In order to carve up Poland, it is not only necessary to reach an agreement between Prussia and Russia, but also to obtain the approval of European countries, especially the understanding of France and Austria.

Vienna Palace

Foreign Secretary Wessenberg: "Your Majesty, we have reached an agreement with Prussia and Russia. They openly supported our unification of the German regions in exchange for our neutrality in the Polish question. ”

It's not a blank check, but it's even less reliable than a blank check. If Austria really wanted to unify Germany, it would be the two countries that reacted most violently.

In the face of interests, this kind of verbal promise has no binding force, and whether it can be fulfilled depends on everyone's discipline.

Franz did not think that the two countries would fulfill their promises, and that they would fight to the death, and that if Austria did to unify the German region, the two countries would soon ease their contradictions.

No matter how deep the hatred between Prussia and Russia is, can it be compared to Britain and France? After the rise of the two empires of time, space, and Germany, Britain and France could give up their hatred, and now Prussia and Russia can do the same.

In the final analysis, it was a matter of interest, and Austria's unification of the German regions was already a threat to their security, especially for the Kingdom of Prussia, which was politically fatal.

In recent years, the Berlin government deliberately downplayed the great unification of Germany and promoted the idea of Greater Prussia, that is, the Junker aristocracy feared that the Austrian fortress would be breached from within.

Austria's annexation of the Federal German Empire was bound to stimulate German nationalism in Prussia, which the Berlin government could never accept.

Britain, France, and Russia were similar, and they did not want to see Austria continue to grow. With the unification of the German region, Austria is the de facto hegemon of the European continent, which has seriously threatened their strategic security.

With this step, Franz will inevitably be beaten by the crowd even if he takes diplomacy to the extreme.

One-on-one, Austria is not cowardly; With one enemy and two, think twice before acting; With one against three, there is almost no chance of winning; With one enemy and four enemies, simply surrender directly, and don't wait for death like this.

Prussia and Russia are obviously not at ease, not so much to support Austria's unification of the German region, but to induce Austria to jump out and share international pressure and divide the British, French and Austrian triumvirate alliance.

Franz nodded: "It's expected, Prussia and Russia are secretly trading, isn't it just to guard against our interference, let them be happy for a while." When are the British ready to get their hands dirty? ”

Those who count people will always count them. Great power diplomacy is originally about you calculating me today and calculating you tomorrow, and everyone relies on their own means. There are only interests between countries, and there is no right or wrong between good and evil.

Wessenberg replied: "The exact time is not yet certain, and the British are not at ease with us, and have kept it secret from us until now."

Roughly before Wilhelm I ascended the throne, if the Kingdom of Prussia was to be forced to make concessions, it was necessary before the Berlin government's plan was completed. ”

When it comes to deals and compromises, Austria is playing the pinnacle. The current political structure of the European continent was the result of deals and compromises between the Vienna government and other countries.

Otherwise, the Russians would not have been able to get Constantinople, the French would not have been able to swallow Italy, and even the Russo-Prussian War would probably not have broken out, and the Kingdom of Poland would have no chance of independence.

It is normal for the British to be worried, and no one can guarantee that the Viennese government will not take this opportunity to make a deal with the French.

To some extent, Britain and Austria have the closest diplomatic philosophy, with both sides focusing on international interests. When we encounter a problem, the first thing we think about is not to solve the problem, but to maximize the national interest.

After pondering for a moment, Franz decided: "In that case, then strengthen the Russian Empire, lest Prussia become bigger and cause us trouble."

Didn't the tsarist government want to train its troops and fulfill them? Agree with the plans of the Russians to increase their troops, strategic supplies we provide. ”

International politics affected the whole body, and the balance strategy was also played, and Franz knew that it was not easy for the British.

It is already difficult to maintain the balance between Prussia and Russia, but the British are playing the continental balance. There are more countries to be involved and more things to consider, and the difficulty of operation is self-evident.

It's no wonder that a world war breaks out in the original plane, dancing on eggs every day, and there are always times when things go wrong. It is estimated that the London government in the original time and space is also confused, and the French actually tossed themselves and abolished themselves.

……

In the Middle East, Lieutenant General Fislav held a telescope and quietly watched as the crowd converged north of Jerusalem.

