"Why don't you open fire!"

Almost all the American newspapers were there questioning why the Navy allowed the Chinese fleet to escort the so-called "humanitarian rescue fleet" into the port of Mobile, perhaps because the Americans were well aware that they were far inferior to China's, but that did not prevent them from trying to maintain the last bit of self-esteem with a kind of American pride.

Almost all members of both houses of Congress in Washington are criticizing Lincoln's decision, and they know very well that without Lincoln's order, the Navy will definitely not dare to open fire, especially the coastal defense fortress around Mobile Harbor, perhaps, for the US Navy, defeating the Chinese fleet is an almost impossible task, but how can the coastal defense fortress not have the power to fight back?

Everyone is questioning, everyone is full of anger, but the mouth cannon has always been a mouth cannon, they may be indignantly accusing Lincoln of "cowardice", but they know very well in their hearts that it is easy to fire, but what about after the gun?

“…… If we open fire, we will have to face the retaliation of the whole of China, and then Chinese warships will appear off the coast of New York, turning New York, the entire east coast of the United States, into ruins, and hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops will invade the United States from Canada, and who can guarantee that the French will not take advantage of the fire to loot? You know, the French have already occupied Mexico......"

Only a handful of people have realistically explained why Lincoln was not allowed to fire on the Chinese fleet, even though they would complain there that the navy didn't know about the dense mines in the shipping lanes. It's a battlefield, and even if a Chinese warship is blown up and sunk, that's your own business!

Complaining is complaining, reality is reality. The reality now is that China has sent a second rescue fleet to the Port of Mobile, transporting 15,000 tons of flour, 100 tons of milk powder, and a large amount of canned luncheon meat, and of course, the more important humanitarian relief supplies are probably needed by the Confederate States of America - as many as 25,000 tons of arms and a whole brigade of "peacekeeping troops", compared to the former, I am afraid, this is the assistance that the South needs.

"Mr. President, it is Britain's current policy to avoid conflict with other countries!"

In Lincoln's office, Richard Lyons, the British ambassador to the United States, sensibly responded to Lincoln's request for British mediation.

Avoiding conflict with other countries, this is a painful choice after the defeat of Britain, now Britain is no longer the Britain that can control the world, the war has caused Britain to lose almost everything, although Britain got Brazil, and even the queen was crowned emperor in Brazil, but compared to France, Russia and China, Britain's power is still weak.

Of course, this is not just a disparity in national strength, but more importantly, Britain has reached an agreement with China, in which China acquiesces to British expansion in South America, while Britain supports China's actions in North America, and both sides agree that each side has unrestricted "right to act" in North and South America.

For Britain, the steppes of Argentina, the mineral resources of Chile, perhaps, South America is Britain's last hope, after this empire remeasures the world, Britain must maintain a vast colony, only in this way, it is possible to rise again, so as to compete with China, France and Russia.

"Your Excellency, what we can see is that in such a short period of time, China has once again shown their desire to expand, and now, maybe they don't have any interest in South America, of course, I don't think so, after all, at that time, they didn't seem to have any interest in the United States, but now? We see that the Chinese have already extended their hands to the United States, so there is only one question left in the future, that is, when will they reach out to South America! ”

Although once upon a time the Americans had emphasized again and again that "America is the America of the Americans," they knew better than anyone that the times had completely changed everything, and since the redivision of the world between China, France, and Russia, the United States has no strength to stop the "recolonization" of South America since the day France occupied Mexico and Britain put its hand into South America, and this is an unstoppable momentum.

As the president of the United States, Lincoln naturally did not want to see the United States become the colonized side, so he had to fight for all the forces that could be fought for.

For example, France, for example, England, in short, he needs the intervention of these countries, needs their help, needs them to mediate, and then solve the immediate crisis, the war...... He would not choose war unless he was forced to do so.

"That's really a problem......"

Richard Lyons pondered for a moment, looked at Lincoln, and then shook his head helplessly.

"However, it seems that China is not trying to force your country to cede land to them, and their Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made it clear to the countries that China's war purpose is never to seek the United States to acquire even one square meter of land, and they will never seek to occupy your country's territory, and that all actions are aimed at maintaining the territorial integrity of the South and preventing the humanitarian catastrophe that has already occurred, Mr. President."

Faced with Richard Lyons' rebuttal, Lincoln asked rhetorically.

"Your Excellency, do you believe the words of the Chinese?"

Believe it?

Richard Lyons didn't know the answer, but he knew that London believed, and the French and Russians chose to believe, that in fact, China had promised them that it would never seek to expand its territory in North America from the United States.

"The territory and territory of the Chinese Empire will be confined to the present situation, and of course, with Britain agreeing to transfer the Falkland Islands to China, we have no interest in territorial expansion."

China has no intention of territorial expansion, a view that China has continued to make to the world after the end of the war, and for the Chinese, they have got everything they need - the entire Pacific Ocean has become the "China Sea".

What they are doing now is only to make the "China Sea" safer, such as the compromise they made on the Argentine issue in exchange for Britain selling them the Falkland Islands and agreeing to occupy Tierra del Fuego. There is also the acquisition of shares in the Suez Canal held by the United Kingdom.

