Chapter 509: Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
"Kitchener has long prepared for this, General," the former First Lord continued. "He was waiting precisely for this moment."
Noticing Charles's confusion, he elaborated further. "He encouraged my pursuit of the Dardanelles campaign. It was a scheme."
"Are you implying that he anticipated defeat at the Dardanelles from the start?" Charles found this hard to believe.
"No," the former First Lord shook his head. "A victory at the Dardanelles wouldn't significantly benefit the Army, but a defeat would greatly enhance the Army's position."
Charles considered this briefly, then slowly nodded in understanding.
The Dardanelles operation was an enormous undertaking, involving the main British Royal Navy force alongside hundreds of thousands of colonial troops, targeting an apparently weak Ottoman Empire. Victory would have been expected, almost obligatory. But defeat meant the British Navy lost face, naturally shifting military influence to the Army.
"There's something else," the former First Lord grimaced as if he'd eaten something bitter. "While we were busy plotting how to defeat the Ottomans, Kitchener had already begun securing loans from the Americans."
"Loans from America?" Charles was puzzled. How would that affect the war?
Then it suddenly struck him: supplies! Securing American loans meant securing vital supplies. Controlling supplies meant controlling the military's direction—affecting not just the French but also the British Army.
The former First Lord nodded slightly. "I see you've already guessed it."
"The Americans, nurtured by the Monroe Doctrine, have long pursued a policy of strict neutrality," he continued. "Therefore, America officially couldn't provide loans to the Allies, let alone armaments or supplies. But Kitchener easily breached this barrier."
The former First Lord sighed deeply, looking directly at Charles. "Do you know how he accomplished it?"
Charles shook his head, realizing he was woefully lacking in business intelligence—a severe oversight for someone soon entering the American market.
"He approached American financial interests," the First Lord explained calmly. "An ingenious strategy indeed: for the initial $500 million arms contract, the Morgan financial consortium of Wall Street (a prominent Jewish financial group) was offered a 2% commission—$10 million—if they successfully facilitated the deal."
He spread his hands dramatically. "Who could resist such a temptation—especially capitalists who live for profit?"
Charles smiled bitterly, fully aware of this reality.
The rest was predictable. The financiers eagerly lobbied the U.S. government, launching widespread propaganda among the public:
"If we refuse the loan, we refuse trade. Without trade, production suffers; industry stagnates."
"Idle capital and unemployed labor will inevitably follow. Chaos in the financial sector, unemployment, social unrest..."
These concerns directly impacted American citizens' living standards. Before long, public opinion shifted decisively:
"We must consider our livelihoods first!"
"Why reject profitable business? No sensible person would refuse such a lucrative deal."
"The war is far across the Atlantic—what concern is it to us?"
Thus, the loans went through, and massive quantities of war materials began flowing from America to the Western Front and Britain, predominantly controlled by Kitchener himself.
The First Lord continued:
"With these resources, Kitchener no longer had to heed the Navy or even Parliament. Two months ago, the House of Commons rejected his proposal to expand the Army. Ignoring Parliament, Kitchener invoked 'wartime emergency powers,' recruiting volunteers and rapidly expanding the Army to nearly a million soldiers."
"You understand the advantages this grants Kitchener, correct?"
Seeing Charles's confusion, General Winter interjected, "Kitchener intends the Army to lead Britain to final victory, securing himself immense political capital."
Realization dawned upon Charles. It was all preparation for a future bid to become Prime Minister. Military victory provided prestige, and a million soldiers—and their families—were potential voters.
Charles looked knowingly at the First Lord. "Is this also one reason you pushed aggressively for the Dardanelles campaign?"
The First Lord acknowledged candidly, "Why not pursue victory when it seemed assured?"
Unfortunately for him, a victory he saw as guaranteed ended disastrously, allowing Kitchener the perfect opening.
The former First Lord silently regretted not heeding Charles's previous advice. Every warning Charles had voiced about the Dardanelles proved remarkably accurate. The boy was practically a prophet. Had he listened, this disaster would have been avoided.
After a pause, Charles asked bluntly, "Still, I fail to see how this concerns me."
"It absolutely concerns you, General," General Winter leaned forward urgently. "The ascendance of the British Army allows them dominance over the French forces. They'll impose their strategies upon you, endangering your troops..."
"I'm well aware of that," Charles interrupted impatiently. "What I'm unclear on is the purpose of our cooperation. Do you want me to help the Royal Navy?"
"Precisely," the First Lord nodded. "Assist us in reclaiming naval authority, restoring Parliament's rightful role."
"And then?" Charles pressed. "What exactly does this change?"
"Then, through Parliament, we can limit Kitchener's power," the First Lord said confidently. "We can also restore your autonomy, General."
Charles laughed dismissively. "By then, perhaps my forces will have already perished. Moreover, Kitchener's power stems from American loans and resources—Parliament yields because of this, as does the French Parliament."
"You're correct, General," the First Lord replied calmly. "However, recently, the Germans have announced 'Unrestricted Submarine Warfare.' They'll target every merchant vessel bound for Britain indiscriminately—including those from America."
(Note: Germany's most famous declaration of "Unrestricted Submarine Warfare" occurred in 1917, but they initially declared this policy briefly in 1915, later rescinding it for fear of American involvement.)
Charles suddenly understood the First Lord's intention.
If the Royal Navy effectively countered German submarines, Kitchener would lose absolute control over supplies. Naval power would become indispensable—indeed, perhaps the decisive factor in the war.
With hopeful anticipation, the former First Lord gazed earnestly at Charles. "I'm unsure if you can resolve this issue, but General Winter assures me nothing is impossible for you."
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