Chapter 1525 - 47: Joining (Part 2)

Chapter 1525: Chapter 47: Joining (Part 2)

In the previous life, the nations of the world only needed to place their bets in the United Kingdom and the United States. The United Kingdom won the victory of World War I, with Germany and France half dead, while the United States rose strongly beyond Europe.

Now, the European problem is hard to understand. Just one United Kingdom and Germany is enough to leave the other European countries at a loss, and beyond Europe, there are two giants: East Africa and the United States.

This is a form of multipolarity to a certain extent, but this kind of multipolar international pattern is chaotic and also the most dangerous. Small and weak countries, in particular, could be punished for making a mistake in their moves.

Ernst said: "However, this also presents us with a dilemma. Now that the United Kingdom and Germany have reached a consensus, it means the establishment of this International League is entering a countdown. Should we join it?"

Obviously, the International League is not limited to an international organization of European countries. By then, a large part of the world’s countries would join, so whether East Africa needs to join the League of Nations is an issue that the East African government needs to consider.

And on this issue, East African officials have differing views.

Defense Minister Pripyat said: "Your majesty, I don’t think it is necessary. From the perspective of the Empire’s current development and plan, we have our own rhythm. Who knows if the establishment of this International League will impose some restrictive conditions on its member countries."

"The British proposed this international organization with the starting point of maintaining its interests worldwide, and this clearly conflicts with our policy of global expansion."

At the present stage, the foreign policy of East Africa and the United States is becoming more proactive. After all, with the enhancement of national strength and the rapid development of industry, their demand for markets and raw materials is also increasing.

This may also be why the British government can let go of its prejudices and grievances and cooperate with Germany.

As the world’s overlord, the United Kingdom has always held the most territories and markets worldwide, while industrial countries of the scale of East Africa and the United States would undoubtedly pose a threat to Britain if they sought to expand abroad.

This is just like the previous challenge Germany posed to the United Kingdom, the result being that Britain overall managed to suppress Germany. But facing the two more troublesome opponents, East Africa and the United States, Britain is completely powerless.

The United Kingdom can block Germany’s seafaring channels, but this tactic is completely ineffective against East Africa and the United States.

Cristiano also supported Pripyat’s viewpoint: "Exactly, the purpose of Britain and Germany is to use this International League to restrict the development of countries outside Europe."

"By then, Europe will definitely unite on external issues within the League of Nations, thereby promoting some schemes detrimental to us and the United States. If we join this International League, we would instead be constrained by it."

This consideration is completely justified. Ernst even combined it with historical experience from the previous life. That’s exactly what Europe did, and the United States refused to join the International League due to the difficulties posed by England and France.

Moreover, isolationism has always prevailed in the United States, and joining the League of Nations conflicts with this long-standing national policy of the United States.

Of course, this is also related to the League of Nations being a non-powerful international organization, so joining the League of Nations holds little practical significance.

Where there is opposition, there is naturally support. East African Foreign Minister Frier said: "As for whether to join the League of Nations, my opinion is that we should join it, which will help us use this platform to strengthen contact with other countries, especially non-great-power nations."

"Due to historical reasons, these countries have long been influenced and controlled by European powers. After all, for several centuries, Europe has been the center of modern world civilization."

"Because of the upheaval of the Age of Exploration, European countries established extensive influence worldwide. Now with the emergence of the League of Nations, if it can be well managed, it is undoubtedly a platform for us to communicate and connect with other countries."

"This also aligns with the Empire’s basic national conditions of being more proactive and open in the diplomatic field at present. Of course, the premise is that the International League will not overly interfere with East Africa."

"But in fact, the League of Nations is just a non-powerful international organization. Even if European countries intend to suppress us, in practice, we can ignore it, and in the worst case, simply withdraw from it without much impact on us."

This point can also find a reference in the previous life, such as when the Soviet Union later joined the League of Nations with this idea to deepen its international influence, though the Soviet Union was later expelled.

But this also just shows that the Soviet Union was not recognized by the ’international community,’ whereas the international community generally referred to Europe in the early 20th century.

In East Africa, naturally, there are also people who want to gain ’international recognition.’ This is like some people in East Africa who wholeheartedly want to enter the German circle.

However, the actual situation is that East Africa’s level of acceptance in the international community can only be considered average, and even as a self-proclaimed German nation, the attitudes of Germany and Austria towards East Africa changed after the war.

Between countries, there are only interests. Before World War I, the people of Germany and Austria did not favor East Africa. However, on a government level, because they needed East Africa, the relationship was still good.

But with East African industrialization and various interest disputes before and after World War I, the attitudes of Germany and Austria towards East Africa at the government level also changed.

These issues can actually be summarized as problems that East Africa, as a late-developing country, must overcome. Let alone East Africa, even the United States and Germany, which have a ’long’ history compared to East Africa, have long been marginalized and belittled by the ’international community.’