I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 151 Talisman
  Wolves are rare in the 21st century. They were very common in the 19th century. Wolves were often seen even around St. Petersburg.

George would not send out the Oak Group just because of this matter. It is enough to have Cossacks to fight the wolves. The "wolf" the Oak Group wants to fight is England.

This matter also starts with the British invasion of Afghanistan.

In 1878, almost at the same time as the Tenth Russo-Turkish War broke out, Britain invaded Afghanistan, and Afghanistan became a British protectorate.

Instigated by the British, Afghanistan expanded its northern borders and came into conflict with the Russian Empire.

Last year, the Russian Empire sent troops to occupy Mofu in northern Afghanistan, and then had a military conflict with the Kingdom of Afghanistan. Russia won and invaded the Bangui Oasis earlier this year. The contradiction between Britain and Russia in Afghanistan has become increasingly acute.

Not long ago, British Prime Minister Gladstone made a request to Parliament for an allocation of 1100 million pounds and threatened to attack Russia from the Black Sea.

In order to relieve Russia's pressure on Afghanistan and India, the United Kingdom sent troops to occupy Goryeo's Jumun Island in May.

The location of Jumun Island is very important. It is located in the southern waters of the Koryo Peninsula. It is located in the middle of the waterway from Yeosu on the Koryo Strait to Jeju Island. It controls the Tsushima Strait and is known as the Gibraltar of the East.

Once the British control Juwen Island, Russia's road to the south will be blocked, and the Siberian Fleet will be blocked in the Sea of ​​Japan like the Black Sea Fleet locked in the Black Sea.

This situation is certainly unacceptable to the Russian Empire.

However, Russia's military strength in the Far East is far inferior to that of Britain.

Therefore, after the British occupied Juwen Island, the Russian Empire contacted the Qing Empire and Japan in an attempt to force the British to abandon Juwen Island.

There is no need to contact Goryeo. After the Jiashen coup, Goryeo King Li Xi and Concubine Min finally realized the Japanese ambitions, and at the same time realized that the Qing Empire could not provide Goryeo with enough protection.

So the Russian Empire became Goryeo's new hope.

After the Kashin coup, Russia's new minister to Gao Weibel arrived in Seoul.

After meeting Wei Bell, Li Xi asked Wei Bell whether he could ask Russian warships to be stationed in Incheon to protect Goryeo.

Incheon is the second largest port in Goryeo, after Busan, and its conditions are much better than Jeju.

However, Incheon also had ice periods in winter like Vladivostok, which did not meet the requirements of the Siberian Fleet, so Weibel did not agree.

This is not the first time that Goryeo has made overtures to Russia.

After the Kashen coup broke out, the German Mulind, who was entrusted by the Qing Empire to assist in the taxation of Goryeo, suggested that Russia turn Goryeo into a Russian protectorate just like it protected Bulgaria.

If Russia is unwilling to protect Goryeo, then even if Russia supports Goryeo to become a neutral country like Belgium, Goryeo will be rewarded by leasing a freeze-free port.

The above is the background of Russia’s acquisition of Jeju.

How to put it, it can only be said that Koreans still don’t know enough about Russia.

Russia did not make any promises to the Koreans and got Jeju Island out of thin air. This method is very Russian.

It is precisely because Russia obtained Jeju Island that Britain was worried that Russia would continue to move south and affect British interests in East Asia, so the United Kingdom sent troops to Jumun Island to fight Russia to the maximum extent.

After entering winter, land transportation between St. Petersburg and Vladivostok will be completely cut off.

In order to prevent Russia's interests in the Far East from being affected, George received a telegram from St. Petersburg the day after arriving in Rivne.

So George took the train back to St. Petersburg.

The Tsar asked George to transfer some troops from the Oak Regiment to Vladivostok to strengthen Vladivostok's strength and prepare for a possible war.

The Tsar knew the situation in Vladivostok well.

Vladivostok has just started and is still very weak, unable to support many troops.

Therefore, the Oak Regiment, which has the strongest combat power, is the most suitable regiment to go to Vladivostok.

This is not a war rehearsal, but more of a deterrent, so the Oak Group only needs to dispatch a part of its troops to Vladivostok.

"Okay, I will personally lead the troops to the Far East -" George did his job. Winter was coming again. George had originally wanted to find an opportunity to go to Vladivostok. He didn't want to stay in St. Petersburg for half a year.

"George, I'll go with you!" Nicholas volunteered.

"Aren't you going to accompany Georgi to France to recuperate?" Ya San didn't want Nicholas to go to the Far East.

Nicholas was immediately confused.

Nicholas didn't want to leave George.

But Georgi is also very important.

With his uncle on one side and his younger brother on the other, Nicholas was in a dilemma.

"Nikki, wait for me in Nice. When I finish my business in the Far East, I will go to Nice to find you." George was considerate and took the initiative to help the tsar appease Nicholas.

"Then you must do it as soon as possible." Nikolai was originally a lackadaisical person, but since both the Tsar and George said so, Nikolai just obeyed.

