Chapter 304 Mediation
With the multi-line efforts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy soon couldn't stand it anymore. At the end of 1870, the Austro-Hungarian Empire troops crossed Venice and Lombardy and headed towards the territory of the former Kingdom of Sardinia.
Seeing that the Kingdom of Italy was in danger, the British had to step up for emergency mediation. After contacting the Russians, the three countries of France, Prussia and France sent representatives. 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 out loud. Those who didn't know thought Italy had defeated Vienna!
Friedrich: "The ability to turn black and white is better than you. In fact, who is responsible for the war is clear from the beginning. Under the repeated emphasis of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy ignored the opposition of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is unbearable for any Catholic country to insist on launching an attack on the sovereign Pope, and the Kingdom of Italy, not the Kingdom of Sardinia, has always been a warmonger, so the Kingdom of Sardinia must fight for itself Pay the price for your actions!"
Gamor: "The Kingdom of Sardinia has originally shouldered the mission of unifying the Italian region, so our actions are supported by the entire Italian region. This is what everyone expects, not some warmonger."
Friedrich: "Oh! It's really interesting to see what everyone expected. The scene I saw was not what everyone expected. The soldiers and civilians of the Pope fought against the aggression of the Sardinian Kingdom together with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The army of the Hungarian Empire wiped out the Sardinian army in the city, and the Kingdom of Naples was restored, all of which show that the emergence of the Kingdom of Italy was a mistake, and you just used violence to force everyone together."
Gamor: "All of this is caused by you, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They colluded with the enemies of the Italian people and opposed the unification of Italy for their own selfish desires."
Friedrich: "Mr. Gamol, you can't talk nonsense. It is obvious that your own behavior is unpopular, which attracted the Pope to invite the Austro-Hungarian Empire to intervene to prevent the aggression of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Before that, we The Austro-Hungarian Empire has always maintained restraint, but the Kingdom of Sardinia turned a blind eye to the warnings of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for its own selfish desires, and finally triggered the war."
Gamol: "Hmph! How do you explain the Austro-Hungarian army that appeared in Rome? The Pope is separated from the Austrian mainland by the Adriatic Sea and the Kingdom of Italy, and the sudden appearance of the Austro-Hungarian army in Rome proves that you are an early It was premeditated, and the hole was dug, just waiting for us Italy to jump in."
"Hahaha!" Friedrich laughed heartily, "You also said that this is a pit, but if you, the Sardinian Kingdom, were not too greedy, who would force you to jump into the pit, besides, Austria-Hungary The imperial army accepted the invitation of His Majesty the Pope to replace France to protect the safety of the Papal State, and in terms of magic and reason, the Austro-Hungarian Empire is not out of line."
Italy and Austria launched a heated debate on who is the righteous side of the war.
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 stop interfering in Italy's internal affairs. This is the bottom line of the Kingdom of Italy."
Friedrich: "Hmph, the war has come to this point, and I want to simply stop, but I really dare to think, if all the small countries provoke the big countries like this, can they just say sorry later, and they can no longer be held accountable gone?"
Earl Granville reminded: "Your Excellency Friedrich, these words should be discussed later, and now the Austro-Hungarian Empire's truce request is put forward."
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 change its name back to the Kingdom of Sardinia and recognize the independence of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies while ensuring There will never be any more invasions of the Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples, and finally the Austro-Hungarian Empire will regain Venice and Lombardy."
"Impossible!" Gamor snapped, "Our Kingdom of Italy will never agree."
Earl Granville also said: "Your country's request is too harsh, and Venice and Lombardy are considered Italian territories, and the people living on them are also Italians, so Your Excellency Friedrich, it is better for your country to change the plan. !"
As a British, Earl Granville naturally did not want to see the Austro-Hungarian Empire continue to strengthen, so he said this.
Friedrich sneered and said: "Venice and Lombardy were originally the inherent territories of the Austro-Hungarian Empire ten years ago. As for the Italians living on them, if the Kingdom of Sardinia wants, we can give them to you, and if it is just because of differences If the nation can divide the country by living in one area, I think Ireland and Scotland..."
Friedrich did not continue, but Earl Granville knew what it meant.
Earl Granville was a little displeased: "We will only discuss the Italian issue today, and don't discuss redundant topics. As for the issues of Venice and Lombardy, we will discuss the issue of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies next."
Gamor: "The Kingdom of Two Sicilies no longer exists, and even the current regime of the Kingdom of Naples is illegal."
Friedrich: "It's not up to you. The Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of Sicily are countries with a long history, and their monarchs are also the original monarchs of the two countries, so the Kingdom of Two Sicilies 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. The Austro-Hungarian Empire naturally hopes to strengthen the power of Naples.
Earl Granville said: "Since this is also controversial, let's pass it first."
(end of this chapter)