Mediterranean Hegemony Road

The response of the people made Ferdinand very depressed. The Bulgarian people are all eating sunflower seeds and looking at the theater. It feels like being used to it, it seems that the war is nothing great, and there is nothing to worry about.

Isn't that ordinary people hate war? Isn't the way I opened it wrong? Why do I seem to be flexing my muscles and planning to do something big?

This is also related to the cultural traditions of the Balkans. Due to its geographical location, it has long been a strategic place for European powers to compete.

"War" is already a part of the Balkans' life. Since the 2nd century BC, it has been ruled by the empires of Rome, Byzantium, Avar, Ottoman and Turkey.

Later, the Huns, Avars, Lombards, Romans, Slavs, and later Ottomans were fighting for control of the area.

War is always present. Due to the long war, the militant spirit of the people has been cultivated, because those who fear the war cannot survive.

The current Balkan region can be said to be a mixture of nationalities. Pure blood nations almost no longer exist, but the spirit of belligerence has not changed.

Imagine that in history, Bulgaria mobilized 1.26 million troops to participate in the World War. After two years of persistence, we know the people's attitude towards war.

Since oppressed by Ottoman for a long time, the Balkan countries attach great importance to army building after independence. It is also very sensitive to the surrounding wind and grass.

As soon as Bulgaria expanded its army, it caused turbulence around it. The powers are okay, but just a little attention, a small Bulgarian is not enough to make them afraid.

The Balkan countries are interesting. Although the Ottoman Empire has fallen, they still claim to be powers, and the decaying government is busy fighting for power.

The then Foreign Minister Harim Pasha, after receiving the news, Haha smiled, and did not care to transfer it directly to the government.

As to whether this news finally passed to Abdul Hamid II (reigned from 1876 to 1909), this is unknown. Anyway, apart from sending diplomats to express their concern, they did nothing. Compared with the previous attitude of Russia-Poland alliance.

Serbia is much more sensitive, and young Alexander Obrenovich (reigned from 1889 to 1903) expressed strong concern about this. Although not yet fully in power, the 16-year-old king summoned the cabinet for the first time.

"Gentlemen, what do you think of the expansion of Bulgaria?" Alexander Oblenko

"Obviously, Bulgaria is preparing for the war, probably after alliance with Russia, their courage has grown and they are ready to take military action!"

"Yes, I think it is time for Serbia to make preparations early. Bulgaria's strategic goals are still uncertain. Now that the Russians are backing it up, the possibility is very high against us! We should immediately expand our arms and prepare for war. Do not give them a chance. Opportunity !!! "Minister of War

"No, I don't think so! Don't forget that Bulgaria wants to expand to Serbia, but also depends on the Austro-Hungarian Empire's promise! They took advantage in 1886. As soon as the Austro-Hungarian Empire came forward, they would not return without success. I Do n’t think they have to do it again !!! And our finances are not rich now, there is no more money for you to splurge on! ”The Minister of Finance countered.

"How can this be a splurge ?? If we don't expand our army, how can we defend our country in case of Bulgarian invasion? What can we defend against?" The Minister of War asked.

"Why ?? Will it be possible to expand the army ?? Didn't you have all the advantages in 1885? As a result, you have not been defeated?" The Minister of Finance sneered.

"You, this is stigmatizing !! That was the failure of our Bulgarians. Otherwise, the heroic Serbian army could not fail!" Said the Minister of War with some lack of confidence.

Uh ...

The young Alexander Obrenovich had little patience and little prestige, and looked embarrassed as he kept arguing below.

Suddenly yelled: "Enough! Who is Bulgaria's target? Only they know it! You are so noisy and useless! What we need to determine now is what should Serbia do next?"

In history, Alexander Obrenovich became pro-government in 1893. Although young, but

The political mind is still very shrewd!

The quarrel between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the War Secretary is for their own benefit. Of course, Serbia's poor finances are the key issue. If it is not stopped, it will soon become the war minister's tongue.

The financial problems of Serbia can be traced back to the War of Independence. However, the defeat of the Bulgarian war in 1885 cost a bitterly to the economy, and the financial crisis intensified, and it has not eased up to now.

Serbia's annual budget is very fierce. If it expands with Bulgaria, it will inevitably squeeze the budgets of other departments.

The Minister of Finance was most worried that Serbia still owes a lot of debt, including the loan for Bulgaria's military in 1885, which has not been repaid.

问题 This issue can also be traced to Milan Obrenovic IV, during the independence of Serbia, in order to obtain the support of Austria and Hungary, the two parties concluded a political and economic treaty, and Serbia was forced to sell a lot of political and economic sovereignty.

Until now, there has been no decent industry in Serbia. Facing the competition between Austrian and Hungarian capitals, national capital failed to form an army and gradually moved to pro-Russian factions. This was one of the reasons why Serbia went to the Allies before the First World War.

The Minister of Finance had no choice but to oppose it, mainly because the government had no money and had to jump out. Moreover, he is not optimistic about the combat effectiveness of the Serbian army. The advantages of the previous war were so obvious that they lost so miserably. Now there is no advantage. Do we have to consider it? Anyway, you ca n’t beat it, just do n’t waste it.

