"If you said, I think we need more allies. Long-term stalemate is not something that the Russians can bear, nor is it that France can bear. We need allies to share the pressure." After Kuropatkin left, the representatives of Britain and France did not leave, but held an avoidance consultation.

The French were also very worried about Churchill's inference, because if war continued in the future, it would definitely take place on the territory of France and Germany. The French naturally did not want to make their homes messed up. The purpose of the war was to gain benefits, rather than to die with their opponents! Therefore, as soon as the Russians left, French Army Minister Messimi expressed his concerns to Churchill.

"This is a world-wide war, but there are not many countries that can play a certain role in the front-end soldiers. We originally planned to win over Italy, but now I think you know very well. Italy is too weak, and this unsuccessful success also makes the Italians feel timid. Even if we are willing to pay some price, we may not necessarily gain Italy's support. Until the war situation is clear, they will not choose to take sides, and by that time, it will be less important to choose Italy." Churchill said.

"Americans, I think it's good that they don't help Germany. I don't have any hope for those Yang Ji-k-k-kun on the other side, so they just forget it. And the remaining powerful countries have already chosen to take sides."

"Actually, there is another country, that is Japan! If Japan can participate in the war, it will probably reduce our pressure." Messimi said.

"Haha, the Japanese? In addition to the possibility of striving to seize the Germans in the Pacific after the war, they may not bear any responsibility or obligation. After the end of the Russo-Japanese War in the Far East, the Japanese were like a full hyena, very lazy. Unless there was such a thing as a pie falling from the sky, it was not realistic to let them work hard." Churchill said.

"That's the conditions are not tempting enough. Think about it, if we agree that the Japanese eat German islands in the Pacific and tolerate Japan's actions against the Dutch East India to a certain extent, will the Japanese stand firmly on our side?"

"Of course, simple interests are not enough. We also need to intimidate the Japanese. Japan now has a mortal enemy. If it weren't for the distance too far, maybe Japan would have been crushed long ago. If it weren't for the fact that it was too far, Japan could rely on the power of its allies, that is, us. If the Japanese want to protect their interests in the Far East, then they should know how to choose." Messimi said.

"But what can we get? The Japanese will not send large amounts of troops to Europe. Their naval forces in the Far East are of no help to us. They may send an auxiliary fleet into the Mediterranean to perform minesweeping or escort missions at our request. Then what else can they do?" Churchill asked back.

"If it were just these conditions, we naturally could not give them corresponding guarantees, if they were willing to send the main fleet. Judging from the current trend, the Japanese navy has developed very rapidly. Maybe it is nothing in the North Sea, but in the Mediterranean, it is definitely a force that can change the situation of the war. If one day we really plan to attack the Dardanelles, any dreadnought is very important!" Messimi said seriously.

"I agree in principle, but the final result depends on the Japanese's choice. We have already set the conditions, it depends on how the Japanese choose." Churchill said.

Churchill was also calculating the gains and losses of this transaction. In fact, after the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese fleet had replaced the British and became the most powerful existence in the Far East. This is an indisputable fact. When Britain chose to deal with the threat from Germany and Austria and the global contraction was shrunk, Japan became the force Britain needed to rely on in the Far East. The Japanese also needed Britain to pull up the banner and become a tiger skin. The alliance between the two sides did not disappear because of Russia's retreat, but was closer.

To a certain extent, Britain is Japan's most important ally against the United States. If this ally falls, then the Japanese will probably have a hard time. Therefore, the French have very good suggestions. As for the losses of the interests of the Dutch, sorry, this is not something that Britain and France need to consider. As a big country, we must first consider our own interests, so why bother with others' lives?!

"In addition, the investment we have to pay back," said Messimi.

"How to recover this? Italians have no money, so we can't come to the door, right?" Churchill said helplessly.

"We can ask them to repay their loans in another way, such as building warships for the French Republic, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire is preparing to expand their navy. Now France is preparing for the army, and the navy's plan has been postponed. The Navy Minister asked me to find a way to expand the army that can avoid the parliamentary budget. I thought about it and this is the way to do it." Messimi said.

The money lent to Italians is actually a sunk cost. Anyway, Italy has difficulty in repaying the loan. If Italy wants to repay the loan now, it must give them another loan... However, doing so will only make France lose more and more. If Italy has half the use of Russia, the French would not mind doing this, but in the eyes of the French, Italy's role does not even have one tenth of Russia!

So Italy can only use the goods to repay, implying that Italy has no resources and no other things worthy of attention from the French, and the naval shipbuilding industry is pretty good. In the end, the French thought of a way to ask Italy to help build ships and use the built warships to repay the original debts. In this way, the French government can obtain new warships without additional funding. Of course, the depreciation of the debt is certain, but it can be recovered. Another function is to temporarily maintain relations with Italy. Although Italy is a waste, France is unwilling to let Italy return to Germany and Austria.

"The British Empire can share part of the burden, and Italy can also use built warships or other military supplies to repay the loan." The British Empire naturally would not use Italian-built warships, but it is obvious that this deficit cannot be given to the French, otherwise it would be too unsatisfactory.

In the end, Britain and France meant to try their best to win over Japan, while ensuring that Italy would not at least not be devoted to the arms of the allies. Time passed by little as the two sides prepared for war, and gradually reached mid-1907.
Chapter completed!