Wild North America 1846

Chapter 804: The Trigger of the War

Mayor Francis's idea is somewhat wishful thinking. His original intention of building Sailer Town is good, but other people in the town may not agree with him.

Richard did not stay in the small cafe, but took the newspaper and left here, strolling leisurely along the stone road in the town, greeting the enthusiastic men and women on the roadside from time to time.

Under the warm Mediterranean breeze, life here is leisurely and lazy, with a unique romantic atmosphere.

Compared with the British who are arrogant and unapproachable, the French are much more enthusiastic. Their characters are romantic and idealistic, and their feelings are as hot as fire.

Facing its old enemy the Germans, the whole of France regards them as their biggest enemy from top to bottom, intending to avenge their disgrace through war and trample the Germans severely under their feet.

The war between the two major European military groups will surely be unprecedentedly brutal and bloody.

Looking at the peaceful and peaceful scene in front of him, Richard felt a rare wave of emotion in his heart, including pity and a touch of intolerance.

Walking out of the town, standing on the hillside and looking at the blue Mediterranean Sea is heart-warming.

The slight turmoil in my mind just now has long since passed away with the wind.

Only when you are in Europe and have a deep understanding of the historical origins of the love and killing of each other among the European nations for more than a thousand years can you understand that this is their fate and no one can escape it.

How can one understand the preciousness of peace without experiencing an unprecedentedly brutal and bloody war?
Great powers such as Britain, France, Germany, and Russia are accustomed to using force to resolve all international issues.

If one war doesn't work, then two wars.

Now it also includes the Tang Empire, which is one of the largest vested interests in today's international order.

Richard now puts himself in the perspective of a historical bystander, has a more thorough understanding of the current situation of the confrontation between the two major European military groups, and also knows that the outbreak of a full-scale war is inevitable.

Take the Kingdom of Italy as an example
Its national output is only 7.1% of that of the Tang Empire, but its military expenditure this year is as high as 1.41 million Tang yuan, which is equivalent to 1.4 million taels of silver, which is equivalent to the military expenditure of the Tang Empire.

The Kingdom of Italy's military expenditure has accounted for 73.2% of government expenditure, an unusually high proportion. The government is heavily in debt due to the arms race and is bound to be unsustainable.

The maritime arms race between Britain and Germany that lasted for more than 10 years was unsustainable by the beginning of 1914. In particular, the British Royal Navy pursued the "two powers principle", which originally meant that the British Royal Navy was stronger than the sum of the next two naval powers.
Later, it evolved into the "2:1 principle" that Germany would build one dreadnought battleship, and Britain would build two.

By early 1914
The British Royal Navy fleet has 688 warships, the German Empire's Grand Fleet, with the High Seas Fleet as the main force, has 391 warships of various types, and the number of dreadnoughts has reached 7% of the British fleet.

The maritime arms race is all about spending money like crazy. In order to maintain its hegemony over the Seven Seas, Britain has borrowed money from the eight major banking consortiums of the Tang Empire, with the total loan amount reaching 28 billion Tang Yuan.

The total amount of loans to Germany from the multinational financial institutions of the Datang Empire was only 3.53 million Tang Yuan, which was a huge gap compared with the former, and subsequent loan channels have been closed.

It can be seen from this point alone
Although the Tang Empire remained neutral, it had selectively taken sides among the two major European military groups that were confronting each other, and began to tighten its trade support for the German, Italian, and Austrian military groups.

Although within the Tang Empire
Germans were the largest single white immigrant group, accounting for 4.27% of the total population of the Tang Empire. They had great influence on all walks of life.

However, the Tang Empire was an open and developed industrial economy facing the world. It was deeply integrated into the pound trade circle and the franc trade circle, and had extensive trade interests all over the world.

Such an economic structure determined the basic foreign policy of the Tang Empire, which would ultimately favor the military group headed by Britain, France, and Russia.

Richard stood alone on the hillside outside the town for a while, then walked towards the villa where he lived.

The villa is built on a hillside a few hundred meters outside the town of Sailer. It is a Mediterranean-style building, surrounded by green trees, and climbing roses have taken up most of the walls of the building.

From last winter to this spring, Richard lived here and would leave for a few days every month. No one knew where he went.

Xu Jinxun behaved more and more like a butler. After the master came back, he set up a rocking chair, tea, some books and briefings under the flower vines in the courtyard, and then quietly left.

As people close to the Holy Emperor Taizu, they only prayed that the Holy Emperor Taizu would not suddenly disappear like last time, causing everyone to be in fear for more than a year, making them sleepless and unable to eat.

It's nice to have such a leisurely day.

Late 6 month

Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary, and his wife Sofia arrived in Sarajevo, the capital of Serbia, and held a grand welcome ceremony at the train station.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was in a good mood and talked cordially with local military and political officials from time to time, but he could not hide his arrogance.

