Episode 55 Global Markets

In addition to economic interests and guarantees for the colonies in the Far East, He Ziguang gave a most crucial guarantee: Once Germany attacked the Soviet Union, the Ming army would immediately slow down its combat intensity in East Asia. And once the German army could not support it and the Soviet army had the upper hand in Europe, the Ming army would intensify its offensive in Central Asia to reduce the pressure on the German army. To put it bluntly, the Ming army acted as a balancing valve, constantly balancing the situation on both sides of the Soviet-German battlefield, never allowing or either side to have an obvious upper hand, always maintaining the balance of strength between the Soviet Union and Germany, and finally realizing the defeat of both the Soviet Union and Germany.

This plan is very much in line with the appetite of Britain and France. Because now both Bolshevism and Nazi-Fascism are mortal threats to Europe. If they can fight each other and lose in the end, that is of course the best outcome.

Talks with the British and French envoys lasted several days, and finally a high-level decision came from Britain and France: if the German troops withdrew from the undefended area of the Rhine, then Britain and France would not provide any military guarantees for the Czech Republic and Poland. That is, Britain and France would acquiesce in Germany's eastward expansion and would not declare war on Germany just because Germany had fought the Czech Republic or Poland.

The few insiders at the top of the Ming Dynasty were very happy to see this result. This result is so good that it is rare to negotiate the result with both parties. Especially He Ziguang, he eliminated a lot of contempt for Xiang Xiaoqiang. Ministers like He Ziguang originally felt that Xiang Xiaoqiang didn't have much real ability, and it was just because of his relationship with the empress that he got to this status. But now this time, the main points of He Ziguang's negotiations with the British, French, and German envoys were all told to Xiaoqiang. What Britain is thinking, what France is thinking, and what Germany is thinking, in He Ziguang's view, even if it is not dark, it is vague, but in Xiang Xiaoqiang's view, it is very clear, it is simply a hole in the fire. What are the respective interests of Britain, France and Germany, and what bait to throw, they all told him to Xiaoqiang.

After He Ziguang talked secretly, he felt very targeted, and the result was the same as Xiang Xiaoqiang expected. Now, he really feels that Xiang Xiaoqiang is not a straw bag, but really capable.

……

It was already late January 1939, and in the eastern theater, the area controlled by the Ming army had reached the line between Trans-Khingan-Lake Baikal. In the western theater, the Ming army has already occupied the eastern third of Kazakhstan, completely occupied Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and almost half of the eastern part of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan is also in the hands of the Ming army.

Now the battlefield is about to enter West Asia. The front was too far westward, and it was now a harsh winter, and the Ming army was no longer able to continue to advance, so they only took advantage of the winter to build a defensive line on the line of Lake Balkhash - Pamir Plateau, and established a series of shore fortifications and mountain fortifications to ensure that after the beginning of spring, the land east of this line would not be recaptured by the Soviet army.

At this point in the war, the Ming army had long since stopped participating in the battle. Now the main force on the battlefield is basically the new army - or "puppet army", that is, the Ming army trained by the Ming army, wearing the Ming army uniform, composed of millions of Muslim soldiers, as well as Russian soldiers. The main Ming army consolidated the defensive line in the rear, and these new Ming troops continued to charge and kill in the front. They were mostly composed of cavalry, and they galloped across the endless steppes of Kazakhstan. These soldiers were originally local herders, and were so well adapted to the local winter climate that they were so familiar with the local environment that they could march with their eyes closed.

If in the early stage of the war against the Soviet Union, the Ming army won by virtue of the superiority of the army's quality and equipment, then now it is completely relying on the will of the people. Wherever the vanguard of the Ming army hit, the Soviet Union area blossomed everywhere, and uprisings were everywhere. Half of Soviet domination in Central Asia has collapsed, and the other half is in jeopardy. Now the Soviet army has relied entirely on aircraft, artillery, and tanks to massacre entire villages and villages to maintain "stability" in the rear. This must be done to quench your thirst, but there is no way to do it. The massacre is anti, and if it is not slaughtered, it is also anti, then the Soviet army will simply slaughter, at least fewer people will defect to the Ming army.

The blood debt of the Soviet army was constantly sent to the world through journalists from various countries who followed the Ming army. Now, at least morally, the Soviet Union as a country has become a "global public enemy". Now not a single country is on the side of the USSR. Even Nazi Germany, fascist Italy, and the small dictatorships of Latin America sided with the Ming Dynasty and criticized the Soviet Union one-sidedly. Even the Spanish government army, which had always been supported by the Soviet Union, did not dare to speak on the side of the Soviet Union. Originally, on the battlefield of Spain, there was no such thing as who was righteous and who was unjust. But by the light of the Soviet Union, Franco's army has now become a "righteous army", and it has denounced the Soviet Union with a high chest and a high-sounding voice, saying that the left-wing government forces are "red elements raised by the evil empire of the Soviet Union". The government army did not dare to reply in public opinion, because they did not know what to say. To say no, offend the USSR. If you say yes, you will become a global enemy.

Borrowing the Soviet "light", there is also Germany. Hitler was now ecstatic, and gave several speeches in succession, saying that Stalin was a Huns, a Mongol, or even a man. Hitler's secretary saw several times that the Führer was kneeling in the corner of his office and kissing the carpet, next to which there was a picture of the Soviet massacre.

Hitler drew up a plan for a spring offensive, preparing to attack Czechoslovakia in April and Poland in May, taking two months to get the two small countries under control, and then attacking the Soviet Union in June.

……

In early February, the Empress of the Ming Dynasty rejected Guangwu's application for amnesty. As a result, the court hanged the puppet Qing Xun Emperor Guangwu in prison. In the long winter, the war between Ming and the Soviet Union eased, and at the same time there was no big news. As a result, this matter became a big news in the world at this time, and it was very hyped for a while.

After the execution of Guangwu, newspapers in many countries predicted when Stalin would be hanged. One of the largest casinos in Las Vegas has opened a market. The first was to bet on whether the Bolshevik regime in the Soviet Union would last until two years later, in February 1941. The payout is 1:1. The second is to bet on whether Stalin will commit suicide within this date, or be hanged. The payout is 1:3.

Xiang Xiaoqiang wanted to bet because he felt that this kind of gambling was very exciting, and he could also affect the final result. Moreover, few people now know about the plan of "Mingde attacking the Soviet Union", so the odds are very high. But he didn't dare to bet openly, so the Metropolitan Procuratorate would come to his door immediately. Because Xiang Xiaoqiang, as one of the main commanders of the war against the Soviet Union, if he also bets, then in the future, he will not consider the national interests in commanding the operation, but consider his own gambling board to win or lose.

But Zheng Gongyin can bet, because he is an idle prince, he does not hold real power, and no one cares about him. Xiang Xiaoqiang asked Zheng Gongyin to bet him $5 million on the Soviet regime to collapse within two years. Zheng Gongyin loves money like life, and when he saw that Xiaoqiang had been bet, he immediately understood that the Soviet regime had collapsed, and he immediately followed with a pledge of 10 million US dollars.