Chapter 978: The Last Chip
Chapter 959 – The Last Chip
“The continental war is coming to an end, the Bonaparte Dynasty is finished!” After receiving the news of the outbreak of civil unrest in Paris, Prime Minister Gladstone immediately came to this conclusion.
Even if Napoleon IV extinguished the rebellion right away, as long as there was a leak that escaped, the French Empire was going to be finished.
The power of the bourgeoisie had been badly hit, and if they wanted to rise again, they had to move the big mountain of Napoleon IV first.
Relying on the Revolutionary Party not only had a low chance of success, but was also very risky in itself. The best thing to do was to let the Anti-French League in and have a reshuffle.
The power of the consortium may not be able to control the army, but influencing individual officers can still be done, after all, the ability of money is not to be underestimated anywhere.
Originally, the French army was at an absolute disadvantage on the battlefield, and then out of a few two-fifths, the battle line collapse is a matter of minutes.
The failure of war always needs to pay a price, the general public can not care so much about the causes and consequences. A harsh treaty of cessation would have buried the Bonaparte dynasty.
Mercy? This was clearly impossible, and no one was likely to give up the benefits at hand just so that the Bonaparte dynasty could keep its throne.
In a sense, the current French government was already a giant political pit, and whoever jumped in would be buried by the post-war armistice treaty.
Putting down the information in his hands, Prime Minister Gladstone sighed and said, “The most feared thing has still happened. From now on, our European Balance strategy is officially bankrupt.
France is about to be defeated, and Austria has lost the check and balance of being a dominant power. For the Empire, we are about to embark on an unprecedentedly dire situation.
Although Napoleon was rampant back then, we still had the Anti-French Alliance to rely on; but now, we can’t find an ally to form an anti-Austrian alliance.”
Although he had prepared himself for this, when the day actually came, Gladstone still had trouble letting go of his feelings.
Britain can still cope with a militarily powerful enemy alone; but to face a militarily, politically and diplomatically powerful enemy together is beyond their limits.
In order to maintain the continental balance, by the middle and late stages of the Continental War, the government in London was almost explicitly supporting France. Apart from not sending troops into the war, they did everything else they could or could not do.
Before the original carefully planned strategy of joint multinational intervention could be implemented, the European continent changed color. As far as the eye could see, all were the flags of the Anti-French Alliance.
As we look at it, there is not even an international, so how can we talk about intervention?
Not to mention the international mediation, even if the British bare shoulders on the battlefield, but also can not change the fact that the defeat of France.
Foreign Secretary George took out a document and slowly said: “The failure of the Continental Balance policy, our Foreign Office is mainly responsible. As Foreign Secretary, I can hardly absolve myself of the blame, this is my resignation.”
No matter how good the reasons were, when the international situation collapsed, someone always needed to be held responsible. Others might be able to find a way to dodge it, as Foreign Secretary George was surely the first to bear the brunt.
Instead of being ousted, he might as well resign himself. That was the limit of what politicians needed to take responsibility for anyway. As for the mess left behind, who would end up fixing it, it was none of George’s business.
Hearing “resignation”, Gladstone’s face changed. If it wasn’t for the fact that the timing wasn’t right, Gladstone himself would have wanted to resign and leave this mess to the next person.
But there was no way, the current situation did not allow him to retreat. Whether it was the Parliament, or the Queen, or the competition, they would not let him give up at this time.
Receiving the document, without even looking at it, George’s resignation turned into confetti in Gladstone’s hands.
“Sir, desertion is not a good option at this time. The French lost the war, that was the result of their own backwardness, what business is it of ours? Why should we be responsible for their defeat?
As for the policy of continental balance, aren’t we working on it? Without the French, there are still the Russians, the Spaniards, and there will always be someone to keep Austria in check.
They’re allies now, but that’s only if there’s a common enemy. When the French fall, allies become enemies.”
There was no doubt that Gladstone was prepared to play dumb. The Continental Balance policy seemed serious, but in reality it was only confined to the top, the general public was not concerned with these issues.
Don’t look at Gladstone’s cabinet in the parliament is often scolded, but in the civil society their popularity is not low at all.
“Incompetence of the government, sitting idly by while the French lost the war, causing the balance of Europe to be broken”, this is the rivals gave them a hat. It’s all right to talk about it in Parliament, but if you take it to the people it’s a joke.
