The Navy's shipbuilding plan was rejected by Franz, but the Navy budget in 1851 was raised by more than one million guilders again, reaching a height of 12.681 million guilders.
The attitude of the Austrian government to attach importance to the navy can be seen in general, but no matter how much attention it attaches, it cannot change the essence of Austria as a land-power country.
In 1851, the army's military expenditure rose even faster, soaring to 61.2462 million dong. The strategy of the large reserve force was officially launched. According to the plan, from now on, the reserve force will increase by 200,000 every year.
The total military budget of the Austrian Empire in 1851 increased by nearly 20% compared with 1850, and the pace of war was approaching.
How could the actions of the neighboring Russians be concealed from the Austrian government? Not long ago, Nicholas I levied a war tax on the pretext of expanding far away.
If there is no Russian-Austrian secret treaty, everyone may still be suspicious and cannot determine the Russian war goal. The Austrian government, which knows the truth, is 99% sure that the Russo-Turkish war will break out again.
In this case, the Austrian government, as an ally, will naturally follow up. How would the Austrian strategy work without the Russians breaking the situation
Thanks to the big moves of the Russians, the Austrian government's increase in military expenditures did not make any waves. In the eyes of the outside world, this is a normal reaction. No matter how vigilant a neighbor like a hairy bear should be.
The situation in Europe has always affected the whole body, and the arms race is also contagious. Although Russia and Austria did not intend to provoke an arms race, everyone followed up.
Governments have increased military spending, the British exception to the army arms race, they never participated.
Not all countries are in such a good financial situation. The Kingdom of Prussia, which is in financial difficulties, did not follow up this time.
Frederick William IV was not a fool. Following the arms race between Russia and Austria, the Kingdom of Prussia could not support it at all. Military spending has exceeded half of fiscal revenue, and if it continues to increase, it will only go bankrupt.
The French, who were also in financial difficulties, followed up. Although the French government had no money, the private consortium had money, so it was enough to take a loan from the bank.
This is the foundation of the old empire, with sufficient financial support, which is why France can become the second country among the great powers to complete industrialization after the United Kingdom.
The time when Belgium completed its industrialization was very close to that of the British, but their industrial system was not perfect, and many industries did not exist.
Although Belgium completed its industrialization first, its industrial strength is still inferior to that of several great powers, but it has advantages in some fields.
Vienna
Prime Minister Felix said: "Your Majesty, affected by the Russians' preparations for war, except for the financially troubled Kingdom of Prussia, which has not yet moved, all European countries have begun to expand their arms and prepare for war.
Just a week ago, with the support of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, the French government passed the military expansion bill, and the French army was expanded by 50,000. After the expansion, their total strength reached 436,000, second only to Russia.
For our next strategy, the French threat has risen to the first place, and we must be vigilant and ready to respond. "
France has always been a traditional European army power. It has been fighting with the Habsburg dynasty for hundreds of years, and the French army has reached its peak in the Napoleonic era.
For the French, everyone has twelve points of vigilance. After learning of France's military expansion plan, the Austrian government immediately convened a cabinet meeting.
Franz frowned, he knew it wasn't a fuss, and the threat of the French couldn't be taken too seriously.
"How many troops are there in France?" Franz asked with concern
It doesn't matter how many French soldiers there are, and they have a lot of colonies, and they always need someone to garrison them. The key is to look at the troops they concentrate on the homeland, which is the existence that may pose a threat to Austria.
Prime Minister Felix replied: "Before the expansion, it was 221,000. After the expansion is completed, it is uncertain. The worst case is that all the 271,000 troops will remain on the mainland."
Franz breathed a sigh of relief. After the Russians made their move, Britain and France would definitely help the Ottoman Empire. Obviously, there would not be so many French troops left in the mainland.
Since the reserve system is already rotten, it will take a certain amount of time for the French to expand their army before they can form combat effectiveness. This is an opportunity.
What worries him most is that the French government restores the reserve system and returns to the Napoleonic era. The war mobilization mechanism that can recruit millions of troops at any time is the biggest threat.
