"People sit at home, and the pot falls from the sky."
Similar things often happened in international politics and diplomacy. Most of the time, it was politics that determined the "truth."
For example, now, due to the economic impact, the Government of London had to support the Government of Berlin, but their strength alone was not enough. They had to pull in the French.
In this context, the culprit could only be "Austria." From the perspective of interests, it just so happened that the Government of Vienna also had a motive, which made it even more difficult to clear.
It didn't matter if they couldn't clear it. On the issue of the Prussian war, Britain and Austria were originally on opposite sides.
Franz didn't care, but Alexander II Of Russia had a headache. As soon as the British made their move, their diplomatic efforts were mostly wasted.
There was no other way. Diplomacy was really not their strong point. Looking at the international reputation of the Tsarist government, one could see how amateurish their diplomacy was.
They were able to achieve their current results because their opponents were also diplomatic noobs. Both sides were like rookies pecking at each other.
It wasn't that Prussia and Russia didn't have excellent diplomats. When it came to the individual ability of basic diplomats, even if there was a gap, it wouldn't be too big overall. The root of the problem was in decision-making.
Excellent diplomats were important in international diplomacy, but it was more important to look at the decision-makers above. They were the real masters who had the power to determine a country's diplomacy.
Unfortunately, none of the decision-makers in Prussia and Russia were good at diplomacy. No matter how hard the officials below worked, it was useless.
The original German Empire was the best example. When Bismarck was in power, diplomatic work was at its peak, but after the change, it was a mess.
After the Battle of Smolensk, the outside world was generally optimistic about Russia. The Tsarist government also took the opportunity to strengthen the diplomatic offensive against the Nordic Federation.
It was hard to send charcoal in the snow, but easy to add flowers to brocade. Many people in the Nordic Federation were tempted, especially the Danes, who were ready to take revenge for the Prussian war.
From a strategic point of view, as long as the Nordic Federation stabbed the Prussian Federation, the war would be over. No matter what kind of amazing plan Mao Qi had, it would be useless.
Unfortunately, the Tsarist government's action was too slow. Not knowing whether it was because of interests or other reasons, the negotiations didn't reach a conclusion.
With the intervention of the British, the Nordic Federation government, which was originally prepared to put the icing on the cake, wavered again. The alliance became a dream, and the Russians missed the best opportunity to win the war.
This was not the biggest headache for Alexander Ii Of Russia. What was more troublesome was that after the victory of the Battle of Smolensk, optimism began to rise in the country.
A lot of good-for-nothings who could not do anything and ate everything had turned into military experts, giving orders to the frontline.
"Drive straight into Warsaw", "Surprise attack on Berlin" … All sorts of strange tactics emerged one after another. They all sounded good, and they could easily win the war.
Talking heads were nothing. Just treat it as listening to a story. When doing things, just eliminate what they said first. If the Verbal Cannon Party had social influence, the situation would be very different.
Russia happened to have social influence, and some of them even held great power in the government. Even Alexander II Of Russia was having a headache, not to mention the frontline commanders.
…
In Saint Peter Castle in July, there was neither the cold of winter nor the heat of summer. The temperature was over ten degrees, and it was the most pleasant season.
At this perfect time, the exciting "Great Victory of Smolensk" was ushered in, and the entire Saint Peter Castle was filled with the joy of victory.
As the biggest hero of this battle, Marshal Ivanov quietly returned from the frontline to attend the military meeting.
In the face of his colleague's compliments, Ivanov just smiled. He knew himself well, and no one knew better than him how exaggerated the Battle of Smolensk was.
The main force of the Prussian Army still existed, and it was too early to talk about "victory". If it was not for political needs, Marshal Ivanov would not mind revealing the truth and exposing the enemy's sinister intentions.
There were no ifs in politics, and the Tsarist government needed a victory. The "Great Victory of Smolensk" came at the right time, and the fake had to be made real.
Relatively speaking, it was not fake, and at most, it could only be regarded as artistic processing. The pile of captives was the embodiment of military success.
Of course, as a real soldier, Ivanov did not think it was something to be proud of. He even suspected that the enemy could not afford to raise so many cannon fodder, and deliberately gave them to increase the logistical pressure.
…
The Winter Palace
Alexander Ii Of Russia said with a smile, "Marshal, tell me about the situation at the frontline!"
There was more than one marshal in the Russian Empire, but the only one who could appear here and be treated seriously by Alexander Ii Of Russia was Ivanov.
