Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 648 Russia Takes Action
News of the Battle of Senica spread like wildfire throughout the battlefield and even across Europe.

The fierce resistance of the local military and civilians, and the eventual miraculous relief of the siege, greatly boosted everyone's morale. More importantly, it thwarted Serbia's attempt to quickly occupy Bosnia and unite with Greece and other countries, forcing Serbia to adopt a defensive posture.

Even the Montenegrin army had to circle around the border while constantly sending telegrams to Serbia, urging them to continue their offensive.

"Useless! The Serbs are all useless! Eighteen thousand well-equipped elite soldiers were held off for three days by a hastily assembled rabble and a dilapidated little town, and in the end, they were completely wiped out by a cavalry force!"

The Tsar's roar echoed through the empty palace: "Misich, that fool, has tarnished the glory bestowed upon him by Russia!"

Russia's support for Serbia can be described as comprehensive.

Foreign Minister Prince Gorchakov and Army Minister Marshal Milyutin stood solemnly to one side, their faces equally grave. Senica's defeat was not merely a setback for Serbia, but also disrupted Russia's meticulously planned Balkan strategy.

"We cannot let this setback hold us back!" Alexander II turned sharply, staring at the huge strategic map. "The ragtag armies of the Balkans are unreliable; in the end, we will have to rely on the Russian eagle! We must immediately and personally intervene to deliver a fatal blow to that arrogant Persian!"

Following the Tsar's order, on March 1st, Russia issued an ultimatum to Romania, demanding passage. Romania refused, and thus, Romania also entered a state of war.

On March 3, the main force of the Russian Southwestern Front, comprising more than fifteen divisions and nearly 3 troops, launched a fierce attack on the Prut River defense line in Romania from multiple locations simultaneously, under the cover of hundreds of artillery pieces. The Russian commanders were confident, believing it would be an easy armed parade.

However, they encountered unexpected and fierce resistance.

Although the Romanian army was poorly equipped and outnumbered, they were fighting to defend their homeland and their morale was high. They put up a desperate resistance, utilizing the swamps, forests, and pre-built fortifications along the Prut River. Every bridge and every ford was fiercely contested.

At the Galac Fortress, the defenders, relying on the fortified city walls, used old-fashioned smoothbore cannons and rifles to repel several Russian group assaults, inflicting heavy casualties on the Russians.

Romanian light cavalry constantly harassed the Russian army's long supply lines, causing them considerable trouble.

More importantly, Romania's terrain and the muddy roads of early spring significantly slowed the advance of Russian heavy equipment and logistics. The Russian army's anticipated "lightning advance" turned into a slow and bloody crawl.

Russian atrocities followed. To intimidate resistance and secure supplies, the Russian army carried out brutal looting and massacres in the occupied villages, further fueling the hatred and resistance of the Romanians. These acts spread throughout Europe through reports from refugees and foreign journalists, causing an international uproar. Franz and Wilhelm I were shocked by the Russian atrocities. King Carol was, after all, a German and a member of the Hohenzollern family; this blatant disrespect was tantamount to disregarding their dignity.
The presence of such a brazen and rapidly expanding Russia on Austria's eastern border was unacceptable to Vienna. Austria's benevolent neutrality began to turn into suspicion and vigilance. Emperor Franz secretly ordered the deployment of two additional corps to Galicia, the region bordering Russia, and sent increasingly anxious messages to Berlin.

In Germany, although Bismarck maintained his policy of non-intervention, public opinion within Germany began to lean towards some form of sanctions or restrictions against Russia. Furthermore, Karol I's Hohenzollern family background meant that Kaiser Wilhelm I could no longer remain completely aloof.

Austria issued a condemnation, and Germany also sent a message calling for peace. But none of this mattered against Russia, which had gone on a killing spree.

Despite the valiant efforts of the Romanian army, the defensive lines were gradually breached due to the overwhelming disparity in strength. Bucharest was on the verge of collapse.

King Carol I and the royal family were forced to evacuate the capital and move to the western mountains to continue directing the resistance. But he declared to the nation and the world: "The land of Romania will be measured with every inch of scorched earth and the blood of the invaders! We will never surrender!"

Naser al-Din immediately sent his condolences and support to Carol I through the telegraph lines that had not yet been completely severed:
"Our country admires the courage shown by the Kingdom of Romania in defending its sovereignty and independence. Your country is not fighting alone; the Ottoman Empire and Iran will remember this friendship that stands firm in the face of power."

Despite paying a price far exceeding expectations, the Russian army's iron torrent continued its slow but steady westward advance. Bucharest fell after a brief, symbolic resistance, where the Russians established a forward command post and continued their pressure on the Carpathian Passes.

King Carol, who was forced to relocate to Constanta, sent a telegram to Naser al-Din:
"On behalf of the King of Romania and all the people of Romania, I make the most urgent appeal to Your Majesty. Our country is suffering from the relentless aggression of Russia. Our soldiers have shed their blood to defend our national sovereignty and territorial integrity. However, the enemy's strength is far outnumbered, the capital has fallen, more than half of our territory has been lost, and the situation is extremely precarious."

His Majesty once said that he appreciated my courage in defending my sovereignty and promised to remember our friendship. Now, this friendship and promise have reached a critical moment of testing. The survival of Romania is no longer just a matter for one nation, but also concerns the balance of power in the Balkans, and even more so, the belief of all nations yearning for independence in resisting powerful forces.

Nasserdin read the telegram carefully, sensing between the lines the despair and final hope of Karol I. Their hopes were also for Iranian investment, which Iran was obligated to support.

The government ordered the Danube Corps to provide as much support as possible to Romania after stabilizing the situation in western Balkans. Even a symbolic military operation would tie down some Russian troops and provide Romania with significant moral support.

By this time, the Bulgarian uprising had been compressed into a few points. Burgas surrendered after fifteen days of uprising, and the situation in other areas began to quell. At least by sea, there was no problem. Moreover, Constanta was only a few days' journey away, and reinforcements could be sent quickly.

(End of this chapter)