I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 479 Borrowing chickens to lay eggs
No matter how tough Nicholas was, he would not dare to confront the entire aristocratic class, otherwise the world would be in chaos.

The Social Democratic Labor Party has developed rapidly in recent years, especially during the Russo-Japanese War. By leading strikes, the Social Democratic Labor Party forced Nicholas to agree to the entry of popularly elected social representatives into the State Duma in February 1905. As a result, social democracy The Democratic Labor Party gained a voice in the State Duma.

After the State Duma was disbanded, the Social Democratic Labor Party learned from the experience, carefully summed up its experience and lessons, and finally concluded that in order to gain greater power, it was necessary to weaken the support of the peasants for the tsar, so the nationalization of land came about.

What the Social Democratic Labor Party did not expect was that the Tsar's counterattack came so fiercely. All 65 State Duma members from the Social Democratic Labor Party were controlled within two days. The Second State Duma only existed for a week. Was ordered to disband.

When George learned about this situation, he didn't know whether he should praise Nikolai for his decisiveness or lament that the Social Democratic Labor Party was too naive.

One thing is certain. After the second dissolution of the State Duma, the contradiction between the ruling class and the democratic parties in the Russian Empire has become irreconcilable. In the new State Duma, Nicholas fully protected the landlords, capitalists, and The interests of royalists and national parties were ignored.

There is finally news about the Anglo-Russian negotiations that George is concerned about.

On March 3, British Foreign Secretary Gray and Russian Imperial Foreign Minister Alexandrov reached a draft agreement on the conflicts between Russia and Britain. It will officially come into effect only after it is submitted to the British King and Tsar for approval.

Karl came to Yuriev Palace to test George's tone.

The Anglo-Russian Treaty is similar in nature to the Sincere Agreement. It is just a memorandum of understanding signed to eliminate conflicts. It is not aimed at a third country and is not a military alliance.

In fact, it is an apology.

Therefore, William II not only had no reason to object to the Anglo-Russian Treaty, but he should also be happy to see its outcome.

Although Britain is the mastermind, Germany is at least an accomplice.

Karl's yin and yang is a reminder to George not to forget what Britain did to the Russian Empire during the Russo-Japanese War.

In the Russo-Japanese War, Japan's responsibility was only 40% at most, and most of the rest belonged to Britain.

Money lent by Britain to the Russian Empire was interest-free.

"How is this possible? The Russian Empire loves peace and never expands externally."

When Karl said this, he probably forgot that when Takahashi Korekiyo issued government bonds in Europe, Germany's subscription amount was ten times the amount issued.

"St. Petersburg is so generous—"

But many things did not happen overnight. The King of England and Nicholas were relatives to begin with, and eliminating conflicts was only the first step. Next, the relationship between the Russian Empire and Britain would become closer and closer, and eventually a military alliance would be formed.

"George, are you going to continue to expand southward?"

George smiled and said nothing.

What made William II uncomfortable was that he was also related to Edward VII and Nicholas.

Britain is indeed responsible, but Britain has also been punished, and the plan to contain the Russian Empire was completely bankrupt, otherwise the British would not lend money to the Russian Empire.

What's the matter, between relatives, if you don't blow your brains out, you'll feel uncomfortable, right?

After defeating Japan, there was no obstacle to the expansion of the Russian Empire in the Far East. Karl probably hoped that George would continue to go south, so that the interests of the Russian Empire and Britain would conflict again.

So when it comes to responsibility, no one can escape.

Carl didn't know George's next move.

George's awe-inspiring righteousness made Karl's expression a little distorted.

Was the Russian Empire peace-loving?
This is simply the biggest joke of the new century!

"If it weren't for the Japanese sneak attack, the Russo-Japanese War would not have broken out -" George explained seriously. If Karl hadn't been very clear about the causes and consequences of the Russo-Japanese War, Karl would have almost believed it.

"Japan has been punished by the war, and the empire has also suffered from the pain of the war. It is time to end all this. I will protect the peace of the Far East in the future!"

George has everything covered, and he is indeed qualified to say this.

After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, the Amur Military District underwent a major disarmament campaign. The total peak army of 50 troops was reduced to only about 15 troops today.

Among these 15 people, there are 5 navy troops. After excluding the garrisons stationed in various places, the only troops that George can mobilize are the Vladivostok Cavalry Division and the Khabarovsk Cavalry Division.

However, these two cavalry divisions are different from European cavalry divisions.

European cavalry divisions are cavalry divisions in the traditional sense. They are said to be cavalry. In fact, in modern times, most of them were mounted infantry. Only Cossacks could barely fight on horseback.

Although Fu Division and Har Division are in the name of cavalry divisions, they do not have real cavalry. According to current military theory, it is difficult to define because such troops have never appeared before.

The Fu division and the Har division are equipped with a large number of armored fighting vehicles, and they should actually be considered armored troops.

Armored fighting vehicles showed great strength in the Russo-Japanese War. Whether it was offensive or defensive, armored fighting vehicles played a decisive fulcrum role.

After the war, George decided to transform the Fu Division and the Ha Division into armored troops as the trump card of the Amur Military Region.

The new armored fighting vehicle of the Amur Military Region is equipped with a 40mm smoothbore cannon and a coaxial machine gun. The armor of the tank has also been improved. The new armored steel, which was originally only used to build warships, has also been used in armored fighting vehicles. .

In addition to armored fighting vehicles, George also equipped the Fu Division and the Harbin Division with a large number of military trucks, which greatly improved the mobility of the troops.

The only problem now is that the output of armored fighting vehicles is too low. It will take at least two years for the Fu Division and the Ha Division to form combat capabilities.

There is no problem with this. It is still early before a world war, and George still has time to prepare.

So it’s not that George loves peace, but that George has been unable to start a war in the past two years.

George also needs time to digest the new territory annexed by the Japanese-Russian war.

What George didn't expect was that although the Japanese threat was eliminated, the Qing Empire would not be left alone.

Starting from the beginning of this year, the Qing Empire's domestic demands for the recovery of railway operating rights and mining rights have become increasingly louder.

This thing is quite speechless.

The Guandong Railway and the South Manchuria Railway, as well as the iron mines in Fengtian that have not yet resumed work, are all within the scope of the Qing Empire's requirements.

Fortunately, the Qing Empire only requested to take back the management rights, because the Qing Empire would continue to repay the loans generated by building railways and mining mines.

But this was unacceptable to George.

The construction of the Kanto Railway started in 1898 and was completed in 1903. Shortly after its completion, the Russo-Japanese War broke out. In other words, it took George a full six years to complete the Kanto Railway. Before it started to make money, the Qing Empire was about to take back the Kanto Railway——

This skill of borrowing chickens to lay eggs is indeed a good game.

Although the Qing Empire repeatedly stated that taking back the railway was only in compliance with public opinion.

But if there was no calculation by the Qing Empire, George would not believe it.

(End of this chapter)