Chapter 504: Conspiracy – Yang Conspiracy (Monthly Votes Plus)
Chapter 493 Conspiracy – Yang Conspiracy (Monthly Votes Plus)
Industrial restructuring at the same time, Franz did not forget to give the Russians trouble, as much as possible to stir up the plans of Alexander II.
There were no allies in front of interests, it was not about right or wrong, identity determined the position. By limiting his troubles to destroying the Russians’ grain exports, Franz had already shown great restraint.
It was unrealistic to block the Russian grain exports completely. It is still not difficult to put up some obstacles.
For example: next door, Switzerland, after a little activity by the Austrian Foreign Office, decisively gave the Russians a high tariff.
Another example: the German Federal Reich, which at this time was still tugging at its heels over whether or not to accept grain from the Russians to pay its debts. The reason was very simple: the states that had not lent money to the Russians objected.
This was due to the diplomatic influence of Austria, but also to the fact that the Russians were not happy. That’s right, being upset with the Russians could also be a reason, and it was the main factor.
It’s hard enough to sort out the grudges here. Anyway, the Russians had enemies all over the continent and it wasn’t hard to target them.
Subsequently Belgium and Holland were successfully PR’d by Austria and gave the Russians a high tariff, Spain and Portugal were no exception.
The reason was very realistic, who let the Russians fall on hard times now?
Maybe the Russians will rise again in the future, but with Austria Prussia in the middle, they don’t have to worry at all.
The Austrian threat could be right in front of them, and who knows what kind of retaliation they would get after rejecting the goodwill of the Vienna government?
The French annexation of the Italian state of the previous experience, has scared these countries. Austria, even if they had to be a bit more careful about what they ate, it was unlikely that they would be directly annexed, but finding an excuse to beat them up could still happen.
From Britain, France and Austria after the news of the alliance, European countries are not in the belief that they can rely on the Great Powers checks and balances to ensure their own security.
That being the case, it was time to behave. Maintain a good relationship with your neighbors around you so that they are all too embarrassed to make a move.
Don’t be a pussy. That’s how small countries survive. It’s okay to make a scene in normal times, but don’t take sides in critical times.
The rest of Britain and France, Franz are lazy to do useless. Don’t look at everyone is in the alliance in progress, but if you take it seriously, then you will lose.
From the beginning of this alliance is each harboring evil intentions, because of the interests of the reluctant to stand together, involving the interests of no talk at all.
It wouldn’t have been hard to convince Britain and France, except that the Russo-Austrian alliance was about to be broken. Frankly speaking, Franz no longer cared about the alliance, but it did not mean that he would voluntarily tear up the alliance.
The credibility of the country was at stake, and a country that ignored the alliance would not be respected internationally.
Once Austria tore up the Russo-Austrian alliance, it would no longer be possible to gain the supremacy it now enjoyed, and it would even be ostracized in the soon-to-be-born Triple Alliance.
France and Austria relied on the British for friendship, mainly because the British had so many previous convictions for betraying their allies that people were unconsciously and subconsciously wary of them.
Franz was not prepared to try that, and if he did, Austria would no longer be considered a reliable ally.
This persona was the result of years of hard work by the Habsburgs, and had been maintained for many years. From the Congress of Vienna to the present time, Austria in this period to master the European continent, this persona also played a key role.
When alliances are made, people subconsciously have a notion of reliability. Now Russia and Austria are just playing fair, not enough diplomacy that is their own pot, Franz did not play beyond the rules.
Otherwise a bunch of pirates suddenly appeared in the Aegean Sea, could have blocked the door of the Russians. On the Black Sea Fleet that a few broken sailboats, is really not the opponent of the pirates.
Czarist government has already created a record of a naval fleet annihilated by pirates, if another, I do not know if Alexander II can withstand.
Buy Britain and France to pay too much, and there is no need to buy, the Russians are very difficult to get what they want.
Every time there is a change there are vested interests that suffer, and these people are the biggest opposition. The nobles and peasants in Britain and France were the biggest resisters of cheap Russian grain.
With the “good” reputation of the Russians, the public would have to demonstrate and block the doors again, if they were to stir up public opinion.
These tactics are not yet ready to be mobilized, and the best time to do so will be when the Russian grain ships arrive at the shore. Encouraging a few middle-aged teenagers to start a fire is more effective than anything else.
Small tricks are still hardly a big deal, and at best they will be intercepted for two or three years to make the Russians pay more.
At a later stage, there will always be capitalists who will cooperate with the Russians for the sake of profit. As soon as the two sides hook up, all these small tricks will lose their effect.
Herein lies the main reason why Franz does not like to resort to intrigue; no matter how much one calculates, it becomes insignificant in the face of profit.
It was not only Austria that made a move against the Russians; the Prussians were to be more active. The Berlin government was more worried about the re-emergence of the Russian Empire than the Vienna government.
Seeing Alexander II practicing hard, reforming internal affairs and developing the economy to restore national strength, the Berlin government has never been easy.
The two sides were already mortal enemies and there was no possibility of détente. Once the Russian Empire recovered, the Russo-Prussian War would break out again.
