10 Downing Street, London, UK.
In the Prime Minister Duke Wellington's office, the two looked at each other silently. Today, the Duke of Wellington did not even go to the meeting of the House of Commons. He just stayed in his study and held a secret meeting with another Prime Minister of the British Empire, the Prime Minister of the Indian Empire, Earl Amherst. The only person standing guard next to him was Huck, the cabinet secretary who had served four British prime ministers and was still standing today.
It was quiet in the office. The two British Prime Ministers stared at each other for an unknown amount of time before hearing the Duke of Wellington sigh and say: "William, how did the situation deteriorate so quickly? When I left, everything It’s all quite controllable!”
The Prime Minister of India, Earl William Peter Amherst, shook his head, "Duke, once the war breaks out, what can be controlled? What's more, this war is a war for all of us, and everyone will join it sooner or later. If If we cannot win, then the future world will be dominated by yellow people!"
The Duke of Wellington frowned: "Although everyone will join sooner or later, it is better to join later than to join earlier. This is also the consensus I reached with His Majesty the Emperor when I left India... We should Protect the United Kingdom as much as possible so that she will suffer as little pain as possible from the war. Now...is the situation so critical that the United Kingdom must join in?"
In fact, it was not the will of Emperor William and the Duke of Wellington to postpone Britain's participation in the war as much as possible, but the entire elite class that ruled the British Empire, especially the big aristocrats, big bankers, and big industrialists in the UK. will. In their vision, it would be best for this world war to replicate the course of the Napoleonic Wars, with the British Empire generally hiding behind a safe rear and using money and military aid to bribe other countries to serve as cannon fodder. Britain's filial son India and its rebellious son America are ideal cannon fodder countries.
The Indian Prime Minister looked at the British Prime Minister, shook his head slightly and said: "Duke, I think you should have received a comprehensive and detailed report... Although we have repeatedly claimed victory, the actual situation is on the verge of collapse! The Navy is The Strait of Malacca and the Strait of Great Britain suffered disastrous defeats, and we actually lost control of the Indian Ocean. After the Ming Dynasty's cutting-edge battleships and aircraft carrier formations attacked Mumbai, we had to lift the blockade of the Persian Gulf and urgently withdrew the occupied Malacca Strait. Skate's troops, and transferred the Second Indian Ocean Fleet from the Andaman Islands back to the Western Indian Ocean. This also means that the Malay Peninsula has actually become an isolated island, although Admiral Hugh Gough has ordered the Indian Royal The Army has deployed strong defenses on the Malay Peninsula, which is enough to last for 6-12 months. But as long as we cannot regain control of the East Indian Ocean, the Malay Peninsula will eventually fall.
Once the Ming Dynasty seizes the Malay Peninsula and puts the Strait of Malacca under its complete control, their main naval force will be able to move freely between the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific... They can either choose to attack India or There is an option to attack Australia, and we must be prepared in advance to deal with this difficult situation. "
Now the First Indian Fleet has "successfully defended" the Red Sea! Well, this is another "Kaiser Wilhelm-style victory"!
Dozens of old battleships, armored cruisers and second- and third-class cruisers, under the cover of the Second Indian Fleet, bypassed the Gulf of Oman and sailed into the Gulf of Aden. Then they merged with the Gulf of Aden Squadron and transformed into defenders. The Su Yins fleet of the United Kingdom of Europe and the Mediterranean!
Of course, the Su Yinshi fleet is not all concentrated in Su Yinshi Port (the south entrance of the Su Yinshi Canal), but is stationed in Port Su Yinshi, Port Said and Port Aden. At the same time, it also firmly controls Pirin Island in the Bab el-Mandab Strait (less than 30 kilometers wide) - this island is a bare volcanic island with an area of only 13 square kilometers. As early as when the Su Yinshi Canal was started, it fell into the hands of the British together with the Port of Aden. The British built docks, forts, coal bunkers, and barracks there, turning it into a fortress guarding the Suins Canal. This time the British army added more troops to Pi Lin Island, deploying a whole regiment of British and Indian infantry, and also deployed a dozen Vickers 3-pound cannon that had been modified to shoot in the air, and were also equipped with A large number of horse-drawn machine guns that can fire into the air.
The defense of Aden Port, which was converted into a fortress at the same time as Pilin Island, has also been greatly strengthened. The British not only sent several additional army regiments there, but also assigned four old battleships, four armored cruisers and ten second- and third-class battleships to the Gulf of Aden Squadron (now part of the United Kingdom's Suins Fleet). Cruisers, their mission is to protect the safety of British and Indian transport ships entering and leaving the Gulf of Aden.
In addition, Socotra Island, located outside the Gulf of Aden, was also controlled by the British this time. They sent a brigade of British and Indian infantry to the island and prepared to build an airship landing site.
The airships deployed on this island will become the eyes of the Gulf of Aden Squadron, conducting reconnaissance in advance when the Gulf of Aden Squadron undertakes escort missions to discover the approaching Ming Dynasty Navy breakup formation.
Although after this "Kaiser William-style victory", Britain does not need to worry about the safety of the Suins Canal, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the time being. However, the strength of the Royal Indian Navy has been greatly weakened. Only the original Second Indian Fleet can be used to protect the lifeline on the west coast of India and the western Indian Ocean. For the time being, it can no longer take care of supporting the operations on the Malay Peninsula.
Therefore, the fall of the Malay Peninsula is only a matter of time, and the fall of the Malay Peninsula means that the initiative in the war begins to transfer to the hands of the Ming Dynasty!
With the Strait of Malacca as a hub, from now on the Ming Dynasty's navy can attack India if it wants to attack India, and Australia if it wants to attack Australia... And the British limited navy will be deployed in the Indian Ocean, South Pacific, Mediterranean, and North Atlantic. and around the mainland (to guard against France and Rakshasa).
The situation is indeed very critical and must be dealt with with all our strength!
"But once the United Kingdom launches a full-scale war mobilization, it will mean unstoppable fiscal and trade deficits!" Although the Duke of Wellington is a soldier, he is not ignorant of economic issues. "And France, which is outside the war, It is very likely to become a safe haven for capital... Once capital flows from Britain to France in large quantities, it will be difficult for us to maintain a long-term war! In fact, the prosperity of the United Kingdom benefits from the long-term avoidance of European capital. insurance needs.”
"Duke," Count Amherst said, "we have already considered this question... We must drag everyone into the water! Because what is happening is a war between civilizations, and no European can stay out of it. , otherwise the Yellow Peril will sweep through Europe again. We have to tie as many people as possible onto our chariots! Only in this way can we win... Even if we don't win, the price will be all Let’s all bear it together.”
Duke Wellington frowned and was silent for a while, then nodded and said: "Earl, I understand what you mean and how critical the current situation is... But you still have to give me some time. We need to have a good talk with the Whigs and the bankers who control the wealth of half of Europe. I think if those people knew how critical the current situation is, they would definitely choose to side with us. Because also Only we can protect their interests! Huck, do you think so?"
Harker, the Chief Secretary to the Cabinet, who was standing aside and remained silent during the conversation between the two Prime Ministers, heard the Duke of Wellington's question and immediately smiled and replied: "Yes, Prime Minister."
"Huck," asked the Duke of Wellington, "do you know who you are looking for?"
"Yes, Prime Minister!"
"Okay, let's go! I want to meet with them as soon as possible, right at No. 10 Downing Street."
"Yes, Prime Minister!"
