Chapter 549: Prologue
Chapter 537 Prologue
Any huge strategy requires a long time of preparation and cannot be accomplished overnight. Right now, Austria’s primary strategy is still to promote the second industrial revolution and develop the African continent.
The Middle East can only be ranked second, as for the other strategies, all belong to the fishing for grass to beat the rabbit, success is certainly good, failure is also no harm.
After a few more decades, the situation will be finalized. This is to learn from the Americans, in any case, the experience of the successful always has merit.
It’s not easy to lure countries into the trap, but this is the age of heroes, and there are too many smart people.
In the last few years the French were biding their time and digesting the results of the war, Napoleon III was already having health problems and was busy paving the way for Napoleon IV at this time.
Against this background, it was obvious that the French would not risk universal condemnation and run out to mess things up. There was no way to maneuver if they wanted to count them again.
Franz reckoned that not only would Napoleon III’s final days be characterized by a conservative strategy, but that France would remain conservative for a long time after Napoleon IV had succeeded to the throne.
All European countries, including Austria, were supporting the Italian independence movement, yet none of this helped, and France at its peak easily suppressed these minor storms.
Don’t look at the original time when Prussia won the bet and think that France was untouchable, in fact, the French army fighting strength is still the top level in the world. If Napoleon III did not run to blind command, the final outcome is unknown.
Comprehensive national strength of the French only after the British and Austrians, far beyond the European countries. If the comprehensive factors are calculated, followed by the Russian Empire, the national strength is less than half of the French.
Modern war, fighting is logistics, industrial countries against agricultural countries is too great an advantage, not by the number of people will be able to make up for up.
In order to let the plan successfully completed, the Vienna government on the one hand and the Russians conspired against the Ottoman Empire, and on the other hand in the Prussian internal activities.
……
Inside an estate outside Berlin, Prussian radicals were engaged in a conspiracy.
The presiding officer of the meeting, Count Marcel Jensen, leader of the lesser Junker nobility, “Gentlemen, we have just received a message through a secret channel that the Russians are pulling together Austria to plot against the Ottoman Empire.”
The atmosphere in the room was instantly tense, despite the fact that everyone had no good feelings towards the Ottoman Empire, and many even wanted to see the Ottoman Empire finished.
But definitely not now, in the fight against the Russians, the great enemy, the Ottoman Empire was still Prussia’s ally.
The last Russo-Prussian War proved the Ottoman Empire’s usefulness; at the critical moment of the Russo-Prussian War, the Ottoman Empire stabbed the Russians in the back and accelerated the time for the Tsarist government to admit defeat.
A young officer nervously asked, “Your Excellency the Count, has the Vienna government agreed?”
Allies were allies, but Prussia and the Ottomans were separated by Austria, and in the event of a change of heart, they were out of reach.
Facing the alliance of Russia and Austria, the Ottoman Empire at its peak might not be a wimp, but now any one of them is not something they can handle.
Marcel Jensen shook his head, ”I don’t know. This level of information, even in Austria and Russia the number of people who know about it would not be more than ten, it’s impossible to leak it out. If it wasn’t by chance, we wouldn’t have received any news of their secret contact.
But with the feud between the Habsburg Dynasty and the Ottoman Empire, it’s a matter of time before and after Austria lays hands on the Ottoman Empire.”
This was tantamount to a disguised confirmation, and it was no wonder they had come to that conclusion. A quick flip through the history books showed that the Habsburgs and the Ottoman Empire had been entangled for hundreds of years.
Habsburg dynasty’s continental hegemony, or half of the world’s hegemony, were the Ottoman Empire and France formed the “blasphemous alliance” to topple, the crisis moment Habsburg dynasty almost lost Vienna.
France’s strength is strong, want to find them revenge is too difficult, now France and Austria’s conflict of interest is not big, the two sides to start the possibility of very low.
The Ottoman Empire is different, not only and Austria have a grudge, more importantly, the Ottoman has declined.
Behind will be beaten, this is the nature of the world.
If Austria attacked other countries, it might have to consider the pressure of European public opinion, as well as domestic public opinion. But the attack on the Ottoman Empire, then nothing to consider, directly dry on the line.
The Ottoman Empire is so hateful, the European governments may oppose for the sake of interests, but the people will not mind the Ottoman Empire to be beaten.
Young officer Xiao Maoqi: “What can we do? If Austria and the Russians join forces, the Ottomans definitely won’t be able to stop it, and I’m afraid that even if we want to intervene, it won’t help.”
“Yeah, there’s still Austria in the middle, we can’t even support them if we want to.”
“Why don’t we start the Russo-Prussian War earlier?”
“No, that would drag Austria down.”
……
Looking at the murmuring crowd, Marcel Jensen waved his hand to signal silence.
“Gentlemen the situation is not that bad, Austria and the Russians are going to make a move against the Ottoman Empire, it’s also an opportunity for us.
Countless evidence has shown that allies cannot be relied on, and that we still need to rely on our own strength at the critical moment.
If we are able to annex Poland while the Russians and Austria are held at bay, then the situation will be completely different.”
Having said this, Marcel Jensen paused, leaving time for the crowd to digest this.