Obviously, Louis-Napoleon-Bonaparte was not very capable of military affairs. Otherwise, during the Franco-Prussian War, they would not have mobilized only 220,000 troops to fight the Prussians in a hurry.
Perhaps it was because they lost too wrongly. After the war, the French were not convinced. The British provoked it, and France and Germany became a deadly feud that could not be understood.
Franz asked uncertainly: "If the French just use so many troops to intervene, should we survive?"
Professional questions, but also professional answers.
Franz believes that he still has a certain military level, which is mainly reflected in strategy. If it is specific to tactics, it is estimated that there is no problem in the battle below the command group level.
Now this kind of movement is a battle of hundreds of thousands of troops. Marshal Radesky, the chief of the general staff, has more say. He has played against the French army at its peak and has personal experience.
Marshal Radesky thought for a while and replied, "Your Majesty, the French army is no longer as invincible as it was in Napoleon's time.
With equal strength, we can have a decisive battle with the French.
If the Kingdom of Bavaria had completed the railway before taking military action, within a week we would be able to reach Baden and keep the French out of the country. "
After seeing the Austrian government's railway network strategy, Marshal Radesky discovered the enormous military use of railways.
Since railways can be used to transport goods, they can also be used to transport troops, and at the same time, they can effectively provide logistical support.
The South German region is not a dragon pond and a tiger den, Austria has been operating in these regions for many years. Sending troops is almost a sweep, and with nationalists as the leading party, it is difficult for these small states to resist.
As long as the speed is fast enough and these small states are not given the opportunity to collude with the French, there will be no major changes.
It doesn't even take too long, it only takes two or three months. After the political leadership of the various countries has been settled, the armies of these German states can also transform themselves and resist the French aggressors together with the Austrian army.
After gaining the support of the local people, Austria was invincible. The current France is no longer the Napoleonic era, and it can be pushed all the way.
Prince Wendischgritz, Minister of War, said: "Not only in the southern German region, but if the French intervene, it is possible to join the Kingdom of Sardinia in the Lombardy region and make us fight on two fronts."
Marshal Radesky shook his head and said, "It doesn't matter, they beat them, we beat ours.
If France dares to send the main force to the Italian region, it is a big deal to fight against the Italian region, and we will go directly to Paris.
In terms of distance, we also take advantage of it. I don't know if Paris will be taken, but we can bet with the French government.
We are a Lombard if we lose the bet, and if we win the bet, the French have to pay a big price. "
Looking at the dispute between the two, everyone tacitly did not participate. This is exactly the effect Franz wants. If there is no conflict between the War Department and the General Staff, he will be replaced.
It has nothing to do with trust, this is the instinct of the emperor's balance technique.
If the subordinates are allowed to collude, then they will be deceived and deceived. In history, there are not one or two emperors who have been trumped up.
Likewise, the subordinates cannot be allowed to fight too hard. Everyone is busy fighting with each other. Who will do things
After thinking about it, Prince Wendischgritz retorted: "The French are not paper, how could it be possible to conquer it in a short period of time
Once Paris could not be conquered, the war had reached a stalemate, and the advantages of the French fighting on the homeland were manifested, and they could quickly mobilize hundreds of thousands of cannon fodder.
These cannon fodder troops have not been trained, but when defending their homeland, they can also rely on morale to make up for the lack of training.
At that time, subject to logistical supplies, we will still have to withdraw in vain, and it will be difficult to recover the lost Italy. "
Not to be outdone, Marshal Radesky said: "Even if we can't conquer Paris, we can still hurt the French.
They can concentrate their forces to defend Paris, but they will not have to guard other areas. If they are unwilling to compromise, we will burn, kill and loot along the way, destroying their industrial and commercial system in the northeastern region.
Don't dare to say anything else, create millions of homeless refugees, encourage these people to rob and plunder, and spread the chaos to the whole of France.
