Charles-Albert waved a hand. "They only need to be taught how to use a gun. At a time like this, we can't afford to worry about so much.
"The priority now is to raise morale and stir their patriotism. If their training falls short, we'll make up for it with courage.
"As long as they dare to fight and dare to bleed, even if we have to trade three or five of our soldiers for one of theirs, we can still hold the Austrians back and create favorable conditions for negotiations!"
He had long since stopped entertaining any fantasies about combat effectiveness. Even the Kingdom of Sardinia's regular army had been thrashed. Could these hastily assembled cannon-fodder units possibly defy the heavens?
If quality was lacking, they would make up for it with numbers. Fighting on home soil, they had no shortage of people.
After the government's long-term propaganda, ordinary citizens had blamed all the hardships of life on Austria. They now had a popular foundation.
Minister of War Ricci said uneasily, "Your Majesty, we are severely short of weapons and equipment. Many soldiers have to share one rifle between two or three men, and that is only because we encouraged them to bring their own weapons."
After losing a battle, one naturally spoke without confidence. Had Marshal Badoglio not chosen death over dishonor at the final moment and shouldered all responsibility, the Kingdom of Sardinia might already have undergone a change of regime from within.
Even so, the pressure on the government had increased enormously. One could say that the Austrian army's arrival at their gates had, to a certain extent, saved the Sardinian government.
With his seasoned political skill, King Charles-Albert took the opportunity to redirect domestic tensions. Under the banner of defending their homes and nation, he