The Austrian troops besieging the city, turning a blind eye to this, as if the north side had been forgotten.

A burly young officer reported: "General, the patrolling sentry has found the mark of the camel caravan passing in the north, and it is suspected that someone had delivered supplies to Jerusalem last night. ”

Since the patrol team is required to deliberately release water, there is naturally no need to send people to inspect at night. This created an opportunity for the enemy to rush supplies into the city.

Lieutenant General Fislav said casually: "Don't alarm them yet, send someone to keep an eye on them, dig out the shadows of the Ottoman Empire, and then catch them all." ”

After a pause, Fislav shook his head again: "Forget it, don't check it." Post a notice, from now on: anyone who gives any help to the Ottoman Empire will be punished as collaborators.

Needless to say, after the reporters left, we will slowly settle accounts with them. ”

The young officer wanted to speak again and again, but in the end he still did not say it. The Ottoman Empire had been operating here for hundreds of years, and its rule had long been entrenched, and even if it was destroyed by the Austrian army, it would not be possible to wipe out its influence in a short time.

It is normal for people to send supplies to the Sudanese government on behalf of the defenders. But how much can this sneaky delivery be delivered per day?

For the hundreds of thousands of people in the city, these things are a drop in the bucket. Moreover, there are also zealous congregants outside the city who have come from far and wide to defend the holy place, and these people also need to eat.

Fislav probably understood what the Viennese government meant, and there was no hurry to recover Jerusalem. The General Staff also ordered that Jerusalem should not go deep alone until it was recovered, and that he should delay the fight slowly.

In this case, it is good to be salted fish. War must serve politics, and since politics needs to delay time, it is better to let the war continue.

Otherwise, he would have ordered his troops to cross Jerusalem and march into Jordan. At present, most of the Ottoman forces in the Middle East are concentrated in Jerusalem, and there is no way to stop the Austrian army.

Because of the journalists, even the local forces in the Ottoman Empire, Lieutenant General Fislav, did not start to clean up.

Knowing that someone was collaborating with the enemy, Fislav didn't bother to send someone to investigate. It's not that he's passive and slacking off, but there's no need to waste energy at all.

In order to prevent the desertification of the Holy Land, the Vienna government has sent geological and hydrological experts to assess the water, soil and natural environment in the Middle East.

The data collected so far is very unoptimistic, and the Middle East is over-cultivated, with serious soil erosion and desertification, and it is necessary to carry out full fallow land in the local area.

According to experts, the Middle East will need to be fallow for at least two decades before it can restore its ecology.

The issue has been stirred up on the European continent, with the Ottomans blaming for their greed and reckless exploitation of nature.

If nothing else, the post-war Austrian Middle East will have a twenty-year land fallow program. For twenty years no farming, no animal husbandry can be developed, and the locals will definitely leave.

According to previous practice, these people must have been repatriated to the Ottomans. It sounds like a good thing, you can all return home safely, but in fact it is not that simple, can the Sudanese government be able to resettle so many people?

Especially for the local vested interests, the land and property are all zero, and everything needs to be started from scratch.

It's almost impossible. The Ottoman class has long been solidified, and the desire to share the cake is increasing, but the cake is shrinking, and the future Sultan government must be very lively.

Now those who can come up with money and food to support the defenders of Jerusalem are also local wealthy nobles, and their repatriation after the war has become bankrupt and ruined.

This gap in my heart is probably worse than killing them. Even if they are strong in their hearts and accept the reality, these guys are a problem for the Sudanese government. In that case, why did Fislav get his hands dirty?

……

In the exclusive camp for journalists, war correspondent Brad complained: "This damn weather is just going to heat people." If I had known that, I wouldn't have come. ”

Brad is an experienced war correspondent, and he is present almost everywhere there is war. This time, he came here on the commission of the London Daily.

Of course, the desire to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem is also a factor. However, the plan did not change, and the Austrian army, which had been in full swing, stopped outside Jerusalem.

The reason for stopping is that the guns on the battlefield have no eyes, and they are worried that the holy place will be damaged.

This explanation is maddening, but it is also politically correct. Jerusalem's unique religious status makes it natural for devout believers to be unleashed here.

