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Chapter 732 The Controversy

"First of all, I believe that if the Allied Powers want to maintain their original power, they must persist in armed struggle. Many of the gentlemen here know Abraham better than I do. He is a man of firm will. Such a person is

There will be no compromise. I don’t know if you agree with this.”

Vice President Stevenson on the side nodded and said: "Mr. Wall is right. Abraham is indeed such a person. Even if he can relent on slavery, he will not give in on the issue of tariffs. And once

If we continue to raise tariffs, the cotton and grain produced in our south will not be sold. Now Tsarist Russia is constantly expanding production and trying to take away our market. Once tariffs are raised, our products will no longer be competitive.

Tens of millions of people will go hungry."

Stevenson knows Abraham very well and the two are very good friends, but this does not prevent them from criticizing each other from their respective camps.

The Greater China Circle is actually a competitor to the South, because one of the two largest cotton-producing areas in the world is in the Alliance, and the other is in the Western Region and Central Asia.

It's just that the cotton from the Western Region and Central Asia has been digested within the Greater China Circle.

The third largest production area is the Black Sea coast of Tsarist Russia.

Tsarist Russia did not have a market like the Greater China Circle, and they did not have any foreign exchange-earning products that they could sell.

If they want to make money, they can only export raw materials to Europa.

It's just that because of the serfdom reform, their production costs are higher than those of the Allied countries that use slaves.

But Alexander II was very economical. He lowered tariffs and provided subsidies to exporters in an attempt to seize the alliance's market.

Most of the time before, southerners controlled the presidential throne in Washington. Therefore, America has always implemented a low-tariff policy in accordance with the wishes of the south.

This low-tariff policy is naturally two-way, which allows cloth, machinery and other goods produced in countries such as England and Virginia to enter America at much lower prices.

Those factory owners in the north are naturally unwilling.

Now there are thousands of factories in the north with millions of workers, and the things they produce have to be sold.

Otherwise, so many people would just go and drink the northwest wind.

The only way these people could think of was to use southern plantations to feed northern industry.

And the solution is one - to raise tariffs.

If tariffs are high, the raw materials produced in the South can only be sold to the North at low prices, and they can only buy industrial products from the North.

Such a benign domestic market has been formed.

However, the result is that the South is getting poorer and poorer.

How could these Southern planters be willing?

They thought that this New World was opened up by our ancestors. Without us coming here to farm and develop from the beginning, there would be no current Millennium.

Why should we suffer poverty while you get rich?

Nowadays, the manor owners in the south live a life like a Roman aristocrat. This life is so addictive that who wants to lose it?

From their perspective, this idea is very reasonable.

Therefore, both parties can only defeat the other party, otherwise no one will compromise.

After Stevenson finished speaking, everyone nodded in agreement.

Upon seeing this, Wall continued: "However, I found that in recent months, although the alliance has become more fully prepared, it has not organized any decent attack. It has only taken back a few federal fortresses within the territory."

"Mr. President, and generals, war is all about seizing the opportunity. I think if this delay continues, we will hand over the opportunity to the federal army."

"If there is a strategic stalemate, can the resources of the South surpass those of the North? The North has a larger population and can produce its own weapons. They use their navy to seal off the coastline. Cotton cannot be sold and weapons cannot be bought. What will you do then?

?Those conjurations on the plantation will not be of any help to the battlefield."

There was some criticism in Wall's words.

But those sitting here are basically leading generals. They can all accept this straightforward way of speaking.

"Mr. Wall means that we should take the initiative to attack, but doesn't this confirm Abraham's conclusion about the southern rebellion?" Davis has always advocated the use of negotiation to resolve the conflicts between the north and the south.

.

They had no intention of annexing the northern states. As long as the Union could recognize the independence of the South.

Anyway, since we can't get along, let's just do our own thing.

At that time, we can continue to do business.

At this time, the North didn't really want to fight.

The North also took some compromise measures at the beginning.

For example, in order to bring the southern states back into the union, the Abraham government made a pledge to respect slavery in the states and enforce the Fugitive Slave Law.

