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The Fourth Chinese Empire Piaotian Literature www.piaotia.com Chapter 704 Let Him Die

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    It's five o'clock in the morning London time, it's still dark, and heavy snow like goose feathers is still floating in the sky.  // //However, the important ministers of the British cabinet have gathered in the Prime Minister's Office in Downing Street despite the severe cold.  However, everyone's faces were very ugly. On the way here, they had been informed of what happened in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.  The British and French navies were severely defeated, and the Chinese navy had already entered the Red Sea.  It can be seen that the hundreds of thousands of British and French troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will face a disaster.  And they, the cabinet members, will have to take responsibility for this disaster.

    "Gentlemen, there is no doubt that the British Empire is facing a disaster now. Our hundreds of thousands of troops in the Middle East will be in a life and death crisis. And we are likely to lose this war. Now, we should  What should we do?" Prime Minister Arthur Balfour said, looking at everyone.  He now feels more and more that participating in this war with China for the Middle East was a mistake.  However, there is no regret medicine in this world.

    "If we sue the Chinese for peace now, will they agree? The worst case scenario is that the Middle East is just a desert. The Middle East is just a desert anyway!" Finance Minister Charles Thomson Ridge suggested.

    "Huh! The Middle East is no longer a barren land. There is a huge amount of oil under that land!" Colonial Secretary Edward Gray said.  The coup instigated by China in Kuwait has shaken the British colonial system in the Middle East. This is simply unacceptable to Britain, which regards colonies as the foundation of the country.

    "So what if we have oil? Now that crude oil is cheap, we can buy as much oil as we want from the United States. We don't have to fight the Chinese to the death," said Finance Minister Charles Thomson Ridge.

    "It's over now. We have invested hundreds of thousands of troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is impossible to stop. The Chinese have now gained an absolute advantage. If we sue for peace with them, they will definitely  Putting forward conditions that are unacceptable to us!" said Lord Lansdowne, the Foreign Secretary.  He had already contacted China some time ago, but at that time, China was secretly preparing a counterattack plan and was very tough on the peace proposal put forward by the British.

    "So. We have to fight the Chinese?" Prime Minister Arthur Balfour said.  However, now it seems that if we continue to fight, we will definitely lose.  Knowing that it was a failure but having no way to change it made Prime Minister Arthur Balfour very frustrated.

    "Although it does not mean that defeat is inevitable. But the possibility of victory is very low! The latest intelligence obtained by the Army Department shows that the reinforcements sent by the Chinese to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have not entered the Persian Gulf!" Field Marshal Neville Bowles Chamberlain  Jazz said.

    "What does this mean? Your Excellency, Marshal!" Prime Minister Arthur Balfour asked.

    "The reinforcements sent by the Chinese are likely to follow their navy. These troops are not going to support the Saudi Kingdom's battlefield, but to take the coalition's retreat. There is even a possibility. If the Chinese  If you really plan to do this, the coalition forces will be really in danger!" Field Marshal Sir Neville Bowles Chamberlain said.

    "What's possible?" Prime Minister Arthur Balfour's heart tightened, and he suddenly had a very ominous premonition.

    "The troops sent by the Chinese are probably headed for Egypt. To be precise, they are heading for the Suez Canal. As long as the Chinese occupy the canal, our coalition forces with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be cut off. By then,  Hundreds of thousands of troops will lose supplies. Without supplementary supplies, hundreds of thousands of troops can only hold on for a month at most before surrendering to the Chinese because of lack of food!" Sir Chamberlain said.

    "Oh God! No. We absolutely cannot let this happen!" The cabinet ministers exclaimed one after another.

    "But, can we still stop all this now? The navy is retreating, and the Chinese are approaching the Suez Canal!" Sir Chamberlain was very frustrated.  This war was also a turning point in his life.  After the defeat of the British and French forces, he may have to step down.

    Everyone looked at Lord Admiralty Sir John Fisher.  This crisis was caused by the defeat of the navy.  Of course, this is actually not to blame the British Navy.  The Chinese are very well prepared for this counterattack.  Almost everyone did not expect that the Chinese would break through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait through a submarine sneak attack.  Before this, almost everyone thought that the Bab el Mandeb Strait held by the British and French navies was foolproof.  Six advanced battleships and sixty 305mm main guns blocked the main channel of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. No battleship could pass through such a tight blockade.  However, the British and French navies were able to blockade the water, but they were unable to block the water, which ultimately led to a disastrous defeat.

