Chapter 56: The bald eagle does not want to be taken advantage of (Part 2)
No matter how mediocre, or even decadent and desperate a person is, before he is completely smoothed out, he must have had his own ideals, dreams, fantasies, or delusions, conjectures, and fantasies. Anyway, they are more or less the same. A kind of thing.
who I am? What am I going to do? What can I do?
Everyone has looked into their own hearts and found their own answers.
If a person has no dreams, what is the difference between him and a salted fish?
This is true for people, and so is the country. Even countries, no matter how weak and backward they are, still have the dream of turning over and becoming strong.
When a country has no more dreams and is left with nothing but life and death and muddling along, it will be no different from a walking zombie.
As a branch of the British Empire, the United States of America naturally has its own dreams, which it proudly calls "Manifest Destiny."
The first is to expand the territory from the Atlantic to the Pacific. This was accomplished in the middle of the last century.
Then there was the implementation of the Monroe Doctrine to dominate the Americas. This was also successfully achieved at the beginning of this century.
Now it is to completely replace the British Empire and inherit the world hegemony of the Anglo-Saxon brothers... We are currently working hard...
In order to realize its Manifest Destiny, the United States of America has never been afraid of fighting any enemy or making any sacrifices.
Because this is not only an ideal and a blueprint, but also the core link that maintains this diverse immigrant country.
Just as the Soviet Union could not give up its ideal of liberating all mankind, the United States could not give up its Manifest Destiny, otherwise it would be close to suicide.
"...Okay! I understand. I will temporarily satisfy Churchill's blackmail and send more aid to the British."
President Truman hesitated for a while, but finally decided to agree to Churchill's request for material assistance - anyway, the country would pay for it, and he would not have to go bankrupt. As for whether he would be able to recoup his investment in the future...he was too lazy to think about this issue.
"...A very wise decision, Mr. President." Hopkins nodded, "...No one can always take advantage and not suffer losses. Sometimes, we really can't think too much and can only follow the original plan. Go down the route.”
"...It's not that I think too much, it's just a little emotional...Since entering this century, the world has changed faster and faster. In less than fifty years, countries have experienced ups and downs several times, and the world has been turned upside down. Crown after crown fell one after another. Britain prospered and declined, Germany rose and fell suddenly, the proud French became a complete joke, and the Russians were first pushed to the ground and beaten by the world, and then they stood up and beat the world... ”
President Truman said with a hint of sadness, "... all of this makes people feel like they are in a dream."
"...But this is not a dream, this is cold reality, Mr. President. We are making new history, the history of the next half century."
Hopkins said, "...In fact, funding the British Empire to restore its Far Eastern colonies is indeed a very heavy burden, but if we think about it differently, it can also allow us to squeeze out the last bit of the British Empire in the East. Utilize value.”
"...Please be more specific. I don't seem to understand what you mean, and I don't like guessing." President Truman frowned.
"...Mr. President, it's like this. After learning about Churchill's plan to regain the Eastern colonies, the Navy had a new idea. Admiral Kim also brought several staff officers to talk to me specifically. I felt very Something new..."
Hopkins pointed at a world map on the wall and said, "...for the past four years, we have been launching an attack on the Japanese army from the Pacific, attempting to attack the Japanese Empire along the Micronesian Islands. However, in several of the most critical large-scale naval battles, the Pacific warships advanced into the hinterland. The fleet was defeated by the Japanese combined fleet and could not control the sea in the Western Pacific. In this case, no matter how brave the Marine Corps and Army guys fought, they could only retreat sadly even if they temporarily captured a few important things. The island cannot be defended at all
Now, although we have successfully landed on the mainland of the Japanese Empire, we are actually as dangerous as when the Nazi German troops stormed Paris. The Japanese naval combined fleet still basically maintains complete combat effectiveness, and the Soviet Red Army in the Far East may turn against us at any time. At present, it is entirely possible to take advantage of the political chaos in Japan to seize a bridgehead on the Japanese archipelago. But even so, the cost of maintaining this front was horribly high. For every five soldiers transported across the Pacific, one soldier would be sent to the bottom of the sea by Japanese aircraft and submarines during the voyage.
