Holy Roman Empire

Encountering such good weather in the past, Alexander III would definitely take his family out to bask in the winter sunshine.

At this moment, the top officials of the tsarist government gathered in the Gatchina Palace, discussing the next state policy.

Foreign Minister Oscar Jimenez: "Last night, at a banquet, the French minister revealed the news that the French government is preparing to increase its aid to us.

As long as the front-line troops conquer Herat, or the Wakhan Corridor, we will underwrite a billion franc war bond for us.

The intention of the French is very obvious, that is, to use our hands to weaken the British, and the Anglo-French alliance can be said to exist in name only.

Prior to this, the Austrian government also expressed a similar meaning, but the French were more anxious.

The British usually do too many bad things, and now the whole world is full of their enemies.The current international situation is very favorable to us, and the next step is to look at the military. "

Turning an enemy into an ally can be regarded as a miracle in the history of diplomacy.However, considering the complicated relationship between Britain and France, it is normal for this kind of thing to happen.

Britain and France are feuds, and there is absolutely no reason to cheat the British; if the French government wholeheartedly helps the British, then there is a real problem.

Army Minister Ivanov: "The front line is progressing very smoothly. We have pushed the front line to Herat, an important town in western Afghanistan, and Kunduz, a transportation hub in the east.

If we make a breakthrough at any point, we will take the initiative in the war.Judging from the current situation, the success rate of taking Herat or the Wakhan Corridor before the arrival of British reinforcements is still very high.

The only problem that tests us now is the logistics. As the front advances, the delivery of logistics supplies is getting slower and slower.

If this situation does not change, it won't be long before the troops on the front line will stop and wait for supplies. "

Anyone can throw the pot away, not to mention what Ivanov said is true.

The smooth progress of the Russian army in the early stage was based on sufficient supplies. With the outbreak of the war, the supplies stored before the outbreak of the war were exhausted, and now they must rely on the rear for delivery.

Hearing that the supply of logistics supplies was not available, Alexander III's expression suddenly turned ugly, and he turned his murderous eyes to the Minister of Logistics Argent, as if to say: You'd better give me a reasonable explanation, or else...

Argent, who had been prepared for a long time, explained calmly: "It is not our responsibility that the logistics supplies cannot be supplied.

The road in Central Asia is not smooth, and guerrillas often sabotage it, which seriously affects the progress of logistics and transportation.

In addition, the troops on the front line were mobilized from time to time, and the logistics department was not notified in many cases in advance. The people below often had to go the wrong way. How could they not be slow? "

Ivanov sneered and said: "If your logistics department can't do it, then leave the material transportation to our army department and don't make so many bad excuses.

Guerrilla attack?

The military has cleared the surrounding resistance organizations, and has sent heavy troops along the way to protect the safety of the transport team.

Since the start of the war, the transport convoy has been attacked by guerrillas 500 times in total, and the number of people at most does not exceed [-]. Among them, there are [-] incidents that you provoked on your own initiative.

In order to reduce conflicts, we even relocated the aborigines in the surrounding [-] kilometers, so you can all go the wrong way.

As for not notifying you in time, that's bullshit.

The large-scale material mobilization of the logistics department requires your approval in St. Petersburg. The person in charge of the front line only has the right to mobilize materials below the division level.

The situation on the battlefield is ever-changing. Our frontline generals don’t know what will happen next. They need to adapt to the situation. How can we notify in advance? "

The conflict between the military and the Ministry of Logistics is actually an extension of the conflict between the military and government bureaucrats. In the final analysis, it is still a dispute over the right to speak.

Logistics is the best way for the government to restrain the military. In the eyes of government bureaucrats, sacrificing a little efficiency in order to limit the military's expansion is not worth mentioning at all.

Especially after the invention of the telegraph and the acceleration of information transmission, many European countries have strengthened the control of logistics materials.

Not to mention this era, even during World War II, the logistics systems of various countries were still in chaos.

It's not that everyone doesn't know how to solve it. The problem is that once the government hands over logistics to the military, it loses checks and balances on the military, and it is easy for the military to become bigger.

Although there are problems with everyone's logistics system, this is a bad era. As long as others are a little bit better, it will be considered a success.

Argent replied calmly: "Your Excellency Marshal, professional matters should be left to professional people.

With all due respect, if you let your military manage the logistics, the situation will only be worse than it is now.

Don't forget that in addition to distributing materials, the logistics department is more important to raise materials. There are many problems involved in this.

As for the problem of untimely deployment, our logistics department is already trying to solve it, and the situation will improve after a while. "

It is absolutely impossible to hand over the right to deploy logistics materials.Without this part of power, the logistics department would really be a nanny, and it would still be the one without salary.

In addition to the loss of power, the more important thing is the loss of vital interests.The posts in the logistics department are all fat jobs. Only by controlling the procurement and distribution of materials at the same time can everyone make a fortune from it.

In order to dispel the idea of ​​the military, Argent did not hesitate to directly threaten.Clearly told Marshal Ivanov that without the cooperation of the logistics department, the military would not be able to raise supplies at all.

