Holy Roman Empire

In order to avoid the embarrassing situation where the Austrian army was fighting hard on the front line and the allies were cheering in the rear, Franz decisively ordered the military to suspend the attack.

A strange scene appeared, the Near East War broke out, but only the Austrian Navy was in action.

Chapter 13 Gathering the Stars

According to the provisions of the alliance, the four countries of Austria, Russia, Greece, and Black sent troops respectively: 35, 33.6, 2.6, and 0.3 troops. Albrecht, the Austrian chief of staff, served as the commander-in-chief of the coalition forces.

Looking at this number, you can tell that this is going to destroy the country.You must know that in the last Near East War, Russia and Austria sent less than 30 troops, and the Ottoman Empire, which was beaten up, doubted life.

The most important thing in joint operations is coordination. The biggest problem is the language barrier and difficulty in communication, which increases the difficulty of cooperation among various units in joint operations.

In the second half of May, the four countries began to work on this problem. Albrecht, the commander-in-chief of the coalition forces, held joint meetings many times to coordinate organizational relations.

The slow action of the coalition forces gave the Ottoman government hope, and Abdul Hamid II ordered the mobilization of the whole country.

The Ottoman government frantically relaxed the mobilization age to 12 years old, and anyone who could afford a gun counted. There was no so-called upper limit.

In the past years, Osman has drawn too much hatred, and the four countries of the Anti-Turkish Alliance are all feuds with them, and there is no possibility of any relaxation.

In the face of life and death, it is easiest to stimulate the potential of a country.Under the pressure of national subjugation and genocide, the reformers, conservatives, and religious forces of the Ottoman Empire tacitly stopped their infighting.

……

Downing Street, British Foreign Secretary George at the Prime Minister's Palace: "The Ottoman government is doing well, they are desperately prepared.

The Prime Minister of the Ottoman government, Midhat Pasha, announced the ultimate mobilization of Muslims to mobilize 200 million troops to fight the anti-Turkish alliance to the death. "

Prime Minister Gladstone was shocked and said: "Ottoman wants 200 million troops. How is this possible? They only have a small population. How can they maintain this army?"

Don't look at the fact that both countries mobilized millions of troops in the Russo-Prussian War and think that mobilization is easy.

There are only four countries in Europe that can mobilize 200 million troops, Britain, France, Russia and Austria, and there is no fifth country.

Spain may be able to mobilize so many young men, but Spain's national strength simply cannot support it.The German Confederation and the Nordic Confederation behind them didn't even have enough numbers.

In addition to the hardware requirements, this level of mobilization is also a test of the government's organizational capabilities.

Being mobilized does not mean that people can be mobilized immediately.Take Britain as an example, don't say mobilize 200 million when it explodes, even 500 million can explode.

The problem is that it takes time, and the most lacking thing on the battlefield is time.Now is the era of hot weapons. If young and strong are not recruited into the army, they will be mobilized.

Perhaps ordinary soldiers can be sent to the battlefield as cannon fodder after ten days and a half months of training; but artillery, airship soldiers, these technical arms cannot be cultivated in a short time.

At the peak of the Ottoman Empire, there was no ability to have 200 million troops. Now the half-life Ottomans, it is unreliable to mobilize 200 million troops.

Foreign Minister George said without changing his face: "The figures are a bit exaggerated, but this can also show the determination of the Ottoman government from the side.

You must know that Ottoman is a special country, and it is entirely possible for all the people to become soldiers.With their population of seventy-eight million, there is still hope for an army of two million.

Of course, this requires our help.Once they enter the state of all the people as soldiers, the Ottoman domestic production will basically be abolished, and they will not last long with their national strength..."

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Hugh Childers, interrupted: "Sir, this war in the Near East is extraordinary, and the Vienna government has made up its mind to destroy the Ottomans.

Judging from the current situation, the possibility of the Ottoman Empire surviving is very small.

Now that we invest in them, there is no way to get it back. The government cannot waste taxpayers' money. "

War is a beast that swallows gold. Even the rich and powerful British Empire must think twice before acting.

"No!"

"How can this be a waste?"

George explained: "Without the Ottoman as a buffer, we'd be dealing with polar bears and double-headed eagles.

It is conceivable that once this kind of thing happens, the defense of India will not be far away.

The Ottomans are ready to go all out. As long as we provide them with a batch of supplies, the Ottomans will do their best to block the double-headed eagles and polar bears.

Instead of spending a lot of money on the defense of India, it is better to use less money to support the Ottomans..."

Chancellor of the Exchequer Xiaozhi Childers rolled his eyes in disdain, and said directly: "The prerequisite is that the Ottomans can win. Otherwise, apart from intensifying the conflict and letting the Indian defense war break out earlier, it will no longer make any sense."

The Minister of Finance's intention is very obvious, that is, he is not optimistic about the Ottomans.Once the war is lost, the Ottomans will no longer exist, and Britain has not yet had the ability to make Vienna and St. Petersburg take on debts.

Even the act of sponsoring Ottoman aroused strong dissatisfaction between the two countries, leading to the conclusion of an alliance between the two countries to carve up India.

