Chapter 603 Balkan Slavs
In July of this year, almost at the same time that Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated, Italian Chief of General Staff Alberto Berio died of illness, and controversy immediately broke out about whether to join the war.
Alberto Berio had a good relationship with Moltke and Conrad, and was the main pusher for Italy to join the Triple Alliance.
Alberto Berio's successor, Luigi Cadorna, was inclined to join the Entente, but the Kingdom of Italy was not ready to join another war.
The reason why it is "another one" is because the Italian army in North Africa still faces resistance from the remnants of the Ottoman army and local resistance forces.
The weak Italian army couldn't even defeat the nomads in North Africa. How could it defeat its old rival, the Austro-Hungarian Empire?
At this time, the total strength of the Italian army was only 270,000, which had already overwhelmed the Kingdom of Italy.
If it joins a world war, the Italian army will have to expand to at least 1 million people, which will be a huge disaster for the finances of the Kingdom of Italy.
No matter how entangled the Italians were, George focused on the contest between Conrad and Putnik.
Putnik is indeed perseverant. Although this 67-year-old general is suffering from illness, he is still strong and strong. He personally directs the battle against Austria, which is admirable.
Under the command of Putnik, the Serbian army and the Austrian army launched a flexible guerrilla war, regardless of the gains and losses of the moment and place, working hard to lengthen the Austrian army's supply line, looking for opportunities to give the Austrian army a fatal blow.
Internationally, Peter is still working hard. Although he has received support from Britain and France, it is a pity that the thunder is big and the rain is small, and the Serbian army has not received substantial assistance.
Sporadic fighting continued until mid-November. Putnik contracted wind cold during the transfer, and his condition became increasingly serious. By the end of November, he was no longer able to command the Serbian army.
Without Putnik's command, the Serbian army collapsed thousands of miles away.
At the end of November, the Serbian army that invaded Bosnia was forced to withdraw, and the area of control of the Serbian army in the southern mountainous area became smaller and smaller.
The Serbian army began to flee, and the defeated army and a large number of Serbian people poured into Bulgaria. By mid-December, the Austrian army announced that it controlled the entire territory of Serbia, and the Kingdom of Serbia was destroyed.
Peter came to St. Petersburg again, crying about the unfair treatment suffered by the Kingdom of Serbia, and hoped that the Russian Empire would send troops to help Serbia recover.
Nicholas was also tortured by the war on the front line and was in no mood to comfort Peter.
After the Battle of Warsaw, the Russian army planned a counterattack and concentrated the Second and Fifth Armies of the Northern Front and the Fourth and Ninth Armies of the Western Front to launch the Battle of Lodz.
After a month of fierce fighting, this battle ended with the defeat of the Russian army.
Based on the performance of the Russian army in 1914, Nicholas Jr. had to admit that the strategy formulated by George for the Russian army was correct.
The performance of the Russian army in defense was not bad. The Battle of Galicia was the only highlight moment of the Russian army in 1914.
During the offensive, the Russian army's bloated structure, chaotic command, poor logistics, and serious internal friction were all exposed. Several attacks planned in the European Theater ended in failure.
Compared with the European theater, the Balkan theater led by George only planned one attack and captured Transylvania. This seems to indicate that the Russian army can also be very good in the offensive.
Since the Russian army has no problem.
Who has the problem?
The answer seems to be ready.
In the past few days, George has gained a new nickname - Lazy George.
With the combat effectiveness displayed by George's Army in Transylvania, it seems that taking Budapest is just around the corner.
George did not want to attack at all. If it were not to reduce the pressure on the Russian army on the northern and western fronts, George would not even want to take Transylvania.
You really can't blame George for being lazy.
The main force of the German army is still on the Western Front, not on George's side.
Germany will not abandon the Austro-Hungarian Empire as an ally. If Vasily and Andre advance to Budapest, they will attract all the main German forces to George's side. Then it will be the turn of the British and French to rest. .
During this period, there was frequent communication between St. Petersburg and Constantinople. Telegrams were exchanged every day between George and the two Nicholas.
Little Nicholas hoped that George could send part of the Gao Ri servant army to the northern front to fill the gap in the northern front.
George really had nothing to say.
The mobilization speed of the Russian Empire is not slow, and a steady stream of troops arrive at the front line.
However, the army cannot be replenished as quickly as the front line, so there are never enough troops on the front line.
Including the losses in the Battle of Lodz, the Russian army had lost 1 million men in 1914.
1914 is not over yet.
The 1 million key losses were either the standing army or the first batch of elite soldiers recruited after mobilization.
The soldiers who will be mobilized next will become worse every year.
