Chapter 85: Dark History
Since the Austrian army laid siege to Budapest, the city has been filled with fear and unease. If it weren’t for the new government holding onto the illusion of the Kingdom of Sardinia as their ally, many people would have already fled.
Of course, even those who haven’t fled yet were already preparing to do so. Budapest is a sizable city, and to prevent any desperate struggles by the enemy, the Bohemian Corps strictly enforced the “three surround, one remain” strategy.
For a handful of individuals, it was still relatively easy to escape as long as they didn't move in large groups. The Austrian army was unlikely to take notice unless a significant military detachment was leaving the city.
Hungarian Republic's Minister of Army, G?rge, spoke with a troubled expression, “Mr. Kossuth, we have just received intelligence that the traitors from Croatia will join forces with the Austrian troops outside the city tomorrow.
At that time, the enemy forces besieging the city will rise to 150,000, and Budapest will be unable to hold!”
“General G?rge’s words are not wrong. Budapest simply cannot withstand the enemy’s powerful military force. This revolution has already failed. In order to minimize the losses and preserve Hungary as much as possible, I propose engaging in negotiations with the Austrian government!” Minister of Internal Affairs, Schemir, spoke up.
With the military setbacks, reactionary forces in Hungary began to rise.
The bourgeois aristocrats led by Schemir and Gorbachev leading the compromising faction within the military sought to negotiate with the Austrian government to safeguard their own interests.
For Kossuth, this was undoubtedly a major blow. Even before the siege by the Bohemian Corps, he advocated launching a preemptive strike while the enemy was still unstable. Unfortunately, he faced opposition from the military.
Currently, the enemy was busy outside the city, redistributing land and empowering the peasants. Through the liberation of serfs and land distribution, the Austrian army has gained the support of the local population.
Ironically, it was the Hungarian Republic that was viewed with hostility by the local population. In the eyes of the common people, the emperor in faraway Vienna was their protector, while the Hungarian government in Budapest was seen as a tool for the exploitation by the nobles and capitalists.
Minister of Education, Petofi, quickly opposed, saying, “No, if we engage in negotiations with Austria now, Hungary will be divided. The Austrian government is plotting to divide Hungary, and we will be left with just one province! Moreover, even in that one province, we won’t have any autonomy. The Austrian government holds the advantage, so how can we expect them to make compromises?”
In fact, compromise was something the revolutionary party didn’t mind. However, the gap between the conditions that both sides wanted was simply too vast.
The Austrian government, led by Franz, planned to divide Hungary into five provinces: Croatia, Slavonia, Vojvodina, Transylvania, and Hungary.
This was no secret. Croatia and Transylvania have already established independent provinces, while preparations were already underway for the governments of Slavonia and Vojvodina.
Once this plan succeeds, the Kingdom of Hungary will become history. Due to ethnic relations, their chances of independence will be limited to only the remaining province of Hungary, which significantly increased the difficulty.
Schemir retorted, “Mr. Petofi, the reality is that we simply cannot win the war! If we refuse to negotiate with the Austrian government, the eventual outcome will likely be even worse. They will erase Hungary from history. Throughout the course of history, countless nations have vanished. Don’t you want to prevent the disappearance of the Hungarian people?”
Kossuth exclaimed excitedly, “The great Hungarian nation will not disappear! History will prove the futility of the enemy’s conspiracies. As long as we persevere, victory will be ours! To win this war, I have invited the renowned Polish general, Henryk D?browski. I believe that we can certainly emerge victorious!”
Schemir’s face darkened, but he remained silent. Despite his dislike for Kossuth’s tendency to switch into speech mode, the revolutionary party was still in power, and he didn’t intend to directly confront them at the moment.
At this stage of the war, individual efforts alone cannot bring about change.
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They dared to establish the Hungarian Republic because, at that time, Hungary was united as a whole while the Austrian Empire was already on the brink of collapse. The reform measures of the Austrian government had also encroached upon their interests.
However, who could have predicted that shortly after their independence, stability would return to Austria while Hungary, under the political onslaught from the Austrian government, would fracture into pieces? The balance of power between the two sides has undergone a staggering transformation.
No one is foolish, except for the barefoot revolutionaries. The rest are all considering their options. The Austrian government has shown no mercy towards the rebels this time. For those who have families and businesses to consider, who among them are willing to risk everything?
……
The lower-class population of Budapest don’t care what the high-ranking individuals think. They are more worried about having three meals a day. Since the Austrian army laid siege to the city, the transportation routes for goods between Budapest and the outside world have been cut off.
Hungary was a major producer of food in Europe, with fertile farmland surrounding Budapest. Food supplies within the city were not lacking.
However, the skyrocketing prices became unbearable. Many people prioritize money over their lives, and in this crisis, their mindset was not about weathering the storm together but rather taking advantage of the situation.
For example, the cheapest black bread has its price increased by 58% compared to before the revolution. The price of coal for cooking and heating has also doubled.
Fuel had to be conserved, forcing many households to cook together. Even so, the soaring prices made their lives increasingly difficult.
To make matters worse, the Hungarian Republic government issued republican currency and restoration vouchers, which resulted in the plundering of the people’s wealth.
Since the establishment of the Hungarian Republic, the people in Budapest have not experienced a few days of peace. How can ideals of nationality, statehood, and freedom compare to the basic necessity of having three meals a day?
On April 18, 1848, a workers’ movement was sparked in Budapest. Hungry workers and impoverished citizens took to the streets, demanding that the government address rising prices, take strict action against price gouging by profiteers, implement the “Labour Protection Law,” and tackle the issue of unemployment.
The Hungarian Republic government, acting as the spokesperson for the bourgeoisie, naturally disregarded their demands. The Kossuth government responded with brutal repression.
On April 23, 1848, news of Austria's abolition of serfdom reached Hungary. The exploited and oppressed serfs in the small Kecel region could no longer bear it and revolted. The rebels seized the manors, killed the overseers, and divided the land among themselves.
The uprising quickly spread along the Danube River, causing great alarm among the Hungarian nobility. They turned their attention to Vienna and Budapest, seeking assistance.
Undoubtedly, the Austrian government, aiming to suppress the Hungarian nobility, refused their request on the grounds of being beyond their reach. In order to gain the support of the nobility, the Kossuth government once again found itself on the opposite side of the people.
After suppressing the workers’ and peasants’ movements, the Hungarian Republic government obtained support from capitalists and the nobility. The cohesion among the Hungarian nation increased, but at the same time, a rift formed between them and the lower-class population.
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