Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 1010: Chapter 24, A New Bet

The topic of advancing southward or northward once again appeared in the imperial council meeting. However, different from the past, the southward strategy had already failed.

Since the plan to capture the Philippine Islands had failed, there was even less point in thinking about subsequent campaigns in Southeast Asia. The Continental Alliance, having interfered once, could interfere a second time. If they continued to recklessly push southward, it would be a clear sign of growing weary of living.

Looking at the bigger picture, although Japan had suffered heavy losses in the Philippines war, they were not without gains.

Among these, the greatest benefit was acquiring a modernized fleet. They had obtained capital ships that they could not afford to buy before the war.

Judging solely by the total tonnage of warships, the Japanese Navy had become the world’s fifth strongest naval power, trailing only behind the United Kingdom, Austria, Russia, and Spain.

If nothing unexpected happened, with the warships purchased at the Japanese Government Auction returning to Japan after the end of the Philippines war, their ranking could advance even further, surpassing Spain and Russia to become the world’s third strongest naval power.

...

If other factors were not considered, this would be the Japanese Empire’s moment of glory. Unfortunately, behind this splendid success was an empty treasury.

With Japan’s current situation, if it did not expand externally, it was simply impossible to maintain such a fleet, even if all government revenue were invested.

“Looking at the current situation, advancing northward does indeed seem easier than going southward, but the Empire’s finances are already unable to sustain a large-scale war.

Korea is not a concern, but we cannot disregard the reactions of xxx. Even though they have declined, to us, they remain an enormous entity.

Once war breaks out, when it ends will not be ours alone to decide. If the war drags on, the Empire could very well be dragged to its demise.”

It was not that Kiyotaka Kuroda was timid, but rather that Japan’s financial situation was too grim. The Philippine Islands, though rich, had yet to be managed by them, and the wealth obtained through plundering was far from sufficient to support a war.

With no money in their pockets, everything lacked conviction. Even though the neighbors had fallen from their former glory, their deep-rooted strength meant that the Japanese Empire currently had no assurance of victory.

Yamagata Aritomo said, “Kuroda-kun, now is the best opportunity to advance northward. Due to the Philippine campaign, our neighbors have lowered their guard against us, indulging in fantasies that we and the Spaniards will both emerge weakened.

However, they have forgotten that although we suffered heavy losses in the war, the Empire’s military power has been growing, and the balance of power has shifted.

The Empire’s finances limit the growth of military power. In peacetime, we simply cannot support such a large military force. Our nation’s power dictates that the current military might of the Empire is at its peak, at least for the next twenty years.

If we do not use our current advantage to defeat our neighbors and secure enough living space for the Empire, we will not have another chance in the future.

We have no choice. For the future of the great Empire of Japan, we must act even if the risks are great. Moreover, the current risks are not high—worst case, we simply repeat the events of 1874.”

Ambition stems not only from strength but also from the “face” of a decaying empire. Failure to invade can still yield compensation, so what is there to fear?

Even if we lose the war, at worst, we grovel and perform a few more times, and the issue will pass—perhaps even allowing us to gain some advantages.

Such a country, no matter how strong, cannot inspire fear. It is more beneficial to be their enemy than their friend.

In a sense, the ambitions of the Japanese Government are the result of the xxx Empire’s indulgence. Had they changed rulers, by 1874, Japan would have been crippled, without a chance for what followed…

Apart from being an easy target, advancing northward did not entail facing the powers of the Great Powers, unlike in Southeast Asia, where one wrong step could trigger a minefield.

Mainly because, in the recent three to four decades, the Tsarist Government had been busy; first capturing Constantinople, then disciplining the restless Prussia, and now, they were busy advancing southward towards India.

As the Government’s strategic focus had not shifted eastward, the Russians’ pace of expansion in the Far Eastern region naturally slowed down, and they had not yet managed to penetrate deeply into Korea.

With the lessons of the failed southward expansion fresh in mind, this moment found the Japanese Government at its most fearful of the great powers. Despite holding their own against Spain, they couldn’t puff up their pride without a victory.

Seeing no one responding, Emperor Meiji frowned and inquired, “Does the Ministry of the Navy have any objections?”

“None!”

Minister of the Navy, Saigo Tsugumichi, slowly answered.

According to the customs of the Japanese military, the Navy was expected to oppose anything proposed by the Army and vice versa. This was heightened by the ongoing rivalry for territorial expansion, which should have made the contention even more intense.

However, Saigo Tsugumichi was in a difficult position. Regardless of the reasoning, the southward strategy had failed. As the stronghold of the southern expansionists and the leaders of the invasion of the Philippines, the Navy was inevitably culpable.

Such a heavy burden was too great for the Navy to bear. In order to avoid future political retribution, they had to make a compromise now.

