Chapter 334: No choice

Watching the major powers stir up the storm, King William I of Prussia, who had just succeeded him, couldn't bear it. Perhaps the Junker nobles couldn't bear it.
The butterfly effect is powerful. With the re-emergence of Austria, the Prussian government discovered that their dream of a great country was really about to become a dream.
Crisis awareness is a powerful driving force for Prussia. In the first Schleswig war, the performance of the Prussian army was not outstanding, it can even be said to be garbage.
The call for military reform is high in the Prussian army. The main leader is one of the three Prussian leaders-Albrecht von Ron.
Ron's popularity was low, but what he did was earth-shattering. Not only did he preside over the reforms of the Prussian army, he also plucked Mooch, and pushed Bismarck to the throne of the Prime Minister.
Without him, Bole, Mao Qi might still have a chance to climb up, Bismarck, the public enemy of the royal family, would not have to think about taking the position.
Now General Ron is very annoyed. Not long ago he only served as Secretary of the Navy as Minister of the Army, and he is facing a major problem: the domestic call for colonization is growing.
What others think of Ron does not know, anyway, he is opposed to the opening of overseas colonies, for one reason-no money.
In order to dispel this unrealistic idea, he must have the support of William I. It turned out that William I also wanted to grab wealth from overseas colonies and change the financial difficulties of the Prussian kingdom, which caused him a headache.
...
At the Berlin Palace Government meeting, Prime Minister Frank once again reaffirmed the benefits of opening a colony and proposed the establishment of a colonial empire belonging to Prussia.
Portugal and the Netherlands, the two small countries, have large colonies overseas. With the strength of the Kingdom of Prussia, opening overseas colonies does not seem to be a big deal.
Ron objected: "My Excellency Prime Minister, I know it is important to open up a colony. It can provide cheap raw materials and markets for domestic industries and businesses, and change the government's financial woes.
However, you seem to have overlooked one of the most important issues. Any colonial empire is a naval power.
With the few ships in our navy, I am afraid that even a large number of pirates may not be able to handle it. Why can we open colonies overseas? "
This is the fact that just because the Secretary of the Army can also serve as the Minister of the Navy, we know how dismal the Prussian Navy is. This cannot happen in any country where the navy has some strength.
"The government is ready to expand the navy and the Kingdom of Prussia needs its own armored fleet," explained Prime Minister Frank.
Ron asked with a complexion on his face: "Where does military expenditure come from?"
Frank replied calmly: "Now that the Vienna system has been rebuilt, the contradictions of various countries have eased, the European continent has stabilized, and the possibility of a war is unlikely.
In this case, there is no need for us to urgently carry out military reform. The Army sacrificed once for the country this time, and it will have a hard time in the next few years.
Some soldiers can be transferred to the navy to save military expenses. The government will try to find a way to build an iron armored fleet.
After the colony was opened up, the domestic industrial and commercial raw materials and market problems were resolved, and after the domestic economy had improved, military reforms should be implemented. "
In order to cope with the rise of Austria and the impact brought by the freshmen of France, Ron proposed a specific plan for arms reform not long ago:
It is required to extend the service life of the army from 2 to 4 years; to cancel the National Reserve Army; to change the standing military equipment, and to allocate 17.5 million Thalers annually from next year.
These measures mean that the number of recruits has increased from 40,000 to 85,000, the army has increased from 102 regiments to 163 regiments, and the usual strength has changed from 208,000 to 327,000.
This more radical military reform than in history was mainly based on the fact that the Kingdom of Prussia was under greater military pressure.
At present, the standing army of the Russians is 990,000, the standing army of the New Holy Roman Empire is 580,000, and the standing army of the French is 500,000.
The three neighbours are so perverted that if they do not expand their troops, the Prussian kingdom's quasi-power status will be lost.
Moreover, Franz's desire to unify Germany is well-known to everyone, and Napoleon III's coveted Rhineland region is also undisguised.
The Junker aristocrats, represented by Ron, naturally developed a crisis of heart.
Without expansion, the kingdom of Prussia would be less than one-third of any opponent. If the war breaks out suddenly, they won't even have a fight.
The bourgeoisie doesn't think so, they have confidence in the Vienna system. Concerns over the expansion:
On the one hand, the abolition of reserve forces and extension of active duty will undoubtedly weaken their influence in the army;
On the other hand, 23 officers and 910 instructors of this huge army are Junkers, and there is a danger that the army may become a tool for Junkers to oppose Parliament.
