Holy Roman Empire-Chapter 964 - 227: Flexible Diplomacy

Chapter 964: Chapter 227: Flexible Diplomacy

The end of the war on the European continent signified not only that Austria had secured hegemony in Europe, but more importantly, the Sword of Damocles that had been hanging over Austria no longer existed.

Looking at the “Proposed Measures Against France,” one can see that Austria had indeed fed its allies their fill, while also fully fostering animosity.

One can imagine just how terrible the Franco-Austrian relations would be going forward. However, these were minor issues, as the burden of hatred was shared by many countries.

France, seeking to rise again, would first have to get the permission of its neighboring countries before it could cough up the territories it had swallowed.

Gone were the days when the French could look down upon these neighbors; things were completely different after the war.

Declining Spain, despite its weak strength, had a large presence! Now having regained the rich Ruseiyong region, its strength would further develop.

Recently restored Kingdom of Sardinia couldn’t be relied on for now, but it had significant potential for development and the support of the Italian Confederation on the anti-French issue. After an unpleasant experience, everyone definitely did not want a second round.

Belgium, greatly weakened, was not much in strength, but had a deep-seated hatred for France, firmly becoming the vanguard of anti-French efforts.

Switzerland, a mountainous country, might not be powerful, but everyone knew of the renowned Swiss mercenaries, undoubtedly a tough bone to chew.

If France wanted to rise again, breaking through from any direction would be as difficult as reaching the heavens. Especially with Austria watching like a tiger, any significant movement would lead to another anti-French war.

According to the think tank’s analysis, the combined strength of Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, and Sardinia post-war equaled that of France. As long as they prevented France from defeating them individually, the blockade was impenetrable.

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With the threat from the west gone, peace would prevail across the European continent. As long as Austria did not initiate trouble, no one else could stir up issues.

As a pacifist, Franz decided to spend the coming years less involved in external affairs, preferring to stay home and farm.

Well, all this was just a ruse. The truth was that Austria was too full and needed to digest.

War is a gold-eating beast. Despite Austria’s victory appearing effortless, the Vienna Government had actually accumulated a towering debt.

To support the war, Austria had not only emptied the national treasury but had also borrowed 800 million Divine Shields from banks, issuing three rounds of war bonds totaling 760 million Divine Shields.

If it was just a matter of adding a debt of around ten billion, Franz would not have worried. After all, the financial situation of the Vienna Government was solid, and it could handle this debt without any pressure.

The problem was the integration of Germany and Austria had already begun. Other regions did not require much support from Austria, but substantial spending was needed for the reconstruction of the Rhineland region.

In this matter, one could not expect the German Federal Government to dish out money; they had already been overwhelmed by debts.

Recently, due to delays in paying salaries, there was a significant strike by public officials. George, the rubber-stamp Emperor of Hanover, had long since washed his hands of the matter.

According to the previous agreement, after the Vienna Peace Conference, George I was supposed to announce the dissolution of the federation, then abdicate the throne. Since it no longer concerned him, he was naturally indifferent to the fate of the federation.

Ultimately, it was Franz who couldn’t stand by and watch, providing financial support that allowed the government to continue functioning.

The real losers were the creditors of the German Federal Government. With no debtors left and no successors to take on the debt, their claims naturally disappeared.

The sub-state governments below would not acknowledge the debt, and Franz likewise would not recognize it. No matter where the lawsuit was taken, no one could claim the Holy Roman Empire was the successor to the German Federal Government.

Debt might not be inherited, but territory had to be received. The Rhineland region was a direct jurisdiction of the German Federal Government, belonging to no particular sub-state, so naturally, it would become a direct jurisdiction of the Vienna Government after the merger.

It goes without saying, since it was a direct jurisdiction of the central government, it naturally had to be funded by the Central Government for reconstruction. The sub-states might provide humanitarian support at most, but they were not legally responsible.

