Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 363: Ruthlessness of a Motlew Crew

In the Vienna Palace, after dispatching the letter to Maximilian, Franz was no longer focused on the issue of Mexico.

There were many recent developments, with the Russo-Prussian war consuming much attention. John Bull was also not staying quiet, stirring up trouble in the African continent.

Seeing the expansionism of France and Austria, they could no longer restrain themselves. In previous years, the Indian Rebellion had kept the British government occupied, leaving them without the energy to meddle elsewhere.

Relying solely on private colonization teams, they were clearly no match for France and Austria. It was perfectly normal for a colonization team of a few hundred people to be wiped out on the African continent.

Both France and Austria, having taken the initiative, had nurtured their own thugs. Not long ago in Zimbabwe, there was an armed conflict between Britain and Austria, leading to tens of thousands of indigenous people pouring into the South African colonies, turning the region upside down.

The British government lodged a strong protest against Austria. Fortunately, the colonial government still knew its limits, only manipulating local indigenous tribes to attack the British, without taking direct action themselves.

The British had no evidence that it was Austrias doing, so the two governments could only engage in a drawn-out dispute. As for the heavily damaged South African Colonial Company, that was not within Franzs considerations.

African colonization was a high-risk business. If they could not bear the losses, it was best to leave early. In opening up African colonies, Austria also had to endure casualties in the four-digit range almost every year.

These individuals either perished in combat or succumbed to illness during the expansion. For those unable to bear the losses, it was best to remain in coastal areas; venturing deep inland came at a price.

While some colonial teams struck it rich, many suffered heavy losses. Breaking even was exceedingly difficult.

To put it bluntly, in this era, unless precious metal mines were discovered, there was no way to get rich overnight from colonizing the African continent.

The majority of private colonial teams, after establishing colonies and finding no gold or silver mines, resorted to trading in labor, clearing the area, and then selling it to the colonial government.

Long-term operations were not something ordinary teams could bear. Once the cash ran out, they would move elsewhere. Many people were hoping to discover a gold mine and get rich overnight.

Steadily developing plantations and slowly profiting was only suitable for well-funded teams.

Consider this: a colonization team of a thousand people could occupy tens of thousands of square kilometers of land, but how could they develop it?

Coal mines, iron mines, copper mines... these mineral resources that would be extremely valuable in later times had no value to mine in this era.

If they could not be smelted on-site, the cost of transporting them back to Europe would be astronomical.

To build such factories in the colonies to develop these resources, not to mention the uncertain profit prospects, just the huge investment alone was unaffordable for anyone.

Labor costs in the colonies were higher than those in the homeland, as there was a shortage of labor everywhere. After immigrating, people usually worked hard for a few years, earned money, then went to invest in farms.

This was a tradition of the German people, which later saw most American farmers being Germans.

Before the labor shortage issue was resolved, industrial development in the colonies was impossible. Of course, Franz did not intend to develop industry in the colonies either.

After all, the resources of these Austrian colonies were fundamentally limited. For instance, regions abundant in coal mines lacked iron mines, while areas rich in iron mines lacked coal.

Without addressing transportation issues, there was no future for industrial development in the colonies. Unless Austria experienced a severe capital surplus and had to export abroad, these problems could not be solved.

In the short term, the most suitable economic development was still agriculture, opening up plantations along the rivers. The Austrian government had been encouraging everyone to grow cash crops.

Especially industrial raw materials that Austria did not have domestically and needed to import, such as rubber, cotton, tung oil, etc.

(Authors Note: Rubber was not just used for car tires, it had widespread applications even before the invention of cars, such as umbrellas, raincoats, rain boots, plastic water pipes, components of weapons and equipment, etc. Its uses were very broad, and before the invention of synthetic rubber, there were no worries about market demand.)

The head of intelligence, Tyron, reported, Your Majesty, according to the intelligence we have gathered, many members of revolutionary organizations exiled in America have recently returned to Europe.

