The cabinet members who participated in the meeting quickly agreed that the Chinese should be taught a stern lesson. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

However, at this time, Britain had not yet come out of a serious economic recession, resulting in extremely tight fiscal spending, so if it could be solved through diplomatic pressure, Chamberlain still did not want to use a knife, so he instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to give the Nationalist Government an ultimatum, in order to force the Nationalist Government to comply, Chamberlain also pulled in the other eight countries.

Speaking of which, this is not the first ultimatum of Western countries, but this ultimatum is fundamentally different from the previous ultimatum, which was initiated by the ministers of the nine countries in China and only belonged to the diplomatic level, but this time it was an ultimatum at the government level.

To put it more bluntly, one is just an ultimatum for the ambassador to China, and the other is an ultimatum for the British prime minister, and the power is completely incomparable.

(Dividing Line)

An ultimatum from the British government was soon sent to China.

At this time, more staff members had already gathered at Chairman Chiang's residence.

Foreign Minister Wang Chonghui is reading out the British government's ultimatum aloud:

His Majesty King George VI and Prime Minister of the British Empire, His Excellency Arsenniville Chamberlain, has made the most solemn ultimatum to the Government of your country, limiting the Government of your country to quell the Shanghai incident within twenty-four hours, and the citizens of the nine countries and the officers and soldiers of the nine countries who have been detained by your army shall be released immediately and unconditionally, and all the Chinese officers and soldiers responsible for the incident shall be executed as an example, and all the economic losses caused by the incident and the pensions of the citizens of the nine countries killed or injured shall be borne by the Government of your country, and the specific compensation and amount of the bereavement shall be mutually agreed upon by the nine countries. Inform your Government at a later date that if your Government is unable to repay, it may use customs duties as collateral.

After listening to Foreign Minister Wang Chonghui read the ultimatum announced by the British government, the hall immediately became deathly silent, so quiet that only the wheezing of the staff could be heard.

In fact, many people here have already expected that this will be the result, the British may not send troops, but they will definitely take this opportunity to knock China hard, but for the Chinese government, this result is even more painful than the British directly sending troops to attack China.

If the British send troops directly, then there is nothing to think about, fight!

One sheep is to drive, two sheep are also to drive, anyway, they are all like this with little Japan, not afraid of more Britain, and if Britain really comes to China's troubled waters, maybe it will fight with the Japanese first, because little Japan has long regarded China as the fat in their mouths, how can Britain be allowed to get involved again?

However, Britain did not send troops, but only diplomatically pressured China to knock on the bamboo pole, then there would be trouble.

Bai Chongxi couldn't help but turn his head and glance at Chairman Jiang, thinking in his heart, I'm afraid I will have to admit it this time.

Sure enough, seeing that no one spoke, Chairman Jiang set his eyes on Chen Cheng, who had just rushed back from the Suizao front, Chen Cheng was known as the little chairman, and his understanding of Chairman Jiang's mind was very in place, Chairman Jiang gave him a look, Chen Cheng immediately understood, stood up and said: "At present, it is only Japan, an enemy, China is already tired of coping, if you add Britain, which is several times more powerful than Japan, China will definitely perish, so we must endure!" ”

He Yingqin also immediately echoed and said: "Yes, if we can't give an explanation to the British this time, not only will Britain have to meet with us, but the United States will also have to cut off diplomatic relations with us, but if we in China want to continue the war of resistance, we have to point to the economic assistance of the Americans, so no matter what, we can only endure this time." ”

The two major aides spoke one after another, and the conclusion was almost conclusive, and the rest of the staff members also echoed it.

Only Bai Chongxi sneered and said: "But the problem is, even if we can endure the anger for a while, I am afraid that we will not be able to meet the conditions of the British, not to mention compensation, we will not be able to do it just by severely punishing the officers and soldiers who caused the incident, is it possible to transfer troops from the Third War Zone or the Sulu War Zone to Shanghai and suppress the lone military camp?" ”

When the staff present heard this, they immediately fell silent.

Yes, the British really can't do this one.

The lone battalion was not a few people, nor dozens of people, but more than 400 officers and soldiers, and from the fact that they were able to completely annihilate the British Gurkha Royal Infantry Battalion, we knew that this unit still maintained the level before the Battle of Songhu, and it was absolutely unrealistic to expect the military commander Hurricane to suppress and execute them.

If they really do it, I'm afraid the military commander Hurricane team will not be enough for them to stuff their teeth.

And if troops were to be transferred from the Third Theater or the Sulu Theater, the Japanese would not have agreed at all.

Some people have thought about it, so they simply cheekily ask the British or American troops to take action, but the problem is that even the Gurkha Royal Infantry Battalion has completely annihilated the lone battalion, and the remaining British troops or US troops stationed in Shanghai will definitely do it? Don't let the lone camp fail to destroy it in the end, but let the lone camp be wiped out again, and the situation will be even worse at that time.

