Holy Roman Empire

In this regard, Franz still has integrity. He has never found a shooter, and naturally he has no works that he can produce.

Destroying the evidence of the failure of creation, Franz was about to start all over again when the maid hurried over.

"Your Majesty, I just heard the news that the Tsarist government handed over the Commonwealth War Book at noon yesterday."

Hearing this news, Franz put down his pen and instructed: "Go on, pack your luggage immediately and prepare to go back to the palace."

When the Russian-Prussian War broke out, not only the situation in Europe has changed, but even the situation in the world will also change.Despite being well prepared, Franz had to go back and preside over the bigger picture.

……

Since it is an outing, it is naturally impossible to go far.In the evening, the carriage drove into the palace again.Before there was time to rest, Franz convened a cabinet meeting.

Foreign Minister Weisenberg: "This morning, the Berlin government also handed over the gauntlet to the Russians, and the second Prussian-Russian war has broken out in full force.

This afternoon, William I released the "Speak to the People", calling on the people and the Russians to fight to the death.

At the same time, a nationwide mobilization mechanism was launched.From now on, all men between the ages of 15 and 60 in the Pubo Federation will be included in the reserve training. "

"15 to 60 years old", there is no doubt that this is the most vigorous mobilization in Europe, and even in the world.

The last one that was so crazy was the Principality of Montenegro. During the First Near Eastern War, the Principality of Montenegro mobilized all the men in the country.

Franz did not accuse the madness of the Berlin government. In the face of life and death, no matter what decision it makes, it is understandable.

"How about the response of the people of the Commonwealth of Pubo? Do the people support the actions of the Berlin government?"

The most important thing for extreme mobilization is the full cooperation of the people.During World War II, Bulgaria, with a population of just over 400 million, mobilized 126 million troops, relying on the full support of the people.

Foreign Minister Weisenberg: "The time is too short, and we have not been able to investigate in depth. However, from the previous information, the people should support the war.

Especially the Polish people, they hate the Russians very much.If this war goes well, the Commonwealth of Pubo will really become a country after the war. "

Dabobo's awareness of national independence can be said to be the strongest in the world.William I was able to pull the two countries together, and the most important thing was the common enemy - the Russian Empire.

Under the repression of external forces, the two countries reluctantly leaned against each other, but they were still two countries in essence.Poland still retains an independent government, but there is a central government on its head.

The current political structure of the Pope Federation is somewhat similar to that of Austria before 1848.Poland is like Hungary, which wants to be independent, but because of the threat of the Russians, it does not dare to be independent.

Now the opportunity has come. Once the war breaks out, the Polish government will not have the confidence to refuse the central government's intervention in internal affairs.Power is easy to give away, but difficult to get back.

Don't think, Franz knows what the Berlin government will do next.Taking the opportunity of joint operations, he took command of the Polish army; taking advantage of the opportunity of coordinating logistics, he took command of transportation and local governments.

If the means are clever enough, they can also use a knife to kill people and take the opportunity to weaken Poland's strength.As long as a large number of men were killed and wounded, Poland would not be able to stop the general trend of the merger between the two countries after the war.

Prime Minister Felix: "Not only the Poles want war, but the Junkers have the right to speak in the Prussian region, and their desire to fight is very strong.

The victory of the last war has made many people get carried away.If this war allows them to easily win again, it is estimated that someone will want to challenge us. "

For a great Germanist, the Pope Confederation was a cancer.The stronger the Commonwealth of Pope, the less chance of Austrian unification of the German region.

There is no way, a single Kingdom of Prussia can also let them join the Shinra Empire. If another Poland is added, it will be too much.

No matter what changes in Austrian focus, Felix's belief in a unified Germany never changed.

Even though he is over seventy years old, Felix still insists on visiting all the states in the German region once a year to promote "Great German Thought".

This is clearly not what these state governments want to see.If it weren't for the fact that Austria's advantage was too great, the vested interests needed to leave a way for themselves, and Felix would have been shut out long ago.

Franz smiled slightly: "Don't worry, my Prime Minister. The Russians are not soft persimmons, and this war will not be over in a short time.

Britain and France support the Commonwealth of Commonwealth, and we support the Russian Empire. Both sides want money and money, and they want materials and materials, and the last thing to fight is people.

The commanding ability of the federal officers of the Pubo is stronger, and the domestic infrastructure is more complete; the Russians have a vast land and a large population.Both sides have their own advantages, and this war has to be fought. "

Even wars are often the most brutal.For the common interests of all, Britain, France and Austria will not let them end the war easily.

Foreign Minister Weisenberg: "Your Majesty, before the outbreak of the Russian-Prussian War, the Berlin government not only sold its only colony, but also sold all its overseas colonial strongholds.

The buyers were all French, even if someone had offered a higher price.There are various indications that there is an unknown transaction between the French and the Commonwealth.

During William I's visit to Paris, the Austrian threat theory was also put forward.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that the secret agreement between the French and the French should be aimed at us. "

The secret appointment is the most troublesome thing.Franz has always been playing secret appointments and cheating people. He didn't expect Feng Shui to take turns, and now it's his turn to worry.

