Reborn South Africa as a police officer

Chapter 1886 Iron Ore War

While Howard was negotiating with Barreto, U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Hopman and Southern African Ambassador to Brazil Jones were having afternoon tea at the Southern African Embassy in Brazil in Rio de Janeiro.

An afternoon tea full of English style is simply a luxury in the context of war, but this is the mood of the real powers when they look at the civil war in Brazil.

"The United States has no intention of intervening in the Brazilian Civil War—" Hopman made it clear as soon as he came up.

"Of course, of course, we in southern Africa have no intention of intervening in the war between Rio and Michigan." Jones tacitly said that the definitions of this war in southern Africa and the United States are slightly different, but they are essentially the same.

"The supreme commander of the Michigan National Guard is a member of the Umbrella Company—" Hopman was very meaningful. The Southern African Federal Government did not directly send troops, but what is the difference between the mercenaries of the Umbrella Company and the Southern African National Defense Forces.

There is really no difference. The mercenaries of the umbrella company are the same as the Southern African National Defense Forces. The most important task is to safeguard the interests of southern Africa.

"Didn't Washington also send an advisory group to Rio—" Jones smiled, and everyone was the same, so don't talk about anyone.

"I don't know when this war caused by iron ore will end?" Hopman directed the topic to iron ore.

"I don't know when it will end, but I know it will end with one side's complete surrender." Jones has a well-thought-out plan. When the war ends, you can refer to the Great Summer Valley War. The attitudes of the two parties involved in the war are useless at all. The final decision.

"The behavior of Iron Four Corners and Umbrella Corporation in Brazil does not conform to the agreement between Lord Nyasaland and President Roosevelt." Jones refused to accept the move, and Hopman took the initiative to attack again.

"If the military government hadn't touched the interests of the Iron Four Corners, then this war would not have happened." Jones said that both the Iron Four Corners and the umbrella were forced to fight back.

"Why can't Iron Four Corners give up some of the benefits? I believe that Rio will give Iron Four Corners an appropriate return." Hopman was envious and jealous. Southern Africans were not satisfied with Australia's iron mines, so they extended their hands to Brazil. , This is absolutely intolerable to the U.S. government.

All differences actually stem from information gaps.

When Rock met with Roosevelt Jr., the news of the iron mines in Michigan had not been leaked, so Roosevelt Jr. made a promise to guarantee the interests of southern Africa in the Americas.

At that time, this commitment was mainly aimed at the interests of southern Africa in Canada, and did not include Brazil.

But the Americans never expected that the discovery of an iron mine comparable to Australia's size in Michigan made the Americans very embarrassed.

The Americans are obviously unwilling to hand over the Michigan iron mines to the southern Africans.

However, to reap the Iron Four Corners would violate Roosevelt Jr.'s promise to Rock, so even though the war had broken out, the U.S. government still did not make any statement on the Brazil issue.

"Hehe, what promise can the military government give Iron Four Corners—" Jones was unmoved, the Americans just wanted to come to pick peaches.

To put it bluntly, the Iron Four Corner Company has been building a railway in the Holy State of Mississippi for two full years, and it is impossible for Americans not to know about it.

When the railway was being repaired, he didn't say a word, and he didn't come to help.

When the railway was completed and iron ore began to be produced steadily, the military government jumped out and demanded to share the benefits. This is not picking peaches.

"Of course, Iron Four Corners will always own the rights to the iron ore in Michigan. If Iron Four Corners agrees to hand over part of the iron ore sales to Rio, then the war can be stopped in an instant." Handing over the sales rights to Rio is equivalent to handing over to the US government.

Hopman also admires Iron Four Corner's operation of selling iron ore at a low price to the Fawalt Iron and Steel Group, and then Fawalt Iron and Steel Group sells the iron ore to the United States at a high price.

After handing over the right to sell part of the iron ore to Rio, the Americans can also buy this part of the iron ore at a low price, or even at the original price. As for what price the U.S. government will sell this part of the iron ore to American steel companies, that is the internal affairs of the United States.

"Even if there is no military government's consent, the Michigan Iron Mine will still belong to the Iron Four Corners forever. The Iron Four Corners Company has invested tens of millions of rand for the Michigan Iron Mine. Rio can attack Michigan, but if it violates the interests of the Iron Four Corners Company , Pretoria will never sit idly by." Jones issued a threat of war, and the Brazilians would fight at will, and if the southern Africans were injured, the southern Africans would end in person.

"Even if it is the Iron Four Corners, all commercial activities in South America must follow the principle of benefit sharing. This is Washington's final bottom line." Hopman is right. Southern Africa is powerful, but is the United States weak?
Southern Africa has invested heavily in Michigan, and the United States has also placed a heavy bet on Rio. For Michigan and Rio, this is a war that they cannot afford to lose, and it is the same for Southern Africa and the United States.

