Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 546 Declaration of War
From December to February of the following year, there was no news for several dozen days. It was as if communication between the several countries had simply ceased. The soldiers on the Milan front had nothing to do, and they could still see their laundry hanging out to dry in the direction of the barracks.

While the higher-ups are still keeping a close eye on Europe, the common people are still struggling to make ends meet. Newspapers are only discussing someone's scandal, as if this whole affair has become irrelevant.

On March 6th, Wilhelm I was on the verge of collapse due to the French ambassador's relentless harassment. The French's continued provocations astonished and distressed him. Wilhelm I feared that they intended to frame him. Therefore, he decided to return to Berlin. He ordered his entourage to send a telegram to Bismarck detailing the matter and proposing that the facts be made public.

The telegram reads as follows: "The French ambassador in Ems again demanded that I make a public commitment that the Hohenzollern family and those who support the Habsburg family will never be allowed to accept the Spanish throne in the future. I refused his request, but politely, and informed him that there was no room for discussion on the matter."

Otto von Bismarck received the telegram while dining with Ron and Moltke. The three men were somber and depressed, feeling their country had been humiliated, yet seeing no hope of revenge. The feeling of humiliation intensified as Bismarck read the telegram aloud to his two colleagues. The repeated, impatient demands, the invasion of the king's privacy, and the petty exploitation of his kind and benevolent nature ignited the deepest indignation in the three men.

They believed the French ambassador didn't deserve leniency and should have been driven away with a clearer, more angry stance, for the person who had come with unreasonable demands. However, the suggestion to reveal the facts gave Bismarck the opportunity he had been hoping for.

Bismarck drafted a statement in a room next to the restaurant, using the same wording as the original telegram but omitting much of the content. The NDR published this statement in a special edition that evening, along with a copy sent from the Foreign Ministry to all German embassies and legations.

"The French ambassador made an unreasonable demand of the King, asking him to promise to forever prohibit the Hohenzollern family and those who support the Habsburg family from inheriting the Spanish throne. His Majesty therefore refused to see the French ambassador again and ordered his adjutant to inform him that His Majesty had nothing more to say."

The NDR also published a notice in large print, stating that French Ambassador Benedetti had completely disregarded diplomatic protocol by disturbing Wilhelm I during his vacation, blocking him in the corridor, and even attempting to force Wilhelm I to accept his demands.

This sparked a storm of anger throughout Germany; people had had enough of the French provocations. If they wanted war, let them have war; now no one would say Prussia had any ambitions.

Meanwhile, Austria also received a telegram from Napoleon III, sent to resolve the issue completely. "In view of the long-standing friendly relations between your country and ours, I demand that the Austrian Empire immediately withdraw its support for Maximilian's claim to the Spanish throne and publicly declare the abandonment of all claims to that throne."

Vienna, however, did not tamper with the telegram; instead, it sent a direct reply: "How dare your government threaten the sacred Habsburg family with war? The Viennese court must remind Paris: if the French army dares to cross the Rhine, Austria will join the North German Confederation to completely end the Bonaparte family's usurpation of power."

The two telegrams caused a great stir in the German region, and the tone of the German press changed, with righteous indignation and a determination to meet the challenge from France.

Meanwhile, within France, the telegrams fueled public outrage. Deeply humiliated, the French fervently clamored for war, with newspapers like the Marseillaise calling for "Marseille!" Prussian nationalism was also profoundly ignited, with protesters shouting in the streets of Berlin, "Marseille Paris!" Napoleon III was driven to near madness; each bold letter of the Austrian telegram felt like a knife piercing his heart, causing his hands to tremble with pain!
"Excellent...Excellent...Beautifully written, wonderfully written!"

"I never expected that Bismarck would actually stand up for those Austrians. He completely ignored my goodwill. That's great, that's really great!"

"From this moment forward, the French Navy shall immediately deploy and blockade all Prussian ports and waterways! Inform Parliament that France has formally declared war on Prussia and Austria!"
"A fight to the death! The Empire no longer trusts any diplomatic negotiations! Let the flames of war burn to the ends of the earth!"

When Napoleon III said this at the Council of State, all the high-ranking officials with noble titles were furious. They seemed to have taken the sentiment to heart. This was an insult to France. War! Let them fight like Napoleon I and march all the way to Berlin!
The civil officials sighed inwardly. This war was inevitable, and everyone had been mentally prepared for it, but they hadn't expected it to come so soon...

When the news reached Paris, the people erupted in a tidal wave of cheers and shouts of "Long live!"
"Long live the Empire! Long live the Empire!"

"Attack! March to Berlin!"

The Marseillaise was sung once again, and France finally lost its mind. The Champs-Élysées had become a sea of ​​celebration, with people singing and dancing around the parade to celebrate the empire's victory!

Yes, the people were celebrating their victory. In their hearts, Prussia and Austria had long been like fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others!
Barrels of fine wine were brought out and consumed at an alarming rate. Stimulated by alcohol and a sense of illusory victory, the French people had long forgotten the hardships of life and were all caught up in a hysterical frenzy.

The Marseillaise was sung throughout the city, and shouts of "Long live the Marseillaise!" rose and fell. Glorious veterans of the Empire could eat their way through the entire city without carrying a single copper coin. In particular, those veterans who fought in the Crimean War were the focus of everyone's attention!
Paris has gone mad! France has gone mad!
Napoleon III knew this was the only thing the Bonaparte family could offer! If he calmed down and tried to back out, it would be utterly disastrous; they would storm into the Tuileries Palace and tear the entire family apart.

At this point, the ministers had no way out. They stepped forward and shouted in unison, "We swear to follow Your Majesty to the death! Long live the Empire!"

The inevitable had finally arrived. The news of the French Emperor's declaration of war on March 22nd spread throughout Europe in just one day. It was a sleepless night for Europe. Apart from ordinary people who were indifferent to national affairs, educated people in every country were anxiously watching this war!

(End of this chapter)