Chapter 147: Chapter 144: Methods to Win Over the Tsardom of Russia

Germany’s diplomatic situation appears to be complicated at the moment, despite having formed the Triple Alliance with the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy to counter the Dual Alliance established by France and Russia.

However, Germany continues to maintain extensive contact with the Russian Empire and attempts to extricate the Russian Empire from the Franco-Russian Alliance, even to pull it into the Allies.

With Germany’s comprehensive rise in industry, economy, and military, its diplomatic landscape also experiences significant changes.

Before the unification of Germania, France had always been the overlord of the European continent. However, since the establishment of the German Empire with the defeat of France by the Kingdom of Prussia, the hegemony of Western Europe has shifted to the German Empire.

But don’t forget, though the British Empire does not directly involve itself in the disputes of the European continent, adhering to a policy of isolation.

At the same time, the British Empire also lends support to the weaker party in Europe’s struggle for hegemony, like the former Kingdom of Prussia.

As Germania gains more advantages in Western Europe, particularly with the comprehensive development of the army and navy, its combined strength is now a threat to the British Empire, hence the British Empire no longer supports Germany, and even begins to compete with Germany at some places.

Among the current several powerful nations in Europe, France is Germania’s sworn enemy and strategic target. The irreconcilable state between the two countries is virtually unsolvable.

After the coronation of Edward VII, the British Empire has gradually changed its foreign policy. Moving away from its original policy of isolation, it has begun to gradually participate in European affairs and exert greater influence on Europe.

However, the British Empire has not clearly taken a stand among the two major European military blocs but is temporarily maintaining neutrality amid these blocs.

At present, the British Empire is also a target that the two major military blocs are striving to court, even William II has attempted on multiple occasions to curry favor with and woo Britain.

Apart from the long-standing powers of Britain and France, besides the German Empire, the only countries on the continent of Europe that can be considered powerful are the Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

It goes without saying for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as a member of the Triple Alliance, it is currently the only ally that the German Empire can rely on. The Russian Empire is also a target that the German Empire has been courting. However, due to the good relations and close economic exchanges between France and Russia, it is not easy, or virtually impossible to sway the Russian Empire towards Germania.

Of greater importance is, much like the feud between Germania and France, there are also irreconcilable territorial disputes between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Russian Empire.

Both countries are adjacent to the Balkan region, the powder keg of Europe, and both aim to establish their spheres of influence in the Balkans.

This state of affairs further renders the union of Germany and Russia impossible, and the issue of territorial disputes is virtually irresolvable.

Similarly, as allies of the German Empire, there arc also some territorial disputes between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Although the disputes between the two countries have been tentatively resolved through the mediation of Germania, the very reason for this was to formally establish the Triple Alliance.

But how could the mere resolution of disputes be satisfactory? The Kingdom of Italy is not satisfied with the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s simple concessions, which was a significant reason for the Kingdom of Italy’s defection and join the Allies in the original history.

The German Empire failed to grasp the importance of the strategy of distant friends and near enemies for a country.

As equally ambitious and aspiring powerful nations, territorial issues abound as long as they arc neighboring countries.

This is exactly like France and Germania. The course of these two countries is basically towards antagonism, as it is the trend dictated by the situation of the country.

Even if foreign forces lead to temporary quelling and resolution but the problem itself persists. As long as the two countries do not determine a winner, and there is no territorial division that both parties can accept, the establishment of the alliance will cause a split due to conflicting interests.

Unlike its allies adjacent to the German Empire, the closest distance between the Franco-Russian alliance is an entire Germania, thus in terms of territory there will be no disputes. This is also why the two countries can closely cooperate.

Upon hearing William H’s question, Foreign Minister Andrew replied with a smile, “I wonder if His Majesty, the German Emperor, has ever heard of the distant friends and near enemies strategy?”

“Distant friends and near enemies?” William II repeated, with a spark of interest, he asked, “So how exactly do you make distant friends and attack near enemies?”

“Your Majesty, when one counts all the neighboring countries of Germania, it is rare to find one that does not have historical territorial disputes with the German Empire. Even the present ally of your country, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was the greatest enemy of the Kingdom of Prussia in the German region before the establishment of Germania. Similar issues exist between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy, with significant territorial disputes. Although through your country’s efforts, the three nations were gathered together to form an alliance, I think such an alliance is loose and can easily be shattered from within,” explained Minister Andrew.

“Looking at your country’s two allies, the only one really capable of relieving some battlefield pressure from the German Empire is the Austro-Hungarian empire. But the Austro-Hungarian Empire itself also has big problems. The composition of its people is too complex, communication among the different ethnic armies is not easy. Although a temporary unity has been established in the Austro-Hungarian empire after Emperor Joseph’s integration, should it face the predicament of war, the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is quite possible. 1 believe the primary task of Germania at the moment is to do its best to win over other major nations within Europe. This includes the British Empire and the Russian Empire, which are nations the German Empire should strive to win over,” said Foreign Minister Andrew..