It turned out that finding allies was not an easy task. In those days, there were very few countries qualified to ally with France, and due to matters of interest, even fewer could actually become allies with France.
Alliances had to adhere to a principle of equivalence; if the gap in strength between two parties was too large, it was not about finding an ally but rather seeking a subordinate.
Deep down, Napoleon IV naturally wanted to gather subordinates. But who was foolish enough to become a subordinate to France without any reason?
Theoretically, once France showed signs of defeat, the British would likely support them for the balance of the European Continent, and other countries in Europe would stop their sabotaging antics.
Regrettably, this remained purely theoretical; it presupposed that all government leaders maintained absolute rationality, unswayed by personal sentiments.
