Chapter 186 Noose

"Your Excellency Churchill, what happened?" Prime Minister Asquith asked. Although, being disturbed in his sleep made him a little unhappy. But he knew that this was his duty as Prime Minister of the Empire. While enjoying power, one must also assume corresponding responsibilities and obligations.

Perhaps, this is the so-called sweet trouble! Of course, anyone would be willing to take on such troubles. The British Empire is the hegemon of the world, and becoming the Prime Minister of the British Empire is equivalent to the most powerful person in the world.

"Your Excellency, the Germans sent a large number of warships and submarines into the Atlantic Ocean to attack our transport ships and merchant ships. Yesterday and today, we have lost hundreds of merchant ships." Churchill reported with a serious face.

"What? How could this be?" Prime Minister Asquith frowned involuntarily. The loss of hundreds of merchant ships is already a big blow to Britain. Although, Britain still has a large number of merchant ships. But if it continues at this speed, I am afraid that it will not be long before their merchant ships will be completely lost. By that time, how will they get much-needed war supplies from overseas colonies? How can this battle continue!

"What about the Royal Navy? Why didn't they stop the Germans. Churchill, you should know the importance of sea transportation lines to the British Empire? If our sea transportation lines are cut off, the people of the British Empire will not even be able to satisfy their food. At that time, don't say that the war continues, I am afraid that the government will collapse!" Prime Minister Asquith looked serious. After hearing the news brought by Churchill, all his drowsiness has disappeared.

"Your Excellency, the Germans are really cunning. They dispatched several battlecruisers and submarines before the war. Although the main force of the Royal Navy was assembled in Scapa Flow. But before the official declaration of war, we The people's blockade is not tight, which gives them a chance. I have ordered the Royal Navy to send warships to encircle and suppress the German battlecruisers and submarines, and it will definitely prevent the Germans from continuing to attack our merchant ships." Churchill Said.

Prime Minister Asquith looked at Churchill, but did not answer immediately. He always felt that things were not that simple.

"Your Excellency Churchill, I am very doubtful now, is the Royal Navy really capable of defeating the Germans?" Prime Minister Asquith asked.

"Your Excellency Prime Minister, please rest assured that the Royal Navy will definitely be able to defeat the Germans. I assure you of this!" Churchill said solemnly.

"Churchill, you should be clear that I made you the Minister of the Navy because of your talents in this area. Now that the war has broken out, I hope you can use your talents in this area. Leading the Royal Navy, Defeat the Germans and defend the glory of the British Empire. The importance of the navy to the British Empire is self-evident. If the navy fails, the British Empire will be completely over!" Prime Minister Asquith reminded.

"Yes, Your Excellency Prime Minister, I am very aware of this. And our old enemy, the Germans, also knows this. That's why they launched a tit-for-tat attack on our sea transportation lines. Our overall strategy is to After the outbreak of the war, Germany's coastline was blocked, Germany's overseas trade was cut off, and the Germans were dragged to death. But now the Germans are using the same tactics to deal with us. This is also a great threat to the British Empire .If we can't deal with the attack of the Germans on our sea transportation lines, our overseas trade will be greatly affected, or even cut off. At that time, the British Empire may also collapse." Churchill looked serious analysis.

Prime Minister Asquith nodded. For the British Empire, overseas trade lines are almost life. Once cut off, the British Empire would not last long.

"Although the tactics of the Germans are vicious, we have to admit that they are indeed very effective. They are like putting a noose around our necks, and they are getting tighter and tighter, and finally hang us. " Churchill continued.

"The current situation is indeed critical. Come here, notify the other cabinet ministers and call an emergency meeting." Prime Minister Asquith ordered.

Although it was late at night, the situation was urgent, and Prime Minister Asquith couldn't care less.

In less than half an hour, the meeting room of the Prime Minister's Office was full. The senior officials of the British cabinet yawned one by one, drank strong coffee, and sat in their seats.

"Gentlemen, the reason why you are called here so late is entirely because of an accident in the current war situation." Prime Minister Asquith said.

Immediately, the faces of the high-ranking officials below were not very good-looking. The reason why they pushed Britain to join the war was that they believed that Britain could win. But now it seems that something is not quite right!

Next, Churchill introduced the predicament he encountered to everyone. These senior cabinet officials are even more anxious.

"The Royal Navy must be dispatched to encircle and suppress the German battlecruiser formation and submarine force. The sea transportation line is the lifeline of the British Empire, and there must be no loss!" Lloyd George, the chancellor of the exchequer, was the first to express his opinion.

The other ministers also expressed their views one after another. They all know what the sea transport line means to Britain.

Churchill had to say that he had already issued an order to let the Royal Navy deal with the battleship formation and submarine formation of the German Navy, which made those high-ranking officials stop criticizing the navy.

"Your Excellency, it can be seen from this that the Germans have been planning this war for a long time. For this reason, they even formulated a strike plan against the British Empire. Therefore, we cannot take it lightly. Now, Germany People are already attacking Belgium. The Belgians probably won't be able to resist for long. We have to send an expeditionary force to the European continent as soon as possible." Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Gray proposed.

"Your Excellency, Minister of War, is there any problem with sending an expeditionary force to the European continent within a week?" Prime Minister Asquith looked at the Minister of War, Richard Haldane.

"Your Excellency, the first batch of expeditionary forces will go to the European continent in a week's time. There should be no problem. The follow-up expeditionary forces are also being prepared one after another." Minister of War Richard Haldane replied.