NOVPUBIn the Middle East region, the Austrian Army launched a two-pronged attack on the Ottoman Empire. One contingent set out from the Sinai Peninsula, aiming for Jerusalem; the other took to the seas, setting its sights directly on the Kuwait Region.
The natural conditions in the Kuwait region are harsh, characterized by a tropical desert climate with aridity, scant rainfall, and frequent sandstorms. Its entire territory is a wasteland unsuitable for agricultural production.
Before the discovery of oil resources, the region didn’t attract much attention. It was only in 1871 that the Ottoman Empire established a county in Kuwait, a feat resulting from the Age of Exploration.
The Kuwait region does possess excellent ports, and to further develop the domestic economy, the Sultan Government planned to build a railway for direct access from the Persian Gulf into the Indian Ocean.
However, plans always remained just plans, and the railway existed only in theory, beyond the capabilities of the Sultan Government to implement.
Due to the constraints of natural conditions, the Kuwait region remained a poor and underdeveloped countryside area, with domestic transportation unresolved and overseas trade beyond reach despite the aspirations.
Now, the Sultan Government no longer needed to worry about these issues, as the Austrians made the choice for them. Faced with the sudden invasion, Kuwait’s garrison collapsed in a state of confusion.
It wasn’t for lack of effort; rather, the gap in strength was simply too large. The Sultan Government had never anticipated that the Kuwait region would become a target for Austria’s aggression, and there was only an understrength garrison troop on location.
Politically speaking, the strategic value of the Kuwait region was insubstantial at that time. However, a glance at the map would reveal that Austria was staking its claim on the territory.
To this day, the world had largely been carved up, what remained were either tough nuts to crack or areas where various powers intersected, restraining each other and complicating the balance to a point where rash actions could not be taken.
Although the Arabian Peninsula was somewhat barren, it was still a soft target with relatively few competitors.
Aside from Austria, only the British had extended their reach here, but it seemed John Bull did not highly regard these rural areas, investing very minimal effort.
Inside the Vienna Palace, Franz carefully read the diplomatic communique from the British, which essentially said: Austria’s actions in the Middle East Region had infringed upon Britannia’s interests, and the London Government was very angry.
After a moment, Franz set aside the document and asked with a smile, "The British have come to protest. What do you think about this?"
The British protest was seen by Franz as good news. The fact that the Royal Navy wasn’t blocking the door was enough to prove that the London Government did not place a high priority on the Persian Gulf.
While official diplomatic communiques look serious, they are often just that, problems of interest exchange. Normally, as long as the core interests of the nations aren’t involved, everything is negotiable.
Foreign Minister Weisenberg said, "Your Majesty, from the current situation, it seems the British want us to back off.
In the Palestine region, the Ottoman Empire has amassed a heavy force, and the war has just begun. The Kuwait Region is just a little countryside place, hardly of any significant interest.
The so-called loss of interest for the British may not even amount to ten thousand British Pounds, hardly enough to justify such grand mobilization by the UK Foreign Office.
If they really want it, we could simply compensate them. The Foreign Department has already communicated with the British and can confirm that they aren’t here over such a trifle matter."
Kuwait was just an ordinary county in the Ottoman Empire, with a population of just a few tens of thousands, scattered over a wide range. Crippled by the natural conditions, poverty was its defining feature.
The British Colonial Company had once established a base here with plans to develop a colony, but later withdrew due to an imbalance of revenue and expenditure.
In the original timeline, it wasn’t until after World War I, when oil was discovered in Persia and Iraq, that the British colonized Kuwait.
Currently, Austria’s occupation of the Kuwait region is mainly for its ports. The Yemen region is affected by the monsoons, and many ports can only be used for a few months, making them unsuitable as naval bases.
Of course, this is Austria’s official reason abroad and also happens to be the greatest current value of Kuwait. Whether others believe it or not is not Franz’s concern.
Prime Minister Felix said, "If that is the case, then we can have a proper talk with the British. As long as the interests align, we can cease fire at any time; after all, we are not prepared to annihilate the Ottoman Empire right now.
However, I think it’s unlikely; the British do want to preserve the Ottoman Empire, but current European political situation is ever-changing, and the London Government’s lack of action suggests there might be a conspiracy behind it."
Assuming the worst intentions of the British had become a habit for the Vienna Government. This was not because of overthinking but the experience accumulated from dealing with the British over time.
If one doesn’t stay vigilant, it is all too easy to be cheated by the British, especially when allied with them.
Take, for instance, the Kingdom of Sardinia, which, in order to cling to England’s coattails, participated in the previous Near East war, which had nothing to do with them, just to please the British. They expected to secure British support to unify the Italian Area, and then they were promptly betrayed by the London Government.
A closer analysis would reveal that the Sardinian Army’s poor performance on the Balkans battlefield had, to some extent, stirred up French ambitions.
Before the Ausa war, the Kingdom of Sardinia still had considerable military strength, able to mobilize tens of thousands of troops as evidence. Even after losing the war, European countries still generally gave the Sardinian army decent appraisals.
However, the last Near East war was a different story. The Sardinian Soldiers didn’t want to fight at all, leading to them shirking their duties throughout.