The temperature in the Middle East is so high that ordinary people can't stand it at all. In recent times, the Austrian army has had non-combat attrition, all of which have exceeded double digits.

The soldiers couldn't hold on, and the reporters who accompanied the army were no better. The Austrian army does not have an uncle, so it is naturally impossible to make ice cubes to cool them down.

Henry, his partner who lives in the same tent, jokes: "It's still too late to leave, there are supply ships carrying supplies in Austria every week, and they won't mind taking you alone." ”

Brad's face changed drastically, and it was very humiliating to give up halfway through the war report, which was related to his professional ethics.

"Get out! Lao Tzu is not a person who retreats from battle, and you don't want to enjoy the glory of covering this war alone. This is the reconquest of the Holy Land, and this is the only opportunity for this time, and I will regret it for the rest of my life if I miss it. ”

War correspondents also have to look at their resumes, and the more wars they have participated in, the more valuable the news they report, and the higher their status in the industry. Naturally, this special war for the reconquest of Jerusalem was highly valued.

Of course, if it weren't for the reconquest of the Holy Land, there would not have been hundreds of war correspondents, and they wouldn't have had to huddle two people into a tent.

For example, when the Austrian army attacked Kuwait, except for the domestic newspapers that sent reporters, the major European newspapers did not bother to send people.

This kind of unimportant news, take the news officially announced by Austria, or the news published in Austrian newspapers, copy and revise it from a different perspective, and mention it casually in the international section of the newspaper.

Only a battle like Jerusalem, which is of national concern, is worthy of sending people to collect first-hand information and write about it after artistic processing.

There is a completely different treatment between the more and the lesser, and if there are only one or two war correspondents, it is estimated that the army will still receive them warmly. Hundreds of war correspondents came in at once, and anyone would dislike them.

Now every move of the Austrian army is being watched by these reporters. If it weren't for the repercussions, Fislav would have been driven out.

Therefore, the expenses of these reporters were paid by the newspaper behind them, and the Austrian army only provided a safe camp and the most basic living support, which was simply a standard with the soldiers.

If you want better living conditions, you have to find a way to solve it yourself. Unfortunately, this is the Middle East, where the war has wiped out and the order is chaotic. Not only can you not spend your money, but you must also be careful when you travel, and you can't stay away from the barracks.

There are several bold colleagues who ran out to interview the local people, and they were all sent to see God, of course, it is possible to meet ***.

Except for one lucky passing Austrian patrol who was rescued, the rest turned into corpses, and one of the unlucky ones was sent to the barbecue grill by the refugees.

After this lesson, everyone didn't dare to run around. Now that the Austrian army is besieging the city, there is no news left, and everyone can only stay in the camp to spend time.

Henry laughed: "Just kidding, liven up the atmosphere, don't be so angry with Brad." Life is already very difficult, if we don't have an optimistic heart, how can we get by? ”

Brad nodded, "Well, even if you're right. The present days are indeed very boring, may God bless us to recover the Holy Land as soon as possible. ”

Without hesitation, Henry struck: "I don't think God forbid is very reliable, otherwise Jerusalem would not have fallen into the hands of the Ottomans."

You should go and tell the Austrians that they should hurry up and attack and take Jerusalem as soon as possible, and we can go home soon.

Based on the current situation, I estimate that this Christmas will be spent here. It's not just this year, maybe next year's Christmas will be here. ”

It is also very normal for war correspondents to spend Christmas on the battlefield, and no one can guarantee that the war will end before Christmas.

It's just that this time the situation is special, and the weather is bad. Everyone is out there, so it's okay to suffer a little bit.

The trouble is that the Austrian army besieged but did not attack, and there are cases of such sieges for three or five years in the history books, and with the special status of Jerusalem, everyone believes that the Ottomans must have prepared in advance.

Brad's good mood disappeared in an instant, and he rolled his eyes: "Nonsense, the excuse for the Austrians to besiege and not attack is that they are worried about damaging the Holy Land, why should I let them attack?"

It's not like you've never seen the cities along the way, and if the Austrian army really opened fire, even if they recaptured Jerusalem, it would be in ruins. Who can bear this responsibility? ”