Chapter 1045: Choices Matter

  Chapter 1025 – Choice is Important

Along with the decline of the Kingdom of Prussia, the once awesome Junker aristocratic group, likewise inevitably went into decline.

In fact, the decline of the Junker aristocracy, not only because of the defeat, even if they fought a losing battle, they are still the largest political force in the Kingdom of Prussia.

The real reason for the decline of the Junker nobility group was that there were no successors in the political arena. There was no way around it, so many died on the battlefield that the reserves couldn’t keep up.

As a direct result of the two Russo-Prussian wars, 56% of the Junkers lost their lands, and 17% of the noble families lost their heirs.

As a result of this loss of reserves, important positions in the government held by the Junker nobility inevitably had to be ceded.

The contraction of the Junker aristocracy was accompanied by the rise of other political forces.

the rise of other political forces.

With the passage of time, the political landscape of the Kingdom of Prussia has slowly changed. To this day, although the Junker Group is still an important political force in Prussia, but the “army owns the country” has completely become history.

Especially after the restoration of the Holy Roman Empire, the position of the Junker aristocracy was once again under attack.

Before that, although they lost the dominant power over the country, but by virtue of the control of the army, no matter which political faction was in charge of Prussia, they did not dare to take them lightly.

Now it was different, there was an extra boss on their head. If you want to overturn the table, you must also consider the feelings of the boss first.

Otherwise, if you flip the table in the morning, the rebel army will come in the evening, how can you play?

In addition to asking for money, Schlieffen and his entourage have another important task, which is to strengthen the relationship with the Vienna Palace.

European nobility is a family, not a joke. Don’t look at the Holy Roman Empire restoration only three years, but as early as thirty years ago, or even earlier, Junker aristocracy and the Habsburg dynasty had contact.

As long as you carefully study the origins of the lords Franz subdivided out, you will find that many German regions familiar noble family name, which is not lacking in the Junker aristocracy’s family name.

One or two can be said to be a coincidence, ten or eight that is very coincidental, but the number of magnified to a thousand, that is not a coincidence can be explained.

The reason for this scene is actually very simple: the land in the German region is owned, while the nobleman’s son does not necessarily have only one.

Unless it was a great nobleman, all were able to arrange it. Otherwise only the eldest son could inherit the family business, and the second son had to make his own way.

This was the case for the members of the first line, and that was even more so for the side branches. As a matter of fact, the vast majority of the nobles’ side branches, besides bearing a noble name, are just ordinary people.

As the British and French colonial empires made a lot of money overseas, the people of Germany were naturally envious and jealous, including the nobility.

When the Vienna government issued a call to join the colonial wave, everyone’s reaction was quite calm, but when Franz sacrificed the feudal law, it could no longer be held back.

Sensei’s territory was remote or not, but the attribute of being able to make money and pass on the family name was there. For most people, even if they couldn’t get a knighthood, harvesting a farm was a good choice.

As the immigration policy unfolded again and again, more and more German people participated in the colonization movement, and naturally, there were nobles among them.

With good education, excellent military skills, and the support of family resources and connections behind them, these people quickly stood out.

“Poor in the city no one asks, rich in the mountains have distant relatives.”

The same applies in continental Europe, and the aristocratic world is equally realistic. Once you have made a fortune, no matter whether you are a collateral or a direct line, your voice in the family will increase dramatically.

People have circles, and when they go overseas, they naturally have overseas circles, plus a series of marriages. The Holy Roman Empire had not yet been restored, but the aristocratic groups in the German region had merged first.

Since in the process of making a bigger cake, the ruling class completed the amalgamation, the unification of the German region was also a natural thing.

It seemed to be a natural course of events, but behind the scenes, there were also “some people’s triumphs and some people’s disappointments”.

Although the Junker nobility was also involved, the peak of the colonization wave thirty years ago was also the high point of the Prussian kingdom.

With the victory in the First Russo-Prussian War, Prussia seized a large amount of land from the Russians, and the Junker nobility also made a lot of money.

Everyone’s attention was focused on Europe, and those involved in the overseas colonization movement were marginal figures who were able to use almost negligible resources.

When the second Russo-Prussian War failed, the Junker group not only in the political and economic loss of a bottom, the younger generation is a large number of deaths, want to participate in all the strength.

One wrong step, one wrong step.

Missed the wave of colonization, Junker aristocratic group loss is not only the colonization process gains, more importantly, in the Holy Roman Empire after the restoration of the Junker group in the empire, the influence is also minimal.

In fact, it was not only the Junker group that suffered, but also the entire Kingdom of Prussia, which had little say in the empire.

