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Hi all, longtime lurker here. Thank you all for so much high quality content to enjoy. I am especially interested in 19th century warfare. And right now I am studying the 1866 war.
Now it is well understood that benedek oscillated between staying defensive and attacking the two Prussian armies - Elbe army and 1st army - to his front. To that end he used two corps to defend against the Prussian second army at his right. Ultimately he failed and was crushed, after being beaten up on all fronts, at königgrätz/Sadowa. The Prussian staff concluded after the war that if benedek would have pushed hard and fast toward the river iser, he could have been there with seven corps right when the Prussian armies - 4 corps crossed - the river. The operational alternatives for benedek are thus somewhat clear:
Stay defensive
Attack first/Elbe army
Attack second army
But for the Prussians, I am actually at a loss of ideas. Moltkes plan was to bring all three armies together to crush the austrian army. Benedek played right into his arms and the Prussian plan just worked out as "planned". What if benedek stayed defensive around olmutz instead of moving into the trap and sitting there like a mouse?
Are there other feasible operational plans other than the one adopted? Would a push on Prague, by Elbe army, have made any sense. Second army to the east pushing on Vienna via Moravia?
To anyone knowledgeable enough about the possibilities, thank you so much for your time.