Holy Roman Empire

The negotiations fell into a nonsense mode from the very beginning, and the Russian delegation fought with all the others. Except for the help of the Danish representative, they fell directly into a state of siege.

This is the disadvantage of having many enemies. If Poland is considered a country, the Russians will be facing the Eight-Power Allied Forces. (Kingdom of Prussia, Ottoman Empire, Four Central Asian Countries, Poland, Qing Empire)

Representatives of other countries naturally watched the wrangling between the belligerent countries.If everyone participated, the Russians would be even more tragic.

The diplomatic activities of the Prussians still worked, and they won the understanding of most European countries. They provided a lot of evidence against the Russians, and they were obviously well prepared.

After the first day of the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Clarence Ivanov knew that something was wrong, and held a secret meeting with Austrian representative Weisenberg overnight.

Clarence Ivanov didn't make any detours, and said straight to the point: "Your Excellency, we need your country's help now!"

After a moment of silence, Austrian Foreign Minister Weisenberg said: "We are allies, and we should help each other. What kind of help does Your Excellency the Marquis need?"

He is clear about the purpose of the Russians, but now he has to pretend to be confused in order to gain a more favorable position and re-establish the dominance in the Russia-Austria alliance.

Clarence Ivanov didn't think too much about it. The change of hegemony in Europe has become a foregone conclusion. Whether it falls into the hands of the French or the Austrians, it doesn't matter to them.

The dominance in the Russia-Austria alliance is not so important to the Russians who have lost their European hegemony.

"The current diplomatic situation is very unfavorable to us. I hope your country can use its influence to reverse this situation!"

The one-sided situation was completely beyond the expectations of the tsarist government. In their plans, most European countries should adopt a neutral attitude instead of standing directly on the opposite side of Russia.

This is because the Russians did not have time to change their mentality and still brought themselves into the role of European hegemony.

Even if everyone was very dissatisfied with the Russian Empire in the era of European hegemony, few countries dared to express it. Neutrality was the position of a small country.

It's different now. The Russian Empire was not only seriously injured in the war, but also fell into a civil war. Its status in the world has been greatly reduced, and it can no longer scare European countries.

Those who were angry in the past exploded at this time.Prior to this, the tsarist government also carried out diplomatic public relations, and judging from the results, it was clear that they were not helping.Not only did it fail to attract allies, but it pushed some countries to the opposite side.

In this case, they had to seek the support of Austria.Since the Vienna Conference in 1815, Austria has occupied an important position in European politics and diplomacy.

The establishment of the Vienna system twice was the pinnacle of Metternich's diplomacy.Until now, Austria's political and diplomatic influence in Europe is among the best.

This kind of political and diplomatic influence is also one of the reasons why Franz has always paid attention to eating.

Ordinary people think that this kind of political and diplomatic influence is useless. In fact, it ensures that Austria will not fall into isolation and avoid a crisis of universal enemy.

Now the Russians know the consequences of being isolated and being targeted by other countries, which means that they will fall into a passive state in the negotiations and need to pay a greater price to end the war.

Weissenberg shook his head and said, "Your Excellency the Marquis, you overestimate our influence. The current situation cannot do without the support of Britain and France. You don't think Austria can counter the combined influence of Britain and France?"

This kind of help can't be helped, if it really helps, there will be endless troubles.There is also a price to be paid for countries to change their diplomatic stances.Not enough good, why should Austria pay this price?

Clarence Ivanov's face sank, he knew that things were not that simple.If Austria is willing to take action, these small countries will now be neutral again.

Anything less than the influence of the Anglo-French alliance is nonsense.In fact, these small countries are useless when their own interests are not involved.

In the era of the Vienna system, Austria was able to expel the British from Europe, suppress France in Western Europe, and restrict the Russians in Eastern Europe, relying on diplomatic cooperation.

The annexation of the South German region caused panic in European countries, didn't they get over the difficulties quickly?

"Your Excellency, we will not let you help in vain."

