Master Yuan, start!

"So that's it!" Coubertin also took out a telegram from his hand and handed it over.

"This is a joint telegram sent by the Chinese Republican government and local forces to the International Olympic Committee. They are willing to suspend the civil war and jointly send Chinese people to Athens to participate in the Olympic Games!"

"This" George I saw this telegram,

"Your Majesty, I hope you understand that the Olympic ideal is to use sports to enhance understanding among people of all nations, thereby ending wars and spreading the gospel of peace."

Coubertin took out the Olympic Manifesto he had brought with him and said in a sonorous and powerful voice:

"The Chinese people were able to stop fighting each other in order to participate in the Olympics. Isn't this in line with the Olympic spirit?

Your Majesty, nothing could better demonstrate the success of these Olympic Games than stopping a war."

"Mr. Chairman, let me be frank with you. This is the request of the French President and the Russian Crown Prince." George I was also a little helpless. He simply stopped hiding it and stated the reason directly.

"France, Russia?" Coubertin murmured softly, then raised his head suddenly:

"Your Majesty, the Russians refused to participate in the Olympics. Why should we interfere with the Olympics for an irrelevant outsider?"

"As for the French President? Humph!" Coubertin sneered, his mustache twitching.

"That right-winger just got lucky and became president. Just wait, in next year's congressional elections, the left will severely overthrow him. There's no need to worry about his revenge afterwards."

As a Frenchman, Coubertin came from a noble family in Normandy and should have been a natural supporter of the French right.

However, he was called a "traitor to the aristocracy"

Coubertin not only promoted sports, but also worked to popularize knowledge, encouraging the children of French workers and farmers to go to school for free!

It can be said that he is a left-wing person of aristocratic origin.

This idea is very different from the populist right-wing ideas such as chauvinism and racism that emerged in French politics in the late 19th century.

It happened that France was in political turmoil, and right-wing President Philipfort came to power and adopted a series of right-wing policies such as "conquering Madagascar", "visiting Russia" and "being tough on Britain".

So, this is why Coubertin chose Greece to host the Olympics instead of his home country’s capital, Paris.

As a leftist from an old revolutionary base, Coubertin had no good feelings towards the current right-wing president, and naturally he disdained his orders.

"In short, Your Majesty, rest assured, I will never embarrass you, nor will I allow any discord to arise during the Olympic Games."

Coubertin bowed deeply to George I, placed his right hand on his heart, and pledged:

"I am the president of the International Olympic Committee. I am responsible for the overall affairs of the Olympic Games. If the French president and the Russian tsar have any objections, let them come to me.

As for you, Your Majesty, please take a seat in the audience and enjoy this international event to your heart's content!"

"Then... I'll have to trouble Mr. Coubertin."

George I was very happy to have someone to draw fire for him.

He stabbed o/4 off. Purchasing agent: Lin^6 Jiuyi Si 3liu As a king, it was rare for him to address a minor nobleman as "Sir".

At the end of the 19th century, it was no longer the Middle Ages when the king’s words were law. Even top monarchs such as the German Emperor and the British Queen had to show great courtesy to domestic thinkers and educators.

What's more, Greece was just a small country, so George I did not put on airs when facing Coubertin, who was very famous in Europe.

But Coubertin did not care about these formalities. If he did, he would not have abandoned his aristocratic status and become a social activist.

The two men's eyes met, and each other's faith was strengthened. Finally, Coubertin slowly retreated.

...

Looking at Coubertin's departing back, King George I of Greece fell into deep thought.

A flawless Olympic Games would certainly greatly enhance Greece's national prestige and consolidate his throne.

But if Greece offends France and Russia, it will be difficult for it to survive in the Mediterranean and the Balkans.

Coubertin can bear the anger of France, but what about the questioning of Russia?

The Russian Tsar has retreated into the background since the train bomb attack, and recently there have been reports that he is seriously ill.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not easy to get along with.

George I stood up and walked to the large open-air balcony in front of the palace, looking at the Aegean Sea in the sunset.

"Oh right, Crete!"

Looking at the horizon, George I suddenly thought of this island, the birthplace of Greek civilization.

However, it is no longer within the territory of the Kingdom of Greece. It is controlled by the sick man of West Asia, the Ottoman Empire.

The Russians and the Turks have always had many conflicts. If we can get Russian assistance by opposing Türkiye.

In this way, the Russians' anger at the Olympics can be eliminated, and Greece can gain living space.

"It's time to pay your debt, Turk!"

George I looked at Crete from afar, his thoughts drifting to the period after the Olympics.

Chapter 320 Chinese Expeditionary Force

How should we treat the new Chinese government?

After today's parliamentary debate, cabinet ministers arrived at the Prime Minister's Conference Room in Whitehall on the banks of the Thames.