After years of training in political life, Abraham has become a pragmatic idealist. In his mind, he wants to abolish slavery and maintain the unity of the Union.

But the South was not satisfied with this compromise. They also demanded the power to establish new slave states.

For the South, as long as there were slaves and land, their model could be copied endlessly.

However, the slogan put forward by the Republicans during the campaign was "never give up an inch of new land to the slave owners." Of course, the South's request was impossible to pass. The Southern Alliance's answer to the federal government was: war.

Next, the Southerners surrounded Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor.

But neither side wanted to fire the first shot.

Abraham showed great restraint in this battle.

This also confused the Confederacy. Southern leaders, including President Davis, still fantasized about independence through negotiations.

Or let the Federation make a compromise that satisfies the Alliance.

At this time, what Wall said just hit everyone's truest thoughts.

"Mr. President, how can the Alliance Army's war to promote peace be said to be rebellion? Moreover, the Alliance Army can also use its own slogans to defend freedom and overthrow the Republican dictatorship. In this land, no matter what kind of system is implemented,

It’s everyone’s freedom.”

Wall suddenly realized that he seemed to have gone astray. He quickly added: "Sorry, everyone, I am not good at politics, nor do I know much about it. From a military perspective, it is more beneficial to us to take the initiative to attack."

Wall used the word "we" here in order to make everyone more likely to identify with it.

At this time, the grumpy Confederate general and commander of the Tennessee Army, John Hood, stood up and said: "I think General Wall is right. Since you have decided to fight, why should you be hesitant?"

"I have heard that the Federation is recruiting troops on a large scale, and its speed and scale far exceed ours."

On April 15, 1861, Lincoln issued a draft order to recruit 75,000 volunteers into the army.

On May 3, another order was issued to recruit 42,000 people.

At this time, Lincoln thought that the rebellion in the South had been wiped out, so in the draft order, the service period of the soldiers was only set at three months.

Workers and farmers in the north joined the army without hesitation, and immigrant workers in big cities also automatically formed troops.

The "Phoenix Regiment" formed by the Irish in New York, the Culbert Regiment formed by the Germans, and the Garibaldi Guards formed by the Italians became one of the first regiments to go to the Virginia battlefield.

The famous abolitionist Gerrit Smith, who had given John Brown a lot of financial aid, funded and equipped a regiment of black troops and sent his only son Green Smith to join the army without receiving any salary.

These things have been spread in newspapers for a long time, and these southern high-level officials certainly know about them.

"Yanks, those new immigrants are more determined than us, and as the earliest owners of America, why do we sit here and wait to be beaten passively?"

At this time, General Lee, who had been silent, asked: "General Wall, if we take the initiative to attack, how do you think we should attack?"

Robert E. Lee was not only of noble birth, but also had high prestige.

It has a good reputation in the military circles of both the North and the South.

From his true heart, General Lee did not want a war between the North and the South.

He had already freed the slaves in his family.

He doesn't like this system.

It's just that he doesn't want to fight with his hometown.

Therefore, the current negative combat attitude of the Southern Army is actually related to General Lee's thoughts.

As long as the Northerners did not take the initiative to attack Virginia, he was unwilling to take the initiative to attack Virginia.

"Generals, if the Alliance Army can win the war faster, both sides will suffer fewer casualties in the end. You are all veterans on the battlefield, and you should know that more soldiers often die in stalemate battles."

Everyone agrees on this, and it also supports the current passive defensive strategy that Wall just criticized.

"Getting back to the subject, I think the war with the Federal Army should be divided into two battlefields, with the Appalachian Mountains as the dividing line."

This is also the dividing line that originally divided the eastern and western regions of Millican. The area east of the mountains was the original territory of Millican and was also the traditional eastern region.

"The east, between Richmond and Washington, is definitely the location of the main battlefield. I believe you all know this. As long as we can capture the opponent's capital, Washington, the morale of the Northern Army will be greatly affected. Similarly, the Northern Army's morale will be greatly affected.

The army also wants to take Richmond."

"The other western front is easily overlooked, but I think people in the Northern Army will definitely see this. The battle for this front will revolve around the Mississippi River."

