The sun never sets

The General Staff and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked together to quickly find out the truth of the matter. The German government did provide some key technologies to the Americans, violating the agreement between China and Germany in the past. Although the German government strongly denied it, the Chinese side has confirmed the authenticity of the matter. Confirming the matter did not solve the problem. The question is what to do next.

The Allied Powers, led by Germany, wanted to break free from the shackles of the Allied Powers, and the United States wanted to retake the Panama Canal and exclude the influence of Britain and other European powers in South America. It is understandable that the two sides came together because they had common interests. Compared with the Allies, the US Navy was stronger, and it was understandable that the German government, adhering to a pragmatic attitude, chose to win over the United States.

Understanding is one thing, but since Germany has violated the agreement, China must respond. We cannot just say "earthquake and mountains shake"; slogans will not have any effect, and actual actions are needed.

The Central Standing Committee held an emergency meeting, and the People's Government subsequently suspended several military cooperation projects with Germany, but civil exchanges and trade were not affected.

"The Chinese government withdrew its military advisory group and all its experts."

After listening to the report, William II was silent for more than ten seconds, and then asked: "Is it worth it for us to do this?"

The minister avoided the question and said, "The armor steel formula transferred to us by the Chinese government is not the best. According to the information sent back by intelligence personnel, the Chinese have developed an improved carburized armor steel, which has increased the defense efficiency by 3.5%."

William II frowned. "What do you want to say?"

"If war breaks out, the United States is more important to Germany!"

"......" William II was not unaware of this, but "the United States did not agree to form an alliance with Germany."

"Just not yet."

Chapter 561: Care

German Emperor Wilhelm II was a pragmatist. Although he was described as an impulsive and irritable tyrant by British and French newspapers, in fact, this was not entirely true. Behind his actions that were considered impulsive and frivolous, there were purposes.

There are many benefits to selling military technology to the United States, such as winning over the other party and forcing China to make concessions. When the economic crisis came, the Germans had a hard time. Because they did not have many colonies, Germany could not pass the economic crisis on to the colonies, and the German bourgeoisie and factory owners felt suffocated.

Affected by the economic crisis, Germany's economy has declined, and the lives of the Junkers have become difficult, not to mention ordinary workers and farmers. People are hungry and the society is turbulent. There are only two paths before Germany: either left or right. Moderation is no longer suitable for this era, and no longer suitable for Germany. Whether it is left or right, it will move towards the most extreme situation.

Everyone understands that war is inevitable.

Germany was ready for war, but the Allies were clearly at a disadvantage. Whether in terms of population and land area, or fiscal revenue and military numbers, the Allies led by Germany were inferior to the Allies. The only thing that could be mentioned was steel production.

In order to increase the chances of winning the war, William II even tried to win over the Ottoman Empire. Ottoman Turkey has always been called the "sick man of West Asia". Both the Allies and the Central Powers believed that the Turks would be a burden. William II was also not optimistic about the fighting power of the Turks. However, as long as those Muslims could cause some trouble for Britain in Egypt, it was worth winning over.

China repeatedly refused to join the Allied camp, while the United States hinted that it was willing to join the Allied side. Under such circumstances, even though William II valued his friendship with Lin Yongchang, what should he choose?

Germany's top leaders were overjoyed at the US's move towards them, and immediately made a choice for the emperor. The US was close, but China was far away. The US was willing to become an ally, but China was not. Wasn't it obvious what to choose? If the US joined the Allies, the power comparison between the Allies and the Entente would be reversed. The best thing was that most of the US industry was in the East, including the shipyards. After the US warships were launched, they were concentrated on the East Coast, and together with the German Navy, they could form a double-team against the British mainland.

All cabinet members agree to woo the United States. If they have to choose between China and the United States, it must be China.

Of course, he chose the latter. William II felt that it was a little inappropriate, but under the persuasion of people around him, he had no choice but to agree.

"Your Majesty, this is all for Germany!"

William II said he knew, and he talked about another issue, "Have someone prepare the carriage, I am going to London to attend the funeral written by Edward VII."

