Chapter 642

"Germany? Where is it? I can't find that place? ”

In 1830, Goethe, the privy adviser to the Duchy of Weimar and Taishan Beidou in the history of world literature, said bitterly: "There is not a city, not even a place, that makes us firmly point out: this is Germany." Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 infoIf we ask in Vienna, the answer is: this is Austria. If we ask this question in Berlin, the answer is: here is Prussia. ”

As early as 1795, his friend, the German poet Schiller, made a bitter cry: "Germany? Where is it? I can't find that place? ”

There is no Germany in this world!

At least not yet!

However, the people here have been working hard...... From the establishment of the Customs Union as a prototype, to the present, a unified national market is beneficial for Germany, and now, twelve years after the establishment of the Customs Union, the Customs Union is in the top four in Europe in terms of gross national product and per capita, almost the same as France, but the division of Germany has concealed this fact. As a rising star, it has a strong momentum to catch up.

However, there was still no Germany in the world......

At the end of 1862, a carriage escorted by cavalry was speeding along the Brandenburg Boulevard, which runs through the center of Berlin, in the direction of the Imperial Palace.

The horse's exhaled breath formed a white mist in the icy air, the Prussian flag with a black eagle on a white background fluttered in the wind, and the metal spikes on the top of the Prussian military cap and the metal decoration on the tip of the spear glistened silver in the sun. Pedestrians on the side of the road watched the procession and whispered to each other.

"That's Your Excellency Prime Minister......"

"That's Bismarck......"

Bismarck, who had just returned to Prussia as prime minister from his post as ambassador to France a few months earlier, was sitting in the carriage with a straight military uniform and eagle-sharp eyes peeking out of the carriage window. He seemed to be bothered by something, and the grim face was even more serious at this time.

At the end of the year in 1862, although the cold was oppressive, the bright sunshine kept the city in a rare warm winter sun.

Bismarck, meanwhile, was thinking about the situation in Europe, which had changed dramatically in the last two months - just a week ago! That is, the day after the news of the disastrous defeat of the British army in Dublin, France immediately made a decision - to declare war on Britain! Finally, after a long wait, Napoleon III, unable to control his greed, declared war on England.

For this day, the dismantling of the ambassador to France just two months ago has long been expected, in fact, the whole of Europe is waiting for this day, from the day China declared war on Britain, the situation in the world has changed, if Britain can win a decisive victory, maybe the situation will go in favor of Britain, but now the problem is that the British lost, and they lost badly!

The invincible Royal Navy was defeated in Cologne! As for the British Army, it suffered an unprecedented defeat in Dublin - if it were not for the Royal Navy's desperate fate to defend there, I am afraid that the British army defending Dublin would have suffered a devastating blow.

The result of Dublin shocked the whole world, and when the whole world was re-evaluating the Chinese army, France, which had been winking with the Chinese and Russians for a year, finally made their decision.

Now there is no hope for Britain!

For Bismarck, he knew very well that there was no hope for Britain now, and although the British Palmston was still stubbornly insisting, all the diplomats throughout Europe believed that the defeat of Britain was only a matter of time.

Especially under the premise that the Chinese have poison gas.

"Gas!"

Whispering this word on his lips, Bismarck's breathing became a little heavy, he didn't know what kind of poison gas it was, but it was certain that it was poison gas that changed the course of the Dublin war, originally, almost everyone believed that the Chinese would definitely suffer an unprecedented defeat in Dublin, but the appearance of poison gas changed everything, and the poison gas easily destroyed the British defense line, so that the whole of Britain tasted the fruits of defeat there.

Although Palmston still insisted there, Bismarck, who was familiar with London politics, knew very well that the current Prime Minister's insistence was only because none of his political opponents were willing to take the responsibility for the defeat, because everyone knew that once Palmston left the Prime Minister's position, the next Prime Minister would have to take responsibility for ending the war, but who would want to sign the failed peace treaty?

In this case, no one opposed Palmston, and almost all of them chose to remain silent, not because the power of the poison gas had overshadowed the defeat at the front, but because none of the selfish British politicians wanted to take responsibility for the defeat.

It is precisely because of this that Palmston will still be his prime minister, but stubbornness and persistence at this time no longer have any meaning.

"All it takes is one more defeat ......"

Thinking of the current situation, Bismarck knew that if another decisive battle broke out, if the British lost again, then, even if Palmston was unwilling, the politicians in London would ask him to negotiate with the Chinese like mad dogs, but at that time, for Palmston, he would most likely lose the last bargaining chip.

"What a bunch of stupid guys!"

Thinking of Palmston's insistence and the selfishness of the politicians in London, Bismarck sarcastically said to them that their selfishness would ruin Britain. Destroy Britain completely!

For Britain now, their best choice is to take the initiative to negotiate and end the war through negotiations when they still have some bargaining chips, instead of stubbornly insisting on it now, this senseless insistence will eventually destroy Britain!

Britain was doomed, but what about Prussia?

Thinking of this, Bismarck's breathing became rapid, this was the opportunity he had been waiting for for a long time!

"Your Majesty, you may not feel that Prussia today is the time to rely on its own military strength to its advantage. The reason why Germany did not dare to snub Prussia was by no means Prussian liberalism, but its strength ......"

In the royal palace, in front of King Wilhelm I of Prussia, Bismarck once again emphasized his point of view, which he had emphasized on many occasions since becoming chancellor, knowing that the establishment of the Customs Union was also due to the strength of Prussia in large part.

