Chapter 902: South or East?
Chapter 884: To the South or to the East?
As public opinion rose in hostility to the two countries of Bidde, the civil society also erupted in a powerful demonstration.
From Paris to Rome, any city in France with a population of more than fifty thousand broke out into processions.
All kinds of messy slogans abound, anti coal profiteering, anti unemployment, demand for higher wages, demand that the government further liberalize the right to vote …… and so on, no matter related or unrelated social groups have jumped out.
For a time all over Europe, all heard the cries of the French people. Only this outcry was a bit disorganized and a bit confusing.
Versailles, listening to the heartbreaking cries of the people outside, Napoleon IV was furious.
Public opinion?
These days there is no Internet, if there is no one to manipulate, just rely on the natural spread of news, three or five months are not necessarily able to spread throughout the country, much less the country’s major cities together with the outbreak of demonstrations.
“Police Department check for me to see who’s behind this!”
No emperor was willing to be at the mercy of others, and Napoleon IV was no exception. Even if he wanted to implement the Central European strategy, it would be under his leadership, not being herded.
Police Minister Adonis replied apprehensively, “Your Majesty, there are many people involved this time, capitalists, students, aristocrats, military, government officials, and other groups are all involved.
According to the information that the Police Department has, the first to take action was the industrial and commercial sector in the country, which then spread rapidly.”
The Police Department does not know who was ultimately behind the action, but this kind of explicit information can still be found out.
Adonis’s political acumen was still very sharp, and he had been thinking about countermeasures since the outbreak of public opinion, and was now naturally dipping his hands in the air.
The law is not responsible for the people, this is the biggest characteristic of France. Even the participants of the last revolution, Napoleon IV was not able to liquidate all of them, let alone now.
Knowing that the industrial and commercial sector did it is useless, there is no way to lock the initial culprits, Napoleon IV wants to settle the score can not find anyone.
Slamming the table, Napoleon IV said viciously, “Damn consortium, don’t think that you can muddle through.”
Since the industrial and commercial sector dominated, then naturally less consortium power, put this account in the consortium, there is no problem.
In fact, from the Bonaparte family and the French consortium’s relationship has not been good, because of the interests of the two sides did not have few conflicts.
Especially during the Paris revolution, the consortium’s push and take advantage of the fire, but also exacerbated the contradiction between the two sides.
Do not see Napoleon IV gave in to compromise, but the heart of the bite of resentment has been accumulated. In order to curb the growth of the consortium, Napoleon IV did not make much effort.
From the perspective of development, this is the inevitable result. Consortium forces are constantly expanding, the cake of France is not bigger, emerging forces are bound to collide with vested interests in the expansion.
The Bonaparte family was supported by the peasantry and the aristocracy before the success of the restoration, Napoleon IV is bound to represent the interests of these two classes.
The French consortium was financially strong and influential, but politically and militarily it was a shortcoming, facing the aristocrats who controlled the political power, it was obvious that it was not a rival.
If you want to continue to grow, you can only find ways to make a bigger cake.
Promote the strategy of Central Europe is the best way, not only to solve the domestic industrial and commercial development of the short board, but also to promote the development of the capitalist economy, and further strengthen the power of the consortium.
Foreign Minister Karel Kadlec reminded, “Your Majesty, the issue of tracking down the mastermind behind the curtain, we can take our time.
In recent times, European countries have been constantly asking us questions about the Central European strategy, and the domestic public uproar has already caused alarm on all sides.
Just last week, the Belgian government decided to expand another reserve corps, and once the plan is completed, Belgium’s total military strength will reach 154,000.
The German Confederation also held a meeting of the states, and George I proposed to follow Austria’s implementation of the universal reserve system, and train another one and a half million reserves out.
And while the existing main force remained unchanged, the standing army was increased by 300,000 reserve troops, and now they were busy discussing the distribution of troops in each state.
If the German plan is allowed to be completed, then their actual standing army will exceed half a million. The total strength of the Bisons and Germans combined under extreme mobilization will exceed two million.”
There is no doubt that the Bisons were frightened by the internal changes in France, and were doing all they could to expand their armaments.
If the two countries really let the plan be completed, and armed all the young and strong people in the country, whether France’s Central European strategy can still be implemented is open to discussion.
“They openly want to tear up the armament agreement, are they not afraid of being sanctioned by the international community?”
Just after saying that, Napoleon IV realized that he had lost his words. With the war about to break out, who would think twice.
With the European countries alert to France’s habit, most likely will than Germany and the two countries of the expansion of military behavior turn a blind eye, or even happy to see it.
This kind of openly pulling back behavior can be very unfriendly to France.
After a pause, Napoleon IV slowly said: “the foreign ministry must find a way to destroy than Germany two countries of the expansion of the army action, if necessary, can give to make a security guarantee commitment.”
Whether or not to implement the Central European strategy, the French government must interrupt than the German two countries of the army expansion program, otherwise it is not France to threaten others, but to be threatened.
There was no way around it, who made them more enemies! What if one day Austria convinced the two countries of Bidde and then pulled Switzerland and Spain together to besiege France?
