Greece’s Roman Road - Chapter 305
For companies with close ties to the royal family and the government, Constantine had exerted his influence, telling them to be prepared.
As for those purely private enterprises, whether they will obey the greetings of politicians, Constantine has no choice.
After all, private enterprises are for profit and will only follow the orders of their own bosses. The government itself has no right to interfere.
After that, Constantine focused his attention on the mysterious diplomatic situation in Europe, and paid close attention to the trend of the situation in Europe.
A month after the Sarajevo incident, a series of reactions based on this as a trigger continued to ferment.
On July 23, 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire issued an ultimatum to Serbia, asking Serbia to provide the murderer and compensation, but Serbia, knowing that it was invincible, chose to ask Russia for help.
On August 1, Austria-Hungary officially declared war on Serbia.
At seven o’clock this afternoon, in St. Petersburg, in the office of Russian Foreign Minister Sasonov, the German ambassador to St. Petersburg, Putales, walked in with a solemn expression under the guidance of his secretary.
Seeing Putales’ figure, Sasonov stood up from behind the desk and came to greet his old friend.
Putales has lived in St. Petersburg for seven years and has deep feelings for Russia, so today’s task is a bit heavy for him.
“Can Russia agree to Germany’s ultimatum?” Putales asked with a sinking expression.
Although he tried his best to suppress the turbulent emotions in his heart, Putales’s voice was still a little trembling.
Just yesterday (July 31) morning, Germany issued a double ultimatum to France and Russia respectively.
The ultimatum to Russia reads: If Russia does not immediately stop its military operations against Austria-Hungary, Germany will conduct military mobilization 12 hours later.
Facing Putales’ inquiry, Sasonov replied calmly: “Although Russia has been unable to stop war mobilization, Russia hopes to continue participating in negotiations, and Russia believes that there is still hope to avoid war.”
Putales took the ultimatum from his pocket and read aloud: “If Russia does not immediately stop military operations against Austria-Hungary, Germany will mobilize in 12 hours.”
After reading, Putales said again aloud: “The consequences of not agreeing to the German ultimatum are extremely serious.”
Sassonov repeated his previous answer: “Although Russia has been unable to stop war mobilization, Russia hopes to continue to participate in negotiations, and Russia believes that there is still hope to avoid war.”
Putales said again: “The consequences of not agreeing to the German ultimatum are extremely serious”
Sasonov repeated the answer just now.
There was silence in the empty office.
After a moment of silence, Putales took out the German declaration of war from his arms and handed it to Sasonov.
At this moment, the eyes of both of them were a little moist.
On August 3, Germany declared war on France, and on August 4, Britain declared war on Germany on the pretext that Germany had destroyed Belgium’s neutrality.
The smoke of war ignited throughout Europe.
Although the war was first ignited along the Danube in the Balkans, Greece was still calm at this time.
At this time, the European countries all believed that the war would be decided through several decisive battles of large corps. Just like the Franco-Prussian War, the war would be over. It only took a few months before the war was over.
Therefore, none of the countries participating in the war have the will to expand the scope of the war.
At the Defense Ministry building in Athens, Constantine convened the top brass of the Greek army to discuss the development of the war situation in Europe.
Chief of Staff Emai Nur first told everyone about the details of the battlefield.
“Now that the whole of Europe is in chaos because of the war, what is your general staff’s idea? Do you have any plans?”
Emmainur immediately said: “His Royal Highness, the war in Europe is currently in full swing. I think that although there is no sign of the war expanding in a short period of time, our Greek army still needs to be prepared.”
“Once the war shows signs of becoming a long-term war of attrition, I am afraid that the two major groups, the Allied Powers and the Allied Powers, will use coercion and inducement in order to strengthen their own strength and weaken the other side, or win or force neutral European countries to stand in line.”
After Emmainur finished speaking, he asked Constantine, “Then what is the tendency of our Greeks, in your view, Your Highness, which side wins and is more beneficial to Greece?”
