I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 980: What Is That Fool Shire Thinking?
This is the effect Shire wants to achieve.
The accounts for reparations can be done any way one wishes, Shire said a million soldiers died, each receiving 1,000 US Dollars, or how many tanks, how much ammunition was lost, and how much economic damage was suffered, is Germany going to check them one by one?
Shire could easily call for 20 billion US Dollars and leave England and the United States in the lurch.
But Shire went the opposite way, he very modestly asked for only 2 billion US Dollars, while England and the United States didn’t foresee this at all, still maintaining their high standards of "13 billion", "10 billion".
England’s standard cannot be lowered; it owes 10 billion just in loans.
As an old capitalist country, and with a very shortsighted Minister of Military Supplies responsible for negotiations, he could not possibly pay reparations as a victorious country, nor could he fail to gain any benefits.
In his view, if he doesn’t gain tens of billions more, wasn’t this war fought for nothing?
But this precisely falls into Shire’s trap.
The Germans would think:
France only asks for 2 billion, are you shameless enough to ask for 10 billion, 13 billion?
Do you have any shame?
It’s not like we can’t fight back, at worst mutual destruction, who’s afraid of whom?
But England and the United States must get reparations.
Otherwise, England’s economy would collapse because it cannot repay its loans, and the United States’ politics would fall apart because of such a huge bad debt.
Thus, they would enter an unsolvable deadlock, possibly continuing this war.
As a result, not only might England and the United States fail to get the reparations they hoped for, but they may lose even more.
Whereas France doesn’t need to worry about reparations at all, the Germans would gladly pay this amount, thanking Shire profusely, afraid he wouldn’t accept it.
On the other hand, Shire holds the Ruhr Industrial District, selling the ammunition produced by Germans back to them, letting those Germans full of resentment fight against England and the United States!
Profiting from the war while also using the Germans to drain England and the United States, what’s not to love?
It won’t take many years before who the top superpower in the world is becomes self-evident!
Eitzberger sitting across from Shire is also pondering this question.
Why did Shire ask for so little?
Could it really be because of being a "conscientious capitalist"?
Others might believe that, but as someone seasoned in politics, he didn’t believe it for a second.
There must be a reason, something in Shire’s interest, Eitzberger thought.
Recalling earlier when Shire agreed to release prisoners and allowed the Ruhr Industrial District to continue providing Germany with arms, now Shire was so conservative regarding reparations...
The more Eitzberger thought about it, the more he felt he guessed correctly, Shire was now aiming at England, he needed a battle-ready Germany to hold off the Allied forces from the UK and US.
Eitzberger was ecstatic.
This is Germany’s opportunity, a chance to rise again.
The country that almost had nothing and was about to be forced into unconditional surrender by the Allies, now has a turning point due to Shire’s strategy.
"Thank you very much, Vice Admiral." Eitzberger stood up and tightly shook Shire’s hand, speaking with double meaning:
"Not just me. I believe Prime Minister Albert, Marshal Hindenburg, General Ludendorff."
"And all the German civilians and military, will be grateful for your kindness."
"You saved us all; you saved Germany, Vice Admiral!"
Shire smiled and nodded: "It’s what I should do, sir, as I said, this will be a pleasant negotiation."
Eitzberger chuckled, he originally thought negotiating with Shire was the most difficult hurdle, but unexpectedly it turned out like this.
...
After leaving Pondiye Fortress, Eitzberger immediately contacted Fischer.
"Don’t agree to any conditions from the UK and US." Eitzberger said firmly: "Not even one dollar!"
Fischer was perplexed: "Was the negotiation with Shire successful? Or unsuccessful?"
Success or failure could lead to this result.
Success means a truce with France, with Germany still capable of fighting against the Allied forces of the UK and US.
Failure means agreeing to the conditions of the UK and US is useless, the German interim government will collapse anyway, Germany should just crash.
Eitzberger responded excitedly: "Not just successful, Fischer, France only asks for 2 billion dollars in reparations, 2 billion!"
The rest, Eitzberger couldn’t say much, he emphasized again: "In any case, don’t agree to anything, we don’t need to agree to anything, got it?"
Fischer was speechless and stood there gaping for a long time.
billion dollars?
Shire only wants 2 billion dollars?
Fischer had thought Shire might ask for a little less, like demanding 10 billion dollars like the US.
Even less wouldn’t be less than the US, right?
The US had just joined the war, suffered losses far less than the UK and US, and it could demand 10 billion.
Shire, acting in the spirit of France, reducing reparations, asking for 10 billion was already a huge concession to Germany.
But he only wants 2 billion?
Things seem a bit different, Fischer thought this was good news!
Fischer was emboldened, when he returned to the negotiating table, he shook his head at General Winter and Pershing and said, "I’m very sorry, gentlemen, I think we should end these negotiations."
General Winter thought Germany had made a decision, he smiled slightly: "I believe you will make a wise choice."
"Of course." Fischer nodded, politely stood up, shook hands with both of them, and turned to leave.
"What do you mean?" General Winter stood up, signaling the guards to stop Fischer.
Fischer turned back, feigned puzzlement and looked at General Winter: "I’ve already said, General, the negotiations are over."
"You mean..." General Winter’s face turned gloomy: "You no longer wish to negotiate with us?"
Pershing looked serious, this was not good news for the United States.
"Yes." Fischer nodded.
"You can bear the costs of war?" General Winter gritted his teeth: "You will regret your rashness and recklessness today, Commissioner."
"No, I won’t." Fischer said confidently, looking at the two disdainfully: "Because I found out you are liars, do you know how much reparations Shire is asking for?"
"What do you mean?" General Winter asked, realizing the problem was likely with Shire.
Fischer sneered: "I heard Shire is your friend, General? It doesn’t seem so now!"
Fischer was unwilling to miss any chance to divide the Allies.
After Fischer left, General Winter and Pershing looked at each other, unsure of what had happened.
Just as General Winter planned to call Shire for clarification, the newly appointed commander of the British Expeditionary Force, Vice Admiral Plumer, pushed the door and came in, holding a telegram.
"I think you need to know this, Vice Admiral." He said: "Shire is only asking for 2 billion dollars in reparations!"
"What?" General Winter and Pershing exclaimed in unison.
Only 2 billion dollars?
Shire, the fool, what on earth is he thinking!
