CHAPTER 352: CHAPTER 347 LOYAL GENERAL STAFF

Under the thorough collaboration of Jerome Bonaparte and Saint Arnaud, the French General Staff is advancing at an unprecedented speed, and the results are visibly apparent.

Mid-to-lower level military officers are rapidly filling the positions in army, division, brigade, and regiment staff departments as analysts, under the selection of the Ministry of War. The local staff departments are constrained by dual regulations from the war zone commander and the General Staff.

The war zone commanders are similarly constrained by the decentralization of the military staff departments. Originally akin to vassal emperors, the local commanders have no choice but to accept the military staff departments. Local armies are no longer the voice of a single commander but are moving toward relatively democratized power structures.

Of course, the military’s nature as a component of the violent apparatus remains unchanged.

What has changed is the military’s tolerance for errors; a military dominated by a single voice often puts all the pressure on the army commander.

For generals like Napoleon, a single-voice military allows them to command with ease.

However, the majority of commanders are not Napoleon; their insights and strategic levels are generally similar, and some are even fools.

If an army commander is a fool, the entire army risks annihilation.

The role of the military staff is to help the war zone commander mitigate risks as much as possible, assisting in mission completion. In necessary situations, the chief of staff of the military staff can quickly take control of the entire army,

The establishment of the military staff strengthens Jerome Bonaparte’s control over the local armies and prevents mass incidents caused by individual errors (during the Franco-Prussian War, MacMahon hesitated to break out, and Bazan surrendered to the Prussian army, causing catastrophic damage to France).

Truly a win-win situation.

More importantly, the army can undergo another round of job expansion. As mid-to-lower level military personnel enter the staff department, their vacant positions are filled by lower-level soldiers/military school personnel, who will become Jerome Bonaparte’s loyal followers.

With this infiltration process, the Northern and Western War Zones, which were not very compliant with Jerome Bonaparte, have thoroughly stopped their covert resistance and have chosen to comply with Paris’ arrangements.

On August 1st, 1852, under the blazing sun,

all staff personnel from the five major war zones gathered in Paris. Under the orders of General Saint Arnaud, Chief of Staff, they participated in the triennial war zone staff examination (in July, the Ministry of War issued regulations that staff personnel must undergo an examination every three years. Except for the first session in Paris, subsequent sessions are held within each war zone).

Nearly 700 new and old staff personnel arrived in Paris from all over the country and were accommodated at the Rhine Inn by Parisian public servants.

As this was a nationwide staff examination, the government covered all train, accommodation, and meal expenses for staff personnel traveling to Paris.

Each staff candidate only needed to focus on the examination.

From August 1st to the 7th, during the week-long examination, Jerome Bonaparte discovered many "talents." He routinely praised them and summoned them individually to the Tuileries Palace for discussions.

"Hello! Brigadier General MacMahon!"

Inside the Tuileries Palace, Jerome Bonaparte looked at the resolute general before him and extended his hand, inviting MacMahon to sit down.

Not understanding why Jerome Bonaparte had summoned him alone to the Tuileries Palace, MacMahon paused for a few seconds before standing at attention, saluting, and sitting opposite Jerome Bonaparte.

With a smile, Jerome Bonaparte praised, "I’ve read your record; you are an outstanding soldier!"

"Your Majesty, you overpraise me!" MacMahon responded to Jerome Bonaparte with confident deference.

As a military officer educated in Orthodoxy, MacMahon being able to address Jerome Bonaparte in this manner was an acknowledgment of the Second Empire regime.

MacMahon, who once nearly left the military after Jerome Bonaparte’s coup,

eventually resolved his inner conflict and accepted this nascent dynasty, casting his precious supportive vote for the establishment of the Empire.

Afterwards, Brigadier General MacMahon returned from the colonies to the Pyrenees Military Region, now part of the Southern War Zone, to serve as acting division commander, under the Ministry of War’s directive.

After the establishment of the General Staff, under Marshal Saint Arnaud’s influence, MacMahon was reassigned from acting division commander to military staff chief, following the General Staff’s orders regarding staff evaluations to Paris.

"I hope you will serve France well and not disappoint the expectations it has for you! The position of military staff chief is not your endpoint but your starting point! I hope the next time I see you, you give me more surprises!"

