U.S. President Calvin Coolidge's face has darkened as if it were the bottom of a pot. Their military power in the Philippines is so weak. The navy can be annihilated in an hour, and the army can hold up for up to seven days. From the West Coast of the United States to the Philippines, it takes more than 20 days. In other words, if the Chinese* army really wanted to make a move against the Philippines, by the time American reinforcements arrived, the Philippines would have been occupied by China long ago. Moreover, the Chinese* army was able to fight a big defeat with ease.

"Can we just watch the Chinese occupy the Philippines? No, it's absolutely not going to work. If we lose the Philippines, over there, in the next election year, we won't have to work hard, we will definitely lose the election. President Calvin Coolidge said.

"Your Excellency, the Chinese will not necessarily attack the Philippines. They wouldn't be so irrational. This is nothing more than a counterattack against our support for the Japanese government-in-exile. Secretary of State Hughes said.

"However, if the Chinese are willing, the Philippines will easily fall into the hands of the Chinese like a ripe peach." President Calvin Coolidge seems to be a little intolerant of this.

"Your Excellency, there is no way around it. The Philippines is too far away from the United States and completely surrounded by the Chinese's sphere of influence. It's too close to China, and we simply can't confront the Chinese. As long as the Chinese want, they can easily occupy the Philippines, and we have nothing we can do about it. Secretary of War John Weeks said.

"Hell! We need to change that. The Philippines is our colony, and we need to strengthen our defense there. The Chinese must not be allowed to occupy the Philippines so easily. President Calvin Coolidge said.

"Your Excellency, this is an impossible task. No matter how many military theories we deploy there, we will not be able to suppress the Chinese. That would make the Chinese use the Philippines to drain our strength. If we go on an expedition, we will follow in the footsteps of the British. After the British crossed halfway around the world to the Indian Ocean, they were easily defeated by the Chinese. Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby also said.

The expression on President Calvin Coolidge's face became even more ugly. Although, he is not from a military background and does not know much about military affairs. But since Secretary of War John Weeks and Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby have both taken a stand on the issue. Then, it can undoubtedly be seen that it is undoubtedly very difficult for the United States to use military means to protect the Philippine Islands. This result was very difficult for President Calvin Coolidge to accept. However, the reality is that he is unwilling to accept it and has no way.

"Your Excellency the President, if we want to protect the Philippines, we need more of our suppression and deterrence of the Chinese Empire, so that they do not dare to attack the Philippines. Of course, if the Chinese are determined to attack the Philippines, then we have no choice. However, that also means that there will be a fierce war between us and the Chinese. If we can defeat the Chinese in the war, then we can retake the Philippines. If it is defeated, then there is no point in talking about the Philippines. Hughes said.

President Calvin Coolidge nodded: "This time, though, we can't back down. Otherwise, the Chinese will gain an inch. We must send a powerful force to the Philippines to show our attitude to the Chinese. ”

"But, Your Excellency, what if the Chinese launch a surprise attack on us?" John Weeks frowned.

"No, the Chinese won't do that. If they really dare to attack us, then we will declare war on them. The industrial power of the United States will be transformed into war power. The Chinese are not as good as ours in industry now, and they will not take this risk. What's more, the British will not sit idly by. President Calvin Coolidge said.

"If we go to war with the Chinese now, it will be difficult for us to defeat the Chinese, but they will not be able to defeat us either." In the end, it will probably be a lose-lose outcome. Hughes said.

"Denby, let our fleet go to the Far East. Let the Chinese know that although their military power is strong, we are not afraid of them. President Calvin Coolidge said.

In order to guard against the Chinese Empire, especially after the start of the Sino-Japanese War, the United States deployed the main force of the US Navy in the Pacific Ocean. At the San Diego Naval Base and the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii, the main forces of the US Navy were assembled.

Four 'Colorado-class' battleships, two 'Tennessee-class' battleships, three 'New Mexico-class' battleships, two 'Pennsylvania-class' battleships, two 'Nevada-class' battleships and two 'New York-class' battleships, were deployed in the Pacific direction. In the Atlantic direction, there were only a few old battleships and the first ones. It can be seen that the United States has regarded China as its main enemy.

