However, unlike the Holy Roman Empire, starting from the founding of the German Empire, the emperor of the empire no longer needed to be crowned by the Pope.
December 26, 1794, London, England.
The Continental Army plan previously proposed by Britain has entered the follow-up stage. Currently, the 50,000 newly recruited soldiers in the UK have begun intensive training. At the same time, the first decree issued after George III woke up is still about the army.
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George III announced that all British men have the obligation to fight for the Kingdom of Great Britain. In view of the current bad situation, British recruitment will never be suspended. The British Army will reach 200,000 men in 1795.
In the UK, the prestige of George III is still much higher than that of Augustus. At least after George III's order was issued, the recruitment of soldiers from various places has accelerated a lot.
On the other hand, after William completed the change of the imperial title in Frankfurt, he immediately led his army to Western Europe.
Tens of thousands of troops marched toward Western Europe, and their target was obviously the territory under British rule.
However, before the armies of Britain and Prussia had yet met each other, the navies of the two countries had already faced off in the North Sea.
The British Royal Navy's Home Fleet is the most powerful of all fleets in the British Navy. After the British government deployed main forces from the rest of the fleet to enhance the strength of the Home Fleet, the strength of the Home Fleet has increased significantly.
The main navies of the two countries faced off in the North Sea, and the sails of the warships blocked the sky and the sun.
"Lord Mehad, the British Navy is now at the upper hand. I think we should first use our warships to bypass the enemy navy's wings to seize the upper hand!"
Just as Mehard was looking through the telescope at the mighty British Royal Navy fleet not far away, a staff officer standing next to him spoke.
"No. In this case, if the fleet is blocked by the British when seizing the upper wind, then these warships will definitely be in danger. We must not take risks with our warships and soldiers!"
Just after the staff officer finished speaking, Ushakov immediately spoke.
The commander of the current combined fleet is Mehard himself, and there are two deputy commanders: one is Ushakov, and the other is the commander of the Swedish Navy, Andreas.
For Mehard, although the current Prussian combined fleet is not inferior to the British fleet in terms of warship size, the biggest shortcoming of the combined fleet is that it is composed of fleets from three countries.
In this way, after the previous time in the Baltic Sea, the combined fleet had strengthened the training of cooperative operations, but the results were not satisfactory.
In other words, in terms of the combat effectiveness of a single ship, the combined fleet is not weak. But if it really turns into a decisive battle between large fleets, Mehard has no confidence in the chances of the combined fleet winning.
You must know that the Combined Fleet was finally pulled together by Prussia. Once the Combined Fleet failed, it would mean that within ten years, Prussia would not be able to challenge the dominance of the British Navy again.
In this case, Prussia will inevitably suffer heavy losses in the future Anglo-Prussian war.
"Right now, we have not officially declared war with the United Kingdom, so confrontation is okay, but we must not rush into war!"
The British and Prussian navies faced off for a day in the North Sea. In the end, no fighting broke out due to their respective restraints. That night, the fleets of both sides returned to the port.
The main force of the Prussian Navy is currently concentrated in Bremerhaven. The rest are scattered in various ports, and the main force of the British Navy has also been transferred from the original Plymouth to Great Yarmouth. Of course, because the berths at Great Yarmouth Port are limited,
Therefore, the navy should be dispersed in various ports along the North Sea coast.
"Your Excellency Mehard, I have a suggestion here. I think it is better to find ways to weaken the strength of the British than to directly break out a decisive battle with the British. Therefore, I suggest sending a squadron to pretend to be the main fleet and go directly from the North Sea to Kirk.
Wall Island, and then directly enter the strait between the main island of England and the island of Ireland, cutting off their connection. In this way, the British will definitely mobilize the main force. After the British mobilize the main force, our main fleet can just take this opportunity to annihilate the British.
The rest of the navy will then reinforce the squadron, and it will not be difficult to form a pincer attack situation by then!"
That night in the port of Bremen, on the flagship of the Prussian Combined Fleet, Ushakov said this to Mehard.
Ushakov is a well-known naval star in Europe, and Mehard knows this very well, so there is no reason for Mehard not to pay attention to the suggestions put forward by Ushakov.
Using a squadron to pretend to be the main force is indeed one way, but the key is how to make the British Navy believe that this squadron is the main force of the combined fleet!
"Are you kidding? It's December now. Kirkwall Island is already the northernmost island of England. The cold and huge waves are no joke! And how can you ensure that the British Navy can do what you imagined?
Do you believe that our main force will go north?"
After Ushakov finished speaking, Andres immediately spoke.
Andrides is also a veteran of the Swedish Navy. His fate with Ushakov goes back decades. Although the Swedish Navy has always been overwhelmed by the Russians in the Baltic Sea, Andrides does not think that
It's because of my own lack of ability, it can only be said that Russia's national power is strong.
