The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 964 NATO Summit and the Great Counter-Offensive
On November 5, 1884, in the meeting room at 10 Downing Street, London, the firelight from the fireplace illuminated Prime Minister Gladstone's tired yet slightly invigorated face. This was the first time since becoming wartime Prime Minister that he had felt a touch of merriment in such a solemn setting.

Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, stood before a huge map of Europe, slamming his baton heavily on the location of the town of Bettny, his voice booming as if it could shatter glass: "Gentlemen, the German 'Mooch Plan' has completely failed!"

His baton traced an arc on the map, from Berthes all the way to Paris, finally stopping at the Sedan fortress on the banks of the Meuse. The map was covered with Iron Crosses, representing the German advance, but now these marks had stalled, and in some places, they were even being pushed back by red French arrows.

"It took the Germans two whole months and the main force of the First Panzer Army to barely capture Bettny!" Prince George's tone was filled with undisguised sarcasm. "They lost three hundred tanks and fifty thousand soldiers, and all they got in return was three square miles of scorched earth!"

He picked up a small blue model representing a German tank and pressed it heavily onto Bertheney's sand table. The model of muddy trenches on the sand table was filled with broken blue flags, while the red triangles representing French fortifications remained embedded like thorns at the nodes of the communication trenches.

"The French used Molotov cocktails, anti-tank ditches, and even anti-tank mines cast from church bells to drag the German armored onslaught into a quagmire!" Prince George sneered. "Mooch thought this was the key to Paris? No! This is the blade of a meat grinder!"

He turned to Gladstone, his eyes gleaming with victory: "Your Excellency, the Germans' swift victory has failed! Their armored forces fought a grueling three-week battle in Bettny before barely managing to capture the town, while the main French force on the southern front has completed its 'withdrawal'—they have relinquished the plains east of the Meuse River and retreated to the Sedan fortress and the fortified area of ​​Nancy!"

Gladstone nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the red retreat arrow on the map. The French retreat appeared to be a rout, but in reality, it was a meticulously planned tactical maneuver.

"Twenty new artillery batteries have been added to the Sedan fortress, and the tunnels in Nancy have been extended by fifteen kilometers," Prince George continued. "Did Moltke think the French were in retreat? No! They were luring the Germans into the range of the mountain artillery!"

Gladstone's lips curled into a slight smile. The French had shown a resilience that exceeded everyone's expectations, especially the workers' Red Guards, who, with the most rudimentary weapons, had managed to hold off Germany's most elite armored forces.

"What's the situation on the northern front?" Gladstone asked.

Prince George pointed his baton at Dunkirk and Lille: "Fighting is still raging at Dunkirk. Although the Germans have deployed many 280mm railway guns, our battleships can still support the French troops on shore with their 10-inch guns if they retreat a little. As for Lille—" he sneered, "French workers welded railway rails into stakes, effectively cutting off the tracks of German tanks! By the end of October, the Germans were even forced to retreat from Calais!"

Gladstone took a deep breath. The situation on the European front was much better than he had anticipated. The German blitzkrieg had completely failed, and the war was turning into a war of attrition—which was precisely what Britain excelled at.

"What about the Russians?" he asked, turning to Foreign Minister Earl Granville.

Count Granville unfolded a sand table depicting the Balkan war zone and lit up the marker lights on it: "The Tsar has officially declared war on Germany and Turkey. Thirty Russian divisions are advancing towards the United Principality of Romania. Cossack cavalry have already burned the German oil fields in Ploiești!"

His finger traced the Black Sea coastline: "Meanwhile, the Russian army launched a landing operation on the northern shore of the Bosphorus and around Sinop. Although they failed to advance all the way to Constantinople, the landing was still a success. In the Caucasus direction, fifteen Russian divisions have broken through the Turkish defenses and are advancing towards Erzurum!"

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Gladstone's eyes. Russia's entry into the war meant that Germany would face a pincer attack from both the east and the west.

"The situation in Europe has stabilized," Prince George concluded. "The Germans are surrounded by enemies, and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's European allies are bogged down!"

Gladstone tapped the table lightly: "And what about the Pacific?"

First Lord of the Navy Hugh Childs stood up and lifted the curtain covering the sand table in the Pacific Ocean.

“Your Excellency Prime Minister, there have also been ‘favorable’ developments in the Pacific theater over the past month.” Czardes pointed his baton at Christmas Island Atoll.

On the sand table, eight "Constitution-class" battleship models of the Eastern United States are anchored in the lagoon, next to several British-flagged coal carriers, ammunition ships, and supply ships.

"After capturing Maui, Dewey's Pacific Fleet has temporarily retreated to Christmas Atoll for rest and resupply," Czardes explained. "Our Australian Grand Fleet has already organized coal and supply ships to head to Christmas Atoll, and once the US Eastern Fleet has completed its resupply, it can immediately launch new military operations!"

Gladstone nodded slightly. Christmas Island Atoll is a key node in the Pacific Ocean; controlling it would allow the US Eastern Fleet to threaten the maritime trade routes of Hawaii and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

"And what was the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's reaction?" he asked.

Cairdes shifted his command to Rabaul: "Zhang Bao's South Pacific Fleet has abandoned the attack on Port Moresby, and its main force is retreating to Pearl Harbor to join the East Pacific Fleet." A cold smile played on his lips. "Clearly, the loss of Maui has disrupted the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's plans, forcing them to tighten their defenses!"

