Republic of China game

Page 545

"International affairs are so unprincipled! Everything can only be based on interests! With common interests, even former enemies can come together! Let alone a country like China and the United States that doesn't have much hatred?"

"But Mr. President, it seems that China is supporting Japan now!" Hull muttered in a low voice, "What benefits should we use to make China abandon Japan?"

Roosevelt smiled, "For China to abandon Japan does not necessarily have to benefit China, we can achieve this goal by benefiting Japan!"

"You want to benefit Japan!" Hull was stunned again and again, his eyeballs behind the glasses remained motionless, fixedly looking at Roosevelt. "What do you think we can give Japan? Will Congress agree?"

"Yes! If there is something that can be exchanged for the Hawaiian Islands, the U.S. Congress will definitely be interested!" When he said this, a cold smile appeared on the corner of Roosevelt's mouth. "That's the 'regret medicine' that Luo Yaoguo gave me. With that, even if Japan captures Panama, Luo Yaoguo will not hesitate to abandon Japan and stand with the United States!"

……

March 1939, 3, 8 noon, Panama Bay.

"Boom, boom..." Bursts of thunderous explosions continued to echo over the port outside Panama City, and gunpowder smoke filled the formerly busy ports, docks and beaches.

从美国本土千里迢迢来到这里，准备在巴拿马保卫国家利益的美国陆军第2军第1师第1团、第2团的官兵们现在才知道，原来守在海岸边上挨军舰的炮轰是如此可怕的一件事情！哪怕对方没有战列舰，只有1艘重巡洋舰、2艘轻巡洋舰和8艘驱逐舰，不过区区8门203mm舰炮、14门140mm舰炮和58门127mm舰炮。

All the Americans huddled in the hastily dug trenches, and no one dared to show their heads. The fortifications on the shore of the Gulf of Panama were full of explosions and wailing.

不过却没有还击的炮火声。因为在今天上午的战斗中，驻巴拿马城的美国陆军航空兵的十八架P-37、十二架P-38战斗机，已经在同57架96式战斗机和8架Bf－109T战斗机的格斗中全军覆没了！失去了空中掩护的美军炮兵现在也只能当起了缩头乌龟……其实，这些配属于美1师的155mm榴弹炮和105mm榴弹炮就算能开炮，对拥有装甲防护的日本军舰也没有多少作用。

"Lieutenant General! We can't deploy our troops on the beach! Let them all be withdrawn to Panama City, or they will all be killed by Japanese naval guns!"

In the headquarters of the U.S. Second Army in Panama City, Walter Short, the former commander of the U.S. Army in Hawaii, who was demoted to major general and sent to Panama to commit crimes and meritorious service, was shouting loudly at Lieutenant General Fredendall, the commander of the Second Army.

In fact, he made this suggestion to Fredendall early in the morning. Although this Major General Short is a bit careless, he has been with the US Pacific Fleet for more than a year after all, and he knows that the army's firepower is weaker than the navy's. There is scum in front of you!Without naval cover or coastal fort defenses, putting the army on the beach is just courting death.

"No! If the Japanese go to the beach in the Gulf of Panama, we won't be able to defend the Panama Canal!" Fredendall looked at the scene where the US military positions on the beach in the distance were flooded by artillery fire, but he was still nervous. shook his head.

The two regiments of U.S. troops sent by Fredendall to Costa Rica have already been defeated and fled back in embarrassment!Through their descriptions, the lieutenant general already has a relatively deep understanding of the combat effectiveness of the Japanese army... These guys are all brave warriors, their morale is always the highest, and they have all been subjected to extremely strict regulations. Training, whether it is the ability to shoot, stab or guide artillery bombardment, is much better than those of the US troops who are a little careless under him!If these lunatics are allowed to land on the beaches of Panama City, then the mission of the US Second Army in Panama will almost be over.

"Lieutenant general! This damn canal can't be defended. The navy lost the naval battle. Our army can't defend the canal at all! This canal is 65 kilometers long, and there are dozens of kilometers along the Pacific coast. Can break through anywhere."

Rear Admiral Short looked at the Japanese fleet on the sea, his fists were full of water, and he was about to say something, when suddenly two landing ships and several transport ships appeared at the end of the sea.

"They are going to land! Quickly order the troops to enter the front line and prepare to fight!"

"Walter (Short), you call President Juan Barretia and ask him to send the Panamanian Army to help us. These guys are overdue!"

Fredendall cried out.Major General Short glanced at the frontline positions shrouded in gunpowder smoke, stomped his feet, turned his head and left the temporary headquarters, and went to call the presidential palace of Panama.

……

"Your Excellency, Commander! The secret telegram sent by the base camp, I designate you to read it personally."

