"Really hit?" When the report was sent to Xu Jie, Xu Jie's first reaction was not anger, but thorny, anger was useless, and as the British speculated, it was impossible for Huaxia to really declare war because of some British attacks. After all, China has also done this kind of thing, such as attacking the French transport ships that transported supplies to Russia in the Second Sino-Russian-Sino-Russian War. At most, the two sides protested and then settled. The French continued to move, and then Huaxia took the time to continue fighting. Everyone is a great power, and the great powers can't really use knives and guns for a little thing! Historically, after Germany sank an American merchant ship and caused hundreds of American casualties, the United States did not immediately declare war, and Germany also relented in the face of American protests. More importantly, from the current point of view, most of China's export materials are still exported to the Entente countries, and no one can get along with money.

Protest is yes, but protest alone is clearly not enough. The most direct and effective way is to send escort warships, but it is obvious that the Chinese Navy can ensure the safety of shipping at its own doorstep, but it is indeed difficult to travel thousands of kilometers to the Persian Gulf. Historically, the Americans could build hundreds of flat-plate destroyers for anti-submarine purposes, but China did not have the energy or interest. If the British simply attacked the merchant ships of the Allied countries, it would be fine, but you couldn't bear it even if you attacked Huaxia together, Xu Jie really couldn't come up with any decent solution for a while in the face of this situation. It's too light, it's useless, it's too heavy, it's not good for you. As the British had predicted, the target of China was dying Russia.

"The war will continue, and the worse it will be! Sooner or later, the Americans joined. In the same way, we need to get the United States to bleed well in Europe. And in order for this war to continue, a blood transfusion to the Allies will be necessary, and this will be part of the Chinese strategy. Only when the Entente and the United States are beaten badly and tired, can we eat Russia with peace of mind! Xu Jie muttered to himself while looking at the map.

Russia is almost finished, and if it had been earlier, I am afraid that the crown of the Normanov dynasty would have fallen this year in internal and external troubles, and Britain and France would still be attacking Germany vigorously, although the effect was limited. But the fatigue is showing itself. In the attrition of positional warfare, Germany, which was inferior in terms of resources, was always the weaker side. The United States will enter the war next year at the latest, if the Allies do not do anything big. I am afraid that when the United States enters the war, it will be when the Allies fall into the abyss. Huaxia's blood transfusion to the Allies is imperative! But it is a pity that neither the Allies nor China are capable of maintaining the safety of this blood vessel across the Indian Ocean!

Even more terrifying. Even now this vein, which was not very clear by British submarines. In the new year, there is also the possibility of being cut off at any time. The German High Seas Fleet has been forced to fight on two fronts, and at the same time to contain the British Royal Navy and the Russian Navy, this is an impossible task, the British Royal Navy has begun to enter the peak, if Jericho is more courageous, he can completely divide part of the warships to the Mediterranean, and at the same time transfer part of the army to participate in the battle in North Africa, the current situation is that the Western Front Britain and France have a great advantage, Although it was impossible to break through the opponent's defense line lightly, it was still possible to draw out a part of the troops to deal with the Italian and Austro-Hungarian armies, which could only be regarded as third-rate. And once the sea supremacy in the Mediterranean is lost. The Suez Canal will be brought back into the hands of the Entente. Then the Allied navy retreated in the Mediterranean, and the British regained control of the Indian Ocean. As a result, the route that had not been opened for a long time was broken again.

If Germany, Austria and Italy were almost evenly matched with Britain, France, and Russia, then after the Americans joined, the three Central Powers would be at a disadvantage in the face of the Entente Four. Although Huaxia did not want Germany to control Russia too much, it also did not want Germany to lose, because Germany's defeat would directly lead to the eastward shift of the center of gravity of the Entente bloc. In order to keep the attention and power of Britain, France and the United States firmly in Europe, Germany must win this time! And a certain benefit must be obtained! This required that the line be as long as possible, and that the Allied fleets in the Mediterranean could hold on as long as possible.

In the face of the constant attacks on the sea transportation lines, the Allies did their best to escort the ships, but the Italian Navy, which was the leader of the Mediterranean Sea of the Allies, was really unable to complete this task, so on the one hand, the Allies asked Huaxia to provide more anti-submarine equipment, and on the other hand, they asked Huaxia to provide some old warships for use as anti-submarine ships after appropriate improvements. At the same time, in the large formation of merchant ships, the Allies also armed some merchant ships as escort forces. During World War I, many merchant ships were sunk or forced into landings by submarines with deck guns. With armed merchant ships, submarines could only use torpedoes. Naturally, the efficiency will drop a bit.

If this is all there is, Xu Jie can only turn a blind eye to the actions of the British. Both sides are on the bottom line of not breaking up completely. But a fortuitous accident completely deteriorated the already somewhat unstable shape of shìng. On February 3, 1916, a Chinese cruise ship carrying about 200 tourists to Spain was attacked by a British submarine off the coast near the southern mouth of the Red Sea.

Originally, the cruise ship was really going to neutral countries, but the British, who had already killed the red eye, were ordered to intercept any ship that tried to pass through Suez. But the captain didn't know, it was said that this was a cruise ship, and it was going to a neutral country, and from an economic point of view, it was much closer to take the Suez Canal than to bypass Africa, so I took it for granted that I chose a shortcut. And although British submarines are very arrogant, they generally attack cargo ships, and never attack passenger ships. But this time, the Huaxia cruise ship was tragic.

Under the coercion of deck guns, the cruise ship finally ran aground on the coast of Italian Somalia, and caused hundreds of casualties, which was simply unbearable for the Chinese government! This is a real lying gun! The British attacked on the basis of mere subjective assumptions! This kind of logic of "I think it's time to fight, just shoot" makes Xu Jie absolutely unbearable!

Silence, when the incident happened, the British government actually did not receive the protest of the Chinese government, so that even the British diplomats who had prepared the wording in advance felt a trace of discomfort, this situation is not right! In the past, if something happened, I protested, but now that something so big has happened, is it just that? The British would not believe that the other side would give in like this. When a storm is brewing, it gives the impression that a mountain breeze is about to blow all over the building, and this time, the British have already sensed that the storm is brewing!

Thanks to the book friend zhouyu1976 for the reward, as well as the book friend Trick Xiaofeng, Flay007, Angel Tomahawk, and Big Fat Bookworm's monthly ticket support ~~~~~~. (To be continued......)