Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 198

Chapter 198: Chapter 85, Greece Enters the War

Translator: 549690339

The Balkan battle has been unfolding, and the scales of victory have started to tilt in favor of the Russians. The Greek people, who had been watching from the sidelines, could no longer contain themselves.

Mao Xiong was not easy to negotiate with; if the situation dragged on and the Russians won the war, the Greeks would be left out in the cold.

Clearly, the Greek Government made a strategic misjudgment, believing that if the Russians won this battle, England and France would back down.

In this era, Mao Xiong’s brand was still very effective, recognized as the foremost power on the European continent, the world’s number one land force.

The Greek people had great confidence in the Russians, and even with the combined forces of England and France, they were more optimistic about the Russians.

As the decision-makers, they were unaware that their conclusion was clouded by self-interest.

Deep down, they were very eager to expand their territory and restore their status as a once-great nation. Therefore, they hoped for a Russian victory, which would provide them with the opportunity to expand their territory.

As for the potential threat of a Russian victory, it had been completely ignored by the Greek people. Blinded by interests, who would bother to think that far ahead?

On November 12, 1852, Otto I gave a secret order, and the Greek Army declared retirement en masse, then changed into civilian clothes and appeared on the battlefield as volunteers, launching an offensive against Thessaly and the Epirus region.

Make no mistake, they were simply keen on grabbing territory and had no intention of helping the Russians win the war.

At this time, the Greeks had not forgotten the threat of England and France; officially, they completely denied any involvement in this military action.

They said that there was no relation, but in practice, the Greece Government was anything but restrained, as streams of strategic supplies continuously headed to the front lines, which was telling enough.

The Greeks picked an opportune moment; Ottoman forces were all deployed to the battlefield, leaving behind only some police units to maintain order.

Although the Greek Army was not very formidable, seventy thousand troops against a bunch of police was no problem, and they started off by making the Ottomans retreat in complete disarray.

Had the Greeks decided to push forward, all the way to Constantinople, disregarding everything else, the Ottoman Empire would not have been able to muster any troops to stop them on their way.

All of Europe’s attention turned to Athens, as the decisive moment of the war unexpectedly fell into the hands of the Greek people.

There were no two ways about it; it was time for bribery and intimidation. Representatives from England, France, and Russia gathered in Athens, each presenting their own terms.

There was no Austrian representative, not because Franz lacked interest in influencing the Greeks, but because the Austrian Government simply did not need to foot the bill for this.

Or rather, bribing Greece was too costly, to the extent that the Austrian Government could not bear the price, and Franz was not prepared to waste energy on this; the Vienna Government directly gave up on making an offer.

Otto I hesitated, unsure of how to choose. Whether the Greek Government acknowledged the military action or not, everyone thought they were behind it, and the thin veil was pierced.

On one side was the stern warning from England and France, on the other was the enticing offer from the Russians. It might seem easy to choose, but the situation was fraught with danger.

The Ottoman Empire was still an ally of England and France, and the war was ongoing; the Ottoman Empire was still making a significant contribution to this fight.

Even if they were to betray an ally, England and France would not do so at this time, since the great powers had to maintain a decent appearance. The sweeteners offered by England and France came in the form of loans.

It was well known that the Greece Government was short of funds, especially since they were foolish enough to try their hand at developing a navy, naturally worsening their financial state.

The Russians’ offer was more to Otto I’s liking; if they were willing to send troops to Constantinople, then Thessaly, Epirus, Thessaloniki, and the Macedonian region were all open for negotiation.

Of course, how much they can get depends on whether the Greek people can capture Constantinople. If they can capture it, then it proves their strength, and these promises can be fulfilled.

Otherwise, the situation would not be so wonderful. Being neighbors with the Mao Xiong, without sufficient strength, one would become their prey.

The latter situation was naturally ignored by Otto I. Otherwise, they would not be taking advantage of the situation now.

Otto I was very clear that public sentiment had been stirred up, and most of the people in this military operation were volunteers; the government could no longer control the situation.

Without these brave souls bringing their own provisions, the Greece Government would not have the money to recruit an army of seventy thousand. Now that the arrow was on the string, they had to release it; Otto I had no choice but to push forward.

The Prime Minister hurried over, saying frantically, “Your Majesty, something has happened, something serious!”

Otto I asked, “Slow down, what exactly happened?”

With a worried frown, the Prime Minister said, “Your Majesty, the news of our negotiations with the England, France, and Russia has been leaked, causing an uproar among the public.

