Holy Roman Empire

There was a surge of sentiment in the Italian region, and under the instigation of the revolutionaries, uprisings emerged one after another in various places, as if a new round of revolutionary waves had broken out again.

The sudden Roman uprising, like a slap in the face of Napoleon III, cast a shadow over the nascent Great French Empire.

In the Palace of Versailles, the angry Napoleon III immediately roared: "The Ministry of War immediately sent troops to suppress it, and at all costs, put out this rebellion as soon as possible.

Hang all the leaders of the revolutionary party to me, that's right, hang them. This time, you don't have to show mercy, and they will all be killed without mercy. "

Obviously, Napoleon III at this time has been blown up.There have been too many bad things recently, which have exceeded his tolerance limit.

The Secretary of State for War, Patrice McMahon, quickly replied: "Yes, Your Majesty. We have made preparations, and the counter-insurgency troops will be dispatched today."

His Majesty the Emperor is angry, so he must show the greatest efficiency.Patrice McMahon still knew the seriousness of the consequences, and this gesture had to be made anyway.

On the same day, the troops will be dispatched to suppress the rebellion, and the time is indeed a little tight.But it doesn't matter, as long as your own troops move, then you can give the emperor an explanation.

This is the embodiment of political art, and it must be done beautifully.The strength of the Revolutionary Party has not been taken seriously by Patrice McMahon. In his opinion, as long as the large forces arrive, the rebellion can be suppressed at any time.

The only difficulty lies in how to wipe out the enemies without leaving hidden dangers for the future.

Chapter 56

The uprising happened in Rome, so many people saw the opportunity and fell into trouble one after another.International public opinion has criticized the French government even more, including the French media.

There is no way, this is the sequelae of confused thinking.Some people support the Reformation, while others oppose it, and most of them oppose it for the sake of opposition.

Perhaps Napoleon III was used to it, domestic public opinion did not have much influence on him, and he still suppressed the rebellion step by step.

This made the British very disappointed. The Italian uprising could not shake the foundation of France. As long as Paris is not chaotic, the Great French Empire will be difficult to defeat.

The facts were not unexpected. The massive Roman uprising lasted for less than a week before being suppressed by the French.To be exact, they resisted for a whole morning, and the rebel army was defeated.

A mob is a mob, and the hastily launched uprising looks massive, but the internal organizational relationships are chaotic.

The revolutionaries were unable to control the situation from beginning to end. Although the church members participated in the uprising, they feared the strength of the French and had no confidence in the revolution.

If you make a fuss, it means that the crying child has milk to eat.Show your strength to the French and strive for more favorable conditions for yourself, but you are not prepared to fight the French to the end.

The French counter-insurgency army arrived quickly. Seeing that the momentum was not good, the group quickly changed their positions and betrayed the Revolutionary Party.

Before Britain took action, the Italian independence movement fell into a low ebb.Except for some of the disbanded guerrillas who were still resisting, the cities controlled by the rebels returned to the French again.

In London, Prime Minister Benjamin has been very distressed recently. The situation in South Africa is tense, and the telegram for help arrives on time three times a day.

It was hard to plan an Italian independence movement, but it just started and came to an end.The independent spirit of the Italians is very strong, but there is no way to do it in actual combat.

There are a lot of talkative revolutionaries, and everyone shouts slogans very well.On the battlefield, these people are usually the first to run.

Of course, it was not without results. After the failure of the uprising, Italy's cultural industry developed substantially, and a large number of artists emerged.

The artistic creation of the Italians is not the concern of Prime Minister Benjamin. Now he is busy thinking about the aftermath.

With so many bad things happening during his tenure, he can almost announce that he doesn't have to participate in the next election, lest he lose too badly and lose face.

If you don’t make it to the next term, you won’t make it, and Prime Minister Benjamin doesn’t care anymore.But the immediate problem had to be dealt with, otherwise he would leave early before the election.

Queen Victoria, who doesn't interfere much in politics, has summoned him three times this week, asking him to come up with a plan as soon as possible to solve the current problems.

