"Gentlemen, if we intervene in mediation, will the Chinese heed our advice and let Japan go?" Inside the office of President Calvin Coolidge, White House, Washington, D.C., USA. President Coolidge convened Secretary of State Hughes, Secretary of the Navy Edwin Demby, and Secretary of War John W. Weeks to discuss the current situation.

"Your Excellency, there is no doubt that the Chinese will not pay attention to our mediation. It's pretty much obvious. The Chinese have always regarded the Japanese as their old enemies, and they are very clear that we support Japan and use Japan to contain China. It's just that the Chinese have been forbearant until their strength has become stronger. However, now it seems that they are strong enough that there is no need to hold back any longer. Secretary of State Hughes said helplessly.

China launched a war against Japan, which the Americans undoubtedly did not want to see, but the Americans simply had no way to stop it. Today's China is not the nouveau riche that has just risen. China's military strength has undoubtedly surpassed that of the United States, becoming the real number one in the world. If the United States wants to confront China, it will undoubtedly be a disaster.

"The Chinese have been laying out for years. They have been steadily increasing their military strength. At the Washington Conference, they achieved the same tonnage of capital ships as ours. But then, they defeated the British Royal Navy in the Battle of Ceylon. The Royal Navy, having lost almost all of its main forces, could no longer pose a threat to China. That's why they dared to unscrupulously wage war against Japan. Because, the Chinese know that we will not interfere with them by force, and we dare not really send troops to interfere with them. Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby said. The U.S. Navy has a large number of capital ships, but if they want to confront the Chinese Navy, they really don't have that confidence. After all. The navy is no better than the army, which can be rebuilt in a short time. The warships of the navy will take a lot of time to build. Especially for capital ships, the construction period can even be as long as two or three years. Therefore, the Americans must carefully use the Navy in their hands.

"It seems that the Chinese are trying to destroy Japan. It was premeditated. It's just a pity that we didn't expect them to have such a plan before. Otherwise, they wouldn't have succeeded in their plot. Calvin Coolidge said with a bit of a headache.

"Your Excellency, there is no doubt about the importance of Japan. We should do everything we can to save Japan. Otherwise, we will have to confront the Chinese head-on in the future. This will be a much greater price for the United States. Secretary of State Hughes said.

"The Chinese will not listen to us, and we must avoid war with the Chinese as much as possible." There is no other way than diplomacy. But. Needless to say, diplomacy is destined to have no effect. President Calvin Coolidge said.

"Your Excellency Weeks, if the Chinese Army lands in Japan, how long will it take to defeat Japan?" President Calvin Coolidge asked.

"Your Excellency, the combat effectiveness of the Chinese Army is very strong. And the Japanese Army, more than a decade ago, they won the world's first-class army. But, for now. After being abandoned for such a long time, the combat effectiveness of the Japanese Army is far from being comparable to that of the Chinese Army. But. The Japanese will to fight, however, is very strong. If the Japanese Army can do its best to resist the Chinese Army, it will probably take half a year or even longer for China to completely defeat Japan. The size of the army they need to invest will be at least a million or more, if not more. Secretary of War John W. Weeks swore by it.

"Half a year? That's great. Millions of troops at their disposal. Then, the human, material and financial resources invested by the Chinese for this must also be very amazing. If we can find a way to increase the resistance of the Japanese, then the Chinese will pay a greater price. If Japan can become a quagmire of war, it will be for us. It is undoubtedly more advantageous. President Calvin Coolidge said. Obviously, the Americans wanted to use Japan to consume more of the power of the Chinese Empire. It would be even more fortunate if the Chinese Empire could be mired in the quagmire of war in Japan.

"Your Excellency, I'm afraid this will be difficult. Although, we urgently provided Japan with a batch of weapons and equipment. However, this was not enough to keep Japan out for long. The Chinese Navy has already blockaded Japan, and if we want to support Japan again, it is no longer possible. Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby said.

