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"The British Far East Fleet is gathering at Weihaiwei on the northern coast of Shandong, China. At the same time, the German fleet is gathering at Qingdao, 200 miles south of Weihaiwei. The British fleet consists of the battleship HMS Victory, 4 cruisers, 8 destroyers, 3

It consists of 1 submarine, 4 torpedo boats, 10 gunboats, 1 document carrier and 2 sloops. The German fleet consists of the battleship "Scharnhorst", the cruiser "Graf von Spee", and the flagship

), consisting of 3 frigates, 7 gunboats and 1 torpedo boat."

On July 29, the third year of the Republic of China, Shanghai News

The sky has unpredictable events, and people have misfortunes and blessings.

Use this sentence to describe both individuals and countries.

In 1912, when the Republic of China was founded, it can be said that all the people were rejoicing, not because the Han people were no longer slaves, but because everyone felt that the Han people were the masters of the country, and the country became a republic, and the country would naturally become rich and powerful.

.

But things are never that simple.

After the founding of the Republic of China, China could be said to be plagued by internal and external troubles. The North and the South were in confrontation, each province was using force, and local "heroes" ruled by dividing the territory. The local and central governments were at odds with each other. The Southern Democratic Party was unwilling to stay in the opposition. The Second Rebellion was eager to try, and even

To a certain extent, the Republic of China is also a term.

While internal worries were unresolved, external worries resurfaced. Japan and Russia signed a secret treaty for the third time. The secret treaty had no other purpose than to carve up China. The major powers refused to recognize the Republic of China. Such internal and external worries made Yuan Shikai restless.

, two years of hard work.

First, they used soft and hard pressure and exhausted their power to split the Communist Party and defeat them one by one. Then they tried every means to solve the problems in the provinces and then sought recognition from all countries. Last year, Song Yufu was assassinated, and the Communist Party used this as a reason to launch a protest.

Yuan, but only a few months later, the already unpopular "Chasing Yuan" was attacked by Yuan Shikai and all parties. The Kuomintang leader escaped and died. The Kuomintang was even disbanded due to conspiracy. After the internal problems were resolved,

The White Wolf banditry was put down at the same time.

This land of China has finally become more stable. It seems that this country is about to get on the right track. The next step is to find out quickly. The surge in raw silk exports that began in the second half of the second year of the Republic of China has even more moved the people of the country. It seems that this is

The country is really going to be in chaos and then there will be great governance.

Just when Yuan Shikai and people from all sides in China wanted to achieve great governance, the First World War broke out on July 28. The world was in chaos. First, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia; on August 1 and 3, Germany successively attacked Russia,

France declared war and launched a massive attack on Belgium on the 4th. On August 4th, Britain declared war on Germany, and one country after another was involved in the war.

Regarding this European-centered war, Yuan Shikai's government expressed an attitude of "strictly guarding the victory." However, can China be neutral?

China cannot be neutral.

On August 15, under the pretext of the Anglo-Japanese alliance and "ensuring peace in East Asia," the Japanese government issued an ultimatum to Germany, requiring Germany to disarm its warships on the seas between China and Japan and to unconditionally hand over the leased land in Jiaozhou Bay to Japan for future return.

China.

Germany replied: It can consider returning Qingdao to China, but Japan should also return Taiwan to China.

On August 23, Japan declared war on Germany. On the same day, the German Charge d'Affaires in China, Malfoy, formally submitted a diplomatic letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese government, making it clear.

"Germany is willing to return the Jiaozhou Bay leased land to China unconditionally."

Without waiting for China and Germany to hold discussions on the matter, the Japanese minister in China immediately protested to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A few hours later, the Japanese government claimed that "even if the German Jiaoao leased land is to be handed over to China, it must be transferred to Japan."

"Even threatening to use force, in the face of Japan's arrogance and unreasonableness, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the central government could only suppress its anger, and there was nothing it could do if it was outnumbered.

