Chapter 6

"Comrade Braun, what should I say?" Lenin shrugged and wore a bitter smile — discussing issues of capital and war with an official of the German Empire felt like talking to a cow about the moon.

"Comrade Lenin, I understand your point, completely!" A hint of worry appeared on Hessman's plump face. "Surplus value, overproduction, wars for the international market... I have read Mr. Marx's works, but phenomena that Mr. Marx cannot explain are about to appear!"

"What phenomena?" Lenin asked, frowning.

"America will join the war!"

"What!?"

Before Lenin could react, Ettel exclaimed in surprise: "That's impossible! America has no reason to join the war!"

The reasons he referred to were not superficial. Superficial reasons were easy to find, such as unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmermann Telegram. But deeper reasons were hard to find.

Hessman looked at Lenin, who remained noncommittal, clearly uncertain about whether America would join the war.

Ettel loudly stated: "America has no reason to join the war because defeating Germany will gain them nothing! Germany has few overseas colonies, and the colonies of Britain, France, Italy, and Japan are not enough to divide. As for occupying a piece of land in Central Europe, that is absolutely impossible!"

Hessman also said: "Yes, the domestic markets of Germany and Austria-Hungary are probably not what America wants... Compared to what Germany and Austria-Hungary have, Britain and France are truly dripping with wealth. Especially the British Empire! They rule the seas, have the Indian market, and practically control China, as well as being the masters of the gold-rich South Africa. If Britain loses the war or fails on the European continent, Britain will not be able to maintain its pre-war status. Then America can at least demand a share of British hegemony, perhaps even take over some of Britain and France's colonies. If America helps Britain defeat Germany and Austria-Hungary, the British Empire's hegemony will be preserved. America will gain nothing except massive casualties and military expenses."

"So America will not join the war!" Ettel said with great certainty. "They just need to sit and watch, and after Germany defeats France, they can rule the world alongside Britain and Germany."

Since the German surface fleet had become a non-operational fleet after the Battle of Jutland, even the optimistic Ettel did not believe the German Navy could land the army on the British Isles. Moreover, the war-weariness in Germany was growing, and a second defeat of France to end the war honorably would probably make everyone thank God. No one would fantasize about landing on British soil.

Therefore, for Germany, the most favorable outcome of this great war would be to weaken France and Russia, while supporting a pro-German Russian regime, restoring the Russo-German alliance, and finally ruling the world together with Britain and America — which seemed to benefit America as well!

If we consider overall national strength, America was the world's second power (if we don't consider Britain's vast colonies, America's national strength was number one). Theoretically, America was the primary target of British Empire's vigilance. America should be hoping for the British Empire's downfall, even if it cannot replace Britain, it could change the British rule of the world to a tripartite rule by Britain, America, and Germany.

As for the loans America lent to Britain and France, they were not a reason for America to stand with Britain and France to destroy Germany. After all, with the strength of Germany and Austria-Hungary, they could at most force France to sue for peace — France would still exist after defeat, just like after the Franco-Prussian War. Britain would not be attacked, and the British Empire would still exist, just losing its pre-war prestige and hegemony (the world would be ruled by Britain, America, and Germany).

So America did not have to worry about where to collect its debts, and compared to partial world hegemony, those dollars were insignificant.

"America's participation in the war is indeed unlikely," Lenin thought for a long time before finally giving an answer, but he was still unwilling to say it definitively. "But if Britain is willing to share hegemony with America after the war..."

"No!" Hessman interrupted his mentor, very confidently. "America will definitely join the war! Soon, I estimate that after the Russian Revolution, the American ruling group has already decided to join the war, and is now just waiting for the right moment to announce it. Moreover, Britain will not share hegemony with America! America will not gain anything valuable from joining the war... including territory, colonies, and reparations."

Lenin burst out laughing: "That's impossible! Americans won't fight for nothing."

"No, they will!" Hessman said, "Because the American and British monopoly groups are essentially one... the current Britain and America are just two subsidiaries under one monopoly trust. Whether world hegemony is in British or American hands makes no difference to the groups behind the scenes. But if hegemony falls into the hands of a nationalist Germany or a Bolshevik-ruled Russia, it will be a complete disaster for those controlling Britain and America!

Therefore, America will spare no effort to stop Germany and the future Bolshevik Russia, and Germany is likely to lose this war because of it!"

"No! That's impossible!" Ettel shouted, "Hessman! Are these the judgments of the General Staff...?"

As soon as he said this, Ettel realized he had spoken out of turn, but he did not hide anything, just frowned and looked at Hessman.

Lenin also stared intently at Hessman, but did not press for more, as if he had not heard Ettel's words.

Hessman glanced at Ettel, then met his great mentor's gaze, and said word by word: "After Germany's defeat, the Bolshevik Russia you lead will become a thorn in the side of the international capitalist group!"

"No, that's impossible!" Lenin firmly denied, "If America really joins the war as you say and defeats Germany, then Germany will have a revolution, just like Russia! This will be the beginning of the world revolution!"

The mentor was repeating his consistent judgment... the world war would turn into a civil war, and the soldiers in the front-line trenches of various countries would turn their guns on their own reactionary regimes along with the working class, thus achieving the world revolution.

However, Hessman was very clear that the mentor's judgment was wrong — because there was no one as foolish as Kerensky in Germany!

Hessman just shook his head, "Why don't we make a bet! Comrade Lenin, my judgment is that America will declare war on Germany this month or next! Because if we delay any longer, Germany might become the master of the European continent, and it will be harder to defeat. Even if Germany is defeated, it will still be a capitalist country, and the proletarian revolution in Germany will not succeed."

Lenin looked at Hessman calmly, unsure whether Hessman's words represented his personal judgment or the view of the German General Staff.

"Comrade Braun," Lenin said solemnly, "you want to make a bet? What will we bet?"

"Your friendship with the Russian people!" Hessman looked at his great mentor and said word by word, "If my judgment is correct, I hope to become your friend and the friend of the Russian people!" As he spoke, he smiled and extended his right hand.

"Alright! It's a deal!" Lenin nodded heavily, smiling and shook hands with Hessman.

Lenin and the old friend of the Soviet people... Hessman knew this title would be very valuable for his future. Because in the history of Germany between the two world wars that he knew, Germany and the Soviet Union had once been very close. Using the Soviet Union to restore Germany's strength had been a long-term national policy.

In the subsequent conferences and treaties such as the Genoa Conference, the Treaty of Rapallo, the Locarno Treaties, the Berlin Treaty, the Moscow Economic Treaty, and the 1926 Soviet-German Treaty of Friendship and Neutrality, Germany used its friendship with the Soviet Union to gain significant benefits, successfully dismantling the anti-German alliance and laying the foundation for Germany's revival. Not to mention the benefits Hitler gained from repeatedly exploiting the Soviet threat and dividing Poland with the Soviet Union.

It could be said that without the diplomatic and military achievements Germany made from the end of the First World War to the outbreak of the Soviet-German War, none of them would have been possible without the Soviet Union! After the outbreak of the Soviet-German War, the Third Reich began its decline!

In the post-war trend of Soviet-German coordination, the future of a German officer with Lenin's friendship would naturally not be too bad. Mobile users, please visit http://m.piaotia.net

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