The biggest source of confidence for a soldier was always military achievements. No matter how exaggerated, a victory was a victory, and as the victor, Ivanov had the capital to be respected.
Perhaps Ivanov's military command ability was not the best, but he had an advantage that others did not have, and that was that he had never lost a battle.
Looking at his resume, one would find that he was a stable output player. He liked to fight steadily and was opposed to any military risks.
In addition, his luck had always been good, and the enemies he encountered were always on the weaker side.
In the First Prussian War, he first commanded the troops against the Poles, and then was sent to defend the Constantinople against the Osman.
The enemy was a pushover, and with such a conservative commander, it was difficult for the Russian Army to lose.
In the case of the Russian Army's defeat, Ivanov, who could win, naturally stood out.
Then came the Second Near Eastern War, where the Tsarist government and Austria joined forces to beat the Osman. It was needless to say that they were giving away military achievements.
When the Second Russo-Prussian War broke out, Alexander II immediately used this "Marshal of Good Luck" who had "outstanding military achievements" in order to ensure stability.
Facts proved that this appointment was very wise. In the past ten months of war, although the Russian Army did not have much of an advantage, they did not suffer any losses.
At this point in the war of attrition, everyone suddenly realized that the Russians were gradually gaining the upper hand in this war of attrition.
The only drawback was that the casualties were a little high, but in the face of victory, this was a small problem. Compared to the First Prussian War, the current Russian Army's exchange ratio on the battlefield was much better.
Ivanov picked up a baton and pointed on the map as he spoke, "After the Battle of Smolensk, the Prussian main force kept retreating, as if they were going to abandon the Polish area.
However, this is only on the surface. The Battle of Smolensk did not seriously damage the Prussian main force, and they still have the strength to fight. There is no need to retreat so quickly, let alone abandon the East Gate of Warsaw.
I have studied the direction of the enemy's movements, and they are distributing to the two flanks. As soon as we enter the Warsaw area, they can immediately attack.
Of course, it is not that we are afraid of fighting the enemy, but there is no need to fight the enemy in the Warsaw area. Even if there is a fight, we should choose the place. "
Obviously, Ivanov was a political person, and he did not say what he could not say.
Everyone present was smart. Even if Ivanov did not say it, everyone knew that the Poles did not welcome Tsar's little daddy, and the Warsaw area was the most anti-Russian area. There was no support for the people to fight there.
However, smart people would also do stupid things, because it was not the brain that determined their thinking, but the position of their buttocks.
Finance Minister Kristanval questioned, "Marshal, fighting the enemy in the Warsaw area may not be the best choice, but it is the most suitable for us.
Since the start of the war, we have spent nearly 1.87 billion rubles, and every month we spend nearly 200 million rubles.
This means that our annual revenue is not even enough for three months of war expenses.
Every day the war continues, we have to pay a huge amount of military expenses. The best choice is to end the war as soon as possible. "
Every time a cannon was fired, it would cost ten thousand taels of gold. The Tsarist government had mobilized millions of soldiers, and the daily military expenses were astronomical.
It was impossible to raise funds by themselves, and Russia's finances had never been rich. In order to fight the war, the Tsarist government had already incurred a huge debt.
If the war continued, it would not take long for the government's finances to be depleted. At that time, it would be up to the Ministry of Finance to find a solution. Kristanval was a smart man, and he knew very well that it was difficult for the Tsarist government to raise funds.
If they did not lose on the battlefield, and instead lost the war because of financial problems, the Ministry of Finance would be the one to take the blame. As the finance minister, he would be the first to bear the brunt, and he might be dragged to the guillotine to appease the public.
Moreover, the borrowed money had to be paid back. This loan was mortgaged with land, and if the pockets were too clean to fulfill the debt, they would have to give up land to repay the debt.
Once this happened, the Ministry of Finance would be the one to take the blame, and as the finance minister, Kristanval could not help but be anxious.
For him, this war was the "sword of doom" hanging in the air, and it could cut down at any time and take his life.
It was not only the Ministry of Finance that was anxious to end the war, but many interest groups within the Tsarist government also wanted to end the war as soon as possible.
The war was too damaging to the economy, and many industries could not operate normally. This undoubtedly cut off everyone's source of income.
Ivanov shook his head, "Your Excellency is thinking too simply. The difficulty of the decisive battle in the Warsaw area is not just a little bit higher.
If we pursue a quick war and choose to take a strategic risk, we will fall into the enemy's trap.
If something happens and our army suffers heavy losses, who will be responsible? "
It was impossible to explain, and in the context of political correctness, many things could not be said, so Marshal Ivanov could only choose to face it head-on.
