African Nationhood

1916 can be said to be the most dangerous year since Britain entered World War I.

The three major battles of the year caused the casualty rate of British soldiers to skyrocket, because Field Marshal Haig Douglas still did not change his stubborn and indifferent character.

Britain lost 53 native and colonial soldiers in the past two years, and 1916 in 35 alone.

Although the country passed the conscription system with difficulty, there was still a shortage of soldiers on the battlefield.

Britain devoted all its energy to the military, and its investment and attention to agriculture was bound to decrease.

The severe weather in the UK caused a reduction in food production, and Germany's submarine warfare made it impossible for external food and resources to be transported to the UK. After winter, a food crisis broke out in the UK.

Severe oppression led to frequent strikes among British workers. The dissatisfaction of hungry farmers and workers with the government had reached its peak.

The lingering war has also led to the peak of anti-war sentiment in the UK. Both the Conservative Party and the royal family are asking Prime Minister Asquith how to solve the problem.

Prime Minister Asquith has been tortured to the point of collapse by his political opponents and domestic public opinion.

Lloyd George added fuel to the fire and asked Prime Minister Asquith to set up a war cabinet, but this war cabinet did not include Asquith.

Isn't this funny?
Asquith naturally couldn't accept it, but the pressure from all aspects gave him the idea of ​​resigning.

The former prime minister, who would only step down on December 12 in the original time and space, stepped down in early November in this time and space.

The British Empire was at the end of its rope, and had it not been for Lloyd George's efforts to turn the tide, the British Empire would have really come to an end.

The new prime minister, who was once a finance minister, faced the disintegration of the Liberal Party as soon as he took office.

However, he was not discouraged and instead cooperated with the Conservatives to form a wartime coalition cabinet.

After he took office, he immediately announced the implementation of a wartime rationing system in the UK.

In the military field, he directly kicked away the Commander-in-Chief, Marshal Haig, and the Chief of General Staff, Marshal Robertson.

As prime minister, he issued military orders to the front line: abandon the Eastern Front and let Tsarist Russia die, and vigorously support Italy, its ally on the Western Front.

It was because of his operation that the situation was finally stabilized.

……

Next, the financial prime minister began forced negotiations against the United States and South China.

In the past two years or so, Britain's trade volume with the United States and South China once soared to 6 million pounds, of which South China was slightly weaker and only received orders for 2.6 million pounds.

The reason why it is worse than the United States is that the products that Nanhua can provide are mainly military products and cannot provide bulk commodities such as grain.

This is because most of South China's grain is used as strategic reserves and is not easily sold externally, while the United States is a major grain producer.

Since the end of the 19th century, Nanhua has been at the forefront of the world's grain trade, and Nanhua is far from comparable.

Although Nanhua made many small moves, the United States relied on its foundation to hold on.

Moreover, the United States is closer to the United Kingdom, and merchant ships are more convenient to travel. Southern Africa takes the sea route, and the Skeleton Coast and the Suez Canal will affect South China's maritime transportation.

The early appearance of armored vehicles greatly consumed the number of soldiers on both sides of the war, and also squeezed the national strength of each country.

The major European participating countries have negotiated and obtained patent authorizations for the Type A-1905 and Type A-1910.

However, Nanhua's A-1913 armored vehicles still cannot keep up with the consumption rate on the European battlefield.

The United States also wants to obtain the patent authorization for Nanhua armored vehicles through this negotiation. Therefore, this negotiation is a confrontation between Britain, the United States, and China, and the negotiation location is still Cape Town.

……

From Britain came the wartime finance minister and leader of the House of Commons, Andrew Bonar Law, and from the United States, Secretary of State Robert Lessing.

Nanhua is the cabinet minister Ouyang Geng and Shi Hao, who was appointed by Chairman Shi to participate in this negotiation.

The British strongly urged South China and the United States to enter the war against the Allies, but the Americans and South China both found reasons and refused to join.

The British had to ask for a separate meeting with Ouyang Geng for negotiation.

Governor Milner acted as host and greeted the South China participants in the outfield.

In the original time and space, this lord could have risen to prominence due to the battlefield in South Africa, but because of the emergence of Nanhua, he became the nominal governor of Cape Town.

It was normal for him to feel awkward when he saw the people in Nanhua.

But at this moment, Daying must rely on Nanhua's help to get out of the quagmire of war.

So he welcomed Ouyang Geng, Shi Hao and others with a smile on his face.

When he arrived at the small conference room in the Governor's Mansion, Ouyang Geng introduced Shi Hao's identity to the two British people.

Bona Law and Governor Milner looked at each other, with embarrassment in each other's eyes.

The two of them couldn't help but secretly curse Ouyang Geng. This Shi Hao was deliberately brought to disgust them by Nanhua.

