The strategic balance in South America has been broken, and the American economic system that the British have worked so hard to manage is also facing the risk of disintegration and collapse under the pressure of the Americans.
The British were anxious. Otherwise, Hermes, the British minister to Han who always paid attention to the face of the empire and the appearance of a hegemon, would not have rushed to the headquarters building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Han at 11 o'clock in the evening.
.
"Your Excellency, in accordance with your instructions, the British Minister Mr. Hermes has been arranged to wait in the drawing room."
"Okay, I know."
Tang Jingsong, the director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nodded and said: "Instruct the staff to prepare some simple tea and send it over. We can't let the British think that we don't understand the etiquette of hospitality."
"Yes, Chief."......
After waiting patiently for nearly ten minutes in the living room on the first floor, the British Minister Hermes had just drank the last bit of tea in his teacup when he saw Tang Jingsong, the director-general of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, walking down the stairs.
"Sir, I'm sorry to disturb your rest so late."
The British minister stood up, exchanged polite greetings at first, and then explained: "The Empire has received some important information. The U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet has left the United States and is on its way to the Caribbean. The Empire speculates that the U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The final destination may be the southern waters of South America, and the targets of the Americans’ dispatch of the Atlantic Fleet are also likely to be your country’s coastal garrison and your country’s naval fleet deployed on the Atlantic side.”
"Thank you for your kind reminder." Faced with the British minister's provocation, Tang Jingsong replied firmly: "Although our Han country is not as popular as the United States in terms of population and national strength, if the United States insists on provoking and repeatedly relies on force to intervene,
Regarding the internal affairs of our country, Han, our country would rather fight the United States than compromise or give in!"
"The courage of your Excellency and your country is admirable, but the military strength of the United States is strong. During the Civil War, the North of the United States had the ability to mobilize millions of soldiers to fight. Now, more than 20 years after the Civil War ended. After more than 20 years of development,
The population and economic strength of the United States have increased several times compared with those during the Civil War. The industrial strength and military power that the United States can mobilize are also much stronger than during the Civil War.
On the other hand, although your country was founded more than 20 years ago and has a population of 18 million, your country’s founding history is still relatively short after all, and its industrial and economic foundations are at an absolute disadvantage compared to the United States.
In terms of your country's current comprehensive strength, if a war breaks out with the Americans, even if you can defend the security of your home territory, it may cause irreparable economic losses to your country's economic development.
Moreover, your country's naval power is still in the construction stage. If you lose the naval power that you have worked hard to build for twenty years because of a war with a huge disparity in strength, I am afraid that your Majesty the Emperor will also feel regretful and unwilling."
"Sorry, Your Excellency, although I admit that there is a huge power gap between Han and the United States, I do not completely agree with your statement."
Tang Jingsong retorted: "First of all, the current hostile situation between Han and the United States is not Han's responsibility.
When the Han Dynasty was founded, it adhered to the international norms of mutual benefit and equal exchanges and carried out friendly cooperation with various civilized countries in economic, cultural and other aspects. The Han Dynasty has always respected the interests and dignity of all civilized countries and has never taken the initiative to engage in any
Activities that harmed the interests of the United States, and on the contrary, when the United States completed the construction of the Pacific Railway and was unwilling to accept those Chinese workers who worked hard on the railway construction site, the Han Dynasty not only took the initiative to contact the United States and promised
Help them move Chinese workers stranded in the United States to South America, and also promised the United States to give up pursuing the American Railway Company's legacy of mistreating Chinese workers and withholding wages from Chinese workers.
However, the Han's generosity and concessions not only failed to bring satisfaction and gratitude from the Americans, but instead made them intensify their persecution of Chinese workers.
Between 1875 and 1885, the number of Chinese who died tragically at the hands of American mobs reached thousands. Among the Chinese who died tragically, there were not only male Chinese workers, but also the elderly, women and children!
