Holy Roman Empire

But things have already happened, and reviewing mistakes will not help. The most important thing now is to defeat the Russians. Let the past things pass by!

The Russians are not without weaknesses. Judging from the information we have, more than 80.00% of the current Russian combat materials on the Balkan Peninsula are provided by the Austrians, and the rest are the materials that the Russians have reserved in advance.

The strategic materials in the Caucasus region are basically provided by the Russians themselves.

Most of these strategic materials are stockpiled along the coast of Ukraine.If we can raid these areas, it will also be a heavy blow to the Russians. "

Of course it was a heavy blow, and the results of the Russians' preparations two years in advance are all here.It was originally planned to use the Black Sea Fleet to deliver logistical supplies for the frontline troops.

As a result, the plan could not keep up with the rapid changes. The British and French navies rushed in, and the sea traffic was cut off. They could only rely on ox carts and horse carts to slowly transport to the front line.

If the British raided these supplies, the economic loss alone would make the Tsarist government cry.

With the greediness of Russian bureaucrats, even if the British only fired a few shots, they would dare to destroy these supplies.

Palmerston suggested: "Not only can we destroy these materials, but we can actually open up a second front on the Ukrainian coast.

The Russians have invested their main force in the Balkan Peninsula, and we can take this opportunity to take out the old nest of the Black Sea Fleet.

Without these unsightly flies, our men can land on the Black Sea coast at any time, and the Russians will have a headache.

They don't need other places, but they absolutely dare not lose the Crimea Peninsula.

The military strength of the Russians is not unlimited. After we open up a new front, they will not last long if they cannot look after each other head to tail. "

The London government's misjudgment of Russia-Austria relations was caused by the foreign ministry's misjudgment, and Palmerston had to find a way to make up for it.

Opening up a new front is the strategy his think tank came up with.As long as the Russians are defeated, all the previous mistakes are not worth mentioning.

Anyway, they have a naval advantage, and they can fight as they want along the Black Sea coast.

It is obviously beyond the capabilities of the Russians to take care of the three battlefields at the same time.Not to mention the Caucasus region, it is impossible to give up the Balkan Peninsula. The Russians have already paid too much, and they are only one step away from Constantinople.

However, the Crimea Peninsula cannot be lost. If it is lost here, the British and French navies will block their door every day, and it is impossible for the Russians to develop a navy in the Black Sea.

Without a navy, continuing to attack Constantinople would have political and religious significance, and even if it was conquered, it would be difficult to hold on to it.

Home Secretary Henry John Temple questioned: "Mr Palmerston, opening up a second front is very good in theory, but don't forget that we are also an expedition, the Russians are expensive, and ours are even more expensive.

Just like the current war in the Balkans, the military expenditure of the coalition forces is twice that of the Russians. The Russians directly purchase materials from Austria, and our material transportation costs are also a quarter higher than theirs.

The financial resources of the Ottomans have been exhausted, all the expenses of the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia are borne by us, and the financial resources of the French government are not optimistic.

If we open up a new front on the Crimea Peninsula, most of the military expenditure will fall on us. There is no such budget in finances. How can we persuade Congress? "

No one likes to suffer, and now to open up a new front, the British must act as the benefactor.This means another cost of millions of pounds, or even tens of millions of pounds.

Palmerston explained unhurriedly: "Mr. Henry, you are worrying too much. If war breaks out on the Crimea Peninsula, we will actually take advantage of it even more.

As long as we destroy the supplies hoarded by the Russians on the Black Sea coast in advance, the Russians can only transport them from the rear if they want to supply them.

This cost is much higher than purchasing from Austria. With the response ability of the tsarist government, they would not be able to adjust to this situation in the short term.

At this time, the more flustered, the easier it is to make mistakes. The Russians made wrong decisions, and our opportunity came.

Even if they don't make mistakes, the third-front battle has exceeded the limit of their national strength.What we are facing is an enemy who is short of soldiers, money, and supplies. It is not a big problem to win this war.

As for the increased military expenditure, what is paying a little price compared to defeating the Russians?

After such a big defeat, the social conflicts suppressed by the tsarist government will erupt. Under internal and external troubles, the Russian Empire is very likely to split.

At that time, the Russian Empire can be divided according to our will, and this threat can be completely eliminated. "

In this era, the Russians are the primary enemy of the British. If only defeating the Russians is not enough to make the British Parliament agree to hemorrhage.

If there is the possibility of completely defeating the Russians, it will be different. No congressman can refuse this temptation.

Seeing that no one continued to object, John Russell said: "If you have no other opinions, then start voting now. Please raise your hands if you agree with Mr. Palmerston's proposal."

After finishing speaking, John Russell himself raised his hand first, and he could not resist the temptation to defeat the Russians. As long as he completed this task, he would be one of the greatest prime ministers in British history.

After a glance, John Russell continued: "Passed, I will submit a bill to Congress in the name of the cabinet next week.

Mr. Palmerston, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately communicated with the French to try to reach a consensus on this issue as soon as possible.

