Chapter 682: Success is no fluke.
Chapter 667: There is no fluke in success
Vienna Palace, Franz was holding an end-of-year meeting when a sudden telegram interrupted the proceedings.
On November 27, 1879, the Russian army reinforcing Brest was ambushed by the Prussian army halfway, and the southwest battlefield took a turn for the worse.
On the face of it, the Vienna government of the Russo-Prussian War was only concerned with the final outcome, and a change of fortune on a local battlefield was not enough to make everyone so tightly wound.
However, the southwest battlefield was an exception. On the one hand, it was because the Tsarist government had mortgaged the lands west of the Dnieper River to Austria, and if these areas fell into the hands of the Prussian-Polish Confederation, it would be very troublesome for the Vienna government to collect the debt in the future. (Restricted to Ukrainian regions)
On the other hand, it was for export trade, and from the outbreak of the war, the Tsarist government had been buying in Austria.
Once the Dnieper River was cut off, limited by transportation, Russian-Austrian trade would certainly be greatly affected.
In order to make war money, the Vienna government also made full preparations. Many state-owned enterprises had increased their production lines, and if the volume of Russian-Austrian trade was reduced, these enterprises would all suffer heavy losses.
The government will naturally pay attention to this as it is a matter of vital interest. As for the year-end conference, it is important to say that it is important, but it is not important to say that it is not important.
The year-end conference includes a summary of the political, economic, diplomatic and military developments of the current year, as well as the government’s plans for the coming year.
The departments had already done their homework, and by reporting to Franz now, they were also preparing for the coming year’s budget fight.
These plans, most of which are centered on national policy, the core of the original Franz dominated, to the specific plan he rarely intervene, are the cabinet government in charge.
……
Franz: “Chief of Staff, tell us about the current situation on the front!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Chief of General Staff Albrecht replied
“Yesterday afternoon, the Russian troops that set out from the Volyn region to reinforce Brest were ambushed by the Prussians just after crossing the Pripyat River.
As these Russian troops were temporarily drawn and mixed from all parts of the country, their organization has not yet been straightened out, and 30,000 Russian troops were routed by a single Prussian division, with a loss of at least 8,000 troops.
The remaining troops had become birds of a feather and fled in all directions, and a large number of weapons and equipment were abandoned, losing the ability to fight again in the short term.
Not counting these demoralized troops, the total strength of the Russian army in the Volyn area had dropped from the initial 102,000 to 67,000, and the strength advantage over the Prussian army no longer existed.
If I were Mauch, I would give up Brest and direct my main attack on Koveli. After taking this place, either we can take Kiev to the east or Brest to the north.
But the Prussian army also only dominated the southwestern battlefield. In the north the Russians had already soldiered to Riga, and the defense of the Viseme heights was in jeopardy; in the central battlefield Smolensk had been turned into a meat grinder.
Judging from the present situation, the Russians might take to land and sea. Relying on the superiority of the Russian navy, there is a high probability of dominating the Baltic coast.”
Franz: “So Mauch must be under a lot of pressure now?”
Albrecht replied affirmatively, “That’s right!”
If the Prussian Army was slow to make a substantial breakthrough on the battlefield, the Russians were seriously threatened on the home front after their actions in the Baltic, and the naval faction within the Berlin government raised its head, it would be a hilarious situation.
With immediate interests at stake, and the people of the coastal areas in an uproar, and the naval faction taking advantage of the situation, even if Mauch was as highly respected as he was, he would not be able to withstand the pressure from all sides.
Franz secretly sighed, any famous general is always so powerless when encountering an internal crisis. Mauch was in a hurry to open up the situation in the southwest battlefield, and I’m afraid it was also based on this.
Purely from a military point of view, in fact, let the Russian army into the Polish region, and then find a way to carry out a siege, the chances of victory will be even greater.
Not only is there a deep mass base to rely on, but also reduces the pressure of logistics and transportation, and even the battle line has been shortened, so that more troops can be put into a duel with the Russian army.
What was a good idea militarily was a failure politically. If they really let the Russians in, the Poles were going to be centrifuged from them.
Foreign Minister Weissenberg reminded: “According to the information we have received, there has also been a breakthrough in Russian diplomacy.
They seem to have secretly given the Danes a promise, and just a week ago the Danish government submitted plans for naval exercises to the Nordic Federal Parliament.
If the plans go through, the P&P Federation’s sea transportation routes are cut off. The Russians’ bid should be high, the Swedes are already interested, and the chances of passage are good.”
A naval blockade won’t kill the Pupo Federation, they can still borrow a route from the German Federal Empire and take the Elbe to transport supplies.
But in doing so, the logistical pressure would be greatly increased. The most crucial thing is that the Nordic Confederation is taking sides, and the diplomatic situation is very unfavorable to the Berlin government.
