The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria's Mandate of Heaven

Chapter 1888 The Burning of New York
Although the Prague Spring had a negative impact, the Austrian Empire actually profited from the outcome.

The land deeds alone account for a quarter of the entire Bohemia, and when you add in the various industries, shops, as well as gold, silver, jewelry, antiques, and works of art, the value is conservatively estimated at 500 million florins.

That's why they say murder and arson bring wealth. How many people wouldn't be tempted by such riches?
However, Franz did not intend to stay; he wanted all the money to be returned to the whole of Bohemia.

This was a rare opportunity for the Austrian Empire to develop, allowing Franz to carry out sweeping reforms and construction.

The world is generally busy with its own affairs, and it's good that no one bothers each other.

The repercussions of the Bohemian conflict had barely subsided when another event that shocked the whole of Europe occurred.

In a completely one-on-one situation, the British chose to sue for peace.

In fact, Britain's defeat was inevitable from the moment Trenton fell, making Pittsburgh's great victory seem insignificant in comparison.

While Codrington's victory decimated the American forces, it was insufficient to change the course of the war. However, the fall of Trenton and the defeat of William Roden completely tore the British army in two.

The British army also launched several counterattacks, but unsurprisingly, they all failed.

The prolonged attrition forced the British to switch from offense to defense, and the American forces did not let this opportunity pass. The continuous offensive exhausted the British and made them unable to defend themselves.

After the towns and fortresses of the Great Lakes fell one after another, Pittsburgh quickly became an isolated city. The British resistance in Pittsburgh was fierce, repelling American attacks on several occasions and even launching several counter-offensives to regain control of some surrounding areas.

But those areas were quickly lost, and finally, in the Fifth Battle of Pittsburgh, the British army ran out of ammunition and food and had no choice but to surrender.

The U.S. military began to press its advantage, and the fall of Pittsburgh led the Earl of Derby to follow in the footsteps of George Hamilton Gordon, forcing him to resign from Parliament.

At this point, the position of British Prime Minister had become a real hot potato, because Britain had not yet admitted defeat.

Whoever comes to power will have to swallow this bitter pill and clean up the mess that has accumulated over the past decade.

Not only will you not gain any benefits, but the difficulty is also astonishing. A slight misstep could lead to your disgrace, just like the previous prime ministers.

At this point, no politician with any experience would want to take over, mainly because they fear being used and discarded like a rag.

As for those young people, they were simply not qualified. At that time, seniority was the same in British politics.

This gives Palmerston an opportunity; he is experienced enough, and although his reputation is not good, his influence is considerable.

And it just so happens to be a very bad reputation, so it's perfect for him to take the blame.

Palmerston did not refuse; on the contrary, he readily agreed, because he felt that his days were numbered, and as a 75-year-old man, this was probably the only opportunity he would have in his life.

Benjamin Disraeli said this while congratulating Palmerston on his election as Prime Minister.

"I hope you can resolve this dispute perfectly. Britain will surely win, won't it?"
I have high hopes for you.

Not just this conservative leader, almost everyone was waiting to see Palmerston make a fool of himself, because everyone knew that the situation on the North American battlefield was precarious, even worse than when the Earl of Derby was elected.

Britain now faces only two options: admit defeat or be forced to admit defeat.

Britain's chances of turning the tide in North America are only theoretical; the lack of troops and supplies on the front lines are not significantly related to domestic overproduction and widespread unemployment.

At this point, all the British military strategists felt that Britain's defeat was only a matter of time. If Palmerston could really turn the tide, they would be happy to see it happen, since the old man wouldn't live much longer anyway.

However, the probability is infinitely close to 0.

However, Palmerston's first order surprised everyone: he directly removed defensive mastermind Codrington from his position as commander-in-chief.

But before people could recover from the shock, Palmerston made an even more astonishing move: he ordered the British troops to evacuate New York State and burn down New York City and all resources and supplies that the Americans might need before leaving.

"Prime Minister, have you gone mad? What are we fighting for? Is it just to fight the Americans to the death?"

Gladstone stood up and was the first to object.

