Bellevue left the old scholars of Saint-Cyr Military Academy speechless for a moment, but he had come up through political work, and a little problem like this was no challenge to him.
"I don't want to be the next Napoleon! I want to be the first Bellevue! I'll do everything Napoleon could do—and everything he couldn't!"
Given Bellevue's position, the experts at Saint-Cyr Military Academy really couldn't argue with him, but they still offered a reminder.
"The Kingdom of Sardinia's border fortifications have been built up over generations. They won't be easy to break through.
"We recommend that your army first go through Belgium and then Prussia, before attacking from north to south. That would meet the least resistance."
"Or you could strike where the enemy must come to the rescue."
Another expert, seeing that Bellevue had little interest in a gradual, step-by-step strategy, made the suggestion.
"Strike where the enemy must come to the rescue?"
Bellevue immediately grew interested. He was already sick of hearing about the strategy of attacking Belgium first, then Prussia, and finally Austria from the north.
Besides, that strategy carried a huge risk: the situation in France might not hold out much longer.
In fact, the economic and food crises plaguing France had not improved at all, and protests in Paris had never stopped.
After taking office as commander of the Paris garrison, Cavaignac had carried out several crackdowns, but the problem remained unsolved.
The Second Republic hoped a victory would restore its image in the eyes of the people, but even its own leaders had no idea whether this gamble would pay off.
"Exactly! Strike where the enemy must come to the rescue! Alsace-Lorraine, the member state of the German Confederation within France."
"Alsace-Lorraine?"
Bellevue asked in confusion. Marshal Grouchy had suffered a disastrous