The annexation of Poland was not news. There had always been such voices within the Kingdom of Prussia, and by taking the Kingdom of Poland Prussia was almost invincible.
After the merger of Prussia and Poland, even though the overall strength still lagged behind Russia, the strength that could be put into battle would definitely not be much worse than the Russians.
Poland’s water transport was well developed, and with the construction of a few railroads to make up for it, the transportation problem was solved. And the Tsarist government wanted to solve the transportation problem, without decades of time simply can not do.
Even if preparations are made in advance, the Russian army will not be short of food, but strategic supplies are still a big problem. Not all supplies can be stored in advance, many things can not be stored for a long time.
These advantages might not be enough for Prussia to win the war, but holding the home front could still be done.
There were a lot of Russians, no doubt, but there were a lot of people after the Prussian-Polish merger, nearly half of the Russians. It was hard enough for the Tsarist government to win the war with a sea of men.
Little Mouche: ”Your Excellency the Count, I’m afraid that’s hard to do. The Ottoman Empire is no longer the Ottoman Empire of two hundred years ago, they don’t have the ability to hold both Russia and Austria at the same time.
Besides, it’s impossible for the European countries to agree if we want to annex Poland, even Britain and France will most likely oppose it.”
This is the crux of the matter, if everyone hadn’t objected, the Russo-Prussian War would have just ended and Prussia would have annexed Poland.
Marcel Jensen smiled leisurely, “This is going to be a test of skill, when Austria established the New Shinra Empire, everyone will not be unfamiliar with it!
What Metternich relied on to make European countries compromise, we can also follow suit. First create an established fact, and then later give up some of the benefits according to the actual situation, in exchange for the recognition of the countries.
The main thing is to convince Britain, France and Austria that the Russians are already the enemy and that their position doesn’t matter.
We have to believe in the ability of the Foreign Ministry, it is not impossible to convince the three countries. For example: to support Austria’s annexation of the German Confederation, I don’t believe that the Vienna government will not be moved. After the Austrians have taken this step, will England and France care for us?”
Marcel Jensen did not mind making concessions for the sake of the Kingdom of Prussia, and would have said that he would cede the Rhineland to France if he had not considered that there were a lot of “middle-aged boys” among the people present.
The fact that France and Austria have been settled is a given, and even if the British are dissatisfied, they will not be able to care about them anymore.
Some people have already guessed Marcel Jensen’s plan, but for their own interests, no one pierce this layer of windowpaper.
If you look closely, you will see that the participants in this meeting were basically military Junkers, or “agricultural Junkers”, whose interests were mostly in the land, and for whom the good land in Poland was much more important than the bad land in the north.
A young officer objected: “No, Your Excellency. By giving up the German Federal Reich, Austria will be unchecked. Even if we annexed Poland, we would be no match for them.”
Austria was already so powerful that all the European countries tacitly suppressed Austria’s unification of the German region, and the Kingdom of Prussia was one of them.
Marcel Jensen shook his head, “Reis, you are still too young. Who was most anxious about Austria annexing the German Confederation?
Our current enemy is the Russians, it is not our task to contain Austria, Britain and France will not watch them expand.”
This kind of caprice was not unique to Marcel Jensen; he had learned it from Austria.
On the surface, it seems that the Vienna government was in over its head and seemed to react a step too slow every time it tried to contain its rivals.
In reality, a look at the changing map of Austria shows that there is something fishy going on.
Where is it that they are letting France and Russia expand, it is clear that they have made a deal in the dark, and they are all expanding together. This made Marcel Jensen’s heart flutter, Austria can do this, why can’t Prussia follow suit?
……
The seeds have been planted and are just waiting to take root.
After the end of the secret meeting, the next day Marcel Jensen light car simple traveling greatly generous in the palace, he also served as a small William’s equestrian teacher, into the palace that is very normal.
The royal racecourse, several princes are riding training, William I do not know when has come to the field.
“What’s their reaction?”
Marcel Jensen: “Everyone is very much in favor of the annexation of Poland, only a limited number are against abandoning the German Confederation, but I was convinced.”
Wilhelm I nodded, “Well, start pushing next in secret, and don’t rush to risk your head until the Near East War is fought again.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
……
If someone heard the conversation between the two, they would be shocked that the behind-the-scenes supporter of the Radicals was actually William I.
It wasn’t surprising when one thought about it, as a monarch planting a few close friends into various organizations, it was a normal thing. Radical groups such extreme organizations, if not into their hands, the monarch is not at ease ah!
A king’s strength is based on his power, and if he has nothing in his hands, what else can he do but be a rubber stamp?
At the moment, William I’s heart was not at peace, this proposal was made by his staff, and he suspected that it was Austria or France in the dark.
But for the sake of interest, William I decided to pretend to be confused. To let Austria annex the German Confederation and cede the Rhineland to France, did he really think that he was a fool who did not know what political consequences this would bring?
At that point, the nationalists at home were going to riot. While accepting this plan, Wilhelm I was already prepared to deal with it.
Poland was to be annexed, but the German Confederation was to be preserved, and the Rhineland was not to be ceded to France.
Just waiting for a suitable opportunity to stab the news to the British, so that they will step in to destroy the plans of the masterminds, and Prussia get the greatest benefit.
(End of chapter)