Chemical Weapons Convention

The chances of other countries catching up with the Empire's chemical-warfare capabilities are close to zero.

That's because most of the countries capable of competing with us in an arms race are tied down by colonial rivalries.

Maintaining colonies costs a great deal of money. Projecting military power overseas, building infrastructure abroad, and maintaining a steady supply network all cost money.

Besides, a colony doesn't remain part of a country forever once it's established. Colonies will fight for independence, and suppressing them and placating the local population costs money, too.

By contrast, our Empire had no particular need to worry about such things.

Even though we had united the West, East, Center, and North by force, every region was still fundamentally part of the Empire.

The Civil War had changed who ruled the country, not destroyed the country itself. Besides, support for my regime was high, so there was no need to worry about problems like independence movements.

That was why the Empire was in considerably better financial shape than other countries.

And the surplus funds were being invested without restraint in expanding the military and building up our chemical-warfare capabilities.

In this situation, when I declared that I would seal away our chemical-warfare capabilities, there were naturally people who voiced their concerns...