Chapter 994: Treaty of Vienna
Chapter 974 The Treaty of Vienna
The earth spins as usual without anyone. So the fact that the president was in the hospital didn’t affect the peace conference.
Without Robert, there could still be Liebert, Lambert, just throw someone up from the French delegation, and the script could go on.
Despite the fact that the cameras recorded everything that happened in the venue, pursuing the murderer was still out of the question.
Those who did it were representatives of various countries, each with diplomatic immunity, involving more than 20 countries, and could not be held accountable even if they wanted to!
Ignoring the protests of the French, the representatives who had taken part in the violence were asked to leave the conference room, and the matter was closed.
……
“No, this treaty is too harsh, it has exceeded France’s ability to bear, our side demands a modification.
We can accept the cession of some of our colonies, but the clause on the cession of the mainland must be deleted; war reparations are acceptable, but the amount of reparations must be cut back; disciplining war criminals is fine, but the list of war criminals is unrealistic, and must be re-established.
……”
After the change, the French delegation’s behavior was obviously much more normal. It was evident that the Paris government had sent a professional negotiating team in addition to President Robert, who was the backstabber.
“Mr. James, there is always a price to pay for doing something wrong. Your country started this heartless war, and now you still want to be irresponsible?”
In international negotiations, the interests of small countries were the easiest to sacrifice. Don’t look at the fact that an agreement has been reached within the Antifa Alliance, as long as the formal treaty has not been signed, there is a possibility of repetition.
Belgium had paid a large price in this war and its share of the spoils was not insignificant. In order to land the benefits on the treaty as soon as possible, Prime Minister Joule, who was the representative of Belgium, had to act as the vanguard.
James shook his head and replied seriously, “No, I am just stating a fact.
The war reparations of 80 billion God’s Rupiahs, calculated at an interest rate of five thousandths of a percent, the interest alone is as high as 400 million God’s Rupiahs per month.
Let alone now, even before the war France’s yearly revenue was less than 400 million God’s Guilders. Selling France is not enough. What do you want us to pay back?
No great nation can tolerate the division of a country, and France is no exception, and all the terms of the cession of the mainland are unacceptable to us.
If you are going to forcibly cede the land, then there will never be any peace on the European continent.”
“I can understand that, is that a threat?”
Jules asked tit-for-tat. Today was different from the past, than the French hatred was already deep in the marrow, offending the French was not a problem at all. Instead, not taking the opportunity to weaken France is the real danger.
James repeated in a very firm tone, “No, I’m just stating a fact!”
Despite the threatening undertone, an open admission was still out of the question. Breaking the pot could indeed cause problems for the Anti-French Alliance, but it was France that would lose more.
In case the Anti-French Alliance was angered and gave them a hard time, France would really have no future.
The only thing we can rely on now is the Antifa Alliance’s desire to stop the losses. At this point in the war, the continuation of the war will not be able to obtain greater benefits, and the only way to maximize the benefits is to withdraw from the war as soon as possible.
If there is no more France, not only the war reparations have no place to go, even the Antifa Alliance will also have to die.
Without the alliance, Austria wants to dominate the European continent, it is not so simple now.
Without the threat of the French, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, and the Italian states would not be as obedient as they are now.
In a sense, Austria is copying the original time and space after the Second World War American routine, using the threat of the Soviet Union will be tied to the European countries in their own ship. When the hegemony is consolidated, then kick out the Soviets.
This is a Yang conspiracy, as neighbors would not want to carve up France, but limited by their own strength, really can not eat. In this context, everyone had to rely on Austria.
See the scene may be out of control, Weissenberg slowly said: “Mr. James, can not afford to pay, can not accept, that is your country’s problem. The loss brought by the war is so big, this responsibility should be borne by you.
Of course, we will also consider the actual situation and set reasonable compensation standards.
The world is developing, and we should look ahead. Just because we cannot afford to pay compensation now does not mean that we cannot afford to pay compensation in the future.
Since entering the industrial age, the wealth created by mankind has grown geometrically. 80 billion Shendian is certainly a lot, but I believe in your country’s ability.”