After joining the combined fleet, Andres also had the intention of competing with Ushakov.
That's why he couldn't wait to speak immediately after Ushakov finished speaking.
"The weather in the North Sea is indeed a huge problem. It is true that the weather in the North Sea is very bad, but I just learned a few days ago that the wind and waves on the Kirkwall route today are much smaller than in previous years, and there are no storms.
, of course, this does not mean that Poseidon is merciful.
The old sailor who told me the news also told me that according to previous years’ experience, the Kirkwall route can only be sailed before January 20th at best, and there will definitely be a big storm around January 20th. Even
It will be larger than in previous years, and this period will last one and a half to two months.
Therefore, if we really want to sail from the Kirkwall route, we must pass it before January 20th, otherwise, this route will be closed.
And as for if the British can believe it.
Lord Mehard, I do have a way. We can recruit merchant ships in the Bremen area and then disguise them as battleships of the combined fleet. As long as the battleships of the squadron guard these merchant ships in the center and keep an appropriate distance, then they can come from a distance.
If you look at it, the British navy can only rely on sails to identify the size of the fleet. In this case, the plan is very likely to succeed!"
Mehad frowned and looked at the huge map on the table in front of him. The flagpole in his hand kept making deductions on the map.
Ushakov's suggestion is indeed very good, but war is not a child's play. As Andris said, the wind and waves in the depths of the North Sea are really no joke. If a squadron is really dispatched, then this squadron will almost
It's a race against death.
However, as Ushakov said, war has huge uncertainties. If it succeeds, it will definitely change the current war situation.
After a long time, Mehad made up his mind. Now that he has reached this point, if he doesn't try, who can know the success or failure!
"Marshal Ushakov. Since you proposed this plan, I sincerely request you to serve as the commander of this squadron. Because only your wisdom can help us complete this plan!"
Mehad said sincerely to Ushakov.
Upon hearing Mehad's request, Ushakov frowned, but then Ushakov said:
"Since your Excellency, Commander, trusts me so much, then I will personally lead this squadron!"
Ushakov was very reluctant to join the Prussian combined fleet. After all, when the Russian Empire was not in decline, on the Baltic Sea, the Prussian navy was not even worthy of carrying shoes for the Russian navy.
Now, the Russian Navy had to succumb to the Prussian Navy, which made Ushakov feel helpless and resentful.
But no matter how controversial it is, Prussia is Alexander's biggest support now. If he loses the support of Prussia, it is conceivable that Alexander will have no choice but to go into exile abroad in despair. By that time, the Russian Empire will
According to intelligence reconnaissance, the main force of the Prussian Combined Fleet left Bremerhaven and went straight north, while the remaining squadrons of the Combined Fleet entered Bremerhaven directly.
On January 3, the Combined Fleet appeared in the waters of Cretemoore in the northern North Sea and carried out large-scale supplies, seeming to be embarking on an ocean voyage.
On January 4, the main force of the combined fleet left Kreetmoeller and headed directly to the west.
It only took one day for this information to reach the British Navy's headquarters in Great Yarmouth via clipper ship.
"What are the Prussians doing? Where are they going from Kreetmoeller?"
Ambert, commander of the British Royal Navy's Home Fleet, stared at the map for a long time without saying anything.
"Don't the Prussians want to raid the port cities in Scotland?"
"Impossible, what value can there be in Scotland that is worthy of such a large-scale operation by the Prussian Navy? Furthermore, if you really want to launch a surprise attack, then this fleet will at least need a large number of transport ships to transport soldiers to cooperate, but
According to intelligence, the combined fleet only carries supply ships, but there is not a single transport ship."
A group of British naval staff officers stood in the command post and kept putting forward their opinions.
"Don't the Prussians want to take the Kirkwall route?"
After a while, a young staff officer stood in the headquarters and said.
But as soon as he finished speaking, the headquarters burst into laughter.
"Damn it, Dave, you're so funny! What's the difference between taking the Kirkwall route this season and courting death?"
"That's right, if you ask me, I still wish the Prussians would take this route. When the wind and waves on the sea come together, all these damn Prussian navy will be buried under the sea, and it will save us a lot of trouble!"
But just when the young staff officer was making fun of his colleagues and blushing, Ambert, who was sitting in front of the map, had an idea flash in his mind.
"You...that's you, come here. Tell me what you just said again!"
Ambert stood up and called Dave to his side and asked.
"Your Majesty General, I wonder if the Prussians might want to take the Kirkwall route!"
Although his face was already a little red, Dave still said to Ambert.
Damn Kirkwall! Thinking of this, Ambert hurried to the corner of the desk, which was also the corner of the map.