The Suez Canal, the Strait of Magellan, the Cape of Good Hope, Tierra del Fuego, ...... All of this points to the reality that China wants to achieve its global goal by controlling key maritime traffic points – by controlling the seas, by achieving its global strategy.

In this regard, the UK has chosen to "add fuel to the fire", and the UK is happy to see China realize its global strategy, because only in this way can China become a thorn in the side of other countries in the future. And then became the "enemy of the public", just like Britain in the past.

Only by becoming "enemies of the public" will the French, Russians, and other nations be able to declare war on China in the future, and then the glory of the Chinese Empire will be suppressed. And for Britain, this is the only way to achieve Britain's re-rise.

Therefore, Britain has always been happy to see China's expansion, especially since China's expansion in the United States is likely to lead to a conflict of interest between them and France, in this case, how can Britain mediate between it?

"Your Excellency, you must know that there is only one United States in the world! The United States will never recognize the so-called American Union! For the United States, they are just a bunch of rebels. ”

Lincoln's reminder made Richard Lyons ask casually.

"When your country became independent, Washington was to London, as Richmond is to Washington today, Mr. President, whether you want it or not, but you have to face the reality, and the reality now is that with the intervention of China, your country really has only two options, one is to recognize the Richmond government, withdraw from the land of the Confederate States of America, so as to avoid conflict with China, and of course, there is also a choice of war with the Chinese army in the south, either they will be defeated, or you will win the warIt seems that you don't have a better choice! ”

Is there really no other option?

Lincoln was silent in the face of Richard Lyons's answer, he didn't know if there was a better option, but one thing was for sure that the British would not mediate to help the United States solve the current crisis.

"Just as we initially expected, the British had no intention of mediating at all, not because they did not have the strength to mediate, but because they were not willing at all, not because they were unwilling to get the offense against China, but because they hoped that through China's expansion, they would arouse the dissatisfaction of other countries against China......"

Lincoln looked at Seward and said in a tone of extreme helplessness.

"What is the only desire for the UK? It was the restoration of the glory of Britain, and nothing else was not at all in their consideration! ”

What is the most painful thing in the world, that is, even if they know about the conspiracy of other countries, they do not stop them, because they are powerless to stop them, especially when their own country is still a victim of other countries.

"Mr. President, it seems that we have no other choice!"

Siward said helplessly.

"The French, though willing to mediate, are interested in New Mexico and Texas, and it is certain that if the war is over, these regions become French colonies, and even if we defeat the South, we will face a new war, which will be devastating, because there will be no more state to support Washington, to a government that ceded two states to another country in order to defeat the rebels......"

Before the British, Sewards had asked for help from France, and the French, who had quelled the resistance in Mexico, naturally did not refuse in the face of the American request, but they made a demand that the United States could not accept - the cession of land as the price of French intervention.

"This is an unacceptable condition!"

Even political idiots know that accepting French terms would be disastrous for any politician, that no American would accept a president who ceded territory, and that Congress would not accept it, and that if he agreed to the demands of the French, the political catastrophe would be irreparable, not only for him himself, but for the whole of America.

"If we go to war with Chinese now, then ......"

Edwin S. M. Stanton looked at Lincoln, was silent for a moment, and then replied with the caution of a lawyer.

"Our army has 1.5 million men, which is much larger than what Chinese can mobilize, and it is certain that Chinese in the Canadian direction, 300,000 to 400,000 can be committed, in the west they can arm 5-100,000 immigrants, and in Panama, they can mobilize an army of about 100,000 ......"

In Edwin M. As M. Stanton talked about the strength of the Chinese army, Lincoln asked rhetorically.

"That is, they can only mobilize 50-600,000 troops at most, right?"

"Mr. President, it was within three months of the outbreak of the war, and in three months, the Chinese army in Africa - more than 600,000 colonial defense forces - will be assembled, and their troops at home, at that time, we may have to face more than 2 million Chinese troops, and many of our troops use front-loading converted Springfield single-shot rifles, while the Chinese use Han-style rifles, which are the most advanced rifles in the world, and our army is also inferior to them in training... …”

As Secretary of War, although Stanton is not a professional soldier, he is very aware of the gap between the American army and the Chinese army, and China defeated Britain on the battlefield with excellent weapons and high-quality soldiers.

Stanton did not believe that they were superior to the British army, which is why he was pessimistic about the future of the war.

"So ......"

Staring at Stanton, Lincoln continued to ask.

"In your opinion, should we compromise with China? Recognition of the independence of the South? And then withdraw our troops? ”

Lincoln knew very well that if he did so, he would also face an unprecedented political crisis, with congressional impeachment and popular discontent gathering on him, and for a few years, people's doubts about the war would also reach their peak because of the defeat of the federal government, and what would await the United States? The federal government has failed to tell all states that the federal government is incapable of maintaining a united America.

"None of this is what we want to see, and it should never happen, as the president of the United States, ......"

After a moment of silence, Lincoln walked to the window, and he looked out of the window quietly, his thin and tall body revealing a sense of powerlessness that he had never felt before, but when he turned around, his expression was resolute.

"I should have made another choice, we have another choice!"

Speechless's new book "Daming Iron Bone" has been distributed, this is a full of blood and passion, I hope you can continue to support Speechless, if you have a recommendation ticket in your hand, please also support, and then collect it by the way, thank you again!