Chapter 230: Good Idea = Bad Idea
The Crimean Peninsula remains a battleground as Britain, France, and Russia continue their fierce battle. To be precise, Britain and France were on the offensive while Russia was defending with all its might.
The inferiority of weaponry and equipment was a glaring weakness. In contrast to the Russian forces in the Balkans, which have uniformly switched to Austrian weapons, making them comparable to the British and French, the Crimean forces faced a more difficult situation in terms of equipment.
The Russian forces in Crimea were not so lucky. Originally considered a secondary force within the country, they were hastily mobilized for the conflict. In addition, multiple factors such as corruption within the Russian bureaucracy contributed to their tragic situation.
In fact, by this time Nicholas I had already decided to switch completely to Austrian arms. However, due to the establishment of production lines in the country, bureaucratic officials who did not consider the overall situation impulsively awarded production contracts to domestic military-industrial enterprises, thereby creating problems for their comrades.
It takes time for the production line to be tuned, and it also takes time to retrain workers. In peacetime and other circumstances, this may not be a significant problem. In wartime, however, this is a problem as Russian forces on the battlefield cannot afford to wait.
So far, the Russians have not been able to maximize their production capacity. At their current rate, it is impossible to fully equip the Russian forces in Crimea within a year or two.
General Gorchakov, who had recently been appointed commander-in-chief in Crimea, was furious. He didn’t realize the extent of the problem when he was fighting in the Balkans, because everything that was lacking could be bought directly from Austria.
In Crimea, he had seen the dismal state of Russian military logistics, where not only was the replacement of modern weapons delayed, but even routine logistical supplies were prone to error.
Fortunately, the allied forces on the other side were not as formidable as those encountered in the Balkans. The siege of Constantinople was still important, as it had at least kept the French elite forces in check.
After some thought, General Gorchakov remarked: “Send a message to St. Petersburg with a detailed description of our situation and a request for immediate replenishment of our supplies from the motherland.
If logistical support cannot be provided, we will have no choice but to abandon the Crimean Peninsula and retreat to the coastal regions of Ukraine.”
The lack of medical supplies and medicine could be overlooked; after all, cannon fodder wasn’t that valuable, and he wouldn’t feel remorse if they perished. But the lack of rifles and artillery was intolerable. How could they continue to fight without the necessary equipment?
Gorchakov no longer cared if he might offend someone. If he lost, it would be the end of him, so more serious consequences mattered little.
As a high-ranking military commander in the Russian army, as long as he wins this war, even if it means offending domestic interest groups, he can withstand the pressure.
The primary means of transportation for the Russian forces on the Crimean Peninsula were ox carts, which were relatively decent for the time and place. The Russians were also quite well prepared, stockpiling a significant amount of supplies in coastal areas, including Crimea.
Even if the bureaucrats siphon off some of it, they won’t have any use for it and will eventually have to sell it back to the Tsar. So Gorchakov doesn’t have to worry about food shortages.
There’s nothing that can be done about the weapons and equipment. Since the Russian government has already decided to replace them, who knows where these junk goods will end up?
The same equipment made by Russian arms manufacturers will inevitably be a little heavier and have a slightly higher failure rate. But they can definitely withstand wear and tear.
Gorchakov wasn’t picky; he just needed whatever was available. Now the pressure was on the Russian government to speed up the supply process. If domestic production can’t keep up, they should quickly go and buy more!
In any case, Russia can’t give up Crimea, or if the British and French get a foothold there, it’s game over for Russian control of the Black Sea.
To strike a blow against their main competitor, the British probably don’t mind footing the bill for military spending every year. As long as they blockade the Crimean Peninsula, not only would the Russian Bear’s strategic influence in the Near East be finished, but half of the import-export trade would be in British hands.
It won’t take much perseverance, three to five years at most, and the European hegemony of the Russian Empire will crumble. By instigating Polish independence, the British would successfully achieve their strategic goals.
Of course, it’s not that easy for things to go so well. At least Franz won’t agree to it. He’s getting ready to make trouble for the British.
The Russians cannot fall, at least not until the internal consolidation of the New Holy Roman Roman Empire is complete. Otherwise, they would have to behave submissively.
Franz, worried, asked, “Marshal, is there any way to enable the Russians to take Constantinople?”
In Franz’s opinion, the easiest place to break the deadlock on the Near Eastern front is Constantinople. As long as the Russians capture it, this war will end.
The Bosphorus Strait is narrowest at about 750 meters and widest at only 3.7 kilometers. By providing the Russians with a batch of coastal artillery and strategically placing it along the coast, the maritime passage between the Black Sea and the outside world could be cut off.
Without a sea channel, the Ottoman Empire’s transportation would be comparable to that of Russia. If they had to transport supplies by land from the Anatolian Peninsula, the logistical support for the English and French allied forces on the Crimean Peninsula would undoubtedly run into problems, leaving them no alternative but to retreat hastily.
Marshal Radetzky analyzed, “Your Majesty, Constantinople is inherently a fortress city, easy to defend and difficult to attack. It is currently garrisoned by elite French troops, and the navy provides firepower support.
To attempt a direct assault, we would have to rely on overwhelming force. We need to push the French forces to their limits before there’s any chance of breaking through the city.
The wisest choice for the Russians now is to gather a substantial number of cannons and bombard Constantinople relentlessly. Even the strongest fortress has its limits.
The Ottoman Empire has long been in decline, and Constantinople has not faced a threat in a century. They have neglected to upgrade and modernize the city’s fortifications.
After the outbreak of the Near East War, the Ottoman government made some hasty repairs and reinforcements, but the time was too short. This is an opportunity for the Russians.
Most of these fortifications cannot withstand the assault of heavy artillery. If the Russians are willing to invest, deploying a few hundred heavy cannons and slowly chipping away could break through this turtle shell.”
