Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is bathed in a drizzle of drizzle, looking elegant, quiet and full of vitality.

Because Moltke modified the original Schlieffen plan, the Germans did not attack France through Dutch territory as they did with Belgium; This small lowland nation was able to survive the maelstrom of war in Europe, enjoying the splendor and peace that was alien to its neighbors. While the Dutch were glad that they had not been involved in this bloody vortex in an almost prostrated manner, they were also nervously watching the bloody battle of several great powers near their doorstep; And just a year after the outbreak of the war, Amsterdam's residents were shocked to find themselves in the center of the world's attention overnight.

On 28 April, representatives of the French government arrived in the port of Amsterdam by ship, accompanied by British negotiating envoys, who were also members of the Entente. In order to negotiate an end to the present war in Europe, the belligerents decided to negotiate on the Dutch territory, which was still uncontested. The weight of the British Empire and the French Republic was not comparable to that of the turbulent and chaotic Russia that preceded it; For a while, journalists from all over the world flocked to the scene, and the grand lineup undoubtedly far surpassed the Brest appointment two months ago. The Amsterdammers at the centre of the storm were also swept away by the atmosphere, and they were eagerly discussing what the meeting would end with: whether the armistice would be honorable or humiliating, and how much Britain and France would cede in exchange for the Germans...... I don't know how many of these handicaps have been opened underground.

Perhaps influenced by the two battered battles of Evry and Deleux, Briand, the foreign minister representing France, looked much haggard: before leaving for Bordeaux. The French cabinet has reached a consensus. i.e. when necessary. He was allowed to make some concessions to Germany on the issue of reparations and colonies. By this day, the French have realized that it is impossible to achieve a decent peace, and that they must pay for their defeat on the battlefield. However, when the German Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs put forward the conditions of the Berlin government, Rao is Briand was already mentally prepared, and still poured out uncontrollable horror and anger.

Under the peace treaty proposed by Germany, they would follow the story of the Frankfurt Treaty of 1871: more than 40,000 square kilometers of land, starting with the province of Ardennes south of Belgium and ending in the province of Doo near Switzerland, would be taken into account by Germany. This area is almost four times larger than that of Alsace and Lorraine. Besides. France also had to pay Germany 130 billion francs (£1 = 25.26 francs, in 1914) war reparations, and ceded almost all of its colonies, including French Indochina, West Africa, and Guyana, leaving only Madagascar, the most wild and remote country. And in order to prevent France from posing a renewed threat to Germany on the Western Front, the French army will also be strictly restricted: whether it is the size of the troops, technical equipment and other paper forces, or the actual internal such as the length of service and the recruitment system, there are strict framework clauses. With this treaty, Germany intends to completely emasculate this close neighbor to a second- or third-rate level that cannot be put on the table, so that it can never pose a threat to itself!

Looking at Brian's face that could not hide his anger, Kidren couldn't help but sigh quietly in his heart. As a matter of fact. German politicians, represented by Chancellor Holwig, do not advocate an overly harsh treaty: because the current German war aircraft have been in operation for a year, and they also need less time to maintain; If the conditions offered are too bereavement. Then the French, who were already very reluctant to this negotiation, are quite likely to turn the table and walk away under the sharp and painful stimulus. As the war progressed to this day, Germany had not only broken the cage that had been surrounded on three sides in the previous decade, but also captured Poseidon's trident from the Anglo-Saxons, and had already exceeded its mission. What Germany should do now is to fully digest the fruits of its victory, instead of continuing to wield the big gun with all its might: as long as the French are cut off from the root of their colonial power, are they afraid that they will be able to turn the sky in front of Germany that has digested Eastern Europe in the future?

However, the German military, led by Moltke the Younger, wanted to pass a Brest-style treaty to complete the complete bloodletting of France in order to solve the problems of the West once and for all. Germany had to gain not only the advantage of national strength, but also the absolute superiority in terms of troops, technology, and geography: the French had to not only cede their colonies, but also cede their own territories, pay massive indemnities, and always put a tight collar around the neck of their army.