In fact, not just the Navy, but the entire upper echelons of the Japanese Government were in trouble. To resist the Continental Alliance was to face certain death, yet making compromises was equally impossible to justify domestically.

To safely navigate the situation, they had to find an excuse that the people could accept. “Shout in the south, strike in the north,” although far-fetched, was better than nothing.

The fervor of the Japanese citizenry had not yet reached its zenith. As long as they eventually emerged victorious and acquired respectable spoils of war, they would be able to justify the outcome.

After a moment of silence, Emperor Meiji said with indifference, “If nobody has any objections, then let’s prepare to negotiate with the Continental Alliance.

Prime Minister, given your experience in Europe, you’re most familiar with the Continental Alliance, so you shall preside over the negotiations. We do not hold any extravagant hopes of retaining the Philippine Islands, but let’s try our best to obtain compensation for the Empire.

The military must promptly come up with a plan for the northern expansion. We can’t afford to lose again. You all should be well aware of the consequences that any mishaps could bring.”

It was clear that Emperor Meiji was dissatisfied with the current situation. Yet aside from issuing warnings and reprimands, he frustratingly could do nothing more, and his irritation was palpable.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

…

Having concluded one gamble, they swiftly moved onto another. Faced with a government that gambled like an addict, Ito Hirobumi was at a loss for words.

Despite knowing their actions were wrong, the Japanese Government had no choice. It was easy to leave the gambling table, but the problem was the debts left behind—what to do about them?

Though European nations played the game of “government bankruptcy—debt restructuring” with evident relish, if the Japanese Government dared to imitate them, they would immediately become the sacrificial “chicken” used to warn others.

Forget the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, when vital interests were at stake, alliances were useless. In this regard, the British Government was the most pragmatic.

The most popular phrase in the international media described it perfectly: “Only a land power would dare to default on Britannia’s debt.” To be more specific, one could add the Russian Empire to the end of that statement.

Until now, the only power that had successfully defaulted on British debt without a visit from the Royal Navy, offering their ‘cordial consolation,’ was the Tsarist Government.

Including the nations of the Continental Alliance, who were now enjoying their bankruptcies, none had declared their intention to default. Their requests were limited to: a reduction of loan interest or an extension of payment deadlines.

These countries had powerful backers and were genuinely bankrupt; even the British Government couldn’t sway the situation, and creditors could only grimace and accept debt restructuring. At least they could recover their costs, which was better than losing everything.

The Japanese Government shouldn’t hope for such treatment. With the failure of the southern strategy and the Russians not advancing eastward, Japan’s value to Britain had plummeted, and the British Government had no reason to grant them any favors.

…

The Japanese Government was suffering, Franz was naturally unaware. Even though his memories from the former world had begun to fade over time, it did not affect his distaste for the Meiji Government.

The cost of sending military expeditions far and wide was enormous, and while a sneak attack could still be viable, what was more satisfying was the social beating the Japanese Government received, which they still believed to this day was a result of the Spanish Government’s PR efforts.

Since the Japanese were under a misunderstanding, Franz thought it best to let them continue in their misconception. Being the hero behind the scenes was enough for him; he had always avoided drawing attention and attracting hatred.

As for the upcoming international mediation, Franz was no longer concerned. As long as the British Government wasn’t crazy, Japan withdrawing from Southeast Asia was inevitable.

If the British Government did lose their minds and supported Japan at this moment, Franz would be even more delighted. If the situation escalated, it would become Britain facing off against the Continental Alliance.

If it truly became “the multitude of lords attacking Dong,” then there was nothing to do; within five years, Shinra would be the world’s sole superpower.

Yet, the supremacy gained in such a manner was unstable. As Shinra’s good ally, the Russian Empire could seize the opportunity to snatch India; and the United States of America, from far America, could also take the chance to annex Canada.

This was not a simple 1+1=2 problem; mass production could also lead to qualitative change. Both Russia, should it absorb India, and the United States, were they to annex Canada, would have the potential to become world hegemons.

Shinra had no fear in a one-on-one confrontation. Despite Russia having shed some of its internal strife, the price had been a significant decrease in population, and the advantage of having vast numbers of “grey livestock” no longer existed.

Even if Russia obtained India, the efficiency of the Tsarist bureaucracy would not allow for a quick conversion into national strength.

The United States, which touted itself as the Chosen Country, was now a shrunken version of its former self, having lost not only the Southern Region and Alaska, but also with a steep decline in the quality of its population and a significant rise in domestic racial tensions.

Unfortunately, the sentiment of the day was not sympathetic, and the United Government had suppressed these issues with force. Otherwise, giving them a saint would take care of all their problems.

Shinra could handle either state alone, but if these two distant entities joined forces, it wouldn’t be so easy to manage.

Resorting to brute force was clearly unrealistic. Every time such a major war broke out, it would be a heavy blow to the Empire of Shinra.

