Holy Roman Empire

When building houses, most people prefer open spaces. Except for those who particularly love nature, it’s rare to plant too many trees around the house, especially not directly in front of the main entrance.

It’s not just a matter of feng shui, there’s scientific reasoning behind it too. Too many trees can block sunlight, creating an environment where snakes, insects, and ants thrive.

Of course, there are exceptions. Outside the city of Ankara, there are many estates surrounded by trees, some even with grass growing on the rooftops.

In this era without pesticides, one can imagine how many insects and ants would thrive in such an environment. Usually, only a true nature enthusiast could tolerate it.

In a time when most people are struggling to put food on the table, there obviously aren’t many who are obsessed with nature. These estates are mostly newly built, with some still under construction.

Most of the trees are native, with a few transplanted from elsewhere. From above, they don’t look much different from an ordinary small forest.

This is all a result of the war. Ever since Ankara was bombed, these environmentally friendly, green estates have been popping up outside the city.

Austrian airships have been hovering over Ankara from time to time, occasionally dropping a few bombs into the city at random, leaving their mark.

Regardless of the actual damage caused, those with money and power no longer dare to live in the city. They’ve all become nature lovers, suddenly fond of the great forests.

Among these estates, there is one that stands out. Its surroundings are heavily guarded, with guards every three steps, sentries every five, as though it were a palace.

Indeed, this is the temporary palace of Abdulaziz I. This unassuming estate is equipped with complete civil defense structures, with multiple exits allowing for quick evacuation at any time.

It’s said that even dropping a few hundred-pound bombs from the sky wouldn’t shake it. Unfortunately, the Austrian airships seem to be interested only in the city and have never bombed the outskirts, leaving these fortifications without the chance to be tested for real.

At first, Abdulaziz I was worried that the enemy might strike at any moment, so he hid in the basement for a week straight.

Later, he realized that he had been overthinking things. Airships are not invincible. Darkness, strong winds, heavy rain, thick fog, and sandstorms are all enemies of airships, and Austrian airships never fly in bad weather.

After enduring so many bombings, the Ottoman government developed a response strategy and established the world’s earliest and most rudimentary air defense warning system.

Airships don’t fly very fast, certainly slower than telegraph signals, which gave the Ottoman government time to issue warnings.

For an airship to fly from its base to Ankara, it must pass over many regions. When cities along the way spotted airships, they would immediately send reports via telegraph.

Of course, without actual air defenses, these warnings didn’t hold much practical significance. There wasn’t enough time to alert the public to take cover, but it was possible to notify high-ranking officials in time to hide.

The Austrian airships had been bombing for nearly half a year, causing tens of thousands of casualties, yet not a single Ottoman official had gotten a scratch. This is proof of the effectiveness of the warning system.

Abdulaziz I’s condition worsened day by day. Initially, he believed that reforms would make the Ottoman Empire stronger, but the harsh reality showed him that the empire was still weak.

From a military perspective, the Ottoman army’s performance this time could be considered average. They didn’t make any major mistakes, but there weren’t many standout moments either.

On certain battlefields, they were able to hold their own against the Russian forces. The major counteroffensive planned by the military almost succeeded, but one misstep allowed the Russians to turn the tide and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

There wasn’t much they could do. Once they lost control of the skies, the Ottoman army found itself in a passive position. Their carefully planned strategies were exposed to the enemy’s eyes due to the movement of their troops.

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Airships weren’t just used for bombing and demoralizing the enemy, they also conducted reconnaissance. Although the Austrians and Russians weren’t tightly coordinated, if Austrian airships detected Ottoman troop movements, they would still inform the Russians.

Unfortunately, the Ottoman army didn’t react in time and overlooked the eyes in the sky.

Of course, even if they had been aware, it would have been difficult to take effective countermeasures. Small-scale troop movements could be hidden, but when thousands of soldiers were on the move, it was impossible not to make noise.

Even if they took mountain paths, unusual bird activity could give them away. It’s not as if they could specifically wait for bad weather when airships couldn’t fly or always march at night.

Under those conditions, they could avoid airship reconnaissance. But bad weather doesn’t happen all the time, and in war, speed is of the essence, so waiting for weather conditions wasn’t a viable option.

The only practical solution would be night marches, but unfortunately, over 90% of the world’s armies at this time, including the Ottoman army, lacked the ability to march and fight at night.

Given the organizational structure of the Ottoman army, if they tried to conduct night marches, the final headcount would be heartbreaking. They wouldn’t even need to fight the enemy. The army would fall apart on its own.

