Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 174:
Chapter 174: Chapter 61: Outbreak of Near East War
Translator: 549690339
On February 21, 1852, the Ottoman Empire rejected the Russians’ impudent demands, and the Constantinople negotiations ended in failure, making the Russo-Turkish war inevitable.
That did not come as a surprise to anyone, as Russia’s demands were such that no one could possibly agree to them.
If it had just been a matter of knocking off a little bit from the edges, perhaps the decaying Ottoman Government might have endured it, but to swallow them whole was beyond any possibility of compromise.
A week later, the Sultan Government likewise rejected Austria’s terms, and war entered the countdown phase.
From a military standpoint, fighting on two fronts was very unwise.
Theoretically, having Austria occupy Moldavia and Wallachia would cut off relations between Russia and the Ottoman Empire in the Balkan region, significantly reducing the military pressure on the Ottomans.
However, politically speaking, the Sultan Government simply could not afford to compromise—showing the slightest weakness at this juncture could lead to a change in the support from England and France.
If England and France happened to compromise with Russia, the four great powers might come together to carve up the Ottoman Empire, sealing its doom.
Although the Ottoman Empire was in decay, on the surface, they still presented as a “strong nation.” Until their intrinsic weakness was exposed, England and France still had confidence in them.
The four great powers of Europe were divided into two camps, while the rest of the nations naturally opted for neutrality, echoing the calls of their respective leaders; getting involved in a war was out of the question, as civilized people could not resort to fighting and killing, could they?
The Ottoman Empire had a really bad reputation in Europe, though the Russians’ reputation wasn’t much better both were considered unwelcome, like two peas in a pod.
Yet, the Ottoman Empire’s reputation was even more foul. Franz had people dig up the Ottomans’ past misconduct, which is why the Russians enjoyed a higher level of support in public opinion.
Public response gave the Russians confidence. Nicholas I considered himself the liberator of Christendom, a banner also raised by Franz.
On March 27, 1852, the Russian Empire officially declared war on the Ottoman Empire, sparking the ninth Russo-Turkish war.
On March 28, under the command of Nicholas I, the Russian Army launched its assault on the Ottoman Empire.
This time, the Tsarist Government abided by the rules, strictly following international convention, without engaging in any undeclared warfare.
Vienna
Before the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War, the Russians had notified Austria according to the pact. Franz immediately ordered full military readiness and convened an extended meeting of the military and political leaders.
Marshal Radetzky, pointing to the military map, analyzed, “Gentlemen, please see. According to our general staff’s estimation, the Russians have three potential attack routes to choose from.
First, they may launch an attack from the Caucasus region; second, from the Balkan Peninsula; third, from the sea.
The Russian Army attacking from the Caucasus region is of little concern to us and can be disregarded.
Should they attack from the Balkan Peninsula, they will inevitably need to occupy Moldavia and Wallachia first. As agreed, these are within our sphere of influence.
We must take action in that case or else our western strategy will be exposed. If Russia leaks the secret agreement, the trio of England, France and Prussia will keep us firmly in their sights.
If they launch an attack from the sea, then there are multiple potential landing points to choose from; any of the Ottoman Empire’s Black Sea coastal port cities might be targeted.
From a military standpoint, all three of these attack routes are viable. The Russians might choose one or two, or they might opt to attack on all three fronts.”
Without intervention from England and France, the Russians have too many options. The decaying Ottoman Empire is full of vulnerabilities and practically indefensible.
Once England and France intervene, a naval onslaught becomes out of the question. The Black Sea Fleet might bully the Ottoman Navy, but against the English and French navies, they would only be lambs for slaughter.
For Austria, the most troublesome scenario is a Russian onslaught across the Balkan Peninsula. If the Russians occupy the Danube Basin, getting them to withdraw later would be difficult.
As for alliances, from the moment they are signed, they are made to be broken. Any alliance is unreliable as long as there is a big enough interest at stake.
Metternich thought for a moment and said, “The western strategy must absolutely remain concealed. If it draws the attention of other countries, our ambition to unite the South German Region will be compromised.”
The attendees nodded in agreement. Austria had already invested too much for the western strategy; if it were exposed at this critical juncture, the loss would be tremendous.
Austria’s goal of uniting the South German States wasn’t to destroy South Germany.
If we were to strike unexpectedly, with the help of guides, occupying Munich at the first instance would essentially declare the end of the war.
Essentially, the western strategy is “three parts military, seven parts politics.” Austria’s main approach towards these sub-state governments is political seduction, with military action serving as a support.
If the plan were exposed, and the South German Confederation, with backing from the great powers, engaged Austria in a drawn-out struggle, even a victorious outcome would prove a pyrrhic victory.
If both sides endured heavy bloodshed, ruling over these territories would become difficult. Austria’s intention in annexing South Germany was to strengthen national power, not to magnify trouble.