Upon seeing this, the French realized how weak their neighbor was, making it difficult not to develop ambitions! What followed is well-known; patriotic youth provided the French with an excuse.
As allies of the British, after symbolic efforts, the Kingdom of Sardinia was sold out following a deal made with the French behind the scenes.
There are many such cases to be found upon casually flipping through the pages of history. With so many lessons learned, experienced politicians naturally grow wary of the British.
Finance Minister Karl, "Could it be that the British want to strike a deal with us? There are not a few overlaps in our nations’ spheres of influence, and although major conflicts rarely occur, minor clashes do happen every now and then.
To address these issues, the foreign affairs departments of both countries are quite busy, and many issues remain unresolved. Taking this opportunity to make a deal with us would also be in the interests of the British."
Opening a world map reveals that, with the continuous expansion of the various colonial empires, the areas of overlapping influence have increased, with clashes between the powers noticeably rising in recent years.
The alliance of England, France, and Austria, in reality, also involved the division of colonial spheres of influence. After all, the most affluent regions have been mostly divided up, leaving behind only scraps not worthy of fervent contention.
Colonization has to consider the cost, and opening up new colonies is for plundering wealth; blind grabbing could drag any empire down with the cost alone.
The "Anglo-Ebura War" in South Africa is a clear example. The victorious Austrians could still slowly recoup the costs; the British who initiated the battle suffered a complete loss.
The London Government had its unspeakable woes and, to minimize political impact, could only coldly handle the situation. The previous administration even fell because of it.
With these lessons in mind, countries practice restraint in colonial conquests. Not every place is buried with vast amounts of gold. It might happen that, even winning a war, costs couldn’t be recovered at the end.
Franz, gazing at the map on the wall, thought carefully for a while before turning his attention to Ethiopia and the Sudan area.
The Suez Canal is of crucial importance, yet France and Austria simply won’t allow the British any involvement. Not obtaining the Suez Canal is one thing, but it’s still necessary to maintain influence over the canal.
Under these circumstances, John Bull could only set his sights on the Mandab Strait. With the Yemen region taken by Austria, what’s left for them is Africa.
Unfortunately, the African continent had already become the hunting ground of France and Austria, and now the British must pay for their initial negligence.
To compensate for the oversight, the British successively launched wars in Ethiopia and the Anglo-Ebura, with the latter already a failure, and the former only half successful.
The British Army did indeed defeat Ethiopia, but regrettably, it took them several years and Ethiopia remains in chaos, with anti-British forces still growing stronger.
Without a doubt, the two allies, France and Austria, must be dragging them down from behind. Were it not for support, the natives of Ethiopia would have already succumbed to their bayonets.
Franz drew a circle on the map, covering the entire Arabian Peninsula with his hand, "Let the foreign ministry take its time with the British. No matter what their goals are, if they want to achieve something, it will all come out sooner or later. 𝔫𝔬𝖛𝖕𝔲𝖇.𝖈𝖔𝖒
"They’re not in a rush, and we needn’t be either. Dragging this out could be a good choice, preferably until the Near East war comes to an end.
"If the British want to trade interests, then let them give up the entire Arabian Peninsula. Just a Kuwait is not worth negotiating over."
After a pause, Franz drew another circle on the African Continent, including most areas of Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia.
"These are the concessions we can afford to make. If the British want to talk, let them take their time, and don’t rush to reach an agreement."
Colonial Minister Stephen hurriedly spoke up, "Your Majesty, we would be at a huge loss with such a trade. The Arabian Peninsula has limited worth, and its economy is still in the primitive era.
With nomadic tribes as the main component, there isn’t even one decent city. The profit from colonizing the area might not even cover the costs of ruling it."
A loss? It does seem that way at this time. Were it not without value, it wouldn’t be Austria’s turn to act.
Franz didn’t explain; to talk about oil at this time would be a wild fantasy. The internal combustion engine was still at the experimental stage, far from being market-ready.
The main use of oil was for processing into everyday lighting. Unfortunately, Austria was heavily developing the electric power industry, and everyday lighting seemed a dying industry.
After reflecting for a moment, Franz drew a line, "Construct a railway from Jerusalem stretching all the way to the Gulf of Aden, then extend it along the Arabian Peninsula to Kuwait. What do you think?"
Without a doubt, Franz’s approach was "Forget economics; focus on strategy." By building a circum-Arabian railway, the influence of Austria could not be evaded in the Red Sea or Persian Gulf.
If the Ottoman Empire collapses, it could also be an opportunity to expand influence into the Euphrates River basin, ensuring Austria’s hegemony in the Middle East region.
Finance Minister Karl, "Your Majesty, we must consider the costs. The economy in the Middle East region isn’t strong, and these investments might not see a return even after thirty years."
Thirty years was an extremely optimistic estimate; without considering underground resources, Franz believed it would take a century to recoup the costs.
After hesitating for a bit, Franz cajoled, "This is just a plan, whether it can be implemented is for the future; now, let’s make the British believe it’s real.
"Just think, once the Ottoman Empire collapses, and we and the Russians divide it up, extending the railway from the Asia Minor Peninsula all the way to the Arabian Sea, doesn’t it seem alluring?"
When real is mingled with fake, even Franz, if not a strategist, would have difficulty discerning the true from the false in the strategy he’s concocted.
