I am Jiang Weiguo in World War II

Page 523

For the British colonies, Churchill refused to let go, and refused to give up any of them); Attlee was in between, he clearly realized that Britain's strength, influence, and global status were inevitably declining, and Britain's global It is impossible to keep the number one hegemony, and it will be replaced by the United States sooner or later. Therefore, the UK cannot be "too greedy", cannot "live in the glory of the past", and cannot "cling on to the glory of the past without letting go". On the other hand, as long as it can be exchanged for the safety of the British mainland, it is not impossible to "spend money and eliminate disasters", that is, to give up some overseas colonies appropriately.

"Mr. Gu, what's the matter?" Attlee asked very gently, there were no negative emotions such as disgust, resentment, or impatience in his expression and tone, only gentle and calm.

Gu Weijun went straight to the point: "Your Excellency, I am here to inform you and the British government on behalf of the Chinese government that in one hour, that is, at 2:23 am on February 6, Chinese time, our army will attack your country's Malaya, Brunei and other territories have launched a military attack, and we hereby notify you, lest your country misunderstand that our country is undeclared war against your country!"

Attlee was almost dumbfounded, but this loss of composure was fleeting, and he quickly returned to calmness. However, he only pretended to be calm on the surface, but a turbulent wave was set off in his heart, which shocked him. There were bouts of dizziness.

"Your country...is this going to declare war on our country?" Attlee tried to calm himself down and asked in a deep voice.

"This is not a declaration of war, but a notice of war!" Gu Weijun corrected Attlee with strict words, "Before, our government has sent multiple notes to your government, requesting your country to completely improve Sino-British relations and achieve long-term development from China and Britain. Considering from the perspective of China, the three countries of southern Tibet, Myanmar, Malaya, and Brunei that originally belonged to China were returned to China. We have to use military action to prove the determination of our government, for which our government deeply regrets!"

Attlee is well aware that France's "returning" the three countries of Indochina to China was just a double act sung by Germany and China. The new French government is completely controlled by Germany. The three countries of Indochina then sent a note to Britain, demanding that Britain return the British colonies belonging to China.

In this regard, the British high-level government adopted a "delay policy", neither categorically refusing nor agreeing, trying to "one push, two delay three studies", so as to buy time.

Attlee supported this countermeasure. He believed, "Don't fight against China, you must stabilize China", and the United Kingdom cannot be allowed to repeat the mistakes of the Soviet Union. Although China's national strength and military strength are far inferior to those of Germany, when it is behind Germany's ass to work as a tiger It is still very threatening. Unexpectedly, the Chinese government is so tough that it is too lazy to waste words on the negotiating table with the British side, and directly issued an ultimatum to war if there is a disagreement.

Aiden on the side was furious and almost exploded: "Before, you asked for the return of the British Concession and Hong Kong, and we returned them to you, but now, you are greedy and insatiable! It's really deceiving!"

Gu Weijun smiled, ignored Aiden, and after saluting to Attlee, he shook his sleeves away in a victorious posture.

In the office, Attlee ordered someone to immediately send a telegram to Percival, the commander-in-chief of the British army in Malaya, and Wavell, the commander-in-chief of the British army in India, urgently notifying them of the ultimatum just now, telling them that the Chinese army is about to go to war, and asking them to do something. Afterwards, Attlee fell into silent thinking, while Aiden gritted his teeth: "Prime Minister, the Chinese are really hateful! The tricks they are playing against us at this time are completely different from the ones they used on the Soviets back then." It's exactly the same! The Germans entangled the Soviets, and the Chinese robbed the Soviets behind their backs! Now, they're doing the same thing again! The Germans entangled us, and they robbed us behind our backs!"

Attlee smiled wryly: "It's not just the Chinese who take advantage of the fire behind us, but also the Japanese!"

The anger on Aiden's face slowly froze, replaced by anxiety and hatred: "Yes, the Germans are doing whatever they want at our doorstep, and the Chinese and Japanese are teaming up to dig the corners of our backyard.

