I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 678: The End of Duma

George has no time to care about the fate of the losers. The world war is coming to an end, and George has to race against time to gain more benefits for Russia.

After retaking Moscow, Vasily immediately turned around and headed for Belarus to prepare for the final battle against Germany.

Brusinov advanced rapidly and entered Austria as if he were in an empty territory. In early September, he surrounded Vienna, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The new Emperor Karl realized at this time that the situation was irreversible. He made another 180-degree turn and requested an armistice from the Allies.

This time, Charles I finally stopped insisting on the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

This was not because Charles I had become rational, but because the situation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire had completely deteriorated. Not only was the dual empire unsustainable, but Charles I's own throne was also in jeopardy.

In the last four months, Austria-Hungary had lost 110 million men, including 95 captured.

This ratio is extremely shocking, indicating that the Austro-Hungarian army had almost lost its fighting spirit and fled at the sight of the enemy.

This was indeed the case. Conrad had lost control of the army. The Czechs and Magyars in the army were fleeing in an organized manner, and only the Austrian troops were still resisting.

All resistance was doomed to be futile. Hungary, whose capital was occupied by Russian troops, declared the establishment of a republic, separated from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and became an independent country.

Karl decided to transform the empire into a federation where all ethnic groups could form their own governments, even those with very small populations.

This decision came too late. No one wanted to listen to Karl's ramblings. Even Austria was planning to establish a republic and overthrow Karl's rule.

Under such circumstances, it was meaningless to continue to maintain the unity of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Karl now only wanted to keep his throne and accept all the conditions.

At the same time that Austria-Hungary withdrew from the war, the Ottoman Empire also withdrew from the war.

Yangkov's condition became increasingly serious, and he returned to Constantinople for hospitalization and treatment. The war in the Anatolian Peninsula was under the charge of Yangkov's chief of staff.

After the British army failed to land on the Anatolian Peninsula, it shifted its target to the Persian Peninsula and incited the local residents of the Persian Peninsula to revolt against the tyranny of the Ottoman Empire.

This decision had a miraculous effect. The Ottoman Empire's rule on the Persian Peninsula completely collapsed in a very short period of time, dealing a fatal blow to the crumbling Ottoman Empire.

On September 9, the Ottoman Empire accepted Russia's request for an unconditional ceasefire.

The withdrawal of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire from the war greatly boosted the confidence of the Allies.

By September, the Allied forces on the Western Front had increased to 9 million, and Ludendorff's force was reduced to only 600 million.

The Germans contacted the Allies through the United States, but the conditions they put forward were unacceptable to the Allies.

The armistice conditions proposed by Germany were that Belgium should demolish all border fortresses and cede the Briey Basin in France to Germany.

At the same time, the Allies had to agree to the German army's withdrawal to mainland Germany without disarming.

This condition is even more outrageous than Karl's, and Britain and France will definitely not agree to it.

George agreed to the fight on the condition that Vienna be disarmed and the Russian army impose martial law on Vienna.

Karl just wanted to retain his last bit of dignity. If the Russian army entered Vienna, the last bit of dignity of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would be severely trampled upon by Russia.

George didn't waste time talking to Karl and sent a telegram asking Brusinov to step up his efforts.

On September 9, under the cover of heavy artillery and bombers, the 6th Army entered Vienna in armored vehicles.

Karl did not have the chance to send a telegram to George, as a group of Austro-Hungarian officers stormed the palace and forced Karl to abdicate.

What happened in St. Petersburg a year and a half ago was repeated in Vienna.

Karl had no choice but to sign the abdication decree, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire was destroyed.

On September 9, Conrad sent a telegram to Brusinov in the name of the Provisional Government, declaring Vienna an undefended city and no further resistance.

The withdrawal of the Austro-Hungarian Empire released at least 220 million troops, which made the already precarious situation of Germany even worse.

In just one month at most, the troops released by the Austro-Hungarian Empire would appear on the Russian-German border.

On September 9, Ludendorff met in Berlin with Admiral Paul von Neuze, who had just become German Foreign Minister.

Ludendorff admitted that Germany was about to lose the war.

However, Ludendorff was not prepared to surrender. He decided to withdraw all German troops back to Germany, build fortifications in Germany, and continue to resist.

The new strategy persuaded Ludendorff to accept reality and stop having unrealistic fantasies.

Ludendorff was so emotional that he fainted during the argument and collapsed to the floor, losing consciousness.

The new policy not only wanted to negotiate with the Allied Powers, but also wanted to launch a "top-down" revolution in Germany, reform Germany, and transform Germany into a constitutional monarchy similar to Britain.

For Germany today, the new policy idea is the best solution.

However, William II did not agree to make any reforms in Germany, nor did he agree to accept the demands of the Allied Powers. He only agreed to negotiate wholeheartedly on the basis of Wilson's "Fourteen Points".

