.Chapter 234 Inspiration (please vote for me!)

"... Japan issued an ultimatum to Germany, requiring Germany to evacuate Qingdao before August 24, that is, the 23rd U.S. time, disarm local warships, and hand Qingdao over to Japan. Germany did not respond to this. Therefore, the Japanese Emperor ordered

Declaration of war against Germany. An important paragraph of the declaration of war is as follows:

"Since the outbreak of the European War, Japan has been paying close attention to this disaster. Japan strictly adheres to neutrality and hopes to maintain peace in the Far East. However, Germany's actions forced Japan's ally, the British Empire, to take war actions. Germany stepped up preparations for the war with the help of the Jiaozhou Bay Concession, and its warships

Patrolling the waters off eastern Asia threatens the commercial activities of Japan and its allies."

"The peace of the Far East is threatened. The Japanese government and the British Empire held candid and full consultations on this matter and agreed to take necessary measures to protect common interests in accordance with the alliance treaty. The Japanese side hopes to achieve this goal through peaceful means. Therefore, the Japanese government sincerely

We made our request to the German Imperial Government. But until the last day, we still did not receive any reply from the German side.”…”

"New York Times" Tokyo, August 23, 1914

Qingdao is located on the bank of Jiaozhou Bay in the southwest of the Shandong Peninsula, with the Yellow Sea in front and Laoshan Mountain in the back, with Beijing and Tianjin on the top and Songhu on the bottom. It is an important gateway to northern China. It has mountains on its back and the sea on its back, with beautiful scenery and pleasant climate. Jiaozhou Bay has a wide harbor and a wide harbor.

The water is deep and does not freeze all year round. It is a natural harbor that plays an important role in both military and economic aspects. To a certain extent, Qingdao can be said to be the best harbor in northern China.

After the Juye Mission Incident in 1897, Germany used this as an excuse to send warships to Jiaozhou Bay. On March 6, 1898, Germany forced the Qing government to sign the "Sino-German Jiao'ao Concession Treaty". From then on, Jiao'ao became a German colony.

, Shandong was also included in Germany’s sphere of influence.

After Germany occupied Jiao'ao, in order to realize its purpose of establishing a Far East military base and a Far East trade stronghold in Qingdao, it began to vigorously build Qingdao, which was still a barren mountain and desert beach. In the 17 years from 1898 to 1914, under the Kaiser

Determined to establish a "model colony", Germany invested more than 170 million marks in Qingdao to establish the necessary defense system and the necessary infrastructure for a port, a city and a road. After 17 years of German colonial construction and operation,

Qingdao gradually became a modern industrial seaport city that was beginning to take shape. By 1913, Qingdao had become the sixth largest port in the country, became the center of Shandong's foreign trade, and became Germany's most important naval base and trade stronghold in the Far East.

Because of this, when the European War started and the world paid attention to the situation of the European War, people in Asia and the Far East also turned their attention to Qingdao, Germany's only colony in the Far East.

As early as more than 20 days ago, when Germany was involved in the war, Qingdao also implemented mobilization at the same time even though Qingdao was far away in Asia. According to the mobilization order, all reserve personnel - postal and telecommunications staff, merchant ship crews, colonial government staff, officials, and of course only

Only those of German descent will be recruited to join the Jiaoao garrison.

In the past twenty days, tens of thousands of Chinese workers have been recruited to build fortifications for the Germans in front of the fortress near Jiao'ao. In the eyes of the Chinese workers, these jobs are no different from their past jobs.

They just need to work overtime, but for the Germans in Qingdao, they know clearly what it means when Japan issues an ultimatum. It means that in 24 hours, Qingdao, a city they are proud of, will fall into war.

among.

The Jiaoao Governor's Mansion on the eastern slope of Dietrich Mountain is also the heart of the German rule of Qingdao. Around the Governor's Mansion, there are several simple fortifications and a dozen German soldiers with guns guarding it. Inside the Governor's Mansion

Officers came in and out from time to time. They came to report to Meyer Waldeck on the progress of the Qingdao Fortress defense project.

The Japanese ultimatum has been issued for six hours, and they have less than twenty hours to prepare for all this. Although they have prepared for a month, the Japanese also prepare for nearly a month, and the Japanese

has more troops.

"Why"

worry

I am afraid that no one in the whole of Asia is more worried than Meyer Waldeck, the governor of Jiao'ao. The fortress in Qingdao may be strong or dense, but Meyer Waldeck knows clearly that, let alone

The thousands of officers and soldiers who guard Qingdao cannot even equip the fortresses with enough soldiers to defend them.

