The sun never sets in America

Chapter 413 America and the British Empire
Xijing City at the end of March already has a hint of summer due to geographical reasons. According to past practice, Xijing at this time is the best season of the year.

It has the unique sunshine of the California peninsula without the heat of summer. The temperature is always in the 20s, which is the most suitable for the human body. It is neither cold nor hot and the sun is bright.

When the warm sunshine shone on the entire land of Hanzhou, the Han army in Youzhou was making the largest retreat in history.

"How many have been withdrawn??"

Yuan Qing looked at the telegram in his hand and asked Xu Hao, who had just been promoted to major general opposite, without raising his head.

"A total of twelve divisions were withdrawn. If other attached vassal troops are included, the total should be more than 200,000 people."

The data Xu Hao mentioned are the data so far. If the initial plan is followed, at least 300,000 of the 600,000 people will have to be evacuated.

"Two hundred thousand——"

"This speed is a bit fast. If you go slower, you can't withdraw too fast. If you withdraw too fast, these guys won't follow!!"

"Also, do a complete show, don't be indecisive, and don't act too fake. When retreating, it's best to turn around and hit the opponent, otherwise it will easily make these Yankees suspicious——"

Later, what was once Texas became Youzhou of the Han State, and became the largest area of ​​the Han State, excluding the original Alaska.

As one critic said in the newspaper:
"Texas, such a familiar yet unfamiliar word. When I first heard about this place, I was still a middle school student. In a blink of an eye, I became a middle-aged man raising five children. This place is... It’s like a lost dream from my childhood, now it’s coming back to me, back to us!!”

How to clearly handle the relationship between the two is the biggest test for all retreating officers at this time.

Yuan Qing looked at Xu Hao opposite and asked something that Xu Hao didn't know how to answer for a moment.

But as Lincoln said when he took office: "No one can have him forever. Even I will have to leave here one day."

Many of the people who participated in these activities were "citizens" of Texas at that time. Yes, it was the Lone Star Republic that did not exist for long and was eventually annexed by the United States.

Yuan Qing kept telling Xu Hao all the loopholes he thought were there, and the most important of them was the pace of retreat. It couldn't be fast or slow. In short, try to slow down the whole pace as much as possible, and don't give the Americans a feeling of Han people. Very urgent feeling.

This is the current situation in the United States, and it is also what Walt calls "a choice without a choice."

“Can you please give me some advice from the Chief of Staff??”

"Xu Hao, do you know what I like about you and what I don't like about you??"

The victory on the Youzhou battlefield seemed to have awakened many people's nostalgia for Texas. Some people who survived that time, now old people, wrote to the Southern Army headquarters on the front line, begging them to transfer Texas to the United States. Taking it back completely allowed a nearly sixty-year-old man to return to his "homeland" alive.

Of course, it won't work if it's too slow. This will give the illusion of "fishing". This method of retreat is actually very troublesome and can even be described as cumbersome.

"But there is only one thing about you that I dislike the most, and that is your arrogance. Every decision you make is full of confidence, but have you ever thought about it? No one can make mistakes without being a sage. You are a sage. ??"

Xu Hao, who was on the opposite side, didn't understand what Yuan Qing meant at first, and even thought that Chief of Staff Yuan was too timid. But after hearing the next words, he felt for the first time what "being calm in the face of danger" meant. Don’t be crazy when you are happy.”

"You also know that the dumpling filling is too big and the skin will easily burst!!"

The expected recognition did not come. Instead, there were several answers with an obvious educational tone, which caught Xu Hao on the opposite side a little off guard.

[Washington Daily: Our army is entering the counter-offensive stage and has so far annihilated more than 150,000 Han troops. Victory is only one step away from the United States. 】

Finally, after thinking about it for a long time, I could only ask:

Even some American congressmen and professional commentators were dazzled by this sudden good news. A certain Wisconsin congressman named McKinsey even said, "The war will be over before Christmas, boys." Go home early" slogan.

Yuan Qing's words pierced Xu Hao's heart! !

If it is an ordinary army, when such an order is executed, two situations will basically occur, one is out of touch, and the other is "frizzy".

Yuan Qing looked at Xu Hao with an unprecedented "seriousness" in his eyes. This was a seriousness that was almost educational, rather than a simple lesson. Regarding Xu Hao, Yuan Qing had said to Li Zihao many times, "This is If you have a smart mind and dare to think and do, it will be of great use."

"A strong view of the overall situation is your advantage, decisive action is also your advantage, and even the ability to execute tactics can be your advantage."

Some people have even begun to celebrate the so-called "Texas Reconquest" in advance.

As Xu Hao talked, the secret joy on his lips became increasingly difficult to hide.

“Don’t overdo anything!!”