After pondering for a while, Franz waved his hand: "Forget about the Franco-Prussian Secret Pact, before the end of the Russian-Prussian War, even if they wanted to target us, they would not have the strength.

The French economy is already in trouble, and if their African development plan fails, the good days of the Paris government are over. "

Franz has downgraded the French threat by two notches since Napoleon III annexed the Italian regions.The Italian region looks like a piece of fat, but it is actually a glossy appearance.

In the industrial age, development is inseparable from resources.The Italian region happens to be the region with the most scarce resources in Europe. If the French want to digest it, they must first solve the resource problem.

Unfortunately, France is not rich in resources, and its own development is not enough.If it is not enough, it can only be imported. Now "Grand France" imports a large amount of industrial raw materials every year.

France has been running a trade deficit since 1870.If the franc can become a world currency, a small deficit can easily be made up.

Unfortunately, under the squeeze of the British pound and the Aegis, the living space of the franc is already very small, and more and more countries are unwilling to reserve the franc.

Against this background, the outflow of gold and silver is naturally unstoppable.Fortunately, in this era, there are still many countries that directly use gold and silver as their currency. With their solid wealth, the Paris government has smoothed out the deficit by selling silver.

This situation is obviously unsustainable, and there are only two paths before the French government, either to increase exports or to reduce imports.

There is no need to think about increasing exports. Because of the cost of industrial production, French industrial and commercial products have always been uncompetitive in the international market.

If exports cannot increase, then imports can only be reduced.It is against this background that the development of the African continent has become the national policy of the Paris government.

Of course, this development is different from the development in Austria. The French just want to establish a raw material origin, but they are not prepared to localize.

……

At the Palace of Versailles, the news of the outbreak of the Russian-Prussian War came, and Napoleon IV immediately decided to hold a banquet to celebrate the good news.

Looking forward to the stars and the moon, it is finally here.In recent years, the French economy has encountered bottlenecks and has been in a downturn for several years.

Economy Minister Elsa: "Your Majesty, the outbreak of the Russian-Prussian War is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for domestic industry and commerce, but it is also accompanied by a crisis.

Compared with the gains brought by the war, the profits that can be obtained by investing in the North African colonies are too small.If we can't solve this problem, I'm afraid our African continent development plan will fail again. "

Development is inseparable from capital. Without sufficient capital investment, the development plan of the African continent will naturally fail.

Originally, the French capitalists had no interest in developing the colonies, just because of the excess domestic capital, there were not enough investment projects.With the continuous efforts of the government, it was reluctant to persuade some people to invest in the colony.

It's different now. The Russian-Prussian war broke out and new opportunities for making money appeared.

Anyone with a bit of political savvy knows that this war will not be over in a short period of time.As long as you invest in war-related fields, you can get rich returns.

Rather than invest in a colony that sees no return, stay and make a fortune in war.In the face of interests, everyone knows how to choose.

Napoleon IV's good mood disappeared instantly.The African strategy is of great importance to the French economy, and the outbreak of the Prussian-Russian War meant that all their early efforts were in vain.

……

Chapter 229 No time to care

London, the British government has been busy since the news of the outbreak of the Russian-Prussian War.

Prime Minister Benjamin: "What, you want to expand the army again?"

Secretary of the Army Fox reminded solemnly: "Your Excellency, we have not expanded our army for many years. Except for wartime, the army establishment has not increased for almost 50 years."

Benjamin replied embarrassedly: "Sorry, I made a mistake. Tell me the reason, why did you think of expanding the army?"

The presence of the British Army is too low, and the navy is usually required to expand the army.Suddenly receiving the Army's application for military expansion, Prime Minister Benjamin used "again" habitually.

Fox is used to this situation.Such is the position of the British Army that it is rarely a matter of government attention except when needed.

"The Russian-Prussian war broke out, and the situation in Europe is about to be reshuffled. We need a strong army to deal with emergencies."

Chancellor of the Exchequer Garfield Bromley Angelon objected: "No, the situation in Europe is still under our control. As long as the Fau balance is not broken, there will be no problems.

Moreover, even if the balance of Europe and the continent is broken, I don't think that expanding the army will change anything. "

Harsh as it is, it's true.The Austrian standing army is more than 60, and the French standing army is also close to 50.

Both Prussia and Russia, which are at war, have mobilized millions of troops, and the total strength of the two countries alone on the battlefield exceeds 120 million.

How big is the British standing army?

13.6 million!

Of course, this is not all the armed forces of the British Empire.In the vast colony, the British still have 60 million colonial troops, as well as several civilian armed groups.

However, the combat effectiveness of the colonial army was notoriously low.When considering European issues, people habitually ignore these troops.

Fox's face darkened instantly, this was a blatant provocation.In the last few wars, the army's performance has not been very good, so he has no confidence to speak.

