I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 929: The Only One We Can Rely on Is Shire
The February Revolution was not merely chaotic, far from it.
At first, it seemed like just a larger-scale strike (90,000 people). Tsar Nicholas II did not pay much attention to it; after all, there had been many such protests during wartime, with over a hundred thousand participants before.
However, the next day, the number of strikers and demonstrators quickly expanded to 200,000, with many soldiers joining them. Nicholas II was instantly panic-stricken and rushed to deploy the army to suppress it, but to no avail.
On March 10, Nicholas II ordered the shooting of the demonstrators.
On March 11, soldiers from a company of the reserve battalion of the Pavlovsky Regiment, tasked with suppressing the uprising, mutinied, refusing to fire on the demonstrators.
From this day, the strike ceased to be a mere strike; it quietly transitioned into an uprising.
On March 13, tens of thousands of workers and mutinying soldiers stormed the barracks, killing the officials blocking their way, seizing warehouses, and capturing over 40,000 rifles, 30,000 pistols, and large quantities of ammunition.
Meanwhile, the uprising army had grown to 66,700.
On March 15, Tsar Nicholas II was forced to sign an abdication decree and was subsequently placed under house arrest.
Thus, the Romanov Dynasty was declared overthrown, and Russia was taken over by a provisional government jointly formed by the bourgeoisie and the Soviet.
...
Everything happened so fast. From March 8, the fall of Russia took only seven days; a vast empire, sustaining a frontline alone with a staggering military force, suddenly collapsed.
...
Washington, White House. Wilson was reading telegram after telegram, all containing bad news about Russia, and his heart sank with them.
Eventually, when he read that the Tsar had announced his abdication and was under house arrest, he sighed deeply.
"So," he understood something: "Charles was waiting for this moment."
"What?" Kriel didn’t understand: "What does this have to do with Charles?"
"Don’t you understand yet?" Wilson shook his head:
"What Charles told the public about ’ceasefire’ contradicts the conditions we’ve discussed."
"I was still wondering how he would solve this problem."
"But now, it seems he doesn’t need to solve it; the Germans will give up on ’ceasefire’ first!"
Kriel was enlightened.
Such significant turmoil within Russia would undoubtedly reduce the pressure on Germany’s Eastern Front abruptly.
Thus, Germany could transfer its Eastern Front forces to the Western Front, giving the Germans a renewed hope for victory.
And the German reaction would undoubtedly arouse the vigilance of French citizens and countries worldwide, making Charles’s re-engagement in the war logical.
"But..." Kriel said: "Do you mean Charles knew such a situation would arise? How did he know?"
"Reconnaissance, intelligence, and influence," Wilson said softly. "Clearly, Charles’ intelligence organization has infiltrated Russia."
Wilson was secretly alarmed.
If Charles could master everything about Russia, does that mean he could do the same with the United States? 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
...
London, War Office.
The Minister of Military Supplies harshly threw his coffee cup to the ground: "Damn, that liar, he played us!"
General Winter was puzzled: "Are you talking about Charles?"
"Of course, who else?" the Minister of Military Supplies said angrily.
General Winter looked confused; how did Charles deceive the British? Is this about the attack on Germany?
The Minister of Military Supplies laughed helplessly seeing General Winter had not caught on:
"Still don’t see the problem?"
"Charles was originally going to attack Germany, Major General."
"Even if we hadn’t agreed to Charles’s conditions, even if we hadn’t given him carrier data, even if we hadn’t agreed to Malta’s independence, even if we did nothing!"
General Winter finally understood.
With the Germans withdrawing from the Eastern Front, an unyielding Germany would undoubtedly hope to reclaim the resource-rich Lorraine and Alsace, which are also Germany’s "lost territories."
Thus, Charles and the French Army would once again fight to defend their homeland!
"But, he couldn’t have predicted this," General Winter said. "The fall of the Tsar of Russia was unexpected; no one thought it would happen so quickly..."
The Minister of Military Supplies interrupted General Winter:
"You think so? But it’s Charles, Major General!"
"If it’s as you say, why did he act with such confidence despite doing contradictory things?"
"Why was he in a hurry for us to announce Malta’s independence before the 8th?"
General Winter was speechless.
At first, he thought it was unusual, but now connecting the dots, it seems just as the Minister of Military Supplies said, Charles had foreseen Russia’s collapse and used it to his advantage.
General Winter was angry and ashamed: "I’ll go talk to him right away..."
"Talk about what?" the Minister of Military Supplies stopped General Winter:
"Ask Charles to return the benefits to us? To re-colonize Malta?"
"You don’t understand the situation, Major General!"
"Russia has collapsed; we and the US Army are unstable, and we can only rely on the French Army and Charles!"
General Winter was stunned in place.
Indeed, with Germany free to act, the first to bear the brunt would be the British and American troops stationed in Lorraine and Alsace.
Charles only needed to stay put and watch the German Army defeat the British and American troops into a rout.
Going to confront Charles at this time?
That would be nothing but seeking trouble.
The Minister of Military Supplies bit his teeth, making a sharp "clacking" sound, and with the fiercest expression, said the gentlest words:
"We now, can only pretend we know nothing and continue to ’cooperate’ with Charles."
"Because only he can help us fend off the Germans, or else everything is over."
"This isn’t about whether we can get compensation; it’s that our main forces could be wiped out by the Germans, understand?"
...
Berlin, Sanssouci Palace. William II sat under the candlestick, staring blankly at the telegram in the light and shadow.
It read: "Tsar Nicholas II forced to abdicate, Russia’s regime collapsed, now taken over by a provisional government."
William II had mixed feelings.
Supposedly, the German Army defeating Russia on the Eastern Front was good news; it was a major victory, but in William II’s eyes, not so.
He hoped more to negotiate with Charles to end the war as soon as possible. As the war progressed, Germany faced crises internally like Russia.
Who knows, one day, there might be an ordinary-looking parade that gradually turns into a military revolt, and finally, he, the emperor, would become a prisoner amid the soldiers’ and civilians’ curses.
William II did not wish for this to be the final outcome, so he wanted to end the war.
Now, immediately!
Negotiating with Charles was the best outcome:
This means Germany did not lose and still maintained its dignity and honor, sparing its citizens from bearing reparations.
William II could continue to be emperor with dignity, developing the economy and livelihood, sustaining his regime.
However, it seems this is not something he can decide!
