Chapter 718： Newly dug pit

No matter what the British think, the peace conference in Vienna is still on schedule. Without any accident, the three countries of Britain, France and Austria have become mediation countries.

With the arrival of the negotiating delegation, Vienna became more lively. The representatives of the two countries are like hard-working bees, flying around the embassies of various countries. Every day, hot news is generated, and the people who eat melon talk about it.

The British support the Berlin government, and the French are hesitant, and barely stand on the side of the Popo Federation, but their support is limited.

As host, Austria has not stated its position, and now it is the main goal of the two sides. Whoever has the support of the Vienna government can prevail in the negotiations.

Putting down minutes of negligible negotiations, Franz asked: "Are the bottom lines of the two countries generally clear?"

I don't know when it started. Everyone learned the lion's big opening in diplomatic negotiations. Usually, the conditions first proposed are more than one, without considering the feasibility.

For example now: the Russians demanded that the Berlin government cede East and West Prussia, Pomerania, Poznan, Schleswig-Holstein, and also demanded a war worth about 960 million Aegis indemnity.

Among them, the two principalities of Schleswig-Holstein returned the Danes. Although it is not known whether the Russians have an agreement with the Danes, Franz knows that this is the "money".

The end of the war does not mean that the troubles of the Tsarist government are over. On the contrary, their troubles have just begun. In the years to come, the Russians will have to start a long debt-paying career.

The Russians have owed huge debts to the war. Austria's debt alone is as high as 670 million Aegis.

Now the Russians have to pay the principal and interest of Austria's nearly 4 million Aegis monthly, and they need to pay for decades in a row to pay off all their debts. The final principal and interest will exceed 1.4 billion Aegis.

The tsarist government's annual fiscal revenue is only about 100 million SHIELD, and Austria's debt is taken away by almost half. This is obviously not what Russia's finances can afford.

According to Franz, apart from Austria, the total external debt of the Tsarist government in other countries is not less than 200 million Aegis, mainly the Nordic Federation and the United States of America.

The Nordic Federation borrowed loans from Finland, and the United States was one of the few diplomatic achievements of the Tsarist government.

There is no way, people are afraid of loneliness, and the country is made up of people, naturally inherited this. It is not surprising that two countries are isolated by the world.

The Tsarist government supported the northern government during the Civil War, and now it is natural to receive a return. It's not that Americans are so eloquent, but the United States of America is also forced.

Under the joint suppression of the four countries, Britain, France, and the West, all European countries kept aloof from them. Except for the Russians, who were also unwelcome, they could no longer find a better partner.

Although the divided United States was not as wealthy as in time and space, it still sold tens of millions of war bonds for the Russians.

This is only external debt. In addition, the tsarist government owes a large amount of internal debt. Franz has no way to know the exact number. It is an astronomical number anyway.

Post-war soldiers' compensation for casualties, retired officers and men, and economic reconstruction in war-affected areas are another huge expense.

On this issue, the Tsarist government is not much better than the Berlin government. It is the one that goes bankrupt in minutes.

This time is different from the past. Most of this time's debts are mortgaged by the territory. If you can't afford the money, you will have to cut the land. The trick of financial bankruptcy is not good.

Not to mention in other regions, Finland must not be abandoned, or the strategic security of St. Petersburg will become a problem.

In terms of economic value, the two principalities of Schleswig-Holstein are comparable to the icy Finland, and if you use these two principalities to pay off the debt, you can also change some pocket money.

Increasing the strength of the Danes, by the way, complicates the internal relations of the Nordic Federation and relieves possible threats to the north.

Franz understood the Tsarist government's desire to escape the financial crisis, but the conditions they proposed were not desirable.

Regardless of whether the German region is divided or not, the problem is that the Berlin government is also a poor ghost. After being so slaughtered by them, what will they pay for war compensation?

If the conditions of the Russians are acceptable, after all, it is victorious, and the lion's mouth is not big. Then, the conditions proposed by the Berlin government, Franz glanced and looked down.

The first is that the Russian army immediately withdrew from the territory of the Popo Federation. The latter is no longer important. This article has not been discussed.

