I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 716 Amateur Players
During the World War, the provisional government wanted to send Nicholas and his family to Britain for asylum for security reasons.

After repeated consideration, the British government said it was inconvenient to accept it.

From then on, Witte's attitude towards Britain changed completely.

After the Russo-Japanese War, Russia rebuilt its finances with loans from Britain, and the two sides had a honeymoon period.

Looking back now, the reason why Britain repaired its relations with Russia was entirely because of the threat from Germany, not because the British people had a change of heart.

During the Balkan Wars, George acted quickly and captured Constantinople before the British could react, and the British had to accept the result.

During the World War, Russia saved the Anglo-French forces at least twice. In order to share the pressure of the Anglo-French forces, Nicholas did not hesitate to break the strategy formulated by George and gambled the destiny of the Russian Empire, but was eventually completely abandoned by Britain.

This is what it means to be allied with Britain.

Historical experience has proven that Russia can only rely on itself.

Compromising with Britain will only make it worse.

When the British shout about win-win, they mean Britain wins twice.

Compared with the British, the French are much smarter.

The British did not take George's two "very good"s seriously, which led to a counterattack from Russia.

After Bryan reported the situation in Constantinople to Paris, French President Raymond Poincaré immediately adjusted his schedule and went to Constantinople in person to explain to George in person.

Raymond Poincaré hated Germany even more than Clemenceau.

Clemenceau's attitude towards Germany at the Paris Peace Conference was recognized to be harsh, but Raymond Poincaré still believed that Clemenceau's concessions to Germany were too great.

At the opening ceremony of the Paris Peace Conference, Raymond Poincaré delivered the opening speech, saying that Germany "was born in injustice and must die in shame."

Before the outbreak of World War I, Raymond Poincaré visited the Russian Empire and tried to mediate the conflict between the Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but ultimately returned empty-handed.

Poincaré's term of office will expire early next year, and he voluntarily gave up running for election, so he has time to come to Constantinople.

George personally went to the port to greet Raymond Poincaré, a move that was highly praised by the French media, who called it Russia's true "state gift."

The standard for evaluating Russia's "state gift" is now very simple. No matter how big the welcoming ceremony is or what the Russian media says, it only matters whether George personally comes out to greet him.

Of course this is not the only criterion.

King Ferdinand of Romania and King Polis of Bulgaria also often came to Constantinople, but George never greeted them in person, which did not affect the relationship between Russia and the two countries.

George's office is still in the previous theater command headquarters. The new office building is under construction and is expected to be put into use the year after next.

Poincaré apologized to George in person, saying that France had no intention of infringing on Russia's interests, and explained that Bryan's attendance at the press conference did not represent France's attitude.

George could understand the French people's feelings, but did not accept Poincaré's explanation.

Even if Curzon's attendance at the press conference could not cause actual damage to Russia, it was intended to disgust Russia.

France really wants to support Poland and attack Germany from both sides.

George is not Nicholas, and the tricks that Britain and France used to fool Nicholas will not work on George.

No matter how nice George said to his face, he would definitely not gamble the fate of Britain and France like Nicholas did.

Poland's current territory only includes the part originally occupied by Germany and Austria-Hungary, and does not include the part occupied by Russia.

Under such circumstances, Poland could not achieve the goals of Britain and France with its own strength, so Piłsudski dared to ask Russia for Warsaw.

"Germany and Russia have just signed a cooperation agreement. If Russia supports Germany in asking France for Alsace and Lorraine, what will you do?"

Georges's sharp words left Poincaré speechless.

After the Franco-Prussian War, France ceded Alsace and Lorraine to Germany, but then reclaimed them at the Paris Peace Conference.

The situation is similar to that of Warsaw. If Russia supports Germany's claim to Alsace and Lorraine, it may lead to the severance of relations between Russia and France.

"Grand Duke, the situation in France is different from that in Russia—"

Poincaré hoped that Georges would understand that France also had its own national conditions.

"The circumstances may be different, but there is no difference emotionally."

George still has this empathy.

But the same thing, I can understand it, but I don’t accept it.

Poincaré was at his wit's end and finally showed his true sincerity.

The Paris Peace Conference has ended and the French general election is imminent. No matter who becomes the French president next year, France will begin reconstruction.

The situation in France is indeed different from that in Russia. Reconstruction is not decided by one person, but requires a vote by parliament through a democratic process.

No matter what it is, as long as it involves cooking, just expect some trouble.

Poincaré gave George a shopping list, hoping to buy the materials needed for reconstruction from Russia.

Poincaré was generous, with the total order value being 40 billion francs.

"Doesn't this order require parliamentary discussion?" George questioned the validity of the order.

