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The sudden arms race disrupted many people's plans, including Austria's.
In fact, the Vienna Government had also proposed a plan to provoke an arms race, but that is all in the past now.
Ever since deciding to implement the Near East development plan, Franz had abandoned that tempting plan, and the reason was simple—poverty.
Engaging in infrastructure construction on the one hand, and an arms race on the other, was more than Austria could handle.
Starting an arms race is easy, but the real challenge lies in the aftermath. If someone starts such a meaningful activity and then runs out of money, it would be utterly embarrassing.
This is not just a matter of saving face, but more importantly, it's about showing strength to the world. The stronger the strength, the easier it is to find allies in international politics.
Of course, there are occasional exceptions that may have the opposite effect. As for how to manage, it depends on everyone's political acumen.
