Chapter 473: Stealing Chickens Without Losing Rice
When the young Chinese officer was brought to Lieutenant General John, the officer saluted Lieutenant General John and said: "Mr. Lieutenant General, I am Wang Hongyong, captain and staff officer of the 42nd Group Army of the Chinese National Defense Force, and I have been ordered to give you
Bring us an ultimatum from our commander. We are about to regain Hong Kong under the orders of our president and the Ministry of National Defense. And your army is now surrounded by our army. For the personal safety of you and your soldiers, our commander advises you and your
Your subordinates must lay down their weapons and surrender to our army, otherwise our army will have to use military means to carry out a devastating attack on your army in three hours."
Lieutenant General John frowned when he heard this, "Is this an ultimatum from your army?"
"Yes, this is our commander's ultimatum," Wang Hongyong said without hesitation. "Our commander believes that you and your subordinates have fulfilled their duties and laid down their weapons to us under such a disparity in strength.
Your honor will not be insulted. We guarantee you with the reputation of the Chinese National Defense Force that you and your officers will receive treatment commensurate with your military rank, and the personal property and life safety of your soldiers will also be protected.
, we will treat them well in accordance with the regulations of the Geneva Convention." Wang Hongyong continued to answer in a neither humble nor overbearing manner.
Lieutenant General John shouted sternly, "Are you so sure that you can defeat us? You know that Hong Kong is protected by more than 10,000 elite infantrymen of the British Empire and three warships. The honor of our British Empire Army cannot be tarnished."
Wang Hongyong smiled slightly: "Your Excellency General, please forgive me, the three frigates you mentioned can only become moving targets under our dive bombers. And can these infantry of yours survive the combined attack of our heavy artillery and tanks?"
One day is a problem. I know that your country has sent a fleet to Hong Kong, not to mention whether that fleet can help you defend Hong Kong. Even if it can, I am afraid that you and your troops will be wiped out before they can arrive.
Already."
After listening to Wang Hongyong's words, Lieutenant General John's expression changed slightly, "Mr. Captain, please go back first. I want to consider this matter carefully." After saying that, he waved his hand and the guard behind him sent him away knowingly.
Got out.
When Wang Hongyong was taken out, Lieutenant General John behind him sighed and turned to the guard behind him and said: "Hurry and prepare the car, I want to meet with the Governor of Hong Kong as soon as possible."
At the Governor's House, Lieutenant General John met the 20th British Governor of Hong Kong, the current Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Law Fuguo.
Sir Law Fuguo, who is 57 years old this year, was born into a prominent British family. He took office as the Governor of Hong Kong on October 28, 1937. During his tenure, he also made great contributions to the education and economic prosperity of Hong Kong.
He has made some contributions, so Hong Kong citizens have a certain fondness for him.
When the Chinese army gathered around Hong Kong, he declared that Hong Kong had entered an emergency period on behalf of the Hong Kong government, and began to build air-raid shelters throughout Hong Kong and Kowloon, gradually implemented light control, food control, piled sandbags and roadblocks on the roads, and carried out various
Such exercises were carried out to prevent a surprise attack by the Chinese army.
At this time, Sir Luo Fuguo looked at Lieutenant General John in front of him and asked gently: "General John, tell me the truth, can you and your men hold on until the arrival of our British Empire task force?"
Lieutenant General John gave a bitter smile: "Your Excellency, Governor of Hong Kong, please forgive me. If the Chinese army on the opposite side launches an attack, the most optimistic estimate is that our troops can only hold on for two days at most. The pessimistic case can only hold on for one day."
Luo Fuguo slowly closed his eyes, with a look of pain on his face: "Oh God, am I going to become the last governor of Hong Kong under the British Empire?"
Lieutenant General John said softly: "Sir Luo Fuguo, Hong Kong is an undefendable place. We can only reluctantly deploy our troops in the Shing Mun Reservoir area to build the Drunken Bay defense line across the east and west of the New Territories. However, due to the lack of manpower
No, this line of defense is very fragile. Our soldiers of the British Empire alone cannot resist the Chinese attack. I suggest that you agree to the Chinese terms, and the Chinese only gave us three hours.
We don’t have much time left.”
Sir Luo Fuguo sighed. He also knew that it would be good if the citizens of Hong Kong did not rebel behind the scenes once the war started. Don't expect them to help the British army.
"How much time is left before the ultimatum issued by the Chinese people?"
"Your Majesty the Governor, we only have less than half an hour."
Just when Sir Luo Fuguo was hesitating, someone came from outside to report: "Your Excellency, the Governor of Hong Kong, Your Excellency the General, just now more than 300 tanks of the Caixia people have arrived less than one kilometer away from our position, and their cannons
The gun jackets have been removed, and their planes have begun to appear above us."
This report from his subordinates was like the last straw in Sir Luo Fuguo's heart. Although he was not a soldier, he also knew that if Chinese tanks rushed over, it would be a disaster for those British soldiers without heavy weapons.
