Chapter 556: Diplomatic efforts

  Chapter 544 Diplomatic Efforts

War serves for politics, and propaganda is naturally indispensable. Since the agreement between the Vienna government and the Russians, the Austrian domestic newspapers have been full of news about the black history of the Ottoman Empire.

This time there is no need to fake, when the Ottoman Empire bull period committed crimes that are too numerous to mention, just flip through is black material.

Calls for vengeance are rising day by day, the Vienna government received a variety of petitions, it is estimated that can be piled up a room.

The power of hatred is somewhat beyond Franz’s imagination, if it were not for the police force in Vienna, it is estimated that the Ottoman embassy is gone.

Now the Vienna police also had to send people to patrol the perimeter 24 hours a day to ensure the safety of the Ottoman embassy. The supplies inside the embassy need to be transported by Austrian specialists, and the staff of the embassy do not dare to go out at all.

If he hadn’t waited for the Russians, Franz could have ordered war.

For Austria, this is only a local war, there is no need for full mobilization, the domestic economic impact is not great. The government departments still do what they should do, only the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was busy.

Moral high ground, you do not go to occupy the enemy will occupy, diplomatic activities are indispensable. Fortunately, this time the enemy is the Ottoman Empire, most of the European people are more inclined to Austria, the pressure on public opinion is not great.

Vienna Palace, Foreign Minister Weissenberg dragged his tired body and reported back to Franz: “Your Majesty, this is a telegram from the Holy See.

The Holy See wants us to wage holy war against the Ottoman Empire in the name of God, and Pope Pius IX is already preparing to issue a call to Christendom to organize another crusade.”

In latter-day terms, this is rubbing it in. In recent years, the Holy See has declined so much that even the Papal States have been stripped away by the French, and now the Holy See can only hunker down in its Vatican headquarters.

If it wasn’t for the Catholic churches around the world picking up the slack, it’s estimated that the gang from the Holy See would probably still be starving. Napoleon III did not treat them kindly, and the accumulated wealth of the Holy See was basically confiscated.

A fallen phoenix is not as good as a chicken, and now the prestige of the Holy See has plummeted. Except for the only remaining headquarters, many dioceses outside were not paying attention to the Pope’s orders.

Against this background, if they didn’t want to find a way to rebuild their prestige, it was estimated that it wouldn’t be long before the local dioceses could find excuses to cut off even their symbolic succor to them.

It is not so easy to live a good life and then go back to a hard life. It was at this time that I heard that Austria was going to take action against the Ottoman Empire, and the Holy See naturally came to my door.

If it was put aside a couple hundred years ago, the Holy See so cooperative, Franz must be happy to accept. The Ottoman Empire has not yet fallen is the public enemy of Europe, naturally there is no reason to let the Austrian family contribute.

Now the situation is very different, the Ottoman Empire has declined, Austria simply do not need so many helpers, if the participation of more people, the final booty still how to share?

The Ottoman Empire this piece of fat meat Franz has long been on the eye, take out and the Russians to divide, that is the Russian Empire has declined, take advantage of a little cheap can, annexation of the Ottoman Empire they have not been able to digest.

Including Austria is not capable of digesting the Ottoman Empire, Franz is ready to move all the local population.

The excuse was naturally “environmental protection”, in order to protect the local vegetation, to avoid the desertification of the land, to move all the indigenous people away.

A part of Africa to engage in construction, the rest in the South China Sea to find an island centralized resettlement, or sent to the Americas resettlement, how to deal with the specific time to decide.

Franz shook his head, ”Tell them that this is only a secular war, there is no need to rise to religious heights. We should remain tolerant when dealing with infidels.”

The “Holy War” was very brutal, religious wars were always a matter of life and death, leaving no room for maneuver. It was so hard to bring down the influence of the Holy See, now how could they be allowed to return to the altar again?

