Chapter 755

War wasn't something that could be started at will, especially in a system like England's. The cabinet didn't have the authority to start a war on their own.

But this wasn't something that could be discussed in parliament. If a few hundred parliament members knew, then the whole world would know.

By the time everyone was done arguing, it would be God's blessing if the other party didn't make the first move, let alone make the first move.

Although the Royal Navy had the upper hand, the Shinra Navy wasn't weak either. According to the original time and space book's standard of 70%, they could do it now.

When the new batch of battleships was installed, the difference in strength between the two sides would be even smaller. With the time difference of entering service earlier, they could make the first move.

Don't expect the king to take the blame for this. Edward VII wasn't George V. He wasn't easy to fool and wouldn't take the blame for them.

The Royal Navy had dominated for too long and the people were used to victory. Under such circumstances, winning the naval battle was a given. Losing would be a heinous crime.

Frankly speaking, if it wasn't for the long term, Campbell would probably choose to fool around and leave the trouble to the next one.

It wasn't a joke. There were already people in the cabinet who were ready to "retire due to illness." This included the Minister of War who was the most arrogant.

This was often the case in politics. Usually, the person who shouted the loudest would do the most cowardly thing.

The reason couldn't be more realistic. Everyone had confidence in the Royal Navy. Who had confidence in the lobster soldiers?

The enemy might not be able to defeat the Royal Navy on the sea, but could they not win on land?

The Minister of War, who didn't have any confidence, naturally wanted to run away.

This was Britannia's politics. As long as there wasn't a big political stain, they could make a comeback in a few years.

On the contrary, they had to work hard. If there was a failure on the battlefield, the Minister of War would have to take the blame.

At this position, those who could still push the blame to their leaders were all gods. Looking at the world's history, there were only a handful of them.

Others could retreat, but as the prime minister, Campbell couldn't escape. The interest groups behind him had paid a huge price to push him to power. Now was the time to reap the rewards. How could he retreat?

Since he couldn't avoid it, he could only take a gamble. Japan had a gambling heart, and betting on the fate of the country wasn't just for the Japanese.

When the British challenged the Spanish Invincible Fleet, it was also a gamble. The only difference was that the Englishman was better prepared, while the Japanese were hot-headed and started.

Shenluo's newly built warships were still in the dock, and there were still a few months before they were launched. The installation of the weapons and the run-in training all needed time.

After these things were completed, it would take a year or two for them to form. Such a long period of time was enough to create friction and incite conflicts.

On the other hand, how to trick the Shenluo Navy to come out for a decisive battle was a big problem. If the enemy continued to stay in the Mediterranean Sea to destroy warships, then they would really be finished after gathering a hundred and eighty battleships.

The gap in industrial strength was something that Campbell had experienced. In terms of numbers, Britain really couldn't keep up, even if they pulled in their allies.

In this day and age, products made in the United States were all knockoffs. If they wanted to play with high-tech battleships, even if they sent a full set of shipbuilding equipment and a full set of design drawings, they wouldn't be able to digest it in ten years.

The United States was much more powerful than it was now. Its industrial output and economic output were the world's largest.

Seeing the British making dreadnought, the Americans couldn't stand the loneliness and followed suit. It took three years and one month to build the 16000 ton South Carolina-class battleship.

Looking at the data on paper, the Americans had created many of the world's best. Including: the lowest displacement, the lowest power, the slowest speed, the strongest firepower …

It was fine if the performance couldn't keep up, but the speed of building ships was also a snail. At the same time, the British built the world's first dreadnought, which took only 14 months to build.

The explanation was that it took time to confirm the design plan, but under normal circumstances, didn't they confirm the design plan before starting?

They had already started, but the design plan hadn't been confirmed. There was only one possibility. The technology couldn't keep up and the original design plan couldn't be completed.

There was nothing strange about it. The shipyard responsible for building the South Carolina-class battleship was poaching people and buying technology while building, so it was understandable that it was slow.

Now it was even worse. After the division of the United States, the total industrial output was less than half of the original, let alone the quality.

Apart from this barely industrialized ally, Britannia's remaining little brother was really just a little brother.

Not to mention building dreadnoughts, there were only a handful of people who could build ironclads. Among them, the most developed shipbuilding industry was Japan, which was at war.

Not to mention building dreadnoughts, most people didn't dare to use warships built by the Japanese, except for the Japanese Navy. With the Royal Navy's pickiness of warships, it was impossible for them to enter their eyes.

This wouldn't do, that wouldn't do. In front of the Government of the United Kingdom, there was actually only one way left – to strike first and launch a war before the enemy finished preparing for war.

Of course, the premise was that Britannia completed its own preparations first. If he didn't prepare himself and decided to make the first move, it would be awkward.