King Edward VII of England had just passed away, and the whole of Europe was in mourning. Well, that's what the newspapers said. The royal families of Europe were intermarried, and they were all relatives. This did not prevent the countries from fighting each other, but they were relatives after all. William II was the nephew of Edward VII. Although Britain and Germany were now at loggerheads, William II still had to attend the other's funeral.

Not only did they have to attend the funeral, but they also had to follow the hearse. In addition, William II had to have a good talk with the new British King George V. We were all relatives, so why did we have to fight? The Junker officer corps and the German bourgeoisie believed that war was inevitable, but William II wanted to give it another try.

That's what diplomacy is all about. Keep making contacts and opening doors. You never know when you will get unexpected gains. After William II got rid of Nicholas II, he tried to win him over many times, but failed every time. He also tried to get close to Edward VII many times, but it didn't work. Now that Britain has a new king, we have to give it a try.

You won't get pregnant if you try it, and the worst that can happen is you'll get ridiculed.

The news of the death of the King of England spread throughout Europe, and even the Far East heard about it. A total of nine European kings will attend Edward VII's funeral. Emperor Taisho's younger brother, Prince Fushimi Sadanai, has also traveled to Europe on a warship and will appear at the funeral.

The British Empire was the world's hegemon, and every move was watched by all countries, just like the beacon country of the future. Even in 2022, there are still people who are tirelessly pursuing the Oscars. Lin Yongchang met Edward VII, who was a respectable man. Now that he is dead, Chairman Lin is not sad at all, but many people are like bereaved parents.

But it’s also possible that those guys were just pretending. Everyone is so sad, and they can’t stand out from the group.

Edward VII visited many European countries and left a good reputation. In addition, most of the royal family members of these countries were his blood relatives, so the European media also affectionately called him "Uncle Europe". After Edward VII's death, although Europe was already shrouded in the shadow of war, there were still 9 kings, 5 crown princes, more than 7 royal nobles, and queens attending the funeral to bid farewell to Edward VII. The scale of the funeral was even grander than that of Queen Victoria.

This is just like the British trying every possible way to host the Olympics. The more the national strength declines, the more they want to maintain their appearance. The British Empire has interests all over the world. If it shows weakness, the surrounding powers will definitely not care about being the "European uncle" and will definitely pounce on it.

The nine kings who attended Edward VII's funeral were the newly crowned British King George V, King Alfonso XIII of Spain, the King's nephew; King Frederick of Denmark, the King's brother-in-law; King Haakon VII of Norway, the nephew of Queen Edward VII; King Ferdinand of Bulgaria; King Manuel II of Portugal, the King's nephew Kaiser Wilhelm II, King George of Greece, the brother-in-law of Edward VII; King Albert I of Belgium. In addition to these nine, there were Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, Prince Yusuf, the successor of the Ottoman Turkish Sultan, Prince Fushimi Sadae, the brother of Emperor Meiji, Archduke Mikhail, the brother of Russian Tsar Nicholas II, Duke of Aosta, the brother of the King of Italy, and Prince Carl of Sweden, the husband of the Queen of the Netherlands, etc.

This was Europe's last glory, and the rulers rarely stood together.

William II talked with George V after the funeral, but the conflict between Britain and Germany was long-standing and irreconcilable. Even if William II had the eloquence of Su Qin and Zhang Yi, he could not persuade George V. Besides, George V was only a nominal ruler. Even if he was persuaded, what effect would it have?

Under the economic crisis, the whole of Europe was plunged into turmoil. Britain could not cut its own meat to feed Germany, and Germany could not make concessions. Sooner or later, William II and George V would become enemies.

But what no one expected was that before the war broke out, King Manuel II of Portugal had already lost his crown. The reason was simple. The economic crisis came and Portugal could not escape it. A revolution broke out in the country. The revolutionaries bombarded the palace, Manuel II was deposed, and then fled in a hurry to London.

Well, it was just a minor incident and almost no one cared except the hapless Manuel II.

Chapter 562: Resisting the US and Aiding Mexico

"Quick, quick! Follow me!"

The dark-skinned man shouted in Spanish, "Everyone, head to the presidential palace!"

"Trample, trample," a team of armed paramilitary forces rushed out with chaotic footsteps. Half an hour later, gunshots tore through the silence before dawn, and the Mexican Revolution began. The insurgents quickly captured Ciudad Juarez, the original rulers were driven out, and new leaders stepped onto the stage.