[Boston Daily News: General Walt said in an interview that the war will end late next month. 】

"You have to know that it is not easy for us to surround millions of American troops and stage another victory in the Montana War, and it is even easy to overturn. If hundreds of thousands more American troops come, or even more, we people are really Is accommodation covered??”

When Yuan Qing said these words, what Americans most wanted to see was happening in central Youzhou.
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[New York Times: Our army has occupied more than half of Texas and controlled at least thirty towns. 】

For Yuan Qing, cultivating the next him is a more important thing than his promotion, because he still remembers the motto of the Army Sergeant School: "Cultivate future generations, prosper the Han Army."

The weather in Washington has long since faded away from the severe cold of winter and even the coldness of early spring, showing the unique local "warmth" and the vitality after the recovery of all things.

On the second floor of the White House, where Lincoln worked daily, this so-called "Office No. 1" inherits the history and rights of the entire United States.

If you take into account the fanatical atmosphere in the entire United States at this time, the Youzhou or Texas War at this time is no longer a simple counterattack, not even a simple revenge, but the focus of the entire United States.

When tens of millions of people begin to vote with their feet, it is no longer a matter of strategy or not, but a matter of fighting and winning! !
.............................................

Domestic newspapers in the United States are full of news about "counterattack victory." If an ordinary American does not pay attention to the current situation, or does not know much about the war situation, then after seeing the overwhelming "good news" in the newspapers, he will naturally You will get the so-called feeling that "the situation is excellent" and "the United States of America has a sure chance of victory."

"You remember, this war may end soon, but not at this time."

Within any organization, few things are more important than succession.

"It's like a dish, it's not time to add oil yet."

"Xu Hao, please remember this sentence, too much is not enough!!"

"Chief of Staff, I understand everything you said, but I don't understand at all, that is why the U.S. military's supply lines are not cut off immediately. This is the best opportunity in my opinion. After this period of time, wait until they react. , strengthening logistics support is not a good thing for our army."

"Chief of Staff, I think we need to take corresponding actions in the northern direction at this moment. Otherwise, how can we let the Americans continue to increase their troops?"

"But whether it's four years, eight years, or even the so-called 12 years, I will leave, but before I leave, I will leave something behind."

"Leave behind everything that belongs to America, leave behind what I have done, leave behind the dignity of America!!"

This is what Lincoln said in his inauguration speech. Every sentence is full of his love for this country. Of course, for an "old fox" who is young, love is also limited. Only rights can guarantee all this. ! !

.........

Lincoln stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling mirror, adjusting his collar, and looking at himself in a black dress in the mirror. Lincoln was silently stunned for a while, and then returned to reality when the "butler" called out "Mr. President."

"Mr. President, the British Minister Mr. Mitland is waiting outside."

The steward bowed appropriately and reported on diplomatic matters.

Lincoln nodded slightly, took one last look at his "psychedelic self" in the mirror, and then walked out.

"Hello, Mr. Minister!!"

"Hello, Mr. President..." Lincoln secretly looked at the red-haired British minister in front of him. If he guessed correctly, he was either Irish or Scottish.

Opposite him, Minister Mitland, who had the title of Scottish nobleman, made a brief opening speech after Lincoln asked him to sit down:

"Mr. President, first of all, on behalf of the British Empire, I congratulate you on your victory in Texas. The American victory in Texas inspired the entire civilized world!!"

Lincoln's brows were frivolous, and then he heard Mitland say from the opposite side:
"The British Empire deeply supports the actions of the United States in the Americas. After all, no one can accept the Americas being ruled by an empire!!"

Lincoln's expression changed slightly, and he kept looking at the red-haired minister, constantly guessing about his origins.

Mitran, who was opposite him, continued:

"Mr. President, I think you also know the current situation in Europe!!"

Lincoln nodded slowly, and then spoke:
"I have been paying attention to the situation in Europe. I heard that the Russians have broken through many Ottoman defense lines. It seems that the Ottomans will not be able to withstand it!!"

The "unable to withstand" in Lincoln's words refers to the Russo-Austrian War that took place on the Black Sea in early March.

In this war, the Russian army once again annihilated more than 300,000 Ottoman troops. If the previous 200,000 are included, the total number of annihilations has exceeded 500,000.

The current total number of the Ottoman army has only been increased to 1.5 million. The loss of 500,000 is equivalent to a loss of one-third of the effective strength.

And that's not how the accounts were calculated. According to the ratio of old to new, those who were eliminated were mostly elite soldiers who had been trained for several years, and the rest were mostly new soldiers who were added later.

The difference between the old and the new in the military is quite huge. This can be said to be vividly demonstrated in the current American battlefield.

In Lincoln's mind, he kept thinking about what the British minister meant. After all, it was not that simple to suddenly mention matters in Europe.

"Mr. Minister, how is your queen?"

"Her Majesty the Queen is in good health and I thank you, Mr. President, for your concern."

"Say hello to the Queen for me!!"

