Age of Rebirth

When Tang Qiuli recruited a large number of veteran pilots from Europe for the sake of the Japanese, and was worried that he would become a rival of the two major aviation groups of the Independent Division, Lieutenant Colonel Mei Xue, the director of the Information Department of the Independent Division, received a call from the director of the Communications Division. An urgent telegram from Chen Feng.

After reading the content of the telegram, Mei Xue couldn't help being shocked, and murmured to herself, "This guy is really a militant. Right now, he is preparing to attack the Japanese mainland, and now he is declaring war on Italy!"

However, Mei Xue has always supported her husband's decision unconditionally. She immediately mobilized all the forces of the news department to publish this article written by Tang Qiuli himself in newspapers and radio stations around the world through various channels, declaring war on the Kingdom of Italy. The full text of the book will be broadcast as quickly as possible.

This declaration of war against Italy quickly became the headline news of major radio stations and newspapers, and it was rapidly fermented in various words and languages, becoming the absolute headline news in the world that day.

In Chongqing in the southwest, the official residence of Chiang Kai-shek, Chairman of the Military Commission of the Nationalist Government, Jiang Zhongzheng, with a livid face, slammed a newspaper on the table, spoke Jiangsu and Zhejiang Mandarin, and said in a stern tone: "Niang Xipi Why does Tang Qiuli represent the national government and declare war on Italy? Has it been decided by the National Senate meeting? Has it been approved by the Central Standing Committee meeting?"

"Why didn't you notify the government in advance? This is arbitrariness and disorderly government. Where will I, Jiang, be placed? Immediately order the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue a public statement in the name of the National Government, not to recognize Tang Qiuli's declaration of war, for the sake of Selfishness puts the country and the nation in a dangerous situation. Is it not enough to fight the Japanese, but also to fight the Italians. The Republic of China is his private property? This is no different from a national traitor! A national traitor!"

Several senior officials who were summoned to the chairman's mansion were silent.Hearing the old man's fury, they didn't expect that Vice Chairman Tang, who had fought wars all over Asia, would confront the Italians and declare war on his own initiative. Their hearts were quite complicated.

After losing his temper, Generalissimo Jiang's mood stabilized a bit, and he was angry.It’s not that Tang Qiuli wants to fight the Italians, and he doesn’t use the Central Army anyway. Whoever he fights with, but he shouldn’t have publicly issued a declaration of war without saying hello to himself. After all, he is the No. .1, It feels bad to be ignored, this time.You must not accommodate this person who is equal to yourself!

"Yue Jun, what's your opinion?" Generalissimo Jiang calmed down and asked Zhang Qun, the chief think tank, for his opinion.

Zhang Qun smiled wryly, and replied: "Chairman, my opinion is that it is better for the national government to keep silent about Vice Chairman Tang's declaration of war on Italy!"

"Huh?" Generalissimo Jiang raised his eyebrows immediately.Very dissatisfied with Zhang Qun's words, with a gloomy face.Said: "Yue Jun, what do you mean by that?"

Zhang Qun further explained: "Chairman, the declaration of war on the Italian country has become a fact. Even if the government denies it, it will not change the fact. With Vice Chairman Tang's international reputation, who would believe that he is not representing the National Government. of!"

"If the Nationalist government issued a negative statement, it would only make foreigners laugh and blame Vice Chairman Tang. It would not change the established facts, but it would also offend Vice Chairman Tang. Foreigners, especially Italians, would not believe it. Do not do anything that is not beneficial!"

Zhang Qun's words made Generalissimo Jiang very discouraged, but they were absolutely reasonable. With Tang Qiuli's international reputation today, foreigners can only think that he is the representative of the Nationalist Government. Sitting stuffy in the chair, the atmosphere in the room was very frozen.

At this moment, a confidential secretary opened the door and came in, looked at the faces of several senior officials, hesitated for a moment, and then said to Chairman Jiang: "Chairman, I received a call from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying that the Kingdom of Italy is stationed in China. Ambassador Faisal, make a serious protest to the National Government against the declaration of war on the Kingdom of Italy!"

"Mother Xipi!" Chairman Jiang broke out again, and shouted at the confidential secretary: "You tell the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, inform the Italian ambassador to China, and ask him to protest to Tang Qiuli! This matter has nothing to do with the government! "

In Duluth, the wartime capital of the United States, in the living room of the President's residence, Roosevelt signaled Jonathan, the chief of staff, to turn off the radio, and pondered quietly for a while. A rosy flush of excitement appeared on his sallow face, and he became radiant. Looking at several military and political officials sitting on the sofa, he said with emotion: "This is the best news I have heard since the outbreak of World War II!"

