A few days later, the news of Yuan Su throwing white gloves at the Japanese diplomatic attaché at the negotiation table spread all over the country.
Major newspapers have made this news their front page news. Although this is just a personal move, it represents a weak nation's roar to fight back against the great powers. Even the Beiyang government and many political activists are deeply aware of this.
Worrying, many people also complained that Yuan Su was too impulsive, and even Yuan Shikai stamped his feet in frustration, but for the vast majority of Chinese people, it still brought a hearty pleasure.
Social groups, students and intellectuals called in support of Yuan Su. The Jiangsu and Zhejiang bourgeoisie, led by Lin Boxen, also responded to the current situation and called on the national business community to raise funds to raise military expenditures for the war between the Beiyang Army and the Japanese Army. Shanghai Suren Trading Company only opened one day
Within a short period of time, we received donations worth one million yuan from patriotic businessmen in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
Lin Boxen personally supervised the transfer of these supplies, and also invited the Shanghai Police Bureau and the Guarding Envoy Guards to assist in supervision, and no one was allowed to enrich themselves during the transfer of supplies. The Beijing-Puzhou Railway Bureau even announced for the first time that it would provide five free supplies every day.
Wagons help Suren Company transport these materials.
Some mouthpiece organizations with the background of Beiyang Zhengfu, Zhili Military Affairs Commission, and Shanghai Suren Corporation have also spared no effort in promoting the recovery of Qingdao's sovereignty and countering Japan's barbaric diplomatic practices. These propagandas are overwhelming and have continued.
After a long time, I just made some more detailed adjustments based on the situation at different times.
For more than ten days from the end of September to the beginning of October, domestic public opinion mainly focused on the news that the Beiyang government had decided to take back the sovereignty of Qingdao, with the purpose of beautifying the Beiyang government and improving the image of Yuan Shikai and a group of Beiyang generals. At this stage, the propaganda
The idea was to mobilize the whole country and all walks of life to support fu's military deployment, and to cooperate with Yuan Su in throwing white gloves, advocating that he would not hesitate to fight Japan.
It is precisely because of the promotion of public opinion that Yuan Su's reputation once again became a hot topic throughout the country.
Even in the streets and alleys of the Japanese Concession in Lushun, rumors about Yuan Su's righteous and majestic actions were spread, as if this move awakened the long-sleeping national heart. On the avenues in Lushun City, many newsboys carried
The bags were filled with the latest newspapers, and they were running excitedly along the streets.
"Out of line, out of line, Mr. Yuan humiliated the Japanese diplomatic attaché in public."
"General Yuan has led his army to Liaoshen, and the Sino-Japanese negotiations will break down!"
"The commander-in-chief of the defense united front of the three eastern provinces threw his white gloves at the Japanese diplomatic attaché, and the Beiyang government wants a fight!"
In the first few days, the Japanese patrolmen in the Lushun Concession could still tolerate the yelling of these newsboys. However, as the voices in China became louder and louder, the pressure from the Japanese mainland also became heavier and heavier. The commander of the Japanese Army in Lushun
The department also gradually lost some of its sanity. Starting from mid-October, Japanese police officers successively arrested several newspaper sales staff, and openly drove away the newsboys selling newspapers on the street, and even got into fights with newsboys as young as seven or eight years old.
examples,
The Japanese Ministry of War and the Ministry of the Navy were very disgusted with China's domestic voices and kept making suggestions to Congress, demanding that troops be sent to Qingdao in accordance with the original plan. At this time, China and Germany were still negotiating the handover of Qingdao's sovereignty, although
The squadron in Jinan is already ready to go to Qingdao, but it still has to wait for the diplomatic procedures to settle. Therefore, the Japanese military believes that this time is an excellent opportunity.
However, the Japanese Congress and Cabinet took into account that China has officially declared Qingdao's sovereignty, and now this matter has become a hot topic in the world. In addition, the British and American powers were offended due to the "Twenty-One" secret agreement, and Qingdao was forcibly launched.
War would only bring condemnation from within the Allied Powers.
