Episode 90 10,000 tanks

Regarding the matter of asking Germany to send a professional officer corps to Daming, when discussing with Xiaoqiang and them, they always believed that Germany was now expanding its army on a large scale, and there was simply not enough military talent. If you want to talk about military technology, no problem, if you give it to the Ming Dynasty, Germany itself will use it in the same way. But military talents and batches of officers, this is for the Ming Dynasty, and Germany itself has one less. This Germany may not be willing.

But Xiang Xiaoqiang knew very well in his heart that Germany had completely done this kind of thing: that is, in order to make the international situation more favorable to him, he could send a large number of officer corps and even a large number of weapons and equipment overseas. In the winter of 1936, just a few months after the real history, a German regiment of about 50,000 men was sent to Spain. Because 4,500 of them were Air Force Corps, they were officially named the "Condor Legion".

For any country, the air force is the most valuable branch of the armed forces, and it is the treasure bump of the whole army. But with a stroke of Hitler's pen, 4,500 people were sent out at once. Among them, only six anti-aircraft artillery companies and one communications company are ground troops, and these seven companies are full of 1,000 people, and the remaining 3,500 people are all flying troops.

According to the establishment of the air force of Nazi Germany, the average pilot is about one-sixth of the ground crew, so nearly 600 of the 3,500 people should be pilots. It's the best of the best. In 1936, I don't know how many combat planes there were in Germany, but on the eve of the Battle of Britain in 1940, Germany only had more than 3,000 combat planes. So, in 1936, nearly 600 pilots were sent without blinking an eyelid, which was what Hitler really did.

Therefore, Xiang Xiaoqiang is confident that he will get a large number of officer corps from Hitler, at least no less than the Condor Army. It is true that Spain is in Europe, close to Germany, and if Franco wins, there will be another fascist country on the European continent, which will greatly improve the situation of Nazi Germany, and Hitler will have greater enthusiasm to invest in Spain. But then again, when Franco received this aid, he did not give Germany a penny, a grain of grain, or a piece of ore. And Da Ming took tens of millions of tons of German supplies in exchange.

At the beginning of World War II, when Germany and the Soviet Union cooperated in economic and technical cooperation, it was because the Soviet Union provided Germany with these things, and Germany repaid the Soviet Union ten times more than it invested in Spain. In many cases, in order to repay the price of the Soviet Union, Hitler did not hesitate to transfer weapons and materials from the Western Front army to the Soviet Union, preferring that his army could not use it than that the Soviet Union could not use it. …… Comparatively speaking, it is just a small expansion of the army, and there is no war yet!

Xiang Xiaoqiang thought about all this, and he was more sure in his heart. He knew that Hitler was not a petty man. As long as you can help him achieve his goal, he will definitely give up a lot of money.

……

During the negotiations with Hitler a few days ago, Xiang Xiaoqiang put forward a request for Germany to send an officer corps to Daming. Hitler only promised at that time, but the specific number and category of personnel were not discussed in detail. At the "Roast Suckling Pig Dinner", Xiang Xiaoqiang vaguely expressed this request by selling the battleship. But this is a dinner party after all, and the two sides have been talking for a day, so they didn't go deeper.

The next day, the negotiations were scaled up, with both sides deploying additional personnel. Some of them continued to talk about economic and technical cooperation. This part of the issue is less controversial, but it has a lot of content and involves the most people. The other part is the issue of the former officer corps that Germany sent to the Ming Dynasty, which was officially discussed today. The German delegation came with many officials from the army, navy and air force, not only Flitsch and Raeder, but also Goering, the No. 2 man in the Reich.

On Daming's side, the residence of the first assistant was even more crowded, and the two ministers of the War Department and the Navy Department, the main officials below, as well as the senior officials of the Army Aviation and the Navy Airlines, all came. As the day before, several of the conference rooms were full, and everyone was noisy and gesturing. In the confidential room, a room of little girls wearing headphones was busy sweating profusely, sending reports, encrypting, decoding, and copying...... Telegrams were sent out and received like flowing water.

At noon, Zhu Yourong sent the eldest princess Zhu Youmei and the marquis Miss Zheng Yuxuan to visit everyone at the Shoufu Mansion on their behalf, and said their hard work to everyone, and also brought a group of imperial chefs to cook lunch for everyone, and the right to be the Son of Heaven to give food to show their care.