"Who assured it that its sharpened weapons would be used for its own purposes?"
Thus, the bourgeois liberals represented by the Progressive Party used the power given to the parliament in the 1850 Constitution to bargain with the government and delayed the adoption of the military expansion plan.
In order to avoid the worst, capitalists began to preach the benefits of colonizing, drawing big cakes to high-level government, and trying to use the development of the navy to weaken the power of Juncker aristocracy.
Now many people have been tricked in, and realistic examples are in front of them. If colonization is not good, why are France, Britain, France and France all opening colonies?
Even the loss of the Austrian overseas colonies was turned into a profit by data from capitalists. Using a bunch of economic jargon, the Prime Minister and the King flickered in.
Convince them that the Austrian colonies were only administratively losing money. The Vienna government has achieved profits through currency taxes, mined gold, cheap industrial raw materials, and other taxes brought by the market.
This is reflected in the rapid development of the domestic economy and the rapid growth of government fiscal revenue. There are also the benefits of resisting the economic crisis and reducing gold and silver outflows.
After messing up the data, it was finally concluded that the Austrian colonies brought 12 million Aegis benefits to the Vienna government each year.
This is not a small figure, it is almost half the revenue of the Kingdom of Prussia. Coupled with a lot of benefits, many people have been tricked into it.
In fact, this account is not clear at all, and the rapid economic development of the Austrian colonies has indeed contributed. But there are too many industries involved, and the number of economic cycles is too complicated. Just add a little, and the final gap is an astronomical figure.
The reason for everyone's belief is that the Vienna government opened a colony. Personally, if you ca n’t make a profit, you will definitely not invest so actively.
The five countries, including Britain, France, and West Cape, were taken as examples for analysis by the capitalists, and it was concluded that the colony empire has a large scope and the country is strong; if the colony is lost, the country will decline.
It doesn't matter if I listen to it. If every day experts say in my ears, as time goes on, it will penetrate the hearts of the people and become a recognized truth.
Ron insisted: "No, the Army's military reforms can never stop. Open the map to know how much defense pressure we are facing.
In the event of a conflict between us and any big country one day, with the current Prussian military strength, there will be no war at all. "
Chancellor of the Exchequer Fibel Adolf sarcastically said, "His Excellency General, if it is based on confronting the three great powers, even if you double the expansion plan, I am afraid it is not enough.
However, the financial resources of the Kingdom of Prussia are limited, and even if all the financial revenue is invested in the military, we can't fight any big country.
Modern warfare is different from the past. During the Near East War, the total strength of the Russians exceeded two million. At the time of Austria's unification war, the total strength mobilized was close to this figure.
With a population of more than 14 million people, the Prussian kingdom has determined our upper limit for military expansion. Using the contradictions of various countries to maintain European balance is the most suitable strategy for us.
You may not know, I will tell you a set of economic data, and you will understand.
In 1850, the fiscal revenue of the Kingdom of Prussia was 40.3% of Austria, 28.2% of French, and 30.3% of Russians;
After the establishment of the New Holy Roman Empire in 1854, the fiscal revenue of the Kingdom of Prussia was 31.1% of Austria, 27.2% of French, and 27.6% of Russians;
In 1860, the fiscal revenue of the Kingdom of Prussia was 20.2% of Austria, 21.3% of French, and 31.1% of Russian.
Our economy is almost stagnant because a lot of money has been spent on the military. With 20.2% of Austria's fiscal revenue, we spent 43.2% of their military expenses. "
It is not only the military that must pay for military expenses, but also the supporting military industry system. Under the compulsory military service system, this set of industrial chains is the most expensive.
At present, there are only seven countries in the world with a complete military system in the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and Russia. Among them, the three countries of France and Austria are at the forefront of army technology.
This is also the reason why the Prussian military industry family is the largest, and their weight is really not enough to support the second family. In order to reduce costs, countries are working hard to sell arms.
Franz exported the military system directly to the Russians. Due to financial reasons, in order to save costs, Russian military enterprises during the Nicholas I introduced production lines from Austria.
After all these years have passed, the equipment produced has flooded the entire army, and it is difficult to change back.
The Kingdom of Prussia is a tragedy, because its popularity in the world is too low, it is difficult to sell arms, and the military system has lost its ability to make blood. After all, they only sell arms, and they cannot add political power.
