No matter what era or country it is, poor people are always more likely to recruit into the army than wealthy people. Those who want to change their destiny by joining the army will always be the poor, while those with considerable assets are more related to ideals, hobbies and patriotism.

There is no problem with this in the empire and in the wealthy overseas provinces. After all, both rural families with more brothers and landless farmers have a large number. The navy and army are more likely to recruit soldiers, but it is even simpler in colonies. The ground is full of idle indigenous people, so just have money.

But in the Americas, it is completely different. Relatively speaking, the navy is easier to recruit naval troops. After all, in the Americas, whether it is smuggling, whaling, fishing, or trade between provinces, there are a considerable number of sailors on merchant ships. As long as the navy offers relatively high salaries, a large number of sailors will apply.

It is actually safer to be a sailor for the navy. Naval ships are large and strong enough to not appear in harsh climates and harsh waters. The weather factors that crew members fear the most are excluded. Moreover, the navy's ships are complex enough to serve on main ships such as naval ships, especially battleships and cruisers, and can learn a lot. When sailors serve for more than six months, they will get certificates issued by the navy to score their sailor qualities. Whether it is their professional ability to drive sails, their discipline and character, they will have corresponding evaluations. These are easier for sailors to find jobs in the future.

Even if there are risks in combat, the Imperial Navy's record and powerful ships will give people a sense of security.

But the Army is not so lucky. The empire citizens of America have naval traditions, but no army traditions.

Since the discovery of Spain in the Americas, both sides have been engaged in naval wars. In addition, all ships of the American Company were armed merchant ships at the beginning, which led to the fact that as long as the American Company and the Spanish ships encountered at sea, there would definitely be a battle between warships, merchant ships, or between warships and merchant ships. So to this day, ships in the American region still retain a tradition. When encountering Spanish ships, no matter how hard they could be killed, they would fire two guns first.

However, it does not exist on the land level. The land enemies in the Americas were Indians at first, and their land contact with the Spanish was only expedition teams and other troops. The land of both sides was not bordered. The result was that there was no decent army in the Americas. The only army was the Bald Eagle Battalion, but it was only a sub-battalion with a scale of 500 people. It is also the only regular army under the command of the appeased general.

The Bald Eagle Battalion was an American company that participated in the National Liberation War and was inherited as a heroic force. Because American nationals and Indians reached a reconciliation very early, there were only some militias in the appeasement zone on the border, and the cavalry that led the military pay was more police attributes than army. In fact, in the eyes of the American people, the army that led the military pay was police, and the Bald Eagle Battalion was the guard of the former Governor of America.

When the Spanish attacked Jinzhou and landed in battle, it was not the Bald Eagle Camp that played an important role, but the Civil Self-Defense Forces, Village Militia, and armed sailors. These people drove the Spaniards out of the sea and protected their property and lives.

For most people in the Americas, they rarely deal with the army in their life experience. Most immigrants came to America. Their first job was to make gold, make gold in the golden field, have some savings, and then open a shop or other workshop in the city, or buy a piece of land around town to make a home. Therefore, the American people are very superstitious about gold mining.

Before the restructuring, news of a large number of gold rushing lands in Yukon was heard that whether in Jinzhou or Beiyuan, a large number of idle urban and rural populations had gone to gold rushing. Compared with the gold rushing industry that could get rich overnight and be free, who would be willing to earn a dead salary and become a soldier at the mercy of others?

This directly led to the great hinderment of the local military expansion operation of the Marine Brigade. There were not many people joining the army, but they were very good. Many passionate young people in the city had their patriotism and heroic complexes that emerged during the education process, which made them join the army. Students from some schools also actively joined the army, but the number was not enough.

"Only Indians can solve the problem of military source." This is the profound understanding of all generals.

There are tens of millions of Indians in the Americas, but most of them are distributed in Central and South America, with only about 2.5 million in North America. Because the Great Xianbei Mountains (Roke Mountains) are vast and towering, there are many deserts and Gobi inland, the Indians on the west coast are actually relatively isolated. In fact, the current citizens of the American provinces have only barely found the way to the central and eastern regions.

The Indians on the West Coast were very backward, without a concept of state and ethnicity, only tribes, not even decent tribal alliances, nor decent agriculture and handicrafts. Hunting was the main production activity. In exchanges with the Thais in the east, the Indians in the central and eastern regions influenced by the Thais and the people of the empire, they obtained iron tools and horses, which greatly changed the lives of the Indians and improved their hunting efficiency.

However, there were only about 300,000 Indians in the area controlled by the Empire. At present, their state with the American provinces is more like the relationship between the foreign vassals and the central government. The two sides established contacts, then tribute to the Empire politely, and then gain recognition and protection from the American provinces. Both sides can trade freely. The original American companies only set up some simple strongholds in some places where Indian tribes gathered. These strongholds are slightly armed, but more like courts. The Indian tribes resolve their own affairs themselves. Once there is a conflict with the imperial merchants or conflicts between tribes, the people in the stronghold will mediate.

"Maybe the Indians can solve the problem of military source, but it is definitely not something that the Indians in the American province can solve." After the generals put forward their own suggestions, Wu Weishi came up with his own views.

This view was recognized by most people. Muta said directly: "The Indians are not a good source of soldiers. They are loose and free by nature and it is difficult to receive disciplined training. Moreover, although there are a large number of Indians, they do not have a great desire to be a soldier. Indians who have more interactions with the people of the empire will also reclaim land for planting, and then form villages. Finally, they come to towns to make a living like farmers from the empire. They prefer land close to the core area of ​​the empire because they can carry out agricultural production in a safe environment or seek a stable job in the city.

