Holy Roman Empire-Chapter 1154 - 168: Politics is Also About Human Relationships

Washington, a different feeling on the same Christmas. The impact of this war on the United States was relatively small, apart from the slight effect on import and export trade, the United States was still fundamentally at peace.

However, this was just an appearance. The wrong political stance brought a fatal blow to the United States.

Washington had repeatedly applied to the Continental Alliance to withdraw from the war, but unfortunately, the Continental Alliance had been slow to respond.

Those familiar with politics know that it’s not the enemy’s appetite that should be feared, but being ignored by the enemy. With a big appetite, there is room for negotiation; being ignored means there’s no starting point for discussion.

With the surrender of the Great Britain Empire, the last flicker of hope for the United States was completely exhausted.

The strength of the United States was unparalleled in America, but compared to the Continental Alliance, it was just a small pea.

The public was still joyfully celebrating Christmas, completely unaware of the impending crisis, while the White House was at a loss.

"Has the Vienna Government responded yet?"

President Theodore Roosevelt asked eagerly. freēwēbnovel.com

Secretary of State Peter Nidermeyer: "The Holy Roman Empire’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied that we should wait for further notice, and all problems will be resolved at the Vienna Peace Conference.

From the current situation, it seems that we are really going to face difficulties this time. Mainly because the British surrendered too quickly, leaving us no time to react."

Undoubtedly, "the British surrendering quickly" was just an excuse. The real reason the United States was specifically targeted was because of its great potential for development.

Of course, the United States having orchestrated the Allied Forces to attack Austrian Central America was also one of the reasons for special attention.

Now the Great Britain Empire had declined, but the accumulated heritage was still considerable, and the overall industrial strength was second only to Shinra, remaining at the top level in certain specific fields.

Just like the Soviet Union after its collapse, whoever inherited the heritage of the Soviet Union became the second military power next to the United States.

The United States had too close ties with the British, or rather, the capital connections between the two were too close. After the war, British capital would inevitably have to leave its homeland to seek more appropriate living conditions.

Despite its proximity, the European Continent was not suitable due to strong capital forces and even stronger nobility constraints evident there, it’s clearly not suitable for these exiles.

Looking at the globe, there aren’t many countries that can accommodate the migration of British capital. Considering ethnic factors, only the United States, the Alliance, and Brazil were really capable of accepting British capital.

As for countries like Argentina, Chile, and Venezuela, their populations were simply too small to accommodate much capital.

A deeper research would reveal that Brazil was impossible. Not only is the population limited, but internal conflicts are numerous and a revolution could break out at any time, making it highly uncertain.

Although the situation in the Alliance was slightly better, their economy was based on plantation economics, clearly lacking enough space for capital operations.

The United States was the best choice, whether in terms of population size, resource situation or societal background, it all suited the development of capital.

Without external interference, the United States would be the prime destination for British capital after its exodus.

Once the capitalists transferred their capital and technology to the United States, it would become a rising new power, which was very detrimental to Shinra’s global layout.

Intercepting each capitalist individually required too much effort, and moreover, it was an endless task. In contrast, directly targeting the United States was much simpler.

As the saying goes, those in power are often confused; the Americans, deeply entangled, did not think too much. After all, the strength of the United States is limited nowadays, and there are a lot of internal conflicts; there’s no need for the hegemon to worry.

"Next, we need to change strategies, not only to lobby the Vienna Government but also to keep up with public relations in other countries."

Not clear on why he was specifically targeted, Theodore Roosevelt could only resort to a desperate measure by increasing the scope of public relations.

This was destined to be an uneasy Christmas, with political leaders from almost all Oceanic Alliance member states worrying about the future of their countries.

Even those who switched sides timely are no exception. A "traitor" is unwelcome everywhere.

During the war, because of practical needs, the Vienna Government accepted everyone’s surrender, but that does not mean everyone could enjoy the treatment of an ally.

Looking at the ongoing share-dividing conference in Vienna, only the countries that joined the Continental Alliance early are participants, none of those who joined later.

