Chapter 769: The Outbreak of the Third Near Eastern War
Chapter 752 – The Outbreak of the Third Near Eastern War
London, the emergence of the anti-Turkish alliance directly made the British government’s previous plans all bankrupt.
At this time, Prime Minister Gladstone is no longer worried about rescuing the Ottoman problem, but how to ensure the safety of India.
“How is the situation in France?”
Foreign Minister George shook his head, “Very bad, this empire is simply paper thin and weak.
Bourgeois Revolutionary Party, Republicans, Social Revolutionary Party, Orleans Restoration, Bourbon Restoration, Italian Independence ……
It is unimaginable how the Bonaparte dynasty could have held out with so many anti-government forces in one country.”
Looking at the worried British Foreign Secretary, I guess no one can imagine that all these messy organizations have basically been funded by the British government.
After relentless efforts, these investments are finally starting to work, but unfortunately the timing is not right and all that has erupted is counterproductive.
There’s nothing to blame, everyone does it. The London government was supporting French anti-government organizations, and the Paris government was likewise supporting anti-British organizations.
Gladstone nodded heavily, “The French have indeed been active for a little while now, and the magic box that Napoleon opened with his own hands has finally taken its revenge on his empire.”
After saying that, Gladstone realized that it is not right, it seems that the current situation Britain is also lifting a stone and stoned their own feet.
Without their selflessness, the French Revolutionary Party would not have made it big, not to mention the current French civil war.
France does not break out in civil war, in the case of not being able to guarantee the safety of the Western Front, Austria absolutely does not dare to risk launching a war.
Thinking of this, Gladstone revealed a trace of bitterness, “It seems that we and the French have fallen for Austria’s tricks and have been led by the nose until now.”
Foreign Minister George waved his hand, “Prime Minister, you are too pessimistic. It is a complete coincidence that the situation has developed to this point.
There may be Austria pushing in here, but they decided that they couldn’t have imagined that France would be so weak.”
Analyzed from the point of view of interests, Austria became the biggest beneficiary. Britain appeared to be caught in a passive situation, and the gains they gained were definitely not low.
Whether it was shorting the franc in front of them; or playing commodity dumping to suppress their competitors; or robbing the French overseas, Britain was the victor.
The only mistake was to ignore the internal contradictions of France.
France’s internal contradictions are caused by a combination of reasons, Britain and Austria attacked the financial system of France, commodity dumping are just the catalyst for the contradiction.
At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, France relied on strong capital and rapidly completed industrialization.
With the advance of industrialization, the lack of industrial raw materials is becoming increasingly serious. In order to ensure the smooth development of industrial production, the French had to go on a rampage of imports.
By raw materials “imported” impact, the French industrial production costs have been high. Closed their own play when it does not matter, join the free system after the situation is serious.
In order to compete in the market, the capitalists tried to reduce the cost of industrial production, which also included increasing the exploitation of the working class.
Where there is oppression, there is resistance. The brutal oppression of the capitalists directly led to the outbreak of the French workers’ movement.
Apart from the internal causes, the annexation of Italian regions by France was also an important factor in intensifying the conflicts.
After the annexation of Greater France, the market for commodities increased dramatically, but not only the market, but also the demand for raw materials for industry, and greater pressure for employment.
Because of the difference in the level of economic development, labor prices in Italy were much lower, and a large number of Italians flocked to work in mainland France.
The abundant labor force, while promoting the development of French industry and commerce, also provided the capitalists with a base to squeeze the working class with impunity.
Napoleon III era French industrial scale is still very limited, the demand for raw materials is not very large, the French industry and commerce does not need to bear higher production costs, the economy is naturally a great deal.
By the time of Napoleon IV, the total volume of French industry grew up, industrial costs increased substantially, and corporate profits began to diminish.
Especially after joining the free trade system, the competition in the market became more brutal and the labor conflicts became increasingly severe.
Crisis was everywhere, mainly confined to the lower classes. With capital controlling the media, the labor crisis was downplayed, or conceptualized, and the crisis was hidden in the dead corners where the rulers could not see it.
Before the revolution, the French economy seemed to be very prosperous, and the government in London was naturally unaware that the empire was already weak.
Outwardly strong + inherent perceptions + geopolitics + the hegemony of the French government, and finally the London government came to the conclusion that this was: the greatest threat of all.
Needless to say, the biggest threat of course should be given the highest level of suppression.
Also regarded France as the biggest threat is Austria, sandwiched in the middle of the position of France, unfortunately by the world’s two most powerful countries to join forces to suppress.
A set of combinations of punches down, the tiger’s might was poked and prodded. Internal conflicts intensified, so that the situation in France completely out of control.
This is the common responsibility of successive governments, Gladstone decisively shifted this sensitive topic: “Things have come to this, it is useless to say more.
The key now is to find a way to help Napoleon IV stabilize the situation, restore strength, and ease the pressure we have to face.”
