——Time and Space of the Republic of China, Washington
Roosevelt listened calmly to the description of his Secretary of State Hull.
"My President, our exports to Japan last year reached US$280 million, including US$160 million of military supplies. They are expected to increase this year, which makes our economy greatly improved. But Chiang Kai-shek
The intermediary government has protested many times, do you think there should be some reduction?"
Roosevelt opened his eyes and asked, "Hull, do you think there is still hope for this war with China?"
Hull considered it for a moment and said, "My President, China has retreated to the center to prepare for the Wuhan War. This war may be a war involving more than 1.5 million people. Although the Chinese have more people, the Japanese
The equipment and quality are superior to China in many aspects. I personally am more optimistic about Japan, but even if Japan captures Wuhan, it will not be able to win the final victory. After all, China still has a lot of territory."
Roosevelt nodded and said, "I have the same view as you. If the outcome is certain, why not use this outcome to do something for our American people. Our unemployment rate is still a bit high."
Hull nodded, understood and said, "Then let those companies continue to export to Japan?"
Roosevelt nodded and said, "Our gaze should not be on Asia, but on Europe. Hitler's actions are getting bigger and bigger. I have a hunch that a war in Europe is imminent."
Hull laughed and said, "It's a pity that our Congressmen don't feel anything yet."
Roosevelt sighed and said, "Unless someone teaches them a painful lesson, our gentlemen will not change anything."
Hull nodded in agreement and said, "But Hu Shi in China is making a lot of noise now. He lectures everywhere with photos of Japan massacring Chinese civilians, saying that we should not sell military supplies to Japan. Now some civilians are also affected. President
Sir, do you see it?"
Roosevelt thought for a while and said, "Well, after all, we, the United States, are a responsible big country and must contribute to world peace. From now on, we prohibit the sale of air force aircraft and aviation equipment to Japan."
Hull couldn't help but feel funny after hearing this. Japan has never imported aircraft from the United States. After all, Japan is not China. They can produce aircraft themselves. This ban is completely a trick to fool people.
Hull quickly withdrew and issued orders. Under Roosevelt's instructions and the clamor of countless American businessmen, in 1938 the United States exported to Japan a total of 22.2 million barrels of oil, 1.86 million tons of scrap steel and other steel products, and 7,400 tons of rubber.
These military materials were quickly turned into guns and bombs through Japanese military factories, and then crossed the sea to the Japanese military arsenal in China to prepare for the Wuhan Battle.
"Sun Tzu's Art of War: Planning and Attack Chapter": "The first step is to attack the strategy, the second is to attack the enemy, the second is to attack the troops, and the third is to attack the city; the method of attacking a city is as a last resort."
In order to gain support from abroad, the Nationalist Government sent a diplomatic mission headed by Hu Shi to the United States. Hu Shi said to the co-workers, "We are the furthest army and the country's last hope. We must never give up our responsibilities. We must
We came here knowing that the country is in danger. The more unlucky the country is, the more it needs us. We can only stop when the country is in peace."
After Hu Shi arrived in the United States, he immediately publicized the truth of China's Anti-Japanese War among the American people, China's difficult situation during the Anti-Japanese War, and the help China's Anti-Japanese War had provided to the United States. Starting in 1938, Hu Shi traveled throughout the United States, using all his strength, that is,
The so-called travel of thousands of miles and a hundred lectures. Hu Shi traveled all over the United States in six months, covering a distance of 35,000 miles, setting a record for the highest number of foreign envoys traveling in the United States. During the entire several years in the United States,
He gave more than 400 speeches, but the history of weak countries without diplomacy was repeated once again. Hu Shi often scolded him loudly. At home, Hu Shi was a person who dared to quarrel with Chiang Kai-shek and Song Ziwen, but in the United States, for the sake of the United States,
Any older person should have a deep understanding of the bitterness of receiving help but having to bow his head and listen to instructions.
--Paris France
Edouard Daladier was the Prime Minister of France at this time. He was born in 1884 and was 54 years old. He had participated in World War I. He was the leader of the French Radical Socialist Party and the leader of the French Popular Front at this time.