……

The smell of smoke filled the Near East, and the Sudanese government, which sensed the threat, was not idle. In order to win this war, the Sudanese government is also working hard on diplomatic public relations.

Unable to persuade St. Petersburg and Vienna, the Sudanese government could only retreat and devote its goals to London, Paris and Berlin.

The saying that an enemy’s enemy is a friend was not wrong at all in this case. Britain, France and Prussia did not want the Ottoman Empire to be finished, and despite the fact that the Ottomans were a little weaker, their very existence held Austria and Russia in check.

However, the plan did not change quickly, in Berlin, the Ottoman delegation hit a nail, William I simply do not meet with them.

You know in the last Russo-Prussian War, the two countries are still side by side allies, did not expect so soon to go their separate ways.

The Sultan’s government also expected Prussia and Poland to send troops to hold back the Russians and share some of their pressure.

Unfortunately, the Prussians had a bigger appetite than they thought and wanted to use this war to annex Poland. No, it should not be considered as an annexation, rather it was to put William I on the Polish throne.

The annexation of Poland could not be accomplished overnight. Even if the European countries did not oppose it, the Polish people would not agree to it.

It is not the same with two co-rulers, there is a precedent for this kind of thing. The original is the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, now can also become the Polish-Prussian Commonwealth, the hearts of the people to be much easier to accept.

European countries may be opposed to the two countries commonwealth, but definitely not as intense to the annexation of Poland by Prussia, not so much as to organize interference in the allied forces to stir up the situation strongly. The possibility of a private exchange of interests, and finally reaching the goal is very high.

Without reaching the goal in Berlin, Warsaw didn’t even have to go. Without Prussia to act as the main force, the Poles simply did not have the strength to hold the Russians at bay.

In Paris, not only the Ottoman representatives were active, but the Austrian minister in Paris was not idle, and both sides were engaged in public relations.

Militarily, to rescue the Ottoman Empire, the French must not be left out. If the Parisian government stood aloof, the Sultan would not be of much use, even if he persuaded the remaining countries to intervene together.

Napoleon III once again threw the question to his son, “Eugène, what do you think our choice should be?”

Crown Prince Eugène replied with a taut face, “The choice is very difficult, strategically, the presence of the Ottoman Empire is our natural ally.

History has proven that the existence of the Ottoman Empire was able to hold back a large portion of the Habsburg Dynasty’s energies, making it impossible for them to fight for Europe with all their might.

Just this time Russia and Austria two countries to join forces, we want to intervene, the price to pay is too big, or perhaps there may be the outbreak of war.

With the current situation, we are not suitable for the outbreak of war with Austria, at least five years we have to avoid as far as possible and the outbreak of war with the big powers.

Whether we want to save the Ottoman Empire or not, it mainly depends on the strength of the Ottoman Empire. If they are really wasted, then even saving them would be useless.

If they withstand the first wave of attacks, then we pull the European countries together to mediate, and it won’t take much for the Vienna government to stop.”

Napoleon III patted his son’s shoulder and nodded in satisfaction, “Not bad, Eugene. You’re progressing very quickly, and it looks like it won’t be long before you’re on your own.”

After taking a few steps forward, he added, “Now is really not the time to interfere, if Austria wants to fight for supremacy over the continent of Europe, it is necessary to pull out the nails in the back first.

The Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire are both obstacles to them, Franz chose to ally with Russia, which is equivalent to reducing an enemy behind them.

Their only heartache is the Ottoman Empire, pull out this nail, the Eastern Mediterranean is completely in the hands of the Austrians, the power has been extended to the Indian Ocean.

However, there is no need to worry too much, the existence of the Ottoman Empire is the last joint foundation of Austria and the Russians. Without the Ottoman Empire as a common enemy, the ‘St. Petersburg – Vienna’ alliance would have no value of existence.

Perhaps in the near future, the Russians and Austria would still regard each other as mortal enemies and fight for European hegemony.

