Chapter 317: It’s Better to Rob than to Buy

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

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

Speaking to him 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 had ideas about the land in Mexico, but a mere Baja California could not impress him. What he wanted was the iron ore producing areas in Mexico, not Baja California, which had no Mao.

As for Fillmore's intention of using troops in 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 tried 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 Ana 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 at the moment. opportunity."

"I have also considered what you said. It is only a matter of time before the powder keg of Crimea explodes. Britain will not sit back and watch the United States become increasingly powerful in the Americas, let alone watch Russia become powerful in Europe. Russia will "Their biggest enemy." Fillmore said, "Once a major war breaks out in Europe, Britain will always be beyond its 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.

It's just that 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 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 that once a cannon is fired, a thousand taels of gold are worth it. 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$200 million to purchase the five northern Mexican states and the Baja California Peninsula. Get these lands,” Fillmore said.

"200 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 recently are all free states, and the southern states have long had objections to this. The northern states opposed the creation of new slave states in the west. They wanted to meet the needs of southern states for wider cotton fields, so they established new slave states to appease the sentiments of southern states. It can only make a fuss in the new territory in the south.

To start a war with Mexico, I think there is no need for 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 chess game, but Liang Yao doesn't want to be 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 has no way to explain to the people of California. He himself had no motivation to send troops.

If 30,000 square miles is converted into square kilometers, it is about 70,000 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 130,000 square kilometers, which is larger than the current area of ​​California.

Based on the unit price of US$10 million for 70,000 square kilometers, the purchase price of US$200 million is still relatively conservative.

US$200 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 height of the founding president Washington as president, he should at least be on par with President Polk during the Mexican-American War. Perhaps this is what Fillmore is thinking now.

Of course, there are side effects to acquiring territory through war. The first is death, and the second is the pressure of international public opinion.

As long as the command is proper, the casualties of the fight against Mexico can be controlled to a relatively small range. As for how to deal with the pressure of public opinion from the outside world, it depends on Fillmore's own political skills.

"Mr. President, 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 Civic Party. What's more, you have a good relationship with the southern states, and the southern states are not too hostile to California.

As a representative of the free states, California can take care of the emotions of the free states. Moreover, the California Infantry Regiment and the Arizona Infantry Regiment are quite powerful. I am more relieved to have these two infantry regiments participate in the war." Fillmore said.

Since Fillmore made it so clear, Liang Yao no longer tried to hide it and asked Fillmore for the organization: "It's not two regiments, it's one and a half regiments, and the other half is in Nagasaki.

If the US-Mexico war breaks out again, California, as a state bordering Mexico, will not stand idly by.

It's just that the two regiments are not enough. The California Infantry Regiment has another half regiment responsible for the garrison in Nagasaki, which squeezes the existing organization. California can only mobilize one and a half regiments. The two regiments are not enough, let alone one and a half regiments.

I need more organization, more well-trained soldiers. Without these as a guarantee, it's risky to send troops to Mexico."