Just now, countless citizens took to the streets and submitted a petition to the government. They demand that the government refuse the terms of the three countries and have also presented their demands.”

After glancing over the petition, Otto I’s expression turned grim in an instant.

He wished he could tear the person who leaked the information into a thousand pieces; this was truly a great betrayal.

Now the public demanded that the government negotiate with the three countries according to their views, which simply meant they demanded that the government deploy troops to occupy Constantinople and restore the territories of the Byzantine Empire era.

Was this a joke? Otto I also wanted to restore the territories of the Byzantine Empire, but they did not have the strength!

Usually, it would suffice to chant slogans about such matters. But going through with it, were they sure they would not be beaten to death?

In anger, Otto I exclaimed, “Bring out the map of the Byzantine Empire, mark the range of influence of each country on it, and print ten thousand copies to be distributed nationwide.

Send someone to educate the public with basic knowledge, so that they stop making such a laughingstock out of this.”

It was already a joke, with the strength of the Kingdom of Greek, even if it was increased tenfold, shouting this slogan was still a joke.

If it could be increased a hundredfold, they might just barely qualify to carry it out, the difficulty not much less than unifying the European Continent.

With a dark expression, the Prime Minister said, “Your Majesty, according to our analysts, this may be an Ottoman conspiracy. Public opinion is now wildly enthusiastic, and it’s useless to explain anything anymore.

The people’s desire for Constantinople has turned into an obsession, and many will probably consider it a concession to give up territorial demands over Spain, Italy, and the Region of Africa.”

Nationalism is the most fanatical, and once it goes to extremes, it cannot be controlled. Now the Greece Government was being held hostage by public opinion, and this was Otto I’s fault.

Initially, to gain public support, he chose to stand with public opinion. With the support of the King, nationalism quickly spiraled out of control.

Otto I said firmly, “Then the government should not make any statement. The forces fighting the Ottomans now are civilian militias; they have nothing to do with us.”

Dispatch troops to sneak attack Constantinople? Forget it, it would still be okay if they did not succeed; what if they did and the public refused to give it up, what then?

In the event of offending England and France, to then contend with the Russians for Constantinople, did they really think they were the rebirth of the Byzantine Empire?

Under this guiding principle, Otto I ordered the front-line troops to proceed cautiously and steadily push forward along the boundary line.

At the same time, the Greece Government recruited even more volunteers, taking the opportunity to send extreme nationalists to the battlefield as cannon fodder, a move to eliminate threats that is the instinct of the ruling class.

Patriotic slogans were shouted with earth-shattering vigor, and at such a time, showing any sign of hesitation would label one as a false patriot, the kind who courts fame and reputation, and is easily despised by others.

The active Greece Government sent these cannon fodders to the front line as quickly as possible, where the number of troops increased and domestic stability was achieved.

The cost was that the combat effectiveness of the front-line troops decreased, which was already low, and now with the addition of a bunch of armchair critics, the combat effectiveness naturally dropped even further.

Constantinople

In ordinary times, the Sultan Government did not take the Greek people seriously, as they could squash the Kingdom of Greek with one hand if not for the intervention of the great powers.

Now it was different, as the main forces of the Ottoman Empire were tied up in a fierce struggle with the Russians, and even the weak Greek forces required military resistance.

“These little Greek bugs have also jumped out, what does everyone think?” Abdulmejid I asked calmly.

Perhaps because he had vented his anger too much recently, Abdulmejid I showed no signs of rage now. Those who knew him understood that this was just on the surface.

The Sultan’s anger was frightening, but a Sultan suppressing his anger was even more terrifying. Only those who had experienced the struggles for power knew how Abdulmejid I could kill with a smile.

Mudra replied, “Your Majesty, although the strength of the Greek people is limited, we are at a critical moment, and we cannot underestimate their opportunistic behavior during this time. We must handle it prudently.”

Abdulmejid I scolded, “Stop beating around the bush, just tell me what to do!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Mudra replied with an uneasy heart.

“Based on our intelligence analysis, the Austrians have already obtained everything they wanted and have no intention of continuing the war against us.

At this time, we can send someone to negotiate with the Austrian Government. Whether or not we can come to an agreement, let’s first stabilize the Austrians.

After stabilizing Austria, we can then withdraw the troops facing them and use these forces to deal with the Greek people.”

Abdulmejid I cast his expectant gaze towards Fuad, the Foreign Minister, waiting for his response.

