736

"How's it going?"

The time has entered June.

The Asian Joint Conference held in Nanjing was determined to start on August 1942, 8.Although there was a lot to discuss in this meeting, Duan Xun was not prepared to attend.On the Chinese side, Wang Jingwei is representing the Asian Joint Conference, so Wang Jingwei has already gone south to Nanjing.After all, China is the host country, so we still have to arrive ahead of the meeting to welcome representatives from various Asian countries.

At this time, Foreign Minister Gu Weijun, who had gone to the Soviet Union, also returned to Beijing.

"Chairman, when I went to Moscow this time, I mainly contacted Mikoyan, and Mikoyan also participated in most of the negotiations. However, during this time in Moscow, I met Stalin and Molotov and talked a few times. Next time. I have already told the Soviet side what we mean, but Stalin has not made any statement. However, when Mikoyan and I were negotiating, he was very interested in our proposal."

"Tell me specifically?"

"Yes."

Gu Weijun pointed to the map and said, "First of all, it is the issue of the Far East border. Mikoyan himself is very interested in my country's proposal to establish a military-free zone within 100 kilometers of the Far East border. And Mikoyan also proposed , the idea of ​​establishing several trading cities on the border of the Far East, and then connecting them with railways. Mikoyan’s plan for connecting several important cities is mainly concentrated in the cities around Lake Baikal. On the whole, Mikoyan himself is very fond of I agree with the idea of ​​establishing a military-free zone in the Far East. However, it may just be that the Soviet Union is under too much pressure from the war and wants to deal with us.”

"No matter what the reason is for the Soviet Union, as long as the Soviet Union is interested, then we can continue to talk. The border between us and the Soviet Union is too long. If we really engage in tit-for-tat confrontation, it will greatly affect the development of our northern region. In The completion of a military-free zone within a section of the border is of great benefit to both of us. And based on this, it is best for us and the Soviet Union to reach a disarmament agreement in the Far East. In this regard, your Ministry of Foreign Affairs must continue to follow up Enter."

"Yes."

Gu Weijun nodded.

Duan Xun thought about disarmament in the Far East for a long time.

As the Soviet Union lost so much land in the Far East, the strategic value of the Soviet Union's Far East region was greatly reduced.The Far East was originally far away from the core area of ​​the Soviet Union and belonged to the fringe zone of the Soviet Union.For these worthless places, the Soviet Union should not want to confront China.

After all, the cost of confrontation is different.

China deploys troops in the north, and logistics are not a problem at all.Because the population in northern China is also large enough, the combined population of Mongolia and Northeast alone is 8000 to [-] million.Including Xinjiang, the population easily exceeds [-] million.Therefore, when China deploys troops in these places, the logistics of the troops are all trivial matters, and there is no pressure at all.But the Soviet Union was different.

The Far East of the Soviet Union was empty, and there were not many people to be found.At present, the total population of the Far East of the Soviet Union is only 500 million.Tens of thousands of troops are stationed here, and their logistical supplies are not small.If you want to confront a big country like China, you must deploy at least one million troops.If it is the logistics of millions of troops, it will be even more difficult, and it can even be said that it is a huge pressure on the Soviet Union.

Therefore, Duan Xun believes that China and the Soviet Union have a basis for negotiation.

As for Xinjiang, the situation is different.Because Xinjiang took back the outer northwest and extended the controlled area to Lake Balkhash, directly threatening Central Asia.Therefore, dealing with the problems of the countries in Central Asia is completely different from dealing with the problems of the Far East.

"As for the development of several trading cities in the Far East, this is a good idea. To develop border areas, opening up trade is the best way. Moreover, although the Soviet Far East has a small population, it is rich in resources. Forest resources alone Not a little bit. This kind of trade cooperation should be strongly supported."

Duan Xun very much agrees with Mikoyang's proposal.

Even if two places are poor, if they want to develop, they should communicate with each other. This is the economy.Even though the population of the Far East of the Soviet Union is small and the economy is mediocre, developing trade with them will only benefit and not harm the economy of China's border areas.

"Then there is the issue of Afghanistan. I have already expressed our meaning. Tell them that our country has no idea about Afghanistan, but only hopes that Afghanistan will be stable. At the same time, it is emphasized that Afghanistan is an Asian country and a Central Asian country. The things in Afghanistan belong to Asia. things, and we don’t want European and American countries to interfere with things in Asia.”

"How did Mikoyan react?"

"Mikoyan replied that the Soviet Union did not have any territorial requirements for Afghanistan, nor did it have any other ideas. Like our country, the Soviet Union also hopes that Afghanistan will be stable, and no foreign forces will interfere with the stability of Afghanistan."

"That's a good attitude."

Duan Xun nodded.

As the "cemetery of empires", Afghanistan is a battleground for major powers.Since ancient times, none of the big countries that straddle Asia and Europe will let go of Afghanistan.Duan Xun does not have such big ambitions for Afghanistan, and Duan Xun does not want to develop aggressively in Central Asia.Because at present, or in the next few decades, Central Asia is where the core interests of the Soviet Union are located.Whoever intervenes in Central Asia is the enemy of the Soviet Union.Duan Xun did not want to confront the Soviet Union head-on in Central Asia.

Plus the Wakhan Corridor between China and Afghanistan is a very narrow strip.It is even more difficult to use this narrow area to influence China.This is the real place where one man is in charge of the other and ten thousand is not open.

