Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 176

Chapter 176: Chapter 63, All Thanks to Foil

Translator: 549690339

Since declaring war on the Ottoman Empire, Austria had entered a state of war, with massive amounts of strategic materials being transported along the Danube River to the Balkan Peninsula, and two hundred thousand Austrian troops were majestically marching over.

To all appearances, Austria was seeking vengeance against the Ottomans. The hatred between the two could be traced back hundreds of years; if it were not for the Ottoman’s interference, the Habsburg dynasty would have unified Teuton-loon ago.

This time, Franz had deceived the entire world. With troops and strategic materials continuously flooding into the Balkan Peninsula, even to the Austrian insiders, it seemed like they were resolved to fight the Ottomans to the death.

Only a few high-ranking individuals knew that the offensive on the Balkan Peninsula had reached a conclusion, and the concentration of Austria’s military forces and strategic materials along the Danube Basin was primarily to ensure rapid troop deployment for the westward strategy when it unfolded.

The strategic materials heading for the Balkan Peninsula were also needed by the Russians, weren’t they? Even though the Tsarist Government had prepared for war for two years, it still hadn’t solved the domestic transportation issue.

Originally, the Tsarist Government planned to rely on sea transportation to address logistical issues, amassing strategic materials at Ukrainian coastal ports under the protection of the Black Sea Fleet, which seemed foolproof.

Yet plans fail to keep up with changes, and once the English and French navies arrived, the sea routes were cut off.

That was when allies were needed. With the Danube River running through its territory, Austria could directly supply the Bulgarian region, causing no significant logistics problems.

The Danube River could be considered a treasure bestowed upon Austria by heaven. Before the railway was completed, water transport was the most reliable method.

The Danube River originated in Baden, passed through Württemberg and Bavaria before entering Austria, and flowed through the two Danube principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia before reaching the sea. It was the logistic lifeline for Austria’s westward advance into South Germany and its southward descent to the Balkan Peninsula.

Of course, it would be best if the railway could be constructed. After all, the Danube River didn’t cover all areas, and a railway traversing east to west would be more convenient.

Vienna

At the Austrian General Staff, the requests for battle report from the military had piled up like a mountain. Soldiers needed military merits, but since there had hardly been any battles in the occupation of the two Danube principalities, on what could everyone rely to be granted noble ranks and titles?

Had it not been for Marshal Radetzky’s high prestige, which managed to restrain the War Party within the military, those messes of requests for battle would have landed on Franz’s desk.

According to the Archive Bureau’s statistics, the General Staff received over one hundred thousand requests for battle in 1852, with nearly every soldier’s name appearing in the requests.

A middle-aged officer, holding a thick file, said with a wry smile, “Your Excellency the Marshal, here is the request for battle from the 19th Division.”

He had lost track of how many times he had brought over files. Ever since the war with the Ottoman Empire broke out, the Austrian military began eagerly preparing for a major battle.

The General Staff was inundated daily with numerous requests for battle and countless operational plans. In short, everyone was in a hurry, fearing that if the Russians fought too fiercely upfront, they would miss the opportunity to showcase their prowess.

After thinking it over, Marshal Radetzky said, “Toss it to the archive room. From now on, don’t bother bringing me any of these reports.”

In the beginning, he was very happy about it; a military that was eager to fight was a good thing! But as time went on, even Marshal Radetzky had become desensitized.

Ever since the effortless occupation of the two Danube principalities, many saw this war as a mere armed parade, as if the Ottoman Empire would crumble at a single touch.

Not only were the active soldiers excited, even the debauched sons of the nobility sought connections here and there, wanting to dip into the military for a quick touch of glory.

Thinking of joining at this time was, of course, impossible. To implement the westward strategy, the higher-ups of the Austrian Government were watching closely, not permitting even the slightest slack.

“Yes, Marshal!” the middle-aged officer replied.

After speaking, the middle-aged officer did not leave. Instead, he seemed anxious, as if he had something to say.

Noticing this, Marshal Radetzky asked with curiosity, “Major General Lafitte, is there anything else?”

“Your Excellency the Marshal, the sentiment below is impassioned, and we’re nearly unable to contain it,” Major General Lafitte said with trepidation.

