Chapter 709: A Shocking Plan
Chapter 693 – A Shocking Plan
Franz’s decision meant the end of the honeymoon period between Britain and Austria, and conflict between the two countries was bound to increase in the years to come.
The world was big, big enough to support billions of people; the world was small, too small to accommodate two hegemons.
The world can’t hold it, let alone the European continent.
With the revival of Austria, it was only a matter of time before there was a conflict of interest with the British. Even without the Russo-Prussian War, elsewhere the two countries would still be on opposite sides.
If before the opening of the Suez Canal, Franz would still be wary of the British. Not anymore, the Austrian navy had direct access to the Arabian Sea, with colonies to fall back on along the way.
If the British and Austrians were to turn their backs on each other, Austria could take a lose-lose approach. Drive the British out of the African continent, and by the way, the fire will burn to the Indian Ocean.
The significance of India to Britain is known by looking at productivity, almost on par with the British Isles.
Undoubtedly, this equalization is limited to the total economic volume, one is agriculture, the other is industry, the two are not comparable at all.
This “brightest jewel in the crown of the British Empire”, Austria can not be grabbed, but the ability to overturn the chessboard is still there.
Of course, “topple the chessboard” is only a last resort, really dry, Austria will also be miserable.
The colonization of the Americas do not have to think about it, the colonies in the South China Sea area may not be able to keep, the loss of half of the overseas market, it is difficult to recover for decades.
This is still optimistic. In case the British mad, the Royal Navy main force regardless of the kill out, chasing the Austrian Navy hard to beat, Franz will cry.
Rationally, the chances of that happening were very low. The British were worried that the French would sneak up on them on the mainland; Austria was equally worried that the French would pull the plug and cut off the mainland from Austrian Africa.
Austria’s strength is also based on the premise that the mainland and colonies are connected as one, and if they were cut off, it would be no better than the blockaded German II empire in the original time and space.
……
Chief of Staff Albrecht suggested: “Gentlemen, in view of the current complex situation, we need to expand the navy.
If the British suffered a loss in the Russo-Prussian War, the government in London will definitely want to get it back from somewhere else, and future international conflicts are bound to intensify, and the pressure on the navy will increase greatly.
The French are also a cause for concern. Ever since Napoleon IV succeeded to the throne, the Parisian government’s active participation in international affairs has dropped a notch.
In the first few years it could be said that the Parisian government was fighting internally and had no time for international affairs, but now that Napoleon IV is in power and the Parisian government has stabilized, it’s unusual that it hasn’t moved yet.”
It was quite disconcerting to be without the French. Originally, the French blocked the front to attract attention, “Mediterranean Empire” shocked the European continent, Austria was covered by the front.
With the silence of the Paris government, Austria had to come forward to fight with the British. Whether it is the “guano war” in South America, or the Russo-Prussian War in Europe, are the British and Austrians in the game, the French just follow the soy sauce.
In this age of the weak and the strong, there is nothing that can not be solved by force. If the pressure is high, expand the army, and the problem will be solved when the strength is in place.
Finance Minister Karl objected, “No, at least not before the expiration of the Triple Alliance, we must have the spirit of contract.”
The “spirit of contract” is a joke, probably Britain, France and Austria do not take this as a serious matter, at most, only as a comfort.
It is precisely because there is no such thing that it is particularly precious, and everyone attaches so much importance to it that they often talk about it.
No breach of contract is not because we have the “spirit of contract”, mainly because it is not worth breaching. As long as the common interests of the three countries outweigh the conflicts, there will be no breach of contract.
The “Anglo-French-Austrian Triple Alliance” has been renewed once, and judging from the present situation, it is difficult to have a third alliance.
However, it is difficult to say, the international situation is changing rapidly, and no one knows what will happen in the future. It would certainly be unwise to break the pact at the risk of narrowing diplomacy.
Franz nodded, ”The alliance will expire in half a year, if it is to be renewed, the ratio of the three navies will be revisited at that time.
Expanding the navy is a matter of time, but there’s no need to be in such a hurry. Have the Admiralty make plans first, and put it in the annual budget for the year after next for now.”
Expanding the military was never a simple matter, especially expanding the navy, it was necessary to take all aspects into consideration.
Unless it was a period of arms race, the navy expansion in normal times usually took years of discussion. It’s not government efficiency, it’s mostly waiting for the budget.
The government’s annual budget is determined in advance, suddenly said to expand the army, where does the money come from? It’s not a war time, of course we have to follow the rules.
……
If it is known that a single test has accelerated the Austrian army expansion and triggered the arms race behind it, it is estimated that the London government will not do anything it says.
The future has not yet happened, Prime Minister Benjamin does not need to worry about for the time being, but the immediate Russo-Prussian war makes him worry.