After finishing speaking, Clarence Ivanov sent a check from the Royal Bank. The number on it was blank, and Weissenberg was asked to fill it out by himself.

After receiving the check, Weisenberg was a little dumbfounded.Is he this kind of person?Asking for bribes is not popular in Austria. If this thing is accepted today, he will go home to retire tomorrow.

There are no poor people in the Austrian ministers these days, and Franz is still very generous. They have a piece of property in the colony, at least a few thousand hectares of land to start with.

These lands need to be managed by their own people, and many rich and powerful people can dismiss them, but the value of this land has doubled in an instant with the title of fiefdom and nobility attached.

No one would have too many noble titles, especially those with fiefdoms.It doesn't matter if it is far away in a colony, anyway, it will be localized sooner or later.

In order to leave a few more family properties for future generations, Weisenberg pushed back the check and said: "Sorry, Your Excellency the Marquis, I dare not accept this money.

If you want countries to change their positions, you will inevitably have to pay a price, and it is definitely not something that can be resolved with a few words.

If you want to get rid of the current predicament, you can start from Sweden and Norway. The Nordic Federation is being formed. At this time, they must take into account the feelings of the Danes.

Then win over the German Federation and exaggerate the Prussian threat theory.The Kingdom of Prussia wanted to become a real power, and annexing them was the only option.

It's not hard to convince Belgium that the French are too much of a threat and they'll need your help, at least neutralizing them.

Spain, Portugal and your country have no conflict of interest, and I trust your Excellency to be able to persuade them to remain neutral. "

Weissenberg gave a solution. Whether it can be done or not depends on the ability of the tsarist government.Countries without conflicts of interest cannot keep others neutral, so what kind of diplomacy is there?

This is the confidence of the great powers. No matter how the Russians decline, they are still one of the four great powers in Europe, and their comprehensive national strength far exceeds that of Prussia and Spain.

Hearing this idea, Clarence Ivanov was a little embarrassed.These should be regarded as routine operations, but they actually screwed up before, and now they have to remediate.

Undoubtedly, in addition to the "trouble" caused by the "mentality" of diplomats, the wrong starting point for lobbying is also an important factor.

This is not the responsibility of any one person. The Russians will have to wait until the time of Alexander III to solve the problem through diplomatic means. Before that, they used to use force to solve everything.

Against this background, it is normal for diplomats to be unqualified.Those who can reach the passing level are considered to be elite diplomats.

After a pause, Clarence Ivanov handed over the check and said very politely: "Thank you, Your Excellency Earl! You have won the friendship of the Russian Empire."

There is nothing to do, but the other party gives an idea, and the money still has to be given.

This set of money game rules was common within the bureaucratic group of the tsarist government, and Clarence Ivanov was used to it.

In fact, in this era, the foreign ministries of various countries are also hardest hit by corruption. It should not be too easy to make a fortune by working abroad.

It turned out that Weisenberg also received gifts when he was in office, but as his position rose, he gradually became more cautious about his feathers, fearing that his competitors would catch his pigtails.

Now that there is no need to do errands, the money will not be so hot.

For the sake of money, Weisenberg added: "Your Excellency, the difficulty of this negotiation lies in Eastern Europe, which is the core of your country. I personally suggest that you first solve the troubles in the Far East, Near East, and Central Asia. .

The Ottoman Empire in the Near East did not achieve results on the battlefield, and it would not cost much to send them away; I don’t know much about the Far East, but the distance is too far, so it should not be of much value.

The Central Asian region has almost been lost, so let's just let it go.As long as the core interests are protected, other side details are not worth mentioning.

From the perspective of long-term development, I think the Eastern European issue is not a big deal.With the strength of your country, what is lost now can be regained sooner or later.

Britain and France are constantly making small moves. If the negotiations are delayed for too long, it is easy to cause complications.As far as I know, the Kingdom of Prussia is still expanding its armies and preparing for war, and it is very likely that the flames of war will be ignited again. "

It is really good intentions for the Russians to quickly complete the negotiations and end this war. After all, if it is delayed, it is not surprising that the war will break out again.

