At the beginning of 1933, perhaps because of the weather, or perhaps because all sides were somewhat exhausted after a round of fierce fighting, and needed to recuperate, the world war entered a rare lull. From the Balkans to the Pacific, except for the fierce fighting between the Soviet and German armies on the Balkan battlefield, the sound of guns and artillery on the rest of the battlefields has gradually thinned out, but the political and diplomatic transactions and changes have become even more dazzling.

Caliph Hussein left the port of Jeddah in the Arabian Peninsula in early January 1933 and crossed the Red Sea to Port Sudan, where he was warmly welcomed by the local Muslin leaders. However, the British Empire and the Kingdom of Egypt, which really ruled Sudan, did not send any representatives to Port Sudan to greet the caliph with more than 100,000 troops.

With the fall of Mecca and the flight of the caliphate, the cause of counter-revolution in the entire world of Msling seems to have gradually fallen into a low ebb. The Soviet army, which had captured Mecca and most of the Arabian Peninsula, did not take advantage of the victory to seize the port of Jeddah and the Suez Canal, but devoted its main energies to consolidating the "liberated areas" and eliminating the influence of "feudal superstition" with an iron fist. The Muslim forces in northwestern India and Afghanistan and their allies, the Anglo-Indian Army, also retreated, and by the end of December 1932 they had lost all of Punjab and most of Peshawar to Kashmir and Afghanistan. However, the Indian Front under the command of Blyukhel did not chase after them, and now they are also in big trouble, and there is a severe shortage of food supplies in the liberated areas of India! Although they captured the Punjab, India's largest grain-producing region, they did not gain much food before the Anglo-Indian army and the Musling army retreated. Tens of millions of tons of grain were burned! Seeing that a terrible famine was about to sweep through the liberated areas, Blyukherr and Lu Yi had no choice but to change their original plans and intensify their efforts to carry out an agrarian revolution in the liberated areas. It was hoped that enough food would be seized from the reactionary Brahmins and Kshatriya landlord classes to tide them over.

At the same time, Britain's domestic political situation also underwent changes, and due to the defeat of the British army in the Middle East and India, MacDonald's cabinet finally collapsed, and was replaced by Neville, a Conservative member. The wartime cabinet led by Chamberlain, Qiu Fatzi retained the throne of the Minister of the Navy, and as always, he played a bulldog who likes to hold mice. A very strong plan was put forward at a cabinet meeting to restore the British Empire's rule in the Middle East and India, and to expand the army to 2.5 million to 3 million men by 1933. And prepare for a counteroffensive against India in the coming year. According to his view, the strength of Britain, China, and Germany now far exceeds that of the Soviet Union, and the reason why they are passive everywhere is because the strength of the three countries has not been used in one place. As long as the three countries of Britain, Germany and China. Able to agree on the future power structure of the world. The expansion of the USSR will soon be contained!

Although this nosy fat man is very unlikable in London, all political figures have to admit that his analysis is very to the point. The British Empire has long lost its ability to dominate the world, and in the future it can only retreat to the next best thing, seeking to lead the world with several major powers...... And the major powers don't just want an empty leadership, they want real things, such as land, resources, and spheres of influence. Of course, the leaders of the British Empire did not forget about another world power across the ocean. In particular, on January 20, 1933, Franklin. In his inaugural address, Roosevelt openly expressed the stability of the situation in the Pacific. After the security and prosperity of the United States are closely related. The new Foreign Secretary, Anthony Murphy. The first country Aiden visited was the United States, and he also sent President Roosevelt a letter from Prime Minister Chamberlain, inviting him to meet with the British Prime Minister at a convenient time to discuss the possibility of joint war against Japan.

The sudden change in the attitude of the United States immediately plunged Soviet Japan, which was on the cusp of the storm, into agitation.

Recently, various emergency meetings have been held frequently in the Akasaka Imperial Palace, especially the news that the US Pacific Fleet has announced the relocation of its home port from San Diego, California, to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, which has made the top management of the Japanese GCD feel extremely anxious and panicked. What made them even more disturbing was that the Soviet Union remained silent about this, did not publicly condemn the United States for supporting Japan, but only sent Yasuo Yasuda, Japan's plenipotentiary representative in Moscow, back to Tokyo to explain the Soviet Union's position and advice to the Japanese.

"Comrade President, this is a personal letter from Comrade Trotsky to you." Yasuo Yasuda carefully pulled out an envelope from his bag. Recently, Takeda Heng has behaved a little strangely, hiding in the heavily guarded Akasaka Palace all day as an otaku, and he hasn't appeared in public for more than a month. And he doesn't seem to be at ease with the people around him, he has to arrange someone to interview him before every meal, and the room he sleeps in is not the same every night, and he doesn't share the room with his wife Takeda Lan or the Japanese concubine he originally loved, but asked for a few Russian beauties through the Soviet Embassy in Japan, and he also reached three watches every night. Yasuo, however, knew that the Japanese Trotsky had now sensed that the end was near, and was hurrying to have fun!

