Chapter 777: The Anglo-French Entente

  Chapter 760 The Anglo-French Entente

The Near East War became intense, and apart from the politicians paying attention, it didn’t attract the attention of the melon eaters in the slightest.

The Habsburg dynasty and the Ottoman is a hereditary enemy, the tsarist government and the Ottoman is likewise a hereditary enemy, even Greece and Montenegro that is also a hereditary enemy of the Ottoman Empire.

With a common enemy, it was only natural for the four countries to form an anti-Turkish alliance. If you look at the history books, you will know that these countries fought with the Ottomans every now and then.

The Ottomans were already in decline, having been forced out of the Balkans as early as the First Near Eastern War, and Asia Minor was still too far away from everyone.

The hotspot of public opinion was still the French Revolution, and although the Paris Commune movement came to an end, the political repercussions it brought were far-reaching.

The destruction of the Palace of Versailles appeared to be a venting retaliation, but in fact, it was the monarch’s majesty that was pulled down to the altar.

The revolutionaries, who were not willing to lose, grasped this last aftermath and made a great deal of revolutionary ideas, and the governments were busy putting out the fire.

All this crap didn’t seem to have anything to do with the Anti-Turkish League. Newspapers never follow sales, and the news that happened around them was far more interesting than the news from overseas.

The eyes of the people of Europe were focused on the revolution, while the eyes of the people of the four countries of the Anti-Turkish Alliance stayed on the war in the Near East.

Humans have never been the most vindictive creatures, and Ottoman, the villain, succeeded in attracting everyone’s attention so much that they did not have the effort to care about revolutionary ideas.

Fortunately, information is not transmitted everywhere these days, and everyone’s understanding of the outside world is not so detailed, or else this news would have caused an uproar if it had gotten out.

Finding an arch-enemy to fight a battle, and then being able to divert internal conflicts and avoid the spread of revolutionary ideas was just too perfect.

Of course, this solution didn’t necessarily apply to France. Their arch-enemies were all a bit too strong, and none of them were easy to mess with.

The premise of the war to divert contradictions method is that you must win, if you lose, it’s all over.

……

Berlin Palace, Frederick III is doing the last thought struggle: whether to join forces with Hanover to form the North German Empire.

Every time he thought about it, he couldn’t help but blame his father for punking his son.

When Metternich proposed the division of Germany between Austria and Prussia, it was rejected by the Berlin government because of the unequal division of the spoils and the opposition of Britain and France.

Who could have known that today, thirty years later, because of the government’s decision-making mistakes, once again returned to the issue of establishing North Germany.

The same North German Reich was actually two species altogether. The territory of the German region was not lost, and was even a little larger than the division plan proposed by Metternich back then, but unfortunately Prussia shrank by a large margin.

As a result, Prussia, which should have dominated North Germany, was now reduced to a vassal of Hanover.

What anti-client, that is all fooling nonsense, Frederick III will not believe a word of it.

To ensure the independence of Prussia, even if it is God’s blessing. It is important to realize that Hanover is Britain’s own son, Prussia is at most a godson, at least in the Victorian era.

In this era of world domination by the great powers, the importance of the backstage is self-evident, leaving the Berlin government with few options.

The relationship between the Russo-Prussian War and the Czarist government in the east was definitely an enemy, and it would be a stroke of luck not to create trouble for them, and support was not even to be thought of.

Formed North Germany, will certainly offend Austria, do not look at the Vienna government did not do anything, Frederick III clear that there must be a problem.

Originally by the Berlin government has high hopes of France, not waiting for them to lean over, suddenly all of a sudden revolution.

Every time he thought of this, Frederick III was secretly glad that he did not take this step, or else he would have offended even the British boss.

Prime Minister Leo von Caprivi suggested, “Your Majesty, since you can’t figure out the Austrians’ plans, why don’t you just showdown with them?

It is certain that the Vienna government wants to unify the German region, but right now they are not ready to take this step for fear of being boycotted by a coalition of European countries.

Now the west of France by the revolution impact strength greatly reduced, the south of the Ottoman is about to be finished, if the Vienna government can stabilize the Russians, their unification of the German region of the odds have not low.

In our present situation, we can only side with the victor.

Many of the states in the German region have been drawn in by the Austrians, and the Vienna government’s delay in making an offer to us should be because they can’t trust us.”

People change, and the Great Prussian idea has gone up in smoke under the poisonous beatings of society.

Even the bullish Junker nobility had to go into hibernation because of the defeat in the war.

After the politicians came to power, the Berlin government was no longer as radical as it used to be and became more practical.

Frederick III shook his head: ”It’s not that simple, the French didn’t really hurt their energy, and after three to five years they were able to slow down.

Russia and Austria relationship is no longer good enough to withstand the test of national interest, perhaps a short period of time the tsarist government will be forced by reality to accept the Austrian unification of the German region, to become the hegemony of the European continent.

But they will always recover one day, ten years, twenty years after the Russian Empire to ease the air, still willing to accept Austria’s sole hegemony over the continent?

With the British around, do you guys think it’s far from an anti-Austrian alliance?

Napoleon lost to a coalition of European nations, how could Franz, with his cautious nature, risk it?

The unification of the German region was not only just the beginning of the pinnacle, but equally the prelude to the end.

Austria would not have made a move until they were fully certain, or they would have united the German region long ago.”

After saying that, Frederick III closed his mouth after pointing at the map.

The person who knows you best is not your friend, but your enemy.

