If Sichuan wants to develop, it must go to the ocean. It is really important to get an outlet to the sea. The nearest outlet to the sea in Sichuan is the Beibu Gulf. At this time, Qiao Yu proposed to build a factory in the Beibu Gulf, purely for the future.
An advance layout that can capture Yunnan and Guizhou.
Qiao Yu has asked his eldest brother Qiao Cheng in the United States to buy a small shipyard. As long as the United Kingdom cooperates and obtains the land at Qinzhou Port from Long Jiguang, the shipyard can start construction immediately. But the biggest problem now is the workers.
lack.
"Qiao Shuai, with the shipyard, the navy is not far away?"
"Brother Jiang, isn't this a joke? The navy is so easy. Even if a shipyard is established, its scale will be limited, and it can only build cargo ships. The effort required to build warships will be huge!"
"No matter how much you have to pay, Qiao Shuai, you have taken the first step. I have a suggestion. Shipbuilding is a very technical job. It is difficult to carry out without real talents. I have met Mr. Sa Zhenbing several times.
, this old man is also an enthusiastic naval figure, asking for two talents from him might be of some use!"
"Then I'll bother Brother Jiang!" Qiao Yu originally planned to introduce a group of overseas Chinese from the United States and use the technical strength of the United Kingdom. Of course, domestic ones are also indispensable. Sa Zhenbing has great prestige in the navy and has extensive connections. If he can help
, that couldn’t be better.
During the discussion, Wang Lingji walked in in a panic, "Commander, Principal Jiang, and intelligence personnel in Shanghai have sent news that ten Japanese warships are rapidly moving up the river, and their destination seems to be Wuhan!"
Qiao Yu hurriedly took the document from Wang Lingji's hand, read it quickly, and then handed it to Jiang Baili, who also looked at it carefully.
"Qiao Shuai, I'm afraid the Japanese are heading towards the Hanyang Iron Works. They are preparing to use force!"
"Brother Jiang, do you think the Japanese are so crazy?"
"Qiao Shuai, the Japanese have always been like this. They like to use small things to make big things. They have a typical gambler mentality. In fact, although the Japanese released the seized freighters, they also saw clearly the weak nature of the Allied Powers. The United States can certainly rely on economic sanctions
It makes Japan afraid, but the United States does not seem to be of the same mind. After all, economic exchanges with Japan have also brought huge profits to the United States. This amount is far greater than that of Sichuan. Some far-sighted American politicians hope to restrict Japan.
Those who support Sichuan, but more people are pursuing immediate interests. This is the tragedy of a democratic government!"
After Jiang Baili finished speaking, he looked at the map along the river again, "Qiao Shuai, the main force of Japan in this operation is Itsukushima and Chiyoda, two old ships that participated in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894, and five new destroyers.
The remaining three are troop carriers. These ten warships are not powerful, but the Beiyang government may not be determined to go to war, and our few shallow-water gunboats cannot stop the Japanese fleet at all. If Japan succeeds in seizing it by force,
Our situation is passive!”
Qiao Yu frowned tightly. Jiang Baili's analysis was correct. Japan definitely had bad intentions in sending warships this time. Although Hanyang Iron Works has been relocated several times and the best parts have been moved to Sichuan, the factory is still there. If Japan can occupy it by force
After that, it was able to obtain better conditions from Beiyang, and this also put great pressure on the Beiyang government. Japan was able to send a fleet to occupy Wuhan in the hinterland of China.
It can use a powerful navy to wipe out the coastal areas. The Beiyang government has to consider these. This kills two birds with one stone, hitting Sichuan and deterring Beiyang. As long as it can succeed quickly, the great powers may not be able to give Japan enough deterrence, and in the Yangtze River
Only the United Kingdom has this power, but the British absolutely do not want to conflict with the Japanese now. You must know that the United Kingdom is now trying to persuade the Japanese to help them escort the cargo ship. This method that goes straight to the core is much better than detaining the cargo ship.
As long as they don't interfere with material transportation, the great powers don't have the energy...
Qiao Yu took a few steps in front of the map, constantly weighing in his mind. He originally didn't want to conflict with Japan, but now that Japan is openly using force to blackmail him, he can no longer be polite. He should show Sichuan's strength to the whole country and even the world.
, while striving to take the initiative.
Qiao Yu hurriedly issued an order to Shi Yi, asking his third division to mobilize quickly and be ready to leave Sichuan at any time. He also mobilized the heavy artillery regiment and dispatched eight aircraft to immediately assist Wuhan as a trump card against the Japanese fleet.
While dispatching troops and generals here, Qiao Yu informed Yuan Shikai of the situation. This kind of mobilization of Japanese warships was a huge threat to China. As the head of state, Lao Yuan should never sit idly by and ignore it. Who knows?
Qiao Yu soon received a call back from Yuan Shikai, saying that Japan had informed the government that this was a routine exercise and was absolutely not intended to target anyone, and asked Sichuan not to worry too much.
After seeing this telegram, Qiao Yu expressed great concern about Yuan Shikai's IQ. Old Yuan was either too confused or too cowardly. In fact, Qiao Yu didn't know that the divisions had already begun before Japan prepared to send troops.