If the PBU was at a disadvantage on the battlefield, who could guarantee that the Nordic Confederation would not fall on its sword?
The Danes can always want to take back the two duchies, and as long as the Russians are willing to pay a price to buy off the Swedes, anything is possible.
The confusing situation made Franz’s head hurt. Originally thought that the combination of Wilhelm I + Mauch was already capable of fighting, but did not realize that Alexander II was not to be messed with either.
The last Russo-Prussian War, Alexander II has not yet grown up, can only be considered a half-finished emperor, slightly inferior in the game, this time the comeback is not the same.
The start of the war until now, Franz has not found signs of an outbreak of uprising in Russia, this is a remarkable achievement.
Mind you, by the modern era the Tsarist government was an oddity, with uprisings at home in every foreign war.
The fact that there were no problems meant that Alexander II’s reforms were successful. A stable Russian Empire is absolutely terrifying.
After hesitating for a while, Franz coldly said: ”Diplomacy should not act rashly for the time being, unless the Nordic Federation directly enters the war, or the situation on the battlefield is completely out of control, we will continue to remain neutral.
The staff department is keeping a close eye on the direction of the war, and when they find that either side may gain an overwhelming advantage, they must report to me at the first opportunity.
Judging from the current situation, the Russians seem to have a better chance of winning, so let’s stay put and wait for Britain and France to bleed the Pupper Federation.
Once the two sides are out of balance in terms of strength, secretly sell the Mark Core machine gun technology to the weaker side, teach them to use trench tactics to delay the war as long as possible, and mortars can be sold as well.”
Maintaining the battlefield balance, Britain, France and Austria also have a division of labor. For example: if the balance of power on the battlefield is broken, if the P&P Federation is weak, Britain and France are responsible for giving them a blood transfusion; if the Russians are weak, Austria is responsible for giving a blood transfusion.
Anyway, whoever is weak supports whoever is weak, and letting Prussia and Russia lose both is what everyone is pursuing. Not to let the fourth pole rise, this is the common will of the three old empires.
No, I should say that it is the common will of France and Austria, the British are still unable to say. Bull’s strategy in this regard is still rather confused.
Low-tech weapons, Franz never felt the need for secrecy. It wasn’t taken out in advance, and that was because it wasn’t necessary.
Throwing a few technologies out in order to achieve a strategic goal was nothing at all. If it wasn’t for the performance issue, Franz was ready to throw out the tank technology.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to throw this stuff out and make it work.
The brainchild of the steam engine tank, too big and slow, very inflexible, easy to become a target for artillery.
Internal combustion engine-powered tanks, performance is not enough of a problem, the cost is also thief chicken expensive, cost-effective is too low, simply can not afford to use.
Austria can not afford to use, Franz does not think that Russia and Russia can afford to use. Moreover, they could not produce the engine.
Don’t look at the internal combustion engine has appeared for some years, in fact, this thing is still high-tech.
In addition to Austria because of Franz’s sake, in this area to go farther, the other countries have not invested much research and development funds.
Technology is money, no capital investment, naturally difficult to achieve results.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Albrecht replied
After the small interlude passed, Franz asked again, “How is the situation in South America, have the Chileans released our ships?”
The London government played ostrich and handed over the seized ships to the Chileans, so Austria naturally sought the misfortune of the Chilean government.
Bullying has always been the nature of the powers, from the hands of the British compensation, and from the hands of the Chilean government compensation, that is a completely different concept.
Foreign Minister Weissenberg laughed: “The three little friends in South America, still fighting, short-term should not be divided into winners and losers.
Since the British handed over the seized ships to the Chilean government, things have been going much smoother. The only problem now is that the supplies on the seized ships are gone, and we are talking to the Chileans about compensation.
If the British hadn’t suddenly intervened, we would have signed an agreement with the Chilean government by now.
Perhaps the British were too greedy and caused the Chilean government to be upset, and they both want to bring in us and the French to check the British.”
This was good news, even though Chilean saltpeter was not unique, and Austria had found some saltpeter mines in the colonies, it was still cheapest to import the Chileans’ ore from a cost standpoint.
As for the conflict between the two countries, it was not worth mentioning at all in the face of profit. Having thought of this, Franz realized with a jolt that this Chilean government was not simple either.
Selling out to France and Austria may seem like selling out the interests of the country, but in fact it is laying the foundation for winning this war.
Without taking care of the two big rogues in advance, even if they defeated Peru and Bolivia, they would never want to eat the benefits to their stomachs.
There are too many examples of winning on the battlefield only to spit out the spoils diplomatically.
The Chilean government obviously understood the nature of the Great Powers and took advantage of this ship seizure to take timely remedial measures.
Franz could not help but marvel that there was no fluke for any country to come out on top.
(End of chapter)