February 11, 1913.
"Marcelo, are Chile still unwilling to send volunteers to help us in Uruguay?"
In the Presidential Palace of Uruguay, President Jose Batlle Ordonez anxiously asked Foreign Minister Marcelo.
As the head of state, José is well aware that Uruguay is too weak, with a population of only about 1 million, and that even if the entire country is mobilized, it cannot have more than one man.
Change source app]
There are only more than 20,000 people, and they are short of clothing and ammunition. The only one with real combat effectiveness is a brigade. The country's weapons and equipment include more than 10,000 rifles, only 26 machine guns, and the largest heavy firepower is ten
The total number of German 75mm Leinmetall m1908 guns in the army is only 75. In addition to backward weapons, there is a serious shortage of ammunition. Uruguay does not have a decent arsenal. At best, the weapons it produces are only for maintenance and are one generation behind.
To put it bluntly, Uruguay's military strength is not comparable to that of a Brazilian division. If Uruguay can survive five days on its own, it is God's blessing.
Since Uruguay is weak, it can only ask for foreign aid. In addition to actively asking European and American powers for intervention, José Batlle Ordonez also immediately asked the two big countries in South America, Argentina and Chile.
"José, President Ramon Barros Luco of Chile sympathizes with us, but he says he can't help us.
He replied to us again that Chile should also be on guard against Brazil. Today Chile cannot provide volunteers and can only provide more weapons."
Regarding Uruguay's plight, Chilean President Ramon Barros Luco certainly wants to help, but he also knows clearly that his country does not have the ability.
When the Portuguese Empire was still the Brazilian Empire, Chile felt the pressure deeply. Facing him at that time, with the help of Britain, it still returned some of the territories it had invaded from Peru and Bolivia.
Facing the strong Brazil, Argentina and Chile quickly reached an alliance and actively carried out military and military industry construction.
Ramon Barros Luco in history was an excellent president of Chile. He had excellent political skills and made great contributions to Chile.
In terms of political measures, on December 23, 1910, Barros Luco was officially sworn in as President of Chile, and his political achievements in history are quite outstanding.
In 1911, under the guidance of German teachers, Chile established its first kindergarten. In the same year, construction of the National Museum of Chilean History began.
On January 11, 1912, the Barros Luco government promulgated Decree No. 2597 on the Chilean flag. The decree once again confirmed that the Chilean flag was designed by Juan Gregorio de Las Heras. The upper half of the flag
One-third of the side near the flagpole is a blue square with a white five-pointed star in the center, and the remaining two-thirds is a white rectangle; the lower half is a red strip. The red symbolizes the blue color during the Chilean War of Independence.
The blood of martyrs and heroes in the Battle of Cagua, the white symbolizes the perpetual snow in the Andes, and the blue symbolizes the vast expanse of blue waves of the Pacific Ocean.
In 1913, the Captain Manuel Avalos Aviation School was established to train junior officers, mainly aviation officers. Cultural facilities were improved, and a national archives and engineering college were also established during this period.
He also made outstanding contributions to economic construction. When the First World War broke out in 1914, Chile declared neutrality. Due to the increased demand for saltpeter from the belligerent countries, Chile's exports of saltpeter increased significantly, and a saltpeter boom reappeared.
The First World War launched in Europe increased the government's fiscal revenue, and the government began to strengthen infrastructure construction. It began to build railways and roads to San Antonio, improve the local drainage system, and improve public infrastructure in the Atacama Desert.
During this period, the government also carried out tax reforms, restricted the import and export of some commodities, and worked hard to develop national industry. In 1910, the Chilean steel industry was established. The government bought the El Tofo iron mine of a French company in Coquimbo Province, and built a steel mine in Cola.
Chile built Chile's first blast furnace, taking the first step in the development of the country's steel industry. In May 1915, the Chuquicamata copper mine was completed and put into production, and the National Railway Administration of Chile was also established that year.
In terms of diplomacy, Chile and Peru restored diplomatic relations in 1912. In 1915, the Barros Luco government signed the ABC Three Countries (ABC Countries) Mutual Assistance Treaty with Argentina and Brazil in response to the United States taking advantage of World War I to implement its policies in South America.
political and economic penetration.
On December 23, 1915, Barros Luco resigned as president and was succeeded by Juan Luis San Fuentes Andonaegui.
After leaving office, Barros Luco began to engage in charity. He donated several pesos to social charities for the construction of hospitals and schools. On September 20, 1919, Barros Luco died of illness in Santiago at the age of 84.
Years old, his life can be said to have been dedicated to Chile.
Now, due to changes in the historical line, Ramon Barros Luco is further promoting military and industrial construction in this historical plane.
He spent almost all of the income from mining exports on industrialization and military reform. He actively expanded the navy and army to 150,000, and also visited the north several times to inspect the defense line.
In today's Chile, except for the naval industry which is still weak due to high costs and small investment, the army industry has been built quite well. Rifles and machine guns have been domestically produced, and cannons can also be produced with a caliber of 105mm.
Today's Chile, speaking of military strength, is stronger than the Kingdom of Castile in Europe, but this objective strength pales in comparison to the Portuguese Empire.
Chile's national strength is only a little higher than Portugal's western theater, so there is no capital to mobilize troops to help Uruguay.
Today's Chile's top priority is to prevent Portugal from moving south. In order to deal with the Portuguese Empire, Chile is now working very hard to maintain good relations with the United Kingdom and the United States in addition to maintaining relations with Argentina.
Uruguay was targeted by Portugal, and Uruguay came to seek help. In addition to diplomatic support, Ramon Barros Luco could only support arms. He did not dare to reduce the slightest bit of military power when it came to the vital military support that Uruguay needed most.
assistance.
"Ramon Barros Luco, is it true that he still doesn't want to send troops?"
José Batlle Ordonez said to Marcelo: "Let our diplomatic ambassador to Chile express to the President of Chile our sincere gratitude to Uruguay for their diplomatic support and arms assistance.
It is rare for us in Uruguay to have countries that can provide us with arms and diplomatic support. There are very few countries in the world that can provide us with such help."
Jose Batlle Ordonez actually knew that Chile would answer this way, but he still hoped that a miracle would happen and that Chile could help Uruguay in a more substantial way.
But now that hope has been shattered, Ramon Barros Luco gave the final answer. Chile's support is limited to diplomacy and arms, and nothing else is discussed.
Jose had no resentment towards Chile's attitude. He actually knew that Chile could only help so much, and any more would lead to war.
Chile has actually given Uruguay everything it can. If it sends more troops as volunteers, Portugal might really dare to go south to attack it.
This chapter has been completed!