When Italy and Austria were offering a lot of benefits to win over Bulgaria, Britain and France were doing the same thing, but the target they chose was not Bulgaria.
In the Prime Minister's Office in Athens, the capital of Greece, the two ambassadors of Britain and France were talking with Prime Minister Venizelos.
Speaking of which, Prime Minister Venizelos is a man of great influence. He was born on the island of Crete. His father was a revolutionary on the island of Crete and was exiled to Sylo by the Turks.
Venizelos has lived there with his family since he was two years old. He later went to university in Athens and was a student leader. After receiving a law degree, he returned to Crete and worked as a lawyer and journalist.
After the First Balkan War, when Italy supported the Republic of Crete, he happily joined and became a member of the parliament. However, Venizelos soon discovered that the Italians were too powerful in Crete.
, affecting the situation of the Republic all the time.
This made Venizelos indignant, and he later organized a resistance army to try to overthrow this puppet-like republican government, but failed and was captured by the Cretan police with both weapons and weapons.
However, in view of Venizelos's high prestige in Crete (after all, he was the son of a revolutionary leader), the Cretan government exiled him without amnesty and could not return to the Republic of Crete.
Venizelos then went to Greece and interacted closely with the Military Association composed of young officers. Later, the Military Association launched a revolution in Greece and invited Venizelos to be its leader. At the urging of Venizelos, the Military Association and George
The king revised the constitution. In the general election held in August 1908, Venizelos was elected as a member of parliament and became Prime Minister of Greece in October.
After becoming prime minister, Venizelos continued to consolidate the secret alliance with Serbia, and later even brought Romania in before the war broke out. As a result, under the prime minister's wonderful diplomacy, Bulgaria's fate was decided by the three countries.
.
Everyone knows what happened next. Under the leadership of this prime minister, Greece acquired South Macedonia and many islands on the east side of the Aegean Sea, bringing Greece's strength one step closer.
In addition, Prime Minister Venizelos is a pro-British and French faction. After the war broke out, he called on Greece to join the Allied Powers. However, because the new King of Greece, Constantine I, was related by marriage to the German royal family, he sympathized with the Alliance.
The country rejected his proposal.
Now, here in Greece, the king is pro-German and the prime minister is pro-British, making Greek diplomacy unpredictable.
However, there is a question mark on this, because its pro-British tradition has not been lost, so London believes that Greece has a strong pro-British tradition. Although its king is pro-German, the prime minister who holds most of the power is pro-British, so Greece is
It is a country that is very easy to win over to the Allied Powers.
"Prime Minister Venizelos, as long as your country joins our entente camp, then after defeating the Allies, the southern Albania region, the island of Cyprus, and the Twelve Italian Groups can be owned by your country. In addition, your country can also annex the Republic of Crete.
, I believe that the Greeks on Crete are enthusiastically looking forward to merging with Greece.”
The British Ambassador, Mr. Villegas, was working hard to explain to Prime Minister Venizelos the conditions offered by the Allied Powers.
To be fair, the conditions mentioned by the British ambassador are simply too good for Greece.
Although Prime Minister Venizelos was very moved by the conditions of the British ambassador, as an excellent prime minister, he certainly knew the importance of this choice. Not to mention that the current performance of the Allied Powers camp in this war was not very good.
"Thank you for your interest in our country. Although our country is also willing to join the alliance camp that punishes those who provoked this war, our country is not ready at the moment. I am sorry that this has disappointed your country."
Although Prime Minister Venizelos declined, since they came with a purpose, how could the two ambassadors give up.
I saw French Ambassador Durden speaking. "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, your country is not ready. It doesn't matter. If your country is short of weapons and funds, we can provide it to your country. In addition, don't look at the current alliance camp, which looks like different fronts.
have the advantage, but your country also needs to see that we, the Allied National Front
The huge advantage of the battalion. Although our country has lost a lot of territory, even Paris was occupied by the Germans. But we are working hard to retake Paris. Soldiers from our two countries are working hard for this. Although we suffered a small setback in Bonteru
, but this does not affect the fact that we will definitely capture Paris.
