Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 130 War Clouds Gather
News of Napoleon III's ascension to the throne reached the world, and Nicholas I believed it was merely a nouveau riche seizing an opportunity. His uncle had failed before the Russian winter, and he was sure he would too.

Britain did not send any important figures to the coronation ceremony, given their long-standing enmity. Furthermore, Britain was the convener of the seven coalitions against France, making its attendance at the Napoleonic family's coronation somewhat inappropriate.

Even if no important figures come, it doesn't matter. After all, I am already the Emperor of France, and they have no choice but to acknowledge it.

But trouble soon followed. In the southern provinces, some citizens took up arms and formed a Republican army, vowing to overthrow the French emperor.

However, Napoleon III was far more ruthless than his predecessors, directly ordering suppression, with punishments ranging from execution to exile. To win popular support, Napoleon III announced a significant pay rise, with civil servants receiving a roughly 40% increase, and the Catholic Church receiving a grant of 5300 million francs the following year. Furthermore, to consolidate his rule, Napoleon III expanded the civil service, increasing the number of French administrative officials from 47 to 62.

At the same time, considering his supporters, he abolished a series of exorbitant taxes. Then everyone shouted "Long live the emperor!" Now the only problem is the finances.

With spending increasing and revenue decreasing, the French government's finances are not far from bankruptcy. Currently, the best solution is to seek support from domestic bankers and conglomerates, but this comes at a price; you need to offer something in return to persuade them to lend you money.

Currently, the key is to ensure that these conglomerates can make money, which means investing. Only investment can motivate them to put their money out, but at present, there don't seem to be many places to invest.

Since that's the case, let's stir up nationalist sentiment among the public; that would also divert attention.

He then told the Ottoman ambassador that France would firmly support him and would send two warships to Istanbul to cheer on the Ottomans.

With French backing, the Ottomans gained confidence, and the Sultan directly rejected Russia's demands. This was not unexpected; no one would agree to Russia's demands.

Then, Menshikov announced the severance of diplomatic relations between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. At this point, Britain also abandoned its hopes for peace talks and announced its support for the Ottoman government.

However, at this time, there was still one person who wanted to offer a helping hand: Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. If Russia attacked, it would certainly attack the two Danube principalities, which was unacceptable to Austria. Therefore, one day after severing diplomatic ties, Austria informed Russia, Austria, Britain, and France, proposing to continue peace talks in Vienna.

Sultan Abdul-Majid had given up hope of peace talks, knowing that Russia would not give up easily. Moreover, with the support of Britain and France, the Ottoman army had been equipped with modern weapons, and as the defending side, they were not without the ability to fight.

And it wasn't just weapons; military spending also required British and French assistance, and winning the war also necessitated British and French reinforcements. I really don't know what the Ottoman modernization reforms actually entailed. Industry was failing, and finance was failing.

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Tehran

The Ottomans, as Iran's ally, have informed the Shah that the possibility of future war is very high. Therefore, please be sure to abide by the treaty.

Naser al-Din immediately ordered the entire army to prepare for war and convened an expanded meeting of both the military and political leaders. "Shah, ministers, war with Russia is inevitable. We have already assembled troops in Tabriz and are ready to attack according to plan once the war begins."

Rouhani pointed to several places on the map and said, "Currently, Russia has 20 troops in northern Azerbaijan, but a considerable number of them are old, weak, sick, or disabled. However, the Black Sea region is Russia's main battlefield, and it is a place where our country can launch a direct attack."

After the war begins, our country can mobilize 35 troops to attack Yerevan. Once we capture it, we will advance along the route to Baku and Tbilisi. Meanwhile, the Circassians and Chechens will revolt in the north. Once we reach the Caucasus Mountains, it will be much more difficult for Russia to advance south.

The ministers had put in a tremendous amount of effort during the nearly five-year planning process. They all knew this day would come, so they began preparations long before Nasser al-Din ascended the throne. The military factories were operating at full capacity to produce weapons and ammunition, while large quantities of raw materials were imported and domestic resources such as coal, iron, and copper were explored.

At this time, Iran's arms stockpile reached a peak, with over 800 artillery pieces alone. Of course, most of them were imported, as domestic production could only meet 60% of its needs.

Amir thought for a moment and said, "We need to be prepared for a long-term confrontation with Russia, and Mazandran also needs to be wary of Russian warships attacking. Based on the current situation, we may have to fight for more than two years."

Upon hearing Grand Vizier's statement about two years or more, the Finance Minister nearly fainted. It's understandable; Iran's finances are extremely fragile. If the plan to mobilize 35 troops for an attack were to materialize, Iran would need 900 million rials annually, and that amount would increase year by year.

However, after several years of development, Iran's industry has begun to improve. Signs of industrialization are emerging, and coupled with national unification and religious reforms, Iran's economy is no longer so fragile.

"We shouldn't be the first to start a war right now. It's best to wait until Britain and France get involved before we fight. Otherwise, they'll think we're just cannon fodder and won't send any troops."

Pezeshkian added that, currently, it seems certain that France will send troops, and Britain is also highly likely to. However, the key is when they will intervene; they can't let Iran and the Ottoman Empire bear the brunt of the attacks.

“We should be able to get the support of Britain and France, especially Britain. If we lose, their India will be in danger.”

Nasserdin was certain Britain would enter the war, because if Iran joined, Russia would be just one step away from India. Britain would not allow that to happen.

Iran also has a need to gain control of the South Caucasus. Taking Georgia would give Iran access to the Black Sea ports of Sukhumi and Batumi. This would allow Iran to export goods directly through Black Sea ports, bypassing the Ottoman Empire.

To protect the Caucasus, it's not enough for the Caucasus Mountains to act as a barrier. The Chechen and Circassian peoples also need to establish their own states to serve as a buffer zone.

Iran now has an advantage over Russia in its use of railways. At that time, Russia only had one railway line, from St. Petersburg to Moscow, and most of its southern regions were only accessible by dirt roads, requiring the transport of supplies by oxcart. Iran, on the other hand, had already completed the railway from Tehran to Tabriz, allowing all supplies to be gathered in Tehran and then transported by rail to the front lines. This saved considerable time.

(End of this chapter)