Then, the Japanese army in the South Pacific Theater also did not lose their fighting spirit. Although our army successively regained Fiji, New Zealand and New Caledonia, the price paid was extremely heavy. There are still more fortified islands ahead. Every time we advance further All will shed blood and sacrifice. What's even more terrible is that once the Pacific Fleet is defeated by the Japanese combined fleet again, the ground forces will be unable to gain a foothold on the islands and reefs, and any progress made now will be lost instantly.
Therefore, the Navy has a new idea, which is to take advantage of the opportunity of Admiral Halsey to lead the main force of the Pacific Fleet to leave the front line and return to Pearl Harbor to rest and recuperate, to readjust its strategic direction, turn the battlefield of the Japanese archipelago into a defensive one, and no longer fight in the South Pacific. Instead of fighting against the Japanese army, which has been deployed for many years and operating for many years, it will turn its fleet and troops to the Strait of Malacca, where the British have just opened a breakthrough, and guide the Japanese army in Southeast Asia from the Indian Ocean..."
——In fact, Hopkins’ suggestion is nothing new. In the past few years, after repeated setbacks in the Pacific battlefield and even the Panama Canal was bombed, the Pentagon has repeatedly considered changing its strategic direction from the Indian Ocean to the Indian Ocean. direction to launch a counterattack against the Japanese. After all, the distance around the Cape of Good Hope to the west coast of Australia is not much further than the distance around Cape Horn to New Zealand and the east coast of Australia.
However, any fleet needs ports and bases before it can launch an attack. To launch an offensive in the Pacific theater, the United States only needs deep-water seaports along the West Coast and Hawaii, as well as a huge domestic logistics fleet. But if you want to launch an attack in the Indian Ocean, you must rely on the ports and supply points established by the British Empire around the Indian Ocean. In this case, we will encounter a problem of who is in charge.
If the British were to lead the offensive, I am afraid that the shameless Churchill would probably invest the US military in the South Asian subcontinent to suppress the uprising of the Indian indigenous people. This is unacceptable to the United States. If the Americans lead the offensive, then the British Empire will hand over the entire Eastern colonies, including South Africa. It is hard to believe that after paying huge sacrifices and sweeping away the Japanese forces in the South Pacific, the US military will not conveniently surrender The remaining British colonies along the way were also occupied by doves. From then on, the British Empire really became the follower of its American cousin.
And if the two sides cannot reach an agreement, so that the British are unwilling to open the ports in East Africa and West Asia to the US military for the sake of their own interests, or refuse to actively cooperate, then the US military will not be able to launch an attack from this direction, otherwise they will definitely be killed alive. Deadly trap.
However, in order to maintain his shaky wartime cabinet, Churchill desperately wanted to launch the "Eastern Reconquest" strategy and bowed his head to the United States for help. Then, it is natural for the US military to take advantage of the trend and ask the UK to open all ports and bases in the Indian Ocean Theater and fully cooperate with the US military's strategy against Japan - the world situation has developed to the point where it is now, do you still dream of being on an equal footing with the United States in the future? ?
Moreover, compared to a few years ago when the Japanese Empire was gaining momentum, the conditions for launching an attack from the Indian Ocean are now more favorable - at present, the Japanese troops throughout Southeast Asia have basically withdrawn and surrendered, and all important ports have been taken over by the British. , that is, controlled by the indigenous rebel army. This not only deprived the still-recalcitrant Australian Japanese army of its peripheral barrier, but also made it possible for the Allied forces to easily obtain a counterattack base closer to Australia.
Although the attitude of the Nanyang natives towards European and American colonists is generally not good, they are much easier to deal with than the regular army of the Japanese Empire. Moreover, they are not subordinate to each other internally and are scattered. There are more opportunities for infiltration, spying, sowing discord and bribery. The space...
However, just as Hopkins was beginning to talk about his "new ideas for fighting Japan," the harsh phone rang at an inappropriate time, and President Truman had to make a "pause" gesture. , then turned around and answered the phone.
——For some reason, the other two people sitting in the Oval Office suddenly had some ominous premonition in their hearts.
