The Kuala Lumpur Telegraph Office is located in the center of Kuala Lumpur. This telegraph office was originally established by the British for military purposes thirty years ago. With the increase in communication volume in recent years, the British government has gradually opened up the private market, but on average one
The price of one pound is still prohibitive for most people.
Uncle Wang came to the door of the telegraph office, forced a smile and walked in. There were not many people in the telegraph office. There were only a dozen foreigners with tall noses and blue eyes milling around boredly in the hall. Uncle Wang walked to the counter
He forced a smile to a thirty-year-old foreigner with a hooked nose and triangular eyes: "Mr. Doro, please help me see if there is a telegram from our Chinese Chamber of Commerce."
The foreigner glanced at Uncle Wang, with a trace of impatience flashing in his triangular eyes, and said angrily: "Why are you in a hurry? We won't notify you if there is a telegram. You don't need to remind you every day."
"Mr. Doro, I'm really sorry." Uncle Wang's already hunched back was now even lower, "because this telegram is so important to us. Our chamber of commerce has been anxiously waiting for this telegram. Could you please help me again?"
Let’s look for it.”
"It's troublesome." Doro glanced at Uncle Wang with his triangular eyes, reached out to the side of the already translated telegram and casually flipped through it and said impatiently: "I didn't see it, so you should give up now."
A look of disappointment appeared in Uncle Wang's eyes. He sighed secretly and walked out slowly. There was a faint sneer behind him, "These yellow-skinned pigs have been going crazy thinking about telegrams all day long."
Doro casually put the telegram aside and did not notice that a telegram was quietly inserted in a corner.
Uncle Wang did not receive the news of the telegram, but Lord Wilson's Governor's Palace became agitated because he received a telegram from Major General MacArthur, the commander of the U.S. Army in the Philippines, who was far away in the Philippines.
"The Chinese South China Sea Fleet is heading towards Malaysia." Wilson stood in the living room, looking at the serious communications officer in front of him. Although it was only early autumn, Lord Wilson also felt a little cold in his hands and feet.
"Mr. Governor, this was discovered by a U.S. patrol fleet in the Philippines and reported to the U.S. Command in the Philippines before they forwarded it." The communications officer wiped the sweat from his forehead and stammered.
The more Lord Wilson thought about it, the more something was wrong. A huge fleet including an aircraft carrier, two cruisers, and dozens of destroyers was heading towards Malaysia. It couldn't be for tourism. Do the Chinese want to go to war with the British Empire? "You're going to do it right away."
If you invite Lieutenant General Percival and Major General Bertja here, you must tell them that I have urgent military information to discuss with them."
Half an hour later, Lieutenant General Percival and Major General Bertja came to Lord Wilson's study. When they saw the telegram transmitted from the U.S. Command in the Philippines, they were all shocked. Such a Chinese fleet
They know very well what it means to come to Malaysia.
"Your Majesty the Governor," Major General Botjia said quickly: "The Chinese people must be here for their overseas Chinese. We should report to the government quickly and ask them to send more reinforcements."
Lord Wilson's face was very ugly. He didn't care about tact and grace, and asked directly: "Major General Botjia, tell me the truth now. If the Chinese fleet goes to war with us, what will your third point be?"
Can the fleet withstand the attack of the Chinese South China Sea Fleet?"
Major General Botjia shook his head in frustration, "Although the Chinese did not bring their battleships this time, I think our fleet is no match for them in terms of quantity and quality."
"Not even the newly arrived battleship "Prince of Wales" and battlecruiser "Repulse". And I think once a war breaks out, the Chinese planes will definitely visit them first," Major General Botjia added.
Major General Bertja's answer made Lord Wilson very frustrated. He could only place his hope on the army, "Lieutenant General Percival, is your army sure to stop those Chinese people on land?"
Lieutenant General Percival smiled bitterly, "If the navy cannot withstand the Chinese fleet, then as long as they fire their naval guns on the shore, even the strongest fortifications will be destroyed by them, and our army can only retreat to them
Offensive defenses against them can only be built outside the range of naval gunfire. Lord Wilson, I think we must report this situation to the government now and ask the Prime Minister to make a decision. After all, it was he who first proposed the plan to sanction Chinese companies and factories.
of."
Hearing the vague accusations in Lieutenant General Percival's words and doubts about the correctness of the government's bill, Governor Wilson frowned: "Lieutenant General Percival, now I am not doubting the correctness of the government's bill.
, but to discuss how to resist the Chinese fleet’s incoming fleet. Don’t you have confidence in your own troops?”
