Holy Roman Empire-Chapter 972 - 235: Harsh Conditions

Chapter 972: Chapter 235: Harsh Conditions

President Robert, with weak resolve, ultimately could not resist the persuasive efforts of many. On June 6, 1892, Robert, on behalf of France and Weisenberg representing the Anti-French Alliance, signed the “Vienna Convention.”

The contents of the treaty are as follows:

1. France recognized its defeat and assumed responsibility for the war.

2. France abolished its suzerainty over Andorra, Monaco, and the Italian States, recognizing their independence.

3. France ceded the Grand Duchy of Lorraine, Alsace Province, parts of the Kingdom of Burgundy, the County of Flanders, the County of Artois, the Duchy of Sava, parts of Provence, Corsica, and the Ruseiyong region to the Anti-French Alliance. (Total area of 125,000 square kilometers)

4. France was to pay the Anti-French Alliance war reparations of 40 billion Divine Shields, with the provision to pay over 99 years at a monthly interest rate of 0.5%.

(Note: Repayments were to be made in an increasing annual increment, initially paying 15 million Divine Shields, increasing by 1.5 million annually from 1893 to 1900, by 3 million from 1901 to 1910, and by 5 million from 1911 to 1920…)

5. The active French Army was limited to no more than 50,000 personnel, and the reserve militia to no more than 100,000. The army was forbidden from equipping tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery with a caliber exceeding 100mm; the naval staff was capped at 5,000 personnel, main battleships were not to exceed 5,000 tonnes in displacement, and total tonnage not to exceed 50,000 tonnes; development of any aerial force including zeppelins and airplanes was prohibited.

6. All domestic armaments factories were to be closed, and no engagement in military industry R&D and production was allowed. Land and naval equipment had to be purchased entirely from countries like Auoebide.

7. Until the full payment of reparations was made, the Allied Forces had the right to station troops in France, not exceeding 250,000 in peacetime, with the French government bearing 80% of the costs.

8. France ceded its Overseas Colonies such as French African and French American territories to Austria.

…

Looking at the document before him, a replica of the “Versailles Treaty,” or rather, an even harsher version, Franz was speechless for a long time.

Up to this day, the historical memories from his past life had lost their value. Whether this decision was right or wrong, Franz did not know. In any case, this was the collective will of the countries in the Anti-French Alliance.

It could only be said that the French were unfortunate to encounter an alliance all eager to weaken them, unlike in the original timeline where the Anglo-Americans still wanted to preserve Germany’s vitality.

The Russian Empire initially also wanted to reserve some vitality for the French to balance against Austria, but unfortunately, the Tsarist Government could not forego the war reparations.

Twenty percent of 40 billion Divine Shields amounted to 8 billion Divine Shields; such a massive amount of money was impossible to forsake without Russian nobility calling for someone’s head.

With this huge amount of money, the funding for marching south to India was secured. Whether balancing against Austria mattered became irrelevant with India under control.

The only regret was that this huge sum was not paid in one lump sum, delaying their major southward endeavors. However, a steady flow was equally beneficial, providing a long-term solution to the Tsarist Government’s fiscal shortfall.

Due to taking the money, when the others were partitioning France, the Russians naturally found it awkward to object.

Of course, objecting would have been futile. On the issue of weakening France, all the countries had a firmer stance than Austria, completely unyielding to the Russians.

Unless the Tsarist Government was willing to give up the reparations, ready to overturn the table regardless of consequences, and team up with the British.

This was clearly impossible. With interests foremost, the Tsarist Government was rational and would not fund France through self-sacrifice.

Regardless, with the dust settled on the European wars, Franz finally felt relieved.

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After many years of effort, Austria, situated amid the turmoil of four battles, had finally escaped the awkwardness of multi-front warfare.

Reflecting on this, Franz found it incredible. Over the past forty years, Austria had sequentially resolved three great enemies – Prussia, the Ottomans, and France.

Without the pressure, Franz felt a weight lift off his shoulders. After quietly reflecting in his heart, Franz quickly made a decision, “Let’s arrange troop withdrawals according to the treaty! However, the transfer of prisoners of war should be delayed until after the situation in France has completely stabilized, to prevent unnecessary turmoil.”

The treaty was undoubtedly to be complied with, but the specifics required careful consideration.

Franz’s worry wasn’t unfounded; given the current circumstances, once the main Allied Forces withdrew, instability in France was almost inevitable.

Once the prisoners of war were returned, it was uncertain whether the troops remaining in France could maintain control.

Should the situation collapse, it would necessitate reassembling the Allied Forces for intervention. While Austria’s national strength was barely sufficient, its allies could not afford such repeated engagements.