And it is difficult for those tribal Indians to deal with. It is okay to hire them as escorts or temporary cavalry, but it is not enough to form an army. Prince, my suggestion is to recruit Indians in the town who want to obtain legal status and grant them national identity through war."

This suggestion also received nods from many people, but Li Junwei asked: "How many such people are there?"

Wu Weishi said: "There will be 800 to 1,000 people within the Jinzhou area."

Li Junwei nodded slightly and said, "Obviously this is not enough."

"Then you have to change the status quo and turn the current tribute relationship with the Indians into direct rule, so that you can directly recruit soldiers, or in other words, change recruitment to recruit soldiers, and recruit soldiers according to the heads in the American provinces." Muta said directly.

Li Junwei ignored this suggestion. This kind of compulsory conscription will definitely bring about a series of adverse social reactions. Li Junwei did not want to make fundamental changes to the local policies that had been implemented for decades just after completing the reform.

Xu Feng watched all the arguments coldly until Li Junwei looked at him, he had to speak out: "Prince, how many soldiers do you need?"

Li Junwei smiled: "It's hard to say, depending on the form of war."

Xu Feng said again: "What is the prince's goal?"

"This is going to be against us." Li Junwei still did not give a positive answer.

Xu Feng understood that the important strategic plan was still in secret. He said: "If your strategic goal is to replace Spain's position in the Americas and occupy their colonies, I think it is necessary to carry out comprehensive mobilization and establish a complete conscription system. Not only the Indians, but also the national groups must mobilize.

If you only occupy one or two points, or carry out some revenge, then it is simple, the existing troops are enough, and the Spanish's force in the Americas is not very strong."

For decades of the development of the Americas, the empire has been expanding forces in regional expansion that the Spaniards could not reach. In fact, even without an empire, the Spaniards would not rule this area in another hundred years. But the problem is that in the company era, the war breaking out here was not for survival space, nor for dominance, but for the embodiment of the will of the state.

More than 20 years ago, after Spain organized a fleet and army to land in Kinshare and was defeated, it had already recognized the empire's development of the Americas because they realized that it was impossible to drive the Chinese away. The relationship between the two sides was tense because the Spaniards refused to trade with the American colonies and the outside world, while the American places wanted to trade with the Spanish.

Later, it was because of the war between the mother country that wars also occurred between the American colonies, but even so, the American companies and local people at that time showed that there were policies at the top and countermeasures at the bottom.

The Spanish had two Governors in the Americas. Central America and the Caribbean Sea formed the Governors of New Spain, and the Americas south of Panama were the Governors of Peru. When fighting for their home country, American companies would always send fleets to the Governors of Peru to fight, first to seize silver ships there, and secondly, there was not much exchange between the Imperial Territory of America and the Governors of Peru. On the contrary, the smuggling trade between Jinzhou and Beiyuan and the Governors of New Spain was very developed. In recent years, local American merchants of the Empire could sit on the dining table of the Governors of New Spain.

War is a way of high input and high output but also high risk. Maintaining peace and smuggling is a way of low input and high output and almost no risk. Obviously, a company that pursues profits knows how to make a choice, which also shapes the foreign policy of the American localities and the understanding of most people.

"Okay, let's come here for today's meeting. Xu Feng, please stay." Li Junwei was a little disappointed and finally said. In his nearly thirty-year-old life, King Yu had seen many war fanatics. Many of his life were like this. He was indeed a little uncomfortable with a group of guys who didn't want to fight. Of course, he could choose to use strong, but now is not the time. Public opinion in overseas provinces must be especially respected. This is an important principle for the empire to maintain unity.

After everyone left, Li Junwei and Xu Feng returned to the study. Li Junwei sat on the chair, looking very tired, and Xu Feng said, "This is America, a magical land."

"Is smuggling with the Governor of New Spain really that important to the American province?" Li Junwei asked.

Xu Feng said: "If we put aside national feelings and national identity and only consider interests, if you let the local people choose between interrupting contact with the empire and interrupting smuggling with the Governor of New Spain, you will definitely choose to interrupt contact with the empire.

Prince, you should know that all the Spanish colonies in the Americas are private property of the Spanish king, which led to the E Yanli of the Spanish king. The American colonies were cows, so they only allowed the colonies to trade with Spain, so they established a dual fleet system. Two fleets traveled between Spain and the Americas every year, each with more than forty large merchant ships and six to eight warships.

But these cannot guarantee the life of the colonies. In fact, the Spanish knew in their hearts that 90% of the trade volume of American colonies was smuggling, and they all participated along the Atlantic coast, the British, Dutch, French, etc., and even these guys participated in the Pacific coast.

Shipbuilding, whaling, fishing and textiles, wheat and animal husbandry in Kitahara are all related to the Governor of New Spain. If we disconnect from it, all industries will be vulgar and everyone here will be affected."

"So, I can't order a war with the Spaniards, right?" Li Junwei asked.

Xu Feng smiled: "Of course not, but the war method needs to be adjusted. Don't engage in a protracted war of attrition. Just make a quick decision. Of course, if you can convince the local people that you can occupy all Spanish colonies after a protracted war and replace them, then you will be supported and fully supported by all the American people!

Smuggling is making money and is closely related to everyone, but the Spanish took away the big head, but once Central and South America become our colonies, it will be a carnival feast, which is what the American people desire the most."

"In the short term, the empire does not have that ability. If others defeat it, just ruling that area is not something that 400,000 American people can do," said Li Junwei.

"Yes, so we have to set reasonable goals." Xu Feng said.
Chapter completed!