Holy Roman Empire

He was too lazy to read the information provided by the tsarist government.In Alexandrovich's view, those materials all have obvious tendencies, or they want to be politically correct.

In his opinion, to get a preliminary understanding of France, it is enough to read French economic and political newspapers.Alexandrovich is not an expert scholar, these basic materials are enough.

The more you know, the more emotion Alexandrovich feels.Through the news in the newspaper, he knew that there was a huge gap between France and Russia.

This gap is "qualitative", and it is definitely not what the St. Petersburg bureaucrats said verbally, and it can be surpassed in three to five years.

What gave him a headache was that the French people had a bad impression of Russia, as you can tell from the adjectives in newspapers.

"Savage", "Liar", "Rogue", "Corrupt"...

These adjectives pricked Alexandrovitch deeply.His dissatisfaction has no effect, and the French newspaper will not be controlled by him, how to write or how to write.

Although most of the content is exaggerated, it is not completely fabricated out of thin air. Russia does have a lot of dark history.

Under normal circumstances, everyone will not turn over these old accounts.It's not that Alexandrovich is coming to visit, the newspapers that are rubbing the heat have become active.

"French-Russian friendship" does not exist, at least these newspapers do not believe that the two countries have a traditional friendship, and there is a lot of hatred.

What is even more exasperating is that they are still losers. Everyone still clearly remembers that it was the Russians who buried the First French Empire back then.

The French were very dissatisfied when they failed to avenge the Near East War. In the recent Prussian War, the French people donated the most to Prussia, surpassing the sum of the German Federation and Austria.

What was there to be proud of, Alexandrovitch did not know.In short, he understood that there were many French people who would not welcome his visit.

When he was at home, Alexandrovich didn't know that Russia was so unpopular in Europe.

Originally, he was still brooding over the failure of the Prussian-Prussian War, but now he understands that if he is fighting against the whole of Europe at the same time, how could he not fail?

They were all in the papers, and Alexandrovitch was lost in thought.A voice deep inside kept telling him that something had to be done to change the way the nations of Europe viewed the Russian Empire.

Isolation means danger, and now the Russian Empire has many enemies and only one ally, and now even the last ally is moving away from them.

If this situation does not change, it will still be difficult for the Russian Empire to win the next war.

Although the war has not yet broken out, Alexandrovich already knows that there will be at least Poland + Prussia + Ottomans in the next war, and several Khanates in Central Asia may also appear, and even the Far East may not be stable.

Modern warfare is all about logistics. In the last war, the Russian Empire lost in transportation.Although some people in the country accused the ally Austria of paddling water, Alexandrovich knew very well that the reason for the defeat of the Russian army was still his own.

The supplies were bought from Austria, but they were not able to transport them to the front line in time, resulting in a shortage of troops on the front line, which gave the Prussians a chance.

If there is no logistical constraint, and 100 million Russian troops are put into the front line at the same time, even if the whole of Europe provides logistics to Prussia, they will not be able to stop it.

There is no fairness in war, and those who have troops who don't have to play with less to win more are fools, and usually such fools die miserably.

In the history of war, almost all the strong ones won the war. The reason why the weak defeated the strong was praised because it happened so rarely.

In the case of equal military strength, the Russian Empire is indeed at the bottom among the European powers when it comes to the combat effectiveness of the army.

The reason, Alexandrovich, was clear. It was nothing more than a gap in weaponry and training. In the final analysis, there was no money.

Most of the Tsar's soldiers are conscripts, and these troops do not need to pay salaries, just a symbolic payment.

Cheapness has become a symbol of the Tsar's army. Compared with strengthening training and replacing the most advanced weapons and equipment, from an economic point of view, the increase in combat power brought about by increasing the number of people is greater.

Someone has already calculated this account. The cost of one French soldier is enough for the Tsarist government to recruit two such cheap soldiers, and there is still some leftover.On the battlefield, a French army can never beat two Russian soldiers.

