Volume 4: Hot! The whole world is a warring state Chapter 757: Only Technology Can Win
July 10, 1645, on the northern shore of the Black Sea, six in the morning local time.
In a deserted wilderness, a rectangular steel structure stood out. A group of Ottoman Empire researchers, wearing white coats, white masks, and white gloves, were busy in the building in an orderly and tense manner under the command of their Grand Vizier Ibrahim.
"Sir, His Majesty King Philip of Spain has sent a special envoy with a personal letter to give you."
"He really picked the right time, right now. Couldn't you have asked him to leave the letter and told me to read it when I got back?"
"I am very sorry, sir. The envoy said that the letter must be delivered to you in person."
"What? You didn't bring him here?"
"You had issued a strict order in advance that this was a military restricted area and anyone who entered without permission would be killed without mercy. How could I bring him here? But this envoy spoke earnestly and said that the situation was extremely serious, so I took him to Yalta in Crimea."
"That's fine. Okay, I know about this, and I can roughly guess what Philip wrote in the letter. You go back to Yalta first to accompany the special envoy, be nicer, and don't skimp on the proper hospitality. Well, the beach there is nice, take him for a stroll first, I'll be there in two days at most."
"Yes, sir."
What was about to unfold in this wasteland was an experiment that would create a new world in this plane. Therefore, even Yiprahin's personal adjutant was not qualified to stay here and watch.
About three hours after the adjutant left, a researcher ran to Iprahin and said, "Sir Davich, the airbags, pods, and propulsion devices of the airship have all been checked and no problems have been found. Please inflate the airbags."
"Agree to inflate."
Following Ibrahim's order, another group of researchers wearing thick protective clothing and earplugs, standing next to a huge, constantly roaring machine, opened the hatch of the machine, and pulled out a long tube from the surging white mist. This tube was then tightly connected to a tube extending from the airbag. As the two tubes were completely engaged, the staff guarding the air valve opened the air valve on the ground. With a hissing sound, a large amount of gas gushed through the pipe and entered the huge airbag.
As time went by, the huge airbag gradually inflated. Yiprahin waved his hand and the relevant personnel pressed the power switch. The rectangular roof began to slowly open to the left and right, and the staff inside the house once again saw the blue sky.
As the gas continued to flow in, the airbag became more and more full. Then, at 10:20 a.m. that day, two "bang bang" sounds were heard, and the pod under the airbag finally broke free from the constraints of gravity and slowly hung in the air!
“God is great!”
"Long live His Excellency the Great Vichy!"
Yiprahin was also filled with joy at this time, but as a time traveler, although the application scope of airships in his time was only in a small scope such as advertising and disaster relief, he had seen airships after all. Therefore, among the crowd of people who were too excited to restrain themselves, he was the first to recover: "Everyone, stop the air supply, close the air pipe, measure the air supply, and lift the height and weight of the objects. We will talk about the celebration later, there are still many things to do now."
"yes!"
Airships appeared in history in 1784. Airships equipped with control devices appeared in 1884. In the early 20th century, traveling by airship was a high-end enjoyment for the European upper class.
Although this thing can fly, it is subject to the laws of nature and has great limitations: the gas in the airbag must be hydrogen or helium. The former is slightly cheaper, but once there is a spark, it will instantly become an aerial torch. Although the latter does not burn or support combustion, the cost of making pure helium is too high.
The production cost is high, the load capacity is small , and the speed is extremely slow compared to airplanes - so this thing can only become a toy for the nobility. When airplanes gradually matured, airships were quickly eliminated. In the 21st century, apart from airship advertising and serving as a floating communication relay to assist in disaster relief, the application space of airships is very small.
But in this era, the emergence of airships was truly groundbreaking. Especially after Ibrahim, a time traveler specializing in materials, realized the production of pure helium through the rich natural gas resources under the Ottoman control, the production of airships in order to gain technological advantages in future wars became one of the life-saving straws for the Ottoman Empire, the weakest of the three countries.
Iprahin had the idea of making an airship a long time ago. But although it is easy in theory, it is still very difficult to operate. So, after many years of tossing and turning, it is only today that a reliable product is finally available.
After two days of intense work and a lot of data calculations, Ibrahim finally arrived in Yalta, where he received a handwritten letter from Philip's envoy in a seaside villa.
"Sir Ibrahim, thanks to geographical and religious advantages, you should have received the news from China faster than I did. So, you should have known that our Eastern counterpart decided to launch a large-scale attack on India in 1647, right?
I am very disappointed that the source of this news is not from your announcement but from our own European intelligence system. Do you think that the Chinese attack on India has nothing to do with you? Are you still full of joy and hope to see my failure in India?
If you want to think so, then I really think that we should make an appointment and commit suicide together.
Because, if we cannot cooperate honestly with the Chinese traversers who have completed internal integration, controlled East Asia, Southeast Asia and South America, and to a certain extent turned the Pacific Ocean into their inland lake, then our successive defeats are imminent.
