Wang Chonghui had a big quarrel with the ministers of the Nine Kingdoms, and both parties broke up unhappy.
Soon, the tough attitude of the Chinese government was conveyed back to Europe through the ministers of various countries. Among them, several small countries such as the Netherlands and Luxembourg were soy sauce, while France and the United States had relatively peaceful attitudes and acted as if the matter had nothing to do with them.
With a high-spirited attitude, only the United Kingdom and Italy reacted the most intensely.
What’s more interesting is that Britain and Italy are not on the same side.
Although the three countries of Germany, Italy and Japan have not yet signed a military alliance treaty, everyone can see that the formation of the Axis Military Alliance between Germany, Italy and Japan is a certainty and will be difficult to reverse. The reason why the three countries of Germany, Italy and Japan have not yet signed a treaty is just that
Because there are differences in the terms, everyone wants to strive for more rights and less responsibilities.
The United Kingdom, like the Soviet Union, is the main enemy of this upcoming military alliance! The United Kingdom hopes that this upcoming military alliance will target the Soviet Union and pursue an appeasement policy. It will tolerate many of Germany's excessive behaviors.
They even did not hesitate to sign the Munich Agreement and betray the Czech Republic.
Therefore, it is fundamentally impossible for the nine Western countries to act in unison.
Seeing that scaring was useless, several small countries immediately decided to give up.
The United States and France also began to stay out of the matter. In fact, the United States and France were full of sympathy for China, and they also deeply sympathized with the experience of the Lone Army Camp, because this was basically caused by the British's betrayal. If it hadn't been for the British
How could things happen today if he was treacherously detained in the Lone Army Camp?
Therefore, the only countries that really cannot come to Taiwan are Italy and the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom is particularly embarrassed. No matter what, the United Kingdom is the only superpower in the world today. Although the industrial manufacturing strength of the United States has surpassed that of the United Kingdom, when it comes to comprehensive national strength, especially military strength, it is far behind the United Kingdom. Germany and the Soviet Union
China's industrial strength is also very strong, but its international influence is far less than that of the United Kingdom.
Therefore, the UK is embarrassed by the Chinese government's toughness.
Based on past experience, the British thought that as long as they were frightened, China would give in. But who would have thought that this time the Chinese did not give in at all, as if they had been given chicken blood. Instead, they spit out two rows of tigers.
He pretended to compete with the British, which was very embarrassing.
The Chinese's reply reached London, and Chamberlain immediately convened a cabinet meeting.
Chamberlain was not a militant, so he tolerated Germany's aggressiveness. However, this does not mean that Chamberlain was a good man. In fact, if it were not for the Germans' industrial strength and military, Chamberlain would never be able to tolerate it.
He's so easy to talk to.
In Chamberlain's eyes, China has always been weak and can be bullied.
The two Opium Wars destroyed the Chinese people's self-confidence when facing Westerners, but also boosted the British self-confidence when facing the Chinese. In fact, Chamberlain never looked at China seriously.
, in his eyes, China is a dumping ground for British goods, a weak country that allows itself to be bullied.
Therefore, after receiving the reply from the minister in Chongqing, Chamberlain still wanted to go to war.
However, fighting a war is not an easy task. First of all, where will the troops be allocated from?
In addition to the local army, the British army also has servant armies from India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The situation in Europe is tense at the moment. It is obviously not possible to mobilize troops from the mainland. Moreover, it is too far to move troops from the mainland to China. On the way
It takes several months and the day lilies are already cold by the time we get to China.
The most feasible option is to transfer troops from Hong Kong or Singapore.
However, there were only 10,000 garrison troops in Hong Kong, which was not enough to defend against the Japanese army in Guangdong. As a result, troops had to be transferred from Singapore. The garrison in Singapore was sufficient, with 50,000 troops!
However, to transport Singapore's 50,000-strong army to Shanghai requires the use of a large number of ships. This cannot be accomplished by the Far East Fleet alone. The fleet in the Indian Ocean also needs to be transferred there. But if the fleet in the Indian Ocean is transferred there,
It will inevitably cause a backlash from Japan, so diplomatic negotiations must be carried out first.
In addition, using such a large navy and army will require huge military expenditures. Although after the Sino-British War, it can be compensated through indemnities from the Chinese government, at the beginning, this military expenditure must be advanced by the British government.
, which is a huge burden for the British government, which is already financially strapped.
The Minister of Finance was the first to start crying loudly: "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, I regret to inform you that there is no more money in the financial account. It cannot support such a large military operation, let alone using two fleets to transport five ships.
It is already very difficult to send an army of ten thousand people to the Chinese battlefield thousands of miles away, or even to transfer a division of troops to India."