Minister of the Interior, Abdelaziz Bouteflika said, “Your Majesty, the British have just sent word that Austria intends to increase its forces by 500,000.”

The number “500,000” is no small matter. Currently, the combined total of Austrian and Russian forces on the battlefield doesn’t even reach 500,000.

Austria and Russia already hold the upper hand in the war, so there’s no need for reinforcements. Austria’s decision to send an additional 500,000 troops clearly signals an intention to wage a war of annihilation.

If Austria is preparing to increase its forces, can Russian reinforcements be far behind?

Abdulaziz I asked in a panic, “Is this information confirmed?”

There’s no doubt that the Ottoman Empire could no longer withstand such a blow. It’s not just the defeats on the front lines—the domestic situation is unstable as well.

A large number of war refugees have flooded inland, clashing violently with the locals over limited resources. In these conflicts, the Ottoman government sided with its own people, which alienated the minorities.

At present, there are seven or eight rebel groups in the Ottoman Empire with forces numbering over 1,000. The largest is the Armenian insurgency, with over 20,000 soldiers.

The Ottoman Empire’s rapid loss of territory along the Black Sea coast is directly linked to these widespread uprisings in the country.

Abdelaziz Bouteflika, bowing his head, replied, “We’ve confirmed it with the French. A week ago, the Austrian government submitted a proposal to the Imperial Parliament to increase its forces by 500,000.

The Imperial Parliament of the New Holy Roman Empire is just a rubber stamp. They’ve never rejected a government proposal. Unless something unexpected happens, the proposal should already have passed by now.”

Obtaining intelligence from the British and then seeking confirmation from the French? That’s a joke. With the Ottoman government’s intelligence capabilities, there’s no way such information could have been relayed back in such a short time.

Upon confirming the news, Abdulaziz I dramatically fainted on the spot. It wasn’t because his resilience was poor, but because the news was simply too shocking.

After a chaotic scene, Abdulaziz I awoke in bed, with the decision already made without his input.

Since the outbreak of war, the Ottoman Empire has been under blockade by the Austrian navy, leaving Persia as its only external route.

If Ankara had received the news, then the Foreign Minister, who was far away in London, must have known even earlier.

Given the vast distance, it was clear that the Ottoman government wouldn’t be able to make timely decisions, so Abdulaziz I had already delegated full authority to the Foreign Minister in advance.

There was no hope from within the country. The Ottoman Empire’s population was limited, and after a series of crushing defeats, it had already lost a significant portion of its fighting force.

Moreover, modern warfare isn’t just about having manpower. Where would they suddenly get the weapons and equipment they needed in such a short time?

The Ottoman Empire wasn’t an industrial power by any means. Although they had armories, their production capacity was quite dismal.

War waits for no one, and at this pace, before they could even gather enough weapons and equipment, the enemy would already be at Ankara’s gates. The Ottoman government could only pin its hopes on international intervention.

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In the Prime Minister’s residence on Downing Street, even the usually composed Prime Minister Gladstone couldn’t help but slam the table in frustration.

The Austrians were really not giving them face. Just as they had begun the mediation process, the Austrian government announced plans to annihilate the Ottoman Empire. Where did that leave Britain?

If the Ottoman Empire were truly destroyed, the London Conference would become a joke, and the British government’s painstakingly cultivated international prestige would plummet to rock bottom.

Marquis Maclean, the Foreign Secretary, analyzed the situation, “According to the intelligence we’ve received, the Ottoman Empire is on the verge of collapse.

Up until now, the war has cost the Ottoman Empire at least 600,000 soldiers and more than a quarter of their population has been displaced as refugees due to the war.

The most critical issue is that their domestic economy has been devastated, which has triggered long-standing tensions, leading to constant uprisings.

Even if the Austrians don’t increase their troop numbers, as long as the war continues, the Ottoman Empire will be dragged down.

The Habsburg monarchy and the Ottoman Empire are sworn enemies, with a history of enmity stretching back to the Middle Ages. Destroying the Ottoman Empire has been a longstanding goal for every ruler of the Habsburgs.

Beyond the hatred, there are also vast interests at stake. While we don’t know exactly how Austria and Russia plan to divide the spoils, one thing is clear: if the Ottoman Empire falls, the entire Eastern Mediterranean will fall into Austria’s hands.

The problem now is not only that the Austrian government wants to destroy the Ottoman Empire, but we must also consider the position of the Russian government.

In terms of hatred, Russia’s enmity towards the Ottoman Empire is no less than that of the Habsburg monarchy.

The most recent instance was the Russo-Prussian War. If it hadn’t been for the Ottomans stabbing them in the back, the Russian government wouldn’t have lost so disastrously.