“How can I make the Prussian-Polish Federation win this war”, this was a big dilemma. Land wars were different from sea wars, and the London government could not intervene even if they wanted to help.
The volume of the British Army was not as large as one month’s casualties in the Russo-Prussian War.
Sending troops was out of the question. Once again, the London government found that it was too difficult to intervene on the European continent without a fighting hand.
Foreign Secretary Edward: “Your Excellency the Prime Minister, the Prussian Confederation is not short of supplies or troops at the moment, and the situation is nowhere near as bad as we thought it would be.
At least within the year, the Pupo Federation will not lose the war. Winter is coming soon, and the war will definitely slow down later on.
This is the opportunity. The planning of a second anti-Russian alliance has become imperative. Austria is supporting the Russians, and it will be difficult for the Pupo Confederation alone to win the war.”
Puzzled, Benjamin asked, “Isn’t the Foreign Ministry already doing that?”
Edward explained, “The French are messing around in Annam, and the Far Eastern Empire’s southern border is unstable, so it is simply powerless to hold the Russians back.
Although the Ottoman Empire has the intention to take revenge on the Russians, it’s just that they are afraid of Austria’s reaction and need us to provide security, which also requires France’s involvement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has only talked the three Central Asian countries, but their strength is limited, and seeing that the Pupo Federation is at a disadvantage on the battlefield, they don’t dare to place their bets so early.
We’ve already tried the Paris government, and it’s very difficult to convince them that the best thing to do now is to find an ally for the Pupo Federation in Europe.”
Prime Minister Benjamin asked with some surprise, “You mean the German Federal Empire?”
Immediately followed by denial, “No way. The Germans are indeed good, but there are too many internal states, and Hanover can only barely control the situation.
If they were to go to war with the Russians for the sake of the Pupo Federation, wouldn’t those small states within the country still be in an uproar?
You should know what role Austria plays in this. Don’t let the German Confederation itself be in chaos first without any help by then, that would be troublesome.”
The German Federal Empire is Britain’s important pawn on the European continent, the main role is to block Austria’s unification of the German region, for which the London government also pushed for the Rhineland deal, it can’t be scrapped casually.
Edward laughed, “Directly letting the Germans enter the war is of course not possible, but what about the Puppo Federation joining the German Federal Empire?”
If this news were to spread, the entire continent of Europe would have a massive earthquake, literally subverting the current international order.
The merger of the German Federal Empire and the Pupo Federation is not as simple as 1+1=2, the two complement each other’s strengths and make up for their own final shortcomings, which means that after the British, French and Austrian three countries, another top power has risen.
Although this newborn empire is slightly inferior to the three big countries, the comprehensive national strength also exceeds the Russian Empire, winning this war is naturally not a problem.
The key is that after the war the European pattern will change radically, Austria’s German unification strategy is broken, the French eastward strategy is also bankrupt.
Prime Minister Benjamin shook his head: ”This is impossible, the Austrians will not agree. The Vienna government will definitely send troops to intervene, unless you can make the French hold them back.
This would be equally damaging to the French. At that point, the Parisian government will most likely choose to join forces with Austria to divide up Central Europe.”
Rivals and allies can also be transformed into each other in the face of interests. France and Austria also have a history, and no one can guarantee that they won’t work together a second time.
Edward said in a firm tone, “Things happen for people, the strength of France and Austria is growing too fast, if this continues, one of them will have the ability to threaten us.
If France and Austria really join hands to divide the central European region, the outbreak of the Franco-Austrian war is not far away, the German nationalists will not let the French rule the German region.
If operated well, both France and Austria will be greatly wounded, and the situation in Europe will be brought back on track once again.”
This is conspiracy, and it is also phallic. Nationalism is a double-edged sword, capable of killing the enemy and injuring oneself.
Benjamin asked again, “After the merger of Prussia and Germany, how will the master-slave problem be solved?”
This was the most realistic issue. The Pupo Federation was much stronger and was definitely not willing to be a vassal; the German Federal Empire was the same, how could it retreat when it had an emperor?
Edward: “Of course there is no master and slave, continuing the Holy Roman Empire’s imperial election candidate system. Considering the special situation now, it is necessary for the Pupo Federation to make concessions, for example: to give up the emperor election.
We don’t need a strong empire to emerge in Central Europe, the merged German Federal Empire, preferably a loose confederation with some strength.
A political system in which the center is weak, the states are bigger, and they are not weak themselves but cannot be integrated, is more conducive to European stability.
Only such a state could be accepted by France and Austria. Don’t worry about the Berlin government rejecting it, they simply don’t have a choice.”
……
(End of chapter)