When carrying out purges for half a year, news naturally spreads across borders.
Germany, physically close to Russia, couldn't help but know about Russia's internal purges.
Wilhelm II, who drove out pro-Russians including Bismarck, felt a sense of disconnect whenever he heard news flowing from that Russia.
"With this, it's estimated over five thousand have had their heads cut off for serious crimes or been driven to Siberia."
"Receiving punishment without distinction between duke and commoner."
Though it's just like uncivilized Russia not ending with resignation or retirement, that wasn't what Wilhelm II found uncomfortable.
It was the disconnect with his cousin repeatedly doing things he would never do himself. That was the reason.
'My cousin and I are quite similar.'
The point that the previous generation advocated strong military authority.
The point that they had prime ministers they trusted in internal affairs, and the prime ministers were moderates shouting pro-Russian or pro-German.
The point of ascending to the throne around the same time inheriting complete imperial authority.
Finally, the point of throwing away things like constitutional monarchy.
Truly similar from inherited bloodline to cultivated environment.
In such similar environments, his cousin Nicky acts like a pirate ship captain sailing the Atlantic.
What made him so adventurous?
'Why kill all the nobles? Did Nicky not learn mercy, the virtue of monarchs?'
If he wanted that agricultural reform so badly, wouldn't dragging in traitors make them tremble more and continue reform?
No, making such a Duma in the first place makes no sense.
The German Empire formed by unifying multiple kingdoms needed a parliamentary system, but Nicky's country didn't particularly need a State Duma.
Though seeming to create the State Duma first and transfer power, Nicky stepped forward himself and swept everyone away in just 4 years.
Though fools might think looking at results that it was for strengthening imperial authority, Wilhelm II couldn't agree.
What kind of people are imperial family members? He knows better than anyone sitting on the imperial throne himself.
The moment you sit in this seat, in other words the moment there's nowhere higher to go in the empire, guaranteeing power becomes more important to the emperor than strengthening it.
"Prime Minister Hohenlohe, isn't it strange? Now Nicky is trying to walk a tightrope no one asked for."
"Isn't it a safe tightrope?"
"Well, I see it differently. It's starting at a loss, giving up the Mediterranean that Russia so wanted to advance into."
The purge appears successful in results. Nicky's domestic popularity rises daily and even while necks around him are being pulled out, the Duma and nobles don't hesitate to praise the Tsar.
Wilhelm II, who kept substituting the assumption 'if it were me,' finally reached the point of giving up understanding.
Whatever it is, now Nicky walks a path completely opposite to Wilhelm II himself.
Pro-French, anti-Austria-Hungary. And head bowed to Britain.
'Though ruling as a bloody emperor at home, is he scared outside?'
It can't help but be frown-inducing cowardice.
Former Chancellor Bismarck criticized in the Hamburg newspaper until right before death that 'the Emperor not making a reinsurance treaty with Russia was foolish.'
But Bismarck was wrong.
"Bismarck, if he had lived just a year or two more, he would have admitted his mistake seeing this sight."
"Though Russia is undoubtedly a great power, Nicholas II extremely avoids external friction. Even if it eats away at his own country."
"Bowing to Britain, bowing to France, and even bowing to those inferior yellow race they say."
What was it last year, asking to allow grain exports to feed German farm cows and pigs?
'Does Nicky have no pride?'
Saying he'll reduce his people's food to sell as feed to neighboring countries. How can he take such a low posture when it hasn't been long since the Triple Alliance collapsed?
"Whatever the case, saying Russia threatens Germany was nonsense."
"The Baltic Fleet has been reduced to half level they say. They're removing their own power to advance west themselves."
"Let's just watch. Seems they'll fall out of European dynamics by their own feet."
While Wilhelm II was mocking Russia's isolationism with Duke Hohenlohe like this.
France was burning black inside, no - turning to ash.
"How long will this crazy Tsar purge!"
"He's an emperor not a revolutionary - why kill everyone who catches his eye?"
"Try being that hardline outside too!"
Where are the obstacles for France now?
Though not just one or two places, first is Africa where they clash with Britain.
France's trans-African policy.
Britain's opposing 3C (Cairo, Cape Town, Calcutta) policy.
Britain, never satisfied no matter how much they eat, keeps clashing with French colonies before we knew it.
Even with just this France can't avoid struggling overseas, but since Wilhelm II's accession Germany is openly pouring effort into military strengthening.
The Fleet Law enacted just last year legally forced building 1 flagship, 16 battleships, 8 armored ships, 9 cruisers, and 26 small cruisers with massive budget.
Why would they try to build that High Seas Fleet clearly not for national defense?
"The crazy German Emperor is trying to steal all our colonies!"
"The name itself is High Seas Fleet (Hochseeflotte)! Anyone can see it means coming out to sea to steal everything!"
Fortunately the Fleet Law touched British nerves too making relations between the two countries bad, but anyway. Germany, country of land forces, finally put hands on the navy too.
Why?
"You Russian sons of bitches! How many francs did we stuff in your mouths because of the alliance!"
"No, they say it's about to cross the Middle East? Haven't you seen the oil there? Aren't you curious how the Mediterranean and Suez Canal look?"
"They're openly proclaiming 3B (Berlin, Byzantium in Turkey, Baghdad in Iraq) and hovering around your front yard!"
Because Russia no longer pours effort into strengthening and expanding land forces. In other words, because Germany gained room to grow their navy.
