Chapter 755 Human Nature

As the absolute protagonist of this war, Abdul Hamid II only felt a lot of pressure and the situation was too unfriendly.

Throughout history, the Ottoman Empire did not have such a cowardly sultan as him. Thinking back to the glorious days of our ancestors, they were invincible and invincible.

The Habsburg dynasty was beaten by them for a suspicious life, the Russians shivered under their soldiers, and the European continent was shrouded in the dark cloud of the Ottoman cavalry.

However, "Three hundred years of Hedong, three hundred years of Hexi", the feng shui turns and staged a realistic version of "Don't bully the old and the poor".

From beating people to being beaten, every time he thinks of this shocking reversal, Abdul Hamid II can't help but complain about his ancestors in the depths of his heart.

It's just about pulling hatred everywhere, and when you end your hatred, cut the grass and root it out! Don't you hear that "the grass is cut without removing its roots, and the spring breeze blows and regenerates", which is simply a model of pit descendants.

Suppressing the injustice in his heart, Abdul Hamid II asked, "Prime Minister, how are you preparing?"

Midhart replied slowly: "The government has mobilized 1.2 million young people to join the army, and it is expected that in the next three months, the number of mobilization will increase to 2 million.

Considering that the enemy is threatening, the government is ready to abandon the coastal areas, and the military will lure the enemy deep into the inland areas and fight them decisively. "

"Luring the enemy to go deep", this statement is absolutely unbelievable to Abdul Hamid II. If he wins, who is willing to give up the essence of the coastal area?

In fact, after the last war in the Near East, the Ottoman Empire strengthened its coastal defense construction. However, the time is too short and the coastline is too long to be taken care of at all.

As the newspaper sneered: "The coastline of the Ottoman Empire stretches for thousands of miles, but only the sandy beach belongs to itself."

There is no defense against the sea, which is the truest portrayal of the Ottoman Empire.

Abdul Hamid II shook his head: "This is far from enough. During the Russian-Prussian War, the tsarist government alone mobilized more than 8 million people into the army, and at its peak the total strength was as high as 5 million. giant.

In this war, we are facing not only the Russian Empire, but also a more powerful Austria.

Not to mention two million troops, even mobilizing another two million would not be enough. Order all the people to be soldiers, to arm everyone.

Men and women, young and old, must take up arms and fight against the enemy. Only then can we have a chance of survival. "

Midhart wanted to correct the Sultan's statement that the Russian army of five million was not all front-line combat troops, and at least half of them were civilians who transported supplies.

It's just that the people must also protect the safety of the supplies, and they also took up weapons before being counted in the army.

Although the Prussian-Russian War was fierce, the front-line combat troops invested in the front line never really exceeded 2 million.

This is the limitation of the times. The army must be subject to logistical constraints in combat, and it is impossible to blindly increase the number of troops.

Thinking of the poor relationship between the two, Midhart decisively chose to give up on correcting the sultan's misconceptions.

One is the representative of the conservatives, the other is the spokesperson of the reformists; one is the embodiment of imperial power and religious power, and the other is the subject of ministerial power and secularism.

In a sense, the sudden war in the Near East saved Midhart, otherwise he would not be able to return to the position of prime minister.

"Your Majesty, we have already mobilized to the limit. Young people have entered the army, women and children have assumed the responsibilities of production and logistics transportation. The entire Ottoman Empire can move everything, and there is no idle person."

Without mentioning the old and the weak, Midhart was really afraid that the Sultan would send everyone to the battlefield, which meant that the defeat would really be the extinction of the race.

Turning over the history of the succession of the Ottoman throne, you will know what is the representative of barbarism. Every sultan succeeds without killing, and the brutal sultan is worthy of the name.

The same is true for Abdul Hamid II, who overthrew his brother and father and inherited the throne through a coup.

A monarch who grew up in such an environment lacked everything, except for being ruthless.

In a sense, they are all mentally ill. Stepping on the bones of my father and brother, it is difficult not to twist my heart.

Abdul Hamid II gave Midhart a fierce look, and seemed to realize that this was not the time to turn his face, so he suppressed his dissatisfaction.

He warned: "My prime minister, it is best to be as you said, there is no idler in the Ottoman Empire."

...

Midhart does not represent the Ottoman people. As a multi-ethnic country with serious ethnic conflicts, the Ottomans have never been calm.

Not everyone is worried about the anti-Turkish alliance. On the contrary, some people in the Ottoman Empire welcome the coalition.

Where there is oppression, there is resistance.

Deep in the interior of the Asia Minor peninsula, an inconspicuous town welcomed an uninvited guest tonight.

"My old friend, the Ottomans' butcher's knives are about to slash your necks, are you still sleeping?"

The plainly dressed middle-aged man shook his head: "Holman, I haven't seen you for so many years, you are still so alarmist.

You launched the war in the Near East, and the Ottoman government is too busy to take care of itself, and it is too late to stabilize the domestic situation. How can you make trouble at this time? "

Holman smiled and said, "Save Draco, don't hide it any more, your expression has already revealed your true thoughts.

You are afraid. The last failure made that fiery Draco no longer exist, and now only

The next rich man who is greedy for life and fear of death. "

Draco nodded: "You're right, I'm really scared. The young and ignorant Draco is dead, and now it's Draco who recognizes the reality.