Junker nobility has already prepared the thought of first strike, they have already tasted the sweetness, want to get from the Russians to get greater benefits.
There was no practice of paying, it was their own strength that was not good enough to attack the Russian Empire.
In the past two years, the relationship between Prussia and Austria has eased a lot, Austria is also in the dark to the Berlin government, many pro-Austrian Junker nobles, the same is also the vanguard of anti-Russia.
Now anti-Russia is the political correctness of the Kingdom of Prussia, so it will not make people feel strange. After all, everyone around you is anti-Russian, if you do not anti-Russian will attract attention.
After the expiration of the Russo-Austrian alliance, whether to continue to renew the contract with the Russians, Franz are thinking about it. The geopolitical relationship will continue to increase the conflict of interest between the two countries in the future.
Franz had no confidence in the moderation of the Tsarist government. Alexander II was also an ambitious monarch, except that he was unlucky enough to coincide with the empire’s transition from prosperity to decline and was forced to carry out social reforms.
It’s a common problem with almost all majestic lords to be more ambitious. Really, if the Russians had settled Poland and Prussia, Russia and Austria would have had to turn their backs on each other.
The French were being led into the gutter, and Napoleon III was too old to pave the way for his son, and unlikely to engage in military adventures at this time.
When Napoleon IV succeeded to the throne, the suppressed internal contradictions erupted, the Italians are going to make a fuss about independence, France is considered God’s blessing not to have a civil war, there is no strength to stab Austria in the back.
The Prussian-Russian conflict simply cannot be eased, and it is a fool’s errand to want them to unite. The clash of core interests will make them continue to fight each other.
The international situation dictated that Austria no longer had to worry about fighting on multiple fronts. At this time, the Russo-Austrian alliance with different minds was a piece of chicken ribs for Austria.
As long as Austria did not make trouble on the European continent, there was no need to worry about being swarmed. There is no love-hate for no reason, and likewise there is no being mobbed for no reason.
If the next Russo-Prussian War, the Russians lose again, then this European road roller is going to end of life. Not being bound by a covenant just made it easier for Austria to fall on its sword.
On the other hand if Prussia lost the war, then the Junker nobility, which had lost its roots, would have to compromise with Austria and join the Shinra Empire to protect itself.
Seems like both endings are good, as long as the French are not allowed to jump out of the Italian quagmire, Franz has nothing to fear.
Thinking about it, Franz still didn’t reveal his thoughts. To the outside world, Russia and Austria were still good allies, and Britain, France and Austria were about to become good allies.
European countries alliance usually have a time limit, usually thirty years even if it is long, Russia and Austria alliance is this kind of long contract.
This was only possible when the two countries were on fairly good terms. However even the best relations cannot withstand the wear and tear of time.
If it had not been for such a great master as Alexander II, the Russian-Austrian relationship could have lasted for many more years. Unfortunately, there are no ifs in reality.
Faced with an ambitious tsar, Franz could not be vigilant. The butterfly effect was so great that who could guarantee that Alexander II would be assassinated as in the original time and space?
If he was allowed to continue leading the Russian Empire, then sooner or later Russia and Austria would face each other over their interests. No, the two sides were already facing each other now.
The fact that they haven’t torn their faces apart is because the conflict of interest between the two sides isn’t big enough. For the sake of the Russian Empire’s big market, Franz has been maintaining the alliance.
There were many points of conflict between the two sides, such as the strategic conflict. Now the Aegean Sea is Austria’s sphere of strength, whether willing or not, the task of guarding the gateway to the Mediterranean fell to Austria.
The British power in the Mediterranean had been squeezed out of existence, and if the Russian’s were let in, the benefits shared would be self-interested.
Needless to say, at this time the Russians wanted to expand their power in the Mediterranean, and would not even provide a landing place Franz.
It may be said that Napoleon III’s calculation of that year succeeded. It was a phallic plot, willing or not, and as soon as France withdrew, the Russians and Austrians were directly confronted with each other over the Mediterranean.
The conflict did not break out, it was the Russians who were not strong enough. On the Black Sea Fleet remaining a few old sailing ships, run to the Mediterranean Sea to brush the sense of existence, and a high probability of pirates will be completely annihilated.
Conflict of interest is so cruel, there is nothing that can not be done. Back then, Napoleon III realized that France controls the Balkan Peninsula, the strategic pressure is too great, decisively gave up this piece of interest.
Sent to the door of the interests of the Vienna government is impossible to turn away, collected the French Balkan Peninsula, the task of surrounding the Russians fell on the shoulders of Austria.
Before the British were squeezed out, Austria could play the goat, anyway, Greece is the little brother supported by John Bull, it’s time for them, the boss to take the lead.
Now it is different, the interests of this area are in the hands of Austria, the Russians come in is robbing Austria’s interests, the Vienna government naturally can not let go.
Involved in such a large interest, Alexander II actually able to not say anything, this child mind city, no wonder Franz do not pay attention.
Despite knowing that this is the French calculations, but in front of the interests of the Vienna government is also very happy to accept this kind of calculation, this is the terrible nature of the conspiracy.
(End of chapter)