While the army suffered heavy losses, the pressure on military production was also increasing. Although the production of rifles was increasing every month, it was always not enough. A large number of weapons and equipment were seized by the German army. The newly established German army The 14th Army uses all Russian equipment.
Nicholas hopes that George will organize another attack before the New Year to make the Russian army's record better.
The main point that George emphasized in his call back to the two Nicholas was that since the German army was difficult to fight, the focus should be on the Austrian army.
Anyone who eats persimmons knows how to pinch the weak ones, and the same goes for fighting.
The results of the Battle of Galicia showed that the Russian army fighting the Austrian army was similar to the German army fighting the Russian army. It was basically adults fighting children.
In the Battle of Lodz, Ruzynski's performance was far less impressive than in the Battle of Galicia. This seemed to prove that Ruzynski was only good at defense and not good at offense. In this case, the Northern Front can be completely on the defensive, while the Western Front can strengthen its attack on the Austro-Hungarian Empire, forcing the German army to provide more assistance to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
George does have an offensive plan.
After the fall of the Kingdom of Serbia, the area controlled by the Austrian army finally overlapped with Brusinov's defense area.
Since the end of November, the 11th Army led by Brusinov has had sporadic exchanges of fire with the Austrian army.
After the baptism of the Russo-Japanese War and the Balkan War, Brusinov’s command became more and more perfect. Conrad did not take any advantage in Brusinov’s hands. The 11th Army actually attacked Enter the Kingdom of Serbia.
A week ago, Demeter planned a counterattack plan, using the 11th Army led by Brusinov as the main force and cooperating with the Bulgarian First and Second Army to attack the Austrian army in the Kingdom of Serbia. A battle of annihilation.
George did not approve this combat plan because the situation is still unclear.
Long before the Serbian army was defeated, Serbian Crown Prince Alexander fled to France through Albania and became a deserter in advance.
After Peter arrived in St. Petersburg, he immediately announced the establishment of a government-in-exile in St. Petersburg and continued to command the resistance forces in Serbia to fight against the invasion of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
There are indeed remaining troops resisting in Serbia. After all, the 400,000-strong army cannot be destroyed overnight.
However, the exile government has lost contact with these remaining troops and has no command ability at all.
What George is thinking about now is the future of the Kingdom of Serbia.
Helping Serbia recover is easy.
What George was struggling with was who to return the Kingdom of Serbia to after annihilating or expelling the Austrian army.
George did not want to return the Kingdom of Serbia to Peter.
On December 15, Brusinov returned to Constantinople from Sofia and reported to George in person.
After the fall of the Kingdom of Serbia, part of the Serbian army retreated to Albania and part to Bulgaria.
Among the Serbian officers who retreated to Bulgaria was Dragutin Dimitrievich, nicknamed "Apis".
Do you still remember the Black Hand, the mastermind behind the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand? This organization was founded by Dimitrievich.
About 10 days ago, Dimitrievich suggested to Brusinov that if George helped Serbia recover, then after the war, the Kingdom of Serbia could unite with surrounding countries to establish the "Greater Balkan Slavic State" country".
If Bulgaria is willing to join this country, then Boris can become the king of the "Greater Balkan Slavic State".
Brushinov was very interested in this suggestion.
George was also quite interested.
But George didn't like Dimitrievich, and he hated the Black Hand organization even more, and he didn't want to have anything to do with this organization.
"It's easy, we just need to create an accident when the day of victory comes."
Brushinov also doesn't like Dimitrievich. , no psychological barriers.
“No, we are going to put Dimitrievich on trial and let everyone know that what he did was wrong.”
George actually doesn't like to solve problems in such a simple and crude way.
Dimitrijevich started out as an assassin. If George used the same method to deal with him, then George would not be the same as Dimitrijevich.
George didn't think he was very noble, but when he was put together with Dimitrievich, George still felt insulted.
To put it bluntly, Dimitrievich is not qualified to discuss cooperation with George at all.
"The Great Balkan Slavic Country——"
Brusinov is not sure of George's purpose. This is to push Polis to the top. Don't you want to?
Of course George is willing, Great Balkan Slavia, isn’t this Yugoslavia.
Not only Peter has ambitions for Bosnia and Herzegovina, but George also wants it.
With Bosnia and Herzegovina, plus Bulgaria and Serbia, Balkan Slavia will be stronger than Yugoslavia in another time and space.
After two Balkan wars and a world war, the Balkan careerists have ceased their activities and gradually realized their own strength and their status.
With George's help, as long as Polis doesn't mess around, the Balkans will no longer become a powder keg for the world.
"I believe there must be a more suitable person, not Dimitrievich."
George asked Brusinov to concentrate on fighting, this kind of thing should be left to more professionals person is responsible.
There are many Serbs in Bulgaria now, so there must be suitable candidates.
(End of this chapter)