The Orléans Army, which entered the city from the other side, didn't receive the same warm welcome. First, remnants of the French Army ambushed them on the road, costing them dozens of men.
Then, just a few hundred meters from the city, they nearly clashed with the mercenaries. By the time they finally reached the western gate, hardly any civilians had come out to greet them.
Instead, the army's tattered uniforms and weapons frightened the citizens of Sélestat. After all, this was much closer to their idea of what bandits looked like.
By contrast, though many in the German Allied Forces had never seen combat, their brightly colored uniforms and standardized equipment gave them an air of professionalism at first glance.
In truth, the German Allied Forces' uniforms and gear were also a motley assortment. Fortunately, they could easily be distinguished by their various states, which made them seem orderly.
Aside from appearances, Blanqui and the Sélestat councilors had also played a part, as had the propaganda of German nationalists.
These influential figures in Sélestat had all gone to the eastern gate to welcome the German Allied Forces, so it was only natural that the common people would be swayed by them.
In the end, the benefits brought by the German Allied Forces were real, too. They had captured a group of prisoners who had committed crimes during the Defense of Sélestat.
Franz also distributed all the supplies seized from the French Army among the people. To them, these necessities mattered more than anything else.
Then, on behalf of the German Confederation, Franz publicly announced a comprehensive plan to save Alsace.
The main reason Blanqui wanted Franz to say it himself was that he feared Franz might go back on his word. History was full of such empty promises, after