Listening to Wilhelm's smooth arrangements, Queen Elizabeth couldn't help but mock him. "Your Highness is truly a complete hypocrite."
Wilhelm was unconcerned. "It's just what the situation demands. Besides, which politician isn't a hypocrite or an old fox? You wouldn't think Prime Minister Churchill is a man of integrity, would you? Speaking of Churchill, tsk, Your Majesty, what if I told you I've long bribed Churchill and he's working for us, would you be surprised? Look, without Churchill, the British Empire wouldn't have lost 300,000 elite troops in Europe, and perhaps Scapa Flow was his doing as well, an inside job. Now that the British Empire is on the brink of collapse, he's still holding on. Thanks to him, otherwise, I'd have to find another way to continue the war. Tsk, Prime Minister Churchill and I seem to understand each other; whatever I want, he provides. Like this attack event, once Dr. Goebbels' report is out, there will be an outcry!" After all, using innocent civilians as human shields is the most despicable and cowardly act. Such soldiers don't deserve to be called soldiers; they should be called the most vile scoundrels!!
"..." Queen Elizabeth looked displeased and after a while, asked, "So, how does Your Highness plan to deal with Belfast?"
Wilhelm replied lightly, "The Irish people's desire for unification is strong; I certainly won't delay too long. By tomorrow night, Belfast will be razed to the ground."
"What?!" Queen Elizabeth was immediately shocked. "Didn't you just say you wouldn't harm civilians?"
Wilhelm shrugged. "This afternoon, we'll distribute leaflets in Belfast urging civilians to leave, giving them 24 hours. If they don't leave, then they forfeit their status as civilians and become armed personnel. There's no need for mercy towards them." As he spoke, Wilhelm turned the easel towards Queen Elizabeth. "Your Majesty, could you sign this for me?"
Queen Elizabeth was taken aback when she saw the painting Wilhelm had done. "This is... Eastern art?"
World painting art can generally be divided into two major systems: Eastern and Western.
From primitive society to before the European Renaissance, the development of Western painting was roughly similar to that of Eastern painting; both used simple, clear lines to outline the shapes of subjects as the foundation of painting. Although painting techniques and methods of expression evolved independently, their approach to form was essentially similar.
The Renaissance in Europe marked a significant leap in Western art, incorporating new scientific research in perspective, color theory, and anatomy, gradually forming its own independent system, diverging from the Eastern painting system, leading to the coexistence of both Western and Eastern painting systems.
Taking portraiture as an example, Western painting emphasizes principles of perspective and effects of light and shadow; Eastern painting focuses on capturing the essence through minimalism, emphasizing artistic conception. Visually, Western portraits are generally oil paintings or sketches, while Eastern portraits are typically ink paintings. Western portraits feature light and shadow effects and perspective, whereas Eastern portraits convey spirit through intent, generally lacking light and shadow or perspective.
Wilhelm said with some pride, "Exactly. A Crown Prince of Germany painting the Queen of the British Empire in the Eastern style, it's quite a unique combination. Who knows, it might be worth billions in the future."
Queen Elizabeth reluctantly took the pen and signed her name on the painting, saying unenthusiastically, "Your Highness is certainly confident."
"That's natural. Once I win this war, I'll be the greatest emperor in Europe; at that point, even a painting of dung would be celebrated."
"And what if you lose?"
"Lose? Why do you think I would lose? Are you hoping for intervention from the Americans across the ocean? Indeed, the United States is a formidable opponent with its unique geographical advantages, making it difficult to attack their homeland. But have you noticed that this geographical advantage is also its fatal flaw? Being too far from the World Island (Eurasia and Africa) can lead to isolation and closure. Once we defeat Russia, Eurasia and Africa will unite, and the United States will be completely excluded from the world. Roosevelt has noticed this situation, meticulously trying to intervene in the European conflict, aiding Britain to keep Germany and England fighting, so he can reap the benefits. Unfortunately, isolationist sentiment still dominates in America, and Roosevelt can only watch the British Empire collapse."
