Chapter 28: Irreparable Damage to Foreign Relations
As Bruno predicted, relations began to sour between the Russian Empire and the German Reich following the end of the Boxer Rebellion. No doubt due to the actions Bruno had taken, standing up in the face of war crimes committed before his very eyes.
And because of this, the Kaiser and the Tsar were currently meeting in neutral ground within Vienna to discuss their disputes. The Russians felt humiliated following the deaths of their soldiers at the hands of the Germans.
Despite thorough investigations into their War Crimes, they refused to admit any wrong doings, specifically because China had not signed nor ratified the Hague convention in 1899, and because of this was not protected by its regulations.
With this mentality, they pursued justice in the face of their losses at the hands of the German Army. The Kaiser, of course, had no intentions of condemning Bruno for doing the right thing. Nor did he plan to keel over to Russian demands.
The Tsar may be his cousin, but the Russians were a backwater compared to the rest of Europe. Everything about the Russian Empire, whether it was its economy, agricultural output, cultural development, or its military might have been severely lagging behind that of its neighbors to the West.
While the west had already industrialized for decades and had managed to introduce mechanized agriculture in the previous century. The Russian Empire was woefully behind in the times. Trying their best to catch up, they only began to industrialize at the end of the 19th century. And they, as a civilization, would not be fully industrialized until the very end of the
Great War.
Even then, it would ultimately be the Empire's successor state, during the early days of the Soviet Union where the process of industrialization within Russia would finally come to completion.
This was in stark contrast to the Reich, who had long since reached a full state of industrialization. They could mobilize millions of men in the event of a conflict and give them modern weaponry. Something the Russians would struggle to achieve due to their lacking industry.
It was with this in mind that the Kaiser did not fear any threats his cousin may make and instead behaved rather confidently in these negotiations. Tsar Nicholas II was without a doubt the one lacking confidence as he struggled to press the Kaiser to relent to his demands.