……

Foreign Minister McLean analyzed with a sad face: "Your Excellency, the current situation is very unfavorable to us, France and Austria have already stood together.

The Vienna government has acquiesced in the French annexation of Italy, and has not intervened from beginning to end, otherwise the Italian independence movement will not fail quickly.

In the Mediterranean region, they joined forces to compress us in a corner; in the South African region, they also united, posing a posture to seize the Cape of Good Hope.

From the perspective of the strategic layout, this time the French and Austrian alliance is not only for expansion in the European continent, it is very likely that they want to seize maritime hegemony.

Now we are losing the Mediterranean Sea, and if we lose the Cape of Good Hope, the distance to the Indian Ocean will increase significantly.

This is not an example of our control of India, including the control of the Far East will be affected.The tentacles of the Austrians have penetrated deep into the Arabian Peninsula, and they are very close to India.

For the time being, the Royal Navy can still suppress their ambitions, but in the context of the Franco-Austrian alliance, how long it can be suppressed is also unknown.

Now it's time to change our foreign policy. I propose that the French let us join the alliance at the cost of recognizing Greater France. "

Joining the alliance is not as simple as it sounds.Now that the French have annexed the Italian region, Austria has not gained much. At this time, the Paris government has made a compromise, and the Vienna government will definitely be dissatisfied.

Although it is not possible to determine the specific content of the French-Austrian alliance, McLean can still be sure that Austria has not yet obtained the benefits stipulated in the treaty.

In his opinion, the small income in South Africa is not enough for Austria's appearance fee. After all, Austria's investment in the South African War is also very large, and it is very difficult to recover the cost.

From the point of view of interests, the two partners do business together, and one makes a lot of money, while the other makes a lot of money. This kind of cooperation is doomed to fail.

Prime Minister Benjamin rubbed his forehead, hesitating.It is easy to admit the Great French Empire, but the sequelae are very serious.

This means that the old enemy France has once again grown stronger.On the bright side, after the annexation of the Italian region, the overall national strength of the French Empire directly increased by one-third.

If the internal integration is completed, the strength of the French will continue to grow, and Britain will lose many of its advantages over France.

Unlike Austria, which is blocked by France and Spain, the London government does not feel much pressure.

France, which is separated by water, is different. The British have to face this pressure, and the London government has always been the most vigilant.

"Then give it a try. The French-Austrian alliance poses too great a threat to us, and we must dismantle them. There are also many people in the Austrian government who oppose the Great French Empire, and these people can be used."

Having made this decision, Prime Minister Benjamin breathed a sigh of relief.Although the Royal Navy has always vowed to guarantee the safety of Britain, he still feels the pressure to face the two major powers at the same time.

He is also considered unlucky. Looking at the history of British diplomacy, this should be regarded as the era when they were most isolated.

After the tireless efforts of the ancestors, the European countries that paid expensive tuition fees are not so easy to fool now.

Seeing that France and Austria tended to form an alliance, everyone chose to play wisely and protect themselves.It is right to oppose the establishment of the Great French Empire, but they are all talking about it, and their actual actions are still on the sidelines.

This made Prime Minister Benjamin very distressed. The anti-French alliance had become in name only, not to mention the secret anti-Austrian alliance. They dare not bring it up at this time.

In case of a stimulus, France and Austria simply tore off the last disguise, and divided up Europe in a fair manner, and then they would shoot themselves in the foot.

France and Austria must have a war for European hegemony. This concept was proposed by his predecessor John Russell. In order to drive a wedge between the two countries, they also publicized it.

The plan will never keep up with the rapid changes. Conflict between France and Austria will erupt for European hegemony. This is the consensus of everyone, but it is hard to say when this conflict will erupt.

For example: France and Austria now have another idea that is more widely spread, that is, to clear the field first, so as not to let people profit from it.

This is hard work. Both sides intend to restrain their conflicts, and they must kill the fisherman first before a decisive battle. This makes them, the fisherman, feel awkward.

One problem solved, another old problem surfaced.Colonial Secretary Louis said: "Everyone, the situation in South Africa is tense, and everyone has seen the telegram for help.