However, Nicholas clearly responded with 'reduction of fleet stationed in Baltic Sea' and finally France pulled their hair and shed tears.
"You scammers... You said world's largest land army with 3 million active and 10 million reserve. I believed just that and poured all our bank loans into the Siberian Railway..."
"Is just tasting one-third of Poland enough to endure, are you really admitting you're a beta male?"
"Oh Tsar, I beg on my knees! Please cut some Germanic heads instead of Slavic ones!"
Russia now pulling out of European dynamics and choosing isolationism meant France might die at any time.
Germany openly sharpening their knife.
Russia dismissing that knife as 'for food preparation.'
France tasted a full cycle of emotions from anger to betrayal to resentment to acceptance before finally regaining composure.
Ultimately the current Tsar seems unlikely to turn attention outside anytime soon, addicted to purges.
Diplomacy like collecting loans or imposing import/export tariffs here is the lowest of low moves. It's like completely cutting off friendship just because things got a bit awkward with a friend.
Instead France tried to find solutions elsewhere.
"Prime Minister Dupuy, negotiating with Britain? Will the people accept it?"
"Fighting Britain in Africa is just a waste of national power anyway. Wilhelm II's proclaimed world politics (Weltpolitik) openly suggests armed invasion. The island nation with the most colonies will also feel this sense of crisis more than anyone."
"Understood. Since German colonial threats are a common issue for both countries, I'll try pushing forward."
It's reducing risk by holding hands more firmly with Britain.
"They won't refuse since they've suffered like us since Bismarck's time."
Actually France was the official outcast cut off by all European countries after being pushed around by German diplomacy while Britain voluntarily lived as a loner through Splendid Isolation, but anyway.
In the end France raised Britain's hand high for Wilhelm II and Nicholas II to see.
Due to Nicholas's isolationism, the Anglo-French understanding was born 5 years earlier than original history.
==
Appropriate purging provides effects of establishing discipline and increasing reform speed, but even this has a point where the curve breaks when graphed.
Though still rising upward, the effects gradually decrease and the inherent taste of purging disappears. I see it like kimchi that's too ripe.
Instead, another effect sharply rises from this point.
The side effects of purging. In other words, the aftershocks of the state's self-destructive behavior arrive.
'Must stop before there.'
If you can't keep this appropriate line it's indiscriminate oppression, but if you keep the line well it's rooting out corruption, national cleaning right?
Around this point Witte and other officials should step in with other alternatives-
"I was moderate only compared to radicals! Now that many radicals are dead, I'll fill that void!"
"Witte! Witte! Witte!"
"Officials, all follow His Majesty the Tsar! Only His Majesty will purely cleanse this country!"
Hmm, there's another unmentioned side effect of purging - even people safe from the blade get drunk on blood together.
'Witte's gone crazy. Though he still works very well.'
An era where everyone calls for punishment over forgiveness and good and evil are clear. Looking at this concept, this purge is hard to stop easily since it's packaged as 'punishment of evil.'
With two thousand people receiving death sentences in trial alone and thousands receiving the punishment just below death - exile to Siberia (whipping, cutting nose or ears then being sent east of Urals for labor).
Still, the time to stop has come.
"No matter how much I stir things up inside Russia, history will keep flowing."
Even the United States, land of freedom, devoured Puerto Rico and the Philippines in colonial greed, and the Hungarian Prime Minister was so angry he challenged his political enemy to a duel in this uncivilized era.
'99, end of the 19th century. Now the time has come for everyone to throw off such uncivilized ignorance and find reason and culture.
If they can't?
Ah, those who fall behind in history aren't even worth recording anymore.
They just need to prepare to be beaten thoroughly and kicked out of history.
"For example, my neighbor the Qing Empire."
Who dares say this empire lost the Great Game? This game isn't simple enough to end just by giving up the Baltic Sea. It only ends when a country's national power is completely depleted through tremendous war.
Russia with principalities like Finland but no colonies. Yet still the world's largest empire with just its mainland.
Strengthening imperial authority, agricultural reform, rooting out corruption, weakening nobility, suppressing the Duma - what I wanted to gain is done.
The purging game is over now.
Now is the time to turn eyes outward again.
The best way for this is going through a special opportunity - an event that can make the whole empire forget fear and move forward united as one.
"In other words, to overturn this situation with blood overflowing in every valley and return to daily life, we need national celebration. Understand why we need to hurry?"
"What? Yes!"
"Good, I'm truly happy you accept the confession. If you refused I would have had to find another way."
"C-confession? Do you mean confession like in church?"
"Looking at honesty they're similar. What's important is that I'm sincere. If people's hearts connect sincerely, what more is needed?"
"Th-that can't be. I like everything!"
Though we've only met five times and need time to get to know each other, fortunately she fully understood my circumstances.
Above all, our conversation matched quite well and time seems to flow quickly talking about her Far East life and sister Olga.
"Still, it might be hard to decide alone so ask your family's opinion too. If they oppose... sad but nothing can be done."
"Oh, time has already- I'll be going now!"
"Let's see about the answer for permission, I'll give plenty of two days."
"48 hours! I'll definitely return within that!"
Though the situation pressures me to hurry, I absolutely don't seek calculating and coercive relationships.
Watching Anna leave, I even felt somewhat proud inside.
Like becoming one more step adult.
I hope Prince Yusupov gives permission.