Action, on the twenty-one points, Japan made substantial concessions, and the price was almost the same as the bottom line in Lao Yuan's mind.
At the same time, Japan repeatedly assured the United Kingdom that it would ensure smooth trade routes and would never affect Yangtze River freight. Britain originally did not want to confront Japan. At the same time, Japan also started negotiations with the United States, saying that Japan was willing to abandon the Chongqing Steel Plant and would never infringe.
American interests have appeased the United States again.
The Japanese government is also thinking over and over about its previous conflicts. It has been calculated by Sichuan. Although Sichuan is very weak, it is like glue, organically uniting other forces together to form a joint force against Japan and making Japan take the bait. Therefore,
This time Japan learned its lesson and set its target directly on Sichuan, and divided and disintegrated all other forces.
Qiao Yu then notified the consuls general of the British and American countries. These countries were vague. Qiao Yu immediately understood that he had been betrayed by these people. They were all afraid of Japan's power and wanted to see a joke.
"None of these imperialist countries are good, they are all bullies and bullies!" Qiao Yu was resentful in his heart, but now he can only fight Japan desperately and never retreat. After all, Wuhan is not a place directly controlled by Qiao Yu. He
I had no choice but to talk to Duan Qirui, the governor of Hubei Province.
Duan Qirui had long received the news from Yuan Shikai, and also knew that President Yuan was actually planning to abandon the Hanyang Iron Works. As a soldier, Duan Qirui was very disgusted with such an act of betraying national rights, but he had nothing more to say.
Although Yuan Shikai had backed down from the good idea, what else could he do? After receiving Qiao Yu's telegram, Duan Qirui only expressed his willingness to provide convenience for Sichuan's troop deployment in his reply and ignored the rest.
After seeing Duan Qirui's call back, Qiao Yu knew that he was really the only one to fight against Japan this time, but now he is calmer. If it were elsewhere, Sichuan would really be unable to do anything to the Japanese fleet, but in the Yangtze River
Above that, the advantages of the Japanese fleet are very limited, and the Japanese sent this time are old warships and some destroyers, which cannot be used on the Yangtze River at all.
Aircraft became the best weapon to deal with these warships. After getting Duan Qirui's permission, Qiao Yu immediately issued an order to Xia Douyin to draw a regiment from his men to station on the river near Hanyang Iron Works and Wuhan to prepare for the war.
The Japanese army has leased the Japanese armed forces inside, and Sichuan has dispatched a total of thirty-two aircraft to Wuhan, preparing to use air superiority to completely send Japanese warships to the Yangtze River to feed the bastards.
The Japanese commander responsible for seizing the Hanyang Iron Works was named Takeo Abe. He participated in the Sino-Japanese War of 1898-1895, the Russo-Japanese War, and not long ago he also fought in Qingdao. It can be said that he has experienced hundreds of battles and has shown himself to most Japanese of this era.
The same ambition was inflated to the extreme. When going up the Yangtze River, what he and his subordinates said the most was that China was too big, and the Yangtze River was so turbulent. Compared with the Yangtze River, all the territory in Japan was small ravines, and China was too big.
Too bad, such a beautiful piece of land is in the hands of a bunch of Chinese rubbish. It is really a waste of natural resources...
"Gentlemen, we are the warriors of His Majesty the Emperor. We hope that you can serve the country with all your loyalty and let the glory of the Emperor fill China as soon as possible!"
The ten warships went up the river and headed straight for Wuhan. Just as they were about to approach the Wuhan River, they suddenly heard the roar of a motor above their heads, and a wooden airplane flew slowly overhead and made a circle.
Then, several more planes appeared one after another over the Japanese fleet. When the last larger plane flew over the Japanese warship, it dropped a large number of leaflets, and many of them happened to fall on it.
Beside Takeo Abe, Japanese soldiers picked up the leaflets.
It said that the Chinese army was conducting military exercises here and hoped that the Japanese warships could get out of the way as soon as possible. Takeo Abe was immediately furious. When would the Chinese people be able to dictate to themselves? Besides, this is the busy Yangtze River waterway, and those cargo ships are passing normally. He
These warships are subject to restrictions, which is simply contempt for Japan's dignity. Besides, can these slow wooden birds threaten our own steel warships? Isn't this looking for death?
Takeo Abe didn't care, and urged his men to act as quickly as possible, approaching Wuhan quickly. Just as Takeo Abe's fleet approached the Wuhan River, he suddenly saw four or five target ships in the distance, and several more planes flew over in the sky.
, there were enough bombs hanging under these planes, and several target ships had been hit by bombs. The flames shot into the sky and quickly disappeared into the blue waves. At this time, more than a dozen planes appeared in the sky, swinging towards them.
They flew over here and formed a blockade in the air. At this time, telegrams continued to come from the shore, causing the Japanese to stop their advance immediately.
These planes are different from the previous ones. They are all equipped with bombs. If you give an order, what will fall is not a piece of paper, but a bomb. Takeo Abe does not believe that the Chinese army dares to offend the Japanese Empire, so he first orders an order.
The destroyer moved forward quickly.
At this moment, a bomb quickly fell from the plane and exploded less than ten meters away from the destroyer. The explosion set off a huge water column, all of which fell on the warship. The people on the ship were suddenly embarrassed.