Beiyang 1917

When U.S. Minister Rui Enshi said this, the ministers of Britain, France and Japan came back to think about it. That’s right. After agreeing to the conditions for China’s participation in the war, the other party can pay in return. Otherwise, things will be serious. I don't know why it's yellow.

In Xia Yiting's heart, he was no longer worried but curious. If Wang Geng really wanted to make a fuss, President Duan would support him. As the deputy foreign minister, he had nothing to worry about, and he looked at Wang Geng's behavior , I am afraid that he will not agree to take any responsibility for him if he wants to.

Everyone in Wang Geng looked at him with anticipation, this fellow smiled, flicked off the cigarette ash, and said,

"We all know that China's agricultural productivity is poor and there is no industrial foundation at all. How much can China do? It is nothing more than inexhaustible manpower and resources. When it comes to funds and equipment, you have to come from developed countries in Europe and the United States. ?”

Everyone was disappointed when they heard the words. What is the difference between this and the fourth article that China's support for the war is limited to labor and raw materials?

"Since I am taking on the job of supervising the preparations for the war, I naturally want to do something for the nation and contribute to world peace. As long as all of you here can support it, I dare not say anything else. How many people will the United States send to the war?" To Europe, we can send as many people as we want from China! If we want to send, we can send regular troops, and it’s nothing to send only laborers!”

Wang Geng shocked everyone with his words, "China is going to send troops to Europe to participate in the war?!" For the envoys of the four countries who are familiar with Chinese history and the current stage of the game between various forces, Wang Geng's idea really shocked everyone.

"Wang Sang, how many people are there in total? There are less than 20 divisions at full strength, plus dozens of mixed brigades, and the total strength is less than 100 million. After the Chinese government enters the war, it can send troops to Europe. ?” Japanese Minister Lin Quansuke obviously didn’t believe it at all.

"How many active-duty soldiers are in the United States? How many are active-duty Japanese soldiers? How dare you laugh at our small number? We have more active-duty soldiers than your two countries combined!" Wang Geng's words sound majestic, but in fact it is not the case at all.

The potential of war does not lie in the number of standing armies but in the mobilization system and logistical support capabilities. China's nearly one million troops are in a state of separatism in the hands of dozens of warlords, large and small, and other local warlords. However, although the Japanese standing army has only ten divisions with less than 30 people, the U.S. regular army only has 8 divisions with a total of about 20 people.

But Japan can mobilize nearly 180 million troops within three months, and the United States actually mobilized and trained nearly 400 million troops within one year after participating in World War I in its previous life, and once transported troops to Europe at a rate of 1 per day.

"Wang Geng, are you sure that sending troops to join the war is also one of the choices of the Chinese government?" Zhu Erdian and Kant looked at each other, obviously a little overjoyed. Unlike Japan, Japan has always worried that China's growth will affect Japan's interests in China, so it always With a little doubt, the combined population of Britain and France is less than half of China's. Hearing Wang Geng say that China has plans to send troops, how can I not be overjoyed!

"That's right, otherwise, what am I doing as a supervisor of preparations for the war? If China wants to participate in the war, it will send an expeditionary army. How can it just send laborers as slaves!" Wang Geng said convincingly.

"How many troops can the Chinese-government send to the war?" U.S. Minister Rui Enshi couldn't help but asked with emotion.

"Of course our mobilization ability cannot be compared with that of Japan and the United States, but stupid birds can always fly first. China has a population of 3000 million. There are no less than 300 million urban refugees and rural landless people. It is no problem to recruit [-] million new recruits within a year!" Wang Geng said calmly.

"300 million?" The envoys of the four countries looked at each other in disbelief, apparently in disbelief!

"Of course, without the guarantee of funds, weapons, equipment, logistics and ammunition, I can't afford 30 people. How many troops China can send depends on how much money you are willing to spend! Anyway, the European War was fiercely fought in Europe, not in China, you also know that China is a backward agricultural country, many people have never seen cars and ships in their lives, and it will take a lot of energy and investment to persuade them to join the army and cross the ocean to Europe to bleed and die!"

As Wang Geng said, he gestured for Ocean with his hands.