Because Germany had already encountered before the war that the outcome of the war would be decided in Europe. It would be difficult for Germany to defend its isolated overseas colonies when Britain had control of the sea, so it had transferred most of its main forces back to Europe before the war. Now

In addition to the fort defenders, Qingdao has only one Marine battalion, four Army infantry companies, one cavalry company and two artillery units. In addition to more than 300 soldiers from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and urgently mobilized German expatriates, the total military strength is even less.

Less than 5,000 people.

"Keep, how to keep..."

Sighing in his heart, Meyer Waldeck also complained in his heart about the "timid and cowardly" Chinese. They didn't even have the courage to take over Jiao'ao. Germany returned Jiao'ao unconditionally and even provided good facilities.

The fortress and the artillery and ammunition on the fortress were returned to them, but they didn't even dare to ask for it.

"No wonder..."

Just when he was complaining in his heart, Captain Hank, the communications officer of the Governor's Mansion, hurriedly barged in with a telegram.

"Your Majesty the Governor, a telegram from the envoy in the capital"

Captain Hank had a smile on his face, a smile he had never seen before.

"telegraph?"

Is there any turning point?

As soon as he received the telegram, Meyer Waldeck's face showed a smile after just a few glances.

"According to the Treaty on the Return of the Jiao'ao Leased Land from Germany to the Huaihai Economic and Strategic Affairs Office of the Republic of China, signed by His Excellency the German Charge d'Affaires in China, His Excellency Mr. Marlsen, and the Plenipotentiary Representative of His Excellency, Li Zicheng, the Huaihai Economic and Strategic Envoy, Mr. Gu Weijun, in the third year of the Republic of China, that is, August 24, 1914

At 0:00, the Jiaoao Special Zone Committee will take over all the rights and interests in Jiaoao, and the German Imperial Government will give up its rights and interests in the Jiaoao leased land from that day forward..."

At 4 o'clock in the afternoon on the 23rd, in the hall of the Governor's Palace, in front of Meyer Waldeck and a group of German officers, Georg Kebbell read the text of the treaty transmitted by telegram. He read it in German, and

Now Georg Kebbel is not only the president of Dehua University, but also one of the members of the Jiaoao Takeover Committee. This arrangement really relieved Meyer Waldeck. In his opinion, this

Perhaps it would be the "opportunity" for Germany to take back Jiao'ao in the future. He could even imagine that the emperor would breathe a sigh of relief when he learned the news.

"The Governor's Office of the Jiao'ao Leased Area of ​​the German Empire agreed to unconditionally return the Jiao'ao Leased Area, including all urban public facilities and port facilities, to the Huaihai Economic and Strategic Affairs Office of the Republic of China..."

As for the next handover involving the Jiaoji Railway and the factories and mines along the line, the officers present did not pay much attention. In fact, everyone knew that if Qingdao could not guarantee the Jiaoji Railway, it would be even less likely to receive any guarantee.

, and on this issue, during the negotiations in the capital, Margin did not even bother. Originally, all this was to be returned to China. The railway and railway facilities exceeded 65 million marks, but Germany spent nearly two years to develop Qingdao.

100 million marks, I don’t care about the big head, let alone the small head.

Reed von Kraus, the president of Jiaoji Railway Company, also did not express any doubts. The reason why he did not object to returning the railway, stations along the line, even factories and mines, as well as all railway locomotives and carriages to the Chinese was because Meyer?

Waldeck gave the assurance.

As long as Jiao'ao and the railway are in Chinese hands, Germany will still have the opportunity to take them back after the war. The current unconditional return is only temporary.

“The Huaihai Economic Envoy, who guarantees the personal and property safety of German soldiers, family members and expatriates in his country with his personal honor, can choose to go to the German Concession or Lianyungang according to his personal wishes, and enjoys the right to legitimately do business and live in any attached place along the Longhai coast.

"

Compared to others, this one is what everyone pays more attention to. In the opinion of many of them, China is very likely to be involved in the war, and they who are unable to leave China now will become enemy aliens or prisoners of war.

They will be locked up in a prisoner of war camp, and they need a "shelter" at this time.

"...and guarantee that even under the premise of mutual propaganda between China and Germany, it will not interfere with the legitimate business and life of any German expatriates."