These abominable yellow-skinned monkeys!Prime Minister, are we going to bow to them? "

Attlee sighed, and then said calmly and rationally: "Robert, like you, I firmly oppose Chamberlain's appeasement policy, but we can't just fight to the death.

Chamberlain kept making concessions. His purpose of making concessions was to hope that the enemy would have enough to eat and then let Britain go. We also have to make concessions. However, our concessions are of a completely different nature from Chamberlain’s. We make concessions to gain time and to Revolt, in order to win the final victory!"

"Prime Minister, you want to agree to the demands of the Chinese? Give up those places to the Chinese? The Chinese have given us an ultimatum. We only have one hour. I will call Gu Weijun back? Otherwise, after one hour, the war will come to an end." Erupted!"

Attlee nodded first, and then shook his head again: "Let's definitely let it go. In fact, we know very well that today, it is difficult for those places to be firmly controlled by the British Empire. They will return sooner or later." In the hands of the Chinese, we must admit this very sad fact, but we cannot give it up, and we cannot let it go without firing a shot.

The purpose of our China policy is to keep China from becoming an enemy of Britain.

Germany alone has made it difficult for us to support, and Japan has declared war on us. If China is added, the situation of Britain will be even worse. It will definitely be better if there is one less enemy country.

The Chinese ask us for those places, well, we will give them, but we will not hand them over honestly and as they say. If we do that, the Chinese will further despise us, thinking that we are weak and deceitful, and dare not follow They fight wars and don't regard us as a real opponent. We let the Chinese get those places too easily, and it will also cause the Chinese to become more and more greedy. If they look down on us, they will most likely not accept it as soon as it is good, but will intensify their efforts to blackmail us, blackmail us, and persecute us; therefore, we must fight!Must fight!Defeat the Chinese on the battlefield, or injure them severely, and then we will strike while the iron is hot and hand over those places to them. In this way, on the one hand, the Chinese will be satisfied with their interests, and on the other hand, they will be taught a lesson by us on the battlefield. They will be jealous and dare not despise us, so after getting the satisfaction of interests, they will not be greedy, and will not continue to take advantage of us!"

Aiden nodded in agreement, convinced: "Prime Minister, you are very right in thinking!"

Attlee sighed: "The formation of the Far East Fleet is also one of my main measures to implement this countermeasure.

We can make certain sacrifices to feed the Japanese and Chinese. At the same time, we must deter the Japanese and Chinese, show them the strength of Britain, and let them accept it when they see it.

It is inevitable for Britain to lose some colonies. However, for the sake of dignity and honor, and to better suppress the Japanese and Chinese at the negotiating table, Britain must fight the Japanese and Chinese on the battlefield. field.

If our Far East Fleet can defeat the Japanese Navy in that naval battle and sink a few Japanese Navy warships, preferably one or two capital ships, things will turn around, unfortunately..." He sighed bitterly .

Aiden showed a look of sympathy: "Yes, if that's the case, the Japanese will be shocked and dare not be so unscrupulous again, but unfortunately... our Far East Fleet was completely defeated, the entire army was wiped out, and the defeat was very ugly. The loss of eight planes was so small that it was negligible, but our entire fleet was simply wiped out. The negative impact of this defeat on us was too great! Apart from anything else, the Japanese were even more Arrogant, the Chinese also despise us!"

Attlee nodded: "Yes, we have lost face at sea, so the only way to save face and lose is on land.

I hope that General Percival and General Wavell can turn the tide and hit the Chinese army hard on the land battlefield.

In naval warfare, our enemy is the Japanese; in land warfare, our enemy is the Chinese.

If General Percival and General Wavell can wipe out a large number of Chinese troops in battle, our unfavorable situation at this time will be brightened. At that time, we will take advantage of the victory to negotiate and give the Chinese what they want. Sweetness, you have tasted our strength again, so naturally you won't call our attention again!"

