Chapter 151: War and Peace

London, England
When news of the failure of the Hong Kong Fleet came back, popular protest teams had arrived on Downing Street.
Different from the Boer War 30 years ago, although that war paid a greater price to Britain, it was a more "symmetrical" victory war.
First of all, the huge price paid back a huge return. The Boers were eventually forced to sign an agreement to merge the two Republics of Transvaal and Orange into the United Kingdom. Although they paid a huge price of nearly 100,000 casualties, In the eyes of the British people, this is a successful war against the 'provocators', because it has won the final victory like the war launched by previous empires.
Secondly, it was a 'symmetric' war. The Boers were behind the Germans, and even from rifles to artillery, the Germans supported behind them. Moreover, from the perspective of the British cattle, the Boers were of noble descent, they were descendants of the Dutch, pure white Europa. This is a war between civilized people.
However, where is China?
China was the empire's Far East hunting ground. Since the Opium War of 1840, the empire has completely conquered this ancient country in the Far East. The empire can freely claim it, and even remove the valuable so-called national treasures from their palaces, ship the essence of the national culture that symbolizes the heritage of ancient civilization, and ship it back to Britain in a car, placing it in exquisite cabinets. , As a testimony of the British Empire ’s global colonization.
However, for more than a decade, Britain has been losing money on this past bullying rival.
In the Sino-Myanmar war, the government explained that the Imperial Army was unable to withstand an expedition, its logistics were interrupted, and its preparation was unsuccessful.
The special task force led by the Deputy Commander of the Far East Fleet was killed by a captain who was thrown down by iron bombs dropped by Chinese fighters. The government explained that the Chinese dumb bomb missed the captain of the Royal Navy and they shamefully touched the land. The light of the base air force, and those combat aircraft, were portrayed by them as shameful Germans sold to Chinese.
Until the outbreak of the war in Hong Kong, the government first issued a statement saying that all this was provoked by the Chinese. The Chinese were unwilling to be leased to Hong Kong. They created troubles and provoked war. When Hong Kong was occupied, they also said that this was due to insufficient military spending, which caused Hong Kong's garrison to be too small, and the Empire needed more troops.
However, after the Hong Kong fleet was captured, surrendered and sunk, the British gentlemen could no longer remain calm.
They came to Downing Street, and some even hoped to take the opportunity to see the Prime Minister as embarrassed as France was during the Sino-French war.
People yelled at the Grandstand, shouted various political slogans, and they even wanted to see the Prime Minister.
As they wished, they met the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mr. Macdonald.
"London citizens, not long ago, I received a report from the Far East. In the report, the brave cruiser Captain Colonel Dorrance sent us the last telegram explaining some key issues.
The temporary defeat of the war is already difficult to change, so please let me have the pleasure to read to you, gentlemen and ladies, a thoughtful telegram sent back by the heroes of the Royal Navy.
Dear Mr. First Maritime Minister, Dear Mr. Navy Secretary, unfortunately, we will encounter an unstoppable defeat in this local war. The warriors of the Empire have fought the most tenacious battles, but we are still attacked by Chinese planes from every direction of the sky.
What fills our ears is the huge noise of aircraft dives and the screaming airborne sound of a 1,000-pound heavy aviation bomb, but it has to be admitted that the mean Chinese, like the great Royal Navy, have An aircraft carrier capable of offshore operations. For the first time their plane can take off from an aircraft carrier to bomb our battleships. The three Imperial warships, including the Warrior, lacked sufficient effective air defense methods.
Here, I would like to suggest to the two ministers that some criminals should be exempted from their duties. It is they who put us on the warships in the Far East, even with only four or five anti-aircraft guns. It was they who stubbornly thought that the Far East had no air force that dared to launch sneak attacks on imperial warships. As a result, we could only wait to be bombed by Chinese aircraft in the Far East.
It is so distressing that we can never use the main gun that symbolizes the majesty of the battleship to hit the sky-filled plane ...