Especially since all these foes were heavyweights; a single strike would not be fatal. France was a case in point – it had yet to recover from the trauma of the war, and calls for revenge were already growing louder within the country.

Despite King Carlos’s best efforts to suppress them, in a country that valued freedom, silencing these voices was impossible.

Hatred could persist, and should Shinra beat its way to world domination, the hatred might overturn Shinra’s hegemony before it declined naturally.

Just thinking of England, France, Russia, America, or even more nations seeking collective vengeance made Franz’s scalp tingle. Marching down that road wasn’t a path to dominance but a suicidal journey to hell.

Not only would one destroy oneself, but the entire human civilization would be dragged down to hell—a fate similar to the one that befell the brash Third Reich that quickly succumbed to flames of war in history.

Since they couldn’t just steamroll over everything, it was probably best to leave Britain as a superpower for the time being. As long as the British didn’t actively seek their own destruction, sustaining another decade or so wouldn’t be a problem.

Shinra could use this time to further strengthen its foundations, and once it amassed an unquestionable advantage in power, it could take over without presenting any openings to its rivals.

For now, it was better not to stir up trouble and honestly deal with the economic crisis. If the European Continent were to collapse, any dreams of empire would be as ephemeral as “flowers in the mirror, the moon in the water,” crumbling upon contact. @@novelbin@@

…

Prime Minister Carl: “Your Majesty, the list for the first batch of special dispatched laborers has been determined, collectively from thirteen countries including Sa, Bi, and Rui, totaling 468,000 people, with the expectation of boarding ships headed overseas next week.”

The second and third batches of labor recruitment were almost completed. The number of registrants unexpectedly exceeded 18 million by last week, indicating governments across the board had underreported the crisis.”

There was no other way, what was originally just a “labor dispatch plan” to solve the domestic unemployment rate of the younger sibling nation, with the participation of other European countries, the recruitment range expanded to the entire European Continent.

Despite the recruitment registration ratio seeming not so high at 1:6—any modern job fair could add a zero to the end.

The problem lies in the base number: for the recruitment of three million workers, eighteen million people signed up. Even if some of them are employed, there are still many more unemployed citizens who did not register because they did not want to work in the colonies.

From the data analysis, it can be confirmed that the unemployment rate in various European countries has far exceeded the data provided by their governments.

Now Franz began to understand why the economic summit had progressed so quickly; with such a high unemployment rate, each government was practically sitting on a powder keg every day—it was essential to be efficient.

Not to mention that the conditions of the Vienna Government weren’t excessive, even if the terms were harsher, in order to maintain their own rule, they still had to accept.

“Hmm!”

After a pause, Franz asked with concern, “Are the language teachers in place yet?”

With the expanded scope, the original labor dispatch plan also underwent a qualitative change. If he were not worried about alarming the governments of various countries, Franz would have opened up the recruitment process much earlier.

Attracting immigrants was secondary; the main aim was to promote language and culture, to expand the soft power of the Empire.

Whether one is willing to admit it or not, English is the most widely used language nowadays, followed by Spanish, and even Austrian language isn’t as widely spoken as French.

Due to historical reasons, French has the reputation of a “language of the Nobility,” so much so that the European Nobility rushed to learn French. Even with the decline of France, French remained the language of diplomacy in Europe.

Language and culture are such things; if people aren’t willing to learn, you can’t force it into their heads.

Overseas it was somewhat easier because Shinra had defeated France, and for those desiring to learn in order to save their nations, Shinra became much more attractive, subsequently bringing about the trend to learn the Austrian language.

That simply wouldn’t work on the European Continent, where everyone was an old neighbor and knew each other well.

Claiming Shinra’s fist is the strongest, that people could believe; but claiming Shinra’s culture was superior was fooling no one.

They might not be able to compete with us in martial combat, but when it comes to cultural contests, no one was backing down. Whether it was the fragmented Italy or the decayed and unrecognizable Greece, in terms of historical culture, they both eclipsed Shinra.

If it weren’t for the banner of being Rome’s heirs, even Franz would have been embarrassed to promote an ancient culture and history. But this was something that could still fool people overseas; on the European Continent, it was better not to embarrass oneself.

The Vienna Government had put in efforts, but when it came to the arts, the French and Italians were clearly more professional.

As they say, “The nation’s misfortune is the poet’s fortune”; now that the country is doing well, those artworks filled with national anxiety and people’s worries naturally no longer emerged.

In contrast, the divided Italy and defeated France provided the best stages for poets and scholars to create their work. A plethora of artistic works is now erupting forth.

Unable to compete in the arts, one could only engage in technology. The economic crisis presented the best opportunity. Others might not learn, but those going to work in Shinra’s overseas territories must learn Austrian.

Whose rules apply on their turf, once there, one must not only learn the language but even change their living habits to suit the place.