Chapter 502: Three and Three Lines

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Jointly intervened in the South African civil war, and the large army was stationed on the dividing line between the North and the South governments to prevent the North and South armies from fighting, and enjoyed international praise for maintaining peace. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 infoβ•”β•—

Since neither the Pretoria nor the Cape Town government in South Africa dared to go to war with the coalition easily, after the coalition intervened, the governments of the north and the south declared a ceasefire and accepted the mediation of the League of Nations.

At the end of 1925, the Pretoria government and the Cape Town government in South Africa respectively sent special commissioners to the headquarters of the League of Nations in Shanghai, and under the supervision of the Chinese Empire and other members of the League of Nations, the governments of the north and south held peace talks and tried to solve the problem through negotiations.

The Chinese Empire proposed that the League of Nations temporarily entrust South Africa, await the agreement between the South and North governments of South Africa, and then hand over power to the new South African government. The proposal of the Chinese Empire was agreed to by most of the members of the League of Nations, but Britain and others strongly opposed it.

Upon hearing the news that the League of Nations was going to administer South Africa, the South Africans, both in the south and in the north, set off a nationalist movement that escalated from the anti-"British Mandate" movement to the anti-League Mandate movement, advocating the establishment of a unified South African regime and rejecting the League of Nations Mandate.

Germany and the Netherlands, in accordance with their own interests, openly supported the Pretorian government at this time, because the Pretorian government had recognized the Boers as South African citizens, lifting the issue of unequal restrictions imposed by the British authorities on Boer second-class citizens after the Boer War, which was strongly supported by the Netherlands. Naturally, Britain was unwilling to lose control of South Africa, nor did it want to be entrusted by the League of Nations, and tried in vain to support the Cape Town government to regain control of South Africa, so Britain strongly supported the Cape Town government.

Among other countries, the great powers led by the Chinese Empire only thought about how to obtain the right to mine and operate gold and diamonds in South Africa, so they constantly moved between the northern and southern governments, ostensibly maintaining neutrality and maintaining the fairness of the League of Nations, but in fact putting pressure on the northern and southern governments to give corresponding benefits to the Chinese Empire and other countries.

During the peace talks, Britain and the German-Dutch coalition boldly supported the governments of the North and South in purging the opposition in their spheres of influence out of the balance of great powers. β•”β•—

In the North, Holmspear, the leader of the British capitalist who supported the British, was placed under house arrest by the Northern Army for opposing South African independence, and was killed three days later. The Northern Army suppressed the right-wing student movement in support of the Commonwealth in the Kimberley, South Africa, and the "Support for the League of Nations" student movement in Pretoria. The nationalists and right-wingers in South Africa were swept away, and a group of almost all Comintern groups in the north who took the opportunity to stir up trouble had been unwilling to be defeated since they were suppressed by the British, and took the opportunity to get back up and try in vain to get a piece of the pie.

In the south, Cape Town's left-wing democrat Henries was assassinated, and the faction ceased to exist as a political force supporting South Africa's independence. The Comintern group in South Africa once tried to overthrow the Cape Town government and establish a Soviet republic with the help of slogans such as South African independence, but under the joint attack of the British occupation army and the Cape Town government army, the space for maneuver became smaller and smaller, and the British occupation authorities used the "counterfeit money incident" as an excuse to cancel a large number of Communist International groups under the pretext of national independence.

As governments in the north and south continue to cultivate and support their own forces to fight hostile forces, the Joint Commission for Conciliation of the League of Nations was unable to reach an agreement on how to organize peaceful elections in South Africa. Britain accused Germany and the Netherlands of suppressing right-wing parties and opposition in the north, while Germany and the Netherlands accused Britain of electoral fraud.

In view of this, on January 17, 1926, the Chinese Empire advocated the League of Nations to establish a Provisional Committee for the League of Nations on South Africa, which was responsible for observing and supervising the general elections held in the north and south respectively, and forming a national assembly for all South Africa, which would then convene to establish a national government and decide whether to remain in the Commonwealth.