In Berlin, the hotel where Xiang Xiaoqiang stayed was surrounded by the SS Führer's Guard for the past two days, and the Gestapo moved around to strictly investigate spies and assassins. Originally, both countries were still secretive and took care of the unofficial nature of the visit. But now that the negotiations are in full swing, and the agreement has been signed openly and smoothly in the past few days, it is only a matter of the past few days, so we can't take care of it, and we have torn off the "unofficial" coat and started to engage in it as a formal diplomatic activity.

At the negotiating table, a plan was proposed to Xiaoqiang, and Germany sent an officer corps with 800 pilots and 200 armored officers as the core to the Ming Dynasty, plus a total of 10,000 other officers of the German Wehrmacht, to serve as advisers and instructors in the Ming army. Once the Ming and Qing dynasties went to war again, these German officers had to participate in the battle as a "volunteer legion". Xiang Xiaoqiang officially named for the first time today, and the 200 armored officer corps must be headed by Guderian.

In return, the Ming Dynasty will give the three warships to Germany for free.

……

As soon as Goering heard this request, especially to take away his 800 pilots, he smiled coldly, leaned back in his chair, and looked up at the ceiling. When Army Commander-in-Chief Flitsch heard that he was going to take away 200 of his armored officers, he also shook his head vigorously, saying that it was impossible. The Germans now have only one armored brigade, and taking out 200 officers at once is enough to demoralize the armored brigade.

The only one who rejoiced was the commander-in-chief of the Navy, Raeder.

Xiang Xiaoqiang looked at this situation, and said that it was not good. He could see that they were not the usual "unhappy" in negotiations, they were really unhappy. Who wants to snatch people from under them?

Xiang Xiaoqiang suddenly understood that when talking about this issue today, he should not talk to a specific commander of the navy and army, but should talk to someone at a higher level and with a more transcendent status, such as Hitler. Although these commanders-in-chief are more professional, their respective interests are too deeply involved. The Air Force is only staring at its own Air Force, and the Army is only staring at its own Army. They cannot, like Hitler, look at the pros and cons from the perspective of Germany as a whole.

But Xiang Xiaoqiang still plans to give it a try. He shook his head and said:

"I say, gentlemen, you say such things...... I'm going to be very embarrassed. I now have to negotiate with people who can represent the interests of Germany as a whole, not only my own. ”

Goering said with a gloomy face:

"I am representing the interests of the whole of Germany."

"No, you didn't," Xiang Xiaoqiang stared into his eyes and said-for-tat, "you only represent the interests of the Luftwaffe now." ”

Goering shouted:

"Why do you say that?"

"Why? That's how I saw it. ”

"What do you see?"

Xiang Xiaoqiang sneered and said:

"I'm talking about three warships at the price, of course you don't want to. Because these three ships belong to Germany, and they will not go to you. But if I were to pay for 5,000 fighters, you'd have agreed by now. ”

Goering's face suddenly froze, and the fat on his face slowly turned red. Xiang Xiaoqiang said this directly, which made him unable to get off the stage.

Moreover, as soon as the number of "5,000 fighters" entered Goering's ears, he was really shocked. 5000 aircraft, this is a number that is unthinkable now.

Xiang Xiaoqiang turned to Flitsch and smiled:

"General Flitsch, if I said that 10,000 Lightning tanks would be the price, you would probably be happy, wouldn't you?"

Flitsch's reaction was similar to Goering's, only with some restraint. 10,000 tanks, which is astronomical for any country in this period. Don't talk about Germany, a country that doesn't have a few tanks yet.

Xiang Xiaoqiang smiled:

"Please think about it, although our three warships are now only worth 60 million marks, if you build them yourself now, even if they are exactly the same configuration, you will definitely not be able to build them without 150 million marks. Do you admit it? …… Okay, you say that if you build a new ship, we are an old ship. Then let's give a discount, 100 million marks. How's that, fair, right? …… In other words, if you take our three warships, you will save at least 100 million marks yourself. And this 100 million marks can be used in other places, for example, to build airplanes and tanks.