    Sir John FisherThe soldier also felt bitter in his heart and could not express it. The navy would undoubtedly be responsible for this failure.  However, he also felt very wronged. The Chinese were really too despicable for adopting such a sneak attack. Why couldn't they just fight an upright battle with the Royal Navy of the British Empire?  If the two sides were to engage in a decisive battle of battleships at sea, Sir John Fisher believed that even if they would inevitably fail in the end, they would not lose so miserably.  At the very least, it will cause huge harm to the Chinese Navy.

    "Sir Fisher, is there any way the Navy can save the current crisis?" Prime Minister Arthur Balfour asked.  In the past few years, a large part of the British fiscal revenue has been invested in the navy, and the strength of the navy is also recovering rapidly.  However, there is still a long way to go before returning to the world's most powerful country.  Except for the 'Dreadnought' class, all the new battleships under construction by the Navy are still under construction.  The Bellerophon-class battleship will not be commissioned until the end of next year.  During this period, the British Navy only had 'Dreadnought-class' battleships and the old 'Pre-Dreadnought-class' battleships available.  These warships alone cannot compete with the powerful Chinese Navy.

    Sir John Fisher shook his head: "The four battleships cruising in the Mediterranean are already preparing to enter the Red Sea through the Suez Canal. However, we need time. It will take at least a day and a half for them to reach the fighting sea area. And  Prior to this, the main force of the Chinese Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet had already caught up with the fleeing Lieutenant General Howard. Lieutenant General Howard only had one battleship 'Formidable' and one battleship 'Paris' in his hands, but he wanted to  What we are facing are two Chinese 'Qin-class' battleships, two 'Zhonghua-class' battleships, and one 'Baiqi-class' battlecruiser. In terms of combat power, our 'Dreadnought-class' has the most  It can compete with the Chinese 'Zhonghua Class', but there is still a big gap when facing the 'Qin Class' battleship. Therefore, Vice Admiral Howard has no way to escape this time. Once Vice Admiral Howard's fleet is annihilated, our remaining  Even if the four battleships intercept the Chinese fleet, they will not be able to change the situation of the war."

    Everyone frowned, and they had no doubts about Sir John Fisher's analysis.  Obviously, Vice Admiral Howard's fleet will be annihilated soon. Once Vice Admiral Howard's fleet is annihilated, the remaining four battleships will not be able to confront the Chinese Navy.

    "I think we still have a chance!" said Field Marshal Sir Neville Bowles Chamberlain.

    "Oh? Is there any way?" Everyone looked at Sir Chamberlain, hoping that he could come up with some way to save the current crisis.

    "We still have six new battleships in Portsmouth! Let them go to the Mediterranean, and we may not be incapable of fighting the Chinese!" Sir Chamberlain said.

    "That is an American warship. They will not agree to fight the Chinese!" Sir John Fisher said.

    "Benefits! As long as we give the Americans enough benefits, they will agree! Now, we have no other way but to do this!" Sir Chamberlain said.

    "Well, this is a way. Lord Lansdowne, please contact the United States and put forward our requirements to them. No matter what conditions the Americans propose, we can negotiate!" Prime Minister Arthur Balfour said  .  As for the consequences of this, it is no longer something that can be considered now. What we have to consider now is getting through this crisis.

    "Yes, Your Excellency Prime Minister!" Lord Lansdowne nodded.

    "Also, send a telegram to that idiot Lieutenant General Howard to stop running away and fight the Chinese. Fight the Chinese like a brave naval soldier of the British Empire!" Sir Chamberlain said.

    "Vice Admiral Howard only has two battleships in his hands, and he is no match for the Chinese. Asking him to fight the Chinese is asking him to die!" Sir Fisher frowned.

    "He can't escape anyway. Rather than being killed in embarrassment, it's better to die in a dignified battle. As long as he can seriously damage or sink a Chinese navy battleship, then we may not have a chance. If he can seriously damage or sink two  If it¡¯s a ship, that would be even better!¡± Sir Chamberlain said with a smile.

    Everyone was silent. Obviously, Sir Chamberlain's suggestion was cruel, but it was a very feasible plan for the British Empire.  Once successful, the British Navy may not rely on the US Navy, and the British Navy may also have the opportunity to change the current situation.  However, everyone knows that this will be a narrow escape for Lieutenant General Howard!

    A few minutes later, Sir John Fisher said: "I will send a telegram to Lieutenant General Howard. It is worthy to give one's life for the British Empire!"

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