Finally, after Georg Kebbell read out the complete treaty, Meyer Waldeck took the lead in applauding. Now Germany has got what it needs, at least Qingdao, well, starting from 12 o'clock tonight, here will be

This is a matter for the Chinese people themselves.

The more important point is that Meyer Waldeck received an unexpected harvest during his previous meeting with Chinese representatives, a cashier's check of 500,000 yuan issued by Huaihai Bank, although he would not betray it.

Germany's interests, but it doesn't mind having more self-defense in this special period.

In return, he only agreed to leave some soldiers in the fortress who were willing to stay in Qingdao to help the Chinese get familiar with the various fortresses in Qingdao. The Chinese paid 3.65 million marks for the artillery and ammunition on those fortresses.

In the process of defending Qingdao in the future, they naturally hope that all fortresses will be fully utilized. For Meyer Waldeck, he certainly hopes that the Chinese will defend Qingdao and Qingdao will remain in the hands of the Chinese. This is in line with the

To this end, he even ordered all field artillery, machine guns, and 3,000 rifles and ammunition to be left to the Chinese.

"Sir, please answer me, can you defend Qingdao?"

“Qingdao is like a horn”

Facing Mu Xiangyue sitting in front of him, Li Zicheng said with emotion.

"The awakening of a country or a nation always needs some stimulation points to stimulate it, inspire it, and stimulate a certain emotional point in the country's citizens. Then, when the people wake up, the country can truly wake up."

Perhaps it is difficult for people of this era to understand this, but for Li Zicheng, it is very clear. In fact, for modern China, especially the Chinese, they have no national concept or even national concept.

But the rise of Japan ten years ago, especially the outcome of the Russo-Japanese War, greatly stimulated and led to the awakening of nationalism in China. The nationalistic Asian yellow race has proven to be able to defeat the white race and become a first-class

The awakened nationalism was quickly combined with China's emerging new military power. A large number of intellectuals, stimulated by Japan's military victory and forced by the reality of the abolition of the imperial examination system, joined the army one after another. These enthusiastic young Chinese new soldiers

The soldiers quickly accepted the nationalist slogan of "driving out the Tartars and restoring China", cut off the pigtails that symbolized slaves, and embraced the idea that "the most important external issue is the military."

Belief, "general Tigo, drive out the Tartar slaves" and "light our country and complete our ambitions" as the primary goal of struggle, thus becoming the most reliable and powerful force in the Communist Party, even Yuan Shikai and his new Beiyang Army

In the end, he consciously or unconsciously joined their ranks, the pioneer of the nation. In the face of this nationalist force, things like "constitutional monarchy" and "Western learning for practical use" soon became pale and powerless, and ultimately there was no way to escape.

The fate of entering the dustbin of history.

The power of nationalism soon came into play. The Wuchang uprising was followed by a nationwide response. Although the nationalist revolutionaries did not achieve a decisive military victory, they still easily buried China's last feudal dynasty in 1912 with almost no bloodshed. Xinhai

**The greatest epoch-making historical significance lies in the complete elimination of this obstacle. Although the night is still vast and the long distance is still long, the road has been opened. With the establishment of the Republic of China, over the thousands of years of vicissitudes, it has been from "Family to World"

"Under the difficult environment of losing its former superior status and falling behind the world, the ruling ancient country began the greatest and most arduous great change in its history: the transformation from a unified feudal state to a modern nation-state.

.

However, today's China has just entered the ranks of modern nation-states. There are only a few pioneers and young people who know their country and their clan. For the majority of its citizens, they do not know what home is, what country is, and what kind of nation is it.

For the sake of the nation, only after all the people in the country have national consciousness, national consciousness, and national consciousness can the country truly have the prototype of a modern nation-state. And historically, it would take twenty years for this change to be realized.

"Our country, our nation, has suffered this very serious trauma, just like suffering from a degenerative disease. Their feelings and thoughts seem to have been lost. Compared with the glory and greatness of the nation over the past thousands of years,

Repeated hardships and misfortunes feel like they are too long to look back on..."

When referring to the people at this time, Li Zicheng's words contained a hint of sadness and indignation.

"Hundreds of years of massacre and enslavement by the Manchus have caused this nation to lose its blood and backbone. For the Chinese in this era, the most important thing is to reshape their backbone and backbone."

When he made the assertion, Li Zicheng said it righteously, but he secretly apologized in his heart. Even Mu Xiangyue found it difficult to understand the contradiction deep in his heart.
To be continued...