The Allies were not unanimous on the issue of Germany.

Britain's demands were minimal, requiring Germany to withdraw its troops from Belgium and France and return Alsace and Lorraine to France.

France demanded that Germany withdraw from the area east of the Rhine and return Alsace and Lorraine to France.

Russia's claims were Upper Silesia and part of Jutland.

In addition to the British conditions, France and Russia made territorial demands on Germany. Britain's leniency was due to its unwillingness to weaken Germany too much, which was related to Britain's continental balance policy.

France's goal was contrary to that of Britain. The area east of the Rhine was the core of German industry. If this area was lost, German industry would suffer irreparable damage.

Russia demands the Jutland Peninsula because of its access to the sea.

Although Russia has gained access to the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea is still an inland lake in Europe, and Russia's maritime dream is still constrained by Britain.

Most of Jutland belongs to Denmark, and a small part belongs to Germany.

If Germany cedes this area that belongs to Germany to Russia, then Russia will break through the blockade of the Baltic Sea and completely break the regional restrictions.

George believes that Russia's demands are reasonable.

But it was strongly opposed by Britain.

France also believed that its demands were reasonable, but were also opposed by Britain.

Not only are there many contradictions within Britain, France and Russia on this issue, but even the United States has different opinions.

Wilson's "Fourteen Points" were regarded as a life-saving straw by William II.

The commander-in-chief of the US Army, Pershing, proposed that Germany should be disarmed and the Allied forces should be sent to manage it!

This request was considered excessive not only by the Germans but also by George.

Due to the lack of consensus within the Allied Powers, Germany's request for negotiations was not accepted.

Then keep fighting.

On September 9, Peter, who had been silent for half a year since the recapture of St. Petersburg, led the Baltic Fleet to raid Rügen Island and establish a forward base.

The location of Rügen Island is very important. Bombers can launch air strikes on most German cities from Rügen Island.

William II was terrified and demanded that Ludendorff immediately expel the Russian troops from German territory.

The last time Russian troops set foot on German territory was in 1914.

William II was worrying too much. The Russian army captured Rügen Island not to bomb Berlin, but to use Rügen Island as a base to launch an attack on the Jutland Peninsula.

While the Russian army was gearing up for battle, the Allied forces on the Western Front were also constantly attacking the German army.

Ludendorff had to order the German army to retreat to the Hindenburg Line and reorganize the defense.

What Ludendorff did not expect was that the German retreat turned into a major defeat. Except for a few German troops who still resisted, most of the German troops voluntarily surrendered to the Allies when facing the Allied attack.

After four years of world war, Germany was already exhausted. The German troops on the front line were suffering terribly from the double torture of disease and artillery shells.

Compared with 1914, France's military production capacity has increased 30 times.

When the war broke out, France had only 300 field artillery pieces.

By 1918, this number had increased to 6000, mostly medium and heavy guns.

The British Army's industrial capacity was equally terrifying. On September 9 and 28, the Canadian Corps used a total of 29 artillery shells to break through the Hindenburg Line.

France's Miss 75 is even more terrifying, using 28 rounds of shells every day.

The crazy increase in industrial capacity caused the German troops on the front line to suffer from artillery shells every moment.

At this time, Ludendorff sent a telegram to the German army, demanding that the German army not give up any inch of land. The reason was that a plague was breaking out within the Allied Powers and as long as they could hold out for this period of time, the Allied Powers would collapse on their own.

Ludendorff learned about the plague outbreak in the Allied Powers through reports in the Dutch media.

Ludendorff claimed that when he heard the news, it was like finding a life-saving straw.

What Ludendorff didn't know was that the plague that broke out within the Allied Powers was the same disease as the common cold in Germany.

As September approached, the impact of this sudden cold on Constantinople became increasingly serious. The death toll rose to 9 per day, the hospitals were overcrowded, and the lawns in the hospitals were filled with patients.

The Constantinople Duma was forced to close because more than half of its deputies fell ill and were unable to meet the minimum standards for holding a session.

The sick deputies did not want to give up their power, and the compulsory measures implemented by Constantine due to the cold resolutely prevented crowds from gathering.

So during the period when the Duma was closed, the work of the Duma was temporarily handled by Igor, little Felix, and George.

In the view of some Duma deputies, the suspension of the Duma session will cause all work to come to a standstill.

Unexpectedly, after the Duma closed, people were surprised to find that the Duma's work not only did not stagnate, but was extremely efficient.

In the past, when the Duma met, there would be a week-long debate over whether people should wear masks.

Now George, Igor and Little Felix can reach a consensus if they have a meeting.

Therefore, the role of the Duma does not seem to be as great as people imagine.

This is the real end of the world.

(End of this chapter)