47. Annoying the British

Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz then discussed the current international situation, while Oscar listened quietly on the side. Although, as someone who had traveled back from a later era, he had a very clear understanding of the course of history, he obviously couldn't tell Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz everything. If he did, the two would surely see him as a monster.

Moreover, having the opportunity to listen in on a conversation between Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz meant that Oscar had already earned their recognition. Before this, aside from Crown Prince Wilhelm, who had that privilege by virtue of his status, none of Wilhelm II's other sons had been granted it. For Oscar, this was already a significant step forward.

Of course, Oscar knew that replacing Crown Prince Wilhelm would be extremely difficult. He had basically given up on that fantasy. But if he could strengthen his voice in state affairs, that would be even better.

From the conversation between Wilhelm II and Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz, Oscar learned that Germany was now facing a very severe external environment. After the Moroccan Crisis, the three powers of Britain, France, and Russia had drawn closer and closer. Although they had not yet formed a formal alliance treaty, it was foreseeable. In fact, the three powers had already begun to suppress Germany from this point on.

This was also why Wilhelm II had gradually started to abandon his illusions about Britain and increase investment in the navy. Otherwise, Wilhelm II would likely have remained unwilling to make an enemy of Britain.

"Your Excellency, once the three powers of Britain, France, and Russia truly form a treaty, we will face even greater pressure." Wilhelm II's brow was tightly furrowed. Germany at this moment was undoubtedly a high-speed train that simply could not stop. If it could not break through the blockade of the three powers, the final outcome would likely be only one: the train would crash and everyone would die.

"Yes, Your Majesty! If war breaks out, the Empire will face immense pressure. The combat effectiveness of the Imperial Army is the best in the world—there is no doubt about that. But we may have to fight on two fronts. If the Imperial Army cannot quickly defeat the enemy, the war will inevitably fall into a stalemate. At that point, we may have to rely on the navy to turn the tide. Therefore, we must strengthen the navy as much as possible and close the gap with the British Navy as much as we can." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz said with a grave expression.

Wilhelm II nodded. Although he believed in the combat power of the German Army—if war broke out, they might once again achieve a brilliant victory, just like in the Franco-Prussian War over thirty years ago—he had to admit that the world situation was now completely different from thirty years ago. Technological advancements had brought earth-shattering changes to military effectiveness and methods of warfare. It would probably not be easy for the German Army to sweep through the French as they had done thirty years ago. So Wilhelm II had to prepare for the worst. If the Army could not quickly defeat the enemy, the Navy would have to take on the responsibility of breaking the British blockade and ensuring that Germany's overseas trade routes were not cut off. Otherwise, the only path waiting for Germany would be to be slowly strangled to death.

Of course, Wilhelm II still believed that if Germany could possess a powerful navy, it might directly force Britain to stay out of the war, achieving victory without fighting. Without Britain as a major enemy, Germany's pressure would naturally be much lighter. Against just France and Russia, it would be nearly impossible for them to defeat Germany.

If Oscar knew what Wilhelm II was thinking, he would surely say it was naive. To protect its global hegemony, how could Britain allow Germany to defeat France and Russia and dominate the European continent? Britain had always pursued a policy of continental balance. That is, they would not allow a single hegemon to emerge on the European continent. Whenever a country grew strong, they would rally others to encircle it. In the past, France, Russia, and now Germany were all victims of this British policy.

"From now until the war breaks out, we will do everything we can to develop the navy. I hope that in the next war that decides Germany's fate, we will surely win!" Wilhelm II sighed.

"Your Majesty, we will surely win." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz was quite resolute.

"Father Emperor, there is no doubt that the British will be our enemy, even becoming the core of the three powers of Britain, France, and Russia. To that end, we must use every means to weaken their strength. Besides developing our military and surpassing the British head-on, we also need to employ other methods." Oscar suggested.

"Oskar, what do you propose?" Wilhelm II asked.

"Father Emperor, Britain's strength comes from having the world's most vast colonies. It is these colonies—dozens of times larger than the British mainland in area, and with a population more than ten times that of the British mainland—that prop up the British Empire. But we can also see that British rule over the colonies is no longer so stable. India has seen major uprisings against the British, and South Africa has experienced two Boer Wars. Even now, there are many people who oppose British rule. If we can invest a bit more in those people, I believe we will reap very good returns." Oscar said.

"Hmm, that's not a bad idea. While it's unlikely to pose any real threat to Britain, if it can weaken their strength and cause them trouble, that's acceptable." Wilhelm II nodded.

"Father Emperor, besides Britain's colonies, the British mainland itself is not peaceful. Haven't the Irish people been agitating for independence? If we support Irish independence and it succeeds, it would not only greatly weaken Britain's strength but also give us a pro-German state right next to Britain. This would be very useful for us in defeating the British in the future. Even if Irish independence fails, we lose nothing—just some funds. And it would still weaken Britain's strength, making the Irish even more hostile toward the British. Their resistance will surely continue wave after wave. Then the British will have plenty to worry about!" Oscar said with a smile.