If you still don't want to lose the Cape of Good Hope, then send reinforcements as soon as possible!The casualties on the front line were very high. If we were slow to react, maybe they would have surrendered directly to the enemy. "

Using surrender as a threat to force the government to send reinforcements.This is not a clever plan. The London government will indeed make a compromise now, but it will also settle accounts in the future.

There is no doubt that this is not the handwriting of Governor Delphi.As a politician, he wouldn't put himself in it.

However, there are still people who are not afraid of the London government, and private colonial companies are not afraid.They are also an important part of South Africa's armed forces. They do not mix in the political arena, and they still have backgrounds. They don't care about offending the cabinet at all.

Not only the colonial companies, but also the middle and lower bureaucrats in the colonial government didn't care about the London government.They are not soldiers and have no responsibility to defend the land. Even if they are held accountable after the war, they will not be able to catch up with these little shrimps.

This non-threatening telegram appeared in the London government.If the reinforcements are delayed and there is no hope of victory, these people may really surrender in order to save their lives.

The atmosphere fell into embarrassment. Everyone has seen the casualty data reported by the Governor's Office in Cape Town recently.

If it is seen by ordinary people, it is a set of data.On average, there are 800 casualties per day, plus more than ten times the glorious battle results, this loss is not worth mentioning at all.

Laymen watch the excitement, while experts watch the doorway.These people still know a little bit of military common sense, and they are very aware of the consequences of going on like this.

You must know that the attacking forces are all the cannon fodder troops in the hands of the enemy. There are as many as there are, no matter how heavy the loss is, the enemy will not feel distressed.

In this case, the blow to the morale of the army can be imagined.The best choice is to launch a counterattack and have a decisive battle with the enemy, otherwise they will suffer a loss if it takes so long.

Once bitten, twice shy.

The governor of Delphi has fought against his opponent more than a dozen times, all of which ended in failure. All his ambitions have been wiped out, and he dare not go out of the city for a decisive battle.

The London government did not dare to issue such an order, as everyone was afraid of taking responsibility.Although there are a large number of British troops in Cape Town, it is not that they are incapable of fighting, but it is a pity that everyone does not have the courage to fight.

Governor Delphi expects the London government to send more troops to crush them directly with absolute strength, but the London government has no troops to send.

The British Army is so small. If all the troops are sent out today, an independence uprising will break out in Ireland tomorrow.The London government is well aware of the Irish people's desire for independence.

If the army wants to expand its army, the navy will not agree first.Armament expansion is easy, but disarmament is difficult.

Once the size of the army expands, it is not so simple to reduce the size.Even if you think about it with your fingers, everyone knows that the Army will have enough excuses to keep the establishment.

Everyone here knows that although the situation in South Africa is in crisis, it is not at the point where it is about to fall.There are still so many troops in Britain. As long as there are no internal problems, the enemy will not be able to conquer Cape Town for a while.

Behind the crisis of the situation, what role the Army played is also a difficult question to answer.

Regardless of the fact that the Secretary of the Army does not say a word, the Ministry of the Army has actually made a lot of efforts to promote the military expansion plan.

The South African War provided them with another excellent opportunity.If the London government wants to continue to send reinforcements, it must first expand its army.

Secretary of State Fox waved his hand and said: "Don't look at me, you all know that the British army is very small, and the officers and soldiers are very busy now, and there is no spare force to reinforce the Cape Town front.

Didn't Delphi need [-] reinforcements?As long as the cabinet also expands the army by [-], I can send reinforcements there within a month. "

The reinforcements will be sent there in a month. If there is no preparation in advance, no one will believe it.

Of course, it is also possible that it is bragging B, and this is not the first time this kind of thing has happened.At that time, various accidents will occur as a reason for delaying the dispatch of troops.

Secretary of the Navy Robert said sarcastically: "I remember that the army of the Boer Republic in South Africa was [-] or [-], which was less than half of the Cape Town garrison.

After all the wars have been fought like this, you still have the nerve to expand the army. Isn't this a waste of British resources? "

Without waiting for Fox to retort, Robert said first: "Don't rush to explain, I know you want to say that the enemy has a bunch of servants, but can a group of impromptu captured men and natives who charged with sticks be considered an army?

