Chapter 484: Faith Crisis
The United Kingdom and Austria were duking it out in South Africa, and every country in Europe was delighted to watch the show. To keep the war dragging on longer, the French even took concrete action to support the "Boer Republic."
In this Anglo-Boer War, nearly one-fifth of the strategic supplies had been provided by the French. The French also threw the doors wide open to supplies transported from Austria through Egypt to the South African front.
Rather than a contest between the United Kingdom and Austria, this Anglo-Boer War was more like France and Austria joining forces to make trouble for the British. Although Austria ultimately occupied South Africa, the French had not lost out on their investment either.
Keeping the British tied up in South Africa was better than letting them devote that energy to the European Continent.
The Anti-French Alliance had remained only on paper instead of becoming reality, and this Anglo-Boer War had played an important role in that as well.
Logically speaking, with the United Kingdom and Austria now at odds, the situation was extremely favorable to France. Nothing could stop the establishment of the Greater French Empire, and Napoleon III should have been pleased.
Yet just as the external threat disappeared, internal troubles emerged.
The first to jump out was the Pope. The Italian states, unwilling to accept defeat, attempted to support the Pope and challenge him in the ring.
As a Catholic nation, the Holy See still wielded enormous influence. Now that the Emperor and the Pope resided in the same country, the question of who was greater and who was lesser was a headache indeed.
Napoleon III was beginning to regret it. Had he known it would be such a hassle, he would have kicked out the Papal