31) Naval Power on Paper

The words of Ferdinand are not without reason. The Greek's dare to single out the Ottoman Empire is not without reason. It is true that the Turks are now very weak!

It was much weaker than during the First Balkan War, or the British would not have intended to carve up the Ottomans, and the Greeks would not have had the guts to declare war on the Ottoman Empire!

In the Macedonian region, for example, the Ottoman Empire nominally had a garrison of 110,000 troops, but in reality, probably less than half that number.

The domestic power elite has saved the military budgets from dividing up, which got achieved by arresting civilians during the period of spot checks, which was the status quo of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the 19th century!

After all, unlike Ferdinand, the traverser, Bulgaria had not long been able to gain independence from the Ottoman Empire and was still in awe of the sovereign state.

When making strategies, one can't help but overestimate the other side's strength! Their assessment of the Ottoman Empire's strength is still very realistic.

The people's faces were a bit embarrassed after hearing Ferdinand's words, and they were relieved. The Ottoman Empire is, of course, the weaker, the better, and as to the plan? You can always change it, as long as you win the war on the line!

Well, Ferdinand's sinister idea of using immigrants as cannon fodder, people pretend not to see. Anyway, they are not yet Bulgarian citizens. People do not care if they die. As for the Russians, they do not care about the death of foreign animals!

Petrov said dryly, "Yes, I'll go back and revise the plan to include workers for road repair in the reserve plan and will try to keep the factory running normally!"

Thinking of the Second Balkan War, the main factor in the defeat of Bulgaria was the lack of guns and artillery. The army had nothing to fight, but it is a pity that there were no weapons and ammunition for them to play with it.

So, Ferdinand urged: "In a modern war, it is no longer the number of people that can determine victory! The battlefield is no longer just people. Weapons and equipment have become the core factor in determining the war's victory or defeat!

Of course, I'm not saying that the human factor is not critical anymore. The training of soldiers can never ease up! However, cold weapons can not beat the hot weapons, but it is a fact, not to hold the guns, can not find the ammunition, can only let the soldiers fight bayonets, it is embarrassing!"

As soon as Ferdinand finished his words, Prime Minister Konstantin instantly took a stand and said, "Please rest assured, Your Highness, that our government will do its utmost to guarantee logistical supplies!

In order to ensure the completion of the ammunition stockpile, our cabinet will at once allocate funds and order the arsenal to increase the production line, even if it is a twenty-four-hour rush to complete the reserved task ahead of schedule!"

...

Ferdinand was relieved that they took the government care of it. If now the Russians messed up, Bulgaria would definitely be unable to escape.

No matter how proud the Russians are now when the Russo-Japanese War breaks out, they will know how to cry! As long as you survive the decade, by that time, a wounded Russia with a rising Bulgaria will fundamentally change the contrast in power between the two sides.

This time, Russia's efficiency was rare and efficient. As soon as the secret treaty was signed, the Russian Empire began to open up the supply of weapons and equipment to Bulgaria, and they could buy even some of the weapons and equipment prohibited by the French.

It is a pity that now Ferdinand: what you can see can not be used, what you can use can not see! It took the time to purchase many high-tech machinery and equipment from France to enhance the industrial strength of Bulgaria.

And then, the sign of the National Assembly came around, and they officially issued the Bulgarian plan for a big navy!

Specifics? Sorry, only God knows what the Russians intend to do! The Bulgarian government has no right to interfere with 'this new navy'.

Ferdinand still underestimated the degree of shamelessness of the Russians, the so-called 'Bulgarian Navy', which is directly a part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, with a direct change of national flag, that is, the Bulgarian Navy!

Not to mention, for the control of the navy, even ordinary movements must be agreed to by the Russians. It is entirely at the expense of the Bulgarian government to raise the fleet for the Russians, from ship to crew. There is no place where Bulgaria can intervene!

Well, Ferdinand can only comfort himself: in fact, two hundred million Leva, thrown into the mouth of the Navy, the gold-devouring beast, can not make much of a splash, but now there is a powerful 'fleet that exists'?

Even though it is not easy to use, at least you can take it out to scare people, right? In terms of tonnage, Bulgaria is one of the top ten naval powers in the world!

And it is not entirely fruitless. Besides being able to scare people, at least the Russians still help Bulgaria get a system of logistical services.

There is an additional shipyard for warship repair and maintenance. Although it sucks a little bit, at least it can also carry out simple warship maintenance!

Of course, Ferdinand always thought that it was the Russian naval officers who, in order to embezzle military expenses, simply threw these costly expenses to the Bulgarian government to bear!

However, he accepted it readily. In addition to the engineers sent by the Russians, the Bulgarian government also stuffed a group of workers in to learn, just as a way to pay the tuition.

In the late 19th century, naval power was deeply rooted in people's hearts, and a nation's power got measured by its navy, which is one of the most important indicators!

The general public doesn't care. How much is foul play involved? Anyway, this bought fleet puts up the Bulgarian flag and hangs around in the Black Sea!

Everyone had bragging rights to talk about and had a good time dreaming of a great nation! Along with the big reserve training that started, there was much more enthusiasm.

With the changes in Bulgaria, people with a little bit of common sense know that a new round of the Balkan Wars will start again!

The Balkan countries quickly began to follow suit. Firstly, Montenegro announced an expansion of 10,000 troops. Not much compared to other countries, but for Montenegro, it's already the limit!

A small country with a population of less than 400,000 is exerting its strength by raising an army of 25,000.

One must admire King Nikola I of Montenegro, who succeeded the crown of the Prince in 1860 and fought against the Turks twice, in 1862 and 1876, and finally won a glorious victory.

Again through diplomatic efforts, it decided at the Congress of Berlin that it would double its territory and it would become a sovereign state.

Visiting St. Petersburg in 1868, he befriended the Russian Emperor Aleksandr II and embraced the Russian power, and from then on, the Tsarist government regularly supported him with money and arms.

At the same time, he was a huge supporter of Serbdom (serfdom), wanted a united Serb nation, and advocated the creation of a United Kingdom. However, he was strongly opposed to Obrenović.

During the Bulgarian-Serbian War, the Montenegrin government took Serbia's side and broke diplomatic relations with Bulgaria.