I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 331

< Pacifist (2) >

If there’s a money-guzzling monster in this world, war is definitely the first to be named.

War, never again war!

Such cries disappear quickly after experiencing a few proper modern wars.

As weapons become more sophisticated and the cost of managing each soldier increases, the scale of the resulting bill changes.

And what’s more, with the expansion of mass transportation facilities like railroads, even mobilizing troops has become easier than in the past.

In the old days, people had to leave some to farm, but thanks to the development of machinery, even without men, farming and factories can still operate to some extent in the worst-case scenario.

When military technology improved so drastically, people predicted that future battles would be faster and quicker.

Superior firearms technology and ever-increasing firepower.

Combined with the rapid transport for optimal deployment, how quickly could enemies be annihilated?

Numerous experts predicted that the paradigm of war itself would change.

In fact, it really did change.

The problem was that the direction was completely wrong.

When fighting against countries stuck in the old ways, wielding superior firearms and firepower incomparable to the Middle Ages, battles unfolded as expected.

However, the story changes when they start fighting among themselves.

Setting up machine guns to riddle approaching enemies with bullets, arming themselves with rifles that have fast reloading and long range.

It’s not just them who can transport large-scale troops to the right places via railroads laid out everywhere.

While one side can quickly mobilize 100,000 or 200,000 troops, the other side can also quickly mobilize 200,000 or 300,000.

While one side has the firepower to wipe out hundreds of people in an instant, the other side has the same.

Therefore, inevitably, the damage is much greater than expected, and the war is bound to be prolonged.

“Our Great British Empire expresses grave concern over the increasingly escalating war. Until now, we could not interfere as it was another country’s affair, but as the madness of this war has resulted in acts of terrorism against our homeland, we can no longer condone this situation. The homeland urges the cessation of the war that caused this situation, and if this demand is not met, we will eliminate the source that poses a potential risk to our homeland.”

Although slightly veiled, there is no fool in this world who would not understand this much.

The Prime Minister’s request was officially declared by Parliament, and after Victoria’s formal approval, the British Empire’s fleet gathered.

Shortly thereafter.

The master of crossing the Dover Strait and the Iron Blood [Otto von Bismarck, the Prussian Minister President], who had recently been appointed as the next Prime Minister of Prussia, hurriedly crossed over to London.

And the meeting proceeded without deviating from expectations in any way.

“Our France has shed tremendous blood in this war. We want to receive corresponding compensation from the North.”

“Our Prussian soldiers fought bravely, matching France’s heroic sacrifices and struggles. I took office as Prime Minister and made a firm promise to get the price for the blood we shed. If I cannot keep this promise, there will be no end to the war.”

They are eagerly expressing their will to somehow recover the losses they have suffered so far.

This outcry was a predetermined step because it was a problem that could affect their political lives if they couldn’t manage it.

“Even at this moment, our soldiers are bleeding and falling. I believe the Great British Empire will not turn a blind eye to the difficulties of our alliance.”

“Originally, the plan was for the Great British Empire’s navy to join us and blockade the northern seas. But to tell us to have a ceasefire agreement right away without doing that is too much.”

“Now, now, everyone, please calm down for a moment. I will explain one by one.”

“Or how about this? First, join our alliance and pick any port in the North to bombard, and then when we tell them to negotiate, wouldn’t they listen better?”

“That’s a good idea! If we’re going to attack, it would be good to attack the city where the North’s major military facilities are concentrated.”

“After all, the Great British Empire has been preserving its power until now. The moment the Great British Empire joins the war, the tide of the war will turn immediately.”

Ah, it’s dizzying, so dizzying.

One can almost feel the venom in the eyes of the two people who are just pouring out what they want to say without listening to our side.

I understand the desire to desperately crawl out, having fallen into a hellhole and floundering.

“We may participate in the war. If the North rejects the mediation offer, we will eventually have to intervene directly. But if they listen willingly, there’s no need to fight.”

“Hmm······.”

“The other side will have fought as hard as we have until now. But I don’t think they will give us everything we ask for and kneel now.”

“Of course, they would if we thought of taking everything away. In the first place, that’s impossible even if we participate in earnest.”

“That is······.”

