Holy Roman Empire

Prime Minister John Russell's words are not aimless. The only border areas between Russia and Ottomans are the Balkan Peninsula and the Caucasus.

The Caucasus region is limited by the terrain. If large corps operations are carried out, logistics will be a big problem.

With the poor traffic conditions in Russia and the complex terrain in the Caucasus region, it simply cannot support the battle of more than 20 troops.

Of course, if the sea rights of the Black Sea are not lost, they can still fight along the coastline, and logistical supplies are not a problem.

Now the route for the Russians to send troops on land is the Balkan Peninsula.The two duchies in the Danube River Basin are major food producers, and the food problem can basically be solved on the spot, and the logistical pressure on the Russian army has been reduced by half.

Even so, the Russians did not have the ability to fight all the way to Constantinople.After occupying the two principalities, the offensive limit was basically reached, and the strategic materials brought in from the country could not keep up with the consumption rate of the frontline troops.

But adding Austria is different. The Danube can quickly transport strategic materials, and there is no problem supporting hundreds of thousands of troops in the Balkans.

Palmerston replied without changing his face: "Your Excellency, it is very simple to dismantle the alliance between Russia and Austria, and we have proposed it long ago.

As long as the Ottoman Empire agrees to cede the two Danube duchies to Austria, it will be enough to feed the Austrians.With Austria separating them from the Russians, things wouldn't be so bad now. "

In order to check and balance the Russians, the British Foreign Office did have this plan, but ceding the two principalities of the Danube River Basin to Austria was only part of it.

Historically, the British proposed: give Sweden the Aran Islands and Finland; cede the Baltic coast to Prussia; make Poland independent; Abandon Lombardy and Venice to the Kingdom of Sardinia; Crimea and the Caucasus to the Ottoman Empire...

In theory, once this plan is implemented, the strength of the Russians will be greatly weakened and they will lose their ability to compete with the British for world hegemony.

However, the plan couldn't keep up with the rapid changes, and it died before it was implemented.It is not only the Russians who disagree with this plan, but it is also impossible for Austria to agree to this plan.

Regardless of the size of the two duchies in the Danube Basin, the land is also very fertile, but these areas have not yet been developed, and they are still lower than Lombardy and Venice in terms of economic value.

Now occupying these areas, Austria has to invest a lot of manpower and material resources in development, not to mention, it has also become the vanguard of anti-Russia, rushing to the front line of anti-Russia, which is very disadvantageous strategically.

Instead of this, it is better to join forces with the Russians, Austria can also get these sites, nothing more than sacrificing the interests of the Ottoman Empire.

Franz has always believed in the truth that "a bird in the hand is worse than a thousand birds in the bush", and he will not sacrifice his own interests in order to check and balance the great cause of the Russians.

The butterfly effect is still useful, because the performance of the Austrian army in the Ossa War proved the strength of the great powers to the outside world.In Palmerston's new strategic plan, there is no proposal to give Lombardy and Venice to the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Watching people and ordering food is the strength of the British. Austria's strength is stronger than in history, and the treatment is naturally stronger than in history.

In order to fool Austria into falling out with the Russians, they did not hesitate to promise huge profits.It is a pity that their plan has not convinced the Ottomans, and the war has already broken out.

"But the stupid Ottoman government can't see this. They only see that the cession of the two principalities in the Danube River Basin will cause them heavy losses, and they don't see the benefits of doing so at all.

I believe that after this Russian-Turkish war, the reality will make the Ottomans more sober and make the right choice. ’ John Russell complained endlessly

Obviously, the affairs of the Ottoman Empire have made him, the British Prime Minister, bored.

Palmerston said with a sneer: "Your Excellency, the Ottoman government is now sober, and I believe they will make the right choice.

But this is a matter of the future. The most important thing now is to persuade Congress to send troops to the Balkans as soon as possible. If it is too late, the Ottomans may not be able to hold on. "

This is the national policy of the British, giving priority to dealing with the most threatening enemy. They will not change their targets until the Russians fall.

