Chapter 319: Chapter 6, Effort
Washington, inside the governmental building

Secretary of State Saffar reported with furrowed brows, “Mr. President, the current situation is highly unfavorable to us. The Southern Government has drawn the support of the four countries including the UK, France, Austria, and Spain through cotton diplomacy, and international public opinion has become one-sided.”

It wasn’t that Saffar wasn’t trying hard enough; it was simply that the enemy was too powerful. Ever since the Southern Government promised to abolish slavery in the future, this Civil War had transformed into a dispute over tariffs.

The so-called righteousness of the Northern Government was deemed worthless by public opinion. The blame lies with the U.S. Constitution, which provided a legal basis for Southern independence.

If it weren’t for the Southern Government initiating the war, they wouldn’t even know what to do now. In this era, the states of the United States had significant rights, and without their cooperation in war preparations, the Central Government was utterly powerless.

The European cultural system places a high value on jurisprudence. With a legal basis, various national governments have directly recognized the legitimacy of the Southern Government.

Public relations efforts of the Northern Government were in vain; the textile industry was too important to the British, and their national economy was essentially hijacked.

This also had no small impact on the French-Spanish; the tariff barriers of the Northern Government undoubtedly increased everyone’s production costs, essentially taking money out of the capitalists’ pockets.

Lincoln asked with a puzzled tone, “I remember the Austrians have already stopped importing cotton from the South. Why would they still support the Southern Government?”

It wasn’t just the cessation of cotton imports; in the agricultural product sector, America and Austria were still competitors. The plantation economy of the South had an impact on Austria’s agricultural system.

From a benefit standpoint, Austria should be supporting the Northern Government at this time to strike against the plantation economy of the South.

Secretary of State Saffar explained, “According to the intelligence we’ve received, the Southern Government has promised to give up interests in the Central American region in exchange for Austrian support.

That is just a superficial factor; our analysis suggests that it may be related to the industrial market. Austria’s industry has developed very rapidly in recent years.

Although the plantation economy of the South has impacted their agricultural product exports, this impact is not significant. Austria’s exports are processed finished goods.

In international agricultural product export trade, the Austrians hold the largest share. Currently, the largest grain importing regions in Europe—Germany, Italy, England— the first two are under Austrian influence.

Under the plantation economy system of the South, there is a need to import large quantities of industrial and commercial products, and this market is also a battleground for various countries.”

There was no other way; industrialization for the Northern Government inevitably meant competing with major European industrial nations, while the Southern Government was producing industrial raw materials and providing a market for the export of industrial products.

This was a tangible benefit. In the face of such interests, all diplomatic efforts were in vain. The Northern Government couldn’t offer better conditions than the Southern Government, naturally failing to draw the support of various countries.

After pondering for a while, President Lincoln said, “Then our focus should be on public relations with the Russians, they surely don’t need industrial raw materials and markets, right?”

Being isolated internationally was not easy, and America was still just a sprout, not yet able to disregard international pressure.

Secretary of State Saffar answered, “It’s not hard to win over the Russians, but their influence in the American region is too low.

Apart from diplomatic support, they can’t provide any substantial help, and may even bring us a lot of trouble.”

That was the reality; the formidable Russian Imperial Navy was ineffective, and despite its great influence, its power was confined to its homeland and surroundings.

Don’t consider that Russia has a territory on the American Continent; in this era, Alaska’s total population does not exceed ten thousand. Even if the Russians wanted to cause trouble, they were powerless to do so.

President Lincoln inquired, “Do we have any other options?”

There are only a few powerful countries in the world; even if the rest are drawn to their side, just one look from the four countries including the UK, France, Austria, and Spain, and all their efforts would be in vain.

Winning over the Russian Empire might not be the best choice, but it is the only one.

The ineffective diplomacy of the Southern Government left this opportunity open. If the Southern Government had won over the Russians as well, President Lincoln seriously doubted whether domestic capitalists would be quick to capitulate.

The concept of the nation-state is still very weak for many Americans.

Go out on the street and randomly ask an American, and he will tell you that he is British, French, German, Irish… but will not say he is American.

