Chapter 1343: France is shaken
Using public opinion to stir up people's war-weariness and thus force governments to sit down at the negotiating table is a helpless approach. After all, the conflicts between governments of major European powers cannot be resolved at all, as can be seen from the punishment of the Central Powers by the Allies in previous lives.
Of course, it takes time for public opinion to ferment, so it is impossible to immediately achieve results by truly promoting negotiations through the European people's desire for peace. For this reason, East Africa still needs to persuade the European powers at the official level.
Among them, East Africa unified the statement of the harm of this war to Europe to various governments. This is also the most basic. In fact, to this day, European countries’ attempts to divert internal conflicts through war have failed. This is also the fundamental reason why East Africa is willing to carry out lobbying work.
East Africa also uses different methods of persuasion for different countries. For example, in France, East Africa focuses on lobbying the French government on France’s population issues.
Since the Napoleonic era, population has always been France's Achilles' heel. Before World War I, France's total population was just over 40 million, but France mobilized nearly 10 million troops on its own soil alone, and the number of casualties was as high as 5 million. If the war continued, France would inevitably be the first to collapse, unless Britain and the United States had a change of heart and were willing to be at the forefront.
But this is obviously impossible. Not to mention Britain, the United States, an ally that joined later, has only mobilized more than one million troops so far, which is a significant reduction compared to the previous life. Therefore, France has replaced Russia as the weakest link in the Allied Powers.
Paris.
East African Ambassador to France Lipovits is talking to senior French government officials.
He held a form and said to the grim-faced members of the French government: "Ladies and gentlemen, I know that peace talks are a very difficult decision for France, but it is clear that France is no longer able to support this war."
Most of the senior French government officials are currently in favor of war. After all, French President Clemenceau is one of them, so Lipovitz's task is relatively difficult.
Libovitz went on to say, "Since the beginning of the war, France has mobilized nearly nine million troops. I think you should know what a terrible number this is."
"Before the war broke out, the French population had barely exceeded 40 million, which means that during the war, almost a quarter of the French population was deployed on the battlefield."
"France's casualties are also the most tragic among the warring countries, with nearly five million military and civilian casualties, most of whom are young and middle-aged men."
"This also means that France has wiped out a generation of people. These people should have been the main force of France's economic and industrial construction in the next 20 to 30 years. They are the future of France. But they either died on the battlefield or became poor disabled people. Even if the war is delayed for another year, you will send French youth to war."
"If the war develops to this point, France's last hope will be completely annihilated. Even if you can lead France to victory in the war, you will inevitably become the sinners of France in the future."
"Even if you win the war, can you reap the fruits of victory? I don't think the British will agree to this. If France's population cannot recover after the war, you may not be able to compete with Spain and Italy in the future."
Libovitz's words can be said to be heartbreaking. Among France's land neighbors, apart from Germany, its number one rival, other countries should not be underestimated. Even Belgium has a population of several million.
Even the divided Italy has a population of over 10 million, and Spain has over 20 million. Now, France has lost a lot of blood in World War I. Considering the population alone after the war, how France can maintain its status as a major power in Western Europe is a severe test.
Lipovitz said: "If you end the war now, at least you can wait until the new generation of France grows up. If you continue to act on your own and lose France's hope, France will be ready to become a second-rate country in Europe in the future."
As Lipovitz finished speaking, it also caused a shock within the French government, because the situation described by Lipovitz was almost fatal to France.
If we talk about what is the motivation for France to persist in the war today, a very important part of it is to maintain France's long-term position in Europe and even the world.
However, Lipovitz now asserts that France is likely to become a second-rate country in Europe because of the war, which is unacceptable to any patriotic Frenchman.
Even Clemenceau, a French leader who rose to power by relying on his image as a pro-war faction, was moved by Libovitz's words. It was not because Libovitz was so eloquent, but because the data he presented and the future he described shattered Clemenceau's last fantasy.
Although Clemenceau hated the Germans extremely, he also understood that he should not let his emotions influence his thinking. Now that the East Africans have torn off France's fig leaf, this French politician who had previously been trying to avoid the risks behind the war has become rational again. As the leader of France, he must be responsible for the future of France.
Clemenceau moved in his chair, as if he had made an important decision, and knocked on the table, signaling the officials and military generals to be quiet.
Then he said to Lipovitz: "Ambassador Lipovitz, thank you and your government for your concern for the fate of France. I will seriously consider your opinion. Now we need to discuss these issues internally. I hope you can step out first. I hope you can understand."
Although Clemenceau was rather radical, he was well-mannered, so he first asked Libovitz, the East African, to leave the meeting room.
Libovitz said: "Of course, if it can help your country, it will be a great success for me and East Africa."
Then Libovitz left the meeting room, and when he left, the meeting room fell into silence.
The French top leaders did not speak, but stared at Clemenceau, the current top leader of France, hoping that he could break the deadlock.
After a long while, Clemenceau finally spoke: "Ladies and gentlemen, do you think what Mr. Libovitz just said is correct? Everyone can speak freely. This is a matter that will determine the fate of France. I think everyone has the right to express their own ideas."
But no one spoke up, because peace talks, especially talks with the Germans, were politically incorrect. The price France paid for this war was too heavy. Who would dare to take on this responsibility!
Looking at the senior executives who usually look so majestic and always want to teach the Germans a lesson, they are now shrinking their necks like quails.
Clemenceau sighed inwardly and said feebly, "Although Libovitz's words are very unpleasant, he speaks the truth."
"East Africans understand the current situation in France, and we understand even better that Libovitz is absolutely right about one thing: population is the most fatal problem of the empire."
"We can't turn a blind eye to this. As Libovitz said, our generation is actually finished. In fact, we have become the sinners of France. In the next decade or so, France will not be able to make any progress."