Of course, the prerequisite was that the Tsarist government could win the Second Russo-Prussian War. Franz’s layout ability was very impressive, and the Kingdom of Prussia, which had originally given them a hard time in the German Confederation, now became the best fighter to contain the Russians.

If one day the Russian Empire is really going to fall, remember to pull them in. With this nail in the coffin, neither Prussia, nor Austria would dare to fully participate in the scramble for European hegemony.

This time, let the British have a headache! Inform the government in London that we are in agreement with them on this occasion, and if they want to send troops to intervene, we will contribute as much as they can.”

The death of a man makes him see things more thoroughly. Now Napoleon III had realized that the most suitable ally for France was the Russian Empire, but unfortunately the time had come a little too late.

In the era of Nicholas I, the Russian Empire was in the ascendant, and the entire continent of Europe trembled under this behemoth.

In order to revive France and get rid of the shackles on it, Napoleon III and the European governments made a similar decision – to suppress the Russian Empire.

With all the common efforts, the rotten Russian Empire was still overwhelmed and slowly collapsed. Alexander II’s reforms restored some of the strength of the Russian Empire, but it was definitely not as good as it was at its peak.

By this time it was too late to unite the Russian Empire. For no reason, Napoleon III could not take the money to fill the bottomless pit of the tsarist government, even if he personally willing, the French public will not agree.

“Enemy in Paris” is not a joke, the fighting strength of the Parisian people is the best in the world. Once they found out that the government was selling out, a revolution would be easy.

Now they have not yet played full force, the original time and space when they play full force, change the government than change clothes more quickly.

Ordinary people don’t necessarily change three sets of clothes in a week, but the French can change three governments in a week, and that includes weekend vacations.

In order to strengthen the fighting spirit of the Ottoman Empire, Napoleon III still gave support to the Sultan’s government, in addition to material assistance within the arms and ammunition, but also issued a large blank check.

That means: you must hold on, when we are ready to send troops. Now it is just to confuse the enemy so that they can be taken by surprise.

……

London, Gerston head of the Prussian and French attitude is very upset, not only as a shrinking violet, but also threw the decision over, this is not the British Empire on the fire roast it?

Nominally, the British Empire looked up to them, but in reality, who listened to them? Napoleon III said well, Britain will contribute as many troops as France.

If you think about it, you’ll realize how unreliable this is. This war, mainly on land, even if it is a landing operation can take the Black Sea.

The Royal Navy can’t possibly run to the Black Sea to give the Ottoman Empire a hand, right? If they dared to go in, they wouldn’t want to come out.

The Black Sea strait is so narrow, it’s not hard to block the gate. Once it’s blocked inside, it’s not far from total annihilation.

Unable to blockade the sea, to fight on land, with the British army’s little strength, send up the first wave is probably not even enough.

Of course, they could also threaten Austria and Russia with a blockade of overseas trade. If they did that, the French would applaud and then watch as spectators.

The Austrian navy is half the size of theirs, so it seems like the Royal Navy could easily crush them, but in reality, war isn’t a numbers game.

If it came down to it, the Austrian Navy could still have a cracking engagement, relying on their scattered colonies.

Material blockade, people are not the public enemy of Europe, who are you to ensure that European countries do not do business with Austria? Other than that, at least the French won’t give up the opportunity to make war money.

Theoretically, these problems would be solved by uprooting Austria’s scattered colonial strongholds overseas. The problem is that these colonies aren’t easy to fight, and except for Alaska and the Austrian South American states, which are weak in terms of troops, there are heavy forces everywhere else.

With the size of the British Army, even sending all of them would not help. Can not for the sake of the Ottoman Empire, Britain will pour out all the country’s strength, at all costs to expand the army and Austria dead, right?

This kind of self-interested thing, Gerston Prime Minister said he is not interested.

……

Push book: “Takeda’s Shogunate”, Japanese warring states text

(End of chapter)