Foreign Minister Weissenberg replied: "It is initially certain that the Russians will aim to cede land and demand war compensation.

In addition to reclaiming their original territories, they also wanted to swallow what they had already occupied, Prussia and Poznan, and this was not a problem.

The key is war compensation. The Tsarist government is really out of money and wants to take the opportunity to make up for the financial deficit.

Judging from the current situation, if the Berlin government pays enough compensation, it is estimated that the indiscriminate Russians can accept it.

The situation in Prussia is a bit complicated. The Berlin government was unable to pay war reparations and wanted to keep East and West Prussia, but ceded Poznan. "

After thinking about it, Franz laughed: "The situation is better than we expected. It seems that the Tsarist government without money is the best Tsarist government, otherwise they can swallow Prussia in one go.

As for the idea of ​​the Berlin government, this time is not important. As defeated nations, they have little choice. For territories that have been eaten by the Russians, it is simply unrealistic to want people to spit it out.

The finances of the two countries are not good. Each day of the war, they will increase the military expenditure of hundreds of thousands of SHIELD, and they will not be able to delay it.

We do n’t want to get too involved for the time being. The negotiations have just begun. It is estimated that the general Russian and Russian representatives have not entered the state. It is necessary to calm them down.

You can meet in private with the Prussian representatives and suggest that they pay off the debts of various countries in kind. I believe everyone will not refuse. "

This is the biggest pit of "in-kind compensation". Prussia does not have rich resources and uses "in-kind" to pay off debts. Only industrial and commercial products can be sold.

How harmful this thing is, Franz has seen it. When World War II broke out, the industries of the German and German empires actually exceeded the total of Britain and France.

Before the First World War, the German Empire occupied 14.8% of the world's total industry, while the British Empire accounted for 13.6% of the world's total industry. The two countries are very close, and Britain and France together far exceed the German Empire.

The situation changed during the Second World War. In the early days, the German and German empires accounted for 13.2% of the world's total industry. The British fell to 9%. The French even had a poor 4.5%. After annexing Austria and Czechoslovakia, Germany The three empires surpassed the total of Britain and France.

(The data is for reference only, the answers given on different materials are different)

Judging from industrial data, Britain and France are more like defeated nations. The proportion of Germany's total industrial production fell. Alsace Lorraine, which was rich in coal and iron, returned to France, and Silesia, the textile center, was ceded to newly independent Poland.

The main reason for all this is the "physical" compensation. In order to repay war reparations, Germany pays off a large amount of industrial and commercial products every year.

The capitalists found that being a second-hand trafficker was actually more profitable than their own production. Needless to say, of course, the interests come first.

Soon the British and French homelands and colonies were full of German-made products. The markets that the Germans did not get on the battlefield actually got them in post-war compensation.

I have to say that the world is sometimes really nonsense.

Nonsense, nonsense, Franz is very much looking forward to this scene.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Foreign Minister Weissenberg replied.

...

Prime Minister Felix: "The British have been very active lately. They have been proclaiming the benefits of establishing North Germany. They have not looked at us at all, and the impact is very bad.

In the Kingdom of Hannover in particular, many newspapers are advocating North Germanism. They used religious excuses to deceive and attempt to split the empire.

... "

What should come is still to come. The establishment of a North German Empire is not something that can be decided by a few high-level people.

Without the support of the people, there will be no difference between the North German Empire and the current "comedy empire", which is nominally a country. In fact, no one can control the central government.

If the institutional structure is still so loose now, it is more appropriate to say that it is a state alliance rather than an empire.

This was not what the British wanted, let alone what George I wanted. If the centripetal force of the people cannot be increased, the value of this empire will only serve as a buffer zone for the great powers.

Franz thought for a while and said, "You can create a little trouble for them, but you need to pay attention and not scare them.

It is best to draw everyone out, just to select who is our friend and who is our enemy.

The British want a North German empire, then give them a North German empire, but it must be a North German empire that meets our requirements.

The Kingdom of Prussia is a good pawn, no matter how weakened, their strength is above Hanover.

Weak central areas are strong, and since ancient times have been the way to make troubles.

