Chapter 483: The Great French Empire

  Chapter 472 The Great French Empire

The Anglo-Austrian-South African game had just begun, and the European continent had already undergone a major change. This time Napoleon III showed his decisiveness and directly sent troops to control the Italian state governments.

Obviously, his patience had reached its limit and he was not prepared to continue dawdling with these guys.

After suppressing the weak resistance of the states, under the threat of the bayonet, the governments were forced to agree to join with the Kingdom of Sardinia to form the Italian Empire.

On August 24, 1870, the Italian Empire held its first parliament, which elected Napoleon III as Emperor.

On the next day, Napoleon III became impatient to be crowned Emperor of Italy in Rome, i.e.: Emperor Napoleon I of Italy.

Immediately afterward, Napoleon III announced the establishment of the union of France and Italy and the establishment of the Great French Empire, and was once again crowned Emperor. To appease the Italians, this time it was a dual capital, Paris and Rome.

Following Napoleon, the Bonaparte family once again started an empire. No it should be two empires, the Bonaparte dynasty of the Italian Empire and the Bonaparte dynasty of the Great French Empire.

What with all the eating and manners, Napoleon III couldn’t care less. The opportunity for Britain and Austria to face each other is rare, if you miss this opportunity, it will be difficult to meet again in the future.

With the establishment of the Great French Empire, the situation in Europe changed instantly. After the annexation of Italy, France had the tendency of dominating the European continent.

Because of the relationship between the Russo-Prussian War, at this time the only two countries that had the strength to intervene in the annexation of Italy by the French were Britain and Austria.

In the eyes of the convergence of Vienna and London at the same time, a new round of diplomatic cooperation is also secretly unfolding, an undercurrent against the French in the European continent surging.

Vienna, spare no preparation, Franz was still shaken by the audacity of Napoleon III.

In his plan, the French should take things slowly, step by step. For example: first establish the Italian Empire to unify the Italian region, and then promote the merger of the two countries, this time should at least last for several years.

The government of Vienna also could not sit still, and Prime Minister Felix immediately said, “Your Majesty, we can’t let the French continue to grow, this threat is too great.”

To interrupt the French expansion plan is not difficult, as long as immediately and the British to join forces, and then pull the European countries together to pressure, the French will most likely compromise.

Don’t look at Napoleon III’s fast and furious, making a show of breaking down and annexing Italy at all costs.

In fact, he was not ready to be the enemy of the whole of Europe, the French also do not have the courage to challenge the European continent again, this is only demonstrating to the outside world.

What really gave them the bottom line was the Franco-Austrian secret pact, according to the agreement at this time Austria will also make a move against the German Federal Reich, everyone together to share the international pressure.

Even the Vienna government was already doing it, most of the state governments in the German Confederation had already fallen to Austria, and as long as Franz was willing to take up to a month, he could annex the German Confederation.

This is the convenience brought by the railroad, most of the states that were pulled together by Austria, most of them chose the Austrian standard, and many of them had already completed the merger with the Austrian railroad.

To this day, with the exception of the Kingdom of Hanover, which had not yet been completely infiltrated by Austria, none of the other states could escape from Austrian influence.

The successful completion of this program was due more to economic interests than to burgeoning nationalism.

The aristocrats and capitalists within the German Confederation had already completed the merger with Austria with practical actions, and the interests of all were bound together.

Even the concentration camps of the opposition, the Kingdom of Hanover, has not been able to make an exception, and this influence will increase with time.

It was not true that the British supported them, but it was impossible for the British capitalists to share their markets with them, much less to let them enter their own colonies to develop.

When Austria developed her colonies, she made a big effort to emigrate from the German region, and these states were no exception.

While emigrating, they also drew in local powerhouses to participate in the development of Austria’s colonies, and many of the local people became communities of interest.

This kind of infiltration, the German federal government can not do anything about it, can not introduce a law to prohibit cooperation between the two sides, right?

Moreover, even if it is prohibited, it is useless, the following states will not buy the central government’s account. In any case, we have long since established that the central government does not dare to use force to solve the problem.

The French suddenly accelerated their pace, and naturally Austria did not follow. Up to the end, Franz was only trying to fool the French and was not at all prepared to unify the German region at this time.

