Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 671 - 244: Worry

1879 was an especially lively Christmas, as all Europeans, except those in warring Prussia and Russia, enjoyed a year of abundance.

Following tradition, the Vienna Government arranged annual tasks for various departments after the New Year.

The only exception was the Immigration Bureau, everyone knew that achieving a grand immigration strategy was a pipe dream given the heated domestic economy.

Thus, the task for the Immigration Bureau in 1880 was still to continue the previous year’s assignment, and it remained a task without penalties.

In this regard, the Austrian Government was quite pragmatic, as the tasks for each department were established after research and according to the actual situation, and no blind actions were taken just to "boost political achievements."

Entering the new year, what Franz felt most deeply was that he had "aged another year", reaching an age where resisting old age was not an option.

Given the average lifespan of that era, his age could certainly be considered long-lived. In the eyes of the common folk, this age would be fitting for retirement.

In the countryside, it was somewhat better, but in the cities, by this age, one would be essentially unemployed, as no factory would hire someone of such an advanced age.

Physical decline and lack of agility were not something personal will could change. Those engaged in intellectual work fared better, but pure physical laborers, with few exceptions, were practically cut off from most jobs.

Old age was no cause for worry, as the combination of heavy physical labor and an expensive medical system helped people through the "crisis of old age."

"Franz, when do you think Frederick’s marriage should take place?"

The voice of Queen Helen pulled the deep-in-thought Franz back to reality.

"Isn’t that a bit too hasty if it’s so early?" Franz replied without much thought.

"What’s early?" Seemingly detecting Franz’s lack of enthusiasm about his son’s wedding, Helen said discontentedly, "Frederick is already 24, and Victoria is 18. The Baden royal family has even sent telegrams hurrying us; can’t you be a little more concerned?"

Franz was taken aback; he had merely made an offhand remark! He had never seen Helen so fiery in all their years of marriage, and to think the first time would be for this reason.

Whether it was a woman’s menopause or a mother’s strength, Franz no longer had the time to delve into it.

"What are you thinking about? I mean, it’s too sudden to rush into marriage discussions right after Christmas.

Moreover, with Prussia and Russia at war and rivers of blood on the European Continent, it is truly too ominous for Frederick to marry at this juncture."

Having been Emperor for so many years, it was only today that Franz discovered his incredible ability to find excuses, as if he had returned to the days of coaxing his girlfriend in a previous life.

Women’s inexplicable anger comes fast and goes fast.

After hearing Franz’s defense, Queen Helen’s anger subsided, but she still complained, "This damnable war, it’s so infuriating."

She then redirected her frustration at Franz, "Why do you men always like to fight and kill? Why can’t you just sit down and talk nicely?"

Feeling a bit guilty, Franz rolled his eyes and replied, without changing his demeanor, "Because we have to provide for you!"

"The world is only so big, and nature’s gifts cannot satisfy the needs of all humankind; to survive, people can only compete and seize.

The Prusso-Russian war is the result of escalated conflicts; no one can afford to compromise, as doing so would mean disaster."

This was not nonsense, but supported by sufficient theory. According to the information collected by the Austrian Government, sociologists generally believe that 70% of the world’s population are in a state of hunger, meaning over a billion people are not getting enough to eat.

Whether accurate or not, this point need not be contested. The majority living in poverty, struggling even to sustain life, is the social reality.

Not to speak of areas where industry has not developed, even in the European Continent, which prides itself as a civilized world, more than 200 million of the total population of 320 million live in poverty.

Of course, compared to other regions, influenced by colonial dividends, the lives of Europeans are much better, with the majority able to barely feed themselves through hard work.

The causes of hunger are multifaceted, including: exploitation by the ruling class, insufficient regional food production capacity, colonial rule...

The hunger problem for all of humanity has not been solved even in the 21st century, let alone in this era.

The most one could do was to clean one’s own doorstep and, while developing domestically, venture out to plunder, which was essentially enough to fill the citizens’ stomachs.

If the first Prusso-Russian war still involved factors of pride and vigor, the second Prusso-Russian war was entirely a conflict for living space.

The main factor causing the outbreak of war was interests, with hatred relegated to a secondary position.

The Tsarist Government, wishing to restore its great power status, break out of the Baltic Sea, and recapture lost territories, had to defeat the Prusso Federation.

Conversely, for the Prusso Federation to advance further, it would have to expand eastward.

It could be said that the moment the Berlin Government decided to relinquish maritime dominance, war was inevitable. Geography dictated that without becoming a Colonial Empire, expansion could only be directed toward the east.

The power of the German Federation Empire to the west might not be impressive, but its strategic location meant that moving westward would amount to declaring war on Anglo-Austria, or one might as well say it was a declaration of war against England, France, Russia, and Austria.

To the south lay the mightier Austria, and to the north, the Nordic Federation. Geographically speaking, it seemed inevitable for the Berlin Government to encounter the Russians on a northward course.

