I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 700 This is the peace we want to give you

After the Provisional Executive Committee came to power, it took the initiative to release prisoners of war in order to withdraw from the war and send peace signals to Germany and Austria-Hungary.

Most of Russia's current prisoners of war, except for the 60 German soldiers who surrendered voluntarily, come from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire.

The day after George agreed to provide aid to Germany, 40 military trucks loaded with food set out from Warsaw for Germany.

On May 5, the grain arrived in Berlin.

Hindenburg was very happy and decided to designate May 5 as the Friendship Day between Germany and Russia.

When Carl learned the news, he felt about the same as the turkeys that were eaten on Thanksgiving in the United States.

In any case, peace is coming and friendship is the theme.

Also on May 5, a German delegation led by German Foreign Minister Count Ulrich von Brockdorff Lanzao arrived in Paris.

The German delegation was housed in a military camp on the outskirts of Paris, surrounded by barbed wire and guarded by armed soldiers.

Count Lanzao strongly objected, arguing that the German delegation was not prisoners and should not be imprisoned.

Clemenceau not only ignored Lancao's objection, but also did not stop the French from watching, allowing the French to humiliate and abuse the German delegation.

Even the three meals a day that were delivered were leftovers.

On May 5, a drunk French soldier broke into the German delegation camp with a pistol and killed a German delegation representative.

After this incident, Clemenceau strengthened the security of the camp.

At this time, the Big Eight were still arguing over the issue of compensation.

The conflict mainly existed between Clemenceau and Nicolas the Younger.

Last month, Clemenceau, Lloyd George, and Nicolas the Younger had joined forces to ask Wilson to forgive the loans the United States had incurred during the world war.

Wilson was helpless, he didn't have the power at all.

The money borrowed by Britain, France and Russia was from American capital, not the US government. Wilson had no power to make decisions on behalf of American capital.

"As the president of the United States, you don't even have this little power. Are you a puppet of American capital?"

Clemenceau attacks the opponent in the face.

“Are you capable of representing French capital?”

Wilson retorted that everyone is the same and no one should look down on anyone else.

Since the United States insisted on money, Clemenceau regarded German reparations as the best solution to the financial crisis.

If we want to solve the financial crisis, we must give up unrealistic fantasies.

The four people worked together for five days and five nights, and finally determined the amount of reparations for Germany to be 2260 billion marks.

2260 billion marks is roughly equivalent to 113 billion pounds, which is also a burden that Germany cannot bear.

After the total amount of compensation is determined, how to distribute it becomes the focus.

Wilson is generous. We Americans don't want any compensation. You can divide it among yourself.

Lloyd George said that Britain only needed 20%, and you could take care of the rest.

Nicholas said that since Russia suffered the greatest loss, it wanted 50%—

Clemenceau believed that France suffered the greatest loss, so France wanted 55% -

This quarrel lasted another month.

By June, the Paris Peace Conference had lasted more than half a year.

Little Nicholas didn't care, Russia's reconstruction was proceeding vigorously.

This spring, more than 90% of Russia's land has been reclaimed, and agricultural production is recovering rapidly.

After the new ruble was introduced, the old paper ruble ceased to be used and Russia's financial order is gradually returning to normal.

After Felix became Minister of Industry, Russia's industry entered the fast lane. The steel mills were nationalized, the three major industries were completely transformed from military to civilian use, and a number of power plants, cement plants, and fertilizer plants had begun construction.

Taking the natural gas pipeline as an opportunity, Witt stepped up its efforts to develop Russian resources, forming two new hotspots with Baku and Tyumen as the centers, driving the development of surrounding areas.

After Japan paid off its indemnity, Russia built a number of key universities, led by the University of Constantinople, St. Petersburg University and Moscow University, to enhance Russia's high-end education capabilities.

Basic education has not been relaxed either. In the first half of this year alone, Russia built 1.1 new primary and secondary schools, and the construction of a talent team is also being gradually improved.

Compared with Russia, the situation in France continues to deteriorate.

During the World War, France vigorously developed its military industry in order to enhance its military industrial capacity. Its military industrial capacity increased nearly 75 times compared to before the outbreak of the war. The number of workers engaged in the production of 90mm artillery shells alone reached .

After the ceasefire on the front line, the demand for weapons and ammunition dropped sharply, and workers in the military industry instantly went from working in three shifts 24 hours a day to being unemployed.

Russia's reconstruction is state-led.

The French government also wanted to rebuild, but the French parliament and French capital did not cooperate, so Clemenceau could only argue with little Nicholas in the Palace of Versailles.

Clemenceau knew very well that there were many ways to solve the problem, and all he had to do was copy the Russians' homework.

Russia's reconstruction started with infrastructure construction, which requires a large investment ratio and a long payback period. Capitalists have better areas to invest in, so they will naturally not spend their precious funds on France's infrastructure construction.

Compared with building railways, the right way is to collect money by blocking the natural gas pipeline.