Since Germany and Britain are both permanent members of the Security Council and have a veto power, the Barcode of the North-South negotiations has reached a stalemate in the Security Council where they are either vetoed by Britain or Germany. The Chinese Empire wanted to maintain the division of South Africa and completely expel Britain from the three northern provinces, so the Chinese Empire advocated the establishment of two South African states, and the other countries wanted to follow the Chinese Empire for a piece of the pie, so they all agreed. However, when Germany and the Netherlands had the opportunity to intervene in South Africa, their ambitions began to swell, and their intention to control the three northern provinces alone became clear.

On 31 January, the Chinese Empire bypassed the meeting of the five permanent members of the Security Council and submitted the proposal directly to the League of Nations Assembly, which voted to approve the proposal of the Chinese Empire, despite the opposition of both Britain and Germany. The "Interim Committee of the League of Nations for South Africa" was formed by nine countries, excluding Germany and the United Kingdom, to supervise the establishment of the South African Parliament and the election of a unified government.

On 3 February, Chen Keji, a representative of the Chinese Empire, led the League of Nations Committee to South Africa to arrange for a unified election. Britain forbade such elections in Cape Town and did not allow the League of Nations personnel to enter the country, and they had to return after an expedition in Cape Town.

On 26 February, the Provisional Committee of the League of Nations Assembly adopted a resolution: "Allow South Africans to continue the election wherever they can go." ”

It was not until April that separate elections were held in Pretoria, under the close vigilance and supervision of the coalition. According to statistics after the polling stations closed on the night of the 10th, more than 85 percent of the 8 million voters in northern South Africa participated in the election, and the result of the election was that Sanqiko became the first president of the Republic of South Africa by a slight margin. And Sanqiko actually had a deep connection with the Soviet Union and the Comintern, and he was able to win, and the Soviet Union and the Comintern also helped a lot.

A month later, the elections in the Southern Cape Town were also completed under British control, and the British pro-British politician George became the president of the Republic of South Africa, so that the government of the Republic of South Africa and the government of the Republic of South Africa were established in the north and south of South Africa.

In June, the Chinese Empire transferred the administrative power north of the 3rd parallel to the Republic of South Africa to the Government of the Republic of South Africa, and the south to the Government of the Republic of South Africa. β•”β•—The British army continued to be stationed in Cape Town, south of the third and third lines, and refused to withdraw its troops. In the name of humanitarian relief, Germany and the Netherlands accused Britain of not keeping their promises, and reached a secret agreement with the Republic of South Africa, in which 10,000 German and Dutch troops refused to unite against the entry of the Republic of South Africa from the German West African colonies. Both South African governments have the powers behind them that directly support them, thus causing the continued division of South Africa's land and nation. Soon, the communication, telecommunications, and personnel and material exchanges on both sides of the third and third lines were cut off, and the situation became tense. Military clashes often break out in the vicinity of the third and third lines.

The German and Dutch coalition forces bypassed the League of Nations and joined forces to enter the Republic of South Africa, which angered the powers, including the Chinese Empire, and the League of Nations, which was dominated by the Chinese Empire, immediately lodged a solemn protest against Germany and the Netherlands, but the protests seemed to have little effect.

After the establishment of the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of South Africa, Germany and the Netherlands continued to export advanced weapons and equipment to the Republic of South Africa, and Germany even sent professional military advisers to help train the South African Republican Army, by September 1926, the South African Republican Army had reached 200,000 people, and was equipped with advanced weapons and equipment left over from Germany after World War I, which was also the first time that Germany exported German weapons and equipment abroad after the war.

Similarly, Britain also exported advanced weapons and equipment to the Republic of South Africa on a large scale, handing over the most advanced aircraft, tanks, artillery and other weapons in service in the United Kingdom to the South African National Army, and also helping to train the South African National Army so that it reached 120,000 in September 1926.

Britain, Germany, and the Netherlands, through their open support for the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of South Africa, made them promised enormous benefits from the two South African states, which naturally harmed the interests of dozens of League of Nations members, including the Chinese Empire.

To this end, the Chinese Empire immediately convened a congress of the League of Nations, excluding Britain, Germany, and the Netherlands, to discuss strategies against the three white-eyed wolf states. Countries such as France and Italy strongly supported the joint dispatch of troops to the Republic of South Africa to destroy the South African regime supported by the Netherlands and Germany, two white-eyed wolf states.

