Chapter 506: Alexandrovich.
Chapter 495 Alexandrovich
France and Russia to get closer, not just in the mouth. Although Napoleon III is now only a test, attempting to fight for more say in the Anglo-French-Austrian triple alliance, but also must come up with practical action.
On March 6, 1871, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire announced that Crown Prince Alexandrovich would be visiting the European continent, with France as his first stop.
The cooperation of the Russians was surprising. Under normal circumstances, the first stop of the Crown Prince’s visit abroad should be Vienna, or else it would be fine to start from Denmark.
The order of the Crown Prince’s visit, seemingly irrelevant, but also contains a strong political meaning, which is to the outside world to release political signals.
Austria is the most important ally of the Russian Empire, and the only ally with weight, occupying an important weight in diplomacy.
The Kingdom of Denmark, on the other hand, was an in-law of the Russian royal family, with Crown Prince Alexandrovich marrying Danish Princess Maria Feodorovna.
Geographically both countries bordered the Russian Empire, and it was customary to visit Denmark by sea, with the last stop in Austria, or by land, visiting Vienna first and Denmark last.
This is the normal flow of diplomatic visits, both reflecting the importance of diplomacy, without losing courtesy.
Now the novelty of starting with France, this is very interesting. This is not a business trip abroad, along the way so many countries are visiting objects, directly so across, Alexandrovich’s travel route is obviously very awkward.
Involved in politics, and then twisted Alexandrovich Crown Prince also want to go all the way, which is related to the foreign policy of the tsarist government.
It is widely believed that this is the tsarist government in to the Vienna government to show dissatisfaction. Not long ago the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs disrupted the tsarist government’s “grain debt repayment program”, the government of St. Petersburg has a natural opinion.
Russia and Austria relations problems, this is the European countries are happy to see. Many people are ready to watch the fun, and the international media have also expressed their opinions.
Everyone was waiting for a reaction from the Vienna government, and they were disappointed. There was no reaction, as if nothing had happened.
This is only the view of ordinary people, in the view of the dignitaries of the governments, no reaction is the biggest reaction.
Either the two sides had communicated in advance, so naturally there was no problem, or the Government of Vienna did not care.
The former is irrelevant, the latter is not. If the Vienna government really didn’t care about what the Russians were doing, then there were only two reasons:
Either the two countries were on very good terms and didn’t care about this little matter. This is obviously not possible, although the Russian-Austrian relationship is good, but it is still far from being close.
Either the Viennese government has lost faith in the Russo-Austrian alliance, or is not taking it seriously. There is no doubt that this is the truth.
The Czarist government showed its displeasure in this way, and I am afraid that more than the French giving an appearance, it was testing the Vienna government and trying to ask Austria for favors.
If there was no real money, Alexander II would not have given so much face to the French and cooperated with them in this play, and the two countries never had the so-called traditional friendship.
Crown Prince Alexandrovich’s appearance fee was France’s agreement to provide a loan of 500 million francs to the Tsar’s government.
This is not easy, since the tsarist government announced the debt, all the international financial institutions to the tsarist government closed the door. Whether it is bonds, or loans, as long as the tsarist government is involved, no one is willing to accept.
There was a loss for every gain, and before the French could fulfill their promise, the Russian-Austrian alliance was in crisis. The more the Vienna government showed that it did not care, the more worried the Tsarist government became.
The Russo-Austrian alliance was not far from expiration, and if it could not be renewed, the Russian Empire would face unprecedented diplomatic isolation when the alliance expired.
Pressure mounted on Alexander II, and there was much dissension within the Tsarist government, with many believing that it was the Tsar’s single-mindedness that brought the alliance to a breaking point.
This was a stain left over from Alexander II’s youth, when he was a pro-Prussian on the issue of the German regions, along with a clear anti-Austrian streak.
Alexander II’s personal political leanings also played a role in the establishment of the German Empire by the Kingdom of Prussia in the original time and space.
Originally have political tendency is also very normal, after the succession of Alexander II did not because of pro-Prussian, to Prussia compromise; similarly did not because of personal anti-Austrian, alienation of Austria.
Even if his inadvertent behavior triggered speculation among his men and inadvertently caused the relationship between the two countries to turn cold, Alexander II later repaired the situation.
Only the male masters have pride, Alexander II succeeded to the throne at the beginning of the Russian Empire is at the peak of the period, pride naturally to be a little more.
After the failure of the Russo-Prussian War and the decline of the Russian Empire, Alexander II did not adjust his mentality in time, which made the restoration of Russian-Austrian relations unsuccessful.
This test of Austria, but also to make the relationship between the two countries worse. Let the domestic opposition to the reform of the conservatives found an opportunity to take advantage of the opportunity to make political difficulties.
