Chapter 557: Tough Strategy

  Chapter 545 – Ruthless Strategy

When the government in London chose to wait and see, war was destined to be unavoidable. The decision of Britain and France did not surprise the Sultan’s government, after all, the enemies this time were Austria and Russia, without enough benefits, how could they make Britain and France fight for them?

According to the initial plan, Abdul Aziz I thought that the Prussians would hold the Russians behind their backs, and they would only need to face Austria and ask Britain and France to intervene, giving up some of their interests Austria would more than likely stop.

This was based on the fact that ten years earlier the government in Vienna had offered the Sudanese government the purchase of sovereignty over the Arabian Peninsula, and three years earlier the purchase of sovereignty over the region of Palestine.

Naturally, the deal did not work out, and the Sultan’s government feared that after Austria got these areas, it would develop even greater ambitions and continue to nibble away at the Ottoman Empire.

The idea of buying and selling did not apply politically. After the failure of the purchase, the Vienna government did not stop, and continued to infiltrate these areas, forcing the Sultan’s government to make concessions.

Because of the involvement of Jerusalem, the Sudanese government, which was heavily influenced by religion, did not dare to compromise, and the relationship between the two countries continued to deteriorate.

Ankara Palace, since receiving the news of diplomatic failure, Abdul Aziz I’s fire has been exuberant, in the last two days there have been three maids of honor have lost their lives, many people were chastised.

“Why don’t you say anything, didn’t you promise with all your heart that the countries of Europe didn’t want to see Austria continue to expand?”

Listening to Abdul Aziz I’s ridicule, the crowd lowered their noble heads and made a show of listening to the teachings.

This did not in any way quell the anger of Abdul Aziz I. The reform of the Ottoman Empire in recent years had not gone well. Despite the fact that the conservative forces had been hit hard in the previous infighting, new conservatives had been born.

This situation is not that Abdul Aziz I did not try to change it, but he really could not do anything about it. It was the fault of the previous sultan who had failed to change the system in time, giving rise to new vested interests.

In fact, the previous sultan was forced to do so. The Ottoman Empire was devastated by the failure of the Near East War, the loss of the Balkans, and the outbreak of internal rebellions, and had to make compromises in order to stabilize the domestic situation.

War Minister Koksar Toptan stepped forward with a stiff upper lip: “Your Majesty, things have come to a head, we had better make preparations for war!

The situation now is very serious, unlike any war in the past, the enemy is not only from the land, but also the sea.

Any harbor could be a landing point for the enemy. We have no way to make accurate judgments and can only be passive in our defense, the military pressure is very high.”

The Ottoman Empire had been preparing for war for a long time, except that the Sultan’s government bureaucrats were not very efficient and had not been ready for war until now.

Koksar Toptan was being very subtle, almost as if he was saying outright that this war was unwinnable and to hurry up and prepare for the aftermath!

On land everyone shares borders with the Caucasus, Palestine, and the Arabian Peninsula, and the border line is thousands of kilometers any way you look at it.

On the sea that’s how long the coastline is, how long the enemy’s route of attack is likely to be. The navy of the Ottoman Empire, can not have the strength to defend the empire.

Abdul Aziz I suppressed his anger: “Mobilize all the people for jihad, men, women and children must fight the enemy, this is ……”

……

The news that the Ottoman Empire was going to put up a fight still caught Franz’s attention. Religious countries were still very crazy once they broke out.

In order to be safe, on February 16, 1874, Franz ordered to cut off commercial trade between the two countries, withdraw the embassies and expatriates in the Ottoman Empire, and at the same time expel the Ottomans within the Empire.

The withdrawal of the diaspora was not a forced action, and those who wanted to stay were never forced to do so. War is imminent, the relationship between the two countries has been very tense, at this time Franz can not have the effort, to whom to do ideological work.

Frankly speaking, the more frantic the Ottoman resistance, the more favorable to Austria. If they were to collapse at the touch of a button, then the drama behind would not be good, can not let the Austrian army play waste, right?

Pretend waste is actually also simple, organize an Italian army to send up, what kind of results are possible to fight out.

In this war, Franz had a similar plan to try in case he hit the Ottoman Empire too hard.

It’s not always reliable though, according to the military, hitting the Ottoman Empire can be swept away by sending any army up there.

Especially when it comes to religion, or fighting downwind, the Italians may not be out of the question. The Austro-Italian region was, after all, influenced by German culture and military training from an early age, so you can’t generalize.

Higher levels of government are aware of the purpose of this war, not at all to kill the Ottoman Empire, but to play a big show, for the layout of the European strategy.

Compared to the pit death of competitors on the European continent, the already fallen Ottoman Empire is not worth mentioning at all, control the pace of steady fighting is the best choice.

Vienna Palace, military meeting.

Minister of War Albrecht: “Your Majesty, taking into account our strategic needs, the Ministry of War recommends launching an attack from the Middle East.

This war can be fought on two fronts, one attack from the Arabian Peninsula and one from the Palestinian area.

A total of four infantry divisions and four artillery regiments will be deployed, and an additional 80,000 indigenous troops will be recruited from Africa, and will advance directly and steadily all the way forward.

Ottoman rule over the Arabian Peninsula is only nominal, the enemy is unlikely to deploy heavy troops, only one infantry division, one artillery regiment, plus 20,000 indigenous cannon fodder is enough.