As long as the post-war decline period has passed, the unwilling Junker aristocracy will encourage the Berlin government to challenge Hanover, and it will be lively.

Perhaps you don't have to wait until then, when the Kingdom of Prussia desperately needs money to save your life. I don't believe that when they were asked to pay, these activists wanted to build the North German Empire. "

Deep down, Franz has made a decision to let the Russians get a sky-high compensation for the Kingdom of Prussia.

It doesn't matter if the Kingdom of Prussia can't afford to pay it back. It doesn't matter if it's a hundred years, but it won't work for two hundred years.

When necessary, the debts of the Berlin government can be passed on to the central government of North Germany.

There is a precedent. After the establishment of the Federation of Popo, the Berlin government wanted to fully integrate Popo and directly unified the military and political affairs on both sides, and the debt of the Polish government fell on the central government.

Theoretically, now that the Kingdom of Poland has fallen, the Berlin government has the opportunity to refuse to pay the debts of the former Kingdom of Poland, which will be borne by the Russians who occupied the Kingdom of Poland.

But this is a world of weak meat and strong food. The will of the great powers is international law. Creditors have no ability to force the Russians to pay back money, but can only bully the weak Berlin government.

The Berlin government has no confidence to refuse and can only continue to fulfill these debts. Similar things can be replicated in the North German Empire.

No matter how much promise the British give, a state of debt transfer, the state that supports them will choose to change jobs.

Why can't you be anxious to get paid at the bottom? Use this opportunity to consume John Niu ’s excess energy, so that they do not secretly engage in conspiracy.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Weissenberg angrily exclaimed: "Your Majesty, the situation may not develop according to our will. Judging from the current situation, the Kingdom of Prussia will certainly be substantially disarmed after the war.

Affected by this war, Juncker ’s nobles suffered a very large loss. Thousands of noble officers arrived on the battlefield. More than 300 noble families were facing an absolute crisis because of the war.

A lot of losses for the younger generation, when the older generation retreats, the Junker aristocracy will face a crisis of no one to succeed, and the control of the country will definitely decline significantly.

Perhaps there is no need to wait for the future, this war is an opportunity.

The defeat always requires someone to bear responsibility. If William announced his abdication after the war, these high Junker nobles would have to follow suit.

Time is too hasty and they have no time to train their heirs. Their remaining positions will be filled by deputies or subordinates.

After this round of political reshuffle, Juncker aristocracy will lose control of the government. The new government will most likely take action to continue to weaken Junker's nobility.

For example, using fiscal pressure as an excuse, to abolish most of the domestic military and get rid of the deformed political structure of the military-owned country. "

Not possible, but it must happen. The political struggle is cruel. If William I did not take advantage of this opportunity, it would not be William I.

William I was over eighty years old, and he hadn't lived well for a few years. His health was already very bad due to the defeat of the war.

He had the opportunity to take away his political opponents and clear up the hidden dangers of future generations in power. He had no reason to refuse.

And this is Yang Mou, not the emperor forced everyone to resign, but the glory of the nobility made everyone embarrassed to occupy a high position.

For the sake of the war, the core of Juncker aristocracy was mostly in the army. Except for some high-level officials, most of them were not military Junkers.

After the political shuffle, the army lost control of the government. Whoever comes to power will not give them a second chance to take control of the government.

The same scene was performed in the original space-time. After the First World War, Juncker ’s aristocratic power was greatly reduced. After the suppression of the parties, during the Second World War, they were crowded out by "Greek ***" and even lost control of the army.

...

Prussia controlled by politicians and Prussia controlled by the army are not a concept at all, and the bottom line is much lower.

Unlike "militarianism," habitually speaking with fists, politicians prefer compromise. This undoubtedly adds to the uncertainty, and no one can guarantee that the Berlin government will not compromise with Hanover.

Franz nodded: "This is indeed a problem, but the benefits involved are too great. Even if the two sides really compromise, there is no way to complete it in a short time.

The Foreign Ministry is staring at them, and we can take extraordinary measures when necessary. "

Frankly, Franz was not very worried. To achieve this, it is necessary to have not only a superb political skill, but also a suitable international environment.

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