Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

Argentina naturally has its own plans, but they are not enough for outsiders to understand.

On May 20, 1866, King William I of the Netherlands and Chief of General Staff Mark Rudd invited King William I of the Kingdom of Prussia and Chief of General Staff Moltke to pay a goodwill visit to Amsterdam. William I accepted the invitation and officially arrived on the 23rd. amsterdam.

After a grand banquet in Amsterdam, William IV invited William I and General Moltke to have a 2+2 dialogue.

Mao Qi first said:

"Eternal peace is just a dream, not even a beautiful dream. War partly embodies God's will. Without war, the world will stagnate and indulge in utilitarianism. In the state of war, humanity's best manifestations are revealed. Noble virtues: courage and selflessness, devotion to duty, voluntary self-sacrifice and the courage to risk one’s life.”

His Majesty William IV and William I both looked at each other with smiles and neither answered.

King versus king, versus general. When the general raises a question, the general will answer it.

Mark Rudd took a solemn moment and then said: "If the war breaks out, no one can predict how long it will last, and no one knows how it will end. General Moltke, it will be a seven-year war, and even it will was a Thirty Years' War and might even give"

He looked at Moltke and sighed: "It will bring disaster to the person who first throws the match into the powder keg."

Moltke said without hesitation: "As a soldier, executing military orders is the most important and basic moral character and professional ethics. We only need to carry out the instructions from the cabinet and the king, and others will be planned and planned.

Our Prime Minister Bismarck said that pacifism in Europe is neither universally recognized by citizens nor supported by politicians of major powers. The idea of ​​unconstrained national power is deeply rooted.

Therefore, General Ludde, we should not think of the world as too great. Great people always only account for a minority, and Prussia only lives for itself."

As expected, as His Majesty William IV said, Prussia is arrogant and self-centered.

Mark Rudd saw General Moltke thinking that Prussia did not represent the world.

William IV once told him that Prussia ultimately lived in its own world.

Therefore, when dealing with Prussia, one must be careful in calculating Prussia's interests and how much they will give away, in order to gain sincere cooperation from the other party.

Thinking of this, Macrud thought to himself: The British are much more generous. Although they are just sanctimonious, their appearance is more elegant.

However, William IV said to William I: "Since General Moltke said this, is Prussia now determined in its African action plan?

William I, who was over 70 years old, looked at the 26-year-old King of the Netherlands: "We must do it."

William IV narrowed his eyes and reminded: "Although the Austro-Hungarian Empire is newly established, its strength is not weak."

William I said nonchalantly: "Replace the old cap with a new bottle. Dogs can't change, they just eat shit."

William IV seemed moved and said: "France has 5,000 French troops stationed in Gabon. I feel that Cameroon's 30,000 Prussian troops can eat them in one bite. Austria-Hungary's 20,000 troops are in Eastern Nigeria. They are too small." Well, it’s a tough nut for Prussia.”

How could William I not hear that William IV was insinuating that Prussia was just picking up soft bones to eat? Otherwise, why would the Prussian colony of Gabon in the south of Cameroon be a quarter of the Austro-Hungarian army in the north? Grab Nigeria instead of Gabon.

He didn't feel angry at all, but more embarrassed.

William IV heard an old saying that people who grow old but do not die are the best.

It is not an exaggeration to use it on William I.

I saw William I saying: "The friendly neighbor relationship with the Netherlands makes us in Prussia not want to be with the Netherlands in Africa, so it is not bad to be separated by Gabon."

William IV asked doubtfully: "Why?"

Mark Rudd and both of them were also attracted.

William I: "Because we only want to expand to less friendly neighbors. As you know, the Netherlands and Prussia have always had a close relationship, Your Majesty William IV, right?"

Are the relations between Prussia and the Netherlands really close enough?

How should William IV respond?

It’s hard to say, but William I just said that Prussia was pursuing an expansion policy towards its unfriendly neighbors. Didn’t this agree with the statement that Prussia could oppress the Netherlands?

If the two countries are friendly, does that mean that the Netherlands must take more cooperative actions with Prussia? For example, in the confrontation between Prussia and France, does it mean that the Netherlands must side with Prussia?

These are all things William IV needs to calculate.

He knew that after the Temper War and the Austro-Prussian War, Prussia Bismarck and William I began to prepare for the Franco-Prussian War. In the previous life, this war had been prepared for four years and did not start until 1870. It lasted for nearly a year and ended with the Prussian War. Arriving in Paris, in 1871 at the Palace of Versailles, William I in front of him officially announced the establishment of the German Empire and began the era of the Troika ruling Europe, which remained unchanged until 150 years later.

Since the Netherlands is familiar with this time point and the occurrence of the event, the Netherlands will naturally not let go of the possible risks and the benefits that can be obtained. Of course, buying an insurance is also the most important.

Warming up, William IV knew it was time to get down to business.

"I also think that Prussia has too few interests in the Gulf of Nigeria. Therefore, we in the Netherlands support Prussia in this operation."

William I said with a smile on his face: "How can the Netherlands support this law?"

Macrud looked at William IV nervously.

It was obvious that William I spoke with coercion, and this feeling was really unpleasant.

However, seeing the indifferent look of Moltke across from him, Macrud couldn't afford to lose His Majesty's face, so he pretended to be confident.

William IV burst into laughter, and the atmosphere became lighter, as if a gust of breeze had blown away some turbid air, and said: "The stability of the Netherlands is the best support for Prussia. Does your Majesty think you are right?"

William I's expression changed: "Is His Majesty William IV threatening me?"

William IV: "How dare you, I just don't think Belgium's pro-British policy will fall on the Netherlands without any reason. Of course, if Napoleon III is not too ambitious for land, and we in the Netherlands are just like Prussia, Germans, otherwise, I would actually prefer to cooperate with France."

Moltke's expression suddenly changed, and William I's expression also changed slightly. Then he raised his head and looked at William IV, who also looked at him. Both of them stared at each other for a long time.

While Mark Rudd and Moltke, the two chiefs of staff, were worried, William I and William IV burst out laughing.

William I praised: "The Netherlands deserves to be a people of the same language and race as Prussia, and a great Germanic people."