The Rhine River still flowed quietly, while Prussia and the German allied forces had already established a solid line of defense along its eastern bank.
Yet France had made no major move so far. The French had not yet arrived in position, and Prussia was naturally in no hurry. Mobilized troops and equipment from the rear streamed toward the front through railways and canals without end.
Inside the forward command headquarters, Moltke personally introduced his battle plan to King Wilhelm I and the others. "This is the Alsace and Lorraine regions. Metz and Strasbourg are separated by the Vosges Mountains. According to our General Staff's analysis, the railway capacity at Strasbourg cannot complete the full deployment of the French Army, so Metz in the northwest will have to share that burden, splitting the French forces into two parts. If we take the initiative and attack, we will likewise be affected by the Vosges Mountains and be forced to scatter our main force. That would be clearly disadvantageous to us. Therefore, I advocate waiting in full battle formation by the Rhine for the French to attack. With the Rhine as our shield, defense will also be much easier."
King Wilhelm I asked, "How is the army's assembly progressing?"
"The active Prussian Army has already fully assembled. Conscripts in the rear are also being called up from every region, but the various states need more time. The southern Third Army Corps and Bavaria's main force have yet to reach the front," Moltke said.
The Prussian Army's exchange of information was exceptionally smooth, thanks to its telegraph network. The Siemens Company, founded by Werner von Siemens, the Father of German Electricity, had built Prussia the most advanced telegraph network of the age, allowing the General Staff to grasp the precise location of every