The German region was to be unified, but this time was definitely not now. Franz was not ready to become a target until he had the power to dominate the European continent.

Franz tapped the table with his fingers and said: ”It’s better to wait first, the French can’t be so easy to forcefully annex Italy, the internal problems can’t be cleared up in a moment.

Now we just do a show, the foreign ministry issued a statement strongly condemning the French shameless behavior, and see how the countries react.”

Joking aside, it was so hard to fool the French into taking the bait, how can we let them slip through the net?

Great France is so easy to establish, why Napoleon did not directly unify Italy back then, but divided into kings to rule.

If it was just a simple unification of Italy, and Napoleon III was also the Emperor of Italy, it is estimated that the Italian people could still accept it. Now it is directly merged into Greater France, it would be strange if the nationalists can accept it.

You have to know that they merged together but France, the cradle of revolutionary ideas, it is estimated that it will not be long before the revolutionary ideas from France into Italy, and then starburst.

Even the establishment of a binary empire is better than the direct annexation of Italy. At least the former as long as there is no war, no external forces to break the situation, after pulling together the local powerhouse will be able to stabilize.

With the strength of France frankly speaking, the external threat is very small only if you get the diplomacy right. As long as the government doesn’t mess up, this binary empire can be maintained for many more years.

Franz would have thrown a feast to celebrate this great victory if he hadn’t tried to make the drama a little more realistic. France would not be a threat for many years from now on.

All that was needed to bring down France in the future was to finance the Italian revolutionaries. Day after day there would be revolutions, and France’s power would be consumed in the quagmire that was Italy.

Foreign Minister Weissenberg suggested, “Your Majesty, now that the French have attracted the attention of the outside world, isn’t it time for us to pick up the pace.”

It was true that at this time there was no one who could stand in the way of Austria’s annexation of the German Confederation. The French themselves were caught in the center of the storm and could not wait for Austria to jump in and share the pressure.

Without a French battering ram behind them, the British were at best demonstrating at sea. Next door to Prussia has the heart, Austria really acted, it is estimated that the first reaction of the Berlin government is not to block, but to rush to annexation of Poland.

Franz sneered, “No, according to the original plan. We are in no hurry, the German Federal Reich is just sitting there, sooner or later it will be ours.

For now it is better to continue to fight with the British for South Africa, there is no hurry about the European continent, as an ally how we have to share the pressure for the French.”

Fulfill the duty of an ally and share the pressure. The crowd would not believe this, when have France and Austria ever been truly friendly?

Even after the alliance had passed, the two sides hadn’t been less likely to pull each other’s leg. Now Franz suddenly want to give the French help, there must be a story behind.

The emperor was not willing to say, there was nothing we could do.

Franz also has a reason to say, the power of nationalism, they all have not yet felt, naturally do not know that this is a huge pit.

Wanting to explain, there was no way to say. There was no way out, Franz could only dictate for once.

Anyway, the French annexed Italy, is a target. Whenever you do it, Austria will not be short of allies, and everyone can have the patience to wait it out.

……

Austria’s negativity had a huge impact on the European continent. Many people thought that the Vienna government was too scared to take on the French directly.

There was also Franz behind this pushing the envelope, with the intention of not stopping until France was put on the throne of the world’s first empire.

London, was watching the fun, want to take advantage of the British government can no longer do. They never expected, Austria actually refused to head, directly destroyed their fantasy of watching tigers.

Downing Street, Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli asked with a depressed face: “Who can tell me what the Austrians are thinking, don’t they know the threat of the French?

Or is it that the great Franz the Great, and Felix the Iron Chancellor, are two softies who will only develop the economy at home?”

No one could answer this question, and everyone was equally very puzzled in their minds. Anyway, no one thought Franz and Felix were softballs, or else how did Austria get its country?

Foreign Minister Maclean analyzed, “Your Excellency the Prime Minister, I think just the opposite. I’m afraid that the Vienna government’s reluctance to step up to the plate is due to the fact that it sees our plan.

Having suffered a loss in the war against France, it is impossible for Austria not to be afraid of the French. Now that they are not coming forward, I am afraid that they do not want to face the French alone.

