In the Buenos Aires Presidential Palace, the young staff officer hurried into Mitre's office and said in a panic.
"Is this the report from the Santa Fe front? Has Delgado withdrew?"
Mitre said anxiously.
"The city of Santa Fe has been completely lost, and General Delgado has committed suicide!"
"What? This is impossible! There are 12,000 soldiers in Santa Fe City. They are all the best soldiers in the federal government? How can they be wiped out by the enemy so easily?"
Miter was so excited that he snatched the telegram from the staff officer's hand. After a few quick glances, the expression on his face changed drastically.
"Why? Why didn't Delgado hold the city of Santa Fe? Twelve thousand soldiers? I gave you twelve thousand men, why didn't you hold it?"
Mitre murmured to himself, his old face showing a sickly pale color due to excessive emotion.
The staff officer stood aside and did not dare to interrupt, but after he stayed for five or six minutes, he suddenly discovered that Mitre's face was becoming more and more abnormal. A pale color quickly spread over his entire face, and his old and dry palms were shaking more and more.
The bigger.
"Doctor! Call the doctor quickly!"
The staff officer realized the seriousness of Mitre's physical condition and immediately shouted loudly...
After the full rescue efforts of more than a dozen doctors and nurses, Mitre gradually regained consciousness after four hours of coma.
"What's the situation outside? Where have the Han troops advanced?"
After Mitre regained his senses, he moved his dry and aging lips and asked.
"After the Han troops occupied Santa Fe, they sent a vanguard force of 5,000 people to march along the Paraná River. Two hours ago, the defenders of Paraná City reported a firefight with the enemy."
"How is the situation in Uruguay and at sea? Have the Han troops continued their attack?"
After listening to the words of his officials, Mitre felt a little relieved and continued to ask.
"In the direction of Uruguay, after the Han troops occupied Paisandu, they did not divide their forces to occupy nearby areas, but slowly advanced southward."
A tall and thin Argentinian general explained in a low voice, "According to the reports from intelligence personnel scattered in the enemy-occupied areas, the Han troops in the direction of Uruguay should be short of supplies and ammunition, and they should slow down their advance to join the logistics troops."
"How many armed personnel are scattered in our army in the enemy-occupied areas? Can we eliminate their logistics troops before the two armies of the Han army converge?"
"The logistics and transportation troops of the Han State are heavily defended. Our army has launched attacks on small groups of logistics and transportation troops of the Han State many times, but they have not achieved good results."
After the tall and thin general finished speaking, he was worried that the unfavorable development of the war situation would affect Miter again, and then explained, "Although the Han troops took advantage of our unpreparedness to occupy the city of Santa Fe, they are still in the area south of Santa Fe and Paisandu."
The vast territory is still under the control of our army, and the new soldiers recruited by the President a few days ago are already looking good after a few days of training. If those new troops are added to the regular army, the total number of federal troops can be restored to the pre-war level.
With the support of the newly recruited soldiers and the bold command of the president, the Han troops will definitely be expelled from the borders of Argentina by us."
"I underestimated the offensive capabilities of the Han troops. If I had sent troops to reinforce Delgado in time, the city of Santa Fe would not have fallen into the hands of the Han troops."
"The Han army has been prepared for a long time. The responsibility for the fall of Santa Fe City does not lie with you, the president."
After hearing Mitre's words of self-defense, the Argentine general spoke out to persuade him.
"I was mistaken and did not truly realize the combat potential of the Han army. I know this in my heart and I don't need you to persuade me."
Mitre coughed in a low voice and continued, "Since the beginning of the war, the federal government has successively lost more than ten cities, including Paisandu and Santa Fe. It has lost more than 20,000 soldiers, and the 40,000 young men recruited by the government have not yet formed combat effectiveness.
, Under the current situation, it is difficult to withstand the attack of the Han troops by relying solely on the remaining troops of the federal government, so I plan to ask for help from Brazil and Chile, and implore them to send troops for reinforcements.
Esquero, the important task of moving reinforcements to the two governments will be left to you, I hope you will not disappoint me."
"President, Chile is at war with Bolivia and Peru. Is it impossible to request reinforcements from them?"
The official who was named stood up and said in confusion.
"The British have close relations with Chile. If the Chileans do not agree to send troops for rescue, then go talk to the British diplomats in Chile. I believe the British will not watch Han annexing Argentina."
Chile's own military strength is limited. When the country participates in the Guano War, the Chilean government will most likely not intervene in the war between China and Argentina. However, Chile's economy and politics are affected by the British, and the British are very influential in South America.
Business interests are profound. There are British businessmen in Chile, Argentina and Brazil. In order to enjoy the commercial interests of South America, the British did not hesitate to provoke Brazil. Chile and Chile launched the Paraguay War and Guano. Now Argentina and Uruguay are facing national subjugation.
It is dangerous. As long as the British still want to play the balance of power game in South America, they will not sit back and watch Argentina and Uruguay perish.
Miter ordered his officials to ask for help from the Chilean and Brazilian governments. He showed more of a compromising attitude, using the federal government he represented to give in to economic and even political interests to gain the approval of the British, and then the British took the lead.
, organized Brazilian and Chilean troops to carry out rescue operations in Argentina.
Without profit driven, Britain, Chile, and Brazil would not help Argentina overcome the current difficulties. Therefore, in order to preserve national security under the attack of Han troops, Mitre was ready to sacrifice some of his interests.
The Patagonian wilderness is a disputed area between Chile and Argentina. If Chile is willing to send troops to rescue, Mitre is willing to cede the Patagonia area to Chile. Similarly, if the attack of the Han troops is repelled, Mitre
They are also willing to admit that Uruguay belongs to the Brazilian Empire. The Argentine government will no longer interfere with the merger of the Brazilian government and Uruguay, and persuades the United Kingdom to help. After solving the crisis faced by Argentina, Mitre does not mind fully liberalizing the domestic market to the United Kingdom. After all,
Although commercial interests are important, they are not as important as the survival of the country.
The contents of Mitre's plan were not told to other officials, only Escoro, who was about to go on a mission to the two countries to ask for help.
It is a last resort to send envoys to Chile and Brazil to request reinforcements. However, if the interests of betraying the country are revealed to more officials at this time, it is likely to cause division and chaos within the Argentine government. The Argentine federal government has reached the point of life and death.
At this juncture, for the sake of the country's future, Mitre chose to bear the blame for betraying the country's interests alone, instead of exonerating himself by transferring the responsibility to his subordinates.