"Mr. Goering, how much does the fighter you use now? 20,000 marks a plane, no less, right? Then for this 100 million marks, 5,000 can be built. Mr. Flitsch, how much do your PZ-2 tanks cost? 10,000 marks a car, almost, right? For 100 million marks, 10,000 cars can be built. If you had your PZ-1 tank, you could build more than 20,000 of them. …… Have you calculated this account? ”

But both Goering and Flitsch knew that the remaining 100 million marks could not be used to build airplanes or tanks. Xiang Xiaoqiang calculates it like this, it is a lot, but it is all theoretical, and it is impossible in practice. Just like Xiang Xiaoqiang knew that the Netherlands' 180 million Ming Ocean could not all be used to build aircraft carriers.

In addition, what made them a little depressed was how Xiang Xiaoqiang "estimated" the cost of their aircraft and tanks so accurately. Needless to say, there are many people who take Mingyang in the German labor system.

……

Xiang Xiaoqiang and Goering had a long time to talk, and in the end they really couldn't stand this selfish, greedy, hypocritical, short-sighted, and overjoyed fat man. This guy is completely in charge of the German negotiations, and he only thinks about the small part of his command. Even if the other deputies and generals had already partially agreed, they were afraid of Goering's power and did not dare to express their opinions.

Finally, Xiang Xiaoqiang tilted his head and whispered a few words to Song Ruhai, and then Song Ruhai also nodded and got up to make a phone call.

The two unanimously agreed to call the Chancellery and go directly to Hitler.

Of Hitler's major party members, Goering was the worst of all the time. Corruption, enriching one's own pockets, extorting money, using power for personal gain, and doing everything possible. -- This is Xiang Xiaoqiang's impression of Goering.

There was a temporary stalemate at the negotiating table, and neither side spoke, but flipped through the materials and smoked cigarettes. Xiang Xiaoqiang also took out a cigarette from the cigarette on the table and put it in his mouth. The guard who acted as a translator next to him immediately stretched out the lighter, smoked it to Xiaoqiang, leaned back in the chair with a green smoke, stared at the cigarette on the table, and waited for the news.

He found it very interesting, at this time the cigarettes had three kinds of packaging, one is the common paper cigarette box in later generations, and the other is a delicate metal flat cigarette box, which is very advanced, there are pure silver, gold-plated, copper, and cloisonné, all of which are beautifully carved. However, paper cigarette cases and metal cigarette cases were available in later generations, and they were all used by people to carry around. The most peculiar thing is the current smoke listening. It is a kind of small pot of foreign iron, like a tea cone, which is filled with dozens of cigarettes at a time, opened and listened to at a time, and placed on the coffee table in the living room for guests to use.

Xiang Xiaoqiang felt that this seemed much more generous than later generations. Later generations of friends together, at most each person will be given a cigarette, how can it compare to this kind of smoke, directly put it here, like a water dispenser in the corner.

In fact, this is also related to the national mentality in different periods. In real history, this kind of open and generous canned cigarettes were very popular in China before the Anti-Japanese War. At that time, the country ended the warlord division and completed the reunification, the small civil war in the west could also be put down soon, and all aspects were on the track, political, agricultural, economic, educational...... All aspects are developing in a good direction, the whole of China is full of hope, and people feel that the worst time has passed, and maybe in 10, 20 years, a generation, China will develop into a new-style country that is richer, more democratic, and more civilized than it was in the previous 5,000 years.

Every country and nation has to go through a process from a long feudal dynasty to a bourgeois democratic society. It's a process of learning to walk. The process won't be smooth sailing, but as long as you stick to your steps, you'll be able to walk as well as everyone else. What China needs is such a process, learning to walk in a period of peace.

But the Japanese came and interrupted all this. China entered a long war of resistance, and all good opportunities were shattered. China began to regress and entered a long darkness.

…… All of this is thanks to the Japanese.

Of course, during the Anti-Japanese War, there was a serious shortage of materials, not to mention that there were no canned cigarettes, even one or two paper cigarettes in everyone's arms were also hidden and tucked, and they were reluctant to take them out for others to smoke. After the Anti-Japanese War, there were no more such canned cigarettes. Gone are the open and generous national mentality.

Xiang Xiaoqiang stared at the can of cigarettes on the table, and was full of emotion for a while. …… Canned cigarettes can't be allowed to disappear again. He said to himself.

