In order to recover the loss of reputation caused by the Sofia Battle, the British War Department ordered Major General Oliver to do good deeds and save face from the Greeks.

The British became ruthless, and the Greeks naturally couldn't bear it. They were first driven out of Thrace, and now they have retreated to Veria, and they will return to the country in a short time.

Otto I was in a hurry. In any case, these troops could not be returned to the country. This was not only a defeat in the war, but more importantly, their "neutral status" was not guaranteed, and the flames of war would spread to the Greek peninsula.

On the chessboard of this game of great powers, the Kingdom of Greece is just an ordinary pawn, and now it is about to become a pawn.

Otto I asked with concern: "How is it, General Menshikov willing to send troops?"

Mao Xiong is very vengeful. At the critical moment of the second Bulgarian battle, the Greeks only cared for their own territory and did not attack the empty Constantinople as they requested. Otherwise, the Near East war would have ended long ago.

No matter how many reasons the Greeks have, in the eyes of the Russians this is betrayal, and it is impossible not to hold grudges.

Besides, the Russians are also very busy now. While attacking Constantinople, they are fighting fiercely with Britain and France on the Crimea Peninsula. Whether they have the energy to rescue Greece is a problem.

The Foreign Minister replied: "Your Majesty, the Russians have put forward conditions. Unless we join the alliance and declare war on Britain, France and other countries, they will not send troops to rescue."

If you ask your allies for help, you have to be allies first, right?The Kingdom of Greece is just an agreement between Austria and the Russians. They haven't fully implemented this kind of gentleman's agreement. Do you expect the Russians to take it seriously?

Otto I's face darkened, and he said angrily: "Didn't you tell the Russians about our difficulties? Greece's geographical location determines that we have no way to make enemies with Britain and France, or we will face disaster soon."

When he said this, Otto I still lacked confidence.Feng Shui turns. At the beginning, the Greeks were afraid of offending Britain and France, and wanted to grab the territory. They did not take care of the overall situation. Now they need others to take care of the overall situation.

"Your Majesty, the attitude of the Russians is very clear. They think that since we joined the war, we have already stood on the opposite side of Britain and France.

General Menshikov said: If we still regard them as allies, we will directly join the alliance. ’ explained the Foreign Secretary

This is a fact. Greece sent troops to attack the Ottoman Empire, which not only contained the Ottoman army, but also interrupted their local collection of supplies.

These gaps have to be filled by Britain and France. Although Greece has not declared war on Britain and France, it has already brought them losses in action.

Otherwise, the British would not have come to beat them in person. Now that they have not directly attacked the mainland of Greece, it is not because the British dare not, but because of political needs.

Attacking a sovereign country rashly is easy to be attacked by public opinion.The British also have to face, anyway, Greece is so weak, the British Army needs to use them to achieve success, it is not worth it for them to tear off the camouflage.

Otto I was in a dilemma. If he joined the alliance, the mainland of Greece would soon be patronized by the British and French navies. I don’t know how many port cities would be destroyed in the flames of war.

But they refused to join the alliance, and the Russians would not send troops to rescue them.

According to the current situation, it won't be long before the Greek army on the front line will be defeated all the way back to the mainland, and the enemy can also follow and kill all the way.

At that time, Greece will still be dragged into the war. It is impossible for him to abandon all the troops on the front line and prevent them from returning home, right?

If it really happened, it is estimated that the people will rebel against him immediately.

Otto I asked whimsically: "If we, as a neutral country, disarm the troops returning home, is it possible for the British to stop?"

……

Chapter 116 Marriage

It didn't take long for Otto I's fantasy to be shattered. He didn't need others to remind him, he knew it was impossible.

Regardless of domestic public opinion, they sent troops to attack the Ottoman Empire this time, and they must bear the unshirkable responsibility for the defeat of the coalition forces in the Second Bulgarian Battle.

The British army suffered heavy losses in this battle, and Downing Street has changed owners. If they are just let off like this, will the British lose face?

The London government could still accept the failure to defeat the Russians. Originally, the British had low expectations for the army, so losing to the Russians was not too embarrassing.

