Reincarnated as Nikolai II-Chapter 237: The Turning Point (3)

Britain was already at odds over the German issue.

Italy was singing a different tune.

And amid continued chaos with successive presidential vacancies in the United States.

"Rousseau, these bastards!"

"They’re saying they’re making good money! The Black Sea has opened up and agricultural products are selling as fast as they stack up in warehouses!"

There was practically no one to raise opposing voices alongside France against Russia’s unprecedented decision to forgive all reparations.

After acting like they wouldn’t step outside the ethnic lines drawn by the Tsar, now they come out with reparation forgiveness.

"Rather than openly supporting Germany, isn’t this targeting us French?"

Even Pétain, who had risen to Marshal alongside Foch and now kept a step away from field units, had no choice but to run to Clemenceau to request dialogue on this matter.

Since former Prime Minister Clemenceau had Marshal Foch lead the Ruhr occupation, he should also provide a solution.

However, Clemenceau brought up something entirely different to Pétain.

"Marshal Pétain. There’s still one bullet remaining between my ribs."

"...They say they couldn’t surgically remove all six bullets fired by the anarchist Émile Cottin."

"The doctor told me I could die any time because of that bullet."

Georges Clemenceau, the wartime Prime Minister who once evolved into a monster that desperately squeezed into the national unity cabinet and even tried to control the president.

However, that monstrous appearance had vanished from the current Clemenceau, leaving only tremors disguised as composure.

"Though we only took bullets, we each sought the presidency in our own way, not knowing when we’d die. Well, after experiencing that war, life becomes empty and you have nothing left to lose."

Pétain, Foch, and Clemenceau.

The three were France’s core who joined hands during wartime to wage war against Germany, but after the war ended, they were all men who dreamed of running for president in the 1920 election.

However, all three eventually gave up or failed, and the independent Millerand, who was Minister of War, became president.

"Marshal Pétain."

"I’m listening."

"I’m about to retire from politics. I’m past my prime."

"Aren’t you the spiritual leader of the French right? Don’t talk as if you’re some old man in the back room."

Despite Pétain’s consolation that wasn’t consolation, Clemenceau shook his head as if unwilling to hear even empty words.

"No, I’ve reached the point where I can’t control anything, beyond being pushed out of politics."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I wanted to make the Rhineland a permanent neutral zone. But no one in France, not even Britain, would listen. So when neutrality became difficult, I had no choice but to support Marshal Foch’s intention to occupy it entirely."

Meaning he supported the plan to completely occupy the Ruhr industrial region with military forces, but didn’t entirely agree.

"Just yesterday, over a hundred Germans were executed as punishment for disobedience movements. Germany has declared a state of emergency, but there’s no proper solution."

France finally confirmed with their own eyes.

That Germany truly had no ability to pay reparations, and furthermore, not even the strength to resist.

Nevertheless, having already started, France couldn’t withdraw troops from the Ruhr.

"Is there something more I don’t know about why we can’t end the current situation?"

"Even Czechoslovakia has refused our alliance. They’re watching Russia’s reaction."

Despite clearly being separated from Austria and Germany by ethnic sentiment, Czechoslovakia rejected the hand extended by France.

"Due to Russia’s full forgiveness of reparations, worldwide sympathy is rising again. But do you know what’s an even bigger problem?"

"...What is it?"

"Now I’m afraid too. Afraid that Russia might join hands with Germany."

Resolution of the situation? Russia’s reparation forgiveness might appear righteous on the surface, but it was a bad move that eliminated France’s independent solution.

Alliance with Czechoslovakia? If that new nation truly considered Germany an enemy, this treaty should have been concluded long ago.

Though already pushed out of politics and merely an old man living on past glory, even to such an elderly eye, it was crystal clear.

"This Ruhr situation is just a momentary advantage, but eventually another war will break out. Yet even I don’t know. Can we... actually win the next war?"

In Clemenceau’s view, Foch was already acting like a madman in the Ruhr and Rhineland because he realized this situation before himself. The Marshal’s recent actions bore the desperate mark of a man possessed by a terrible vision of the future, his military precision giving way to something more frantic and uncontrolled.

Capturing and killing all who resist - the reports came daily now, telling of summary executions and brutal crackdowns on even the smallest signs of defiance. The streets of industrial towns ran red with the blood of workers and citizens who dared to speak against the occupation.

Trying desperately to find French workers and owners for seized factories, Foch had been sending urgent telegrams across France, promising generous compensation and patriotic glory. But few wanted to relocate to this troubled region, leaving many of the massive steel mills and coal mines operating at a fraction of their capacity.

Finding all sorts of pretexts to drag out negotiations with the German government and extend the situation - each meeting seemed to end in new demands, new conditions, new reasons why the occupation must continue. Every diplomatic overture was met with calculated delays and bureaucratic obstacles.

Though his emotions intensified while speaking, his voice rising and falling like a tide of barely contained fury and fear, Clemenceau soon closed his eyes deeply, the lines on his face etched deeper by shadow and concern. Upon reopening them, he regained his usual composure - the Tiger of France once more, his steel-gray eyes sharp and focused, but now carrying a new weight of grim understanding.

"The solution, at least, isn’t in our hands. I’ll have to live long enough to see it. To think we’d end up hoping for mediation from those islanders." Your next chapter is on novelbuddy

"Just send me instead. I’ll go and resolve it."

"This won’t be resolved by convincing me. The moment I bring up anything contrary to the right wing, despite leading them, the right-wing coalition is finished."

"So we just sit and sip tea while watching?"

The situation keeps growing but there’s no proper solution.

This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.

Hearing those words from Clemenceau, who was like the root cause, even Pétain was left speechless from frustration.

"Instead."

However, Clemenceau had no intention of letting Foch cross lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

"We’ll wait for America."