I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 400: Bring your own dry food
After the Russo-Japanese War broke out, Japanese businessmen in Russia were unlucky. Not only were their properties confiscated, but their people were also centrally managed in the name of "protection."

In fact, it was a concentration camp.

This was not the first of its kind by the Russians, it was practiced extensively by the British during the Boer War.

However, the conditions in the Russian concentration camps were much better than those in the Boer concentration camps. Although there was no freedom, basic life was still guaranteed.

The Japanese in Russia are mainly concentrated in Amur, and they are mainly laborers and special workers.

It’s okay for special workers, but workers are a special group.

A considerable number of Japanese workers in Amur have been working for Amur for a long time, and they only have one or two years left to meet the naturalization criteria, and some even only have a few months left.

After the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, Amur officials suspended naturalization. It is unclear whether the waiting time accumulated previously is valid. This caused great dissatisfaction among Japanese workers.

Ichiro Nitta has been working for Amur for more than four and a half years. He applied for Russian citizenship two years ago. The waiting period starts after the application. Therefore, Ichiro Nitta still needs to work for Amur for 3 years, and he has not worked for Amur for three years. Anyone with any illegal record will be eligible to obtain permanent residence and enter the next stage.

While working in Amur, Ichiro Nitta became proficient in Chinese and related construction skills through self-study. As soon as he obtains permanent residence, Ichiro Nitta can pass the exam and become a construction engineer.

Amur's resources are so rich that even baked potatoes are made of anthracite, which is completely unimaginable in Japan.

The use of inferior coal will affect the power of the warship and the life of the power system.

"What do we do? Will the accumulated work hours be cleared?"

Fortunately, Grand Duke Yuriev firmly refused to allow it, so the Japanese were centralized under protection.

Gao Shanliang, who had also applied for naturalization, was terrified.

Due to insufficient combustion, a large amount of black smoke will be produced, which will expose itself earlier during combat, which will bring disaster to the fleet.

Mr. Yoshikawa, who had just applied for naturalization less than half a year ago, looked at the baked potatoes in his hand and couldn't eat them.

But no one can guarantee how long Grand Duke Yuriev can protect them.

The outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War disrupted Ichiro Nitta's plans, and he and other Japanese workers were imprisoned in a concentration camp.

"We can't sit still and wait for death—"

Yuri, who was also imprisoned in a concentration camp, had a more violent attitude.

"what should we do?"

"I heard that the Boers who were imprisoned by the British in concentration camps didn't even have food to eat, and many of them starved to death——"

After the war broke out, rumors spread in the concentration camp. Some people rumored that St. Petersburg had ordered the Governor of Kwantung to kill all Japanese in the Far East.

Ichiro Nitta wants to take the initiative.

"In the middle of the night on February 2th, the Imperial Navy broke into Port Arthur and carried out a shameless sneak attack on the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Empire. This is so shameful. As a Japanese, I am ashamed of my identity. The navy's horses Lu Yelang will definitely be punished, and those who started the war will eventually be liquidated by the war, let them go to hell!"

Yuri, whose real name is Fujino Daichi, has only four months left in his immigration waiting period.

"When the empire launched the war, it didn't consider those of us working in Russia. If I don't care about my country, just let it die——"

The coal that Japanese warships usually use is inferior coal produced in Japan. It not only burns incompletely, but also releases a large amount of toxic substances when burned, which is very dangerous.

In this regard, Ichiro Nitta did not hate the Russian Empire, but placed all the blame on the Japanese government.

Ichiro Nitta immediately made a complete cut with Japan.

Yuri and Takayama were enthusiastic.

"There is a rule in the Amur Military District that as long as we join the Amur Army and fight for Amur, we can leave here."

Ichiro Nitta hopes to mobilize more people to apply together, so as to achieve his goal.

"How is this possible? Even the conditions for Qing people to apply to join the army are so harsh. Can our application be approved?"

Yuri was dubious.

"The conditions for people from the Qing Dynasty are not harsh at all. As long as you apply, you can almost pass it——"

Ichiro Nitta now hates even his own bloodline.

"——The reason why few Qing people join the army is because Qing people have better choices. They study in school. After graduation, they either go to work in the government or in a bank. At worst, they can also go to a factory to become an engineer. Who wants to be a soldier?"

Nitta Ichiro's words silenced everyone.

The so-called "extremely bad" is almost the ceiling for people like Ichiro Nitta.

"If I were fighting for the Russian Empire, I would hesitate - but for Amur, I am willing to die on the battlefield. I hope that after I die, Grand Duke Yuriev can naturalize my children!"

Yuri couldn't wait.

