The Fox of France

Chapter 61: Preparing for Military Reforms

In the following days, Joseph was tirelessly busy, working alongside Carnot to manage all aspects of the military: recruitment, organization, equipment, and logistics.

Prior to this, most European nations relied on voluntary enlistment for their armies, which was expensive and limited in scale. Even during the early years of the Thirty Years' War, European armies remained relatively small. It was only when King Frederick II of Prussia introduced conscription that the small Prussian state turned into a military powerhouse.

However, to build a formidable army, the king needed to ensure that his soldiers were content. Frederick II heavily invested in national education and patriotism to transform his subjects into citizens. This allowed Prussian soldiers to fight bravely in the Seven Years' War, despite receiving minimal pay, against the major European powers.

But this approach had its trade-offs. Subjects had few rights and responsibilities, while citizens demanded more. To turn citizens into a powerful force, one must feed them well.

During Frederick II's rule, Prussia reaped significant profits from successful wars, expanding the cake, so to speak. This led to a peaceful coexistence among different classes. However, after Frederick II's death, the situation changed. Prussia lacked leaders who could continue expanding the cake, and conflicts arose. The rulers soon realized that subjects were far easier to manage than citizens. By the time of the Napoleonic Wars, the once-feared Prussian army had become a shadow of its former self.

Yet, France didn't face these worries of converting subjects into citizens. Through the revolution, the concept of "subjects" had vanished. So, why not transition from voluntary enlistment to universal conscription? This would significantly boost the size of the army. Given France's population, the possibility of fielding a million-strong army was not far-fetched. If France could mobilize such a force, the rest of Europe would tremble under the radiance of the French flag, and no king would dare to meddle in French affairs.

Nonetheless, merely conscripting soldiers wouldn't suffice. There were many other factors to consider. Conscripted soldiers served for a limited period, which meant their combat skills might be less advanced compared to other nations' armies.

Moreover, conscripts received lower pay, which could affect their morale. To maintain high spirits among underpaid soldiers, patriotic education, improved social status, and other incentives were essential. For example, in later years, the armies of the Qing Dynasty in China received modest pay, but many had to use connections to secure a position. All these factors played a role.

"There must be no glass ceiling for commoners within the military," Joseph stated. "Even a private who excels should have the opportunity for promotion. Soldiers who demonstrate exceptional skills during training and missions should have a chance to attend military academies."

"Glass ceiling?" Carnot chuckled. "That's a vivid way to put it. We're in a new era, and such a glass ceiling has no place here. But if everyone has the opportunity to attend military academies, we'll need more institutions."

"We can establish military academies at different levels," Joseph proposed. "The lowest level can be integrated into the first company of each regiment. Company commanders will be responsible for basic education of their subordinates. At the very least, they should be able to understand military orders. With the implementation of conscription, we'll see soldiers joining who might not even recognize letters or numbers. Just like the strength of the Roman legions heavily relied on competent decurions, if our sergeants are illiterate, their understanding and execution of orders will suffer, impacting the overall combat effectiveness of the army. So, I believe the first companies need to provide basic literacy training."

"Good plan," Carnot agreed. "But there might be complaints from these company commanders."

"No, they'll be complaining about you," Joseph said, "You're the boss; I'm just your deputy."

"Let them complain," Carnot shrugged.

"Then, we can have military schools for squad leaders who excel in their duties at the company level, and we'll call them the Basic Officers' Training School. They will receive training in fundamental military knowledge. Once they complete their training, they can take on company-level positions. For higher-ranking officers, we'll need dedicated academies with instructors. Well, some senior officers could serve as teachers," Joseph added, emphasizing the word "senior."

Carnot immediately understood the implication. He smiled and said, "Senior officers? You mean sending those politically unreliable officers there. That's one way to do it. Besides this, do you have any other ideas?"

"I have one more idea," Joseph said. "Perhaps we can reduce the length of military service..."

"How is that even possible?" Carnot widened his eyes. "Mr. Bonaparte, I understand you want to save money, but conscripts already serve for a short duration. If we further reduce it, the time spent on military training would be insufficient, potentially lowering their combat skills. If we keep shortening the service period, we'll have to continuously train new soldiers, which can become more costly."

"Mr. Carnot, retirement isn't the end," Joseph explained. "All retired soldiers will be registered as part of the National Guard, becoming members of the National Revolutionary Army. This way, we won't need to spend excess funds to maintain a large standing army. These trained soldiers can serve in the National Guard without government expenses but still maintain a certain level of training and skill. In times of war, we can recall them to the regular army from the National Guard."

Carnot listened, took a moment to think with his head lowered, and then said, "Your idea is quite innovative. It involves many complex aspects that need thorough consideration. However, I believe this method is worth exploring..."

Joseph, while teaching at the military academy, was not a military expert by trade. Still, he found opportunities to showcase his brilliance to true specialists, thanks to his knowledge from future experiences. His suggestion, commonplace in later times, was an extraordinary concept for this era.

Creative ideas and practical solutions often had a wide gap in between, and building a bridge required detailed work. Joseph lacked expertise in these areas, but Carnot excelled in them. He had a sharp and delicate mind, rich experience, and a knack for handling various tasks effortlessly. Many challenges that seemed impossible to others, Carnot managed skillfully. Additionally, his physical strength and boundless energy allowed him to work nearly twenty hours a day.

"This man's work capacity is naturally strong, and with such effort, he alone can replace at least ten people! They should be ten experts! This guy is not human!" Joseph described his superior in a letter to Napoleon.

"Joseph Bonaparte is the most talented person I've ever met, and his mind is a treasure trove! I dare say that even Alexander the Great's famed treasury doesn't compare to the wealth within his mind. Whenever and whatever the problem, he can pull a solution from that treasury. But Joseph Bonaparte is also the laziest person I've ever met. If there's a chance to be lazy, he'll seize it.

But I wouldn't consider this laziness negatively. He always finds simpler ways to avoid tedious work. For instance, he uses mathematical models to manage various tasks efficiently, freeing up time for other activities. To be honest, seeing him work this way makes me both envious and admiring. I work over ten hours a day, and there are always tasks left undone. However, this guy, working a maximum of eight hours, still has time for mathematics, and occasionally even publishes a paper or two!

Joseph Bonaparte has another rare quality: integrity. You know how much mischief one can make when dealing with logistics. If someone else held Joseph's current position, who knows how wealthy they might become? But Mr. Bonaparte is incredibly disciplined, and even the benefits he should rightfully receive according to the grey rules, he accepts them reluctantly. I dare say that if he wasn't worried about arousing others' discontent and causing trouble for his work, he might not even accept those..."

This was Carnot's evaluation of Joseph in a letter to their teacher, Monge. (Of course, the part about integrity was a misunderstanding. Joseph's "integrity" was primarily driven by fear and the fact that, through his position, he legally earned enough money. Similar to a county governor in New York State in the future, who reportedly didn't take a salary throughout his term, yet saw his personal wealth multiply legally. Nevertheless, Joseph did his best to avoid taking these things. He thought, earning more money legally would risk revealing too much inside information. Just as a county governor in New York State in the future refused to take a salary, yet multiplied his personal assets legally during his term.) In conclusion, both Joseph and Carnot were highly satisfied with their collaboration. Their efforts were paying off. By May of the following year, their comprehensive plan, including conscription, military academies, and the reserves, was in trial operation in Paris. Marshal Lafayette was very pleased with their work and intended to expand this model to other regions nationwide.

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