Just now, the US Congress decided not to join the League of Nations, giving Wilson a resounding slap in the face.

The establishment of the League of Nations was initiated by US President Wilson, but it is a great irony that the United States did not join.

George believed that Poincaré placed the large purchase order at this moment because of the relationship between France and Russia.

The problem is that Poincaré has only two months left in his term, and if the French parliament does not approve it, Poincaré's order cannot be implemented.

"There are only two countries that are still capable of providing reconstruction materials. One is Russia and the other is America. Compared with the Americans, the French trust their allies more."

Poincaré was equally disgusted with the United States' double-faced behavior before it entered the war.

The Americans thought they were smart and were able to get the best of both worlds, not wasting even a penny, and thus became the big winners of the World War.

Wilson's being made fun of in Paris fully demonstrated Europe's attitude towards the United States.

No matter how rich you are as an American, you are still a nouveau riche, you have never seen the big scene, and you are not presentable.

It was also because of Wilson's experience in Paris that the Monroe Doctrine rose again in the United States.

"Mr. President, congratulations, you have once again earned my friendship."

George took the initiative to reach out to Poincaré.

Poincaré greeted him with both hands, but perhaps he felt that it was not appropriate. At the moment of shaking hands, his left hand hesitated for a moment, but he finally shook hands with both hands.

This moment must have been a bit humiliating for Poincaré.

But soon, Poincaré was glad of his choice.

January 1920, 1 was the traditional New Year's Day in the West, but there was not much of a festive atmosphere in Constantinople, because Russia used the Russian calendar and the New Year would not arrive for another half a month.

At 1 p.m. on January 1, a Russian merchant ship dropped anchor off the coast of Wexford, Ireland. The British destroyer HMS Daring, which was on duty nearby, quickly arrived and asked if the Russian merchant ship needed help.

"We have had some engine trouble and are undergoing emergency repairs. No assistance is needed."

The merchant ship "Caesar" refused the help of the "Bold" via radio.

The "Bold" did not leave, but continued to circle around the "Caesar" and keep a close watch.

The "Caesar" stayed until six o'clock in the afternoon and there was nothing unusual during the period.

The British did not learn until January 1 that the Caesar was a submarine supply ship.

The bottom of the submarine supply ship is hollow, so the submarine can be supplied without the outside world knowing.

Before the British government had time to protest, the Irish rebels launched an attack on the "black and brown troops" sent by the British.

In order to maintain the situation in Ireland, the United Kingdom formed a "Black and Brown Force" with a total of 7000 veterans who participated in the World War at the end of last year and sent it to Ireland to assist the local police and security forces in suppressing the rebels.

Over the past year, the Irish rebels' attacks have been sporadic, with no large-scale attacks. Although there have been many attacks, the damage caused has not been great.

On January 1, the Irish rebels dispatched nearly 6 people to attack the camp of the "Black and Brown Force" with heavy machine guns and mortars, killing 400 members of the Black and Brown Force and capturing 120 people.

This is the worst loss suffered by the Black and Brown Forces since their establishment.

Lloyd George finally could not sit still anymore, and took the initiative to contact Witte, again asking Witte to cut off all support for the Irish rebels.

Witte flatly denied it and did not accept the British accusations.

On January 1, the UK once again sent a reserve force of 12 officers to Ireland to intensify the pressure.

The ferry carrying the reserve troops was attacked by Irish rebels on its way to Dublin, and 165 officers were killed.

This time the Irish rebels used submarines.

Lloyd George was furious and said that this was an attack on the British Empire, and that it would retaliate once the facts were clarified.

In Constantinople, Witte exchanged verbal attacks with Lloyd George and showed the media the technology transfer agreement between the Amur Shipyard and the American Fenian Brotherhood in 1892, proving that the Irish rebels already possessed the relevant submarine technology.

Before Lloyd George had time to fight back, Churchill, who had served as the British First Lord of the Admiralty during the World War, accused Russia of crying "the thief crying thief" in an interview with reporters.

Having the relevant technology for submarines does not mean that you can build submarines.

What the Amur Shipyard purchased from the Fenian Brotherhood was only the submarine elevator technology, nothing else.

Compared with the overall technology of submarines, elevators are equivalent to fishing nets in the sail era.

Being able to weave fishing nets does not mean that you can build a sailing battleship.

"Mr. Churchill always likes to make unprofessional remarks in unfamiliar fields, but his own work is a mess. He should focus on his own job."

Witte was blunt and directly identified Churchill as a layman.

Churchill's current position is Secretary of State for the Colonies.

As the Secretary of State for the Colonies, it is indeed a bit amateurish for him to comment on submarine technology instead of appeasing the British colonies and dominions.

(End of this chapter)