When news reached London of the establishment of a new republic in the Far East, Parliament became engulfed in disagreements.

A country with a population of 4 million became a republic.

Will this country be a help or a hindrance to Britain's global colonial ambitions?

The Conservatives and the Liberals were at loggerheads over this.

Within the cabinet, there were also significant differences among important cabinet ministers such as the Colonial Office, the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Admiralty on how to deal with the issue of Republican China.

The Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of the Navy believed that the joint Chinese and Japanese navies could pose a fatal threat to the Russian army in the Far East and completely lock the Russians on land, so they had to make great efforts to befriend the Chinese.

The Colonial Office believed that China's changes would damage India's colonial interests and even threaten the security of the Hong Kong colony, so the Chinese should be appropriately curbed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was wavering between the two and did not express its opinion easily.

Because the current Foreign Secretary is the Prime Minister "Robert Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury"

Prime Minister Robert knew that in the eyes of the Ministry of Commerce, China was a consumer market with huge potential, and under the leadership of a leader who advocated Westernization, it would further open its doors.

The "bonded areas" along the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea coasts in northern China are clear evidence of this.

However, Robert was also aware that the views of the Colonial Office had to be taken into account.

In order to resist Russia, the central government and local forces of Republican China seemed to have temporarily put aside their disputes and announced a partnership.

So, is there a possibility of further cooperation or even merger between them?

The army of the southern warlord Li Hongzhang was not honest and repeatedly went deep into the Tibetan plateau to try to stop the activities of the Indian colonial bureaucracy.

Although Yuan Shikai showed extraordinary friendliness and closeness to the British Empire, times have changed.

The Colonial Office believed that although China had once achieved deep cooperation with Britain in northern China, after the country was unified in the future, for the sake of China's core interests, it might not necessarily respect Britain's interests in India.

Yes, the interests of the Indian colonies.

This was a thorn in the heart of the Minister of the Colonial Office. Even if Yuan Shikai spoke more eloquently and maintained a close relationship with Britain, as long as he thought of the long border between China and India.

The Colonial Secretary could never be completely at ease.

When the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Colonies had finished their speeches, the Secretary of State for the Admiralty offered his analysis from a military perspective:

"China and Japan have formed a joint fleet. In terms of naval power, the Russians have a high chance of failure.

However, from the perspective of the Russian Army, there is no reason for the gray beasts to be defeated when facing the armed forces of warlords like Yuan Shikai.

Robert looked at the Navy Minister in military uniform and said, "Yes, the Russians will not all fail, nor will they all win."

There is a great possibility that they will continue to stalemate with the Chinese in the Far East, but will such a stalemate be more beneficial or harmful to the British Empire?

The Colonial Secretary, remembering the border crisis in northeastern India, proposed again:

"Your Excellency, Prime Minister, I think we can let the Chinese and the Russians fight it out in the Far East, and we can just watch from the sidelines.

In this way, the Chinese will have no time to worry about Yunnan and Tibet."

Going to the theater?

Robert thinks this is a good approach.

This would ensure that the Indian colonies remained undisturbed and that the jewel in the crown of the British Empire remained secure.

However, this also has significant disadvantages.

The ministers’ views are too limited to the Far East!

What about Europe and Africa?

If we allow China and Russia to fight in the Far East, wouldn't that mean that Russia will turn its attention to the Far East?

If the Chinese win, it will be fine. If they lose, the whole of northern China and even Japan will be further threatened.

The situation in Eurasia is highly sensitive.

If the greedy Tsar gained huge profits in the Far East, he would further relax his control over Eastern Europe.

Russia and Germany have already reconciled, and France and Russia are also working together in East Asia. If Germany focuses its expansion on Eastern Europe, it will ease the conflict with France.

Doesn’t that mean that there will be no conflicts among France, Germany and Russia in the short term?

A land alliance of nations spanning the entire European continent will be established by then.

What should it be called this time?

Anti-British alliance?

No, you can't.

Prime Minister Robert shook his head and dismissed this somewhat scary and crazy idea from his mind.

Over the past few decades, the British Empire had finally used Austria to break up the Russo-German alliance.

He also instigated the French to provoke Prussia, and finally stood idly by and allowed the Prussian army to enter Paris and stab France in the back.

If they were allowed to reconcile, Britain would be in big trouble.

The prime minister, who had historically been actively committed to expanding Britain's overseas colonies, implementing the "policy of splendid isolation" and manipulating the balance of power in Europe, was suddenly caught in a dilemma.

He took advantage of the conflicts between China, Russia and Japan to stir up the situation in East Asia and cause the Chinese, Japanese and Russians to go to war.

But when the war really came, problems arose.