Berthier spoke as he gestured for the accompanying staff officers to unfold the map. "Your Highness, I believe the safest course at present is to hold the Rhine River defensive line along Baden-Cologne, wait for reinforcements from new recruits at home to reach the front, and then seize an opportunity to counterattack.
"The General Staff Headquarters judges that, at the current mobilization rate, we can assemble 260,000 troops on the Rhine River defensive line within a month at most. That is only the most conservative estimate; we may even reach 300,000.
"Then, with forces comparable to the Allied Forces, we can begin shifting to the offensive.
"The railway line from Paris to Strasbourg has only a little over thirty kilometers left to complete. Our logistical supply capacity far exceeds that of the Allied Forces. The decisive battle will certainly end in our complete victory."
Joseph looked over the detailed operation plan in his hands and nodded slightly.
The Allied Forces had essentially exhausted their mobilization capacity. At most, Austria could conscript another forty to fifty thousand recruits. Thus, in a month, the greatest disparity in troop strength would be 260,000 French Army soldiers against 350,000 Allied Forces troops.
Given the French Army's combat strength and France's logistical supply capacity, defeating the Allied Forces should not be a problem.
Moreover, there were still 70,000 French Army troops in Switzerland. After Massena annihilated the Blücher Legion, they could reach the Rhine River battlefield from Switzerland in less than two months.
By then, the Allied Forces would have even less of a chance.
"Cough." Moreau, who stood nearby, suddenly coughed softly.
Berthier said somewhat helplessly, "Your Highness, besides this, General Moreau has proposed another plan."
He pointed to the area from Amberg to Straubing in northern Bavaria. "He recommends implementing Encirclement and Interpenetration,