Finance Minister Kristanval sneered, "Isn't the military responsible for the matters on the battlefield? Do you want the finance ministry to be responsible? Or should I say, let us command! "
There were many people who wanted a quick war, and Alexander Ii Of Russia was one of them. No one said it, mainly because they were worried that forcing the military to fight earlier would lead to the failure of the war, and no one was willing to bear the responsibility.
Kristanval had no choice, the Tsarist government's finances were too bad, and the cost of the war was too high.
The war funds raised by the finance ministry could last for at most one more year, but could the war end in a year?
If he had not experienced the last Prussian war, Kristanval might have said yes. After experiencing it himself, Kristanval could no longer be optimistic.
As a military novice, Kristanval did not think it was important to change the location of the decisive battle. At most, there would be more casualties. After all, gray animals were not valuable, and they could afford to lose them.
Marshal Ivanov said sarcastically, "This is a good suggestion. Since Marquis Kristanval is so confident, then I will abdicate!"
At this point, Ivanov was very clear that he could not give in. Taking a step back was not the sea and the sky, but a bottomless abyss.
It was not the best choice to face it head-on, as it would offend many people. But compared to the risk of fighting earlier, he felt that it was safer to offend people.
This was the era of war, and the military was at its most powerful. No one could touch a marshal with outstanding military achievements.
Seeing that the argument had escalated, Alexander Ii Of Russia waved his hand, "Okay, let's stop this question. Marshal, let's talk about your battle plan first! "
There was no doubt that this short interlude was won by Marshal Ivanov's persistence.
In the face of a financial crisis and the risk of losing the war, Alexander Ii Of Russia chose to face the financial crisis. He could not afford the risk of losing the war.
As long as the war was won, the financial crisis could be solved. If it was really not possible, he could just go back on his word again. Once he got used to it, it would be fine.
The only trouble was the mortgaged territory, but this was a small problem. At most, he could make up for the losses from the enemy. It was not like the Government of Vienna did not accept the exchange of land.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Ivanov replied seriously, "Now the enemy has set up a trap in the Warsaw area, waiting for us to jump in.
To be on the safe side, we have decided to take the Lithuanian region first, outflank the enemy in the Baltic region, and first remove the enemy's military threat to St. Peter Castle. "
Hearing this answer, many people nodded in satisfaction. The Prussian army had already reached Estonia, and was not far from St. Peter Castle.
This made the officials unable to sleep well, for fear that the enemy would attack the city one day. If it were not for Alexander Ii Of Russia's insistence, the Tsarist government would have moved the capital to Moscow long ago.
No one would object to removing the threat of St. Peter Castle first, not even Alexander Ii Of Russia. No one would complain about living too safely.
After a pause, Marshal Ivanov continued, "After recovering the Lithuanian region, the situation on the battlefield will change again.
Taking into account the logistical pressure, the command center plans to launch a full-scale attack on the southern front, using troops along the Prussian border to obtain supplies from Austria.
We only need to advance step by step, steadily, and rely on our military superiority to directly crush the enemy. "
Stability. According to Ivanov's military deployment, it might be difficult for the Russian army to achieve a world-shaking victory, but it also wouldn't be a world-shaking defeat.
Of course, the sequelae were also very serious, and the price to pay was somewhat tragic. At the same time as defeating the enemy, the Russian Empire would also suffer a great loss.
Alexander Ii Of Russia asked with concern, "Is there any way to reduce our losses? If we continue like this, even if we win, we will suffer heavy losses. "
After pondering for a moment, Ivanov pointed the command center in the direction of the Nordic Federation on the map and said, "The simplest way is to let the Nordic Federation participate in the war.
We have already restrained the enemy's main force, and as long as they send troops to attack Berlin, the war can be ended within a month.
Of course, letting Austria and the German Confederation participate in the war is the same. The enemy's rear is very empty, and only 50,000 troops can take Berlin. "
This was an awkward plan. The Tsarist government's plan to rope in the Nordic Federation failed under the sabotage of John Bull.
As for Austria and the German Confederation, they didn't even think about it. It was impossible, even if they promised great benefits, it would be useless.
Not to mention international relations, the nationalists would be the first to agree.
If Austria wanted to unify the German Region, it couldn't do without the support of the nationalists. The Government of Vienna wouldn't go against the will of the people.
The German Confederation was even worse. There were a bunch of states within it, and if the central government dared to mess around, they would declare independence in minutes.
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