"Your Majesty, the President of the United States wished to meet with you. During this time, you had been busy with His Majesty Franz Joseph I's funeral and your coronation ceremony, so you had not been able to properly speak with President Woodrow Wilson during his visit," Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister Baron von Berchtold reported.
Karl I nodded. "All right, I understand. Arrange a time."
"Your Majesty, the President of the United States' purpose this time is likely to force us to choose a side. This hurdle will not be easy to overcome," Baron von Berchtold warned.
The Americans had always been trying to win over the Austro-Hungarian Empire, hoping it would serve as cannon fodder and become their pawn against Germany.
This was clearly of no benefit to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Although it was also a great power, it was far too weak compared to Germany. If the two sides had not been allies, Germany might have attacked it long ago. If the Austro-Hungarian Empire now leaned toward the United States, it would clearly be setting itself against Germany. Once it provoked the Germans, would the Austro-Hungarian Empire have any good days ahead?
"I know. However, peaceful coexistence between us and the Germans was impossible from the start. The Germans would never tolerate a powerful Austro-Hungarian Empire at their side. That was easy to see from how they had continuously suppressed us when dividing the spoils of victory from the last World War. If we do not find a way out and continue sitting still to await death, the Germans will surely press forward inch by inch. By then, I am afraid we will not even have the ability to strike back," Karl I said.
"But, Your Majesty, the Americans are not trustworthy either. We are, after all, Germany's allies.