Everyone sitting here did not think that Wall could express such a profound strategic concept.

Everyone knows what he said before about the focus of the Eastern Front battlefield.

But when Wall talked about the Mississippi River, everyone's interest was aroused, and everyone sat upright, looking forward to what Wall would say next.

"Before talking about the Western battlefield, I have to mention one thing. I think General Mallory should be very clear about this, that is, the naval power of the Union Army is much weaker than that of the Federal Army."

Wall looked at Stephen R. Mallory, who was sitting very inconspicuously in the crowd. This man is now the Secretary of the Navy of the Union Army. He once served as the chairman of the Senate Naval Affairs Committee and has always advocated the construction of ironclads.

Mallory saw Wall looking at him and casting a questioning look.

He could only shake his head helplessly and said: "Yes, the financial backers of the navy are all the factory owners in the north, so the main force of the American Navy is in the north. Our limited navy now is still some offshore defense gunboats and some commercial ships.

Modified gunboats. Their combat capabilities are worrisome."

"If we want to reverse this disadvantage, we must build ironclads on a large scale or purchase ready-made warships."

The Union had begun using its navy to blockade the Union's eastern coastline.

It's just that the war is still within a certain limit, and the federal navy has not taken the initiative to attack the ports of the Confederate States.

After Mallory finished speaking, Wall continued: "If the reality mentioned by Minister Mallory does not change, the federal army will soon realize this, and they can completely build gunboats on a large scale in northern Illinois.

, and then cooperate with the army to attack southward."

"At the same time, their navy can capture New Orleans at our feet and then move up the river. The Union army will be flanked by enemies from the north and south in the Mississippi River Basin."

"In the worst case scenario, if the enemy captures the Mississippi River, can you imagine what will happen?"

Everyone's interest has been piqued. It's scary to think about it.

If this is the case, the entire alliance will be divided into two halves.

The east and west cannot be connected, coupled with the federal navy's blockade at sea.

It won't be long before the large number of troops gathered on the Richmond front will face the danger of supply difficulties.

Secretary of the Navy Mallory cast a grateful look at Wall.

He previously proposed to purchase ironclads, but the Alliance Army's parliament said that they wanted to build them themselves. In fact, they were afraid of spending money.

Is there no money in the South? Of course not, but the money is in the hands of the manor owners.

They will not take out their money easily.

Moreover, most of the generals are army generals, and there are only a few generals in the navy. It can be said that he is weak and has no one to speak for him.

Wall's words really helped him. From now on, he just needs to protect the Mississippi River channel and the sea lanes connecting the outside world.

This is related to the vital interests of the large manor owners, and they are not afraid that they will not pay.

"Okay, okay, well said. We must pay attention to this issue that General Wall said, otherwise we may really be the ones who fail in the end."

The speaker was Ambrose Hill, whose defense zone was on the Mississippi River.

Regardless of others' interruptions, Wall continued what he had just said: "Everyone, I think the Western Front battlefield is the key to final victory."

Wall stood up and walked to a map in front of him, pointed at the map and said: "Look, everyone, this is Illinois. This is the largest heavy industrial city of the Federation in the Great Lakes region."

"After the war begins, this place will surely provide the federal army with a large amount of weapons and equipment. However, we in the south need to purchase weapons from outside. This is one of the advantages of the northern army."

"But now, we have stationed heavy troops in the Kansas area and Tennessee. Why not take advantage of the fact that the federal army is not ready yet and send troops north to capture Illinois. This is equivalent to controlling the entire Mississippi River and can not only cut off the Union.

Connections with the western states. Also capable of threatening the Union's rear through the Great Lakes."

"General Lee can lead the Army of Virginia to hold back the main force of the Union Army on the eastern front."

"Everyone, this is the fastest way to win, and faster means fewer people will die."

"President, and generals, I have finished my opinions. Thank you all."

"Bah bang bang..." The generals sitting below clapped their hands.

General Lee lamented in his heart that he seemed to have thought wrong. Instead of pinning his hopes on the hopeless peace talks between the North and the South, it would be better to end the war as soon as Wall said.


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