The era of industrialization is cruel, because of the lack of markets and cheap industrial raw materials, in the process of industrialization, Prussian Capital is naturally unable to compete with its opponents, and can only keep its domestic market.
The customs union that historically supported the development of the Kingdom of Prussia has long ceased to exist because of its interests.
Even the Russian market was robbed by the Austrians of a share due to the deterioration of Russia-Prussian relations.
With so many unfavourable factors fed back to the economy, the outcome is naturally not optimistic. Not surprisingly, the Prussian economy is stagnant.
Faced with this situation, it has become inevitable that capitalists want to open up overseas colonies and solve the problems of raw materials and markets.
Now that the Prussian government is rushing to get medical treatment, it is really that they have no better choice. If they continue to do so, the Prussian kingdom will be brought down directly.
Looking at everyone's face, Ron stopped talking. Although the Prussian kingdom was used to the poor, it is now unsustainable.
In this era, the military expenditures of various countries are very large, and more than 10%, 20%, and 30% are very normal.
The military expenditures of several major countries can exceed their fiscal revenue. How can they fight for it?
If it is only a short time, the government will find a way to endure it. But now that the Prussian kingdom is expanding its army, there is no value at all.
Ron knew that he would continue to fight, or it would not be long before the Kingdom of Prussia would fall behind due to financial problems.
In this case, the only solution is to wage war, annex more territories, and resolve domestic conflicts through expansion.
Historically, the Kingdom of Prussia did just that, gambling all the way, unified the little German area, and finally lost the empire.
There is no doubt that now there is no Bismarck, the prime minister, and the ruling Prime Minister Frank is not so radical. He advocates temporarily abandoning land power for hegemony.
He hesitated for a long time before Ron said, "You guys, these problems are really very troublesome, but please don't forget to look at the map.
The Kingdom of Prussia is now divided into two, and without an adequately powerful army, we could be eaten at any time.
It is very unreliable to put your own security in a treaty. The Three Courts System in the North, which guarantees our security, no longer exists.
Despite our efforts to repair Russia-Austria relations, we still have little success.
We wanted to join the Russian-Australian alliance, which was rejected by the two countries. There weren't many reasons for it. It was because of the fact that the distance between them was not enough to qualify for alliance with them.
To change this, we must expand on continental Europe. Otherwise, the kingdom of Prussia will soon fall and become a small country that seeks to survive in the cracks of the great power. "
William I frowned, and he wanted to expand, but strength allowed. Do not look at the Kingdom of Prussia can hang any neighbors other than Russia and Austrian law, in fact, they are afraid to move any neighbor.
Denmark is the younger brother of the Russians. The current Russian Empire is still in power, and the Russian-Australian alliance is on the side.
The German Federal Empire is not easy to mess with, not only with the support of Britain and France, but also its economic strength is above Prussia.
One operation is not good. If these states directly transfer to Austria, they can only cry.
Don't think it's impossible. From the perspective of interests, the rights of everyone remaining in the German Federal Empire can be preserved to the greatest extent, and the economic benefit of joining Shenra is the greatest, and it is nothing after the Kingdom of Prussia.
Neither the Junker aristocracy nor the capitalists in Prussia have had a hard time in recent years. Everyone is hungry and crazy.
There is no doubt that the Netherlands and Belgium have bosses, and they move their bodies.
William I said: "Ron, your idea is too idealistic. We have not the strength to ignore the rules. If we do something unwise, we will probably be suppressed by all countries immediately.
It is said that the French can mess up a Russia-Australia tri-national distribution plan. It is only because of the uneven distribution of the stolen goods that the interests of the three countries have clashed.
The Vienna system is now the best option for Prussian security. If it is not conducive to the development and growth of this peaceful period, it will be really dangerous for us to break the European balance in the future.
The most important thing now is to open up overseas colonies and solve the problems of raw materials and markets required by domestic industry and commerce in order to complete the industrialization as soon as possible.
Only when we are strong can the Kingdom of Prussia go one step further in the next European change. "
Such a plan is not only French, but even the Austrian General Staff. Maybe the Russians have a similar idea.
Ron nodded with a bitter smile. The reality is too cruel. He doesn't have Bismarck's eloquence and can convince everyone to unify.
The international situation has changed. Even if Bismarck is reborn, there is no way to replicate the successes in history. There is even no chance to take the first step.
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