Chapter 352: Tsar's helplessness
Belarus, Stevka, Russian Army Command.historical
The commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Grand Duke Nicholas, looked at the telegram in his hand and said nothing. This is the battle damage report sent by General Ivanov, commander of the Russian Southwest Front. The heavy loss made Grand Duke Nicholas feel very sad.
According to Admiral Ivanov's report, the main force of the Russian Southwest Front Army has been wiped out in this battle. Originally, the Southwest Front Army had 1.2 million people. But now, the Southwest Front Army has only 250,000 people left, and has lost a full 950,000 people, which is almost one million. If you count the previous losses of the Russian Northwest Front Army, Russia has lost nearly two million troops on the Eastern Front. Even if Russia has a huge army, it can't afford such a loss!
What's more, the lost troops are almost all their elite troops. In this case, they will be at a serious disadvantage in the next battle!
"Perhaps, we were wrong from the beginning. This war is no longer something that the Russian Empire can participate in. The strength of the Russian Empire is too weak, and there is no possibility of winning this war." Grand Duke Nicholas A look of bitterness.
Originally, Tsar Nicholas II, the commanders of the Russian army, and senior government officials all believed that with the strength of the Allied Powers, defeating the Allied Powers was a certainty. Especially after Italy betrayed the Allies and fell to the Allies, the Allies became even weaker. However, the victory they had hoped for had not been able to come. Instead, failures followed one after another.
The Russian army suffered such heavy losses in this war, which directly made them hopeless on the Eastern Front. In the eyes of Grand Duke Nicholas, the next role of the Russian Empire in this war is probably to play soy sauce! The only role they can play is nothing more than to contain some of the German-Austrian coalition forces. Moreover, a large amount of territory will be lost. Unless the Allied Powers can win this war, otherwise, the territories lost by Russia may never be regained.
However, can the Allied Powers win this war? If it was before the war broke out, Grand Duke Nicholas would definitely think that the Allied Powers would definitely win the final victory. But now, he didn't dare to be so sure. Among other things, the explosion of Germany's military strength in this war alone is enough to shock everyone. The German Army is worthy of the title of number one in the world. Even if it is a two-front battle, it still has an advantage in the battle. Even the German Navy gained an advantage over the British Navy in naval battles. In the eyes of Grand Duke Nicholas, this is really incredible. But the fact is the fact, even if he thinks it is unlikely, it will not change because of it.
"May God bless the Russian Empire, and hope that we can win this war!" Grand Duke Nicholas murmured. It seems that praying for the blessing of the illusory God has become their only way.
"Your Excellency, how should I report the specific situation of the Southwest Front Army to His Majesty?" a Russian general asked.
After all, as the Russian army lost on the battlefield one after another, this made Tsar Nicholas II very angry. If Nicholas II learned that the Southwest Front Army had also experienced a disastrous defeat, the consequences might be very serious. These military generals, none of them can afford to walk around.
"Report the truth to His Majesty! It is impossible to conceal it for a long time. Once His Majesty knows the truth, the consequences will be more serious." Grand Duke Nicholas said.
Grand Duke Nicholas was very clear about the character of his nephew, Nicholas II. Not only headstrong and conceited, but also irritable. In particular, you can't suffer losses, and you can't bear others' deception.
Although the Grand Duke Nicholas was very guilty of fighting like this, he knew that there was no way to do it. If he concealed it, the consequences would be even more serious. At that time, even if he is Nicholas II's uncle, Nicholas II will probably not let him go easily. Therefore, Grand Duke Nicholas was unwilling to do that.
"Yes, Your Excellency the Grand Duke." The general nodded, and immediately went to prepare to send a telegram.
St. Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire, the Hermitage.
Tsar Nicholas II sat behind his desk expressionlessly. Several telegrams were scattered on the desk. That was the telegram from Grand Duke Nicholas. The content of the telegram is the battle damage of the Russian Southwest Front Army.
After Nicholas II saw this telegram, he flew into a rage. Although, he seems to be used to failure. However, repeated failures made him almost numb.
In front of Nicholas II's desk stood a group of generals of the Russian army and senior government officials. However, everyone remained silent, as if they were sinners waiting to be judged.
"First, the Northwest Front Army was annihilated, and then the Southwest Front Army was almost wiped out. So far, we have lost nearly two million troops. You know, before the war broke out, our standing army was only one hundred It’s only 400,000! What’s more terrible is that the troops lost are all our elite troops. If so, how can we continue this battle?” Nicholas II looked at it with red eyes. Generals of the Russian army and senior officials of the government.
Everyone is silent, everyone knows that the current situation is too bad for Russia. The performance of the Russian army in this war can be described as abysmal.
It can be said that it is precisely because of this that many senior officials of the Russian government and military generals are very negative about this war, thinking that it is difficult for them to win.
Tsar Nicholas II, watching the reactions of these ministers and generals, was also very helpless. Just like the current battle situation.
"Everyone, what do you think of the current battle situation? What should we do next?" Nicholas II asked.
"Your Majesty, in view of the heavy losses of the troops, it is best not to launch an offensive until our newly mobilized troops are ready. Otherwise, we are very likely to be defeated again." Minister of War Sukhomli Nove said.
Nicholas II nodded with a sullen face. Even if a large number of troops were mobilized again, those mobs obviously couldn't be sent to the battlefield! Letting them go to the battlefield is simply letting them die.