Chapter 43: Cannon Queen Beta
In Sheffield's view, the Junker landlord class's greed was too ugly. Although there was some difference in national strength, they were all members of the imperialist family. How could they only take advantage and not suffer any loss? Imperial Russia exported agricultural products, but it also imported chemical products from Germany. Trade was supposed to make up for its own shortcomings, but the Germans only wanted to take advantage and not suffer any loss.
When the French appeared before the Russian Empire waving gold francs, could they expect the Russian Empire to uphold justice and not coexist with the Chinese and the traitors? Was the gold mark money? Was the gold franc not money?
Germany's agricultural self-sufficiency rate was only 70%. It only cared about its own profits and pushed the Russian Empire to France. As a result, it was blockaded by Britain at sea and famine broke out in the second year of the war. It was also thanks to the German Imperial Army that it fought hard for four years with a bunch of pig teammates.
Sheffield had high expectations for the visit to the Krupp family, and it could even be said that he had made sufficient preparations for it. He was even prepared to suffer a little loss and give the other party some sweetness. Suffering a loss today is for the purpose of exploding tomorrow. Sheffield was not a short-sighted person. Based on his understanding of the historical context, he was destined to have no short-sightedness.
Essen is the headquarters of Krupp, which is particularly well-known in China. Germany, as a latecomer, defeated France, which was firmly ranked second in the world at that time, giving hope to many latecomers.
Many underdeveloped countries have taken Germany as an example to build up their military strength, including island countries, which learn their navy from Britain and their army from Germany.
As a veteran Krupp fan, Sheffield naturally knew a lot of details through the powerful Internet, such as the fact that the head of the Krupp family of this generation was actually a homosexual.
If he could deal with money, he didn't want to use the other party's privacy to force the other party to submit. In fact, he was a little afraid in his heart. After all, this was someone else's territory. It would be very disadvantageous to his side if he really broke off relations.
Because Habsburg in Texas has one of the three largest gun factories in the United States, Sheffield feels that he can barely be considered a colleague of the other party, although part of his family's business cannot be compared with the other party's empire built on military industry.
He couldn't go directly to the Junker landlords in East Prussia. Sheffield didn't think he had more face than the Russian Empire. They could even infringe on the interests of the Russian Empire, so why would they care about an American bumpkin?
However, the other pillars of the German Empire in the Ruhr area are not out of reach. The industrial and agricultural fields are always at odds, just like in the United States, the South supports the Democrats to reduce tariffs. Anyway, the agricultural products of the South can always be exported. If the tariffs are raised, they will suffer retaliation. As for whether the Yankees in the North will be better off if the tariffs are lowered, let them die. It would be better if they all die.
The Yankees wanted to raise tariffs to protect the United States, which was still a small industry with high-tech products still climbing up. Anyway, no Europeans bought their products, so if European countries wanted to retaliate, they could retaliate against the Dixies.
Sheffield believed that the considerations of different industries in eastern and western Germany were also inconsistent. Especially for the military industry, export was particularly important, which can be seen from the fact that the United States racked its brains for export for the military industry in later generations.
There was a black humor in Krupp's history of export. Before World War I, the British company Vickers, which manufactured artillery shells, rented the patent rights of Krupp's fuses. After the war, the company paid royalties based on the number of German casualties. This put Krupp in an embarrassing position of making a fortune from the German war dead.
Of course, it was this money that allowed the Krupp family to quickly make a comeback after the war. In the first year after the war, they recalled military and industrial talents and began a plan to secretly re-arm Germany.
In view of the similar environment in the Ruhr area, Sheffield did not bring Anne with him this time, but successfully regained ownership of his masks and brought a group of black gold employees to Essen, the heart of Germany's military industry. Essen is a canal river port and the east-west transportation hub of the Ruhr area, and is now also the largest industrial city in the Ruhr area.
Essen has been relying on military industry as its pillar industry for hundreds of years. At that time, the world was still dominated by Spain. There are endless factories and chimneys reaching the sky. Even on the streets, everyone is in a hurry, almost like an efficient army of marching ants.
"My father has his own things to do, so I will be the one to receive the guests from across the Atlantic." Sheffield did not arrive at the headquarters of Krupp, but was taken to a villa. It is not known whether this villa is the Hugel Villa that later became famous.
Sheffield looked at the girl in front of him who seemed to be two years younger than him. Her eyes were bright and her hair was braided in a style that was very common in Germany at that time, but it did not add any softness. Her serious expression made the girl look rather androgynous.
Sheffield stepped forward and held the girl's hand, then quickly put it down under the gaze of several servants, and said in a businesslike tone, "I believe you are Miss Beta."
The latter nodded, and Sheffield realized that this was indeed the next generation head of the Krupp family, Beta Krupp, the wife of Gustav Krupp, known as the Queen of Artillery.
During the First World War, the Krupp company led by Gustav Krupp produced the Beta cannon named after his wife, which destroyed the famous Liege Fortress in Belgium. In the Battle of Verdun, the German heavy artillery unit bombarded Verdun, the gateway to Paris.
Decades later, the sons of Gustav Krupp and Berta Krupp produced a cannon named after their father, the famous Gustav heavy railroad gun.
"The heir of Sheffield has come to Europe for inspection. The entire Ruhr area already knows about it. I wonder what his purpose is in coming to my house this time?" Beta Krupp brought the guests into the villa. After both parties sat down, he raised his eyebrows and asked with interest.
"This is naturally about discussing cooperation. I believe the Krupp family is willing to do so. After all, military-industrial enterprises love to export. The federal government has its own goals, and our family has its own goals. Of course, whether it is public or private, the goals of the two overlap. This is best!" Sheffield took off his hat. "As a military-industrial enterprise, I believe Krupp should be very concerned about conflicts in many regions."
"Of course I know about the current Venezuelan crisis, but judging from Master William's schedule during this period, I believe the Sheffield family is not just here to discuss weapons. Am I right?" Beta Krupp's eyes flashed with a light, and he asked with great curiosity, "Of course, military industrial enterprises welcome all guests, but I want to hear something else."
In the past, I didn't need to look up information when writing the chapter on Germany. It was all in my head. Now I have almost forgotten it. I feel sorry for the Führer. (灬??灬)
(End of this chapter)
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