If Michigan loses the war, Southern Africa's interests in South America will be greatly affected, and it may even have to gradually withdraw from South America.

If Rio loses the war, America's backyard will be on fire. How can this be accepted by Americans who have always implemented the Monroe Doctrine and see America as America?
This is a bit of a twist, and the core idea has never changed.

"The Iron Four Corners have always followed the principle of benefit sharing, otherwise the U.S. steel companies would not have been able to get even a gram of iron ore." Hopman has already torn his face, and Jones will no longer go around in circles.

Speaking of this, Hopman and Jones both had a tacit understanding of picking up the already cold black tea. The temperature had to be cooled down properly, otherwise the two ambassadors would fight on the spot.

That would be so disrespectful.

Like Pretoria, Rio de Janeiro also has an area equivalent to the embassy district, where the embassies of various countries in Brazil are located.

The Southern African Embassy in Brazil consists of three four-story buildings in the shape of a "pin" branch. In 1907, when Southern Africa was self-governing, it established diplomatic relations with Brazil. However, the diplomacy of Southern Africa was still restricted by the United Kingdom at that time. , so the diplomatic relations established are not at the ambassadorial level. It was not until the independence of southern Africa that the relationship with Brazil was upgraded to the ambassadorial level.

Although the relationship level is not high, the size of the southern African embassy in Brazil is not small. Among all the embassies in Brazil, the southern African embassy is almost the largest, similar to the United States. The security of the embassy is controlled by the Brazilian government. According to the usual practice, the embassy also has a platoon of marines who are responsible for protecting the safety of the embassy.

Brazil actually has a long history. In 1822, Regent Pedro I announced that Brazil was completely independent from Portuguese colonization and established the Brazilian Empire. It has been more than 100 years so far.

Although Brazil is poor and weak by the standards of southern Africa, Brazil is the undisputed number one country among all South American countries. In 1808, Brazil established the first military academy. In 1814, the Brazilian Library Established, when Brazil formed a bank, Portugal did not even have a bank.

After the relationship between the Brazilian military government and the state of Michigan deteriorated, Southern Africa, as a behind-the-scenes supporter of the state, has Brazilians organizing protests in front of the embassy every day.

At this time, a scene that made the Rio people very frustrated appeared. The Brazilian military government not only did not give much support to the protesting Brazilians, but sent more military and police to protect the safety of the southern African embassy in Brazil. The southern African ambassador to Brazil Barricades were even set up in the block where the embassy is located to prevent Rioters from storming the southern African embassy in Brazil.

This scene is really inexplicably heartbreaking for all Rio people.

But what can it do? This is the case with a weak country. If you knock out your teeth, you have to swallow blood in your stomach. The Brazilian military government does not want to protect the southern Africans, but if the southern Africans are hurt, then the Brazilian military government will cause the southern Africans The mad revenge of the African federal government.

At that time, it will be all Brazilians who will be hurt.

"It is necessary for us to sit down and have a good talk to find out the possibility of ending this iron ore war." Hopman finally faced the reality. It is useless to coerce and lure southern Africa. Unless the Americans are sure to defeat southern Africa, otherwise Hopman won't really tear faces.

Jones drank tea in silence, acquiescing to contact with the United States.

Iron Four Corners is also willing to end this war as soon as possible if possible, but of course it must be based on the premise that the interests of Iron Four Corners will not be seriously affected.

The attitude of the Americans is very good now. As long as the demands of the Americans are not excessive, then everyone can sit down and talk slowly. Iron Four Corners is not a dime-a-dozen company. It is also possible to distribute part of the profits to the US government, but it depends on the Americans. How big is the appetite.

Later, Jones and Hopman sent telegrams to Pretoria and Washington for instructions and reports respectively. Although both Hopman and Jones were interested in contacting, the decision-making power was not in their hands.

Pretoria and Washington showed an astonishing tacit understanding at this time, and neither side responded immediately. It seems that this war will continue, and some will fight.

This is also normal. Southern Africa and the United States have already made heavy bets. It is not yet the time to decide the winner. They must all want to complete their efforts in one battle. It is not the style of the two governments to give up halfway.

Then keep playing.

Leaving aside the stalemate in southern Africa and the United States, the fleet led by Barreto was finally able to launch an attack on Victoria after the Umbrella Company's frigates withdrew.

Here I want to introduce the terrain of Victoria. Like most Brazilian ports, Victoria is also surrounded by mountains. The Santa Maria River passes through the center of Victoria and divides Victoria into two parts. Victoria is on the south bank and Kitchener is on the north bank. port.

The first difficulty Barreto had to face was the landing. Due to the requirements of the Umbrella Company, the fleet could not bombard Victoria and could only send troops to force the landing.

At this time, the tanks and armored vehicles ordered by Mizhou from southern Africa came in handy. Under the premise that powerful naval guns cannot be used, it is very difficult for Barreto's troops to capture Victoria.

(End of this chapter)