No matter what the combat effectiveness of the army is, Fox, as Minister of the Army, must maintain the dignity of the army, and immediately asked, "Your Excellency, are you doubting the combat effectiveness of the army?"

Doubt that the combat effectiveness of the army is okay, but if you say it so blatantly, it will not work.Compared with the Royal Navy, the British Army is a little brother, but there is also a large group of people behind this little brother.

For one sentence, offending such a large group of people is obviously not the act of a wise man.

Realizing the blunder, Garfield immediately remedied: "No, I never meant to doubt the combat effectiveness of the Army.

What I mean is that the number of the army is too small, and there is no way to compare it with the European countries.

As an island nation, it has been decided that Britain's center of gravity must be placed on the sea.In this context, the amount of power we can put into the Army is very limited. "

After listening to this explanation, Fox's expression softened a little: "It is precisely because of the gap that we have to catch up and narrow the gap with Fao.

The size of our army is totally incommensurate with Britain's international standing.Don't talk about shocking Fao, even a third-rate country dares to despise us. "

After reading the document, Prime Minister Benjamin took up a pen and circled a number on it to stop the quarrel between the two: "Sir Fox, your military expansion plan has exceeded reality.

History has proven that Britain does not have the strength to compete for hegemony in Europe, and maintaining a balance is the best choice.

To achieve this goal, diplomacy is the core, the Army does not need to use Fao as an imaginary enemy, which is beyond our ability. "

Faced with this situation, Fox was unmoved, and this is not the first time that military expansion has been rejected.Something like this happens almost every year.

The military does not want to expand the army, especially the army raised by the stepmother.Pass it or not, try it every year at the end of the year.

It is not expected to achieve all the goals, as long as the establishment of a regiment can be increased, it is a great victory.

"Prime Minister, even if you don't consider the situation in Europe, the colony can't ignore it, right? In recent years, the pressure on the colony has been increasing.

Especially in the Indian colonies, we are still preparing to use troops against Afghanistan and Persia.

If the army is not expanded, the colonial army alone may not be able to complete the government's plan. "

Benjamin frowned, Austria expanded its power to the Persian Gulf region, and they also felt the pressure.

In order to curb Austria's expansion, the London government formulated a Persian strategy, preparing to occupy the Persian region before Austria finished digesting the Arabian Peninsula.

As for the Afghan strategy, that is an issue left over from history.As a world hegemon, John Bull also wants to save face. He failed to invade Afghanistan a few years ago, and naturally he has to find his way back.

When the Russian-Prussian War broke out, the energy of the tsarist government was contained in Europe, which was a good opportunity to start.If you wait for the Russians to recover, and then try to seize this place, it will not be as simple as it is now.

Seeing that the Prime Minister was moved, Secretary of the Navy John Vasil immediately said: "With the current size of the Army, it is indeed impossible to complete so many tasks.

But we still have time. After Austria digested the Arabian Peninsula, their next target should be the Ottoman Empire.Before the fall of the Ottomans, we don't have to worry about them competing with us for Persia.

The same is true in Afghanistan, where the Prussian-Russian war will not end for a while.We need to worry about this threat only if the tsarist government wins the war.

As things stand, the chances of the Russians wanting to win the war easily are almost nil.After this war, the tsarist government will have to cultivate for at least ten years.

Such a long time has been enough for us to do a lot.If the Army can't get the job done, we Marines can do it for you. "

Suppressing the army is the core strategy of the Royal Navy, and its importance is no less than the suppression of France and Austria, or even more important.

Insufficient troops?

After the outbreak of the war, temporary expansion will do, so why increase the establishment!

From the Navy's point of view, the Army is superfluous.It is enough to have the Royal Navy and colonial troops for overseas expansion; it is enough to have the police to maintain local law and order. What is the Army used for?

Even if it is to suppress the rebellion, the marines can still be on board!The big deal is to expand the establishment, and there is no need for the army to join in the fun.

Of course, this is just a thought. No matter how unpopular the Army is, it is impossible for the London government to abolish it.

The simplest checks and balances are still clear to everyone.If there is no army, wouldn't the country's military power fall into the hands of the navy.

Benjamin nodded: "Let's put this issue on hold and discuss it later. If the War Department has any doubts, it can be directly submitted to the parliament for discussion.

Now let's talk about the Prussian-Russian War. This war seems to be limited to Eastern Europe, but it has actually affected the world situation. "

The parliament is the best shield. When any issue comes to the parliament, it is not possible to discuss the results in a day or two. It can be called the best weapon for delaying time.

Foreign Secretary Edward: "The Russian-Prussian War is arguably the largest war in European and even human history.

According to the information from the embassy, ​​the total mobilized troops of Prussia and Russia are about to exceed 300 million.Perhaps it won't be long before both sides will invest millions of troops to fight.

It is really hard to imagine that this is just Prussia and Russia. If France and Austria are mobilized, I am afraid it will be even more terrifying.

The war has just begun, and no one knows the outcome.The only thing that is certain is that this war will be very brutal, and millions of people may be killed. "