"This is barbaric! Burning down New York will do us no good, and what will those Americans who have turned to the light think of us?"

Benjamin Disraeli followed up.

Other politicians also expressed their indignation, but most people's attention was focused on Henry Pelham, the Secretary of War, since he was the expert.

"Your Excellency, General Nelson once said that England expects everyone to do their duty."

But he certainly wouldn't want us army soldiers to be on his ships doing our duty.

Palmerston retorted directly.

"If you were truly so skilled in warfare, Britain wouldn't have fallen to this state."

He then turned to Benjamin Disraeli and Gladstone and said.

"If the Russians can burn down Moscow, what can't they burn down in New York?"

"Are you going to use scorched earth tactics?"

Only then did everyone realize that they had preconceived notions that Palmerston was a master of bad ideas.

Moreover, no normal person would think of implementing a scorched-earth policy on enemy territory.
"If we don't burn out a buffer zone, how will we stop the American attack?"
Do you have soldiers? Do you have money? Do you have time?

In fact, if the entire Cape Colony had been sold earlier, perhaps enough funds could have been obtained to make a desperate gamble and crush the Americans' will to resist in a short period of time with overwhelming military force.

However, the stingy approach of the two prime ministers turned the North American war into a piecemeal campaign, and even without the disastrous defeat caused by the discord between William Rodden and Codrington, it would have only slightly delayed the defeat.

Time was also of the essence for Britain at this time. Domestic chaos, colonial turmoil, and the covetous eyes of other powers meant that Britain could no longer afford to waste time on the North American issue.

Furthermore, Palmerston's decision to employ scorched earth tactics was partly driven by wishful thinking. After all, it wasn't British territory, so he wasn't too concerned about the damage, but the Americans might not feel the same way.

In fact, this move by the British army really stunned the Americans. Looking at the burning New York City in the distance, the American soldiers who were still preparing to attack the city were somewhat at a loss.

Dark clouds rolled and rose into the sky, their blood-red hue engulfing the city.

The wooden buildings crackled and popped under the heat of the flames, while the bricks and glass crumbled and shattered under the onslaught of the heatwave.

The fire spread rapidly with the help of the wind, and then attacked from all directions. Terrified civilians ran around in the sea of ​​fire, thinking that the British were just bluffing.

Some people wanted to yell and curse, but the sounds of coughing and crying drowned out their anger, and people instinctively dragged their families to the riverbank.

Countless people were scrambling for the limited number of rafts, and people kept falling into the water. The American soldiers nearby were still confused about what was happening until someone emerged from the inferno, charred black, and collapsed to the ground.

Some people watched with bloodshot eyes, while others were already numb, and some were even gloating. After all, who hasn't seen life and death after several years of war?
Not to mention cruelty, the British army's methods of dealing with guerrillas and the American army's methods of dealing with traitors were even more brutal, especially General Sherman, who could be said to have gone to any lengths. It was difficult for those traitors and deserters to leave behind an intact body.

Robert E. Lee, who was at the front, also noticed the unusual movements of the British army. He thought it was an opportunity, but he did not expect the British army to be so crazy.

However, the fire had already started, and everyone could only watch from afar; given the conditions at the time, they had no chance of putting out the fire.

Even if he really wanted to save them, he had to consider whether it was a trap and whether the British would take the opportunity to launch a counterattack.

The fire raged for three days and three nights, leaving behind only a desolate wasteland in what was once a bustling financial city and a city of opportunity.

Broken bricks and tiles were scattered everywhere, and the ashes flying in the air seemed to still carry a scorching heat. The black ash on the ground was piled up on the street like snow.

The once bustling Broadway and Wall Street are now nothing more than a bizarre jungle of cast iron and shattered bricks twisted and deformed by the high temperatures.

The Hudson River was filled with bloated corpses, and refugees who had barely escaped death were wailing and desperately searching for anything of use.

"Damn it! What are those British guys trying to do?"

Stonewall Jackson said bitterly that he had not expected the other side to be so ruthless as to choose not to resist but to burn down the entire city.

"I don't know, but we can't just leave these hundreds of thousands of people unattended. Let's figure out a way to settle them first."