Bargaining was necessary, and everyone knew that France couldn’t afford an 80 billion God’s Guilders payout. No country could afford this huge amount of money without a devaluation of the divine guilders.
The so-called future repayment, if not calculated interest, but there is no problem. Unfortunately, it was compound interest, and the cumulative interest rate was staggeringly large.
Fiscal revenues and economic development are linked, and to beat the interest rate again, the economic growth rate can’t be less than 7 points.
The second industrial revolution is still going on, the economic growth rate of all countries is not slow, if we work hard seven points is not hopeless, but there is still a kind of thing called “economic crisis” in this world.
But there is something called “economic crisis” in this world. If people have no hope, they will give up on themselves. The same applies to a country that has been working for others all its life and has not seen the slightest return, no matter who it is, it will get tired of it.
If you want the French to work hard to pay back the money, you have to leave hope, so the debt is negotiable, but the land cession is not negotiable.
All have been eaten into the stomach by the countries, and then want everyone to spit it out again, it is simply impossible to do so at the negotiation table.
James bowed courteously and analyzed in a self-deprecating manner, “Thank you, Your Excellency, for your trust, but you are really overestimating us. If France was really that powerful, I wouldn’t be here.
France’s colonial empire has collapsed, the Italian region is independent, and our homeland has been hit hard by the war and is on the verge of economic collapse.
The combined national power of France is now less than one-third of what it was before the war. The domestic mess alone is enough to keep us busy.
It is God’s blessing that within twenty years we will be able to restore our economy to its pre-war level.
Figures don’t lie. The current France’s annual revenue doesn’t exceed 50 million guilders, which is not even enough to cover domestic expenses, so how can we pay the reparations?
No matter how much the reparations are, if we can’t get it, it’s just a nebulous figure, not half as valuable.”
The tone was sincere, and the content was all dry. The current France was indeed a mess.
The mixed provisional government, the starving people, the local strong faction opposing the revolutionary government, the millions of troops of the anti-French alliance, as well as the huge amount of reparations under negotiation, are all the difficult problems in front of the Paris government.
Any chaos in any place could lead to the collapse of the nascent revolutionary government in Paris.
In fact, had it not been for the troops of the Anti-French League suppressing the localities, France would have been in chaos.
A chaotic France was certainly not in the interest of all parties. Not only would the reparations not be forthcoming, but more importantly, chaos equaled variability.
Chaos does not necessarily produce heroes, but lords are certain. In case another Napoleon-like military genius emerges, it’s a new continental war.
“Mr. James, we have considered all these issues. After the war is over, your country only needs to make a one-time payment of 30 million divine guilders, and the rest of the debt is paid in installments later.
From 1893 to 1895, your country will only need to pay 15 million God’s Guilders per year; from 1896 to 1900, the indemnity will increase by 1.5 million God’s Guilders per year; and from 1901 to 1910, the indemnity will increase by 3 million God’s Guilders per year ……”
The question of when exactly the debt could be paid off with yearly incremental reparations can only be answered by God, and anyway, Weissenberg, the program provider, doesn’t know.
The only advantage, presumably, was that the amount of the reparations was within the reach of the French government. As long as the Parisian government was frugal, e.g., by abolishing the army and reducing administrative expenses, it would be able to pay the reparations.
As if thinking of the horrible consequences, James hastily protested: “No, with such a payment, we won’t be able to pay off the debt in another hundred years.
The responsibility of our generation cannot be imposed on the next generation, they are not obligated to take on this responsibility that does not belong to them.”
……
The great drama, now that it has begun, must continue. In the face of interest, both the French representatives and the representatives of the countries of the Anti-French League are arguing their case.
As the scene became hot, the representatives of the countries as witnesses gradually became lubricants, as if they were trying their best to reconcile the conflicts between the parties.
It can only be said that everyone is an excellent movie star, even if they have not read the script, they are equally able to catch the lines.
The bickering lasted for more than a month, and still no agreement could be reached until the discharge of the backstabber, President Robert, put an end to the war of words.
