This time, the United States' desire to join the Allies has to some extent exacerbated the divisions within the Allies.
Great Britain and France already have a large rift in the distribution of strategic interests, and after experiencing internal turmoil, Russia's attitude is more focused on funds and supplies, rather than feelings with other countries.
In other words, whoever can provide Russia with more supplies and funding will also get Russia's support.
While this does help the national interest, it is not good news for Britain and Australasia.
Britain and Russia have many conflicts, and if France and the United States get closer, they might also approach French-American relations.
As a result, the Allies would become Britain and Australasia confronting France, America, and Russia, plus an Italy acting like a fence-sitter. The distribution of post-war benefits is bound to be tumultuous.
At the end of May 1917, the American government met with the Allies again and promised conditions that almost all major countries could not refuse.
First, the United States is willing to provide each of Britain, France, Russia, Australia, and Italy a 2 billion US dollar interest-free loan, and to provide at least 1 million combat troops and a main fleet to join the war.
2 billion US dollars, if converted based on pre-war rates, is equivalent to 4 billion British pounds, definitely not a small number.
Keep in mind that before the war, the military expenditure of Britain and France combined was only over 600 million US dollars per year. This funding could provide the pre-war military expenses of Britain and France for at least three years.
However, since the outbreak of the war, the military expenditure of various countries has soared exponentially. In 1915, Britain's military expenditure reached over 100 billion US dollars, and last year's military expenditure was as high as over 500 billion US dollars.
Since the Americans joined the war relatively late, even if they got a share, their contribution to the war would certainly not be too significant.
As a result, even if the Americans join the war, their share of the benefits would be at most at the level of Italy, and it would pose no threat to the benefits distribution of the original Four Great Powers of the Allies.
On June 1, 1917, having obtained the consent of the Allies, the Americans eagerly declared war on Germany and immediately dispatched a transport fleet, sending a division of the army and the headquarters of the American Expeditionary Force to Europe.
The number of American troops is the lowest among the major powers. Even if President Wilson had persuaded Congress to mobilize the nation in advance, it would take at least one more month for it to take effect.
This also means that, at least before August, there would be few American troops on the European battlefield, and the impact of the American army on the war would be minimal.
This is actually an opportunity for Australasia.
Upon learning that the Americans had joined the Allies to fight against Germany, the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, General Thomas, immediately issued an order to the formidable Expeditionary Force via telegram, demanding an immediate attack on Klagenfurt, to surround Vienna with the Italian army, and to force the Austro-Hungarian Empire out of the war.
As long as the Americans make no contribution to defeating the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they will have no excuse or qualification to share the benefits of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
In this way, the Allied nations would be left with only Germany resisting fiercely, and the Americans would have to deploy troops and fight the Germans with real swords and guns in order to obtain more benefits distribution.
Keep in mind that the interest-free loans provided by the Americans to the Five Great Powers of the Allies alone amounted to 100 billion US dollars, and adding the American war expenses, the total expenditure of the United States in this war would be at least 200 billion US dollars.
If only Germany's post-war benefits distribution is taken into account, it would be somewhat difficult for the Americans to obtain more than 200 billion US dollars in compensation.
After all, the distribution of German benefits includes the Five Great Powers of the Allies and the United States, with six countries sharing Germany's benefits, resulting in very little benefit distribution to each country.