"What determines the fate of war?

Now, a hundred years later, in the eyes of many, the fate of that naval battle was determined by nothing more than the number of warships of China and Russia, the quality of the warships, and the quality of the main guns and even shells. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

Over the past 100 years, countless naval experts and research scholars have given their conclusions about that naval battle, and their conclusions seem to be focused on this, what black powder vs. smokeless powder, what high-energy explosives, medicine vs. cotton gunpowder, and then 12-inch tube cannon vs. frame gun, and so on, there seems to be nothing new in this kind of technical comparison.

But what exactly determines the final outcome of this naval battle?

For a hundred years, countless scholars have argued, as if each side has its own arguments, each side has its own evidence, as if they have enough reasons to persuade the other and accept their own views, although each one is well aware that the fate of war is determined by the sum of countless events, and many events together contribute to that outcome.

In the research of countless historians, there is a group of people who have been ignored intentionally or unintentionally. It seems that no one ever noticed their work, but it is undeniable that without their hard work, perhaps, the war would have ended in another form......"

There is no diplomacy for a weak country!

This has always been an absurd "false proposition", because for a weak country, it needs diplomacy more, because diplomacy is the only choice for maintaining its rights and interests, and a weak country needs diplomacy to ensure its basic survival, and the demand for diplomacy is to borrow the strength of other countries to carry out vertical and horizontal cooperation, so as to ensure its own interests.

On the diplomatic map of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, South America has always been a blank slate. At most, a few "overseas Chinese leaders" are appointed. That's all. However, this has created an opportunity for the governor-general's offices of the three eastern provinces to "take over the diplomatic relations" -- but as early as 10 years ago, through the systematic dispatch of diplomatic officials, first in the host country of the minister, and then in the establishment of consulates general in the non-minister-host country, the governor-general of the three eastern provinces has little control over China's diplomacy, at least most of the foreign affairs.

Ten years ago. Diplomacy is decided in Tianjin, set in Beijing, and now, ten years later, diplomacy is out of the Northeast, compared to the "Beijing Division" sent only a limited number of foreign envoys, the Northeast in the name of the center sent consuls, consuls in the name of the center of the number of consuls, but as many as 100 people, and in South American countries that have not yet set up consuls, they began to set up consulates as early as seven years ago, as for Chile to protect the interests of a large number of Chinese workers. The Consulate General was established seven years ago,

Over the past seven years. Five years ago, Beiyang invested in the acquisition of the Chilean El Teniente Copper Mine in Suel Town, Cachapoal Province, Oikins Region, central Chile, and built roads and concentrators there, and then began to develop Chilean copper mines on a large scale in northern Chile, and in the past few years, it has adopted a newly invented low-temperature leaching method in these copper mines to increase copper production.

The investment in the copper mine has made the Northeast one of Chile's most important investment partners, and the many years of warship visits have served as a kind of backing for the consulate, so that Chile has never taken the Northeast Consul General in Santiago in the name of the Qing Dynasty. Of course, in fact, at least nominally, the 10-year New Deal enabled the "Qing State" to quietly cross its legs from the "second strongest country in East Asia" to the "quasi-power club", and at least nominally, the current "Qing State" has the fourth largest naval power in the world, second only to the three major powers of Britain, France, and Russia.

Of course, all this will help for diplomats, but more often than not, diplomats need to seek further benefits through personal efforts. For Sun Chengang, who was transferred to San Diego as consul general as a counselor at the consulate in Los Angeles three years ago, he understands the game of Western diplomacy after graduating from Harvard, and he also knows how to navigate the corrupt officialdom as a former bureaucratic family. Ellasuris? Echolen is a good friend with the current President Hermann? Lesco? Ellasuris is a confidant and close friend of the MPs, and even helped Lester run for president last year, winning several votes.

Although he is a foreign diplomat, in the past many years, with various means, Sun Chengang has established his own network in Chile, and it is with the help of these networks that the interests of Chinese workers and Chinese-funded enterprises can be guaranteed, of course, at least in the eyes of the outside world, everything he does is for the interests of enterprises, based on business interests. But this is not the case.

"My friend!"

When he put down the wine glass in his hand, Sun Chengang still had the aftertaste of French red wine in his mouth, and he stared at the pot-bellied Fusco in front of him, who was a member of Congress and also the chairman of the Congressional Navy Committee.

"Now the Argentines have a great headache, they have a headache with the break-in of the Russian Second Pacific Fleet, you should see, the break-in of the Russians, what kind of waves are made there, there are even several demonstrations there demanding that the government drive out the Russian fleet that broke into Argentina, but, you also see, they will never leave there until the Russians reach their will! ……”

Not the anger of the Argentines!

As a diplomat, Sun Chengang naturally knew that after the Second Pacific Fleet entered Argentina, the reason why the Argentines were angry was entirely because of the instigation of the newspapers and public opinion circles two days later. Apparently not capable of that.

And it is not a single Argentine who instigates all this, but the work of the Consulate General in Argentina, money, not everything, but only a hundred thousand pesos, it is enough to set off a storm, a storm that is enough to give any government a headache, of course, all it needs is a good opportunity, such as the opportunity for the Russians to invade their territory, and again, this opportunity is equally effective for other countries.

"We all see what's going on there!"

Fisco sipped the wine in his glass and continued as he looked at the galloping thoroughbreds on the racecourse.

"Now Julio? Argentino? Rocca is in his troubles! ”

For this Argentine president. Because of the relationship of territorial disputes. Fosco never had any good impressions. Naturally, he would be happy to see him in trouble, and even to see his cabinet fall.