But after participating in a war, the British can't just watch the French show their power and become spectators, right?

In any case, the British Army urgently needs a successful victory to prove its strength.Unfortunately, Greece is their chosen soft persimmon.

If this were not the case, the Greek government would not have gained nothing after spending so long in public relations with the London government.

Otto I said helplessly: "Is it true that the army can't fight? Even if it's just a tie, we have the capital to negotiate!"

The Minister of War replied from the side: "Your Majesty, since the failure of the fight with the British, the morale of the army has completely disappeared, and people escape every day. If it is not restricted by military law, the soldiers on the front line do not know how many soldiers are left."

There is no way, this army is all pieced together, and it is all supported by nationalism and patriotism.Once this tone is vented, it will be revealed immediately.

Expecting this mob to defeat the enemy is simply a dream.

"deserter?"

Otto I's eyes lit up. He seemed to have thought of something, but he couldn't grasp it. He kept saying: "Deserter", "Deserter"...

Seeing the king who had fallen into a demon, everyone chose to remain silent tacitly.

After a long time, Otto I said in a low voice: "What if we break up the troops and break out?

As long as the evidence is not caught by the British, they will not do anything to us! "

It has to be said that Otto I was still a smart man, and he was not foolish enough to really form an alliance with the Russians.

The geographical location of Greece determines the strategic choice. Even if the Russians won the war, they could not escape the influence of Britain and France.

If they jump into the arms of the Russians now, they will be finished before the war is over.

The Prime Minister reminded: "Your Majesty, if you do this, you will lose a lot. Once these soldiers fall into the hands of the Ottomans, I am afraid that few of them will survive."

Since it is a civilian armed force, military discipline cannot be improved. There are revenge and complaints. The war has progressed to the present, and the seeds of hatred between the two sides have long since taken root and sprouted.

At this time, the so-called dispersal breakout actually means that the fight cannot be won, everyone run away!

And it is not possible to run directly back to the Kingdom of Greece, otherwise the enemy will follow and kill them, and they will have to disperse and detour back to the country from other areas.

In the case of the Greek army, there is no orderly evacuation. It is estimated that an order will directly turn into a rout, and obviously not many people can run back alive.

The family background of the Kingdom of Greece is not strong, and this army is mostly young and strong in their country. Once the losses are heavy, it will be a situation of "every family wears mourning and everyone cries".

"Do we have any other choice? We can't win the enemy on the battlefield, and the Russians are unwilling to send troops to rescue us. We can't count on the neighboring Principality of Montenegro to save us, can we?" Otto I asked rhetorically.

This war cannot be brought to the negotiating table, otherwise the British will not be able to afford the liquidation.Domestic nationalism is also not easy to provoke. These people not only don't cry until they see the coffin, but they are also the ones who can't afford to lose.

Anyway, he was going to lose, so Otto I naturally had to find a way to get out.

The army on the front line couldn't win, and everyone scattered to break through. No matter how much the loss was, it had nothing to do with the king on the surface. At least he didn't have to bear the political responsibility for the failure.

……

Vienna

Empress Dowager Sophie issued an ultimatum to Franz. No matter what, the marriage must be settled immediately. Even if she does not want to marry her niece, she must find a match.

This is not only her personal will, but also represents the will of the Habsburg family and the people of the empire. Everyone can't bear the emperor to continue being single.

Free love?Franz regretted that he had not had time to fall in love!

That being the case, it's better to get engaged to someone you know well than to marry someone you know nothing about. What if you get cheated on?

The day after Christmas in 1853, Franz became engaged to Princess Helene of the Wittelsbach dynasty.The whole process was arranged by Empress Dowager Sophie, and Franz just followed the procedure.

Appearance is justice, and Franz is still very satisfied with the buy one get one free deal.

How chaotic are the European nobility?This question cannot be answered. In short, apart from the fact that blood cannot be mixed, there are a lot of messy things, and the concept of chastity is frighteningly indifferent.

Although this marriage is not well-matched, we are childhood sweethearts. The fiancée entered the Vienna Palace early to ensure that it is the original product.

