"Impossible!"

The Standing Army of France in the mouth of the Prince of Metternich is really a bit appalling for both the military and the government.

What does a standing army of 600,000 people mean? A standing army of 600,000 meant that France alone would be enough to wipe out the entire German army.

The only two countries in Germany that could really stand up to France were Prussia and Austria, and Prussia had a standing army of 180,000 (in view of the fact that the Prussian reserve II II was on the verge of collapse in 1851, the Austrian Empire did not count the Prussian reserve II and III as combat effectiveness). The Austrian Empire currently has a standing army of just over 400,000, and it can be said that the entire German region can pull out only about 58-700,000 troops in World War I.

These armies could not effectively suppress France, and as long as the French army was mobilized quickly enough, the vassal states of South Germany would not dare to attack the French Empire because of France's accumulated military power.

One plus one minus, the French Empire only needs to send a part of its soldiers to Lombardy and Venice, and those hidden Apennine rebels will rise up.

By that time, the Austrian Empire might have to repeat the same story of the Revolution of 1848, this time against the French Empire, which was more than a notch better equipped and more morale than the Kingdom of Sardinia.

The Austrian generals, including Radetzky, did not dare to guarantee that they would be able to win.

The fort of Four Corners, which had once defended Albert's 60,000 troops, had no way to defend against the attacks of the French Empire.

[PS: The essence of the Four Corners Fortress is to prevent the poor from the rich and the rich, as long as there are enough cannons, it can completely smash the Four Corners Fortress to the ground. 】

Furthermore, was the Kingdom of Prussia really willing to form a combined army with Austria against France? I am afraid that only God knows this question.

This is the reason why Metternich's words were fiercely opposed by the Minister Hess.

Once the minister Hess admitted that France had 600,000 troops, he had to think about how to defend against the attack of France's 600,000 troops.

The only way to defend against an army of this size was to form an army of the same size, but the Austrian Empire's finances probably could not afford such a large force.

Since the Napoleonic Wars, the Austrian Imperial Army has been silently watching the development of European military technology and strategy in an ostrich posture.

A strategic and military master as strong as Archduke Karl was not unable to change the Austrian Imperial Army at its roots, and he could only choose to repair the existing foundation, so that the vase, which was not very porcelain, could be frightened on the outside.

Not to mention the old marshal Radetzki, after being ordered to defeat the invasion of the Kingdom of Sardinia and put down the rebellion in northern Italy, the old marshal also decisively chose to disarm and return to the field and return to a secluded life, he kept Lombardy and Venice for the Austrian Empire, but there was no way to completely reform the imperial army.

The Austrian Imperial Army, under the leadership of Chancellor Hess, was no longer dreaming of restoring the glory of the Holy Roman Empire, but was responding to everything with a defensive counterattack.

Prince Metternich bluntly criticized Minister Hess's almost ostrich strategic thinking: "Minister Hess, your news is outdated! ”

Subsequently, the Prince of Metternich laid out the recent military reforms of the French Empire (these were all made by Richard. Metternich hearsay, then relayed to Prince Metternich)

"Chancellor Hess, the army of the Austrian Empire......" Franz. Joseph, after hearing Metternich's account of the reforms, looked at Hess with keen eyes, and the meaning of them was self-evident.

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid not!" Chancellor Hess shook his head at Franz. Joseph responded with a wry smile: "Not to mention, there is no substitute service system in the Austrian Empire at all!" Even if there were, the finances needed for 600,000 troops would be astronomical! Only a country like France can afford huge military expenditures! ”

"So to speak! Once the Austrian Empire is at war with the French Empire, our army will not be able to resist the French Empire at all! "Franz. Joseph frowned slightly, and said in a dull tone.

"We are not alone, and the German Confederation, Your Majesty!" Chancellor Hess hurried to Franz. Joseph reminded.

"Minister Hess, according to the War of the German Confederation **** The Kingdom of Bardy and the Kingdom of Venice are not included in it!" Prince Metternich was "kind" to the Minister of Hess.

"Prince Metternich, are you acting as a lobbyist for the French Empire? Don't forget, you are a subject of the Austrian Empire, and everything you belong to the Austrian Empire! Annoyed, the Hess minister angrily launched a personal attack on the Prince of Metternich.

"It is precisely because I am loyal to the Austrian Empire that I analyze with a cool head, and not blindly arrogant and inferior!" Prince Metternich shot back decisively.