This originally had nothing to do with China, but after the Mexican Revolution, the U.S. military took the opportunity to move south and occupied a large area of land in just a dozen days.

The government had been keeping an eye on the Americans. The expansion of the United States made the Taisho government very uneasy. Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi sent a telegram to Chang'an, hoping that the alliance could send troops to support Mexico's revolutionary cause.

Even if we cannot send hundreds of thousands of troops, sending a few thousand or a few hundred people is also good. In addition, we can sell more weapons to Mexicans to help the locals resist the invasion of the US military.

October is the harvest season, and Lin Yongchang is filled with joy. China produced 910 million tons of steel and 140 million tons of fertilizer in the first nine months of this year. In just one month, the production plan will be completed ahead of schedule. This year, with favorable weather and increased fertilizer production, it will be another bumper year.

It is a good thing to harvest an extra three or five dou of grain. The people's government will purchase the staple food at a fixed price, and there will be no situation where low grain prices hurt farmers. However, for the country, having too much grain is also a troublesome thing, which means that more warehouses need to be built to store grain. Storing grain is very expensive, but not storing it is not an option. China must ensure that there is a grain reserve for the entire nation to eat for one to two years, so that it will not be strangled.

Some experts said that there was no need to draw a red line for cultivated land, and that if there was a shortage of food, we could just buy it on the international market. He also said, "If people don't sell food to China, China must have done something bad." This expert's shocking words have crossed the bottom line of normal people. Comrades from the National Security Bureau launched an investigation into him and found evidence of his dealings with the US intelligence department, so the expert was sent to the Western Regions to grow cotton.

Lin Yongchang was dealing with food issues when he suddenly received a telegram from Japan saying that they would send troops to Mexico. He took some time to read the relevant information and then rejected the request to send troops to Mexico.

What a joke, Mexico is 10,000 miles away from Asia, but it is right next to the United States. Even if the combat effectiveness of the US Army is questionable, the US Army has convenient supplies and can continuously obtain troops and ammunition, while the Alliance has to cross the entire Pacific to replenish. Perhaps only the Japanese would think that the disadvantage of distance can be offset by their roots.

It may also be that the army was all provided by China, so the Japanese did not feel too bad about it.

The Mexican Revolution is very similar to the Chinese Revolution in another time and space. After the original rulers were overthrown, things were not over yet, and it can even be said that they had just begun. More than a dozen factions were fighting in Mexico, and at this time the US military came to attack. The scattered Mexicans naturally could not defeat the aggressive Americans.

The Mexicans have simultaneously launched two copies of the "Warlords' Melee" and the "Anti-American War". Lin Yongchang believes that Mexico cannot be saved. Mexico's population and strategic depth are not as good as China's. The strength of the United States far exceeds that of Japan. The cruelty of the American devils is not inferior to that of the Japanese devils. The time for Mexico's existence may have entered the countdown.

Even if the alliance sent tens of thousands of troops, it would not have any effect. Modern warfare consumes a lot of ammunition. It is normal to consume tens of thousands of shells in a battle. If the ammunition is used up, then the only option is to fight with bayonets.

The Russians emphasize courage, claiming that "the bayonet is a hero, the bullet is a fool." That's because Russia's military equipment has always lagged behind Europe, so they can only emphasize the role of courage in combat. Courage alone cannot win a war. The Russians were very brave in Crimea, but the smoothbore rifle was ultimately defeated by the flintlock rifle.

However, the inability to confront the US military head-on does not mean that we cannot think of other ways. After Lin Yongchang replied to Ito Hirobumi, he sent a telegram to Wang Hu, asking him to return to Chang'an and report the situation in Mexico and America to the Central Military Commission.

Lin Yongchang planned to provide some weapons and equipment to the Mexicans. He did not ask them to defeat the Americans, but just wanted to make the US military bleed more. However, there were too many factions in Mexico, and it was necessary to listen to the opinions of Wang Hu and other staff members as to who should be given the aid and who should not be given the aid.

If you find the right person, you can achieve twice the result with half the effort. If the person being assisted is a loser like KMT, no amount of assistance will be of any use.