If you want to use me as a pawn again, don't even think about it. I will not take the lives of my compatriots to pave the way for you.

It's ridiculous that I still take you as a friend. Did you fulfill the Armenian independence you promised last time?

 …”

Listening to Draco's constant complaints, Holman was not impatient until his mouth was dry.

"Okay, old friend. I know your grievances, why don't you take a sip of water to moisten your throat before continuing to tell your grievances?"

Looking at Holman who handed the water glass, Draco knocked the water glass off with one hand, so angry that he was speechless.

Seeing that the momentum was almost over, Holman continued: "My friend, is the last failure really all our fault?

We proposed to let you move to the Caucasus region and establish a state in the Transcaucasus at the junction of Asia and Europe, but some people are reluctant to bear the prosperity of the Asia Minor peninsula and insist on staying.

It's okay to stay, but unfortunately, before the war is over, you will be finished first. How do you want us to keep our promises?

Austria doesn't owe you anything, and national independence has always only depended on its own efforts. Your government does not live up to its expectations, do you still need us to be responsible? "

Seeing the depressed Draco, Holman patted his shoulder heavily with his hand, and continued: "Friends are running out of time for you, and if you don't cheer up, there is no hope.

As long as you are not isolated from the world, you should know that there is a civil war in France, and there is no one in the European world who can save the Ottomans.

Once the Ottoman Empire fell, it was ours and the Russians. Without contributing to this war, why should we support your independence?

No, maybe you can't wait for some time. In normal times, the Ottomans have more fertile coastal plains and don't care about your rotten land.

But this time is different. When the war breaks out, their coastal areas will become battlefields, and a large number of refugees will pour into the interior.

How can the Sudanese government support so many people if they don't ask you for land? Even if the Sudanese government doesn't take your land, at least it will increase your taxes, right?

They have to mobilize two million troops. On average, one out of four people will enlist in the army, and all the young and strong will go to the battlefield.

If nothing else, the conscripts will be here soon.

Once in the Ottoman army, you should know what fate awaits you. "

Threat + intimidation + inducement, Draco already knew very well that he had no choice.

Regardless of whether Holman's promise can be fulfilled or not, now he must stand in line, and all the peoples of the Ottoman Empire must stand in line.

There is no human rights these days. If you stand in the wrong team, you will die. It's not a question of one or two, but the death of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands.

The Russian-Prussian War has proved that the European world is not that civilized. Millions of people starved to death, and the international community only shouted a few times.

Relatively speaking, Austria is still a good eater among the great powers. Although deportations and exiles are often done, they have never played massacres.

Draco asked bitterly: "I'm not the only one you choose. If I refuse, will I not see the sun tomorrow?"

Holman shook his head: "You think too much, my friend. I'm just an intelligence officer, not a hangman, and killing people is not my job.

From what I know about you, even if you don't agree, it's impossible to inform. "

Draco could only believe half of it. Killing is indeed not Holman's job, but it's hard to say it.

As far as he knows, many Armenians have ties to Austria, including in this humble town.

In normal times, he might still be the highly respected Mr. Draco, but now if he says no, he will probably be treated as a hidden danger by these people.

Draco sighed: "Looks like I have no choice! If you think I'm a friend, help send all the children in town away!

They are innocent and the war has nothing to do with them. I know that you have this strength, and I will work for you when I send them away. "

Holman smiled bitterly and said, "This is really difficult, if before the outbreak of the war, let alone hundreds of people, even if it is tens of thousands, we can send it away.

But now it's different, Austria's face is not good here. If you want to send away so many children, you must use channels in Britain and France.

In this war, we stood on opposite sides. The British, French, and Austrian Tripartite Alliance is now only a face-saving maintenance, and it is very difficult to use their strength.

If it's just sending your child away, I can still help..."

Draco interrupted with a wave: "Okay, my friend. Stop talking nonsense, I know you can do it.

If only my child is sent away, what will other people think? To start a wave of independence in the Ottoman hinterland, it is not enough for me to work alone.

Take it easy, old friend. I will not make it difficult for you, we can give you all our money, as long as these children are raised as adults. "

Yes, it is indeed possible to do it, it is nothing more than a matter of money. Money may not make ghosts push the mill, but it can certainly make people push the mill.

There are quite a few European capitalists active in the Ottomans, and as long as they give money, they don't mind shipping a special cargo.

Draco didn't look for these capitalists, not because of lack of money, but because there was no guarantee that these people would perform their contracts.

Greed is the nature of capital, and no one can guarantee that the capitalists will take the money and sell these children to Ottoman.

It would be different if Austria intervened. The capitalists could ignore them, but they could not ignore the Austrian government.

Seeing that Holman was still hesitating, Draco continued to swim and said: "My friend, after this war is over, you must be a big man, and getting a fief is not a problem at all.

I know that you are from a noble family, but your family has long since fallen and is unable to provide you with follow-up resources.

When these children are raised, they can become your team. "

Holman nodded. With such generous conditions, he really could not find a reason to refuse. Even if it required a lot of favors, it was worth it.

"Don't worry, my friend. From now on, your son is my son, and I will take him as my godson and raise him to adulthood."

...