In terms of threats, Austria at this time is not as good as France. The poor geographical location has already doomed Austria to be unable to threaten the core interests of the British.

John Russell thought for a while and said: "The problem on the Congress side is not big. In order to protect our interests in the Mediterranean region, the Russians must be kept in cages."

Interest is an eternal theme, and the Russian annexation of the Ottoman Empire seriously damaged the interests of the British.In order to preserve overseas investment, interest groups naturally supported the government's intervention in the Near East War.

……

Constantinople

Abdul Mejid I regretted it. If he had known that the Russians and Austria would compromise so quickly, he would have accepted the British proposal.

There is no medicine for regret in politics. At this time, the Russian army and the Ottoman army have already started fighting in Bulgaria.What is even more tragic is that as the side with more troops, they are actually at a disadvantage on the battlefield.

"How long will it take for our reinforcements to reach the front line?" Abdul Mejid I asked with concern

"Your Majesty, there are too many guerrillas in Bulgaria, and it will take three days for our reinforcements to arrive." The Minister of War replied in a low voice.

In this war, the speed of the Ottoman army was slower than they expected, and the Minister of War naturally lost his confidence in speaking.

Abdul Mejid I sneered: "Huh!"

Then he said: "I don't care what you think, anyway, the Bulgaria region can't be lost. You all know what it means here!"

Everyone lowered their heads and dared not speak.The ethnic policy of the Ottoman Empire has actually been very enlightened in modern times.

It's a pity that no matter how good the policy is, someone needs to implement it. The decadent Ottoman government undoubtedly lacks efficient implementation capabilities, and in the end, it is natural that the people are full of dissatisfaction.

The sequelae are now emerging. Not to mention the lack of support from the people in the local operations, they were also attacked by guerrillas, which delayed the marching speed of the reinforcements.

Fortunately, the reaction speed of the Russians was also very slow, otherwise the decisive battle broke out on the front line now, and the Ottoman government would really have to cry.

……

Athens, Greece

The Near East war broke out, the Greeks were happy, and their chance to achieve their goals came.

However, Otto I had a headache. Facing the wooing of the four major powers at the same time, he didn't know how the team should stand.

Since the outbreak of conflict with the British in 1850, Greek nationalism has been on the rise.At the beginning, Otto I believed that nationalism was beneficial to his rule and supported this idea.

Otto I thought he had grasped the key to gaining popular support and placed himself at the forefront of the patriotic movement.

How to prevent the patriotic enthusiasm of the people from cooling down became a problem for Otto I.

After the outbreak of nationalism, regaining the lost land became the common goal of the Greeks, and it was also the "great ideal" of Otto I and Queen Amania.

The demands of the Greeks to reclaim their territories were almost endless.The theoretical basis of this requirement comes from the Byzantine Empire, and the Greeks wanted to reproduce the territory of the Byzantine Empire.

When the imbalance between power and ideals passes, the days of tragedy are not far away.The territory of the Kingdom of Greece in this era was only more than 5 square kilometers, and the population was less than one million, which could not support their "ideals" at all.

"Everyone, which side should we stand now?" Otto I asked frowningly.

As a small country, the most sensible thing to do is to stand on the side of the winner; countries with vigorous nationalism are often not so rational, but will choose the side with the greatest interests.

At this time, Otto I didn't know that his rule was about to usher in a new crisis.No matter which side you stand on, it is impossible to satisfy the appetite of the people to regain lost ground.

In Greece, where idealism prevails, the people don't care so much, they will only make demands on the government according to their own ideals.

Historically, in the more than 100 years since Otto I, the successive kings of Greece have not lived a comfortable life, because none of them can fulfill the ideals of the Greek people.

The chancellor replied with a complicated expression: "Your Majesty, the British and French navies have already controlled the Mediterranean and Aegean waters. For the sake of national security, we can only stand with them."

This is the most sensible approach. No matter who wins or loses, Greece surrounded by the British, French and Ottomans has no choice at all.

The Minister of War retorted: "Standing with the Ottoman Empire, what can we gain? Do we expect to be able to return our homeland to us by relying on their charity?

