Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 513

Chapter 513: Chapter 86, Different Paths to the Same Goal

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Vienna Palace, looking at the telegram in his hand, Franz didn’t know what to say. Describing it as “calamity descending from the skies while one lies unsuspecting in the comfort of home” seemed a bit incongruous.

The situation this time was of Austria’s own making. Had the negotiation not taken place within the Austrian Embassy, Austria would have had nothing to do with President Juarez’s death, no matter how he had died.

Blaming Minister Compton? That wouldn’t be right either, as he had been dutiful and responsible. Holding the negotiations within the Austrian Embassy was meant to give Austria an advantage and secure greater interests for it.

The death of President Juarez was an accident, and Minister Compton bore no responsibility for it. There was no need for him to be accountable for this event.

Now, a huge blame descended out of the blue, and no matter how it was explained, there would be accusations: that Austria had poisoned President Juarez, or that Maximilian I had struck out of revenge.

In fact, from beginning to end, Franz had never intended to kill President Juarez. His existence was not a threat to Austria; keeping him alive was of greater value than killing him.

As for Maximilian I, he certainly would not have had the capacity to assassinate President Juarez during negotiations; otherwise, he wouldn’t have ended up in his current plight.

Prime Minister Felix suggested, “Your Majesty, given what has happened, we should likewise withdraw our troops from Mexico. At this juncture, holding them accountable is indefensible on moral grounds.”

Franz nodded. No matter how justified the reasons had been before, the death of a president within the Austrian Embassy in Mexico provided enough of an explanation.

Continuing to press aggressively would ruin Austria’s international image. That would run counter to the long-term philosophy of the Vienna Government. Even the shameless British would not resort to such actions.

“Order Governor Hummel to withdraw the troops. While at it, evacuate the embassy staff and expatriates as well. Mexico is about to descend into chaos, and we should stay out of this murky mess.”

The process was unimportant; the ultimate goal had been achieved. With the sudden death of President Juarez, the Republicans, angling for a successor, would inevitably engage in fierce infighting.

President Juarez had been in power more than a decade ago, and his term had long ended. During these ten years, everyone had been engaged in guerrilla warfare, so elections were naturally out of the question.

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Since the overthrow of Maximilian I, preparations for Mexico’s general election had been underway. If President Juarez hadn’t died, the likelihood of his re-election was very high.

Alas, reality bears no ifs; without Juarez, Mexico no longer had a second political figure capable of commanding the scene.

Lacking prestige, the Central Government was unable to quell internal conflicts, and with international powers meddling, a civil war was all but inevitable.

Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, the song of the Union and the Confederacy will be performed anew on the Mexican stage. Be it the United States or the Confederate States, each sought to support a Mexican Government friendly to themselves to strengthen their influence in North America.

England, France, and Austria, too, were not inclined to sit in idleness. The French were correct to strategically retract, but as Mexico’s creditors, they were not afforded the luxury of staying low-key by reality itself!

The Anglo-Austrian two countries were bored to death, and it would be problematic if they did not stir up trouble. Oddly, when it came to overseas colonial expansion, Austria was significantly influenced by John Bull, gradually mastering the art of causing trouble.

Foreign Minister Weisenberg analyzed, “Your Majesty, abandoning Mexico City should suffice. Having occupied several southern states of Mexico already, we might as well take our time.

The Austrian Central American Colony has always had territorial disputes with Mexico. These issues need to be discussed and resolved gradually. We can wait for a new Mexican government to be elected before we negotiate.”

With the death of President Juarez, Austria had to present a stance to the outside world. Withdrawing from Mexico had become inevitable, but how to withdraw would test our skills.

Mobilizing our troops cannot result in a fruitless endeavor. We must at least recoup the costs of deployment. Delaying for a bit until the outbreak of a civil war in Mexico will solidify the fact of our occupation of the southern territory.

As long as Mexico has not elected a government recognized by Austria, we can keep the territory indefinitely. In just three to five years’ time, it would be assimilated.

This is a practical necessity—the Plantation Owners in the Austria Central America have long wanted to expand, and now we also need to soothe their emotions.

The Vienna Government needs them to maintain a certain strength, capable of hindering American encroachment into the Central American region. As long as Austria occupies territory in Central America for even a day, don’t even think about starting work on the Panama Canal.

After a brief contemplation, Franz made a decision, “Do not occupy under the guise of the government’s banner. Austria has never aggressed against Mexico.

The south of Mexico is merely a group of civilians unwilling to accept the rule of the Mexican Government. It’s regrettable that the Mexica Government is incapable of managing its own people, and we can only express our regrets.”

Having discarded bottom lines, Franz had no fear of feigning ignorance. As long as Austria didn’t officially occupy Mexican territory, the international community would have nothing to say.

If the Mexican Government had the ability, it could also send troops to reclaim these areas. Of course, they must succeed at once. If they fail, the insurgents will spread. And if they lose additional states after a failed attempt, it would only be a testament to their incompetence.

