The early twentieth century was the zenith of imperialism. This was still an age of gunboat diplomacy, where justice existed only within the range of cannon fire!
After entering the twenty-first century, someone calculated that ninety percent of the world's countries had been invaded by the British. Did they take revenge?
The answer was: no!
Countless people cursed the British for their cruelty and greed. Yet in truth, even more people still secretly admired the British for their strength and power.
If given the choice, many people would be willing to see their own country conquer countless nations and seize inexhaustible riches.
Britain had merely accomplished what other countries had not—and could not—accomplish.
That was Ferdinand's view as well. Whether something was cruel or not? That had always been a false proposition. Put another way: Heaven and Earth nourish mankind with all things, yet mankind repays Heaven with nothing.
To the Earth, all humans were destroyers. From the moment they were born, they had been damaging this planet; they were all nothing but a swarm of parasites.
—All of the above was Ferdinand comforting himself whenever his conscience condemned him.
What irritated him now was that he had come out on the losing end in the battle of public opinion this time. Sure enough, keeping all the spoils for oneself was unacceptable—otherwise, why would it provoke such outrage from Heaven and man alike?
But it did not matter. This world was not one that public opinion could sway.
If public opinion could rule the world, then what were fists for?
No plan was as straightforward or effective as direct military deterrence!
When reason failed, it was time for a military exercise!
—Ferdinand's Quotations
On the final day of 1928, Britain and Bulgaria announced that they would hold the largest joint