This was also inseparable from Parliament. Without Parliament's approval, the Government of the United Kingdom didn't have the power to use hundreds of millions of pounds to prepare for war.

On June 1, 1904, the Campbell government proposed to Parliament to prepare to follow the example of the Holy Roman Empire to build a strategic material guarantee system.

…

Just as the British government was busy wrangling with the parliament, the transport airship that Shinro sold to the Tsarist government also arrived at the frontline in the Far East from Europe.

You get what you pay for. Although the price of the airship was a little expensive, the transportation speed was really not something that could be caught up with by manpower.

A distance of hundreds of kilometers could be traveled in a day. Once put into use, the Russian Army's logistical pressure was immediately reduced.

The strongholds that were originally isolated and could only be abandoned could now be defended by troops.

Anyway, there was wireless telegrams, so there was no fear of the enemy cutting off communication. If they were really forced, they could also use the airship to transport troops for reinforcements.

Without training, there was a risk?

What a joke, no matter how high the risk was, it was still gray animals taking risks, what did it have to do with the nobles?

As soon as the Russian Army's logistical pressure was reduced, the Japanese Army's bitter days came. One had to admit that the Hairy Bear's combat power was not just for show.

Although it was not the world's top level, it was enough to beat the half-baked Japanese Army. Especially the troops that were heavily influenced by Bushido and advocated bravery, they suffered heavy losses.

Facts once again proved that in the face of firearms, the strength of an individual was insignificant. No matter how brave they were, flesh and blood could not withstand machine guns and cannons.

Not only did they interrupt the Japanese Army's offensive momentum, but the Russian Army, which temporarily got rid of the logistical difficulties, even organized several counterattacks and achieved a lot of success.

In Tokyo, the defeat on the Far East battlefield immediately caused panic in the headquarters, and the shadow of failure shrouded everyone's hearts.

This time, the enemy was Russia. If they were not forced, the Government of Japan was not willing to go to war with the Russians at this time.

But there was no other way, the contradiction between Japan and Russia was not only a conflict of interest, but also a lack of personal grievances.

At this point, even if they wanted to stop, the Russians would not let them go.

Throwing away the battle report in his hand, Emperor Meiji reprimanded angrily, "Take a good look at what kind of war we are fighting.

The enemy's Siberian Railway has not been opened yet, and the Russians have only put in one-tenth of their forces. If we are at a disadvantage, how are we going to fight in the future? "

It could be seen that Emperor Meiji was really panicking now. The last time he reprimanded the military on the spot was during the Philippines Campaign.

But his expression at that time was obviously not as exaggerated as it was now. This also showed the seriousness of the problem.

Japan could not afford to lose, and neither could Emperor Meiji. Defeat meant the end. Even if he was the Emperor of Japan, his future would definitely not be good.

He would either die or go into exile. Once he fell into the hands of the Russians, he would be another canary for St. Peter's Castle.

There was no doubt that the cold climate of St. Peter's Castle could not accommodate a canary. When the Russians were almost done, it would be his turn to receive a lunch box.

Even in the European world, monarchs had immunity, but that was only for European monarchs. He couldn't hope that the Russians would recognize him as the Emperor of Japan, right?

The older people were, the more afraid they were of death. Emperor Meiji was no exception. He hadn't lived long enough, and didn't want to die so early.

Going into exile abroad seemed good, but it was also not suitable for a monarch with few relatives like him.

An exiled monarch without an umbrella was like a child holding a gold brick in a busy city. Maybe one day he would be eaten clean and sold to the Tsarist government.

In the face of the angry Emperor, everyone tacitly lowered their heads. It couldn't be helped that Meiji wasn't Taisho, and they couldn't be presumptuous.

Perhaps they had enough here, so during Taisho's reign, everyone intentionally or unintentionally suppressed him, which drove him crazy.

In particular, a few people in the military buried their heads as low as possible, trying to reduce their presence as much as possible, like ostriches.

Under the gaze of his colleagues, as the Prime Minister, Taro Katsura had to stand up.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. The loss on the front line is only temporary, and the overall situation on the battlefield is still in our favor. As long as we work together, we will definitely … "

Before Taro Katsura finished his words, Emperor Meiji's murderous gaze landed on him, forcing him to swallow the rest of his words.

"I don't want to talk nonsense. If you want to boost morale, go talk to the officers and soldiers on the front line. What I want now is a response plan.

Don't tell me you don't know what this means. Once the Russians get rid of the logistical pressure, can the Imperial Army really win? "

It wasn't that Emperor Meiji wanted to boost the morale of others and destroy his own prestige. It was because the difference in strength between Japan and Russia was too great. Whether it was quantity or quality, they couldn't compare to Russia.

