Chapter 673

Franz, who originally planned to cheat the Russians, declared the plan a failure as soon as he took action. The economic crisis came.

Shinra suffered the most from the collapse of the free trade system, but the first to collapse was France.

They had no choice. First, they were beaten by the European War, and then they were attacked by the Russians. France, which was a big family and a big business, was also tossed and turned.

After the withdrawal of the Russian Army, with the help of the Government of Vienna, the French economy began to slowly recover.

Everything was going in a good direction. Unfortunately, the huge debt destroyed the healthy growth of the French economy.

The dividends from the economic recovery, in addition to increasing employment and meeting the basic needs of the people, went into the pockets of the anti-French countries in the form of reparations.

After the collapse of the free trade system, the economies of European countries were impacted, and France was no exception.

Without an adequate economic moat, the fragile economy directly collapsed in the first wave of impact, directly triggering the economic crisis.

Under the free trade system, the economic ties between European countries were very close, and it couldn't be interrupted all at once.

When the French economy was in crisis, the European countries were inevitably affected. Before Franz could react, the economic crisis began to sweep the European continent.

The economic crisis was always accompanied by overcapacity and unmarketable goods. This time was no exception. Everyone was worried about the unmarketable products, and raising the price of strategic goods naturally became a dream.

He didn't know if Japan and Russia were lucky or unlucky.

In the context of the economic crisis, the common financial problems faced by Japan and Russia were no longer a problem.

There were pros and cons. In order to divert the domestic crisis, Britannia and Shinra would support the two countries, which meant the war between Japan and Russia would be unprecedentedly tragic.

It just so happened that Japan and Russia were both willing to die. In theory, as long as there was enough money and supplies, the two countries could continue to fight.

When it would end would depend on when the anger in their hearts would be released.

Of course, before they couldn't take it anymore, the investors behind them would probably retreat first.

After all, the Japanese and Russian governments had no choice. The Government of London and the Government of Vienna were still sober and had to weigh the pros and cons.

With his hands gently tapping on the armchair, Franz fell into deep thought.

Unlike Japan, which was subservient to Great Britain, the Tsarist government next door was a scoundrel. It was almost 100% possible for them to borrow without paying back.

Russia and Austria were allies, and it was their duty to support their allies. Therefore, they still had to borrow money, but the Vienna government also had to set a limit. They couldn't invest without limit.

This limit was not easy to grasp. Even though Franz had been the emperor for so many years, he couldn't easily make up his mind.

Money was not a problem. The key was that the country was not a country of one person. Even the emperor had to consider the reaction of the people.

As an ally, it was understandable that the government would support the Tsarist government. However, the amount of support that everyone was willing to give, or in other words, their expectations were different.

Once most people's bottom line was crossed, it would cause internal backlash. As a qualified monarch, he had to take these issues into consideration.

Shinro wasn't the only one who had to face it. The British government also had to consider it, or even more.

The Russo-Austrian Alliance lasted for several generations. Shinra had a large group of Russians, and most people had a good impression of Russia.

Britannia was different. What the hell was the Anglo-Japanese Alliance? It was estimated that 99% of Britons were unwilling to admit that they were allies with Japan.

There was no other reason. It was simply that they felt that it was shameful to form an alliance with a Far Eastern country. It was not worthy of Britannia's status as an empire.

In particular, Japan's actions not long ago exposed their "barbaric" image, which was unacceptable to the arrogant British people.

Just as the truth was in the hands of a few people, power was also in the hands of a few people. Therefore, the opposition was invalid. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance continued.

After thinking for a long time, Franz slowly said, "Prepare for war!"

Frederick The Great's expression changed. This "prepare for war" was not the usual "prepare for war". It meant that the decisive battle between Britain and Austria was brought forward.

According to the original plan, the decisive battle with Britannia would break out in ten years. The Russo-Japanese War was just a rehearsal before the world war.

"Why bring it forward?"

Frederick The Great blurted out.

Fortunately, only the father and son were here. Otherwise, it would not be just Frederick The Great asking "why."

Compared to Britannia, Shinra had a clear advantage in terms of development potential. It could be said that the longer the decisive battle dragged on, the more advantageous it was for Shinra.

If Britannia was following Japan's example, they would have taken the risk and attacked Shinra ahead of time.

In fact, the hegemony struggle between Britannia and Shinra had been delayed until now because of the rationality of the British politicians.

They knew that the longer they waited, the more disadvantageous it would be for Britannia. But there was no other way. Shinra's power was already established. At most, they could lock them in the Mediterranean Sea. The lobster soldiers would not dare to come ashore.

For politicians, if they could not win in the end, but had to bear the risk of failure, such a risk was undoubtedly not worth it.

Anyway, there was no evergreen tree in politics. It was enough as long as the glory of Britannia was continued during their term. The name in life and death belonged to themselves. The trouble belonged to the next president.