On the bridge of the landing ship Oshima, the adjutant of Lieutenant General Homofumi Yamashita, commander of the Japanese 14th Army, strode in and presented a thin dossier with both hands.Yamashita took it suspiciously and opened it to see, inside was a yellow copy newspaper.

"Mr. Barretia, the President of Panama, is at the German embassy. We must respect him and ensure his presidency..." Fufumi Yamashita was probably speaking quickly, and actually read out this "top secret" telegram in a low voice.

"Haha, so the country of Panama has already been acquired!" The commander of the 102nd Division, Ishihara Waner, who was on the side, naturally heard what Yamashita said clearly. He smiled and said: "The governments of Costa Rica and Nicaragua They all chose to flee to the United States, but it caused a lot of trouble for our people. Now the President of Panama is finally willing to cooperate with the Japanese Empire!"

"I'm afraid it's right to cooperate with the German Empire!" Yamashita Fufumi closed the folder in his hand, threw it to his adjutant, and ordered: "Give the power to the base camp, and say that the 14th Army will follow orders."

Looking at the back of the adjutant leaving, Yamashita Fufumi frowned slightly, and smiled at Ishihara beside him: "Ishihara-kun, it seems that Berlin is also very interested in the achievements of the empire in Central America!"

Ishihara glanced at his boss, Yamashita Fufumi, and said with a deep smile, "Commander, that's a good thing. Germany has a deep foundation in South America, and fascist parties in countries such as Brazil and Argentina are very powerful. If they If we can stand in the same camp as the Japanese Empire, then the American Raiders will be able to get twice the result with half the effort.”

"But Germany won't help in vain, right?" Yamashita Fufumi looked at Panama City in the distance and sighed. "I don't know if this Germany will regard Japan as a cannon fodder that can be discarded at any time?"

Ishihara Waner's expression was also gloomy. He didn't know what agreement the country had reached with Germany, but he could also sense that the German forces were about to enter the Americas!If Japan is not doing well, it may really be used by Hitler as a gun.

However, when he thought that Germany's military force was still limited to the European continent, and they had influence in the American airspace without a single soldier, Ishihara suddenly felt a lot more at ease.He turned his head and said to Yamashita Fengwen: "Commander, whether the empire can be the master in the Americas or not depends on its strength. It may be difficult to obtain a favorable position with only 5 people now, so we should submit a request for additional troops as soon as possible."

Landing in America (0836) Central American Federation

March 1939, 3, Panama City.

rumbling...

Another row of shells roared from the direction of the bay and landed on the streets near the embassy district in Panama City.

In the northern part of the embassy district, inside the German Empire’s embassy in Panama, President Barretia of the Republic of Panama stood by the window, watching what was happening in the distance, his bones seemed to be shaking.

It seems that countless fireballs exploded at the same time, the dust and smoke gathered into columns, rising high in rows, and the diffused air waves swept across the streets like a hurricane. In an instant, houses, fences, utility poles, and cars on the roadside And the road itself, as if being smashed with a sledgehammer by the furious Thor, it was instantly reduced to rubble.

President Barretia really can't imagine, what kind of hatred do these Orientals who came all the way from across the Pacific have to this Panama City?Although there is a strategically important canal next to the city, this is not the reason why the Japanese used their naval guns and planes to destroy the city, right?

Also, what does this damn war have to do with the Panamanians?Why can the governments of Costa Rica and Nicaragua declare their capitals as "undefended" cities, so as to avoid unnecessary loss of civilians and wealth, but Panama City must be destroyed in this war between Japan and the United States?Oh, God!Save Panama City!

God seems to be powerless against the Japanese shells. Rows of shells are still falling like raindrops, from heavy cruiser main gun shells as large as 203mm to infantry artillery shells as small as 70mm. There are hundreds of shells every minute. However, Panama City, which was more than ten square kilometers, became a sea of ​​flames.And the embassy district located on the high ground in the north of the city seemed like an isolated island in a sea of ​​flames. No one knew when the fire would engulf it.

"Mr. President, please rest assured that the Japanese shells will not fall on the German embassy."

A tall, middle-aged man with a beautiful curved face and a neatly trimmed Prussian mustache walked into the small living room, nodded to President Barrettia, and then went to The curtains were closed on the window sill, as if this would make President Barretia forget the fact that his capital had become a sea of ​​flames.

This person is von Heisenberg, the ambassador of the German Empire to the Republic of Panama.

"Mr. Ambassador, didn't you say that the Americans and the Japanese have already started negotiations? But why are they still going to war in my capital?" Barretia sat down on a sofa and asked a little irritably.

