Chapter 20: Doing this puts me in a difficult position as well

Berlin

Upon hearing about the massive donations collected in Austria, Friedrich Wilhelm IV became extremely excited. Indeed, he was thrilled, not angered at all.

Beyond the Kingdom of Prussia, the entire German region had raised donations which, when converted into Austrian currency, amounted to over 43 million, with Austria alone contributing over 30 million.

This sum was nearly equivalent to half a year of Prussia's fiscal revenue. If they could access all of it, it would undoubtedly be a financial boon for the cash-strapped Prussian government.

Regrettably, Emperor Franz insisted on earmarked funds, and many German states followed suit, albeit less meticulously than the Emperor.

To date, the Prussian government has received over 5 million from the German states, while the rest was largely intercepted by their respective governments.

The bureaucrats certainly weren't passive. Unlike Franz's strict measures, they provided receipts for everything, offering refunds if the funds weren't fully used.

It's clear that the remainder of the money was unlikely to reach Prussian hands.

To Friedrich Wilhelm IV's dismay, the media claimed that Prussia had received donations from the German regions totaling over 100 million.

In an era with limited communication and no banking transaction records, numbers were easily inflated. States wouldn't want to lose face, claiming astronomical sums donated.

Whether these figures were true didn't matter. The numbers were from media outlets, not official statements. Even if future investigations revealed discrepancies, it wouldn't matter.

Take Franz, for instance, who allocated the first donation to the Prussian government: a total of 1 million in cash, handed over to the Prussian embassy witnessed by the media. Yet, Vienna's newspapers claimed the amount to be 3 million. If Franz had wanted, he could've pocketed the extra 2 million.

Not everyone was as scrupulous as Franz. Some inflated donation figures. Some who donated 200,000 would demand Prussian officials sign a receipt for 500,000.

Given that the money was in their hands, bureaucrats became very crafty when it came to their own interests.

With the exception of states heavily influenced by Prussia, this behavior was widespread, especially in southern German states.

Prussian Prime Minister Joseph von Radowitz gravely said, "Your Majesty, we cannot accept this money!"

"Why?" asked a puzzled Friedrich Wilhelm IV.

While he might be displeased with the German states, he didn't see a reason to decline the funds. Even if a significant portion was embezzled by bureaucrats, the remaining amount was substantial.

Given Prussia's debt situation, had times been different, Friedrich Wilhelm IV would have declared bankruptcy and defaulted on all debt.

"Your Majesty, these states, while seemingly supporting our war, have ulterior motives. They've placed us on a pedestal. What if the Russians insist we relinquish Schleswig-Holstein? How would we save face? Europe, excluding the German states, stands against us. The Danes, confident in their position, are unlikely to compromise," Radowitz lamented.

Clearly, the tactic of using the war to divert internal conflicts had backfired, placing the Prussian government in a tight spot. They couldn't afford to lose Schleswig-Holstein, as they owed an explanation to the people.

This sentiment wasn't limited to Prussia but spread across the German states. While they could influence domestic opinion, foreign sentiment was beyond their control. In any case, the image portrayed wouldn't be favorable.

Friedrich Wilhelm IV understood this dilemma. Regardless of the funds, the outcome remained unchanged. If they successfully reclaimed Schleswig-Holstein, they'd be national heroes; otherwise, they'd be national traitors.

The only acceptable solution would be to engage Russia in a real battle. In such a case, win or lose, they could provide a satisfactory explanation. Given the era, Russia was the dominant European power, and it was normal for Prussia to be at a disadvantage. The populace would understand, channeling their anger towards Austria and other non-belligerent states.

To the common folk, it seemed all German states backed them, so there was no reason to back down against Russia, right?

Public sentiment was daunting, but the Russians were more so.

In a hypothetical Russo-Prussian war, whose side would Austria take?

Friedrich Wilhelm IV believed Austria wouldn't lean towards Russia. Due to public sentiment, Austria would most likely support Prussia. But this support would be limited, and expecting Austria to make a genuine effort was unrealistic. After all, without Prussia, Austria's primary obstacle in unifying the German states would vanish.