Foreign Secretary George insisted: "That's not the way to go, Ottoman's chances of winning are really low, but with our support, they can last longer.

Among the four countries of the Anti-Turkish Alliance, Greece and Montenegro are just making up the numbers. Although the Russians have good military strength, they have no money in their pockets, and the war funds are destined to be paid in advance by Austria.

For a penny we invested in the Ottomans, the Anti-Turkish Alliance would have to pay many times that to win the war.

France is no longer useful. Even if Napoleon IV suppressed the rebellion, it would take several years to recover.

Using this war to bloodlett Austria and consume their financial resources is crucial to maintaining the balance of the European continent.

What's more, the international situation is changing, and if it takes a long time, it can always change, and maybe the situation can be reversed. "

Everything else can be regarded as nonsense. Using this war to consume Austria's financial resources still attracted Gladstone's attention.

It is easier to destroy than to build. If you can't keep the Ottomans, you can smash the Ottomans. It is best to beat them to nothing. Even if you expand the territory, you will not be able to enhance Austria's strength.

Hurting others and benefiting oneself depends on the loss ratio of both parties. The trick of "injury three hundred and kill one thousand enemies" can be used as a means of winning by surprise.

In the game of great powers, it is no longer possible to simply calculate gains and losses. In a sense, as long as a competitor loses more than me, it is a victory.

……

In the ancient city of Constantinople, the smell of gunpowder has become stronger again, and the headquarters of the Anti-Turk Alliance is located in this politically significant metropolis.

This was also a political compromise between Russia and Austria. The commander-in-chief of the coalition forces was appointed by someone from Austria, and the headquarters was placed on the territory of the Russians to show that Russia and Austria had equal status in the alliance.

At this moment, the coalition headquarters is already full of generals. It can be said that "generals walk everywhere, and marshals are the top leaders."

There is no way. After the Russo-Prussian War, the Russian army was reduced from more than 500 million at its peak to 50. Even when the Near East War broke out, it only increased to more than 70.

After the compression of the establishment, it is normal operation for the army commander to become the division commander, and the division commander to become the regimental commander.

In this context, it is difficult for Russian generals to think about high ranks.

The major generals and colonel commanders that are common in various countries are not applicable to the Russians, and the lowest rank of commanders are all lieutenant generals.

The Near East War was seen as the best opportunity to gain military exploits, so followers naturally gathered, and as a result, all the lieutenant generals and regiment leaders came out.

Perhaps due to the influence of the Russians, Montenegro and Greece also promoted "temporary generals" and "temporary marshals" in order to have an equal dialogue on the battlefield.

Especially the marshal of the Principality of Montenegro, probably the most tragic marshal of his time, who could only command a reinforced regiment.

With so many generals, it directly increased the difficulty of Albrecht's coordination. According to the convention: on the battlefield, a higher rank is usually appointed as the chief officer.

If you do this, the Austrian army will suffer a lot in cooperation with the battle.

There is no such thing as a "temporary military rank" or "temporary marshal" in Austria, and Franz would not do such a shameless thing.

Reciprocity is impossible, and all the generals in Austria will not be able to wait.

Albrecht, the chief of staff, personally came to serve as the commander of the coalition forces, but it was actually a last resort.

Without war, military promotion is naturally unhappy.The Austrian military system has matured, and without enough military exploits, it is impossible to become a marshal regardless of qualifications.

With the passing of the older generation, Albrecht became the only remaining marshal in Austria, and directly became the best candidate to serve as the commander-in-chief of the coalition forces.

Coalition Command, Major General Bartolome, Military Judge: "Commander, there have been 128 disturbances and fights in the last three days. The Military Justice Department has arrested 358 people, including three generals."

The troops of the four countries gathered, and the law and order in Constantinople also deteriorated sharply.In this star-studded city, the police are powerless.

At the request of the mayor of Constantinople, Albrecht formed the Allied Military Law Office. Unfortunately, the Military Law Office has the power to arrest people, but has no power to dispose of them.

The coalition forces are allies, and there is no relationship between superiors and subordinates. The military laws of various countries have different sentencing standards, so they can only be handed over to each country for their own disposal.

Generally speaking, as long as no major incidents are caused, everything will be settled in peace in the end.

Without being able to kill chickens and monkeys, the deterrent effect of the Military Law Department is naturally not good.

It has developed to the present, and the job of the Military Law Department is to arrest people every day—release them—arrest them again—release them again...the cycle repeats itself.

Less than half a month after the establishment of the coalition headquarters, some people have already achieved a brilliant record of seven entries and seven exits.

Albrecht nodded, Constantinople is the territory of the Russians, the Russians are not in a hurry, and it is not easy for him to be such a villain.

In fact, St. Petersburg has the largest number of Russian troops, and most of the violators of military discipline are Russian officers and soldiers.

Looking at the chaotic coalition forces, Albrecht no longer had any hope for this joint operation.

You must know that the people who entered Constantinople were military generals or guards from various countries. Compared with ordinary soldiers, these people are considered to have grown their brains.