It is best to hurry up before the Congress votes, lest there will be another moth in time. "

No matter how good the strategy is, someone must implement it.The number of the British Army is so small, and it is not enough for the Russians to fight all of them, so the French can only resist mines.

Since Napoleon III wanted to use this war to gain political prestige, how could it be possible without paying the price?

John Bull is not being taken advantage of. If the French do not work hard, it is impossible for them to explode.

Chapter 85 Greece enters the war

Now that the Balkan battle has progressed, the balance of victory has begun to tilt towards the Russians, and the Greeks, who have been watching coldly, can't help it.

Mao Xiong is not so easy to talk to. If it drags on, the Russians will have nothing to do when they win the war.

Obviously, the Greek government made a strategic misjudgment, thinking that as long as the Russians won the battle, Britain and France would retreat.

In this era, the bear brand is still very useful. It is recognized as the number one power in the European continent and the number one army power in the world.

The Greeks are very confident in the Russians, even if Britain and France join forces, they are more optimistic about the Russians.

As authorities, they don't know that they came to this conclusion because they were blinded by interests.

Deep down in their hearts, they are very eager to expand their territory and restore their former status as a great power.So they hoped that the Russians would win, which would give them a chance to expand their territories.

As for Mao Xiong's victory, the possible threat has been ignored by the Greeks.Benefits blinded the eyes, who would think so much?

On November 1852, 11, Otto I issued a secret order, and the Greek army announced their retirement. Then they changed their clothes and appeared on the battlefield as a private volunteer, launching an attack on Thessaly and Epirus.

Don't get me wrong, they just want to grab the territory, and they don't mean to help Russia win the war.

At this time, the Greeks have not forgotten the threat of Britain and France, and they do not recognize this military operation at all.

What they say has nothing to do with it, but when they actually act, the Greek government shows no restraint at all. The continuous shipment of trucks of strategic materials to the front line is enough to illustrate the problem.

The Greeks picked a good time, and all the troops of the Ottoman Empire were put on the battlefield, and the rest were some police forces to maintain law and order.

Although the combat effectiveness of the Greek army is not good, a [-] army can deal with a group of policemen without any problem, and the Ottomans who were killed at the beginning are turned on their backs.

If at this time, the Greeks ignored them and fought all the way to Constantinople, the Ottoman Empire would not even be able to dispatch an army to block their way.

The eyes of all Europe are turned to Athens, and the key to determining the outcome of this war is actually in the hands of the Greeks.

There is nothing to say, of course it is bribery + coercion and temptation.Representatives of Britain, France and Russia gathered in Athens and each set out their conditions.

There is no Austrian representative, not that Franz is not interested in wooing the Greeks, but that the Austrian government simply does not need to pay for it.

In other words, buying Greece was too expensive, so expensive that the Austrian government could not afford it. Franz was not going to waste energy on it, and the Vienna government directly gave up the offer.

Otto I hesitated, not knowing how to choose.Regardless of whether the Greek government admits to this military operation or not, everyone believes that they did it anyway, and the window paper was pierced.

On the one hand, there are serious warnings from Britain and France, and on the other hand, there are temptations from the Russians.It seems to be an easy choice, but in fact it is full of crises.

The Ottoman Empire is still an ally of Britain and France, the war is still going on, and the Ottoman Empire still made outstanding contributions to this war.

Even if they want to sell their teammates, it is impossible for Britain and France to sell at this time.

It is well known that the Greek government is short of money, especially if they are still alive-running to develop the navy, the finances will naturally not be good.

The price offered by the Russians was even more appetizing to Otto I. As long as they were willing to send troops to Constantinople, the regions of Thessaly, Epirus, Thrace, and Macedonia could all be negotiated.

Of course, how much you can get depends on whether the Greeks can conquer Constantinople.If they can conquer it, then it proves their strength, and these promises can be fulfilled.

On the contrary, the situation is not good.If you don't have enough strength to be neighbors with Mao Xiong, you will become their prey.

The latter situation was naturally ignored by Otto I.Otherwise, at this time, they would not take advantage of the fire to rob.

Otto I knew very well that public opinion had been mobilized. Most of the people in this military operation were volunteers, and the government was no longer able to control the overall situation.

Without these warriors who brought their own dry food, the Greek government would not have the money to recruit [-] troops.Now that the arrow is on the string, it has to be launched, and Otto I cannot help but retreat.

The Prime Minister hurried over and said in a panic, "Your Majesty, something has happened, something has happened!"

Otto I asked: "Speak slowly, what happened?"

The Prime Minister said sadly, "Your Majesty, the news of our negotiations with Britain, France and Russia has been leaked, and the people are in an uproar.

Just now countless citizens took to the streets and submitted petitions to the government.They asked the government to reject the conditions of the three countries, and also made their demands. "

After receiving the petition, he briefly glanced at it, and King Otto I's face instantly turned ugly.

Now he can't wait to tear the body of the person who leaked the news to pieces. This is really deceitful.

Now the people ask the government to negotiate with the three countries according to their opinions. Simply put, they ask the government to send troops to occupy Constantinople and restore the territory of the Byzantine Empire.