Eden agreed: "Yes, this is our best way to stabilize the Far East at present!"

It is a very delicate political strategy for China to declare war on Britain without declaring war.

In the final analysis, whether Britain is dead or not has little to do with China. It is a matter for Germany. According to the principle of "depending on the master", since China does not want to be hostile to the United States, it naturally does not need to completely become an enemy country with the United Kingdom.

Without declaring war, at the same time, it is impossible to go without declaring war, so Jiang Weiguo asked Gu Weijun to issue a "war notice".

At the high-level meeting of the Military Commission in Wuhan, regarding the question of "should the British be notified first before attacking the British", although some high-level officials felt that they should not be notified, and they would attack the British by surprise, but more high-level officials still tended to "be polite before fighting." ", this is not pedantic, but out of various considerations, first of all, fighting without notice is in itself a violation of morality and the law of war, and it is a sneak attack without declaring war (Jiang Weiguo does not want to learn from the Japanese, he specializes in playing sneak attack), even if it wins, it will put the Chinese army and the Chinese government at a moral disadvantage; secondly, the Chinese army must defeat the British army in an upright manner in order to deter the British government. If war is not declared, even if it wins, it will put the cart before the horse First, the British will not be deterred, but instead feel annoyed. To put it bluntly, the British will not be "convinced"; third, if they win by sneak attack, it will also tarnish the honor of the Chinese army.

Jiang Weiguo concluded: "We surpass the British in strength, and we can defeat them openly. Why do we need to be sneaky? To put it bluntly, since I am stronger than a hooligan, why should I attack him? You won't be convinced even if you beat me hard.

Since he is a strong man, he must have the demeanor and arrogance of a strong man.

Since I want to beat a hooligan, I will notify him in advance that I will beat you tomorrow!Then openly come to him tomorrow and beat him up.

In this way, this hooligan will be afraid of me, and at the same time, this is also a manifestation of my absolute confidence in my strength.

Sneak attack is the method of the weak.

Even if he wins, he will be stubborn, saying that I can only win by sneak attack, despicable and shameless, victory without force and so on.

I'm going to fight you, and I'm sure of winning, so I still care if you're ready?Therefore, we must send the letter of war to the British very domineeringly, and simply tell the British that we will fight you!In the end, if you beat them to pieces, what else do they have to say? "

Yang Jie and others all laughed: "That's the truth.

We have strength and confidence, so we beat them upright and confidently, so that the British were terrified and convinced, and vomited territory on the battlefield, and also vomited territory on the negotiating table!"

The relationship between China and the UK at this time is relatively delicate. "Neither friend nor enemy", the two countries are definitely not friendly countries, but the two countries have not declared war on each other. I can't hold it anymore, and it is a good thing to lose an enemy country. China has already "hinted" the UK in this regard, and the UK understands it; As a whole, if China wants to avoid war with the United States, it must first not be too unfeeling with the United Kingdom.

The relationship between China and Britain at this time is very similar to the Sino-Japanese relationship in the early period of the Sino-Japanese War in history. The two sides have been at war since 1937, but the formal declaration of war was delayed until the end of 1941. .

Right now, the UK’s China policy is to “beat the Chinese army hard on the battlefield, and then push the boat along the negotiating table to give China a few pieces of land, adding carrots and sticks, and forcing China to withdraw as soon as it is good and withdraw from the war”; The policy is to "beat the British army hard on the battlefield, and then take advantage of the victory at the negotiating table to pursue it. On the one hand, it uses force to seize British territory, and on the other hand, it uses military victories to force Britain to give up more territory at the negotiating table."

The Central South Expeditionary Force of the Nanjing Army formally broke through the Thai-Malaysian border at 2:23 a.m. on February 6, Chinese time. When the Malayan campaign was launched, Jiang Weiguo was not in Bangkok, but was hurriedly called back to Wuhan by Chiang Kai-shek because there were three Americans Come to Wuhan.