"Although we are not doing nothing, it is difficult to avoid the distractions of Germany, and it is true. The future of Germany lies not in Prussian liberalism, but in power. The southern German states, Bavaria, Württemberg and Baden, were willing to immerse themselves in liberalism, but it was for this reason that no one wanted to give them the role that Prussia should play! Prussia had to gather its forces and take it into its hands for a favorable opportunity, which had come and gone again and again. Since the Vienna Treaty, our borders have not been properly designed for a sound political ensemble. The great problems of the present day cannot be solved by speeches and most resolutions - which is the mistake made in 1848 and 1849 - and it can only be solved with iron and blood! ”

"Iron and blood" This view of his has always been attacked by political opponents, who have stirred up the matter through the newspapers. For the sake of sensationalism, the press deliberately turned "iron and blood" around, and published "blood and iron" in a special font to reflect the bloodthirsty nature of the new prime minister.

However, Bismarck never felt anything about this, and that did not change his mind, and in the end, history will prove him right!

"Your Majesty, now that the French have sent their expeditionary force to India, and the French Emperor has treated Prussia with the same kindness, and of course the most important thing is that now the French are mobilizing all their forces to build their Eastern Empire, and as for Russia, they are at war with the Turks, and with the British in India, now, there is no better time than now!"

As a diplomat, Bismarck even wanted to shout "God forbid" in the face of the current situation, which was exactly the opportunity he had been waiting for for a long time.

"Without the intervention of the French and Russians, the unification of Germany would have been possible, Your Majesty!"

The unification of Germany!

When Bismarck said this, Wilhelm I silently looked into the distance, which was exactly what he had always dreamed of, and even why he appointed Bismarck as prime minister.

For the dream of German reunification, the current North German League will eventually become "Germany", and when the time comes, "Germany" will no longer be a noun, but a real country!

After a long moment, he looked back at Bismarck and said.

"Is it necessary to declare war on Austria?"

This was his real concern, the declaration of war on Austria, which Bismarck had proposed during a long talk about the future unification of Germany after his recall from France. Wilhelm I, who knew Bismarck's character, was clear that this was not a suggestion, but a request.

Faced with His Majesty's question, Bismarck said in a firm tone.

"Your Majesty, the Chancellor believes that reunification must be achieved by squeezing Austria out of Germany at all costs, and that only then will it be possible for Prussia to complete its unification, a goal which may not be supported by the other minor states, for no monarch is willing to give up power in his hands. But Prussia had one of the most powerful allies......"

There was a pause in his voice, and then he continued.

"This is the German people. The people of Germany will support our reunification, they are fed up with the days when there will be no more Germany in the world, they need unity, they need a united Germany, not the current Customs Union! And for Prussia, now, we will either start a war against Austria. Either miss this opportunity, then there will never be Germany in the world! ”

There will never be Germany in the world!

Bismarck's words made Wilhelm I's whole body fall into contemplation, and his heart jumped suddenly, there will never be Germany in the world again, which is obviously not what he wants to see.

"Bismarck, we must see that the gap in power between Prussia and Austria is still very large, although the economy of the Customs Union has now surpassed Austria!"

Perhaps the unification of Germany was his hope, but Wilhelm I knew very well that the difference in strength between the two would not be slackened in the slightest because the economy and industry of the Customs Union had surpassed Austria, and he knew very well that the Customs Union was not a country!

"Your Majesty, is the gap between us and Austria greater than the gap in strength between China and Britain?"

The Prime Minister's rhetorical question made William I stunned for a moment, and then he nodded and said.

"Indeed, the gap between them is even greater! But they have the help of the Russians, and the help of the French......"

Prussia was different from China, and in the war with Britain, China received help from all over the world, and who could Prussia get?

What's more, the population that China has, as well as the size of its economy, is also surprising, they have the power to challenge the British, but Prussia does not.

"Yes, Your Majesty, but Austria is nowhere near as strong as England!"

After a pause, Bismarck looked at His Majesty and said solemnly.

"If we wait, wait for ourselves to make all preparations, wait for our strength to surpass Austria, then we are very likely to miss this opportunity, now with the end of the Battle of Dublin, the Chinese help the Irish to liberate the whole of Ireland is just around the corner, as for the negotiations between China, Russia and France and the British, it is also a matter of time, after all, now the British have lost everything, once the war ends, then, we will miss the opportunity for reunification!"

"Do you think the British will make peace? When will they make peace? You know, the French just entered the war! ”

Wilhelm I looked at Bismarck in surprise and asked with some eagerness,

"It won't be today, but soon, for the British, the best outcome now is peace talks, but the British will not agree, at least not for now, because he knows that once the negotiations are held, Britain will lose a lot, and when the time comes, the whole of London will throw the responsibility for the defeat on him, so Palmston is insisting, as for the other British politicians, although they know that the best option for Britain is a truce, but they are not willing to take responsibility, so in the short term, The British will not engage in peace talks unless they suffer another defeat! And now even if the British want peace talks, the Russians and the French will not agree, they need to bite more flesh from the British, only in this way can the British be weakened, as for the Chinese...... Your Majesty, now that the outcome of the war is practically preordained, for Prussia we must seize this opportunity, only in this way can the unification of Germany be achieved, as for the French......"

Bismarck said in a casual tone.

"Who cares what they're doing now?"

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