Chapter 12: The Seven Kingdoms Fight for Hegemony 2
The Austro-Hungarian Empire was a Yan country, with a large land area and great potential, but it could not subdue the fierce other small countries around it, and their greatest difficulty was that the prestige of the country was too small to unite the strength of the various ethnic groups in the country. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 infoThe relationship between Austria-Hungary and Germany is a bit like the relationship between Yan and Zhao. Although Austria-Hungary and Germany were allies, they both blocked each other's paths. Austria-Hungary firmly blocked the southern part of Germany, cutting off the road of Germany's development to the south, and the development of the south was the best route for Germany, and also severed the connection between Germany and the Mediterranean, so that during World War I, Germany's huge high sea fleet could only stay in the Baltic Sea for four years and look at the Arctic Ocean. And Germany, on the other hand, absorbed a large part of the population of the German nation, ruining the desire of Austria-Hungary to maintain the Holy Roman Empire. Just like the Yan State and the Zhao State during the Warring States Period, the Zhao State blocked the space for the development of the Yan State to the southwest, and the Yan State was a nail nailed behind the Zhao State, destroying the Zhao State and basing itself in Hebei, forming a very favorable national situation of relying on Taihang in the west, looking at the sea in the east, Yanshan in the north, and the Yellow River in the south.
Because of the international environment at that time, although Zhao was strong, it could not destroy Yan, and Germany, although strong, could not destroy Austria-Hungary.
When Yan and Zhao were unified, he would form a very favorable national topography of Taihang in the west, the sea in the east, the Yanshan Mountain in the north, and the Yellow River in the south, forming the situation of the Eastern Wei during the Northern and Southern Dynasties in Chinese history, and he would be able to confront the Qin State, just like the situation of the Eastern Wei and the Western Wei during the Northern and Southern Dynasties.
Once Germany and Austria-Hungary were reunified, they would become a superpower with a population of 120 million, but the world's population would be only 1.8 billion. Moreover, with Germany's military superiority, it could easily sweep away the small countries of Eastern and Southern Europe, such as Romania, Serbia, Greece, and so on. The High Seas Fleet in the Mediterranean can assist the army in occupying Egypt and North Africa, rather than being trapped in the unnutritious puddle of the Baltic Sea.
Yan's strategy to break the situation is to develop outside the Guan, conquer the Northeast and the Korean Peninsula with technological advantages, carry out ethnic integration, subdue the brave and warlike savages in the mountains, forests and grasslands, and arm them with advanced weapons, so that they can dominate the world. This is how the state of Chu developed during the Spring and Autumn Period. Among the five hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period, the last Wu and Yue countries relied on tens of thousands of troops composed of Wu Ge rhino armor in Jiangsu and Zhejiang at that time to dominate the Central Plains in just 20 years. The basic combat effectiveness of the savages in the mountains, forests and grasslands is much higher than that of ordinary people, so in order to attack the Ming Dynasty, the Qing State captured various wild tribes in the large forests of the northeast, and the basic combat effectiveness of these savages is more powerful than that of their Jurchen tribe.
Austria-Hungary's strategy was to make peace with Germany, but it must not ally with Germany, and it should maintain a neutral relationship with the other powers. During World War I, Germany fought against Britain and France because the development of capitalism required more colonies. Austro-Hungarian capitalism was so backward that there was no need to challenge Britain and France at all. It's like a lion will challenge a tiger for its prey, and it doesn't matter anything about wild boars. Austria-Hungary should be like Italy during the First World War, playing the role of soy sauce. Because with its strength, it has not even digested its own domestic problems, what can it gain from war?
Spain is the country of Qi, and Spain was one of the first modern countries to dominate Europe. Spanish explorers and the Armada symbolize its glorious history. But after a series of blows, Spain completely fell behind and became a second-rate country in Europe. However, Spain was one of the few countries that recognized its strength, so in the end they did not participate in the two bloody wars of World War I and World War II.
Russia is the state of Chu, with a vast land, a vast territory, a large population, and a backward system. During the First World War, Russia, like the state of Chu, ceded land and paid reparations under the blow of Germany and signed the Treaty of Brest. In the end, Germany was defeated, Russia escaped, and the later Allied intervention forces were not many. Here I also have to admire Stalin and the CPSU, the situation of British and American hegemony because they ruled Russia and became an equal division of the world between Qin and Chu, which is equivalent to the emergence of a figure in Chu who surpassed Qin Shi Huang.
Why did Britain and France have to defeat Germany and be indifferent to Soviet Russia? They should take advantage of the civil strife in Russia to defeat Soviet Russia, right?
In fact, this was a mistake of the German strategy, and his strategy did not leave any room for himself at all. Because Germany invaded the French mainland, it is equivalent to a burglary and gave the owner two knives, how can he let you go easily, and naturally he will beat you to death. And Soviet Russia is equivalent to robbing an ordinary friend of mine, even if you beat him, he will run away as soon as he runs, and he will not chase and beat him. Germany wanted a peaceful truce, but Britain and France would not agree.
Britain and the United States together are the Qin state, they are rich in materials, sitting on natural dangers, and good at using diplomatic means. The English Channel blocked the unstoppable German Army, which had defeated France in three months. Then they cling to the natural danger and stand invincible. Then he used the diplomatic strategy of "Lianheng" to gather a large number of allies and beat up the opponent.
If the United States had not split from Britain at that time, it would probably have been Britain that would have dominated the European continent in the end. However, after the defeat of the British army in the Hundred Years' War between England and France in 1337-1458, Britain completely turned to the road of maritime empire, and Britain no longer had a plan to unify Europe. This was an important reason for the fate of Europe to divide for more than 500 years.
Britain is politically the vampire of Europe, and with its national strength, it simply cannot keep such a large colony. If Britain were to be singled out with France, Germany, and Russia, Britain would inevitably lose. Because while Britain maintained a fleet of the largest fleet in the world, he could not maintain a strong army for a long time, but the fleet could not be driven ashore. Britain's European policy is to strike at Europe's most powerful powers, to keep Europe divided and turbulent forever, so that he can control the countries of the continent. If after World War I, the Allies had constrained Germany severely, as France had proposed, would World War II still take place? Although the French proposal was cruel to Germany, it was much better than the fact that Germany died millions of people in World War II and was divided into two countries!
After the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, French Marshal Foch said: This is not peace, this is a truce of 20 years! France could not prevent the next war from happening. And Britain and the United States, because they have the protection of the sea, have no worries about the next war.
In fact, among the seven European powers, Britain, France, Germany, and Russia are first-class powers at one level, while Spain, Italy, and Austria-Hungary are second-rate countries at another level. In the zoo of the earth, first-class countries eat meat, second-rate countries eat grass, and if you find the positioning of your own country, you can find a suitable path to rise. Of course, there are also strange things like Italy that break a few of their big teeth when they eat grass, but Italy's policy is still relatively correct, but the combat effectiveness is really at the lower limit.
If Germany wants to snatch meat from the mouths of other first-class powers, it will naturally be difficult to escape the fate of being suppressed collectively. In fact, before Germany, Tsarist Russia also arrogantly wanted to grab meat, so the Battle of Crimea broke out, after 3 years of hard fighting, Britain and France joined forces to teach Tsarist Russia a lesson, Russia suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties, and the European steamroller was completely extinguished. The United States also took the opportunity to buy Alaska from Tsarist Russia for $7.2 million.
However, Germany did not learn the lessons of Russia, and was still arrogant, and the nationalist ideology was too fanatical, and the fate of the nation was ruined.