Although their military strength is still second only to Austria among all the states, when it comes to the power of speech, it does not even rank in the top ten.

In a word, “no one in the dynasty”.

Although the small state’s own volume is limited, but the ruling class and the Vienna government hooked up early. Early made an investment, early will be the offspring sent to Austria to develop.

Overseas colonies have their people, the Imperial Army has their descendants, the central government can also see the figure of their children.

Decades have passed, and the gold has long since shone. What was invested in the first place now feeds back into politics.

Having someone in the dynasty always brings some convenience. If the dilemma faced by the Prussian military had been placed on the heads of other influential states, the problem would have been solved long ago.

It’s not just a lack of military spending, it’s not like there’s no way to solve it. Not to say to get the same standard of the central army, but raise the central government funding standard, always can be operated.

The Kingdom of Prussia is also a border, the Nordic Federation in the north, the Russian Empire in the east, a proper military center. Asking the central government to bear 40% of the military expenses is perfectly justifiable.

On top of that, it is also possible to take on foreign postings in order to receive subsidies from the central government.

If you’re lucky, you might even get two combat missions, and then you’ll have no problems at all.

Of course, the more money you take from the central government, the more you will be affected, and your autonomy will definitely be greatly affected.

This is also something that can not be helped, it is impossible to let you take advantage of all the benefits. Whose food you eat, for whom you work, this is a natural thing.

The Prussian army now has a high degree of autonomy, and can get from the emperor’s hands of military expenditure is naturally not high.

Like all hinterland states without military threats, the central government only covers 25% of the military costs.

The reason given by the Ministry of War was very simple: there was no external military threat.

No kidding, this is serious.

The War Ministry also gave a reasonable and detailed explanation: the Russian Empire is an ally of the Empire and does not need to be defended; and the Nordic Confederation is limited in strength and poses no threat to the Empire.

The same thing, put differently was two different results. Both statements were reasonable, and it was impossible to distinguish right from wrong simply from the surface, and it was difficult to even defend.

As a member of the Prussian military, Schlieffen naturally did not approve of the Reichswehr’s argument. But there was no way for him to find a counterargument.

Just because there was a conflict between Prussia and Russia did not mean that there was also a conflict between Shinra and the Russians. The Russo-Austrian alliance had lasted for many years, and the government in Vienna had good reason to believe that the tsarist government would not invade.

As for the Nordic Confederation, that goes without saying. Talking about the Nordic threat theory, Schlieffen himself felt ashamed.

In order to find a reason to ask for military expenditure, Schlieffen also racked his brains. As for the reasons prepared in advance at home, from the moment he arrived in Vienna, he decisively chose to give up.

The Russian threat theory was not a good thing to talk about, and if he really emphasized the threat of the Russians, it was not likely that the government of Vienna would send troops to help them guard their borders.

Specifically, you can refer to the west of the Duchy of Luxembourg, the defense problem is borne by the central army, the state army only assume a supporting role.

If it came to that, the autonomy of the Prussian military would be lost. With the central army assuming responsibility for the defense of the borders, it would make sense to have a military district in Prussia.

“It is unfortunate for the three lives that the governor is attached to the kingdom.”

With a military region over its head to coordinate the regional armed forces, the Prussian military became the unlucky “governor”, and it was only a matter of time before it was overthrown.

……

In a military camp on the outskirts of the city, the Prussian officer corps participating in the military parade are now sweating like rain on the field.

As the commander of the Schlieffen, but at the moment is a sad face.

“What, still worried about the military expenses?”

A familiar voice sounded from behind, pulling Schlieffen out of his contemplation. Only to see him frown before asking back, “Mackensen, aren’t you asking a question knowingly.

Do you think there is anything other than this big trouble that can give me such a headache?”

Mackensen replied seriously, “There is, and there are many more!”

“For example: the problem of uniform training and assignment of officers proposed by the War Department, and the plan for the rotation of units in defense proposed by the General Staff.”

After the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire, Franz collected the command of the army, but this collection was also very limited.

The German states were accustomed to going their own way, and it was obviously impossible to take the power back from them at once.

In addition to using the distribution of military expenditure to meddle with the armies of the states, at Franz’s authorization, the War Ministry and the General Staff also made tentative proposals.

Only “tentatively”, unified officer training, distribution, and troop rotation and stationing, on the surface seems to be very commonplace, but in essence it is related to the right to appoint personnel and the right to command the army in the era of peace.

If these powers were to be realized, the so-called state armies would cease to exist.