Prussia and Austria were also old rivals, and all along the Berlin government had attached great importance to intelligence gathering on Austria, including the study of Franz’s character.

Knowing more, Frederick III was basically able to judge the thoughts of the Vienna government as well.

Have used diplomatic and military means to solve the enemy on the north and south fronts, why not wait until after taking out the remaining enemy again, and then act again?

Following the direction of Frederick III’s finger, Leo von Caprivi could not help but blurt out, “India!”

After saying that, as if realizing the slip of the tongue, Leo von Caprivi fell into silence, with only one notion in his mind: the Austrians had made a move.

This is the terrible thing about the conspiracy, anyone can see it clearly, but can not resist the temptation of the benefits.

As early as the First Near East War, the Russians were pitched by Austria, yet even after being pitched, Russian-Austrian relations remained unaffected.

The reason is very simple, the Vienna government promised the benefits of the Russians got, belong to the willingness to be pitched.

The losses were heavy, but could they be compared to Constantinople?

As long as the benefits were in place, the losses were nothing. In essence, the potential strength of the Russian Empire grew, but it took time for it to be transformed into national power.

Knowing this, the Berlin government had no intention of reminding the British. Some time ago, they had just put the British on the spot, and the Anglo-Prussian relationship was not so harmonious anymore.

……

The Berlin government has analyzed it, the London government can also analyze it, of course, the two are in a different position, the conclusion is also different.

The Berlin government suspected that Austria would encourage the Russians to annex India, while the London government believed that it was Austria that had its eyes on India.

After all, it was the richest colony in the world, richer than all the other colonies put together, and there was no reason why the Vienna government should not become ambitious.

While supporting the Ottoman Empire, Glaston also abandoned his own policy of “glorious isolation”.

These were the six principles which he had put forward before he became Prime Minister:

1. To establish good government at home. 2;

2. Maintain peace abroad;

3. to keep the European powers in harmony;

4. not to enter into alliances with other nations;

5. to recognize the equal rights of all nations;

6. sympathize with liberty.

There are two basic points in these six principles: the first is the coordination of good offices among the countries of the European continent in order to establish the so-called “coordinated Europe”;

The second is the avoidance of alliances with other European countries in order to preserve their freedom of action and achieve “glorious isolation”.

However, plans do not change quickly, and the international situation took a sharp turn for the worse before Gladstone’s policies had a chance to materialize.

If the policy of honorable isolation was the best option for the London government before the outbreak of the Near East War, it was no longer viable after the outbreak of the Paris Revolution and the establishment of the anti-Turkish alliance.

Faced with an increasingly critical international situation, the British desperately needed allies to hold Austria in check on the European continent in order to safeguard India’s security.

Throughout the world, there were only three pathetic countries that had the ability to hold Austria at bay, leaving France and Russia, who were not very much in the picture, in addition to Britain itself.

Glaston put his hands together on the table and said seriously: “Gentlemen, the time to do the multiple choice question has come.

Britannia needs a weighty ally to deal with the next international changes, now everyone choose one from amongst France, Russia and Austria!”

There was nothing wrong with that, Austria was part of the range of options. In the British lexicon, friend and foe are convertible.

When a country is too powerful to be suppressed and cannot be an enemy, turning an enemy into a friend is also one of the options.

George, the Foreign Secretary, was the first to reply, “Prime Minister, this is a single choice question, we simply have no choice.

With the fall of France and Russia, the situation on the European continent has become clear, and the nondescript Austria has become the biggest threat to us right now.

Of course, it can’t be ruled out that the Austrian Empire is also paper-thin.

Just this possibility is very small, this time the wave of the whole of Europe’s Revolution, Austria are not chaotic, I do not think that a short time they will have internal problems.

At this time, if we ally with Austria again, it will undoubtedly further fuel their arrogance.

The Russians are likewise not a good choice, the interests between Russia and Austria are too closely linked, and it is difficult for the Czarist government to stand against Austria before regaining its strength.

Besides, the Russians’ credibility is too poor, we don’t have the ability to collect debts by force, giving them blood is blood money.

In fact, we are left with the only option left – France.

Judging from my personal senses, the ambitious French are likewise not a good ally.

Supporting them involves a great deal of risk, and the likelihood of a backlash is very high; we must grasp this.”

Both want to pull allies, but also worried about allies will take advantage of the opportunity to become bigger, in order to balance the European continent London government is also worried.

Finance Minister Xiaoji Childers objected: “It is not good to promote the arrogance of the Austrians?

You have to realize that this is a different enemy from the past, after the outbreak of civil unrest in France, Austria has become a substantial continental hegemony.

However, this hegemon is not the same as the previous continental hegemon, the Austrians dominate European affairs through the Vienna system and do not have the habit of reaching out indiscriminately, including the French civil unrest they have held back.

This restrained behavior allowed the Austrians to have a good international image in front of the European countries, and even they maintained good relations with every European country.

In the face of such an enemy, containment is the worst option, who knows how many allies they can pull out, the best option is to let them make their own mistakes.”

“Cudgeling” is the least costly option, only the prerequisite is that you must be able to kill, or else only “cudgeling” is left, and that would be a big loss.

After hesitating for a moment, Glaston shook his head: “The success rate is too low, we can’t rely on the Austrians to make mistakes.

If they don’t make a mistake, we will personally release a monster that will eventually backfire on itself.

No, Austria is already a cannibalistic monster, and one that is still good at camouflaging.

We’ve been fooled by their camouflaged appearance before, so much so that we’re only now realizing the threat they pose.”

……

(End of chapter)