"Comrade President, Comrade Trotsky has asked me to convey to you that the decision-making mechanism of US imperialism is very slow, and it is not for President Roosevelt to make a decision, and now they are not very willing to go to war at home, and only want to get out of the economic depression as much as possible, and if we can stop the blockade of the Pacific shipping lanes and at the same time issue a few more large orders to the United States, I believe that the time for the US attack can be postponed.

Moreover, Comrade Trotsky also believed that there had always been differences between China and the United States over Japan. China is bent on annexing Japan, while the United States wants to make Japan its vassal, and at the same time serve as an important barrier for the United States to contain China's access to the Pacific. Therefore, China does not actually want to see Japan defeated by the United States, and the United States does not want to see China dominate Japan. Therefore, we can still use the contradictions between China and the United States to resolve the current crisis......

Before I returned to Japan, Comrade Astrov, director of the Air Force of the Soviet Red Army, told me that a breakthrough had been made in the work of imitating the new British fighter plane, and that the test flight of the new aircraft had been completed. It will be named the I-18 and will soon be put into production, and the development of the I-18 carrier-based version is also very smooth. It can be finalized by the end of June this year at the latest. Comrade Astrov also said that in the second quarter of this year, the Red Air Force can send a group of outstanding pilots with actual combat jīngyàn to Japan, with a total of about 500 pilots. In addition, the Soviet Central Design Bureau has designed a single-wing ground-to-sea attack aircraft using a 1,000-horsepower AM25 liquid-cooled engine modeled after the United Kingdom, which will be tested next month. By the end of this year, we will be able to supply us with 500 naval ...... of these aircraft."

Yasuo Yasuda was very careful in his introduction, and even took out a few photos of the Yi-18 and the kind of Soviet attack aircraft that had not yet been finally named for Takeda to see. The two planes in the photo above both look similar, except that one is a slightly smaller single-seater. One is that the two-seater is slightly larger, and it is estimated that they are all based on the captured British fighters. Takeda didn't seem to have much interest, just listened listlessly, but it was Takeda Heng's old warrior Wu Teng Nobuyoshi who snorted coldly: "It's for the plane and the pilot again." It seems that Trotsky wants us to fight the United States to the death! ”

Yasuo Yasuda just wanted to speak. Takeda Heng next to him smiled bitterly and said, "What to fight?" Just 10 aircraft carriers and 7 or 800 advanced aircraft given by the Soviets? Hehe, did Trotsky not forget that our opponents are not only the United States, but also China and Britain? ”

As soon as his words fell, Masanosuke Watanabe, the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of Soviet Japan, reminded: "Our ambassador to Switzerland has reached a secret agreement with the Chinese ambassador to Switzerland, in which the other side has agreed to lift the blockade of the Japanese archipelago in exchange for our access to the blockade of the Pacific shipping routes and the coast of China. ”

"Hmph, the Chinese's wishful thinking is good, and they can make a lot of money by resuming Sino-US trade. And we will still be blocked by the British, and we will not get anything! Takeda snorted again. In fact. The Japanese government does not have a few dollars in its pocket to go to the United States to make large-scale purchases, and there are no commodities to export to the United States, but there are many deals to be done between China and the United States, and the bulk commodities of tea, silk, soybeans, teak, tung oil, pig bristles, and natural rubber alone can get China $400 million to $500 million in foreign exchange earnings every year, and these dollars can be turned into machinery, oil, steel, and other important war materials to be shipped back to China. There really isn't any benefit to Japan in this kind of deal!

Takeda Heng's love was a little out of control, he picked up the bottle of North Korean soju on the desk and poured it for himself, and took a big sip before calming down some of his feelings, and several people in the room found that the right hand of the middle-aged man who was not yet 40 years old was holding a wine glass, and he was trembling constantly. Takeda slammed the glass on the table, gritted his teeth, and said to Masanosuke Watanabe, "Tell our ambassador to Switzerland that you can sign the secret agreement...... Next Monday, the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs will announce the cessation of the blockade of the Pacific shipping routes and the coast of China! As he spoke, he turned his head to look at Muto Nobuyoshi again: "Father, please ask Mr. Nagata as my special envoy to secretly go to China to negotiate a truce with Chang Ruiqing!" ”

"Truce war with China!?" Yasuo Yasuda, Masanosuke Watanabe, and Yamakawa, chairman of the Japanese People's Committee, and other high-ranking Japanese G officials in the room were all pale, and they didn't know whether they were frightened or stunned. Takeda didn't bother to pay attention to them. Now that the United States is going to attack sooner or later, Japan will have to strike first if it is not good, and at this time, of course, it must find a way to cease war with China, otherwise there will be no hope for this war if it is attacked on both sides! And a hopeless war, even the Japanese Red Army will not fight, and then it will inevitably cause disaster. If Trotsky did not even have the most basic common sense, and still lead the world revolution in this way? Muto Nobuyoshi, who had long suffered from Sinophobia, immediately replied: "Shinhiro (referring to Takeda Heng), I will arrange for Nagata Kiyoshinsai to go to China...... However, the Chinese are afraid that they will take advantage of the fire to rob us, and I don't know where the bottom line of this negotiation is? ”

Takeda Heng glanced at Yasuo Yasuda, whose face was blue and white, and said coldly: "Yasuda-kun, what is your opinion?" ”

"Comrade President, as far as I know, Chang Ruiqing has always opposed the involvement of the United States in this world war, and he is worried that after the United States intervenes, it will gradually seize the leadership of the capitalist camp, which will not be conducive to China's seizure of more territory and spheres of influence after the war. However, if the United States is determined to intervene, it cannot be ruled out that Chang Ruiqing wants to use our hand to strike at the United States, so we do not need to make any concessions to China to stop the war with them...... But once we go to war with the United States, it is not good. China will certainly tear up the armistice agreement and attack our homeland before the United States does. ”

"That's right." Takeda nodded, but he was still uneasy in his heart.

