Iron and Blood: A Triumph of the Will

Warsaw, Belvedel Palace.

Although Poland does not currently have a formal presidential palace, the place where Piłsudski is located is the power center of the entire country.

Therefore, this place has become the de facto presidential residence of Poland.

The camera zooms in, revealing that various ministers have gathered in the Polish president's office, awaiting his arrival.

"Why hasn't our president arrived yet?"

Roman Demowski, Piłsudski's biggest political rival in Poland, was getting impatient.

He saw no need to give the Polish president any face: "We've been waiting here long enough. Does our president simply lack the will to keep to himself, or does he consider Russian affairs more important than German territory?"

Since its liberation from German control, the Republic of Poland has had a strained relationship with its neighbors.

In addition to plotting a secession on German territory, Poland also clashed with the Russians to the east.

The conflict between the two countries was not very serious at first, but since the Russians captured Minsk on December 11, their attitudes have become more delicate.

It is said that in western Belarus, the Poles and Russians have already engaged in preliminary skirmishes, and tensions between the two sides on the border are gradually escalating.

A major battle is gradually brewing...

"Your Excellency Demovsky, please watch your words."

Prime Minister Yonjei Morachevsky retorted with displeasure, "His Excellency the President did not arrive on purpose; the situation is very delicate right now."

"We not only have border conflicts with the Russians, but also with the Ukrainians to the east. There are wars everywhere... enemies everywhere."

Indeed, the Poles nowadays have enemies everywhere, except for the Germans and Russians.

They also have conflicts with Ukrainians, Czechoslovakia to the south, and even Lithuanians.

Fortunately, the threat was not as serious as Prime Minister Morachevsky had described. The Ukrainians were already in retreat on the battlefield, and the front lines were largely under control. As for the Slovaks in the south, their army was not a serious problem for the Poles. So the Poles' attention was still on the Russians.

"You're not getting anywhere by just talking about the so-called German problem. Our target is still the Russians; they are our real enemy."

"Indeed, the Russians are our enemies, more so than the Germans."

War Minister Edward Ritz-Himmigwi echoed, "The Germans have been utterly defeated; they are like stray dogs, and their threat is not very serious to us."

Interior Minister Stanisław Tugut: "But I have heard that the Germans have taken control of Poz and have sent troops to block all communications there, clearly intending to thwart our plans there. Moreover, there are disturbances in Silesia. The German Free Corps has been formed, and their target is clearly Silesia."

"Silesia is not important to us."

"The most important thing is to preserve our eastern territories," Riz-Shimigvi retorted. "The Germans have been completely defeated. Even if they hold onto Silesia or Poz, they won't pose much of a threat to us. They'll be struggling to breathe for the next decade or so."

"Rather than making enemies with them later, it's better to take this opportunity to fight the Russians with all our might."

In fact, Poland is now divided into two factions. One faction is the nationalist core faction led by Roman Demowski. They advocate separating Silesia, Pomerania, and Prussia from German territory and bringing these lands back into Poland's hands to ensure that Poland's economy will not be controlled by Germany and to greatly expand Poland's living space in the future.

However, Piłsudski and his men did not think so, even though they were also Polish.

However, their demands were much more realistic than those of the core nationalists. Piłsudski only asked that the border between Germany and Poland be restored to what it was before 1772. As for West Prussia and Danzig, they could remain in Germany. Moreover, Piłsudski felt that the territory he was asking for was not excessive. Poznan was a territory where Polish-speaking people were the majority, and even if the Germans returned it to Poland, it would not create any enmity.

Moreover, Piłsudski did not consider the Allied Powers to be very reliable. He believed that Russia and Germany were very powerful and, once they recovered, would be formidable adversaries.

Despite Poland's current territorial advantage, it is actually just a paper tiger.

Poland was only able to briefly suppress Germany with the help of the Allied Powers; the Germans were not to be trifled with.

Even if the Poles were to manage to take Silesia and West Prussia by sheer luck, Poland would inevitably face another war.

Pisulski would never eat that poisoned cake.

Moreover, he did not want Poland to become a sandwich in the future, threatened by both Russia and Germany, and for the tragedy of Poland's demise to repeat itself.

Therefore, from the moment he took office as president, his strategic focus has always been on the east and the west.

By focusing all resources and resources on the east, the aim was to build a strong Polish-Lithuanian federation.

Only by building a strong nation can Poland survive.

"Yes, yes, we don't need a sea outlet anymore, right?"

"You're giving up on core territory too, right?"

"Then what are we still talking about here?" Demovsky changed his expression and said with a cold sarcasm, "Why don't you just put your legs up and sell out your country?"

"..." Riz-Shimigvi's words enraged him: "You son of a bitch, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"I'm just stating the facts..."

"you!"

Just as Riz-Shimigwi was about to greet Demovsky's mother in one breath, the door to the president's office was slowly pushed open.

A middle-aged man, about 1.75 meters tall, walked in. He had a small head, a narrow forehead, and a drooping mustache.

With a cold and dignified demeanor, nimble movements, and sharp, piercing grey-blue eyes, he said: "If you enjoy selling out your country, go to Paris, don't talk about it here."

"This is Warsaw, not a place for you to talk big."

"Demowski, we must always consider reality."

"Completely offending those Germans will not do us any good."

"But what if those Germans aren't even willing to give us Potssee?"

Demovsky looked at the middle-aged man and coldly uttered his name: "Pilsudski!"