The resettlement of millions of people, from food and clothing to jobs, all needed to be addressed by the Vienna Government, which was an overwhelming thought.

In comparison, the construction of newly occupied territories was trivial. Although the costs were enormous, there was no time requirement for it!

After deporting the locals, it became an uninhabited area, and the Vienna Government could develop it whenever they wished.

Beyond these expenses, there was another huge deficit to fill. The war had exacted a severe toll on the Austrian army, and the compensation for casualties was an astronomical figure.

Up to now, the Vienna Government had already disbursed 460 million Divine Shields in compensation. This was not the end; costs exceeding one billion were just a matter of time.

Now, it depended on how much military merit land could offset. If the soldiers all chose cash, the Vienna Government was not far from bankruptcy.

Adding up all the expenses, because of this war, the final costs that the Vienna Government needed to bear would not be less than fifty billion Divine Shields.

The direct economic loss caused by the war was even higher, reaching seventy billion Divine Shields, and the indirect economic losses even surpassed one hundred and fifty billion Divine Shields.

Just calculating the economic costs, making France pay several hundred billion Divine Shields was absolutely justified.

However, reality was very harsh. No matter how much was demanded, if people had no money, they had no money. No matter how high the compensation amount was set, in the end, only what was in their pockets could be taken.

If it were not for acquiring a large number of colonies and clearing the obstacles for the unification of the Germany Region, as well as establishing Austria’s hegemonic position on the European continent, this war would have stripped the Vienna Government bare.

From this perspective, Franz had to thank the French for their deep pockets. Just look at World War I in the original timeline; as victors, the United Kingdom and France both lost everything.

With this unpleasant experience, Franz finally understood why the UK and France opted for appeasement policies before World War II. It wasn’t that politicians were unaware of the risks; they simply could no longer afford to fight.

“Peace is won through war.” The meaning of this saying was truly manifested here.

No matter what others thought, Austria could no longer afford to fight. Fortunately, the war had lasted only a year. Had it gone on for three or five years, it would have truly shaken the foundations.

Thinking of this, Franz had to admire the Tsarist Government. Starting from when Franz ascended the throne, the Russian Empire had never had peace, facing a war almost every decade.

After enduring so many wars, the Tsarist Government not only survived but its ruling foundation remained unshaken, even presenting fewer domestic contradictions than initially.

Of course, the easing of domestic contradictions came at a cost. The population of the Russian Empire was a full twenty million less than that of the same period initially, and the industrial output was far less than in history, with only its territory and agriculture likely exceeding the original timeline.

The overall national power declined, yet the regime stabilized. It should have been a joke, but it really happened.

However, a detailed study of history would reveal that such occurrences were not singular in the annals of history.

Every time there was a change of dynasties, it would lead to massive population deaths, then social contradictions eased, and as long as the ruling class didn’t act foolishly, a golden age arrived.

The situation in the Russian Empire was similar, the Tsarist Government withstood the most dangerous war periods and emerged as victors, now naturally enjoying the fruits of victory.

From this perspective, the frequent wars in medieval Europe were not merely due to the nobility’s belligerence, it also included the intent to reduce the population through warfare.

…

As one wave settled, another rose.

While the Anti-French Alliance was reveling in the victory of the anti-French wars, the British were not idle, taking advantage of the French’s defeat and their lack of attention overseas, boldly sending troops to invade French Indochina.

No, it cannot yet be confirmed as an invasion. The British produced a colonial transfer agreement signed with the Bonaparte Dynasty; if the content is true, then it was merely an ordinary colonial transaction.

Undoubtedly, with such a disastrous defeat on the European continent, the far-off French colonial governments naturally lacked the resolve to resist the British.

Upon seeing the colonial transfer agreement, regardless of its legitimacy, one colonial government after another surrendered.

No, it should be said they underwent territorial transfer. Although the British took over the colonies, the French Army was not disarmed, nor were they sent to prisoner of war camps.

