Chapter 409 Iron Medal
Chapter 409 Iron Cross
On the special train to Vienna, most people were worried, at least like Shao Quanzhong, they had a lot of thoughts and were in a mess.
Only Emery, who was accompanying Shao Quanzhong on the visit, felt nothing at all, while he was chatting enthusiastically with another person who felt nothing at all.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire invited Shao Quanzhong to visit Austria-Hungary this time, essentially to obtain cheap arms assistance. That was through the Austro-Hungarian ambassador in Beijing who communicated with Rong Hong through internal information channels.
But the official excuse was to invite Shao Quanzhong to attend the Vienna World Expo. In order to wait for Shao Quanzhong to come from afar, the World Expo was deliberately delayed for a period of time.
The World Expo is a good excuse, and His Majesty Franz knows how to use it, and so do others.
For example, His Majesty William I also came to attend the World Expo, and the Chief of General Staff Moltke served as his attendant.
This was actually communicated with Shao Quanzhong in advance. Shao Quanzhong and William I came here mainly for show, while Emery and Moltke were the main characters.
Britain had warned Shao Quanzhong not to get too close to Germany, and as Britain's "loyal little brother," Shao Quanzhong had of course to obey orders.
Therefore, since Bismarck's visit to the Qing Dynasty, Shao Quanzhong has never officially contacted Germany again. Even if he secretly gave Germany technology such as "tanks with main guns", it was through German experts in the Good Fruit Company.
But technology and blueprints can be donated, but the new tactical communication is still more effective when the chiefs of staff communicate face to face. Otherwise, how many telegrams would have to be sent? It is not convenient either, and phone calls are not confidential.
Therefore, this time Shao Quanzhong specially brought Emery to discuss with Moltke the use of new tactics after the emergence of many new weapons.
Anyway, Emery has been in Baoding for four years, and his instructors have basically mastered his tactical ideas. The principal's occasional business trip will not cause any delay.
You see, when Shao Quanzhong and William I met at the World Expo, neither of them said hello to each other. Both of them had stern faces, as if they were enemies.
Of course, Prussia aided the Qing Dynasty and made profits from its investments in the Qing Dynasty. That was a treaty signed before Britain instructed it to isolate Germany, right? Continuing to implement the treaty is another matter.
Then, Emery and Moltke, who were in plain clothes, took over.
Moltke graduated from the Royal Danish Military Academy and then went to the Berlin Military Academy for further studies. His experience was similar to Emory's, who went to the Berlin Military Academy for further studies after graduating from West Point. He was considered Emory's senior.
However, Moltke was already 73 years old. He had defeated Denmark and Austria, served as the commander-in-chief of the Franco-Prussian War, and was promoted to marshal. He was famous all over the world.
Emery had always been the chief of staff. He was only in his thirties. In the battles against the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the Western Expedition, his glory was overshadowed by Grant, the de facto commander-in-chief, and his record was much worse. Therefore, he respected Moltke, his senior who was more than 40 years older than him.
But knowledge is not limited to the young and the old. Moltke was the pioneer of the modern military system, and Emery was its successor and developer.
Emery knew more about new weapon technologies and had done more thorough research on new tactics for tanks, artillery, street fighting, and trench warfare. He also made tactical considerations after the emergence of new technologies such as smokeless gunpowder, TNT, and artillery repositioning, which were things that Moltke had never come across.
When these two people meet, they can't stop talking. It's a truly high-end, world-class tactical exchange.
The originally planned exchange time in Vienna was not enough, and the two followed Shao Quanzhong throughout his visits to various places, walking and chatting, and never appeared in public.
The assassination of the Austro-Hungarian emperor had nothing to do with an American or a German. It's not that the incident had nothing to do with the United States or Germany, but that both of them were pure soldiers who only cared about fighting and didn't care about the political situation.
When the train was about to arrive in Vienna, the two finally came out of the compartment. Old Moltke saluted Shao Quanzhong solemnly, "Your Highness, your military and technical assistance to Germany is selfless, sincere, and unprecedented."
"We understand that you have no choice but to provide this assistance in private in order to protect Qing from being suppressed by a shameless superpower. Germany is grateful. For this, His Majesty William has entrusted me to secretly award you the Grand Iron Cross of the Star."
"You are the eternal friend of the German Empire. I believe that one day, the world hegemony of the shameless will end, and Your Majesty can announce your honor in public."
Shao Quanzhong stood at attention and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration. This is a great honor for me."
I took the medal with a smile and sighed inwardly. I am afraid that I won't have the chance to show off this medal publicly for many years. It is hard to say whether I will have the chance in the future.
The Grand Iron Cross with Star has only been awarded once before, to Marshal Blücher, who assisted the Duke of Wellington in defeating Napoleon at Waterloo. It represents the highest honor for making significant contributions to Germany's military.
Shao Quanzhong donated the design of the main gun installation technology, smokeless gunpowder, and gun resetting technology for German tanks free of charge. He also asked Emery to teach him the new tactics developed by the Huai Army, which greatly enhanced the combat capability of the German army. He deserves this medal.
Of course, Moltke also supplemented these new tactics, which could be regarded as an exchange and feedback in terms of tactical ideas.
The technological lead is temporary, so the Germans, who are afraid that these technologies will be mastered by the British, are eager to try and rush to fight...
…………
On January 1874, 1, Shao Quanzhong's delegation returned to Vienna and stayed at Schönbrunn Palace.
The next day, the Austro-Hungarian royal family announced that His Majesty Franz Joseph I was seriously injured after being assassinated in Sarajevo, and died after returning to Vienna.
The sixteen-year-old Crown Prince Rudolf succeeded as Emperor of Austria and Austro-Hungary, the Empress Dowager Princess Sophie served as regent, and the Virgin Queen Dowager Princess Sissi succeeded as Queen of Hungary.
Originally, Rudolf should have followed in his father's footsteps and served as the King of Hungary as well.
However, Hungary joined the Austro-Hungarian Empire with the mediation of Princess Sissi. Hungarians only recognized Princess Sissi and Archduchess Marie as the "children of Hungary" and did not recognize Rudolf as an Austrian.
In order to maintain the existence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Princess Sissi had no choice but to become the Queen of Hungary.
Immediately, the Austro-Hungarian royal family reacted strongly to the assassination.
The assassin's target was Shao Quanzhong. Would Shao Quanzhong take responsibility for the misfortune of His Majesty Franz? Not at all.
Which politician doesn’t have enemies who want to kill him? When Shao Quanzhong visited Austria-Hungary, his safety should have been the responsibility of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, he was assassinated in Sarajevo, and the responsibility lies with the Austro-Hungarian side.
Moreover, the secret agents of the Austro-Hungarian Empire quickly found out the mastermind and accomplices behind the assassination. This was not a personal revenge against Shao Quanzhong at all.
The Yang Fang family was destroyed in Paris, and his daughter fled to Italy with a four-year-old nephew to live in seclusion.
After seeing the news in the newspaper that Shao Quanzhong was going to attend the Vienna World Expo, the assassin decided to assassinate Shao Quanzhong on his own.
But the security of the Expo was very good, and she had no chance to get close to Shao Quanzhong. When she was wandering outside at a loss, someone showed up to help her.
(End of this chapter)