leading the Austrian military to refrain from establishing a reserve force in the region. Consequently, the soldiers currently enlisted by Badoer were mostly individuals who had recently abandoned their farming tools or left their urban occupations behind.
Even at the lower echelons, there was a noticeable shortage of military officers. Unlike their German-speaking counterparts, the Italian region, particularly the heavily commercialized Lombardy, lacked a strong tradition of military expertise among the local nobility. Their once-renowned martial prowess had dwindled over time.
It could be said that this hastily reorganized force was primarily intended to fill the ranks. However, they were far from fully equipped, lacking even a sufficient number of rifles. Their main role was to handle logistical tasks and maintain some semblance of local security, although their capabilities in these areas were limited.
Sending them onto the battlefield would be akin to offering themselves as easy targets to the enemy. The true backbone of this war still rested with the Kingdom of Sardinia's army.
Admittedly, the notion of an 80,000-strong Sardinian army pitted against a 100,000-strong Austrian force seemed implausible. Perhaps this power imbalance was one of the reasons behind the decision to halt their offensive.
However, such details remained unbeknownst to the general public, who were simply fixated on the arithmetic of total military strength. They were unaware that the Austrian forces in the Italian region numbered only 100,000, and their ranks had been diminished by several thousand due to their involvement in quelling the revolution.
Amidst the collaboration of the Venetian populace, could the mighty force of 150,000 soldiers from the Kingdom of Sardinia not vanquish the mere 90,000-strong Austrian army?
Marshal Badoer, although burdened with responsibilities, still had some respite. The influential figures of Lombardy, who had recently pledged their allegiance to the Kingdom of Sardinia, dared not instigate unrest. Present before him were delegates of the learned kind, predominantly students, whom he could easily sway in his favor for the time being.
King Charles, on the other hand, was facing a different situation. The Kingdom of Sardinia was rife with various internal factions, and the war served as a convenient distraction to shift the domestic tensions. However, things had spiraled out of control, and now radical nationalists were constantly urging him to launch an offensive against Venice.
This was a mess of his own making. In an attempt to alleviate political pressure within his own realm, King Charles had extensively publicized the supposed victories of the Sardinian army in Lombardy, leading many to underestimate the strength of Austria.
Public opinion was a volatile force, prone to madness. King Charles-Albert had forgotten the age-old adage of "too much of a good thing." Or perhaps he knew it but was helpless against the overwhelming influence of public sentiment.
Currently, nationalism was soaring in the Italian region, with Sardinia being the hotbed of fervent nationalist sentiment. Stirred by the imagined triumph over the Austrian army, nationalism surged once again.
At this juncture, nationalism and patriotism had reached the point of recklessness. There were constant reminders that the Venetian region still languished under Austrian rule.
Ever since the annexation of Lombardy by the Kingdom of Sardinia, the entire population had been jubilant about the further unification of Italy. And now, the Austrian control over the Venetian region was becoming an unbearable thorn in their side.
The Kingdom of Sardinia found itself in a predicament with no easy way out.
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Footnote: The phrase "Stuck on a Tiger’s Back" in Chinese conveys the difficulty of a situation where it is challenging to choose a course of action due to the risks and consequences involved.
The English equivalent idiomatic expression for this concept would be "between a rock and a hard place" or "caught between a rock and a hard place." Both expressions convey the sense of being faced with two difficult or unfavorable options, where neither choice is desirable or easy.
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