The proposal put forward by the British silenced the entire Meeting Room in an instant.
In this venue, capable of accommodating a thousand spectators, a hush descended so profound that every attendee could hear their own heartbeat.
The good news was that there was no need for Prime Minister Raul to fight for his interests anymore because the French and British representatives were already arguing with each other.
The proposal by the British was something the Frenchmen simply could not accept, and even a considerable number of neutral countries were unwilling to do so.
The British not only gained the complete 13 Colonies, but they even allowed Canada to acquire Michigan, which was part of the Industrial Area of the Great Lakes.
And that wasn’t all; according to the British proposal, aside from Britain, France, and Australasia each securing a significant number of American States, other countries were left with nothing but the privilege of partaking in the future United Government of the United States.
What did that represent? The three nations of Britain, France, and Australasia ate their fill of the meat, then dipped a toothpick in the broth, only allowing each participating war-torn nation to lick it once.
Such domineering conduct naturally did not sit well with the other neutral countries. Of course, the French also were not willing to accept it.
In fact, there wasn’t much issue with the territories that the French were allotted in the British proposal, which were nearly identical to what had been previously discussed.
But the problem was, the French could not accept the British acquiring so many territories, especially when those territories included the most prime parts of the United States.
In the 13 Colonies, New York alone had a population exceeding ten million, and there were other large states like Pennsylvania with populations over nine million.
Even if the economic crisis had caused a loss of some inhabitants, the total population of the eastern 13 states must have been at least 37 million, which is more than double the combined population Australasia and France could acquire.
In the regions that Australasia and France could obtain, apart from California and the state of Texas with populations over five million, most were impoverished areas with populations ranging from several hundred thousand to a little over one million.
The population of just the state of New York surpassed the total of these two states, indicating that the benefits the British stood to gain exceeded the combined sum of what Australasia and France could get.
Who could accept that?
If the British were allowed such expansive land holdings, the British Empire would truly become the unparalleled global dominator, leaving the French with no chance of resistance in Europe.
Even if post-civil war Russia were to recover and ally with France, they might still not be able to contest Britain’s power.
Even if Australasia remained neutral, it wouldn’t change the fact that Britain would be invincible in the world. For the French, preventing such a situation was imperative, nor could they possibly allow the British to swallow the 13 Colonies alone.
After the French representative fervently rebuffed the British counterpart, they also presented their own plan:
The territories gained by France and Australasia would remain unchanged, but there were two options regarding the territories to be acquired by Britain.
Option one, the British would get New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Option two, the British would secure Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Compared to what was proposed by the British, these two options balanced out the lands to be gained by the nations of Britain, France, and Australasia more equitably.
The first option included only New York and the Northern Region, with a total population of roughly 16 million.
The second option, though encompassing all territories south of the Washington D.C. from the 13 states, had states where populations generally ranged from approximately one to two million, cumulatively amounting to around 12 million.
The French alternatives for the British territory acquisition also represented a firm French stance against accepting Britain’s elevation to an unassailable throne of power.
The determined opposition of the French brought relief to Prime Minister Raul.
Australasia, naturally, did not want to see the British become so strong that resistance was futile.
However, the problem was that the relationship between Australasia and Britain was too complex, so complex that it wasn’t easy for Prime Minister Raul to openly counter the British.
The conflict erupting between Britain and France over the division of American territories was a development Prime Minister Raul was pleased to witness, fitting the perspective of a nation that wanted a stable development.
After all, as long as Britain and France assured the interests of Australasia, Prime Minister Raul could accept wherever this quarrel led.
In the end, one of the parties was definitely going to make concessions, and it all depended on how steadfast the French were in their opposition to Britain.
If the French backed down, then Prime Minister Raul would definitely follow suit. After all, due to the distance between Britain and Australasia, it made no sense to compete with the British over a conflict that was currently non-existent.
Because of the stringent terms imposed by Britain, a significant number of neutral countries joined the French side, meaning they opposed the excessive land acquisition by the British.
The British representatives, clearly well-prepared for such a scenario, shifted their gaze toward Australasia, expecting their support.
Obviously, although Prime Minister Raul might not openly oppose the British, he would definitely not come forward in support of them either.