奥 Alexander Obrenovich also knows the situation of the government, but the young and vigorous king cannot tolerate this situation!

"All the ministers are the elite of Serbia, and they must be very clear. Although we can now rely on Austria-Hungary, there is also Russia behind Bulgaria. If the two major powers restrain each other and a war breaks out, who can we rely on ???" Alexander Oblenko's rhetorical question

"But Her Majesty, the government has no money now! What can we expand? How much can we expand to meet the Bulgarian threat? The military can guarantee victory?" The Minister of Finance sneered.

"Bulgaria has expanded by 60,000 people. If we want to maintain our advantage, we must expand at least 80,000 people in order to have the ability to attack!" War Minister Lion said.

"This is impossible! This is equivalent to the fact that our army has been expanded by a factor of two. With the equipment, this is an astronomical number!" Said the Minister of Finance in disbelief.

Not only he did, but other Serbian high-level officials were also threatened, really want to do so. Then everyone will not use it in the later days, the fiscal revenue will be consumed by the army.

Alexander Obrenovich is also dumbfounded, he supports the expansion, but he has not broken the government!

比例 The proportion of military expenditure in the Balkan countries has always been high, and Serbia is the best among them, but how can it not exceed fiscal revenue!

The Minister of War seemed to know that it seemed too much, but he couldn't hit his own face. After thinking about it, I was ready to change the subject and said, "If you have no money, then increase the tax !!! It's so simple. I can't think of it, what does your Ministry of Finance do?"

The stubborn finance minister rolled his eyes, glanced at the minister of war without saying a word. It seems to say that when you are a child's house, if you increase taxes, you increase taxes, and the capitalists are not easy to mess with!

Others didn't respond, but Alexander Oblenko was attentive and began to figure out how much tax to add to get enough military expenses!

Don't be surprised, Alexander Oblenko is not a worry-free thing in history, and there is no absurd thing to do.

In 1900, he also married a widow 10 years older than him, court maid Draeger Marsh, which caused the entire cabinet to resign, and was rejected by European nobles.

What's even more strange is that in 1903, Alexander Obrenovich announced that he would stop implementing the Constitution for several hours to facilitate his illegal activities.

Compared to these, the tax increase is only pediatric.

似乎 Alexander Oblenovic seems to realize that this kind of thing has exceeded his own scope, and asked: "The Ministry of Finance calculates how much tax will be levied to solve the financial crisis?"

Uh ...

Serbia is still discussing the types of taxes to be levied and the amount of taxes. On the other side, Romania is much easier. Carol I secretly allied with Germany and Austria in 1883. The Bulgarian-Russian alliance was worried for a while, but after receiving the guarantee from Germany and Austria-Hungary, they were relieved.

罗 Carroll I possessed outstanding military talents. In the tenth Russian-Turkish war he commanded the army to win the battle of Pleven.

He has always been fond of the army. Hearing Bulgaria's expansion, Carroll I did not plan to fall behind, and followed the expansion of 60,000. Romania is more affluent than Serbia. Despite the financial pressure, Rorosi East can make up for it, and military spending is enough.

If it wasn't for the limited political level of Carol I, the domestic search would be too serious and unpopular. Contradictions intensified in 1888, and a peasant uprising broke out in Romania, hurting the country's vitality. Now it is time for Ferdinand to have a headache.

It stands to reason that the reactions of these neighbors are also normal ~ www.readwn.com ~ What are you worried about in Greece, and now it is not bordering Bulgaria.

But George I was so sensitive politically. He believed that Bulgaria's next target was the Ottoman Empire, so Greece should also prepare for the war in advance.

Regardless of the opposition of the ministers and forcibly passing the military expansion bill, one person was only two million in Greece. After the expansion, there were actually 110,000 army and 40,000 navy.

The Greek government certainly doesn't have that much money, but it doesn't matter if you can borrow it.

George I succeeded the British to give him the Ionian Islands as a gift, of course, the British were not so generous.

At first, Queen Victoria ’s second son, Prince Alfred, succeeded the Greek king. However, the London Treaty of 1832 stipulated that Britain, Russia, and France could not use their own royal family as the Greek king.

In the second half of the 19th century, Greece began laying railways and digging Corinth Isthmus canals. Began to borrow heavily and import light industrial products, the external debt amounted to more than 700 million drachmas, the government was unable to repay it, and Prime Minister Terry Cupis was forced to declare the country bankrupt.

In 1898, Britain, France, Austria, Germany, Russia and other countries formed the International Finance Committee to supervise the fiscal revenue and expenditure of Greece, and the fiscal power was reduced to the hands of the powers.

So it ’s okay to borrow more in order to expand your army. It ’s not a big deal. The Greeks are used to debts, which is considered a good tradition.

As for the future Kingdom of Montenegro, ignore him! At present, it is still a small country with a population of less than 400,000. The expansion of military preparations and warfare is really insufficient and insufficient, but he still expanded the army to 15,000.

Seeing the reactions of the Balkan countries, Ferdinand was almost crazy, and the arms race started like this! In a few months, the economic crisis has spread to the Balkans and I have fun.