"Money is not a problem, we can issue public bonds." Chamberlain waved his hand and said, "The only thing we have to consider is the reaction of the Japanese. If the Japanese step forward to interfere, it will be a bit tricky."
"The Japanese will not stand up to interfere. After all, it will only benefit them and not harm them." The Foreign Minister shrugged and said, "The question is, Prime Minister, do you really plan to do that? Have you not thought that once the British
By intervening in the Sino-Japanese War and siding with the Japanese, China is likely to be quickly defeated."
"If China dies, then it dies. It doesn't matter." Chamberlain said solemnly, "As long as Japan targets the Soviet Union after annexing China, I think this is still very possible."
"I don't think so." The Finance Minister shook his head and said, "From a strategic point of view, the Japanese cannot obtain the oil, steel, rubber and other resources they desperately need by attacking the Soviet Union northward, but if they go southward and attack Southeast Asia, they can immediately
To obtain resources such as rubber, crude oil and steel, Japan is more likely to go south after successfully annexing China."
There was a fierce debate in Britain as to whether the Japanese would go north or south after annexing China.
Chamberlain retorted: "Didn't the intelligence department say that Japan's Kwantung Army is making intensive preparations to fight against the Soviet Union?"
"That was just a tentative action by the Japanese." The Minister of Military Intelligence continued, "If the results are ideal, it does not rule out that the Japanese will launch a full-scale war with the Soviet Union, but I think this is unlikely. The Japanese military adventure
, it is likely to end in failure, and even if it is a victory, it will definitely be a tragic victory."
Chamberlain said depressedly: "Doesn't this mean that we cannot go to war with China?"
"I think so, Your Excellency, Prime Minister." Several ministers at the meeting nodded and said, "The Chinese's tough stance only caused a little loss of face, but if Japan is allowed to annex China and spread the war to Southeast Asia, it will
It will undoubtedly lead the upcoming Axis Alliance of Germany, Italy and Japan to the empire, but this is a crisis related to the life and death of the empire."
"Okay." Chamberlain said dejectedly, "Then let the Americans step in to mediate."
(Dividing line)
At the same time, in Chongqing.
Chairman Chiang spent the whole day restless.
Although the possibility of the British government sending troops is very small, nothing is absolute. What if the British government really sends troops? It would be nothing short of a disaster for China!
Therefore, although the statement was made, Chairman Chiang still felt extremely uneasy in his heart.
None of the staff members left either. They all stayed at Chairman Chiang Kai-shek's official residence waiting for the latest feedback.
Time passed slowly in the suffocating waiting, and the sky outside began to gradually darken.
Chairman Chiang raised his head and looked at the clock on the wall. He saw that the hour hand pointed to seven o'clock in the evening. He then turned to ask Foreign Minister Wang Chonghui: "Liangchou, is it almost noon in London now?"
"Yes, seat." Wang Chonghui replied respectfully, "It should be about eleven o'clock in the morning in London."
"It's eleven o'clock, and the internal review meeting should be over." Chairman Chiang said quietly, and then added, "The results should be out soon, right?"
Wang Chonghui smiled bitterly and said: "It should be like this."
Chairman Chiang looked around at the dozen or so staff present and asked, "Do you think the British will go to war with us?"
"Definitely not." Bai Chongxi said firmly, "Unless the British are crazy, they can't go to war with us."
"I don't think so even for lower-level people." He Yingqin and Chen Cheng also rarely agreed with Bai Chongxi's judgment. Nothing else, because Chairman Chiang wants to hear this now, but in their heart, He Yingqin and Chen Cheng don't think so.
Yes, they believe that the British will definitely go to war with China.
After a few words, the conference hall fell silent again.
Fortunately, the silence did not last too long. Not long after, the captain of the bodyguard Wang Shihe came in excitedly and reported to Chairman Chiang with excitement: "Commissioner, Ambassador Johnson called and said that he
We will come over soon to mediate the dispute between us and the British."
"Jason is going to come forward to mediate?"
"It's actually an American who came forward?"
"The British themselves won't come?"
"Didn't you hear just now? This is a dispute!"
“Americans’ characterization of this incident is a dispute!”
"Haha, it seems the British don't want to go to war with us."
"I've said it before, the British won't and don't dare to go to war!"
The dozen or so staff members present were all excited after hearing this.
Diplomatic victory, this is definitely a major victory on the diplomatic front!
The arrogant British finally lowered their arrogant heads in front of the Chinese!
Chairman Chiang's face could not help but glow with a red light. Facing the intimidation and blackmail from the West, Chairman Chiang rarely acted tough. This time he was forced to be tough, but this was the only time he was tough.
It has achieved unexpectedly good results. With such a result, we really can’t ask for more.