Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Twenty years ago. When people naturally starved to death during famines, workers slept hanging like corpses on clotheslines or lived in coffins, and even the money earned that way went to paying lifelong debts.

That time when forced labor, forced conscription, forced exploitation were everyday life and death was too close to daily life.

'...How low were this country's citizens' expectations?'

Russia that still looks insufficient and full of deficiency to my eyes.

"They are truly grateful and satisfied. Even if they have complaints, they express and fulfill them through other channels."

Someone says that alone is enough.

"We've finally brought down the Ottoman Empire we fought for 400 years. We've unified Poland, and despite the history of the Tatar Yoke, our power extends to Asia. When all the lands of the old Eastern Roman Empire have come into our hands through war, what imperial citizen would dare criticize this nation's direction?"

"Still insufficient. Our competitors are wealthier than us, and just look at the United States enjoying prosperity."

"But imperial citizens don't know such things. Their only points of comparison are their own past and previous generations."

Originally this country collapses in three months.

It suffers for another century due to a failed revolution and ends up remaining in history as just another country, never catching up to the widened gap.

Yet this country.

"The empire still has strength left to wage war."

Has changed so much.

Feeling this change makes me think my reign wasn't in vain, and simultaneously.

'...Perhaps we don't need to end the war hastily.'

I think the war could go on a bit longer.

Not much, just a little more.

Even if the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapses, so that Western Front can suffer more.

==

January. A massive explosion occurred in Kingsland, New Jersey.

The C&F Company factory, an ammunition production company headquartered in Canada, exploded, and when the ammunition storage containing produced shells flew with it, the resulting flames instantly devoured all surrounding factories and buildings.

Fortunately there were no deaths, but when a mysterious explosion occurred at a factory surrounded by twelve-foot concrete walls, citizens were already certain who was responsible before federal investigators could investigate.

"The munitions factory is guarded by armed security 24 hours, but it spread without time to fight the fire! This is impossible unless it's arson!"

"This must be the work of those Boche agent bastards!"

"Germany's fearsome reach has extended to the New World!"

While it might have appeared to be another instance of routine German sabotage, similar to several previous incidents that had occurred throughout the war, the timing of this particular attack proved especially unfortunate and consequential. The incident came at a critically sensitive diplomatic moment in early 1917.

Because Woodrow Wilson was scheduled to deliver his landmark "Peace without Victory" speech to Congress just days later, advocating for a negotiated end to the European conflict and urging Germany to consider a diplomatic resolution without either side seeking total triumph over the other. The speech represented Wilson's persistent hope that America could serve as an honest broker for peace.

Naturally, due to this brazen attack, the carefully crafted "Peace without Victory" speech received a markedly cold reception and little sympathy even within American domestic audiences, who were growing increasingly hostile to German aggression. Adding to the tense atmosphere, the very next week witnessed another tragedy when the civilian merchant ship Laurentic was sunk in Irish waters, further inflaming anti-German sentiment.

However, Wilson, who was notably principled to the point of stubborn inflexibility and maintained an almost religious devotion to the Monroe Doctrine's principles of American diplomatic independence, refused to dramatically alter national policy overnight despite mounting pressure. His measured response reflected both his natural caution and deep-seated reluctance to enter the European conflict.

Just severing diplomatic relations with Germany remained his initial response, officially citing both Germany's withdrawal of the crucial Sussex Pledge (their promise to warn ships before attacking) and the pattern of increasingly hostile attacks on civilian vessels that had occurred thus far. This diplomatic break represented a serious step, but still fell short of the military intervention that many were beginning to advocate.

However, with each passing day.

"Maritime transport costs are soaring!"

"British merchant ships can't cross the Atlantic due to unlimited submarine operations. We must take measures immediately!"

"Now they're sinking civilian merchant ships without even searching them!"

Something to replace that 3% difference was being filled on the opposite side of the Monroe Doctrine.

"...Mr. President, Ambassador to Britain Walter H. Page has sent German telegram contents from British intelligence."

"What's the content?"

"If the United States participates in the war, they'll recognize Mexico's attack on the U.S. South as legitimate territory and provide financial support."

"Don't they know we were searching Mexico until February trying to catch Pancho Villa?"

Territorial preservation? Financial support? Nonsense without even needing to check.

How could Germany, suffering from a two-front war, support and help anyone?

That's just a ploy to make America's South attack to delay weapons exports and prevent them from turning their eyes to Europe.

At this moment, Woodrow Wilson had two choices.

First, burying the incident.

The option of downplaying and covering up the incident by dismissing it as low-credibility intelligence information to maintain the traditional Monroe Doctrine.

Second was amplifying the incident.

That was revealing the information sent by Ambassador Page directly to the press and public to show Germany's hostility.

Monroe Doctrine, anti-war, isolation, independence, safety, peace...

While words that were his political ideology and lifelong beliefs flashed by, Wilson thought once more about the essence of this Monroe Doctrine.

'This country's long-standing diplomatic policy. Isolation policy and mutual non-interference.'

However, could staying silent even on this Zimmermann Telegram really be called protecting peace? Wilson couldn't confidently answer.

Above all.

'My second term remains unchanged.'

The election already ended last year. Meaning this is Wilson's final term.

Wilson's deliberation wasn't long.

"Today, the United States has been designated as an enemy nation. They are trying to throw this country into chaos by manipulating New World neighbors from behind."

His choice was the second.

"That country's name is Germany. I hereby reveal the Zimmermann Telegram incident."

The future of this democratic nation would be chosen by the public.