Beiyang reactionaries

Chamberlain had a headache.

Regarding Japan's strength, Chamberlain did not ask.Because Japan is an old power, it was supported by Britain in the early years.Since the Russo-Japanese War, the world's powers have regarded Japan as one of the great powers.And since the Washington Conference, Japan has always participated in the global naval limitation treaty.Because Japan is one of the world's naval powers.

So don't ask about the strength of Japan, Chamberlain also knows the strength of the Japanese army.What's more, the Far East is Japan's home field, and Chamberlain does not want to conflict with Japan.Conflict with Japan for the Far East will delay things in Europe.Now Europe is not stable, nor is the Far East.For a moment Chamberlain felt that things were too complicated.

"Alexander, if Japan has Irian Island, will they be satisfied? Nothing will happen."

"will not."

Alexander Cadogan shook his head.

Dao: "It is unlikely. Japan is a very aggressive country. Because Japan lacks domestic resources and has many natural disasters such as earthquakes, Japan has had the habit of expanding since ancient times. In the early years, their goal was the Manchurian and Mongolian regions of China. They provoked conflicts with China several times. They gradually encroached on China’s territory. Now they are eyeing Nanyang, and it is impossible to be satisfied with just taking Irian Island. Kalimantan Island, the Philippines in the hands of the United States, and even the Australia could be their target."

"Then how do you think it's better to restrict Japan?"

"The Japanese army is powerful, but they also have many weaknesses. That is, Japan is an island country, an island country that is extremely short of resources. At present, Japan's resources are completely dependent on China. Needless to say, the resources needed by Japanese industries, even Japan's food is Rely on China. Without China's support, Japan's industry will soon collapse, including Japan's oil reserves are completely insufficient, all need China's support. In the Far East, without China's support, Japan will struggle in many ways. "

"However, China and Japan have cooperated for ten years."

"Yes."

Alexander Cadogan nodded and said: "China and Japan have been cooperating very well for ten years. Even now, the relationship between them is very good. China uses a lot of resources in exchange for Japan's support for the Chinese navy. .But it's not impossible."

"Tell me."

"Prime Minister, that is to make China have no time to take care of Japan's affairs, so that the two of them cannot cooperate as they are now."

"Be specific."

Chamberlain leaned forward immediately.

He looked at Alexander Cadogan with more interest.Alexander Cadogan immediately said: "Win China, support China and the Soviet Union to go to war. As long as China and the Soviet Union go to war, then they will not have the energy to manage other people's affairs. Even if they continue to support Japan, the support is far less than Now. If there is only one Japan, then we can unite with France and the United States to completely control Japan's ambitions in Nanyang and prevent Japan from making trouble like it is now."

"Let China and the Soviet Union go to war?"

"Yes. China's prime minister, Duan Xun, is a nationalist. He came to power on the basis of nationalist slogans. China is currently stockpiling a large number of troops in the north for the land occupied by Russia in the early years. The land occupied by Russia is called by the Chinese The outer northeast and outer northwest cover a total area of ​​more than 200 million square kilometers. China must want to recapture this, so it deploys so many troops in the northern region. But whether it is China or the Soviet Union, although the deployed troops are large , but they are very cautious at the moment. They are all restraining their own troops and do not want to have a conflict. But once the two countries conflict, the world will collapse at that time. China can mobilize tens of millions of troops, and the Communist Soviet Union can also mobilize tens of millions of troops. This If they fight, how can they have time to focus on other things."

"Makes sense, makes sense."

Chamberlain nodded again and again.

The Soviet Union is the country that Britain hates the most.When the Soviet Union was established, a large amount of assets of British businessmen were confiscated, and many loans were refused to be returned.Of course not only that, the Soviet Union also used the Communist International to continuously export revolutions in Europe.Especially during the economic crisis, the Soviet Union exported revolutions, which caused a lot of turmoil in the UK for a while.So Britain hates the Soviet Union the most.

It would be great if China and the Soviet Union could go to war.

"Also, the same is true for Japan. If Japan really wants to continue to expand, we can throw the Philippines to Japan. If Japan really has the guts, let them compete with the United States."

"Let Japan and the United States compete for the Philippines?"

"Yes."

"Good idea."

Alexander Cadogan's words made Chamberlain very satisfied.Chamberlain, who had been frowning all this time, finally smiled and said: "When these current problems are resolved, we will rule in the League of Nations that the Soviet Union's occupation of the outer northeast and outer northwest is illegal, and then return the sovereignty of the outer northeast and outer northwest to China. Time depends on whether China accepts it, and whether the Soviet Union lets it go."

