1850 American Gold Tycoon.

Chapter 320
"Baja California is a barren land. There is no need to go to war for a Baja California." Liang Yao said.

Fillmore's goal is obviously not a Baja California, he should want something more.

Telling him this in private, Fillmore's intention is obvious, that is, once a conflict with Mexico breaks out, he hopes that Liang Yao's army can intervene in this conflict, and even use it as the main force.

It's not that Liang Yao has no idea about the land in Mexico, but Baja California can't impress him. What he wants is the iron ore producing area in Mexico, not Baja California, which Mao even doesn't have.

As for Fillmore's intention of using troops against Mexico, it is not difficult to guess, that is, Fillmore hopes to use a foreign war to ease domestic conflicts and delay the outbreak of the civil war.

"I don't want a civil war to break out in America." Fillmore said slowly.

Fillmore's words also confirmed that Liang Yao's idea was correct. Fillmore tried to use a foreign war to divert domestic attention.

The United States has only two neighbors on land, and the Great Britain and the United States in the north are naturally untouchable. The only suitable target for military use is Mexico.

"There has just been a coup in Mexico, the Arista government has been overthrown, and the newly appointed Santa Ana is on his way back to Mexico from Venezuela. The current political situation in Mexico is not very stable, which is good news for us." Phil Moore continued.

Mexico's political turmoil is one of the reasons why he has ideas about Mexico.

"Compared to the domestic political situation in Mexico, the attitude of Britain and France is the key to our use of troops against Mexico." Liang Yao said bluntly, "Britain and France will not sit back and ignore the annexation of Mexican territory by the United States. It is not the best time to use troops against Mexico. opportunity."

"I have also considered what you said. It is only a matter of time before the powder keg explodes in Crimea. The British will not sit back and watch the United States become stronger in the Americas, let alone sit and watch Russia grow in Europe. The Russians are the ones. Their biggest enemy." Fillmore said, "Once a major war breaks out in Europe, what happens in America, the British will be beyond their reach."

Fillmore's judgment on the situation in Europe is still accurate. The interests in Europe are the core interests of Britain, and defense against Russia is more important than defense against the United States.

It's just that Fillmore underestimated the scale of the future Crimean War. In addition to Britain's involvement in the Crimean War, France will also be involved.

Legoff ordered 3 sets of military uniforms from him and asked to complete the order within half a year, indicating that the number of French troops expanding this year will be at least 3.

The expansion of the French army has exceeded the size of the standing army of the United States. These troops must be prepared for future wars.

"There is an old saying in China that one shot of a cannon is worth ten thousand taels of gold. Wars cost money. If the cost of fighting against Mexico exceeds the land purchase price discussed by Minister Gadsden and the Mexican government, it is not worthwhile to fight such a war. .” Liang Yao said.

"The land purchase price that Minister Gadsden negotiated with the Mexican government is 3 million US dollars for 1000 square miles of land. According to this price, the United States needs to pay more than 1.2 million US dollars to buy the five northern Mexican states and the Baja California peninsula. Get those lands," Fillmore said.

"1.2 million US dollars, which is enough for us to start a war. If it is 6000 million US dollars, you can consider buying new territories directly from Mexico

The newly-created states are all free states, and the southern states have long had their opinions on this.The northern states also opposed the establishment of new slave states in the west. They wanted to meet the needs of the southern states for larger cotton fields, and established new slave states to appease the emotions of the southern states.We can only make a fuss about the new territory in the south.

To start a war with Mexico, I don't think there is a need for a general mobilization of the whole country. The mobilization of the southern states is enough.It will not be up to the northern states to dictate how the southern states will deal with the land laid down by the southern states. "

It turned out that Fillmore was playing a big game of chess, but Liang Yao didn't want to be Fillmore's pawn.

It is not impossible for him to contribute to the acquisition of Mexican territory, provided that the benefits are sufficient, the price of a Baja California is too cheap.

The southern state can't be in front of it and take all the good land, and California just takes the bad land of California. If this is the case, Liang Yao can't explain to the people of California.He himself has no motivation to send troops.

If 3 square miles are converted into square kilometers, it is about 7.7 square kilometers, which is about the area of ​​two Hainan Islands.

Spending 1000 million US dollars to buy two territories the size of Hainan Island is definitely a very cost-effective deal, but what Fillmore said is also reasonable. Mexico's military strength is weak. If these territories can be acquired at a lower price, why spend a lot of money? What about the price?

The combined area of ​​the five states in northern Mexico and the Baja California peninsula is 86.13 square kilometers, which is larger than the area of ​​California today.

Based on the unit price of 7.7 million US dollars for 1000 square kilometers, the purchase price of 1.2 million US dollars is relatively conservative.

1.2 million US dollars is indeed enough to fight another US-Mexico war.

Now Mexico is smaller and weaker, and it really wants to start a war, from the beginning of the war to the end of the war,

What's more, the territory acquired through war has the effect of training the army, boosting people's hearts, and enhancing national pride.

These effects cannot be bought directly by buying land with money, and they are also the effects that Fillmore needs.

Therefore, in Fillmore's view, it is more cost-effective to go to war than to directly spend money to buy land.

Even if his own presidency cannot reach the heights of the founding president Washington, he must at least stand shoulder to shoulder with President Polk during the Mexican-American War.Perhaps that's what Fillmore is thinking now.

Of course, obtaining territory through war also has side effects. First, people will die, and then there will be pressure from international public opinion.

As long as the attack on Mexico is properly directed, the casualties can still be controlled to a relatively small range. As for how to deal with the pressure of public opinion from the outside world, it depends on Fillmore's own political skills.

"Your Excellency, California is also a free state." Liang Yao reminded Fillmore.

"California is different from other free states. The ruling party in California is neither the Whigs nor the Democrats, but the Citizens' Party. What's more, you have a good relationship with the southern states, and the southern states don't have much hostility towards California.

California sent troops as a representative of the free state, which can somewhat take care of the mood of the free state.Besides, the California and Arizona infantry were doing well, and I was more at ease with them in the fight. ’ said Fillmore.

Now that Fillmore made his words so clear, Liang Yao no longer kept secrets, and asked Fillmore for the establishment: "It's not two regiments, it's one and a half regiments, and half of the regiments are in Nagasaki.

If the U.S.-Mexico war resumes, California, as a state on the border with Mexico, has absolutely no reason to sit on the sidelines.

It's just that the strength of the two regiments is not enough. Half of the California Infantry Regiment is responsible for the task of garrisoning Nagasaki.The strength of two regiments is not enough, let alone one and a half regiments.

I need more staff, more well-trained soldiers, without these as guarantees, sending troops to Mexico is risky. "

(End of this chapter)