In addition, regardless of the population, territory, and finance of each country, our Allied camp is far more powerful than the Alliance camp. To be fair, as long as our Allied camp does not fall in the first wave of attacks, then the Alliance camp will be a little bit weaker
Chances are useless. Because we can draw manpower from various colonies. Even if these colonial armies fight less than one-third of the German and Italian armies, they only have as many people as we have more. Not to mention that we can also purchase supplies from all over the world.
And what about Deio?
They can only obtain it from their own country, and at most buy it from surrounding neutral countries. However, we must know that many strategic materials in Europe are not available at all and must be purchased from all over the world. For example, rubber, saltpeter ore and other important materials related to the outcome of the war, weapons and ammunition, etc. are also the same
So. In addition..."
According to the French ambassador, the difficulties the Allies are facing are only temporary. They can rely on their massive population and supplies to kill the Allied camp, but it will take a little longer.
After the French Ambassador finished speaking, British Ambassador Villegas continued, "If your country joins, our country will immediately prepare 20 million pounds of funds for your country, and is also willing to provide 15 million pounds of military supplies.
"
Prime Minister Venizelos was already tempted by the British and French ambassadors' analysis and words of assistance. As the French ambassador said, from all aspects, the strength of Britain, France and Russia is much higher than that of Germany, Italy and Austria. Although the two parties are currently
The camp has also joined the Ottomans and Japan. From these two new countries, it can be seen that Japan is far stronger than the Ottomans, and the military strength of the two parties is not comparable at all.
By joining the Entente, according to the conditions disclosed by the British and French ambassadors, Greece will increase its territory by one-third and its population by one-quarter. This opportunity does not come around all the time.
Prime Minister Venizelos, who had figured it out at this time, immediately said, "I personally agree with what the two ambassadors said, but joining you requires the consent of His Majesty the King. At this point we have great difficulties."
At this time, Prime Minister Venizelos had already expressed his agreement, and now it was the king who was a bit sad to pass.
After hearing Prime Minister Venizelos's statement that he was willing to join the Allied Powers, the two ambassadors also suppressed their excitement.
"Please rest assured, Prime Minister, that our two countries are willing to fully support you. I believe that a good king will not ignore the wishes of the people. If he must do this, the anger of the people will be enough to burn through the king's throne. Perhaps by then a good king will not ignore the wishes of the people."
A new king who can listen to the voices of the people is more worthy of the people's expectations."
Well, changing the king's words is so fresh and refined, it's no wonder he is proficient in business.
"Thank you both for your support. I think His Majesty I will consider it seriously."
Although these two people can say whatever they want, Venizelos, as Prime Minister, cannot say this, but the meaning of his words has already shown that he agrees with the two ambassadors.
So if the pro-German King Constantine persists in his obsession, abdicating the throne and going into exile will be his best outcome.
As for why Britain and France wanted to win over Greece at all costs, it was mainly because of the situation in the Mediterranean.
The current situation in the Mediterranean Sea has begun to deteriorate with the successive entry into service of the Rome class. Although the Mediterranean Combined Fleet of the Allied Powers has various battleships from Britain, France and Japan, none of them is equipped with a 380 mm caliber battleship.
As for why there is so much emphasis on the 380 mm caliber main gun, it is because starting from the design of battleships equipped with 380 mm main guns, battleship designers no longer pursue the battleship to defend its own artillery attacks. This means that starting from the 380 mm caliber,
The firepower of battleships is greater than the defense. This also means that starting from the 380mm battleship, other battleships with weaker calibers are no match for it.
The imbalance of naval power has also worsened the situation in the Mediterranean. Before the British Queen Elizabeth class enters service, if you want to delay the enemy's seizure of the Suez Canal, you must expand the front. The addition of Greece will make the Allies' power in the Mediterranean must be dispersed.
Some to Greece.
This also destined Greece to be cannon fodder, but after the victory of the war, Britain and France were very willing to fulfill their promises. After all, Greece played a sufficient role.
