Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 405: The Diplomatic Prowess of the British

Since neither side wanted to fight, negotiations were the only option. On May 2, 1866, representatives from Austria and France held secret talks in Naples.

The interests of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies were just the appetizer. The most important aspect was the grand strategy of dividing the European continent between the two countries.

In the face of interests, past grievances were set aside. The military conflict between France and Austria saw both sides tacitly shifting blame onto the British.

With the British absent and unable to defend themselves, letting them take the blame benefited everyone.

In fact, the rift between Britain and France was much deeper than the Franco-Austrian conflict. In Franz’s view, the current Anglo-Austrian tensions were even deeper than those between Austria and France.

Britain’s petty actions on the African continent seriously impacted Austria’s African strategy. For Franz who aimed to integrate Africa, this affront was irreconcilable.

In comparison, the Franco-Austrian conflict is more manageable. Before carving up the European continent, there are still a series of interests that can be exchanged between the two countries.

Under common interests, the contradictions between the two sides can still be suppressed.

However, resolving the colonial conflict between Austria and Britain in Africa was difficult. With John Bull’s meddlesome style, it would be strange if he simply allowed Franz to complete his strategic plans!

Clashing with two major nations simultaneously went against Austrian national policy, hence for their own security, they needed to lead France into a ditch.

This strategic negotiation to carve up the European continent was meant to lure Napoleon III. Once the French took the first step, they would end up isolated!

Not the kind of isolation at the current level; the vigilance of small countries is not even worth mentioning. Only when the great powers are hostile will the French truly feel uncomfortable.

To a certain extent, Franz did not mind if the French strategy succeeded. Only then could they truly sabotage the French Empire.

Just imagine — a behemoth like France controlling three-quarters of Italy, Belgium, and all territories west of the Rhine in Germany. Apart from an anti-French coalition, what other options are there?

Ironically, this pit was exactly the strategic plan of the French in the original timeline. No, in the original timeline, Napoleon III actually planned to swallow all of Italy, which has now been reduced due to the rise of Austria.

The Franco-Austrian War was part of their strategy to annex Italy, except when Napoleon III actually executed it, he screwed it up.

To annex Luxembourg and Belgium, they even triggered a European crisis, but were suppressed by the joint efforts of England, Russia, Prussia, and Austria.

When Franz proposed the strategy of dividing Europe years ago, it was almost a copy of the French strategy, which was used to deceive Napoleon III.

But over ten years ago, France’s military strength was insufficient, and Napoleon III had just ascended the throne amidst the Near East War, so he dared not take the risk.

Now, France’s military strength had grown, coupled with Russia being weakened and unable to intervene in European affairs for the short term, Napoleon III’s ambitions naturally couldn’t be restrained any longer.

Extending his hand towards the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was to probe Austria’s reaction. Now that the result was out, it was naturally time for negotiations.

Even if it was meant to deceive him, unless Austria could gain adequate rewards, Napoleon III would not be emboldened to directly advance this bold strategy.

Only when there are common interests and both sides take action simultaneously can Napoleon III be reassured.

The exchange of interests involved was too extensive, spanning all aspects, so these negotiations were bound to be protracted. In comparison, making Francis II roll over isn’t even worth mentioning.

While the negotiations between France and Austria were ongoing, the Russo-Prussian War broke out again. This time, the British were a big help. Although they didn’t find allies to go against the Russians in Europe, they achieved results in Central Asia.

Under British orchestration, the people of Samarkand launched a large anti-Russian uprising in late April 1866, ushering in a wave of resistance against Russian rule in Central Asia.

The British not only sponsored the rebels with weapons but also formed a volunteer army — the 8,000-strong Gurkha mercenaries — to help the people of Central Asia overthrow the Russian government.

The Gurkha mercenaries rank among the top three mercenaries in the world. They once defeated 30,000 British troops with inferior weapons and equipment with only 12,000 men, gaining recognition from the British and thus entering the world stage.

If it weren’t for their small population, they would be a military power. India wouldn’t have much to worry about as they would be undefeated in South Asia.

The Central Asian Khanates, not yet conquered by the Russians, were also forced into the battlefield by the British, including Afghanistan. Within a short period, tens of thousands of anti-Russian armed forces emerged in Central Asia.

By mid-May, the largest city in Central Asia, Tashkent, had been captured, putting the Russian rule in Central Asia in jeopardy.

In response to the crisis in Central Asia, the Russian government was compelled to redeploy troops from the Caucasus to reinforce the Central Asian theater of war.

Looking at the map of the battlefield, it was clear to Franz that the Russians were in big trouble. Years of operations in Central Asia were about to go down the drain.

If it hadn’t been for the previous Russian attacks on the three Khanates of Central Asia, the situation might have been better. Normally, these countries wouldn’t dare provoke the Russians.

However, the current situation was anything but normal. Everyone knew about Russian ambitions, and compromise was not an option. For self-preservation, they had no choice but to side with the British.

Now that the top dog demanded they join the war, these Khanates had no choice but to reluctantly take to the battlefield. If they also offended the British, they would truly be finished.

Franz asked, “The Russians have redeployed forces from the Caucasus. This might be an opportunity for the Ottomans. Can the British persuade the Ottoman government to strike while the iron is hot?”

Prime Minister Felix responded, “It’s hard to say. Although there is a strong call from the war hawks within the Ottoman Empire for war, the Ottoman government is still reeling from the shadow of defeat in the recent Near East War and is hesitant to challenge the Russians.

They also cannot ignore the British’s stance either. For the survival of the Ottoman Empire, they rely heavily on the protection of European powers, with the British being a crucial component of their diplomacy.