Because Shi Hao is the eldest son of a marquis, in the British feudal system, when ordinary people meet him, they must respectfully call him "Lord Hao", which means Lord Hao or Lord Hao. These two people are just ordinary people without knighthoods. Milner aside, Minister Bonar Law can only obtain a knighthood if he becomes Prime Minister.

Therefore, they had to show bright smiles to Shi Hao and respectfully address him, "Hello, Lord Hao."

Shi Hao smiled reservedly, then Shi Shiran sat down, and Minister Bonar Law, Governor Milner and others took their seats one after another.

……

"This meeting is an internal meeting and I hope you will keep it confidential."

Governor Milner spoke at the right time to break the silence in the small conference room.

Bonar Law is a conservative and a close ally of current Prime Minister Lloyd George.

Because of his ability, Britain went through the most difficult period and finally won the war.

……

"Prime Minister Ouyang, I want to know what are the conditions for Nanhua to go to war?"

Ouyang Geng smiled, "You should know this. We in Nanhua want to become a regional power.

For this goal, we have worked hard for decades under the leadership of Chairman Shi, and now this goal should be achieved. "

Upon hearing this, Minister Bona Rau didn't take it seriously.

He considered it for a moment and said softly: "During the South African War, Prime Minister Balfour proposed it, but you rejected it.

Now that you have made this request, on behalf of the cabinet, I can grant your request. "

After hearing this, Ouyang Geng smiled and said, "It would be best if the local people support us in establishing an independent country.

But we still have a tough problem to solve. "

Minister Bonar Law and Governor Milner looked at each other, and the latter's eyes were full of sadness.

Is this going to take Cape Town over?
"What tough question?"

Shi Hao received Ouyang Geng's signal. He smiled and said, "It's the Rhodesia Company. My father is already the full shareholder of the Rhodesia Company. So I want to know how to position the Rhodesia Company locally?"

Governor Milner was relieved when he heard this, but Minister Bonar Law sighed slightly, "This matter is a bit difficult to handle!"

Ouyang Geng laughed after hearing this, "Since it's difficult to deal with, let's ignore it for now. Anyway, there are still many things in our country. Rebellions are rising one after another in Tanga, East Africa, and the former German colonies in the Pacific.

We in South China must deploy a large number of troops to quell and clean up the rebels in these German colonies.

As for joining the European battlefield, let’s talk about it first. "

When Bona Law heard this, he couldn't sit still.

“Prime Minister Ouyang, although this matter is difficult to handle, we can still work hard.

However, due to the war, local finances are very tight, and we want to allocate part of the war bonds to the Rhodesian Company.

I wonder if the Rhodesian Company can make some contribution to the cabinet? "

Hearing this, Shi Hao sneered, "Does Minister Bonar Law mean that we have to spend money to buy out the ownership of the Rhodesia Company?"

Bona Law smiled and said, "Lord Hao, war bonds are an obligation that every citizen of the British Empire should fulfill. Marquis Shi is a subject of the British Empire. Shouldn't he support the mother country?"

Shi Hao snorted and continued: "Since the subjects should support the country, I would like to ask how many bonds Minister Bonar Law bought?

Where was Prime Minister Lloyd George? How much did King Edward buy? "

When Governor Milner saw that the atmosphere was not right, he immediately smiled and smoothed things over, "This matter is all negotiable. There is no need to be angry. Let's be kind and talk slowly."

After Ouyang Geng heard Governor Milner's words, he reached out and pressed his temples, "Oh, my head suddenly hurts, and I really can't think about the problem.

Let's postpone today's meeting. I need to take a rest. "

After saying that, he stood up and was about to leave. Governor Milner immediately walked over to stop Ouyang Geng, and said softly with a smile: "Prime Minister Ouyang, don't be in a hurry. Let's wait."

Ouyang Geng shrugged at Governor Milner. After he sat down, he leaned directly on the chair and whispered: "Okay, I'll listen to it again.

It’s just that my brain hurts and I can’t think. Shi Hao, please come and talk to these two gentlemen. I need to rest. "

Shi Hao smiled and nodded, "Okay, Prime Minister Ouyang, please sit down and rest."

Chancellor Bona Rau's face flashed with anger, but it was only for a moment. He couldn't stand up in front of Shi Hao.

He thought for a while, "Okay, on behalf of the cabinet, I promise that South China will establish an independent country after the war, and the Rhodesia Company will be directly merged into South China."

When Ouyang Geng heard this, he stopped pretending, "Oh, my head suddenly doesn't hurt anymore. Since the local cabinet has promised to fulfill the wishes of all the people of South China, we in South China cannot bear to watch the mainland sink into war and ignore it."

Minister Bonar Law breathed a long sigh of relief, "Then when will Nanhua send troops?" (End of Chapter)