Iron and Blood: A Triumph of the Will

"Your Highness, isn't that a bit shocking?"

Taking a deep breath, Karl Moertek had a vague understanding of the implied meaning in Joachim's words. Was this the so-called threat of war?

The cigarette dangling from his lips froze at that moment.

"Can I be considered a threat of war?"

"I didn't say that; I was just stating a point of view."

Joachim carefully lit the bottle for him, then casually waved his hand: "Either coexist, or perish together."

Joachim reiterated his point of view.

"And we have learned our lesson; we will never again initiate a war."

Although he said that, he couldn't suppress the sneer on his face.

"Your words send chills down my spine; you're a complete madman."

Karl Moertek got up to leave, but Joachim stopped him: "Aren't you going to address me either?"

"I don't want to talk to you anymore. If you have anything else to say, please say it as soon as possible."

"Of course, we Germans have learned lessons from history."

"What lesson?"

"Whoever makes us Germans go hungry, we'll make them go hungry too."

"The German fleet is now in the British hands, and they never made such boasts when the High Seas Fleet was sailing the Atlantic."

Carl Moultek sat down and couldn't help but retort, "Don't even mention now. Your navy is pitifully small right now, and the British have basically never lost. Thinking about starting a war now will only lead to the complete downfall of your regime!"

"We are peace-loving Germans, and we have never thought about going to war."

Joachim fiddled with the half-smoked cigarette in his hand.

"Germans love peace? This is a complete joke."

"You've killed the conversation. I'm speechless."

Joachim raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder: "Relax, don't make us look like enemies."

"You are the one threatening me, not me threatening you."

Why is it so difficult to talk to you?

"I've already said, we are peace lovers, and we will not start a war."

"To be honest, Your Highness, what exactly do you want?"

Karl Moertek really didn't want to play games with Joachim anymore, because he thought the guy in front of him was a madman who kept bringing up the issue of war. If someone like that came to power, what would become of him?

Is the whole of Europe brewing another world war?

"We hope Denmark will lower agricultural product prices, ideally restoring them to pre-war levels..."

"That's impossible, Your Highness, we need to make money..."

"What money could these poorly made canned goods possibly be worth?"

"You've already made a fortune, alright."

"These all come at a cost, Your Highness..."

"Cost? Are your lives a cost?" Joachim took a breath and sneered, "Germany is not a small country. Even though our troops have been disarmed, it won't cost them much to attack Denmark."

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister..." Brodokdov-Rancho, who was listening nearby, felt that Joachim's words were a bit excessive.

But Joachim raised his hand to stop him.

"War alone cannot threaten Denmark; the British will protect Denmark."

Karl Moertek was not intimidated by Joachim's threat of war; he saw it merely as a bargaining chip.

After all, anyone in the world could see that the Germans would lose.

Even when the Germans occupied Denmark, it was merely a death throes.

"Yes, we will protect you, but we will align ourselves with the Russians."

Joachim nodded, satisfied with the other party's rebuttal; this was exactly the effect he wanted.

"The Russians are on the side of the Entente..." Karl Moertek continued in response.

I'm referring to Red Russia.

"You can pass on a message to the British: if they can refuse to lift the naval blockade, then don't blame us for aligning ourselves with Red Russia."

"The Hohenzollern family may have been defeated, but Germany has not been defeated; it is a powerful industrial nation."

"At my feet lie the starving German people. When we don't even have the right to live, then don't blame us for doing crazy things."

Joachim paused, deliberately observing Karl Moertek's expression.

The latter's expression had become unsettled, because he had realized what Joachim was about to say.

"And I have read Marx, so I do not believe that this system cannot be implemented in Europe."

"Are some people in Red Russia openly clamoring to establish so-called Soviet regimes throughout the world?"

"I don't think there's anything wrong with making deals with them. The Germans trade weapons for their food to feed themselves."

"I think it's a good fit."

With each word Joachim spoke, Karl Moultek's face paled further.

Indeed, Red Russia's clamor for world revolution has become increasingly unbridled.

And what's most terrifying is that these so-called revolutions really spread like a plague.

Leaving aside Germany, which was most severely impacted by the revolution, the current general strike in Britain is instigated by those so-called Red Russias!

Although the British have suppressed the rebellion, they still harbor deep fear of the communist regime.

Now look at the White Army; although they are currently on the offensive.

But if Germany were to truly give its full support to Red Russia...

The outcome remains to be seen.

After a long silence, Karl Moultek finally spoke, his voice trembling: "Are you really courting death by cooperating with those Red Russians?"

"Don't forget how His Majesty Nicholas died?"

"You are also a member of the royal family..."

"They're not giving us a way to survive, how are we supposed to live?"

Joachim stubbed out his cigarette, twisted his lips, and revealed an extremely dangerous smile: "If the British can choose to fight again, then we Germans will naturally have to fight to the end."

"If we Germans have gone to hell, then we might as well drag all Europeans down with us."

"Either coexist or perish together!"