After the end of the World War, the Treaty of Versailles stipulated that Germany must compensate the Allied Powers 226 billion marks, equivalent to approximately 11.3 billion pounds, and must be paid in gold.
The amount of compensation was later reduced to 132 billion Reichsmarks, equivalent to approximately 4.99 billion pounds, still the highest in history.
However, the Germans lost a total of one billion, and at the same time received a loan of 1.5 billion, they actually made money inside and outside.
Yang Smuts didn’t know how the Americans had the nerve to make such a request. He estimated that “Lexington” was worth 4.9 billion in the eyes of the U.S. government.
“Okay, I will tell the new Brazilian government” Yang Smuts was not angry. Anyway, this money does not need to be paid by Southern Africa.
Hull was at a loss.
The figure of five billion is definitely blackmail, and Hull is already ready to bargain with Yang Smuts.
I didn’t expect Yang Smuts to stop talking. If you say five billion, it’s five billion. Anyway, I’m just telling you that it’s Vargas’s business whether he agrees or not.
“So that’s it, do you want to stay for lunch?” Yang Smuts issued a “sincere” invitation to Hull.
An Qi over there has already started packing her things.
Talk
Let’s talk about it!
“Wait a minute, Minister Smuts.” Hull was not in the mood to eat. It was not even ten o’clock. What kind of meal could he have during working hours?
“Is there anything else?” When Yang Smuts was talking to Hull, he might as well go to sleep.
“We haven’t discussed the payment method yet!” Hull followed the procedure.
“There’s no need, there’s no need to talk about the payment method at all.” Yang Shimozi spread his hands, and the only thing that attracted the attention of the United States was Brazil’s resources.
The problem is Brazil's resources, which Southern Africa also wants.
“That’s why we need to negotiate.” Hull means that everything is negotiable.
“This is not 1900,” An Qi sneered. The Eight-Nation Allied Forces are an eternal pain in the hearts of all Chinese people.
Hull frowned. He didn't understand what Angel meant. He thought Angel was referring to the Second Boer War.
But it does look a bit similar.
The Second Boer War also saw the British government unite with the Cape Colony to bully the weak.
At the same time, the Boer countries also received support from almost all European countries except the British Empire.
Looking at the United States, the hegemony of the United States in the Americas is really very similar to the British hegemony in southern Africa.
This has to make Hull think wildly.
Does the new Brazilian government, in addition to southern Africa, have behind-the-scenes support from other countries?
It’s hard to say. Don’t forget that Brazil was a Portuguese colony.
Don't forget that just after the United States called out the "Monroe Doctrine", American countries, with the support of the United States, became independent from the mother country.
So those European countries that once colonized America are just waiting to see the jokes of Americans!
“If you tell the truth, I can help contact Rio de Janeiro.” Yang Smuts did not give the Americans any excuse. The Americans got the situation wrong, and now they are seeking help from southern Africa.
“What does this have to do with Brazilians?” Hull finally told the truth. Brazilians really have no qualifications to decide Brazil’s fate.
Not to mention how entangled Hull is, Germany and Japan are about to reach an agreement on technology exchange. The Japanese hope that the Germans can exchange some cash for the technology of the Japanese "Akagi" aircraft carrier based on the HE70-related technology.
The Germans disagree. Although aircraft carrier technology is important, it is not indispensable.
In contrast, Japan has a more urgent need for heavy bomber technology.
At this time, the wealthy Americans came into play. The United States was willing to pay to help the Germans meet the Japanese requirements, but the condition was that the Americans wanted to participate in the research of the "HE-177 heavy bomber" project. The Americans could contribute money and also required technology sharing.
To be honest, this request shocked Göring. Göring didn't even know how the Americans learned about the existence of the "HE-177 heavy bomber" project.
This request was naturally rejected.
The Americans were not angry either, and the next best thing was to ask for a copy of the relevant information on the HE70 and the "Akagi" aircraft carrier.
Although Goering knew that this might be an American strategy, after careful consideration, Goering agreed to the American request.
“The Americans are so abominable. They only paid a negligible amount of money and took away all our hard work. It’s too much.” In the car returning to the Japanese Embassy, Kagoya Konobu was indignant.
"Don't worry. Anyway, what we provided to the Germans is not all the information about the Akagi." Yamamoto Isoroku sneered. Japan is not stupid. As the most advanced aircraft carrier in Japan, the Japanese must keep a secret.
, will not hand over all the information on the "Akagi" to the Germans.
The crux of the problem is that I don’t know if the Germans think the same way.
If the Germans do not provide all the information on the HE70, then there will still be little improvement in Japanese aviation technology.