The reason why Japan participated in the First World War was not only to use the opportunity of the war to expand Japan's influence overseas, but more importantly, to join the ranks of the world's great powers. This was not only as simple as demonstrating national power to the world, but also
It is necessary to obtain the recognition of the established powers through diplomatic means.
For this reason, Japan's top officials have been slow to make a decision on the offensive plan proposed by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Navy.
On October 10th, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs delegation arrived in Qingdao and held formal talks on the transfer of sovereignty with the German Minister to China Delinle and the Commander-in-Chief of the German Far East Command in Qingdao Melwadeck. On the morning of the same day, China and Germany signed the agreement
The diplomatic document for the handover of sovereignty over Qingdao has been issued. From an official diplomatic standpoint, China has begun to exercise sovereignty over Qingdao.
However, in accordance with the additional treaties signed by China and Germany in previous talks, the German Far East Command and its affiliated military, concession administration and consular agencies will continue to be retained for at least three months. This does not mean the transfer of sovereignty.
It is only a nominal handover, because after the diplomatic documents are signed, the Beiyang government can also start arranging for Chinese official agencies to station in Qingdao, and after the negotiations on the last details are resolved, the Chinese military team can also arrive in Qingdao immediately.
In the Sino-German additional treaty, China must bear the transfer costs of all German official agencies, official personnel and troops in Qingdao, and ensure the property safety of German expatriates in Qingdao. If German expatriates in Qingdao want to return to Germany along with the official agencies, China will also
Must be responsible for all transportation and resettlement expenses for expatriates.
The transfer cost alone is initially estimated to be about 1.2 million, not counting the transportation and resettlement fees for the expatriates. Once all German expatriates in Qingdao return to their home countries, the cost will inevitably increase.
In other words, in fact, the Beiyang government spent almost 1.5 million to buy back the sovereignty of Qingdao. As for Germany, not only can it obtain more than one million in transportation expenses, but it can also ensure the safety of the military power of the Far East Command.
Evacuating is simply a huge bargain.
Yuan Su, who was far away in Fengtian, sent a representative to Qingdao with the Chinese diplomatic delegation. After the diplomatic delegation held a meeting with the German side, Yuan Su's representative had a separate meeting with Qingdao Commander-in-Chief Merwardke.
Another meeting was held. The content discussed in this meeting was that the Chinese side was willing to invest in the acquisition of all the military facilities left by Germany in Qingdao, including all the forts of the Qingdao Fortress, reserve artillery, stored artillery shells, and the inner city of Qingdao.
Outside factories and shipyards.
Germany's original plan was to blow up all these facilities when withdrawing from Qingdao, leaving at most some shore defenses. After all, blasting shore defenses was not an easy task, and it also cost a lot of money.
of funds.
However, I heard that China is willing to fund the purchase of these facilities, which is not a bad thing for Melvadek.
On the one hand, China can use these military facilities to contain Japan after taking over Qingdao; on the other hand, China does not have the ability to conduct expeditions, so there is no need to worry about breeding tigers; furthermore, blowing up these facilities is a waste, and German engineers and the army will spend
A lot of resources were spent to build this fortress, and after selling it, some of the cost could be recovered, so that it would not be "lost". This income could be used on the European battlefield in the future.
In order to prevent the Germans from raising prices, Yuan Su specially asked the representatives sent to meet with Merwardek to carry twenty kilograms of gold bars. During the independent meeting, Yuan Su privately presented the gold bars to Merwardek and hinted that he hoped
The price of purchasing the military facilities left by Germany can be more favorable.
After three simple meetings, Merwardke finally signed a transfer agreement with China at a price of 600,000 Reichsmarks. The agreement included all the German fortress systems in Qingdao, two warship maintenance bases, and a naval base.
As well as three metal processing factories directly under the command of the headquarters in the city, an arsenal, two ordnance threat factories, etc.
The naval base and fortress system will not be handed over to China until the Qingdao headquarters has completely withdrawn from Qingdao. As for other factories, they will be handed over one after another after the agreement is signed.
Yuan Su obtained all German industrial facilities and military facilities in Qingdao, but he had no intention of taking these facilities as his own. After all, Qingdao was not within his own territory, and China and Japan were currently very sensitive to the Qingdao issue. Therefore,
, he decided to sell half of the military facilities in Qingdao and half to the Beiyang Zhengfu Army Ministry and the Navy Ministry.