"But, my friend, what if the Russian fleet breaks into the Strait of Magellan?"

After asking rhetorically, Sun Chen just stopped talking, but picked up his glass and tasted the red wine in the glass, which was worth 200 pounds, although it didn't taste very good. But he had to learn to taste Western wine, because he had to deal with these foreigners.

"Ahh

He was stunned for a moment, and then Forsco said.

"The Russians should know that we will never agree to their entry into the Strait of Magellan!"

The Strait of Magellan is the most important natural shipping route between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific, and although it is difficult to navigate most of the time due to bad weather, it is still the main passage for ships to travel between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered by Argentina at the eastern end, and the rest is entirely within Chilean territorial waters. It stretches from Cape Vilgenas and Cape Espírito Santo on the Atlantic Ocean in the east to Cape Piller on the island of de Soracion in the west to the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The Pacific Ocean is connected to the west. As soon as the Russian Navy breaks into the Strait of Magellan, what will happen?

His brow furrowed. Fosko could think of all the possibilities, given the speed of the Russians, it would take at least a few days for them to pass through the strait, and by that time, there might have been a few demonstrations in San Diego, and even the hasty cabinet could fall, and the time would be ......

As a close confidant of the president, Fosco naturally did not want to see the government collapse, in fact he was one with the president, and without the president's support he was just a very ordinary congressman.

"My friend, I think you have already found a solution since you mentioned this!"

Looking at Sun Chengang in front of him, Fosco does not believe in any "kind reminder between friends", for the Chinese in front of him he can say that he knows very well, maybe everyone can become friends with him, but friends also need to be reciprocated, he can be extremely happy to give tens of thousands of pounds worth of jewelry to his friends' wives and daughters, but when necessary, friends also need to give the same rich return, the friendship between them, not so much friendship as a transaction, more importantly, Now that China is at war with Russia, he mentions the Strait of Magellan, and naturally does not want the Russians to go there.

After all, despite the bad weather in the Strait of Magellan, Cape Horn is even worse and full of icebergs...... Did he want the Russians to go from Cape Horn?

"This is a Chilean affair, and as a foreigner, I am not in a position to express my opinion!"

Sun Chen just shrugged his shoulders and did not answer the other party's question, to be precise, he answered in a diplomatic manner.

"If that's right, Cape Horn must be full of icebergs by now, fleets, icebergs, and bad weather, my friend, do you want the icebergs to destroy some enemies for you?"

Fusco's question made Sun Chen just shrug his shoulders, he shook the wine glass in his hand, watched the red wine turn in the glass, and said in a slow voice.

"In that case, I think God is on our side......"

After a pause, Sun Chengang continued,

"But, you and I both know that it's not very likely, after all, it's a well-trained fleet, I think ......"

Staring at the other party, the corners of Sun Chengang's lips raised slightly.

"For the Chilean people, it is not going to accept the Russian fleet into your territorial waters!"

It's just that the Russian fleet can't be accepted, in fact, a huge fleet has been quietly stationed in your territory, as a diplomat, Sun Chengang's rank can't know that kind of military secrets, but because he is the consul general in Chile, in the future diplomatic turmoil, he must come forward to solve the corresponding troubles, so he will learn in advance that a number of reconnaissance ships of the Zhenyang fleet have infiltrated a certain uninhabited fjord in Chile, where they are waiting for the arrival of the Russian fleet. Privately, he has already obtained the tacit approval of the Chilean government to allow the Chinese warship to enter Chilean territorial waters, of course, this entry must not be public, otherwise neither the president nor the current Fosco will recognize the promise they have given.

Of course, this was all he knew, and he didn't know that the Zhenyang fleet was now in the far south of Chile, not far from Cape Horn.

"Personally, I think that the Chilean Navy should make some efforts to defend Chile's territorial waters, so that I think Mr. President can give an account to the people, no matter what the circumstances, what do you think?"

Sun Chengang's suggestion made Fusco's brows furrow furrow, and it took him a while before he spoke.

"Navy? Do you want us to send warships of the Navy to the Strait of Magellan? Chile, my friend, is not China! ”

Yes, Chile did not challenge the fleet of the Russian Navy, let alone that strength, and although Fosco, like any other South American official, was extremely arrogant, he was a naval officer who knew very well that strength was the key to solving problems in international affairs, just like the Argentines now, and it was precisely because of the disparity in strength that their government did nothing.

"Chile cannot go to war with Russia!"

"Of course!"

Nodding, Sun Chengang asked rhetorically.

"So will Russia dare to go to war against Chile? No, they will never have the courage, in my opinion, all you need is to send warships there, and when the Russian warships appear, appear in front of them, and then everything will be over, and the Russians will never dare to go to war against you, and ......"

After a slight pause, Sun Chengang continued.

"Now the British have sent their warships, they are preparing to visit Argentina, my friend, if all goes well, they will definitely visit your country, in this case, the Russians ......"

Diplomacy, when the Russian fleet broke into Argentina, Chinese embassies and consulates abroad were active, and it was with their efforts that Britain, which seemed to remain neutral and actually supported China, immediately expressed its support for Argentina, and even sent a cruiser to "visit" Argentina, which was obviously a sign of support for it, and now, all he needed to do was to let Chile block the progress of the Russians, so that they had to choose Cape Horn.

"The Russians will never dare to violate the territorial waters of your country, my friend ......"

"Hmmm......"

After a moment of silence, Fusco looked at Sun Chengang and said.

"I don't think the president will refuse this offer, but, my friend, I'm very curious about what you will get by going to Cape Grace?" (To be continued.) )