Chapter 60 What About the Legendary National Self-Determination?

According to the "Fourteen Points of Peace" proposed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, who later won the Nobel Peace Prize, each nation under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire can decide its own future. This is called the principle of "national self-determination." The same principle applied to Russian Poland and the Ottoman Empire.

But this "Peace President" who allowed the United States to participate in the World War and the Russian Civil War forgot a common sense: there is a nation named German in the Austro-Hungarian Empire! According to the "Fourteen Points of Peace Conditions" he proposed, the German nation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire seemed to be able to decide its own future. At least that was what the Germans in Austria thought between October 1918 and September 1919.

So when Austria became a republic on November 12, 1918, the country's name was "German Austria", and they also formally requested Germany to join.

"Great! It's great!" Lloyd George was cheering for the news - this was his reaction after hearing about it.

"Good?" Clemenceau squinted at the British Prime Minister, "What's so good about it? If Germany and Austria merge, the new country may have 80 million people, more than twice that of France!"

France's population has been a tragedy since the 19th century. It was originally the most populous country in Europe after Russia. But by the eve of World War I, France's population was far smaller than that of Germany and Austria-Hungary, and slightly smaller than that of the United Kingdom. If white people in British overseas territories were included, the gap would be even greater. If Germany and Austria merge, the population of the new Germany will be more than twice that of France, and the growth rate of Germany's population will be significantly higher than that of France.

In addition, Austria is also rich in iron ore and coal resources. It is possible to fill Germany's shortage of iron ore resources after the cession of Lorraine-Alsace, which will make France's efforts to limit German industrial development come to naught!

"Of course it's a good thing!" said Lloyd George. "This means the complete collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire...not because the Hungarians, but the Germans themselves, abandoned the country first."

Although the Hungarian Revolution took place on October 30, the newly established Hungarian government was not a republican government, but continued to be loyal to Emperor Karl I. This shows that the Hungarians knew very well that the only way to preserve their Great Hungary was peace. Germans stick together.

"The results of the Hungarian Revolution on October 30 show that Hungarians are willing to fight." Lloyd George continued, "No one would be willing to accept the cession of 70% of the territory. If there is no possibility of the merger of Austria and Germany , the Germans and Hungarians in the Austro-Hungarian Empire may choose to resist... This is very scary! George, you know, we didn’t really win.”

"Then what should we do now?" Clemenceau seemed to be persuaded by Lloyd George.

"Objection," said Lloyd George, "We, Britain and France object, and the United States does not take a positive stance. In this way, the Germans in Austria will not despair, and the Hungarians will lose their allies and face a losing war. In this way, they may Surrender without a fight..."

"But Austria's prospects are still worrying," Clemenceau said. "I always have a hunch that sooner or later this country will merge with Germany, and then we French will be unlucky."

Lloyd George pondered for a while before saying: "Actually, we in Britain have always believed that maintaining the Austro-Hungarian Empire is a good choice. This is an ancient country, and its origins can be traced back to Charlemagne... Unfortunately it no longer exists. , we will face a more troubled and unstable Balkans."

"Isn't there also the United Kingdom of Serbo-Croat-Slovenia?" The country Clemenceau was referring to was the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The policy of maintaining Austria-Hungary had few supporters on the Allied side. But the Balkans do need a force to maintain stability. As a result, various whimsical methods have been put forward, including the plan to form a group of Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia.

"I hope it works." Lloyd George nodded. The Germans cannot merge through national self-determination, but the Croats and Slovenes have to be subject to national self-determination and live together with the Serbs. Is this possible?

…

"You led the people to kill the Tsar, the Empress, the Crown Prince, and the three Grand Duchess?"

"Yes, I just regret that I didn't kill them all!"

"Is there still one Grand Duchess left?"

"Yes! Baltic Olga, she is the enemy of the Russian people!"

"You'll be seeing her soon."

"It's a pity that I can't kill her!"

"May I have your name?"

"Yakov Yurovsky! The Russian people will always remember my name!"

In the heavily guarded Potsdam train station, Ludwig von Hersmann was talking to a thin and frail young man who was shackled. This young man's name was Yakov Yurovsky, and he was the murderer who led a team to assassinate the Russian Czar. He will be transferred to Grand Duchess Olga together with the coffins of the Tsar, Empress, Crown Prince and three Grand Duchess.

The murderer did not feel the slightest bit of guilt, even though German newspapers unanimously condemned him, including the Red Flag newspaper written by Rosa Luxemburg. But Yurovsky held his head high at this moment, as if he was a hero rather than a sinner - in fact, he was a hero! On April 16, 1934, he was posthumously named "Hero of the Soviet Union". There are full-body statues of him in his hometown and at the Cheka headquarters. Under the Red Army Military Intelligence Bureau, there is also a "Yurovsky Special Force" named after him. This is the origin of the Soviet special forces!

"Who sent you? Can you tell me?" Hersman asked again.

"It was the Bolshevik Party!" Yakov Yurovsky answered loudly, "I was ordered to execute Tsar Nicholas II and the Empress!"

There is nothing that cannot be said! Because Lenin has personally admitted it, and Pravda has also published an editorial praising the assassination of the Tsar as a just revolutionary action.

It is indeed true for the Bolsheviks! The only regret is that one of the Tsar's daughters escaped. Moreover, Olga, the eldest of all the children of Nicholas II, is the only grand duke in the Tsarist family who owns land and an army. Therefore, it is very likely that she will inherit the Russian throne and be supported by the entire Romanov family and all the White Guard leaders.

If she becomes the co-leader of the White Guard, considering the hatred of her family being killed, she will probably become a revolutionary enemy that is difficult to deal with, right?

"Captain Paulus!" Hersman called Paulus, who had just been pulled into the Military Intelligence Bureau as the captain of the special operations team, to his side. "This person is in your hands... You must take him to the Baltic intact and then hand him over to the Stasi for custody."

Hearing "Stasi", a trace of fear slipped across Yurovsky's face, who had originally had a fearless expression.

Paulus waved behind him, and two soldiers wearing field gray military uniforms and carrying rifles ran over, lifted Yurovsky up, and put the future Soviet hero on the train like a chicken.

——

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