Just one day later, the French General Staff Headquarters received news that Austria's army of 80,000 had arrived north of Mantua.
Berthier had returned from the front to Paris a month earlier. He immediately hurried to Versailles Palace to report to the Crown Prince.
"Hm. Austria's mobilization was far slower than I expected." Joseph merely glanced over the report before folding it up. Calmly, he told the Chief of Staff, "Just proceed according to the predetermined plan."
Indeed, before Alvinzi had even left Vienna, the Intelligence Bureau had already sent word back to Paris that "Austria has decided to reinforce Mantua."
With such a massive troop movement, anyone who was not deaf would surely be able to learn of it.
Afterward, Joseph and officers from the General Staff, including Berthier, drew up a series of follow-up plans.
The two corps involved in the plan had set out more than a month ago and were already in position, merely waiting for the fighting at Mantua to begin before making their move.
Spain.
Madrid.
Count of Aranda, Spain's Minister of War, looked somewhat dissatisfiedly at the French Lieutenant Colonel before him. "Lieutenant Colonel Junot, Olivenza is undoubtedly the most critical strategic point. After His Majesty the King met with His Highness the Crown Prince of your country, we transported a great quantity of logistical supplies to Badajoz.
"And now you are asking our army to turn toward Salamanca?"
Junot placed the directive sent by the General Staff Headquarters on the table. It bore the Crown Prince's coded signature—France's principal officials and officers all possessed unique codes that could be transmitted through the Shap Signal Tower, which signified the code owner's signature. The codes were generated through complex encryption algorithms and decrypted with specific keys; there was no issue whatsoever with their