Napoleon's Intuition

Seeing Victor's puzzled expression, Napoleon prompted him, "Do you remember Marshal Beaulieu's age?"

"Ah, he seemed to be sixty-nine, didn't he?"

"Yes, sixty-nine." Napoleon nodded. "He had fought for more than fifty years and was extremely experienced.

"If he discovered that his vanguard had encountered no resistance after entering France, he would certainly become highly vigilant.

"On the contrary, only if we launched a fierce counterattack would he become convinced that Toulon could be occupied with ease."

Victor suddenly understood. "Indeed. Victory will spur the Austrians to push deeper, faster."

Then he thought of the Army of Italy's current deployment and reminded him, "Lieutenant Colonel Bonaparte, isn't our current position somewhat too far to the rear?"

Napoleon had positioned all the French Army west of Nice. This meant that the easternmost part of Toulon Province was completely undefended—Nice was the largest city east of Toulon and the best place to hold.

Napoleon said, "The deeper the Austrian Army pushes into Toulon, the longer its battle line will stretch. That will make it easier for us to find weak points to strike.

"And besides, it will let Monaco contribute a little more to the war funds."

Monaco was a small principality in France's far southeast, located ten kilometers east of Nice, right at the foot of the Alps.

If Austria wanted to attack Nice, it first had to invade Monaco.

Although the Principality of Monaco was a French protectorate, it still retained considerable independence. Faced with Austria's threat this time, it would surely resist with all its national strength, and afterward it would inevitably be bound even more tightly to France.

Victor was still somewhat hesitant. "Lieutenant Colonel Bonaparte, if the Austrians enter Nice, they can head north from there to Bress. Yet our army has set up no defensive line