It's a good idea to fight a war, China and the Soviet Union.

As long as the two sides go to war, the situation that China always supports Japan in the Far East should be resolved first.Then you can keep the Soviet Union in the Far East, and don't let the Soviet Union always pay attention to Europe.The Spanish Civil War, which has not yet completely ended, is because of the support of the Soviet Union.

As for Japan and the United States?

This still needs to be considered by Chamberlain.How can there be a conflict between Japan and the United States.As long as China is at war with the Soviet Union and Japan is at war with the United States, Britain will be safe.In other words, it is a good thing for Britain to maintain its world hegemony.

"If only Hitler had gone to war with the Soviet Union."

Chamberlain said to himself.

The more I think about it, the better I feel, and the more pleasing it is to look at Halifax and Alexander Cadogan in front of me.These two people are his right-hand men, and they coincide with his own ideas.

The peace of Europe and the peace of the empire seem to depend on oneself.

"My idea is to meet some of the needs of Germany and Japan, but there must be restrictions on them. For Germany, after Germany takes the Sudetenland area, it must not attack Czechoslovakia, and it must not annex Czechoslovakia. Japan is, control After Irian Island, Japan cannot spy on other territories. Including limiting the size of Japan's navy in Southeast Asia. What do you think?"

"I agree with the prime minister."

Halifax nodded and echoed: "The empire is currently in disarray, and it should take some time. For Germany and Japan to meet some of their conditions, there must be restrictions. Only in this way can they understand the majesty of the empire. Also give the empire Buy some time to develop the armament of the empire. Let Germany and Japan see the strength of the empire."

Halifax is one of the main promoters of the appeasement policy and is known as the "first mate" of the big ship of the appeasement policy.

But Halifax also agrees with some of the views of former foreign secretary Eden, who has resigned.That is, diplomacy with the military as its backing is the most correct diplomacy.At present, both Britain and France have put their horses in Nanshan for many years, and it is unwise to conflict with Germany and Japan.

So appease them first and use this time to develop your own army.

"I think so too."

Alexander Cadogan also nodded.

Now Britain is under attack from both sides.And more importantly, Germany and Japan are allies, plus China and Italy, the countries that signed the "anti-Comintern" agreement are powerful.

If it is not an ally, then the United Kingdom can choose to defeat each other.But Germany and Japan are obviously cooperating with each other, and they attack at the same time every time.The purpose is to make Britain difficult to care about.

Britain also does not want to attack both Europe and the Far East at the same time.Therefore, the best way is to take a step back and meet the conditions of Germany and Japan.

"Eduardo (Halifax), you send a telegram to Paris and Rome immediately. Invite Daladier (French Prime Minister), Mussolini and me to Munich. Sit down and have a good talk, how to solve this time things."

"it is good."

"How can they do this, how can they do this. We are allies, how can they do this."

November 1937, 11, around ten o'clock in the evening.

In a room there are two angry people.Both of them are representatives of Czechoslovakia.Britain, Germany, France, and Italy held a meeting in Munich, and Czechoslovakia was also called to Munich as a country concerned.

However, after the representatives of Czechoslovakia came to Munich, they were not allowed to participate in the meeting. They could only wait outside for the result of the meeting.Czechoslovakia's representatives waited in another room for a decision inside.This made the representatives of Czechoslovakia very angry.

"Doctor, what do Chamberlain and Daladier mean?"

Two representatives of Czechoslovakia.

One is the Minister of Czechoslovakia in Berlin Vojt Mastny, and the other is Hubert Masaryk, the representative of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs who came to Munich for the meeting.Mastney was indignant, and asked Masaryk with a frown.

"I don't know either. It always feels bad. The actions of Britain and France in the past few years are really incomprehensible. I used to support Austria, but when I turned around, I watched Germany annex Austria. The same is true in the Far East. At first, it was support Holland, but turned around and sold Holland. This time, this time..."

Masaryk was nervous.

Because the Sudetenland region is too important, for Czechoslovakia, the Sudetenland region must not be lost.Czechoslovakia would not be a complete Czechoslovakia without the Sudetenland.Relations between Czechoslovakia and Germany have always been bad, and Czechoslovakia is an important ally of France in Eastern Europe.Therefore, Czechoslovakia has a large number of military fortifications in the Sudetenland area, all for defense against Germany.So many people say that Czechoslovakia's military fortifications in the Sudetenland area are second only to France's Maginot Line in Europe.

In addition to these, the Sudetenland region is an important industrial base of Czechoslovakia.