Although the troops in our colony are not all elite, the enemy army on the opposite side is also a mob.From the outbreak of the war to the present, the Austrians have not had any regular army on the battlefield.

The composition of the army of the Boer Republic is well known to everyone.It was a group of civilian armed forces who recruited a group of young men on the spot, and fought all the way from the Transvaal to Cape Town.

It's time for you to reflect on why our army's combat effectiveness is so poor?

The Army has made enough jokes over the years.I don't want to improve the combat effectiveness of the troops, but just want to expand the number, and I can only give the enemy a record on the battlefield. "

Robert and Fox have no personal grievances, but identities determine positions.It is related to the competition for military expenses, and Robert, as the Secretary of the Navy, directly uncovered the scars of the Army.

Fox slapped the table angrily, and retorted: "Nonsense, the army's combat effectiveness is not as good as that of the Austrians, which is determined by insufficient military expenditure.

Just comparing the military budgets of the two sides is enough to explain all the problems.Since the outbreak of the South African War, we have been suppressed by the enemy's firepower, otherwise we would not suffer so many defeats! "

There are thousands of reasons to be afraid of whoever is talking.To be able to reach the current position, they all sprayed with people all the way.

Sea-land disputes exist in almost every country, and Prime Minister Benjamin had to come out to make peace. Now both sides have a reason, and he is the only one left to ignore it.

"Enough, this is not a place for you to quarrel, if you want to quarrel, go out and quarrel."

The two looked at each other and fell silent.The issue of army expansion has also been shelved.Robert has no joy of victory, and Fox has no dissatisfaction with defeat.

Obviously, this kind of thing has happened many times. Almost every time the government will support the navy, and then appease the army, slightly improve the treatment, or expand the establishment slightly.

The problem of reinforcing Cape Town was quickly resolved.Compared with the cannon fodder troops, John Bull will not be persuaded until the Indians are dead.

The only problem is that the finances are unbearable. Combat tasks that can be completed by [-] British troops may not be able to be completed by [-] Indian troops.

It looks cheap on the surface, but in fact, whoever uses it knows.If the quality is not enough, then use the quantity to make up.

In the world war in the original time and space, the British army had to go to the battlefield in person, which is enough to show that the cost performance of the Indian colonial army is not enough.

Otherwise, the London government would have killed the enemy with the Indian colonial army long ago.

Chapter 57 Growing up in Blood and Fire

The change in British foreign policy soon caused a chain reaction.After all, the French did not resist the temptation to accept the British to join the alliance, and the pressure turned to Austria.

Vienna is extremely cold this winter, and before Christmas, Schönbrunn Palace has already been covered with a layer of silver.

Stepping on the snow, the creaking sound is still so pleasing to the eye.

Franz, who is in a good mood, is no longer troubled by the diplomatic changes.Since the French dared to let the British join the alliance, he didn't care about one more shit-stirring ally.

Originally, France and Austria were not stable, but now there is an extra Englishman with a ulterior motive, and Franz has already seen the future of the collapse of this alliance.

Of course, it is still good for everyone in a short period of time.The alliance of Britain, France and Austria can bring everyone's prestige to the peak, and all countries in the world will tremble under this alliance.

Stepping into the meeting room, Foreign Minister Weisenberg has already appeared in the room, and there is a cup of steaming coffee on the table. Obviously, he has been here for a while.

The purpose is self-evident, and it is natural to communicate with Franz in advance whether to form an alliance with the British.

Thanks to the good reputation of the British, the Vienna government has not been very enthusiastic about forming an alliance with them. Even the pro-British faction in the government does not think the British are a good ally.

After the polite greetings were over, Franz asked directly, "What do you think?"

Foreign Minister Weisenberg paused, as if trying to organize his language, and replied after a while: "Your Majesty, the French have already compromised, and there is no need for us to continue the stalemate.

The British joined the alliance, which was not destined to last long.However, the Franco-Austrian alliance is originally a combination of interests, and it will expire in just a few years.