Because the issue was very thorny, and the Chinese Empire needed to re-discuss and assess the risks of the war and the benefits and losses after the war, the Diet of the Chinese Empire held a discussion meeting for half a month. β•”β•—

During this period, in the backyard of England, the Irish War of Independence also came to an end.

In order to focus on the South African issue, Britain carried out a compromise policy with Ireland, the reason is very simple, Ireland is only an agricultural area, and the impact on Britain's national strength is not great, while South Africa is different, Britain needs to use South African gold to restore the British economy, which is very important, so after weighing the pros and cons, Britain decided to negotiate peace with Ireland.

After Britain and Ireland signed a ceasefire agreement in early May, the military conflict in the south was largely over, but fighting in the north continued until September.

In addition, although Congress accepted the Anglo-Irish Treaty in January 1926, which guaranteed the future existence of Northern Ireland, there were sporadic clashes between IRA and British forces on the new border from the first half of 1926 onwards. This partly reflects Michael? Collins's view of the treaty was a strategy or a "stepping stone" rather than a final solution.

In Derry County, a group of Republican elements of the Monahungale football team who were touring the area were arrested. As revenge, Michael? Collins took 42 royalists hostage in Firmana and Tyrone. B, who had gone to the rescue, was ambushed in Kronth in the south, and four people were killed. Despite the establishment of a border investigation mission at the end of February to mediate, three British battalions were attacked by IRA in March. All these actions were met with bloody reprisals in Belfast. Winston? Churchill arranged a meeting with Collins on January 21, 1926, with James? Craig's meeting. The southern boycott of Belfast goods was lifted, but it was reimposed a few weeks later. The two leaders met in more depth on several occasions, but the violence continued, with the exception of the joint declaration of "Declaration of Peace" on 30 March.

From April to June, Collins launched a clandestine guerrilla offensive against Northern Ireland. At that time, the IRA had split over the Anglo-Irish Treaty, but both pro-treaty and anti-treaty groups participated in the operation. The weapons that Britain sent to arm the new Irish Army were actually sent to the Republican Army units, while their weapons were sent to the North. But the offensive, which began with a series of attacks by the IRA in the north from May 17 to 19, proved to be a failure. On May 22, the Unionist politician William? After the assassination of Twardle, 350 IRA troops were arrested in Belfast, paralyzing the local organization. The largest clashes took place in June, when the British had to use artillery to expel a Republican army unit from the village of Petigo.

The cycle of sectarian violence against civilians continues into Japan, and in retaliation for the killing of 2 Catholics, Frank ? Ayken's IRA unit killed six Protestant civilians in Altnawai, South Armagh. Michael? Collins thought that the British general Henry? Stop? Wilson was responsible for attacks on Catholics in the North and assassinated them in 1926. This event inadvertently triggered the Southern Irish Civil War.

After Collins' death, the new Irish Free State quietly suspended its offensive policy towards Northern Ireland. In what became Northern Ireland, a total of 1,557 people died in political violence. Of these, 1,303 Catholics included members of the IRA, 172 Protestants, and 82 members of the Police Corps or British Army. Belfast became the main battleground, where 457 people died, 267 Catholics, and 185 Protestant Catholic nationalists argued that the violence was a massacre of the Catholic community, with 58% of the victims being Catholics, a disproportionate proportion to the 35% Catholic population of Northern Ireland.

By this time, the Anglo-Irish War had evolved into a war between Catholics and Protestants, and its scale was constantly decreasing, making it easier for Anglo-Irish political negotiations to take place.

It was not until 11 July that the violent internal seizure of power in Ireland forced the Irish Government to reach a ceasefire agreement with Northern Ireland. In this way, the British side was also anxious to reconcile with Ireland, so the Anglo-Irish supplementary treaty was soon introduced, Ireland and Northern Ireland achieved a cease-fire, Britain recognized the independence of Ireland, and Ireland allowed Northern Ireland to freely vote whether or not to remain in the Commonwealth.

On the 22nd, the results of the Northern Ireland election showed that Northern Ireland was willing to remain in the British Commonwealth, so the peace treaty between North and South Ireland was signed, and the Irish Civil War ended.

Britain pacified Ireland and focused on South Africa, increasing its troops to the Republic of South Africa, ignoring the opposition of the League of Nations.

"Have you discussed a countermeasure?"