The treaty drafted by the Antifa Alliance, thrown on the ground, Robert full of sadness questioned: “Mr. James, this is the results you have achieved these days?”
The territorial cession basically remained unchanged, the colonies were definitely all gone, the area of the mainland to be ceded did not shrink, and the only valuable change was the reduction of the indemnity.
It was cut from 80 billion to 40 billion, seemingly shrinking by half, essentially nothing has changed, the revolutionary government in Paris still can’t afford to pay out.
The biggest change from the original treaty was still the list of war criminals. Finally, the main leaders of the Revolutionary Party, were taken off of it and replaced with the top of the government in exile.
Unfortunately, this does not have any substantial meaning, the government in exile has long been hiding far away, except for Napoleon IV is still bubbling openly, the rest of the people have changed their identities, and can not be captured.
The revolutionary government had just gained power, and no matter how much they shrugged it off, it was impossible to hold them responsible for war crimes. The Antifa League also played by the rules, and the leaders of the Revolutionary Party would be acquitted in the end, even if they went to a war tribunal.
While the revolutionaries escaped, the gold masters behind them did not all escape. The consortia, arms dealers, bankers, other big capitalists, those who had been struck down by Napoleon IV, were once again targeted by the Antifa alliance.
On the whole, they were not wrongly accused, and the war was indeed instigated by them. They were defined as war criminals, which was perfectly justified.
Although they dragged the French government’s feet during the war and made an outstanding contribution to the Anti-French Alliance’s victory, who made them too fat?
Napoleon IV only copied the cash from their hands, a large number of mines, factories, and real estate were still in their hands, and this small wave of people controlled at least half of the wealth of France.
The member states of the Antifa Alliance were basically poor as hell, so how could they let go of such a huge amount of wealth?
It is impossible to get all of it, but it is always possible to take a portion of it to make up for the losses of their own families in the war.
Allied troops stationed in France took action early, except for a few lucky ones escaped, the rest of the guys are just out of the wolf’s den and into the tiger’s mouth.
There were only two ways before them, either to hand over a sizable sum of money to buy their lives, or to go through the war tribunal.
For the politicians, from the moment the revolution succeeded, the value of these gold masters diminished considerably. If the Antifa coalition could help take these guys out, I think many of them would be happy in their hearts.
After all, France’s plate is already very small. If we don’t get rid of these vested interests, how will the later rise.
Of course, this did not include President Robert. In his opinion, this was betraying his comrades in arms and belonged to a very immoral behavior.
James shook his head, ”Your Excellency the President, no one wants things to come to this point now, but we have to face reality.
The Anti-French Alliance has issued a final disc, if we refuse to sign the treaty, the revolutionary government will have no value in existence. They will take military control of France and act as a substitute government.
At the peace conference, the Russian delegates also proposed a partitioned occupation. If it went that far, France would become their colony.”
“No existence” is not the same as dissolution, and if it came to a partitioned occupation of France, the revolutionary government in Paris would be a stumbling block.
A stumbling block has to be kicked out, and the revolutionaries are the ones who started the rebellion. If we don’t kill them, they won’t be able to sleep!
When the butcher’s knife is raised, the revolutionary government in Paris can’t be hardened. Except for President Robert, the backstabber, everyone else was ready to compromise first.
President Robert, whose position is not firm, wavered again and asked with concern: “Can the Congress agree? This is selling out ……”
Considering himself a democratically elected president, Robert had great respect for Congress. To be able to elect him this worried president, enough French Congress is ……
In the face of a face full of worried President Robert, James is still some in the heart, but ultimately still reason prevailed. Dead Taoist friends do not die of poverty, there is always someone to take the blame.
“Mr. President, when you were injured, Congress had already sent a telegram. It was only in order to allow you to recuperate in peace that I took it upon myself to withhold it.
The troops of the Antifa Alliance are running amok in the country, the people are all living in dire straits, the pressure in the country is very high right now, and the most important thing right now is to send this group of garrison troops away.”
……
(End of chapter)