George stayed in St. Petersburg for a week and went to Odessa to take a boat.

It takes 40 days to take a boat from Odessa to Vladivostok.

It takes 2 months by boat from St. Petersburg.

It only takes 3 days to take the train from St. Petersburg to Odessa.

Going to Vladivostok with George, in addition to a battalion of the Oak Regiment, there was also a group of machines drawn from the Xie Factory. Vladivostok is too far away from Europe, and it is difficult to replenish supplies from Europe, so the best way is to make it directly from Vladivostok itself.

Vladivostok has now begun to produce smokeless gunpowder, and there is no shortage of mineral resources. All it needs is the machinery in place. At least the bullets can be produced locally in Vladivostok.

Vladivostok can now manufacture bullets, but it can only make paper-cased bullets for civilian shotguns, not copper-cased bullets for military rifles.

This batch of machines is needed to make copper-cased bullets.

After George left, the Oak Regiment would continue to participate in the Rivne exercise, so George led the 1st Battalion led by Yeroshin, and the Rivne exercise was left to Demit, Andrei, and Vasily.

The 1st Battalion went to Vladivostok and never came back. George asked the Tsar for an organization and would form a new regiment based on the 1st Battalion.

According to Russian custom, the name of the new regiment is Vladivostok Regiment, or Fu Regiment for short.

"Can Vladivostok afford an army?" Yeluoxin was worried that Vladivostok could not afford it.

There are more than 2,000 people in a legion, and they rely on supplies from Vladivostok for food, drink, toilet, and sleep. Why does the Siberian fleet only have two or three kittens and puppies, and not even a real destroyer?
  The reason is that Vladivostok cannot afford it.

Ye Luoxin did not object to going to Vladivostok, because George took Dalia with him. After Ye Luoxin went to Vladivostok, it was still a mom-and-pop shop.

Dalia's abilities would be too much of a waste to be a kindergarten teacher in Oak Park.

Uncle George Mikhail is a qualified businessman, but not a qualified management talent.

Let Mikhail do business, Mikhail is handy.

Let Mikhail run a city, which is far beyond Mikhail's ability.

George also didn't know if Dalia could run a city.

But the oak park is well managed by Dalia, and George is willing to give Dalia a chance to express herself.

"If Vladivostok is really as good as the Duke said, then let alone one legion, even ten will be fine." Dalia is confident. The city is also composed of countless villages. Vladivostok cannot be better than St. Petersburg. More complex.

Taking care of a manor is not just as simple as arranging farmers to work.

There are farmers, veterans, engineers, schools, health clinics, warehouses, and training grounds in Oak Park. If George manages the Oak Park himself, George will not necessarily perform better than Dalia.

What George is better at is giving orders, which is worse than talking on paper.

If George is really asked to take care of the child, George really doesn’t know how to change the child’s diaper.

Speaking of diapers -

Maternity and baby products also seem to be an untapped market.

Forget it, there are too many untapped markets. If George intervenes in everything, he will be so busy. Giving George another hundred Mikhails is not enough.

"The conditions in Vladivostok are still very good. General Stark of the Siberian Fleet and Governor Korff are my friends. They will cooperate with your work." George's biggest achievement last year was not that Several factories instead straightened out the superstructure of Vladivostok.

The relationship between the economic base and the superstructure depends on which one is weak and which one is strong.

In a centralized country like the Russian Empire, the influence of the upper levels on the base is far greater than the influence of the base on the upper levels.

Only like France can form mutual constraints to a certain extent.

Vladivostok is George's fiefdom. No matter what happens, George can make a final decision. The tsar will not interfere with George's behavior in Vladivostok. This is a tacit understanding between the tsar and the feudal lords.

Unless George wants to rebel.

"Will a war break out between us and Britain?" Ye Luoxin was worried that the situation in the Far East was deteriorating rapidly.

In the Ninth Russo-Turkish War, Britain joined forces with France and the Ottoman Empire to defeat Russia and force the Czar to death.

This account is remembered by all Russians.

"It's hard to say. The purpose of our trip to Vladivostok is to stop the war." George knew the direction of history, but didn't say it.

The contradiction between Britain and Russia is more acute than the contradiction between Russia and Germany.

As long as the Kaiser still has sense, he will not actively provoke a war with Russia.

Britain has extensive interests around the world and is greedy. However, its own strength is limited and it is unable to directly control its colonies. This leaves opportunities for Russia.

The British way of controlling the colonies was to foster agents.

Russia can also support such things as agents, so Britain is the root cause of the two world wars.

"What are we going to do? Take back Juwen Island by force?" Ye Luoxin completely obeyed George's arrangements.

So far, Ye Luoxin is better at tactical things rather than strategy.

"No, no, no, we can't take the initiative to go to war with Britain because of Goryeo." George thought clearly.

The Koreans would rather offer a military port and hope to place Korea under the protection of Russia.

This is not because Goryeo admires Russia, but because Goryeo hopes to bring Russia down.

(End of this chapter)