At five o'clock in the morning London time, it was not yet dawn, and the snow continued to drift like goose feathers in the sky. However, the important ministers of the British cabinet have braved the cold and gathered at the Prime Minister's Office in Downing Street. It's just that everyone's faces are very ugly, and on the way here, they have been informed of what happened in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The British and French navies were defeated, and the Chinese navy had already entered the Red Sea. It can be seen that the hundreds of thousands of British and French troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will face a catastrophe. And they, the cabinet members, will have to take responsibility for this disaster.

"Gentlemen, there is no doubt that now the British Empire is facing a catastrophe. Our hundreds of thousands of troops in the Middle East will be in a life-and-death crisis. And, this war, we are likely to lose it too. Now, what should we do? Prime Minister Arthur Belfort said, looking at the crowd. He now feels more and more that participating in this war with China for the Middle East is a mistake at all. It's just that there is no regret medicine in this world.

"If we ask the Chinese for peace now, will they agree? It's a big deal to give up the Middle East to the Chinese, anyway, the Middle East is just a desert! Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Thomson Ridge said.

"Humph! The Middle East is not a barren land now, and there is a huge amount of oil under that land! Colonial Secretary Edward Gray said. The coup d'état instigated by China in Kuwait has shaken Britain's colonial system in the Middle East, which is unacceptable to Britain, which regards colonies as the foundation of the country.

"What if there is oil? Now that crude oil prices are low, we can buy as much oil as we want from the United States, and we don't need to fight the Chinese to the death. Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Thomson Ridge said.

"Now that this is the end of saying this, we have invested hundreds of thousands of troops in the Kingdom. It's impossible to stop. The Chinese now have an absolute advantage, and if we make peace with them, they will definitely put forward conditions that are difficult for us to accept! Lord Lansdowne, the Foreign Secretary, said. Some time ago, he had already contacted the Chinese side, but at that time, China was secretly preparing a counterattack plan, and he was very tough on the peaceful construction proposed by the British side.

"So. We only fought with the Chinese? Prime Minister Arthur Belfour said. However, now it seems that if the fight continues, there will be no doubt. knew that it was a failure, but there was no way to change it, which made Prime Minister Arthur Belfour very aggrieved.

"Although it is not to say that it is certain to lose. But the probability of winning is very low! The latest intelligence received by the War Department that the reinforcements sent by the Chinese to the Kingdom did not enter the Persian Gulf! Field Marshal Neville Powers Sir Chamberlain said.

What does this mean? Your Excellency, Marshal! Prime Minister Arthur Belfour asked.

"The reinforcements sent by the Chinese are likely to be right behind their navy. These armies are not there to support the battlefields of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but to copy the back roads of the coalition forces. Even, there is another possibility. If the Chinese really plan to do this, then the coalition forces are really dangerous! Field Marshal Neville Powers Sir Chamberlain said.

"What is possible?" Prime Minister Arthur Belfour's heart tightened, and he suddenly had a very ominous premonition.

"The troops sent by the Chinese are likely to be headed for Egypt. To be exact. I went to the Suez Canal. As long as the Chinese occupy the canal, our coalition forces with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be cut off. When the time comes, hundreds of thousands of troops will be deprived of provisions. In the absence of a supply replenishment, hundreds of thousands of troops. You can only hold out for a month at most, and you will surrender to the Chinese because there is no food! Sir Chamberlain said.

"Oh God! No way. We can't let that happen! The cabinet ministers exclaimed one after another.

"But can we stop this qiē now? The navy is retreating, and the Chinese are approaching the Suez Canal! Sir Chamberlain was very frustrated. This war was also a turning point in his life. After the defeat of the Anglo-French forces, he may have to step down.

All eyes were on Sir John Fisher, Lord of the Admiralty. This crisis was caused by the defeat of the navy. Of course, the British Navy is not to blame for this. The Chinese are too well prepared for this counterattack. Almost everyone did not expect that the Chinese would break through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait by submarine sneak attack. Before this, almost everyone thought that the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which was entrenched by the British and French navies, was foolproof. Six advanced battleships and sixty 305-mm guns blocked the main channel of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and no single battleship could pass through such a tight blockade. However, the British and French navies were able to block the water, but they could not block the water, which ultimately led to a fiasco.