The three Americans are: President Roosevelt's chief think tank Harry Lloyd Hopkins, President of Yenching University Leighton Stuart, and Joseph Stilwell, commander of the 3rd Army of the US Army.

Of the three, Hopkins is needless to say. As for Leighton Stuart, he is a famous American activist, educator, and unofficial American diplomat in China. This American was born in China and grew up in China, and has been active in China for many years, except for the American appearance and American nationality, he is not much different from the Chinese, and he is an out-and-out "China hand". He was active in Chinese activities, fluent in Chinese, and knew China very well. He was recalled to China the year before last and was personally interviewed by President Roosevelt. He reported to Roosevelt in detail his understanding, comments, and speculations on the current situation in China.

Right now, Hopkins is bringing Leighton Stuart and Stilwell to Wuhan, and the intention is ready to come out. The three act as special envoys of the US government and Roosevelt to test China's war intentions, and at the same time, they are also euphemistically warning China.

Neither Chiang Kai-shek nor Chiang Wei-guo neglected the Hopkins three. Chiang Kai-shek was afraid of the United States. Although Jiang Weiguo was not very afraid of the United States, he clearly knew that if China wanted to win the final victory, it was best not to confront the United States head-on. There is no sharp conflict of interest between China and the United States.

In the conference hall of the Military Commission, Chiang Kai-shek and Jiang Weiguo received Hopkins three very politely.

"The Americans still can't sit still!" Jiang Weiguo thought to himself, "It's not surprising!"

"Respected Chairman Chiang Kai-shek, and General Chiang, we came to Wuhan this time to discuss with you on behalf of President Roosevelt himself the development of the world pattern and the maintenance of world peace and equality!" Hopkins said. Speak calmly.

"We warmly welcome, please convey my greetings to President Roosevelt for me!" Chiang Kai-shek smiled.

After a brief greeting, Hopkins said carefully: "Dear Chairman, China is a major country that plays an important role in the world and plays a major leading role in the world. The United States is also a major country. It is important to maintain world peace. The common responsibility of all major countries in the world, therefore, the United States is very willing to join hands with China to maintain world peace.

Between big countries, cooperation can be mutually beneficial and win-win, and both parties have great interests. If there is a conflict or even a war, it will inevitably have a huge impact and become a huge disaster that affects the whole world.

For example, a collision of two cars is an accident, but a collision of two trains is a disaster!"

Chiang Kai-shek said with a smile: "China has always been a peace-loving country. Although we also participate in wars, we cannot help ourselves. We will never launch unjust wars of aggression against peaceful countries.

The war we broke out with Japan was a just war of self-defense. The war we broke out with the Soviet Union was also unavoidable. Soviet Russia has repeatedly invaded China in history and committed countless crimes against China. Due to the security situation, our country only participated in the Soviet war.

I believe the U.S. government knows this!"

Hopkins nodded: "The U.S. government and President Roosevelt do have an understanding attitude towards the Sino-Japanese War and the Sino-Soviet War, but war is only a means to peace, peace is the purpose of war, and peace is also the mainstream that all countries in the world need trend.

The current world situation can be said to be extremely turbulent and chaotic. How to restore the stability and peace of the world order is a top priority.

In this matter, we, the United States, cannot stand alone, so we need China, which also has great influence in the world, to cooperate with us. This is also President Roosevelt's urgent hope for you, Chairman Jiang, and General Jiang Xiao!"

"Of course, of course!" Chiang Kai-shek nodded again and again, "I have already said that China has always been a peace-loving country. We not only love our own peace, but if we are required to contribute our strength to maintain world peace, we are obliged to do so." .

Since President Roosevelt hopes that China and the United States will join forces to restore the world order, this is a good thing that benefits all countries in the world, of course we will do our best!"

"It couldn't be better for Generalissimo Chiang to say that!" Hopkins said calmly, "President Roosevelt believes that the future new world order should be dominated and dominated by the five major powers: the United States, China, Germany, Japan, and Britain." .

