In the next few days, almost all the news broadcast by newspapers was about Northeast China. Under the pressing pressure of the Japanese invaders, famous cities fell one after another, and the development of events was like an avalanche.
The Republic of China government issued a solemn protest and expressed its determination not to compromise, but took no further action.
People and people from all walks of life in Shanghai held protest marches and burned the Japanese flag in front of the Japanese Consulate General. However, the people still maintained their sense and did not attack the Japanese Consulate.
On the radio, news of protests and demonstrations across the country were heard one after another. Japanese flags were burned and a comprehensive boycott of Japanese goods began in big cities such as Nanjing, Peiping, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Wuhan.
Lu Ming did not participate in the parade, but he drove along with the parade.
Everything he has experienced for more than a year is like a movie scene, with images flowing through his mind.
From the disappearance of Sheng Muyi and Yuan Ziyuan to the exposure of Sheng Di, from the discovery of the secrets on the back of three stamps to the appearance of Mr. Dong, from the shootout in the Liuyuan Garden to the capture of Ozawa...
Things have gone far beyond the vision of a private detective, and the fates of individuals, families, cities and countries have never been so closely linked.
There was not only anger in his heart, but also an inexplicable excitement, as if somewhere in his heart had been hit suddenly, and although it was painful, it was awakening, urging him to take some action.
He wrote a special observation on Shanghai, wrote down what he saw and felt about the Chinese people's anger and determination to resist Japan, and sent it to Frank.
In his report, he hoped that Mr. Frank would persuade President Hoover that the U.S. government could not turn a blind eye to the events in Asia and should unite the international community to protest against Japan and put pressure on the Japanese government.
He saw Du Juan among the protesting crowd. She was like an angry antelope, walking in front of the female workers in the spinning mill, waving the blue sky and white sun flag, and taking the lead in shouting slogans.
On this day, almost all the workers in Shanghai walked out of the factory and gathered into the mighty demonstration team. The whole Shanghai woke up and was boiling.
The Shanghai Police Department and Songhu Security Command received orders from their superiors and all personnel were mobilized to maintain order on the streets to prevent riots.
Lu Ming also saw Zhang Ziyang and Huang Yanning among these people, with nervous and angry expressions on their faces.
Workers were the main force in the parade, followed by students, including college students, middle school students, and some ordinary citizens.
Lu Ming noticed that even people from the Qinghong Gang and the Cao Gang participated in the parade. It could be said that almost all the people in Shanghai, regardless of class or gang, gathered under the banner of anti-Japanese.
In almost every street, crowds of people gathered, some listening to professors and college students delivering anti-Japanese speeches, and some holding boxes to raise funds for the compatriots suffering in Northeast China.
That night, Lu Ming felt depressed and uncomfortable, so he went to Huang Yanning to drink.
"What do you think the Central Army is thinking? Do you have any plans to go to the Northeast front to fight the Japanese?" Lu Ming asked.
"How is it possible for the Central Army to fight the Japanese? You don't understand China's military situation." Huang Yanning said with a bitter smile.
"What is the situation of China's military? Aren't all the three armies under the command of Chairman Chiang?" Lu Ming really knows very little about this.
"You don't understand. It is nominally under the control of Chairman Chiang, but the Northeast is still the territory of the Marshal. The Marshal still has the final say, and the central government generally does not interfere. The same goes for other places. Shanxi belongs to Yan Xishan, and Xinjiang belongs to the Marshal.
Sheng Shicai, Guangxi is owned by Li Zongren, Shandong, Henan, and Hebei are all occupied by people." Huang Yanning explained.
"Then why don't they unite and send their troops to fight in the Northeast?" Lu Ming's idea was relatively simple.
"Chairman Chiang is looking at the attitude of the international community, and the Marshal is looking at the attitude of the central government. Anyway, the Northeast Army has no resistance, and it is even less likely that other troops will enter the Northeast." Huang Yanning also looked helpless.
"Then will everyone just watch the Northeast fall?" Lu Ming asked.
"Of course not. In the end, the central government will have to come forward to negotiate. I estimate that the result will be that both sides will make concessions and Japan will gain some rights and interests and will not expand the conflict." Huang Yanning said.
Hearing what he said, Lu Ming lost interest at all. He knew that Huang Yanning's statement almost represented the attitude and thoughts of the Republic of China government. He was helpless but powerless. The so-called negotiated solution was just a compromise.