"Are you joking? Right now, the British are facing a backlash for the division plan; is Prime Minister Raul really willing to offend the whole world for the sake of the British?"
Clearly, that was not possible.
However, the British needed to save face, so Prime Minister Raul stepped forward to play the mediator, asking both British and French sides to step back and proposing a plan that all countries could accept.
The first day of peace talks ended with a deadlock between Britain and France.
In fact, every negotiation was like this, and the nations participating in the talks were prepared to fight for at least a month.
The main issue with the peace talks still lay with Britain and France. As long as the three strongest countries, Britain-France-Australia, could reach a compromise, it meant that the peace talks could truly progress.
Prime Minister Raul had thought that the British would hold out longer before seeking his help.
But to his surprise, on just the first night, British Prime Minister Baldwin sought him out.
After welcoming a rather gloomy Prime Minister Baldwin into the house, Prime Minister Raul ordered a servant to bring two cups of coffee. He then sat casually on the sofa, waiting quietly for Prime Minister Baldwin to speak.
"Prime Minister Raul, we need your support," Prime Minister Baldwin finally couldn’t hold out any longer and took the initiative to state his request.
"Your Excellency Baldwin, are you referring to today’s negotiations?" Prime Minister Raul finally spoke.
"Of course. As everyone knows, the United States originated from thirteen states that were once colonies of the British Empire.
In my view, it is only right and proper for the British Empire to reclaim the thirteen colonies, and all countries should respect such a legal principle.
However, our proposal was harshly rejected by the French, which is utterly unacceptable. Your Excellency Raul, we should unite closely to ensure both our sides gain sufficient benefits from these talks," Prime Minister Baldwin declared the British Empire’s legal entitlement to the original thirteen colonies before segueing into his request.
"Prime Minister Baldwin, have you forgotten that the central United States was once a colony of France? If we go by that logic, then the United States should rightly be divided amongst Mexico, France, and Britain," Prime Minister Raul, unmoved, took the opportunity to challenge the legal concept proposed by the British.
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If we were to discuss legal principles, what does the land of the American People have to do with Australasia?
And if we trace back further, wasn’t Australasia once just a colony of the British? Should it then rejoin Britain?
"That is certainly not the case," Prime Minister Baldwin showed an embarrassed expression, having not expected his supposedly close ally to directly refute his stance.
"But I believe the British Empire should gain more. We held back the majority of the American forces on the northeastern front, which is the real reason for our victory in this war," Prime Minister Baldwin explained.
Prime Minister Raul smiled slightly, disagreeing with Prime Minister Baldwin’s statement.
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The British military forces totalled only 150,000, clearly not enough to hold back America’s main force of 300,000.
It wasn’t just the British who were holding back the American main force, but also hundreds of thousands of soldiers from other countries in the Allied Army.
Besides, even if the Australasia Army faced the main American forces, Minister Raul did not think that the Americans could hold back Australasia’s advance.
As a hawk who, like Minister Kent, rose from Minister of Defence to Prime Minister, Prime Minister Raul had a full understanding of the combat effectiveness of the Australasia Army.
"Your Excellency Baldwin, I don’t think the French will back down just because your country has the support of Australasia.
If you’re not willing to fight another war with France, then I think you need to seriously consider the French opinion.
Of course, the final solution must meet the interests of all countries. We naturally support your country gaining more benefits, but our finances can’t support a new war," Prime Minister Raul’s view was straightforward. He could offer verbal support to the British, but actual support without any benefits was impossible.
The importance of the thirteen states of America was too great; without significant tangible benefits, Australasia would not wish to see the British regain control of the thirteen states.
"Alright, I will convey your opinion to His Majesty the King. Thank you for your support," Prime Minister Baldwin left with a displeased expression, even going so far as to threaten Prime Minister Raul.
Prime Minister Raul remained composed, nodding indifferently.
Although King George V and Arthur were both kings, not all kings were the same.
Besides, as the Prime Minister of Australasia, he was not afraid of offending the king of Britain.
Prime Minister Raul understood his duty. For the sake of national interests, anyone could be offended.
Such matters were not convenient for Arthur to handle, but Prime Minister Raul, who did not have much to do with the British royal family, was quite suited for the role.
Australasia had grown and should consider its own interests rather than blindly obeying Britain.