Chapter 689 The Tsar's Choice
"When people sit at home, the pot comes from the sky."
Similar things often happen in international politics and diplomacy. In many cases, politics needs to determine the "truth".
For example, now, due to the economic impact, the London government has to support the Berlin government, but their strength alone is not enough, and the French must be pulled.
In this context, the black hand can only be "Austria". From the point of view of interests, it happens that the Vienna government also has motives, which makes it even more unclear.
It doesn't matter if it's not clear. On the issue of the Russian-Prussian War, Britain and Austria were already on opposite sides, and they couldn't bear too much debt.
Franz didn't care, Alexander II had a headache. As soon as the British made their move, their diplomatic efforts were largely abolished.
No way, diplomacy is really not their strong point, just look at the international reputation of the tsarist government to know how amateurish their diplomacy is.
To be able to achieve the current results, it is because the opponents are also diplomatic novices, and the two sides are rookie at each other, barely equal.
This is not to say that Prussia and Russia do not have excellent diplomats, but in terms of the personal capabilities of grass-roots diplomats, even if there is a gap, it will not be too big in general. The root of the problem lies in decision-making.
Excellent diplomats are important in international diplomacy, but more importantly, the decision makers above are the ones who truly have the power to decide a country's diplomacy.
It is a pity that neither Prussia and Russia are good at diplomacy in decision-making, and it is useless for the officials below to work hard.
The former German Empire in Time and Space is a perfect example. During the Bismarck period, the diplomatic work was at its peak, but after the replacement, it was a mess.
After the Battle of Smolinsk, the outside world was generally optimistic about the Russians, and the Tsarist government also took the opportunity to strengthen its diplomatic offensive against the Nordic Federation.
Giving charcoal in the snow is difficult, but icing on the cake is easy. Many people in the Nordic Federation are tempted, especially the Danes who are gearing up to avenge the Pudan war.
Strategically speaking, as long as the Nordic Federation stabs the Pubo Federation now, this war will be over, no matter what shocking plans Mao Qi has.
It is a pity that the action of the tsarist government was too slow. I do not know whether it was because of interests or other reasons, and the negotiations did not achieve results.
With the intervention of the British, the Nordic federal government, which was supposed to be the icing on the cake, was shaken again, and the alliance became a dream. The Russians missed the best chance to win the war.
This is not the most troublesome thing for Alexander II. What is more troublesome is that after the victory of the "Battle of Smolinsk", domestic optimism began to rise.
A lot of people who do what they don't do, eat what they eat and leave no waste, have all turned into military leaders, pointing fingers at the front line.
"What is going straight into Warsaw", "A surprise attack on Berlin"... All kinds of strange tactics emerge in an endless stream, and they all sound good, and you can win the war casually.
Talking gunmen are nothing, they are just listening to stories and doing things, it is right to exclude them first. The situation is very different if the mouthpiece party has social influence.
The gang of gunmen in Russia just happen to have social influence, and some people still hold great power in the government. These guys "beeped", and Alexander II felt a headache, not to mention the pressure on the frontline commanders.
...
In St. Petersburg in July, there is no cold winter, no summer heat. The temperature of more than ten degrees is the most pleasant season.
At this best time, the exciting "Smolinsk victory" was ushered in again, and the whole St. Petersburg was filled with the joy of victory.
As the greatest hero in commanding this battle, Marshal Ivanov quietly returned from the front line and came to attend the military meeting.
Facing the compliments from his colleagues, Ivanov just smiled. No one knows better than him how much moisture is involved in the battle of Smolinsk.
The main force of the Prussian army is especially present, and it is too early to talk about "victory". If it is not a political need, Marshal Ivanov does not mind publishing the truth and exposing the sinister intentions of the enemy.
There is no political if, the tsarist government needs a victory, the "Victory of Smolinsk" comes at the right time, and the fake must become the real.
Relatively speaking, this is not fake, at best it can only be regarded as artistic processing. That pair of prisoners is the embodiment of the record.
Of course, being a real soldier, Ivanov didn't think there was anything to brag about. He even suspected that the enemy could not afford to keep so many cannon fodder, and deliberately stuffed them to increase the logistical pressure.
...
Winter Palace
Alexander II smiled and said, "Marshal, tell us about the situation on the front line!"
There is not only one marshal of the Russian Empire, but Ivanov is the only one who can appear here and be treated seriously by Alexander II.
The greatest strength of a soldier is always his military exploits. No matter how much moisture he has, he wins if he wins. As a winner, Ivanov has the capital to be respected.
