54. Strategic deception
Negotiations in the Shanghai concession have not officially begun, because of the Lushun incident.
The high-ranking officer in Lushun would rather commit suicide than surrender to the Chinese side, but the Chinese side insisted that this was an insult to the Chinese [***] team, and insisted that the officers must be replenished and that the surrender ceremony must be presided over by an officer with the rank of general. Such a request by the Chinese side simply tramples on the dignity of the Japanese Army and has been rejected by the Chinese side.
However, the situation is unfavorable to the Japanese side, not to mention the defeat of the Japanese army, and the disaster of the earthquake is still spreading, and as soon as the war is not officially over, the Chinese navy will impose a blockade on the Japanese side. However, the main elite of the Navy's main force has already been lost in the Battle of Dadonggou and the Battle of the Ryukyus, and the remaining antique warships are simply unable to compete with the Chinese cutting-edge high-speed fleet at sea, and even if they can, they dare not fight, because the war will continue to spread once they start fighting. However, if this drags on like this, the civilians in the occupied areas will continue to be plundered by the North Korean army and looted by the increasing number of North Korean immigrants in retaliation, and the victims of the Great Kanto Earthquake will continue to die without treatment.
He said that he was still gritting his teeth and patient, because it was said that Duan Qirui, the lord of the older generation of Beiyang, had gone south, hoping to get a turnaround.
Inside the Provisional Presidential Palace in Nanjing.
Li Bufan, Wu Di, Yang Yongtai, Duan Qirui, and Xu Shuzheng once again held open and frank talks, analyzing the military, political, and popular sentiments of the Western world, as well as the characteristics of ocean-going warfare.
But Duan Qirui was still a little hesitant, although the logistics pressure of ocean-going operations was huge, and it was almost impossible for the Western world to invest more than one million troops at a time in the analysis, and there were submarine raids, but he was still not very optimistic, and asked: "How sure are you of victory?" ”
Li Bufan said with a straight face: "Old Duan, the situation in the war is ever-changing, who can be sure of victory?" ”
Duan Qirui said worriedly: "But you are simply gambling on the future of the entire country and nation." ”
Li Bufan said excitedly: "Elder Duan, each of us knows that our country has been treated too unfairly. Can we ignore all this? There are many reasons and excuses, but should we find a reason to continue to live, or to fight, and create a clear sky for our children and grandchildren! ”
Duan Qirui said bitterly: "Extraordinary! Do you think we're happy to see people displaced? The human heart is made of flesh. Do you think that we in Beiyang were not angry at the great powers in the past? We want to revive and turn around, and that is based on strength, otherwise the war will prolong and more people will suffer. I just don't want to fight an uncertain battle and ruin the good things you've built up right now, you know? ”
Li Bufan said loudly: "If you don't fight, you never know who the final victory will belong to." I can only say that the present is the best opportunity, and at least for a few decades, there will be no more opportunities for the Chinese nation to rise and compete with the entire Western world. Duan Lao, risks and opportunities coexist. We are willing to use the blood of an entire generation to lay an indefatigable foundation for the Chinese nation. If we don't do it, how will we account for it to future generations? ”
Duan Qirui said half-loudly: "Extraordinary, I understand your thoughts." However, have you ever wondered if a war can solve the problem? Even if we expel the great powers at any cost, our South China Sea will still be in constant confrontation with the great powers, our southwest will still be constantly threatened by war, and our north will still have Soviet Russia eyeing each other. Our country's industrial capacity and economic strength are insufficient, and we cannot afford to spend it. ”
Li Bufan shook his head and said, "Old Duan, it seems that you don't understand our strategic plan. Since we want to fight to the death, we must ensure the strategic security of East Asia after World War I. ”
Duan Qirui was surprised: "Strategic security in East Asia? What do you mean? ”
Li Bufan gave Wu Di a color, and Wu Di smiled at the moment: "The boss means to completely expel the Western world from East Asia, including Southeast Asia. With the Pacific Ocean as a shield in the east, Singapore as a strategic support in the west, and the South Sea Islands, the Malay Peninsula, and the southwestern mountains as the strategic defense line, we will thoroughly ensure the strategic security of East Asia. As long as we maintain this strategic posture, then we will only border the British colonies to the west, and although our navy may be slightly inferior in size, the British will have to withstand the ground military pressure of our million-strong army, and they should be the ones to worry about at that time. ”
Xu Shuzheng snorted coldly: "You also know that our navy is not strong enough, so what can we do to occupy Singapore and the islands in the South Seas?" The traffic in the southwest is bad, and if it can stop the Western powers, it will also stop our advance. ”
Li Bufan said lightly: "To this end, we are building a transportation system in the southwest in an all-round way, and we also have to negotiate with Siam to build a railway road from Kunming to Siam Bangkok." Then our army could attack the Malay Peninsula from Siam, blockade Malacca from land, and use Singapore as a base to allow naval submarines to enter the Indian Ocean to carry out ocean-busting attacks on the ocean-going supply fleets of the great powers, destroying not only their supplies, but even their troop carriers. ”
Xu Shuzheng said: "Not to mention whether Siam will wade into this troubled water, can it be said that the great powers are all fools, can we easily go south to land and occupy the Malay Peninsula?" And the railway and highway from Kunming to Siam can be repaired? It's not just mountains, it's also a tropical rainforest, how many people are going to die to rush to repair this road? ”
Wu Di said lightly: "The most difficult part of this road has been built in our country for more than two years, and even in the Golden Triangle, we have sent people to secretly control and build it. In Siam, we only need to repair dozens of kilometers to Chiang Rai, and the traffic will be much more convenient, and then go south to the Nanhe River, as long as it is opened to the Nanhe, our materials can be transported south through the Nanhe River and quickly arrive in Bangkok. Whether Siamese ginseng participates or not, we have to do it. As he spoke, he took out a map and drew a route.