"The American 'York City' seems to be the British 'Elizabeth', which is the 'City' class aircraft carrier in southern Africa. If possible, we will try to obtain relevant information about the 'York City'." Konobu Koya
The ambition is huge. When it comes to aircraft carriers, Southern Africa is the only one in the world.
"The most critical thing for us now is not technology, but raw materials. Damn Southern Africans." Isoroku Yamamoto looked up to the sky and sighed. The scrap metal sold to the Germans in Southern Africa is much cheaper than the scrap metal sold to the Japanese in the United States.
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Furthermore, Southern Africa has no restrictions on rare metals needed for military industry. Yamamoto Isoroku also tried to purchase rare metals from Southern Africa through Germany, but was rejected by the Germans.
Needless to say, this is another southern African conspiracy.
It is estimated that the southern Africans had made a request in advance when doing business with the Germans, and the Germans were not allowed to resell rare metals to Japan, which is why the Germans were so resolute.
Otherwise, the Germans can even trade HE70-related technologies, so there is no reason to have such strict control over rare metals.
London is wet and cold in January. This year's "fog city" is the same as in previous years. The air pollution is very serious. It's only around six o'clock in the evening. The streets are already deserted. The street lights are as dim as fireflies. The visibility of the car lights is very low.
Less than fifty meters away, Yamamoto Isoroku subconsciously wrapped his woolen coat tightly around him.
This is a high-end product produced in Southern Africa. The long-staple wool produced in Southern Africa is known as the soft gold of the wool market. Despite the disdain the Japanese have for Southern Africa, in fact, Southern African products are very popular in Japan.
It's the same from cars to light industrial products.
At this time, someone on a motorcycle gradually approached from behind the car that Yamamoto Isoroku was riding in.
Yamamoto Isoroku didn’t care, the security in London was still very good.
Just as the motorcycle and the car passed each other, the passenger on the back seat of the motorcycle suddenly raised his hand and smashed the window glass with a black and round object.
Yamamoto Isoroku took a closer look and was shocked to see that the black and round shape was actually a smoking grenade.
As a soldier, Yamamoto Isoroku's reaction speed is still very fast.
The first time he discovered the grenade, Yamamoto Isoroku pulled Kaya Konobu off his seat and pressed him on the grenade, and then he pressed himself on Kaya Konobu.
“What are you doing?” Konobu Kagoya struggled desperately.
Boom
The grenade exploded violently.
Kagaya Konobu's body bounced up to a foot high, and then became as motionless as a rag doll.
It’s not over yet.
The passenger on the back seat of the motorcycle suddenly pulled out a pistol that Yamamoto Isoroku had never seen before, and then pulled the trigger towards the car.
Citizens from
The continuous gunshots frightened Yamamoto Isoroku. In Yamamoto’s memory, only the German Mauser pistol could do this.
But the Germans have no reason to do this
Before Yamamoto Isoroku could make another move, his body was hit by several bullets in succession.
The car finally lost control and hit a nearby building.
The motorcycle made a circle in front and then came back.
The gunman in the back seat changed the magazine, adjusted the rate of fire, and came to the side of the car to refill the guns one by one.
After emptying the magazine, the gunman left on a motorcycle.
Throughout the whole process, the gunman behaved extremely coldly, firing grenades first, and then firing continuously with automatic pistols.
Yamamoto Isoroku was also fatal. He was shot four times but still survived. He was taken to the hospital for treatment by the London police who arrived later.
Kagaya Konobu was not so lucky. His chest and abdomen were blown up like a hornet's nest and he died on the spot.
The next day, The Times reported the incident in just one sentence.
Don't forget that this is 1933, and assassinations are happening one after another. Not long ago, Austrian Prime Minister Dollfuss was assassinated. At that time, a group of armed men broke into Dollfuss's Chancellery. Dollfuss was shot twice.
He continued to bleed and died soon after.
This was only the beginning of chaos. Shortly after Dolfuss was assassinated, France invited King Alexander I of Yugoslavia to visit Paris in order to seek more allies.
After arriving in Paris, Alexander I and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louis Bartoux, boarded a car and took a tour of Paris.
The security work of the French police was not thorough, and a surprising accident happened again. Just like Sarajevo twenty years ago, the Croatian assassin Veliceko Colin-Dimirov rushed out of the crowd.
He jumped on the running board of the car and fired repeatedly into the car with an automatic pistol. King Alexander was killed on the spot. Another General George staggered out of the car covered in blood and was sent to the hospital for treatment.
Louis Bartoux was the most pitiful. He was forgotten by people. It took twenty minutes for anyone to remember him. The Paris police asked Louis Bartoux to walk up the stairs by himself to the police chief's office to wait for treatment.
At this time, Louis Barto was already in his seventies. Before the doctor could arrive, Louis Barto died of excessive bleeding.