There are many factors that determine the success or failure of a war, but as long as there is no hopeless generation gap between the two sides in terms of technology, the biggest factor that determines the success or failure on the battlefield is still people. In terms of human resources, we are at an absolute disadvantage compared to the Chinese time traveler.
Now, in the EU under my control, there are about 150 million people (Philip bluffing), and nearly 20 million men of military age (continue to bluff). Excluding necessary farmers, workers, scientific researchers, and bureaucrats, a maximum of 5 million can be mobilized. If the conscription age is relaxed to 40, there can be another 3 million. But if I really do this, Europe will be in chaos without the Chinese coming to attack - social and economic collapse and production stagnation are only one aspect. The most important thing is that since there are only 2 million men of military age among the Castilians, at most 500,000 or 600,000 can be recruited. Once I arm 7 or 8 million European troops. Then Spain will not be able to securely control the troops in all of Europe in terms of force!
As for the 80 million Indians under my control, forget it, they should just work like slaves. Don't expect them to serve as soldiers.
However, the Chinese time traveler is different. The population in the area he controls is definitely more than 250 million, even close to 300 million. What I envy the most is that the population of the Han nationality is definitely more than 150 million, even close to 200 million. In this way, he can safely and boldly arm 3 million, 5 million or even 10 million troops.
And what about your Ottomans? According to our intelligence agency's estimates, the population under your control is about 70 to 80 million, which seems not small, but how many real Ottomans are there? Do you dare to arm a large number of Persians and Sikhs?
So, in the war in India, if we follow the normal deduction, maybe I can hold out the first time in India, but it is difficult to hold out the second time, and definitely not the third time. If India is lost, the European Union will soon fall apart...
After the dissolution of the European Union, Spain will still be the strongest country in Europe. Although it will eventually be defeated by the Chinese. But that will be a long time in the future. But you, after the loss of India, Pakistan, Persia and other places under your control will face the Chinese army. Those unruly Sikhs who have always wanted to establish an independent country, those Persians who are proud of their unique culture and believe in Shia, will they fight for you to the end when facing the Chinese army?
When you lose Pakistan and Persia and the Ottoman homeland is threatened, what will happen to you, who is not a sultan but a powerful minister? Do I need to explain in detail?
So, Mr. Yiprahin, I am not exaggerating. The reality is so cruel. We failed to kill the time traveler before China's internal integration was completed, which led to us facing an extremely serious situation. In order to save the defeat, we must abandon all prejudices, be honest with each other, and join hands to deal with this unprecedented survival crisis.
To this end, I have two suggestions for you. First, to win the war when the human resources and the number of the main ethnic group are seriously at a disadvantage. The only feasible way is to win by technology. In Europe, thanks to the addition of Wenqu, radio technology has been developed. The research and development of internal combustion engines has also seen hope. To show my sincerity, I will provide you with these two technologies free of charge. I also hope that you can provide me with your country's current advanced technologies. Second, enhance military mutual trust and join hands to fight the enemy. I will call my Indian Governor-General to open the border and allow your troops in Pakistan and the fleet in the Persian Gulf to use India's various sea and land bases and participate in the war when the Chinese invade. At the same time, I suggest that you complete the construction of the Star-Moon Railway as soon as possible. When the main force of the Chinese is trapped in India, the main force of the Ottoman army should take the initiative to pass through Central Asia and march to China's northwest! "
Unlike usual ridicule after reading Philip's letter, this time, after reading the letter several times, Yiplashin found a corner and sat down, curled up, and inserted his ten fingers deeply into his hair...
He is 45 years old this year and has three sons and four daughters. As a man, he tends to mature rapidly after becoming a father, and he is no exception in this regard.
Philip saw it clearly and hit the nail on the head: If India is lost, even if the EU collapses, I will most likely continue to be the King of Spain. The Chinese emperor will come from the Middle East, but that will come later. The key is that I am the king in name only. Even if I am hanged in the end, my family will be safe as long as they don't go to the battlefield.
But what about you? You are a powerful official . If you lose power, the lives of your entire family will surely be gone. In such a situation, why don't you cooperate with me sincerely and fight hard?
The travelers have been in this world for forty-five years and have formed countless connections with this world. Especially their relatives. After living together day and night for so many years, how could they still regard them as NPCs in the game?
After two days of long consideration, Ibrahim wrote a reply to Philip: "I agree with your analysis and am willing to cooperate with you. To show my sincerity, I will provide you and your country with welding technology, natural gas purification technology, airship technology and new gun barrel alloy steel technology free of charge. At the same time, I will mobilize the country. At that time, 200,000 ground forces of my country will enter India to fight the enemy together with you. 300,000 ground forces will attack northwest China from Central Asia. And our naval fleet will also fight together with your navy to ensure the control of the sea in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean."