However, a good mind is no match for alcohol, and problems arise after a few glasses of wine. 90.00% of the five or more violations of military discipline happened after drinking.

Jealousy and fights are trivial matters. Overlord meals and not paying for shopping are normal operations. The most bizarre thing is that people are fighting duels on the street.

As long as you drink too much, there is nothing weird and impossible to happen.

There is no tomorrow on the battlefield. Before the outbreak of war, the pressure needs to be relieved. It is not surprising that the soldiers at the bottom are so indulgent.

Under normal circumstances, generals of this level should not commit crimes, but the Russian army is an exception.Due to the war, a large number of dark horses have emerged in the Russian army.

These people are good at fighting, and their ability to violate military discipline is directly proportional to their ability to fight.At first Albrecht wanted to restrain him, but after seeing a lot, he gave up.

Albrecht didn't bother to ask what happened: "Put them in confinement for a day, and then let the representatives of various countries lead them."

Deep down in his heart, Albrecht had already made up his mind that he could not let the troops stay with the Russian army. If he had too many contacts, he would be in big trouble if he learned these bad habits.

Once the idea of ​​dividing the troops came together, it could never go away.There was a voice in his mind telling him that if he brought such a large group of people to the battlefield, he would be killed by pig teammates.

……

Chapter 14 Pit-mate Albrecht

At the military meeting, Albrecht said: "Everyone knows the situation of Ottomans. The long border of the Asia Minor peninsula is the battlefield of war.

In view of the current special situation, I decided to divide my troops into multiple lines and attack from multiple points to disrupt the enemy's strategic deployment.

Considering the language barrier and the difficulty of cooperating in operations, for the time being, troops from various countries will command operations independently, and after the landing is completed, they will conduct joint operations nearby according to the actual situation on the battlefield.

During the landing operation, the Austrian Navy will be responsible for transporting troops from various countries and providing necessary fire support.

The coalition headquarters will send people to record military achievements, and everyone's performance on the battlefield will become a reference for the distribution of spoils after the war.

Who has a question and can raise it now? "

The news of "dividing the troops" was too sudden, completely beyond everyone's expectations.

Prior to this, the Allied Forces Command had been coordinating the cooperation between the countries. Before proposing the "division of troops", Albrecht did not discuss with everyone.

It's not that Albrecht is arbitrary, the main reason is that there are too many people participating in the meeting, and when there are too many people with IQs, it is easy to go offline.

In particular, it also represents the four countries. Everyone considers issues from their own standpoints, and their starting points are different.

Pulling everyone to discuss together is useless except wasting time.

Ivanov, the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, was the first to speak: "Your Excellency, Commander, there is no problem in dividing the troops into battle. The problem is how to guarantee the logistics?"

Albrecht replied calmly: "The general command of the coalition forces will distribute the supplies uniformly according to the number of troops in each unit, and when there is no battle, they will be distributed directly to the divisions.

After launching the landing operation, the general headquarters will distribute the materials to the headquarters of various countries, and you will be responsible for distributing them to each unit.

The general headquarters can send ships to your designated port, provided that you must ensure the safety of the designated port. "

After a little thought, Ivanov replied: "On behalf of the Russian Empire, I agree with the division of troops!"

There is no way, whoever has mastered the logistics on the battlefield will be tough on whoever speaks.

Albrecht was able to subdue so many arrogant soldiers so quickly, not because of his strong record, nor how strong his personality is, but because he controlled the distribution of logistics materials of the coalition forces.

This is determined by reality. Except for Austria, which is a little richer among the four countries of the Anti-Turkish Alliance, the remaining three are poor.

Montenegro and Greece are poor and small. If they are asked to provide logistical supplies for the army, the troops on the front line will starve to death.

The Russians were able to provide some materials. After the Russo-Prussian War, they still had a lot of strategic materials left, but unfortunately they could not transport them in a short time.

Logistics is completely dependent on Austria, and the right to speak of the coalition forces naturally falls into the hands of Austria.Albrecht, who was in charge of distributing supplies, naturally became the most powerful person in Constantinople.

The Russians also sent more than 30 troops, and the division of troops had little impact on them.With so many troops, Ivanov would not hesitate even if he singled out the Ottoman Empire.

The division of troops has the greatest impact on Montenegro and Greece. Although independent command avoids the risk of becoming cannon fodder, the risk of annihilation of the entire army also increases.

Acting with the main force of the coalition forces, although it is possible to do dirty work, we are all allies after all. When encountering danger, it is impossible for the Russians and Austrians not to help.

Due to political considerations, once the troops suffer heavy losses, the coalition headquarters will immediately let them throw them to the rear to do odd jobs.

Bing Shaona also represents a country and belongs to one of the four unshakable pillars of the anti-Turkish alliance.If the entire army is wiped out, it is equivalent to losing a country.

Militarily, it has little impact, but politically it is very deadly.Whether it is Greece or Montenegro, Albrecht, the commander-in-chief, cannot shirk the blame for the destruction of any family.