Chapter 573 Compensation

"I will convey the matter of the requisition of sailors to the Navy Department." The British royal family has no real power, so she naturally cannot decide anything. These are all things that Deputy Prime Minister Clement asked her to ask.

Queen Elizabeth then mentioned another matter. "Your Highness Yannick, about the compensation..."

Before she finished speaking, she was interrupted by Yannick. "Sorry, Your Highness, this matter is not negotiable. I don't mean to target Britain, but you should know that Vichy France is also paying compensation. If I give Britain a reduction, what will the French think? We have to give the French a reduction, right?" He said no, but in fact he was targeting Britain. The issuance of the euro made Germany a lot of money, and Britain's war reparations were just a drop in the ocean in his eyes; but he would not relax his vigilance or be soft-hearted. After all, Germany's personal experience told him how terrible the consequences would be if he gave the enemy a chance to turn over.

"And speaking of compensation, if you really care about the British Empire, why don't you give some of the royal jewels?"

Since the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the British royal family's art collection has continued to increase, including oil paintings, drawings, watercolors, furniture, pottery, clocks, silverware, sculptures, jewelry, books, manuscripts, maps, armor, fans and fabrics, etc., spanning more than hundreds of years. Most of these art treasures are hidden in Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Balmoral Castle and other places. In addition, there are a total of no less than 3,000 collections, which are exhibited in the UK all year round and rented to museums around the world for exhibition purposes.

Among them, the jewelry collection alone can be ranked as the world's second largest collector. If you don't look at its history and only look at the gems and workmanship, it is worth hundreds of millions of pounds. For example, the crowns worn by the Queen Mother and the Queen during their coronations are displayed in the Tower of London in later generations. They are inlaid with 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 5 rubies. The most shining one is the pigeon egg-sized diamond "Mountain of Light", weighing 105 carats; the "Star of Africa" ​​inlaid on the scepter is the largest cut diamond in the world, weighing 530 carats.

A writer named Leslie Field once wrote a book about the Queen's jewelry, listing a list: 14 crowns, 34 pairs of earrings, 98 brooches, 46 necklaces, 37 bracelets, 5 necklace pendants, 14 watches, 15 rings... The most valuable one is the Queen's Cullinan brooch, with two Cullinan diamonds totaling 158 carats.

"The British royal family has so many rare treasures, it should be enough to cover all the compensation, right?"

Queen Elizabeth's face changed slightly. "Those are royal jewels. Only the king has the right to dispose of them. I am just the queen."

"Oh? Really?" Yannick pouted disdainfully. "Excuse me, this excuse is really lame. It's okay to fool those ordinary people, but I'm not a three-year-old child."

"..." Queen Elizabeth's face turned slightly red. She turned her head and looked aside, trying to look less embarrassed.

Fortunately, Yannick did not continue to delve into this issue. "Britain needs to resume military production as soon as possible. We can increase the purchase volume. As long as we can make it, we will buy it all. And we will recruit soldiers in Britain, so that Britain's burden will be reduced." As for how many people can be recruited, it's hard to say.

After a moment of silence, Queen Elizabeth suddenly asked. "Will Germany defeat the United States?"

Yannick raised his eyebrows slightly. "Is this also what Clement asked you to ask?"

Queen Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm just curious."

"The issuance of the euro has turned the foreign exchange of European countries in the US Treasury into waste paper. Their losses are no less than paying a war reparations; this war is already a win for me. As for conquering the US mainland." Yannick sighed lightly. "It's easier said than done. The geographical environment of the United States is too good. There are oceans on three sides, especially the Atlantic Ocean, which is a natural defense barrier against Europe.

Fortunately, this barrier is two-way.

It is difficult for us to cross this gap, and the same is true for the United States. Before the fall of the British mainland, it could be used as a springboard for the United States to attack Europe, but now that this springboard is gone, what can the United States use to jump?

Originally, there was the Soviet Union to form an alliance, but the American Secretary of State Cordell Hull intended to assassinate Stalin. Can this alliance still be formed?" At this point, Yannick couldn't help laughing. I didn't expect that the sudden idea when robbing gold a few years ago would have such a big consequence a few years later. It was really an unexpected gain.

Queen Elizabeth stared at him suspiciously. "The assassination of Stalin by the US Secretary of State, is it related to you?"

Yannick nodded happily. "Yes, I ordered him to assassinate Stalin, do you believe that?" Seeing Queen Elizabeth slowly shaking her head, Yannick continued. "Anyway, the United States has lost its last chance to form an alliance to defeat us. Well, that's not necessarily true. Roosevelt is basically out of the game in this election. The new president said he would not be willing to make peace with the Soviet Union. The two countries still have a chance to form an alliance."

"Then by then..."

Yannick sneered. "The alliance is formed, but how can the US materials be transported to the Soviet Union? You know, most of the US heavy industry is distributed in the northeast. How can the materials in the east be transported to the Soviet Union?"

The regional distribution of American industry is very uneven, mainly concentrated in the northeast. The northeastern industrial zone of the United States was the first place to be developed by European immigrants, and it was also the earliest region where American capitalism developed. It has heavy industrial sectors such as coal mining, steel, and machinery manufacturing. Most of the country's steel, automobile, chemical and other industries are distributed in this area. This place is called the "manufacturing belt" of the United States.

The most convenient and fast North Atlantic route is naturally unusable, and the Black Sea route and the Iranian route are also completely controlled by the German army; as for the Arctic route, the Germans don't have to worry about it. The bad climate alone is a big problem.

"Finally, the Pacific route is left. Once the Americans open the transportation line, it will become a paradise for the German submarine force. Even if the few supplies are sent to the eastern part of the Soviet Union, it will take thousands of kilometers by land to reach the front line. Tsk, tsk, it's troublesome to think about it."

Queen Elizabeth said in shock. "Are you ready to go to war with the Soviet Union? This is crazy."

Yannick disagreed. "What's so crazy? If I don't beat him, he will beat me. This world is a world where the strong prey on the weak. What you should worry about is that if we can't beat the Soviet Union and are pushed back, then the fate of us princes and nobles will be the same as that of Nicholas II's family."