Marshal Radetzky stated sternly, “What’s there to contain? Just tell them to get ready, it’s not their place to worry about when to fight. If anyone has an issue, order them to retire immediately and send them home. The Austrian military has no place for such undisciplined individuals!”

“Yes, Marshal!” Major General Lafitte replied hastily.

The Austrian military did not have a tradition of subordination overtaking superiors, and such matters of the military state were not for lower-ranking officers to decide.

At such times, being ordered to retire and go home meant missing out on the war, which would be a significant loss for those aspiring to gain honors and titles on the battlefield.

After quelling the voices below, Marshal Radetzky let out a sigh. This indeed was a rare opportunity to head south to the Balkan Peninsula, but reality did not permit it.

At present, the main forces of the Austrian army were operating in the two principalities downstream of the Danube River; on the surface, they were clearing out dissidents and establishing effective local governance, but in fact, it was still to facilitate congregation.

Even the naval vessels of the Austrian Navy that could navigate the Danube River had rushed to the Black Sea to stand by before the war broke out, and now they were escorting in the Danube Basin.

So much preparation couldn’t possibly be for the sake of gaining a little advantage in the Balkan Peninsula, to give up on the westward strategy, could it?

It’s easy for an army to spread out, but gathering back together is difficult. With just one command, the Austrian army could join forces with the Russians and attack; it wouldn’t take long to occupy the Balkan Peninsula.

But once the Balkan Peninsula was occupied, Austria would be dragged down there, making it difficult to disentangle. Without the Danube Basin’s water transportation, and having distributed hundreds of thousands of troops, it would be too late to gather them up from the Balkan Peninsula and transport them to South Germany by the time it went bad.

Belvedere Palace

Franz asked with concern, “Mr. Stein, how far has the construction of the main domestic railway lines progressed, and when can they be completed?”

The construction of the Austrian railway network began in 1849. It has been three years since work started, and some sections in the plains areas have already opened to traffic.

However, for the entire transportation network, this is merely a drop in the bucket. As for the railways that must cross the main range of the Alps, it goes without saying, even three more years of work might not ensure a smooth opening.

Franz was not as urgent about the mountain railways. Right now, the most critical issue was the railway from Vienna to Salzburg, which had to be opened ahead of schedule.

There was no way around it; under the butterfly effect he had caused, the Near Eastern War erupted a year earlier than the historical Crimean War, which meant one less year to prepare for the Western advance strategy.

A year’s time is enough to change many things. The distance from Vienna to Salzburg is just over two hundred kilometers. Franz was not worried at all about completing this railway within four years.

The Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was constructed under such harsh conditions and took less than four years to complete; unlike this section, it didn’t require manual drilling of the Badaling Tunnel or erecting the Huailai Bridge.

A year less in the construction period was problematic. To maintain secrecy, Franz could not inquire specifically about this section of the railway. If it caught the attention of someone with ulterior motives, that would spell trouble. Now he could only require that all the nation’s main railway lines speed up construction.

According to the plans of the General Staff, once the Western advance strategy unfolded, the Austrian Army would attack on three fronts. One would fight its way along the Danube River, another would depart from Salzburg and take the overland route directly to Munich, and the last would enter Bavaria along the Rhine River.

It must be said that an advanced water system is beneficial; even the entry into Bavaria from Salzburg can still be connected to the Rhine River via the Salzach River.

In this era, the Bavarians had not yet constructed the canal between the Rhine and the Danube rivers; otherwise, it would have been possible to mobilize resources for this war of unification in South Germany directly from Vienna.

Now, an additional logistics supply point—Salzburg—was needed. Therefore, it was crucial to finish the railway between Vienna and Salzburg before the outbreak of the war.

Railway Minister Stein handed Franz a document, saying, “Your Majesty, this is the progress schedule and the estimated timetable for the opening of the railway construction. Please take a look.

Currently, all the major railway companies in the country have increased construction speed. The main lines still require at least two more years to be completed entirely, with one-third of the sections expected to open within the year, and some mountain railways might be delayed until 1856.”