According to European practice, if you can't get benefits on the negotiating table, you can get them on the battlefield.In the current situation, as long as the Russian Empire dares to fight, the frontline troops will dare to lose.

At least on the Eastern European battlefield, there is no hope at all.The logistical supply cannot be guaranteed, and the war cannot be fought at all.

To dig a hole and encourage the Russians to fight back in the future is to fulfill the duties of the Austrian Foreign Minister.

After hearing Weisenberg's explanation, Clarence Ivanov felt a lot heavier.

It is not a problem to lose other regions. The Russians can afford to lose. Eastern Europe is the core of the Russian Empire.

The land lost now will definitely be returned in the future.Mao Xiong is very vengeful, and the Kingdom of Prussia has replaced the Ottoman Empire as their number one enemy.

Once the tsarist government recovered, it was time to look for their bad luck.Wherever you fall, you have to get up. The Russians never lack resilience.

Wesenberg's kind reminder is just to deepen the impression and let the Russians always remember this hatred.

Chapter 111 Ethiopia

During the London Peace Conference, the British did not stop their global strategic layout.In order to strengthen its grip on North America, the British Parliament approved the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in May.

This sparked protests from the U.S. federal government, which were naturally ignored. This was originally a measure against them.

After the American Civil War, the capitalists' demand for the market further expanded. Because of the confrontation between the North and the South, the Southern Market bid farewell to them.

Mexico has become the sphere of influence of Britain, France and the West, and there is no room for them to intervene; Central America is regarded as private land by Austria; the Caribbean islands are also gathered by great powers.

American America has become a joke, and the European powers have come back, and the divided Northern government simply cannot stand against them.

In order to change this situation, the two American governments are restless.Fortunately, the Confederate government exported industrial raw materials and could not compete with the great powers.

The northern federal government can't do it. In order to break the situation, they supported the Revolutionary Party in Mexico and supported Indian tribes in Central America.

This is not over yet, as the number of Irish immigrants increased, anti-British became an important political force in the federal government. In 1866, Irish MPs proposed a motion to annex Canada.

There is no doubt that this kind of deadly motion naturally failed.However, this situation still stimulated the British, and the London government decided to strengthen its power in the Americas.

The establishment of the Dominion of Canada is one of the means.The London government is preparing to relax its suppression of Canada and allow them to develop in order to increase their voice in North America.

It was not only the British who took action. In fact, the French had sent more troops to Mexico before that.Massimiliano still listened to Franz's suggestion, and Mexico's debt increased by one-third compared with the same period in history.

As the biggest creditor, France was naturally kidnapped.The more invested, the more reluctant the Parisian government to let go.

It's not that Mexico has no ability to repay the loan. As long as the rebellion is suppressed, the Silver Empire will soon be able to get out of crisis.

The actions of Britain and France have also affected Austria, and the Vienna government is also very annoyed at the ready-to-make Americans.

Looking at the information provided by Count Humelauer, the governor of Central America, Franz felt that it was necessary to teach the Americans a lesson and let them know that the sky is high and the earth is great.

"How much is the American investment in Central America?" asked Franz.

Colonial Secretary Josip Jeracic replied: "About 300 million Aegis."

Josip Jelacic knew all these basic information.If it weren't for the Civil War, Central America would have been left to the Americans.

As early as more than ten years ago, Americans were infiltrating Central America.It was not until the civil war broke out and the Austrians occupied the area that the American movement fell silent.

Franz said casually: "Then keep an eye on them, and if you find any problems, they will be confiscated."

The Austrian colonies do not welcome foreign investment to promote the economic development of the colonies. Unfortunately, this is not what the Vienna government wants.

Stability overwhelms everything, and Franz would rather develop slowly in his hands than allow external forces to intervene.

On the surface, foreign capital promoted the economic development of the colonies, but overseas investment in this era was the vanguard of colonial expansion.

