roccoschili Chapter 773 Learn to bow your head, and you will survive.
Chapter 773 Learn to bow your head, and you will survive.
Chen Feng nodded. "That's why I met with you alone."
He walked back to the window.
"Marshal Tirpitz, at tomorrow's Cyprus conference, Wilson will propose the League of Nations. Micah will have one seat, France one seat, and Great Britain one seat. Whether Germany can get one depends on your performance, and also on Wilhelm's performance."
He turned to look at Tirpitz.
"Go back and send a telegram to Wilhelm. Tell him this is Germany's last chance."
That night, Tirpitz returned to the German delegation’s residence and immediately sent a long telegram to Berlin.
After sending the telegram, he sat by the window, looking at the pitch-black night outside, and remained motionless for a long time.
Two hours passed. Four hours passed. Six hours passed.
Just as dawn was breaking, the call finally came back.
Tirpitz took the telegram, his hands trembling slightly. He took a deep breath and unfolded the letter.
The telegram contained only one line:
"Accept the advice. Prioritize Germany. Hindenburg becomes the first postwar Chancellor. —Wilhelm"
Tirpitz looked at the words, his eyes welling up with tears.
He knew that the moment William signed, the glory of the Hohenzollern dynasty would end. Three hundred years of dynasty, four years of war, millions of lives—all that remained were these cold, hard words.
But he also knew that this was the best outcome.
Wilhelm was still alive, still living in the palace, and still called Emperor. Germany still existed, still a member of the League of Nations, and still had a veto power. Those millions who died, at least, did not die in vain.
He folded the telegram and put it close to his body.
Then he stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the sky outside that was turning white.
The delegation from the Meilika delegation was a white cruise ship named "Ocean". It was quietly moored in the most conspicuous position in the harbor, its massive hull gleaming white in the sunlight. Stars and stripes flew along the ship's sides, and armed Marines stood on the deck.
Asquith stood on the dock, looking at the ship, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Yesterday afternoon, he received an invitation from Wilson: "Please board the ship at eight o'clock tonight for a chat." The invitation was politely written, but Asquith knew it wasn't an invitation, but a summons. A summons from the victor to the vanquished.
He took a deep breath and walked up the gangway.
On deck, an officer in a white naval uniform approached and saluted. "Prime Minister Asquith, please follow me. His Excellency the President is waiting for you."
Asquith followed him down the corridor to the door of a cabin. The officer knocked, and Wilson's voice came from inside: "Come in."
The door opened, and Asquith went in.
The cabin wasn't large, but it was exquisitely furnished. Several oil paintings hung on the walls, fresh flowers adorned the table, and two cups of coffee sat on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Wilson stood by the window, his back to the door, gazing at the shimmering sea outside.
Hearing footsteps, he turned around with a polite smile on his face.
"Prime Minister Asquith, please have a seat."
Asquith sat down on the sofa. Wilson walked over and sat down opposite him.
The two stared at each other for three seconds. Neither of them spoke.
Wilson spoke first. His voice was gentle, but it carried an undeniable authority.
"Prime Minister Asquith, you were wronged yesterday in Frankfurt."
Asquith's face flushed slightly. He lowered his head and remained silent.
Wilson continued, "Hindenburg's words were too harsh. The Germans don't understand the concept of discretion, they don't know how to save face for their opponents." He paused, "But you know what? Some of what he said was true."
Asquith looked up at him.
Wilson looked him straight in the eye.
"Britain lost in Asia. It lost badly. India was lost, Australia was lost, Burma was lost, Malaya was lost. These losses were not caused by Germany, but by your own defeat in the war against Lanfang. These debts cannot be attributed to Germany."
Asquith opened his mouth, as if to say something, but couldn't utter a word.
Wilson picked up his coffee, took a sip, and then put it down.
"Prime Minister Asquith, I invited you here today not to criticize you, but to help you."
Asquith was stunned. "Help...help me?"
Wilson nodded. "Yes. To help you. To help Britain."
He stood up and walked to the window.
"Do you know what the most important thing is at tomorrow's Cyprus meeting?"
Asquith shook his head.
Wilson turned to look at him.
"The League of Nations. Five permanent members of the Security Council. One veto power."
Asquith's eyes lit up. "Can the British get in?"
Wilson nodded. "Yes."
Asquith took a deep breath. "The conditions?"
Wilson walked back to the sofa and sat down.
"There's only one condition—abandon the claim for compensation from Germany. We should stop while we're ahead."
Asquith's expression changed.
"Waste reparations? Your Excellency, Germany started the war, they should—"
Wilson raised his hand to interrupt him.
"Prime Minister Asquith, please let me finish."
He looked directly into Asquith's eyes, his gaze eerily calm.
"Germany started the war, that's true. But Britain's losses in Asia were not caused by Germany. This debt cannot be attributed to Germany. If you insist on assigning it, Hindenburg will hold you accountable for the prisoners of war. 150,000 prisoners of war, how much are you prepared to pay for each head?"
Asquith's face flushed red, but he didn't say anything.
Wilson continued, "And do you know what Chen Feng wants? He wants a stable Europe. A stable Europe needs a stable Germany. If Germany is unstable, Europe will be in chaos. Who benefits from a chaotic Europe? Lanfang. What about Meilika? No benefit. And what about Britain? Even less benefit."
He paused.
"Therefore, Germany must join the League of Nations. It must become a permanent member of the Security Council. It must have veto power. This is not just my idea; it is Chen Feng's idea, and it is also a practical necessity."
Asquith lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.
Then he looked up at Wilson.
"Your Excellency, does Great Britain... still qualify for the League of Nations?"
Wilson looked at him, a complex light flashing in his eyes.
"Prime Minister Asquith, whether you are qualified or not is not up to you to decide, but up to Chen Feng. If he wants you in, you can enter. If he doesn't want you in, you can't enter."
He stood up and walked to the window.
"Do you know why Chen Feng allowed the British to enter?"
Asquith shook his head.
Wilson turned to look at him.
"Because he needs a balance. France is his pawn in Europe, as is Germany. But players alone aren't enough; there also needs to be a chessboard. Britain is part of that chessboard. With Britain present, Europe remains Europe. Without Britain, Europe is completely out of balance."
He walked back to the sofa and sat down.
"So rest assured. Britain will become a permanent member of the UN Security Council. But you must also remember—from today onwards, Britain is no longer the same Britain. Learn to bow your head in order to survive."