France was not peaceful during the world economic crisis a few years ago. In February 1934, the French Action Party, the Cross of Fire and other fascist organizations provoked anti-government riots in an attempt to seize power. Left-wing parties and groups united to fight back against the forces of terrorism.
offensive, gradually strengthening unity. In July 1935, the French Socialist Party, the French Radical Socialist Party, the French Red Party and major trade unions organized nationwide anti-fascist demonstrations and decided to draft a common program to unify the actions of the left-wing parties. The Popular Front declared
was born. And he was one of the leaders in organizing the People's Front at that time.
Daladier listened impatiently to the report in front of him and said, "Japan and China are fighting endless wars. Can't they stop for a while?"
Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Léger smiled and said, "Prime Minister, the Japanese want us to stop supporting China, and China wants us to increase assistance to them. What do you think we should do?"
Daladier snorted coldly, "The Japanese are protesting? What are they protesting against? A group of yellow-skinned monkeys. If it weren't for Hitler and Stalin, we would have allowed them to cause trouble in Asia?"
Léger nodded repeatedly and said, "That's natural, but the Japanese are very dissatisfied because we use railways to transport German and Soviet weapons to the Chinese. They often ask us whether we have pro-Soviet thoughts, which makes us very passive."
Daladier said unhappily, "Don't we, France, still have to listen to Japan's opinions now?"
Looking at Daladier's expression, Léger had no choice but to say, "My Prime Minister, Japan is constantly showing closeness to Germany. Although Germany has not shown much, it is secretly hinting at Japan. I am worried that if we continue
If we continue to support China, Japan will completely turn to Germany, and then we will be even more passive."
Daladier thought for a while and said, "Well, let's close the railway to China and detain all the arms that the Soviet Union wants to transport to China at the port of Vietnam. Then Japan will have nothing to say."
Leder nodded and said, "The following is Hitler's latest speech to the Sudetenland..."
--London, England
In Britain in 1938, both the British people and British government officials felt that the era of the empire on which the sun never set was getting further and further away.
In 1938, Britain's steel output was 10.5 million tons, and France's was 6.1 million tons, both far behind the United States' 28.8 million tons, Germany's 23.2 million tons, and the Soviet Union's 18 million tons. The empire on which the sun never sets at that time had already fallen behind in terms of industrial strength.
It ranks fourth in the world and third in Europe. Its manufacturing output is only 10.7% of the world's, compared with 31.4% of the United States, 12.7% of Germany and 9% of the Soviet Union.
In No. 10 Downing Street, Chamberlain was talking to a group of people about the situation in Asia.
"So, our British power in Asia is actually very fragile. We must recognize this fact clearly. Although, if Japan goes to war with us, we will definitely win in the end, but in the early stage, we will not be able to be effective in any case.
Therefore, our Asia policy should still focus on avoiding any war or hostilities." Chamberlain held his head high, as if he was saying something noble.
A fat man next to him said disdainfully, "Appeasement policy, appeasement policy again, my Prime Minister, do you really think that appeasement policy is omnipotent? Concession to Hitler in Europe, concession to Japan in Asia, how many places does our British Empire have?"
Is it possible to give in?"
Chamberlain glanced at the fat man, then looked at everyone and said, "I know that as a country with a long history of being a world leader, it will make some people uncomfortable to make concessions to Germany and Japan, but let me ask, my navy
And the chiefs of staff of the army, are you ready for war against Japan and Germany?"
The two chiefs of staff looked at each other and shook their heads quickly.
Chamberlain nodded and said, "My friends, war is not the best choice. War will only kill our children. It is 1938. We can no longer rely on our navy to let the whole world revolve around us. We
Some problems must be solved through our political wisdom. Don’t forget that in the west, there is an extremely evil country - the Soviet Union."
For a moment, everyone in the room was talking and agreeing, but the fat man stood up angrily and walked out of the door.
Chamberlain looked at the fat man, but a flash of light flashed in his eyes.
The hostility between Britain and China began during the Opium War. Even in 1938, the British marked Chinese passports as enemy aliens. The so-called enemy aliens could not go out casually once it got dark, and they could not casually approach military areas even in broad daylight.
,violators will be arrested.
But Britain was not indifferent to Japan's expansion in Asia. In 1938, Britain was extremely "generous" in allowing China to build the Burma Highway, and "generously" provided China with a loan of 500,000 pounds. This money,
It was probably enough to feed all the Chinese troops at that time for a day....
A weak country has no diplomacy and nothing else.
——Wuhan
A blond soldier walked into an office and said to an old officer, "General, the head of state has sent another telegram asking us for our views on the Wuhan Battle."