Be the first to strike at the United States! In fact, it is gambling on life, and the industrial strength of the United States is dozens of times that of Japan. Japan had no hope of winning the war at all. The only advantage of this was to take advantage of the first strike and surprise attack to maximize the initiative at the beginning of the war, so as to delay the defeat of Japan...... If Japan can delay until after the Soviet Union defeats China and Germany, then there may be a little hope of turning defeat into victory!

Thinking of this, Takeda sighed and ordered, "Yasuda-kun, you return to Moscow immediately." Convey our intentions to Trotsky...... Watanabe-kun's secret negotiations with China will be up to you. Then he looked at his old soldier and said, "Father, please go to Wujun Harbor to listen to the opinion of the Combined Fleet, now our only hope is in them." ”

……

Soviet Union, China, Great Britain, Germany, Japan......

Roosevelt held a stack of cards with the names of the countries involved in the World War. The desks placed in front of him one by one, after putting them away, tilted his big head, and smiled at Commerce Secretary Hopkins and Secretary of State Hull, who were sitting opposite: "Harry, Kodel." Neither the Japanese nor the Chinese seem to welcome our involvement in the war between them. They are completely on the same page, do you think there is any other way to squeeze in? ”

As Roosevelt's brains, Presidents Hopkins and Hull were trying to squeeze into the battlefield of the world war, even though the American people were largely anti-war. Therefore, Roosevelt could only find another way to link Japan's blockade of the Pacific shipping route with the economic depression of the United States, and barely found a reason to enter the war. Unexpectedly, it was just a temptation. The Chinese and the Japanese tacitly announced at the same time that they would abandon the war to break diplomatic relations and resume normal transportation in the Pacific. Now it seems that the United States has suddenly found no reason to enter the war. If you miss this feast to divide the world, it will be a pity to fight.

Hull shook his head and said, "Mr. President, I don't think we can find a suitable reason for the time being, after all, public opinion is against entering the war...... However, our trial is not without gains, at least the Pacific trade routes can be restored, which has a lot of benefits for stimulating economic growth. ”

Roosevelt looked at Hopkins again, the Secretary of Commerce's small eyes were full of regret, and he sighed and said, "For the time being, I don't see the possibility of participating in the war, but it's not that there is no way at all...... If we can get Japan to take the initiative to attack, it will not be a problem to enter the war. ”

"But how can you get the Japanese to take the initiative to send them to death? That's a big problem. Roosevelt shrugged his shoulders and asked with a smile: "Harry, don't sell it, if there is any good way, just say it quickly." ”

"We can use Britain, didn't Prime Minister Chamberlain ask you to meet? I think you should meet him at the Hart Bay in Argen, Newfoundland, in the North Atlantic, aboard the battleship Maine, and you can ask Prime Minister Chamberlain to see the former flagship of the Japanese Combined Fleet, which I think the British would be interested in. ”

"Harry, what do you mean......" Roosevelt frowned slightly, as if he didn't understand Hopkins' words. The battleship Maine was originally Japan's battleship Nagato, which now belongs to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

"We can lease or sell all nine capital ships from the Japanese, including the Maine, to Britain!" Hopkins said coldly: "If the British get these 9 capital ships, the end of the Japanese GCD will be coming!" If we give Japan another chance to sneak attack, I think they will definitely grasp it. What do you think, Mr. President? ”

Roosevelt nodded slightly, noncommittal. This may be feasible, but it is a joke on the lives of US Navy officers and men! Once exposed, he may become the first American president in American history to be impeached and removed from office!

Harry. Hopkins continued: "President, you don't have to worry about the great sacrifice of the officers and men of the Navy, because the opportunity we give the Japanese to create a sneak attack will actually be a trap, and the commanders of the Pacific Fleet are not fools, as long as they know that the Japanese are going to sneak attack, then they will definitely let those little Japan have no return!" Maybe on the first day of the war, we will be able to win a landslide. Using a great victory as the fuse for the United States to enter the war is really the best choice! What do you think, Mr. President? ”

"Hehe, that's a good idea, Harry, it's a shame you didn't go to the U.S. Naval Academy, otherwise I would have made you Chief of Naval Operations." Roosevelt burst out laughing excitedly.

Hopkins and Hull laughed along, as if they had seen American-style capitalist democratic constitutionalism being imposed on socialist Japan. Uh, how reactionary!