Chapter 957: Port of Piraeus
Charles did not agree to Constantine I's request. He looked embarrassed and remained silent.
Seeing Charles hesitate, Constantine I hurriedly said: "Lieutenant General, if France is willing to station troops in Greece to contain the British army, Greece can provide France with the port of Piraeus and a military base."
(The above picture shows the location of the Port of Piraeus in Greece. The port is an important port connecting the Middle East, Europe and Africa. It happens to be located between a series of islands surrounding the Aegean Sea. The navy can block the exit of the Dardanelles Strait and the Suez Canal to the southeast. The geographical location is very important.)
Charles' heart was moved.
He knew very well that if France, which already controlled Malta, could build a base in the port of Piraeus, the Mediterranean would become a swimming pool for France.
But Ciel remained calm.
"Your Majesty." Charles put on a righteous look:
"This is not a matter of ports and military bases. As a member of the 'League of Nations', France has an obligation to speak out for fairness and justice among all countries."
"Besides, Greece is also a member of the 'League of Nations'."
“If we ourselves cannot guarantee fairness and justice for our member states, how can we maintain world peace?”
You have to speak in a bright and beautiful way so that you can stand on the moral high ground.
This set of measures is crucial for the general public and for controlling public opinion.
That's why America needs to show off its tube of laundry detergent.
Constantine I was stunned by Charles' words.
What's going on?
Are the conditions offered insufficient?
Could it be that Charles wants more than just this?
That would be a difficult situation. Greece has no resources and no military. The only thing it can offer is its geographical location that controls the Mediterranean.
He thought to himself, and followed Charles' words: "The Lieutenant General is right. This is the significance of our establishment of the 'International Alliance'."
The subtext of this statement is: If you don’t solve Greece’s problem, the “League of Nations” will have no meaning to exist, and Greece will be the first to “withdraw from the group”!
Charles nodded slightly:
"But France is also an independent country, sire."
"It is neither reasonable nor legal for us to have troops in Greece."
"Think about it, if the French army can be stationed in Greece with your permission, does it mean that Britain can also?"
Constantine I was educated more in military affairs than diplomacy, and he still failed to understand what Charles meant.
"But I won't agree, Lieutenant General." Constantine I was so anxious that a little sweat appeared on his forehead: "I know what the British want to do. They are supporting the Venizelos faction that opposes me."
(Note: Venizelos was the Prime Minister of Greece at the time. He and Britain used each other. Britain helped Venizelos seize power. After Venizelos came to power, he led Greece to change its neutral position and join the Allies to participate in the war.)
"I know, Your Majesty." Charles said more clearly: "I think this matter should be brought up in the League of Nations so that representatives of various countries can make a decision. Similarly, the troops stationed in Greece should not be French troops but the League of Nations."
Constantine I said "Oh" as if he suddenly understood, and then he said with joy: "Understood, Lieutenant General."
After a pause, he asked again: "Lieutenant General, you will support the decision of the 'League of Nations', right?"
"Of course," Charles replied, "I have no reason to object, including the issue of building a military base in Piraeus."
Constantine I's tense nerves relaxed instantly.
Charles was not only a military genius, Constantine I thought, he was also a master of politics, and William II was not on the same level as him.
The faith in Constantine I's heart began to collapse, and he even felt that his persistence was meaningless. It might not be a bad thing to join the Allied Powers and fight against France.
(Note: Constantine I was deeply influenced by Germany when he received military training in Germany and idolized William II, which was one of the reasons why he insisted on not joining the Allied Powers in the war.)
…
At the Crillon Hotel, the League of Nations once again convened a meeting of representatives from various countries.
Clemenceau was energetic and radiant, always with a faint smile on his face.
Recently he has been spending much more time at the Hotel de Crillon than at the Town Hall. He even has his own room in the hotel, where he often works until late at night and rests before continuing to work the next day.
Clemenceau felt that it was much more satisfying to demonstrate his "political wisdom" in front of representatives from various countries than to face those members of parliament in the city hall or parliament.
Those guys at the Bourbon Palace always found fault with Charles no matter how amazing he was.
"Char is preparing for his dictatorship."
"We must be vigilant. He is gradually eroding the power of parliament."
"Charles was able to win because France had a strong army, not because of his efforts alone!"
…
God, have they forgotten what France's so-called "strong army" was like before Charles?
They even mutinied and refused to fight the Germans.
It was Charles who built them into an invincible army step by step.
But now, with such an army, opposition MPs tried to deny Charles' success and kick him out!
Admit the reality, you rubbish, Clemenceau cursed smugly in his heart.
This army is not only inseparable from Charles, but also from the equipment produced by Charles. Charles controls everything and he is invincible!
With such confidence, Clemenceau stepped onto the podium:
"Ladies and gentlemen."
"Please allow me to summarize the achievements of the League of Nations during this period to the representatives of various countries."
"First, we succeeded in capturing Saarbrücken, which ultimately forced the Germans to withdraw from Italy."
"Yes, we succeeded in preventing a tragedy and a war from happening."
The delegates applauded, and the Italian representative stood up and saluted the people around him, accepting the cheers from others.
Clemenceau went on to say:
"Secondly, we sent 100 transport planes and 2,000 paratroopers to Romania at their request."
"2,000 paratroopers are not many in number, but they are the elite of France. They may parachute into any point behind the German and Austrian troops and launch an attack."
"So we have just learned that the German and Austrian troops, deterred, have stopped their offensive."
Clemenceau waved the telegram in his hand.
Applause broke out again, and some people cheered loudly.
The Romanian representative, who was a military man, stood up and saluted everyone around him, and the atmosphere immediately reached a new level.
General Winter, who was sitting in the front row, whispered with other British representatives:
“This is not a good thing.”
"Char is blaming the 'League of Nations' for what he did."
"That is to say, Ciel can push the responsibility to the 'League of Nations' and let all countries bear it together."
…
(End of this chapter)
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