After the Second Peace Conference concluded, the armies of Britain, France, Germany, and Austria tacitly halted large-scale warfare. As public opinion shifted, quite a few people had already guessed that Europe's great powers might have struck a deal behind closed doors.
This stirred unease within both the Entente Powers and the Central Powers, for apart from Britain, France, Germany, and Austria, both blocs had allies drawn in by the four great powers.
The unusual moves by Britain, France, Germany, and Austria plunged both camps into deep anxiety. Even great powers like the United States and the Ottoman Empire were no exception.
Diplomats from the United States and the Ottoman Empire flocked to London, Berlin, Paris, and Vienna to seek information, but the results were far from encouraging.
Berlin.
"Great His Majesty the Emperor of the German Empire, have your country and the Austro-Hungarian Empire concealed part of the truth from us? As allies, we have the right to know something." The Ottoman Empire's Foreign Minister had personally come to Berlin to question Wilhelm II.
This time, Wilhelm II chose not to conceal anything further. Or rather, Germany had never concealed it from the beginning. The two peace conferences had merely been conducted in secret; aside from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the other allies simply had not known of the two countries' actions.
"Since your country wishes to know this so-called truth, I shall not hide it any longer. We did indeed reach certain understandings with Britain and France. After all, if this war continues, it will not benefit any of the great powers involved," Wilhelm II said bluntly.
The Ottoman Empire's Foreign Minister feigned some displeasure as he demanded, "Germany wishes to adjust its relations with the Entente Powers, and we are not angered by that. But why did you not