Chapter 134: The British Strategy
Franz II nodded. "Minister of Foreign Affairs, contact the British. When requesting a loan from them, also request their mediation in this war. Let them know that the Austrian Empire desires peace."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Austrian Foreign Minister Izvor nodded in agreement.
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London, the capital of England
The present-day British Empire was not the declining empire of the future. As the world's preeminent power, the Great British Empire was at the height of its power. Although the emerging power, the French Republic, had begun to challenge the British Empire's global dominance, Britain still held absolute superiority.
To ensure its hegemony, Britain had always operated on a policy of balance, keeping itself detached from continental Europe. Whenever a nation on the continent rose up, Britain would join other nations in suppressing it. Now, France had become that nation.
Post-revolution France had emerged with formidable strength. In just two short years, its economy had recovered to 80% of its former level, and it possessed the world's most powerful army. This placed immense pressure on Britain and forced it to set aside its pride and glorious independence to seek allies within Europe.
For Britain, the most crucial task now was to contain the rise of France. Everything else could wait.
The aggressive development of France had already posed a significant threat to Britain. Especially since Napoleon came to power, France had increased its investment in the navy, causing severe concern for Britain. The Royal Navy was the world's most powerful naval force and the cornerstone of Britain's global colonial system; it could not afford to be complacent. If the French dared to challenge Britain in this regard, Britain would retaliate with all its might.
Britain was well aware that France was more terrifying than any previous adversary. Therefore, Britain hoped to have an ally on land to distract France and thus divide its attention.
However, the Austrians, as Britain's ally, had disappointed them. Despite Britain's substantial financial and military support, the Austrians were still in disarray on the Italian battlefield. Now, their 200,000-strong army had been defeated by the French, which left Britain extremely dissatisfied. From Britain's perspective, if Austria, as their ally, couldn't perform better, what use were they?
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Inside Buckingham Palace, London
King George III convened a cabinet meeting attended by Prime Minister William Pitt, Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey, Admiral Lord Hood, who also commanded the British Home Fleet, and Field Marshal Duke of Wellington.
"Gentlemen, I apologize for summoning you all in such haste, but I believe the reason for today's council is clear to you," King George III began.
"Is it because of the conflict between Austria and the French?" Prime Minister William Pitt spoke up.
"Indeed! Our Austrian allies have already lost over a hundred thousand troops on the Italian front. This has greatly depleted Austria's military strength. Therefore, I think it's time for the Austrians to cease hostilities. Otherwise, continuing in this manner will exact an unbearable cost on them and be equally detrimental to our overall European strategy," George III said.
"Indeed, Your Majesty. We must admit that before the outbreak of war, everyone underestimated the French. It's now evident that the combat capability of the French has surpassed that of the period of the Louis government. Their land forces are unquestionably among the best in the world," sighed Field Marshal Duke of Wellington.
Compared to the world-renowned Royal Navy of Great Britain, the British Army was merely a pocket-sized force. With only tens of thousands of troops in total, it couldn't match the status of the world's leading power.
The other ministers nodded in agreement. Before the war, the British had hoped that the Austrian military could hold off the French advance, or at least fight to a stalemate. But unexpectedly, the French decisively defeated the Austrian forces and were on the verge of final victory.
"At present, the Austrians have suffered heavy losses. If they are sensible, they should cease the war," Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George added.
"In theory, that's true. However, everyone seems to forget that our ally is quite stubborn. Especially the Emperor himself, can he accept the defeat of the mighty Holy Roman Empire by the French?" Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey remarked, his tone tinged with sarcasm. He showed no sign of concern for the predicament of their ally.
Instantly, the faces of the other cabinet ministers turned solemn. They were well aware of the personality of Emperor Franz II of Austria. He was a man who valued his prestige greatly. Being defeated by the French this time was undoubtedly a disgrace. Convincing him to accept this outcome would be more difficult than scaling the heavens.
"No matter what, Austria has lost, that's an undeniable fact. So Emperor Franz II must accept this outcome. Austria's limited resources cannot afford to be squandered in futile wars in Italy. Even if Franz II doesn't care about those ordinary soldiers, treating them as cannon fodder, the most valuable asset lies not in Italy, but in the Balkans!" Prime Minister William Pitt declared.
As a global colonial power, Britain held immense interests not only in Europe but also in various parts of the world, with India being the crown jewel. India was hailed as the jewel in Britain's crown, the most crucial and prized colony.
Hence, the British were willing to spare no expense to ensure the security of India. Egypt, situated at the crossroads of Africa and Asia, caught the attention of the British. Its strategic location made it pivotal, as controlling Egypt meant controlling the vital communication hub between Britain and India.
Therefore, the British had long sought to bring Egypt under their control. Yet, Egypt had always been within the sphere of influence of the Ottoman Empire.
Hence, the British spared no effort in courting the Austrians. Given Austria's strategic location, it could not only counterbalance France in Europe but also collaborate with the British in combating the Ottomans, thus aiding Britain in capturing Egypt.
It was within this grand strategic context that the British consistently provided assistance to Austria. They couldn't afford to let Austria decline, as it would adversely affect Britain's global positioning.
"Yes, Prime Minister, I fully agree with your viewpoint. Austria has contacted us, hoping for our mediation in this war and requesting assistance," Sir Edward Grey continued.
"Assistance? Hmph, I see Austria's call for mediation as a ruse. Their true intention is to obtain our assistance and continue the war," scoffed Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George.
"Yes, the analysis from the Foreign Office supports this. Austria's finances are at their breaking point. They simply don't have the funds to continue. However, the stubborn Emperor of Austria seems to ignore this fact. He's still unwilling to admit defeat," Sir Edward Grey added.
"Your Majesty, our financial situation does not permit us to provide military aid to Austria. It would be throwing money down the drain. The previous wars have already proven that the Austrian army is no match for the French. They have lost over a hundred thousand troops by now. Even if Franz calls up more troops, it won't be enough. Hoping to defeat the French with such means is simply wishful thinking," replied David Lloyd George.
Upon hearing George III's question, the Duke of Wellington immediately became tense. He sensed that the Emperor might be considering providing aid to Austria.