This is a pure brute-force approach that relies entirely on overwhelming force, but it is currently the only feasible method.
The problem is that the British and French could also acquire a large number of cannons to engage in a bombardment competition with the Russians. In the end, both sides would resort to sacrificing lives. Without casualties reaching hundreds of thousands, it seems impossible to breach Constantinople.
In this era, the accuracy of cannons is low. The Russian army only needed to spread out its artillery positions and bombard Constantinople, a large target that could surely be hit by cannonballs. In contrast, it would be a challenge for the British and French to destroy the Russian artillery positions.
Franz believes that casualties won’t deter the Russians, and the military expenditure may even wear them down first. It would take millions of rubles to obtain several hundred heavy artillery pieces, not to mention the dozens of tons of ammunition needed for a single salvo.
Since the goal is a relentless bombardment, the firing of several thousand tons of ammunition in a single day is just standard procedure. To completely level Constantinople, who knows how much ammunition would ultimately be consumed.
However, if the operation is not carried out in this way, based on the current Russian approach, the exchange ratio would reach four to one. Even if cannon fodder isn’t valuable, they can’t withstand such a depletion.
Given the current situation, Franz can confidently say that the Russian government will hold out for at most another year or so before being forced to abandon the effort due to excessive casualties.
After some thought, Franz said, “Have the General Staff draw up a plan and present it to the Russian government. Whether they use it or not is up to them!”
He doesn’t believe that there isn’t a single smart person in the Russian government, who can see that blindly sacrificing lives to fill the colossal pit that is Constantinople without firepower superiority, is a suicidal endeavor.
According to the information received by Franz, since the outbreak of the Battle of Constantinople, the number of casualties in the Russian army has approached the total sum of the two Battles of Bulgaria.
Even St. Petersburg was preparing to replace Menshikov. Under the command of this “genius” commander, Russian casualties had always remained high.
This plan was not intended for the Russian government but for the Russian commander-in-chief of the Balkans, Menshikov. If he doesn’t want to return to St. Petersburg in disgrace, he will undoubtedly consider Austria’s proposal.
As a high-ranking military general in the Russian army, no one can resist the temptation to conquer Constantinople. Completing this great feat would elevate them to the status of “national hero” in Russian history.
It was not only the Russians who were interested. In fact, Franz also wanted to accomplish this great feat. The Habsburgs and the Ottoman Empire had long been mortal enemies, and the capture of Constantinople would bring them considerable political prestige.
Most European countries have a special sentiment toward Constantinople. Since the French were currently helping the Ottomans defend the city, Franz was confident that Napoleon III wouldn’t mind taking Constantinople if he had the chance.
Completing this great feat would bring no less prestige than defeating the Russians. If the Battle of the Crimean Peninsula ended in defeat, Napoleon III would likely annex Constantinople outright to mitigate the political fallout from losing the war.
The British government would probably acquiesce in these developments. Constantinople falling into French hands would be preferable to it falling into Russian hands. If France and Russia were to engage in a protracted struggle, the British would undoubtedly be pleased.
If possible, Franz wouldn’t mind adding fuel to the fire and deepening the hatred between France and Russia.
Unfortunately, the Russians are not up to the task. The bureaucrats of the Russian government are dragging their feet, and hopes for a Russian victory in Crimea are too slim.
Unable to achieve this, Franz could only hope that the Russians would suddenly erupt in strength and conquer Constantinople, drastically maximizing British-French enmity in one fell swoop.
Marshal Radetzky’s approach was undoubtedly the most effective from the point of view of the Austrian government. For the Russians, however, it was a bad idea.
The reason was very simple. This method was too expensive for an agricultural country like Russia.
This approach easily exceeds the endurance limit of the Russian Empire. Even if they were to conquer Constantinople, they would be unable to continue strategically due to financial exhaustion.
After all, there is still the Dardanelles. Just controlling the Bosphorus Strait is not enough for the Russians to dominate the Black Sea Straits. Besides, after taking Constantinople, they would only control half of the Bosphorus Strait.
Strategically, diverting forces to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula and block the Dardanelles can also end the war.
Not every place has a Constantinople, and defending the Gallipoli Peninsula is undoubtedly much more difficult than defending Constantinople.
Even if they cannot capture this area, a diversionary attack can force the British and French to commit heavy forces to the defense, relieving the pressure on the Russian army in the Crimean Peninsula.
It’s just that the lure of Constantinople is too great, and the Russians can’t resist the temptation to rush in.
Of course, Franz would not remind the Russians of this. Ending the Near East War prematurely, without maximizing the depletion of British, French, and Russian forces, didn’t serve the interests of the New Holy Roman Empire.
Moreover, even the best strategy requires capable execution, and Franz doesn’t believe that the Russians have such strong execution capabilities, at least not under General Menshikov’s command.
Considering the efficiency of the Russians, attempting a sudden attack against Britain and France is undoubtedly a pipe dream. Currently, the Gallipoli Peninsula is guarded by only a few Ottoman garrisons, making it easy to breach.
Once Britain and France react, the combined forces attacking the Greeks can immediately reinforce the Gallipoli Peninsula, leading to another major battle.
Britain and France have an abundance of national power. Even if they open another front, they can grit their teeth and hold out, but not Russia. Russia’s domestic organizational capabilities are already approaching their limits.
If another front line is added, the Russians may feel the strain of insufficient forces. It’s not that they lack troops, but rather their inability to move them quickly to the front lines.
Another challenge is logistics. Even if they can get supplies from Austria, the efficiency of transporting them to the front lines would likely be sluggish.
With one wrong move, good intentions could lead to unintended consequences. If logistical support fell short and the Russians lost the war, Franz would have no choice but to cry together with Nicholas I.
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