The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria's Mandate of Heaven

Chapter 1143 Warsaw?

Although Duke Uvarov's plan was crazy, his judgment was actually quite accurate. The two Danube principalities were too important to the Austrian Empire.

Historically, the main reason why Austria stabbed Russia in the back was that it believed in the two Danube principalities promised by Britain and France, but Austria's experience card for the two Danube principalities was not valid until the end of the Crimean War.

The so-called fait accompli means nothing in the eyes of the great powers.

According to Duke Uvarov's plan, the Balkans would be used as bait to lure Austria and then swallow up the Ottoman Empire.

After defeating the Ottoman Empire and moving the capital to Constantinople, the two Danube principalities can be taken back. Anyway, the Austrians have no other allies.

Even if the Austrian Empire had other allies, they would have no reason to fight for Austria and Russia after the Ottoman Empire, the sick man of West Asia, disappeared.

Nicholas I admired Duke Uvarov's courage, but the two Danube principalities were also very important to Russia.

First of all, its strategic location. The two principalities control two mountain passes in the Carpathian Mountains, which is of great strategic significance.

If the mountain pass is blocked, Austria will have to take a detour or directly cross the Carpathian Mountains if it wants to attack.

Either option would be extremely disadvantageous to the Austrian Empire, but once the Austrians were released from the Carpathian Mountains, they would have more options for attack.

Secondly, the two principalities are considered fertile lands in the entire barren Balkan region.

What Nicholas I did not know was that in the future these two regions would become the most important oil producing areas in Europe, and that super-large gold and silver veins would be discovered one after another there.

In addition, there is coal, iron, aluminum, manganese, uranium, lead, and salt, everything needed in the industrial age.

The least valuable of them all was the black soil, which was what Nicholas I valued most at that time.

There is one point that Nicholas I could not accept the most. In addition to being the ruler of Russia, the Tsar is also the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church.

The banner of liberating various Slavic brothers and protecting Orthodox Christians from persecution has always been Russia's slogan for attacking the Balkans.

If Moldavia were really ceded to the Austrian Empire, wouldn't that be a slap in the face?

However, Prince Uvarov's plan was not to be implemented immediately. He just made a plan that he thought was feasible based on his own judgment of the situation.

The key issue at this time was still the peace conference, and Prince Uvarov proposed to make concessions.

"Your Majesty, as long as the conference is not held in Britain or the Ottoman Empire, it doesn't matter where it is held. After all, the other countries will not stand on the side of Britain and the Ottoman Empire."

Prime Minister Alexander Ivanovich Chernyshev obviously disagreed with Prince Uvarov's words.

This 62-year-old head of civilian officials actually has a military background. He participated in the Napoleonic Wars and the Congress of Vienna.

Prime Minister Chernyshev was very dissatisfied with the fact that the Austrians were able to control the thunder and lightning at the Congress of Vienna and then used their status as the host to reap huge profits after the war.

"You are still young, Duke. The Austrians are very mean. They are not good at fighting, but they are very good at talking.

Metternich grabbed three French territories in North America with his mouth. It is hard to say whether the Austrian emperor will call his teacher back. We cannot take such a risk. "

Duke Lubai and Nicholas I both agreed with the Prime Minister's point of view. After all, this was the stereotype of the Austrian Empire.

Moreover, the Austrian Empire had indeed used several meetings to restore its influence and seize a large amount of land.

"Mr. Prime Minister, you have to understand that the Austrians are our allies, not the British. What we need is a quick end to the war, not further prolongation.

Even if we take a step back, the spoils are in our hands. As long as we disagree, no agreement can be reached. Otherwise, what else are you worried about?"

"We contributed the most to the war. Shouldn't the peace conference be held in St. Petersburg? We made a mistake once after the end of the anti-French war! Are we going to make the same mistake again?"

Prime Minister Chernyshev was unable to win the argument with Prince Uvarov, so he turned the subject back and tried to kidnap the latter with morality and the past.

Prince Uvarov couldn't help but sneer in his heart. He felt that the decline of Russia was inseparable from the incompetent ministers around Nicholas I. They were a group of military officers but they did not do what civil servants should do.

"Well, Prime Minister. Can you inform all countries of the news within a month and have representatives from all countries arrive in St. Petersburg?"

Prime Minister Chernyshev was about to agree, but when he thought of the frozen ocean and the bad road conditions, he hesitated, but still nodded calmly.

"How do you know if you don't try? I think it's possible."

Prince Uvarov did not expose his lie, but continued to ask.

"Then can you send them back in the remaining time to complete the agreement?"

This is obviously impossible. The sea route is frozen and the situation in Russia is already covered with ice and snow. Not to mention quick passage, it would not be strange to die on the road if there is no local to lead the way.

Prime Minister Chernyshev did not speak, but others had already realized that it was indeed unrealistic to hold a peace conference in St. Petersburg at this time.

Unless you wait until next year, or move to a city that is not frozen and close to the sea.

Prince Uvarov naturally knew what these people were thinking, and he continued.

"Perhaps a compromise can be chosen, but apart from St. Petersburg and Moscow, which city is qualified to host a peace conference?"

"Warsaw!"

Prime Minister Chernyshev was able to climb to a high position so he was certainly not a complete mediocrity and he was very familiar with the situation in domestic cities.

Warsaw, the former capital of Poland, is now the third largest city in Russia. Compared with St. Petersburg and Moscow, it is closer to Europe, has convenient transportation, and has sufficient historical heritage.

But the ubiquitous rebels were a big problem, after all, the Poles had rebelled several times.

If there was any big news during the conference, Russia would lose face.
Prime Minister Chernyshev didn't dare to think further, he could only take one step at a time.

“Warsaw? Prime Minister, although the Great Plague is over, no one can prove that Warsaw is safe.

If something goes wrong, can you take the responsibility?"

In response to Prince Uvarov's questioning, Chernyshev asked directly back.

"How do you know something will go wrong?"

The two did not mention the Polish rebellion, but used the Great Plague instead. First of all, Nicholas I hated the word rebellion, and secondly, the plague was indeed one of the problems that Warsaw needed to face.

What the two didn't know was that Warsaw had only 11 people at the time (13.7 in the same period in history), and had completely withdrawn from the ranks of international metropolises.

During the most glorious period of Polish history, Warsaw had a population of nearly 28 and was one of the largest cities in the world. Even before the Warsaw Uprising in 1830, the city had a population of nearly 20.

But now London, Paris and Vienna have all entered the million-plus population mark, and Warsaw, with only 11 people, seems a bit shabby.