Therefore, Duan Xun has no ambitions for Afghanistan.

But no ambition is no ambition, the position of Afghanistan is determined, and it is impossible for China to completely ignore the affairs of Afghanistan.Moreover, a big country like China is just to the east of Afghanistan, which means that things in Afghanistan cannot get around China.After all, Afghanistan borders China, and any major country that wants to control Afghanistan must pass through China.

Duan Xun's meaning is very simple.

Rather than the Soviet Union going deep into Afghanistan, Duan Xun does not want European and American countries to go deep into Afghanistan.Because China currently has many places where it can threaten the Soviet Union, but it has no means of restricting Europe and the United States.

The Balkhash Lake controlled by China is a dagger directly inserted into the Central Asian countries of the Soviet Union.There is also Da Lak controlled by China, which can also directly affect Central Asia.In addition, China is now strengthening its relationship with the All-India Muslim League, supporting them to establish Pakistan, and increasing ties with the future Pakistan.As long as Pakistan becomes an ally of China, China will be able to influence Afghanistan, Iran, and countries such as Saudi Arabia and Oman without going through Afghanistan.China can completely extend its influence to the Middle East through Pakistan.

So Duan Xun is not envious of Afghanistan.

Therefore, Duan Xun hopes to develop Afghanistan with the Soviet Union, or to control Afghanistan together.The Soviet Union must be very greedy for Afghanistan.Moreover, China is willing to allow the Soviet Union to intervene in Afghanistan because it hopes that there will be more conflicts of interest between the Soviet Union that controls Afghanistan and the European and American countries that control Iran.

Central Asia is a place that the Soviet Union attaches great importance to, and the Middle East is also something that European and American countries cannot give up.

"This matter also needs to continue to communicate with the Soviet Union. But there is a bottom line that must be adhered to, that is, Afghanistan must not be merged into the Soviet Union. It must be an independent country. In other respects, we can support the Soviet Union. We would rather Afghanistan be pro-Soviet I don’t want him to be a government that is pro-British and American.”

"Yes."

"What about the exit to the sea?"

This is what Duan Xun cares about the most.

China's sending Gu Weijun to the Soviet Union in person has already released a lot of goodwill.But Duan Xun also needs to know the attitude of the Soviet Union, and adjust his diplomacy according to their attitude.If the Soviet Union does not accept the offer and the Soviet Union does not want to cooperate with China, then Duan Xun will have to consider other methods.So the attitude of the Soviet Union is very important.

"The Soviet Union is very cautious in this regard, and does not express their opinions casually. However, when I negotiated with Mikoyan, I still felt the Soviet Union's desire for the sea. From several contacts, the Soviet Union is most interested in the Black Sea Strait .”

"It's pretty much what I thought."

This kind of grand strategy will basically not have too much error.

Because the strategies of many countries are already conspiracy.In particular, the strategies of major powers will not change much.Unless the leader of that big country is a lunatic and plays cards completely against common sense, otherwise the general strategy will not change.What has changed is the approach to implementing these strategies.Just like China wants to become the boss of Asia, this is already a certainty.European and American countries know it, even Japan knows it.But how to become the No. [-] in Asia depends on China's means.

The same goes for the Soviet Union.

They have wanted an outlet to the sea for hundreds of years, but which direction they will choose and how to seize an outlet to the sea needs everyone to judge.At present, the most likely access to the sea for the Soviet Union is the Black Sea Strait.So this is not a secret, and European and American countries also know it.But the biggest problem is how the Soviet Union got the Black Sea Strait.

"Don't worry. There are too many historical grievances and grievances between us and the Soviet Union, and we have just fought a few years ago. It is difficult to form trust in a short period of time. It is impossible for them to disclose some core issues to us. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to maintain close relations with them. Contact, slowly deepen the relationship between the two sides. Start negotiating and solving some small problems, and slowly increase the tacit understanding between the two sides. There is still time to fight in the current war. I don’t know how long it will take to defeat Germany. During this time Enough to continue to strengthen our relationship with the Soviet Union."

While listening to Gu Weijun's report, Duan Xun looked at Gu Weijun's written information.

I am very satisfied with Gu Weijun's results this time.After all, the relationship between China and the Soviet Union is not very good, and there are many historical grievances.However, when Gu Weijun went to Moscow this time, he met with many high-level officials in the Soviet Union, and even Stalin met with him twice.Obviously, the Soviet Union also intends to improve relations with China.

Of course, it is possible to really want to improve the relationship.

It is also possible that the current Soviet Union is under too much pressure, so it just wants to appease China.But no matter what the reason is, Duan Xun is very willing to improve relations with the Soviet Union at this stage.

"Things have been done well this time. You should go to Nanjing immediately. Vice Chairman Wang (Wang Jingwei) needs help. Especially the negotiations with Japan and Vietnam require you to go there."

"Yes."

736

"Imphal still didn't hold."

Mountbatten was discouraged.

Originally, he had hoped that Imphal could hold on.Although there are not many troops in the city of Imphal, there are two divisions and two brigades, about 4 people.Although the weapons and equipment are not as good as those of the Sixteenth Group Army, they are not bad at all, and they have everything they should have.Even better than the Japanese army.

Because Japan traveled long distances and crossed mountains and rivers, although they also brought some heavy weapons, they were not as large as the cannons they carried when fighting on the plains.The logistics of Japan's operations in Myanmar were very difficult, and the logistical problems became more and more serious after entering India.

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