The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 840 Lincoln: NATO supports us, I want to launch a summer offensive!
In the library of Knowsley Manor in Hertfordshire, the Earl of Derby sat slumped in a high-backed chair, his right foot swollen from gout resting on a peacock velvet footstool. On a hardwood coffee table were crystal medicine bottles and silver teaspoons, and the strong smell of laudanum and cigar smoke mixed in the air.

"Add ten more drops." The Prime Minister pushed open the dosing cup with trembling fingers. The doctor immediately dripped amber opium tincture into the black tea. He tilted his head back and drank it all.

"Gentlemen," after taking the medicine for a long time, Earl Derby, who had temporarily gotten rid of the gout, finally spoke slowly. His voice sounded a little confused. Then he picked up a document, put on a monocle, and looked at it for a while. "Oh, the messenger of the Inca Kingdom proposed to exchange Antofagasta for our acquiescence to their annexation of Bolivia."

Lord Stanley, son of the Earl of Derby and Minister of Foreign Affairs, bowed slightly and said, "Mr. Prime Minister (named after his position during working hours), the saltpeter reserves in Antofagasta are enough to supply the entire European arms industry. If we control this, plus the part already in Chile, Britain will control more than 60% of the saltpeter mines in the Atacama Desert." He emphasized, "All controlled by Britain!"

Lord Parkinson, the Minister of the Navy, frowned and said, "Should we continue the conflict with the Warsaw Pact? The United States has repeatedly asked us for help based on the North Atlantic Treaty and hopes that we can blockade the ports of San Francisco and San Diego."

"Well," the British Prime Minister said dazedly, "then go ahead and blockade it."

Lord Parkinson said: "The problem is that we have only six ironclad ships in the Pacific Fleet, while the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has sixteen in San Francisco. If we really want to blockade them, I'm afraid we are not strong enough."

Foreign Secretary Stanley laughed and said, "Who asked the Navy to do this for real? Just pretend."

"Tell the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom," the British Prime Minister interrupted, "our blockade is only against the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, only against merchant ships flying the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom flag, and we ignore everything else."

Secretary of State for War Peel suddenly laughed, "Right! Don't worry about the rest, just let them fight! The more intense the fight, the better! The American Civil War has dragged on for eight years, and now the East-West War is about to break out." He deliberately dragged out his voice, "We, the British Empire, can finally discipline this rebellious son."

"We can't just ignore it." Prime Minister Earl Derby narrowed his eyes. "We need sanctions! Trade sanctions! Mr. Disraeli, what do you think?"

Finance Minister Disraeli narrowed his eyes and tapped his fingers on the table. "We can impose sanctions on the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but we cannot impose sanctions on re-export trade. We can continue our trade with Vietnam, Siam, Java, Ryukyu, Lan Fang, Japan, and Korea."

The Duke of Argyll, the Secretary of State for India, interjected: "We can also send Indian soldiers to America! Send them some Sikhs wearing turbans and Gurkhas hired from Nepal to help. This way, we don't have to sacrifice British soldiers and can show our support to the Americans."

There was a burst of joyful laughter in the conference room.

Lord Derby coughed twice, and when the laughter subsided, he said, "It's settled. Tell the Americans that the Royal Navy will 'blockade' San Francisco and San Diego -" he deliberately emphasized, "and 20,000 soldiers stationed in India will sail to the United States."

Lord Stanley added: "At the same time, we can hint to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom through diplomatic channels that as long as they stop supporting the Inca Heavenly Kingdom's expansion to the surrounding areas, Britain can maintain... benign hostility to their actions on the west coast of the United States."

The Earl of Derby laughed. "I like this phrase 'benign hostility'. Let the Americans and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom consume each other. We only need to control the supply of saltpeter and force the United States to open its market."

All the British cabinet members present had happy smiles on their faces.

Lord Stanley flipped open another document, frowning slightly. "About France. The Paris Commune is promoting an eight-hour workday and land reform. In addition, they are planning to nationalize Renault and Schneider's steel mills, and also nationalize many banks."

Finance Minister Disraeli raised his eyebrows, "Nationalization? As long as it does not involve the assets of our businessmen, let them do it!"

Lord Stanley sneered: "But they give citizenship to the Algerians! That might give the Queen's Indian subjects dangerous ideas."

"Don't worry," Earl Derby waved his hand. "Algeria is an overseas department of France, and India is just our common monarchy. They are completely different things."

The Minister of the Navy, Packington, suddenly asked: "Prime Minister, should we send warships to support the Royalists?"

"No," Earl Derby said firmly, "Let the Germans bleed, and we only need to keep Corsica for Queen Mathilde."

Lord Stanley added: "The Supreme Revolutionary Committee in Paris was radical but it retained private property. Most factories and shops were still in private hands, and to most British voters this was not unacceptable."

"What's more," Disraeli interjected, "the unrest in France will send capital flying to London. Our bankers are already celebrating."