This is how the gray cattle came. Because of the cheap economy, the Russians fell in love with crowd tactics.

The train slowed down slowly, and Alexandrovich knew it was Paris.Looking at the buildings on both sides of the road, Alexandrovich showed a hint of fascination.

Paris was definitely one of the most desirable cities in the world in the 19th century. Of course, Alexandrovich was interested in Paris, not because it was a holy land of revolution.

As a crown prince, especially the crown prince of the tsarist government, he was born a member of the reactionaries, and it was impossible to play with the revolutionary party.

The reason why Alexandrovich is interested is simply because Paris is the capital of France and has the most developed industry in France.

As the three most famous cities in Europe in this era, although Paris is world-famous as a revolutionary holy place, it is not bad at all in other aspects.

After the reconstruction of Napoleon III, Paris has now got rid of the dirty hat, and the urban environment is not much better than that of smelly London.

……

Franz had no interest in Alexandrovich's trip to Europe, even if he was famous in later generations, he could not be moved.

History is the easiest to deceive, and exaggeration has always been the favorite of literati.For example, the Italian Three Masters, who were highly praised by later generations, became nothing because of the changes in the international situation.

Franz admitted that their abilities are indeed strong, but unfortunately they were unlucky this time.Just such a small change changed their lives.

Garibaldi and Mazzini failed to lead the revolution and were forced into exile.The well-known Prime Minister Cavour was even more miserable, and the art of combining vertical and horizontal lines fell to the street at the very beginning.

Austria's position is different from that in history, allowing France to expand in Italy. Napoleon III felt that annexing Italy would benefit more than cooperating with the Kingdom of Sardinia.

A decision made by the superior made all his efforts useless.There is no way, the success of the original time and space is based on luck, and now it is short of luck.

Numerous real-life cases have told Franz that the ability of the losers is not necessarily inferior, and they are often only a little luck away from success.

With this tiny gap, the final result is often the difference between heaven and hell.

Napoleon III is also an example, the former time and space has already hit the street.As a result, because of Franz's butterfly effect, Napoleon III is now called "Napoleon the Great" by the French.

Looking at the information in his hands, Franz frowned. If nothing else happened, his unlucky brother would soon be unlucky.

Unable to find an international buyer, the Paris government decided to withdraw its troops from Mexico.Without the backing of French soldiers, Franz did not think Maximiliano could stabilize the situation.

Without any hesitation, a secret order flew from the Vienna Palace to the Austrian Central American colony.Anyway, this is the younger brother in name, it is impossible to really sit idly by.

Franz has even considered the placement issue.Throw it in a castle in the country, anyway, there are not many other things in Habsburg, but there are many castles.

An idealist like Maximilian would not have the courage to come back to meet people when he encounters failure, so it is just right to dawdle in the countryside.

In the original time and space, Massimiliano refused to run away. Franz suspected that he was afraid of losing face and being ridiculed, so he did not dare to return to the European continent.

This kind of heart is not surprising, just like people who do not make money from part-time jobs and are embarrassed to go home for the New Year all year round.

The problem in Maximiliano's heart, Franz is not a doctor of heart.Knowing that he knows, how to treat it is beyond his ability.

Maybe you can throw this question to Queen Sophie, just find something for her to do, and share the nagging in Franz's ear.

Mexico City is not far away. As long as you are prepared in advance, it is not too difficult to have an armed intervention. Anyway, the new Mexican government can pay the bill in the end.

Unlike the French, the Austrian Central American colonial empire was right next door to Mexico.The farmers over there have long wanted to annex the Yucatan Peninsula.Just out of face, Franz was embarrassed to do anything to Mexico.

When Maximilian I hit the street, this obstacle would no longer exist.Hugging grass and beating rabbits counts as much meat as you bite.

For Americans, the power of the Austrian Central American colonies may be equivalent to one or two large states. Even if the Germans can fight a little, it is equivalent to the power of two or three states, which is not worth mentioning at all.