After receiving the telegram from Chang'an, Wang Hu immediately returned to China by boat. In addition to several party comrades, he was accompanied by a comrade from the Japanese People's Party who was also in charge of American affairs. Wang Hu and his party first took a boat and then a train, and it took less than a week to reach Chang'an.

Chang'an is still a big construction site, with the sound of "ding-dong-dong" all day long, but large areas of buildings can already be seen. Most of the central departments of the people's government have moved to Chang'an. This is a truly modern city, with tall buildings, wide roads, water and electricity. The city has just taken shape, but it has made many people understand what a modern metropolis is.

The Japanese comrades who came to Chang'an for the first time were very shocked, "Such a magnificent city can only be found in China!"

“Tokyo is pretty good too.”

"Tokyo.........."

Tokyo is certainly prosperous, but it retains too many characteristics of the old times. Tokyo exists in the past, while Chang'an is embracing the future.

Wang Hu did not have as many sentiments as the Japanese comrades. His mind was full of thoughts about Mexico. He loved fighting. Whether it was in the ice and snow of Outer Northeast China or in the tropical jungles of Southeast Asia, as long as he fought, he would feel very happy. Others might still find some excuses and use theories and doctrines to wrap a layer of moral skin around the war, but Wang Hu was always outspoken. He just loved fighting.

battle.

Before, he had considered going to Li Dayan's place, at least he could fight to his heart's content there. Now, the fight had broken out in Mexico, so he didn't have to worry about the work being boring.

Wang Hu copied all the intelligence about the United States, Mexico, and other South American countries, and he also formulated a plan to make the Americans bleed more. His plan was not to fight the Americans head-on, but to establish a guerrilla army and continue to bleed the Americans.

During the Philippine War, the guerrillas caused heavy casualties to the US military. Casualties were secondary. The main purpose was to make the United States consume more resources. If Mexico was completely occupied by the US military, he could also take people to Colombia and Brazil. As long as the Americans did not control all of America, the war could continue.

Chapter 563: Persuasion

Before reporting to the General Staff, Wang Hu first went to meet Lin Yongchang privately. He knew who would make the final decision. As long as he convinced Chairman Lin, the rest would be easy.

Lin Yongchang had a close relationship with Wang Hu and Xu Wuji in private. Wang Hu came to see him on the night he arrived in Chang'an and put forward his own views. "Germany has abandoned Mexico. If China does not stand up, Mexico will be in danger!"

"Isn't there still Britain?"

"The British are so focused on Europe that they don't have the energy to care about America." Wang Hu sat opposite Lin Yongchang, his eyes sparkling. "The secret agreement between Germany and the United States was leaked by British newspapers."

"Then let Mexico be dangerous."

Lin Yongchang said: "It is not that I cannot carry Mount Tai to cross the North Sea, but I just cannot do it."

It's not that China doesn't want to send troops to rescue Mexico, it's just that it can't. If Mexico were in Asia, it would be fine, but if that were the case, the Americans wouldn't have invaded.

"You can organize guerrillas in Mexico!"

Wang Hu excitedly talked about his real intention, "Just like in the Philippines. Even if the US military will eventually occupy the whole of Mexico, we will make them bleed to death!"

"Guerrillas..."

Lin Yongchang pondered for a while and asked, "Do you know that guerrillas mean the death of many civilians? If the US military cannot catch the guerrillas, they will vent their anger on civilians. This kind of thing happens a lot in the Philippines."

"If there were no guerrillas, would the American devils stop killing people?"

Wang Hu said disapprovingly: "Since someone is destined to die, why not make the death more meaningful?"

"........So what are you going to do?"

"Just like before, mobilize the masses, fight against local tyrants and evil gentry, distribute land, and then organize militias and Red Guards to drag the Yankees into the vast sea of the masses! If we fight well, we may be able to drive the Yankees out!"

Lin Yongchang thought about the "beating the local tyrants and dividing the land" in America and felt that it was still unreliable. It was too far away from China and too close to the United States. The imperialist forces were too strong. Sending volunteers to establish a base and fight guerrilla warfare required preparations for annihilation. However, Wang Hu was right. Since the Mexicans were destined to bleed, why not make the bloodshed more meaningful?