Faced with two opposing forces, Kaiser Wilhelm finally sided with the army. After the defeat of Russia, his ambitions were already unprecedentedly high, and the news of the victory that had just come back from the front of the battlefield prompted him to make a hard-line decision: if the Germans were fully capable of destroying France, there would be no need to be polite to this long-cherished enemy at the negotiating table. As for appeasing this enemy, it was not at all within Wilhelm's consideration: all the qiē that Germany now possessed was obtained by fighting with its own sharp sword, and had never been fortunate enough to receive the slightest gift or charity. When France did not hesitate to release their centuries-old feud with England and insisted on targeting Germany, how could they have considered my William's feelings?

Driven by this idea of revenge, the armistice conditions set by Kidren were naturally bloody. In the face of Briand's strong protest at the negotiating table, Kidren only did not let up at all, and threatened with the big stick in his hand: he claimed that in half a month, Austria-Hungary would have 70 divisions on the French border, and all 120 German divisions would be in place. By that time, it will not only be Germany that will make territorial claims to France, but France will also have an additional European giant with an excellent appetite for reparations!

When the news of the Amsterdam negotiations came back to Bordeaux, the French government was in an uproar: the feelings of ultranationalists were once again ignited, and the spearhead was directly aimed at the current cabinet that was trying to negotiate with the Germans, and some even claimed that the prime minister, Viviani, was a traitorous spy who had been bought by the Germans with a lot of money. However, to everyone's surprise, the veteran politicians who usually attacked the current government in every possible way and did not hesitate to use all kinds of means to pull the people in the stage into the water so that they could be promoted to the top of the table were silent at this moment, as if they did not know that there was no such thing as negotiating with the Germans. Former Prime Minister Clemenceau, known as the "Tiger of France", admitted in the incomprehensible questioning of his family: The crisis facing France is no longer solved by manpower, even if he can easily remove Viviani from the throne now, but after succeeding as prime minister, he will still face the same thorny problems. The military is sluggish, the enemy is pressing, and the fortune of the country is getting worse day by day: by that time, it will be himself who has signed a peace treaty with the Germans and has borne a hundred years of infamy! Rather than becoming the inevitable funeral object of the current situation, it is better to be silent, let the current government go to the top of this tank, and wait until the future to find a position!

"What does the attitude of the British say?" In the prime minister's office in Bordeaux, Viviani, who had an all-night emergency discussion, asked War Minister Millerand with bloodshot eyes.

"According to a secret telegram from Sir Grey, the Royal Navy is gathering forces and preparing to strike a fierce blow at the German High Seas Fleet, which is deep into the Atlantic for convoy escorts. The British wanted to make up for the great disadvantage of being at the negotiating table, and they wanted us to postpone the armistice negotiations with the Germans and wait for the end of the current round of fighting. ”

Millerand spoke softly, but there was a hint of anxiety and urgency in his words: "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, we can't trust these Britons. So far, they have been defeated in naval battles with the Germans, and have not won a single record that can be truly called victory; If the Royal Navy could really be relied upon, how could we be in the field we are today? The Atlantic sea power, which they had promised to guarantee before the war, was now a paradise for German warships and submarines to hunt at will! If this naval battle ended in defeat again, the Germans might have added some additional conditions. Previously, the Russians had to hand over another 750 tons of gold because they had delayed the armistice negotiations for half a month! ”

Admiral Organieure nodded slowly, "Admiral Millerand is extremely worried. Naval warfare is different from land, and it is normal not to meet an enemy for half a month in the vast North Atlantic; And our army obviously could not wait so long, and the whole main forces of the Germans and Austrians were about to rush to the front! Taking a step back, even if the British did win the naval battle, what does that have to do with us? At best, the Germans would have given a little to the British, who stood across the sea and had a quick force, based on the long period of naval buildup; But for France, which is close at hand, their slaughtering heart will not change in the slightest. After all, whether the terms of the armistice are harsh or not, are completely based on the balance of forces! If we delay, we will only gain momentum and reduce losses for the British, but in the end, we will have to suffer more damage! ”

Viviani closed his eyes in agony. After a while, he spoke again: "Send a telegram to Briand, telling him to reduce the amount of the indemnity to 10 billion marks within five days, and to ensure that all the mainland and half of the colonies of West Africa are not lost." If I can't do that, I will lead the entire cabinet to resign. This prime minister can be whoever he wants, and there is only so much I can do for France! (To be continued......)

PS: Thank you for the return of 1m and zhouyu1976 for the tip~~~