Holy Roman Empire

Even the Catholic Church, which had supported him, received 1852 million francs in 4280.Compared with Franz, the emperor who attacked the church as soon as he came to power, Napoleon III was obviously a good boy.

On the day when the new emperor succeeded to the throne, Napoleon III also considered the interests of the common people and abolished a series of exorbitant and miscellaneous taxes.

Then everyone was happy and shouted "Long live the emperor", and the only problem was finances.

With the increase and decrease of expenditure and income, the French government's finances are not far from bankruptcy.

Manipulating people's hearts is Napoleon III's strong point, but when it comes to governing the country, he is still a novice and has just started.

In order to consolidate his rule, Napoleon III also expanded the number of civil servants, and the number of French administrative officials increased from 47 to 62.

It is worth mentioning that in response to the crisis in the Near East, Napoleon III planned to continue to expand the army, but was forced to shelve this plan due to financial difficulties.

Looking at the financial statements on the verge of bankruptcy, Napoleon III asked with a headache: "Ruet, what can you do to solve the financial crisis?"

Rouai replied with a wry smile: "Your Majesty, let's negotiate with the consortium. We need their support to tide over the difficulties."

I don't know who it is. He took the title of "Deputy Emperor" to deceive people. Since then, Roue began to restrain himself in front of Napoleon III.

Fortunately, this is the European continent. If it was the Eastern world, he would have died by this time.

Even though he was still in high position and weight, Rue knew that Napoleon III, who became emperor, was different from Louis Napoleon Bonaparte before he succeeded to the throne.

As the number two person in this group, you must pay attention to your words and deeds.Too cautious will not work, it will affect their relationship between the monarch and his subjects; too arrogant will not work, it will make Napoleon III disgusted.

Seeking the support of the consortium, this suggestion is quite satisfactory.Nothing innovative, but very effective.

The French government is poor, but the French consortium is very rich.After years of capital accumulation, the title of usury empire has emerged.

However, this is not a long-term solution, and there is a price to be paid to obtain the support of the consortium. Without enough benefits, it is difficult for them to pay.

Chapter 61 The Near Eastern War Begins

On February 1852, 2, the Ottoman Empire rejected the rude request of the Russians, the negotiations in Constantinople ended in failure, and the Russo-Turkish war was inevitable.

This was not unexpected to everyone. No one could agree to the request of the Russians.

If it is just a little leftovers, maybe the decadent Ottoman government will bear it, but if you want to swallow them in one bite, there is no way to compromise.

A week later, the Sudanese government also rejected Austria's conditions, and the war entered a countdown.

From a military point of view, it is very unwise to fight on two fronts.

In theory, let Austria occupy Moldavia and Wallachia, and Russia and Turkey will be separated in the Balkans, and the military pressure of the Ottoman Empire will be much smaller.

However, politically speaking, the Sudanese government can't compromise at all. If it shows a little weakness at this time, the support of Britain and France may change.

Maybe Britain and France will compromise with the Russians. When the four major powers come together to carve up the Ottoman Empire, it will really be over.

Although the Ottoman Empire was decayed, they were still a "powerful country" on the surface.Before the weak nature is exposed, Britain and France still have confidence in them.

The four major powers in Europe are divided into two waves, and the remaining countries are naturally neutral. They follow the footsteps of their bosses, and even if they join the war, how can they fight and kill if everyone is a civilized person?

The reputation of the Ottoman Empire in Europe is very bad. Of course, the reputation of the Russians is not much better. They are considered bad brothers and brothers, and they are unpopular masters in Europe.

It's just that the reputation of the Ottoman Empire is even worse, and Franz sent people to find out the old accounts of the Ottomans, so the support of the Russians in public opinion is even higher.

The response of the people gave the Russians confidence.Nicholas I regarded himself as the liberator of the Christian world, and Franz also carried this banner.

On March 1852, 3, the Russian Empire officially declared war on the Ottoman Empire, and the Ninth Russo-Turkish War broke out.

On March 3, under the order of Nicholas I, the Russian army launched an attack on the Ottoman Empire.

This time the tsarist government was very disciplined, operating in strict accordance with international practices, and did not engage in any undeclared war.

Vienna

Before the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War, the Russians notified Austria in accordance with the alliance agreement. Franz immediately ordered the whole army to prepare for war, and at the same time held two enlarged military and political meetings.

Marshal Radesky pointed to the military map and analyzed: "Look, everyone, according to the judgment of our General Staff, the Russians have three offensive routes to choose from this time.

First, attack from the Caucasus; second, attack from the Balkans; third, attack from the sea.

The Russian army's attack from the Caucasus region has little to do with us and can be ignored.

If they launch an attack from the Balkan Peninsula, they must first occupy the duchies of Moldavia and Wallachia. According to the agreement, this is our sphere of influence.

Then we must take action, otherwise the westward strategy will be ruined. As long as the Russians leak the secret agreement, the three countries of Britain, France and Prussia will stare at us.

