Opening game, American Tycoon

Chapter 204 The Chaos on Pennsylvania Avenue (Second Update, please subscribe)
Arms are just a commodity.

Smuggling is just a business.

For such an answer, Lincoln is also very helpless.

He wanted to stop it, but he couldn't stop it at all!

It's not that I don't want to, but I can't!

In fact, who was the largest arms supplier in the Civil War?
Of course the British, the British not only sold almost a million Enfield P1853 and other artillery to the warring North and South sides.It was even sold to warships to the south!

However, soon Lincoln no longer entangled with Zuo Zongtang on the issue of arms pragmatically. As a politician, he knew very well that such arms smuggling could not be stopped at all, and the British did not promise not to export arms to the south. ?

But what if the arms are bought by the French, the Egyptians, or the Cubans?

Buyers change their identities, and after the merchant ships leave the port with weapons, they can just change a destination.

Even with the so-called official prohibition, arms still flowed into the south continuously. The only thing that is fortunate is that the American company only manufactures some light weapons and exports some gunpowder and explosives.

And this company can't compare with those countries in Europe at all. Britain and France are the real big sellers of arms smuggled to the south.

Protests are now nothing more than routine.

Now that Lincoln became pragmatic, Zuo Zongtang also became extremely pragmatic, and then he congratulated Lincoln on the victory of the federal army at Vicksburg.

Facing his congratulations, Lincoln nodded and said.

"The conquest of Vicksburg and Port Hudson marked the federal government's successful opening of the entire Mississippi River. The father of the river once again ran to the sea carefree."

Lincoln was all smiles as he spoke.

"Mr. Zuo, maybe when you come back from Europe, the war will be over. At that time, with the end of the war, the United States will be unified again. You are welcome to come to the United States as a guest at that time. You can go to the south to see Look, I want to wait for you to learn from the free black men what this war is about."

"Yes, Mr. President, I believe justice will prevail! And I myself look forward to someday visiting the South."

Who is on the side of justice?
A qualified politician can say the same thing in Washington, and of course he can say the same in Richmond.

In front of foreign devils, there is no need to tell the truth at all.

Just when Lincoln was full of joy and received Zuo Zongtang's blessing, the door of the Oval Office was knocked open again, and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton walked in with a nervous expression. He even Without even looking at the outsider who was still in the office, he said anxiously.

"Mr. President, Major General Meade's Army of the Potomac was defeated at Gettysburg. His army was surrounded and suffered heavy losses. Although General Meade broke through the encirclement, Lee is now leading his The Legion of Virginia, marching on Washington, Mr. President."

"what!"

Standing up suddenly, Lincoln said in astonishment.

"Mead is defeated!"

"Yes, Mr. President, now from Gettysburg to Washington, no one can stop Lee's army!"

The Minister of War's words made Lincoln stunned for several seconds, but he still made a decision immediately.

"Immediately give General Meade an order to order his army not to take another step back. He must stop the Southern Army's attack at all costs!"

Then he successively ordered the Secretary of War to do everything possible to mobilize all the troops that could be mobilized to defend Washington.

After a while, after issuing several orders in succession, Lincoln noticed that there were still guests in the office, so he apologized.

"Mr. Zuo, I'm very sorry. Now I have more important things to deal with. Let's see you another day!"

"Of course, Mr. President, thank you for your hospitality."

Zuo Zongtang got up to say goodbye, and when he left the Oval Office, he noticed that there was chaos in the White House.

"Hamada, it seems that we accidentally witnessed a drastic change!"

Hamada Hikozo, who has been naturalized as a Chinese, and Liu Bintian, who has long been renamed, nodded and said.

"Hey, who would have thought that the North, with tens of millions of people, would be beaten up like this by the South. That General Robert Lee is truly a famous general!"

"Who knows? However, if my lord knows the news, I'm afraid I'll be disappointed. Once the southern soldiers come to the city of Washington, the war will probably end. At that time, our business will not be able to continue!"

When Zuo Zongtang was in such a pity, he didn't know at all that he wanted to see the defeat of the North and the division of the United States more than the money earned by smuggling arms.After all, there is nothing like a divided America.

"Pity……"

When he boarded the carriage, Zuo Zongtang couldn't help but let out a sigh of regret when he looked towards the south. He didn't know whether he was regretting the end of this war or regretting that he could not meet Robert Lee.

When Zuo Zongtang left by car, there was already chaos on Pennsylvania Avenue. Members of Congress and senior government officials who heard the news all packed up their belongings and prepared to leave the city, just like before the British occupied Washington. In that way, Washington at this time has fallen into chaos because of the approach of the enemy.

Looking at the chaos on the street through the car window, Zuo Zongtang actually had the illusion of witnessing the end of the dynasty, but it was only an illusion.

"My lord, you see, the politicians in Washington are either fleeing or preparing to flee. Perhaps the southerners have really won the victory of this war."

Regarding Liu Bintian's judgment, Zuo Zongtang shook his head and said.

"The South can't win!"

"What? My lord, they are almost hitting Washington now!"

Liu Bintian said in surprise.

"Washington is just a city, Hamada, do you remember the cities we have been to in the past few months? Do you remember the factories in New York, Detroit, and Philadelphia? We clearly see that the United States factories are in the North, but what does Washington have?"

Pointing to the carriage fleeing in a hurry outside the window, Zuo Zongtang said.

"It's just a group of people who eat food and pay a lot of money. Even if the Southern Confederates occupy Washington, it doesn't make much sense. After all, there are neither many factories nor many people here. Even if it is lost Washington, as long as there are factory-made guns and soldiers, they can still take Washington back, and as for the South... what is the South?"

It has to be said that after several months of investigations in the United States, Zuo Zongtang already has a certain understanding of this country, and of course has a basic judgment on the outcome of the war.

"For the south, the best choice right now is probably to use the advantages on the battlefield to force Lincoln to negotiate. However, Lincoln is also a decisive person. If I expect it to be correct, he should refuse to negotiate!"

After traveling in the United States for several months, Zuo Zongtang didn't think the south had any chance of winning. After all, the south only had some cotton.

(End of this chapter)