Especially the power of personnel. As long as the War Ministry switched officers from each state country against each other when they were assigned, and their own sons and daughters were unable to serve in their own state country, the transmission of power was broken.

The command of the army in times of peace was equally influential. The rotation of defense directly broke the tradition of local stationing of the state’s army. Once not stationed in the home state, is the state army still the state army?

As it involves the core interests of the military aristocracy of the state, such a proposal is not at all practicable.

If it was forced, the Holy Roman Empire, which had just been united, might immediately fall into a state of fragmentation.

After all, the current spread of the Holy Roman Empire was large, relying on the ancient traditional feudalization model to hold it up.

If the central government were to usurp the rights of the states with impunity, what would the overseas fiefdom nobles think? No one would want to end up doing someone else’s bidding for the foundations that they had fortunately and painstakingly built.

It takes many years to build up credibility, but it often takes only one time to destroy it.

Schlieffen shook his head disdainfully, ”Nonsense, these proposals are all jokes, there is no way they can be passed, and they don’t even have the qualifications to enter the parliamentary vote.

It is written clearly above the constitution that the state’s army only accepts the dual command of the emperor and the king. Neither the Ministry of War, nor the General Staff has the power to meddle with the state’s army.

The value of their existence was only to assist the Emperor in managing the army, not to manage the army for the Emperor, which was a completely different concept.

It seems like you are in a good mood, could it be that you went out to meet your friends and had an unexpected gain?”

Mentioning the word “friend”, Markenson’s expression immediately became unnatural. Unlike Schlieffen, who was originally from the Junker aristocracy, Markensen was a representative of the rise of the grassroots.

Unlike Schlieffen, who was originally from the Junker nobility, Markensen was a representative of the rise of grassroots, and it was by accident that he was able to enter the Prussian army.

His grandfather used to be a Hanoverian cavalry commander, and by his father’s generation the family had already fallen, not only did he not have a noble title, but he was also reduced to a land economist.

As a young man, Mackensen aspired to become a cavalry officer. At that time, Austria had not yet become big, and the Prussian kingdom had not declined.

Soon the opportunity arose, on the one hand, Austria opened up overseas colonies to recruit; on the other hand, the outbreak of the Russo-Prussian War, the Berlin government put up the flag to recruit.

The young and vigorous Mackensen decided to join the Prussian army, and to work for the Russians, who were a nuisance.

With superior talent and luck, Mackensen soon stood out, and even accidentally got the appreciation of William II, but unfortunately, the Kingdom of Prussia still lost the war.

Trying to turn around at this time was obviously impossible. As an ordinary man, a step out of the Markensen, can only go on with his head.

Restricted by the stage of the Kingdom of Prussia, the commoner born Markensen, soon hit the ceiling.

A carrot, the Prussian army is limited in size, can not afford to raise too many senior generals, no background Mackensen can only stop at the colonel head.

This is already a high match, unless the position is greatly enhanced, or colonel is the end of the Markensen.

Unfortunately, the Prussian Kingdom has a total of four divisions, the Vienna government recognizes no more than fifteen generals, this little position, the Junker nobles themselves are not enough to share, where is his turn to rise to the top?

Commoner origin, can mix to the present position, that is already a miracle. Throughout the Prussian army, there is no second one.

In contrast, the childhood playmate is on the fast train of the rise of Austria. All the way through the thorns and thorns, the first to cross the threshold.

If only these, it is nothing, the country is not the same development is not the same is normal. The key is the Holy Roman Empire unified, this difference is obvious.

One was a Major General Division Commander of the Central Army, and the other was a Colonel Commander of the Bonanza Army, there was no need to think about it to know whose future was more promising.

This is no longer a matter of ability, even if Mackensen is no matter how good he is, there are only a few positions in the Prussian army, and if the one in front doesn’t come down, the one behind him won’t have a chance to fill in.

Although there is some gloom, there is no talk of regret. After all, those who can climb up from civilians are also a minority in Austria.

Mackensen’s friend was able to rush out, in addition to luck and ability, the surname also played a role.

Decline of the nobility side line, the normal period and commoners almost, but once turned over, will soon be able to use the family behind the renewal of human relations.

After a brief moment of staring, Markenson replied, ”Sort of! He advised us not to act rashly, but to strengthen our relationship with the Vienna Palace first.

After all, when we were powerful, we didn’t offend Austria too much.

It is not true that we will settle scores after the fall, but there are certainly many people in the Vienna government who are not happy with us. These people may not necessarily be able to accomplish anything, but it’s easy to spoil things for us.”

(End of chapter)