When the time entered 1918, the world war had come to an end.
Due to the several attacks launched by the Allied Powers in 1917, although it seemed that there were losses and losses, they at least maintained the offensive momentum. Moreover, because of the two victories won by the Foreign Legion led by Qin Zhiyuan, the situation seemed to be in an advantageous position.
However, Niveller and Haig's hasty attack caused great casualties to the British and French teams. Coupled with the collapse and reorganization of the Italian front, the Allies did not swallow up Germany's strength in one fell swoop.
Although the Germans felt tired, they were not completely desperate. Ludendorff continued his domestic brainwashing. The Germans generally believed that as long as they increased their efforts, Germany would occupy Paris.
The key to all problems lies with the Americans. According to Ludendorff's prediction, the US military troops in France will have 250,000 troops by the middle of the year, and will become the force that determines victory or defeat. If Germany wants to win, it must do so within six months.
Defeat the Allies before the month.
In fact, this is indeed the case.
By 1918, Britain and France were finally willing to face reality. Without more fresh blood joining, the Allies could not completely defeat the Germans.
Qin Zhiyuan can indeed fight, but Qin Zhiyuan cannot hold the sky with one hand.
During the Battle of Reims, Qin Zhiyuan's Foreign Legion once reached the banks of the Aisne River, but eventually retreated to Suphe. Because the position was too prominent, it was besieged on three sides by the Germans. In order to maintain a balance with other positions, Foch
The 10th Army, which took over the defense of the Foreign Legion, was ordered to retreat 20 kilometers.
At the Allied summit at the end of last year, the Allied leaders unanimously decided not to launch a large-scale offensive in 1918. They wanted to use a more cost-effective way to defeat the Germans and consume the Germans alive.
Ludendorff understood the situation Germany was facing, so he would not give the Allies a chance to consume Germany.
Then where Ludendorff would choose to launch the attack became the top priority for the Allied Powers.
The current Western Front is still a winding front. Haig has 57 divisions in his hands, from Britain, India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Portugal. These troops defend from Flanders to 25 kilometers south of the Somme River.
The long front; Foch had 104 divisions including the Foreign Legion in his hands, 60 of which were deployed on the front line, and the rest were distributed on the deep front, as well as on the rotation that began after the mutiny.
Relatively speaking, Foch had more troops, but the front line that Foch was responsible for defending was also longer, so Britain and France faced similar pressures on the Western Front.
Although he knew that the Germans would definitely launch an attack in 1918, Haig, the commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force, made mistakes in his layout.
The commander-in-chief of the British Fifth Army, Hubert Gough, was ordered to defend the junction of the British and French positions. The Fifth Army had only 14 divisions and was responsible for defending a 52-mile-long front. The other two armies in the northern part of the Fifth Army added
It has 32 divisions in total and is only responsible for a 61-mile defense line.
In this way, if the five divisions that supported the Italian front last year were eliminated, Haig would only have six divisions of mobile strength left in his hands.
Therefore, Haig contacted the French Army Staff and wanted to establish a support mechanism. When either side's defense line encounters Wikipedia, the other side must provide unconditional support. However, Haig only has six mobile divisions in his hands, and the French army responsible for negotiations
Chief of General Staff Pétain also promised that if the British army encountered an emergency, six French divisions would be dispatched to support it.
So when Gough complained to Haig and asked for more troops, Haig told Gough that if there was a problem with his defense line, the French army would send troops to support it. At this time, Pétain's combat order to the French army was that if the battle situation was unfavorable,
The French army wanted to retreat to Paris to ensure the safety of Paris, not to rescue the British army.
The reason why there are so many changes stems from personnel changes within the British army.
Haig's disrespect for British Prime Minister Lloyd George was well known to everyone. Lloyd George also disliked Haig and wanted to deal with it at any time. The two people also had many different opinions on command. Various reasons accumulated together, and finally in 1918
It broke out at the beginning of the year.
In early 1918, Lloyd George forced Haig to replace his chief of general staff, deputy chief of staff, intelligence department, artificial corps, and medical department. It seemed that except for Haig, Lloyd George changed the expeditionary force headquarters all over.
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At the same time, Lloyd George appointed Henry Wilson as the military representative on the Supreme War Council decided to establish last year, which was another offense to Haig. Henry Wilson had a bad relationship with Haig. He often criticized Haig and was Haig's
Competitors.
Of course, Haig would not show weakness, so he enlisted the British Chief of Staff, William Robert Robertson, to fight against Lloyd George.
Because Wilson was appointed by Lloyd George and was also a subordinate of Robertson, a question arose: should Wilson report to Lloyd George or to Robertson?
Wilson chose Lloyd George, which aroused Robertson's dissatisfaction. Robertson proved to Lloyd George that he was loyal to principles rather than rights. He proposed to Lloyd George that if Wilson did not obey the orders of the staff in accordance with regulations, then Robertson would resign.