However, all but four of the Colorado-class battleships were armed with 406 mm guns, while the rest of the battleships were equipped with 356 mm guns. In the face of the Imperial Navy's 'Three Emperor-class' battleships and 'Five Emperor-class' battleships, they will be at a disadvantage. Not to mention the fact that the Chinese Navy also had several powerful battleships armed with 381-mm guns that had been captured from the British.

Numerically, the US Navy is also completely at a disadvantage. The Pacific Fleet of the Imperial Navy has three 'Three Emperor-class' battleships, one 'Jinghai' battleship, five 'Five Emperor-class' battleships, and four 'Zhonghua-class' battleships. The South Sea Fleet has one 'Queen Elizabeth-class' battleship, three 'Vengeance-class' battleships, one 'Iron Duke-class' battleship, two 'Longxing-class' battleships and two 'Longfei-class' battlecruisers. These are all capital ships capable of posing a lethal threat to the capital ships of the US Navy, not to mention other battleships armed with 305mm guns.

Of course, as the Americans had guessed, the Chinese Empire would not have really attacked the U.S. Navy at the risk of war with the United States. If that happens, it may lead to a world war. Even China does not want a world war to break out at this time. Because, in the event of a world war, China may become the target of siege. Although China also had several vassal states, the strength of those vassal states was too poor compared to those of the world powers.

After U.S. President Calvin Coolidge gave the order, the 15 capital ships deployed by the United States on the west coast immediately began to set off for the Far East to deter the Chinese Empire.

The main forces of the US Navy are moving westward in a big way, which undoubtedly attracts the attention of the whole world. Even, countries began to speculate. Will the Chinese Empire eat these capital ships of the US Navy in one fell swoop, just as it did against the main fleet of the British Navy? If that is the case, then the Chinese Navy will become a well-deserved world hegemon.

The British were very disdainful of this, and if the U.S. Navy could also send its main force westward to flank the Chinese Navy with the British Navy when the British Navy was advancing eastward. Perhaps, they would not have lost in that naval battle. The Chinese Empire will not be so arrogant.

The westward expansion of the main force of the U.S. Navy also made the empire begin to pay attention to it. The main forces of the Pacific Fleet of the Imperial Navy began to assemble and prepare to meet the US Navy. This has made tensions throughout the Western Pacific region and around the world.

The newly formed Japanese government-in-exile jumped up and down in the United States, and they pushed the United States to go to war against the Chinese Empire. In this way, when the United States defeated the Chinese Empire, they would be able to restore the country immediately.

However, these hopes of little Japan are doomed to fail. Between the Chinese Empire and the United States, although the attitude is becoming more and more tough, in fact, both sides do not want to go to war at this time, and they are refraining.

Although, the two sides look like they are tense in the military field. However, in the diplomatic field, the dialogue between the two sides has not been interrupted, but is actively contacting.

The Americans also realized the toughness of the Chinese Empire, so they made some compromises appropriately. They told the Chinese Empire that they would replace the principal officials of the Philippine colonial government, arrest the natives who had harmed the Chinese, and compensate the injured Chinese. And we promise that we will not prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.

This shows the softening of the attitude of the United States. However, on the issue of Japan's government-in-exile, the United States has taken a tough stance. On this issue, they simply did not back down at all. Therefore, the Chinese empire also knew that it was impossible to get the United States to back down on this issue.

The Chinese Empire also had only two choices, one was to accept it when it saw it, and the other was to go to war with the United States. There is no other option. The Chinese Empire is not ready for an all-out war with the United States. I don't want to go to war at this time. Therefore, when the United States has already made concessions, the Chinese Empire can only make concessions.

In mid-January 4622, the main fleet of the U.S. Navy arrived in Philippine waters. The South Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy and the Pacific Fleet of the US Navy conducted an exercise. After that, the US Navy returned to its naval base on the west coast. The Nanyang Fleet of the Chinese Navy also withdrew to Batavia. This time, the conflict was thus eliminated.

However, because the contradictions and conflicts between China and the United States are becoming more and more serious. If there is real peace between the two countries, that is unlikely. When both sides have completed their preparations for war, or when the time is ripe, the war may begin. Since this incident, China and the United States have entered a period of all-out confrontation, which has made the clouds of war in the Pacific region accumulate more and more. (To be continued.) )