That officer was Falkenhausen. Falkenhausen took off his glasses, sighed and asked, "As soldiers and generals, we only have victory in our hearts. What is Berlin's intention in asking us like this?"
The officer looked at no one outside and said in a low voice, "General, my friend has sent news that the head of state seems to want us to evacuate."
Falkenhausen's hand wiping his glasses trembled and asked, "Does this mean we are giving up on China?"
The officer nodded and said, "The Battle of Wuhan should be the final bottom line for the Head of State. Once the Battle of Wuhan fails, the Head of State will completely choose Japan."
Falkenhausen said excitedly, "Japan? That is a country with no bottom line and no morals. If we ally with them, they will only lead us into the abyss."
The officer said sternly, "Your Majesty General, we are soldiers. Please pay attention to your words and deeds."
Falkenhausen snorted coldly, knowing in his heart that he was warning himself not to be dissatisfied with any of Hitler's decisions. Although he was a general, he was nothing in front of these Nazis.
The modern system of the National Army is the result of Falkenhausen's countless efforts. Whether it was the Battle of Songhu or the recent Yellow River bursting its banks, there is his shadow. In his heart, China has become his second home, but as a
As a soldier, there was no way he could refuse.
Falkenhausen sighed, waved his hand to let the officer leave, and secretly made up his mind that he would not betray China no matter what.
Just as he was thinking, Falkenhausen suddenly remembered the young man who went to Germany with him. Falkenhausen pressed the desk bell, and a German soldier quickly walked in.
Falkenhausen wrote a few lines and said to the soldier, "Go and give this letter to the people at Weihua Company and ask them to give it to their employer and say that I am Falkenhausen."
The soldier gave a military salute and quickly left.
——Moscow, Soviet Union
Stalin listened to Dimitrov's report, frowned and asked, "Isn't there still not much intelligence in Yan'an?"
Dimitrov shook his head in embarrassment and said, "China's Wang Ming is in Wuhan now. We lack sources of information about Yan'an. We only know that the Red Party in Yan'an is expanding very fast."
Stalin smiled and waved his hands and said, "The Chinese are all a bunch of braggarts. They probably want our support. By the way, today I received news that France has seized the military supplies we planned to send to Chongqing and brought them to the port.
what is going on?"
Yezhov immediately said, "Yes, the French seem to be very afraid of the Japanese. France told us that they do not want to target us. As long as we bring the supplies back, they will let them go immediately. What the French said to us is to prevent Japan from defecting to Germany."
.”
Stalin knocked on the table angrily and shouted, "Stupid, extremely stupid. The ambitions of the Japanese cannot be fed by China. Do Britain and France think that after China is destroyed, their Southeast Asia will be safe?"
Stalin stood up and thought for a while and said, "How much material do we still have that we have not delivered to China?"
Yezhov immediately said, "There are not many left, only about one-tenth of the supplies are left. The second batch of military supplies worth 50 million US dollars has been prepared and can be delivered to China at any time. If the sea route is not available, we can also take the land route.
From Kazakhstan, and then through Xinjiang, Gansu, and Shaanxi to China. But the distance is longer, 30,000 kilometers."
Stalin shook his hand and asked, "What is your analysis of the outcome of the Wuhan battle? Will Chiang Kai-shek surrender?"
Ye Ruofu said firmly, "I don't think so. After all, they regard Chongqing as their capital. If Chongqing is not captured by the Japanese army, Chiang Kai-shek will not surrender, but peace negotiation is very possible. In addition, the information we have obtained about the Wuhan battle,
Although Japan is elite, its numbers are small, while China’s troops are three times that of Japan’s, and they are for defense. In addition, they have received a lot of assistance from us, so it is difficult to say who will win in the Wuhan battle.”
Stalin took a puff of his pipe and said, "The Japanese imperialists have always wanted to extinguish the fire of our country. We want to support China, but our purpose is not to make China strong enough to fight back and drive the Japanese out of China. I see it this way, the second batch
Just take the land route and let the Chinese build guesthouses on the 30,000 kilometers of domestic roads in China. When they are finished, our supplies will be shipped there. If the Chinese are unwilling, let them persuade France to open up the ports. Nothing else.
Easy to talk about."
After talking about China, Stalin said, "Let's talk about the problems of Germany and Czechoslovakia..."
