Iron Germany

The war between Germany and Spain at Gibraltar attracted the attention of the world. Of course, not some people think that Spain can come back and beat Germany. Rather, they were debating how long Spain could last under German attack.

Because both Germany and Spain keep the battle situation secret, it is difficult for other countries to know the specific battle situation for a while. But this does not prevent them from speculating on the battle situation.

However, to the surprise of other countries, only the second day after the fighting started, the Spanish government requested mediation from the United States through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This surprised the U.S. government. Could Spain not be able to hold on in just one day? This was beyond their expectations. Originally, they thought that Spain could last for a few more days, and even turned into a full-scale war between Spain and Germany.

But it is a pity that the Spaniard is not a fool after all. They will not seek death. After discovering that the strength gap between the two sides was too great, the Spaniard immediately gave up. They knew that if they continued to fight, they would only pay a higher price. Finding a way to end the war now is undoubtedly the best choice. After all, if it turned into an all-out war, they might be wiped out directly by Germany.

"Let the ambassador to Germany inform the Germans of our request! Mediate the conflict!" said US President Woodrow Wilson. Although, the scale of the war did not meet expectations. But since the Spaniards don't want to fight anymore, let's do their wish! Otherwise, the Spaniards will be driven into a hurry, and if they reveal what the United Kingdom and the United States are behind the scenes, the consequences will be very serious.

Although Germany must be very clear about the good things that the British and Americans are doing behind the scenes. However, knowing and proving are two different things.

"Okay, Your Excellency." Secretary of State Bryan nodded.

On February 1, the U.S. ambassador to Germany formally submitted to the German Foreign Ministry a request that the United States hope to mediate the conflict between Germany and Spain. The reason why this incident is defined as a conflict rather than a war is obviously to give both sides a step down. In this case, the problem is relatively easier to solve.

Both Germany and Spain readily accepted American mediation.

Spain does not want to fight anymore, and is afraid to continue fighting. And Germany's purpose is not to destroy Spain, but to take Gibraltar from Spain. Now, the Spaniards have taken the initiative to ask for mediation, so Germany's goal is very likely to be achieved. Under such circumstances, there is naturally no need to continue the war.

The venue for the mediation was chosen at the American embassy in Berlin, where German Foreign Minister Vachter and the Spanish ambassador to Germany became representatives of both sides and formally approached to end the conflict.

Before the representatives of both parties formally responded, German Foreign Minister Vachter asked the Emperor Qin Tian what conditions should be put forward in the negotiations. Qin Tian's answer was also very simple.

"First, Spain wants to cede Gibraltar to the German Empire. It was a lease before. Since they are unwilling, they should cede Gibraltar directly to the German Empire now.

Second, the Spaniards want to compensate the German Empire for one billion marks in war expenses as compensation for the loss of this conflict.

Third, Spain must cede the Balearic Islands to the German Empire! "

There were only three conditions Qin Tian proposed. The first two items did not exceed Wachter's expectation. Spain failed in the war, and now it is about to give in. It should make compensation to the empire and cede Gibraltar to the German Empire. This is a matter of course. As for Qin Tian's sudden proposal to claim the Balearic Islands from Spain, this was beyond Wachter's expectations. Moreover, he thinks it is very unlikely that the Spaniards will agree to this one. After all, it is an archipelago with an area of ​​more than 5,000 square kilometers. This is not a small territory for Spain. After losing almost all overseas colonies, the Spaniards valued their territory very much.

"Your Majesty, there is a high possibility that the Spaniards will agree to the first two conditions. However, I am afraid they will not agree to the third condition so easily." Wahit said with some concern.

"As long as the empire's attitude is tougher, I think they will agree. After all, this is just an archipelago outside the mainland of Spain. It has no economic value, and it is not of much use to Spain. But if the empire can get here, then our territory in the Mediterranean will expand again. The territories of the three empires, Balearic Islands, Corsica and Sicily, can support each other. In the future we will be in these Build airports and ports on the island, and deploy aircraft and fleets. This will further guarantee the empire's interests in the Mediterranean!" Qin Tian said.

Germany was not originally a coastal country in the Mediterranean Sea, although almost all the colonies in North Africa belonged to Germany. However, the mainland is not bordering on the Mediterranean Sea, making these territories of Germany unsafe. Once a war breaks out, these territories will become the focus of the enemy's attack. Even if Germany wants to mobilize troops from the mainland for reinforcements, it will take a lot of time.

In peacetime, it may not take much time to travel from the mainland of Germany to the Mediterranean Sea. However, once a war breaks out, the time required may have to increase exponentially. Therefore, it is the most important thing to find ways to enhance the strength of the empire in the Mediterranean.

Qin Tian even had an idea, that is to slowly acquire all the larger islands in the Mediterranean Sea. In this case, Germany will have a real foothold in the Mediterranean. In addition to Sicily, Corsica, and the Balearic Islands, which are now controlled by Germany, Sardinia, Crete, and Cyprus are not in the hands of Germany. Qin Tian has already made up his mind, and he must make a good plan next to ensure that his plan can be successful.

"Well, Your Majesty, I know what to do!" Vashite nodded. Now that Qin Tian has made a clear request, then, as the courtiers, they can only fulfill Qin Tian's request as much as possible. What's more, if the Balearic Islands can be occupied, this will indeed be of great benefit to Germany.

Therefore, at the beginning of the negotiations, German Foreign Minister Vachter directly stated these requirements, which made the American ambassador and the Spanish ambassador immediately stunned.