Count of Floridablanca frowned. "Crown Prince, regarding North America, our country will find a way to respond. But Louisiana is also one of our vital interests."
Joseph nodded. "That's right. It's extremely important."
"You should know about the Americans' Westward Expansion Strategy. Once they break through the Mississippi River line of defense, they will rapidly expand westward, from Texas to Tamaulipas, all the way to Mexico."
The expressions of Spain's senior ministers instantly turned grave.
The Crown Prince of France was right. There was nowhere west of Louisiana that could be defended. If the Americans continued pushing westward, they would reach the Sierra Madre.
And there lay the empire's center of wealth—the gold and silver mines of Mexico supported more than sixty percent of Spain's fiscal revenue. If this place were lost, Spain would collapse in an instant.
Count of Floridablanca exchanged glances with Campos and the others, their eyes full of conflict.
Strengthening North America's defenses meant giving up Portugal, which was nearly within their grasp—aside from the western coastal region, nearly seventy percent of its land had already been occupied by the Franco-Spanish Allied Forces. So long as they broke through Coimbra, Lisbon would be theirs for the taking. At present, the Franco-Spanish Allied Forces held every advantage there.
But the Americans certainly would not stop their westward expansion, and would eventually threaten the empire's financial lifeline.
They did not want to give up either side, but the empire simply lacked the ability to hold both at once.
In truth, without France's help, they could not even hold one.
Joseph glanced at Carlos IV and spoke at just the right moment. "I came this time because I want to help you.
"If France takes over Louisiana, it can raise a solid shield for Mexico.
"At the same time,