"
With a very sad heart, Prime Minister McDonald slowly finished this letter, "A Power Call from the Warrior Colonel Dorrance".
"Gentlemen and ladies, at this moment, I think you are as full of anger as I am. In order to get the brave battle of Colonel Dorrance, we will rescue him and return to our country, and we will follow him The proposal is to make an unprecedented personnel change for the relevant Navy Department officials. Next week you will see a list of personnel appointments and removals, which we will announce in the newspaper.
I will also announce an important decision that our war with the Chinese will continue. At the same time, we will start to build more battleships and more aircraft carriers. We have to prove to the world that the great British Royal Navy not only has the world's first battleships, we will also have the world's first aircraft carriers. I believe that when the battleships and aircraft carriers are perfectly arranged, no matter the Chinese or anyone, it will be difficult to stop the powerful fleet of the empire ... "
After making promises one after another to the public, Prime Minister McDonald finally used his performance to disperse the crowd and even greeted cheers at the end.
However, when he returned to the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street, he frowned, listening to the reports from the First Minister of Maritime Affairs and a Lieutenant General. He had already left the damned power cut behind him. .
In the face of surrender, in addition to advising the Royal Navy to build more aircraft carriers, Colonel Dorrance was more alive and help, telling how he bravely fought and how he missed his wife and children in London. He strongly urged the British Empire to bring him Rescued from the East.
"According to intelligence analysis, the Chinese have a special mixed fleet including two aircraft carriers. This fleet is not like the traditional fleet. They do not pursue large displacement and the largest large-calibre main guns. Look, they have at most a few destroyers and several cruisers. In this naval battle, what really threatened us was the carrier-based aircraft carried on those two medium-sized aircraft carriers. Through the intelligence gathered in various aspects, we had to Admit that the Chinese are already at the forefront of the world in the field of aircraft, and their level of development is at least not worse than that of our Imperial Air Force. "The Minister of Maritime Affairs reported cautiously and strived to minimize the navy's responsibility.
"Baron Chatfield, if you remember correctly, I only received your application report a few days ago to increase the cost of building navy battleships. Is it really difficult for the imperial navy to fight against the weak Chinese?" Prime Minister Macdonald It is difficult to imagine that the battleships, which have never been disadvantaged, have actually lost their effect on the Chinese.
The Minister of Maritimes had to explain, "Besides the battleships blocking their routes, they can only try to shell their coastal cities. Unfortunately, according to intelligence, the Chinese seem to have radar, and what we are equipped with The radar technology is equivalent. They are set up on high mountains and can detect ships coming on the sea in advance. What's more is that Haiphong Airport has been built in several key coastal cities, such as their Fangchenggang and Guangdong coast. According to suicide, Judging by the power cuts of Colonel Sim and Captain Dorrens who surrendered, they originally tried to approach the Chinese coast and bombard those cities that were booming. However, the Chinese Air Force, which is focusing on development, has eliminated this. Idea. Just like building a turret to block the sea, land-based aviation is also a killer of the sea-front fleet. "
"That is to say, we can only try to block their sea trade, or fortunately attack some coastal cities without sending the main force of the Far East Fleet to fight them?"
"Yes, dear Prime Minister, if the fleet decisive battle breaks out, it is likely that the Far East Fleet will suffer greater losses. At present, the aircraft carriers of the Imperial Navy are still in the establishment of the local fleet. And their number of aircraft is very limited. "
What the Baron did not say is that compared to Japan and other countries, the level of British aircraft carrier development can only be described as average.
McDonald, "I will try to order two aircraft carriers to the Far East. Even if no larger naval warfare finally breaks out, Britain will need to have a certain number of aircraft carrier forces in the Far East. The shameless performance of the Chinese proves the value of aircraft carriers . "
"Yes, Lord Prime Minister."
McDonald turned and asked the army general, "I heard that the Chinese are massing troops on the China-Myanmar border. Is the intelligence confirmed?"