After hearing Lord Wilson's question, Lieutenant General Percival smiled proudly, "Of course I have confidence in my troops. Although I am not sure that I can intercept the Chinese at the beachhead, as long as the Chinese army dares to penetrate deep into Malaysia, I will
We will be sure to defend Kuala Lumpur."
There is a reason for Lieutenant General Percival's confidence. Judging from the intelligence provided by the Americans, this fleet carries no more than 10,000 troops at most, while the British troops in Malaysia number tens of thousands.
After adding an Indian army and several infantry brigades, the number reached 60,000. Judging from the number, it was a sure win.
"Okay, I will report this matter to the Prime Minister immediately and wait for his decision." Soon, telegrams were flying from the Governor's Palace to distant Europe.
Churchill, who was woken up late at night at the Prime Minister's residence at No. 10 Downing Street in London, saw the emergency telegram from Malaysia and immediately summoned Admiral McKenna.
Churchill's face was ashen and he held his hands, and his gray-blue eyes stared at the Admiralty Secretary who had just read the emergency telegram, "McKenna sacrifices himself, do you have any good suggestions for the Chinese navy to invade the colonies of the British Empire?"
McKenna's face was as reserved as ever, "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, please forgive me, our navy is now overwhelmed. The Germans have just been pushed back to France by us, and our main fleet is now concentrated on the mainland. We can draw out
The only strength we have is the Far East Fleet stationed in Australia, but it will take at least half a month to move the Far East Fleet to Asia. By then, God knows how many warships the Chinese have sent to Malaysia."
Churchill fell into deep thought, and the room suddenly became deathly quiet.
To his core, Churchill was a narrow-minded person. The reason why Churchill proposed to levy taxes on the Southeast Asian Chinese in the House of Lords a few days ago was to avenge the Chinese government for providing radar jamming technology to Germany and destroying many British radars.
Although the assistance provided by the United States finally brought the British back from the brink of hell, Churchill was still worried about it, so he came up with a bill to increase taxes on the Nanyang Chinese and even confiscate their factories and enterprises.
It was not that Churchill had not thought about the reaction of the Chinese people, but what he did not expect was the speed of the Chinese government's reaction. It is known that it takes up to three days for a government to make a decision and issue it to the relevant troops, and it also takes
It does not include the time for mobilizing troops. However, in just three days, the Chinese fleet has crossed the Philippines and headed for Malaysia. This made Churchill, who wanted to make a quick victory and make the rice cooked, beaten.
They were caught off guard. Now it was clear that these Chinese navy wanted to stand up for the overseas Chinese. They drove the troops to Malaysia with such a big fanfare to force the British government to express its stance.
"Your Excellency Prime Minister," McKenna first broke the silence, "I believe that our Governor Wilson will definitely have a way to resist the Chinese attack, and our Far East Fleet's Third Squadron is also there, and there are still 60,000 troops on land.
Presumably there is no way for Chinese people to land in Malaysia so easily."
"No." Churchill shook his head. As Prime Minister, he naturally thought further: "If there is a real fight between us and China, it will be impossible even if we don't declare war. Moreover, the attitude of the Americans is still unclear. We can no longer establish it everywhere.
Enemy."
Churchill's heart was bitter. He originally wanted to vent his anger and take advantage of the opportunity to make money to replenish the lost treasury, but unexpectedly he was beaten by the bitter master. Moreover, the bitter master also put on a desperate posture, making himself feel delicate and expensive.
Churchill felt that it was not enough to fight hard or not to fight hard.
McKenna felt the Prime Minister's embarrassment and said cautiously: "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, how about we first apply to the House of Lords to suspend the implementation of Bill 5072, and invite the Chinese Ambassador to our country to come over and explain to him?"
Upon hearing this, Churchill felt disgusted, "I was the one who proposed this motion to the House of Lords, and now I am the one who proposes to suspend the execution. I have really shot myself in the foot this time. In the long run, I will have no dignity as a prime minister."
As if seeing Churchill's embarrassment, McKenna secretly sighed and thought, "I'll take the blame."
"Your Excellency, Prime Minister, I will propose the motion to suspend the implementation of Resolution 5072 tomorrow, and then you can take the opportunity to summon the Chinese Ambassador to our country tomorrow to explain the reasons to him. Our country's fiscal deficit is already very high.
, if we start a war with the Chinese again, I am afraid we will collapse first without waiting for the Germans to attack."
Churchill glanced gratefully at his confidant and nodded slowly, "Okay, that's it. I will immediately summon the Chinese ambassador to our country tomorrow to explain our country's position to him. You are right, the empire's finances have been