Don’t say it’s impossible, it happened in the historical war against France. It is equally likely to happen now, after all, these neighboring countries have all been hanged by them, the conflict of interest and the basis of hatred are all possessed.
Karel Kadlec replied bitterly, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already taken action, but the two countries of Belgium and Germany don’t trust us at all.
Besides, there are still the Austrians causing trouble, and yesterday morning Franz also sent an open letter to the governments of Belgium and Germany, highly praising the efforts of both governments to maintain stability in Europe.”
Franz has always been the best at such things as adding to the chaos. Encouraging the expansion of the Bi-German armies will do Austria more good than harm.
Once the continental war broke out, the two countries that bore the brunt of Belgium and Germany are Austria’s natural meat shield, whether they are willing or not stopped in the path of the French eastward.
If the continental war does not break out now, Austria has won the time to continue to farm. Anyway, Austria’s disk is now big enough, the Near East once developed, relying on the comprehensive national strength can directly crush the enemy.
Minister of War Luskinia Hafiz: “If we can’t dissuade the two Bi-German countries from expanding their armies, we’ll have to start our Central European strategy earlier.
Otherwise, if we really let them complete their militaristic military expansion program, we will lose the first opportunity, and then it will be difficult to implement the Central European strategy.”
Prime Minister Terrence Burgin shook his head, “The key to the problem is not in the two countries of Bidde, and their army expansion plan only sounds impressive, but in reality it is impossible to complete.
Belgium’s army expansion plan is still theoretically achievable, but can they afford to raise that many troops?
Not to mention the German Federation, with so many small states, not all of them have a conflict of interest with us.
If a war were to break out, just coordinating the armies of the various states would be a big problem.
The central government of Hanover is also an enemy to the rulers of the states, and no one is willing to hand over their armies easily.
The real problem is Austria, which is more than 90 percent likely to intervene once we implement our Central European strategy.
Judging from the current international situation, I think that in order to implement the Central European strategy, we must hit Austria hard so that they are powerless to intervene in our actions.”
When the French invaded the two countries of Bieder, Austria was almost certain to enter the war; but when war broke out between France and Austria, the two countries of Bieder were likely to be neutral.
Never mind the short-sightedness, once you helped Austria defeat the French, the unification of the German region became a foregone conclusion, and George I, the emperor, was embarrassed.
This kind of thing, which was detrimental to himself and others, George I could not possibly do. The central government took the lead, and the small states below were happy to relax, pro-Austria only because of the interests, it does not mean that they have to sell their lives for Austria.
Without the German Confederation, Belgium would have been even less likely to participate. There is a secret treaty also can not, the Kingdom of Belgium’s strength is limited, simply can not afford to get involved.
Minister of War Luskinia Hafiz vetoed: “Your Excellency the Prime Minister, this is the most ideal state of affairs, but in reality it is not half feasible.
Our relationship with Austria can be maintained for so many years, not because the two countries have friendly relations, not to mention the small conflict of interests, the key is that no one can do anything about it.
This is determined by geographic location, the Albis Mountains is the natural border line. Even if we were able to defeat the Austrians, we would end up stopping at Venetia.
Austria is not a small country, losing Lombardy and Venetia will not affect them much.
The Vienna government is unlikely to concede defeat on this, and then we’ll have to face a steady stream of Austrian troops, one million, two million, three million all the time to wear us down.
If it was just one Austria alone, we would still be confident of winning the final victory.
The problem was that there were other countries on the European continent, Spain, the German Confederation, Belgium, Switzerland, etc., all of which might turn to Austria at the critical moment.
Especially Britain and Russia, don’t see them fighting fiercely. But the terrain of Afghanistan limits their play, and they can’t even talk about giving their best.
Unless we can guarantee that Britain and Russia will lose both in the Afghan region and delay the war until it is launched after the two countries have suffered a great deal of vitality, it will be possible to avoid interference from Britain and Russia.”
The classic case of the Russo-Prussian War has taught the European world that it is easy not to go to war with a great power, especially one that is outnumbered.
In the absence of a way to make a quick decision, a war between two great powers would be a suicide war, and while the loser would certainly lose everything, the winner would lose just as much.
Simply from the military point of view, France and Austria, if the two countries go to war, it is best to fight in Central Europe, the winner from Belgium to kill all the way through the road.
If the war in the Italian region, the most is a partial victory, both sides have the protection of the Alps, can not kill into the core territory of the two countries.
Meeting Napoleon IV’s expectant gaze, Karel Kadlec shook his head: ”If a war breaks out with Austria, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs still has a few points of certainty that the European countries will remain neutral until the winner is divided.
Once we have the upper hand on the battlefield, the European countries are bound to step in and mostly stand against us.
Even our allies, the British, will be no exception. For the British government, anything that upsets the balance of Euroland is something that will not be allowed to happen.”
There was no way around it, the historical French Empire was too powerful, so outright powerful that it had no friends.
European countries had always been wary of the Bonaparte dynasty, with Napoleon’s open template in place, and even the heavy losses France suffered after the Paris Revolution didn’t change the perception.
……
(End of chapter)