Even Austria's limited support would offset France's diplomatic pressure. France, although not in the best condition, would undoubtedly capitalize on a Russo-Prussian war. They might even dispatch troops to support Russia.

The United Kingdom was a different case. While it was no longer the world hegemon, its navy was still unrivaled. Their stance depended on the conflict's nature and scope.

If they deemed it a regional squabble, they'd remain neutral. If they perceived it as a battle for European dominance, they'd inevitably step in. Their intervention could tip the balance in favor of either side.

While Austria and France's positions were relatively clear, the UK's intentions remained mysterious, making the situation even more complex.

Prime Minister Joseph von Radowitz was stuck between a rock and a hard place. The current situation was akin to sitting on a pile of gunpowder, and any spark could trigger an explosion.

He believed that even without the money, the Prussian state would prevail. They were the heart of the German region, and with proper governance, they'd have access to unprecedented resources.

There was no need to engage in a life-and-death struggle with Russia. Instead, they could bide their time and strengthen internally.

However, such rational thoughts were drowned out amidst the waves of nationalism. The masses craved a spectacular war, ignorant of the catastrophic consequences.

Friedrich Wilhelm IV might have heeded Radowitz's advice and declined the donations, but he couldn't stop the German states from announcing their contributions.

Facing the flood of nationalism, even if he wished to retreat, there was no turning back.

Now, the Prussian state had no choice but to march forward, even if it meant facing Russia's formidable might.

...

The steadfastness of the Prussian government placed the St. Petersburg government in a difficult position.

From the beginning, they sided with Denmark, and the Tsarist government had even publicly declared that they would use force if the Prussian government did not make concessions.

What now? To act would benefit the Austrians; not acting would cause the Russian Empire to lose face.

If they can't even protect their own allies and are inconsistent in their decisions, how can the Tsarist government have the audacity to be on the international stage?

It can only be said that times have changed.

Back then, the Tsarist government could treat its credibility as toilet paper, using it and throwing it away. Now, the Russian Empire is vying for world domination. If they don't value their credibility, who will respect them?

Being the world's top power while isolated might seem impressive, but it's fraught with challenges. Unless they can unite the world by force, one might as well reference Napoleon.

St. Petersburg

Nicholas I asked with concern, "What did the Austrian government say? Are they willing to mediate in this Prusso-Danish war?"

"Your Majesty, the Austrian government refuses to mediate this time. Metternich, the old fox, indicates that due to domestic public opinion, if the Austrian government intervenes, they will side with Prussia," Foreign Minister Karl Vasilyevich Nesselrode responded reluctantly.

The Russians did not want to go to war with the Kingdom of Prussia. The Tsarist government was trying its best to avoid the war. This wasn't a secret and was naturally known by the Prussian government.

Sadly, when the Prussian government learned of this information, it led to a strategic miscalculation. They believed the Russians wouldn't intervene militarily, bolstering their confidence.

"Damn it, the Austrians might still be dreaming of us clearing the way for their unification of Germany. Aren't they afraid we'll leak the Russo-Austrian pact?" Nicholas I muttered to himself.

Everyone was diplomatic and no one dared to straightforwardly answer: No, they're not afraid.

If the Russo-Austrian pact were leaked, Austria's strategic plans would be troubled, while Russia's strategy would be completely ruined.

The annexation of the South German states by Austria might alarm the British, perhaps elevating the threat level to near that of the French. However, compared to the Russians annexing the Ottoman Empire, that's minor.

For the former, there are many methods of containment, be it supporting the Kingdom of Prussia, sowing discord between France and Austria, or driving a wedge between Russia and Austria.

The latter is different. Now, the British can only watch the Russian Empire in bewilderment. If they annexed the Ottoman Empire, a change in the world's dominant power would be inevitable.

Even if Nicholas I really wanted to pull Prussia onboard, he wouldn't dare leak any information to them. Even during discussions, the level of confidentiality was elevated to its highest.

...