Lord Derby looked around at the crowd. "So, our position on the French Civil War is to neither openly oppose Red Paris nor overly support the royalists. Let the Germans be the villains."

There were murmurs of approval in the conference room.

In the garden of Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, German Emperor Wilhelm I was walking with Prime Minister Bismarck. The early spring breeze was chilly, and Wilhelm held a telegram from Washington in his hand, his brows furrowed.

"The Americans are asking us to send troops again," William handed the telegram to Bismarck, "Lincoln hopes that we will send two divisions to America as soon as possible." Bismarck glanced at the telegram and sneered, "Your Majesty, it will be of no benefit to us to directly participate in the war. But we can send troops to the east bank of the Mississippi River to ensure that the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's army cannot cross the river."

William stopped and looked at the fountain in the distance: "If the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom really controlled the American West"

"That's exactly what we want," Bismarck reminded. "If the Americans really drive those yellow monkeys off the Pacific, what reason do we have to station troops in the United States? If there are no German troops stationed in the United States, who will protect our interests in North America?"

William nodded thoughtfully: "Then send the 8th and 11th Divisions to America, but tell them clearly that they are only responsible for defense and will not participate in offensive operations."

Bismarck smiled with satisfaction: "This is the wisest decision, Your Majesty. We can also send some military advisers to help the Americans train their troops. This will show our support without getting too involved."

At this time, a servant hurried over and handed over a letter from St. Petersburg. William opened the envelope, glanced at it quickly and said, "The Tsar has also decided to send troops - a Cossack cavalry division to protect the Great Plains east of the Mississippi River."

Bismarck chuckled: "It seems that everyone has the same idea. Send troops, but don't participate in the war; support, but don't sacrifice."

William put the letter away and looked into the distance: "Tell our generals that the troops can set off, but they must stay away from the front line. What we want is influence, not corpses."

In the White House in Washington, Lincoln stared at the British note he had just received, and his thin face glowed red: "Gentlemen! Good news! The British Empire has promised to blockade the west coast! And also impose comprehensive trade sanctions on the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom!"

Secretary of War Stanton waved a telegram excitedly: "Two German divisions will arrive in April! The Tsar's Cossack cavalry is also on the way!"

Secretary of State Seward added: "The Royal Navy will also send an Indian corps to assist, which will arrive in New York before June."

General Sherman, the commander-in-chief of the army, frowned and said: "Mr. President, seven pseudo-states, including Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, are already mobilizing."

"We have NATO!" Lincoln slammed the table. "We will launch a summer offensive in June and must win before the November election!" He ran his finger across the map. "Then our General Grant can be elected president as a hero!"

Vice President Johnson muttered quietly: "I'm afraid the British are talking about 'blockade' and sanctions."

"What about the South?" Secretary of War Stanton asked in a low voice.

Lincoln turned to Stanton and said, "Give Davis an ultimatum - surrender or face the fire of the European coalition forces!"

Stanton hesitated, "But if the Europeans don't work hard,

"They must contribute!" Lincoln roared. "We have agreed to reduce tariffs to 20%. Moreover, we owe the British hundreds of millions of pounds! If we are finished, they will not get a single shilling back!"

On the plains west of the Missouri River, black smoke billowed into the sky. Xianfeng, wrapped in a gray military uniform and riding on a tall black warhorse, looked expressionlessly at the burning farm in the distance.

Behind him, three cavalry brigades—the 1st Black Cavalry, the 1st American Cavalry, and the 2nd American Cavalry—were advancing in loose formation.

"Burn it all." He put down the telescope, his voice cold and hard, "Leave no grain of food, no intact barn."

Black Tom grinned, revealing his white teeth. "Understood, Governor." He turned to the messenger and shouted, "Pass the order - all farms, mills, and railroad warehouses, all burned! Poison the wells, take away all the livestock that can be taken away, and kill all those that can't be taken away!"

The cavalry rushed into the village, torches set haystacks on fire, and wooden houses crackled in flames. The American cavalry wielded Mongolian scimitars, cut off the supporting pillars of the barn, and let the piles of wheat pour out, and then burned them to ashes. The black cavalry was responsible for robbing and arresting people, robbing whatever they could rob and arresting everyone they could.

A white farmer rushed out with a shotgun, but before he could fire, he was shot in the head by a horse archer from the First Cavalry Brigade of the Americans. His wife screamed and rushed to the body, but was immediately picked up by two black cavalrymen and dragged to the back of the team.
"Report!" A scout came running over, "A Union infantry regiment is coming from the direction of Omaha, and it is still twenty miles away from us!"

Xianfeng sneered, "You've arrived just in time." He turned to Black Tom and said, "Send a company of American cavalry to lure the enemy to the woods, where our Gatling guns are waiting."

Black Tom blew a whistle, and a group of cavalrymen wearing Mongolian hoods immediately turned their horses around and galloped eastward.

Xianfeng looked at the thick smoke rising in the distance and nodded with satisfaction.

(End of this chapter)