Vol 3 Chapter 23: , Position issue

In the Palace of Sofia, while the Ferdinand family were enjoying the family pleasure, a message from the Far East broke the peaceful atmosphere!
The Russo-Japanese War broke out!
Although Ferdinand knew that the Russo-Japanese War would break out, he did not know exactly when.
Judging from the current situation, the Russians have a great advantage, and it is very unwise for the Japanese to take the initiative to provoke a war at this moment!
Especially when the British have not made up their minds to fully support them, once the attitude of the London government softens, the French-Russian coalition will teach them how to behave!
The contradiction between Japan and Russia has a long history, and it broke out when the "Three Powers Intervention and Return to the Liao". However, the Japanese chose to pretend to be grandchildren in the face of the powerful Czarist Russia. This situation continued until the establishment of the "Anglo-Japanese Alliance" in 1902.
With the support of the British, the Japanese government was no longer satisfied with its existing interests in North Korea and Northeast China, hoping to expand further, but it was resisted by the Russians!
In July 1903, the Japanese government formally suggested to the Russians that they should negotiate on North Korea and Northeast China. Because the conditions of the two parties are too different, it is difficult to reach an agreement, and they are still wrangling.
This is all that Ferdinand knows. Now neither the Russians nor the Japanese are ready for war, but the war has broken out!
In any case, Japan and Russia have already started pk, and the Bulgarian government must take its own stand. Ferdinand specially convened a state conference on the Far East issue.
"What's the matter? Why did the Japanese suddenly go to war against the Russians?" Ferdinand asked suspiciously
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Metiev replied: "The cause of the outbreak of this war was: On January 28, in a tavern in Incheon, two Russian soldiers were drunk and clashed with three Japanese soldiers. The soldier shot and killed a Japanese soldier, and the two armies who came to inquired about it, and there were casualties on both sides!
This kind of skirmish has not happened once or twice between Japan and Russia, but it has been suppressed by the high level of both sides.
But this time it was a bit special. One of the dead was the younger brother of a Japanese soldier. In order to avenge his younger brother, he led a raid on the Russian camp that night.
After the incident broke out, the Japanese army in the North Korean area simply did nothing and launched an offensive against the Russian army.
It can be said that this war broke out very unexpectedly. The Japanese government was dragged down by the army and had to go to war with the Russians! "
History has changed!
This was Ferdinand's first thought. In history, the Russo-Japanese War broke out when the negotiations were at a deadlock. The Japanese government chose to preemptively after knowing that the goal could not be achieved through negotiation.
Then the navy took the lead in attacking the Russian fleets in Lushun Port and Incheon Port, but this time it was the army first!
In any case, the Russo-Japanese War is definitely about to break out. The Japanese army has launched an offensive against Russia. Even if Nicholas II has been opposed to war with the Japanese now, he has to fight now!
In fact, the early outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War really has something to do with Ferdinand. Because of his butterfly effect, Bulgaria is much stronger than in history. Due to the existence of the Russian-Russian Alliance, this makes the pressure on the European continent much smaller for the Russians. , So their power to the Far East has been greatly strengthened.
The process of the Siberian Railway is much faster than in history, and now only the section of Lake Berga is left. According to the current progress, the whole line can be opened to traffic by 1907 at the latest.
This worries people of insight in Japan, especially the radicals in the Japanese Army, who advocate preemptive strikes and a decisive battle with Russia in the Far East before the railway is opened to traffic!
This incident is just an inducement under the general background, even without it, there will be other fuse!
Prime Minister Constantine asked worriedly: "What is the attitude of the British? Will they go to war with the Russians for the Japanese?"
Medev thought for a while and said: "I don't know, the Russo-Japanese War broke out yesterday, and both sides have not declared war yet, and the London government has not made any statements on this matter!
However, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that most of the British will not go to war with the Russians for the sake of the Japanese!
After all, according to the covenant, once the British start a war with Russia, then we and the French must also participate in the war. Other regions dare not say, but the British are at a disadvantage in the Mediterranean region!
Moreover, the German government also supports the Russians on the issue of the Far East. Under normal circumstances, the British would not take this risk! "
More than that, Ferdinand also knew that Nicholas II and William II had plans to form an alliance, but the British used the beautiful idea of ​​an "Anglo-German" alliance to temporarily fool the Germans!
From a strategic point of view, it seems a good combination for the British to develop the navy and the Germans to develop the army.
In fact, there is no possibility of alliance between the two sides. The industrial and commercial circles of Britain and Germany have long been incompatible with each other. How can an alliance without common interests be realized?
The words of the Minister of Foreign Affairs undoubtedly gave everyone a tranquilizer. Since the British-Russian war will not break out, no matter how fierce the Far East fights, it will not affect Bulgaria.
Ferdinand calmly said: "The British are now being pitted by the little Japan. They have just seen the dawn of victory in the battle between South Africa and the Boers. Now that the Russo-Japanese War breaks out, I am afraid it will go on again!