Besides, it is not Austria who will bear the brunt of France’s growth. The Italian region is a newly occupied land, the French can not be assured that the back road to the Italians.

If an attack is launched from central Europe, geography dictates that the French can only attack from the north, and they are safe until Belgium, the German Confederation, and the Kingdom of Prussia fall.

Since there was no threat for a short time, the Vienna government could naturally wait it out. When everyone can’t take it anymore, it will once again form an anti-French coalition and work together to cripple the French.”

Obviously, this would not be the result they wanted, if France was finished, the European continent would be Austria’s world. By the time the German region was unified, there was nothing Britain could do about it.

To suppress France, that’s the French getting bigger threatens their interests. Not to mention, once the French annexed Italy, the Mediterranean Sea will have no place for them.

Not only that, the French who had a lesson to learn, this time obviously won’t take Napoleon’s old way.

After annexing the Italian region, the French would try to avoid conflicts with various countries on the European continent for many years to come, lowering everyone’s vigilance.

Unable to continue their expansion on the European continent, then the goal would surely turn overseas. The British would bear the brunt of this, and it was almost inevitable that the French would challenge their maritime hegemony.

The world’s first colonial empire brought not only glory and wealth, but also challenges from various countries.

In this regard, Austria will be much more stable, the core colonies are in the African continent, and now that the momentum has been established, there is no fear of prying eyes.

Overseas a few colonies, the interest is not big enough, not enough to make everyone and Austria flip.

In contrast, the British are very inviting and hateful, eating the largest share of the cake. The colonies of all European countries put together were not as enticing as theirs.

Not only the colonies, but also the Strait of Gibraltar at their doorstep alone kept the French awake from time to time.

British and French feud is not so easy to forget, if not stuck here, the French Navy into two, sleepless is the British.

Conflicted heart, so that the London government difficult to make up their minds. Now they both want to suppress the French, but also afraid of crippling France, which makes a headache.

Colonial Secretary Louis reminded, “Gentlemen, don’t forget that our conflict with Austria is not yet over, and it looks like the Vienna government is not going to stop.

According to the battle report sent from the front, on the battlefield now we are at a disadvantage, that idiot Delphi has sent three telegrams asking for help, one after the other, urging for help more urgently than the other.

If we don’t do something about it, there’s no chance that the Cape Town colony will be given away first before the French problem is solved.”

The French were so drawn out that everyone’s attention was drawn to them, even the South African telegrams for help were ignored by them.

Robert, the Minister of the Navy, said excitedly, “The Cape Town Colony can never be given up. The Suez Canal is controlled by France and Austria, and once the Cape of Good Hope falls into Austrian hands, neither of our two sea routes to the Indian Ocean will be safe.”

No wonder he was not agitated, the Suez Canal falling into the hands of France and Austria had already made them very passive. If in the loss of the Cape of Good Hope, the Royal Navy’s days will be even more difficult.

Not to mention, if one day and Austria flipped out, the coast of Africa are all the enemy’s colonies, the Royal Navy traveled to India even the logistical supply is a headache.

Suez Canal need not be considered, now prohibit warships navigation, in addition to the French and Austrian warships can run, other countries’ warships must be detoured.

The Canal Company’s rules are specifically aimed at the British, mainly in retaliation for the British sabotage during the excavation of the Suez Canal back in the day.

In his heart Benjamin had already not only cursed Louis for being incompetent, but had accomplished nothing except that he would cause trouble.

Since the colonial expansion, not even clear who the enemy is, rush to start the war. Now that he had suffered a loss, he still didn’t know how to admit his mistake. Cursing aside, aftermath work still needs to be done.

Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli rubbed his forehead and said, ”Well, the strategic value of the Cape Town colony is very important, and we really can’t afford to lose it.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will first contact the Vienna government and see if we can negotiate. The Colonial Ministry will come up with a plan as soon as possible to prepare for the reinforcement of the Cape Town area.

Now that the situation in Europe is out of control, we have to solve the Cape Town problem as soon as possible, and we can give up the Boer Republic if necessary.”

There was no doubt that Benjamin had tied this war to Louis. If the war was lost, the Colonial Secretary could be replaced.

……

(End of chapter)