Planning production for war has never been an unusual matter. Even during the feudal dynasties, they followed vague principles of planned production to determine the quantity of weapons and provisions needed for war.
However, organized and large-scale planned production for military needs truly materialized only during the decades of the Great Revolution.
When the revolutionary governnt issued mobilization orders to Paris and all of France, all factories, scientists, and workers in Paris followed the revolutionary governnt’s orders for large-scale production. In just a few days, the entire Paris transford into a large arsenal, providing the revolutionary army with a huge amount of weapons and equipnt, enabling them, who initially had bare hands, to stand against the anti-feudal coalition.
Of course, the war mobilization by the revolutionary governnt was just the dawn in the history of planned mobilization.
The real event that brought planned warfare onto the stage was the Arican Civil War seven years later, which can be considered a prelude to World War I. Both sides exerted all their strength just to completely annihilate the other’s living forces.
Under the leadership of the Northern Federation, the war committee composed of directors from various federal bureaus consolidated all resources related to the military and military-related matters into the central governnt, with Major General Kirk, the personal advisor designated by President Lincoln, serving as the chairman of the committee, allowing large-scale planned mobilization to be realized.
However, after the Civil War and before World War I, the United States no longer capitalized on the advantage of industrial mobilization, and the war committee was subsequently abolished.
The War Planning Commission that Jero Bonaparte spoke of was slightly more centralized than the federal governnt’s committee, as it not only concerned military matters but also addressed certain economic issues during the war, to prevent significant dostic economic fluctuations caused by the war.
This thod is groundbreaking not only in France but in the entire world.
Therefore, when the rchants present heard Jero Bonaparte ntioning topics like "indicators" and "plans," they instinctively thought of the various asures taken during the Great Revolution, rather than the Civil War a decade later.
A portion of the imaginative rchants even thought of the revolutionary era when, to control the soaring prices, the revolutionary governnt hanged so unscrupulous rchants, along with the more radical ideas and policies of Marla and Robespierre.
The rchants with imagination turned pale instantly, and their legs trembled involuntarily. Fear spread like a plague to all the rchants present (except Eugène Schneider and Bashirio), causing them to indulge in wild thoughts.
The most frightened was François Wender beside Jero Bonaparte, who turned ashen-faced and tremblingly pleaded with Jero Bonaparte, "Your Maj...esty, I am willing to give all my factories and properties..."
Before François Wender could finish speaking, Jero Bonaparte interrupted him, "What do I want your factories and property for?"
Then, looking around, Jero Bonaparte saw the fear in everyone’s eyes and laughed in anger, "Do you still think I’m trying to plunder you by force?"
The rchants instinctively shivered when they heard Jero Bonaparte’s question and vehently denied, "No!"
"Rest assured! I am not resorting to such circuitous thods to seize your property!" Jero Bonaparte reassured the rchants present.
rchants imdiately realized this, and their anxious hearts finally found so peace.
The aura of panic slowly dissipated visibly, and Jero Bonaparte said, "The governnt will not confiscate your properties. On the contrary, we will give you so encouragent. All your contributions exceeding expectations during the war can turn into cash, reducing your enterprise’s taxes!"
When the rchants heard about the tax cuts, the fear in their hearts vanished without a trace.
Seeing that many were no longer fearful of the War Planning Commission, Jero Bonaparte began to explain its specific work, including how to issue instructions, how to produce according to instructions... and many other issues.
All the rchants present imdiately understood Jero Bonaparte’s point after listening to his explanation.
"If the Planning Commission is the brain, then the committee you join now is the body. Previously, these committees were attached to the Army and Navy departnts. Now I want to consolidate all these powers into the governnt departnts. The supplies needed by the Army and Navy will, after being reported to the Planning Commission, be conveyed to you by the Planning Commission as indicators! You only need to complete the production within the tifra given by the Planning Commission!" Jero Bonaparte explained the situation to the rchants in simple and clear terms.
Then, Jero Bonaparte asked the rchants present about their thoughts in a consultative tone.
The rchants, after only a brief hesitation, agreed with Jero Bonaparte’s approach.