This includes the Hungarian Independence Organization, the Italian Independence Organization, and the Polish Independence Organization these revolutionary groups may cause us trouble.

Currently, weve only located traces of the Polish Independence Organization; theyve practically appeared in the open, raising funds to support the Polish insurgents on the European continent.

It was naturally impossible for the intelligence agency to keep track of these people who were thousands of miles away in America, as information transmission was too slow.

Even though the first transoceanic telegraph was laid in 1858, truly achieving connectivity between Europe and America would have to wait until the completion of the second transoceanic cable in 1866.

(Authors Note: Technical limitations mean that communication may not always be reliable, with a certain probability of errors.)

Moreover, this telegraph line was controlled by the Americans. As long as the federal government wanted to block information, it could not be transmitted at all, or could even be distorted beyond recognition.

However, the situation was different once they entered Europe. As long as it was not information that the governments deliberately blocked, it could be transmitted by telegraph.

These active revolutionary organizations, each eager to increase their fame, had their leaders practically become household names. The moment they surfaced, they would attract the attention of those with ulterior motives.

Franz disdainfully said, The Americans are truly desperate; what use can this motley crew possibly have? Report this to the police department and let them deal with these riffraff.

In this era, there were not many revolutionary groups with real combat power. Most were just big talkers, with the French Revolutionary Party being the most prominent they had even won victories through their tongues alone.

The dramatic events of the February Revolution, if it had not been for the unexpected occurrence of bloodshed and sacrifice later on, would have overthrown the House of Orlans through banquets.

The Banquet movement was essentially just eating and drinking while propagating revolutionary ideals and plotting some conspiracies.

They had always remained at the stage of rhetoric, never actually launching an armed uprising. Otherwise, Napoleon III would not have been able to rise to power.

From start to finish, the revolutionaries never had their own armed forces. It was only by buying over the military that Napoleon III was able to make his comeback.

Among these numerous revolutionary groups, the most formidable were the Poles. Not because they were particularly diligent, but mainly due to the multitude of supporters.

With European countries sponsoring them a little here and there, an armed group was born. For example, even Austria which was merely a bystander had over 800 armed men participating in the Polish uprising.

Of course, this was mainly because the Austrian government wanted to eliminate unstable elements. Sending the Polish people who leaned towards the Polish independence movement away and using the hands of the Russian people to deal with them was simply to avoid disrupting the current ethnic harmony within the country.

Causing trouble for the Russians was secondary. Franz was not that petty as to not realize that if he was going to stab someone with a knife, he might as well use a bigger one!

As for other revolutionary groups, they basically had no armed forces. Franz had never even heard of Garibaldis Italian National Salvation Army, so he naturally did not know they were planning an armed uprising in southern Italy.

An independence organization that had never made any waves being overlooked was simply unavoidable.

Even the Hungarian independence organization, which had been minding its own business, caught Franzs attention simply because they could talk the talk. It just goes to show that in this era, if you dont boast, you wont get anywhere!

This oversight directly led to the tragedy in Naples. Otherwise, if the Austrian government had warned them, they might have been able to take out Garibaldis National Salvation Army right away.

In the Principality of Montenegro, the leaders of the Hungarian Independence Organization gathered together to discuss countermeasures. The atmosphere was somewhat tense, indicating that they had received bad news.

Stephen spoke up, saying, Everyone knows the situation. If anyone has any suggestions, please speak up.

Buzios, with a look of anger, said, What suggestions could there possibly be? Now Hungary is just a geographical term. We Magyars have become a minority, and a minority despised by the locals at that.

Austrians, oh God! Who could tell me that there is still such an ethnic group as the great Hungarians?

It was completely different experiencing it firsthand versus knowing about it from thousands of miles away. Over such a distance, even transmitting a message was difficult.

The Hungarian Independence Organization was originally a fraudulent organization for siphoning funds, and those dispatched to carry out missions were repeatedly reminded that safety was the top priority.

