Seeking Peace

"No, absolutely not. We cannot wait until the Germans have occupied all of France before suing for peace. By then, it will be of no use at all. The Germans will not even need us to ask for peace—they will be able to do whatever they please." President Poincaré said.

"Yes. By that point, it would probably no longer be called suing for peace, but surrendering. There is an enormous difference between the two," Prime Minister René Viviani said as well.

Suing for peace meant adopting a low posture, certainly, but they could at least bargain. Surrender, on the other hand, would leave them like meat on a chopping block, at the mercy of others' blades.

"Since that is the case, make preparations and contact the Germans as soon as possible!" President Poincaré said.

Having made this decision, President Poincaré looked utterly helpless. More than forty years ago, in the Franco-Prussian War, the Second French Empire had been defeated and its emperor captured, directly causing the Empire's collapse. This time, the Third French Republic had likewise been defeated. Perhaps the Third Republic would soon be unable to survive either.

"Yes, Mr. President. However, if we are to surrender to the Germans, they will certainly put forward many harsh conditions. How should we respond then?" Minister Théophile Delcassé asked.

After all, France had been the defeated side in this war. If it wished to end the war and obtain peace, it had to pay a price. Given Germany's appetite, its demands would inevitably be exceedingly harsh.

"Mr. President, the Germans have a very large appetite. When Russia wished to withdraw from the war, they extorted an enormous sum in war reparations and forced it to cede vast territories. If we sue for peace, the Germans will certainly carve a heavy slice