Now the Russians have made a promise to support us to get Thessaly and Epirus after the war as long as we declare war on the Ottoman Empire.

The Austrians even promised that as much territory as we have laid down, they will support us in acquiring as much territory as possible.

Such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, should we give up? "

There is no way, the Russians and Austria are generous to others, so naturally they don't mind making promises to the Greeks.Britain and France are now allies with the Ottoman Empire. How could they choose to sacrifice the interests of Ottoman to meet the demands of the Greeks?

Even if it is to win over allies, the Kingdom of Greece is not qualified enough?

Britain and France are also arrogant, not just cats and dogs, they can be equal to them.

The Prime Minister echoed: "Yes, if we give up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the people outside will not agree.

It is worth taking a little risk for the revival of the great Greek kingdom! "

It wasn't that he wanted to side with the Russians, or that he couldn't see the risks of doing so, but that the Greek people outside had already made their choice for them.

Nationalism is a double-edged sword. It can kill the enemy and hurt oneself. Now the government of Otto I has been kidnapped by my public opinion.

Otto I thought for a while and said: "Since the people have made a choice, our government must respect their choice.

However, considering the position of Britain and France, we cannot directly declare war on the Ottoman Empire. What good way do you have? "

There is no good solution, but one bad idea.

The Minister of War suggested: "Your Majesty, we can form civilian armed forces to attack the Ottoman Empire. This can not only give the Russians and Austria an explanation, but also take care of the face of Britain and France."

In his view, Britain and France's support for the Ottoman Empire was only to attack the Russians, not to say that the two countries were really supporting the Ottomans.

As long as the Kingdom of Greece has a good grasp of the speed and does not hurt the face of Britain and France while attacking the Ottoman Empire, they will not interfere.

A bad idea is better than no idea. If there is no better way, a bad idea can only be used to make do with it.

Seeing everyone applauding, Otto I finally made a decision: "Then call the representatives of Austria and Russia, we will support them in this war!"

Chapter 65 War Loans

The Greeks were pulled over, but Franz didn't take it seriously at all.The protagonists of this Near East war are the Russians, and Austria is just soy sauce, at most throwing a few stones to the fallen Ottoman Empire.

Even if the two countries have declared war, in fact, both sides have a lot of room for maneuver. Austria just occupied two of their dependent countries and stopped, and the conflict is still within the controllable range.

The corrupt Sudanese government is actually very tolerant, but it miscalculated its own strength before, and Austria needed this war again, so the two sides came to this point.

Franz didn't care whether he wanted to beat the Ottoman Empire to death.With the support of Britain and France, no matter how bad the Ottoman Empire is, it will be able to keep the Asia Minor peninsula.

As for the Greeks, to be honest Franz didn't expect anything from them.

The geographical location determines that they are the best choice to hug the thighs of the British; the lack of strength determines that the Ottomans only need one hand to press them down.

If it is to join the alliance to declare war on the Ottoman Empire in an open and honest manner, then for political needs, the responsible Franz and Nicholas I will definitely give them a hand.

Even if they lose on the battlefield, the post-war negotiations will not let them suffer.

Entering the field secretly, this is not an ally. It's okay to win. Franz is trustworthy. The Austrian government will definitely support their request, and most of the Russians will honor their promises.

If you lose, you can cry by yourself. It is all done by civilian armed forces. It has nothing to do with the Greek government, let alone Austria or Russia.Franz remembered that the Greeks lost in history, and were beaten black and blue by the Ottomans.

Compared with the Greeks, another small Balkan country, Montenegro, or Montenegro, has a much firmer stance.

Originally, Bishop Danilo wanted to be neutral. Montenegro, a small country with a population of less than 20, waged war against the Ottoman Empire three times in 1821, 1829, and 1835 in order to gain access to the southern sea. vitality.

Bishop Danilo is a peace faction. Montenegro is surrounded by the Ottoman Empire on all sides. He is afraid that he will overturn without waiting for reinforcements.

It is a pity that the pro-Russian people of Montenegro did not agree.Belligerence is a common feature of all Balkan countries, and Montenegro is one of the best.