Ambert took a closer look from Cretemoore to Kirkwall. Yes, there was indeed a route there.
In this way, it may be possible to explain why the Prussian combined fleet stopped in Kreetmoeller and carried out large-scale supplies.
"Damn it, find me someone who has traveled the Kirkwall route recently. I need to know if this route is passable!"
Ambert's nervous shout made the command center suddenly quiet, and then everyone looked at each other, but did not stand up. Obviously, the remoteness of this route and the huge waves of the North Sea in winter made the command center almost silent.
No one has traveled this route recently.
It took a day to finally find a merchant ship in Great Yarmouth that passed through the Kirkwall route half a month ago.
"You said the Kirkwall route. God bless, the weather this year is pretty good. There were no big waves when we passed by half a month ago!"
"How could it be? Has the weather in Beihai changed this year?"
"That's not true. According to usual practice, Poseidon's blessing is not without cost. According to previous years' experience, once the storm in the North Sea is delayed, it means that once the storm arrives, it will definitely be extremely serious!"
After asking about the general situation, Ambert suddenly became anxious.
If the main force of the Combined Fleet can really safely pass through the Kirkwall route, then the Combined Fleet that detours behind Britain can completely threaten the route between Britain and the Atlantic. At the same time, the hinterland of the island of Ireland and the island of England will enter the Prussian Combined Fleet.
Within cannon range.
On January 15, an dispatch was sent to the Home Fleet headquarters from Fraserburgh in northern Scotland. In this dispatch, the local garrison claimed to have discovered traces of a large Prussian naval battleship.
"Immediately move the Second and Third Fleets to the Celtic Sea, and send the Fourth Fleet north to South Shields. If the Combined Fleet is found protruding from the North Sea, then the Second and Third Fleets will immediately move north to block the Combined Fleet.
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There are five squadrons in the British Royal Navy's Home Fleet. Among these five squadrons, there is no doubt that the First Fleet and the Second Fleet are the most powerful, and the flagship of the Home Fleet is in the First Fleet.
On January 17, 1795, William led the army to Leuk in the Prussian Netherlands. After arriving at Leuk, William immediately sent an envoy to the Netherlands, asking the Dutch ruler William III to immediately lead the Dutch army westward.
Reunion with William's imperial army in Brussels.
After receiving William's order, William III knew that William was forcing him to express his position.
Previously, although William III expressed to the Prussian ambassador that he would lean towards the Prussians, William III was only a statement and did not take any actual actions.
Obviously, William, whose army had arrived in the Prussian Netherlands, was no longer prepared to give William III any room for detours.
William III looked a little depressed. He just wanted to express his attitude before and was not prepared to actually participate in the upcoming Anglo-Prussian war. However, it is obvious that it is impossible without taking practical actions now.
"Deploy an army of three thousand men and let's go to Brussels!"
William III said feebly to the ministers of the Netherlands.
While William and his troops were at the British border with nearly 140,000 troops, the French army of more than 40,000 troops had already been mobilized. After William arrived in Brussels, Paris even sent a delegation to Brussels to meet with him.
The mission in Paris conveyed Louis XVI's cordial greetings to William. At the same time, Louis XVI proposed that the countries preparing to participate in the war against Britain should jointly sign an alliance agreement.
Of course, the leader of the Allied Powers is Prussia. This alliance agreement should not only stipulate the obligations of each Allied Power to participate in the war, but also make a rough division of the distribution of post-war benefits.
Seeing this letter said to be Louis XVI's autograph, William's lips raised a smile.
Louis XVI hurriedly sent an envoy to Brussels, and it was not as simple as an alliance agreement.
You must know that Prussia can be said to be the country that has dispatched the most troops at the moment. In this case, it will definitely take the largest share of the cake in the distribution of interests after the war.
At present, the outcome of the British-Prussian navy is undecided. Even in the view of Louis XVI, the Prussian navy is more likely to be defeated. In this case, without the help of the navy, the greatest benefit that Prussia can get in the war is
It was just the northern French territory under British rule.
Not only Prussia, but all countries involved in the war will definitely demand appropriate benefits after the war.
In this way, the cake that can be divided among them is only those territories in northern France.
But you must know that these British territories were originally French, and Louis XVI also made a slogan at home to regain the lost territory.
If the British were beaten away, but Louis XVI had to watch Prussia take its original territory as its own or distribute it to various countries under its command, then Louis XVI would cry to death.
PS: Sigh, there seems to be another category recommendation next week. To be honest, I wanted to finish it. The results of this book have not been good since the beginning, but the editor has never given up. This makes me quite touched.
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Okay, then I will write for another month and finish writing about Britain, France and Austria.