"Japan has a long coastline, and if the Chinese Navy wants to completely blockade Japan, it is almost impossible. It is entirely possible to organize transport ships to supply supplies to Japan at night or in bad weather conditions. In this case, Japan will undoubtedly be able to continue to persevere. The longer they hold out, the more they will be able to inflict greater losses on the Chinese Empire, and the more beneficial it will be to us. President Coolidge said.

"However, Your Excellency the President, this will make us and the Chinese hostile, and even cause more violent conflicts." Secretary of State Hughes reminded.

"We can't leave evidence, in this case, even if the Chinese know that we did it, they can't do anything about us." In any case, our relationship with China is inevitably declining. In this case, for the sake of the United States, we should make the Chinese pay even heavier losses in Japan. President Coolidge insisted.

After all, Japan has a population of more than 50 million. The Japanese, on the other hand, are very paranoid people. These crazy people, when they start a war, they are simply dead, and they are not afraid of death. As long as Japan can be supplied with a large amount of war materials, Japan will certainly be able to become a quagmire of war. Even if the Chinese Empire is a giant, once it falls into the quagmire of war, it will definitely pay a huge price. This is undoubtedly very beneficial for the United States. They only need to pay a small price to be able to inflict heavy losses on the Chinese Empire. This is undoubtedly a lucrative business for the United States, which will confront China in the future.

"Your Excellency, if we do this, Japan will be in ruins when the war is over." Secretary of State Hughes said. It is foreseeable that the whole of Japan will be scorched to the ground at that time, and the casualties will be even more terrifying.

"Your Excellency, the dead are all Japanese, so it has nothing to do with us? Besides, resisting the invasion of the Chinese is also very important for the Japanese. Everything is of their own free will. We're just providing them with some material support. President Calvin Coolidge said with a smile. He didn't care about the lives of the Japanese at all, and he just used Japan as a tool to contain the Chinese Empire.

"Then, Your Excellency, the only thing that needs to be resolved now is how to get war materials to the Japanese mainland. Japan is so short of resources that it is not even self-sufficient in food, let alone other supplies. Secretary of War John W. Weeks said.

"Do you have any suggestions, Your Excellency?" President Coolidge asked. After all, Minister Edwin Denby is a professional in this area.

"Your Excellency, we can set up a secret supply base in the Aleutian Islands, and from there, we can send the supplies that the Japanese need to Hokkaido. In that case, the voyage is short, and the chances of being detected by the Chinese Navy are slim. With the cover of night, it is completely possible. In addition, those crew members must not have anything to do with us to avoid being caught by the Chinese. Edwin Denby said.

President Calvin Coolidge nodded: "That's a good idea. In that case, it would be up to the Navy to take full responsibility for providing support to Japan. If we support Japan with some war materials, we will be able to make the Chinese shed a little more blood and pay a little more casualties in Japan. In the future, it will be easier for us to defeat the Chinese. ”

In order to defeat China and compete for world hegemony, the Americans can be regarded as doing everything they can. In fact, the confrontation between countries is so bloody and tragic. For the sake of the country, even the most despicable and shameless means will be used.

"Yes, Your Excellency." Edwin Denby said.

"That's right, Your Excellency. The Japanese 'Yamato-class' battleships will be built in a few months. This time, the Chinese were clearly heading for these battleships. If the Chinese get these battleships, it will undoubtedly greatly increase their strength, and the gap between them and us will be further widened. Therefore, we should find a way to convince the Japanese that if it is not possible, destroy those battleships, so as not to be obtained by the Chinese. Edwin Denby said.

President Calvin Coolidge nodded, the Yamato-class battleships being built by the Japanese Navy are the most powerful battleships in the world. Once the Chinese Navy acquires these battleships, it will undoubtedly be even more difficult for the United States to defeat China.

"Your Excellency, please find a way to communicate with the Japanese. If you can, it's better to let the Japanese hand over those warships to us. President Coolidge said.

"Your Excellency, we'll give it a try. However, the Japanese also attached great importance to those 'Yamato-class' battleships. They will not agree to our terms unless absolutely necessary. Hughes said. He had little faith in President Coolidge's proposal. (To be continued.) )

PS: The twenty-first is here, ask for a monthly pass and a reward!