For the neutral countries that joined the alliance midway, it is still okay; although they did not contribute much to the war, they at least caught up with the political alignment.

The countries that switched sides later are different; labeled as "traitors," they are doomed to never be trusted.

Especially the few unlucky ones who sent troops to fight, not only have to pay out of pocket for damages, but they also will be "specially taken care of" in the future.

Regret is too late; nothing can now make up for the political mistakes made earlier. Even to consolidate internal relationships within the alliance, the Vienna Government must "treat differently" various countries.

Those who follow may have their share; those who just watch will continue to watch when it’s time to share; those who switch sides in time must pay the price; those who stubbornly resist to the end are just meat on the chopping block.

...

Time flies, and the day for the Vienna Peace Conference is drawing nearer. Delegations from various countries have begun arriving in Vienna, and public opinion has been ignited.

Facing the media, representatives from victorious countries are buoyant, while those from defeated countries appear dejected, presenting two starkly contrasting scenes.

Even comic publications, unrelated to politics, jumped into the fray, producing a series of satirical stories.

Such as: "Knights and Robbers Series," "Pirates’ Doom," "Animal World War" …

There are even more related literary works; writers across Europe are fervently writing, using the most exaggerated techniques to depict this war.

This movement contrasts starkly with the anti-war sentiments post the world wars in the original timeline. One could say, apart from the British who lick their wounds, other European citizens have not felt the pain deeply.

The casualties are severe, but they are just numbers on paper; even the anti-France wars were not as severe. Aside from the British bombs that killed a few unlucky ones, European citizens didn’t feel the war approaching.

The bloodiest battles broke out in the Far East, South Asian Subcontinent, and Africa, and Europe was hardly involved.

Although the Continental Alliance also lost nearly a million people, these losses were shared among more than twenty countries, with Russia contributing the most.

With light casualties and rich war gains, everyone’s feelings naturally differ.

Although lacking classic works of tragedy, the tangible happiness of reality clearly matters more.

Now, the world’s attention is concentrated on the Vienna Peace Conference, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building has become bustling, with an endless stream of visitors coming every day.

When it comes to national interests, relying on favors and relationships is clearly not enough, but who wouldn’t want a better relationship with the top leader?

After all, this world is a society based on human relationships, and when national interests are not involved, impressions and perceptions become very important.

Shinra is now the world’s overlord, and even just speaking a word on someone’s behalf can often solve problems.

If it weren’t for Shinra’s aggressive anti-corruption efforts, it is estimated that every high-ranking official in the Vienna Government would be making a fortune.

Giving gifts to officials is too risky; being accused of corrupting an official of the Shinra government would mean complete ruin.

If giving gifts to Ministers is not an option, then find a way to give gifts to the Emperor. Recently, Franz has received so many gifts that his hands have gone soft.

It’s not that he wants to accept gifts, but those giving them are too cunning. In order to give a gift, they go through so much effort to utilize relationships, and since the European Royal Family is all related, they always manage to find a relative connection.

In name, it’s to strengthen the bonds between relatives; refusing to accept would be a loss of face, injuring the other party’s dignity.

In theory, this is considered normal interactions between royal families, and as per the tradition of reciprocal exchanges, one is expected to return the favor in the future.

Put another way, it becomes a matter of normal etiquette which really requires something of equivalent value to be given in return.

If he had just ascended to the throne and was strapped for cash, in need of funds for financial turnover, Franz naturally wouldn’t refuse this door-to-door gift.

But now it’s different; there’s no shortage of money in his pockets, and accepting gifts is just inviting trouble. It’s not only necessary to show gratitude, but one must also prepare a gift of equivalent value to send back.

Having passed through his hands only briefly and ending up with nothing to show for it, it would also generate negative societal impact.

The more Franz thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss. Offering gifts to establish relationships was merely secondary; it was clearly all the various royal families taking the opportunity to benefit themselves.

The gifts were nominally sent under the name of various royal families, but the expenses were borne by the governments. After circulating through his hands, the money would eventually return to these families, turning into legal income.