Queen Helen was disinterested in politics and would not intervene unless absolutely necessary. To her, these issues were far less critical than the prospect of hugging her grandson at the earliest opportunity.

"You decide, if Frederick complains, I’ll tell him it was your decision."

After all, her heart ached for her son, and Queen Helen did not wish to see Frederick wronged. It was one thing for commoners to marry amidst the bloodshed in Europe, but for the Austria Crown Prince, a wedding during such times would inevitably be affected.

Simply the thought that the guests attending the wedding might not come to bless the union, but rather busy themselves discussing the Prusso-Russian War, filled Queen Helen with unease.

Franz smiled faintly, exuding confidence as he made his judgment, "Don’t worry, the Prusso-Russian war won’t last long. If all goes well, it could end by the end of this year, or at the very latest by 1882."

If the outcome of the Prusso-Russian conflict could be decided, the war might end by the year’s close; if not, dragging out for two more years should see its conclusion.

It was not yet the 20th century, where a world war could persist for four or five years—national power simply couldn’t sustain such a prolonged conflict!

There isn’t a parent who isn’t eager to embrace a grandchild, and Franz too was compelled to delay his son’s marriage. In the royal family, matrimony must serve political ends.

If that’s the case, then it was natural to maximize the benefits. With such sacrifice, failing to garner a substantial political advantage would mean a great loss for Frederick.

The end of the Prusso-Russian War would mean dramatic changes to Europe’s state of affairs and provide the optimal moment for Austria to permeate the German Federation. Frederick’s nuptials presented an ideal, openly accepted opportunity for all parties to interact.

Matters already settled could thus be brought out into the open, leveraging political gains, and none without Frederick’s share in the final outcome.

Having contributed to the unification movement in the Germany Region and accumulated political prestige, this was of vital importance for Frederick’s future succession to the throne.

Being a second-generation Emperor was challenging, especially with an especially illustrious father. The outside world would compare them, yet how could political achievements be so easily secured?

Franz came into power during a period of great change, a unique time whose achievements could not be replicated by his successors.

…

While Franz was concerned for his son, the Prussian-Russian battlefield was undergoing changes, and after enduring immense hardships, the Prussian Army finally gained the upper hand on the Ukrainian front.

Maoqi, adept at exterior-line operations, fully leveraged the speed of the Prussian Army. He employed tactics like encircling points to strike at reinforcements and feinting maneuvers, continuously repositioning the Russian Army and concentrating superior forces for decisive battles.

After a series of audacious maneuvers that could be listed in military textbooks, the Prussian Army annihilated more than two hundred thousand Russian troops during the closing months of 1879 into the early months of 1880, an achievement the European media dubbed "The Great Victory at Volyn".

Tactically, the Prussian Army was successful, but strategically, they could only claim a marginal advantage. The Russians lost most of the Volyn region yet held onto the strategic city of Brest, and Maoqi’s offensive towards Kiev was not entirely successful.

This minor regret was inconsequential; regardless, the south was victorious, but the situation on other fronts was much worse. Particular damage came from the Russian navy, which struck the northern coasts, turning numerous port cities into rubble under heavy bombardment and inflicting severe losses.

The situation in the Middle region was not much better; although there were no defeats in direct engagements, the Russian Army kept sending Cossack cavalry deep into the territory to cause destruction, much to the Berlin Government’s vexation.

Whether it was natural talent or not, on the open field of battle, the Cossack cavalry’s prowess was not much stronger than that of the Prussian cavalry, yet when transformed into marauders, their combat effectiveness soared as if they were enhanced by cheats.

There was an occasion where a Cossack cavalry regiment, after a successful raid, inadvertently found itself surrounded by a Prussian cavalry regiment and two infantry regiments. Nevertheless, they managed to defeat the Prussian cavalry and broke through the encirclement carrying some of the spoils.

Despite the hasty Prussian response and a not fully prepared encirclement playing a role, the raw fighting ability of the Cossack cavalry left a deep impression on all ranks of the Prussian Army.

And this was not an isolated incident; a closer analytical study would reveal that the Cossack cavalry always performed above standard when it came to protecting their looted goods.

But with success came failures; in an effort to curb the Russians’ arrogance, the Prussian Army set many traps, successfully ambushing these marauding "brigands" on numerous occasions.

The lust for profit could stir the hearts of many, and even the greatest of risks could not deter Cossack dreams of wealth.

Besides, the Tsarist Government was generous this time, not only letting them keep all the spoils but also providing substantial rewards. Merely participating in a raid meant a reward of 3 Rubles.

Considering the cumulative losses of both Prussia and Russia, Franz concluded that the outcome was "a draw."

The Russians suffered greater military casualties, while the Prusso Federation experienced more civilian losses. The photographs published in newspapers, displaying corpses strewn everywhere and houses ablaze, testified to the barbaric crimes.