The Beiyang Zhengfu Army Ministry and the Navy Ministry were naturally happy with their situation. After just a few telegram exchanges, they decided to take over these facilities from Yuan Su for three million. Of course, according to the exchange rate of the Imperial Mark and the silver dollar at that time,
Look, Yuan Su only made three or four hundred thousand at most.
In fact, the construction cost of these German military facilities in Qingdao exceeded 20 million Reichsmarks. China was able to acquire these facilities at a price of 3 million silver dollars. It was almost like a white wolf with nothing. Yuan Su just sent people there.
Communicating with Germany and paying a bribe of twenty kilograms of gold bars, thus earning more than 300,000 yuan in labor fees, is not considered as defrauding the country. On the contrary, he can be considered as having contributed to the development of national defense.
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[Attached is the record data of Qingdao Fortress]
Germany occupied Qingdao in 1897 and signed a contract with the Qing government in 1898. As a leased area for Jiao'ao, the Kaiser positioned Qingdao first as a military port and secondly as a commercial port, so a large number of military facilities were built called the "Qingdao Fortress". In 1914
When the First World War broke out, in the early days, China declared "neutrality" and Japan declared war on Germany and began to attack Qingdao.
In addition to the original permanent forts, the German troops stationed in Qingdao built another line of defense. From Fushan Bay, it roughly followed Yan'an 3rd Road, Zhenjiang Road, and then along the Bo River to Jiaozhou Bay. This line of defense included original forts and new ones.
The forts are all connected by open trenches and secret passages.
"Qingdao Fortress List" records all the original forts and newly built forts.
Taixi Town Battery 4 21cm cannons
Tuandao Battery 3 8.8cm cannons
Yamenshan (now Xiaoyushan) Fort
Three 15cm cannons
Huiqianjiao (now Huiquanjiao) Fort
2 24cm cannons with turret
3 15cm cannons with turret
Fengtailing (Maoqi Mountain, now Cushui Mountain)
The turret has 3 8.8cm cannons
Bismarck Mountain (now Qingdao Mountain)
South Fort 4 28cm howitzers
North Fort 21cm cannon 2 pieces
Huiqian Mountain (now Taiping Mountain)
2 10cm cannons for the East Fort
5 6cm cannons
North Fort 6 12cm cannons
The west fort has 3 8.8cm cannons and the south fort has 5 9cm cannons.
5 8.8cm cannons
Cape Yildis (now Taiping Point) Fort
2 5cm cannons
2 8.8cm cannons
3 15cm cannons in the north fort of the training ground
Oil depot (near the mouth of Haibo River today)
South Fort 3 8cm cannons
North Fort 3 8.8cm cannons
Taitung Town Fort has 6 8.8cm cannons
6 12cm cannons
Taitung Zhendong Fort 2 7.7cm field guns
Zhongjiawa Fort 7.7 cannon 2 pieces
Dabao Island Dongshan Fort 4 7.7cm cannons
Xiaozhanshan Fort has 5 machine guns and 5 machine guns
4 machine guns near Xiaozhan Mountain
In 1914, the "World War I" broke out, and Qingdao became the only battlefield in Asia during the "World War I". The Japanese and British allied forces were thwarted in attacking from the sea. One unit landed at Longkou, passed through Pingdu, Ye County to Jimo, and another unit landed at Yangkou.
, then the two troops met at Liuting and launched an all-out attack on Qingdao. In the early morning of November 7th, the Japanese army broke through the Dongzhen Fort and entered the city. The German army surrendered at 7 a.m. It took Japan 100 days from declaring war on Germany to occupying Qingdao.
about.
Qingdao was far away from the German mainland and was isolated and helpless, so defeat was inevitable. However, the Qingdao Fortress had strong firepower, and the British and Japanese forces suffered far more casualties than the German and Austrian forces.
Most of the guns and cannons of Qingdao Fortress were taken away by the Japanese army as "trophies". There are still several forts and gun rooms in existence. Let us remember this page of history forever.