Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Hostility toward allies, not Germany. Though a bit excited and overly bare without any packaging, anyway everyone clearly confirmed that Beren now didn't view allies as allies.

After catching his breath and looking around the assembly, returning to the beginning.

"Today in this place, I must hear an answer before leaving."

He asked again.

"Who is this war for?"

This time, no one could easily offer rebuttal.

As always, such parliamentary discussions would spread to the world through press reporters.

==

Russia's "Alliance Withdrawal" claims erupting from Christmas 1915.

Though the movement swept through the Russian Duma with unexpected force upon its emergence, Britain and France maintained their diplomatic composure, believing that such a dramatic alliance withdrawal would never materialize. Their skepticism stemmed from their deep understanding of Russia's governmental structure - unlike the more established parliamentary democracies of Western Europe, Russia's political system still operated under significant constraints.

That fundamental difference in governance was crucial: Russia still functioned under the system of imperial ukases (direct decrees from the Tsar) which stood above basic constitutional law. This meant that no matter how vigorously the parliament attempted to assert its authority, while they could influence some ministerial appointments and policy decisions, they remained powerless to effect prime ministerial changes or fundamental shifts in foreign policy without imperial approval.

Frankly speaking, both Britain and France understood their strategic vulnerability - they were heavily dependent on Russia's continued participation in the war effort. The Eastern Front tied down significant German and Austro-Hungarian forces, preventing them from concentrating their full military might against the Western Allies. This military reality made the alliance withdrawal claims particularly concerning, even if they were unlikely to be realized.

"Seeing how Russia has many troops. Then let's try winning using the two-front war."

"Berlin's closer to Poland anyway? If we hold out, they'll take its head for us."

"No, that's why we opened the Mediterranean too?"

However, while before they took Russia's fierce fighting for granted thinking it was payment for eating Constantinople, afterwards it was closer to pure expectation.

"...They really fight well?"

"Crazy bastards. Already had many troops but added colonies, Romania, Finland too? Fortunate they're allies..."

"Triple front when Germany's struggling with two fronts... Can that be maintained simultaneously?"

When the French government conducted a census in 1912, including colonial citizens, about 43 million; just counting homeland, slightly over 40 million.

To such France, the scene unfolding across Germany was one where population would be deleted in percentage units if it were France.

And French Army Commander-in-Chief Joseph Joffre evaluated this very positively. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire

"As expected of the Russian Empire."

Unlike France which had to endlessly revise conscription plans with each major battle, last year Russia's east and south saw deaths equal to France's active forces.

In August 1914, when French forces declared general mobilization, they had slightly over 1.8 million troops, but there they had more deaths than that number.

Good, very good. This is clearly a positive signal.

British Naval Minister Churchill's reason for sinking into Gallipoli was all for this big picture, and growing the Balkan Front that wasn't even France's front yard was all for this too.

Though casualties weren't small, Russia's great victory certainly reversed the Balkan Front's atmosphere, and at this rate, it might even draw more active participation from Greece, Bulgaria, even Asian countries.

It's not for nothing that Italy watched carefully before quickly declaring war on Austria-Hungary.

Even if not one million but two or three times that died, Russia had enough capacity to conscript.

Moreover, seeing the battles so far, they definitely weren't second-rate power level in quality, so how positive is this news?

And BEF Commander John French fully agreed with Joffre's opinion.

"Infantry offensive is only possible for Russia and Germany. Though I have men like Haig under me who are desperate to rampage... Still."

"You mean BEF 1st Army Commander Douglas Haig. I had exactly such a man under me too. Lanrezac."

"Ah, you mean France's 5th Army's Lanrezac."

Lanrezac, who had poor relations with John French from early war at Liège, was already driven from the army by Joffre.

"Haig, I'll watch him a bit more but lately he seems to be trying to stand out too much."

"Nothing scarier than a general obsessed with merit."

At this rate, even the offensive-oriented Haig might follow Lanrezac's footsteps by John French and Joffre.

The two commanders' strategy regarding the Western Front was firm.

'Offensive, are they mad.'

'Last year's consecutive losses are shrinking the reputation from the Battle of the Marne. Now is time to lie low for a while.'

Both countries not only had difficulty handling troop losses like Russia, but after exactly one year of trench warfare in 1915, they learned.

Generals who fail in offense are unconditionally forced to resign or sent to dead-end posts.

But offense is extremely difficult to succeed from the start.

Based on these two realizations, the commanders reached one common conclusion.

'Then isn't it fine if we don't attack?'

Of course nothing is achieved by doing nothing, but they could do nothing.

Because Russia would do it for them.

Like last autumn, it seems they might reach Berlin after just a few more times, so shouldn't we just maintain our lines and hold out?

Though truly opportunistic and selfish, they sincerely believed this was right.

Adding their respective circumstances.

'...Recently there are many rising under Pétain and Foch.'

'Didn't War Minister General Kitchener acknowledge? BEF conscription will be difficult this year too and homeland must worry about food shortages due to U-boats.'

Both had plenty of excellent offensive-oriented generals under them.

Doctrine was quite diverse and some had considerable military achievements.

But ultimately if the commander-in-chief doesn't want offense, that's it. The athlete can't even reach the starting line.

Moreover, if both Britain and France don't want offense, breaking trench warfare on the Western Front would be difficult.

The Anglo-French forces had absolutely no intention of crawling out of trenches, so at this rate the new year looked like it wouldn't be much different from last year.

Unless one side broke trench warfare like Roman, that is.