Sir John Fisher also had a bitter heart and could not say that the Navy would undoubtedly be responsible for this failure. However, he also felt very wronged, it was really too despicable for the Chinese, and with such a sneak attack, why couldn't they fight with the Royal Navy of the British Empire in a dignified manner? If the two sides had engaged in a decisive battle at sea with battleships, Sir John Fisher believed that even if they would inevitably lose in the end, they would not have lost so badly. At the very least, it will cause huge damage to the Chinese Navy.

"Sir Fisher, is there any way for the Navy to save the present crisis?" Prime Minister Arthur Belfour asked. In the past few years, a large part of Britain's financial revenue has been invested in the navy, and the strength of the navy is also rapidly recovering. It's just that there is still a long way to go from recovering to the world's number one power. The new battleships under construction in the Navy, except for the 'Dreadnought class', are still under construction. The 'Bellerophon-class' battleships will also not be able to enter service until the end of next year. During this period, only the 'Dreadnought-class' battleships and the older 'former Dreadnought-class' battleships were available in the British Navy. With these warships alone, it is impossible to confront the powerful Chinese Navy.

Sir John Fisher shook his head: "The four battleships cruising in the Mediterranean are ready to enter the Red Sea through the Guò Suez Canal. It's just that we need time. It will take them at least a day and a half to reach the sea of war. And before that, the main force of the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy had already caught up with Vice Admiral Howard, who was fleeing. Vice Admiral Howard had only one 'Dreadnought' battleship and one 'Paris' battleship in his hands, but he had to deal with two 'Qin-class' battleships and two 'Zhonghua-class' battleships in Chinese, as well as a 'Baiqi-class' battlecruiser. In terms of combat power, our 'Dreadnought-class' can at most match the Chinese's 'Zhonghua-class', and in the face of the 'Qin-class' battleships, there is still a big gap. Therefore, Lieutenant General Howard had no way to escape this time. Once Vice Admiral Howard's fleet is annihilated, our remaining four battleships, even if they intercept the Chinese fleet, will be unable to change the tide of the war. ”

Everyone frowned, and they did not have the slightest doubt about Sir John Fisher's analysis. Obviously, Vice Admiral Howard's fleet will soon be annihilated, and once Vice Admiral Howard's fleet is annihilated, the remaining four battleships will not be able to confront the Chinese Navy.

"I think we still have a chance!" Field Marshal Neville Powers Sir Chamberlain said.

"Oh? Is there any way to do it? "All eyes were on Sir Chamberlain, hoping that he would come up with something to save the situation.

"In Portsmouth, we have six more new battleships! Let them go to the Mediterranean, we and the Chinese may not be without the strength to fight! Sir Chamberlain said.

"That's the American warship, they won't promise to fight the Chinese!" Sir John Fisher said.

"Benefits! As long as we give enough benefits to the Americans, they will agree! Now, we have no choice but to do it! Sir Chamberlain said.

"Well, here's a way. Lord Lansdowne, you can contact the American side and put forward our demands to them, no matter what conditions the Americans propose, we can negotiate! Prime Minister Arthur Belfour said. As for the consequences of this, it is no longer possible to think about it now, but to get through this crisis.

"Yes, Your Excellency, Prime Minister!" Lord Landsdoorne nodded.

"Also, send a telegram to Lieutenant General Howard to that idiot and tell him to stop running away and go fight the Chinese. Go and fight the Chinese like a brave British Empire sailor! Sir Chamberlain said.

"Vice Admiral Howard only has two battleships in his hands, Gen is not an opponent of the Chinese, let him go and fight the Chinese, this is to let him go to death!" Sir Fisher frowned.

"Anyway, he can't escape, it's better to die in battle than to be killed by wolf Bèi. As long as he can damage or sink a capital ship of the Chinese Navy, then we may not be without a chance. It would be even better if you could damage or sink two ships! Sir Chamberlain said with a smile.

Everyone was silent, and it was clear that Sir Chamberlain's construction was cruel, but it was a very feasible plan for the British Empire. If it succeeds, perhaps without relying on the US Navy, the British Navy will have a chance to change the current situation. It's just that everyone knows that this will be a life of death for Lieutenant General Howard!

A few minutes later, Sir John Fisher said: "I will send a telegram to Lieutenant General Howard, and it is also the duty to give my own life for the sake of the British Empire!" ”

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