Long Live The King (Peaky Blinders)

Conference

IN THE PAST
PARIS - 2 MONTHS POST WAR - 1919

(Prince Nicky's P.O.V.)
"Are you coming aswell, your Royal Highness?" The voice of newly elected British representitive Lloyd George comes through the room. I turn my face away from the window that looked out onto the streets of Paris. I turn to face him and see him pull his coat on. Both of us are part of the British deligation, when it comes to the negotiation of the Treaty of Versailles. 2 months post war World Leaders came to Paris to find a way out of the mess that was created. It's called the Paris Peace Conference. Even I was there, by order from my father, The King, who is to ill to attend. "Your Highness?" He questions standing by the door. Like most of Paris, Harold was wanting to see the President of the United States. "I don't have the need to watch President Wilson being paraded around like some God of Justice" I stated using the name that people had given the man, "This conference is all about money. No one cares that they are still finding bodies in the trenches. There is a desire for a harsh peace treaty. And then we have President Wilson's desire to not take revenge. To give something better". I begin to quote the President word for word "I'll give you something better. I'll give you a league of nation and peace everlasting". "Now as inspiring as that sounds. Its not how the real world works. Wilson is forgetting the widows whose husbands have been killed. And the orphans whose fathers got shot". "When it comes to this Treaty, you cannot be to Peacefull or Hatefull towards Germany. There needs to be something nutural. Enough punishment that Germany won't be able to start another war, but not be effected enough by it that the next generations gets dealt a bad hand in life, because of the selfish generation before them" I warn him. If you make life hard for the next generations, they will rebel one way or another. After all, an army of sheep that is lead by a lion can win a war.

The peace talk will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 200 deligates, 37 countries. The league of Nations will be debated. Germany will be punished. I step out the car and ignore the moving picture cameras and make my way into the building. We will be speaking to the World. There are 5 countries at the head table, the Supreme counsil. Together we have lost 3 million men in the war. The smaller powers lost around 2 million together. The Prime-Minister of France, Georges Clemenceau, is the chairman of the conference. "I don't think there is any question that we are here to decide the issue of German guilt" Georges begins, "and ultimately of German reporations. We want our countries made whole again". I know exactly what this is. You make alliances only to destroy other alliances. The league of nations is for dreamers. One of the people who address the next speaker to the entire room, spoke up in french, and announced the next speaker, Lloyd George. "I too believe the issue of reperations must be dealt with soon" he starts, "it is not to compensate the victims for losses, terrible losses, unimaginable losses. It is what is right". Some countries want compansation instead of punishment. Everyone turns their attentiom to Italy. A country who flirted with joining Germany in the war, then she got a better offer from the allies. I listen to others give their demands. Italy wamting a harbour or port for her warships, unfortunatly it already belongs to Yugoslavia. Bucky Makino, from Japan who helped win the war for the allies in the Pacifc, want territory that belongs to China. And so on. "How long must we repeat history before we learn that revenge won't work" the American visionary Politician began again, "I have every confidence the league of Nations will change that". "The league of Nations is, at this very moment, a false ideaology" I stated and murmers begin to grow amongst the men. Shocked that the rebelious Prince even dared to speak. "You want world peace, correct?". The American nodd. "Please understand that Peace is a never-ending process, the work of many decisions by many people in many countries. It is an attitude, a way of life if you will, a way of solving problems and conflict". I glance around the room quickly seeing if I could tell if men sided with me. Most did but not all of them. "But you cannot make peace by talking to allies. You have to talk to the enemy too. And looking around this table, I do not see Germany. The fate of mankind is hanging by a thread" I warn them all. With this I urged them all to make this conference end quickly so another war won't break out. But listening to these men, I soon realised most men in this room only wanted more power by gaining land. Even the League of Nation, which on paper, seemed so peacefull and good for evwryone. Was actually only a better option for American Allies. China has so many countries and is counting on Wilson to protect its territory intregrity. So who is to say that Wilson's idea of a League of Nations will stop Japan's interest of wanting parts of China's land? Anywhere we draw a new frontiers and every border we miss could lead to a potential war. I wanted to get it into their thick heads that there should not be any more massacres. And take allied land could lead to that. "Peace must not be made with emotions, your highness" Wilson told me, "and you are only filled with emotions". I narrow my eyes at him "emotions are what got me and my surviving men home, Mr President. But you wouldn't know about that, because you refused to go to the trenches. Yet, had no problem sending your men to war" I remind him. This statement got me some good with the other men in the room. I was one of the few who did fight alongside the people at the frontlines. I had seen the horror of the war, while others only heard stories about it. "You even refused to see the trenches just yesterday when we had a break of politics. Now what does that say about you?". He doesn't answer me and returns to his own agenda. When the next months follow, I find it sad to see people travel all they way here to be then only given ten minutes to speak in this room, infront of 5 nored people. And the lives of people are changed by just a stroke of a midnight pen on the map of the world. During another break I closely watch the men tal amongst eachother. Weitzman, the Jew, is finding sympathy with the allies. Faisal, the arab, is given the coldshoulder. That the Japaness have something up their sleeves. President Woodrow walks up to me and takes a seat on the stairs beside me. I awknowledge him but dont greet him otherwise. "You don't like having to bargain, aye, Mr Wilson. It offends you" I chuckle and blow out a cloud of smoke into the cold French air, "but for your League, you'll do anything". "You are a smart man, your royal highness" Woodrow nods giving me a compliment. I ignore it and just look out on the garden. Its dangerous when a man in politcs gives a compliment but foolish if the reciever believes its praise. "It came as a suprise when you made it clear that you do not want to be part of the League of Nations and that you see it only as a foolish ideaology" Woodrow states. I shrugg my shoulders simply not bothered by his opinion "its not yet foolproof, Mr President. After all, you still need senate approval for the League. So why would I stand by something that is not even approved in your own country? There will be nothing gained if your idea doesn't go through. We would be back to debating endless of weeks again. You cannot force peace" I stand up from my seat on the stairs and then walk away. I have to go back to England, to prepare for the time that my father passes from his illness.

