Chapter 86, The Plan Revealed

St. Petersburg had received the news from the Far East, and Nicholas II was pushed to the brink of fury.

The cause and effect of the matter no longer mattered. In any case, the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese conflict in the Far East was seen by Nicholas II as an act of provocation by the Japanese.

The old scores with the Japanese Government had not been settled, and now the Japanese dared to provoke again, which naturally could not be tolerated.

Had it not been for the consideration that the Siberian Railway had not yet opened and logistical pressures constrained military action, Nicholas II would have loved to exterminate Japan right then and there.

Of course, this was just wishful thinking. Only a fool would rashly provoke a war in such a complex international situation.

The Tsarist Government was indeed preparing to expand eastward, but when to do so, and under what circumstances, required careful consideration.

"Learn from the trenches, grow wiser from the losses."