Chapter 0740: The Empire's Terms

In the capital of Germany, Berlin, within the royal palace, a meeting with the Emperor's closest advisors was underway.

"Gentlemen, have preparations for the assault on Britain been completed?" Qin Tian inquired. For the German Empire, launching an attack on the British Isles had now become the foremost priority.

"Your Majesty, preparations are nearly complete. All the participating units have assembled at their designated locations, ready for deployment. All necessary war supplies have been delivered to the French ports. Once the order is given, we can immediately commence the attack on Britain!" General von Falkenhayn, the Minister of the Army and Chief of Staff, reported.

The German Army had spent an extensive amount of time meticulously preparing for this campaign. The German Navy had already crushed the once-mighty Royal Navy of Britain. Now, it was the turn of the German Army to sweep across the British Isles and deliver a decisive blow to the British.

"And what of the naval escort vessels, the bombardment fleet, and the transport convoys? Are they all in position?" Qin Tian asked.

"Your Majesty, the Navy is fully prepared. We will provide the Army with all the necessary support!" Admiral Count Tirpitz replied.

Qin Tian nodded. "Then, the attack on Britain is set for one week from now! I expect the campaign to be concluded within three months. This way, our soldiers can return home to spend Christmas with their families."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" everyone responded.

None of them doubted that defeating Britain within three months was an impossible feat. Despite the British having a massive and highly armed military, intelligence gathered by Germany indicated that the size of the British Army had swollen to over four million men. However, in the eyes of the German commanders, this was no more than an undisciplined mob, poorly trained and inadequately armed. Such a disorganized force, once engaged in battle, would easily be overwhelmed. It was predicted that large numbers of British soldiers would surrender to the German Army on the battlefield.

The German high command was confident that the Imperial Army, with nearly a million soldiers from four corps, could easily sweep across the British Isles. The operation would likely be completed far before the three-month deadline.

Of course, the reason Qin Tian had set such a timeline was practical. With August already underway, the colder weather of winter would soon be upon them. If the campaign extended into the winter months, not only would casualties increase, but the strain on logistics would be immense. Ensuring that over a million men could operate in harsh winter conditions would require an enormous amount of supplies.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Expeditionary Fleet defeated the combined fleet of the Island Nation several hours ago. We sank 19 of their capital ships, 8 armored cruisers, 13 protected cruisers, and over twenty destroyers," Admiral Count Tirpitz reported.

"Ah? Such great results?" Qin Tian was surprised by the extent of the victory.

"Yes, Your Majesty. The core of the Island Nation's navy has been entirely destroyed in this battle. Please give further instructions on the next steps," Admiral Count Tirpitz added.

In Qin Tian's memory, the naval forces of the Island Nation had been formidable. At least in another timeline, before World War II, their forces had inflicted considerable damage on the United States in the Pacific. Had it not been for the industrial superiority of the United States, it would have been hard to predict who would emerge victorious in the Pacific War.

However, in this timeline, the naval forces of the Island Nation were much weaker, especially compared to the German Navy, which had already triumphed over the Royal Navy. Aside from the four "Kongō-class" battlecruisers, the Island Nation had no significant capital ships. The German Expeditionary Fleet, with its nine state-of-the-art battlecruisers, enjoyed a substantial advantage, making the defeat of the Island Nation's navy almost a foregone conclusion.

"How severe were our losses?" Qin Tian asked.

"Your Majesty, the Expeditionary Fleet lost a light cruiser, and the 'Moltke' battlecruiser suffered slight damage from a torpedo hit," Admiral Count Tirpitz responded.

Qin Tian nodded, acknowledging that the losses were within acceptable limits.

"Your Excellency, the Imperial Navy has achieved another great victory!" General von Falkenhayn remarked enviously.

According to Qin Tian's plans, the Army would not need to intervene in the battle against the Island Nation for the time being. This allowed General von Falkenhayn to admire the Navy's triumphant success.

"It is primarily due to the enemy's weakness. Otherwise, we could never have won so easily!" Admiral Count Tirpitz replied dismissively.

"Gentlemen, although we have defeated the Island Nation this time, we must not underestimate their military capabilities. By eliminating their naval core, we have made a mortal enemy of them. We must remain vigilant," Qin Tian warned.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the ministers replied.

"As for the Island Nation, now that their combined fleet has been destroyed, we can engage in negotiations with them. If they are willing to return the territories that rightfully belong to the Empire and its colonies in Southeast Asia, along with offering adequate reparations, the Empire will consider sparing them. Otherwise, the consequences will be severe!" Qin Tian declared.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Prime Minister Bernhard von Bülow and Foreign Minister von Kidderlin-Wachthaus nodded. The military had secured a great victory on the battlefield, and now it was time for diplomacy to take its course.

Neither Prime Minister Bülow nor Foreign Minister Wachthaus believed that the Island Nation could continue to resist the German Empire after such a catastrophic naval defeat. They had no resources left to oppose Germany.

However, Qin Tian did not share their optimism. The Island Nation was known for its stubbornness and greed. The wealth of Southeast Asia was enough to make them overlook the grave dangers they now faced.

"If the Island Nation refuses our terms, then let the Expeditionary Fleet continue its assault and reduce their coastal cities to rubble. They will pay the price for their actions!" Qin Tian declared.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Admiral Count Tirpitz answered without hesitation.

Prime Minister Bülow and Foreign Minister Wachthaus hesitated, as though they wished to voice their concerns but ultimately remained silent.

Qin Tian understood their apprehensions—it was likely that they were concerned about the negative impact of large-scale civilian casualties. However, Qin Tian did not care. In his mind, he did not even consider the people of the Island Nation to be human.