The Allies or the Entente, which one wins is more beneficial to Greece?
After careful consideration, Constantine still favored the victory of the Entente, which was more in line with the national interests of Greece.
First of all, Britain, France and Russia in the Entente countries are all veteran powers. On the whole, these three countries are all going downhill.
Although Britain is still the world hegemon, it has passed its peak, and its glory is not there.
France and Russia are in a similar situation.
Britain has been aware of this theme since the Boer War.
Moreover, the status of Britain’s world hegemony was not obtained by relying on its tyrannical and undisputed strength.
Relying on the geographical location of the island country, the United Kingdom took advantage of its strengths and circumvented its weaknesses, and established a large fleet to rule the ocean.
But in the same way, the narrow space of the British Isles has led to the limited expansion of the British mainland and also limited the development potential of the United Kingdom.
As long as you look at the territorial area of Russia in later generations and the difference between the territory of the United Kingdom, you can see the restrictions imposed by the island countries on the development of the United Kingdom.
It was also a two-hundred-year expansion, and later Russia kept most of the achievements of its own expansion.
Even the navy that helped the British rise is not completely invincible, and has always faced challenges from France. For example, during the North American War of Independence, the French fleet under the rule of Louis XVI defeated the British fleet many times.
In other words, Britain’s status as world hegemon is more dependent on the fleet that dominates the oceans and its excellent diplomatic means. The two support each other and help the UK to become the hegemon.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Britain organized an anti-French alliance to win over Russia, Prussia and other countries against France.
During the Crimean War, the United Kingdom wooed France and joined forces to beat Russia.
And now, the British are doing the same thing, winning over Russia and France against Germany.
The British’s diplomatic skills are even better than his fleet record, because Britain has never lost in diplomacy since its rise.
From these strengths, it can be clearly seen that the status of the British world hegemony is not obtained by pure hard power.
British politicians have always had a clear understanding of their own strength, and they know their own strengths and weaknesses.
Take the army, for example. In modern times, Britain has almost abandoned the army, and her standing army is only a tiny scale of 100,000 people.
By comparison, Germany’s standing army was 800,000 before the war, and France’s 680,000.
After the war began, Britain began to expand its troops on the mainland.
Her excellent diplomacy, combined with a tyrannical naval fleet, allowed Britain to stand out from its many competitors and become world hegemony.
(In contrast, after World War II, the industrial output value of the United States at its peak accounted for more than half of the world’s total industrial output value. In other words, the industrial output value of all other countries combined is not as much as that of the United States. The United States really relies on With undisputed hard power, he ascended the position of world hegemony. Later, the Americans also deliberately studied the art of diplomacy from the United Kingdom)
Not to mention France. After the Franco-Prussian War, France’s position in Europe plummeted. In order to avenge the Germans, it spent a lot of money to win over Russia as an ally.
Russia’s strength, which is strong outside the country and cadre in the middle, was undoubtedly exposed in the Russo-Japanese War.
Apart from the jaw-dropping 5 million “grey animals” (a disparaging term for Russian soldiers), there are not many bright spots.
Among the major powers, Russia has the most backward social system. The feudal autocratic system has low efficiency, rampant corruption and backward production.
If the Allied countries win the war, the situation in Europe will not change dramatically, because the current situation is more favorable for these old-fashioned countries.
Even for the strategic goal of the balance of power in Europe, the British would try their best to prevent the French from completely dismembering Germany.
Germany is different.
Similar to the United States, Germany is an emerging country, its economy is developing rapidly, and its comprehensive national strength is growing rapidly.
In other words, Germany has a stronger desire to expand because its national power is in a period of rapid growth.
What would happen if Germany’s Allies had won the war?
Germany, which has defeated Britain, France and Russia, will become France during the Napoleonic period, even more powerful than the France during the Napoleonic period, because during the Napoleonic period, at least Russia and the United Kingdom will balance France.
And Germany, which has defeated Britain, France and Russia, has no one to check and balance. Europe will once again usher in a situation of dominance, and the whole of Europe will tremble in front of Germany.
