Chapter 1232: Cornered America

When a country is prosperous, of course, any contradiction can be covered up, and any system can show a positive side. For example www.biquge.info the current Ming Empire, in the eyes of European experts and professors, is the best example of the combination of the most superior systems of the East and the West.

The tradition of the high authority of the monarchy was seen as the basis on which social reforms could be carried out quickly and social stability could be maintained. Confucianism has become a spiritual weapon to unite the nation and make the people positive. The imperial examination system has become the fairest and most efficient civil service generation mechanism in the world. The bureaucracy of the year 2000 meant that China's feudal power was weak and its system was fully in line with that of the modern Western state system...... In short, everything is so beautiful, and it is the institutional and ideological guarantee for the rapid development of the Ming Empire. The United States of America, which is suffering, is a living antithesis, where it seems that the world's worst ideas and institutions are concentrated.

Now that the capital of the United States of America has officially moved to New York, the Congress of the United States is located in the Federation Hall building on Wall Street. Because of the greatest emergency of invasion and occupation of the very special land, the Congress of the United States does not have a recess, but meets all year round. The entrance to the federal hall is forever filled with carriages of parliamentarians and officials. Heavily armed guards are also guarding around Wall Street 24 hours a day.

They were meant to prevent the dissatisfaction of "capitulationists", "militants", "pro-British", "anti-British", "anarchists" or "nationalists" who were dissatisfied with the policies of the state...... Now the discontent in the United States is very high, and almost everyone is blaming the government, the Congress, and the American social system.

In short, there is nothing about the United States of America as a country that stands out for itself. It's all about all kinds of shortcomings and shortcomings, which is why it has fallen to the point where it is today! Therefore, during this time, the streets of New York, the capital of the United States of America, were really lively. People march in the streets every day, and from time to time different factions fight. So much so that the area around Wall Street had to be blocked by force, otherwise the federal office would not know when it would be occupied. Now there are many rumors that some revolutionaries are ready to take advantage of the defeat of the United States of America to seize power and establish socialism.

Oh, and there is another rumor that it is the pro-British who are preparing to rebel, and are preparing to turn the United States of America into the American Empire, welcoming Queen Victoria as the Emperor of the United States.

In fact, it's the conference room of the Federal Chamber. These days are also endless quarrels and accusations against each other, and there have even been a few full martial arts performances!

"Gentlemen! This catastrophe must end, and no matter what the cost, even if it is a £450 million reparation, it cannot be fought any further. Because if we continue to fight, it will not be the enemies of the United States who will be hit, but ourselves. The industrial base of the Great Lakes is in the hands of the enemy, as is the wheat in the vast plains of the central region. Most of the mines in the Alabachian Mountains have ceased production. New York and Philadelphia's industrial and commercial areas are in a depression. Workers are unemployed, farmland is being abandoned, and cities are turning into chaotic battlefields. There are so many people who have no food, no work, no hope, and all of them have been provoked. The slightest spark could cause a fire that would destroy the Federation! Maybe tomorrow morning we will all be guillotined by the angry crowd......"

Pessimistic in anticipation of his future is the President of the United States of America, Hannibal. Hamlin. He took over the hot potato after Lincoln's resignation. At first, he wanted to grit his teeth and persevere. Continuing the war. It didn't take long, however, to discover that the situation had deteriorated to an unimaginable level - that the United States of America was now a country that had initially industrialized. Industrialization means that the economy as a whole is no longer a self-sufficient farm, but a whole. There is a long industrial chain, the iron ore mines in Minnesota, the coal mines in the Alabachian Mountains, the steel mills in Pittsburgh, the textile mills and hardware factories in Philadelphia and Boston, New York, are all a whole, connected by canals and railroads.

And now, this whole has been broken apart by the occupation of the Great Lakes by the Confederate forces, and it is no longer operational. There is not enough coal, not enough steel, no agricultural products in the middle, no cotton in the south. Factories in the northeastern United States have almost all shut down, and banks and stores are unable to open normally. The country's finances are on the verge of collapse and can only be sustained by printing money. And the result of the indiscriminate issuance of paper money is, of course, severe inflation......

Although the Government of the United States of America organized several market rectifications to "combat speculation". But to no avail. Without enough raw materials, it is simply impossible for the plant to produce. Large swathes of the countryside in the northeast have been reduced to battlefields, and it is impossible to sow seeds, and wheat in the central part cannot be transported, and no matter how it is rectified, it is impossible to turn flour and butter into flour. But what about the starving American workers? All they have to do is point the finger at the bourgeoisie and the federal government controlled by the bourgeoisie.

At this point, everyone knows that the United States of America is no longer able to fight. But the price of peace is incomparably high. The negotiations at the London Peace Conference were very difficult, and there was a delay of half a year before a final agreement was reached. And the point of contention between the two sides is nothing else, it is the war reparations. With the help of the British, Abraham . Lincoln did its best to negotiate the price, and finally reduced the amount of the Union's claim from £1 billion to £450 million. But even this is a figure that the Congress of the United States of America says is unacceptable.

"Mr. President, £450 million...... Equivalent to $2 billion before the war, how could the Federation possibly come up with it? A senator from Philadelphia shouted. His hometown had suffered heavy losses in the war, and was full of unemployed and homeless people. It is simply impossible to afford much more compensation.

"It is possible to borrow money from banks in the UK...... The British government has promised to help. President Hamlin replied with difficulty. £450 million in borrowing...... It's not easy to pay it back! Lincoln has already tested the attitude of some of Britain's big banks. £450 million is also astronomical for them. If the U.S. wants to borrow, it needs to accept at least 7% interest and provide sufficient collateral. For example, federal taxes or federally owned land.

"Plus, the British could provide another £250 million loan to help us rebuild our dollar credit." President Hamlin went on to say, "So that we can soon begin post-war reconstruction, and with our industrial potential, we believe that we will be able to repay all the loans in 20 years and revitalize our United States of America." ”

"Rely on Britain to revive the United States of America? Mr. President, do you believe that such a thing can be successful? ”

"I'm afraid that in the end the United States of America will be a British colony again, right?"

Immediately, parliamentarians who opposed Britain jumped up to speak. President Hamlin squeaked and didn't know what to say. The formation of an Anglo-American dualist empire was indeed discussed, and Lincoln mentioned it in a secret telegram, believing that it was really desperate and that it might as well take advantage of British power for the time being.

Lincoln predicted that world peace would last for another 20 years at most, if not for 20 years. In the future, a world war will definitely break out, and the three major powers of Britain, France, and China will definitely be involved in this war. And the United States of America, the Confederate States of America and the Kingdom of California will certainly go to war. This war is the only chance for the United States of America to salvage the situation and reunite!

"What's so bad about setting up a dualist empire with the British!" Before President Hamlin could speak, pro-British parliamentarians were already speaking. "This is the only solution to America's dilemma! After losing the west and the south and half of the middle, it is no longer possible for the United States to survive and develop on its own, but to return to the big family of the British Empire and regroup with the help of the resources and markets of the British Empire! As long as we can make America strong, what's the point of becoming an empire? ”

"Yes, as long as the United States can be strong, we can defeat the Yankees and the Chinese Yankees and regain the lost land! What's wrong with having the Queen of England be the emperor of the United States! ”

"No! The United States can no longer get on the chariot of the British, the United States has had enough of the war! ”

"The United States must get on the British chariot, this is the only way out......"

The quarrel between the pro-British and anti-British parliamentarians began again, and seeing this scene, Hamlin, as the president, could only sigh...... (To be continued)