After pondering for a moment, Fuad answered, “Your Majesty, to stabilize the Austrians, we must offer them substantial benefits. It is very likely that they will seize the opportunity to force us to cede the Two principalities of the Danube Basin and the Serbia region.”

“Cede territories,” Abdulmejid I hesitated, as he had to weigh the pros and cons of reaching a compromise with the Austrians at this moment.

“If the Austrians are willing to cut off the Russians’ logistical support, these lands can all be ceded to them!” said Abdulmejid I emphatically.

Ceding land was painful, but compared to survival, it seemed insignificant. Being neighbors with Austria was better than sharing a border with the Russians.

If Austria could block the Russians, Abdulmejid I felt he might be able to sleep well.

“Your Majesty, I’m afraid that’s not possible. There must be an alliance between the Russians and Austria, and it’s likely they have already agreed upon the division of influence in the Balkan Peninsula. They won’t risk breaking with the Russians over these interests.

It is said that England and France have also had secret contacts with the Austrians, but to no avail,” Fuad explained.

“It has to be said, if the Sultan’s expectations are too high and ultimately unmet, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will still be the one to suffer. Fuad didn’t think the Austrians would be so easily bribed, and even if they could be, the price was beyond their means.

From a standpoint of interest, England and France would definitely feel less pressure in selling them out. Regardless, the Sultan Government has its limits and can’t possibly make concessions indefinitely.”

Abdulmejid I thought for a moment and said, “Then let’s take another step back, as long as Austria agrees to a ceasefire, we’ll cede the Moldavian Principality to them.

As for the specific negotiations, that’s for you, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to weigh and decide. We have enough troubles already; we cannot afford to let the Austrians get involved any further.”

The Moldavian Principality included what would later be: northern Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and parts of Ukraine.

This was a border region between the Ottoman Empire and the Russians on the Balkan Peninsula. To avoid being neighbors with Russia, Abdulmejid I didn’t mind offloading this hot potato.

He paused, seemingly feeling that the offer wasn’t secure enough, Abdulmejid I added, “The bottom line is the Wallachia Principality. Elsewhere on the Balkan Peninsula, only minimal concessions can be made.”

He felt a bit of heartache as he said this.

If he had known the war would evolve to this state, he would have accepted the British proposal from the start to hand over the Two Principalities of the Danube Basin to Austria, pitting them against the Russians.

Abdulmejid I was aware that even if the Allied Forces were victorious now, they wouldn’t be able to restore their pre-war sphere of influence.

The world speaks through power; without strength, why would they get so many benefits? Once the great powers stirred things up a bit, the Balkan citizens longing for independence would undoubtedly respond en masse.

The ethnic conflicts within the Ottoman Empire were not a new issue. Despite many efforts made by the Sultan Government, the results were still minimal due to poor implementation at the lower levels.

If they can’t stop the wave of independence, decline is the inevitable outcome.

If other nations decline, they can still act coy and cute. After all, there are many small countries on the European Continent, and as long as they align with the right major power, they can live comfortably.

The Ottoman Empire is the exception. Not to mention having enemies all over Europe, hatred can’t be eaten as food. A few more apologies, and things can usually be smoothed over.

Unfortunately, they are not a small nation. They have substantial heritage and are in an extremely important geographical location—at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa, practically the heart of the world.

A brief inventory reveals that of the ten most important straits in the world in the future, three are under the control or influence of the Ottoman Empire: the Black Sea Strait, the Red Sea Strait (Suez Canal), and the Strait of Hormuz (Persian Gulf).

So many strategic locations, if not defended with sufficient strength, spell disaster.

After the Ottoman Empire’s historical decline, it was a process of ceding territory, ceding some more, and then even more, until they had tossed away most of the hot potatoes, which then led to some stability.

Clearly, this is not acceptable to the Sultan Government. Doesn’t everyone dream of being a great power? Even a decadent Sultan Government is unwilling to sink into oblivion.

The reform efforts to strengthen themselves, which began in the last century, were their self-rescue attempt. These reforms successfully brought the Ottoman Empire back into the ranks of the great powers.

However, it was only a semblance of a great power. One war with the Russians tore that façade apart, exposing their inherent weakness.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Fuad responded solemnly.

Pressure, he now felt its heavy burden. There was no credit to be had for handling this matter well; no amount of ceding territory or reparations would please anyone.

If he failed, the Ottoman Empire itself would be in danger. The Greek people might just be the last straw, but Fuad didn’t know if the Greece Government was simply after territory.