But for the beginning of the Mexican Empire, this power is enough to wake them up.Of course, this is based on the fact that the Mexican rebels are fighting on their own.

If they are smart enough to send Maximilian I out of the country directly, there is no excuse for war, and Franz, who pays attention to his appearance, will not do anything to them.

To put it bluntly, the American region is not the focus of Austria's expansion.The energy of the Vienna government is limited, and it is impossible to take care of so many places at the same time.

Even in the strategically important Panama region, Franz can be a ninja without doing anything, let alone Mexico?

Now Franz is already thinking about which son he wants to be king in Central America.

With the rise of nationalism, it is still too difficult for the central government to directly control such a colony thousands of miles away. It is easier to establish a state.

This is also in line with the tradition of the Habsburg dynasty. Back then, the ancestors could separate Spain and Austria. Now Franz can naturally divide a colony.

Not only the Central American colonies, but also the Nanyang region may establish states in the future.Anyway, the meat rotted in the pot is better than thrown out.

Putting these states under the name of the Shenluo Empire and everyone playing in an economic circle is not considered a failure.

Chapter 73 New Heights in Painting the Pie

After leaving the Palace of Versailles, Alexandrovich no longer had the interest to visit. Obviously, this trip to Paris was not smooth.

Napoleon III showed goodwill to Russia, just for purely political needs, and demonstrated to European countries, which does not mean that France really wants to win over Russia.

Without the humiliation of the "Frankfurt Peace Treaty", the proud French still look down on Russia, a down-and-out barbarian.

Especially after the alliance of Britain, France and Austria, the pressure on France's diplomacy no longer exists, and the whole world can no longer find an enemy that they can take seriously, at least on the surface.

Before Alexandrovich's visit to Paris, the St. Petersburg government still had high hopes, trying to use the opportunity of the French to win over Russia and obtain financial assistance.

The reality is very cruel, and the money from the usury empire is not easy to get.The bankers were shrewd, especially with the discredited Tsarist government.

Even the loan of [-] million francs promised in advance has problems now, and the French require them to take gold and silver as collateral.

Don't be surprised that Alexander II is also making monetary reforms, albeit in small steps, and now the French are taking care of their reserves.

Since the reform of Alexander II, the development of industry, the construction of railways, and agricultural reform have become the three major strategies of the government.

Although the plan is good, it needs financial support.Because of the war, a large outflow of gold and silver from the Russian Empire resulted in a serious shortage of self-owned capital.

The way the tsarist government came up with was to attract foreign capital. Unfortunately, European banks refused to provide them with loans, and even investment was very cautious.

Alexander II's reforms are a bit better than in history, and there's a ready example next door to learn from.You can find solutions to other problems, but you can't learn to raise money.

Austria has developed to this point, and has issued bonds several times in the middle, raising hundreds of millions of Aegis funds.Until now, the Vienna government has repaid tens of millions of Aegis debts every year.

Because of its reputation, the tsarist government could not borrow money at all.Even taking the right of way and tax mortgages has no effect. The tsarist government said it would renege on its debts.

Forced by the debt crisis that year, Alexander II had to declare a default on the debt, and now the sequelae have broken out.

It's not that Alexander II's decision was wrong. If he didn't default, the finances would be overwhelmed by foreign debts, and the situation would only get worse.

To put it bluntly, even if they were not bad debts, they would not be able to borrow much money.Bankers are too shrewd to lend money to someone who is unable to repay.

In the original time and space, the French borrowed money from the Russians, which was forced and helpless.The pressure on national defense is too great, and it is necessary to win over allies to share the pressure.

After entering the late 19th century, France's comprehensive national strength suddenly fell behind, which is why.The government has borrowed a lot of money, leaving less funds for domestic development.

Don't think about it now, the French will definitely not explode their livers to support them.Even if it is usury, the French will only lend money to those who have the ability to repay.