However, Germany, Japan and China are currently at war with Britain, and we are deeply concerned about this!"

Chiang Kai-shek glanced at Jiang Weiguo, who narrowed his eyes and did not speak.

Leighton Stuart said: "The war in Eastern Europe was followed by the war in Northern Europe, the war in Northern Europe was followed by the war in Western Europe, and the war in Western Europe was followed by the war in Southern Europe. The whole of Europe was in flames of war. Not only did the turmoil in Europe show no sign of stopping, it even intensified.

Germany's conduct of war seems... to be spiraling out of control.

President Roosevelt also admitted that the "Treaty of Versailles" imposed on Germany at the end of the last world war was indeed harsh and unreasonable. Britain and France have now tasted the bitter fruits of the past.

Regardless of national interests, Germany's war behavior at the beginning of the European war was still worthy of understanding and tolerance, but at this time, Germany's war behavior has become more and more disturbing, and it has exceeded the scope of our understanding and tolerance , Moreover, it has more or less caused great damage to the interests of our country, and has formed a potential threat to our national security.

Generalissimo Chiang, General Jiang Xiao, China is Germany's closest ally, President Roosevelt hopes that China and the United States will work together to mediate the war between Germany and Britain!"

"This..." Chiang Kai-shek looked at Jiang Weiguo again, and seeing that Jiang Weiguo didn't respond, he said formulaically, "Actually, the current conflict between China and Britain is also very acute. I think that before China and the United States join forces to mediate the German-British war, we must first deal with it." What a contradiction between China and Britain!"

Hopkins said in a very forceful tone: "Chairman Chiang, President Roosevelt wants to be honest and honest with you, so he entrusted me to tell you that neither he nor the US government can accept the defeat of the British war. In the end, whether it is due to considerations of national interests, strategic balance, or the traditional relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, it is extremely difficult for the United States to keep watching the fire from the other side and do nothing to save the United Kingdom.

I know a Chinese idiom called 'the lips are dead and the teeth are cold', and I told President Roosevelt about this Chinese idiom. He admired this Chinese idiom very much and said that this Chinese idiom contains a kind of strategic wisdom.

President Roosevelt heard that Mr. Yu Youren, the president of your country’s Supervisory Council, is a famous calligrapher who can use a brush to write Chinese characters as pleasing to the eye as ink paintings, so he specially instructed me to come to China this time, I want to drop by Dean Yu, and please give President Roosevelt a splash of ink and a gift of calligraphy, just write the four words 'the lips are dead and the teeth are cold', and I hope I can get what I want!"

Chiang Kai-shek and Jiang Weiguo looked at each other, and they both saw the surprise in each other's eyes.

Jiang Weiguo realized that Roosevelt's ingenious behavior was telling China that the United States could not sit back and watch the demise of the United Kingdom and remain indifferent. It is impossible for the U.S. to really close their eyes and listen to them. Roosevelt wanted to tell Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Weiguo: "I am not confused. I understand the principle of 'the lips are dead and the teeth are cold'. When it is time to act, I will act, and the United States will act!"

Just like Roosevelt's determination, Roosevelt has been making the United States prepare for war step by step. As early as the beginning of 1938, he urged the U.S. Congress to pass the "Vinson Expansion of the Navy Act", appropriating 10 billion US dollars for the expansion of the U.S. Navy; , He urged the U.S. Congress to pass the "Lend-Lease Act". According to this bill, the U.S. government will allocate 100 billion U.S. dollars to assist the United Kingdom, and it is not limited to civilian supplies, but also military supplies.

