Chapter 894: Bewildered Belgium

After leaving the palace, Prime Minister Terence Bulkin's back was soaked wet, and he knew that he was being shattered.

coincide?

There are no coincidences in politics, even if it is a coincidence, the emperor must believe it.

There is no problem in lobbying the emperor to go to war. This is also the prime minister's own job, and it does not count as overstepping.

But just in time for the soldiers to be attacked, and the emperor mistakenly thought it was a forced palace, then there was a big problem.

After a little thought, Terence Bulkin pinned the suspicion on "Rafael", the undersecretary of agriculture, but he really didn't understand why his cronies wanted to pit him.

To know that Rafael was able to take down the manure of the farm, or he pushed it up with one hand, it is a gift of knowledge.

The bureaucracy is also about interpersonal relationships. Traitors will be despised wherever they go. Even if they change jobs, it will only be after Prime Minister Terence Bulkin is over.

At this time, stabbing the back is completely courting death. With the power of Prime Minister Terence Bulkin, he is fully capable of knocking Rafael to the dust before he falls.

Things have already happened, and now there is no need to dwell on this issue.

Maybe that idiot Rafael was also taken advantage of, at least Prime Minister Terence Bulkin didn't think Rafael had the guts to plan this incident.

Seemingly calm, and the Belgians took the blame, it doesn't mean it's over.

It was the French government and the emperor who were trapped this time. How could they not deal with such an obvious provocation of the relationship between the monarch and the minister?

Prime Minister Terence Bourgin has decided to track down whoever did it, and prepare for the retaliation of the most powerful wave of people in France, provided that it can be found out.

After calming down, Prime Minister Terrence Bulkin quickly put aside these distracting thoughts. There are still a lot of things waiting for him to deal with when the war is about to break out. At this time, he has no time to worry about so much.

...

On September 24, 1890, the French government issued a CD to Billy, ordering the Belgian government to hand over the kidnapped soldiers within 48 hours, as well as the murderer who attacked the French soldiers, and pay one billion francs in compensation.

Receiving this bad news, Leopold II, who was still celebrating the remarkable results of the joint blockade, was dumbfounded.

Don't wait to play like this. According to convention, after the French encounter the blockade, they should first fight with the anti-French alliance, and then negotiate.

However, as soon as the French came up, they made a war excuse and issued a war pass, and they did not play cards according to the routine.

The French made excuses to provoke a war. The problem was that instead of fighting Germany and Austria, they chose Belgium to make the rafters. Leopold II was really bitter.

You know, in order to avoid this war, the Belgian government has made a lot of efforts, including active diplomatic mediation.

They originally hoped for the British and Austrian mediation, but the British boss was unreliable and sold them; Austria also watched the fun and did not think it was a big deal.

Even if he was forced to join the anti-French alliance, Leopold II began to work hard to reduce his sense of existence, and all the limelight was pushed to Germany and Austria.

It is a pity that what should come is still to come. Belgium's geographical location determines the characteristics of their beatings, and they cannot escape at all.

After recovering, Leopold II asked, "What did the German and Austrian ministers say?"

Concession is impossible, not to mention huge compensation, the murderer and missing soldiers that do not exist, the Belgian government cannot pay.

Foreign Minister Juul replied bitterly: "The German minister has not given a clear answer and will have to wait for a domestic decision.

The Austrian minister said that we will support whatever decision we make, including going to war with France. "

Going to war is easier said than done, but if it does, Belgium will be the biggest victim.

Anyone with a little military common sense knows that unless the anti-French alliance takes the initiative, Belgium will be the main battlefield for the alliance and the French army to fight.

It is impossible to take the initiative to attack, and the anti-French alliance, including Belgium, is not ready for war.

The Austrian army is still in the country, even if it arrives at the fastest speed, it will be half a month later.

In fact, the Austrian army was able to enter the field within a month, even at full force.

Ordinary people may take the train from Vienna to Brussels in just two days, but the military acts differently.

It takes time for troops to assemble, time to mobilize, and time to transport equipment and logistical materials.

The transportation capacity of railways is not unlimited. Ordinary trains can transport troops of one battalion at most at a time. After adding weapons and equipment and logistical materials, a single company of troops cannot be transported in many cases.

Belgium does not have the ability to solve the logistical problems of reinforcements by itself, and the Austrian army must carry it by itself.

Because the track standards are different, multiple transfers are required in the middle. Every time you transfer, you need to unload and unload materials, and a lot of time will be wasted along the way.

The most optimistic estimate is that it will take four or five days to arrive in Belgium from Austria.

In addition to the preparation time in the early stage, and the rest time after arrival, it will take ten days at the earliest to be able to enter the battle.

It doesn't seem like a lot of time. The problem is that the reinforcements are not one or two companies, but thousands of companies.

A train transports a company, and a train is dispatched every half an hour. The railway transports a maximum of 48 times a day, which is equivalent to 48 transports.

A company, almost the strength of two regiments.

It can't be fast. In these years, it is very difficult to achieve a train every half an hour for cross-border railway transportation.

There are only a few railways from Austria to Belgium, all of which are calculated, and it is enough to transport two divisions a day.

In fact, it is a miracle to be able to guarantee the delivery of one division per day.

It is impossible for railway transportation to be carried out according to the limit, and a train is dispatched in half an hour. With the technology of this year, it is too difficult to coordinate and dispatch. In case of an accident in the middle, it may crash.

It cannot be guaranteed that all bureaucrats are 100% invested; nor can it be guaranteed that all trains are waiting for an opportunity to advance at a uniform speed.

The interval between the two trains is too short, and in an emergency, it is too late to step on the brakes.

Moreover, even if a train stops, there is no guarantee that the train behind it will not rear-end.

This is still infantry. If artillery and armored troops are transported, whether the carriage can fit big guys is a question mark.

In a sense, the anti-French alliance is still at a disadvantage in railway transportation.

Germany and Austria are okay, even if the tracks are not exactly the same, the sites are still connected together, and the distance of manual transportation is not too far.

Most of the railways in the two countries go their own way, and there may be more than ten miles of transit between stations, which wastes a lot of time.

Before the arrival of Austrian reinforcements, Belgium could only fight side by side with the German Confederation, and the anti-French alliance was at an absolute disadvantage in the short term.

After thinking for a while, Leopold II said solemnly: "The French have come prepared, war is unavoidable, and we must prepare for war from now on.

Telegram to the Vienna government, tell the Austrians that we are not going to budge, and urge them to send troops as soon as possible.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs tries to negotiate with the French as much as possible, we need time..."