Alexander III pretended not to see the struggle of his subordinates.

He was happy to see the conflict between those in charge of soldiers and horses and those in charge of grain and grass; if the two were really as close as brothers, Alexander III would really have trouble sleeping.

Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Alisher, the chancellor of the exchequer, began to persuade: "Well, you two, the Ministry of Logistics has strengthened the power of front-line deployment officials and is directly responsible to Admiral Oginets to ensure the timely deployment of front-line supplies.

In addition, increase the speed of domestic material transportation, and purchase from Austria if the quantity is not enough. Anyway, we must do our best to ensure the needs of the frontline troops. "

The face of the funder has to be given. Whether it is the logistics department or the military, it must rely on the Ministry of Finance to allocate funds.

In this context, the Chancellor of the Exchequer also acts as a lubricant for coordinating conflicts among various departments.Although he does not have the name of the prime minister, he actually exercises some of the powers of the prime minister.

Marshal Ivanov did not imagine that he would actually get logistics rights. What the military did not get during the Russo-Prussian War is even more impossible now.

As long as the front-line commanders have the right to temporarily deploy front-line materials and ensure the supply of troops, he will be satisfied.

Marshal Ivanov accepted, and Argent couldn't find an excuse to refuse, so he could only bite the bullet and accept it.

The chaotic distribution of materials was not because he deliberately delayed the military.The root cause of this kind of thing is the insufficient supply of materials.

This involves deep-seated reasons. There are too many interest groups involved, and Argent can only choose to cover it up.

In the case of insufficient supplies, it is inevitable to tear down the east wall to make up for the west wall.In many cases, the distribution of materials is wrong, that is, the bureaucrats on the front line are forced to do nothing, and delay the time with the excuse of wrong distribution.

Anyway, the process of exchanging materials is very complicated, and time passes once they come and go.

The materials that should have been distributed for three months are likely to be fooled after being distributed for two months, and the remaining month will be saved.

No, it should be said that it was owed.When it can be cashed out depends on the specific situation. Anyway, as long as you don't play too much, there will be no big troubles.

What about the Russian army on the front line with insufficient supplies?

The ancestors had already thought of a solution to this problem, just send troops out to grab it. Anyway, this is the tradition of the Russian army.

Of course, this is also risky. During the original World War I, because the war lasted too long and the Russian army could not find a place to grab supplies, this routine collapsed and directly buried the Russian Empire.

After the episode passed, Alexander III laughed and said, "The situation is getting more and more interesting now, the Austrians support us in going to war against the British, and the French also support us in going to war against the British.

France and Austria actually thought of going together. If there is no conspiracy behind this, I would not believe it.

What do you think is the real purpose of France and Austria?What kind of benefits are enough for them to give us such a big deal? "

Suspiciousness is the instinct of the ruler. The means of France and Austria are not clever, and the traces of deliberately provoking the war between Britain and Russia are too obvious.

Knowing that there was a conspiracy in it, the Russian Empire might have become a pawn, but for the sake of profit, Alexander III still chose to jump into the pit.

There is no way, the current international situation is very clear, and the road to the west of the Russian Empire has been blocked.

There are lessons from the Prussian-Russian War that even the most radical war faction does not think that there is a future for expansion to the European continent.

The only thing left is to go north, go south, or go east.There is no doubt that there is no future for going north. The Arctic Ocean is still ice except for ice, and the only Nordic Federation is a tough bone.

Going east is not a good choice either, the weather is really bad.It will take a year to travel from the west to the east, which is not suitable for large army operations at all.

Going south has become the only and the best choice.Although you have to compete with the British, why not compete with the British these days?

Even as a chess piece, Alexander III had to be a chess piece that could jump out of the chessboard at any time, instead of being confused and being regarded as an abandoned piece.

Foreign Minister Oscar Jimenez: "Judging from the current international situation, France and Austria support us to start a war with the British. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that there are three main possibilities.

First, let us fight with the British to consume our strength, and France and Austria can enjoy the profits of the war.

Judging from the current level of support for us from the two countries, the suspicion of making war fortunes can be ruled out. The funds they provide us with trade alone cannot recover the cost.

Second, use us to severely damage Britain, and then carve up Britain.

This is even less likely.Although the French repeatedly promised that they would choose an appropriate time to go to war with the British, they asked Austria to declare war on the British first.

We have tried it out, and the Vienna government is not ready to turn against the British, let alone go to war with the British.

Third, France and Austria want to use the war in Afghanistan to hold us and the British so that they can take action on the European continent.

The specific action is still uncertain for the time being.Judging from the performance of France and Austria, we can judge that the French government is more eager.The Austrian government has been relatively indifferent, and they seem to have not yet made up their minds.

Based on this, we can preliminarily judge that France and Austria have not reached an agreement, and even the strategic goals of the two countries may conflict this time.

I personally think that the goal of France and Austria should be Central Europe.

Austria wants to take the opportunity to unify the German region, but they have no idea in their hearts, and they are not sure of completing the unification under the obstruction of the French, and they are unwilling to give up this opportunity.

