World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

"They'll be compensated," the third man spoke up. He was Rear Admiral Hall from the Naval Intelligence Department, the actual planner of this operation. "I've already made arrangements. Once things calm down, they'll receive secret medals and a substantial bonus. Furthermore, their careers won't be affected; they'll receive rapid promotions after the war."

Gray shook his head: "This isn't about compensation, it's about morality. We orchestrated the German attack on the Merika fleet, which is tantamount to..."

"That's tantamount to winning the war." Asquith interrupted him. "Edward, I know your concerns. But think about it: how long could we have held out without Micah's involvement? French morale is on the verge of collapse, Russia has effectively withdrawn from the war, and our finances are on the verge of bankruptcy. If the Germans launch another large-scale offensive, the Western Front could collapse completely."

He stood up, walked to the world map, and pointed to the western front.

"By then, it won't just be a matter of defeat. Germany will become the absolute hegemon of Europe. They will dismember France, annex Belgium, and control the Channel ports. Then, in ten or perhaps twenty years, they will come back, and their next target will be the British Isles themselves."

He turned to Gray: "Forty-three lives are a heavy price to pay, I admit. But if forty-three lives can bring about Marilyn's entry into the war, the defeat of Germany, and the future of Britain and Europe... then, on a historical scale, the price is worth it."

Gray fell silent. As a diplomat, he was well-versed in all the moral and international law discourses. But as a politician, he understood that Asquith was speaking the harsh truth.

Rear Admiral Hall added opportunely: "Moreover, we did not 'design' the attack. We merely created an opportunity, an opportunity for a German submarine commander to make a mistake. Ultimately, it was the Germans who pulled the trigger, not us."

It's a semantic sophistry, but it's logically sound.

Asquith returned to his seat, took a cigar from his humidor, and carefully cut off the end: "The question now is the next step. Once Merika enters the war, the balance of power will tilt in our favor. But this won't be immediate; Merika needs time to mobilize, and we need time to wait for their forces to reach Europe. In the meantime, Germany may make a final stand."

"They might launch a spring offensive," Gray said, "seizing the window of opportunity before the forces of Milica arrive, and attempting to achieve a decisive breakthrough on the western front."

"So we need to contain them in other ways." Asquith lit a cigar and took a deep drag. "For example... the Far East."

"Far East?"

"Lanfang," Asquith exhaled a puff of smoke, "Chen Feng's negotiations in Hawaii failed, which means Lanfang won't stop Meilika from joining the war. But at the same time, he also made it clear that if the war escalates, Lanfang will consider its own interests. And their interests... may conflict with ours."

Major General Hall continued, "Intelligence indicates that Lanfang is accelerating its military buildup. Their shipyards are very busy and heavily guarded, likely because they are building even more powerful capital ships than the Bismarck. Their army plans to expand to more than twenty divisions. More importantly, their cooperation with Japan is deepening—Japan may mobilize fifty divisions."

"Fifty divisions?" Gray exclaimed in shock. "That's over a million men! What are they planning to do?"

"It could be for the European theater, but it could also be for..." Asquith's finger slid from Europe to Asia on the map, stopping at the location of India and Southeast Asia, "...our colonies."

The room fell silent. The firewood in the fireplace crackled.

"India," Gray said softly. "If Lanfang and Japan join forces, they could cause a lot of trouble in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. Especially if their fleet is really as powerful as rumored..."

"So we need a contingency plan," Asquith said. "If Lanfang really causes trouble in the Far East, we need to be able to deal with it. But the problem is, our main fleet must remain in the Atlantic to deal with Germany, and the forces that can be transferred to the Far East are limited."

"Perhaps we could ask the Milica for help," Hall suggested. "Once the Milica joins the war, they will be our allies. The Pacific Fleet can help us maintain order in the Far East."

Asquith pondered this possibility: "But would Merika be willing? Their main target is definitely Germany. And... Chen Feng is clever; his invitation to Merika's observer to visit Lanfang is both a display of strength and a warning: the cost of being an enemy of Lanfang is high."

He stood up and walked to the map again, this time looking at the Pacific region.

"Chen Feng is a realist, not a madman. He won't challenge us for no reason. Unless... we force him."

"What do you mean?"

"It means that we should leave room for Lanfang in the arrangements for the postwar order." Asquith turned around. "Tell them that we recognize their 'special interests' in the Persian Gulf and Southeast Asia, as long as they do not threaten our core colonies or challenge our maritime hegemony. We can coexist."

Gray was somewhat surprised: "That's a huge concession."

"This is reality," Asquith said with a wry smile. "Edward, you must understand that the world is changing. Britain is no longer capable of maintaining global hegemony on its own. The Rika is rising, Lanfang is rising, and even Japan is seeking expansion. If we stubbornly cling to the old order, we will only be abandoned by history."

He walked back to his seat, flicking the ash from his cigar: "So, with Lanfang, we need to use a combination of soft and hard tactics. On the one hand, we need to demonstrate our ability to meet their challenges; on the other hand, we need to offer them a future they can accept. Let them know that cooperation is more beneficial than confrontation."

"And what about Germany?" Hall asked.

"Germany?" Asquith's eyes turned cold. "Germany must be utterly defeated, must pay the price, and must be disarmed. This is not revenge; it is for the peace of Europe for the next fifty years."

He paused, his voice softening, "Of course, it depends on the outcome of the war. If Mirika truly commits all her efforts, then this goal is achievable. If..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what came after that "if".

If the entry of Marilyka into the war goes poorly, if Germany makes a breakthrough before Marilyka's forces arrive, if the war drags on into 1918 or even 1919... then everything could change.

The firelight from the fireplace danced on everyone's faces, reflecting their inner uncertainty.

History is like a gamble, and Britain has just placed a heavy bet. Now, they can only wait for the roulette wheel to stop spinning and see which number the ball will ultimately land on.

"Send a telegram to Washington," Asquith finally said. "Tell President Wilson that Britain fully supports Merika's decision. Also...ask him if he is willing to coordinate the strategy in the Pacific and the Far East should Merika enter the war."

"Furthermore," he added, "we have sent a secret order to our colonial governors in Asia: strengthen defenses, but avoid clashes with Lanfang or Japan. Now is not the time to open a second front."

The order was given. Major General Hall left to carry it out, and Sir Grey also rose to take his leave.