After three to five years have passed and the uproar over this incident subsides, these areas can be incorporated into the Austrian Central American Colony.

The rules of the game are such that when duplicity is needed, one must be duplicitous. As long as the tangible benefits are in hand, an extra show doesn’t hurt.

The profits from this expansion were mostly for the plantation owners in the Austria Central America region. Having reaped the benefits, they must pay the price, and the responsibility of ruling the area fell on their shoulders.

Mexico wasn’t easy to rule, and even the French hadn’t been able to swallow them whole, and Franz didn’t think Austria could do it in one gulp.

Now Franz had decided to delegate authority, allowing the colonists in the Austria Central America region to bite off as much as they could chew based on their own strength. The consequences of a failure to expand would also be borne by them alone.

…

In Mexico City, President Juarez’s death had caused a storm of controversy. Orchestrated by those with an agenda, the crowds protesting and demonstrating had surrounded the Austrian Embassy to the point of impenetrability.

Tolerance for the deceased often exceeds that for the living, and President Juarez, criticized during his lifetime, was now revered in death, as if overnight he had become a saint.

Inside the embassy, Minister Compton was restless; the protesting crowds outside, relentless in their 24-hour bombardment, chanted slogans that shook the earth, and even the embassy’s dog trembled in fear.

To stop the protesters from storming the embassy grounds, Minister Compton had already summoned a battalion of troops from outside the city. A police cordon had been thrown up, and a Gatling gun mounted at the main gate.

This wasn’t an overreaction; in just a few days, numerous assaults had occurred—the bodies scattered outside were proof of that.

From this perspective, Franz’s order to evacuate the embassy was wise. Otherwise, the personal safety of the embassy staff would hardly be guaranteed.

As Minister Compton was at his wit’s end, a young military officer approached, telegraph in hand, and said, “Minister, this is the latest order from the Vienna Government.”

Snatching the telegraph, Compton noticed the date was five days old. He wasn’t concerned about the timing, but as he read the order to evacuate Mexico, he was rendered speechless.

The decision to not even retain the embassy clearly meant a complete withdrawal from Mexico. Minister Compton’s heart was a mix of emotions as he contemplated the abandonment of the embassy district he had managed for years.

After a moment of silence, Minister Compton said sternly, “Notify the Mexican Government that we are evacuating and order them to disperse the crowd within three hours, or they’ll bear all the consequences.”

Since they were leaving, there was no need for further consideration. The great powers were never short of forceful measures—if the Mexican Government continued to be oblivious to danger, a bloodbath in Mexico City before departure could be an option.

Not annexing Mexico didn’t mean Austria feared their strength. It was easy to defeat the government forces but difficult to rule Mexico.

With the territory of Mexico continually shrinking, it still covered nearly two million square kilometers. Such a vast expanse, mostly mountainous, couldn’t be cleared without an army of hundreds of thousands.

This cost far exceeded any benefits, and the French gave up on Mexico because they saw this clearly and were unwilling to keep filling this pit.

Now it was different, since Austria was leaving anyway. Even if the departure caused great outrage, Minister Compton felt no pressure.

He knew exactly how the protesting crowds had formed. The Mexican Government, not daring to directly trouble Austria, pushed the citizens forward and watched from behind.

Compton hadn’t lashed out not because he was afraid, but because it was unnecessary. On the surface, it seemed to be making trouble for Austria, but in reality, the greatest trouble would fall on the Mexican Government afterwards.

If the Mexican Government had any experience in governance, they never would have done this. Public sentiment is a double-edged sword; after Austria’s withdrawal, the surging public sentiment would become the blade to destroy the Republican Government.

To put it plainly, from the moment President Juarez’s autopsies report was released, it was decided that Austria’s political extortion had failed.

The Mexican Government had been working to no avail from the start. Even without the protesting crowds, the Vienna Government would have given up on Mexico all the same.

Having received the news of Austria’s withdrawal, the Mexican Government displayed rare and efficient unity. The major factions within the government aligned their opinions to swiftly expel this plague.

The aftereffects erupted, with violent clashes between the protesting crowds and the police dispatched to disperse them. Including the organizers of the protests, no one could control the highly agitated people.

The three hours passed quickly, and outside the embassy district, chaos reigned. Watching the Mexican Government suppress the people itself, Compton couldn’t help but sneer.

Even if he had to move, it wasn’t something that could be done in a few hours. He still had time to enjoy the show. As for any trouble, Compton wasn’t the least bit worried—didn’t the Mexican Government fear them refusing to leave?

Anyone daring to impede the Austrians’ departure would be the Mexican Government’s greatest enemy. The inexperienced Mexican Government didn’t realize that Austria’s withdrawal was merely the beginning of their problems.

While the withdrawal was underway, another front was intensifying military action. The colonists, who had been stifled for so long, weren’t going to miss this rare opportunity for expansion.