The French attempted to use this opportunity to expand into Central Europe, with the goal of annexing parts of Belgium and the German Confederation.

It is mainly the territory west of the Rhine River, where there are coal mines that the French need most, which can make up for their shortcomings in resources.

Of course, this is just a guess, and the French government may not have such a big appetite.

After all, the strength of the German Federation is not weak, and with Austria on its side, it will definitely send troops to intervene.From the point of view of strength, the French's chances of winning against the German-Austrian coalition forces are not high.

Unless the French can make a quick decision and seize the established fact of occupying the above-mentioned territories before Austria sends troops, the Rhine River will naturally block the German-Austrian coalition forces. "

The strategic plan cannot be hidden if you want to. No evidence is needed, as long as there is a motive is enough. There is no doubt that both France and Austria have the motive to expand to Central Europe.

While launching the war with the British, the tsarist government did not ignore its concerns about the European continent.

In fact, if it weren't for France and Austria on the European continent to contain each other, the tsarist government would not dare to go south with all its strength.

Minister of War Ivanov shook his head: "I agree with your judgment, the third case is the most likely.

But on the details, I have a different opinion.It is true that France and Austria are interested in the Central Region, but the strength of the German Federation is not weak.

If Austria wants to annex the German Federation, it can do it from within through political means, and there is still a possibility of success.

If the French attack the German Federation, even if Austria does not intervene, they will lose a few teeth.

It is impossible for the French government to fail to see this. Instead of taking risks without being sure, it is better to take the next step and annex Belgium. "

Because of the Prussian-Russian War, the tsarist government's assessment of the combat effectiveness of the German states has all been raised to a higher level.

Purely on paper, the current German Federation is not weak.

Its military strength is similar to that of the old Pubo Federation, its economic aggregate is second only to the four countries of Britain, France, Russia and Austria, its heavy industry is equal to that of France, and its population is more than 500 million.

Marshal Ivanov did not think that the French would gnaw on this hard bone, especially since there was a lion ready to hunt behind this bone.

In contrast, the difficulty of annexing Belgium is much lower.Everyone doesn't know about Biomijo. On the surface, it seems that the annexation of Belgium also offended the British.

But as far as Anglo-French relations are concerned, offending is also offending.Even the issue of war bonds to the Russians has been done, and there is nothing the French dare not do.

Foreign Minister Oscar Jimenez shrugged: "Marshal, the French are not as sensible as you, they have always regarded themselves as the number one army in the world.

If you have never been to France, you may not know that the French are very arrogant.Since Napoleon III, the French government has been promoting the theory of French invincibility.

The concept of many French people is still stuck in the Napoleonic era, thinking that the world is invincible.Even if we had defeated them in the Near East War, it didn't change all that. "

The Near East War cannot be counted. Britain, France and Russia all claim to be winners. The only one who admits that he is a loser is the Ottoman Empire, which has disappeared in the long river of history.

Oscar Jimenez can talk about the Near East War, but Marshal Ivanov has no face to mention the Near East War.

Although the Russian army did win a strategic victory, it lost a mess tactically.The so-called victory is entirely based on human lives.

The battle loss ratio of the Russian army is simply impossible to see.In many cases, the Russian army had twice the strength and was beaten on the ground by others.

In the eyes of orthodox soldiers like Marshal Ivanov, it was not a victory for the Russian army, but a shame.

Sensing that the atmosphere was not right, Alexander III said, "Okay, the appetite of the French is just a small problem.

Although I don't want to admit it, the balance of power between the four major European powers has indeed been broken in recent years, and we are the weakest one.

The strength of the three countries of Britain, France and Austria is higher than ours. We are now able to compete with the British for the Afghan region, which is also the result of the support of France and Austria.

However, France and Austria can provoke a war between us and the British to reap the benefits of the fisherman, so why can't we follow suit?

The issue of China and Europe is the core conflict between France and Austria. Whether Austria wants to unify the German region or France wants to move eastward into Central Europe, as long as one of them takes the first step, fierce conflicts will erupt.

Now that we are at war with the British, France and Austria have no worries.If we push from behind, the possibility of a war between them is very high.

As long as we use the war to make both France and Austria suffer, we have the opportunity to re-establish our dominant position in the European continent, and we can pull them to the same starting line no matter how bad it is. "

Anyone can cheat teammates, France and Austria can use the Russian Empire as a pawn, and Alexander III can also fight back.

Britain and Russia have already fought, and the two countries will definitely suffer heavy losses after the war.If the strength of France and Austria is not consumed, then the strength gap between the four major powers will be completely widened.

Foreign Minister Oscar Jimenez reminded: "Your Majesty, once a war breaks out between France and Austria, we will lose foreign aid.

Without the support of France and Austria, and only relying on our own strength, the battlefield in Afghanistan may..."

Alexander III interrupted: "Don't worry, it won't happen overnight to start the French-Austrian war.

Even if action is to be taken, it will be when the dust on the battlefield in Afghanistan is about to settle.Before that, we were good allies.