After the engagement, Franz and Princess Helen were restricted from close contact by the Empress Dowager Sophie, and it was absolutely not allowed to have an unmarried pregnancy.

Encountered a crisis of trust, Franz was very helpless, and he repeatedly assured that he was not a person who did not understand the rules.

However, Empress Dowager Sophie didn't believe in his character, and unceremoniously pointed out the things he thought he had kept secret before. Obviously, there were not many things in the palace that could be hidden from the mistress.

Before, it was to fool Franz and his niece to get engaged, so naturally he didn't mind these little things. Now that the overall situation has been settled, he must strictly guard against it and not make jokes.

Franz suspected that he was being tricked by his old lady, but after confirming again and again, he had to admit that his willpower was too weak to resist the temptation.

He is sure that this is definitely not his problem, it must be the sequelae of the trip to St. Petersburg, and his willpower will decline only after he was brought down by the Russian nobles.

These are minor problems, and he is responsible anyway, Franz is not at all cowardly.Even if he is not responsible, he is also not cowardly, a son is always higher than a niece.

In the context of the two marriages, all discordant factors must be eliminated in the cradle, and Franz is not worried that trouble will arise.

This marriage was more important to the Wittelsbach dynasty than to the Habsburg dynasty.Maximilian II, who had just arrived in Milan, could not do without the support of the Habsburg family if he wanted to secure his throne.

In agreeing to this marriage, Franz not only had a good relationship with Princess Helen, but also took political factors into consideration.

The annexation of the Kingdom of Bavaria made the newly joined royal families of Saxony, Hesse, and Württemberg a little worried. Even if the Wittelsbach dynasty was given the throne of Lombardy, it was still not enough to reassure them.

If it weren't for these royal families and princesses of the right age, maybe the partner of this marriage would have changed.Don't doubt Franz's integrity, he is often involuntary in front of politics.

If it is impossible to win them over through marriage, marriage with the Wittelsbach dynasty can also play a role. The Lombard Kingdom has a reduced right to speak in politics, but it is still a transfer at the same level in name.

On this issue, it was basically settled through negotiations. The Habsburg family did not have any enmity with the Wittelsbach dynasty. It is naturally feasible to eliminate that bit of unhappiness through marriage.

Under the common interest, everyone became an ally again.By the way, it also reassured the royal families of Saxony, Hesse, and Württemberg that the Habsburg family has food and will not swallow them all in one bite.

Franz can say with certainty that they are thinking too much.In addition to reducing the difficulty of reunification, not annexing these states, the more important thing is that reunification by force will cause indigestion.

National reunification is different from external expansion, and many radical methods cannot be used.In the absence of a major cleansing, if the hearts of the people cannot be regained, the local area will not be stable in the next ten or twenty years.

The overthrown royal family and interest groups will want to restore, there is no way to restore, they can also turn into a revolutionary party to overturn the table, everyone will fall apart, no one should think about it.

For details, you can refer to the February Revolution in France. Even Napoleon III can be elected president, and you will know the role played by the Bonaparte Party in this uprising.

The so-called usurping the fruits of the revolution is actually not accurate. He was the leader of the revolution from the beginning to the end, but he hid behind the scenes and manipulated it, and only jumped out at the last moment. Otherwise, how could Napoleon III seize power so easily?

As an emperor, Franz did not want to leave hidden dangers to his rule, and the first thing to consider was stability.

In history, Bismarck of the Second Empire advocated leaving so many states, not only because they were too weak to swallow them, but also for the sake of long-term stability.

Facts have proved that this method is very effective. No matter how many conflicts there are between the local government and the central government, it is carried out within the scope of the rules. It has never been heard that a certain state has rebelled.

The biggest gain from merging these German states is not resources, strategy, or political interests. The biggest gain is population, and it is a high-quality population.

According to the census two years ago, the total population of the Austrian Empire exceeded 700 million, second only to the Russians in continental Europe, but the main ethnic group was only 870 million.