If they were to attack from the sea, there would be many options for landing, including port cities on the Black Sea coast of the Ottoman Empire.

From a military point of view, these three offensive routes are all feasible, and the Russians may choose one or two of them, or attack all three together. "

Without the intervention of Britain and France, the Russians have too many choices.The decaying Ottoman Empire is full of loopholes, and it is simply impossible to guard against.

Once Britain and France intervene, the sea attack will cease to exist.It’s okay for the Black Sea Fleet to bully the Ottoman navy, but they can only deliver food when they encounter the British and French navies.

For Austria, the most embarrassing thing for them is that the Russians fought along the Balkan Peninsula. If the Russians are allowed to occupy the Danube River Basin, it will be difficult for them to withdraw.

As for the covenant, from the moment it was signed, it was meant to be torn up.As long as the interests are large enough, any alliance is unreliable.

Metternich thought for a while and said: "The westward strategy must not be exposed. If it attracts the attention of all countries, it will be difficult for us to unify the southern German region."

Everyone nodded. Austria has already paid too much for the westward strategy. If it is exposed at a critical moment, it will be a big loss.

What Austria wants to unify the South German region is not to smash the South German region.

If there is a sudden attack, with the help of the Leading Party, Munich will be occupied immediately, and the war can basically be declared over.

In essence, the westward strategy is "three parts military, seven parts politics".Austria mainly uses political inducement to surrender to the governments of these states, and military strikes are only auxiliary.

If the plan is exposed, with the support of the great powers, the South German states and Austria will fight to the end, even if they win, it will not be worth the loss in the end.

If there is more bloodshed on both sides, it will be difficult to rule these places.Austria's annexation of South Germany was to enhance its national strength, not to increase trouble.

Marshal Radesky thought for a while and said: "Then we have only two choices, one is to immediately launch a westward strategy and catch them by surprise.

It's just that in this way, the possibility of French intervention is very high, and we have to prepare to fight the French first.

Second, continue to implement the alternative Balkan strategy and release smoke bombs to the outside world.

As long as we start a war in the Balkans, even if the secret treaty between Russia and Austria is leaked, Britain and France will be misled by us. "

It is obviously not in the interests of Austria to do it now. This is to act as the backer for the Russians.Austria picked France. Even with the support of the British, the Ottoman Empire could not stop the Russians.

It is not easy to release smoke bombs. It is easy to start a war, but it is difficult to quell it.Maybe the Anglo-French allied forces ran over to attack Austria before finding the Russians unlucky.

Prime Minister Felix said with a serious expression: "We have expected this situation a long time ago. Once the Russians take military action, we will follow up immediately. They can attack along the Balkan Peninsula.

However, we must also send troops to occupy the two principalities in the Danube River Basin.Russia cannot be swallowed in one gulp.

As long as the Russian-Turkish war cannot be resolved quickly, they cannot do without our support. At this time, the Russians will not default on the contract. "

Franz nodded in agreement, that's all.It is impossible for any strategy to be foolproof. Naturally, as an emperor, he cannot rush ahead and must leave room for buffering.

In case something happens halfway and the plan fails, someone has to take the blame, right?The cabinet is the most suitable choice, politics is so cruel.

Of course, Franz is a good boss, and it's okay to help him take the blame. At most, he will be driven home for a few years, and he can come back after the limelight.

This kind of thing has not happened too much in history.Almost every successful emperor has played like this.

……

On March 1852, 3, following the Russians, Austria also submitted a letter of war to the Ottoman Empire, and the Near East War expanded.

Constantinople

After receiving the letters of war from the Russians and Austria, the Sudanese government gave up its last hope, and Abdul Mejid I also declared war on the two countries tit for tat.

In terms of courage, Abdul Mejid I was still a qualified emperor and did not flinch at this time.

Theoretically, Abdul Mejid I already has an army of one million under his command. With the support of Britain and France, they have been replaced with modern weapons. As the defensive side, they are not without the power to fight.

"What did the British and French representatives say, when will they send reinforcements?" Abdul Mejid I asked with concern

The Foreign Secretary replied: "Your Majesty, the representatives of Britain and France have expressed their support for us, but it will take some time to send reinforcements.

If we agree, the British and French navies can immediately enter the Black Sea and suppress the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Britain and France also agreed to let the instructors who help us train the army join this war, but they must participate in the battle as commanders. "

It is easy to invite God to send God away, it is easy to invite the British and French fleets into the Black Sea, but it is difficult to let them leave.

Suppressing the Russian Black Sea Fleet is only one aspect. For Britain and France, controlling the Black Sea Strait can also increase their voice in the Ottoman Empire, which is accompanied by a lot of economic benefits.

Abdul Mejid I frowned. He knew that the aid from Britain and France was not easy to get. He didn't ask for conditions before, so shouldn't he be waiting here?