The overseas advances did not bring any consolation to the British Government. As the date for the Vienna Peace Conference approached, Gladstone’s smile faded more and more.

Eating more overseas only amounted to cold leftovers. These areas were beyond the reach of the Anti-French Alliance, allowing them to pick up a bargain.

Such a bargain held no significance in the current international situation. Already isolated, Britain became even more isolated.

The former allies and subordinates now all ceased to exist. It was simply that the Anti-French Alliance was too overwhelmingly advantageous, no European nation stood with them, regardless of how much the London Government tried to allure them.

Gladstone, originally prepared to cause trouble at the Vienna Peace Conference, now also lost his enthusiasm. The current international situation was very clear, as long as the Anti-French Alliance did not dissolve, the European continent would not have their say.

Foreign Minister George: “According to information from the Vienna Embassy, the closed-door meeting of the Anti-French Alliance has ended. The specific contents are not yet known, but they have already expelled the French.

Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Sardinia, and other countries have taken action, expelling the French from border areas.

Preliminary estimates suggest that the Anti-French Alliance has reached an agreement to partition France. The current expulsion is mostly in preparation for the subsequent territorial annexations.

Since the French Army previously undertook similar actions in the Germany Region, the Anti-French Alliance now seeks retaliation, and we are not in a position to condemn them morally.”

In this day and age, the notion of a Holy Virgin is not popular, but blood debt is paid in blood, which is the mainstream of the times. The wars in Europe were instigated by the French invasions, so retaliation by the Anti-French Alliance was to be expected.

Of course, it’s mainly because the Anti-French Alliance was “a bit” too powerful. Most European countries were members of the Anti-French Alliance, and the few neutral nations also took sides with it.

With Europe united in stance, Britain’s erstwhile transcendental status was no longer existing. Standing directly opposite the Anti-French Alliance, even the London Government backed down.

Receiving this bad news, Gladstone’s frown deepened: “Spare no expense to clarify the contents of the treaty, and before that, hold off on declaring our stance.

Continue communications with both the East and the West. An overly powerful Austria does not align with their interests; incite them to come out and compete for the spoils of war.”

This was an overt plot, each great nation in Europe dreamed of being the continental hegemon, East and West were no exceptions.

Austria had become their biggest stumbling block on the road to hegemony, and they would certainly not mind kicking it aside if the opportunity arose.

George shook his head: “Prime Minister, that’s impossible to achieve. Spain has declined and is now busy counterattacking the Philippines, needing Austria’s support more than ever, turning against them is simply not an option.

The Russians indeed have great ambitions, but their pathway westward is completely blocked. Without adequate confidence, they will not turn against Austria.”

The “potential” competitors were just that—”potential.” Spain’s power was too weak to compete for hegemony; the Russians were capable, but the Tsarist Government was not foolish either.

Competing for spoils of war is easy, but digesting them is the challenge. Whether dividing France’s homeland or competing for overseas colonies, a strong navy is needed as backup.

This is exactly what the Russian Empire lacks. To turn against allies for unobtainable goals would only happen if one were delusional.

Gladstone slammed the table fiercely: “Even if it’s impossible, we must do it. The Anti-French Alliance is too powerful, we cannot directly compete with them, we can only dissolve them from within.

If we can’t persuade both East and West against Austria, then we must find a way to join the Alliance. After all, Britain cannot be isolated by the European world.”

If unable to defeat them, join them—this has been a traditional skill of Britain. Recall when France and Austria were allies, yet after Britain joined, the two quickly became estranged.

If there were international relations scholars studying this period, they would notice a clear turning point in France-Austria relations.

Before the establishment of the Tripartite Alliance, the two countries were in their honeymoon phase; after its establishment, contradictions intensified, leading directly to the disintegration of the alliance.

In this sense, Britain also played a disgraceful role in this European war, only miscalculating the strengths of both parties, leading to a collapse in the later stage.