And they have not had time to coordinate the relationship with the Germans. If the Germans fully support the Russian Far East strategy, the British Empire will not be able to withstand the pressure of the three major powers of Germany, France and Russia. Even the Americans are supporting the Japanese!
Now it is time for us to show our attitude. We will now prohibit all business dealings with the Japanese. As for our position in this war, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will first figure out the attitudes of the major powers before making a decision! "
That's right, because of Ferdinand's butterfly effect, the British were embarrassed in South Africa. The whole Europe supported the Boers. After nearly two years, British talents made diplomatic methods to keep countries neutral in the war.
But the power of the Boers is still stronger, at least the tens of thousands of mercenaries that come out are just a pot of lobster soldiers.
Now that it is hard to force the Boer government to compromise, the Russo-Japanese War broke out again. Didn't this give the Boers another hope of victory?
Besides, how can the French do something now? It's not too much to support the Boers!
The Germans were slammed in front by the British. At this moment, the Russians rushed in front, not giving the British a black hand. Is this still the style of William II?
As for the Portuguese, if they had the courage to block France and Germany, Ferdinand would really admire their courage! As for the guarantee that the British gave them, everyone knows that it belongs to the contract with pending validity!
Although the attitude of the major powers has not yet come out, for Bulgaria, even if it immediately declares war on the Japanese, Ferdinand will not have any pressure, anyway, it will not be reachable!
There is also the so-called economic sanctions against Japan, which is even more funny. Is the volume of commercial trade between the two countries large? Is there a million lev, all a big question mark?
This is completely made by Ferdinand to show the Russians, which means I support you!
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Metiev replied: "Okay! Your Majesty, we will figure out the attitudes of the major powers!"
"By the way, Japan and Russia are about to start a full-scale fight. The Ministry of War and the Russians will discuss and send some of our new weapons to test their power. By the way, see what the Russians still lack and if there is anything we can provide!" Ferdinand added heartlessly
Well, in the eyes of Ferdinand, the most important thing in the Russo-Japanese War is to make war fortune! Anyway, the Russians are not ready. Once they fight, they will develop a lot of strategic material reserves.
The relationship between Russia and Russia, the strength of the pro-guarantee faction within the Russian government is also very strong. The two sides have had friendly and cooperative relations for many years, and of course they must continue to be maintained!
Even the so-called testing of new weapons is not to let the Russian military take the initiative to place orders after seeing its power?
...
On January 30th, on the third day of the Japanese offensive, the Japanese government finally handed over a letter of war to the Russians in anxiety; on the same day, the Russian government also declared war on the Japanese, and the Russo-Japanese War broke out.
On February 1, the London government declared neutrality, followed by France, Germany, the United States, Italy, Austria-Hungary and other countries declared neutrality. Even the Manchu and Qing government came out to join in the fun to declare neutrality, but Ferdinand did not make a statement!
Oh, the position of the Bulgarian government on this issue is really not important, so no one paid much attention to it.
Ferdinand was so happy and continued to remain silent! He has made up his mind to make war fortune. If you continue to sell weapons after neutrality, you will definitely be criticized by the international community, especially the British make things difficult!
At the beginning of the war, the Russians were beaten by one measure, and the battlefield was losing ground.
Russia now has a total population of 141 million. At this time, the total strength of the Russian Army's standing army is about 1.05 million, and the number of reserve soldiers in the UU看书www.uukanshu.com has reached 3.75 million.
Among them, 90% of the troops are deployed in the western region. In the Far East, there are only more than 98,000 regular army troops, 168 artillery pieces, and 328 machine guns (historically: 148 guns, 8 machine guns).
At the same time, the Russian Navy has more than 200 warships, of which the Pacific Squadron has more than 60 warships (192,000 tons).
It can be said that the Russians have a lot of strength, but in the Far East, they can only play a point!
Correspondingly, Japan now has a total population of about 44 million, a total army strength of about 375,000, a reserve of 2 million, and 1,140 artillery pieces, of which 250,000 can be used for operations outside the Japanese archipelago.
37% of the artillery is mountain cannon, which is suitable for the terrain characteristics of the northeast battlefield. 847 machine guns (147 in history).
The Japanese Navy has about 80 warships (260,000 tons), most of which are new ships built in the UK, with good performance and uniform specifications.
Affected by the Balkan War, Japan and Russia both realized the importance of machine guns, and increased the number of machine guns in unison.
If it's just a disadvantage in the number of troops, the Russians say they can make up at any time, but the logistical problem is a real trouble!
The Circum-Baikal section of the Trans-Siberian Railway was not fully completed. It took nearly five weeks from Europe to Northeast China (in history, it took six weeks), but only 2-3 military vehicles were driven every day and night.
Although in the Far East, the Russians are at a disadvantage in the military; but in terms of national strength, the Russians have an absolute advantage, and the Russians are more than ten times the Japanese in industry!
Therefore, the outside world is still generally optimistic that the Russians will win the final victory!
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