It was not because of deep camaraderie, but partly for fear of falling into the hands of the Austrian government and revealing everything, and partly because they had so few people that they could not afford losses.

Most of the time, they set up their base in the Kingdom of Sardinia. Because of their relationship with Austria, even if their identities were exposed, the Sardinian government would immediately notify them to flee.

After all, they were just putting up small ads and propagating revolutionary ideas. In the Kingdom of Sardinia, they could deceive passionate teenagers. With Austrian-Sardinian enmity and financial incentives, there was no shortage of recruits.

As long as they were cautious, the chances of being caught were very low. Even in the future with surveillance everywhere, small advertisements could not be eradicated, let alone in this era.

At this point, a middle-aged man said discontentedly, Mr. Buzios, regarding the issue of Austrians, I have already reported it to the organization previously.

He had indeed reported it, but they did not take it seriously. In the eyes of many, it was just the Austrian government deceiving themselves and others.

Normally it would be like that, but they overlooked the existence of compulsory education.

It was difficult to indoctrinate adults, but children were different. With a closed education from childhood, after a few years, their worldview will be shaped and they will see themselves as Austrians, a branch of the Germanic people, specifically South Austrians.

The older generation did not even have a concept of their own ethnicity. Combined with the Austrian governments distribution of land, their identification with Austria was at its highest, seeing no problem with being Austrians.

Against this backdrop, the Magyar ethnic group played the role of attracting hatred.

Because some members of their families had participated in the Hungarian independence movement, they had their noble titles, land, and assets stripped away, becoming commoners. As the former rulers who had enslaved the local populace, they were naturally shunned.

Over a decade later, their past glory and arrogance were long gone, but as relatives of insurgents, they were still under close surveillance.

Those with connections quickly changed their ethnicity and moved away. After all, they were not true Magyars, only joining for interests. Changing their identity now was not an issue.

And then, in a period of rapid population growth in Austria, the number of Magyars declined rapidly to less than one-third of their peak population.

Not only were their numbers dwindling, but they were also scattered and resettled. In a village, there would only be one or two households; would they still dare to cause trouble knowing that they would be suppressed by their neighbors?

For the Hungarian Independence Organization, this was extremely unfavorable. Originally, these losers in power struggles were most likely to become one of them. Unfortunately, given the current situation, these people couldnt even make a ripple.

In fact, it would not take many years before this ethnic group could only be found in history books.

An elder interrupted, Enough, theres no need to dwell on this issue. There may be many people in Austria who are dissatisfied with the Austrian government, but those willing to launch an uprising with us are definitely few and far between.

Those willing to see Hungary independent, aside from the Magyars, probably only include some Italians.

I propose abandoning our actions in the Hungarian region and moving the revolutionary front to Italy. The Americans only need to see results; they wont care whether the uprising breaks out in Hungary or Italy.

Stephen objected, Mr. Mariut, do you think we have the capability to launch a rebellion in Italy? We may have some connections domestically, but those people are all our relatives and friends. I know you dont want to involve them, and I dont want to implicate them either.

But the movement still has to continue, even if its just for show. All these years, weve taken quite a bit of money from the Americans. If theres no activity, it will be inexcusable.

Mariut shook his head and said, Since Austria annexed Serbia, Hungary has become a hinterland, and we have no way to launch an uprising there.

But its different in their border regions. Over the years, the organizations operations in the Kingdom of Sardinia have established some foundations, and we can take advantage of the Austro-Sardinian conflict.

For example, persuade a group of Sardinians to attack the Kingdom of Lombardy, maybe go to a tavern and instigate some drunkards to cause havoc.

As long as we stir up some commotion and take a few photos, we can tell the Americans that we are provoking Austro-French conflicts.

We can also put on a ruse and get injured on purpose to prove that we have indeed suffered heavy losses and cannot continue to launch an uprising.

