Chapter 427: Expanding the War
Chapter 417 The Expanding War
The Industrial Revolution had not affected the world situation, and the use of electricity had just begun. At the time, the main role was also seen by many as lighting.
High-power generators had just appeared, and the use of electricity in industry had not yet been opened. Influenced by Franz’s butterfly effect, this Industrial Revolution kicked off from Austria.
The protagonists of the original time and space now became dim. Prussia, which established the German II Empire, was still in a dead heat with the Russians, and the bullish American Empire was licking the wounds of the Civil War.
After the division of the United States, the internal market can no longer support an industrial revolution. The heavy casualties of the war, the high pensions that accompanied them, and the internal conflicts among the states all constrained the development of the Union.
The economic boom of the post-Civil War era is nowhere to be seen. The Great Powers were not volunteers, and the four nations took advantage of the joint intervention.
After the war, the British, French and Austrian commodities flooded the entire American continent, is the war in the remuneration of everyone.
Spain because of internal conflicts, in the industrial revolution fell behind, this benefit they did not enjoy.
……
Moscow, the second largest city in Russia since Alexander II abolished serfdom, saw a period of rapid growth.
As the second largest industrial area in the Russian Empire, the number of workers in Moscow has exceeded the half a million mark, and the total population of the city is over a million, the fourth largest city in Europe in terms of population.
The large number of people naturally led to more social conflicts, which gave the revolutionaries room for development. The reforms of the Tsarist government were only halfway through, and there was no time to establish a complete system.
The rising bourgeoisie profited from the reforms, but they wanted more power. Waiting for Alexander II to continue the reforms? Unfortunately, they couldn’t wait.
Besides, Alexander II’s reforms protected their interests but did not bring them to the center of power.
In order to put pressure on the government, these people did not hesitate to hook up with the Revolutionary Party. Of course, this was only limited to providing support in secret, and they still didn’t dare to rebel.
With the collusion of the British, the leader of the Revolutionary Party, Matei Tolsky, returned to his country. This time they were going to start an uprising in Moscow, not St. Petersburg, and that was because the Tsar had soldiers in his hands.
A single change of army by Alexander II had quieted the forces at home. Russia is not France, and the military-civilian feeling is not so strong.
That being the case, it was natural to choose a place where strength was weak and influence was strong enough. Moscow was the best choice, a location that was so good that once the revolt succeeded it could divide Russia east and west.
Matei Tolsky’s mood was heavy, don’t look at the fact that now they seem to have a lot of supporters, in reality the chances of a successful uprising are still very low.
In the last two years, the revolutionaries had launched five or six uprisings, all of which had ended in failure. The best they could do was to occupy a small city and then be suppressed by the Tsarist army.
There are many people who need them to start an uprising now, the British, the French, the Prussians, the Swedes ……
In addition to the international back-up groups, there were also domestic revolutionary groups, power groups on all sides who were unhappy with the reforms, including: radical reformers and conservatives with compromised interests, and peasants who didn’t get their land ……
These people wanted them to start an uprising, but did not want them to actually overthrow the Tsarist government. The so-called support was limited to allowing them to cause trouble for the Tsarist government.
Matei Tolsky asked with concern, “August, did you get the weapons?”
August replied joyfully, “Don’t worry sir, I’ve got them already. I have also personally inspected them, and all one hundred and eighty rifles are imports from Austria.”
Matei Tolsky nodded, from the beginning of the Near East War, the Russians were used to using Austrian equipment.
The use of imported Austrian weapons for this uprising was meant to be planted, in addition to being good.
This was the usual tactic of the British, success was a big profit, failure was no harm. They had a long history of conflict with the Russians and were now in debt.
As the executor, Matei Tolsky naturally had no problem with it. Although he was not personally anti-Austrian, and was even a supporter of the Russo-Austrian alliance, it did not prevent him from accepting assistance from the British.
Compared to before, now the London government had begun to pay attention to the eating, and instead of supporting them openly, they passed through the Kingdom of Prussia in transit.
It was not that the British had changed their ways, but mainly that their identity had shifted. Before this, the two powers of Britain and Russia were fighting for world domination, and both sides were naturally doing everything they could.
Now that the Russian Empire has temporarily withdrawn from the struggle for world hegemony, the victorious British will have to rein in and maintain a good international reputation.
World hegemony can not all rely on force, more still need to use diplomatic means to solve problems, this period of time the London government naturally want to hide a little.
……
Undercurrents surged in the Russian Empire, and the British proposed peace talks also began in London.
Negotiations were very uneventful, the Russian representatives asked the British to lift the blockade of the Baltic Sea, which was rejected, and the negotiations came to a standstill.