Finance Minister Xiaoji Childers analyzed, “To stabilize the situation in France, the French economy must be stabilized first.
This is very difficult, and our domestic economic situation is also very bad, the government can not stop the capitalists from not allowing dumping.
The Paris revolution scared the French bourgeoisie, Napoleon IV has gained the support of the domestic consortium and now he is not short of money.”
The French economic crisis is raging, largely caused by the transfer of overcapacity from Britain and Austria, and the most effective way to restore the economy in the short term is to protect the market.
On the contrary, this is against the free trade agreement, belonging to the core interests of Britain and Austria, the London government does not have the spirit of self-sacrifice, it is impossible to let this kind of thing happen.
If France unilaterally violates the agreement without being punished, and other countries also follow suit when they encounter problems, the free trade system that the British government has built up after decades of hard work will fall apart.
Napoleon IV never announced his withdrawal from the free trade system for fear of irritating Britain and Austria and losing international support.
Gladstone was in deep thought, it was a dilemma. If the London government would relent, the French would surely have to resort to trade barriers.
The consequence was that the economic crisis at home intensified, the situation became more volatile, and the bourgeoisie, whose interests were damaged, would lift them out of power.
After a few moments of hesitation, Gladstone chose to follow his heart, he is the British Prime Minister needs to be responsible for the British public.
“Increase diplomatic support, mobilize our influence and lobby more people to support Napoleon IV.
If possible, stabilize the Orleans and Bourbon dynasties first. As long as they stay out of the way, the French army will not be in disarray, and this rebellion can soon be quelled.”
There was no way around it, even though Napoleon III had found a chance to purge the military forces loyal to the former dynasty after he came to power, there was no way to eradicate the influence thing.
The delay in suppressing the Paris revolution was that there were people in the French army pulling back, and many troops were out of work when they arrived on the battlefield.
George nodded: ”The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already contacted the Orleans Dynasty and the Bourbon Dynasty, and the current situation is not what they want to see.
We are prepared to arrange a meeting between the representatives of the three royal families in the near future to reconcile the conflicts between the parties as much as possible.”
The current situation in France was very bad, both the Orleans Dynasty and the Bourbon Dynasty were at a disadvantage in this round of shuffling, even if the Bonaparte Dynasty was finished, it was not their turn to be restored.
In the Eastern countries if there are a few royal families have long been killed in blood, absolutely no half of the feasibility of compromise.
However, the European situation is special, the French situation is even more special, the three royals represent the interests of three waves of aristocrats, essentially is the interest group launched.
The Orleans dynasty did not kill all the nobles loyal to the Bonaparte dynasty, Napoleon III came to power also did not massacre the nobles loyal to Orleans.
Under the tradition of not killing nobles easily, the so-called purges were nothing more than letting these guys who had lost the political battle go home.
After returning home, a large part of these losers were still rich and had considerable power in the local area.
No one was willing to be marginalized, these losers were the sponsors of the restoration activities, and those responsible for the implementation of the restoration action were the nobles who had failed in the power struggle, resulting in the fall of the family.
They wanted to return to the center of power and revive their family’s glory, and there was no better choice than the Restoration.
With gold masters and people willing to fight, this is the reason why the restoration forces of the French royal family have flourished.
To the royal family under the stage, they have only influence, itself does not have the strength to command the group.
In addition to the Bonaparte dynasty out of Napoleon III this alternative, the other two royal families in the Restoration performance is not active.
Reconciliation of the contradictions between the parties is actually a distribution of interests. As long as the interest groups behind the restoration reached a compromise, the restoration could be postponed.
……
The actions of the British did not affect the actions of the Anti-Turkish League. Led by the Vienna government, the four countries of Austria, Russia, Montenegro and Greece held an anti-Turkish conference in Vienna.
After a short contact, the representatives of the four countries agreed that only by overthrowing the barbaric and brutal Ottoman government could the Ottomans be helped to enter a civilized society.
On May 16, 1882, the representatives of the four countries formally concluded the Anti-Turkish Pact in Vienna, with the overthrow of the Ottoman government as the core and the destruction of the Ottoman Empire as their mission.
On the day following the signing of the Pact, the Vienna government formally declared war on the Ottoman Empire on the grounds that the Ottomans refused to hand over the murderers.
In the following week, the Greek, Montenegrin, and Russian imperial empires, each declared war on the Ottoman Empire for their own reasons, and the Third Near Eastern War broke out in full force.
Having a few more allies also had both advantages and disadvantages. The most direct effect was the change in Austria’s battle plan.
The war came so suddenly that Russia, Montenegro and Greece were not prepared for war. Supplies could be provided by Austria, but army buildup time had to be available.
In order not to have the embarrassing situation of the Austrian army fighting bitterly on the front line while the allies were cheering at the rear, Franz decisively ordered the military to hold off the attack.
A bizarre scene appeared, war broke out in the Near East, but only the Austrian navy was in action.
(End of chapter)