The two of them were talking about words that had no nutritional value.
Lincoln took a sip of the black tea with sugar on the table. To be honest, he didn't like this kind of black tea. According to Lincoln's taste, he preferred something bitter, because it would keep him awake anytime and anywhere.

Opposite him, Mirante was still drinking the so-called English black tea "calmly and calmly".

"Pa", Lincoln suddenly put down the black tea in his hand, and then said:
"Mr. Minister, I hope to know your purpose of coming??"

"In other words, the British Empire's intentions for America!!"

After Lincoln finished speaking, his two originally cloudy eyes suddenly brightened and kept looking at the red-haired minister.

"Mr. President, I want to know, the bottom line of the United States in this war??"

Mitland did not answer immediately, but asked a seemingly popular question.

When the question was posed to Lincoln, Lincoln was still drinking tea leisurely. After hearing the question, the hand holding the black tea cup trembled obviously, and then quickly regained his composure.

Putting down the black tea, Lincoln said a few words: "Restore, return, peace!!"

Mitran glanced at the supposedly "very powerful" President in surprise, not expecting that his purpose was so simple.

Just want to restore the situation to the way it was before the war.

Originally, he thought that the other party would brazenly ask Han to cede territory and pay compensation. Unexpectedly, the president saw it so clearly and was not affected by the overall public opinion atmosphere.

In fact, for Lincoln, being able to maintain the status quo before the war was his most dreamed thing.

Lincoln was different from those "idiots" outside. Lincoln was a very rigorous person. He knew what was important and what was not important. Even in his opinion, the so-called Youzhou counterattack was just telling those people The "arrogant" Han people and the United States' ability to defend their right to exist.

In the final analysis, it was all to delay the progress of the war and drag Han into the negotiation table.

Lincoln, who seems to be radical every day, is actually a real "conservative" and one of the few people in the United States who can still stay awake.

Opposite him, Mitland said: "Mr. President, our British Empire actually has a very deep relationship with the United States. No matter whether we admit it or not, without the existence of the British Empire, there would be no current United States!!"

Lincoln nodded slowly and did not deny the other party's statement. After all, strictly speaking, from the emergence of the United States to its earliest sprout, Britain was the envied idol in the hearts of Americans. To be more precise, it was the rebellious son who hated his father.

Everything the United States did later in the Americas was a parody of the British Empire. It was only halfway through the imitation that it was abandoned due to the emergence of the Han Dynasty.

"Our two countries actually have common interests. The British Empire needs to maintain balance in the Americas, and the United States needs to preserve its own country. We can definitely cooperate!!"

Mitland's words made Lincoln's vigilance reach its peak. At this time, he remembered a proverb said by the Arabs:
“Wherever the British guy passes by, the fish in the lake will jump up and fight!!”

"Cooperation, what cooperation??"

Lincoln asked calmly.

“As far as I know, your navy hasn’t recovered since the Caribbean War, right??”

Mitland's words brought Lincoln back to a few months ago. When the news of the Caribbean War came, Lincoln was stunned for a long time, and finally cursed angrily:

"A bunch of stupid pigs. They are all a bunch of stupid pigs. They know that the other side is prepared, but they still attack to fight. If they choose to deal with each other, I think the war will never fail!!"

In Lincoln's eyes, that failure was an act of naked stupidity. If the Caribbean Fleet at that time had chosen to break out, or maneuver at sea, or even rely on coastal defense artillery to protect itself offshore, delaying time and waiting for support, it would have been a disaster. Something that is totally fine.

But these guys just chose the worst direction and chose to accept the challenge. You must know that it was already too late at that time, and it would be night a little later. Fighting an unfamiliar night battle at this time would not be courting death! !

"Our shipyards are increasing their efforts to produce more advanced battleships. Soon, the American Navy will be stronger than before!!"

Lincoln explained Mitland's words with a "calm" expression.

"Yes, you can produce new warships, but you cannot solve the problems of training, running-in, or even qualification in a short period of time!!"

"A fleet that has not undergone long-term training is just a target, a brilliant fireworks on the sea!!"

“And the Undersea Museum!!”

Mitland's words cut straight into Lincoln's heart, so much so that he became a little angry and said:
"We have a large number of retired officers within us. We have enough experience to restore our navy. Also, they are heroes, not a damn museum!!"

Looking at Lincoln who was furious because of the "museum", Mitland smiled and replied:

"Yes, they are all heroes, but heroes also need to see victory, don't they??"

Lincoln was silent, and finally spoke slowly: "What can you provide??"

"Mercenaries, mercenaries belonging to the British Empire!!"

Looking at Lincoln's confused eyes, Mitland smiled and continued to answer:

"Mr. President, we are in the Mediterranean and have already tried it once!!"

Lincoln's eyes were shocked, and finally met Mitlan's ambiguous eyes.

(End of this chapter)