The rest of the troops are concentrated in the Palestine area, the Jerusalem area is so important religiously that the Ottoman Empire won’t let go of it easily, and is the main battleground for this war.”

The plan looked good, with just over 60,000 regular troops to be fielded, requiring a war that would not cost much and would not require financial injury.

The 80,000 cannon fodder troops had been decisively ignored by Franz. Troops of this caliber cost nothing at all.

The military pay is all by robbery, the welfare package is to manage, plus two sets of uniforms for one person, the equipment can be retired rifles, can also be a big knife and spear.

Foreign Minister Weissenberg questioned, “General Albrecht, do you think the Russians can agree to such a military deployment?”

The answer was very obvious, and the Tsarist government was not stupid. Austria’s military deployment, completely in a land grab, not at all and the Ottoman Empire’s main force duel, most of the pressure fell on their heads.

Albrecht explained unhurriedly, “This problem is very simple, we have the advantage of sea power, we can land at any location.

At the beginning of the war there is no need for a hard fight at all, our navy will be responsible for escorting the Russian army, covering the Russian army’s tentative landings in various harbors, and completely disrupting the Ottoman Empire’s military deployment.

Asia Minor Peninsula traffic is very bad, the enemy once the army deployed, want to carry out the mobilization, it is not a day or two can be completed.

We can completely avoid the reality and look for places where the enemy’s troop deployment is weak to complete the landing plan.

After landing, it is not necessary to advance all the way, and so the enemy forces were mobilized over. We can also rely on the advantage of the sea, again change the new attack location.

Every place we attack, we use the scorched earth strategy, destroy all the facilities that can be destroyed, expel the local people into the interior, and cause trouble for the Sudanese government.

In a year’s time at the most, the coastal areas of the Ottoman Empire will be smashed by us. These areas happen to be the last best of the Ottoman Empire, and initial estimates are that they will lose half of their industry, over 60% of their economy, and add several million war refugees.

At that point the Sultan’s government would either have to compromise or collapse, there would be no third way. A hundred and fifty thousand Russian troops would be more than enough to accomplish this plan.

It would not cost either us, or the Russians, much, and I see no reason why the Tsarist government would refuse.”

Franz was stunned and had to say that this strategy was ruthless enough. There was no need for a major battle at all, the Ottoman Empire was going to be dragged down.

That’s right, dragged down. Millions of war refugees, how can it be so easy to resettle? The Ottoman Empire is not a major food producer, but also barely self-sufficient, the Sultan’s government where there is so much food?

You have to realize that most of their food-producing areas are in the coastal plains, and by smashing the coastal areas, they have likewise destroyed the agricultural production of the Ottoman Empire.

Of course, theoretically the Ottoman Empire could not be completely blockaded, they could still import food from the Persian region.

One look at a map of the Middle East and Franz knew this was an impossible task. Without railroads and relying on oxcarts and wagons for transportation, it was estimated that a load of grain from Persia to Ankara would be pretty much eaten halfway through the journey.

Even the two gold masters, Britain and France, could not afford this horrible consumption. The Ottoman Empire was able to hold out for a year, and that was all thanks to **** blessings.

Franz frowned: “In that case, the Ottoman Empire will be greatly wounded, and how will the play behind it be performed?”

This is the key to the problem, the Ottoman Empire was tossed away, then how to make Britain and France believe that Austria’s rear is unstable, and in a short period of time is not capable of contending for the continent of Europe?

Albrecht’s face sank, slowly spat out two words, “Hate!”

“Only the Russians did the Ottoman Empire to the extent that they were so angry that the Ottomans hated to eat their flesh and break their bones, and only then were they able to make them stick around.

It doesn’t have to be the Sultan’s government, it would be the same with a new government. The Ottoman Empire had serious internal contradictions and the possibility of a revolution if the situation deteriorated was very high.

A new regime emerges and reforms the political system of this country, making them ostensibly strong. This result should allow Britain and France to make a misjudgment.”

Seeing that the crowd had fallen into deep thought, Albrecht added: “War is not child’s play, if we intentionally keep our hands off the Ottoman Empire, anyone will be able to see that there is a problem.

This battle plan is not difficult, the Russians can likewise come up with it. When the time comes and they take the initiative to bring it up, we won’t have a reasonable excuse to reject it.”

Franz nodded in recognition of this statement. With such a simple battle plan, it was expected that anyone with a little bit of military common sense would be able to come up with it, and it was just a matter of time.

Obviously having a maritime advantage but discarding it and not using it, but also stupidly doing it the hard way, spreading the word Franz couldn’t even afford to lose that face.

“First communicate with the Russians and see what the Tsarist government has to say differently. If everyone’s plans are similar, then let’s do it!”

Give the task of pulling hatred to the Russian army, Franz is ten thousand assured, don’t even need to do anything, let them act in their own color on the line.

The aftermath of the blood feud has been ignored by Franz. The debt is not too much, both sides have accumulated hundreds of years of hatred, what else is there to be afraid of.

According to the established strategy, so tossed down, Ottoman even if the existence of the fluke down, the future is destined to be a small country. Under the eyes of Austria, they simply have no possibility of returning to the blood.

(End of chapter)