Franz nodded, the pace of Austria’s railway construction was not slow for the era, especially after the government’s incentive policies were introduced, several railway companies were rushing to meet the deadlines.

Starting this year, the Austrian Railway will experience a surge in openings, with many sections becoming operative in succession. The domestic transportation situation will be greatly improved.

After flipping through the document and seeing the answer he was looking for, Franz smiled and said, “I am very satisfied with this speed, Mr. Stein, you’ve worked hard. You may go and attend to your duties now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

After finishing, Stein turned and left; the meeting that followed was not for a technical bureaucrat like him to participate in.

Franz had no intention of cultivating all-round bureaucrats. Officials in government departments were mostly experts in a particular field. If one were proficient in everything, they could pack up and go home; the Austrian Government had no need for all-rounders.

If there truly were such a genius, Franz thought it would be better to send them to do scientific research, as getting involved in politics was too dangerous, even for him, the Emperor.

After watching Stein leave, Franz spoke up, “Gentlemen, if everything goes as planned, the railway to Salzburg will be operational by the end of the year, as the construction of the railway foundation has been completed.

The original plan remains unchanged, but we now need to delay it for at least another half year. Mr. Metternich, do you have any problems with that?”

Foreign Minister Metternich, who was addressed, thought for a moment and then replied, “Your Majesty, it depends on the situation at the Balkan front.

Based on the intelligence we’ve gathered, the Russian Army has deployed 251,000 troops here, while the Ottoman Army nominally has 450,000 men; however, there is at least a fifth shortfall in actual numbers, and I fear their combat effectiveness is not very promising.

If the Russians can make quick work of it and capture Constantinople before England and France intervene, then our original plan would be difficult to continue.”

Despite seemingly having more troops, Metternich still favored the Russians over the Ottomans. Having more soldiers in the Ottoman camp did not equate to having more soldiers on the battlefield.

Now the Russians have handed over the Two Principalities of the Danube Basin to Austria, which essentially means Austria is also tasked with maintaining stability in the rear, including logistical transportation in this area; this is all being done by the Austrian army on their behalf.

The Ottoman Empire is fighting on its home turf, but unfortunately, in the Bulgarian region, the Russians are more popular with the locals. With Russian support, the number of local guerrillas has already exceeded ten thousand, turning the Ottomans’ home turf advantage into a disadvantage.

Marshal Radetzky confidently commented, “Mr. Metternich need not worry; this is a war of attrition.

After our contact with the Russians entering the Balkan Peninsula, we are essentially able to determine that the combat effectiveness of the Russian Army is much lower than we previously imagined.

Firstly, their troop deployment is very chaotic, the organizational structure still stuck in the era of the anti-French wars, riddled with severe internal corruption, outdated weapons and equipment, and a disorganized logistical system.

Secondly, Russian military discipline is slack, and the Cossack cavalry are a plague; they wreak havoc wherever they go, and while they may fight well when they have the upper hand, they will immediately crumble upon defeat.

The Ottoman Empire Army has hired French instructors for training, but they have only managed to copy the surface of the French without understanding the essence. Aside from looking like a modernized army, they still operate old tactics.

When it comes to corruption, the Ottoman Army is even more severe; at least the Russians manage to fill their ranks, while Ottoman officers pocket the salaries of nonexistent soldiers, resulting in severe troop shortages.

Many soldiers were conscripted by force, just to fill the numbers, and I have no expectations of their combat capabilities.

All in all, the combat effectiveness of the Ottoman Army is worse. If there is no foreign intervention, they are most likely to lose this war, although they probably won’t have difficulty holding onto Constantinople.”

Franz agreed with Marshal Radetzky’s assessment. The combat effectiveness displayed by the Russians during the historical Crimean War was just one word—poor, and the Ottomans have shown that there’s no limit to how bad it can get!

Overall, at this time both the Russians and the Ottomans were at a low ebb. Not just them, in fact, France, Austria, Spain, and Prussia were all similarly situated, with only the British being the exception and European powers collectively out of sorts.

Under the butterfly effect caused by Franz, Austria was pulled back from the brink, and against the backdrop of the Russians and Ottomans, Marshal Radetzky found his confidence.