The only advantage was geography. The Russians had to cross the vast snow-covered Siberia to reach the Far East, while the Japanese Army was right at their doorstep.

Yamagata Aritomo: "Your Majesty, the logistical problem of the Russians hasn't really been solved. At present, they mainly rely on airships to increase the transportation speed.

But the airship's transportation capacity is limited, and it also has high requirements for the weather. The transportation cost is extremely high, and it is impossible to meet the needs of the more than 400,000 Russian Army on the front line.

What's more, it's not like we don't have a way to deal with it. As early as the European War, Shinra used planes to deal with French airships, and the effect was very good. We can do the same now.

The real trouble is the Empire of the Far East. If it weren't for them selling strategic supplies to the Russians, the Russian Army on the front line would have collapsed by now.

I suggest the Imperial Navy send out a warning to the Empire of the Far East to be more obedient and order them to stop selling supplies to the Russians. "

Although they didn't want to admit it, it was the Empire of the Far East that decided the outcome of the Russo-Japanese War.

Without waiting for the Navy to respond, Foreign Minister Inoue Kaoru objected, "No! At this time, it is not suitable for us to provoke the Empire of the Far East.

If they are forced into a corner and directly lead to the Russians, the Empire will really be in danger. "

The military and the government looked at problems differently. The threat of force was indeed the simplest and most effective way to solve the problem, but it also depended on the time.

At this time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was too busy trying to win over the Empire of the Far East. How could they tolerate the military pushing the other party into the arms of the enemy?

Ito Hirobumi: "Inoue-kun is right. We really can't provoke the Empire of the Far East now. Now that they remain neutral, it is already the best result for the Empire.

Don't forget that they still have a secret agreement with the Russians. If it weren't for the fact that the Russians were too greedy, not only did they not help the Empire of the Far East, but they also profited from the burning house, the current situation in the Far East would be completely different.

If we provoke them again, with Shinra mediating, maybe the two countries will form an alliance again.

Our strength is limited, and it is impossible to fight against two big countries at the same time. Although the Empire of the Far East has decayed, the new trained army still has some combat power.

One Russia made us exhausted. If the two countries join forces, the Empire has no chance of winning.

At present, as long as the Empire of the Far East does not openly support the Russians, we must focus on winning.

The aftermath of the Sino-Japanese War has not yet dissipated, and there is a new hatred. In order to make them remain neutral, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has done its best.

Now the Empire of the Far East government has not made a move at all. It is just some smuggling among the people. There is no need to make a fuss at all.

Whether it is sending troops to intercept, or bribing bandits to cause destruction, we can solve the problem. Why make a fuss? "

The overall situation has always been what the Japanese military lacks the most. Perhaps the influence of Bushido was too deep, or perhaps the militarism was too extreme, the Japanese Army liked to fight without saying a word!

If it wasn't for the Meiji government being strong enough to suppress the arrogance of the military and let the Japanese military do whatever they want, it was estimated that Japan would have already been destroyed.

However, this kind of suppression, with the outbreak of war, became more and more powerless. It can be said that after every victory in a foreign war, the power of the military will expand.

In the original time and space, after the death of this group of old ministers, the Japanese military completely lost control. And not only the government lost control of the military, but the top military officials also lost control of the radical officers and soldiers below.

At present, there were already signs of losing control, but everyone was busy with the war and did not realize this "small problem."

Yamagata Aritomo: "Ito-kun, things are not so simple. The Imperial Army has long been working on cracking down on smuggling.

Unlike the previous sporadic smuggling activities, the current smuggling activities had reached a certain scale.

Large and small caravans have gathered together to form an escort team. They are even equipped with machine guns and mortars. Their combat power has surpassed the regular army of the Empire of the Far East.

Not to mention ordinary bandits, even the Imperial Army can't do anything to them if the number of people is less than a company.

What's more, behind these caravans, there are local gangsters involved. Every time we organize troops to encircle and suppress them, the news will be leaked in advance. "

Interests are always the best catalyst. With Louis's participation, although the kickbacks still have to be given, the payment of goods has never been blackmailed by the Russian bureaucrats.

With the guarantee of interests, everyone's enthusiasm to participate has also increased. Compared to the shining silver, bandits and bandits are nothing at all.

Even if the Japanese army personally goes to battle, it is useless. If the number of troops sent is small, the caravan guards will push back; if the number of troops sent is large, the news will be leaked.

Fighting in other people's territory, it is impossible to mobilize the army without leaving any traces.

With the participation of arms dealers, there is naturally no lack of radio stations. It can be said that the transmission of information by the caravans is more smooth and convenient than the transmission of orders by the Japanese Army.

If it wasn't for the fact that it is impossible to deal with, Yamagata Aritomo would not have brought it up. After all, it is also very embarrassing.

…