Those with a conscience or a strong sense of patriotism would find ways to cause trouble for Shinra in other aspects. Anyway, it was impossible for them to personally participate in the war.

The Government of the United Kingdom had done this. Coupled with the intentional cooperation of the Government of Vienna, the current situation was finally formed.

If there were no accidents, this situation could continue for decades until Britannia itself declined.

From this point of view, the original plan to challenge the hegemony of Britannia in ten years was considered radical.

Now that the decisive battle was brought forward again, it was needless to say. This radical style was obviously not in line with Franz's steady style.

He got up and walked to the window. Looking out, Franz slowly said, "This is a rare opportunity!

According to the current situation, the Russian Empire is bound to suffer heavy losses after the Russo-Japanese War. Coupled with our arrangements, it will not be easy for the Tsarist government to retain their power.

Without the threat from the east, it is the best time for us to fight the British. Even if the navy cannot win, we can drag it out for three to five years, and the British will be exhausted by us.

In recent years, the Government of the United Kingdom has been trying to win allies overseas. The United States has already sided with them. Many countries in the Americas are also showing signs of being roped in, including some countries in Europe.

Although the strength of these countries is limited and can't change the overall situation, trouble is still trouble.

If the British go crazy and continue to export technology to other countries, arming these countries, even if we win the hegemony, it will be difficult to control the world after the war.

Especially the United States, they have a certain industrial base. If they have the support of the British, they will become a strong opponent in the Americas in the future.

For the Empire, the future is not only an advantage, but it is also accompanied by uncertainty. Moreover, the longer we drag it out, the more variables may occur.

There is no perfect thing in this world. Instead of waiting for the future full of uncertainty, it is better to act in advance. "

Well, Franz admitted that he was scared. The Government of Vienna's actions against the Tsarist government will be leaked out sooner or later.

No matter which government dominates the politics of Russia in the future, the Russo-Austrian Alliance will come to an end.

It's fine if it falls apart, but if the Soviet Union is released in advance, it will be troublesome.

Of course, with the current strength of Shinra, they naturally won't be afraid of the newly born Soviet Union. The problem is that there is still the British!

With John Bull's ability, it is almost inevitable for the Russians to join the Anti- Shinra Alliance after the war.

Instead of passively fighting, it is better to take the initiative. Since they have to fight anyway, they might as well not give the British a chance to contact them.

Coincidentally, the Russo-Japanese War provided cover for the Government of Vienna's war preparations. When the Russo-Japanese War is almost over, Shinra's war preparations will also be almost complete. It is just in time to catch the British off guard.

Once Shinra becomes the only overlord, it is not a problem for them to do anything to the Tsarist government. No matter which government is in power, they will choose to pretend to be deaf and mute.

Politics has always been decided by strength. As long as one's strength is strong enough, all the problems are not a problem.

…

The Government of Vienna maintained its usual high efficiency. With Franz's order, the war preparations began in full swing.

However, these preparations were labeled as "supporting Russia," making it seem like the Government of Vienna is fully supporting the Tsarist government.

Based on the principle of putting on a show, on March 12, 1904, the Shinra Bank Group and the Tsarist government signed the "War Loan Basket Agreement".

The treaty includes a war loan of 300 million BD and the sale of war bonds of 500 million BD. It is expected that in the next three years, 800 million BD will be raised for the Tsarist government.

After the news spread, the European world was immediately in an uproar. This huge loan not only broke the world record for a single loan, but it also announced to the world that the Government of Vienna is determined to support the Russians.

One week before the loan treaty was signed, the Shinra Embassy in Yoto announced its withdrawal. Looking at these events, it is not just a matter of supporting the Russians.

It is not that everyone has a rich imagination, but the Government of Vienna's action is too surprising. It is telling the world that the Russo-Japanese War is a continuation of the struggle for hegemony between Shinra and Britannia.

The thunder does not fall at once. Before everyone can discuss a result, on April 14, 1904, Russia and Austria signed the "Memorandum of Naval Development".

According to the treaty, in the next two years, the Holy Roman Empire will build eight super battleships, 24 destroyers, 16 cruisers for the Tsarist government …

Not to mention completing all of them, even if only half of them are completed, the Russian Navy can become the world's third most powerful navy.

Military noobs are immersed in the big spending of Russia and Austria. Those with a little military knowledge have a question in their mind: How can the Tsarist government afford to build so many warships at once?

How can they afford to support them? No one can answer this question. Including the Tsarist government, a large group of people are in a state of confusion.

Those who know won't come out to explain. Anyway, the treaty has been signed. The public information is: Organize an ocean fleet to go on an expedition to Japan.

…

Yoto. As one of the parties involved, the Government of Japan is completely in a state of confusion.

Emperor Meiji: "Who can tell me what is happening in Europe? Why did the Austrians do this? "

I have seen people who support their allies, but I have never seen such a support.

