Bulgarian Empire

Chapter 164: 24) Pan-Slavism

The Minister of Navy argued: "I think their navy is fine now! The Russian Empire's influence in Bulgaria is growing by the day, but its influence on their military is extremely limited!

Now that the Bulgarian army is self-contained and we can't penetrate it at all, it's vital to master their navy!"

The Prime Minister asked suspiciously: "You mean we have full control of the Bulgarian navy? But is this necessary? You know that the navy can't be built in a short time, so does it take that much effort?"

The Minister of Navy said firmly: "No, Mr. Prime Minister, you misunderstood me! We have no intention of training a navy for Bulgaria. Even if we give him one, they can't afford to raise it!

We do as long as it is necessary. To be able to have a navy flying the Bulgarian flag on the line! The seizure of the Bosphorus and even the Aegean Sea still needs to be done by ourselves!"

The crowd understood that, after all, it was still the Navy wants to master the sea route to the Mediterranean. Bulgaria is nothing more than a target pushed into the open so as not to stimulate the British anxiety nerves!

Even if the strategic goal was now the Far East, Nikolai II was moved, but it was good to master the main road to the Mediterranean. In the future, the strategic focus of the Russian Empire will still return to Europe!

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, who advocates Europe before Asia, said, "Your Imperial Majesty, now the British are busy with the war with the Boers, and all Europe is tripping them up, and for a while, it is difficult to pull out. Now is a good opportunity for us to act!"

The Minister of Interior objected: "No! It's OK to support the Bulgarians. However, if we can get down there personally, it will probably trigger a new round of great wars in Europe!

The British are no fools. Trying to fool them is simply impossible! And the Triple Alliance, too, will not stand by and watch us act!"

...

In the end, Nikolai II vetoed the proposal to strike at the Bosphorus now. After all, the Turks were not stronger overnight, and the weakened Ottoman Empire was not bold enough to fight Russia hard!

The proposal to support Bulgaria passed, though, and it was a long-standing state policy of the Russian Empire to weaken the Ottoman Empire!

The Ottoman Empire, with a territory of millions of square kilometers and a population of more than 30 million, was at its peak a formidable force in Europe, and now that it was in decline, how could Nikolai II not beat up the dogs?

As for whether Bulgaria will be bigger, this is not in his thoughts, anyway. Now Bulgaria has been tied to the Russian chariot, and it can not leave!

Backlash is non-existent. Political and economic cultures have been connected to each other, and it will be a pain in the ass for the Russian Empire to leave Bulgaria. Bulgaria has to consider the problem of survival to leave Russia!

The Minister of Finance: "So what can we gain from this now? Who can say what the future holds, if for no reason we go to help the Bulgarians, now we are at a disadvantage!"

When it comes to interests, the prime minister said coldly: "But now we are allies, and the hard-won good civil relations between Bulgaria and Russia are important for the future strategy of the empire.

We make conditions. We must take care of the civil sentiment. Many demands simply can not be made! Plus, we have come together economically, although we are still two countries!"

All approved the Prime Minister's words. It was again related to a current of thought at that time - Pan-Slavism!

At the beginning of the 19th century, Slavs living in Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans, influenced by the expansion of capitalist relations of production and the French bourgeois revolution, emerged as the liberation movement of the Slavic nations, and thus Pan-Slavism arose.

Slavic intellectuals first advocated the study of the history, folk songs, and folk tales of the Slavic peoples, promoting cultural ties, achieving political unity against foreign rule, and changing the status of the Slavs who were bullied and oppressed.

In June 1848, the Slavists convened a congress in Prague and asked all Slavs to commit themselves to unity, cooperation, and the equality of all nations. Due to the delegates' differing opinions, it was impossible to reach an agreement.

Also, in Russia, Slavic factions emerged, praising the Tsar and the social system of Tsarist Russia, and many of them established contacts by letters or mutual visits with Pan-Slavists in Austria and the Balkans.

In the middle of the 19th century, Russia's serfdom crisis deepened, while capitalist relations gradually developed and the Tsarist government was eager to expand abroad in order to ease domestic class conflicts.

The Russian Pan-Slavists used the Pan-Slavist ideas that had appeared earlier in Austria and tampered with them in the service of the Tsar. Their basic claims related to:

1. Claims that Slavs and Russians share a common history and lineage, a similar language and culture, the same religious beliefs, the same geographical proximity, a common destiny and interests, and that the Russian nation is the leader of the Slavs;

2. To promote Russia as the 'protector' of the Slavic peoples and to rely on the Tsar to guarantee the future of the Slavs.

3. The establishment of the Great Slavic Empire with Russia as its 'ally' was the only way to free the Slavs from Austrian and Ottoman domination and finally advanced Russia's European frontiers to the west and south.

These ideas met the interests and needs of the Russian rulers and became the ideological weapon of the Tsarist Russian government for foreign aggression and expansion, thus making the support of Pan-Slavism and its movements, from Aleksandr I to Nikolai II, the basic state policy of the Russian Empire!

As a result of Ferdinand's butterfly effect, relations between Bulgaria and Russia are now showing a positive trend, with civil exchanges increasing daily and Pan-Slavism beginning to gain strength, especially among the younger generation.

This situation is exactly what the Tsarist government needs! It is clear to all who are present that if it continues, in another 20 or 30 years, no one will be able to stop Russia and Bulgaria from establishing the 'Great Slavic Empire' with the Russian Empire at its core!

In this context, Nikolai II would not tolerate any move that would undermine the relations between the two countries!

That's why the Minister of Navy supported Bulgaria's expansion into the Ottoman Empire. Sooner or later, it will be their own anyway!

As for whether Bulgaria will do big? None of the Russian government will worry. The volume gap is too big!

In a large empire with a territory of more than 20 million square kilometers, a population of more than 150 million, and a small country with a population of only four million and a territory of just over 100,000, the difference is too great!

Even if Bulgaria grows two or three times more, what can it do? Would it change the power balance between the two sides?

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