The situation in Europe will be completely out of balance.
Even if Germany does not objectively have the ambition to dominate Europe, it is not important anymore. The key is not whether it wants to, but whether it can.
And who can guarantee that Germany does not have this idea?
Secondly, if the Allies win, it also means that Austria-Hungary wins.
The victorious Austro-Hungarian Empire would, no doubt, annex Serbia and then become a neighbor with Greece.
After all, the reason why Austria-Hungary is allied with Germany is because its goal is also to expand to the Balkans, which is in conflict with Russia’s expansion to the Mediterranean. For the purpose of checking and balancing Russia, Austria-Hungary chose to form an alliance with Germany. .
Once the Austro-Hungarian Empire annexes Serbia, the power of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Balkans will soar, and Greece will bear the brunt.
Greece will face heavy defense pressure because Greece will become a neighbor with a real European power.
According to the standards of European powers, the total population reaches tens of millions, the number of troops reaches more than two million after mobilization, and it has a developed military industrial system that can produce large-caliber artillery.
With the current strength of Greece, it is far from enough to fight against a foreign power.
At that time, for the living environment of Greece, you can refer to the current Serbia, and Romania, which is also facing the edge of Russia.
Don’t talk about realizing great ideals, I’m afraid Greece can’t even protect itself.
More seriously, will the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which won the European War, successfully annex Serbia, will it be satisfied?
Would Austria-Hungary want to go further and annex Greece, just like Bosnia and Serbia?
From the perspective of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it would be beneficial to further annex Greece.
If Greece could be annexed, the Austro-Hungarian Empire would be freed from the constraints of the narrow Adriatic outlet.
For the current Austro-Hungarian Empire, whether it is their navy or overseas trade, it is very easy to cut off.
As long as the Italian Navy sends a small fleet to block the Adriatic Sea, the Austro-Hungarian Empire will immediately become a landlocked country, cut off from the sea.
Why are the top leaders of the Austro-Hungarian Empire always reluctant to develop their own navy?
Why did the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as a power, not seize colonies like other powers, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire had no overseas colonies at all.
It’s because of its awkward location.
With the Austro-Hungarian Empire from Greece, it can expand its territory to the Mediterranean Sea and completely get rid of the Adriatic Sea’s restrictions on the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
At that time, the fleet of the Austro-Hungarian Empire will increase in value several times over.
Because the strategically important Dardanelles and the world’s golden waterway – the Suez Canal will all be within the influence of the Austro-Hungarian naval fleet.
And this would bring huge economic and military benefits to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The influence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire will be greatly increased.
According to Constantine’s idea, if he were the emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, after annexing Serbia, he would definitely make persistent efforts to take Greece down. The benefits are too obvious.
The reasons for the annexation of Greece by Austria-Hungary~www.mtlnovel.com~ are the same as the reasons for annexing Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and they are no different.
Therefore, if the Allied country wins, the general pattern of Europe will not change much.
If the German and Austrian side wins, the situation in Europe will change drastically, and the situation in Greece will also take a turn for the worse.
After Constantine told these considerations to the high-level Greek army, everyone’s faces were very serious.
Frankly speaking, these soldiers have never thought about these grand strategic issues that cover almost the whole of Europe.
“His Royal Highness’s deduction is logically clear, and it really makes sense. In this way, the victory of the Allied countries is indeed more beneficial to Greece,” said Chief of General Staff Emai Nur.
“I’m really ashamed. As the chief of staff of Greece, since the outbreak of the European war, there has been no clear strategic plan.”
Constantine shook his hand: “Soldiers and politicians have different perspectives on problems. For politicians, military means is only one of many solutions to problems, and unless forced, a good politician will not advocate the use of military means, that’s just the last option.”
“Politicians need to look at issues from a holistic perspective”
“And you are soldiers. You only need to know how much logistical supplies you need to defeat the enemy, how many troops you need, and what tactics to use. That’s fine. You can look at the problem more concretely.”
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