I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 947: Unity of Rights and Obligations
The Clyron Hotel, the meeting room was filled with thunderous cheers.
Clemenceau excitedly tossed his hat into the air and shouted loudly:
"Victory, Saarbrücken has surrendered, we’ve occupied it!"
"Shire is invincible!"
"Long live France, long live the ’International Alliance’!"
Representatives from various countries followed with loud cheers: "Long live France, long live the ’International Alliance’!"
The Belgian representative shook the champagne that had been long prepared, crystal-clear bubbles gushed out of the bottle like a fountain toward the crowd, jumping and colliding in the air like a bunch of lively little elves, instantly filling the air with a unique fruit and wine aroma.
The cheers became even more enthusiastic.
This was not a simple victory, nor was it a victory for France or any other single nation; it was the first time the International Alliance asserted itself and demonstrated its power in a diplomatic setting.
Although it was Shire leading the French Army exercising authority on behalf, it still successfully declared its might to the entire world.
The Greek representative opened his arms to welcome this triumph, his face full of hope.
For them, France’s victory meant that the French Army outpowered England, bringing Greece one step closer to freedom.
The Italian representative danced joyfully, inviting everyone he met, male or female, to spin around twice.
The French Army’s occupation of Saarbrücken meant safety for Italy, otherwise, hundreds of thousands of the German Army would be trapped within Italy’s long narrow borders.
The Romanian representative wore a smile, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes.
The French Army was too far from Romania, and on land, they couldn’t be reinforced; it was uncertain whether this victory was enough to deter the German Army into retreating.
They soon formulated a strategy: the key was Shire. As long as Shire stood with Romania, there would surely be a solution!
Only General Winter and the English representative remained expressionless, forcing a smile when people looked their way.
They realized one thing: a powerful France had taken shape, and Shire successfully united European countries through war, posing a strong threat to England even though it was still battling Germany.
Clemenceau saw this as an opportune moment; he took a glass and spoon from a waiter, went on stage, and tapped a few times "ding ding ding."
Once the room quieted down, he spoke in a high-pitched, passionate voice:
"Gentlemen, ladies."
"As a member of the ’International Alliance,’ France has proven her ability and sincerity in promoting peace for all mankind and establishing international order."
"Now, should we consider this question: should member states assume more responsibilities and obligations?"
The representatives, their blood boiling from the victory, answered without hesitation:
"So it should be."
"Salute France, salute Shire!"
"Completely agree, rights and obligations are unified!"
...
Some also asked, "What kind of responsibilities and obligations should we assume, Prime Minister?"
Clemenceau replied:
"This is the issue, the ’International Alliance’ issued a warning and arbitration against Germany’s aggression, but only the French Army executed it."
"We are the ’International Alliance,’ gentlemen. Should it not be made up of multinational forces?"
"What I mean is, we cannot have only French troops, though we are willing to shoulder responsibilities."
"But Shire still needs support from member countries, even if it’s just an infantry company."
"Otherwise, Shire will worry about being isolated and unsupported!"
The representatives were amused by Clemenceau’s words. Who in this world could make Shire worry about being "isolated and unsupported"?
After a brief pause, they agreed straightforwardly to the proposal.
They understood what it was about, how many troops each country provided was not important, a platoon would do, even just a few guards.
It was more of a symbol, representing justice, unity, and fairness, symbolizing they were fighting alongside Shire!
...
Freeman Command Center.
The battlefield casualties were just calculated, with over 3,000 casualties in the French Army, primarily in the airborne units, which parachuted 5,000 men in total with 1,371 casualties and 35 missing.
Heavy casualties among airborne troops were typical; once they landed, they were naturally surrounded by the enemy and inadequately supplied. If the main forces failed to breakthrough and "rescue" them successfully, they would only face annihilation.
The estimated German Army casualties were 130,000, including those from a few days ago when Shire burned and attacked the forest.
Piles of newspapers from various countries lay to the right of Shire.
To be precise, they weren’t newspapers; Pershing had converted domestic media reports into a document and presented it to Shire.
"I thought you might want to see this, Vice Admiral," Pershing said.
The U.S. media crafted a series about Shire, portraying his life in a Western cowboy style:
"Shire came from a small town called Davaz. He seemed ordinary, no one knew he was a hero."
"Until one day, the German Army reached this small town."
...
"From then on, Shire left his hometown."
"To save France, he resolutely joined the army as a minor, embarking on his legendary life."
Reading this, Shire inexplicably heard the sound of a guitar in his ear, and in his mind, a scene of a lone rider with a revolver on his hip walking through a desert appeared.
...
The British media simply reported on Shire’s victory in the occupation of Saarbrücken, even trying every means to downplay Shire’s credit while emphasizing the importance of the British and American forces.
But it was futile; Shire’s victory was too dazzling.
Especially since the British and American forces had just failed to capture Saarbrücken, while Shire immediately achieved a tremendous victory.
This dramatic contrast couldn’t be concealed, everyone knew Shire was the protagonist of this battle, and he innovatively used airborne troops and mine-sweeping tanks.
...
The French media was the most active:
"Shire attacked along the British and American failed route without any changes."
"And he even told the Germans the entire battle plan in the newspapers. I once thought it was fake!"
"Yet despite this, the Germans still couldn’t defend and were defeated by him!"
...
Between the "real and unreal," ordinary people had no way of knowing, only the Germans understood what was happening.
The telephone rang; it was Gallieni calling:
"Well done, Vice Admiral."
"You’ve accomplished yet another mythical task. Everyone thought it was an impenetrable defense line, yet you easily broke through it."
"Do you know how people talk about you?"
Shire glanced at the table briefly and nodded, "Yes, General, I read the newspapers."
"Hmm." Gallieni’s voice deepened:
"I’ll skip the compliments, that’s not the point."
"I think you should set the victory aside for now."
"I’ve heard that the British and Americans are contacting the Germans, trying to bypass France to negotiate with them."
