Chapter 1269 Crisis Resolved (Part 1)
Reform is never an easy thing. Even if the reformer has no selfish motives and is cautious, it is inevitable that some people's interests will be affected.
Before the benefits of Franz's reforms in Spain were realized, countless rebels were aroused. Some areas that had just surrendered to Austria turned and rebelled back to the Spanish side.
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The Austrian Empire had just got the land, but it was not warm yet. In the blink of an eye, the smoke of war was everywhere.
At this time, there was no so-called democracy in Spain. Although there were many people, they could not control their own destiny. The real decision was made by a few people in power.
Whether it was the right to war and peace, or the right to speak.
The church has always been the mouthpiece of the Austrian Empire. These local tyrants also knew it, so they discredited the church, or just let the truth come out. After all, the church at that time was not clean.
Let the people attack the church, rob property, massacre priests, and make the people accomplices.
The plans of these local tyrants were good, but the Spanish church was able to survive for so many years, and they fled to the area controlled by Austria after getting wind of it.
Originally, the Spanish church was still considering whether to continue cooperating with the Austrian Empire. After all, the Austrian Empire required the church to give land to the poor for farming, which was also a huge loss for the church.
Although the doctrine requires priests to only ask for one-tenth of the income of believers, the church often gives the land to managers to manage, and then collects tithes from believers, which can perfectly avoid the doctrine.
However, now they don’t have to worry about the loss, because the Spanish nobles have already turned the table over, and from now on it’s a life-and-death struggle.
The long-term peace talks made those nobles forget why the church was so deeply rooted in Spain. They even thought that they protected and fed the church.
After the war, the Spanish nobles immediately realized that they were wrong. The minions of the church were everywhere, and all their intelligence was sent to the command center of the Austrian Empire Army.
Every counterattack of the Spanish nobles fell into the trap of the Austrians. The two sides were not at the same level in terms of combat effectiveness or intelligence system, and there was a world of difference in morale.
The soldiers who robbed the church did not become ruthless people who were not afraid of ghosts and gods. After tasting the sweetness, they fell in love with robbery and became uncles who could not be hired without benefits.
Instead, those farmers who were timid on weekdays became fearless under the motivation of defending the land and the words of the charlatans such as going to heaven and redemption.
A group of Spaniards wearing Austrian Empire uniforms hummed a strange tune.
"Protect the land, go to heaven, and get a pension after death! In the name of God and the king (crossed out), the emperor, charge!"
However, before they charged, the destructive artillery fire of the Austrian Empire had already defeated the Spanish nobles.
Rockets and mountain artillery may seem a little underpowered on most battlefields in Europe, but in Spain, this is simply a dimensionality reduction attack.
The nobles who had finally arranged their militia into a dense formation were blown to pieces by several rockets before they had time to appreciate their masterpiece.
In all conscience, they never thought of letting the militia advance without fear of artillery fire. The only purpose of letting the militia line up was to show military strength to the Austrians.
However, they never thought that their cleverness would make their troops a target. How could untrained militia have such high quality?
The deserters killed the platoon leader and scattered, and some smart platoon leaders even took the lead in running away.
The Austrian imperial officer sitting on the airship hit the triangle violently, but the soldiers on the ground did not respond, as if their souls had left their bodies.
Some of the newly born little thoughts also dissipated with it, but after witnessing the miserable state of the enemy army, they really didn't think it would be much better if they were replaced.
It was not until the army commander on the ground gave orders in German and the military priest hit the soldiers' buttocks one by one with a cane that they came to their senses.
"Angriff!" (Charge)
In fact, the fastest thing these Spanish recruits learn is the twenty words they must know on the battlefield. After all, how they communicate with officers is the biggest difficulty.
And if these Austrian officers really speak in Austrian Spanish, which they themselves don't understand very well, the soldiers may not understand.
When the news that a large number of Spanish nobles surrendered and rebelled in the area controlled by the Austrian Empire reached Salt City, Varner was already grinning from ear to ear.
"Stupid Austrians! Their death is coming! Tell those fence-sitters to attack Tarragona with all their strength.
I will take Barcelona in one fell swoop and drive the Austrians into the sea!"
"Yes! General."
Just as the messenger left, the adjutant came over.
"General Varner. We have more and more deserters."
Varner was in high spirits and said casually.
"Then recruit some young and strong men to join the army. They don't need to know how to shoot, but they just need to know how to fight with bayonets. If that doesn't work, they can just carry loads!"
"No, General. Now it's not just the soldiers in the barracks, but even the people in the city and the surrounding areas are visibly decreasing."
Varner was a little confused.
"Where did all the people go?"
The adjutant had a strange expression.
"According to intelligence, our population is rapidly moving toward the southeastern coastal area."
"A bunch of scum! I'll kill them without a burial place!"
Varner spat.
"General Varner, you are so arrogant! The Austrians have been invading for so long, and this is the first time you have said such a harsh word.
It really scared me."
Mario Alvarez Casal's appearance made Varner feel disgusted. No matter how handsome he looked, it was hard for a man not to feel disgusted with such sissy actions.
"You should wear a skirt and a wig, which would suit you better."
"You dare to tease me!"
If it weren't for the two adjutants stopping Varner, he would have beaten the eunuch in front of him.
"I'm going to beat the Austrians to pieces now, you just wait here. I'll give you a credit."
Varner didn't want to pay any attention to this disgusting eunuch.
However, Mario Alvarez Casal didn't want to let Varner go.
"General Varner, I see you are so confident, you don't have to go in person, right?"
Varner was immediately furious.
"What do you mean? Can a general leave his army? Do you know how to march and fight? Who will command if I'm not here? Will you go?"
"I'm just a singer, so I can't do it for you. But I have a candidate here, please allow me to introduce him to you.
Mr. Gordon, a top student of the Royal Madrid Military Academy, I believe he can help you win.
And you are not only a general, just like I am not only a singer, you are also the governor of Catalonia.
How can you leave your post again?
Recently, I heard some things that I shouldn't have heard. Many soldiers fled to the Austrian side, including your elite soldiers.
Are you going to renew your relationship with them?"