Travel through the Qing Dynasty and become emperor

Chapter 449 The Spanish-American War
London, England.

Morgan vigorously discussed some bond issues with Rothschild Bank.In America, Rothschild intends to give up the Argentine market.Nor does he intend to take on Mexico's debt, and Morgan wants to replace Rothschild.

as a partner.From the time of their parents, the Morgan family has cooperated deeply with Rothschild.Morgan Firm has now grown into a super giant whose strength is far greater than that of Rothschild.Of course, if there is a difference, there is one more thing.That is, Rothschild can issue British pounds, while Morgan cannot issue U.S. dollars for the time being. Although Morgan also knows that the United States and Spain will fight sooner or later, he doesn't think it will happen soon.Based on his understanding of the White House bureaucracy, if war is declared, the meetings held will be enough to delay half a year.So he was as steady as a mountain to discuss business in London, and he did not return to New York for a long time.

"Mr. Morgan, a telegram from New York, the Congress has declared war on Spain!" Costa informed Morgan.

"I didn't expect to declare war earlier than I thought!" Morgan snorted a few times in London to express his dissatisfaction.

The reason why it deviates from his idea is that the president of the United States is a member of the DuPont family, and the main ministers of the president's cabinet all hold positions in DuPont.At this time, Morgan hated DuPont!The situation was not in Morgan's hands, which made it difficult for him to bear.

Morgan finally belatedly returned to Wall Street.

I don't know if it is to welcome the return of the Wall Street emperor, or to celebrate the declaration of war by the US team Spain. In January, the trading atmosphere on Wall Street suddenly heated up, and the hot market suddenly started!
It was not long before Morgan returned to New York.Before he could enjoy the ardent adoration of Wall Street, the undersecretary of the U.S. Navy came to visit. "Mr. Morgan, the front line is tight. In order to send troops to Cuba Island, the Admiralty has decided to requisition ships from civilians. Your Corsair II is one of the main purchase objects of our Admiralty. Please offer a price!"

Morgan's eyes widened to express his serious dissatisfaction with what was in the head of the Deputy Chief of the Admiralty.Even dare to fight Morgan's Corsair II idea?Therefore, Morgan was furious and said: "Go back and tell your President Roosevelt that if there are not enough ships, send me an order. I will build a new one for him! As for the Corsair II, I can't transfer it!"

However, it seems that the deputy chief of the Navy lacks a string in his head, and he is unyielding, and he keeps begging and persuading, from national interests, war outcomes, to Morgan's personal reputation.

He also eloquently cited the example of Vanderbilt, the richest man in the United States during the Civil War, the railway magnate, and the shipping magnate, who donated all the ships to the Federation.It was also mentioned that the members of the yacht clubs in Washington and New York sold their boats to the Department of the Navy one after another.

Talking and talking.Actually.Morgan was no pushover either.

The deputy secretary of the Navy couldn't help being happy when he saw some talk.What about the huge war budget approved by Congress this time, the generous capital of the Navy Department, he said: "$22.5. What do you think, Mr. Morgan?"

Although Morgan didn't say a word, he agreed by default.Corsair 11.5 was ordered for just $[-] a few years ago.For businessmen, making money is in their nature, and Morgan is no exception.

Wait until the Deputy Secretary of the Navy returns with satisfaction.Morgan called and ordered the more luxurious Corsair 3.

More importantly, the Admiralty promised to use more steel plates produced by Morgan Steel in tomorrow's shipbuilding plan. Such a promise made Morgan smile.

The "Maine" explosion soon caused a sensation throughout the United States and immediately became the headlines of many newspapers.For a while, the streets and alleys of the United States were talking about this matter, but the most talked about was who blew up the "Maine".

"Could it be the Spaniards?"

"Maybe it was the Cubans, too?"

Soon, the relevant parties in the United States announced the results of the investigation, claiming that the warship was sunk by the Spaniards with mines, and they simply and without hesitation put the responsibility on Spain.Once the news spread, the United States boiled.Some expansionists seized this opportunity, held rallies everywhere, published articles in newspapers, and fanatically carried out war propaganda: "Avenge the victims of the USS Maine!"

"American blood will not be shed in vain!"

"We're going to fight the Spaniards to the death!"

The cloud of war suddenly enveloped the Caribbean region, and the relationship between the United States and Spain was on the verge of breaking out.What is even more noticeable is that the U.S. officials concluded that it was the Spaniards who did it. They said that as soon as the news spread that the Spaniards had attacked the "Maine" with mines, they would "revenge the Maine" and "fight to the death with the Spaniards." "The slogan sounded immediately in the United States, and the American army really began to prepare for war.