Having discerned the truth, Franz could only reluctantly accept. Even an Emperor cannot escape the web of human relationships.

There are many in the European Royal Family, and not all are wealthy; some are heavily in debt.

Mainly because in the European world, private and national properties are distinctly separated; the nation’s money is not equivalent to the King’s money, and vice versa.

The King can utilize the national treasury funds, but cannot pocket it directly. Apart from the regular stipend, they can only rely on their own management.

For larger states, it’s better since the stipend income is considerable, and as long as the population isn’t too large, it can sustain the royal family’s expenses. With a bit of financial management, life can be quite comfortable.

For smaller states, it’s different. Government fiscal revenues are inherently low, and the King’s stipend naturally isn’t much either, nowhere near enough to maintain the royal appearance.

But a monarch must maintain their image; no one cares how they live behind closed doors, but public decency must be upheld.

If the stipend is insufficient, then they must find ways to fill the gaps themselves. If they manage well, it’s fine; if not, it’s a tragedy.

As Franz knows, there are about seven or eight royal families living on debt. It’s not that they are egregiously extravagant, but rather they are unlucky.

For instance, the sub-states in Italy, except for the Pope who is not short of money, the other monarchs are terribly poor.

This is the fault of the French, who lost their manor lands in war, and due to restorations, they drained their accumulated wealth, with some even accruing huge debts.

As for why Franz is so aware of this, naturally, it is because he, as their creditor, would find it hard not to know.

The Royal Bank has already extended their loans time and again. If it were ordinary people, they would have been declared bankrupt already.

In order to make money, these royal families have become the centers of the fashion world. Fortunately, they still maintain their dignity and have not become spokespeople for luxury brands.

Everyone’s integrity isn’t too high after all; such an opportunity for legitimate profit, once one family leads, naturally, others will follow.

The more you send out, the more you recover in the future, one cannot help but be generous. Especially at a time when post-war benefits are being divided, no matter how reluctant the governments are, they can only accept it.

It’s not possible for everyone else to send gifts and one family not to, right?

Look, there are still a bunch outside wanting to give gifts but unable to, almost frantically desperate.

Politics is also about human interactions, and as the leader of the monarch world, Franz cannot hinder everyone’s chance to profit.

If you do well, I do well, everyone does well, that’s the foundation for a long-term interest group. It’s merely a convenience, and if one can help, one certainly should.

If one were to carefully investigate, they would discover that those who appear on the gift list happen to be the main characters in the division of spoils meeting.

Who knows how future generations will judge, but Franz knows that through an obscure transaction, the relationship between Shinra and the countries of Europe has become much closer.

In fact, this is just a minor episode before the Vienna Peace Conference. Many more transactions of interest continue to unfold here.

The conference has not yet started, but the Vienna Government has already signed over a hundred commercial contracts, with military arms orders accounting for half.

The transactions that needed to be made have already been completed, so when the Vienna Peace Conference starts, there’s not much left to do.

Apart from the defeated nations still lamenting and seeking everyone’s sympathy, within the Continental Alliance, aside from the strong dissatisfaction of the Russians, everything is basically harmonious.

Turning a proper international conference into a venue fraught with human relationships and insider trading, even Franz himself is surprised.

But reality is just like this, with the Holy Roman Empire being the dominant force, and Russia, the second power, not only isolated by other countries but also busy with its internal strife, having no energy to cause trouble.

Further down, as the third power, Spain, being too weak to contend with Shinra, maintaining its status as a superficial power is already an accomplishment.

There isn’t a single capable player in the world; the somewhat powerful Britain is now a defeated country.

In a situation where one dominates, as long as the Vienna Government is willing, they could turn the conference into their own monologue.

Many countries are likely regretting now, that they shouldn’t have been misled during the anti-France war, allowing Shinra to grow so powerful.

Regrettably, there is no medicine for regret in this world; the dominant power of the Holy Roman Empire is established, making the rules set by one, and others can only follow.

Beyond regret, many countries are probably secretly relieved: the Vienna Government, as always, is careful about its appearance; otherwise, life would be unbearable.