They are too busy to take care of themselves at home, can they still not withdraw from the Italian region? Just a Sardinian kingdom still capable of preventing us from taking back Italy? "
Sure enough, the old guys are all ruthless characters. If they really do this, it is estimated that the French will not be able to recover their vitality for more than ten years, and Austria and France have become mortal enemies. The mainstream international conflict in the future will be the conflict between Austria and France.
What if Franz was given the choice? Of course, he did it, and he became an enemy anyway. What's the difference between doing fifty and one hundred
Enemy is enmity, who is afraid of whom? The big deal is to pretend to be a grandson to the British, and it is enough not to challenge sea power. Austria's geographical location determines that there is almost zero threat from the sea.
Once you get down on the French, the soul of the army will come out. After the unification of the southern German region, the Austrian Empire was completely reborn.
Metternich acted as a peacemaker and said with a smile: "Don't be so angry, as long as we choose the right time and create an established fact, the French are likely to acquiesce.
They are not fools. If I put 300,000 to 400,000 troops in the southern German region, and they don't have the same strength, how could they risk sending troops
Besides, if the French want to interfere with us, the best way to send troops is from the Rhineland. Would the Kingdom of Prussia dare to lend it to them
When we start, the Kingdom of Prussia will most likely follow suit. The French oppose us to unify the South German region. Are they willing to watch the Kingdom of Prussia unify the North German region
They were eyeing the German Confederation west of the Rhine, and a powerful Prussian kingdom was not in their interest.
In the future, we will remain allies with Prussia when it comes to dealing with the French. "
After listening to Metternich's explanation, everyone's face was overjoyed. Persimmons are looking for soft pinch, bullying the soft and fearing the hard is the theme of this era.
What the French want is not in the hands of Austria, and even if they intervene in the unification of the German region, it is essentially for profit.
Instead, the Kingdom of Prussia wanted to keep its territory west of the Rhine and had to fight with the French. Want to compromise? Will the domestic nationalists agree
Franz said slowly: "Okay, the French problem is over. The problem now is the arms race among European countries, and our good neighbor, the Kingdom of Prussia, can no longer hold it.
It seems that the Pudan War was not fought in vain, and it is difficult for the Kingdom of Prussia to get out of the predicament in the short term, which is also a good thing for us.
Judging from the current situation, the time for the Russians to start the war should be in 1851, not more than 1852 at the latest. Do we want to escalate the arms race? "
There is no doubt that the only countries in the European continent that can threaten Austria are Russia, France and Russia. Now the Kingdom of Prussia has fallen into a financial crisis and cannot keep up. At this time, the escalation of the arms race is the three countries of Russia, France and Austria.
Prime Minister Felix gritted his teeth and said: "Your Majesty, we can bet that after the Russians start the war, Britain and France will send troops to intervene, and the opportunity to unify the South German region will appear.
Now escalate the arms race and eliminate the Kingdom of Prussia first. With one less competitor, we will have one more chance of success.
If you lose the bet, the big deal is to implement the Balkan strategy first, and you will not lose money! "
How could it not be a loss? From Prime Minister Felix's point of view, it would have been a loss-making business to carve up the Balkans instead of going west to Germany.
But in order to gain the support of the Balkan faction, he also sacrificed himself. If the fighter plane appeared, it would unify the southern German region. If it did not appear, it would only be able to rake grass and hunt rabbits, and go to the Balkans to make up for the loss.
Marshal Radesky said excitedly: "Your Majesty, this risk is worth taking. If you lose, it will be tens of millions of dongs. If you win, it will be South Germany!"
If they really lost, the big deal would be tens of millions of dongs of military spending. This is not a complete waste, at least it increases the military strength.
The Austrian government is not an iron head, it has to bite the bullet and rush up.
If the international situation is unfavorable and you cannot go west, you can go to the south to bully the Ottoman Empire and make up for the loss. Even if Russia really went to the Far East to eat ice cubes, Austria would not hesitate to do it alone.
Thinking of this, Franz had already made a decision in his heart.