In the silence, He Yingqin suddenly got up and said, "Commission, why don't you invite the Japanese army to send troops?" ”

"It's nonsense!" As soon as He Yingqin's voice fell, Bai Chongxi had already taken the case, "Please send troops to the Japanese?" You can figure it out! In order to deal with a group of former robes, and a group of veterans who have contributed to the country and the nation, you actually asked the national government to pay for the Japanese army to attack and kill them, and if this matter is going to be spread, what will the soldiers of the whole army and the military and the people of the whole country think? Where do you want to put the general interests of the country and the nation? ”

He Yingqin's face turned red when he was said, and he said angrily: "Then what good can you do?" ”

Bai Chongxi snorted and said: "If you want me to say, don't worry if you have more debts, don't bite if you have more lice, the British want to come, even if they let them come, let's not say whether they have the ability to transfer troops from Europe thousands of miles away to China, even if they Britain really have that ability, the Japanese can let them easily set foot in Shanghai?" ”

He Yingqin immediately sneered at each other: "Jiansheng, you take it for granted, if Britain really goes to war with China, they will not attack Shanghai, don't forget, the British can also directly march from Burma to Yunnan and attack the southwest!" At present, the Great Southwest is our only remaining rear base, and if the Great Southwest falls into the hands of the British army, China is afraid that it will really die. ”

"Attack Yunnan directly from Burma?" Bai Chongxi said coldly, "Brother Jing, I'm afraid I haven't been to Yunnan, right?" If you have been to Yunnan, to the Yunnan-Burma border, you will never think so, if the British really attack Yunnan from Burma, hehehe, hundreds of thousands of troops will not be enough. ”

He Yingqin frowned and said: "Brother Jiansheng is too arbitrary to say this, since we can build the Yunnan-Burma Highway, the British can naturally build the Yunnan-Burma Highway, as long as the highway is passed, the British heavy troops and logistics materials can enter Yunnan through the highway in a steady stream, how can our national army compete with it?" ”

"He Jingzhi, you overestimate the engineering capabilities and logistics of the British."

"Bai Jiansheng, I'm afraid that you seriously underestimated the strength of Britain, don't forget, the British Empire is the most powerful superpower in the world today, and its national strength is several times that of Japan."

"He Jingzhi, you scared the British."

"Bai Jiansheng, I think you are ignorant and fearless!"

Seeing that the two most effective staff members under him had turned from arguing to attacking each other personally, Chairman Chiang's heart immediately became inexplicably irritable, and just when Chairman Chiang was about to have a seizure, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Dai Li, director of the Military Command Bureau, probing his brain outside the conference hall, and his face was full of anxiety.

At that moment, Chairman Jiang said that the meeting would be adjourned temporarily, and then walked straight out of the conference hall.

Walking into the side hall, Chairman Jiang unexpectedly found that Mrs. Jiang was actually inside, and her eyes were still red, as if she had just cried, and Chairman Jiang was still very concerned about this lady who was ten years younger than herself, and asked with concern: "What's wrong with Madame?" What made you sad? ”

Mrs. Jiang grabbed Chairman Jiang's arm and said excitedly: "Darling, you must save my brother." ”

"Your brother? Ziwen? Chairman Jiang was a little inexplicable when he heard this, and immediately turned his gaze to Dai Li, who was standing next to him.

Dai Li rubbed his hands and whispered: "Commission, I just got the news that Minister Song was detained by the lone military camp after the negotiation, and he is still detained in the Italian military camp until now!" ”

"What?!" When Chairman Jiang heard this, three black lines immediately floated on his head.

Song Ziwen was actually detained? The lone military camp actually took Song Ziwen as a hostage?!

Immediately afterwards, Dai Li said with an embarrassed expression: "Commission, the lone military camp not only detained Minister Song, but also asked Wang Tianmu, the head of the Shanghai District of the Military Command, to write you a letter. ”

"Letter? For me? Chairman Chiang pointed to his nose.

Dai Li took out a telegram from his pocket and handed it over tremblingly.

Chairman Chiang stretched out his hand to take the telegram and unfolded it, only to see that it read: "Honorable Chairman Chiang: Hello, I am Private A, B and C of the Lone Army Battalion, all the officers and men of the Modern Lone Army Camp are asking you to fight, the British devils are too deceitful, all the officers and men of our Lone Army Camp are determined to take back the public concession forcibly occupied by the Westerners, and will never let an inch of the country fall into the hands of foreigners. ”

Chairman Jiang's eyelids jumped wildly after reading it, no matter how dull he was, he could see that this was a threat! The lonely military camp is obviously using Song Ziwen as a threat, and he wants to coerce him to stand up and support the lonely military camp in person! If he refuses to stand up, the lone army camp will probably coerce Song Ziwen to burn the jade with their lone army camp!

"Darling!" At this time, Mrs. Jiang's voice sounded again, "You must save my brother, you must save my brother, please." ”