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Lloyd George got what he wanted, so Robertson resigned.
Robertson can be regarded as benevolent and benevolent.
Robertson's nickname was Merry Man. He was the only person in the British army who was promoted from soldier to marshal. After resigning, Robertson wrote in a letter to Haig that I am tired of this life full of death.
Tired of this life full of death
Yes, the war has entered its fourth year, and many people are tired of it, but only Robertson dares to say it. He is indeed a happy man.
After Robertson resigned, Lloyd George wanted to appoint Plummer, commander-in-chief of the Second Group, as chief of general staff. However, Plummer, thinking of Robertson's fate, decisively rejected Lloyd George's appointment, so Wilson became chief of general staff of the British army.
Given the bad relationship between Wilson and Haig, it's self-evident why Haig made the mistake.
The British were too busy to take care of themselves and naturally had no intention of giving the Dutch enough support. So when the negotiations resumed, the Dutch discovered that neither the British nor the French were on their side.
The attitude of the British and French is very clear. Seeing that the Germans are about to launch an attack of unprecedented scale, the British and French are not in the mood to seek justice for the Dutch. The British and French must ensure that Qin Zhiyuan concentrates all his energy on the European battlefield.
, so as to increase your own chances of winning.
So the proud Huang Fugui made a seemingly impossible request: the Dutch could retain the tax rights and interests in Borneo, but the Netherlands would no longer directly manage Borneo, and the management of Borneo would be handled by Lanfang Company.
Dutch representative Willardum was stunned when he heard Huang Fugui made this request. This request was so shameless, not to mention that the territories on Sumatra and Papua are now under the control of the colonial government.
Even Sulawia and Kalimantan were not completely occupied by the Lanfang Company. However, the Lanfang Company was greedy and made territorial claims to the entire Dutch East Indies. This was unacceptable to the Dutch.
Although Lanfang Company proposed to retain the tax rights and interests of the Dutch in Borneo, everyone knows what is going on. If the Dutch cannot directly manage Borneo, the specific tax amount will be entirely decided by Lanfang Company.
Giving 100 million Dutch guilders a year is giving, and giving 10 million is also giving.
If you take into account the shamelessness of Lanfang Company, it is more likely that it will be 10,000 per year.
Even this ten thousand is probably not enough for a few years.
What was even more unacceptable to Villaldum was what came next. After listening to Huang Fugui’s request, representatives from Britain and France actually expressed that it was very reasonable and readily supported Huang Fugui’s request.
Support your sister
Will the British support India if it becomes independent?
If Algeria wanted independence, would the French support it?
Villaldum lost his temper and cursed on the spot, and was then kicked out of the venue.
Next is a closed-door meeting
Closed-door meeting that locked out Dutch representative Wilardum
When the door opened again, the agreement had been signed and was waiting for Villaldum to sign.
I will never sign this, and the Netherlands will never agree to such an unreasonable request. You have gone too far, and Villardum is extremely sad and angry.
excessive
This is the consistent style of Britain and France. Think of the Republic of China at the Paris Peace Conference and Poland during World War II. There is no shamelessness, only more shamelessness.
Different from the original history, Qin Zhiyuan now also belongs to the shameless ranks, and he is the most shameless one.
In fact, it doesn’t matter whether Villaldum signs this or not. Since Britain and France have signed this, it means that Britain and France have recognized the legal existence of Lanfang Company, and Britain and France will not refuse to cooperate with Lanfang Company in the future.
trading.
Because of Qin Zhiyuan's existence, there is no difference between this kind of trade and actual support, and it is also open and aboveboard support.
The Dutch are now at an absolute disadvantage in the confrontation with Lanfang Company. If they have the support of Britain and France,
The Dutch finally feel the malice of the world
The Dutch are angry, lamenting and even weeping, but they don't know who to vent to.
The Chinese have felt this kind of malice from the Dutch for hundreds of years, or in other words, the Chinese have felt it from all over the world for hundreds of years, and now they have finally returned it intact.
When the British smuggled opium into China, did they ask the Chinese how they felt?
When the Eight-Power Allied Forces invaded the Qing Empire, did they ask the Chinese how they felt?
When the foreign powers forced the Qing government to sign unequal treaties again and again, did they ask the Chinese how they felt?
When the Chinese wailed in the Hongxi Massacre, the Dutch did not care about the feelings of the Chinese; when the Borneo aborigines invaded the Chinese families, plundered the Chinese property, and massacred the Chinese members, the Dutch could pretend to turn a blind eye, so now, the Chinese
Why do you care about the Dutch people's feelings?
Thirty years to the east of the river, thirty years to the west of the river, nothing more than that.