For example, Austria, now owes a lot of debt to the French.It is to develop both the local area and the colony, and the financial revenue of the Vienna government alone is definitely not enough.

Austria's private capital accumulation is not rich enough. Under this background, Franz naturally borrowed foreign debts.Of course, it is not purely international loans. Most of the debt exists in the form of bonds.

Most of the bonds here are raised in the name of the project, and not all the debts belong to the Vienna government.

It's similar to Americans borrowing money to build railways, mortgage the railways to British banks, and use the borrowed money to build railways.

In case of an economic crisis and the railway company goes bankrupt, the Bank of England will be locked up.

The same is true for many projects in Austria. They owed a large amount of debt to the bank and issued a bunch of bonds to the private sector. The government invested only the start-up funds.

Anyway, these projects are standard commercial operations. In case of accidents, the big deal is that a company goes bankrupt.

Economic closeness is also an important factor in the alliance of Britain, France and Austria.From the perspective of globalization, as long as there is an economic crisis in Britain and France, Austria will be implicated, and vice versa.

Wanting to get rid of this situation is actually very simple, just one word - wait.After domestic private capital has completed accumulation, there is no need to borrow money from outside.

Everyone also takes what they need. One side has excess capital and urgently needs to export, while the other side needs to develop and lack funds. The two parties just cooperate.

This is how the Americans developed in the original time and space. If there were no world wars, they would not have turned around so quickly, from a debtor country to a creditor country.

Of course, debtor countries and creditor countries are not absolute.Domestic enterprises receive money from foreign banks, and domestic banks have also gone out to develop, and they are also issuing loans to foreign countries.

Even if the capital of the Russian Empire is scarce, there are also banks that are exporting capital overseas.These are all normal economic activities, mainly for profit.

After figuring out the position of the French, Alexandrovich did not continue to entangle.After touring the industry in France, he sailed directly to London.

This time he relaxed, the Tsarist government had no illusions about taking loans from the British.This cannot happen unless the British bankers are out of their minds.

You can't expect the London government to help guarantee it, can you?The two sides are enemies. Even if the Russian Empire has fallen and ranks low among the British competitors, the hatred accumulated in the early stage is not so easy to resolve.

Moreover, both Prussia and Poland are the younger brothers of the British, even if it is to prevent the chilling of their subordinates, they cannot do this.

……

The diplomatic actions of the Russians still attracted the attention of the Kingdom of Prussia.Even without Bismarck, William I still controlled the Kingdom of Prussia.

After a series of political struggles, the Junker nobles, who were united for a short period of time because of the war, are now torn apart.

For example: Industrial Junkers, Financial Junkers, Military Junkers, Court Junkers, House Junkers and Country Junkers.

The subordinates are no longer monolithic, and the king's rights are naturally consolidated.The politics of the Kingdom of Prussia began to return to normalization, and the military was still very powerful, but it was no longer a monopoly.

A new balance of power was formed internally, and William I set his sights on the Continent.As an enemy, he knows every move of the Russians like the back of his hand.

The Russians wanted to get rid of the isolation through diplomatic activities, and William I naturally couldn't agree.

In the Royal Palace of Berlin, the military and political leaders of the Kingdom of Prussia gathered together to discuss how business undermined the Russian diplomatic action.

"The Russian Crown Prince's trip to Europe was invited by the French. There must be a trade of interests between France and Russia, but the possibility of an alliance between the two countries is unlikely.

The three countries of Britain, France and Austria have already formed an alliance. At this time, the French have no basis for forming an alliance with the Russians.The French should be raising their own self-worth by wooing the Russians, and they want to gain a greater voice in the Triple Alliance.

What the Russians lack most now is money, and the French have a lot of capital. The main purpose of Alexandrovich's first visit to France should be for loans.

From an economic point of view, the credibility of the tsarist government has now been completely lost, and no banker will lend them money foolishly.

The only hope for the Russians is the usual political quid pro quo..."