Subsequently, in the Tuileries Palace study, Jerome Bonaparte personally awarded MacMahon a Fourth-level Medal to commend his achievements in the staff examination and subtly hinted at altering allegiance to himself.

Wearing the Fourth-level Medal, MacMahon looked at Jerome Bonaparte with excitement and responded powerfully, "I will pledge my undying loyalty to the Empire!"

"I will remember your words!" Jerome Bonaparte’s smile carried a deep meaning; he was eager to see what future awaited this "future" President of the Third Republic, protector of the Monarchist Faction, and one of the architects of the Second Empire’s downfall.

After MacMahon left, Trocch entered the study.

Compared to the first meeting with MacMahon, Jerome Bonaparte appeared much more easygoing in front of Trocch.

Gazing at the general he personally promoted, a gentle smile appeared on Jerome Bonaparte’s lips.

"How does it feel to be the Chief of Staff in the First Division?" Jerome Bonaparte inquired amiably, showing no signs of treating him as an outsider.

Trocch hesitated for a moment before replying, "So far, it’s alright!"

After speaking, Jerome Bonaparte opened the drawer and tossed a cigar to Trocch, half-jokingly saying, "Go ahead, smoke! I heard that in the Staff Department, you can’t speak well without a cigar!"

Understanding Jerome Bonaparte’s gesture, Trocch hurriedly lit the cigar and took a deep puff, showing an expression of delight.

Jerome Bonaparte, seeing this, also lit a cigar for himself as the entire study became enveloped in smoke.

"Your Majesty, I believe the position of the division’s Chief of Staff really doesn’t suit me," Trocch said with a pained expression to Jerome Bonaparte.

"What work do you think suits you better?" Jerome Bonaparte tapped the cigar gently over a glass ashtray, allowing the ash to fall inside.

"You know, I once worked in Algeria... If you could let me lead a regiment... just a regiment..." Trocch cautiously asked Jerome Bonaparte’s opinion.

"So, are you saying you don’t wish to be Chief of Staff in the future?" Jerome Bonaparte countered.

Upon hearing "Chief of Staff," Trocch couldn’t help his heart from racing a little.

After all, who in the entire army wouldn’t want to be Chief of Staff?

"I do!" Trocch responded decisively.

"Then you should honestly start from the staff position! What I need isn’t generals who can charge forward but marshals capable of strategic planning! The former is abundant in the French Army, but the latter is scarce!" Jerome Bonaparte sighed at Trocch.

The current French Army is practically a duplicate of the Showa Japanese Army decades later, with each general courageous enough to dash into battle like a "Nogi Maresuke."

Viewed collectively, the entire French Army resembles scattered sand without cohesion.

Such an army managed to win the Crimean and Franco-Austrian Wars simply because the Russian Empire and the Austrian Empire were worse than the French Empire.

Faced with even a somewhat competent Kingdom of Prussia, the French Army would immediately reveal all its shortcomings.

Training military commanders like Old Maoqi and logistical managers like Ron should be Jerome Bonaparte’s undertaking.

As of now, only Nie’er and Saint Arno among Jerome Bonaparte’s subordinates have such capability.

MacMahon, Leboeuf, Bazan, and others still lag significantly behind.

Of course, Trocch also has such potential.

Otherwise, Jerome Bonaparte wouldn’t be using the General Staff as bait to entice Trocch to continue his role in the staff position.

"I understand! I certainly will not disappoint your expectations!" Feeling valued by the Monarch, Trocch immediately assured Jerome Bonaparte.

"You are one of the old hands who have come this far with me! I don’t wish for you to fall too far behind; otherwise, I really wouldn’t know how to promote you!" Jerome Bonaparte sighed lightly, feigning frustration.

"Rest assured, I will not let you down!" Trocch reaffirmed his resolve.

"Alright! Here is your medal!" Jerome Bonaparte took a box containing the medal from a drawer and handed it to Trocch.

Trocch took the box and promptly saluted Jerome Bonaparte, who waved him off, saying, "Alright! You may leave now!"

Trocch left the Tuileries Palace, eager to open the box holding the medal as he rode in the carriage.

Inside the box, besides a Fourth-level Medal, there was also a 50,000 franc note.

With this note, Trocch could go to the Bank of France to exchange it for francs of equivalent value.

This was the best reward for his loyalty to Jerome Bonaparte.