Perhaps Ivanov's military command ability is not the best, but he has the advantage that others do not have, that is, the battles he commanded have never been defeated.
If you look at his resume, you will find that this is a stable output player. Favorite is to play slowly and oppose any military adventure.
In addition, his luck has always been very good, and the enemies he encountered have always been weak.
In the First Russo-Prussian War, he first commanded troops against the Poles, and then was sent to defend Constantinople against the Ottomans.
The enemies are all soft persimmons, plus he is such a conservative commander, it is difficult for the Russian army to lose even if it wants to.
A crushing defeat in the Russian army
Under these circumstances, Ivanov, who can win the battle, naturally stands out.
Then it caught up with the Second Near Eastern War. The tsarist government and Austria joined forces to beat the Ottomans. It is not necessary to say that this is a military exploit.
The second Prussian-Russian War broke out. In order to seek stability, Alexander II immediately used the "good luck" marshal with "great military exploits".
Facts have proved that this appointment is very wise. In the past ten months of war, although the Russian army has not taken much advantage, it has not suffered any loss.
The pure war of attrition has been fought until now, and everyone suddenly discovered that the Russian army gradually gained the strategic initiative in the war of attrition.
The only downside is that the casualties are a little bigger, but in the face of victory, these are all minor issues. Compared with the first Russian-Prussian War, the exchange ratio of the current Russian army on the battlefield is already much better.
Ivanov picked up a baton and pointed on the map as he spoke: "After the Battle of Smolinsk, the main force of the Prussian army retreated all the way, as if they were about to abandon Poland.
But this is only a superficial situation. The Battle of Smolinsk did not hit the main force of the Prussian army. They still have the strength to fight, so there is no need to run so fast, let alone give up the east gate of Warsaw.
I have studied the direction of the enemy's mobilization, and they are distributed to the flanks. As soon as we enter the Warsaw area, they can immediately pounce.
Of course, it is not that we are afraid of a decisive battle with the enemy, but mainly because there is no need for a decisive battle with the enemy in the Warsaw area. Even if there is a decisive battle, we should choose the place. "
Obviously, Ivanov is politically minded, and he will not say anything he can't say.
There were smart people present, even if Ivanov didn’t say it, everyone knew that the Poles did not welcome the tsar’s little father, and the Warsaw region was the most active anti-Russian region, and there was no popular basis for the decisive battle here.
But smart people also do stupid things, because it's not the brain that determines their thinking, but the position under their own ass.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Christan Wahl questioned: "Your Excellency Marshal, it may not be the best choice to fight the enemy in the Warsaw region, but it is the most suitable for us.
From the outbreak of the war to the present, we have spent nearly 1.87 billion rubles, and every month we spend nearly 200 million rubles.
This means that our fiscal revenue for one year is not enough to cover three months of war.
Every day the war lasts, we have to pay a huge amount of military expenses. It is the best choice to end the war as soon as possible. "
The tsar's government mobilized millions of troops, and the daily military expenditure was an astronomical figure.
Self-financing is impossible, Russia has never been financially rich. In order to carry out this war, the tsarist government has owed huge foreign debts.
If the war continues, it will not be long before government finances are drained again. At that time, the Ministry of Finance will be asked to find a way. Kristan Wahl is a smart man, and he knows very well that the tsarist government wants to raise money too hard now.
If there is no defeat on the battlefield, but the war is defeated because of finances, the Ministry of Finance will be the black pot. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he is the first to bear the brunt, and if he fails, he will be guillotined to quell public anger.
Also, the borrowed money has to be repaid. This time the loan is mortgaged on the land. If the pocket is too clean and the debt cannot be fulfilled, the land must be ceded to repay the debt.
Once this happens, the final blame is the Ministry of Finance, as Chancellor of the Exchequer Christan Wahl can not be impatient.
To him, this war is a dangling "sword of doomsday" that could be cut off at any time and cost him his life.
Not only is the Ministry of Finance eager to end the war, but many interest groups within the tsarist government also want to end the war as soon as possible.
The war has done too much damage to the economy, and many industries cannot function normally, which undoubtedly cut off everyone's financial path.
Ivanov shook his head: "Your Excellency's thinking is too simple, the increased difficulty of the decisive battle in the Warsaw area is not a star and a half.
If you choose a strategic adventure in pursuit of a quick decision, you will fall into the enemy's tricks.
