Chapter 98: The British Conspiracy
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London.
Prime Minister John Russell was currently troubled by the issue in Italy. After the Austro-Sardinian-Venetian War, he knew that things were getting complicated. It was possible that the interests of the British Empire in the Italian Region might be jeopardized.
“Mr. Palmerston, the Austro-Sardinian-Venetian War is about to come to an end. What stance do you think we should take?” John Russell asked.
The Secretary of Foreign Affairs Palmerston calmly said: “Prime Minister, we have substantial interests within the Kingdom of Sardinia. To safeguard the interests of the British Empire, the preservation of the Kingdom of Sardinia is imperative.
However, we must also take Austria’s position into account. This war was initiated by the Sardinians, so we certainly need to give Austria an explanation!”
During this era, the global stage revolved around the rivalry between Britain and Russia both vying for supremacy. The British Empire had yet to reach the height of its power. And the Austrian Empire was also one of the major powers, its rightful interests should not be deprived.
Secretary of State Henry John Temple furrowed his brow and said, “Mr. Palmerston, the current issue is that the Austrians won’t just let this go. No major power can tolerate being provoked without a response to uphold their dignity.
Sardinia has already provoked the Austrian Government this time, to the extent that they were willing to compromise with the French. Intelligence from Paris indicates that a secret agreement might have been reached between France and Austria.
If France and Austria were to join forces at this moment, Sardinia would become history, and even if we were to oppose it, it might be in vain!”
In the matter of Italy, Britain, France, and Austria hold the most significant influence due to geopolitical factors. The Italian Region has consistently been a focal point of contention between France and Austria. The British have played a mediating role to maintain balance and stability.
In order to better balance the influence of France and Austria, entering the 19th century, the British started propagating the idea of unification in Italy. After the outbreak of the European revolutions, the London government once again began to support the Kingdom of Sardinia in its efforts to unify Italy.
There was no doubt that they miscalculated this time. Austria, with just a single move, severely crippled the Kingdom of Sardinia. They even went so far as to collude with their rival, the French, in an attempt to divide Italy.
Palmerston smiled slightly and said, “Mr. Temple, things aren’t as dire as they seem. The French are riddled with internal conflicts, changing governments faster than women change clothes.
The political stance of the previous administration doesn’t necessarily reflect the current one’s views. If need be, we can wait for the next government.
By exerting diplomatic pressure, the French Government won’t have the energy to expand outward. Without the French, Austria wouldn’t have the appetite to swallow Sardinia in one gulp.”
After hearing Palmerston’s analogy, a chuckle spread among the crowd. When it comes to mocking their long standing rival, the French, the British had never shied away from showing their amusement.
If a France-Austria partnership were in play, that would indeed pose a significant challenge — no one could easily thwart their intentions of dividing Italy.
However, the current state of affairs in France was far from stable. In the short span since the establishment of the republic, they have already gone through multiple changes in leadership.
Initially, the British had the intention of supporting a government leaning toward Britain’s interests. Yet, witnessing the rapid succession of government changes in France, they decided to hold back on their endeavors.
There was no helping it; they couldn’t keep up with the pace. France’s internal scene was plagued by intermittent waves of revolution and a myriad of conflicting interest groups.
Who knows who would stand triumphant in the end?
If they make the wrong investment, wasting resources would be one thing, but gaining an additional enemy would be a significant loss.
After a brief pause, Prime Minister Russell inquired once more, “Mr. Palmerston, how does the Department of Foreign Affairs plan to persuade the Austrian Government? And if they remain determined to obliterate the Kingdom of Sardinia, what measures does your office intend to take?”
His intention was clear: British involvement in the Italian issue would be limited to diplomatic efforts.
Sending direct military support to aid the Kingdom of Sardinia in warfare would eliminate the need for such considerations. Putting aside whether or not victory can be achieved, within the framework of the fundamental policy of maintaining balance on the European Continent, Austria was equally indispensable to British continental policy.
Palmerston pondered for a moment and replied, “Prime Minister, the Austrian Empire has just weathered an internal turmoil, and the Hungarian Rebellion has not yet been quelled. Their most pressing concern now is managing internal conflicts.
They probably don’t have plans to annex the Kingdom of Sardinia, and even the Austro-French secret treaty might be a smokescreen. Metternich, that old fox, isn’t easy to handle. The Kingdom of Sardinia is bound to suffer heavy losses this time.
If the interests in the Italian Region can’t satisfy the Austrians, then we can placate them with Balkan interests, encouraging them to vie with the Ottoman Empire for dominance in the Near East!”
This was the strategy the British Empire excels at – shifting blame to the other side. The fundamental weakness of the Ottoman Empire hasn’t been fully exposed yet, and on the surface, they are also among the great powers.
The Habsburg Dynasty and the Ottoman Empire have been arch-enemies for a century, from the Middle Ages to the present day. They’ve fought numerous battles, large and small – enough to fill a book. The roots of their animosity run deep.
“The situation in the Near East is already quite complex. If we incite Austria to enter the fray, it will only further complicate matters. And if the Austrian government teams up with the Russians, can we still maintain control?” questioned Secretary of State Henry John Temple.
Austria and the Ottoman Empire were ancient adversaries with profound conflicts. If the British Empire lends support from behind the scenes, the Austrian Government would certainly not hesitate to suppress this arch-enemy.
But the issue was that Russia and the Ottoman Empire were also long-standing adversaries. Furthermore, Russia and Austria happen to be allies. If they had a common enemy, it was difficult to prevent them from forming a coalition.
Palmerston explained confidently, “The Russia-Austria alliance is undeniable, but in the Balkan Region, they also have conflicting interests. Austria has long set its sights on the Danube River Basin, and Russia’s appetite knows no bounds. Their conflict is a matter of time, and when that happens, the troublesome Russo-Austrian alliance that gives us a headache will naturally crumble!”
Interests have always been the best catalyst. Currently, the greatest adversary of the British was the Russians, and many diplomatic policies revolve around countering Russia.
Bringing down Russia as a competitor was no easy task. Unlike their previous foes, the Russian Bear not only possessed a formidable land army, but it was also in the easternmost part of Europe, securing a geographical advantage.
To defeat the Russians, it was crucial to first fragment their alliances and isolate them. The British were patient in this regard, as they understood that for them to triumph over Russia, they must work on weakening their allies and isolating them.
……
Vienna.
Following the victory in the Battle of Venice, Franz turned his attention to post-war considerations. For Austria, the Italian Region resembled a boneless piece of meat—having some value but not enough to fully savor, and yet too valuable to simply discard.
Conquering the Kingdom of Sardinia might be achievable, but effectively governing it posed a greater challenge.
“Metternich, what’s the French stance? When do they plan to deploy their forces?” Franz inquired with some concern.
While ruling over Sardinia might prove complicated, it didn’t preclude its potential for manipulation. If he could entice the French to become involved, it might divert the attention of the British Empire away from Austria’s affairs.
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