As a certain Chinese literati nad Zhou once said: The temperant of the Chinese is always one of compromise and diation. For example, if you say this room is too dark and needs a window here, everyone will definitely not allow it. However, if you propose to remove the roof, they will diate and agree to open a window.
This statent equally applies to the French.
"Excellent!" Jero Bonaparte revealed a satisfied smile; these guys were even easier to submit than he had imagined.
Subsequently, after a round of verbal encouragent to all the physical rchants present, the governnt and capitalists’ negotiations were considered as reached.
The physical rchants, having no heart for wandering around, bid farewell to Jero Bonaparte one after another. Jero Bonaparte shook hands with each of them in turn, said a couple of encouraging words, then let them leave.
In the end, only Eugène Schneider was left standing there. It was when he shook hands with Jero Bonaparte that he heard Jero Bonaparte asked him to stay, so he had to stay.
"Mr. Schneider, let’s go!" Jero Bonaparte invited Eugène Schneider to continue strolling in the industrial park. During the stroll, he inquired about Eugène Schneider’s situation in Lorraine and the Leclerc Company.
When Jero Bonaparte and Eugène Schneider reached the entrance of a place called the Rifle Research Institute in the industrial park, Jero Bonaparte paused and asked Eugène Schneider: "Mr. Schneider, I wonder if you, as an inventor, would be interested in engaging in politically related work?"
Upon hearing Jero Bonaparte’s inquiry, Eugène Schneider was first taken aback, then showed a bewildered expression. Jero Bonaparte’s sudden inquiry threw the originally calm Eugène Schneider into disarray.
"I..." Eugène Schneider seed to want to say sothing, but couldn’t bring himself to say it.
"What’s the matter? If you’re not willing, there’s no need to force it!" Jero Bonaparte empathetically said.
Although Eugène Schneider historically held the position of Speaker of the Legislative Corps, that was seventeen years later. The current Eugène Schneider was probably far less seasoned than he was seventeen years later.
Of course, Jero Bonaparte didn’t need an especially seasoned politician; a technical inventor would be more practical in that position than a purely political figure.
"Your Majesty, please excuse my boldness!" Eugène Schneider first apologized to Jero Bonaparte, then asked: "If I accept Your request, what position will I hold?"
"If you’re willing to engage in political work, I’m prepared to hand you the position of Chairman of the Planning Commission!" Jero Bonaparte straightforwardly told Eugène Schneider, "This departnt will be directly under my leadership, and the person leading this commission will be equivalent to a minister in administrative rank!"
Hearing Jero Bonaparte’s response, Eugène Schneider couldn’t help but feel a bit moved. He asked again, "Your Majesty, why did you choose ?"
"For , the person in this position only needs to be soone sensitive to numbers! At the very least, they just need to not be overshadowed by academic bureaucrats under them." Jero Bonaparte replied to Eugène Schneider with a calm tone, as if stating a trivial matter.
This made Eugène Schneider, who thought he had so political potential to be discovered by the Emperor, feel sowhat disheartened.
However, Jero Bonaparte’s next words brought so solace to Eugène Schneider’s heart: "Eugène Schneider, you are a person with a very strong sensitivity to numbers, and you’re also among the ones who have followed for quite so ti, so I am more willing to entrust this position to soone I trust! What do you think?"
"I am willing to try taking on this position!" Eugène Schneider imdiately replied to Jero Bonaparte.
"Very good!" Jero Bonaparte nodded slightly, then patted Eugène Schneider’s shoulder solemnly, saying: "I will only give you one week, you need to use this one week... no, four days, you only have four days to finish all your current assignnts, and then devote yourself entirely to the formation of the Planning Commission.
Our war with Russia has already begun, you must seize the ti! Do you understand?"
Recognizing the urgency in Jero Bonaparte’s words, Eugène Schneider imdiately responded: "Understood."
"Good! You may go back and prepare!" Jero Bonaparte said to Eugène Schneider.
After bowing to Jero Bonaparte, Eugène Schneider left the industrial park, while Jero Bonaparte walked straight towards the Rifle Research Institute along the cent-paved path.
Reviews
All reviews (0)