"Damn yellow monkey"

In the German Embassy in China, after receiving the answer from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Marx cursed angrily.

The reason why the country decided to return Qingdao to China on the day Japan declared war on Germany was to "avoid failure". Germany's military strength in East Asia was weak. The defense strength in Qingdao was only 143 officers and 3,980 soldiers, including reserve forces.

1,300 people, thousands of lone troops, defended the Jiao'ao concession, which was hundreds of miles away. The defense was as weak as an eggshell.

Now that the war has just broken out, Germany cannot accept any defeat, even a defeat in the Far East, and it is defeated by those damn yellow monkeys in Japan.

Just when Malcan was indignant at Japan's arrogance and China's weakness, the office door was knocked open.

"Mr. Charge d'Affaires, Mr. Gu Weijun, Foreign Affairs Officer of the Huaihai Economic and Strategic Affairs Office, would like to see you."

Huaihai Economic Affairs Bureau? Gu Weijun?

"Your Excellency, first of all, I would like to express a Chinese's respect for Germany for your country's generosity. Your country's decision fully demonstrates the demeanor of a responsible big country... If all big countries in the world are as generous as Germany,

Then I think there may be no more wars in this world.”

As soon as he saw Mal Shen, Gu Weijun immediately gave him a high hat. In his words, there was a hint that Germany was forced to return Qingdao to save Germany's face.

As the foreign affairs officer of the Huaihai Economic and Strategic Affairs Office, Gu Weijun is rarely responsible for foreign affairs. After returning to China two years ago, he served as the English Secretary of the President. Last year, he was "asked" to leave by Li Zhiyuan, but he rarely went to Lianyungang.

He stayed in the capital and was in charge of managing and managing the diplomatic bureau, but he was actually the Liuhe Company, dealing with the envoys of various countries stationed in China.

A week ago, when the Germans expressed their willingness to return Qingdao for the first time, he had already received the instructions and sent the telegram to Lianyungang. Later, the economic envoy wrote him a handwritten letter. The content of the letter really scared him.

It was a jump, but in the end, after thinking about it for several days, he was convinced that this matter might be possible.

But more importantly, Gu Weijun knew what would happen if he did not do this. With the character of the Germans, they would never hand over Jiao Ao to the Japanese. If China refused to take over Jiao Ao, Japan and Germany would inevitably end up in Jiao Ao.

When UM fought, they were like two robbers who broke into a house, completely ignoring the existence of the owner and fighting for other people's property.

Even if the Germans surrendered one day, they lost a colony far in the east, and China, the Chinese government not only succumbed to Japanese coercion, but also lost the opportunity to take back Qingdao. What the Chinese government can do is to imitate the Japanese

The precedent of the Russian Liaodong War was that China demarcated a war zone for the two warring countries, but China, which failed to regain Qingdao, became a casualty of this war.

Some things have to be done by someone

The extremely sincere words of the Commander-in-Chief in the letter made him understand that the Commander-in-Chief had to do this, and he, Gu Shaochuan, had to do the same.

"Mr. Gu, Germany's generosity and justice have been wasted because of your country's weakness. I have to say that China has lost the opportunity to take back Jiao'ao. With the greed of the Japanese, they will never take Jiao'ao back."

Returning it to your country will be like Port Arthur and Dalian, and they will even occupy the entire Shandong Province."

Malcan said with regret that he understood that not only China had lost Jiao'ao, Germany would also lose Jiao'ao, and it would be lost forever. The inability to hold Jiao'ao was returned to China, and more importantly, it was the reason why it was returned to China.

Returning Jiao'ao to China would preserve Germany's right to take back Jiao'ao after the armistice in the future. After all, the owner of Jiao'ao at that time was China, not Japan.

If Jiao'ao was in Japanese hands and they wanted to seize the Japanese things, they would have to exchange them with blood, but China was different. It only needed...an ultimatum to do it.

