I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 948: Negotiation Rights

After hearing that the French Army deployed "Mine Sweeping Tanks" on the battlefield, Baker immediately flew to London, knowing that Shire would win this battle, and win beautifully and decisively.

Baker was looking for the Minister of Military Supplies.

Although the Minister of Military Supplies was no longer in the most important position, because he had promoted the Royal Navy’s "coal to oil conversion," he remained an undisputed authority in the Navy and even all of England.

(Note: Before World War I, most warships burned coal or mixed coal-oil, but in 1912, the Minister of Military Supplies initiated the full conversion to oil power, rapidly turning petroleum into a key strategic material.)

The meeting was held at the Minister of Military Supplies’ villa because neither Baker nor the Minister wanted the matter of "England and the United States conspiring behind France’s back" to get out.

"I assume you understand what Shire is doing, Your Excellency Minister." Baker casually stirred the coffee on the table while sitting in front of the tea table. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The Minister of Military Supplies, sitting opposite, nodded lightly: "Yes, I know."

Shire established the "International Alliance" to win over neutral countries, and even forced England to acknowledge Malta’s independence.

Although Malta was a very small country and seemed insignificant to England, it was a very bad beginning.

All these things meant that Shire wanted to bring England down from its position as the foremost world power.

The Minister of Military Supplies struck a match, lighting the cigar in his mouth and took a few "puffs," expressing his concerns amidst the smoke:

"The scarier thing isn’t that, Your Excellency, Minister."

"I’m worried about Shire’s ’French spirit.’"

"Do you know how destructive it can be?"

Baker smiled faintly: "Of course, Your Excellency Minister, I know."

He thought to himself that the Minister of Military Supplies certainly didn’t know that everything Shire was doing was originally something the United States wanted to do, only Shire acted first.

So, how could the United States not know how destructive this is?

The Minister of Military Supplies, with a furrowed brow, irritably stood and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the scenery as he exhaled a long breath of smoke.

"The colonies, Your Excellency Minister." His tone was heavy, like a giant stone weighing on his chest:

"The French spirit advocated by Shire is dismantling our colonial system."

"Shire shouldn’t be saying these things to the colonies; they are not in the same world as us."

"Only by keeping them ignorant can we better rule them, and France is no exception; they have their own colonies too. Doesn’t Shire understand? What a fool!"

The Minister of Military Supplies gestured emphatically in the air with the hand holding his cigar, as if trying to snap Shire out of it.

If Shire were in front of him, the Minister would grab his shoulders and shake him awake.

The real fool is you, Baker thought. Shire has already placed the Sun Never Sets Empire on the table from another level, you just don’t know it yet.

But of course, someone with extremely short-sighted interests like the Minister of Military Supplies wouldn’t think about these things.

Baker didn’t wake him up but followed the Minister’s words:

"I agree, Your Excellency Minister."

"Shire seems to have lost himself on the path to establishing personal prestige."

"He doesn’t understand that prestige must be translated into benefits, or it’s just a ’castle in the air’."

These words struck the itch inside the Minister, and he pointed heavily at Baker:

"That’s right, that’s exactly what I want to say, there’s no better way to describe it."

"What can prestige do? Can it turn into warships? Into artillery shells? Can it defeat enemies?"

"If not for Shire being a military genius, he would have long since become lost cannon fodder on the battlefield!"

Baker chuckled inwardly, the key is that Shire is a military genius, and no one can defeat his military genius on the battlefield.

"That’s why we need to unite, Your Excellency Minister." Baker said: "We can’t let Shire continue like this, it will disrupt the existing order and balance, throw the world into endless turmoil, which might be scarier than war itself."

Baker painted a frightening scene for the Minister: colonies awaking one after another, sweeping the world like a tornado.

And civilized countries losing their colonies would fall into terrible poverty and crisis due to lack of labor and resources, triggering global economic recession and humanitarian disaster.

Every sentence hit the Minister’s heart, and he replaced Baker’s coffee with brandy, and the two drank and chatted happily.

The Minister of Military Supplies was completely unaware that this was one of Wilson’s tactics.

...

Two days ago, Baker received a secret telegram from Wilson: "If we can’t defeat Shire, make him Britain’s problem, understand?"

Baker understood.

The one challenging Britain’s position as a world leader is Shire; America can continue to act neutral, inciting both sides, letting Britain and Shire fight to the death.

Now, as Shire rises strongly, suppressing England, of course, the one to help is England.

...

After three rounds of drinking, the alcohol-loving Minister of Military Supplies became more clear-headed as he drank, while lawyer Baker, not strong with alcohol, got a bit tipsy.

"I don’t mean I don’t know these things, Your Excellency Minister," said the Minister: "But now we can only rely on Shire; otherwise, England might first be dragged down by war, which is one of the reasons why we have to accept his blackmail."

Baker hiccupped with alcohol: "Your Excellency Minister, there’s a chance right in front of us."

"A chance?" The Minister looked puzzled.

"Negotiate with the Germans," Baker replied: "I mean, bypass France."

"Bypass France?" The Minister laughed: "That’s impossible, not to mention the ’London Treaty,’ Shire has the initiative now; I’m even worried that Shire will bypass us and negotiate with the Germans."

There’s a saying that "what cannot be gained on the battlefield cannot be gained at the negotiation table."

It’s Shire who won on the battlefield; naturally, Shire has the right to sit at the negotiation table with the Germans.

But Baker shook his head, letting out a strange, transformed laugh: "Indeed, it might seem that way, but Shire overlooked one thing."

"What?" The Minister asked with great interest, while refilling Baker’s glass.

"His French spirit." Baker replied:

"Shire advocates for ’equality,’ ’freedom,’ ’fraternity.’"

"This will hurt him, make him lose negotiating power."

"Because Germany is a dictatorship, they have an Emperor!"

The Minister suddenly understood.

Exactly, there’s a contradiction here.

If Germany negotiates with Shire, Shire would definitely demand the German Emperor step down.

Otherwise, Shire would violate the French spirit he emphasizes.

At this time, if England and the United States support William II to continue as Emperor, it’s quite clear that William II would not want to negotiate with Shire and would choose England and the United States!