The internal pressure made Alexander II anxious. To be honest, the diplomatic problems, Alexander II responsibility is not great, the Russian-Austrian relations cold more is a conflict of interest caused by.
The diplomacy of the Tsar’s government was known for its “roughness”, which was not something that the Russians were good at. For most of the time, the Tsarist government failed in diplomacy.
Unfortunately, Alexander II was not a strong diplomat, and his main achievements were internal reforms and external expansion, not much in diplomacy.
This visit to Europe was requested by Alexandrovich himself. This original space-time famous Alexander III, in the diplomatic vision is obviously more powerful.
Alexandrovich himself planned the roadmap for the trip, in order, Denmark – Nordic Confederation – German Federal Empire – Netherlands – Belgium – Portugal – Spain -Belgium -Portugal -Spain -Britain. France – Greece – Montenegro – Austria.
The omission of Prussia and Poland, that is both sides have become enemies, as the Crown Prince naturally can not visit the enemy country. Missing Switzerland, that is this country is not important, and inland out of the way.
This road map according to the geographic order of arrangement, seemingly irrelevant, in fact, is the best choice, the face of all parties are taken into account.
Starting with France first meant that many countries had to be abandoned midway. As the Crown Prince representing the Russian Empire, there was no way Alexandrovich could take the curve and bend back.
If you really want to do that, the importance of France is reflected, but the kneeling component is too thick, the Russian Empire’s face is also lost.
Alexandrovich tore up the road map in his hands, he was very dissatisfied with the practice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or his father Alexander II’s practice is dissatisfied.
Just because of the five hundred million francs loan, this time to visit the tour of Europe, it is necessary to start from France, originally planned to use this opportunity to repair and the relationship between the countries, now all have to reconsider.
Dissatisfaction to dissatisfaction, Alexandrovich just privately vent his emotions. Now the tsarist government how poor he is still clear, people are poor, the country is poor is almost the same.
Alexander II’s great open land program certainly solved the problem of land for the peasants, the price to pay is to spend money like water.
Planted grain, and now can not be sold, it is difficult to obtain a return in a short period of time.
Now the government was again making great efforts to build infrastructure in order to develop industry, and at the same time started construction of several railroad lines.
All of these need to spend money, the money in the early period by the plagiarism has been consumed, the tsarist government now hates to mix a penny into several halves to spend.
In the Winter Palace, the sudden change of the trip plan, Alexander II also had to appease his son’s emotions. Otherwise his son gambled and announced that he would not go, that would be bad.
Europe’s crown prince’s voice is still very heavy, and there are many who are against the emperor. Although Alexandrovich is not so extreme, but in politics the two are still very big differences.
“I’m sorry, Alexandrovich. This time the situation is special, you know how short of money the government is right now. The French made an offer that we couldn’t refuse.”
Looking at his father who looked embarrassed, Alexandrovich’s anger calmed down. Nicholas I the Great had captured Constantinople and brought the Russian Empire to its zenith, while leaving a mess behind.
Unfortunately, the empire, with its shiny exterior, had been poked and prodded in the last war.
Alexander II paid a lot for the reforms, and the whole man looked to be at least ten years older than his actual age.
Alexandrovich calmly replied, “It doesn’t need to be like this, despite not agreeing with what you’re doing, I understand that you’ve decided. For the sake of the country’s interests, it is normal to make certain sacrifices as the Crown Prince.
However, I have to remind you that this is playing with fire, and it is very dangerous to get close to the French now. If it is not handled carefully, it is likely to bring about the end of Russia.
The Austrians have already made their position clear with practical actions, and it seems to us that this is not that they really don’t care about the Russo-Austrian alliance, but that they are warning us not to get close to the French.
Once the Viennese government feels threatened, they are likely to strike first. It is possible that the target will be the French, but more likely it will be us.
The Russo-Austrian alliance pales into insignificance when it comes to strategic national security. If it continues, I think the Vienna government will more than likely not renew the alliance when it expires.”
Listening to his son’s words, Alexander II nodded, he had considered these issues. Only misjudging the reaction of the Vienna government.
“Hmm… You still need to make more preparations for your trip to Europe this time. Along with the visit, you should also take a field trip to see the development of each country and learn what is useful to us in it.
Compared to the European countries, Russia has been lagging behind for many years. Especially Britain, France and Austria, they are all very formidable.
Don’t look at the time of the Near East War, we also defeated the British and French allies and took Constantinople from them.
In fact, that war was a game between Russia and Austria and Britain and France. Russia put up the men, Austria put up the supplies and equipment, and in the end paid a terrible price to force Britain and France to back down.
So many years have passed, Britain, France and Austria have gained great development, only we are not advancing instead of retreating, and they have opened the gap.
In the last war, the Russian Empire lost not to Prussia or to the multinational allied forces, but to ourselves.”
……
(End of chapter)