Holy Roman Empire

On April 19, 1880, the Austrian Central American colonial forces, while pursuing “notorious bandits” within their territory, crossed into Panama.

Due to heavy fog, a misunderstanding occurred with the Colombian garrison, leading to an armed conflict that resulted in thousands of casualties.

Local residents testified that heavy fog had indeed blanketed the Panama region on April 19. Before the military entered the area, the colonial government had sent representatives to communicate with the local authorities, and both sides had agreed to cooperate in eradicating the ruthless “bandits.”

Unfortunately, someone within the Colombian government had colluded with the “bandits,” leaking intelligence. The bandits cut local telegraph lines and ambushed messengers en route.

As a result, the Colombian garrison did not receive the news in time, and due to the fog obscuring visibility, the planned joint operation turned into a tragic misfire as both sides mistook each other for the enemy.

This was the official version of events released by the Austrian Central American colonial government. Regardless of whether the Colombian government accepted this explanation or not, the Colombian forces stationed in Panama had been effectively destroyed.

After the “April 19 Incident,” the Austrian colonial government swiftly accepted responsibility. They apologized for the unintended casualties and expressed a willingness to pay compensation to the victims’ families.

Such a proactive and responsible attitude would have been commendable if not for the fact that Austrian forces showed no intention of leaving Panama anytime soon.

Of course, the Austrian forces had their reasons for staying. Although the main bandit force had been eradicated, remnants were still scattered and active in the region.

For the safety of the Panamanian people, the Austrian military argued that they must eliminate these remaining bandits or, at the very least, wait for the arrival of Colombian government forces before they could safely withdraw from the area.

…

News of the April 19 accidental firefight incident reached Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, and immediately caused an uproar among the public. Citizens took to the streets in protest, demanding that the government deploy troops to reclaim Panama.

It must be said that President Rafael Núñez had rather poor luck. He had just taken office and was already facing such a major crisis.

The public demanded military action, and President Núñez himself wanted to send troops to quickly retake Panama and restore order. However, there simply wasn’t a single unit capable of undertaking such a mission.

A “misunderstanding” can happen once, and it can certainly happen again. Whether or not another “misunderstanding” would occur depended entirely on Austria’s sense of restraint.

The Colombian military was cautious. After all, the Austrians claimed it was a misunderstanding and wouldn’t occupy Panama permanently. If it was just a matter of time before Panama was returned, why risk another confrontation?

It was clear to any astute observer that this was Austria’s retaliation against the Colombian government’s blockade of Peru. The Colombian garrison in Panama had simply been caught in the crossfire.

Whoever caused the mess should bear the responsibility. As for retaliating against Austria or seeking justice for the fallen soldiers, Colombia simply didn’t have the capability to do so.

As a small nation, survival must always come first. As long as territory wasn’t permanently lost and sovereignty could be restored, a little humiliation wasn’t a big deal.

For now, President Núñez couldn’t even focus on post-crisis recovery because he was busy facing questions from Congress.

A dissenting congressman sarcastically asked, “Mr. President, due to your government’s failed diplomatic policies, the Panama region has fallen. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

Without pressure, there is no motivation. If Austria had forcibly occupied Panama, external pressure might have united the various factions in Colombia.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. The Austrian colonial government in Central America had already classified the incident as a “misunderstanding.”

Since it was merely a misunderstanding, the Austrian military had no reason to remain there long-term. The Austrian ambassador had already sent a diplomatic note, urging the Colombians to dispatch troops as soon as possible to take over the defense of the region.

Sovereignty could still be preserved. The only issue was that the beating they received was for nothing. Without reaching a point of life or death, taking the opportunity to weaken a competitor was entirely normal.

The greatest strength of politicians is their thick skin. Rafael Núñez, unfazed, said, “Panama has not fallen. It was merely a misunderstanding.

The Austrian government has already taken responsibility for the incident. We are currently negotiating compensation with them, and it won’t be long before Austrian troops withdraw from the area.

The primary cause of this misunderstanding was individuals within our government colluding with bandits, and it has nothing to do with our diplomatic policy. ＲãＮòВЁŚ

Colombia is an independent country. We have the right to conduct our diplomacy freely and are not subject to third-party influence.”

Since Austria called it a “misunderstanding,” let this continue to be a “misunderstanding”.

Until there’s enough strength for retaliation, such events can only remain “misunderstandings.”

Deep down, Rafael Núñez just hoped the situation would end quickly without any further complications.

A congressman questioned, “Can this really be resolved with just one word, ‘misunderstanding’? Did our people die in vain?”

Rafael Núñez waved his hand and said, “Of course not. We will investigate thoroughly, identify those responsible for this conflict, and ensure they face legal consequences.

The deceased are gone, and what we can do now is let them rest in peace and offer comfort to their families.

The government will ensure that the victims of this incident receive proper compensation. Please give us some time…”

After speaking, Rafael Núñez bowed to the assembly, seemingly as an act of apology.

Everyone in Congress was a seasoned political veteran. While they could seize this opportunity to make things difficult for Rafael Núñez, their real goal was to bring him down.

