The Polish Crisis (3)
Augustus III, Elector of Saxony, whose judgment that if a problem could not be avoided, it should be made even larger, had a point.
If the imperial army clashed head-on with Russia, it would become a dispute between the Holy Roman Empire and Russia.
Even if it was Russia, they wouldn't want to face off directly against the Austrian army that had wiped out France in just six weeks.
So, the chance that they would just stir things up a bit and pretend to be unable to win and retreat was high.
Augustus III, who derived the answer with such a perfect logical structure, immediately ordered the organization of the Polish Liberation Army.
By deploying all 16,000 standing troops in Saxony's possession, the scale of the conflict was to be increased.
But, Frederick advanced into Saxony faster than expected, and all calculations went awry.
“The size of the Prussian army is said to be up to 30,000!”
“King Frederick has declared that he will personally protect the Protestants of Poland!”
“Opening the path to Poland!”
“The nobles have refused to be conscripted for cavalry!”
“The artillery officers say they will submit a petition to remain in the rear!”
He realized again.
The fact that even inciting a conflict required that much money and authority.
“Then, hire mercenaries! Mercenaries!”
“It's impossible to issue war bonds, so we can't pay the deposit.”
“...”
“Your Highness, rather than that, the answer to send to Prussia...”
It was dizzying.
This Frederick guy was really a mad dog hungry for war.
If a battlefield was created, the first thing was to charge in like a beast.
Of course, coldly, for Prussia, the current situation was not bad at all.
Saxony, whose power gap was already irreparably large, was effectively being suppressed, and moreover, it was giving the best pretext to drive a stake into Poland as well, wasn't it?
But no matter how you looked at it, no one could have imagined that a king of a country would bring his army so quickly and directly.
“Opening the path to save Poland... Isn't this a phrase I've heard a lot?”
This was the slogan Augustus III cried out before he became king of Poland, to get a pretext for France to declare war on Austria.
As soon as this news spread, the standing army was flooded with requests to stay in the rear and applications to retire, and the Saxon nobles were ignoring Augustus III's conscription order, making all sorts of excuses.
“Ah... Conscription? The state of my fief is not good right now...”
“The plague is spreading in the village, so...”
“Eh? Conscription order? I haven't received any notice at all?”
Even the standing troops couldn't escape, and the nobles, who were crazy, were supposed to provide soldiers.
If troops gathered here, before fighting Russia, they might clash with the Prussian army led by Frederick.
No matter what, even if the Elector of Saxony offered money, no one responded.
Augustus III's plan to create an army of over 20,000 by adding conscription to the 16,000 standing troops couldn't even start and collapsed.
“Your Highness, the available troops are less than 5,000. How do we...”
“...I told you to request mediation to Austria! What are they saying over there!”
“That... They say they are investigating the situation.”
Since Prussia had intervened, does that mean not to intervene rashly, or is it to wait for the fire to burn even more fiercely and then intervene?
No matter what, it became difficult to trust Austria's help.
In the end, Augustus III reluctantly allowed Frederick's passage, crying and eating mustard.
***
“Long time no see, His Majesty Augustus III, King of Poland.”
“Yes. Long time no see...”
“How much suffering have you endured from Russia's invasion? No more worries, because I have come.”
Frederick deliberately called Augustus III the King of Poland.
Of course, no one didn't know that he was a nominal king, but it was to define that Augustus III was the legitimate king of Poland and Russia was the invader.
Augustus III had no choice but to accept the opponent's trap as is.
Here, he couldn't say that he hadn't been to Poland in six years and had left it to the nobles to handle on their own.
“...I didn't expect you to come directly. Of course, I also requested mediation to Austria to prevent this situation...”
“I heard that you personally organized the army to save Poland. Then, when do you plan to set out?”
It was all because of you that my plans went awry.
Augustus III's stomach was boiling, but he couldn't show his irritation and forced a smile.
“That is, this year there is a bad harvest and a plague...”
“Oh dear. Then, as a close friend and fellow Elector of the Empire, I can't just watch it. Who else but us can save the poor brothers and sisters in Poland.”
“What a grateful word. But raising an army is not a small matter, and I'm worried about burdening the homeland.”
“Money is indeed an unavoidable realistic factor. Of course, I can't bear unilateral losses either, having come this far. Of course, I believe Your Majesty understands this. After all, Russia is a powerful invader, and to stop them, we too will have to shed blood.”
The reason great powers are hesitating in war is not because their hearts are kind.
As firepower strengthens and technology develops, the cost of war increases, so they hold back once more.
The era when peasants were sent in front like before and armed knights swept the battlefield is long gone.
Today's war is, in a word, a firepower battle.
Soldiers must be given rifles, gunpowder for cannons must be secured, and cavalry must be properly equipped.
So, if you start a war half-heartedly, even if you win, you may suffer losses.
Moreover, if you lose, the finances may collapse, so leading an army is not easy.
As long as Frederick, this human, doesn't have the conviction that I will definitely win.
Furthermore, he is implying that this is definitely not free.
“Perhaps... Are you thinking about a full-scale war with Russia?”
“Doesn't that depend on Russia? We are an empire that loves peace.”