Prince Metternich, who is not in his position and does not seek political power, will not make compromises in order to unite his colleagues, as he did in the past.

"That's it! You two don't say something inappropriate on such a serious occasion! "Franz. Joseph knocked on the table again to emphasise, and then turned his gaze to Count Bauer: "Count Bauer, what do you think about this matter?" ”

As Foreign Secretary, Baulta has been in a state of silence since he entered the door, which made him a member of the Franz Brown Boys. Joseph's impression couldn't help but decrease a little.

By Franz. Bauer, who Joseph suddenly named, was stunned for a few seconds, and then, after reacting, he immediately said to Franz. Joseph said.

On this issue he sided with Prince Metternich, and the Russian Empire did threaten the interests of the Austrian Empire in the two Danube principalities, so they had to leave, and the two Danube principalities had to be under the control of the Austrian Empire.

It's just that Bauer is not in favor of Britain and France immediately on the side of Britain and France, and the French Empire must ensure the interests of the Apennine Peninsula before the Austrian Empire is willing to stand with Britain and France! Baul also suggested that it would be better for the Austrian Empire not to really get involved in the war against the Russian Empire, and that it would be better to scare off the Russian Empire through the Anglo-French-Austrian Triple Alliance, so as to achieve the goal of surrendering the army without a fight.

Chancellor Hess was still opposed to Count Baul's proposal, and Prince Metternich was also critical of Count Baul's rigid foreign policy, and now was no longer the time to ride the wall, and the Austrian Empire had to show real skills in order to have a place in this seemingly out-of-the-ordinary military alliance.

Immediately, Franz. Joseph also pointed out a general from the army side and asked him what he thought.

The results did not come out of Franz. According to Franz, Chancellor Hess's attitude represents the attitude of the entire military towards this matter.

Immediately afterwards, Franz. Joseph then threw the question to his trusted Minister of the Interior, Bach, who gave much the same answer as that of the Count of Bauer, except that Bach's answer was closer to that of Prince Metternich.

Before the two very different approaches of the government and the military, Franz. Joseph was in trouble again, fearing that the war against Russia would lead to a series of disasters and lose its position on the international stage, and on the other hand, he was also afraid that the French Empire would lose patience and attack Lombardy and Venice because the Austrian Empire was unable to give an answer.

What is even more terrifying is that if the Kingdom of Prussia had formed an alliance with the French Empire and launched an attack on the Austrian Empire when the French Empire launched an attack on Lombardy and Venice, the Austrian Empire would have completely fallen out of the world stage because of the enemy.

Franz in a dilemma. Joseph looked at Prince Metternich with a pleading eye, knowing that his teacher who had traveled Europe for decades would have a solution.

Looking at his former student in front of him, Metternich couldn't help but worry about the future of the Habsburgs.

Things have obviously developed to this point, and his student still wants to be left and right, but complaining is complaining, and Prince Metternich proposed a solution that is not a solution: "Your Majesty, we can use the French Empire to suppress the Kingdom of Prussia, and at the same time, we can use the German Confederation and the Kingdom of Britain to demand that the French Empire protect the interests of the Austrian Empire......"

After listening to Prince Metternich's proposal, everyone immediately thought of the Congress of Vienna, for which Prince Metternich became famous.

At the beginning, he took advantage of the contradictions between the great powers of Europe to seek enough benefits for the Austrian Empire.

However, it was also clear to everyone present that such a superb diplomatic technique was not at all something that a junior diplomat like Count Baul could play.

I am afraid that only a veteran diplomat like Prince Metternich can really be free.

"Prince Metternich, since this question was raised by you, please make it happen!" Franz. Joseph covered Prince Metternich said.

"No!" Prince Metternich shook his head and rejected Franz. Joseph's appointment, and then explained: "If it were up to the old ministers, the monarchs would have been wary of me!" It's best to have Minister Baul and Minister Hess do it! ”

There was a look of surprise on Chancellor Bauer's face, he was surprised by Prince Metternich's high-spirited words, and at the same time felt a little ashamed of his previous thoughts about Metternich's desire to seize power.

Minister Hess's face showed a constipated expression, he didn't understand why Prince Metternich had made him a military attaché in the position of diplomatic ambassador, wasn't he afraid that he would mess up his plan!

"Good! That's it! "Franz. Joseph was the final word.

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