Chapter 992: Abandoning Darkness and Turning to Light

Chapter 992: Abandoning Darkness and Turning to Light

The betrayal of the Grand Eastern Fleet was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the Second French Republic. The fleet was too important to a country.

After losing the Great Eastern Fleet, let alone cooperate with the British Empire to block the coast of the Austrian Empire and defeat the royalist rebels to regain Algeria, even their own safety cannot be guaranteed.

If the Grand Eastern Fleet and the Austrians attack France's Mediterranean coast in turn, it will undoubtedly be worse for the French economy.

What's even more terrible is that the Great Eastern Fleet did not surrender to the Austrians, but joined the ranks of the Orleans remnants.

At this time, the Second French Republic, let alone annihilating the rebels and regaining Algeria, might be counterattacked by the remnants of Orleans and invade the homeland.

At this time, the Duke of Aumer (the fourth son of Louis Philippe) had an army of 100,000 men and a powerful maritime force such as the Great Eastern Fleet.

Coupled with the powerful ally of the Austrian Empire, the princes in the Parliament of the Second French Republic all pointed their fingers at Dan Gila and the National Newspaper faction who were determined to launch a war.

In fact, long before the war began, the senior officials of the Great Eastern Fleet strongly opposed the war, and even opposed joining forces with the British.

Not only was it a century-old feud with the British, but it was also the blood debt between the French navy and the British navy.

The former commander of the Great Eastern Fleet, Buckway Reynaud, died in the first Mediterranean naval battle with the British.

In addition, almost all the officers and soldiers of the Great Eastern Fleet had relatives or friends who died at the hands of the British.

The bones of their relatives and friends are still cold, and now they are asked to join forces with their former enemies, and the officers and soldiers of the Great Eastern Fleet cannot accept it emotionally.

In the end, the Grand Eastern Fleet and even the entire French Navy were dissatisfied with the Second French Republic.

There are mainly two points. There are a large number of aristocratic hereditary officers in the First Navy. They themselves are not interested in the republic, and even naturally hate the so-called democracy.

The second and most critical point is that the financial situation of the Second French Republic has always been very poor, and arrears in military pay and maintenance funds are almost commonplace.

With the exception of a few hereditary officers, most in the Navy are still waiting for military pay to support their families.

If it were a case of defaulting on some military pay and funds, it would not necessarily cause such a big response, but in the context of the dual effects of the economic crisis and the food crisis, it is almost impossible for naval officers and soldiers not to be angry.

Not to mention the chaos within France at this time, rampant corruption, alternation of old and new, intertwined contradictions, coupled with the huge pressure brought by the war, finally triggered the dissatisfaction of the Great Eastern Fleet.

The officers and soldiers of the Great Eastern Fleet did not feel that this was a betrayal, but turned to the light.

In their eyes, the Second French Republic was the conqueror, and they were the defenders of order and dynasty.

As for destroying the British, that is their duty.

Before the war began, they sent their families and property to the port of Toulon.

Then, in the name of military expansion and war preparations, merchant ships were recruited and converted into transport ships to transport one's own personnel and materials.

Even their frequent trips between the Algerian ports of Oran and the French ports of Toulon did not arouse much suspicion.

Even if they drove away two unfinished warships and took away more than 2,000 bewildered shipbuilders for the last time, after all, these assets themselves belonged to the Great Eastern Fleet.

When news of the naval battle in the Mediterranean reached Paris and the government of the Second French Republic discovered that something was wrong, the entire port of Toulon was evacuated.

Navy Minister Agra wanted to take the blame and resign, but Dan Gila did not want to let this unlucky guy go, even though he had no knowledge of the mutiny.

In fact, Minister of the Navy Agra is a very talented person. He has long seen the problems of the Second French Republic, but he is powerless. After all, he cannot betray his own class.

As for the mutiny of the Great Eastern Fleet, it was naturally impossible for this minister who had never even been to Paris to know what was going on.

In the end, Minister Agra was sentenced to three hundred years in prison.

The government of the Second French Republic tried its best to suppress the impact of the mutiny of the Grand Eastern Fleet, but the people's patience with the French government was almost reaching its limit.

In addition to suppressing domestic public opinion and national sentiment, Dan Gila also sent his own envoy to Britain with his own handwritten letter to seek help.

He hoped that Britain could send troops to help France destroy the Algerian rebels.

"That's it, Mr. Russell. The evil Orleans Dynasty is still lingering. Mr. Dan Gila hopes that your country can send another expeditionary force. At that time, our country will send the Great Western Fleet to cooperate with your army."

The words of French envoy Chubais Randall made the British dignitaries in Whitehall feel a little stunned.

Send another fleet? Or go with the French? Do the French want to do it again?

Even if the British Empire had a great cause, they could not withstand such troubles.

Unless they can send a super fleet that is confident enough to defeat the navies of France and Austria.

But even the British Empire could only organize such a fleet once at this time.

If it fails again this time, let alone competing with Russia for world hegemony, it is unknown whether it can maintain its current maritime hegemony.

"The continued dispatch of the expeditionary force requires congressional approval. In addition, our country also needs to further confirm the status of the new Mediterranean fleet."

John Russell just made some excuses, which made the French envoy Chubais Randall very depressed.

"Mr. Russell, I hope you know that the price we pay in France is no smaller than yours.

The betrayal of the Great Eastern Fleet means that more than half of our country's coastal defense forces have become minions of the rebels. Our army is also fighting with all its strength against Austria and its servants, with casualties already reaching tens of thousands.

But even so, our country still has not given up. For the sake of peace and justice in this world, and for those innocent people to be spared the suffering of war, we should continue to shoulder the responsibility of a great power.

Therefore, our country hopes that your country can send troops to attack the Austrian mainland as soon as possible and assist us in France to sweep away the rebels who colluded with the Austrians."

French envoy Chubais Randall said something so righteous that he almost moved himself to tears.

Palmerston exchanged a look with John Russell, and then said.

"Mr. Randall. How come I heard that all four armies of your country are in a stalemate with the Austrians? It can't be such a coincidence, right?"

Although Palmerston's questioning made Chubais Randall angry, in Europe where there were many autocratic monarchies, only Britain could help the Second French Republic, and only Britain had this strength.

Chubais Randall said quickly.

"Our army has opened up a situation in Belgium."

It's okay that he didn't mention Belgium. When he mentioned Belgium, the British ministers in Whitehall looked a little ugly.