Marshal Radetzky thought for a moment and said, “Then we only have two options. The first is to immediately launch a western advance strategy and catch them off guard,”
“However, if we do this, there’s a very high possibility of French intervention, and we need to be ready to fight the French first,”
The second option is to continue with the alternative Balkan strategy, sending out a smoke screen to the outside world,”
“As long as we ignite the flames of war in the Balkan Peninsula, even if the Russian-Austrian secret treaty is leaked, England and France will be misled by us,”
Acting now clearly doesn’t serve Austria’s interests; it’s being Russia’s scapegoat. Even with British support, the Ottoman Empire would not be able to withstand the Russian onslaught if Austria provoked France,”
To release a smoke screen is also not easy. Starting a war is simple, but to quell it is difficult. It’s possible that the Anglo-French forces will come after Austria with bad intentions towards Russia before they even go after the Russians themselves,”
Prime Minister Felix said with a solemn demeanor, “We have foreseen this situation long ago. As soon as the Russians take military action, we will follow suit immediately. They can attack along the Balkan Peninsula if they want,
“But we must send troops to occupy the two principalities in the Danube Basin. We cannot let Russia swallow them whole,”
“As long as the Russo-Turkish War cannot be quickly resolved, they will need our support, and at that time, Russia would not breach the contract,”
Franz nodded in agreement, that would be sufficient. No strategy could guarantee being foolproof, and as an Emperor, one naturally couldn’t lead from the front but must keep a buffer,
In case something unforeseen happens midway, causing the plan to fail, someone must take the blame, right? The Cabinet is the most suitable choice; politics is just that cruel,”
Of course, Franz was a good boss; taking the fall for him wouldn’t be a big deal. At worst, one might be sent home for a few years, and once the storm passes, there’s a chance to come back,
This kind of thing has happened all too frequently in history. Nearly every successful Emperor has played this game,”
On March 28, 1852, following the Russians, Austria also delivered a declaration of war to the Ottoman Empire, expanding the Near East War,”
Constantinople
After receiving the declarations of war from Russia and Austria, the Sultan Government gave up their last bit of hope, and Abdulmejid I likewise responded by declaring war against the two nations,
In terms of courage, Abdulmejid I was still a qualified Emperor, not shrinking back at this time,”
In theory, Abdulmejid I now had a million-strong army at his command, and with British and French support for modernized weaponry, as the defender, they were not entirely without the power to fight,”
“What did the British and French representatives say? When can they send assistance?” Abdulmejid I asked with concern,
The Foreign Minister answered, “Your Majesty, the British and French representatives have both expressed their support for us, but sending assistance will take some time,
“If we agree, the British and French navies can enter the Black Sea immediately to suppress the Russian Black Sea Fleet,
The British and French also agree to let the military instructors who have been training our troops join the war, but they must do so in the capacity of commanders,”
It is easy to invite the gods, but difficult to send them away. Getting the British and French fleets to enter the Black Sea is one thing, but getting them to leave is another,
Suppressing the Russian Black Sea Fleet is one thing, but controlling the Black Sea Strait also allows England and France to increase their influence over the Ottoman Empire, bringing with it a substantial amount of economic interests,”
Abdulmejid I frowned; he knew that British and French aid was not easily obtained. They hadn’t set conditions before, were they not just waiting here for this moment?
Before the breakout of the Near East War, the concessions that the Ottoman Empire could make, why did they become larger after the war broke out?
The situation has come to a desperate point, and for British and French military instructors to participate in the war as commanders is to demand military command from the Ottoman Government,
If the Sultan Government made such a concession, it would be difficult for the Ottoman Empire to rid itself of British and French control in the future. This is a blatant scheme, that even if Abdulmejid I knows there’s a pit ahead, he must still jump into it,”
“Tell them, as long as the British and French reinforcements can come early, I will agree!” Abdulmejid I said through gritted teeth,
For him, agreeing to such conditions was undoubtedly an insult to his dignity, but the harsh reality left no choice,”
With the outbreak of the Near East War, the Ottoman Empire couldn’t do without British and French support. Weapons and equipment needed to be provided by them, wartime expenses had to be provided by them, and to win the war, one needed British and French reinforcements,”
On March 28, 1852, the Russian Army launched an offensive in the Caucasus region; on March 29, the Russian Army attacked the Danube Basin, and on the same day, Austria sent troops to the Danube Basin as well,
Faced with simultaneous attacks from the Russians and Austrians, the autonomous governments of Moldavia and Wallachia surrendered very neatly,
Fighting on behalf of the Ottoman Empire was out of the question; the Romanians had no intention of dying for the Sultan, and their rebellion against the Ottomans wasn’t just a matter of one or two days,”
