Nicholas I's truest thoughts were revealed in one sentence. In the final analysis, he still didn't take Britain seriously and still wanted to live alone in the Balkans. The so-called little face given to Britain was just a formality.
Maybe he thinks it's better for the British not to agree, so that he can save the cake and share it with the other party. Of course, if the British suddenly become smarter and agree to his request, he, the big brother who takes the lead, will also reward the British three or three depending on the situation.
Melon and two dates.
It can only be said that this man is extremely crazy. The main reason is that the British performed too poorly last time on the Wallachia issue, which gave Nicholas I the wrong impression and made him think that the British were just a bunch of talkers.
The bastard didn't dare to do anything to him. So this time he was a bit unscrupulous when it came to the Bulgaria issue.
In fact, it was not just Nicholas I himself who was unscrupulous. The special envoy he sent out, Menshikov, was actually a bit unscrupulous, or to be strictly speaking, he was domineering. After arriving in the UK, whether he met with the British Prime Minister or the leaders of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, he
They all have a sense of superiority, as if they are much nobler than others.
He speaks in a bossy manner, as if the British are committing a heinous crime if they don't follow what he says. Such an attitude is naturally unpopular, not to mention that the British government and the public do not like him, let alone Nicholas I behind him.
And Russia. Naturally, they had a very bad impression of his special envoy. The London newspaper directly nicknamed Menshikov "the disgusting sinister".
That is to say, Queen Victoria has remained polite to him to a certain extent for the time being, but this does not mean that Queen Victoria likes him or Russia. In fact, Queen Victoria's feelings towards Russia are just that. It cannot be said that she dislikes him, but
Definitely not like it.
Let’s put it this way, the biggest effect of Menshikov’s activities in London was to successfully make the British have a worse impression of Russia, thinking that Russia is an insatiable polar bear.
Driven by this impression, anti-Russia has almost become the consensus of the British government and the public. If a referendum were launched in the UK to decide whether to declare war on Russia, the chance of passing it would definitely be above 60%.
The only uncertain factor that restrains the British's hatred of Russia is the fear of the Russian army's combat effectiveness. The British government and the public generally believe that the Russian army's combat effectiveness is considerable because of its large number and fear of death. Although the Russian army is in front of the great Royal Navy.
Cannon fodder is not worth mentioning, but if the problem can be solved diplomatically, it is better not to engage in such a bloody price comparison.
Let's put it this way, the only thing that restrains the British emotions is the fear of war, and once this fear is exploited by someone with intentions and repackaged and dressed up, it is likely to become the straw that breaks the camel's back.
It's just that at that time, neither Menshikov nor the British themselves were aware of this possibility.
After staying in London for a week, Menshikov received an urging from Nicholas I. He knew that there was no point in staying in London. Although he was not a standard diplomat, he could still understand diplomatic rhetoric.
According to his interpretation, the British seem to have no intention of expressing their attitude for the time being. Maybe they are relatively resistant to Russia's proposal, but they do not have the courage to reject it completely. They can only wait for time and wait for changes.
Menshikov didn't care about this, because according to Nicholas I's explanation before the trip, the main purpose of his trip was actually diplomatic blackmail, whether it was against Turkey or the United Kingdom. To put it bluntly, it was a bluff.
Scare people.
To scare people, you have to have a scary look. He only needs to show his teeth and claws and howl. What's more, Menshikov hates sailing. Although he chose a traditional sailing boat and took the best cabin,
But the wind and waves at sea still made him feel uncomfortable, and even the smell of the sea made him want to vomit. He could just stay on land for two more days, so why suffer!
In fact, someone had suggested that he take a steamship before, because a steamship is much faster than a sailing ship. It takes a month to travel from St. Petersburg to Istanbul on a sailing ship, while it only takes half a month to take a steamship. This is twice as fast and can save you a lot of pain.
Torture!
But this proposal was flatly rejected by Menshikov. The stubborn old man lectured angrily: "Steamboat, what the hell is that! This kind of grandstanding ghost thing is simply deviant. As the Minister of the Navy, my task is
Just abide by tradition and resolutely not resist this kind of ghost thing. Oh, in order to save myself from the pain of the journey, I took a steamboat. When word spread, those bastards were going to talk nonsense again! Give it to me
Sailing boats, sailing boats are the best! There is no other!”
In a sense, this is also a typical example of wanting to save face and suffering. Of course, Menshikov is not completely obsessed with saving face. It should be said that he still has plenty of official experience. He knows that if he takes a steamship, he will definitely be criticized. Kang
Archduke Standing will definitely make a big fuss when he hears this news, and will indeed say a lot of unpleasant things as he said.
So he just didn't sit down, preferring to suffer less. Of course, there was another reason for this. As a person who professionally flattered Nicholas I, Menshikov must always keep in touch with him.
The master agrees. Since his master hates steamships and new things, he must hate these things even more than his master, and he must personally show the world how loyal and understanding his master is.
It should be said that being able to flatter people is a talent, but as the saying goes, Xiao He succeeds and loses Xiao He. Menshikov's ultimate art of flattery is actually a little less interesting.
Why? Because for Nicholas I, what he most hoped for when he sent Menshikov out on this trip was that he would successfully frighten Britain and successfully make Turkey surrender. This is the most important thing.
And if you look at Nicholas I's anxious mood, he must have been eager for Menshikov to complete the task as soon as possible.
So this is the most critical factor. But Menshikov obviously did not understand this. He still acted according to his many years of experience, and still insisted that the situation was more important than practical work. In fact, this was the wrong point and was flattery.
On the horse's hooves!
In fact, what if Menshikov took a steamship to visit this time? Do you think Nicholas I really didn’t know that steamships are faster than traditional sailing ships? When Nicholas I visited England, he took a steamship!
Menshikov may have thought that this move was to please Nicholas I and was a sign of loyalty, but in Nicholas I's view, this was complete nonsense and he did not understand what he meant, so he was actually a little tired of Menshikov.