In the first batch alone, the United States sold a huge number of weapons and ammunition to the United Kingdom, including 60 rifles, 10 machine guns, 2 million rounds of ammunition, and 150 million rounds of artillery shells. Not long after, Roosevelt ordered the Launched preliminary war mobilization and comprehensively reorganized the command organization of the army. At the same time, it formulated the "combat readiness industrial production plan", which required that the U.S. Army be expanded from the current 1942 people to 10 million by the end of 150, and at the same time produce 1.5 aircraft and 1 tank. 200 vehicles, 150 million firearms, 1942 million tons of warships of various types, etc., this series of vigorous and vigorous combat preparations has made the war machine of the United States, which is huge in scale and has an astonishing output, but which was not fully activated at first, officially began to operate at full capacity (in history, the United States In 48000, 25000 aircraft of various types and [-] tanks of various types were produced.

).

After a solemn silence for more than ten seconds, Stilwell said in a moderate tone: "As Chairman Jiang said just now, if China wants to join the United States to mediate the war between Germany and Britain, it must first resolve the dispute between China and Britain. Contradictory, therefore, President Roosevelt wanted to know what China was up to.

Germany has declared war on Britain, and Japan has also declared war on Britain. Although China has not declared war on Britain, at this time, the Chinese army has already fought the British army in Southeast Asia.

In fact, we can feel the attitude revealed by China through the fact that China and Britain have not declared war on each other. China does not intend to fight to the death with Britain like Germany, right? "He looked at Jiang Weiguo with piercing eyes.

Jiang Weiguo said: "Yes, although the British invaded us, the degree of British aggression against China is far inferior to that of Japan and Soviet Russia, so the conflict between China and Britain is by no means a bloody feud, similar to France, but the French new After the government adopted a policy towards China full of sincerity and benefits, China and France settled their differences and shook hands. Britain can do the same as France.

President Roosevelt wants to confide in us, well, we can tell you the truth, hitting the British mainland, entering London, and destroying the UK, this is something we have never thought about and we can't do it, we are going to war against the UK The purpose is only to get back what belongs to us!"

Hopkins laughed: "I see!" He paused, and said in a meaningful tone, "Does the concept of 'things that originally belonged to China' include India?"

Jiang Weiguo replied very clearly: "no!"

"So, what about the Philippines?" Stilwell asked suddenly, "Is the Philippines considered 'something that originally belonged to China'?"

Jiang Weiguo looked at Stilwell: "General Stilwell, aren't we discussing the conflict between China and Britain? The Philippines is a territory of the United States. You seem to be digressing!"

Stilwell laughed intriguingly: "I am very concerned about this, because I am being sent to the Philippines with my 3rd Army!"

Jiang Weiguo's heart moved. He knew the meaning of Stilwell's words and the ambiguity: the U.S. military is increasing its troops in the Philippines on a large scale, and is greatly strengthening the military power of the Philippines.

"The interests of major powers are intricate and complicated. Therefore, the vertical and horizontal alliances between major powers are so complicated that they affect the whole body. They are full of sensitive points, unknowns, and uncertain factors. It is really like walking on eggshells!" Jiang Weiguo said in I sighed in my heart.

Through this meeting, Roosevelt figured out China's strategy toward Britain: China has no intention of fighting to the death with Britain, but only wants to take advantage of the historical opportunity of the German-British War to recover those places that belonged to China but were occupied by Britain in modern times, such as Malaya, Brunei, Myanmar, but not including India, China is not interested in colonizing India, just so happens, the most important colony of Britain is India, Britain does not want to lose India, China does not want to get India, then the two sides can make a deal , Britain returns to China what China wants and what Britain can give up, so that China and Britain can cease the war, and China can also withdraw from the war, and stop fighting Britain with Germany and Japan.

Roosevelt supported Britain in ceding Malaya, Brunei, and Burma to China, and at the same time he also supported the British army in "fighting with the Chinese army". Just accept it.

During the diplomatic mediation, the U.S. government and the U.S. military also took concrete actions to intervene in this war: on the one hand, they gave full assistance to Britain and gave Britain blood transfusions so that Britain could stand up to Germany on the European battlefield; Strength, with the Philippines as a bridgehead, curbs the expansion of China and Japan in the Far East.

In any case, the outcome on the battlefield is the most important bargaining chip in negotiations between countries.