Clemenceau hoped to accumulate enough political capital for the general election at the end of the year through the Paris Peace Conference. If it dragged on indefinitely, it would only accumulate capital for political opponents.

Taking into account the actual situation in France, Clemenceau took the initiative to make concessions and reduced the share to 50%.

Little Nicholas said that this is not a concession at all, it's clearly a dream.

So 50% was reduced to 45%.

Young Nicholas asked Lloyd George if it was okay for Britain to get 5%.
Lloyd George's face turned green, you two are just treating beggars like this.

Clemenceau said that France's bottom line is 40%, and there will be no discussion below this standard.

Little Nicholas became more and more confident. If you don’t want to talk, then don’t talk. Let’s go to Constantinople and talk slowly. I’ll treat you to vodka - no, French champagne.

The shrewd Wilson finally discovered that young people like Alexander were easier to deal with.

Wilson realized that Nicholas the Younger was taking revenge on everyone through a long tug-of-war. After all, those who came to the meeting from Britain, France and the United States were either prime ministers, presidents or premiers. The real decision maker in Russia was in Constantinople. Nicholas the Younger was just talking big here, and Russia didn't delay anything.

Like France, the United States is about to hold a general election. Wilson wants to serve another term and has no time to waste in Paris.

Wilson hoped that Alexander would persuade Nicholas the Younger to make some concessions. After all, the sooner an agreement was reached, the sooner Germany could begin reconstruction and the sooner Russia could receive compensation.

Alexander is not stupid.

Although the total amount of compensation has been determined, it remains to be seen whether the Germans are willing to accept it.

Even if they accepted it, it is unknown whether the Germans would be able to pay compensation.

It is not an unknown factor. The Germans certainly do not have the ability to pay compensation because all their money has been earned by the Americans.

From this perspective, this hypocritical guy looks even more hateful.

However, Alexander was indeed tired of the long tug-of-war, and he also wanted to return to Russia as soon as possible to participate in Russia's reconstruction.

After convincing Alexander, Nicholas the Younger finally gave in and reduced the compensation ratio to 40%, the same as Clemenceau.

Or not.

The UK wants 20%, France and Russia want 40%, so will other countries have nothing left to share?

Wilson shuttled between the offices of Clemenceau, Nicolas the Younger, and Lloyd George. As the president, he did the work of a radio operator and tried his best to persuade the three gentlemen to show mercy.

On June 6, Count Lancao, who had grown gray-haired while waiting in the "prison", was finally summoned to the Palace of Versailles.

Clemenceau threw the Treaty of Paris, which consisted of 15 parts and 440 articles, in front of Count Lancao and said proudly with the attitude of a victor: "Gentlemen, you asked us for peace, and this is the peace we will give you."

The contents of the treaty included: depriving Germany of all its colonies, France taking back Lorraine and Alsace, the coal mines in the Saarland of Germany being mined by France, and the administration being managed by the League of Nations for 15 years. After the expiration of the period, the ownership would be decided by a referendum.

The German territory on the left bank of the Rhine was divided into three occupation zones, which were occupied by the Allies for 5, 10 and 15 years respectively. The 50-kilometer area on the right bank was an undefended area.

Germany could only maintain an army of 10 and a navy of 1.5, abolish compulsory military service, and was not allowed to own battleships and submarines, or heavy weapons such as aircraft, tanks and artillery.

Germany had to pay 2260 billion marks (note: paid in equal amounts of gold) to the Allies as war reparations.

Count Lancao was so angry that his nose almost turned crooked. This was not an armistice based on the "Fourteen Points" at all, but an unconditional surrender.

"Germany denies the treaty."

Count Lancao would rather die than obey.

Ersberg, who signed the armistice agreement on behalf of Germany, was assassinated by extremists after returning to Berlin.

If Count Lanzao dared to sign, he would be eaten alive by the angry Germans when he returned to Berlin.

"If you don't agree, the war will continue."

Clemenceau grinned. This was what he wanted.

It would be good if the Germans agreed, but if they did not agree, the French army could invade Germany with impunity, which would accumulate higher political prestige for Clemenceau.

The German army has been disarmed and is completely unable to fight again. Now Germany is like meat on the chopping board, at the mercy of others.

Count Lancao was filled with grief and indignation, but he had no one to turn to.

Alexander, who was watching from the sidelines, felt that this scene was familiar to him.

When Ludendorff forced the Provisional Executive Committee to sign the Brest-Litovsk Treaty, Bronstein, who represented the Provisional Executive Committee, was just like Count Lanzaro, and would rather die than obey.

The German army then continued its offensive, pushing the front line from Poland to Belarus.

The Provisional Executive Committee had no choice but to sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.

Ludendorff——

After the ceasefire was achieved, Vasily suggested to George that he should send someone to Norway to bring Ludendorff to Constantinople for trial, or simply kill him and not let him go unpunished.

George's attitude towards accountability is more resolute than Vasily's.

But George was not prepared to hold Ludendorff accountable.

The more madmen like Ludendorff there are in Germany, the better.

George would never help the Germans to kill traitors.

(End of this chapter)