How could the concessions that the Ottoman Empire could make before the outbreak of the Near East War be as great as after the outbreak of the war?

Now it’s time to see the poor, the military instructors sent by Britain and France joined the battle as commanders, which is asking the Ottoman government for the command of the army.

Once the Sudanese government makes a compromise, it will be difficult for the Ottoman Empire to get rid of the control of Britain and France in the future.This was a conspiracy, even if King Abdul Mejid knew that there was a pit ahead, he had to jump into it.

"Tell them, as long as the British and French reinforcements can arrive early, I will agree!" Abdul Mejid I said through gritted teeth

For him, agreeing to such a condition is undoubtedly an insult to his dignity, but in reality he has no choice.

The Near East War broke out, and the Ottoman Empire could not do without the support of Britain and France.Weapons and equipment need to be provided by Britain and France, military expenses need to be provided by Britain and France, and reinforcements from Britain and France are needed to win the war.

……

On March 1852, 3, the Russian army launched an offensive in the Caucasus region; on March 28, the Russian army attacked the Danube River Basin, and Austria also sent troops to the Danube River Basin on the same day.

Facing the simultaneous attacks of the Russians and Austria, the autonomous governments of the duchies of Moldavia and Wallachia surrendered very simply.

There is no bloody battle for the Ottoman Empire, and the Romanians have no intention of working for the Sultan, and it is not a day or two since they resisted the Ottoman Empire.

Chapter 62 The Ottoman Crisis

It was three days since news of the outbreak of war in the Near East had reached London.Even though they had been mentally prepared, after receiving the news, the top officials of the British government still had a headache.

Even Queen Victoria, who rarely interfered in politics, couldn't sit still and held a high-level meeting at Buckingham Palace.

Queen Victoria asked: "The Near East war broke out, and the Russians and Austria got mixed up. The Ottomans are in big trouble this time. What is the government going to do to protect our interests in the Near East?"

The Ottoman Empire has accumulated power for a long time, even if it has declined in this era, Tiger still has a bit of power.Coupled with the fact that the Ottoman government has just completed institutional reforms, it appears that they are already a modern empire.

In Queen Victoria's view, even if the Ottoman Empire was not the opponent of Russia and Austria, they had such a large land area and millions of troops, at most they would cut some flesh, and they would not die for a while.

This is also the mainstream view in Europe. No one knows how weak the Ottoman Empire is.

Prime Minister John Russell, who had been prepared for a long time, replied: "Your Majesty, we have joined forces with France and are ready to intervene in this war together."

Prince Albert questioned: "Your Excellency, the Russian-Turkish war this time is different from the past, and the Austrians also participated in the war.

Even if we join forces with the French, we probably won't be able to make them compromise, right?Otherwise, this war will not be fought at all! "

Queen Victoria doesn't like to participate in politics, but Prince Albert is different. He has his shadow in many major decisions in Britain.

John Russell explained: "His Royal Highness, the alliance between the Russians and Austria is only temporary, because sooner or later the interests will part ways.

Our current enemy is Russia. Austria can be put aside first, and their appetite is just like that. Even if the Balkan Peninsula is given to them, they will not be able to eat it.

The government is ready to join forces with the French to support the Ottoman Empire and the Russians to continue fighting, and the Austrian Foreign Ministry can handle it. "

Sending troops to intervene in the Near East war?Whether it is history or now, the British were not prepared to play in person at the beginning.

In history, the British sent troops to participate in the Crimean War, which was based on the fact that the Ottoman Empire could not stand it, and the French were willing to serve as the main force.

Now the million lions of the Ottoman Empire are still there. Before the fight started, who knew that these troops were all good-looking?

Many people in the British government believed that it would be enough to provide loans to the Ottomans and sell them some weapons and equipment.

Of course, it is possible to send the navy to help, and it is also in the interests of the British to penetrate the Black Sea Strait.

The army has no confidence in facing the Russians, and the navy is not afraid to suppress the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

……

Paris

Compared with the British, Napoleon III was much more active.In his view, the Near East War is completely the best opportunity to divert domestic conflicts.

If he can defeat the Russians and avenge his uncle's Waterloo, he can gain huge political capital.

It doesn't matter if you lose. Anyway, the battle was fought in the Ottoman Empire, and you can blame your allies. As long as the French army can win a few times, you can bring it back for publicity.

Napoleon III asked with concern: "Ruay, what do the British say, are you ready to send troops with us?"

Rue replied: "Your Majesty, the London government is still hesitating. It is preliminarily judged that they are planning to support the Ottoman Empire behind the scenes, and they are not going to send troops to fight in person.

However, if we send troops to support the Ottomans, the British will also support them, and they also want to teach the Russians a lesson on the battlefield. "

This conclusion is quite hasty. The Ottoman Empire has not yet been defeated, and of course the British do not have to play.If the Ottoman army suffers a big defeat, can the British still sit still?