Robert Lee said.

However, Stonewall Jackson hesitated. It wasn't that he didn't want to help the civilians, but speed was of the essence, and delaying the battle would only cause more trouble later.

"But won't stopping here cause the team to become disorganized?"

"No. The British have nowhere to retreat. As long as we proceed cautiously, it's only a matter of time before they are driven out of America."

Robert Lee said with great certainty.

However, Sherman's expression was somewhat strange; he seemed to understand something.

“I think we’re doomed. War is hell. You and those politicians in Washington just don’t want to admit it, but the British are different.”

In fact, whoever has a lower floor has more flexible tactics, and victory always belongs to the stronger and more cunning side.

I know you don't believe me, so we'll just wait and see.

Stonewall Jackson found this arrogant young man extremely awkward.

"You're crazy! You mean the British will burn all the cities down?"

“Not just cities, I think farmland and villages should also be burned, so as to prevent us from obtaining supplies and public support.”

Sherman's answer sent chills down the spines of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, who exchanged bewildered glances, knowing what it meant.

"So they don't want to occupy these lands anymore? If they do, will the people still support them?"

Sherman, however, smiled and asked in return:
"Can they hold out now? Or do they already have public support?"

Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson had to admit that what the madman was saying was true, but they still felt that people shouldn't be so low-class, after all, New York and most of the surrounding states had surrendered voluntarily.

The fire set by the British directly created hundreds of thousands of homeless people, and if left unchecked, they would inevitably become refugees, causing an even greater disaster.

However, at this time, a huge disagreement arose among the American generals at the front.
Inside a makeshift command post set up on the outskirts of New York, there was a long oak table with a military map spread out on it. The edges of the map were weighed down by coffee cups and cans, and it was covered with circles and arrows drawn with colored pencils. A dozen or so restless figures sat around the table.

"We are soldiers! We're here to kill! Not to save people!"

Many people found Robert E. Lee's idea of ​​saving lives first absurd, and some were even outraged.

"Save lives my ass! What if we miss our chance? What if it's a trap? Those British bastards burned New York down, who knows if they'll come back to kill us while we're rescuing people?"

"Yes! New Yorkers' lives matter, but what about the lives of us Virginians? These lads are all people I've trained myself, just like my own sons!"
General Li, you're also from the South. What benefits did the Northerners give you?

Robert Lee shook his head. He had heard Sherman say these words before, so he was somewhat prepared.

"No. But if we can't even save these poor people in front of us, what can we protect?"

If we abandon them, how are we any different from the British?

And have you considered what would happen if these people didn't receive help? Wouldn't they become a new problem for America?

At this moment, Sherman stood up and spoke.

"If you find it troublesome, just drive them to British territory."

These people not only consume British food supplies but also disrupt public order. We can also take the opportunity to infiltrate some spies to cause sabotage, working together from within and without.”

Sherman's words immediately challenged the values ​​of everyone present. Although they were somewhat unethical, this tactic was theoretically feasible.

"What do you take war for? Don't you have any sense of honor?"

Not only Robert E. Lee, but many people present felt offended.

However, Sherman didn't care at all.

"You went to old Europe and everyone's gone mad? What a load of rubbish about honor! Don't you want to see what the British are doing now?"

Another silence fell. Sherman's statement was accepted by some generals, but at this point, Robert E. Lee was the supreme commander.

He ordered that the army's food and tents be used to solve the refugee problem first, and Washington's later order affirmed Robert E. Lee's approach.

At that time, the US government wasn't driven by any noble virtues; they were simply acting out of political considerations. If it weren't New York that was being burned, or if the refugees weren't white, they wouldn't have bothered with it at all.

But these are white refugees in New York, and the US government can't just ignore them. These are votes and budgets, and each party, in order to improve its public image, is unlikely to let this go unchecked.

Such acts of helping those in distress are most likely to evoke sympathy and ignite public opinion. To put it bluntly, politics is nothing more than a business deal in their eyes, and helping white people in New York is a sure-fire way to make money.

All parties and politicians will seize this opportunity to write extensively about it; anyone who dares to stand on the opposite side will face predictable consequences.