A Conversation

The discussion with William II went smoothly, which greatly improved Arthur's mood, as it had been terrible due to Queen Victoria's critical illness.

Seeing that Queen Victoria couldn't hold on for more than a few days, no matter how deep Arthur's feelings for her were, he had to consider the future of Australia.

Without Queen Victoria's protection and support, Australia would essentially lose all support from Britain.

Although Crown Prince Edward maintained a good relationship with Arthur on the surface, he would absolutely not go to great lengths to help Arthur and Australia rise to prominence.

Arthur did possess leverage over Crown Prince Edward, but if this leverage were to be made public, it would not only severely impact Crown Prince Edward's status and reputation but also the standing of the British monarch and nobility, as well as monarchs worldwide.

Being born into the British Royal Family, Arthur, to a certain extent, was bound to the Royal Family – their prosperity was his prosperity, and their downfall was his downfall.

Once the status of the British Royal Family suffered a severe blow, Arthur's legitimate status in Australia could also be affected.

After all, while monarchy was still mainstream in European countries, democratic and liberal movements had already dealt a significant blow to it.

Compared to revealing this evidence and leverage, obtaining sufficient benefits from Crown Prince Edward using it was a more prudent solution.

However, in return, after gaining sufficient benefits, Arthur would naturally find himself at odds with Crown Prince Edward. While it wouldn't lead to a complete break with the British Empire, it would at least make close cooperation between Australia and the British Empire impossible during Crown Prince Edward's reign.

Having achieved their respective satisfactory goals, both William II and Arthur were in high spirits, making the already beautiful scenery of the Isle of Wight seem even more exquisite in their eyes.

"Arthur, what are your thoughts on the current European situation? The European standoff is becoming clear. Do you have more faith in our Triple Alliance or in the so-called Franco-Russian St. Petersburg Military Agreement?" William II suddenly asked Arthur on their way back to the manor.

"The European situation?" Arthur was taken aback but continued, "Based on the current standoff, I believe the strengths of the two major military blocs are almost balanced. France and Russia possess vast territories and populations, while Germany has a powerful army and advanced industry. I think if a short war were to break out, Germany would have the advantage. But if the war were to last a long time, the advantage would gradually shift to France and Russia."

This was essentially the answer from actual history. Although Germany fought bravely in the early stages, once the war turned into a war of attrition, its underlying strength could not compare to that of geographically vast and populous countries like Britain, France, and Russia.

Especially if maritime transport routes were disrupted, Germany, despite its vast industrial capacity, would grind to a halt due to a lack of raw materials.

"Hahaha, Arthur, you've underestimated one thing: the strength of the great Junker nobility and the German army. No matter how large France and Russia's territories are, they absolutely cannot withstand the mad offensive of the German army. Once war breaks out, all German soldiers will have the confidence, just like in the previous Franco-Prussian War, to quickly capture Paris and end this war swiftly," William II laughed heartily, completely dismissing Arthur's viewpoint.

The war William II was referring to was the war of establishment for the German Empire, the renowned Franco-Prussian War.

The Franco-Prussian War began with France's aggression and, in less than two months, led to Napoleon III personally surrendering with his army.

Even after France experienced a revolution and continued to resist Prussia, the Prussian army, with its successive lightning-fast advances, captured Paris and forced the then French government to sign a humiliating peace treaty.

This great war directly defeated the Second French Empire, leading to a revolution in France and the establishment of the Third French Republic.

It also saw the return of Alsace and Lorraine, resource-rich coal mining regions previously occupied by France. France was forced to pay massive reparations, causing it to lag behind other great powers during the Second Industrial Revolution and lose its dominance in Central and Western Europe, being completely surpassed by Germany.

This was also the reason for William II's confidence. The German army had stormed Paris decades ago; now that Germany was even stronger, what was impossible about achieving this great feat again?

It could be said that due to his congenital physical defects, William II developed a personality that was both insecure and arrogant.

Furthermore, having personally ousted the "Iron Chancellor" Bismarck from German politics, William II gained significant influence in the German political arena.

All Germans were envisioning a swift victory over France after the outbreak of war. Who could have imagined that this war would last for years and lead to the downfall of the once-unbeatable German Empire?

"Cousin William, perhaps you are right. But France and Russia, individually, are both regional powers capable of dominating their respective spheres. However, in the alliance, besides Germany, only the Austro-Hungarian Empire's strength is barely comparable. I'm not optimistic about Italy's performance. Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire have direct regional conflicts. Although these are overshadowed by the larger conflict with France, who can guarantee that France won't make concessions to secure Italy's defection?" Arthur asked with a smile.

Reminding William II was not an indication that Arthur wanted to support the Allied Powers; a more intense conflict in Europe would also benefit Australia.

The true clarity of the World War I situation would only come when the United States decided to join. Before that, both major military blocs had their victories and defeats, and the war was relatively balanced.

So, why couldn't Australia be the one to disrupt the situation? Give Australia ten years to develop, and Arthur was confident it could build a decent industrial system, even having the ability to directly influence World War I.

The post-war status of a neutral country and a victorious nation would be vastly different, especially with the numerous profit-making schemes during World War I. These old powers had been bleeding their colonies for a century; why couldn't Australia have a turn at the well?

"Perhaps, Arthur. But we are not expecting much from Italy. They only need to remain neutral in the war and not side with France and Russia. Germany is confident it can defeat France in a short period and end the war decisively."

For an extremely arrogant and stubbornly persistent individual like William II, Arthur could not easily sway him.

Of course, Arthur had no intention of swaying William II. What was more important for Arthur and Australia now was how to extract benefits from the two major military blocs to facilitate Australia's rapid development.

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