I was a tycoon in World War I: Starting to save France

Chapter 963 Is this even possible?

Wilhelmshaven, Germany, on the shores of the North Sea.

After a brief inspection of the navy, accompanied by Admiral Scheer, Wilhelm II entered the lounge under the escort of guards.

He didn't go to the lounge to rest; an unusual meeting awaited him there.

The aide-de-camp opened the door and welcomed Wilhelm II inside, then bowed and went out to close the door from the outside.

The curtains in the lounge were drawn, but the lights were on inside despite the bright sunlight streaming in from outside.

Under the lamplight, two men in suits and ties sat at a square table in the center of the living room, drinking coffee. Upon seeing Wilhelm II enter, they simultaneously rose, bowed, and introduced themselves in fluent German:
“Your Majesty, my name is Klaus, and I am here on behalf of the British government to make contact with you.”

"My name is Michael, and I am here on orders from the U.S. government."

Wilhelm II glanced at the two men and nodded, gesturing for them to sit down.

This was a secret negotiation between Germany and the United Kingdom and the United States, and even Hindenburg was unaware of it.

"So," Wilhelm II said coldly, without removing his gloves, his hand on the sword at his waist, as he sat down in his chair, "you can represent your respective governments?"

“Yes, of course.” Klaus nodded. “I assure you, Your Majesty, you can rest assured that we have no reason to deceive you.”

Michael chimed in, "The fact that we're sitting here is a guarantee in itself."

This means they risked their lives, and Wilhelm II could execute them at any time.

Klaus had met Wilhelm II several times before; he had previously served as the British ambassador to Germany but was expelled after the outbreak of war.

Seeing that Wilhelm II was still not at ease, he spoke frankly:
“We share common interests, Your Majesty.”

“We do not want France to be strong, nor do we want Charles to use his so-called ‘French spirit’ to dismantle our colonies.”

"I believe you wouldn't want that either."

Wilhelm II did not answer, but gave the two men a cold glance, seemingly pondering what Klaus had said.

This is no small matter. If word gets out that some kind of agreement has been reached with Britain and the United States, Hindenburg and Ludendorff could use the pretext of "the emperor colluding with the enemy and betraying the country" to oust him in no time. He would be doomed and despised by everyone.

American Ambassador Michael seemed to sense Wilhelm II's concerns and reassured him, "Rest assured, Your Majesty, we will arrange everything in a reasonable manner, and no one will know that you have allied with us."

Then he added, "And you seem to have no other choice, don't you think?"

A flash of anger crossed Wilhelm II's eyes. How dare they speak to the German Emperor in such a threatening tone?
But he gritted his teeth and didn't lash out.

Michael was right; he truly had no other choice.

Externally, there are layers of threats from the powerful Charles army.

Internally, Hindenburg and Ludendorff were constantly using war to win over the people and seize military power, leaving Wilhelm II almost completely isolated!

After considering for a while, Wilhelm II sighed and said, "Tell me, how do you want to cooperate?"

Klaus and Michael exchanged a glance, a smug look on their faces.

“It’s very simple.” Klaus turned his gaze to Wilhelm II: “We need reparations as compensation for Germany’s initiation of this war…”

"How much?" Wilhelm II asked.

He knew this was inevitable; Britain and the United States would not cease hostilities without obtaining sufficient benefits.

Klaus stared at Wilhelm II and quietly uttered a number: "330 billion dollars."

Wilhelm II was startled by the figure. He looked at the two men in disbelief, and after confirming that they were not joking, he gritted his teeth and roared, "Are you crazy? Germany's annual GDP is only $80 billion. We may never be able to pay off this indemnity."

(Note: Germany's GDP before the war was approximately $125 billion. In 1917, the economy deteriorated due to the war and fell to $80 billion. A significant portion of this GDP was from wartime military production, which was used for bullets, shells, and equipment fired on the battlefield and was unrelated to citizens' living conditions and income.)
“Listen to me, Your Majesty,” Michael cautioned.
“Think about Russia. You could very well defeat it and then get a reparations from Russia.”

“There are other resources as well.”

"For example, oil, coal, iron ore, etc."

Wilhelm II shook his head: "But they are not something I can control."

"Even with all that, it was the army that defeated Russia, and you should know that I cannot control the army."

Hindenburg could not stand by and watch this reparation and resources disappear without a trace.

Michael pointed his finger in front of Wilhelm II: "Then, take the army back from Hindenburg!"

Wilhelm II looked at Michael with suspicion. This guy probably didn't know that the army no longer trusted his command.

Klaus smiled:

"We know, Your Majesty."

"But it's different if we're allies."

"We will lift the naval blockade against Germany, and then the supplies will be in your hands."

Michael added, "We can do it discreetly. For example, we can make it look like a merchant ship loaded with goods was seized by a German warship."

Wilhelm II gave an interested "hmm".

That's a good idea. The German Navy is still strong, but it's afraid to leave port because it's surrounded by British warships.

If British warships were willing to cooperate, that would be a different story.

Klaus continued:
"This will not only allow you to control resources, but also greatly enhance your prestige, because you will be the one leading the navy to victory."

"In addition, there is room for maneuver in the direction of the Hindenburg Line."

Wilhelm II was puzzled: "The Hindenburg Line?"

That was Hindenburg's army; he had no say in it.

But Klaus said:

"We will launch a fierce attack on the Hindenburg Line, Your Majesty."

"Without Saarbrücken, Hindenburg won't be able to hold out for long."

"If you can turn the tide and lead your troops in a surprise counterattack to victory when the defensive line is on the verge of collapse..."

Wilhelm II understood that the British and American forces were cooperating with him to put on a show so that he could regain control of the army.

Then, Britain and the United States would receive reparations, and they would gain power and status, making everyone happy.

But Wilhelm II responded with a wry smile:

"Gentlemen, you seem to have forgotten the most important key point: Charles."

"If he so chooses, his troops can penetrate deep into German territory at any time and force us to surrender."

“Saarbrücken is not far from the Ruhr industrial region.”

Klaus's voice was full of confidence:

"There will be no problem, Your Majesty. Our army is at the front, and the Charles troops are in the middle of our defensive line."

"We can retreat dozens of kilometers under your valiant attack."

"At that time, Charles's troops will be deep in enemy territory alone."

Wilhelm II's mouth was slightly open.

Can this still be done?

It seems that Britain and the United States have gone to extreme lengths to bring about the downfall of the Charles!
(End of this chapter)