The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1227: Chapter 145: The Internationale

Hegel once said somewhere: all major political events and figures seem to appear twice in history. But he forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.

In this respect, Napoleon Bonaparte and his nephew Louis Bonaparte are the same, as is a certain revolutionary song that is currently widely sung in Paris. A more incredible fact, which is also unknown, is that the author of this song is none other than the vulgar and shortsighted realist politician Arthur Hastings.

——Karl Marx ”The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte”

”So, who exactly leaked the secret? Have you found any clues internally?”

Great Dumas became indignant upon hearing about the heavy casualties of the French international brigade. This was not only due to his shared Republican ideals but also because he almost became part of this French volunteer army himself.

Compared to those obvious enemies, he found it even harder to forgive the traitors within.

”We must investigate to the end, find out which bastard did it!”

Garibaldi sighed regrettably: ”Alexander, if there is a traitor, the biggest traitor would be the French Government. Because the French Republican volunteer army’s marching route was not communicated to Mazzini and them until the last moment. Although I also believe there was a traitor within Young Italy, it would be impossible for a traitor to pass on the information in such a short time.

According to Mazzini and their understanding, when the French volunteer army crossed the Savoy border, they were not stopped by the French border checkpoints. But as soon as they crossed the border, the French border officials immediately sent someone on horseback to report the information to the Kingdom of Sardinia. As I said, the French Government betrayed us.

At the beginning, they strongly supported our expedition plan, but after the explosion at Kaidao Sai Mansion, they suddenly changed their position, cutting off the previously promised funds and weapon support, and drove us out of France. But at that time, the French Government did not make a clear stance indicating that they opposed the expedition plan.

However, at the critical moment, they tore off that layer of the mask completely, not only informing the Kingdom of Sardinia about the volunteer army’s actions but also tacitly allowing the Kingdom of Sardinia to execute French citizens, just because of their Republican beliefs. Brave Angelo Volontieri! Unyielding Joseph Polel! These two fine lads! I had drinks with them before.

However, just a few days ago, they were escorted on foot to the capital of the Savoy Duchy, Chambéry, where they were sentenced to death and then executed at the same bloody site where Ephic Torra was killed. I do not expect the French Government to clear their names, but I hope that at least we Italians can remember the names of these two internationalists.”

Upon hearing this, Great Dumas clenched his fists tightly: ”Damn it! These two are heroes, I really wish I could have stood by their side when they encountered the Sardinian Kingdom’s army ambush. Even though having one more gun wouldn’t do much, at least I could have shot a few more of the Sardinian Kingdom’s autocratic lackeys!”

Hearing this, Garibaldi was grateful yet somewhat saddened. He lightly tapped Dumas’s chest with his fist: ”Alexander, I knew you were a reliable man! If the French could all be like you, like Volontieri and Polel, then Italy, Poland, and even Russia, Austria, and Prussia could all be liberated.”

Bismarck, who had been quietly listening to the story nearby, couldn’t help but curl his lips slightly.

To this young Junker, while Prussia needed reform, it did not necessarily need liberation. For Germany, there were many urgent issues to address, and one of those issues was this so-called group of internationalists.

What is the difference between internationalists and traitors?

Perhaps the former had good intentions, while the latter had bad intentions.

However, although their starting points are different, what they do is essentially the same.

Take the old schoolmate Heinrich Heine standing next to him as an example.

If Prussia proposed to cede the Rhineland region, his hometown Dusseldorf, to France, Heine would likely agree with both hands.

After all, in the hearts of these Rhenish liberals, compared to Prussia, the puppet state of the Westphalian Kingdom established by Napoleon was their real homeland.

Rhinelanders are just a bunch of second-rate Prussians, French stooges, one more look at them makes Bismarck feel nauseated.

Republicans are a bunch of lunatics, internationalists are a bunch of fools, liberals are all idiots, and the ones in front of him are evidently both lunatic and foolish idiots.

Of course, this Prussian patriotic youth from Schöenhauen, whose heart bore the imprint of an iron cross, would never voice these thoughts. But it still did not affect his amazement at the rich biodiversity within the City Hall hotel.

Compared to these people, Bismarck even felt that the scoundrel Arthur Hastings seemed so amiable and agreeable.

Bismarck had eavesdropped outside earlier, wondering why this newly appointed and detested Academic Director came to be so highly regarded by the King. There was a reason for it all.

He was neither a liberal nor an idealist, but a realistic builder.