Chapter 646: Outcasts
Chapter 632 The Outcast
Vienna Palace, Franz looked at his spirited son and asked with a smile, “Frederick, this time you are going to represent Austria to visit European countries, are you ready?”
“Don’t worry, father. I have memorized all the information and I guarantee that I will be able to complete the mission.” Frederick replied confidently
The Habsburg family has been passed down for so many years, not much else is a lot of relatives.
In this era of inconvenient transportation, there is nothing much going on in normal times, so people usually don’t contact each other much. However, once on the other side of the ground, interpersonal communication is still inevitable.
Even if there are many relatives, the trouble is that they also like to rename their names, plus a long list of titles. If one is not familiar enough, it is easy to confuse their identities.
This is not only rude to make a joke, but also be regarded as not important enough, relatives will become enemies.
One of the most important reasons Franz didn’t like to run around was because of the hassle of idleness. As the emperor is quite lucky, identity status is high enough, it is also people come to visit themselves, the people are self-reported identity, do not have to worry about mistakes.
Even if it is to participate in the banquet, that is also the most honored existence, there are very few people who have the qualification to talk to him as an equal, most of the time a smile and gesture will do.
Frederick will not be able to, although he is the Crown Prince of Austria status honored, the same status is still quite a lot of people, just this list has hundreds of people.
In this regard, the nobility is also not good, at least the memory should be good. Especially small and medium-sized nobles, the titles of the big shots can not be easy to remember.
Franz was one of the best, affected by the butterfly effect, his current title was much longer than in history, and Franz himself wasn’t sure if he could memorize it accurately anyway.
However, the following people have to memorize accurately, this is the political system and decided, Austria is because of the emperor to create the empire, not because of the empire and the emperor.
Mechanical or dull, this was the juridical basis of the empire.
Anything less than a few fictitious titles would be protested by the local population. In European society, this would be considered discriminated against.
So tragedy for the Austrian schoolchildren, Franz’s titles they had to memorize accurately or not graduate.
“It’s not just memorizing it, it’s also about exchanging feelings with people. This is your chance to build up your network, and it’s always good to make a few more friends, even if they’re drinking buddies.
Princess Sophie Marie Victoria’s information I’ve already handed over to you, what to do with it is up to you, I don’t want to make a joke.”
Speaking of friends, Frederick’s complexion darkened, being in the royal family, it was too difficult to have real friends.
People whose status gap is too big, it is difficult to communicate as equals, how can they become friends?
As the emperor, Franz had no friends. If Frederick didn’t have friends with equal status now, then I’m afraid he wouldn’t have friends in the future either.
The emperor is lonely, do not even think about friends in the country. The history books recorded that the king and his subjects were friends, Franz could only say huh!
Frederick blushed: ”Don’t worry, father. I know how to handle it and won’t disgrace you.”
Franz nodded, it wasn’t a matter of losing face, it was more of a test for Frederick.
If he passed he would be the heir to the Austrian throne, if he didn’t then it was hard to say. Changing the heir to the throne in Europe was troublesome but not impossible.
Of course, this is the worst case scenario, under normal circumstances it is impossible to happen. His own son is what kind of person, Franz still have a number in mind.
……
Foreign Minister Weissenberg: ”Your Majesty, the British Minister has sent a diplomatic note asking us to impose a total blockade on Ethiopia.
According to the information we have gathered, this is a delay in ending the war in Ethiopia, the London government can’t withstand the pressure of public opinion at home, and is now afraid of getting impatient.
If nothing else, the French should have received a similar note.
Unable to make a breakthrough on the battlefield, they can only pin their hopes outside the battlefield.
Theoretically, as long as we and the French cut off trade with Ethiopia, it won’t take long for the weapons in the hands of the Ethiopian army to turn into burning sticks.”
Modern warfare is all about logistics, and for an agrarian country, once it is cut off from its source of strategic supplies, it is not far from defeat.
Franz: “With the current intensity of the war, how long can the Ethiopian army hold out with its stockpile of strategic supplies?”
Albrecht, Minister of War: “Not more than a year at most, and that’s based on the absence of a major war.
If the British intensify the intensity of their attack, it is not impossible to exhaust the ammunition of the Ethiopian army in two or three months.
Unless the Egyptian army suddenly broke out and defeated the British before they ran out of strategic supplies. Otherwise the end of the war is already predetermined, and it is only a question of the size of the British losses.”
A sudden outburst by the Ethiopian army was not expected by Franz. This is simply impossible to do, at the moment the total strength of the British army has exceeded 100,000, even if the Indian colonial army occupies most of it, but the regular army still has three infantry divisions.
On the battlefield, the EAF was also being pressed by the British. If they didn’t take advantage of the ground, it is estimated that they would have been defeated long ago.
If they suddenly broke out and ran out to fight the British, it is estimated that the British would die laughing.
In the jungle, they could not help the Ethiopian army. In a head-on field battle, the two sides were not on the same level at all, and the fighting power of the Ethiopian army and the Indian colonial army was actually not much different, except that the Ethiopian army’s desire to fight was a bit stronger.
Prime Minister Felix: “Don’t harbor such illusions, before the arrival of the main British army, if the Ethiopian army is willing to fight, there is still a chance of winning.
From the arrival of the British reinforcements, the situation between the two sides was reversed. If it were not for the geographical advantage, Ethiopia would have been finished long ago.
Now their only chance is to drag the war on. Drag it out until the British losses exceed their limit and the government in London is afraid to keep investing.”
Foreign Secretary Weissenberg: “Difficult! The situation now is different from the war in Afghanistan, the war in Ethiopia is not only about the face of the London government, it also affects their position.
The British, French and Austrian system of three major powers, the outside world is still recognized as the British are the world’s first power. But the world’s first also need strength to do support, and now the British in the Ethiopian war in the strength of the performance, obviously is not worthy of the name.
The world’s number one power is not only a false name, but also involves the right to speak in international politics, and behind the scenes it involves the distribution of benefits.
Any concession made by the London government will bring about political harm that is incalculable.
In contrast, it is more cost-effective to continue the war. As long as the London government is willing to spend money, winning the war is only a matter of time.”
Political problems are very often more serious than military ones.
Although the war is costly, it is the country’s money that is spent, and it is not necessary for the cabinet officials to pay out of their own pockets; but to stop the war, the political damage caused, but they need to bear it themselves.
Franz: “Is there any chance of Ethiopia winning if it has our support?”
Stabbing the British in the back, that’s a basic operation, Franz learned it all from the British. He didn’t mind continuing to drain the British if it was possible.
Minister of War Albrecht: “Militarily, the possibility of Ethiopia winning is almost zero, even with our support.
It’s not that the Ethiopian army doesn’t have the strength to fight the British, the point is that the fragile financial system of the Ethiopian government simply can’t support the war behind it.”
“No money” is a very powerful reason, as an agricultural country, the Ethiopian government can hold out until now financial are not bankrupt, has been considered impressive.
Austria’s support for Ethiopia was limited, mainly selling arms and helping to train the army. It is impossible for Austria to spend money to help them win.
After hesitating for a few moments, Franz made a decision: “Negotiate with the British first, and if the conditions are right, we can also give up our support for Ethiopia.
But this is something that will happen after the agreement has been reached, and now it is better to do what we should do. The Ethiopian government can be properly alerted, letting them know that the British want to cut off their their international trade routes.”
“Selling out your teammates”, this is a basic operation of the big rogues, it’s just a matter of interest.
Ethiopia was never an Austrian ally, and the Viennese government supported them only to give the British a hard time, so naturally there was no such thing as betrayal.
……
(End of chapter)