"I will donate all my savings to the War Department. As long as I can join the army, I will not need a salary."

Ichiro Nitta was in ruins. He had no children and no worries.

"Yes, we don't want a salary, and we voluntarily apply to fight in the most dangerous places. Who would refuse dead soldiers like us!"

Yuri positioned himself very accurately.

On February 2, Japan finally declared war on the Russian Empire.

On this day, the Amur Military District received more than 1.5 applications for joining the army.

At the same time as the application for joining the army, a donation of up to 750 million rubles was received.

"The average is more than 500 rubles per person - these macaques really save money!"

Mikhail was surprised that many Russians went bankrupt and could not afford 500 rubles.

"Is the salary of the Siberian Railway Bureau that high?" Milyutin had a habit of doubting that the money was too abnormal.

"The salary of the Siberian Railway Bureau is not high, but the Japanese are very good at saving money. During the annual off-duty period, they try every means to stay in Amur and continue working. Many people will sell the clothes distributed by the Railway Bureau to businessmen. , after Christmas, a lot of chocolate suddenly appeared on the market, guess where it came from?”

Dalia likes these Japanese people who work hard and live a simple life, so she does not insult the Japanese with "macaque" like Mikhail did.

Japanese people who don’t have a good work attitude have been eliminated.

Dalia didn't show off and gave the answer quickly.

"Those chocolates are benefits given out by the railway administration to workers during Christmas."

"Why don't they eat it? Don't they like it?"

Mikhail couldn't understand.

"No, they like to eat it very much, but they are reluctant to part with it."

There was even a hint of admiration in Dalia's words.

"I don't care if they work hard or not, if they get into the army they will be the best soldiers, more obedient and braver than the Cossacks -"

Ye Luoxin has evidence in hand.

The environment in Siberia is harsh and construction on many road sections is difficult.

Almost all the most difficult construction sections are undertaken by Japanese workers on their own initiative, because these jobs will pay more.

Cossacks are also brave in battle, but discipline is always a problem. Once a Cossack kills someone, he will lose his mind.

Japanese workers are very obedient. No matter how difficult the work is, even if it is dangerous, Japanese workers will not refuse. Obedience is engraved in their bones.

"So what's your opinion?"

George is very democratic most of the time.

"I agree, they should be given a chance!"

Ye Luoxin was the first to raise her hand.

"If the Amur people worked as hard as the Japanese, we would have no trouble -"

Dalia is not a husband and wife, but comes from the heart.

"Although it seems that there is no problem, I still doubt their purpose. How could there be such a person?"

Milyutin still couldn't understand.

Amur is an immigrant area, and all Amur people came to Amur in the past twenty years.

Milyutin believed that the vast majority of Amur people were loyal.

But being loyal to this extent was beyond Milyugin's understanding.

"If they don't want a salary, then I have absolutely no reason to object."

Mikhail also raised his hand. Soldiers bring their own dry food. Is there such a good thing?

Cossacks were not paid because they could keep the spoils of war.

The seizures of the Amur army must be turned over, and only those that the official disdains can be retained by private individuals.

Amur officials will convert part of the money to individuals based on the value of the seizure, otherwise no one will take the initiative to collect the loot.

Mikhail also doesn’t understand why the Japanese are so fanatical.

But this is definitely a good thing for Amul.

"You all recruit people into the army, what will happen to the construction next year?"

Alexander Rudakovsky, who was in charge of railway construction, reluctantly raised his hand.

Compared with railways, war is obviously more important.

But the war has nothing to do with Amur!
St. Petersburg has made it clear that Amur is excluded from the war. Why does it need so many troops?
"Look for Li Xi and ask him to get you some Korean people."

Goryeo is Mikhail's bottom line.

"Compared with Korean workers, I still prefer Japanese workers——"

Ludakov has his own judgment.

Although controversial, the resolution to recruit Japanese workers into the army was passed smoothly.

Although the Japanese workers voluntarily refused to receive wages, Amur officials could not refuse to pay them.

Of course, the army composed of Japanese workers can only be regarded as a servant army within the Amur combat system, so the treatment is definitely different from that of the Amur regular army.

For those Japanese workers, treatment is not an issue.

Their purpose is to acquire Russian citizenship.

Therefore, Amur officials promised that the time spent joining the army can be counted in the immigration waiting period.

Once this regulation was announced, Japanese workers who had been hesitant before went crazy. Even those Japanese workers who had not yet applied for naturalization were hurriedly submitting their applications.

But even if they submitted it, Amur officials would no longer accept it, and the work would not be restarted until the war was over.

Now I think about naturalization, what did I do before——

(End of this chapter)