In any case, Im already old and cant keep carrying on. After this, Ill retire and no longer meddle in the organizations affairs.

They were professionals at boasting, and also masters of fakery. Mariut never intended to incite conflict between France and Austria. If real conflict broke out, they wouldnt be able to go back to America.

The current federal government could not shelter them. With pressure from France and Austria, the chances of them being sold out would be nine out of ten.

Stephen rebuked sharply, Mr. Mariut, dont forget the oath we once made. No one can leave the organization before Hungary gains independence.

Dreaming of leaving was futile. Stephen had already made his decision. Either they would all land safely and enjoy the rest of their lives, or they would all go down together. He would not allow himself to become a scapegoat.

As the leader of the Hungarian Independence Organization, Stephen had no way to retire. Aside from the teenage rebels who joined later, the upper echelons were all considering their future paths.

If the Magyars were a large ethnic group, they might still be able to persevere. Unfortunately, even during the Hungarian Republic era, their peak population was only 600,000.

The rest of the Hungarians were actively excluded by them. If it had been like history, where they were not completely wiped out, they could have slowly absorbed the lower classes to swell the Magyar population.

That was no longer possible. Those who participated in or supported Hungarian independence were done for, and sympathizers were also excluded from the center of power.

In the divided Kingdom of Hungary, the Austrian government directly sent officials to manage it, strictly implementing an ethnic integration policy, leaving no opportunity for the local nobility to intervene.

Even if they rose again, they would not be allowed to serve as officials locally. Any thoughts of biding their time were simply impossible.

Mariut slammed the table and went into a rant, Stephen, spare us your nonsense. Where is Hungary now?

Take this nonsense about Hungarian independence and go deceive fools with it! Others may not understand whats going on, but dont we?

From start to finish, it was all about vying for power with the Austrian government. Originally, we agreed to negotiate slowly to avoid provoking Austria into an irreparable situation.

But seeing Austrias weakness, that guy Kossuth shamelessly boasted the benefits of independence to us, and one by one we were blinded by self-interest and went mad with revolution.

We did achieve independence in the end, and a republic was established. But before Hungary could recover, the Austrian army came marching in.

Youve made quite a bit of money in America over the years; its about time you called it quits! Keep stirring the pot, and sooner or later, itll backfire. Do you think the Americans will spare you then?

Stephen was so angry he almost rushed over to beat up this guy relying on his old age. Did he really not want to quit? The problem was the Americans would not agree!

Where in the world could you take money without delivering results? Even though they hadnt made any significant moves over the years, they never gave up on propaganda efforts.

Regardless of how effective they were, they had at least put in some effort. It brought political benefits to the Americans and demonstrated the superiority of the American system.

If it werent for the Hungarian Independence Organization as a front, how could those present live such affluent lives in America? They should know that when they first went into exile, every single one of them was dirt poor.

Their first pot of gold was a subsidy from the federal government. Everyone used these funds to get through the first hurdle before embarking on their path of boasting.

Giving speeches everywhere, deceiving people to raise funds this money was not invested in the Hungarian independence cause but became their private assets for investment and real estate purchases in America.

Now that they had sensed the danger and wanted to withdraw, everyone else could retire, but Stephen, as the leader of the Hungarian Independence Organization, could not.

He had been packaged as a revolutionary, and stepping back meant falling into an abyss. Otherwise, Stephen would have disbanded the Hungarian Independence Organization long ago and lived a decadent life as a wealthy man.

Stephen sneered and asked, Mr. Mariut, I know you have your concerns. So, tell me, how can we retreat now?

It depends on whether youre ruthless enough!

As soon as Mariut finished speaking, the temperature in the room seemed to drop to ten degrees below zero, and everyones faces turned pale.

Being ruthless definitely did not mean having those present die. Otherwise, Mariut would not have proclaimed it so openly. So the ones to be sacrificed could only be the lower-level members of the organization.

Under what situation would a revolutionary give up?