"This is a very cruel reality. I can't imagine how we are going to deal with the millions of disabled people after the war ends."
"We have tried to widen the age range for conscription as much as possible, but there are only about 20 million men in France, and we sent 10 million to the war."
"If we continue the war, as Libovitz said, the future of France will be completely ruined in our hands. Mr. Libovitz's words have awakened me. We should not continue this mistake."
If it were in his previous life, Clemenceau would certainly not have said this. After all, after the United States entered the war in his previous life, Germany's collapse was already visible to the naked eye. But in this time and space, no one dared to guarantee when, where, and which country would achieve the final victory.
"Mr. President, are we really going to surrender to the Germans?" Joffre, the French government's military adviser, said indignantly.
Clemenceau said helplessly: "General Joffre, although I understand your feelings, this is not surrender, but responsibility for the future of France. In fact, we all underestimated the harm of the war to France. Isn't this the reason why you took the initiative to resign?"
Joffre was the commander of the previous Battle of the Somme. The reason he resigned from the army was that the casualties were too high, which triggered accusations within France.
"In 1914, we never thought that this war would last until now, for nearly five years, and we could not have imagined the damage this war would cause to France."
"We must now also admit that France cannot defeat Germany in a short period of time, especially when Britain and the United States are not contributing. We cannot afford the damage caused by the war to France."
"If the war continues for another year, we may face the same dilemma that Russia faced before. The soldiers on the front line and the people in the rear are not heartless machines, but living people. Their hearts have long been numb, and they are even filled with anger towards the government."
"Then the angry crowd will devour us completely, and this time it will not be the Paris Commune, but a riot across France."
"Of course, if it's just this, I won't compromise. After all, if I can lead France to expand its territory and defeat Germany, I am willing to bear all the infamy, even if it means I will be torn to pieces."
"However, what I am really worried about is not the people's attitude towards the government, but the future of France, so my conscience tells me that I should accept the kindness of East Africans and keep the flame for the future of France."
What Clemenceau said was actually consistent with his past experience, because in his early years Clemenceau was indeed an idealistic politician. He supported the republic, opposed the monarchy, opposed colonialism, and even studied some policies of the Labour Party. He remained neutral in the Paris Commune movement, and so on.
It can be said that apart from his attitude towards Germany, Clemenceau was a relatively relaxed person towards many things and ideas.
And now, this most anti-German French president is willing to bow to his enemies for the future of France. This requires great courage.
Of course, given the French's current attitude towards Germany, there is almost no difference between peace talks and surrender.
After Clemenceau finished his remarks, Marshal Pétain, the current commander-in-chief of the French army, also spoke up: "I support the president's opinion."
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now simply choosing between France's glory and reality, but we must admit that glory is just a fig leaf. If we sacrifice the future of our entire nation, this fig leaf will be torn off now or it will be lifted up by other countries in the future."
"If we can now use the power of East Africa to withdraw from the war with dignity, although it will greatly hurt the French national sentiment, it is nothing compared to destroying the future of the entire French nation."
"We should admit that since the war, France's national strength has been unable to support our competition with countries like Britain and Germany."
"In fact, France is now a second-rate country in Europe. Since 1870, we have no longer been a rival to Britain and Germany."
"France's population, industry and resources are not enough to support us to compete with Germany and Britain. Our alliance with Britain is nothing more than a pawn of the British."
"You know, the population of Britain is much larger than ours, but this so-called ally has only half as many troops mobilized locally as we do. Isn't this ridiculous?"
"Moreover, the war was fought in France, and our losses were very heavy. It can be said that the war zone was originally the most important area of our economy."
"So, whether from a military or economic point of view, this war is a mistake. We should bear the blame, preserve the flame of France, and not make the same mistake again."
Marshal Pétain and President Clemenceau both had the same opinion, which was that they did not want to fight anymore. Of course, the main reason was that France could no longer fight. If France's fertility rate and population could reach the same level as Germany, perhaps neither of them would make such a decision.
When the two most powerful people in the French government and the army reached a consensus, other people within the government also began to reflect on the war.
Finally, France decided to negotiate. Clemenceau called Liebowitz back to the conference room and said to him: "We are willing to make an effort for peace in Europe, but your country should also persuade Germany to give up some unrealistic ideas and show sincerity in peace talks."
Lipovits agreed immediately: "Of course, Mr. President, you should know that we in East Africa have always supported peace in Europe and have been working hard for it."
What Libovitz said was not wrong. At least since 1914, East Africa has been calling on European countries to remain calm and promote world peace.
Of course, before 1919, East Africa just shouted a few slogans and hoped that Europe would fight fiercely, but now the situation has changed. For its own interests, East Africa now hopes that Europe can return to the pre-war situation.
"The Imperial Government not only sent me to your country to lobby this time, we also negotiated in Berlin, London, Vienna and other places. A peaceful Europe is what East Africa wants to see. This is good for everyone, especially in the face of the revolution in Russia."
"Everyone should pay attention to the harm of the Labour Party. If Europe cannot end the war, the whole of Europe will be taken advantage of by the Labour Party. You must know that the Labour Party has no concept of country and nation. If they really incite the grassroots people, France, Germany, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire will probably disappear from the map."
This is not alarmist. After all, the former Soviet Union was an alliance of nations, placing Russia, Ukraine and other countries under one country. Of course, although this approach ultimately failed, it was not necessarily impossible to achieve for European countries in the early 20th century, especially when the Labour Parties in European countries are now as close as a family.
The whole world unites, this is the slogan of the Labour Party, but it is also the nightmare of imperialism in East Africa and other places. Of course, Libovitz brought up the Labour Party just to give the French government a way out and eliminate their psychological discomfort about the peace talks.
(End of this chapter)
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