In the event of an accident that causes heavy losses to our army, who can be held responsible? "
Explanation is impossible. In the context of political correctness, many things cannot be said. Marshal Ivanov can only choose a hard cap.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Christan Wahl sneered: "It's not your military that is in charge of things on the battlefield. Are we still responsible for the Ministry of Finance? Or simply let us command it!"
There are many people who want a quick solution, including Alexander II. Everyone didn't say it, mainly because they were worried that forcing the military to fight in advance would lead to the defeat of the war, and no one was willing to take this responsibility.
There is no way for Kristenvall, the finances of the tsarist government are too bad, and the cost of war is too great.
The war funds raised by the Ministry of Finance can last for another year at most, but can the war end in one year?
If he hadn't been through the last Russian-Prussian war, Kristenvall might have said yes. After experiencing it firsthand, Kristan Wahl couldn't be more optimistic.
As a military novice, Kristenvall doesn't think it's important to change the location of the decisive battle. The big deal is that the casualties are a little bigger. Anyway, the gray animals are worthless, and they can afford to lose them.
Marshal Ivanov sneered: "This is a good proposal. Since Marquis Kristenvall is so confident, then I will abdicate and let the virtuous!"
At this point, Ivanov is very clear that he cannot give in. Taking a step back is not the vast sky, but the abyss.
A straight hard top is not the best option and will offend a lot of people. However, and mention
Compared with the risk of the previous decisive battle, he felt that it was safer to offend people.
Now is the era of war, which belongs to the most powerful era of the military, and no one can touch him as a marshal with great military achievements.
Seeing the escalation of the quarrel, Alexander II waved his hand: "Okay, let's stop this issue. Marshal, let's talk about your battle plan first!"
There is no doubt that this brief episode was won by the persistence of Marshal Ivanov.
In the face of the financial crisis and the risk of losing the war, Alexander II chose to face the financial crisis. He really couldn't bear the risk of losing the war.
Fiscal crises can always be resolved as long as the war is won. It's really not good, it's a big deal to rely on it again. It's good to get used to it once you get used to it.
The only trouble is the mortgaged territory, but this is a small problem, the big deal is to make up for the loss from the enemy, and the Vienna government does not accept the exchange of land.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Ivanov replied solemnly: "Now the enemy has deployed traps in the Warsaw area, waiting for us to jump in.
For the sake of safety, we decided to take the Lithuania region first, outflank the enemy in the Baltic region from behind, and first relieve the enemy's military threat to St. Petersburg. "
After hearing this answer, many people nodded with satisfaction. The Prussian army hit Estonia, not far from St. Petersburg.
This made the officials and gentlemen unable to sleep well, for fear that one day the enemy would come under the city. Had it not been for the insistence of Alexander II, the Tsarist government would have moved the capital to Moscow long ago.
No one would object to prioritizing the removal of the threat from St. Petersburg, even Alexander II, who would not despise their own safety.
After a pause, Marshal Ivanov continued: "After the Lithuanian region is recaptured, the situation on the battlefield will change again.
Taking into account the logistical pressures, the command planned to launch a full-scale offensive on the southern front, using troops along the Phu-Austrian border, so as to obtain supplies from Austria nearby.
In the back, we only need to step by step, advance steadily, and directly crush the enemy by relying on the superiority of our troops. "
One word is "stability". According to Ivanov's military deployment, it may be difficult for the Russian army to achieve a world-shattering victory, nor will there be an earth-shattering defeat.
Of course, the sequelae are also very serious, and the price to be paid is somewhat tragic. At the same time as defeating the enemy, the Russian Empire will also be severely damaged.
Alexander II asked with concern: "Is there any way to reduce our losses? Even if we win, we will lose a lot."
After pondering for a while, Ivanov pointed the map in the direction of the Nordic Federation and said, "The easiest way is to let the Nordic Federation join the war.
We have contained the main force of the enemy, and as long as they send troops to raid Berlin, the war can be ended within a month.
Of course, the same goes for bringing Austria and the German Confederation to war. The enemy's rear was so empty that only fifty thousand troops could take Berlin. "
This was an embarrassing plan, the Tsarist government's plan to win over the Nordic Confederation failed under the sabotage of John Bull.
As for Austria and the German Confederation, don't even think about it, it's impossible, even if they promise big benefits, it won't work.
Not to mention international relations, the nationalists would not agree in the first place.
If Austria wants to unify the German region, it cannot do without the support of nationalists, and the Vienna government will not go against public opinion.
The German Confederation is even worse. There are a lot of internal states. If the central government dares to mess up, people will become independent in minutes.