……

Song Ruhai came back and whispered to Xiaoqiang:

"It's connected, the prime minister wants to talk to you personally."

Xiang Xiaoqiang nodded, got up and confessed, said to see someone, and left the hotel conference room. The Germans looked up at him in amazement.

Xiang Xiaoqiang came to the phone room, Song Ruhai picked up the microphone and said in German:

"Mr. Prime Minister, General Xiang is by my side now, and you can talk to him in person now. From now on, I am your translator. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang and Song Ruhai smiled slightly and said:

"Good afternoon, Mr. Prime Minister."

……

Xiang Xiaoqiang calculated the account with Goering and Hitler again on the phone. Hitler was silent for a long time.

Xiang Xiaoqiang secretly rejoiced: Speaking with numbers, there is always the strongest persuasiveness. 5,000 fighters, 10,000 tanks, no matter who listens to it, their blood will be pumping.

Hitler suddenly said:

"Just because a shell can destroy a tank doesn't mean that a shell is worth a tank. In the same way, if your three old warships can help us save 100 million marks, it does not mean that your three old warships are worth 100 million marks. Sir, I hope you remember this simple truth. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang was stunned, and was suddenly speechless. His face was hot, and he was glad that it was a telephone and that Hitler had not seen it.

…… It seems that Hitler's trick of stealing the concept was obvious to Hitler at a glance.

Hitler was silent for a while, and then said very simply:

"I sent 300 pilots, 100 armored officers, plus 5,000 army officers to Daming. Also, Guderian can't give it to you. Guderian is the soul of our German Panzer Corps, without him, our brand new Panzer Corps would not have been able to develop. ”

"Mr. Prime Minister," Xiang Xiaoqiang listened to the translation, ignored Song Ruhai's eyes, and said loudly, "Then you should pay gold!" We take this gold and train the army ourselves! ”

Song Ruhai was angry, but Xiang Xiaoqiang ordered him to translate with a stern look. Song Ruhai shook his head angrily, but still translated the past.

Hitler was silent for a moment, then proposed:

"Mr. General, we can make a compromise. I'll give you 500 pilots, 200 armored officers, plus 8,000 army officers. To compensate for the losses of our armorers, you have given us a full set of drawings for the tanks of the Lightning series. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang was stunned, but he didn't expect Hitler to ask for Daming's tank technology. In his usual impression, German tanks were always ahead. But now think about it, the German tank design is now in its infancy, and the Ming Lightning 1-3, indeed, is much better than the German PZ1-3. Both in terms of firepower, armor, and mobility.

Xiang Xiaoqiang understood that the opportunity had come, and with a turn of his mind, he blurted out:

"No, Mr. Prime Minister, our Lightning tanks are much better than your PZ, and they are no worse than the British and French medium tanks! Tanks are no better than warships, and once they are sold to you, it will inevitably change the land situation on the European continent, and Britain, France, and several other countries will feel unsafe! There are too many countries that we have offended in the Ming Dynasty, and we can't do that. ”

"Sir, I remind you to think about it," roared Hitler, "when we gave you ten times more technology than this, we didn't say to you what you are talking about!" ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang ridiculed each other:

"Mr. Prime Minister, have you offended any country by selling us technology? Does it make any country feel insecure? …… Don't talk about Beiqing, Beiqing, you not only offended, but also completely broke off diplomatic relations. But that's another story. ”

Yes, except that Beiqing will feel insecure, Daming does not threaten anyone. However, the severance of diplomatic relations between Germany and the Northern Qing Dynasty was another political deal, which was obtained by the Ming Dynasty in exchange for supporting Germany's claim for the Danzig Corridor and supporting the German-Austrian merger.

Xiang Xiaoqiang continued:

"But if we give you advanced tanks, it will directly make France feel insecure. France has been set foot on your soil twice in half a century, and you have been very wary of you, and now you must hate us to death. And the UK, which it certainly doesn't want to see. Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy...... Mr. Prime Minister, Britain and France have such a large military presence in our East Asia, with colonies, military ports, and fleets, and we have just taken over Sumatra and are preparing to operate in Southeast Asia. In this case, how can we get along with these neighbors! ”