Franz was acutely aware of the horrors of a people’s war. He did not doubt the revolutionary determination of the French public in the least.

Given the stringent clauses in the “Vienna Convention,” just a spark was enough to detonate this powder keg.

Once the situation deteriorated, it wouldn’t be a simple intervention that could resolve it. The endurance of the countries in the Anti-French Alliance was limited; after a few more upheavals, public support would likely wane.

To avoid the worst-case scenario, the best method was still to keep a tight hold on the millions of prisoners of war they had. Without these men serving as the main force, even if the old, weak, sick, and disabled caused a commotion, the threat would be limited.

Prime Minister Carl said, “It would be better to withdraw the troops sooner; we’ve been supplying the Allied Forces’ logistics all along. Withdrawing early would also let the government reduce some expenses.

Postponing the release of the prisoners of war would be troublesome. Up to now, the Allied Forces have captured 4.12 million prisoners of war, and just feeding them is a problem.

Now that the war is over and the international community is watching us…”

This was more than just a problem; it was a ticking time bomb. The prisoners in the Region of Africa were manageable, as they were currently contributing to reforestation efforts, which was a stable job.

The prisoners in the European Region were different; due to hatred, they had to be kept separated from the public, and they weren’t allowed to participate in post-war reconstruction.

Now these fellows could only stay idle in the camps day by day, often causing somewhat ludicrous problems.

Franz rubbed his forehead and said helplessly, “Let’s start by releasing the prisoners of Italian nationality and let the government of the Italian States take their people. Release the French prisoners who behave well first, 5000 a day.

Trouble with the prisoners? The enemy has surrendered; are we still scared of a group of prisoners? If we worry about the political impact, we can delegate the management to the Russians.

They’re experienced in this regard. Even the stubborn Ottomans have been subdued by them, haven’t they?”

Sometimes, Franz truly envied the Russians; they did as they pleased, blatantly ignoring international opinion.

He had initially thought that when the Ottomans moved into the Russian Empire, they would stir up some trouble. Franz had even prepared to offer the Tsarist Government condolences subsidies.

Reality slapped him hard; perhaps it was because of the harsh winters making it hard to cause trouble or maybe they had learned to adapt after being socially ‘beaten.’

In any event, the Ottomans who entered the Russian Empire were very peaceful. After all, two-thirds of the Ottoman immigrants who entered Siberia years ago had decreased in number, the restless ones now few.

With a successful track record, Franz didn’t mind outsourcing the labor once more, perhaps even at a lower cost than managing it himself.

From military spending alone, it was clear that Russian officers had a lot of experience in cost control, skilled at getting the most done with the least money.

…

Foreign Minister Weisenberg said, “Your Majesty, here are the troop numbers of the various countries’ forces stationed. The total strength stands at 249,000, with the Russians deploying 120,000, Spain 70,000, Belgium 30,000, Switzerland 11,000, Sardinia 8,000…”

The Austrian army didn’t need to worry about the stationed troops in France; the members of the Anti-French Alliance nearly fought among themselves over the spots. Although it seemed like the French only bear 80% of the military expenses, the calculations couldn’t be done that way.

The military cost base was determined by the average level of the Austrian army, and the presence of Armored Troops directly raised the average, not all countries had such expensive armies.

For instance, the Russian per capita military spending was less than half of the Austrian army. Stationing troops in France not only helped maintain the army, but the Tsarist Government could also make a profit.

Especially for neighboring countries, the significance was immense. Directly stationing their own army on the border, someone else paid for their upkeep without affecting their own use.

Besides these direct, overt benefits, the covert profits were what everyone truly vied for.

The wealth of France was substantial; although plundered by the Allied Forces, the remaining spoils were still plentiful.

Of course, direct plundering was a lesser strategy. The greatest benefit from the stationed troops was actually smuggling.

As long as they carried the label of transporting military supplies, the French had no authority to intervene, perfectly avoiding tariffs.

However, smuggling had its limits; to maximize benefits, moderation was crucial. With so many member states in the Anti-French Alliance, without regulation, the market would soon be destroyed.

Now, the struggle wasn’t just for the spots for stationed troops but equally for the smuggling quotas in the underground market.

Austria didn’t participate, not because they disdained the market but because the Vienna Government had already taken away the most precious asset—talent.

Had it not been for the chaotic situation, everyone would have noticed that France’s top scientists and engineers had emigrated en masse with their families.

In this aspect, Franz was very domineering; whether or not he could use them, he took the people first.

It could be said that after this confrontation, the high-end talent in France was directly depleted, unable to recover even in thirty years.

Such a significant move didn’t cause a stir externally, naturally thanks to the cooperation of allies. In return, Austria renounced the underground smuggling market in France.