At the Schnbrunn Palace, Franz was in high spirits and found everyone agreeable lately. With the dust settled from the Arican Civil War, this ant that Austria wouldnt have to worry about threats from the United States for the next 50 years.
Such a long ti would be sufficient for him to develop the African continent. Although the natural conditions might not match the chosen land, it still provided the foundation of a great country.
Compared to this long-term plan, the European strategy beca secondary. Franz didnt believe he had the protagonists halo to unify the European continent and rebuild the Roman Empire.
The Holy Roman Empire and the Roman Empire might seem to differ by just a single word, but they are vastly different in reality.
Since the failure of Napoleon the Great, European countries had given up the idea of unifying the European continent. Even the stubborn Russian governnt dared not entertain such thoughts.
Even if Franz could unify Europe, he wouldnt pursue it. It is a bottomless pit that can bury any empire. One cannot dig a pit to show off only to end up burying oneself in it.
Africa might not be the optimal choice, but it is the most suitable option for Austria. If possible, Franz wouldnt mind focusing on South Arica.
The reasons are straightforward: South Arica boasts superior natural environnts, abundant resources with low developnt difficulties, lacks major powers and has vast territories with sparse populations.
With 17.84 million square kiloters of land, there are rely 20 million people, most of whom are indigenous.
If Spain could undergo a revival, then South Arica would be their promised land.
Most South Arican countries gained independence from Spanish colonies, but it has only been a few decades, so the royalist faction has not disappeared. They can easily regain control.
Knowing this, Franz harbored plans he didnt have any intention of voicing out. The Spaniards are preoccupied with internal conflicts and hardly can consider much else. By the ti their internal strife settles, Spain wont have the strength to return to South Arica.
Just because the Spaniards couldnt achieve it doesnt an other countries couldnt either.
The British need not be ntioned, they have too many colonies, and if they want to focus their efforts, North Arica is the best choice.
The period of the Arican Civil War was the opportune mont for them to act. Using Canada as a base to seize the Arican West Coast.
There is no doubt that the proud British are still imrsed in the glory of the Victorian era. Apart from concerns about the balance on the European continent being disrupted, they lacked a proper strategy.
What truly worried Franz was the French. The France of Napoleon IIIs era was not the passive republic that followed.
Many may think that luring France to South Arica would benefit Austrias African strategic advancent. In fact, the opposite is true, as it would prematurely expose Franzs African plan.
The European countries are not fools, they will certainly not stand idly by and watch a colossus rise. Once the hidden strategy is exposed, all the European countries will try to obstruct it, making the plan impossible to implent.
Maintaining absolute secrecy is impossible, but the longer the delay, the stronger Austrias presence on the continent becos. If Austrias African territories had tens of millions of people, even if the strategy were exposed, other countries would be powerless.
Eliminating threats is certainly important, but the cost must also be considered. Did the European countries not see the rise of the United States in history?
But what if they saw it? As long as it does not threaten the core interests of everyone, who would start a war regardless of the consequences?
Wars are costly, a lesson the Russian governnt deeply understands. First, the Near East War, then the Russo-Prussian War, and now a continental hegemon is on the brink of collapse.
Historically, when the British didnt intervene in the Arican Civil War, was it truly a strategic mistake by the British governnt?
Perhaps not entirely. After the failure to form the intervention alliance, many in the British governnt were worried about being dragged into another quagmire of war.
In this tiline, if Austria hadnt intervened and actively ddled in the Arican Civil War from the outset, causing both sides to suffer losses, and had also bound British interests so they couldnt withdraw, the British governnt might still hesitate to consider ard intervention.
The financial resources of any country are not limitless. Franz could clearly sense that since suppressing the Indian Rebellion, the pace of British overseas colonization had slowed.
Or, one could say that after the conclusion of the Near East War, the rate of British colonial expansion decelerated. French colonial activities in Africa also lagged behind Austria, and theres a clear causal relationship with the Near East War.
No ones money just falls from the sky; the wealth of the British and French financial sectors doesnt equate to governnt funds.
Perhaps during warti, they could raise more funds, but in peaceti, governnt fiscal revenues remain limited.
Money spent on war naturally leads to budget cuts in other areas.
Overseas colonization is also an industry that requires substantial financial investnt. When governnts reduce funding, it inevitably has an impact.
One cant endlessly borrow to fund colonization, as loans need to be repaid. During this era, currency was tied to gold and silver, hardly depreciating, making debt repaynt not so easy.
Therefore, Franz decided to dig a few more pits to drain the financial resources of Britain and France, hoping to curb their activities.
Just like the Russians, after the Near East War, they remained subdued for a decade. Just as they were beginning to recover so strength, they faced the Polish Uprising and the Russo-Prussian War.
Needless to say, the Russian governnt should remain well-behaved for the next 20 years. During this period, even if they wanted to wage war, theyd find it challenging to raise funds for it.
The top-secret docunt on the table was pointed to by Franz as he issued the order, Tyron, deploy according to the plan outlined in this docunt.
Picking up the docunt and briefly scanning its contents, Tyron responded expressionlessly, Yes, Your Majesty.
His greatest strength was never questioning orders; whatever Franz commanded, he would execute imdiately.
The current intelligence organization is no longer the loose entity it once was. The intelligence organization is now divided into three parts, three data analysis divisions, affiliated with the National Security Bureau but they report directly to Franz.
The first data analysis division is a publicly known intelligence organization ford from a network of nobility. It primarily collects low-level confidential information and occasionally guides public opinion.
This division serves to attract attention openly and relies mainly on the cooperation of local nobility. They investigate ordinary issues and occasionally suppress revolutionaries.
The latter two are the core of the intelligence organization. Their operations are quite extensive, including collecting dostic and foreign intelligence, assassinations, causing disturbances
The second division focuses primarily on dostic intelligence, while the third division focuses on overseas intelligence. The scope of operations for both divisions is similarly broad. Their authorities overlap significantly, suggesting mutual oversight between them.
Tyron, as the head of intelligence, primarily works to coordinate the relationships among the three intelligence divisions and ensures the implentation of Franzs orders.
This is dictated by practical needs; intelligence work demands high levels of secrecy. Franz wouldnt dare to treat others as fools. If he were to directly interact with the three intelligence divisions, wouldnt that imply that each of them is an independent intelligence organization?
To minimize the visibility of the intelligence organization, when operating dostically, they rely collect information. Even in special circumstances requiring action, they employ individuals embedded within governnt departnts.
On the surface, law enforcent within the country is handled by the police, and the intelligence organization has never appeared in public view.
Ordinary people are completely unaware that Franz commands an intelligence organization, and even the governnts top echelons are unfamiliar with the intelligence organizations internal structure. To the outside world, the three divisions operate as a single entity.
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