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

Chapter 1156 Playing hooligan

Make Bulgaria independent; establish the Armenian Principality including Trabzon, Erzurum and Diyarbakirya; lift the defense of the Dobruja region; and pay huge military compensation.

Each of these was unacceptable to Britain and the Ottoman Empire, but even more powerful than these was the Treaty of Unkar-Iskelesi.

According to the treaty, the Ottoman Empire should assume the obligation of closing the Dardanelles Strait requested by Russia, that is, not allowing any foreign warship to enter or leave the strait under any pretext.

Historically, the British took advantage of the Second Turco-Egyptian War to successfully force the Russians to sign the Straits Treaty, thus destroying Russia's advantage without bloodshed.

However, due to Franz's intervention, Russia did not sign the Straits Convention. At this time, the British warships' interception of the Russian transport fleet in the Black Sea was obviously a violation of the Treaty of Unkar-Iskelesi.

Russia had the right to demand the dismantling of the Dardanelles’ defenses, or even to have Russian troops take over. The demand to disband the Ottoman navy was merely a deterrent.

As the capital of the Ottoman Empire, it was impossible for Constantinople to not have coastal defenses, and this behavior was unacceptable in any way.

The problem arises again. If Russia's conditions are not met, then this breach of contract may be used as an excuse for the next war.

The Russians could choose an appropriate time and then bring in their ally or allies to attack the Ottoman Empire again.

The timing chosen by the Russians will certainly put the Ottoman Empire and Britain in a very passive position.
"Dear Russian Ambassador, do you have any evidence that the Ottoman Empire violated the Treaty of Unkar-Iskeleci?"

Viscount Stratford stood up and said.

Prince Uvarov was a little surprised, because it was the British fleet that intercepted the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. He really didn't expect that there were such shameless people in the world. Fortunately, he had done his homework before coming.

"Of course, dear British Ambassador. Our navy captured several enemy sailors in the naval battle. They were all British and claimed to have been instructed by the military.

Do you think this counts as evidence?"

Uvarov seemed confident, but he soon stopped smiling.

"These people may just be mercenaries. Their words cannot be used as evidence."

"Then our navy also encountered your country's warships in the Black Sea. How do you explain it?"

"Maybe these mercenaries brought it over."

"We also found your navy's special logo on a sunken warship. You can't deny it, can you?"

"If seafarers can be fake, then the logo can be faked, too."

"What about the new paddle-wheel warship produced by your country? Even if it is not produced by your country, the Ottoman Empire itself does not have the ability to produce it. This is definitely not an Ottoman Empire warship!"

“Couldn’t that have been purchased by the Ottoman Empire?”

"You are quibbling!"

"I am telling the truth!"

"The evidence is irrefutable. Don't even think about denying it!"

"Where is the evidence? You can always find a pretext to accuse someone of something."

Viscount Stratford looked as if he had been wronged and looked at the angry young man with contempt.

"I want to fight you! You shameless liar!"

Several members of the Russian delegation quickly grabbed Duke Uvarov, and Viscount Stratford did not forget to mock him.

"What a crude, barbaric solution. Really uncivilized. Don't you agree, Your Excellency?"

Viscount Stratford glanced at Prince Schwarzenberg, who had remained silent. How could the latter not know what the former meant?

Russia's control of the Black Sea straits has always been a problem for other powers, and dismantling the defense facilities of the Dardanelles is even more impossible, as that would expose Constantinople directly to the fangs of the Russians.

If you let a bear sleep with a fish as its pillow, it will be hard to believe that it can sleep.

Therefore, it seems that the right way is to unite and prevent Russia from succeeding. However, the alliance with Russia is one of the basic national policies set by Franz at this time, and Prince Schwarzenberg looks down on Viscount Stratford, a shameless rogue who confuses right and wrong.

“I think dueling is a way to show courage and strength, and it is also a last resort to protect one’s honor.

I think you should accept the duel."

The whole audience fell into deathly silence. No one expected that Prince Schwarzenberg, the representative of the host Austrian Empire, would say this.

Accept the duel?

What a joke, a 62-year-old British civil servant and a 26-year-old Russian military attaché fighting each other. Isn't this courting death?

Although Bismarck was only a clerk in the Prussian delegation, it did not prevent him from seeing through the game behind it.

The advantage of being a small person is that he can stand in a corner where no one pays attention and shout.

"Fight!"

"Correct!"

"Fight!"

"Defend your honor, Lord Viscount, you can't lose to the barbaric Russians!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

The officials from the small countries present at the meeting began to shout at the same time. These small countries were already afraid of chaos in the world. Since the Austrian Empire tacitly agreed that the two sides should fight, why should they miss this good show?
The meeting quickly turned into a war of words, which was threatening to move further to the Octagon.

At this time, Viscount Stratford and Duke Uvarov calmed down.

Viscount Stratford did not respond directly to Prince Schwarzenberg, but just smiled and said "haha".

Duke Uvarov looked at Viscount Stratford with hatred. If he could, he really wanted to pin the latter to the ground and beat him up.

However, he knew very well that it was impossible to dismantle the defenses and disband the fleet.

"Your Highness, how do you think we should deal with this?"

The ball was once again thrown to Prince Schwarzenberg. Fortunately, he was also very clear about the Russians' purpose.

“No rush, the peace conference has just begun, you can collect evidence to support your respective statements, and then let the representatives of the countries present make the judgment.

Let us first discuss the problems of Dobrudja and Bulgaria."

“Oppose! Russia has no right to force us to dismantle the defenses in Dobruja. It has also instigated multiple coups in Bulgaria, resulting in the deaths of a large number of our people.

How can such subversive behavior be called liberation? "

Reshid Pasha was the first to speak up, and these speeches had been prepared long before the meeting.

Soon the two sides quarreled again. With the example of Viscount Stratford and the fact that neither Dobruja, Bulgaria nor Northern Thrace were regions that the Ottoman Empire could give up, Reshid Pasha had nothing to worry about.

Duke Uvarov felt somewhat embarrassed by the repeated setbacks, and he was even more angry at the Austrian Empire's inaction.

Regarding the genocide of Armenians, the Ottoman Empire's practices were similar to those of later generations.

First, the denial of the genocide itself. The Ottoman Empire and the British government did not admit that the genocide against the Armenians was a policing operation.

Second, shirking responsibility: The Ottoman Empire and the British government believed that the Armenians also used violence and should bear the main responsibility for the escalation of violence.

Third, questioning the death toll. The Ottoman Empire and the British government questioned the death toll put forward by Russian and European scholars (3 to 30), and believed that the death toll should be less than .

Fourth, some scholars believe that a death toll of less than 10,000 cannot be considered a massacre.

(End of this chapter)