Chapter 76: Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures
“War is meant to serve politics” - this was the best excuse Franz came up with. He couldn’t simply say that he was worried about history repeating itself. The Hungarians suddenly erupted and pushed back the Bohemian army?
No one would believe this. The Bohemian army had 100,000 troops. Even if it were halved, there would still be 50,000 regular troops. How many Hungarian troops are there in Budapest now?
The Hungarian Republic may have a considerable number of military forces on paper, the reality is that Kossuth’s ability to mobilize active troops is severely limited. While various local governments have their own National Guard units, many of them are understaffed or vacant.
The Kossuth government has managed to gather some of the retreating soldiers from the front lines, bringing the total military force in Budapest to 80,000 on paper. However, with an average of only two to three soldiers per rifle and a complete lack of morale, how much combat effectiveness can these units truly have?
Prince Windisch-Gr?tz, who was a soldier as well as a politician, naturally would not refute this statement.
“Your Majesty, could it be that the government has some plan?”
Franz smiled and replied, “Your Highness, have you forgotten about the Italian front?”
Prince Windisch-Gr?tz nodded, acknowledging that while he didn’t consider the Kingdom of Sardinia a major threat, he wouldn’t refuse an easier victory in the war.
With Austria’s main forces fully deployed, the Hungarian Republic is on the brink of collapse. If the Kingdom of Sardinia does not attack Venice soon, they may face not just 100,000 Austrian troops, but possibly 200,000 or even 300,000.
They cannot afford any more delays. Suppressing the Hungarian rebellion is an internal campaign, and the Habsburg family has managed to avoid widespread grievances within the realm. It is only with a solid base of public support that they can sustain a war of this scale.
“Order the frontline units to proceed steadily and advance step by step, leaving no room for the enemy to exploit!” Franz added.
… …
The Kingdom of Hungary, with its vast expanse encompassing over three hundred thousand square kilometers, surpassed the future Hungarian Republic by more than triple its size.
At this juncture, two-thirds of the regions had already aligned themselves with the Austrian government. From a political standpoint, the Austrian government’s previous political maneuvers had been remarkably successful.
The Bohemian Army, stationed closest to Budapest, had only a few dozen kilometers left to reach their destination. As for the Transylvanian Army, situated farthest away, they were no more than three hundred kilometers from the capital.
Since the outbreak of the war, the Hungarian government has been filled with anxiety, and many people have begun to regret their decisions.
The Austrian response has far exceeded their expectations. Normally, the usual course of action would involve dispatching the police initially to make arrests, followed by deploying a few thousand troops to quell the unrest after initial failures, and subsequently increasing reinforcements...
Nevertheless, the Hungarian Republic has placed its trust in a strategy of successive victories over Austria, exerting pressure on the Austrian government to acknowledge their independence. This strategy draws inspiration from the American Revolutionary War, envisioning a Hungarian War of Independence.
Undoubtedly, there may be obstacles and failures along the path, yet ultimate triumph shall belong to the Hungarian Republic.
Truly, the apex of deception lies in deceiving oneself as well.
Indeed, they may not really be deceivers, but they have certainly woven such a grand dream. Without the existence of such a dream, they would not have been able to endure until now.
Regrettably, from the very beginning, the director seemed to have picked up the wrong script. What was supposed to be a novice dungeon for gaining experience suddenly turned into a hell raid. And they were supposed to fight the BOSS when they were merely at Level 0?
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Budapest.
Driven by the circumstances, Kossuth found himself compelled to seek help from his greatest political adversary, Count István.
István Széchenyi, one of the prominent Hungarian aristocrats, stood as Hungary’s greatest reformer, commanding immense respect within the country.
Diverging from Kossuth’s reliance on oratory skills, István was a man of action, having made remarkable contributions in the fields of education, transportation, culture, politics, and economy. He was hailed as the greatest figure in Hungarian history, known for his pragmatic approach and tangible achievements.
It has been proven that pragmatists, despite their effectiveness, are overshadowed by eloquent orators, which is why the Hungarian Republic came into existence, as István remained loyal to the emperor and opposed any violent revolution.
In the realm of politics, István believed that any economic, political, and social reforms must be carried out slowly and cautiously to avoid unforeseen consequences.
While Kossuth advocated for the establishment of a rapidly industrialized nation, István advocated for preserving the traditional strength of agriculture and continuing along the path of an agricultural nation.
The biggest conflict between them arose in the realm of ethnic issues. István believed that Hungary was a multi-ethnic country, where people were divided by language, culture, and religion. He considered the implementation of nationalism to be highly dangerous.
He believed that Hungary needed gradual progress in terms of economy, society, and culture from the beginning, and opposed excessive radicalism and nationalism.
Indeed, the facts have proven that Kossuth’s implementation of nationalism was unsuccessful, as the Austrian government easily managed to sow division within Hungary.
Helpless, Kossuth had no choice but to seek assistance from his former political rival.
“Count, for the future of the 13 million people of the Hungarian Republic, I implore you to step forward!” he pleaded.
István shook his head and, after a pause, finally spoke, “Your Hungarian Republic doesn't have over 13 million people. It may not even have half a million. The rest are subjects of His Majesty, Emperor Ferdinand!”
The invisible pretense was exposed, as István directly pinpointed the true reason behind the Hungarian Republic’s plight.
Due to the government’s implementation of radical nationalist policies, the minority groups in the Hungarian Republic chose to remain loyal to the emperor.
The republican government failed to address the issue of land ownership, leading the peasants to pledge their loyalty to the emperor. Similarly, the government neglected the interests of the working class, causing them to align themselves with the emperor.
In the end, only the capitalists and nobles remained. Undoubtedly, a significant portion of them remained loyal to the emperor, while the true supporters of the Hungarian Republic were few in number.
“Your Excellency, now that the Hungarian Republic has been established and the Austrian army is about to attack, can you bear to watch Hungary meet its doom?” Kossuth angrily questioned.
István calmly replied, “Mr. Kossuth, there’s no use in saying such things. I joined the military at the age of 17 and participated in the anti-French war. I served in the army for 18 years before retiring. I have a better understanding of military affairs than you do. From a military standpoint, I don't see any possibility of victory. Tell me, what can I do now?
Of course, if you are ready to give up independence and negotiate with the Austrian government, that's a different story!”
Kossuth's face turned dark and terrifying. Although deep down he acknowledged István's words, he couldn't admit it openly.
As the head of the Hungarian Republic, he had no other choice apart from fighting to the bitter end. In reality, his only option was to face them until the end, as engaging in negotiations meant the end of his political career.
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