Chapter 1282: The Boer War (Second update, please subscribe)
Sometimes, people's intuition is very accurate, but until the event actually happens, that intuition cannot be proven.
And in many cases, wars always break out in an unexpected way.
In October 1889, influenced by the warlike clamor at home, the British Parliament said in its reply to Transvaal: "... Her Majesty's Government regards the reply of the Government of the South African Republic as negative or inconclusive... Her Majesty's Government reserves the right to reconsider the present situation and take appropriate final measures." In order to increase military pressure on Transvaal, Britain dispatched 2,000 troops from India and the Mediterranean to reinforce the Cape Colony.
However, this amount of troops was obviously insufficient to achieve the military conquest that the British had long dreamed of, but it was more than enough to arouse the Boers' vigilance and even fear. While Britain further increased its troops, the Republic of South Africa, a federation of two Boer states, sent troops to the border areas on the basis of mobilization.
In October, the grass on the South African plateau had turned green again. In the half-man-deep grass, several officers surrounded a general. General Jacob Kuss Delarer was observing the railway in the distance through a telescope. His brows were furrowed when he put down the telescope.
He was not Dutch, but as a descendant of French Protestant immigrants, hostility towards the British was ingrained in his bones, and some of his family members had died in the Great Migration.
"General, the railway is the key."
Song Xueqian, who was following General Delarie, pointed to the railway in the distance and said.
"If war breaks out, you must destroy the railway to prevent the British from using it to attack South Africa."
Song Xueqian, dressed as a South African soldier, seemed no different from the people around him. The scorching sun in South Africa had made his skin even darker. Over the past six months, he had been serving as a military adviser, assisting in the training of the South African army and helping them formulate combat plans.
"That's true, but, Captain, the war has already broken out, today or tomorrow!"
General Delario said bluntly
"Yesterday, October 9, the government issued an ultimatum to Britain, demanding that Britain stop sending more troops to South Africa and submit all disputes to diplomatic arbitration after June 1 next year. They are given 48 hours to respond. But will those arrogant British people agree?"
Shaking his head, General Drari said.
"It's impossible for them to agree to that."
Of course the British Empire would never agree to this.
An ultimatum to the British Empire? If they agreed, how could they save face? Besides, this move itself was a humiliation. The British Empire certainly could not accept such a "humiliation".
Everyone is well aware of this.
"It seems that all we need to do is wait..."
Almost at the moment when Song Xueqian finished speaking, a messenger came on horseback from the distance.
"General, urgent telegram from Pretoria."
After taking the telegram, General De La Rey took a look at it and then said.
"Captain, the war has broken out!"
On October 10, Milner, acting on orders from London, rejected South Africa's ultimatum. At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 11, 1889, the Federal Parliament of the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State Republic declared war on the British Empire.
Amid the blast of the whistle, a British armored train was heading towards South Africa. The armored train was packed with British people in red uniforms. When they talked about the war that had broken out, these people with a relaxed tone did not notice that in the grass ahead, the Boers holding detonators were staring at the approaching train.
“Here they come!”
General Delarie, standing on a hill on horseback, stared at the armored train spewing smoke and sneered, "This is the first drop of blood in this war!"
As soon as he declared war, he ordered his troops to cross the border. But before he started, the Boers sent him intelligence about the armored train.
"Congratulations, General..."
As Song Xueqian finished his words, accompanied by a series of violent explosions, the carriage of the armored train that was running was lifted up in the violent explosion and then thrown to the side of the railway.
Then hundreds of Boer cavalry rushed forward, and those British soldiers who survived the violent explosion and derailment fell under the guns one after another before they even had time to figure out what was happening.
War...broke out!
…
"Well, now we have taken the first blood of the British Empire!"
The news of the outbreak of the war reached Emperor Zhu's desk as soon as possible. After learning of the declaration of war, he excitedly walked to the map and drew a circle on the map of the Transvaal Republic with a red pen.
"Kruger is definitely a hero!"
Emperor Zhu said directly.
"Originally I thought Britain would be the first to declare war, but Kruger was so tough that he actually declared war on Britain first. Awesome!"
No matter what position he stands on, South African President Kruger is very powerful. As a small country with a population of less than 500,000, he challenged the British Empire. Apart from anything else, his courage alone is rare in the world.
"Your Majesty, this is their only choice."
Sun Hu pointed at the map and said.
"The Boers' war plan was very simple. Before the British reinforcements arrived in South Africa, they concentrated their superior forces and divided them into two routes. One route went eastward to attack Natal, split and encircled the two main British strongholds - Ladysmith and Dundee, and occupied the port of Durban to gain access to the sea. The other route went southwest to occupy two strategic locations on the Western Cape railway line where the main British forces were stationed - Mafeking and Kimberley. At the same time, they incited Boer riots in the Cape Colony to tie down British forces, especially to disrupt the transportation of the two East and West Cape railways, and prevent the British reinforcements from using the railways to advance northward. In Korglu's view, as long as the plan was achieved, the goal of severely damaging the British could be achieved, just like the last war, forcing the British to return to the negotiation table..."
When Sun Hu finished speaking, Emperor Zhu said directly.
"Childish! This is the result of politicians commanding wars. Doesn't Kruger know that the situation has changed? Why did the British go to war? For the gold mines! Not for a few worthless sheep in the past. A child carrying gold through the market is guilty of possessing a treasure. Doesn't he understand this principle?"
Staring at the map, Emperor Zhu said.
"What should they do most now? Give up their illusions and do their best to annihilate the British army. This is their only chance to win the war!"
After a pause, Emperor Zhu said.
"Send a telegram to the military attachés and tell them what I mean. Let the Boers annihilate the British forces as much as possible. Let them not care about the gains and losses of a city or a place. If they save people and lose land, both the people and the land will be saved; if they save the land and lose people, both the people and the land will be lost. The British attacked with a clenched fist. When they reach South Africa, they will stretch out their fingers, so that it will be easier for the Boers to cut them off one by one. As long as their hands are cut off, the Boers will win this war..."
In another world, during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, China has already proved this countless times.
Staring at the map and thinking for a while, Emperor Zhu said.
"Notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and proceed according to the plan. This time... we will add fuel to the fire!"
(End of this chapter)
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