It's fine if they spend a lot of money. At worst, it's just that Shinra is rich and overbearing. But the most advanced warships are packaged and sold at a discount. That's too much.

Everyone believes that Russia wants to go on an expedition to Japan. Now that the Siberian Railway is not open to traffic, the best way for Tsar to win is to attack from the sea.

Unlike in the original timeline, the current Russia has the support of allies. There is no lack of supplies and maintenance along the way. The risk of a fleet going on an expedition is much lower.

But to deal with the broken ships of the Japanese Navy, there is no need to spend so much money, right?

Not to mention eight super battleships, as long as there are two super battleships leading, plus the current resources of the Russian Navy, it is enough to complete an expedition.

Ito Hirobumi: "Your Majesty, with the financial resources of the Russian Empire, it is impossible to support such a large fleet.

Even if they purchase warships because of the war, with the relationship between Russia and Austria, they can buy Shinra's active warships. There is no need to order new ships and waste time.

There are only two countries in the world that have the financial resources to purchase so many warships at once.

If the order is real, then these warships are most likely purchased by Shinra, and their target is likely to be Britannia.

Using the name of Russia is most likely just to deceive people.

With the strength of the Shinra Navy, if they add these warships, then the gap between them and the Royal Navy will be closed, and they may even have the upper hand.

However, it still doesn't make sense. If Shinra wants to catch the British off guard, they can build ships in secret.

Their colony is so vast, it is not impossible to find a few hidden ports to build shipyards.

Now that this is happening, the attention of the British will be attracted. As long as the shipyard starts construction, the British will follow, and they will not give them a chance.

From this point of view, the naval agreement between Russia and Austria is likely to be a bluff to deliberately put pressure on us and lure us into a trap.

But there is also a lot of illogic in this. Even if we are really fooled, the Empire can't build so many warships … "

His own inference was overturned, and Ito Hirobumi felt helpless. However, to be responsible for the Empire of Japan, he could only tell the truth.

It would have been better if he didn't explain, but the explanation made Emperor Meiji even more confused. The only thing that could be confirmed was that among Ito Hirobumi's guesses, there must be one inference that is correct.

Which one is the truth? Sorry, this is too difficult. This involves the future of the country, and no one dares to make a judgment by guessing riddles.

Foreign Minister Inoue Kaoru: "We have already contacted the British, and they are also not sure of the true intentions of Russia and Austria. They are still investigating.

However, the loan contract has been verified, and the Tsarist government did borrow a huge amount of money from Shinra. The first 30 million DND has been transferred into the Tsarist government's account.

The war bonds issued by Russia have also appeared in the European financial markets. Perhaps because of the increase in interest rates, the sales of the bonds are not bad. "

This is a sad topic. Russia's war bonds are selling well, which means that the Government of Japan's war bonds are not selling well.

After all, war bonds are a gamble. Only the winner will cash in, and if they buy the war bonds of the defeated country, it will be like throwing money into the water.

In any case, the influence of the Russians in the European world is far greater than that of Japan. Regardless of personal feelings, speculators still think that the Russians have a higher chance of winning.

In the original timeline, the Government of Japan's war bonds are not selling well. In the end, it was the Jewish capital who bought them at a low price in order to fight against Russia.

Of course, there is also a theory that the British and American governments have hinted and asked the Jewish capital to buy.

The truth is no longer important. In any case, the Government of Japan's war bonds were not welcomed by the capital market in the early days of the war.

As for the Russians' poor credibility, it is not a problem. The consortium does not buy the bonds themselves, and the capital only earns the fees. In the end, it is still the leeks who pay the bill.

The old leeks have a lingering fear of the Russians, but the new leeks don't know! There is no Internet. What the newspapers say, everyone's thoughts will be led to where.

Hearing that the British have been involved in the investigation, Emperor Meiji was relieved. The Government of Vienna's generosity is really shocking.

Shinra has given the Tsarist government support, which is something that the Government of London can never do. Although the Government of Japan has more than one financial backer, the United States of America in this timeline is just to make up the numbers.

After the division of the United States, it is not a problem of 3-1 = 2. After the loss of the fertile land in the south, the Washington government's constraint on the states became less and less.

From the location of the capital, it can be seen that as long as the central government is strong, it will not put itself under the enemy's gun.

One of the most important reasons for this situation is that the states did not negotiate on the issue of moving the capital, and in the end, they could only maintain the status quo.

Although they are in the same country, the interests and needs of the states are also different. When making laws, everyone acted from the perspective of their own interests and rarely considered the overall situation.

Each has a set of teams and cannot be unified, and the economic development will naturally be greatly affected.

These problems in the original timeline have continued into the 21st century, and they have not been completely solved, let alone now.

In this day and age, the United States has no way to print dollars to compensate the states whose interests are damaged in the policy-making process. It is difficult for the central government to intervene.

Therefore, the only one who can really spend money is the British. The United States is essentially made up by the British to make up the numbers. At most, it will sell a part of the war bonds.