There was a massacre. He sighed and said painfully: "Lieutenant General John, go and tell those Chinese people that we accept their conditions."
"This is the Governor of Hong Kong. I will go and give the order right away." Lieutenant General John saluted and walked towards the door.
Following Lieutenant General John's order, the British troops on the Drunken Bay defense line put down their weapons, walked out of bunkers and trenches one after another, and gathered at the location designated by the Chinese army.
At 3:20 pm on December 21, 1938, the Nanjing Presidential Palace broadcast a piece of news that shocked the world. A total of 12,321 British troops stationed in Hong Kong sent troops to China.
The 42nd Army laid down its weapons and surrendered collectively. At this point, Hong Kong has returned to the embrace of the motherland.
After the news came out, the world was amazed. This was the first time in two hundred years that the British army had surrendered to a former overseas colonial country.
China's Ta Kung Pao wrote an impassioned article titled "A Hundred Years of Avenge, Today's Snow" and spoke highly of the move to regain Hong Kong. Other newspapers from various places also published articles praising the government's move. Students
Large-scale parades were also held to celebrate Hong Kong's return.
Compared with the national celebrations in China, the British government was like being slapped several times in the face. Members of Parliament criticized the current Prime Minister Chamberlain's Asia policy. They criticized that it was precisely because of Chamberlain's policy.
The ax repeatedly provoked the Chinese government on the issue of China's Tibet Province, turning what was originally a small matter into a serious military conflict between the two countries, and seriously underestimated China's military strength and determination. This led to Sir Luo Fuguo and John
More than 10,000 British soldiers, including the Lieutenant General, were captured.
The family members of the captured British soldiers got their loved ones into the Chinese prisoner-of-war camp and spontaneously came to Downing Street and Buckingham Palace to protest. They held up signs that read "No war, let our relatives go home."
Loudly scolded Chamberlain and the government for their stupid behavior.
The British media even gave Chamberlain the nickname of the most incompetent British Prime Minister in history. The British Times declared in the newspaper that the House of Lords should submit a motion of no confidence to remove the most incompetent Prime Minister in British history.
He sent more than 10,000 British troops into Chinese prisoner-of-war camps.
Western countries also commented on the collective surrender of the British. The American media said in a joking tone: This incident fully proved one thing, that is, when Prime Minister Chamberlain wanted to do something
At this time, the British people must be fully mentally prepared and have a strong heart, otherwise their lives will inevitably be in danger.
Germany's Berliner Zeitung published an article in which it blatantly congratulated the Chinese government for regaining the land robbed by shameless bandits. The article sarcastically said: Chamberlain wanted to bring China's Tibetan province into his arms.
, but did not take into account the reaction of the original owner, so not only did Tibet fail to grab it, but Hong Kong was also lost. This is in line with the Chinese saying: Stealing chickens does not result in losing rice.
The French, who had a friendship with the British in World War I, were very happy to side with the British. Most of the French media condemned the Chinese government for violating the agreement and attacking Hong Kong without authorization. Now the Chinese government has to do something
What he wanted was to return Hong Kong to the British government and unconditionally release more than 10,000 British soldiers, including Sir Law Fuguo.
In the face of various comments from world public opinion, Su Tong, who had the initiative in hand, was not in a hurry. He sent a call to urge the troops to intensify the assembly of the area near Kashmir in Xinjiang Province, and at the same time accelerated the reorganization of the army. Now the Chinese army has completed the preliminary work.
The reorganization of the troops and the re-equipment of the troops have also been completed by 60%. However, the completion of the re-equipment of the troops does not mean that the troops can immediately exert the power of new weapons. The training of officers and generals and the cultivation of new tactics must also keep up.
OK.
Su Tong has formulated a one-year plan for this purpose, and plans to send all the middle and low-level officers and senior generals from the former Central Army and various local troops to the schools of various arms in Chahar within a year for re-education and transformation.
We can't make a joke about having tanks charge behind the infantry and planes following the infantry.
The capture of the British troops stationed in Hong Kong troubled Chamberlain. He continuously sent messages and ordered the ambassador to China, Sir Carl, to meet with Su Tong and ask the Chinese government to release the captured British soldiers. However, Su Tong played hide and seek with him.
This has made Sir Carl very anxious.
In the early morning of this day, when Su Tong was sleeping soundly at home with Xia Dajuzuo and Yulia in his arms, our little nurse gently opened the door.
"Jianming, the American Ambassador Mr. Johnson and the British Ambassador Sir Carl are here. They want to see you. You should get up quickly."
The fresh breath and warm breath of the little nurse blew onto Su Tong's face, making Chief Su's heart itch. Su Tong suppressed his anxious thoughts, hugged the little nurse and kissed her hard.
Reluctantly, he washed up under the service of his wife, got dressed, and went to the living room to meet the two early-rising guests.