"...Hello, Mr. President." The deep voice of Navy Chief Ernest King came from the receiver, "...I'm very sorry to disturb your work, but there is a very serious news that needs to be conveyed to you. Would you like to report it on the phone? ”
"...Huh?!" President Truman was stunned for a moment, then took a deep breath and calmed down, "...It's okay, please tell me!"
Next, the Navy Chief on the other end of the phone, Admiral Ernest King, said something shocking: "...Four hours ago, the Pentagon received a telegram forwarded from the Pacific Fleet: The Japanese Combined Fleet was dispatched in a large scale. At least two hundred Japanese naval ships sailed out of the Seto Inland Sea where they had retreated, and then circled to Tosa Bay in the south of Shikoku Island, launching a full-scale counterattack against the Chinese Marine Corps occupying the area! "
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Is the Japanese combined fleet dispatched? !
This news was like a bomb, making President Truman feel like a "boom" exploded in his head... However, although the news was quite explosive, it was still somewhat expected - after all, the Japanese Combined Fleet was not the Qing Dynasty's Beiyang Navy. , as long as there is fuel and shells, there will be no Maybe he had been squatting in the port and only received beatings without fighting back... So, after a moment of shock, Mr. President tried his best to suppress his uneasy emotions and asked in as calm a tone as possible: "...I understand, so what are the people on the front line now? How’s the latest battle?”
"...It's very bad...We only have one Second Marine Division on Shikoku Island, plus a small number of very unreliable Japanese servants. The Japanese dispatched almost the entire combined fleet, and thousands of aircraft, every minute Countless artillery shells and aerial bombs were smashed down, blowing up our army positions like fire. At present, the three cruisers, five destroyers, four auxiliary ships and ten merchant ships pre-deployed by our army in Tosa Bay have been sunk, and the 120 aircraft that had previously transferred there have also been destroyed. . Our ground troops have been bombed out of command.
The Japanese Marine Corps not only launched an attack from the northern half of the island they controlled, but also conducted a counter-landing from the beachhead behind our army. The positions of the Second Marine Division have collapsed across the board, and there is no way to retreat. It is expected that it will soon The whole army will soon be destroyed..."
On the other end of the phone, Navy Chief Admiral Ernest King said in a heavy tone, "...But this is not the most shocking thing. What is even more unbelievable is that on today's battlefield on Shikoku Island , our army has detected fourteen Yamato-class battleships! "
"...What? Did I hear that right? Fourteen Yamato-class battleships?!" President Truman was stunned at first, and then he looked like he had seen a ghost. He almost jumped out of his seat on the spot, "... How is this possible! Where did they come from?
"...Unfortunately, according to repeated confirmations from reconnaissance aircraft, this seems to be a fact. Although I don't know exactly how it happened..."
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PS: The most useless and frustrated army in the world, apart from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, may be the Taiwan Army.
Recently, after the squad leader ordered to clean up stray dogs, two military policemen from the Taiwan Marine Corps hung a small white dog that broke into the camp with a chain and videotaped it to show off. After the dog abuse video was exposed, small animal protection groups immediately besieged the military camp, forcing the dog abuse military police, Taiwan Navy Commander, Chief of Staff, and "Minister of Defense" to apologize successively, and nine people were punished because of a stray dog. Then the little animal protection team rushed into the military camp to "publicly interrogate" the two soldiers, and broadcast it live on the entire network.
Hey hey! That's a military camp! This is not a political parade, it's just a group of guys from the Small Animal Protection Association, and they can break in and judge the soldiers? Aren't you afraid of them stealing arms? Alas, this really means that humans are inferior to dogs, and dogs rule the country! In the past, Taiwanese thieves broke into military camps and stole. The soldiers were so frightened that they dragged their guns and hid in the mountains and called the police. But they are still humans after all. In the future, just a few stray dogs will be able to easily capture the military camp! Taiwan's green camp's approach of actively provoking while suppressing the military really has no limits to its pursuit of death. However, people originally regard the military as a living garbage can for disposing of unsalable agricultural products. They probably really want to lay off the military and let the Japanese father and the American emperor come to rescue them if something happens.