"No matter which Chinese Tang Qiuli, for what purpose, and how the conflict with the Italians broke out, it will be a blow to the Axis countries. Now, the Chinese and the three Axis countries The war between the two countries is a great help to the Great Patriotic War of the United States, at least, if the Germans do not get help from their allies, our pressure will not increase!"

"Robert!" Roosevelt said to Secretary of State Robert: "The State Department immediately issued a public statement in the name of the United States government, warmly welcoming the Republic of China's declaration of war on the State of Italy, and calling it the mainstay of the Allied Powers—China, one of the greatest decisions, It is the greatest encouragement to all countries in the world that are suffering from German fascist aggression!"

"In the statement, we should focus on expressing the attitude of the US government. With the strong support of China, the day when the US Army and the Canadian army will defeat the German fascists will not be too far away. In short, we must use the most enthusiastic language, Make a big deal out of it, and you should know you did it!"

Secretary of State Robert nodded. Robert, who was a diplomat, was familiar with writing such an article.

"Your military thinks that if the Chinese and the Italians go to war, where will the battlefield be?" Roosevelt asked the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Jeffrey.

Admiral Jeffrey replied very positively: "Mr. President, according to the current situation, the Italian troops on the North American battlefield have all gone to Japan. Therefore, the Joint Chiefs of Staff believes that the battlefield between China and Italy , will be in Japan, it will be a three-way war!"

Roosevelt nodded, agreeing with Admiral Jeffrey's statement. Finally, he said with hope: "I really pray to God that Tang Qiuli's declaration of war will involve the Germans in this incident that happened in Japan. It will be the good fortune of the United States to come in the middle of the war!"

New Delhi in the West Indies, the seat of the British royal family and the government-in-exile, the increasingly bloated and aging British Prime Minister Winston Churchill moved his obese body with great effort, took out a cigar and lit it, and put the newspaper in his hand aside , fell into deep thought.

Tang Qiuli declared war on Italy, which meant nothing to Churchill. The British Empire was already on the verge of decline, and the mainland fell to the hands of the Germans. Now, they can only hide in the wild and undeveloped West India. Being in the company of these inferior people, barely maintaining the face of the colonial suzerain country, and trembling all the time, guarding against the vicious Chinese next door.

The uncivilized aborigines of the West Indian continent, almost blank industrial infrastructure, backward agriculture, and a series of harsh realities made the once ambitious British Prime Minister disheartened and restored the glory of the old empire. Let the British Empire stand on top of the world again, has become an unattainable thing.

At least, in Churchill's lifetime, it cannot be realized, and in the future, there is no hope. "Only that cunning American President Roosevelt will be happy about this!" Churchill muttered, throwing the newspaper aside.

His thinking quickly turned to the grim reality, the soaring prices in West India, the shortage of supplies, the severe inflation, and the need to feed the royal family and a large number of officials who were evacuated to the West India. The leaky dilapidated boat made the prime minister very anxious. No matter how important it is to start a war, it is not as big a problem as filling the stomachs of tens of millions of people. Besides, no matter who wins in the end, it has nothing to do with him!

In Berlin, the capital of Germany, in the spacious office of the Fuehrer's official residence, Hitler, the German head of state, and several party, government and military officials sat together, listening to the full text broadcast on the radio with concentration and different expressions. Tang Qiuli represents the Republic of China Government, declaration of war on the Kingdom of Italy.

It took a long time for the declaration of war to be broadcast, and the bright tunes of German country music sounded on the radio. Goebbels, the propaganda minister of the Nazi Party Central Committee, dragged his lame leg and turned off the radio, but no one spoke. In deep thought.

It was Hitler who broke the silence and asked in a sharp voice: "What do you think of this declaration of war?" Anyone can hear that His Excellency the Führer is very angry, but who is this anger aimed at? No one is sure whether Tang Qiuli is the Italian Prime Minister Mussolini. Therefore, none of the senior officials wants to express their opinions first. It is not a joke to touch the head of the head of state!

Seeing that the officials were silent, Hitler's face became more and more ugly. Seeing this, Goebbels could only speak first, "My Fuhrer, I personally think that your old Chinese friend Tang Qiuli overreacted." It's fierce, after all, the Italians' actions are well-founded and they are fulfilling their responsibilities to the allies, and from a legal point of view, there is nothing wrong with it!"

Someone started, and Marshal Strong, the chief of the German general staff, followed closely to express his opinion, "My head of state, I agree with Goebbels, the three Axis countries have an alliance. Now, your Chinese boss A friend is fighting two other allies of Germany at the same time, which will put Germany in an awkward and disadvantageous position!"

Goebbels, the representative of the Nazi Party, and Strongs, the representative of the military, all made speeches to express their attitudes. In your own name, send a telegram to your old friend to persuade him to withdraw the declaration of war...!"

(to be continued) (to be continued...)