But he knew in his heart that Japan was serious this time. Huang Yanning's talk of "adding some rights and interests" to Japan completely underestimated their ambitions. The Japanese would not stop until they occupied the entire Northeast.
On the fourth day after Lu Ming sent a telegram to Mr. Frank, Mr. Frank's reply arrived.
Frank told him that the United States is currently in an unprecedented economic crisis and cannot extricate itself. Moreover, the Hoover administration does not care about China's affairs, underestimates Japan's ambitions, and does not understand the strategic significance of Northeast China to the Far East.
However, he told Lu Ming that it was almost certain that Mr. Roosevelt would enter the White House next time. After Mr. Roosevelt became president, he would make comprehensive adjustments to Asia policy. In Mr. Roosevelt's heart, the most important country in Asia is China, not Japan.
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Frank emphasized that after Roosevelt enters the White House, U.S. policy toward Asia will be significantly tilted toward China.
Lu Ming didn't know whether this was good news or bad news. Anyway, don't expect the United States to step in to contain Japan in the short term. Several protests from the international community were only scratching the surface.
Lu Ming went to Sheng Youde and told him the content of Mr. Frank's call back.
Sheng Youde sighed: "I had expected that the Hoover administration was a government that did nothing. Whether it was the domestic economic crisis or the international hot-spot crisis, he was indifferent. He only did one valuable thing.
, is the dam being built.”
"What about the League of Nations? Are other countries indifferent?" Lu Ming asked.
"The League of Nations cannot count on it. European countries are now in a comprehensive economic crisis and cannot protect themselves. Who will care about a war in a region in the far east. The League of Nations will definitely have an attitude, but there will be no specific measures." Sheng Youde analyzed.
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"So the League of Nations is in name only, and the Japanese are even more arrogant." Lu Ming finally understood.
"You remember, no matter when you are not strong, relying on foreign aid alone is useless. To deal with the Japanese, we still have to rely on ourselves in the end." Sheng Youde added.
"How can we rely on ourselves? Now there are many warlords everywhere, each trying to clear the door. The Northern Expedition overthrew the old warlords and gave birth to a group of new warlords. On the surface, these warlords respect the government of the Republic of China, but in fact they do their own thing." Lu Ming and Huang Yanning
After a long conversation, I gained some understanding of China's military separatism situation.
"Yes, how can we resist the enemy when we are in disarray? This is China's most critical problem at the moment." Sheng Youde sighed.
"I saw in the press corps today a telegram from the Communist Party of China, "Declaration of the Chinese Communist Party on the Rape and Occupation of the Three Northeastern Provinces by Japanese Imperialism," calling on the people of the country to establish a unified anti-Japanese alliance.
, we should unite to fight against Japan, I think this idea is very practical." Lu Ming said.
"I have also seen that it is easier said than done. The government now regards the crisis in the Northeast as a disease in the hands and feet, but treats the Communist Party as a serious problem at its heart. Therefore, the government's idea is that before foreign aggression, we must first calm down.
Domestically, we must first resolve the serious threat of the Communist Party, and then conduct a comprehensive external war of resistance." Sheng Youde fell into deep thought.
"Isn't this putting the cart before the horse? Our ancestors made it very clear: brothers are fighting against each other on the wall, and they will resist their insults outside! If the enemy doesn't fight at the moment, they will continue to fight in the inner circle?" Lu Ming said angrily.
"Indeed, I don't agree with the government's views. As a democrat, I used to agree with the Three Principles of Democracy, but this time I agree with the views of the Communists. Unfortunately, my opinions are not reflected in the government's views.
Belonging to the minority." Sheng Youde shook his head.
"The embankment of a thousand miles was broken by ants. Even if the country is destroyed, the Republic of China government cannot stand. Don't they understand this truth? Why are they so stubborn?" Lu Ming was really puzzled.
"In the eyes of those in the government, the Communists are at the end of their rope. As long as the Central Army adds more strength, it will take a few months or at most half a year to completely wipe out the Communist Party.
." Sheng Youde smiled bitterly.
"Is it that easy? They think it's a bit simple." Lu Ming thought of Mr. Dong and hesitated.
"Yesterday, an important official from Nanjing called me and asked me what I thought of the Communist Party's proposal to form an anti-Japanese alliance. I agreed. But he thought it was a delaying tactic by the Communist Party.
If the Republic of China government gives up on suppressing the Communists at this time, it will fail!" Sheng Youde waved his hand helplessly.