Chapter 304 Mediation
As the Austro-Hungarian Empire exerted force on multiple fronts, Italy soon became unable to withstand it. At the end of 1870, the Austro-Hungarian Empire crossed Venice and Lombardy and headed towards the former Kingdom of Sardinia. .
Seeing that the Kingdom of Italy was in doom, the British had to step in for emergency mediation. After contacting the Russians, the three Franco-Prussian countries sent representatives at the same time. On January 3, 1871, Italy and Austria negotiated an armistice in Birmingham, England. .
Birmingham.
Italian diplomat Gamor: "The Austro-Hungarian Empire blatantly sent troops to launch a war of aggression against the Kingdom of Italy, causing huge losses to the Kingdom of Italy. The Austro-Hungarian Empire must fully withdraw its troops from the Kingdom of Italy and compensate the Kingdom of Italy for its losses. .”
"Pfft!" Austrian Foreign Minister Friedrich couldn't help laughing, and those who didn't know thought Italy had defeated Vienna!
Friedrich: "You are better at confusing right and wrong. Who is actually responsible for the war has been clear from the beginning. Under the repeated emphasis of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy Regardless of the opposition of Austria-Hungary, insisting on launching an attack on the sovereign Papal State is intolerable to any Catholic country. The Kingdom of Italy, not to mention the Kingdom of Sardinia, has always been a war monger, so the Kingdom of Sardinia must pay the price for its actions!"
Gamor: "The Kingdom of Sardinia has always shouldered the responsibility! The mission of unifying the Italian region, so our actions are supported by the entire Italian region. This is what everyone expects, not what What a warmonger."
Friedrich: "Oh! It's so interesting to see what everyone expected. The scene I saw was not what everyone expected. The soldiers and civilians of the Papal State joined the Austro-Hungarian Empire in opposing the invasion of the Kingdom of Sardinia. At the same time in Venetia, the citizens of Venice worked hard to cooperate with the Austro-Hungarian army to destroy the Sardinian army in the city, and the Kingdom of Naples was restored. , all this shows that the emergence of the Kingdom of Italy was a mistake, and you just used violence to force everyone together."
Gamour: "It is you, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, who are behind all this, you guys. Collaborating with the enemies of the Italian people, they oppose the unification of Italy for their own selfish purposes.”
Friedrich: "Mr. Gamor, you can't say nonsense. It is obviously your own actions that are unpopular, which led the Papal State to invite the Austro-Hungarian Empire to intervene militarily to stop the invasion of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Before that, we The Austro-Hungarian Empire has always maintained restraint, but the Kingdom of Sardinia He ignored the warnings of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for his own selfish reasons, which finally led to the war."
Gamour: "Huh! How do you explain the appearance of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Rome? The Adriatic Sea and the Kingdom of Italy, while the city of Rome suddenly appeared The Austro-Hungarian Army proved that you had already planned and dug the hole, just waiting for Italy to jump in."
"Hahaha!" Friedrich laughed heartily, "You said so. This is a trap, but if you, the Kingdom of Sardinia, were not too greedy, who could force it? You jump into the pit. Besides, the Austro-Hungarian Empire accepted the invitation of His Majesty the Pope to protect the security of the Papal State on behalf of France. In terms of power and reason, the Austro-Hungarian Empire has nothing to go out of its way.”
Italy and Austria had a heated debate over who was the just side of the war.
"Okay, don't quarrel!" British Foreign Secretary Earl Granville stopped the speeches of both parties. "I called you here to solve the problem, not to quarrel. Now the problem in Italy has been solved." It has seriously affected the stability of the region, so both sides should first state the results they want. We will not discuss right and wrong first, but strive for better peace in the future. ”
Gamor: "The attitude of the Kingdom of Italy is consistent. The Austro-Hungarian Empire must unconditionally withdraw its troops from areas including Venice and Lombardy, and no longer interfere in Italy's internal affairs. This is the bottom line of our Kingdom of Italy."
Friedrich: "Humph, the war has come to this point. , I still want to simply stop, but I dare to think that if all small countries provoke big countries like this, can they just say sorry later and no longer be held accountable?" Earl Granville reminded: "Your Excellency Friedrich. , these words should wait to be discussed later. Now let’s first discuss the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s armistice requirements. "
Friedrich: "As the initiator of the war, the Kingdom of Italy must be punished. The Kingdom of Sardinia does not have the conditions to unify Italy, so the Kingdom of Italy should The name was changed back to the Kingdom of Sardinia and the independence of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was recognized. Establishment, while promising never to invade the Papal State and the Kingdom of Naples, and finally the Austro-Hungarian Empire will regain Venice and Lombardy."
"This is impossible!" Gamor said sternly. The Kingdom of Italy will never agree.”
Count Granville also said: "Your country's request is too harsh, and Venice and Lombardy are Italian territories, and the people living there are also Italians, so Your Excellency Friedrich, your country should change its plan. ! "
As a British person, Count Granville naturally did not want to see the Austro-Hungarian Empire continue to strengthen, so he said this.
Friedrich sneered: "Venice and Lombardy were the inherent territories of the Austro-Hungarian Empire ten years ago. As for the Italians living there, if the Kingdom of Sardinia wants it, we can give it to you. And if the country can be divided just because different nationalities live in the same area, I think Ireland and Scotland..."
Friedrich did not continue, but what he meant, Count Granville knew very well. .
Earl Granville was a little displeased: "We will only discuss the Italian issue today, and don't discuss unnecessary topics. As for the issues of Venice and Lombardy, we will put them aside for now. Next, we will discuss the issue of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies."
Gamor: "The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies no longer exists, and even the current regime of the Kingdom of Naples is illegal."
Friedrich: "This is not your decision. The Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of Sicily are both The monarch of a country with a long history is also the monarch of the original two countries, so the two countries are The Kingdom of Italy should exist independently. "
The Kingdom of Two Sicilies is composed of the Kingdom of Sicily and the Kingdom of Naples. Now the Kingdom of Naples belongs to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, while Sicily, where the Kingdom of Sicily was originally located, is under the rule of the Kingdom of Italy. Austria-Hungary naturally wanted to strengthen Naples.
Earl Granville said: "Since this is also controversial, let's pass it first."
(End of this chapter)