United Kingdom, Cabinet Meeting.

Indian Affairs Minister Emory said: "On the issue of the Yunnan-Burma Highway, I strongly oppose a compromise with Japan, which can only lead to new demands from the Japanese, as Germany did in previous years. We are in a difficult situation, and the only thing we have to do is to make a courageous gesture to the world and reject any threats! ”

British Foreign Secretary Halifax also said: "I support Mr. Emory, I think Japan is just bluffing, and Britain should not be too nervous." As long as China holds Japan back, they will not have enough troops to invade Southeast Asia. What we need to do is to give China some help, not to push China into the fascist camp. ”

Attlee, the Lord of the Seals, went on to say: "Your Excellency, we are not fighting a local war, nor a European war, but a world war. Any potential allies need to be wooed, including China, the Soviet Union, and the government in exile of Charles de Gaulle. It is true that it is not good to start a war with Japan now, but what if we continue to compromise and China is annexed by Japan? I don't think it's advisable to trade the ease of the present for a worse situation in the future. ”

More than 80 percent of cabinet ministers support the reopening of the Yunnan-Burma Highway.

You know, Halifax was Chamberlain's designated successor to prime minister, and he always advocated a policy of appeasement with foreign compromise. But now even the appeasementists want to be tough on Japan, which shows that the British old men look down on Japan, and still less do they think that Japan can pose much of a threat to Britain.

The real compromiser with Japan happened to be Churchill, who had always been tough, and if he had not insisted on going his own way, Britain would not have been able to close the Burma Highway.

Churchill reassured the crowd by saying, "Japan is a beast, like Nazi Germany." The reopening of the Burma Highway would easily provoke a Japanese attack, and all the burden would fall on the shoulders of Britain, not on the shoulders of the United States, where it should have fallen. The United States has made it clear that it will not intervene in the Eurasian conflict, and we must drag it out, even if it is delayed until China surrenders to Japan, as long as the United States is willing to enter the war, then everything has room for maneuver. ”

Emery, the secretary of state for Indian affairs, immediately asked: "If China chooses to surrender, and the Japanese and Chinese armies attack the Far Eastern colonies together, or even invade India, how will Britain deal with it?" ”

Churchill laughed: "China surrendered to Japan, and the United States is more anxious than us." To put it irresponsibly, I wish China would surrender as soon as possible, and then the United States would inevitably enter the war ahead of schedule. I'd rather give up India in exchange for the entry of the United States! ”

Attlee slapped the table angrily: "We can't pin all our hopes on the United States, victory is won on our own!" ”

Halifax also said: "First of all, if you follow your strategy, then Britain will lose its international reputation and position even if it wins the war. At that time, Southeast Asia will be American, India will also be American, and you are the sinner of the British Empire! ”

Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Butler added: "According to a secret telegram from the special envoy to China, Japan has slowed down its offensive against China, and the German ambassador to China is also actively lobbying Chinese officials in Chongqing. The diplomatic situation is very unfavorable for us, and China is likely to surrender this time. In addition, according to a secret telegram from Mr. Klaiqi, the Japanese cabinet has already revised the so-called policy of 'Greater East Asia Co-prosperity,' and their latest formulation is 'Greater Asia Co-prosperity,' and they have even included West Asia in Japan's sphere of influence. Once Japan penetrates India and advances into Western Asia, our colonies in the Middle East and North Africa will be flanked by Italy and Japan. ”

Attlee said: "The Yunnan-Burma Highway must be reopened immediately to prevent China from falling into the arms of Japan!" ”

Churchill forcefully said: "Gentlemen, I do not think it is necessary to make a decision too soon. The United States also has a mission to visit China, and we can wait and see what they do, and Britain cannot save the world on its own now. ”

As time went on, Churchill's cabinet rhetoric became more and more forceful, and it is hard to imagine that he had been coerced into making peace with Italy by the foreign affairs two months earlier.

Seeing that the cabinet officials were still opposed, Churchill gave another two-hour speech, constantly telling about the difficult situation of Britain, and successfully shifted everyone's attention to the security of the homeland, and the topic of the Far East was closed.

That night, Zhou Hexuan took Ma Jue to Churchill's house for dinner.

The Prime Minister's wife, Clementina, cooked some traditional British food and some American dishes. Well, the Prime Minister's wife lived in the United States for two years and lived with a handsome young man, for which Churchill chose to forgive.

Churchill is not a loss, he had a mistress half a year ago, but after becoming prime minister, he broke off contact, after all, reputation and career are important, and he does not have so much energy to take care of women. It was not until the war eased that Churchill paid for his mistress, who was married to the United States and had a bad life.

Churchill's children are all grown up and have their own lives and careers, so they don't live in Downing Street, and today's dinner is just for the four of them.

Clementina took the initiative to pull Ma Jue to chat: "I heard that Miss Ma is a doctor from the London School of Economics and Political Science, that's really amazing, they rarely produce female doctors." ”

Ma Jue smiled: "Thank you for the compliment, I just studied hard, not too smart, Your Excellency the Prime Minister is the one with great wisdom." ”

Clementina smiled and said, "He has no talent, only perseverance that others don't have." ”

Zhou Hexuan said: "What Britain lacks most now is perseverance, so Mr. Churchill became prime minister, which is the right choice for the British people." The same is true of China, which is far inferior to Japan in military, economic, and technological aspects, and only has the strength to support it until now. ”

Churchill frowned and said, "Zhou, today I will only talk about literature and art. ”

Zhou Hexuan smiled: "Of course, I won't be disappointed." ”

Clementina softened the mood and said, "When Winnie [Churchill] was young, he thought about being a writer, and you should have a lot in common. ”

Churchill smiled and said, "I still keep the dream of being a writer." Maybe after the war is over, I will give up all my duties and write a great work. ”

"Then I wish you the Nobel Prize in Literature." Zhou Hexuan said with a smile.

Churchill said, "No one can say for sure, maybe he will really win the prize." ”

To be honest, Churchill's literary skills are very strong, but he later won the Nobel Prize in Literature, I am afraid that the social value is higher than the literary value. Who has seen a history reader win the Nobel Prize for Literature other than Churchill?

At the dinner table, everyone chatted about literature together, as if the shadow of the world war did not exist at all.

After the dinner, Clementina pulled Ma Jue to chat, while Churchill and Zhou Hexuan entered the study.

Throwing a cigar over, Churchill struck a match and asked, "Zhou, when do you think the United States will be able to enter the war?" ”

Zhou Hexuan said: "When Japan is fully expanding into the Pacific region. ”

Churchill said, "If Japan does not expand the war, will the United States never enter the war?" ”

Zhou Hexuan said: "Roosevelt had to convince the congressmen. ”

"That's difficult." Churchill Road.

Zhou Hexuan smiled: "We can help." ”

"How can I help?" Churchill asked.

Zhou Hexuan said: "For example, print a map in the name of the German government. In that map, all of South and Central America was Germany's territory, while all of Asia and the Pacific was Japan's territory, and Italy ate Africa, the Mediterranean, and Eastern Europe. ”

Churchill clapped his hands and said, "When the time comes, find another American newspaper and publish this map to hype it up." While it may not be possible to fool American politicians, the reaction of the American people is certainly interesting. ”