In response to the Americans' step-by-step pressure and provocation! For the sake of national interests, the dignity of the people, and also to seek justice for our compatriots who died tragically, we, the Han Dynasty, will never give in at all!
If the United States interferes in South American affairs and intends to threaten Han with military force, then even if a war breaks out,
The responsibility lies entirely with the United States!
Han is a peace-loving country. We don’t want to be enemies with the United States, but we are not afraid of being enemies with the Americans!
If the United States is determined to launch a full-scale war on its homeland,
Then, our country of Han will also be well prepared for all-people war!
At that time, when American warships sail into the mainland coast and American soldiers set foot on the land of Han,
Our 18 million citizens of the Han Kingdom, no matter where they are in the country! They will all bear the responsibility of defending the country and defending against the enemy!
No matter men, women, old or young, whoever encounters the enemy of the United States will fight them head-on!"
Tang Jingsong's sonorous tone was not so much an expression of his determination not to be afraid of going to war with the United States, but rather a mobilization propaganda slogan for war against the United States.
From Tang Jingsong's words, Hermes not only felt the toughness of the Han official class, but also seemed to see the magnificent scene of all the Han people struggling to face the enemy when the war broke out.
According to intelligence collected over a long period of time, the Han Dynasty has implemented a compulsory military service system for all citizens. Children and teenagers from ten to sixteen years old, and adult men from sixteen to forty-five years old are all responsible for military service.
Responsibility.
In various emerging industrial cities, agriculture, and animal husbandry villages in the Han State, militia and garrison organizations were organized one after another, and all the men of suitable age who lived scattered in the Han State were assembled in an orderly manner into a complete military mobilization group.
The total population is 18 million, and the registered militia and garrison exceed 2 million.
Behind the simple population figures, what they represent are high-quality soldiers who have received military education, possess basic military skills, and have a strong desire to defend their territory and resist the enemy.
Perhaps due to differences in traditional culture, education and social environment, the soldiers serving in the Han Dynasty, compared with those from European countries, seemed a bit kind and obedient, but when they formed one combat unit after another,
Entering the battlefield city, the feeling given to the enemy is completely different.
During the Argentine War in 1879, the British Expeditionary Fleet recorded the detailed process of fighting the Han army: "The Han army is not as good as the Imperial army in stature and size, but their fighting will is not inferior to the Empire's elite front-line troops.
Under the leadership of the grassroots military commanders, they rushed to the battlefield like a pack of wolves, brave and fearless, but also full of Eastern cunning and agility...
"
The rolling wheels of time carry history forward. Ten or twenty years later, the United States ended the Civil War and ushered in an economic boom. Britain curbed the expansion of Tsarist Russia in Europe and the Near East, and began to enter the final stage of the empire.
During its heyday, after the end of the Argentine War in 1879, South American Han Dynasty also showed explosive development changes in industry, military and other aspects. The basic industrial system was gradually improved, and the emerging chemical industry emerged in the international market, while military industry and military
In terms of strength building and other aspects, with the new rifles using smokeless gunpowder as propellant, and the independently built armored cruisers being commissioned into the army and navy, they are rapidly advancing to keep up with the average level of European powers (in some subdivided military fields,
Han Guo maintains a certain first-mover advantage).
Comparing the military potential of Han and the United States, as well as Han's home field advantage in fighting in South America, Hermes noticed a fact that most British politicians ignored. In terms of military strength, Han already had the advantage.
South America’s ability to resist U.S. military invasion,
The naval power, which mainly restricted the display of Han's military strength, was a shortcoming for the Han. However, for the United Kingdom, the lack of Han's naval strength was a favorable condition for the further development of the cooperative relationship between Britain and Han.
The UK not only needs to curb the expansion of its biggest imaginary enemy, the United States, but also ensure that the development of the Han Dynasty will not cause damage to British interests. To grasp the balance and scale between the two, Britain's world-unparalleled naval strength
, in the competition between the United States and Han, it is the most effective method to play an important regulating and balancing role.