Chapter 730 - 338: Prototype of the Super War (Part 2)

The standing army of Austria-Hungary numbers only around 260,000, but Germany’s standing army boasts a force of 500,000. Combined, the armies of these two nations rival that of Russia, indicating that this war is likely to evolve into a prolonged war of attrition.

Both Austria-Hungary and Germany are highly industrialized countries, although Russia’s domestic resources are more abundant, its economy is relatively poor.

If it turns into a war of attrition, it is difficult to predict who will emerge victorious. This leaves Alexander III somewhat hesitant and uncertain whether intervening in this war is indeed a wise decision.

It is worth mentioning that Russia, under Alexander III, has already become more centralized. Tsarist Russia, an autocratic monarchy, has further centralized, consolidating all power under the Tsar.

The head of the Russian Government is not elected by the people, but is appointed directly by the Tsar, who holds complete appointment authority.

In other words, the Prime Minister under the Tsarist system is merely an adjunct to the Tsar’s rule. The Prime Minister holds limited autonomous power and merely serves as a political tool for the Tsar to exercise his authority.

Unable to seek advice from the Prime Minister, Alexander III turns his attention to the Russian Army’s high command.

The good news is, after the Russian-Turkish War, Russia’s military strength indeed improved significantly. Despite the eventual outcome of the Russian-Turkish War being that Russia gained little, Russia was essentially the winning party in the war.

The victory in the war facilitated the promotion of many military leaders. Alexander III still has many senior military officials to consult, among them not only members of the Imperial Family but also genuine talents who have risen through military merit.

The attitude of these senior military officials is fairly unanimous, as they support the war. This is also the situation in most countries, as the military relies on wars for promotions; without war, their primary avenue for advancement is blocked.

After consulting several military generals and gaining their unanimous support for the war, Alexander III finally made his decision.

On February 16, 1889, the day after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, the Russian Government also declared war on Austria-Hungary.

The reason given by the Russian Government was that Russia, as the protector of the Slavs, had the responsibility and obligation to ensure the safety of all Slavic compatriots. Austria-Hungary’s reckless declaration of war on Serbia was unjustifiable, and the Slavs should unite to resist Austria-Hungary’s acts of aggression.

On the very day war was declared against Austria-Hungary, Alexander III ordered his frontline troops to launch an attack on the Austria-Hungary border.

The primary goal was to disrupt Austria-Hungary’s strategic preparations, forcing them to redeploy some of their forces to defend their borders.

Despite the sizable 200,000-plus standing army of Austria-Hungary, compared to the colossal might of Russia, this number was clearly insufficient.

Moreover, at this time, over 100,000 Austrian troops had gathered on the border with Serbia, meaning there were less than 200,000 troops on the Russian-Austrian Border.

The number of troops stationed by Russia on the border is more than twice that of the Austria-Hungary military. Once Russia initiates an attack on the Austrian-Hungarian border, Austria-Hungary will inevitably find itself at a disadvantage.

This is why Emperor Franz Joseph I has consistently sought close ties with Germany and aimed to form an alliance. After the Austro-Prussian War, Austria’s main adversary shifted from Prussia to Russia.

Although Russia’s military prowess is unmatched compared to Austria-Hungary, in terms of reserve forces and total troop numbers, even if Austria-Hungary achieves a 1:2 casualty ratio, Russia will still hold the advantage on the battlefield.

On the Austria-Hungary side, when Emperor Franz Joseph I received news of Russia’s declaration of war against him, though the old Emperor’s face remained calm, his tightly clenched hands betrayed his true feelings.

The conflict between Austria-Hungary and Russia has persisted for a long time, and Emperor Franz Joseph I possesses a keen understanding of Russia as an adversary.

Once Russia joins the war, Austria-Hungary ceases to be the primary actor in the conflict. It must rely on its allies, and only with Germany’s agreement to join the war and support Austria-Hungary does winning seem possible.

"Send a telegraph to Berlin, requesting the German Government to honor their alliance and assist us in resisting the Russian Army," Franz Joseph I instructed his Foreign Secretary after a prolonged silence.

Immediately afterward, the old Emperor turned to the two Prime Ministers of Austria and Hungary and stated unequivocally, "This war is crucial for us, and I do not wish to see any internal conflict during it.

Gentlemen, winning this war and eliminating the Serbians is of utmost importance. Winning this war would allow you to freely divide large portions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.

But if this war is lost, not only Croatia but parts of Hungary could also be lost.

We now have a common goal and the same adversary. Only through sincere cooperation can we win this war and ensure we do not end up as the defeated party."