Alexander II personally experienced that defeat and harbored a deep resentment. His desire to annihilate the Ottoman Empire is far stronger than Franz’s.

From the current situation, it seems the Austrian government and the Russians have already reached an agreement. If nothing unexpected happens, the Russian government will also send reinforcements.”

With both hatred and benefits in place, the Ottoman Empire is doomed to misfortune. If the Austrian and Russian governments showed mercy to the Ottoman Empire, that would be a real surprise.

Prime Minister Gladstone rubbed his forehead and said helplessly, “In any case, we have to save the Ottoman Empire, otherwise, we’ll become a laughingstock.

The current international situation is extremely unfavorable. We must adopt flexible diplomatic measures to keep the Ottoman Empire intact and prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.”

There’s no way around it. The French are not pulling their weight. The French government is bogged down in internal strife, and by the time they make a decision, the Ottoman Empire will be history.

Without French involvement, the British government couldn’t even consider military intervention.

The Royal Navy may be powerful, but asking them to send their main fleet deep into the Mediterranean is something the British government would hesitate to do.

It’s not just about how many warships there are, but also the actual power they can project.

If the Royal Navy were to be gathered, they could certainly move in and out of the Mediterranean without much risk. Even if France and Austria combined their Mediterranean fleets, they probably wouldn’t be able to stop them. Naturally, Britain wouldn’t take such a risk.

In reality, that’s impossible. As a colonial empire, the British navy must be spread out in various regions, so the most they could mobilize is about half their fleet.

The enmity between Britain and France is deep, and the French navy is the second most powerful. Sending the fleet into the Mediterranean under these conditions… Who can guarantee that France and Austria won’t join forces to knock Britain off its perch as the world’s leading naval power?

You have to understand that the Mediterranean is different from the Atlantic. Once you’re blocked in, you can’t get out. In other areas, even if you lose a naval battle, you can still retreat.

Unless you’re surrounded or the performance of your ships is significantly inferior, it’s rare to see an entire fleet wiped out in naval battles. The vast open seas make it hard to chase down opponents.

But the Mediterranean is an exception. The British have only a few ports there, and they aren’t particularly secure.

If things go south, once the Royal Navy ventures deep into the eastern Mediterranean, the French could cut off their retreat.

As soon as the Suez Canal is closed and Malta is captured, the Royal Navy would be trapped. The issue isn’t whether they can fight their way out, but how they would manage their logistics and supplies.

In this era, warships don’t have the long-range capabilities they’ll develop in the future. From the eastern Mediterranean back to the British mainland is a journey of thousands of kilometers in a straight line, and the actual sailing distance is even longer.

Most ships wouldn’t carry enough coal for such a journey and would need resupply to make it back home.

Meanwhile, the French and Austrian navies could intercept along the way, forcing the British to go full speed, and even using sails would depend on wind conditions. What’s more, many ships have already abandoned sail power and don’t even have that option.

The French and Austrian navies wouldn’t need to defeat them in battle. They could simply attack the supply ships. By cutting off coal supplies or exhausting their ammunition, they’d achieve their goal.

On top of that, the steam engines of this era can’t run at full power all the time. After one high-speed run, the engines would need maintenance.

Without any ports along the way to dock for repairs, you can say that if the fleet doesn’t escape immediately, then it won’t be able to escape at all. A navy without logistical support simply lacks the ability to sustain long-term combat.

In this era, there were no radio stations, so it was common for ships to be out of contact for 10 to 15 days while drifting at sea. If France and Austria block communication, it’s possible that the battle could be over before the British government even receives the news.

Of course, luck plays a big role here. If they’re lucky, for example, encountering heavy fog to avoid interception, having enough supply ships, and avoiding running aground, there’s still a chance to escape.

As for defeating the enemy blockade and forcefully breaking through, that’s just wishful thinking. Winning a battle might not be difficult, but the problem is, how many supply ships will be left after the victory?

Will the fleet itself be damaged? Will the enemy’s main fleet pursue them? In a major battle, half of the Royal Navy certainly wouldn’t win.

Without enough certainty, the British won’t take such a gamble, and the Ottoman Empire isn’t worth that kind of risk. Success wouldn’t necessarily achieve their goals, but failure would be a massive loss.

We’re now in the era of ironclad ships, and replacing them isn’t as easy as with sailing warships. If the Royal Navy suffered a major defeat, its position as the dominant naval power would be shaken. The British can’t afford to lose.

That’s the curse of being the world’s top power: as soon as you show weakness, it becomes “a pack of wolves devouring the tiger” situation.