In order to make the data look better, under Franz's suggestion, the Austrian government directly and artificially divided some mixed-race children with German ancestry into Germans.

Then the number of main ethnic groups expanded rapidly to more than 30 million, and the main ethnic groups rose from 23.5% to 27.8%.

Well, this is a bit too far-fetched.Many Germans with only one-quarter or one-eighth have become Germans. Franz is not such a rigid person, and the data will look much better if he is flexible.

This situation has finally been effectively resolved now, and the number of major ethnic groups has finally exceeded 40.00%.

With the development of the economy and the acceleration of population mobility, this kind of cross-ethnic marriage will definitely increase greatly in the future.

We have to admit that this oldest way of national integration is actually the most effective and least hidden way of national integration.

The current driving force for this kind of national integration is the unbalanced ratio of men to women in Germany. It is an urgent social reality that there are more men than women. This situation lasted until after World War II before it reversed.

In Hungary, on the other hand, there are more women than men. In addition to the decrease in the number of local young adults caused by the civil war, there is also the geographical environment.

Of course, the situation in Serbia and the duchies of the Danube River Basin is even more serious. Due to the war, the number of young and strong locals has dropped sharply.

If nothing is done, Franz can be sure that in the next 20 years, these areas will experience negative population growth, especially in Serbia.

These social backgrounds have created favorable conditions for national integration. How could Franz give up such an opportunity?

The question now is what to do so that everyone can marry. This is a headache.In this regard, Franz has no successful experience to learn from.

Chapter 117 Good Idea = Bad Idea

On the Crimea Peninsula, Britain, France and Russia continued to fight each other. To be precise, Britain and France were attacking, and the Russians were defending with all their strength.

The disadvantage of weapons and equipment is a blemish. Unlike the Russian army on the Balkan Peninsula, all of them have been equipped with arcane equipment, which is on par with Britain and France in terms of equipment.

The Russian army on the Crimean Peninsula was not so lucky. They were originally second-line troops in the country, and they rushed to the battle. Coupled with the corruption of the tsarist government’s bureaucratic system, multiple factors caused their tragedy.

In fact, at this time, Nicholas I had already decided to fully replace the arcane equipment, but because of the introduction of a production line in the country, the bureaucrats who cheated their teammates gave the order to the domestic military enterprises.

It takes time to debug the production line, and it still takes time to retrain workers. Peaceful times and so on are no problem.Now is the time of war, the Russian army on the battlefield can't wait!

So far, the Russians have not been able to maximize their production capacity. According to their speed, it will be impossible to completely refit the Russian army in the Crimea Peninsula within a year or two.

General Fitzroy Somerset, who had just been transferred to the commander-in-chief of the Crimea Peninsula, was furious. When he was fighting in the Balkans, he didn't feel that he needed to purchase anything directly from Austria.

When he got here, he discovered that the logistics of the Russian army was so bad. Not only were the new weapons not replaced in time, but even ordinary logistics materials often made mistakes.

Fortunately, the coalition forces on the opposite side were not as strong as those encountered in the Balkans. The Battle of Constantinople was still meaningful, at least to contain the elite French troops.

Fitzroy Somerset thought for a while and said: "Send a report to St. Petersburg, explaining our situation, and requesting that the country immediately replenish our supplies.

If the logistical supplies cannot be guaranteed, then the Crimea Peninsula can only be abandoned and the coastal areas of Ukraine will be retreated. "

It's fine if there is a lack of medical care, gray animals are worthless anyway, and he doesn't feel sorry for them when they die.The lack of guns and cannons is unbearable. If the guy has nothing to do, how can he fight a war?

As for whether he would offend others, Fitzroy Somerset no longer cared so much. If he lost the battle, he would be finished, no matter how serious the consequences were.

As a senior general of the Russian army, as long as he wins the war, even if he offends domestic interest groups, he can withstand the pressure.

The means of transportation for the Russian army in the Crimea Peninsula are mainly bullock carts. This time and space is still relatively good. The Russians are relatively well prepared and have hoarded a batch of supplies in the coastal areas, and there are many in the Crimea Peninsula.

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