Kizo [likely a misspelling of Cavour, referring to Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, an Italian statesman] and Bismarck, who had reflexively tried to shout that it wasn’t true, paused to coolly turn their heads and then shut their mouths with a click.

“You two know well because you’ve been fighting directly. The North is continuing to投入 [tōnyū – invest] an enormous number of people to the point where they have almost nothing left. If we really try to finish them off, they will continue to resist, and to make them kneel, we will eventually have to endure that much sacrifice.”

“Dispatching additional troops from here is definitely a bit······.”

“To bring about a full surrender by just poking at the port a little? That’s impossible. We’ll be able to extract as much as we can reasonably extract, so wouldn’t it be better to be satisfied with that much?”

Bismarck’s head was spinning furiously.

If we attack the North with the intention of completely destroying them, as I said, we will have to投入 [tōnyū – invest] more troops and pour in more money.

When we do that, how much will the amount of return be compared to the投入 [tōnyū – investment]?

“And we have to think about domestic public opinion as well. Because it has been revealed that the United States has much stronger national power than expected, public opinion will not be very good if we form a large-scale army in our country to 토벌 [tobeol – subjugate] the United States.”

Ah~ I didn’t know the United States would be that strong.

Who would have known that a 허접 [heojup – 허접하다 (Heojup hada) means 허술하다 (Heosul hada) which means 허술하다 (careless, slipshod, crude, 허접하다 (shabby, poor, inferior)] country that was쩔쩔매던 [jjeoljjeolmaedeon – be at a loss] even to Mexico would be so strong when fighting at their home.

I told Wellesley and Disraeli, but anyway, that’s just a secret between the three of us, so there’s no evidence.

“But the damage we suffered is······.”

“Now, now, Prime Minister Kizo. I didn’t say that it’s impossible to make them kneel and 망하게 해버리는 [manghage hae beorineun – ruin them], but I’m not saying that we can’t get reasonable compensation either. We can’t only get compensation from the North right now, can we?”

“Ah···Well, we can also get it from the South, so we have to calculate that too.”

“If we have a ceasefire agreement as it is, the South will be able to achieve the independence they so desired. And frankly, if the allies have fought so hard and shed so much blood, there has to be something in return.”

In fact, it is true that the South is the one that can 빨대를 꽂을 [ppaldaereul kkojeul – insert a straw] more openly.

Now that it has been revealed that the power gap with the North is enormous, European support and war can no longer be established.

“Even if the North comes to the negotiating table as it is, they will know that this is virtually a victory for the Confederate States. If we ask them to pay reparations at a reasonable level, they will accept it to the extent that they can.”

“But that’s not enough. The real reason we got involved in this war is different.”

“Shouldn’t we negotiate the South American colony issue separately with the South? I’m willing to help you with that if necessary.”

I have no interest in South American colonies, but I still want to occupy the area where I can dig the Panama Canal.

But no matter how I calculate it, the conclusion is that it is impossible to create a situation where I can continue to own the Panama Canal for 100 years by myself.

To eat the canal, I have to make Panama independent from Colombia first, and I can do that much.

The problem is that if Panama becomes independent, it will be obvious that they will cling to me and ask for the canal back later.

Even in the original history, the United States, which owned the canal, eventually returned the canal to Panama, so it is an inevitable flow.

There were even radical organizations that said they would destroy everything if they didn’t return the canal, so forcibly occupying it would be a loss.

Then I have to merge Panama into a part of my country, but this is a problem that is not even worth considering.

What I want is the canal, not the land of Panama.

So the best thing to do here is to create a picture where I can take the canal while pretending to throw rice cakes [a Korean idiom for offering a benefit or concession] to France and Prussia.

If I give them the feeling that they are also taking good care of the colonies, Prussia and France will be satisfied to some extent.

“South American colony development···It would be much easier with the support of the South, but this time we have consumed a lot of national power.”

“If everyone works together, it doesn’t matter, does it?”

Bismarck and Kizo stared intently at the map of the American continent.

The Great British Empire, France, and Prussia.

In the end, they are laying the groundwork for not only the current victory but also the world after the war.

The Great British Empire, which has preserved its power this time, goes without saying, but France and Prussia have suffered a lot of damage, so they needed to carefully draw up a blueprint for the future.