Importing all kinds of messy ideas is also one of the means by which countries stab each other.If we are not vigilant, the economy will not develop, and the colonial rebellion will break out first.

In the late 19th century, all large-scale colonial rebellions were manipulated by international forces.This is also the main reason why countries close the doors of colonial markets.

The American region is too far away from Vienna, and the control over the colonies will inevitably decline.Let the Americans see the opportunity and come over to do things.

Finding an excuse to confiscate these American investments is a warning to the federal government.Of course, it is not as simple as that. Austria is just playing a leading role, and other countries need to follow suit.

Before the American Civil War, their capital had penetrated into many parts of North America.For example: Mexico, Cuba and other regions.

When the United States is strong, countries are afraid of their strength, so naturally no one will move these investments.The situation has now changed, and the divided federal government does not have the strength to protect these overseas investments.

If they played their cards right, people might not take drastic action.But how can capital be secure?

There is not enough market, and the internal economic circulation market is not big enough. If capitalists want to survive, they must make troubles.

According to the information in hand, Franz can be sure that the internal fighting in the United States Federation is very fierce, and it is forced to expand its power outward.

Unless there is a major change in Europe, they will not be able to develop under the suppression of various countries.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" replied Colonial Secretary Josip Jeracic

This is just an episode, and Franz still focuses on the African continent.Since the Vienna government passed the Colonial Localization Act, the attention of European countries to the African continent has risen to a higher level.

Among them, Britain and France reacted most violently.The French responded immediately, Napoleon III was ready to follow suit, and the Paris government formulated a plan for the North African province, preparing to incorporate this area into the mainland.

It's just that the priority of the European strategy, coupled with the impact of insufficient immigration, this plan is still on paper, and it is too late to be fully implemented.

The British reaction was much more intense, and it was impossible to follow suit.Colonial localization is not suitable for maritime countries, even if it is forced to be implemented, it will not choose Africa!

When you open the map, you will know that the forces of France and Austria on the African continent are already very strong.In order to curb the expansion momentum of the two countries, the London government is preparing to preemptively control Ethiopia and Somalia and connect East Africa and South Africa.

Compared with the original time and space, the British plan for Africa is much more restrained.It just occupies the southeast two corners and does not traverse Egypt.

Ethiopia and Somalia are the last link of Austria's African strategy. Once the plan is completed, most of the African continent will be Austria's territory.

Naturally, the British cannot just sit idly by, and they have long been eyeing Ethiopia.They had infiltrated here as early as 1839, after the capture of Aden.

There are already many feudal state lords who have hooked up with the British. Not long ago, after the British consul Fernie Cameron visited the Turkish Sudan, he canceled the arms supply to Ethiopia.

At this time, the Ethiopian monarch Theodore II did a stupid thing and directly detained the British consul.

There is no doubt that Ethiopia handed the excuse to the British.If they are not allowed to experience the iron fist of the empire, how can John Bull have the nerve to hang out in the world?

Originally Franz was planning to intervene, but Austria has had a bad reputation on the African continent in recent years.There is no such thing as eating, and it is too late for people to hide, so how can they come together?

There is no way to do this. Of course, so many colonies in Austria were not given away with phone charges, they were killed with one knife and one gun.

Having problems on the Continent, Franz would think twice.When it comes to the African continent, it's another extreme. Usually, people don't care about it and go straight up to finish the job.

diplomatic?It is a pity that none of the colonial governments had such a department.Those who can solve problems with bayonets and cannons will never use other means.

There are very few problems on the African continent that cannot be solved with bayonets and cannons. As a result, Austria has no friends.If you take the initiative to offer weapons assistance, people may not dare to ask for it.

There is no need to change the way of doing things.This is the case in all European countries these days. No one cares about the colonies playing casually, and the shameless colonists still call themselves the spreaders of human civilization.

Franz asked: "It is only a matter of time before the British invade Ethiopia. What are the plans of the Colonial Office?"

Colonial Secretary Josip Jeracic replied: "Your Majesty, there is a huge gap in strength between the two sides, and there is no suspense in this war.