PARIS - 28TH OF JUNE 1919

When the conference of the treaty began. I was still a Prince and there was snow on the ground. Now about 5 months later, I was a King and there was no snow to be found in Paris. While I was away, the leadees came as far as making an agreed treaty but then Germany refused to sign it. For months Lloyd George had pushed for a harsh punishment, but suddenly changed his mind. An act of considerable courage if you ask me. "If you treat Germany as the ememy, they will act on that and trust me, they will not dissapoint" Lloyd told Wilson. But of course Wilson said no, the treaty has to stand. He has already compromised and his pride wont let him do it again. But finally the signing was made.

THE PRESENT
LONDON - 30TH OF JUNE 1919

Now that the war was officially over, I came back to London and got a scolding by the house of commons about my involvement with the missing guns. "I recognize that you have made a desicion. But given it is a stupid desicion I have elected to ignore it" I stated, "you ignore our desicion further, your Majesty, and I will need to assure you that we will take extrodinary precautions to-". "Do I need to remind you who you are talking to, Prime Minister?" I stated cutting him off, immediatly shutting him up. "you are talking to a King, your King, who ranks above you. Now let me educate you on the difference between the two ranks. You are not established by any statute or constitutional document, but exists only by long-established convention, whereby the monarch appointed you as most likely to command the confidence of the House of Commons. While I, the King of the United Kingdom and her colonies, am a ruler for the remainder of my life unless I chose to abdicate, of course. And me being the Monarch means I can chose who commands the House of Commans. So I hope this has thaught you, that if you threaten me again I will strip you of your rank and then have you hung by your neck that same hour" I snarl at him. Before sitting back down in my chair. "Just yesterday we signed the treaty of Versaille, which marked the end of the Great War. Now I didn't expect to come back to my country and see it almost having turned into a civil war during my absence!". I look around the room "you give out an order to raid peoples houses or falsely arrest people to be hung again. And I'll join their side instead. Am I understood?". "Yes, your Majesty". I dismiss them. After their departure I scoff "from a conference with selfish men to one with yes-men".

Published: 14th of January 2024

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