Chapter 584: Threats
Chapter 571 Threats
Turning over the table, Franz was also forced to do so. Despite Austria’s great influence in the German Federal Empire, the central government dominated by Hanover was still more pro-British.
From the standpoint of the German federal government, it was clearly more in the interests of the ruling class to be close to the British and to use their power to secure their independent status.
In contrast, the Vienna government shouted the slogan of unification of the German region every day, which made it really difficult for them to get close to each other.
This worry was limited to the big states, for the vast majority of small states, there were no such worries, and there was no defense in following Austria, they were all just being little brothers anyway.
Influenced by nationalism, the vast majority of small states in the German region are more inclined to rejoin the Shinra Empire and realize their dream of becoming a great power.
From the point of view of strength, once the German region unified European hegemony will be born, and this European hegemony is also likely to become the world hegemony.
Hegemony was not just a name, there were hidden interests behind it. German regional nationalism can develop and grow, in addition to Austria in the secret support, many local capitalists, aristocrats are also contributed.
In addition to patriotism, it was more for the sake of interests. The hegemony was able to bring a larger market to the capitalists, and it was also able to bring honor and benefits to the nobility.
Although there were many supporters of Austria, most of these people were outside the scope of guerrilla rights, perhaps spread out in small states, and were unable to influence the decisions of the central government.
These people supported the unification of the German region, in a sense, to reshuffle the cards and reorganize rights and interests by the hand of Austria.
In Franz’s view, most of these people were speculators, and it was fine to let them wave the flag, and it was fine to cooperate with Austria’s local rule, only they could not be expected to sell their lives.
Otherwise, the rule of the German federal government would have been subverted long ago. Franz has seen the fighting strength of nationalism, if these people dare to lead, in a few moments will be able to make the German federal government change.
Now overturned the table, Franz in addition to warning the German federal government not to play with fire, but also in the hammering of these speculators, with practical action to tell them, leaving Austria German Federation is a small country without the right to speak.
Lest after the annexation of the Rhineland, these people drifted away and were fooled by the British to play the de-Germanization.
These regions were not the same as Switzerland, Belgium, and Holland, which had earlier seceded from the Shinra Empire.
Switzerland is a mountainous region, belonging to the place where there is nothing, but also the people are tough, Franz naturally has no interest in this kind of place.
Belgium’s geographic location is important, as a buffer state between France and the German region exists, who hit them, they will fall to the other side.
Holland, not to mention, has always been outside the German region, independence and early, but also formed its own cultural heritage system.
All three countries had the capital to be independent, while the scattered German Federal Empire did not. Being sandwiched in the middle by France, Austria and Prussia, they were doomed to have bad days in the future.
Once the balance of Europe was broken, the tragedy of the German Federal Empire was doomed. Until then, Franz didn’t mind them getting away with it for a few days.
How can one know the importance of a strong fatherland without experiencing a social beating?
……
Berlin, ever since learning that Britain and Austria were going to give the Rhineland to the German Federal Empire, Wilhelm I was enraged.
It is really too bullying, even if the Rhineland region is an enclave, and the French are on the side, and could be lost at any time, it is still the territory of the Kingdom of Prussia.
Reminiscent of the year, after the war against France, in the Vienna Conference Austria forced the Rhineland region to them, let them act as a defense of France’s gatekeeper.
The heartbreaking scene of his father, Frederick William III, had surfaced in William I’s mind. Unexpectedly, it caught up with him again in his lifetime.
On the surface, an extra piece of territory, even if it was an enclave, was not a humiliation.
In reality, the Congress of Vienna was also a conference to divide the spoils after the victory of the war against France, taking away the Rhineland region, Prussia lost the opportunity to swallow Saxony in its entirety.
At that time, the Rhineland was a piece of rotten land, but also suffered the threat of the French at any time, not at all comparable to the fertile land in front of the home.
It was not easy to wait for the industrial age to come, the rotten land has become the treasure land, but in the end, it is once again to change the ownership. How could William I accept this?
In front of the promise to the French, that is only a blank check, William I know that Britain and Austria will not let the French annexation of the Rhineland, and can be completely backtracked afterwards.
Now good, Britain and Austria did more extreme than he thought, ready to take the Rhineland directly from their hands.
William I held back his anger: “Britain and Austria want to take away the Rhineland from us, what do we think we should do now?”
Prime Minister Mauch slapped the table: “This is impossible, the Rhineland region is our legitimate territory, confirmed by the Vienna Conference of the European countries, Britain and Austria have no right to take away from my hands?
In any case, we can not give in, if such a humiliating conditions are agreed, how can we explain to the people. As long as we do not agree, it is hard to believe that Britain and Austria can still send troops to help the German Confederation to rob it?”
Finance Minister Gorman: “Things are not that simple, Britain and Austria will not send troops to seize the Rhineland, but they can still prevent us from establishing the United Kingdom of Prussia.
From London comes news that Britain and Austria have reached an agreement to refuse to recognize this election for the Polish throne once we reject this deal.
If we force the annexation of Poland, Britain and Austria will mobilize the European countries to embargo supplies to us, and the London government has already made preparations to call in the debt in advance, and I’m afraid that with our financial situation ……”
Send troops? There is no need to send troops at all, the Kingdom of Prussia can’t stand the mere embargo on supplies, let alone the British having to call in their debts in advance.
There is no doubt that the Kingdom of Prussia will have an economic crisis within a month at the most, or a devastating economic crisis of that kind.
Prime Minister Mauch retorted: “If the British call the debt in advance, we will declare bankruptcy, relying on these debts, the big deal is that both sides lose and no one wants to feel better.
Material embargo is also easy to say, want to implement the concrete is simply impossible, in the European continent, Britain and Austria can not cover the sky, they do not do business there are other countries to do.
Moreover, this kind of government forced intervention in free trade behavior, their domestic capitalists will not agree first.”
Finance Minister Gorman smiled bitterly and explained: “The capitalists answer or not, but the material embargo Britain and Austria really can do.
It is not necessary for all countries to participate, most of our import and export trade is with Britain and Austria, accounting for about 66.4% of the total import and export trade.
Once embargoed by Britain and Austria, more than half of the world’s ports, will be closed to us. Routes to Africa, India, and Southeast Asia will be completely disrupted, including our only colonies, which will be cut off from the mainland.
Traveling to the Americas ……”
This is the reality of the matter, Britain and Austria together with their colonies already account for 58% of the world’s economy, 68% of the world’s industry, and 75% of the world’s total import and export trade.
The colonies of the two countries together are more than one-third of the land area, and most of the world’s ports are monopolized by the two countries, so it is simply impossible to avoid overseas trade if you want to.
(End of chapter)