Conversation

The negotiations with William II went very smoothly, which greatly improved Arthur's mood, ruined as it was by the critical condition of Queen Victoria.

Seeing that Queen Victoria could not last many more days, no matter how deep Arthur's affection for her was, he had to consider Australia's future.

Once deprived of Queen Victoria's protection and support, support from the United Kingdom would basically be lost as well.

Although Crown Prince Edward's relationship with Arthur seemed good on the surface, he would certainly not go out of his way to help Arthur and the rise of Australia.

Arthur certainly held leverage over Crown Prince Edward, but if such leverage were made public, it would deal a massive blow not only to Crown Prince Edward's position and prestige, but even to the status of the British monarchs and nobility, as well as the status of monarchs around the world.

Hailing from the British Royal Family, Arthur shared a common destiny with them to a certain extent, prospering or perishing together.

Once the position of the British Royal Family suffered a severe blow, Arthur's legal standing in Australia might also be affected.

After all, although the monarchy remained the mainstream among European nations, in reality, democratic and liberal factions had already dealt a huge blow to the monarchy.

Compared to making these pieces of evidence and leverage public, using them to secure sufficient benefits from Crown Prince Edward was a much more prudent solution.

Conversely, however, after obtaining sufficient benefits, Arthur would naturally and inevitably move into opposition to Crown Prince Edward. While it would not go so far as a complete rupture with the British Empire, at least during Crown Prince Edward's reign, any close and seamless cooperation between Australia and the British Empire would be impossible.

Having achieved their relatively satisfactory goals, both William II and Arthur were in high spirits, making the already breathtaking scenery of the Isle of Wight appear even more exceptional in their eyes.

"Arthur, what is your view on the current situation in Europe? The European standoff is clear now; do you favor our Triple Alliance or the so-called St. Petersburg Military Agreement between France and Russia?" William II asked Arthur abruptly on the way back to the manor.

"The situation in Europe?" Arthur was startled, but still proceeded to answer, "Judging by the current standoff, I believe the strengths of the two major military blocs are nearly balanced. France and Russia possess vast land areas and populations, while Germany has a powerful army and advanced industry. I believe that if a short war breaks out, the advantage will lie with Germany. But if the war drags on for a long time, the advantage will gradually shift toward the Franco-Russian side."

This was, in reality, the answer from original history. Although Germany would fight fiercely in the early stages, once the war turned into a war of attrition, it would prove completely unable to match the three countries of the United Kingdom, France, and Russia in terms of foundational strength, given their vast territories and large populations.

Especially under circumstances where maritime supply lines were severed, even with its massive industry, Germany would still face stagnation due to a lack of raw materials.

"Hahahaha, Arthur, you underestimate one thing, and that is the strength of the great Junker nobility and the German Army. No matter how vast the land area of France and Russia may be, they can never withstand the ferocious offensive of the German Army. Once war breaks out, every single German soldier has the confidence—just like in the last Franco-Prussian War—to rapidly capture Paris and swiftly bring this war to an end!" William II laughed heartily, directly dismissing Arthur's viewpoint.

The war William II referred to was the founding war of the German Empire, namely the renowned Franco-Prussian War.

Initiated by France, the Franco-Prussian War took less than two months to force Napoleon III to personally lead his grand army in surrender.

Even when revolution broke out in France and it continued to resist Prussia, the Prussian Army pressed forward with unstoppable momentum, capturing Paris and forcing the French Government of the time to sign a humiliating peace treaty.

This major conflict directly crushed the Second French Empire, causing a revolution in France that established the Third French Republic.

It also reclaimed the coal-rich regions of Alsace and Lorraine originally occupied by France, and forced France to pay massive reparations, causing France to lag behind other great powers during the Industrial Revolution and lose its hegemony in Central and Western Europe, being thoroughly surpassed by Germany.

This was also the source of William II's confidence. If the German Army had swept through Paris with unstoppable momentum decades ago, why would it be impossible to achieve this great feat now that Germany was even stronger?

It could be said that due to his congenital physical defect, William II had developed a personality that swung between inferiority and arrogance.

And because he had kicked the Iron Chancellor Bismarck out of the German political arena with his own hands, William II had secured enormous sway in German politics.

Every German was daydreaming about defeating France in a short time once war was unleashed; who could have imagined that this war would last for years and directly crush the once-haughty German Empire?

"Cousin William, perhaps you are right. But France and Russia, taken individually, are both great powers that dominate their respective regions, whereas outside of Germany, only the Austro-Hungarian Empire possesses strength that can barely match them. I am not very optimistic about Italy's performance. Italy has direct territorial conflicts with the Austro-Hungarian Empire; although masked by its larger conflict with France, who can guarantee that France will not make concessions in exchange for Italy's defection?" Arthur said with a smile.

Reminding William II was not meant to show that Arthur wanted to support the Central Powers—a more fiercely contested Europe would likewise benefit Australia.

The true picture of World War I would not become clear until the United States decided to join the fray. Prior to that, the two major military blocs would experience alternating victories and defeats, leaving the war relatively balanced.

So why couldn't that agitator upsetting the balance be Australia? Given ten years of development time, Arthur had the confidence to build a decent industrial system and even the capability to directly influence World War I.

The standing of a neutral country versus a victorious nation after the war would be vastly different, especially since World War I would feature numerous lucrative money-making schemes. These old-world powers had been bleeding their colonies dry for centuries; why couldn't Australia bleed them for a while?

"Perhaps, Arthur. But we do not expect anything extravagant from Italy; they only need to remain neutral during the war and not lean toward the Franco-Russian side, and Germany will have the confidence to crush France in a short time and bring a complete end to the war."

To a fanatic driven by extreme arrogance and extreme self-confidence, it was impossible for William II to be persuaded so easily by Arthur.

Of course, Arthur had no intention of actually persuading William II of anything. What was far more important right now for Arthur and Australia was how to extract benefits from the two major military blocs to enable rapid development for Australia.

First chapter, seeking support!