The Ottoman Empire has ruled the Balkan Peninsula for hundreds of years, but still has not been able to conquer the Grand Duchy of Montenegro, and the Sudanese government is impatient.

Not long ago, a proposal was made to the Montenegrin government. As long as they are willing to stop their hostility with the Ottoman Empire and recognize the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire, they will give the city of Shkodra, an outlet in the Adriatic Sea region, and part of Herzegovina. To the Grand Duchy of Montenegro.

The tough people of Montenegro decisively rejected this temptation. They would rather use bloody sacrifices to lay down these territories than surrender to the Ottomans.

The power of hatred has penetrated into the bones of the people of Montenegro. Now the opportunity has come. The Russians and Austria declared war on the Ottoman Empire at the same time. How could they be absent?

You must know that during the Crimean War, the people of Montenegro who were pro-Russian were all going to participate in the war.

It's just that Bishop Danilo saw the situation clearly.He believed that the Russians were too far away, and that once war broke out, it was too dangerous for Montenegro to be isolated and helpless, so he chose neutrality.

For this reason, Bishop Danilo was almost overthrown.

Now there is no need to worry about being alone and helpless, they are not far from the province of Dalmatia in Austria, which cannot be refused by Bishop Danilo.

In order to be able to marry, Bishop Danilo made a compromise.He agreed to support the war, in exchange for everyone's agreement that he gave up the bishop's position to others, and crowned himself "Grand Duke of Montenegro and Burda".

As the traditional younger brother of the Russians, the Grand Duchy of Montenegro is still very much taken care of. Russia came forward to communicate with Austria, and Austria provided them with assistance.

Naturally, Franz would not refuse such a small request from the Russians. Isn't it just weapons and strategic materials, as long as he is willing to give money, everything is negotiable.

At this time, the superiority of state-owned enterprises is reflected. With an administrative order from the government, enterprises will start producing strategic materials ahead of schedule.

Considering the payment ability of the Grand Duchy of Montenegro, Franz also provided loan services very considerately, which solved the urgent needs of customers.

There is no way to provide loan services, not to mention the Principality of Montenegro, even the Russians have limited ability to pay.

Now they have not yet completed internal reforms, and the wealth that a feudal dynasty can accumulate cannot be compared with capitalist countries at all.

The Tsarist government did not expect that Britain and France would intervene. Now the sea route is blocked, and the strategic materials hoarded along the coast of Ukraine can only be transported by land.This is obviously unable to meet the needs of the front-line troops, and can only be purchased from nearby Austria.

The military expenditure of Lao Shi's expedition to the Balkan Peninsula was much higher than that of the Crimea region in history.Due to the corruption of the Tsarist government, even if the Austrian government did not drive up prices, the current prices have also risen.

Franz can't stop the Russian bureaucrats from getting rich, right?

In the end, of course, hello, hello, hello, everyone. The only one that was hurt was the Russian central government. Anyway, their family can withstand the big business, and if they don’t have money, it’s a big deal to get a loan.

The Austrian government is very happy to accept this business. These loans are all targeted, and can only buy Austrian goods, and no real money is required.Anyway, it is better to pay the Russians with a loan than to let the Russians default on the payment.

Political loans have never been pure, and there are additional commercial and trade conditions. Even if the Russian government repays the loan, the Austrian government will not lose money.

Only the Central Bank of Austria has the strength to undertake this business. Otherwise, the loan of hundreds of millions of guilders will not be available even if several major commercial banks in the country add up.

Following Franz's order, the Austrian Central Bank started the money printing machine and collected the first sum of money in the shortest possible time.

The Russians borrowed 1 million guilders, and the Principality of Montenegro borrowed 500 million guilders. The Greek loan request was rejected by Franz.

The reason is that Austria is unable to provide them with material assistance. There is no border on land, and they are expected to deliver goods to their door by sea. How can the British not exist?

Take real money?This obviously does not exist. The Austrian government is not taking advantage of it. As far as the Greek government's finances are concerned, can they be counted on to pay back the money?