In his opinion
The Austro-Hungarian Empire rescued Serbia, Macedonia and Bosnia from the dark rule of the Ottoman Empire and placed them under the protection of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was undoubtedly a benevolent gift.

Goodwill visits to these Balkan countries are like inspecting one's own back garden.

Not knowing

In Europe where national consciousness is awakening, Serbian nationalists regard the arrival of the crown prince as an outright shame. They need a truly independent country instead of finding another father for themselves.

An assassination attempt against the crown prince began to be planned among a dozen passionate Serbian nationalists, with an impact that no one expected.

Serbian nationalists' hatred of Austria-Hungary stemmed from the two Balkan Wars.Although Austria-Hungary did not directly participate in the war initiated by the Balkan Alliance, the country directly touched the fundamental interests of the Balkan Alliance.

After independence, Serbia has always wanted to seek development and expand its influence and dominance, and Bosnia, which has fallen into chaos, is the best target.

However, this aroused the vigilance of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Once the Serbs get Bosnia, a powerful country with a larger population and area will emerge in the Balkans, which is obviously not in the interests of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Therefore, the Austro-Hungarian Empire directly intervened in the division of power in the Balkans and directly forced the Ottomans and other Balkans to accept Bosnia's decision to be under its own trusteeship.

The dream of the Serbs was shattered. They watched the fruits of victory being taken away by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. How could they not feel itchy with hatred?

Not only that
Taking advantage of the chaos in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century, the Austro-Hungarian Empire no longer held a trusteeship, but directly took Bosnia as its own.

This made the Serbs furious, believing that the Austro-Hungarian Empire had seized "territory that belonged to them."

However, due to the strength of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Serbia gritted its teeth and endured this. Instead of rashly launching a war, Serbia decided to develop southward.

The goal of development southward is Algeria.

In this way, Serbia united with the other three countries to form the Balkan Alliance and launched the Second Balkan War.

Albania is the only remaining European territory of the Ottoman Empire. Serbia's main purpose is to occupy Albania, gain access to the country's sea, accelerate its own development, and make up for the shortcomings of its own landlocked countries.

However, such actions once again attracted the attention of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which believed that Serbia's strength would threaten itself.

Therefore, the Austro-Hungarian Empire directly intervened in the post-war "Partition of the Winners" campaign, which frustrated Serbia's attempt to acquire Albania.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire intervened in the regional situation once and twice, causing a deep rift between it and Serbia.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire fanned the flames of discord between the four countries after the Balkan Alliance broke up.

Driven by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Bulgaria fought with three other former allies, and the allies turned into enemies.

And after this war
Although Serbia won the victory, the Austro-Hungarian Empire also gained Bulgaria as an "ally" and turned Bulgaria into a "revenge country", fighting Serbia to the death.

This regional situation has made Serbia's international situation even worse.

Being bullied repeatedly, the Serbs blamed Austria-Hungary as the main culprit.

April 6

Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the crown prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife Sofia, who were traveling in finery, sat in a convertible and waved frequently to the welcoming crowds along the street to show their goodwill.

At this time, the streets of Sarajevo were very lively. Many residents stood on both sides of the street to welcome the arrival of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The atmosphere was lively and orderly.

The accompanying security officials rode in cars in front of and behind the crown prince and his wife, and some plainclothes police officers followed on foot as they moved forward.

While Archduke Franz Ferdinand was waving to the crowds on the roadside, he turned his head and was talking to his wife Sofia.

just then

One of the assassins broke out of the crowd and threw a bomb at the car, but it failed to hit the target and instead injured people in the vehicle behind.

The frightened Archduke Ferdinand and his wife arrived safely at the City Hall. At the City Hall, Archduke Franz Ferdinand said to the mayor:
"Sir, I came to you to show you friendship and trust, but you repaid me with bombs." He also said he was going to the hospital to visit the injured.

The assassination incident that just happened did not arouse the vigilance of Archduke Franz Ferdinand at all. He was more filled with anger and dissatisfaction.

After meeting at the city hall
Archduke Franz-Ferdinand and his wife took a car to the hospital to visit those injured in the assassination, expressing the Austro-Hungarian Empire's attitude of never compromising with the violence.

As the convoy passed over the Latin Bridge, it turned and slowed down in front of a café.

At this moment

A thin young man suddenly rushed out of the welcoming crowd on the side of the road, raised his pistol, pointed it at the Crown Prince Archduke Franz Ferdinand in the convertible, and fired several shots.

The crisp sound of gunfire cut through the busy streets. Almost everyone was stunned by this sudden incident, and the scene instantly became chaotic.

At this time, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot in the neck and was lying in a pool of blood. Sofia was shot in the abdomen and was lying in the car. The screaming women onlookers made the scene even more chaotic.

The assassin was quickly restrained by security officials, but the tragedy had already occurred and everything was irreversible.

(End of this chapter)