At the same time, the Spanish side stated that it has nothing to do with this incident.The United States and Spain have been arguing endlessly over this matter, and finally decided to set up an investigation team.But when Spanish investigators asked to board the "Maine" for investigation, the US firmly rejected them.Not to mention, it didn't take long for the United States towed the damaged "Maine" to the Atlantic Ocean, and let it sink to the bottom of the sea in the emptying waves.In this way, the investigation could no longer be carried out, and the anti-Spanish sentiment in the United States became stronger and stronger.

In the United States, mobilization began. The army and navy began to recruit new soldiers. Many factories received orders from the Pentagon. Even the US fleet in Asia began to prepare for deployment in Hong Kong. The target was naturally the Philippines, which had only 2 Spanish troops.

Due to the perennial uprising in Cuba.The number of Spanish regular troops stationed there exceeds 15, which is exactly the same. Together with various domestic military forces, the Spaniards have an army of 50.

Spain teamed with the United States with mixed feelings.On the one hand, they are extremely afraid of US military intervention, and on the other hand, they over-believe that their own military power is enough to make Americans fearful.

In fact, the Spaniards also knew that its colonies were all islands, and that it was not the army but the navy that decided the outcome.The Spanish navy is basically still in the era of sailing wooden ships.Half a century behind the US Navy.

In the Philippines, the Americans also supported the "Campunan" armed forces just like they supported the Cuban insurgents.In fact, like Cuba, without the participation of the United States, it will be a matter of time before the rebels drive out the colonists.On the battlefield, the rebel army has achieved an absolute advantage.The Spanish colonial army was only supported in a few strongholds.

Under such circumstances, at the end of March, the United States issued an ultimatum to the Spaniards: requiring the Spaniards and the "rebels" to cease fire before October 3 in order to hold negotiations under the auspices of the United States; Spain should withdraw from the concentration camp policy and allow Farmers return to the countryside; if the treaty cannot be fulfilled by October 10, the President of the United States will be the final arbiter!
The Spaniards naturally rejected such an imperative ultimatum.Moreover, through diplomacy, Spain asked the ambassadors of Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Russia to the United States to jointly submit a "six-nation note" to the United States, calling on the United States and the West to return to the negotiating table and hold peaceful negotiations.but.The United States declined such a proposal.All diplomatic means were tried, and the Spaniards were almost cornered.even.The Spaniards said they could fully accept the U.S. ultimatum.But at this time, the United States still did not agree.Because the fruits of Cuba, the Philippines and other places have already matured, if the United States does not take advantage of such a good situation to snatch the "inheritance" of the Spaniards, then either the rebel army will be cheaper, or the Spaniards will mobilize the army to quell the rebellion again.

The "New York Herald" pointedly stated the mainstream thinking in the United States: "The big companies here now believe that we will have a war. I believe that everyone welcomes the war. Get rid of worry!"

Commented in the Critic: "They (Spanish) cut Maine's presence in Havana as a threat to Spanish sovereignty over the island. As an encouragement to the rebels. Here is a real emergency moment. There are only a handful in the United States, and we do not believe that more than 7500 people out of a population of 10 million, think that the United States should lay down its arms in the face of the Cuban crisis. And shake hands with Spain and accept Spanish sovereignty."

And in the Louisville Courier-Journal.The famous chief writer Henry.Watson also published an editorial: "Let us not justify our war in the musty records of the Names Archive. We are above land, chattel, and the human body in the supreme law. In the law of the various names of the land and the soul of man, the law of man. In the law of God. We find it in our own inspiration. In our destiny. We ring our own sovereignty from Philadelphia. Where did the Liberty Bell find it. We found it in the blood of the patriots who won our independence at gunpoint."

By this time, the Spaniards knew that war was inevitable.So, the Spaniards declared war on the United States.

Finally, the United States asked Spain to withdraw from Cuba in an ultimatum.Spain categorically refused, and refused to reason, and then announced its own investigation results, claiming that the explosion came from inside the warship and had nothing to do with them.Seeing that the time had come, within a short time of things happening, US President Theodore Roosevelt, who advocated the big stick policy, declared war on Spain.

In the early morning of this day, a squadron of the US fleet sailed out of the waters of Hong Kong, regardless of the Spanish torpedoes and artillery bombardments on the shore, broke into Manila Bay, and fought a fierce naval battle with Spain.

Dewey, the commander of the US Far East Fleet stationed in New Zealand, received an order from the US General Staff and led a fleet out of the waters of New Zealand. Regardless of the Spanish torpedoes and artillery bombardments on the shore, he broke into Manila Bay and started a fierce naval battle with the Spanish fleet. .

(End of this chapter)