Isn't this a joke?Otto I also wanted to restore the territory of the Byzantine Empire, but his strength did not allow it!

For this kind of thing, it is enough to shout slogans.If you really do it, are you sure you won't be beaten to death?

Otto I said angrily: "Find out the map of the Byzantine Empire, mark the spheres of influence of each country, and print and distribute another [-] copies to the whole country.

Send someone to popularize basic knowledge to the people, and stop making such jokes. "

This was originally a joke. With the strength of the Kingdom of Greece, even if it increased tenfold, shouting this slogan would still be a joke.

If it can be increased by a hundred times, it is barely qualified to implement it. This difficulty is not much easier than unifying the European continent.

The Prime Minister said with a gloomy face: "Your Majesty, according to our analysis, this may be a conspiracy by the Ottomans. The current public opinion has been driven crazy, and it is useless to explain it.

The people's desire for Constantinople has become an obsession. It is estimated that many people will think that giving up territorial claims to Spain, Italy, and Africa is considered a concession. "

Nationalism is the craziest thing, once it goes to extremes it becomes uncontrollable.Now the Greek government has been kidnapped by public opinion, and this is the fault of Otto I.

In order to gain the support of the people, he chose to stand on the side of public opinion.With nationalism backed by the king, things quickly got out of hand.

Otto I said harshly: "Then the government should stop expressing its stance. Those who are now fighting the Ottomans are civilian armed forces and have nothing to do with us."

Send troops to attack Constantinople?Forget it, it’s okay if it’s not shot down; if it’s shot down and the people don’t agree to give up, what will they do?

In the case of offending Britain and France, and then competing with the Russians for Constantinople, do you really think they are the resurrection of the Byzantine Empire?

Under this guiding ideology, Otto I ordered the front-line troops to fight steadily and advance along the border.

At the same time, more volunteers were recruited in the country, taking the opportunity to send extreme nationalism to the battlefield as cannon fodder. It is the instinct of the ruling class to eliminate threats.

The patriotic slogans are so loud that if you are cowardly at this time, you will be fake patriotism, and those who try to gain fame are the most likely to be despised.

The Greek government, which took action, sent these cannon fodder to the front line as quickly as possible. The number of troops on the front line increased and the country became more stable.

The price is that the combat effectiveness of the front-line troops has dropped. Their combat effectiveness was already low, but now that they have added a bunch of talkative gangsters, their combat effectiveness will naturally go to a higher level.

Constantinople

In ordinary times, the Sudanese government does not pay attention to the Greeks. If it were not for the intervention of the great powers, they could kill the Greek kingdom with one hand.

It is different now. The main force of the Ottoman Empire is fighting the Russians. No matter how weak the Greeks are, they still need troops to resist.

"The little bug in Greece has also jumped out, what do you think?" Abdul Mejid I asked calmly

It may be that he was too angry during this period of time, but now Abdul Mejid I has no anger.Anyone who knows him well knows that this is just an appearance.

It is terrible for a sultan to lose his temper, but it is even more terrible for a sultan who suppresses his anger.Only those who have experienced the battle for the throne know how Abdul Mejid I killed people with jokes.

Mudra replied: "Your Majesty, although the strength of the Greeks is limited, but now is a critical moment. They should not be underestimated when they jump out at this time and take advantage of the fire. We must treat it with caution."

Abdul Mejid I reprimanded: "Don't say these useless nonsense, just say what to do!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Mudra replied nervously

"According to our collected intelligence analysis, the Austrians have already got everything they want and have no intention of continuing to use troops against us.

At this time, we can send people to negotiate with the Austrian government. Regardless of whether the negotiation can be concluded in the end, we must stabilize the Austrians first.

Once Austria is stabilized, we can withdraw the troops that were against them and use them against the Greeks. "

Abdul Mejid I cast his expectant eyes on Foreign Minister Fu'ad, waiting for his answer.

After thinking about it for a while, Fuad gave the answer: "Your Majesty, to stabilize the Austrians, you must promise a lot of money. They will most likely take the opportunity to force us to cede the two duchies of the Danube River Basin and the Serbian region."

"Ceding land", Abdul Mejid I hesitated. He had to weigh the pros and cons of reaching a compromise with the Austrians now.

"If the Austrians are willing to cut off the Russians' logistics supply, all these territories can be ceded to them!" Abdul Mejid I said fiercely

Ceding the land made his heart bleed, but compared with survival, this is nothing.It is better to be neighbors with Austria than with Russians.

If Austria kept the Russians at bay, Abdul Mejid I thought he would be able to sleep well.

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid this cannot be done. There must be an alliance between the Russians and Austria. I'm afraid they have already divided the sphere of influence in the Balkan Peninsula, and they will not break with the Russians for these interests.

It is said that Britain and France had also had secret contacts with the Austrians, but in the end they all returned without success. ”Fad explained

Don't say no, if Sudan's expectations are too high and it fails in the end, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be unlucky.Fu Ade didn't think the Austrians were so easy to buy, even if they could buy them, they couldn't afford the price.