But isn’t there one more thing to make sure of before that?”

If I don’t know, I have to say it with my own mouth, but fortunately, Bismarck opened his mouth first.

“First of all, before bringing the North and the South to the negotiating table, we need to match our conditions and standards.”

“That’s right.”

“As Your Highness said, it would be impossible to ask the North to compensate for all the damage we have suffered. However, apart from that, we need to make sure to step on the North. This is not just because we have suffered a lot of damage this time. Isn’t that right, Prime Minister Kizo?”

“···The expression ‘step on’ is a bit much, but it’s not wrong. Frankly, who in Europe would have expected the United States to become so strong?”

I know, right? Who would have known that such an absurd thing would happen?

“But if we try to step on it too obviously, the North will naturally resist.”

“That’s right. So we have to find a good way···In fact, the reason I came here in person was because I wanted to discuss this matter with you.”

Until now, the great powers had only recognized their neighbors in Europe as competitors.

But suddenly, the villagers they didn’t care about were 신경도 안쓰던 [gyeongdo ansseudeon – not caring] up to a similar 체급 [chegeup – build] to them one day, so how much would their 뒷골 be땡기겠는가 [dwitgol beddaengg겠neunga – how much would their back of the head throb]?

Even if you think about the growth rate, you would have judged that it would not be strange if it was overturned at any time.

That’s why I knew that this story would come out unconditionally by the time this war was over.

“First of all, I would like to hear the method that Prime Minister Bismarck is thinking about.”

“First of all, the South and the North must be separated. And we don’t need to pay so much attention to the South. After fighting together this time, it became clear that the South has clear limitations even if it grows. The problem is the North, and if we leave them alone, they will be able to threaten us in a few decades even without unification with the South. At that time, it would not be strange if the South was absorbed at any time.”

That’s right.

The important thing is not only that I become stronger, but also that I put shackles on the other person so that they cannot become stronger than me.

Everything in the world is relative. If everyone else except me becomes weaker, can’t I say that I have become stronger in reverse?

“So what you want to say, Prime Minister, is this. We must unconditionally block the North from gaining additional growth engines.”

“That’s right.”

“Then isn’t the most important thing here for now?”

I pointed to the westernmost southern tip of the current United States territory. The Cortes Sea area, which I recently acquired in the war with Mexico.

“If the North, which is already in contact with the Atlantic Ocean, can freely go to the Pacific Ocean through this sea, it will be of great help to future growth. So I think we should give at least the path to the Pacific Ocean to the South.”

“That’s a wise decision.”

“We agree too.”

As expected, our comrades, who are more sincere than anyone else in removing the ladder [preventing someone from succeeding].

Even if I didn’t 떠들지 [tteodeulji – make a fuss] ahead of them, France and Prussia, who had already begun to regard the United States as a serious threat, were busy 사전모의ing to 깎아내릴 [sajeonmoeuing to kkakanaeril – conspiring to undermine] the North.

I never thought I would see France and Prussia getting along so well.

After all, nothing is impossible in the world.

* * *

As the dog barks, the train runs [a common saying implying that things continue regardless of complaints], and the once-confirmed schedule flowed steadily, and the behind-the-scenes agreement of the world’s leading powers was almost at its end.

The Great British Empire crossed the Atlantic Ocean by forming a large-scale fleet as if to prove that it was serious about this matter, and people with names worthy of it followed along.

“We sincerely welcome the officers and men of the Great British Empire Navy and His Highness Crown Prince Edward!”

A large welcoming crowd, including even the ministers of the South, who came out in droves despite being at war.

“Thank you.”

A position of great importance that is different from what I have been going back and forth to Canada so far.

Although it was a position of formal representation, it was not as easy as I thought to straighten my shoulders in a place where the eyes of everyone in the world were focused.

But the more that happens, the more firmly you have to make up your mind and go out strongly.

“I am today.”

Edward swept his eyes over the crowd that filled all directions and actually 뱉었다 [baeteotda – spat out] the words that his father had 권했던 [gwonhaetdeon – advised] half-jokingly.

“I have come to end this war.”

Crown Prince Edward of the Great British Empire.

With a spirited remark, he confidently entered North America!