The envoys of the four countries, except for Lin Quanzhu from Japan, had all kinds of feelings in their minds and didn't know what to do. The envoys of the United States, Britain and France were obviously very itchy to be fooled by the huge prospects described by Wang Geng. The depletion of manpower and military resources was a pain in the hearts of Britain and France. , and the reason why the United States has been tossing about whether to participate in the war or not, the huge casualty rate in the European war is the biggest worry!

The peace-loving and freedom-loving American people cross the ocean to serve as cannon fodder for their distant relatives in Europe. The difficulty of convincing young people to join the army is not as easy as convincing Chinese landless peasants to join the army across the ocean. In fact, the first batch of American expeditionary forces were drawn by lottery The way the scowl is drawn out.

"By the way, if you pay five francs a day, you will sign a five-year contract to sell yourself to a war-torn battlefield. Don't even think about it. It will be invalid from now on! The people who have been sent out must give me new standards at that time. Calculate the wages! I don’t want too much, just pay $5 a day for American blue-collar workers!” Wang Geng vaccinated everyone first!

"Supervisor Wang, what you said is outrageous. Although five francs is a little less, how can it be possible for five dollars a day? American blue-collar workers only pay five dollars a day for Ford Motors, and other ordinary workers are less than three dollars a day!" Rui Enshi was very sensitive to the cost, so he yelled in a hurry!

"There are no German bombs flying over the heads of the blue-collar workers in Ford Motor Company. My people went to Europe to work hard. Who knows if they will have any luck going home? Can this be the same!" Wang Geng said disdainfully. He flicked the ash in his hand.

"Deputy Minister Xia, are you sure that Wang Geng is really the supervisor of your foreign ministry's negotiations with the United States? I look at him like a broker from Wall Street. If you calculate 300 million people based on the salary standard of five dollars, even the US government will have to go bankrupt." Ah!" Rui Enshi spread his hands and cried out incessantly.

Xia Yiting rubbed his hands with a puzzled face, obviously Wang Geng's performance was completely beyond his thinking ability, what else can he say at this time?

"Wrong, Minister Rui, five dollars is just the treatment of laborers. It is not a matter of five dollars for soldiers who participated in the war. You in the United States have always advertised that everyone is equal and everyone has the right to pursue freedom. How much treatment the US government gives to American soldiers participating in the war How much treatment should be given to the Chinese soldiers who participated in the war? As compensation and return, the squadrons participating in the European war can be incorporated into the U.S. military operations on the basis of maintaining their independent organization, and they will be under the unified command of the U.S. Expeditionary Force Command!"

When Wang Geng said this, he was serious, obviously not joking!

"How is this possible? How can your peasant-born soldiers get the same treatment as our workers, who don't know a single word and can't speak English!" Rui Enshi was obviously a little anxious!

"According to what you said, the French army can't speak English, so you don't have to give me anything for nothing? Who said that you can only be a qualified soldier if you can speak English? Which country's soldiers in France, Germany, Russia and Austria can speak English? ?Maintaining an independent establishment, with enough liaison officers and translators, and at the same time arranging to learn daily English, three months is enough to cope! What's more, there are many illiterates in the United States, and it is useless to be able to say whether you can read or not!"

Wang Geng shook his hand in disdain and said disapprovingly.

The British Minister Zhu Erdian and the French Minister Kant looked at each other, whether it is to provide money or equipment and arms, Britain and France are now dead tigers who can't take care of themselves, and the big benefactors who participated in the war have obviously been taken advantage of by Japan and the United States. However, the prospect that Wang Geng described that the Chinese-government intends to send troops and not just labor to join the war, made this veteran diplomat who has been in the diplomatic battlefield can't help but thump.

"The conditions for participating in the war cannot be negotiated, and the rest of the matter is useless. You can discuss it with your own government. The Chinese people love peace, but the days when the Chinese were sold as piglets to do coolies are gone forever. I Knowing that President Li and Vice President Feng are both your good friends, don’t forget that only Premier Duan is the leader who can truly lead this suffering country out of the quagmire!”

Wang Geng glanced at the ministers of the four countries present, and said earnestly,

"You all used to be close friends of President Yuan Da. You should be able to see that whether it is Beiyang or China, there is no other better candidate to lead this country except Premier Duan. It is up to you and the governments of various countries to make a choice. It's time!"