The true establishment of national self-confidence for the country didn’t occur until after World War I. At the Washington Conference, Americans gained naval tonnage equal to that of the British, earning widespread recognition and solidifying their status as a great power.

…

The outbreak of the American Civil War provided many countries with an opportunity. Four countries including the UK, France, Austria, and Spain actively intervened in the Civil War, and indeed, they had intentions of breaking through the “Monroe Doctrine” fence.

Since the rise of the United States, the interests of various countries in the American region had suffered severe losses. The Spaniards were no exception, having their territory of Florida forcibly taken by the Americans.

Had it not been for foreign intervention, the Americans were also prepared to seize the Cuba region. Now, although the Spanish military might was still superior to that of the United States, the strength they could deploy in the American region was very limited.

This was also the reason why the Spaniards were actively involved in the Intervention Alliance. Only by sticking together could they suppress the Americans and preserve their own interests.

The Governor of the Spanish region in Cuba, Perez, asked anxiously, “Envoy, with the American Civil War having broken out, can we reclaim the Land of Spain now?”

The Spanish Envoy to the United States, Francisco, replied, “Rest assured, Governor. I have already coordinated with England, France, and Austria. They will support our military operations, and the Southern Government has already recognized our sovereignty over the Land of Spain.

However, you must act quickly; if we cannot occupy the Land of Spain in a short time, we will miss the opportunity to partition Mexico.”

(Note: The Land of Spain is also known as Haiti Island.)

No country is content with decline, and Spain is no exception. Faced with the independence of their colonies and lagging domestic development, discerning Spaniards also began their self-rescue efforts.

Governor Perez and Envoy Francisco were among them. In order to save the declining Colonial Empire, they decided to capture more fertile lands.

Now England, France, and Spain had their eyes on Mexico, the silver kingdom, Austria was focused on the Central American region, and capturing the Land of Spain was merely an appetizer before the banquet.

Governor Perez said without concern, “Don’t worry. In at most one month, we can occupy the Land of Spain again, and it will not delay the plan.”

…

The Land of Spain, ever since it broke away from the rule of the Kingdom of Spain, established two countries on the island: Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Though these two countries may seem impoverished in later times, during this era the Land of Spain was still a rare rich and dazzling place, second only to Cuba Island in the Caribbean Sea.

Being weak and wealthy became an original sin, and in this era of survival of the fittest, Haiti and the Dominican Republic fell prey to the great powers.

Once it was confirmed that they could take action, Governor Perez organized five thousand troops upon returning to Cuba Island and appointed Colonel Galileo as the commander to lead the troops to occupy the Land of Spain.

The vast, boundless blue ocean was filled with waves that constantly surged, crashing against the warships, creating the roar of the sea and spraying white foam.

Colonel Galileo, commanding a battle for the first time, stood on the gangway of the warship looking into the distance. As if admiring the charm of the sea, he felt apprehensive, excited, passionate…

A guard reminded him, “Colonel, we are twenty nautical miles from the Land of Spain. Enemy ships might be nearby, and it is not safe to stay on the gangway.”

Colonel Galileo laughed and said, “Rest easy, young Andrey. Our enemies this time are only two native kingdoms; they barely have a navy to speak of.”

It wasn’t entirely true about the native kingdoms; they had managed to break free from Spanish colonial rule and gain independence, which indicated some degree of strength.

However, this was under the support of the Americans. Now that the Civil War had broken out in the United States and external support was gone, the true weakness of these two small countries was revealed.

Ultimately, Colonel Galileo heeded the advice and returned to the command room. While Haiti and the Dominican Republic lacked formal naval forces, it didn’t mean they couldn’t fight back.

There were still a few coastal guns, and if one happened to be unlucky and a cannonball came flying over, it would be too late for regrets.

Colonel Galileo had no desire to gamble with his life prematurely. The fleet slowly advanced towards the Land of Spain, the distance closing in, and the docks becoming visible to the naked eye.

Without any hesitation, Colonel Galileo immediately ordered, “Attack!”