Ambassador Heisenberg shrugged, instead of answering directly, he changed the subject.He said: "Our head of state believes that the reason why Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and other countries became innocent victims in this Japan-US war is because of the division of Central American countries. If the seven Central American countries can unite and become one As a regional power, do the Americans still dare to seize the canal that should belong to you? Will Japan invade your country unscrupulously?"

"Mr. Ambassador, don't you think that our Central American countries don't want to unite as a whole? We were originally a whole during the Spanish Empire, but it is too difficult to unify now."

This statement is a bit insincere, and it is the consensus of all those in power to prefer the head of a chicken to the tail of a phoenix, and Bareitia is of course no exception.But at this moment, he can also see that Germany is very keen on a unified Central America.Barretia, who still counted on the Germans to help keep the presidency, of course did not dare to disobey the wishes of the other party, so he had to say a few perfunctory words.

Ambassador Heisenberg shook his head lightly, and said seriously: "Is the unification of Central American countries more difficult than the unification of Germany? Mr. President, on behalf of the head of state, I can assure you that as long as you have the determination to promote the unification of Central America, the German Empire will I will help you achieve this wish. I can also support you to become the first president of the Central American Federation!"

Barretia was shocked. It turned out that Heisenberg had come to show his cards on behalf of Hitler!A president of the Central American Federation may be dictatorial!But there is no free lunch in the world, and the Germans will not give themselves a Central American Federation for no reason. If I become the president of this Central American Federation, I am afraid that I will have to obey the will of Germany in the future, but Central America has always been The traditional sphere of influence of the United States... Barretia hesitated in his heart, but since the German head of state has made up his mind, if he does not agree, the consequences may not be so easy to bear, right?Right now, the Triple Alliance of China, Germany and Japan seems to have the upper hand in the world war.

"Okay! On behalf of the Central American people, I would like to thank the head of state for his help." Barretia agreed after thinking for a long time.After speaking, he looked at the window that was covered by curtains again, and tentatively said, "But, will Japan support Germany's proposition?"

Hearing this question, a trace of sarcasm emerged from the corner of Heisenberg's mouth, and he sneered: "The Japanese have no choice but to support the claims of the German Empire!"

……

"Lieutenant General, our people can't find that President Barrettia, he is nowhere to be found! Moreover, the Panamanian army refused to obey orders, and the Japanese ran away as soon as they came. In addition, Major General Joyce reported that, About 5000 Japanese troops have landed in the Bay of Panama, they have the cover of naval guns and aircraft, our people can't last long! Major General Joyce suggested to start the 'flood plan' as soon as possible."

It was Major General Short who spoke. At this moment, he and Fredendall, commander of the US 2nd Army, have been transferred to a temporary headquarters in the north of Panama City.

"Okay! Start the flood plan, destroy this unlucky canal, and leave nothing to the Japanese! Walter, hurry up and make arrangements." Fredendall just nodded to his chief of staff, at this time The commander of the US 2nd Army seems to have completely collapsed, his face is ashen, his eyes are absent-minded, and his body is trembling slightly. All this tells everyone that this former US Army elite is actually a useless Embroidered pillows.Since the start of the war, he has never made any correct judgments, but now he has completely lost the ability to make judgments.

"Lieutenant General, Panama City will definitely not be able to defend, let's retreat to Fort San Lorenzo!" Major General Short continued to suggest: "There are a series of forts and fortresses built by the Spaniards around Limon Bay. And the city wall. As long as we stick to it, the Japanese will not be able to use it even if they repair the Panama Canal! And it is close to the Caribbean Sea, the Japanese do not have a navy there, and our Atlantic Fleet can support us at any time. We will resist there Japanese!"

"Fort San Lorenzo... Yes! Yes! Yes! Let's go there, now!"

After being reminded by Major General Short, Fredendall remembered that the US military in Panama was not finished yet!Because the U.S. military still has the San Lorenzo defense system, which is the largest group of fortresses along the Caribbean Sea, including San Philip de Sotomayor Castle, San Heromino Fortress, Santiago de la Goglia Castle, Fortress of Santiago, Fortress of Farnesio, etc. A lot of fortress defense systems established from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

Although these fortresses are already outdated, they look more like places of interest than fortifications in appearance.But the terrain there is dangerous, surrounded by tropical rainforests and lakes.Moreover, it is close to the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal, so it is convenient for the United States to supply supplies. At the same time, the battleships of the Atlantic Fleet can also provide fire support for the US troops who are sticking to the San Lorenzo fortress system at any time.But the warships of the Japanese Combined Fleet couldn't reach there. As long as the Japanese army couldn't deal with the battleships of the Atlantic Fleet, the San Lorenzo Fortress would never fall.