In the royal room, Wang Chenhao called Tang Shaoyi to ask whether there was any result of the parliamentary deliberations on how the joint action in South Africa should be next.

"Your Majesty!" Tang Shaoyi replied: "The House of Representatives has just reached an agreement on this issue, and the bill has finally decided to take action against the Republic of South Africa. ”

"What?" When Wang Chenhao heard that the plan decided by the House of Representatives was to support the government of the Republic of South Africa, which has only one province, instead of the government of the Republic of South Africa, which has three provinces, he was shocked. Because in Wang Chenhao's calculations, taking action against the Republic of South Africa would offend the local people, which would not be conducive to the Chinese Empire's future capital import in the local area. At the same time, it is clear that it is much easier to fight the Republic of South Africa, which has only one province and one British support, than it is to fight the Republic of South Africa, which has three provinces and two countries, Germany and the Netherlands.

"Your Majesty, listen to Weichen's explanation!" Tang Shaoyi hurriedly explained: "The House of Representatives began to think that the unity only needs to stabilize the two governments of South Africa and make it divided. In this way, the South African civil war will continue forever, and the coalition will have an excuse to stay there and achieve the goal of controlling South Africa. Although the division of South Africa can achieve the goal of expelling British power, but think about it, Your Majesty, South Africa's gold and diamond deposits are in the hands of the northern government, and are basically controlled by British descendants, and now they are in collusion with Germany and the Netherlands, and they will not take the initiative to cede their shares and mines to the Empire. ”

Wang Chenhao asked, "What do you mean?" ”

Tang Shaoyi said with a smile: "Your Majesty, although we can't directly 'communize' South Africa like the Soviet Union, but once the war is pushed into the three northern provinces, then we will directly eliminate those local capitalists, and then seize their mines." ”

Wang Chenhao asked worriedly: "Having said that, it's just that they have seized their mine like this, I'm afraid it's not appropriate!" Germany and the Netherlands are stronger than Britain, and we should bully the weak. ”

"Your Majesty don't worry!" Tang Shaoyi smiled and explained, "Isn't there a union? Since all countries have a share, as long as they get a piece of the pie, international public opinion will not be able to stir up. Germany and the Netherlands should not dare to directly confront the United States, because the empire controls the economic lifeline of Germany, and the Netherlands is weak, as long as Germany is settled, the Netherlands will not be able to set off storms. ”

Wang Chenhao nodded, feeling that it made sense, so he said, "Then what should I do on the British side?" We occupy the three northern provinces and occupy the gold and diamond deposits, and the British will certainly not rest on their laurels. ”

Tang Shaoyi said: "Your Majesty doesn't have to worry about this! Didn't the House of Representatives decide to let the coalition attack the three northern provinces? This is equivalent to fulfilling the wishes of the British, and we will help the British recapture the three northern provinces, so that all the infamy will be borne by the British. ”

Wang Chenhao understood what Tang Shaoyi meant, so he said with confidence: "It's not bad to let the British carry the black pot, which can exacerbate the contradictions between Britain and Germany." ”

Wang Chenhao agreed to the proposal of the House of Representatives, and soon after some discussion in the Senate, the proposal was quickly passed.

Elizabeth City Hall, in the Joint Command, after receiving instructions from the General Staff, Cai immediately ordered a joint alert to the north to prepare for an attack on the South African Republican Army.

Cai conveyed the position of the Chinese Empire to the British executive officer of Cape Town, Kelosk, who was overjoyed when he learned the news that the United Nations would launch an attack on the three northern provinces, and hurriedly praised the Chinese Empire as a friend of Britain and was full of gratitude.

Naturally, Kerosk did not know the true purpose of the Chinese Empire, and in order to show his gratitude, Kerosk promised to be responsible for all the supplies of the United Nations.

However, before the joint operation, it is necessary to create some excuses for sending troops on the third and third fronts. For this, Kelosk promised to help. Kerosk then instructed the South African National Army to take the initiative to provoke the South African Republican Army, and the two sides soon broke out into a fierce military conflict near the third and third lines.

On December 3, 1926, fierce fighting broke out between the South African National Army and the South African Republican Army in Aberdeen on the third and third fronts.

The next day, Cai Yi commanded a joint landing in Durban, and the navy, land and air forces launched an attack on the South African Republican Army, and the South African War broke out.