Kossuth could assign individuals to obstruct Austria’s overt representatives, but they were powerless against those who supported Austria covertly. The Hungarian Revolution had not been achieved by force, which meant that a significant number of people in the country still harbored pro-Austrian sentiments. Kossuth had considered carrying out purges but found them impractical (not counting the deaths of a few individuals). The internal dynamics within the Kingdom of Hungary were complex and interdependent, making the fledgling Hungarian government fragile and vulnerable to external pressures. Vienna With the news of the expulsion of Austrian representatives from Hungary, everyone realized that the countdown to war had begun. The Austrian government could not allow Hungary to gain independence without a fight. “Prime Minister, how are the supply preparations going?” In the era of hot weapons, battles were decided by logistics. With Austria now having to manage the Italian front as well, Franz’s main concern was logistical support. “Your Highness, the campaign to suppress the Hungarian rebellion has not yet begun. Right now, our top priority is to meet the needs of the Italian front. If we mobilize over 200,000 troops, we can’t guarantee the necessary logistical support,” Felix thought before answering. It wasn’t that Austria couldn’t produce these vital supplies. As one of the great powers, the Austrian government had plenty of resources. The critical issue was the inability to ensure the timely delivery of supplies to the troops in need. The first hurdle was transportation. Supporting armies numbering in the hundreds of thousands and dealing with post-war refugee relief required the movement of vast quantities of supplies. From its inception, the new cabinet has pursued this goal diligently. Following the suppression of the Vienna Uprising, Austria had shifted to a wartime economy, with all government departments dedicated to the war effort. “We can’t afford any more delays. The Hungarians have rejected our attempts at reconciliation, and now all eyes are on us. While the military action can be postponed, the political offensive must not be delayed. Do you have any recommendations?” Franz said firmly. As seasoned politicians, they all understood the concept of a chain reaction. If the Austrian government ignored Hungary’s declaration of independence, wouldn’t that encourage other ambitious individuals to follow suit? No, wait. It seemed that by this time the ambitions of individuals in various regions had already crumbled. If it hadn’t been for Franz’s deliberate leniency, the Hungarians might not have achieved independence so smoothly. In history, Hungarian independence was established amid the complete collapse of the Austrian-ruled Italian regions, the takeover of Vienna by revolutionary factions, and the outbreak of civil strife in Austria, which was too preoccupied to deal with Hungary. At that time, everyone believed that Austria was in dire straits, which led them to decisively join the revolution. Even in their rebellion, they maintained a line of communication with the Emperor, offering explanations for their uprising and leaving room for possible reconciliation. At present, the conflict on the Italian front continues, the uprisings in the Austrian territories have been suppressed, and the Austrian government retains considerable power. Capitalists and nobles aren’t typically risk-takers; they all have families and businesses to consider. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t willingly plunge into a situation that could jeopardize their well-being. Nevertheless, the Hungarian Revolution succeeded. At first glance, it might seem that the rise of Hungarian nationalism was primarily due to the efforts of Kossuth and others. In reality, discerning people recognize that this situation is highly unusual. The reaction of the Austrian government was remarkably slow. If they had acted sooner to send in their troops and put down the rebellion, the Hungarian Republic would never have had a chance to establish itself. Austria had a standing army of 350,000 men, and the Austrian government mobilized an additional 200,000 reserves and added 30,000 men to the city defenses. Only 100,000 troops were sent to the Italian front. Austria had stationed 40,000 troops in Galicia, 50,000 in Bohemia, and 20,000 in Slovenia. Within the borders of the Kingdom of Hungary, there were still 120,000 Austrian troops spread across Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Transylvania, and other regions. While part of the army had been influenced by Hungarian nationalism, the vast majority of individuals remained loyal to the Emperor. Had the rebellion been crushed immediately, the situation would have been very different. “Your Highness, I firmly believe that it is imperative to quickly declare the Hungarian government illegal and to make Croatia, Transylvania, and Slovakia direct provinces of the Empire,” declared Foreign Minister Metternich with unwavering determination. Even someone in a less prominent position could have a significant impact. The idea of dividing the Kingdom of Hungary had always been a desire, but he had never dared to pursue it. Now the opportunity presented itself. The audacity of the Hungarian people in rebelling left no room for debate. The dissolution of the kingdom was an inevitable event! Failure to seize this rare opportunity would make it extremely difficult to encounter such circumstances again. The Austrian Empire was a multiethnic state, and so was the Kingdom of Hungary. The desire for Hungarian independence did not necessarily imply similar aspirations among the Croats, Romanians, or Slovaks. “Mr. Metternich’s words are indeed correct. However, as we proceed with the dismantling of the Kingdom of Hungary, we can present the ‘National Equality Act’, which we are currently drafting, to the public ahead of schedule,” suggested a government official. “Haven’t the Hungarians fought for nationalism? We can exploit this sentiment by classifying the serfs and commoners in the Hungarian region as part of the Austrian ethnicity, thus effectively undermining their aspirations,” suggested Karl, the Finance Minister. Franz’s eyes brightened as he considered the finance minister’s proposal. It was undeniably the artificial creation of a new ethnicity, a strategy to distinguish the Hungarian nobility from the common people. A review of the historical records reveals that the concept of ethnicity is a man-made division based on cultural, linguistic, historical, geographical, and economic factors. To discuss bloodlines in this context would be misleading. Throughout human history, almost all ethnic groups have been intermingled due to shifts and transitions over time, making the distinction increasingly blurred and complicated. The nobility would never openly acknowledge their common ancestry with the commoners, much like the current “Hungarian ethnicity” refuses to acknowledge the serfs as part of their own. During this period, most serfs in Southern Europe did not have a distinct ethnicity, or were unaware of their ethnicity, due to limited cultural awareness. For Franz, this was an opportunity — an opening to unite all of Austria. “Mr. Karl, I find it difficult to see the positive effects of such an undertaking. Austria is already home to numerous ethnic groups, and the introduction of yet another would only further complicate our governance!” Archduke Louis frowned and expressed his reservations. He had discerned the underlying intentions behind Karl’s words — the creation of an Austrian ethnicity would be an artificial construct. The real goal was to unite all of Austria's ethnicities. This, however, was not Archduke Archduke Louis’ vision. If all of Austria’s ethnic groups were fused, it would inevitably include the Germanic population. This would lead to a split between Austria and Germany, a disaster for the staunch supporters of Greater Germany.
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