"Prime Minister, the intelligence has been confirmed. From the information provided by Jiang Jieshi, at least two Chinese main divisions have sailed to the Ruili area, and their second main division units (guardian divisions) have traces of movement. According to Mr. Chiang Kai-shek's intelligence, there may be a larger transfer plan in southwest China. "Lieutenant General answered the Prime Minister's question faithfully.
"Isn't the war at sea yet over? Will land war break out again?" McDonald felt a little headache. If the war broke out in Europe or the Mediterranean, it wouldn't be so difficult, but it might break out in the Far East. And there was only a short distance from India, the most important colony of the empire.
"From the current situation, the Chinese have no reason to take the initiative. However, if the situation changes, they may have a step forward."
McDonald, "Can three divisions in Myanmar block the Chinese? Maybe, two eastern divisions?"
"If there were only two Chinese main divisions, we might have a chance ..." The Army General was very reluctant. He knew that during the Sino-Myanmar War, the British army would have several divisions, and the results would be similar. But their two main divisions.
He never believed that after these years, the British troops there were able to fight well, nor did they think that their equipment had made a qualitative leap. Because he knew that looking at the entire British Army, it was not enough except for the damn.
It's all because the navy needs to be constantly strengthened and build warships. Perhaps until now, the prime minister needs to worry about what to do when the enemy launches an attack from the land to the British colonies.
"I need further information. I also need a stable diplomat to go to the southwest to test the Chinese bottom line." McDonald knew that it was too early to say anything at this time, but he thought that a negotiation was definitely better than The sea wars and the more worrying land wars that may not end at all are coming.
At the same time, he couldn't help thinking of another thing, "Maybe one should see Chiang Kai-shek in Nanjing. This man is very proactive in opposing the Southwest issue, which is very consistent with us."
The British were already preparing for negotiations before the war was over, but in the southwest of China, far away, Zhang Shusheng was holding a detailed piece of information.
"Very good, well done. Follow the plan and coordinate with the Army's next move."
Zhao Ziyun Lizheng said, "Teacher, through the information we deliberately disclosed, several secret agents of Jiang Jieshi who had been latent in our southwest for a long time were finally exposed. According to the feedback information, Jiang Jieshi was able to obtain this information for their intelligence department. Very satisfied. "
Zhang Shusheng smiled, "He will be satisfied with anything that can weaken the Southwest, not to mention that such things can greatly please the British. The KMT's follow-up reorganization plan also depends on the wealthy and powerful powers."
Zhao Ziyun: "The person Chiang Kai-shek likes to engage in some conspiracy. Did n’t it happen that some Kuomintang agents intended to buy gold bar officers at the junction of the two armies with gold bars? It is ridiculous that not only did the officers bring no guns to surrender Instead, he cheated the gold bars back and handed them to the army, which was included in the meal subsidy. UU reading www.uukanshu.com "
"Oh, you don't know, this Chiang Kai-shek has done more than that." Zhang Shusheng recalled the original history of Chiang Kai-shek. The so-called merits can be difficult to determine, but he has done a lot of things that make future generations laugh. Regardless of stance and victory, the logistical transport captain who is known as an army is an example.
However, this time, his idea was true. He repeatedly tried to move towards the West, pulling away silk and cocoon, which actually caused him to trick the second batch of equipment from the three countries. Even if it was semi-eliminated equipment in Britain and France, it was stronger than the original local army equipment, at least artillery and the like, but it added a lot.
Obviously, this time the crisis between the Southwest and the British once again provided him with an opportunity. This is why, instead of staying on his feet, he persuaded the British to increase his support.
"is teacher"
Zhang Shusheng nodded to Zhao Ziyun of the special situation department, and signaled that he could go out. Calling the combat secretary, he ordered: "Draft an order for the Third Division and the Sixth Division to go to Longling overnight, Yongde line, and form a comprehensive intimidation to the British opposite"
"Yes"()