The negotiations did not affect the battlefield and the war continued. Under the command of Mauch, the Prussian army fought and retreated, and the Polish insurgents were thrown to the Russians as cannon fodder.
The successive victories demoralized the Russian army and the war seemed to be coming to an end.
Looking at the military map, Franz sighed. The Russian army, which seemed to have the upper hand, was actually in danger.
While contracting their defense line, the number of troops from the Kingdom of Prussia was concentrating, and as the Russian army continued to push forward, their strength was inevitably spreading out.
The battlefield had shifted from the Byelorussian region to the Polish region, and the Russian advantage of fighting on home soil no longer existed.
Even though Poland was still considered their homeland now, yet the Poles were on their opposite side, which was no different from going deeper into the enemy’s country.
Foreign Minister Weissenberg reported, “Your Majesty, news has just been received that the war in the Far East broke out two months ago, and the Russians have added another front.”
Franz’s heart was shocked, then returned to normal. The time had advanced, but that was normal.
On the one hand it was British diplomacy, on the other the Russians were now in their weakest state, and falling on their sword would have done anyone good.
Compared to Europe and Central Asia, the Far East was the least important to the Russians and at the same time the weakest in power.
Now the two battlefields of Europe and Central Asia, has held the Russians a large number of troops, even if the tsarist government wants to reinforce the Far East, but also the heart but not enough power.
It is not that Alexander II did not have soldiers, nor is it that he did not have money in his hands. The key is that Central Asia has fallen to the battlefield, to reinforce the Far East must go through the Siberian detour, send troops from Europe, about to walk on a year’s time.
And the number of troops can not be more, otherwise the logistics can not be solved. These constraints can almost directly declare that the Russians’ defeat in the Far East has become a foregone conclusion.
Franz did not continue this topic and asked instead, “Are the Ottomans going to make a move?”
In order to get the Ottomans to enter the war, Britain, France, and Austria were putting pressure on them. The Sultan’s government was afraid of the Russians and equally afraid of these three big rascals who were watching the war.
The British and French navies were frequenting Ottoman ports under the pretext, naturally, of getting them to pay back the money. Austria was also sharpening its knives in the Sinai Peninsula, with the intention of recovering the Holy Land.
On the surface, of course, the Vienna government never asked the Ottoman Empire to declare war on Russia, it was just conducting military maneuvers.
Wasn’t this the end of the maneuvers and the withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula? A regiment of troops was left stationed just above the peninsula, enough to prove that Austria had no intention of provoking a war.
What the Sudanese government thinks is unknown. Anyway, Britain and France gave them an ultimatum. Either they fight the Russians, or they fight Britain, France and Austria.
There was a lot of threatening going on here, yet the Sultan’s government didn’t dare to take the risk. The Ottoman Empire had debts to Britain and France that it could not pay off, and Austria was eyeing Jerusalem.
People kept the Ottoman Empire to keep the Russians in check, and if they couldn’t do that, the value of their existence was gone.
Don’t look at the Russians as often reneging on their debts, that’s because they have the backbone to do so. With that one exception, who is better off with the rest of the countries that dare to renege on their debts?
For example: Mexico, the last government was finished because of bad debts. In order to collect the debt, the French only sent troops to Mexico, and embraced Massimiliano I succeeded to the throne.
Far away in the Americas, Mexico did not escape, close to the Ottoman Empire at hand, not to mention, force to collect debts is the instinct of the powers of this era.
Foreign Minister Weissenberg replied: “With the support of Britain and France, the Sudanese government has issued a national mobilization order.
Currently, the Ottoman Empire has assembled 300,000 troops, but they are not preparing to attack the Caucasus region, instead they want to attack Constantinople.”
Profit and wisdom!
In Franz’s mind, this idiom popped up involuntarily.
If they were to attack the Caucasus, then there was still a chance to take advantage of the situation. Even if the Russians were to retaliate in the future, they would still have a chance to hold on by utilizing their geographical advantage.
Constantinople is different, the political interests here are so great that the Tsarist government would rather lose Poland than give up this place.
Once it was occupied, Alexander II had no choice but to fight to the death. Don’t look at the Russians as exhausted and internally conflicted, but when it came to defending Constantinople, things changed.
Franz sneered, “Since the Sultan’s government wants to seek death, let them go! It’s just the right time to test the results of their reforms, and if they fail to perform, it’s time for the Ottoman Empire to end its life.”
The Habsburg family and the Ottoman Empire are also feuds, Franz naturally wants to inherit the fine tradition of his ancestors and pull out this hidden danger in the east.
(End of chapter)