War Palace and Knee Pillow, Austria’s Destiny

Let Bulgaria become independent; establish the Armenian Principality including Trabzon, Erzurum and Diyarbakir; remove the defense of the Dobruja region; huge military compensation.

Each of these was unacceptable to Britain and the Ottoman Empire, but the Treaty of Unkar-Iskelesi was even more powerful than these.

According to the treaty, the Ottoman Empire should assume the obligation of Russia to close the Dardanelles, that is, no foreign warship should be allowed to enter or leave the strait under any pretext.

Historically, the British took advantage of the Second Turkish-Egyptian War to successfully get the Russians to sign the Straits Convention, thus destroying this advantage of Russia without bloodshed.

However, due to Franz's intervention in this life, Russia did not sign the Straits Convention. At this time, the British warships intercepted the Russian transport fleet in the Black Sea, which was obviously a violation of the Treaty of Unkar-Iskelesi.

Russia has the right to demand the removal of the defense facilities of the Dardanelles, or even take over by the Russian army. The request to disband the Ottoman Navy is just a deterrent.

As the capital of the Ottoman Empire, Constantinople could not have no coastal defense, and this behavior was unacceptable in any case.

The problem came again. If Russia's conditions were not met, then this breach of contract might be used as an excuse for the next war.

The Russians could choose a suitable time and then bring in their allies or allies to attack the Ottoman Empire again.

And the time chosen by the Russians would definitely make the Ottoman Empire and Britain extremely passive.

"Dear Russian Ambassador, do you have evidence that the Ottoman Empire violated the Treaty of Unkar-Iskelesi?"

Viscount Stratford stood up and said.

Duke Uvarov was a little surprised, because it was the British fleet that intercepted the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. He really didn't expect that there were such shameless people in the world. Fortunately, he had prepared enough homework before coming.

"Of course, dear British Ambassador. Our navy captured several enemy sailors in the naval battle. They were all British and claimed to be instructed by the military.

Do you think this counts as evidence?"

Uvarov seemed confident, but he soon stopped laughing.

"These people may just be mercenaries, their words cannot be used as evidence."

"Then our navy also encountered your country's warships in the Black Sea, how do you explain it?"

"Maybe these mercenaries brought them there."

"We also found the special logo of your navy on a sunken warship of your country, you can't deny it, can you?"

"Seamen can be fake, and logos can be forged naturally."

"What about the new paddle wheel warship produced by your country? Even if it is not produced by your country, the Ottoman Empire itself does not have the ability to produce it, this is definitely not an Ottoman Empire warship!"

"Can't it be purchased by the Ottoman Empire?"

"You are quibbling!"

"I am telling the truth!"

"The evidence is conclusive, don't deny it!"

"Where is the evidence? You can always find a pretext to accuse someone of a crime?"

Viscount Stratford looked like he was wronged, and looked at the young man with a look of contempt.

"I want to duel with you! You shameless liar!"

Several members of the Russian delegation quickly grabbed Duke Uvarov, and Viscount Stratford did not forget to mock him.

"What a crude and barbaric solution, so uncivilized. Don't you agree? Your Excellency?"

Viscount Stratford glanced at Prince Schwarzenberg, who had been silent all the time. How could the latter not know what the former meant?

Russia's control of the Black Sea Straits has always been a trouble for other powers, and dismantling the defense facilities of the Dardanelles is even more impossible, which would expose Constantinople directly to the fangs of the Russians.

It would be strange if a bear could sleep with a fish as its pillow.

So it seems that uniting to prevent Russia from succeeding is the right way.

However, the alliance with Russia is one of the basic national policies set by Franz at this time, and Prince Schwarzenberg looks down on Viscount Stratford, a shameless rogue who confuses right and wrong.

"I think a duel is a way to show courage and strength, and it is also the last resort to protect your honor.

I think you should accept the duel."

The whole audience fell into a dead silence. No one expected that Prince Schwarzenberg, the representative of the host Austrian Empire, would say this.

Accept a duel?

What a joke, let a 62-year-old British civil servant fight a 26-year-old Russian military attaché. Isn't this asking for death?

Although Bismarck was only a clerk in the Prussian mission, it did not prevent him from seeing through the game behind it.

The little guy also has the advantage of being a little guy, that is, he can stand in a corner where no one pays attention and shout.

"Fight!"

"Yes!"

"Fight!"

"Defend your honor, the Viscount can't lose to the barbaric Russians!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

The officials of the small countries attending the meeting began to shout one after another. These small countries were originally afraid of chaos in the world. Since the Austrian Empire tacitly agreed that the two sides should fight, why miss this good show?

The meeting soon turned into a war of words, and there was a trend of further transformation to the octagon.

At this time, Viscount Stratford and Duke Uvarov calmed down.

Viscount Stratford did not respond directly to Prince Schwarzenberg, but just laughed "haha".

Duke Uvarov looked at Viscount Stratford with hatred. If he could, he really wanted to pin the latter to the ground and beat him up.

However, he knew very well that it was impossible to dismantle the defense and disband the fleet.

"Your Highness, how do you think we should deal with it?"

The ball was once again thrown to Prince Schwarzenberg. Fortunately, he also knew the Russians' purpose.

"No hurry, the peace conference has just begun. You can collect evidence to support your own statements, and then the representatives of the countries present will judge.

Let's talk about the issues of Dobruja and Bulgaria first."

"Oppose! Russia has no right to force our country to dismantle the defense of the Dobruja region, and it has instigated many coups in the Bulgarian region, resulting in the deaths of a large number of our people.

How can such subversive behavior be called liberation?"

Reshid Pasha was the first to stand up. These remarks had been prepared for a long time before the meeting.

Soon the two sides quarreled again. With the example of Viscount Stratford, and the fact that neither Dobruja, Bulgaria, nor Northern Thrace were areas that the Ottoman Empire could give up, Reshid Pasha had no scruples.

Duke Uvarov was embarrassed by the continuous setbacks, and the Austrian Empire's inaction made him even more angry.

Regarding the massacre of Armenians, the Ottoman Empire's approach was similar to that of later generations.

First, denying the massacre itself. The Ottoman Empire and the British government did not admit that the Armenians had been massacred, but that it was a public security action.

Second, shirking responsibility. The Ottoman Empire and the British government believed that the Armenians also used violence and should bear the main responsibility for the escalation of violence.

Third, questioning the death toll. The Ottoman Empire and the British government questioned the death toll (30,000 to 300,000) proposed by Russian and European scholars. The Ottoman Empire and the British government believed that the death toll should be less than 10,000.

Fourth, some scholars believe that a death toll of less than 10,000 cannot be considered a massacre.