However, no one was prepared to go to war with Austria. Therefore, some matters had to be deliberately ignored.

While appeasing domestic concerns, Rafael Núñez didn’t forget to turn to their British patron for help.

After such a significant incident, it would be unreasonable if John Bull didn’t step in. After all, the Colombian government had ended up in this mess while acting in British interests.

At 10 Downing Street, inside the Prime Minister’s residence, Prime Minister Benjamin puffed on his cigar while studying the telegram pleading for assistance from the Colombian government.

Across from him sat a middle-aged man dressed in elegant attire, stirring his coffee with a spoon while gazing into the distance, seemingly lost in thought. This man was none other than Edward, the British Foreign Secretary.

After a few moments, Prime Minister Benjamin set the telegram aside, stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray, and exhaled one final cloud of smoke.

“Sir Edward, what do you think the Austrians are playing at? They can’t possibly have gone to all this trouble just to teach Colombia a lesson, can they?”

Like Britain, Austria was a nation driven by interests, and every move it made was calculated to serve its national goals.

While Colombia’s actions had certainly embarrassed the Austrian government, warranting retaliation, the situation hardly justified sending troops into Panama.

The military operation in Panama had gone smoothly, but only because the Austrian government had swiftly made their “truth” public, assuring the world that their forces were merely stationed temporarily and would leave soon.

Otherwise, if the Colombian government had successfully mobilized the local population to resist an “invasion,” the situation would have been far less favorable for Austria.

The reason South American countries remained independent wasn’t because European powers couldn’t conquer them, it was because the cost of governance far outweighed the benefits.

Edward set down his coffee cup and slowly replied, “Of course not. Based on the intelligence we’ve gathered, our preliminary assessment is that Austria has its sights set on Panama.

However, the Austrian government is mindful of its international reputation. They know that directly invading an independent country would be seen as too aggressive and costly, both politically and economically.

So, they deliberately engineered this so-called ‘misunderstanding.’ By eliminating the Colombian garrison in Panama, they’ve cleared the way for an independence movement backed by Austria.

I suspect that shortly after the Austrians withdraw, Panama will declare independence.”

Such large-scale operations could never be kept entirely secret. Austria’s tactics might fool the average person, but they could never deceive Britain, another master of such games.

John Bull had pulled off similar maneuvers many times before and had plenty of “hands-on experience.” From just a few surface clues, they could piece together most of the story.

Prime Minister Benjamin nodded thoughtfully, “It seems we should offer our condolences to the Colombians. They still have no idea what kind of enemy they’re dealing with. At least, this plea for assistance doesn’t show any awareness of it.”

The term “ally” was often a hollow concept for Britain.

On paper, Britain and Austria were bound by an alliance. Colombia, on the other hand, wasn’t even officially aligned with Britain, merely a minor pawn in Britain’s grand game of influence.

Yet, in reality, Britain and Austria were rivals cloaked in diplomacy, while Colombia, a feeble partner, was treated with far more genuine concern.

Foreign Secretary Edward shook his head with a wry smile and then replied, “Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. If Rafael Núñez knew the full truth, his days in office would become unbearable.

Of course, it’s also possible he’s just playing dumb. Dealing with the so-called Panama rebels is far easier than confronting Austria directly.

This time, Austria has clearly broken the rules. Knowing Emperor Franz’s obsession with maintaining his reputation, the same ‘misunderstanding’ won’t happen twice.

If the Colombian government can suppress the rebellion in Panama, this incident will blow over.

For the Republic of Colombia, keeping this lid tightly shut still offers a chance of victory. But if they escalate the conflict now, they’ll lose Panama immediately.”

Benjamin smiled faintly, lit another cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled a thin stream of smoke.

“You’re right. Sometimes, one must feign ignorance. Since the Colombian government isn’t bringing it up, we’ll pretend not to notice either.

The Foreign Office should act quickly, wrap things up with the Austrians and make sure the Colombian government feels our goodwill.”

Local issues must always serve broader strategic goals. The land blockade against Peru and Bolivia was already firmly in place, and Chile’s victory in the war was nearly guaranteed.

Britain had secured a dominant position in South America, while France and Austria had seen their influence squeezed into isolated corners. Pushing any further was unnecessary.

The Panama Incident was Austria’s final desperate counterattack. Forcing a direct confrontation would only drive France and Austria closer together… an outcome offering Britain no additional benefits.

After a brief moment of thought, Edward allowed a sly smile to creep across his face and said, “Of course, we’ve never been ones to shortchange our friends. But before that, we should give the Austrians a little trouble.

An incident of this magnitude must be known far and wide. I’m sure the press will be more than happy to have some juicy headlines to boost their sales.”

Direct intervention wasn’t an option as Britain’s influence in Panama was limited. Even if they wanted to obstruct Austria’s next moves, they lacked the means to do so.

But an inability to intervene directly didn’t mean they would do nothing at all. A media campaign to tarnish Austria’s reputation was still a powerful weapon in their arsenal.

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