"Russia isn't that easy to conquer."
Wilhelm admitted with some emotion, "I have to concede that point." Historically, Russia has been invaded five times by Mongolia, Poland, Sweden, the Ottoman Turks, and the Napoleonic Empire.
The only successful foreign conquest of Russia was by the Mongols.
When a nomadic tribe in its ascendant phase confronts a declining agrarian civilization head-on, the nomads often gain the upper hand militarily and might conquer the latter. However, over time, the nomads would be assimilated by the agrarian civilization. They would either integrate with the agrarian people, gradually disappearing, or decline rapidly, being driven back to their homeland. The agrarian civilization would ultimately prevail, drawing strength from the nomadic civilization to continue growing.
After Genghis Khan, the Mongols attacked Russia again in 1237. They first swept through northeastern Russia in a blitzkrieg style. In the winter of 1240, the Mongols captured the ancient Russian capital, Kiev. Due to the immense difficulties of advancing into the heart of Europe, the Mongol forces withdrew to Russia. In 1243, Batu Khan, with the Volga River as his base, established the Golden Horde, with its capital at Sarai.
The population of the Golden Horde was diverse, with varying levels of social development. While the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan Dynasty in China, the main branch of Batu's lineage in the Golden Horde was replaced by the rising White Horde. Russia then began to rise, and Mongol influence in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as in Western and Northern Asia, gradually waned.
In 1472, Khan Akhmat of the Golden Horde launched a war against the Grand Duchy of Moscow, which ended in defeat. In 1480, Akhmat attacked Moscow again to force tribute, but due to the non-arrival of his ally, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, he retreated to the lower Volga after reaching the Ugra River, where he was killed by the Nogai Horde, ending Mongol rule over the Russian principalities (which lasted 238 years). By the 1530s, under Vasily III, the unified Russian state centered on the Grand Duchy of Moscow had largely formed.
In 1598, Tsar Feodor I died, leaving Russia in internal and external turmoil. Poland marched in, quickly overrunning Russia, installing Dmitry as Emperor after capturing Moscow. In 1611, Smolensk was also taken by Poland, with over 80,000 residents killed, leaving fewer than 8,000. This was when Poland reached its zenith, becoming one of Europe's strongest nations, with a territory exceeding 1 million square kilometers.
On October 22, 1612, Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky led a volunteer army to capture Moscow, and on October 26, the Polish forces in the Kremlin surrendered. After this, Poland was greatly weakened and gradually declined.
Between 1610 and 1617, during the Polish-Russian war, Sweden took advantage of the chaos, attacking Russia in 1610, capturing Ivangorod and Yam, and then Novgorod the following year. In January 1617, both sides signed the Treaty of Stolbovo, with Sweden returning Novgorod and other towns but blocking Russia's direct access to the Baltic Sea, meaning Russia could no longer challenge Sweden's regional dominance.
Russia, after years of reform and increasing its strength, formed an alliance with Denmark and Saxony at the end of the 17th century. In 1700, these three countries attacked Sweden, sparking the Great Northern War.
This devastating defeat did not end the war, but Sweden's defeat was certain. On August 30, 1721, Sweden and Russia signed the Treaty of Nystad, officially ending the war. Sweden lost almost all the overseas territories it had gained in the 17th century and ceased to be a great power. Russia, on the other hand, gained territories around the Baltic Sea and became the most powerful nation in Eastern Europe.
The Ottoman Empire and Russia fought ten wars over three centuries. The First World War should be considered the last Russo-Turkish war, where Russia, under German pressure, finally collapsed, granting victory to the Ottoman Turks. However, a year later, with Germany's defeat, Turkey was dismembered, and both the Russian and Ottoman Empires ultimately perished. But the Soviet Union, inheriting the legacy of the Russian Empire, became even more powerful.
"But can it be stronger than all of Europe combined?"