Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Conservatives and the right wing have been inseparable since the French Revolution, bound together by their shared devotion to tradition, established order, and resistance to radical change. The revolution had drawn a line in history - those who sought to preserve the old world, and those who wished to forge a new one.

And those opposing this right-wing conservatism were always new generation, progressive liberals in every country, championing reform, individual rights, and the dismantling of aristocratic privilege. Each generation renewed this struggle with fresh energy and evolving ideals.

Britain, France, Germany, Russia. It was natural for such opposing structures to exist everywhere with just different names in this era. In Britain, they were Tories versus Whigs, in France the Legitimists versus Republicans, in Germany the Junkers versus Social Democrats, and in Russia the Monarchists versus various reform movements. Though the labels differed, the fundamental divide remained consistent - between those who sought to preserve traditional power structures and those who fought to transform them.

January 1924.

The British Empire succeeded in having its first left-wing party, the Labour Party, take power instead of the liberal faction. This was more than just a changing of the guard - it represented a seismic shift in British politics. The Labour Party's rise marked the emergence of a new force that went beyond traditional liberal reforms to embrace socialist principles and working-class interests. This victory signaled that the old binary between conservatives and liberals was giving way to a new political landscape, one where labor and class consciousness would play an increasingly central role.

"What, did they really let Labour take power over the two major parties?"

"Th-they're not Reds!"

"The rumors were true... No, they couldn't be? Surely not. After swallowing Hong Kong and supporting the Chinese Communists."

Thanks to this, a very reasonable suspicion spread through various countries that the Chinese Communist Party might be receiving British Empire support, but by now the reparations committee had already reached agreement, too late to dig into that truth.

"Until now, the yearly reparations have been determined by a prosperity index based on Germany's economic situation. However, now that Germany's economy faces crisis, this is a time requiring appropriate moratorium."

"This isn't forgiveness or reconciliation! It's just a very reasonable reparation plan where they must pay more when they grow!"

"If they lie down exposing their belly here? They should prepare to have even their organs stripped."

Even to the German military and Social Democratic Party, the committee's conditions seemed scary only if violated, while if kept, they appeared to truly allow Germany's revival.

Even if there were complaints here.

"If we can't revive the economy now, we're really dead."

"Though we hate the well-fed capitalists, we need their strength to pay reparations."

"It's do or die. If we just survive here, we can get the Rhineland back!"

Germany could do nothing.

Foreign Minister Stresemann and the cabinet signed everything because the conditions set by the Allied powers were so reasonable and favorable that they judged Germany could regain its lost diplomatic freedom if they could just revive the economy here.

Of course, Germany wasn't unaware of how this favor came about.

'These frog bastards. They bet everything on us not being able to revive the economy!'

'We must take Russia's hand. We must somehow get more money from Britain and Russia to recover.'

'France and Russia have crossed a river they can't return from.'

The Allied powers' internal division saved Germany.

While Britain and America stood by with folded arms saying "Try killing them," just as France was about to swing their sword like a thug, Russia stepped in to block them.

If Russia had turned to indifference here too? Germany would die unconditionally.

The answer that this Ruhr situation gave to Germany's political world, which had been splitting extremely between left and right, was simple.

As in Bismarck's time, diplomacy for Germany meant staying friendly with Russia.

"Today is a monumental day! Because the Schutzstaffel is officially establishing as a security force!"

"This booklet explains why we lost the Rhineland and Ruhr! Please read it!"

"Whether workers or capitalists, now is the time to join forces!"

Whatever ideology they held. Whether far-left or far-right didn't matter.

If Germany wanted to live.

"President Ebert died without properly resolving the situation. Doesn't this naturally void the secret agreement I made with the Social Democrats?"

"Your Excellency! The republic is in dire straits and needs strong leadership!"

"Groener, if you say so too, I should consider that even my Social Democrat friends acknowledge my necessity?"

Now they had to turn back the clock and stay friendly with Russia.

And in this structure, there couldn't be two people more suitable than Hindenburg, the Hero of Verdun, within Germany.

"Hindenburg is a threat to us? Hah! How could that be? How many German troops did he get buried in Polish land?"

"Gaaaah! The military finally seized power! Hindenburg is coming to Verdun beyond the Rhineland!"
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Though he may not have intended it, Hindenburg's Great War career itself was like pro-Russian and anti-French.

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Foch's resistance didn't last beyond the mid-1920s.

Though he may have acted more viciously and cruelly than in the original history, all such actions only served to suppress Germany's far-left and nurture the far-right.

After the Ruhr occupation ends and loans flow in, Germany will properly revive.

Due to that country's accumulated technology, overwhelmingly cheap labor costs even among great powers, and industrial capacity that once surpassed even world number one Britain, they cannot die even if they want to.

So will France simply watch Germany's reconstruction?

"France is gathering Germany, Britain, Belgium, Italy, Czechoslovakia, and some Polish nationalists to Locarno, Switzerland."

"What about us?"

"We weren't invited."

"Beren, don't you think their intention is too obvious?"

It couldn't be. France, who had to step back after raising troops for the Ruhr and Rhineland, sought to secure their interests and security in another direction.

The Locarno Treaties.

The beginning of modern collective security beyond self-defense, mutual defense.

Though they rushed out to the Ruhr unable to contain slight misunderstanding and momentary anger, France isn't a country so incapable at diplomacy.

Those treaties pulled in as many countries as possible and played with all sorts of wordplay like arbitration contracts and arbitration treaties, but summarized in one line, the content was 'Let's gang up on whoever draws their sword from now on!'