The second day of the change of flags in Denver.

In New York, the exchange ratio between gold and the US dollar once broke through 4, that is, 1 gram of gold can be exchanged for 4 US dollars!

But in the western part of the Fort Laramie market, the ratio is a staggering 5!

Even more outrageous happened a week later, in Paris and London, European businessmen began to refuse to accept dollars.

At this time, the United States owed nearly $10 million in loans from the Bank of Paris, a long-term loan from France in 1803 to purchase Louisiana.

After hesitating for two days, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, President of the French Republic, formally submitted a note to the United States Government stating that in view of the sharp decline in the gold content of the US dollar, it would no longer accept the use of US dollars to repay loans, and that the United States would have to use francs or gold to repay the arrears in the future, and that the money previously returned must be converted according to the latest gold exchange rate, and the US government must provide compensation!

Such an unreasonable decision, of course, was rejected by the US ambassador in Paris, and it is understandable to repay the loan in francs, but where is the reason to repay the loan in francs that has already been repaid before?

People can't be so shameless!

Three months later, however, President Napoleon III used this as an excuse to declare war on the United States. On the same day that the declaration of war reached the American ambassador, a steam battleship 'Napoleon' had already arrived in New York.

It was the world's first steam-powered battleship, equipped with 100 guns and a displacement of a staggering 5,000 tons, and was originally built to compete with the British in the Atlantic.

This is an epoch-making weapon, and its appearance marks the arrival of the era of steam battleships.

According to the original construction plan, the steam battleship was to be completed in 1848 and installed in the French Navy in 1849.

However, at this time, the French Republic had just been established, and it was under the joint blockade of Britain, Prussia, Austria-Hungary and other countries, and although the Vienna system was about to fall apart by this time due to the internal strife of the European powers, France was still deeply anxious about being embattled.

The glory of the Emperor Napoleon is still deeply engraved in the memory of the French, and although the French are now the quails of Europe, these quails are always nostalgic for the glory of the empire of the past.

Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was elected president not because of anything else but because of his surname 'Napoleon'!

As 'Napoleon', he was destined to fight abroad, to lead the French people to conquer Europe, and to bring victory after victory to France!

What, then, unites the French people better than to retake Louisiana?

Louis Napoleon Bonaparte didn't want to be just a president, he wanted to be an emperor.

And, not just the emperor of France, but, like his uncle, the emperor of Europe!

……

However, the arrival of the battleship Napoleon in New York was three months later.

During this three-month period, the western part of North America was in full swing.

In the plan of the War Department of the United States of America, the "limited war" that was supposed to be confined to Mexico finally festered like an abscess, and from the Missouri River in the north to the Gulf of Mexico in the south, the Indians went crazy and repeatedly attacked the lone American army. War shows signs of slipping into the abyss of 'total war'.

What's even more strange is that Canada in the north has also gathered a 'Superior Volunteer Army' to patrol the north of Minnesota, crossing the border at two ends in three days, and brazenly asking the US troops on the other side to help search for the lost soldiers!

The British army, which had already withdrawn to Canada, remained unusually silent after regaining armed supplies. But once a week, in the newspapers, there is an appeal to everyone to calm down and to preserve the hard-won peace.

British Prime Minister John Russell openly stated to the reporters of The Times that Britain is morally responsible and willing to be a mediator on the American continent - but it is not known whether he is stupid or bad, he said that he is willing to be a mediator between "Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico" and "James Polk, President of the United States", and as for the turtledove of White Rock, John Russell does not think he represents the Indians.

In mid-March, Army Commander Winfield Scott led 20,000 reinforcements and landed on Navy warships at Matamoros in the Gulf of Mexico, completing the first amphibious landing operation in the history of world warfare.

General Thomas Messia, who was financed by the French and had 200 French instructors in the army, was defeated, abandoned the city of Matamoros, and retreated south into Tampico.

Zachary Taylor took advantage of the victory to pursue, and Major General Winfield Scott once again staged an amphibious landing, one on land and one at sea with Zachary Taylor, and it took only 3 days to take Tampico, an important town in eastern Mexico.

General Tomás Messia retreated from Tampico to Mexico City and said to Maximilian: "Your Majesty, surrounded by 100,000 American troops, I have finally brought back 300 Mexican warriors!" ”

Emperor Maximilian was so moved that he personally went to meet his warriors at the gates of the city, and issued an order to the Mexican generals: "If you are all as brave as General Thomas Messia, what is the United States to do?" Why should I not succeed in Mexico? ”

At this time Zachary Taylor was stationed in Tampico, 300 kilometers from Mexico City.

Juarez and Geronimo in the north teamed up to launch a westward expedition, killing the "Tiger of Tacuhuaa" and taking Baja California!

……

Before the middle of March, everyone on the North American continent was rejoicing, and the smell of spring was everywhere:

The Great Chief Turtledove worships Quetzalcoatl, praying for good weather and celebrating Denver's return to the arms of the Indians;

President James Polk is thanking God that House Speaker Henry Culle has a serious illness and is said to be on the verge of not living for a month;

Emperor Maximilian was full of ambition, believing that Zachary Taylor's lone army was vulnerable to penetration, and that he had many troops in Guangcheng and Gaochi Shen, and that the advantage was mine;

General Winfield-Scott is very ambitious and ready to land at Veracruz next, and then take Mexico City in one fell swoop;

Colonel Pierre-Beauretgaard, who has been promoted to brigadier general for his meritorious service, will be appointed president of West Point, and will be appointed immediately;

Governor Sam Houston defeated Stephen Austin again in the election to remain governor of Texas, appointing Stephen Austin as Secretary of State;

In the mountains and forests, Loczen took the quilt out of the bedroom to dry, and waited for her husband to come back, and there was a warm quilt to sleep in.

……

Everyone feels that the future is bright!