Iron Empire

Chapter 200: Sunset! The sun never sets! Ten

Or rest. ”

London. 10 Downing Street. Prime Minister's Residence. Admiral Winston Churchill snorted and put a telegram from India in front of Asquith.

"What is it this time...... The battleship "Sumatra" was attacked by a submarine outside the port of Mumbai on the evening of the 17th. Left middle |

3|。 1924

Capsizing and sinking...... Poor Dutchman. They finally had nothing. ”

Asquith's insignificant exclamation made Churchill even more agitated. It's not wrong to walk back and forth in front of the big desk with your hands behind your back. It's tread. Trample on the tread. It's still the kind that breaks through iron shoes and walks through the floor.

"Submarines. Damn submarines again! Let me think...... The day after the decisive battle. The battleship Elizabeth was paralyzed by two torpedoes and sank; Two days later outside the port of Trincomalee. The USS Bastion was sent to the bottom of the sea by a torpedo; On 15 September, another destroyer was lost in tow. That's a lot. Let me do the math. Let me count ......"

Asquith sucked the bucket. Shaking his head helplessly. Trying to interrupt his self-talk: "Winston. My advance notice to you of something ......"

Churchill didn't hear it. Wrench your fingers as you walk. He muttered, "Lion." Royal Princess Mary Queen Tiger. Tireless. Complex. Courageous. War weariness. Orion. Subjugate. Thunder. Aginkut. Defense of Queen Elizabeth Sumatra...... A total of 5 battlecruisers, 9 dreadnoughts and 1 ex-dreadnought battleship were sunk. That is, the permanent loss of 36 of the capital ships of the Ministry was 15. Of these, 28 dreadnoughts were lost in 14 of them, my God...... It was the biggest defeat ever for the Royal Navy. September 9 should be designated as the Day of National Shame! Yes. Humiliation. Every child must be made to remember ......"

Asquith slammed his pipe down the table without raising his voice, "Winston, I'm talking to you!" ”

Churchill remained unmoved. The fingers of the right hand began to draw Arabic numerals in the palm of the left hand.

“…… There are also all 4 fleet air carriers. 1 water engine carrier, 1 armored cruiser, 6 light cruisers. 1 destroyer, 38 destroyers, 3 submarines, carrier-based aircraft and land-based aircraft, with a total of more than 0 officers and men, killed and more than 10,006 missing...... The creation of the Barham Monarch and George V to be overhauled. There were also 3 light cruisers and 5 destroyers that had to be docked. Minor injuries are also arranged for repairs. The port of Mumbai was able to handle only a small fraction of the damaged ships. Most of them have returned to their homeland to repair damaged areas, and it is unlikely that the aviation units will recover in the short term... In a word. From that day on. We lost Duyang. Also about to lose the Indian ......"

The poor minister hurriedly answered: "Okay." Winston. Stop. We all know that...... Yes. It seems that everything is inevitable. Still, someone has to blame. That's what I want to tell you. ”

Churchill stopped and stared blankly at a solemn Asquith. It was quickly confirmed that the other party was not joking.

"You mean...... Resign? Do you fight this escape? ”

"I just want to give an account to the people. Winston, you and I both know beforehand. How great is the responsibility to lose India. ”

"But India is far from falling, and the enemy has seized a narrow mountain forest on the Indo-Burmese border. There is also a small stretch of coast in West Bengal. The Anglo-Indian Army, for the most part, had not yet been put into combat, and the fighting on land had only just begun...... Even if I have to be in charge, I should be the Minister of the Navy first, and I will be the youngest in the cabinet, let me go down first, big deal, I will go to the front in France. It's good to be a volunteer......"

Asquith raised his hand to stop. He picked up the cigarette butt and took two puffs. With smoke in his nose, he shook his head and said, "Don't kid yourself. You can't afford that much responsibility. I am stepping down now. In the future, there will be a chance to form a coalition government with the conservative party. If you hesitate again. The Liberals will lose even more. You will also be unprotected. ”

"Successor...... Referring to George? ”

Churchill immediately remembered the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lloyd*, who was always shrewd and excessively thin.

"He's a good guy. It's going to be good for you. I've asked him. As long as there is no strong opposition on the part of the Conservative Party. Keep your seat as long as possible. ”

"Your Excellency's ......"

Or so to speak. Am I wrong about your abilities and perseverance? If that's the case. You'd better go to France. There are not many of you as cannon fodder for the dead eye. ”

Churchill paused for a moment. Immediately come back to the taste. Dumbfounded. Proudly raising his chin slightly, this is exactly what he used to look like when he first entered the cabinet at the astonishing age of 34 years ago 7 years ago.

"There is nothing wrong with your awareness. I promise. You will never regret it because you have taken a fancy to my intelligence. ”

Asquith seemed to see the return of the mound he was familiar with, and nodded in satisfaction: That's it. Winston. Make good use of your talents. Let me

Win it back. Have an idea after laughing the most? ”

Churchill nodded. Turn to the map of the world on the side wall. Hold out a finger and point to where Myanmar is. Glide past the greenery of India, Persia, Turkey, the Balkans, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Until Germany, which was painted charcoal black.

"Obviously. After this defeat. We face the greatest danger in the world. It is the meeting between the East Asian Alliance and the Central European allies. ”

The army will inevitably enter the Persian Gulf along the coast of India. The Turkish division under the manipulation of Germany went to the European battlefield along the Berlin-Baghdad Railway, which was a key German investment site before the war. Russia will be completely isolated. I'm afraid it won't last long. Once Russia collapsed. Germany could not only liberate a large number of troops from the Eastern Front. The problem of being difficult to replenish multiple strategic resources due to our blockade will also be solved. Plus reinforcements from the East Asian Alliance. It is likely to neutralize the advantages that American forces have given us on the battlefield in France. ”

"My thoughts are. Although it is not possible to reverse the situation in the Indian Ocean for the time being. However, it is also impossible for the other side to complete the strategy of India and the Persian Gulf in the short term. We can take advantage of our existing advantages in the Mediterranean. A direct breakthrough through the Dardanelles. Capture the Turkish capital of Istanbul. Forcing Turkey out of the war. In this way, even if the East Asian coalition forces later captured India and Persia. Nor can it achieve a meeting with the Central European allies. And we have achieved the strategic general division. Russia is likely to hold out longer. As long as the giant beast of the United States really wakes up. Nothing is a problem. ”

……