"Mr. Malcan, for China, this matter is an opportunity. Perhaps, the central government can refuse it, but the Huaihai Economic Strategy Envoy is responsible for local economic development and will not miss this opportunity. If the central government does not do anything, it will be the responsibility of the local governments.

Make up for it..."

What Gu Weijun said only made Mal Shen startled. He looked at Gu Weijun in front of him in surprise. The Huaihai Economic Envoy wanted to bypass the central government and take over Jiao'ao?

"You know, what does this mean?"

Don't the man in front of him and the Huaihai Economic and Strategic Envoys he represents understand what this means?

"No matter what, Jiao'ao is China's land. Germany will definitely not hand over Jiao'ao to the Japanese who took advantage of the situation. Since it is China's land, let the Chinese bleed for China's land."

Although Gu Weijun did not mention the war, Mal Shen had already understood the meaning of his words. When the Huaihai Economic Envoy made the decision to take over Jiao'ao, he already understood what he would face.

If it were in the past, Marr would have attended the meeting and rejected this "delusion", but now, he suddenly realized what benefits it would bring to Germany if Jiao'ao was handed over to the Huaihai Economic Envoy, and Jiao'ao remained in German hands.

, will only cause Germany to suffer the humiliation of defeat, but if it is handed over to the Chinese, it may even lead to a - war

China may be weak or vulnerable, but Britain enjoys huge interests in China. If the Chinese and the Japanese fight for the secret of Australia, it will inevitably disrupt the British strategic plan in Asia. Who knows what will happen to the future?

What kind of impact?

Thinking of this, although she did not get the consent of the country, Mal Shen still leaned forward slightly and showed strong interest.

"So, Mr. Gu, do you know the conditions we offer?"

"Although your country has publicly promised to return it unconditionally, I think there is room for negotiation on some issues, and I can answer you now. We can sign it now as long as it does not violate China's principles and interests."

Gu Weijun seemed very anxious. He knew that not only him, but Mal Shen in front of him also knew what every hour of delay meant, that the Japanese would have an opportunity to take advantage of it.

"...China needs to promise to consider additional compensation to Germany in other coastal areas of China in the future."

After more than ten minutes of negotiation, Malsen made a request.

"compensate?"

Gu Weijun was stunned.

"Isn't it unconditional?"

"Mr. Gu, you must understand that for the German imperial government, it is desirable to develop friendly relations with the Chinese government, and the return of the Jiao'ao leased land is also what the German government is willing to do, but considering Germany's future Far East policy,

We hope that the Chinese government can promise that when Germany requests it in the future, China will agree to transfer another port to Germany for use."

Gu Weijun frowned, and there was a hint of unhappiness in his words.

"If you put forward this condition, will the return to Qingdao still be unconditional?"

Without waiting for Mal Shen to answer him, Gu Weijun continued.

"Mr. Malcan, you must understand that Huaihai does not have any power to agree to transfer a port to Germany in the future. We are only a local government, not the central government."

After reminding the other party, Gu Weijun added.

"You should understand how much responsibility our Huaihai Military Envoy's Office has to take to bypass the central government and accept Jiao'ao. First of all, we not only have to bear the blame from the central government, but we also need to consider the possible attack of the Japanese."

Rather than a supplement, Gu Weijun's words at this time are better described as a "reminder", reminding the other party that returning Jiao'ao was not a proactive act by the Germans, but a high-profile gesture that they had to make in the face of Japan's declaration of war.

, In other words, Germany now has no room for bargaining.

Gu Weijun's reminder made Mal Shen fall silent. The reason why he proposed the compensation was for the future interests of Germany. For Germany, Germany was never willing to bargain with China on the land leased in Jiaozhou. On a certain day

To this extent, this point was the core of Germany's policy in the Far East, and its occupation was such an important factor in the German position on the Chinese coast. While providing Jiaozhou Bay with convenient facilities for establishing a naval base, China's
To be continued...