1850 American Gold Baron

Chapter 320 It’s better to grab than to buy

"Baja California is a barren land. There is no need to go to war for Baja California," Liang Yao said.

Fillmore's goal was obviously not Baja California; he wanted something more.

Telling him this in private, Fillmore's intention was obvious. Once a conflict broke out with Mexico, he hoped that Liang Yao's army could intervene in the conflict and even be used as the main force.

Liang Yao has ideas about the land in Mexico, but Baja California cannot impress him. What he wants is the iron ore producing areas in Mexico, not Baja California, which has no hair.

As for Fillmore's intention of using troops against Mexico, it is not difficult to guess, that is, Fillmore hoped to use a foreign war to ease domestic conflicts and delay the outbreak of civil war.

"I don't want a civil war to break out in the United States," Fillmore said slowly.

Fillmore's words also confirmed that Liang Yao's idea was correct. Fillmore was trying to use a foreign war to divert domestic attention.

The United States has only two neighboring countries on land. The United Kingdom and the United States to the north are naturally untouchable, and the only target suitable for military use is Mexico.

"A coup has just occurred in Mexico, the Arista government has been overthrown, and the newly appointed Santa Anna is on his way back to Mexico from Venezuela. The political situation in Mexico is not very stable at the moment, which is good news for us." Phil.

Moore continued.

The political situation in Mexico is turbulent, which is one of the reasons why he has thoughts about Mexico.

"Compared with the domestic political situation in Mexico, the attitude of Britain and France is the key to our use of troops against Mexico." Liang Yao said bluntly, "Britain and France will not sit back and watch the United States annex Mexican territory and ignore it. It is not the best time to use troops against Mexico right now.

opportunity."

"I have also considered what you said. It is only a matter of time before the powder keg of Crimea explodes. The British will not sit back and watch the United States become increasingly powerful in the Americas, let alone watch Russia become bigger in Europe. The Russians are

Their biggest enemy." Fillmore said, "Once a major war breaks out in Europe, and what happens in the Americas, the British will be beyond their reach."

Fillmore's judgment of the situation on the European continent is still accurate. Interests in Europe are Britain's core interests, and defense against Russia is better than defense against the United States.

However, Fillmore underestimated the scale of the future Crimean War. In addition to Britain being involved in the Crimean War, France would also be involved.

Le Goff ordered 30,000 sets of military uniforms from him and requested that the order be completed within six months, which shows that the French army will expand its troops this year to at least about 30,000 people.

The expansion of the French army has exceeded the size of the American standing army. These troops must be prepared for future major wars.

"There is an old saying in China, a cannon fires a thousand taels of gold. War costs money. If the cost of war against Mexico exceeds the land purchase price discussed by Minister Gadsden and the Mexican government, it is not cost-effective to fight such a war.

." Liang Yao said.

"The land purchase price negotiated by Minister Gadsden and the Mexican government is US$10 million for 30,000 square miles of land. At this price, the United States would have to pay more than US$120 million to purchase the five northern Mexican states and the Baja California Peninsula.

Get these lands," Fillmore said.

"120 million U.S. dollars is enough for us to launch a war. If it is 60 million U.S. dollars, we can consider purchasing new territory directly from Mexico.

The newly created states are all free states, and the southern states have long had opinions on this. The northern states are opposed to the creation of new slave states in the west. They want to meet the needs of the southern states for wider cotton fields, and the new slave states are established to appease the southern states.

Emotions can only make a fuss in the new territory of the south.

To start a war with Mexico, I think there is no need for a nationwide mobilization. Mobilizing the southern states is enough. When the time comes, it will not be the northern states’ turn to dictate what to do with the land acquired by the southern states.”

It turns out that Fillmore is playing a big game of chess, but Liang Yao doesn't want to become Fillmore's pawn.

It is not impossible for him to contribute to the issue of acquiring Mexican territory, provided that he is given sufficient benefits. The price of Baja California is too cheap.

We can't let the southern states take the lead and take all the good land, while California only takes the bad land of California. In this case, Liang Yao will have no way to explain to the people of California. He himself will have no motivation to send troops.

If converted into square kilometers, 30,000 square miles is about 77,000 square kilometers, which is about the area of ​​two Hainan Islands.

Spending 10 million US dollars to buy two territories the size of Hainan Island is definitely a very good deal, but Fillmore is also right. Mexico’s military is weak. If these territories can be obtained at a smaller cost, why spend a lot of money?

What about the price?

The combined area of ​​the five northern states of Mexico and the Baja California Peninsula is 861,300 square kilometers, which is larger than the current area of ​​California.

Based on the unit price of US$10 million for 77,000 square kilometers, the purchase price of US$120 million is relatively conservative.

US$120 million is indeed enough to fight another U.S.-Mexico war.

Mexico is smaller and weaker now. If we really want to start a war, from the beginning to the end of the war,

What's more, the territory acquired through war can also have the effect of training the army, boosting people's morale, and enhancing national pride.

These effects cannot be bought by directly spending money on land, and they are also the effects Fillmore needs.

Therefore, in Fillmore's view, it was more cost-effective to go to war than to directly spend money to purchase land.

Even if he cannot reach the heights of the founding President Washington as president, he will at least be on par with President Polk during the U.S.-Mexican War. Perhaps this is what Fillmore is thinking now.

Of course, acquiring territory through war also has side effects. First of all, people will die, and secondly, they will face the pressure of international public opinion.

As long as the attack on Mexico is conducted properly, the casualties can still be controlled to a relatively small scale. As for how to deal with the pressure of public opinion from the outside world, it depends on Fillmore's own political skills.

"Your Excellency, California is also a free state." Liang Yao reminded Fillmore.

"California is different from other free states. The ruling party in California is neither the Whig Party nor the Democratic Party, but the Citizens Party. What's more, you have good relations with the southern states, and the southern states do not have much hostility towards California.

As a representative of the free state, California sends troops, which can take care of the mood of the free state to some extent. Furthermore, the California Infantry Regiment and the Arizona Infantry Regiment are very capable. With these two infantry regiments participating in the war, I feel more reassured." Fillmore

I said.

Now that Fillmore had made his words so clear, Liang Yao stopped being secretive and asked Fillmore for the organization: "It's not two regiments, it's one and a half regiments, and half of the regiment is in Nagasaki.

If the U.S.-Mexico war resumes, there is no reason for California, as the state that shares the border with Mexico, to sit on the sidelines.

It's just that the strength of the two regiments is not enough. Half of the California Infantry Regiment is responsible for the task of garrisoning Nagasaki, which squeezes out the existing establishment. California currently has only one and a half regiments of troops available. The strength of the two regiments is not enough.

Use, let alone one and a half balls.

I need more establishment and more well-trained soldiers. Without these guarantees, sending troops to Mexico is risky."

(End of chapter)