Li Bufan continued: "But we still need time, and in order to buy this time, we need to carry out a series of strategic deceptions against the great powers. This requires your help. ”
"Huh?" Duan Qirui stared at Li Bufan's eyes carefully, and sneered half-loudly: "So your plan is imperfect?" ”
Li Bufan said seriously: "History needs us to create together, we will open a new era, don't you want to participate in this great and glorious process?" ”
Duan Qirui didn't answer for a long time, this strategic layout is too big, and whether it wins or loses, it will affect the pattern of the whole world. He knew that if he shook his head, maybe China would lose the opportunity to rise, but if he nodded, then East Asia would set off a monstrous war, with countless casualties
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Duan Qirui's visit to Nanjing at this sensitive moment attracted the attention of countless media and diplomats from various countries.
Duan Mansion is the residence arranged by Li Bufan for Duan Qirui in Nanjing, although Duan Qirui was close to the Provisional Presidential Palace at the beginning, but after all, it is said that Duan Qirui does not have any public office at present, and it is not suitable to live in the Presidential Palace.
People from all walks of life wanted to get Duan Qirui's views on the current situation, so the outside of Duan's Mansion was almost surrounded by the media, and diplomats from various countries also came to probe Duan Qirui's tone one after another, especially Yue Zhiyi, who had served as Minister of Fortune in China, was even more nervous.
"Your Excellency, you are the most respected leader in China, please look at the past feelings, raise your noble hand."
Duan Qirui looked at Yue Zhiyi who was kneeling on the ground, and his inner feeling was as refreshing as eating chilled watermelon in the desert. In addition to being proud in his heart, he pretended to let Xu Shuzheng help the other party up, and said gently: "China said that the two countries have been friendly for thousands of years, and they are clothed with water, and I Duan Mou, who can help, will definitely not stand idly by." ”
"Thank you, thank you!" Yue Zhiyi was almost so excited that he was about to cry, and as soon as he got up, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed in thanks.
Duan Qirui asked Xu Shuzheng to help him up again, and said: "Li Bufan is really too much this time, he is too young and vigorous." As everyone knows, if you leave a line in life, you will see each other later. Although it was said that he deceived people too much back then, especially for the Beiyang patriarch Li Hongzhang, he was simply forced to die. But we can't be bitten by a dog, so let's bite back, right? But he had a point. Exchanges of courtesy and exchange are the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, and if I do not return the 'deep affection and friendship' I have had with China over the years, will I not lose the face of the state of Chinese civilization and etiquette? There was a sneer on the corner of his mouth. He himself is still pleading for this matter, but they never dreamed that Li Bufan had not taken them to heart, and at present, Zhang Luo laid out almost all of the things against the great powers after the war, and I don't know if he would be angry if he knew the truth.
Yue Zhiyi began to hear the first sentence and looked happy, thinking that things had taken a turn for the better, but when he listened to it, his heart was completely wrong, and his heart was cold. How could he not hear it? The Chinese are turning over old accounts, and since the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War, there is still any 'deep friendship' between China, and China has almost not forced China to corner. Duan Qirui is a dove relative to Li Bufan, but at that time in the old Beiyang, the combination of Duan Qirui and Xu Shuzheng was also a hawk who advocated strength, so could he not be annoyed by what he did?
Fortunately, Duan Qirui did not chase after him, and continued: "But the war drags on, and it is the common people who suffer, and the old man can't bear it." The old man is still a little thin-faced, and he will try his best to persuade Li Bufan to stop in moderation. However, don't get your hopes up, after all, the old man is not the president, but a cloth cloth, an old man with no real power. ”
Duan Qirui's words seemed meaningful to all parties, but at least one message was clear, that is, his political views were different from Li Bufan's
ps: The collection is less than 500, sad.
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