Seeing Chairman Lin's willingness, Wang Hu struck while the iron was hot, "And it's not just us who are willing to help Mexico, there are also volunteers from Europe!"

The volunteers of that time were very combative, not only knowledgeable but also very capable. In the Boer War and the Philippine War, those volunteers who brought their own dry food were active in the front lines of the battle, and many of them were engaged in other work such as production and medical treatment in the rear.

After the United States invaded Mexico, Britain, France and other countries condemned the United States' invasion of a sovereign country. They did not send regular troops to Mexico, but many volunteers went to Mexico by ship. Especially in France, there are many left-wing people in France, who naturally stand on the side of the invaded country. The number of French volunteers is several times that of other countries.

"Huh, after all you've said, do you really want to go to Mexico?"

"of course it's true!"

"If you really want to establish a base in Mexico, you will be blocked for a long time and face the disadvantage of being surrounded and suppressed, and there will be many casualties."

Wang Hu held his head high and said, "I'm not afraid of death!"

When I was young, I was fearless and thought that there was nothing in the world that I couldn't solve. Lin Yongchang looked about the same age as Wang Hu and still had ideals in his heart, but he was not as aggressive as Wang Hu. He stared at Wang Hu for a while, then said, "As long as you can convince the General Staff and the Military Commission, I will not object to your plan."

Wang Hu was delighted, but he also made another request, "I want to recruit some volunteers in the country as well."

"As long as they are willing, you can recruit as many people as you want, but you have to know that the government has no money and no ability to support you."

The strength of the US Navy grew rapidly, and it controlled the waters near America. The only one that could defeat the US Navy in America was the British Royal Navy. The German Navy's ocean-going combat capability was not as good as that of the British Navy. Although it had more battleships than the United States, it might not be able to cross the Atlantic to defeat the US Navy. The East Asian Combined Fleet had only three dreadnoughts, and its strength was less than half of that of the German Navy, so it was even less likely to win.

"I'll figure it out myself."

Wang Hu only needs a name in China. It will not be a problem for him to attract sponsorship and recruit volunteers.

There are so many retired soldiers and officers, and there are always some who are not satisfied with their ordinary lives. Fear of death is human instinct, but there are still many people who are not afraid of death, either for their ideals or to make more money while they are young. There are many reasons that can make people suppress their fear of death.

"Then go and convince the Military Commission and the General Staff. Oh, and convince your uncle as well."

Wang Hu's uncle, Wang Zuolin, was one of the Five Tiger Generals of the Republic. He had always disapproved of Wang Hu continuing to lead troops to fight. Enough people in the Wang family had died during the war. Wang Hu was confident that he could convince the General Staff and the Military Commission, but he was not sure about convincing his uncle. He laughed dryly and said, "I won't tell him!"

"I still have to say this, he treats you as his son."

".............", Wang Hu's face showed a tangled expression. He twisted his body in the chair, looking a little restless. After a while, he said, "No, I will write to him after I go to Mexico."

Lin Yongchang shook his head. "Young man! I won't keep a secret for you. I will tell him the truth after you finish your report."

"Um...can you wait until I get on the boat?"

"What do you say?"

"........."

At the meeting convened by the Military Commission, Wang Hu and other comrades spent more than three hours giving a detailed introduction to the situation on the American continent, especially in Mexico.

After the revolution, due to religion, race, culture, philosophy and region, more than a dozen factions emerged in Mexico. These factions were not subordinate to each other and were basically beaten by the US military. The Mexicans were beaten back step by step, but they showed some resilience when defending the city.

The U.S. military never backs down when fighting. Faced with the Mexicans defending the city, the U.S. military brought in heavy artillery, and thousands of shells fell into the city, killing Mexican troops and civilians together.

The troops trained by China and Germany in Mexico caused great casualties to the US military, but tactical victory could not change the strategic disadvantage. Even after winning several battles, the Mexican army continued to retreat. In less than a month, Mexico lost a quarter of its territory and more than 100,000 troops.

The civilian casualties are incalculable, and conservative estimates put the death toll at more than half a million. The U.S. military is capable of setting fire to cities during a civil war, so it's not surprising that they could do anything.

Chapter 564 Celebration

"In four months at most, and two months at the shortest, the Mexican army will completely lose its ability to resist."