We have already secretly made our stance clear. If the French also demanded Ottoman intervention, the Ottoman government would likely be forced onto the battlefield.

Currently, the French government is still wavering. However, if Napoleon III intends to execute his European strategy, continuing to weaken the Russians remains a necessary choice.”

In fact, it’s not just the French’s stance. If Austria were to openly request the Ottoman Empire to mobilize its forces, it would also impose immense pressure on the Ottoman government.

The Russian ambitions towards the Ottoman Empire have never waned; it can be said that the Ottoman government is the most eager to see the Russians suffer.

The only issue is that those who experienced the Near East War in the past are not yet gone, and the younger generation has not taken a dominant position in the government.

The older folks are fearful. The recent “Russo-Turkish Wars” have all ended in failure, leading to a loss of confidence in defeating the Russians.

However, what’s distressing is that if they don’t confront the Russians, the Russians won’t let them off anyway. Opening a history book would show that the cyclical “Russo-Turkish War” that happens every two decades had become a part of their lives.

At most, a decade remained until the next “Russo-Turkish War.” This was a tradition that had continued for two hundred years.

Without the support of European powers, the Ottoman government had no confidence in taking on Russia alone. Even if their social reforms had initially shown success, the power gap between the two sides remained enormous.

Against this backdrop, the positions of Britain, France, and Austria were important. Moreover, Britain and France were their creditor nations, controlling their domestic finances. A sneeze from the British government could cause turmoil in the Ottoman economy.

In history, the French were able to use economic means to pull the Russians onto the war chariot. Now, the influence of England and France on the Ottomans goes even further.

Franz smiled, “Then it seems the Prussians must pray to God for Napoleon III to make up his mind soon!”

The current situation pleased him greatly. The fact that the British could stir up such a big commotion in Central Asia completely exceeded his expectations.

But thinking about it, it was normal. Even a rabbit would bite when cornered. The Central Asian Khanates, in order to protect themselves, must cooperate with the British at this juncture.

Everyone chuckled. To Russia, Central Asia was but a minor nuisance. Even if they lost it all, the Russian Empire would still be the Russian Empire.

The internal conflicts within the Central Asian coalition formed by the British were significant. They could only barely cooperate under pressure from the Russians, and once the Russian threat disappeared, infighting would ensue.

As for pushing them all the way into the heartland of the Russian Empire, that was wishful thinking! If these people had that capability, Franz would not have overlooked it.

As for the Ottoman Empire, recovering the Caucasus region alone would take them many years. To pose a further threat to the Russians, they might have been able to do so a century ago but not anymore.

Something that could weaken Russian strength without threatening the Tsarist regime was always welcomed by the Austrian government.

Foreign Minister Wessenberg said, “Your Majesty, the British have not only made progress in Central Asia but also achieved some gains in the Far East.

Under their instigation, the Japanese expelled the Russian forces from the island of Tsushima. In the Far East, the ancient empire has also seen a conflict between the coastal defense faction and the frontier defense faction, with the former currently having the upper hand.

Perhaps they are also stirring up trouble. Unfortunately, the telegraph network has not been fully established, so we are not clear about the current situation.”

Franz was taken aback, could it be that historical events were happening ahead of schedule? This was not entirely impossible. Now, the Russian Empire was at its weakest, and it was clearly an opportune time to reclaim lost territories. There might even be unexpected gains.

After pondering for a moment, Franz casually said, “The Far East is too far away to affect Europe. Even if the Russians lost the Far East, it would not have much impact.

What decides the outcome of the Russo-Prussian War still depends on the two countries themselves. At most, the British can only divert Russian forces and drain the Tsar’s coffers a bit.

Unless they can persuade the Swedes to act, the Kingdom of Prussia still has to rely on itself. These potential allies, in reality, can’t provide much assistance to them.”

These actions would certainly tie down a large number of Russian forces. However, the Russian government had nothing but troops in abundance.

No matter how much they are tied up, the number of Russian troops on the Russo-Prussian front will not decrease. Unless the Swedes took action, the Russian government, constrained by supply lines, would be unable to sustain such a massive frontline force to face them.

This was determined by geographic location. Whether it was Central Asia or the Far East, the transportation of strategic materials was eastward. And for Sweden and the Russo-Prussian front, some routes for strategic materials overlap.

For the Prussian government, other allies were inconsequential. The only ones who could immediately make an impact were the Swedes.

Foreign Minister Wessenberg analyzed, “This is likely to be somewhat difficult. There are no signs of the Swedish government joining the war, and the British cannot offer more leverage.

The promised benefits all have to be seized from the Russians. This kind of trying to catch a wolf barehanded is something the British government has done too much, utterly unable to achieve the desired effect.

The Kingdom of Prussia is even worse off. They want to win over Sweden but can’t even offer any bargaining chips.

Charles XV demanded that the Prussians withdraw from the Kingdom of Denmark. But the Prussian government only agreed to abandon the Jutland Peninsula, but they absolutely dare not let go of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein.”

The two duchies of Schleswig and Holstein are now crucially important to the Kingdom of Prussian. Only by upholding the banner of nationalism can they prevent Austria from siding with the Russians in this war.

With the recognition of the German cause, people are willing to donate money and goods, and volunteers with their own provisions come forward to serve.

Even Austria has volunteers going to support the Kingdom of Prussia, whether this has something to do with the Austrian government is not for outsiders to say.

In short, various social groups dedicated to the unification of Germany such as the German National Unity Committee and the German Civil Art Exchange Committee are vigorously supporting the Prussians in their fight against the Russians.

If the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein are abandoned, all this support will cease to exist, and there is a possibility that Austria’s absolute neutrality in diplomacy could change.