Did this guy have such thick skin?
If I love peace twice, I'll fight the world.
Despite knowing his true intentions, Augustus III had no good countermeasure.
The future movements of Prussia and Russia.
The timing of Austria's intervention, which was sure to intervene.
And the remaining capacity in Saxony and Poland.
Considering everything coldly, the attitude to take naturally was determined.
“...No matter what, Saxony is a legitimate Elector of the Empire. I didn't start a rebellion, so I can't just be kicked out.”
Looking at the current situation, it's clear that Prussia plans to dump all the losses from this war onto this side.
By the way, they plan to suck Poland dry by sticking a straw into it.
I don't know Austria's true intentions, but they probably have a plan to intervene in a way that doesn't cause them losses.
So, give what you have to give and protect what you need to protect.
This is indeed the only move Saxony can make!
Until recently, the fantasy of becoming a king of a great power equal to Prussia by perfectly annexing Poland was neatly erased.
“His Majesty Frederick, the Protestants of Poland must be eagerly waiting for our rescue hand.”
“I also want to go to Poland as quickly as possible, recalling that fervent wish.”
To anyone, this conversation would seem like they think Poland is a Protestant country, but Poland's state religion is Catholicism, and Protestants are estimated at 2%.
Not 20%, but 2%.
But Frederick was lavishly displaying his compassionate heart that he wouldn't neglect even one Protestant, and Augustus III actively joined in.
“For the sake of His Majesty Frederick's noble intention, I will not spare my support. I was thinking of giving some of the stored grain and gunpowder, though it's insufficient...”
“If you do that, it will be a great help.”
“Haha, if I can help even a little like this, it's fortunate. Ah, if the Emperor sends a messenger from Austria, please convey my sincere words to His Majesty Frederick.”
I'll give you Poland and Lithuania. Please save at least Saxony.
Surprisingly, people with strong survival instincts rather than pride weren't disliked, and Frederick nodded with a cheerful smile.
Prussia, Russia, and the whole world are just beasts.
Augustus III suddenly missed the Elector of Bavaria that he had cursed so much.
***
Meanwhile.
As always, Robinson, the ambassador, was having a hard time gathering information in Vienna due to the overwhelming demands from his home country.
“Russia suddenly attacked Poland? Send a quick response plan for the Holy Roman Empire!”
“Frederick moved his army into Saxony? Are they thinking of going to war with Russia? Investigate!”
“Is the Holy Roman Empire planning to annex Poland after Genoa? Quickly confirm whether or not!”
A feast of 'please' updates coming one after another.
Information gathering was Robinson's natural duty, but the matter Robinson was handling was not just that.
A few days ago, he was told to investigate how much resources Austria was pouring into the Mediterranean and Adriatic trade through Genoa, and now he was to prioritize Poland, what was he supposed to do?
If Robinson couldn't directly extract information from Franz, he might have already drilled two holes in the ceiling from stress.
Anyway, he came to the Hofburg Imperial Palace to receive another tip disguised as an investigation.
But.
The person who greeted him was not as expected.
“...His Highness Franz has left Vienna?”
“To be precise, he is scheduled to leave. He said he is going directly to Poland.”
Maria Theresa, who will oversee Austria's state affairs while Franz is away, calmly offered tea and continued explaining.
“Looking at the returning situation, the possibility of a clash between Prussia and Russia is increasing, so if we want to lead peaceful negotiations, we need to have a certain military power on our side too, don't we? So, His Majesty ordered Franz to go to Poland with Field Marshal Joseph yesterday.”
“...His Majesty personally?”
It was not just anyone; the one who had nailed down the future Emperor leading a large army into Poland—what meaning did that have?
Seeing Robinson's head spinning, Maria Theresa smiled warmly and placed a cake on his plate herself.
She judged that it would be better to inform Britain at this opportunity how sincere Franz was about the continent.
“He originally thought he should stabilize Genoa a bit more, but as soon as the Polish crisis broke out, he immediately adjusted priorities and rushed to Poland. If you are the ambassador, you would understand why, wouldn't you?”
“Because His Highness Franz values the unification of the Empire?”
“Yes. Franz thinks that to develop the German lands more, we must eventually cultivate greater power and influence on this continent. Wouldn't the vast territory of Poland look more attractive than the sea we can't go to?”
“I see. A convincing explanation.”
When Pitt interpreted Franz as aiming for German living space, he let it slide with one ear, but seeing the actual situation, it sounded very persuasive.
Fundamentally, one action represents sincerity more than a hundred words.
The expansion of Austria's influence would be opposed by Hanoverian supremacists, but for Robinson, a pro-Austrian, it was not bad.
After all, when Poland collapses and the Holy Roman Empire and Russia directly border, in the long run, it wouldn't be so bad for Britain either.
Robinson added a brief conclusion to the report for Britain.
- It has been confirmed that Austria is intent on expanding influence on the continent rather than the sea. In the long term, it would be a wise strategy to use Russia to keep Austria's gaze directed eastward.
Since there is a precedent of the Eastward Expansion by the Holy Roman Empire in the past, it makes sense.
In this way, without Franz knowing, the strange slogan of securing German living space spread across Europe unnoticed.