Britain and France a hundred years of feud is not just talk, but really reacted to the people’s lives. In the minds of the British people, “sitting on the defeat of France” is not a crime, if the government is a bit shameless, can be a merit in the civil propaganda.
As for whether Austria’s defeat of France threatened Britain’s supremacy? Wait, wasn’t the defeat of France an anti-French alliance?
Russia, Austria, West, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Greece, Black …… Almost all the countries of Europe besieged France together, how can all of them be counted on Austria’s head?
The concept of cognition, not a moment can change. Want ordinary British people to realize the threat of Austria, simply not a short period of time will be able to do.
Gladstone is now to take advantage of the public in the cognitive error, strong off the government to use the anti-French alliance to finish off the merits of France, to cover up the fact that the balance of Europe was broken.
Hearing Gladstone’s explanation, George said with some difficulty: “Prime Minister, it is not good to do so, right? If Austria is not curbed again ……”
Not waiting for George to finish his sentence, the Minister of Finance Xiaoji Childers interrupted forcefully, “Ah, God! Our Sir George, to think that we have the ability to contain Austria now, the world must have gone mad!”
Although Xiaoji Childers’ expression was exaggerated a bit, what he said still gained everyone’s approval.
It wasn’t like Britain was an Iron Bean, although it had suddenly become bullish in the last hundred and eighty years, the fine tradition of being able to bend and bend, everyone still hadn’t lost it.
If Austria goes it alone, Britain can still pull together European countries and use the pressure of the international community to force Austria to give in.
Now the European countries are all part of the anti-French alliance, even if Austria does not ask for severe punishment of France, a series of countries such as Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and other countries participating in the war, will also ask to fuck France.
At this time, Britain intervened, not only stood against Austria, but also stood against the European countries involved in the war.
Anyone with eyesight knows that if France resurfaces and wants to retaliate, the first to suffer is not Austria, but these neighbors.
Since it can not be done, then simply do not do it. Antifa alliance is because there is a common enemy of France to gather, the enemy does not exist, the value of the existence of the alliance also disappeared.
Even if the Austrian efforts to maintain this alliance, that is only effective in the short term, to the late because of various conflicts, everyone will still go their separate ways.
In this regard, Britain is a professional, even if there is no contradiction between the countries, they are also able to create a contradiction.
The problem of continental balance, the big deal is to wait for the collapse of the anti-French alliance, and then find a way to re-construct it.
As for whether or not it will work, that’s a matter for the next few terms, so it’s not everyone’s turn to worry about it.
“Matters on the European continent, we can give up for now; but the warships of the French Navy, we must get our hands on them.
For a long time to come, the European continent will be dominated by Austria, and in order to safeguard the security of Britain, the Royal Navy must have an overwhelming advantage.
At present, the number of Austrian Navy’s main ships is approaching our seventh tier. If they are allowed to get their hands on any more French warships, the tide of strength and weakness is going to be turned upside down.”
The words of the Minister of the Navy, Sir Astley Cooper Key, instantly mobilized the crowd.
The European balance being broken would not kill Britain; but once the Royal Navy’s dominance was lost, it would really kill them.
“The Foreign Office is already trying to do it. It’s just that Napoleon IV is using the French Navy as his biggest bargaining chip, attempting to use the warships to do something.
Before that, in order to get material aid, the French had blackmailed us with it. Calling out: once we stop supporting them, we will give the navy to Austria as is in exchange for post-war leniency.
According to the information coming from the embassy, it can be ascertained that France and Austria did negotiate on the issue of naval warships. Now that the continental war is still going on, the initial judgment is that they should not have negotiated.”
George’s explanation not only did not reassure the crowd, but also made everyone more apprehensive. 1 + 1 does not necessarily equal 2, France and Austria, the two navies are self-contained system, the degree of friction is certainly not up to one hundred percent.
This group of “1+1” is less than 2, but that is also a little bit more. Facing the enemy with a large number of warships, can the Royal Navy really stand up to them?
No one can answer this question, anyway, we all know that Britain can not afford to gamble, even if it is a tie.
After a little thought, Gladstone coldly said, “Do whatever it takes to get the warships in the hands of the French.”
……
(End of chapter)