Gladstone's gaze swept across the nautical chart, with the location of the Hawaiian Islands highlighted.

"The next focal point of the Pacific War will inevitably be Hawaii," Childers asserted. "Once the US East Coast Fleet has completed its resupply, it will join forces with the Australian Fleet to launch a general offensive against Pearl Harbor!"

Gladstone hesitated for a moment: "What's the situation at Blenka Bay?"

Cairdes turned his baton toward the sand table on the Nicaraguan coast. Small blue flags representing the Western American army had surrounded Blenca Bay, but the red and American flags representing the Eastern American army still flew on the harbor forts.

“Luo Xinzhong’s Japanese brigade launched two strong attacks, but both were repelled.” Childes pulled out three blue flags representing reinforcements. “However, Hong Tiangui has already transferred a Black infantry division from San Francisco. They are the elite of the ‘Black, Red, and Yellow Legion.’ The fall of Blenca Bay is only a matter of time.” Gladstone frowned slightly. Blenca Bay is a key node of the Nicaragua Canal. If the Western United States completely controls it, they can gradually push the battle line into the Caribbean Sea. If they control the entire canal, then the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom’s commerce raiders can enter the Atlantic Ocean!
“We must stop them,” he whispered.

Cairdes nodded: "The Royal Navy has dispatched two Lord Nelson-class battleships to Australia, where they will join the Pacific Fleet of the United States Eastern Federation in a counterattack."

Gladstone took a deep breath and returned his gaze to the Pacific map. The battle for Hawaii, Christmas Island, and Blenka Bay—these three key locations—would determine the outcome of the Pacific War.

"Is there anything else the Navy needs?" he asked.

Cairdes straightened his back: "Your Excellency, we need more coal and ammunition supply ships, especially a stockpile of armor-piercing shells. In addition, the Australian fleet needs more reinforcements, and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's 'Hidden Dragon Ships' remain a huge threat."

Gladstone nodded: "I will have the Quartermaster Department prioritize the allocation of resources."

He turned to Earl Granville: "And what about diplomacy?"

"Your Excellency Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes it is necessary to convene a NATO leaders' summit at this time," Earl Granville's voice was steady and powerful. "On the one hand, it demonstrates the unity of NATO countries, and on the other hand, it coordinates the great counter-offensive of 1885!"

Gladstone nodded slightly: "Has the invitation list been finalized?"

The Earl of Granville pushed a pre-prepared list in front of him, which included: James Garfield, President of the United States of America; Porfirio Díaz, President of the United States of Mexico; Louis Auguste Blanquez, Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of Red France; and Nikolai Benger, First Minister of the Russian Empire.

Gladstone's gaze swept over each name, finally settling on the "President of Mexico" column.

"Will Diaz come?" he asked.

Lord Granville smiled slightly: "The Foreign Office has already sent him a message through secret channels—as long as he attends the summit, Britain will recognize Mexico's sovereignty over Guatemala."

Gladstone's lips curled into a slight smile. Mexico was key to the North American theater of war; if they could secure Diaz's allegiance to NATO, the Eastern Union would have half its worries about the rear.

"And the French?" he continued.

“Blanqui has made it clear that he will attend,” Earl Granville replied, “but he has asked us to provide more aid to Red France. Red France needs a great deal of supplies; they lack everything!”

Gladstone frowned. This "Red France" was good at fighting, but not so good at organizing production.
“Agree to his terms.” After a moment of silence, Gladstone made his decision, “but with the condition that France must launch a strong counterattack by 1885 to coordinate with Russia’s offensive on the Eastern Front!”

Earl Granville nodded and took notes.

"And what about the Russians?" Gladstone looked at the last name.

“The Tsar himself will not attend, but Chief Minister Benger will represent Russia,” Count Granville explained. “St. Petersburg’s conditions are simple—they need more loans and arms, especially heavy artillery, coal, and saltpeter, the more the better.”

Gladstone sneered, "The Tsar certainly has a big appetite."

He turned to Prince George: "What suggestions does the Army have for the counter-offensive plan?"

Prince George slammed his fist on the table, making teacups clatter: "NATO needs a decisive counter-offensive! There are now three main battlefields: 1. Europe; 2. North America; 3. The Pacific—if we win any one of them, the Axis of Evil alliance will collapse!"

His command marked three axes of attack on the map: "On the western front in Europe, the French army can launch a counterattack from the Sedan-Nancy fortress complex, forcing the German army back to the east of the Vosges Mountains; on the eastern front in Europe, the Russian army, with the support of our Mediterranean fleet, can launch a three-pronged attack on the Turkish Straits, cutting off Germany's connection with the Ottomans. The eastern and western fronts in Europe can be coordinated, thus dispersing Germany's limited forces. And on the North American battlefield, the focus in 1885 should be on the struggle for the Nicaragua Canal!"
Gladstone's gaze swept across every axis of attack, finally settling on the Pacific Ocean.

"What about the Pacific theater?" he asked.

Prince George shook his head: "The Pacific is the stage for the Royal Navy, but the strength of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's navy should not be underestimated!"

Gladstone took a deep breath and made his decision.

“Tell Garfield that the Royal Navy will send its most powerful battleships to the Pacific to participate in the decisive battle of Hawaii; tell Diaz that Britain can recognize Mexico’s sovereignty over Guatemala; tell Blanqui—” he paused, “London can provide the French people with everything they need, from the people of India and Africa, but France must launch a powerful counter-offensive by 1885!”

(End of this chapter)