Chapter 872: The Most Incorruptible Department
At Vienna Palace, ever since word arrived that the Anglo-Russian War had broken out, Franz had felt completely at ease.
After serving as emperor for so many years, he had always proceeded with the utmost caution, all to avoid ending up surrounded and attacked on all sides as in the original timeline.
Austria's national policy had likewise been built around this core objective. First, it had split apart the United States across the ocean, then snuffed out Italy while it was still in its infancy.
Next, it had crippled the once-arrogant Prussia, weakening the Russian Empire in passing. Only now, with the outbreak of the Anglo-Russian War, had Austria truly escaped the threat of being besieged from all sides.
Although the British Government adhered to the policy that "there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests," that did not mean nations that had just fought to the death could immediately become allies.
Governments could be shameless, but the public would never accept such a heaven-shaking reversal. Even if interest groups suppressed public opinion, the Russians would still have to cooperate.
If the Russians won this war, then moving south into India would become the Tsarist Government's future national policy, and no one could stop it.
Unless the British could make concessions, the two countries could only lock horns to the bitter end.
If the Russians lost the war—well, that was impossible. Franz had already made up his mind to support the Tsarist Government in fighting on.
At worst, in the later stages, Austria would provide money and supplies while the Russians provided troops, and together they would grind the British down.
If one year was not enough, then two; if two were not enough, then three or five. Unless blood flowed like a river,