Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Whether Kuropatkin’s plan would later be described as forced conscription armies or remain as federal allied forces like Britain’s is yet unknown, but the steady infusion of troops to the Eastern Front is a very good sign.

Canadian forces arrived on the Western Front, mobilizing even 32 large passenger ships, and Australia also completed organizing its expeditionary force. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

This should somewhat alleviate the British army vacuum on the Western Front that the BEF couldn’t fill.

In November, Britain and France declared war on the Ottoman Empire.

Whether this was due to being lobbied by Greece, or because they couldn’t suppress their greed even in this situation and wanted to annex Cyprus in the Mediterranean, at least outwardly they spared no cooperation.

Mehmed V, who had tried to maintain his crumbling empire somehow, finally declared jihad, holy war, on November 11th.

The Anglo-French allied forces pressing through the Mediterranean, and the Russian-Romanian allied forces beginning their southward advance simultaneously with Romania’s joining.

Though uncertain if Mehmed V could block both fronts, I see it as a good sign just having the Anglo-French forces join our side.

So is the war situation all flowing favorably for us Russia?

[Belgrade Falls]

Whenever one side pushes, the other side gets pushed back.

Five months into the war.

The Balkan Front was being utterly destroyed.

==

Some people know that Serbia, which provided the pretext for the Great War, later became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, but this is a very results-oriented view.

What does this mean? It means Serbia is now facing national extinction.

"They keep getting pushed back after the capital Belgrade fell."

"The Montenegrin-Serbian army requests support!"

"Serbia attempted dialogue with Bulgaria but was rejected. The Bulgarian Kingdom seems to still remember the grudge from the Balkan War!"

Exactly three years ago, the Balkan nations were fighting each other over who could best consume the crumbs left by the Ottoman Empire.

The relationships that fractured then have now returned with interest this year.

"It wouldn’t be strange if Bulgaria stabbed Serbia in the back at any time. They’re only staying still because they’re mindful of our empire."

"They’re requesting our mediation, but the probability of Bulgaria accepting is very low."

In front, Austro-Hungarian forces push in, unsatisfied even after taking the capital.

Behind, the Bulgarian Kingdom waits, ready to swing their sword at any moment.

The neighboring Montenegro is simply of no help.

The Anglo-French forces haven’t yet opened the Salonika Front in the Balkans.

Right now, Serbia has only one country to reach out to.

Only us.

"Yes, now that Romania has joined, there is a way to help Serbia."

Though Serbia’s cries for help echo desperately through our diplomatic channels, I have doubts about these screams.

"But should we really help them? Even to the point of opening a quadruple front beyond triple?"

Though Serbia is crying out after losing their capital, I know very well that these are exaggerated complaints.

Because that country manages to resist quite well until the end of next year.

Though they nearly perish after that.

"Are you saying we won’t help Serbia? This could cause wavering among Slavic nations-"

"No, no, General Kuropatkin. You seem to be misunderstanding something. Serbia is faithfully fulfilling its given role right now."

"What do you mean by... Serbia’s role..."

"To hold out until we reach Constantinople."

In 1915, after Serbia’s collapse, German forces succeed in establishing a land connection from Berlin to Constantinople.

This was quite good news for Germany, whose Eastern and Western fronts were stagnating, as it opened a way for Germany, trapped and withering in trenches, to extend its power elsewhere.

However, in this history, Berlin and Constantinople won’t be connected.

"Now we just need to occupy Constantinople before Serbia falls."

Pan-Slavism? Does it make sense for a mere kingdom to provoke the Dual Monarchy believing in just that?

If they dragged us into the quagmire using shared ethnicity as a reason, they should take responsibility.

Since Serbia used us to attempt hegemony in the Balkans without knowing their place, I too will use them to occupy Constantinople.

This isn’t betrayal or backstabbing.

It’s closer to a fair trade where we each use each other once.

"Militarily, reinforcing the Balkan Front is very wasteful, but diplomatically, I find it difficult to judge..."

"There’s nothing complicated about it. Prime Minister Kokovtsov probably thinks very simply. As long as we can take Constantinople, he wouldn’t care if Belgrade falls ten times."

From its emergence in the 19th century, Pan-Slavism served primarily as a diplomatic and ideological tool for Russian expansion and influence, rather than a genuine movement to support and develop fellow Slavic nations. While presented as cultural and ethnic solidarity, Russia consistently used Pan-Slavist rhetoric to justify political interference and military interventions in other Slavic territories, particularly in the Balkans, while showing little interest in actually promoting their autonomous development or prosperity.

Belgrade’s strategic position at the northernmost point of Serbian territory placed it directly at the frontier with Austria-Hungary. Situated at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, the city served as both Serbia’s capital and its primary defensive position facing the Dual Monarchy to the north.

The stark geographical division between Serbia’s northern plains and southern mountainous regions had profound economic and demographic implications. The fertile Pannonian Basin in the north, with its navigable rivers and relatively flat terrain, naturally attracted industrial development and urbanization. Consequently, Serbia’s major population centers and industrial facilities were concentrated in this northern region, in uncomfortably close proximity to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This geographic reality made Serbia particularly vulnerable to potential military threats from its powerful northern neighbor, as most of its economic and industrial capacity could be quickly threatened in any conflict.

In other words, now that Belgrade is taken, Serbian forces will find it difficult to counterattack except by blocking the enemy while running through mountains and forests.

Though it took some time, with recruitment completed across all Hungarian territories, there’s no way Serbia could overcome the troop disparity even if they died and came back to life.

"Then... what value does Serbia have left?"

Being a Mediterranean country?

Won’t our empire also touch the Mediterranean once we occupy Constantinople this time?

Being a pro-Russian Slavic nation in the Balkans?

Well, it’s not like that country listens to us particularly well. There’s quite some distance after all.

Then the point that they have a somewhat armed military?

That doesn’t seem particularly attractive either now that Romania has joined.

So looking at it comprehensively.

"Hmm, none. Serbia has no value right now."

They’ll continue resisting anyway since their capital was taken. No need for me to intervene.