Albrecht believed that striking swiftly and decisively was the best way to minimize losses. He knew full well that the French Army had little fighting spirit at the moment. As soon as Paris fell, the entire French Second Republic would collapse like a house of cards.
The Britishers' so-called "New League of Sacrilege" would fall apart, too. As for the Ottomans, they were unlikely to pose any real threat to Austria.
Archduke Charles was far more cautious in his strategy. Although the German Confederation's forces had miraculously defeated one of the French Army's main legions in Belgium, that didn't mean those hastily cobbled-together troops could really go toe-to-toe with the French.
Archduke Charles believed that of France's so-called five armies, only the one invading Belgium had any chance of making significant gains.
Only then might the French commit more troops, and only then would it be worth Austria's while to concentrate its forces for an annihilation battle—one decisive enough to end the war.
What's more, this approach wouldn't require invading French territory. It would ensure, as far as possible, that the war didn't drag on, while also minimizing the risk of French retaliation.
If the war lasted too long, there would be no winners. Austria and France would both be left battered and bruised, just as the British hoped.
Archduke Charles knew all too well what the British were like. The Duke of Wellington himself was beyond reproach, but British merchants and soldiers—and especially British sailors—left a great deal to be desired.
Coupled with Franz's propaganda and firsthand intelligence, Archduke Charles had every reason to believe that this war had nothing to do with the crown in the gutter. It was a British plot to throw mainland Europe into chaos.
From the perspective of later generations, the crown in the