Palace of Versailles.
The atmosphere in the Senate meeting room was unusually tense.
The Duke of Broglie clenched his fist: "We must respond, the Russians have already crossed the West Dvina River, and are less than two hundred kilometers from Vilnius!"
His voice rose even higher: "Once Poland collapses, our country will have to deploy more troops on the Eastern front!"
Bertier, sitting in the second row, whispered: "The General Staff can mobilize thirty to fifty thousand troops at any time. Weapons and supplies are ready."
"Moreover," the Duke of Broglie nodded, "if we transport the troops by railway to Karlsruhe, our soldiers could be in Vilnius in two months."
Baron Breti glanced at Talleyrand and Bailly, and seeing them both nodding slightly, he turned to the Finance Minister on the left: "Mr. Godan, what about the finances? If we send thirty thousand troops for a month and a half of operations—"
