Chapter 11: The Two Tigers Plan (Three)

  Three

  "Mustard gas, again mustard gas." This is already the 4th village in Melo, northern Uruguay that Ren Shengping visited today.

  In the series of military purges carried out by the Argentine troops stationed in Uruguay under the code name "Sudden Death", the Uruguayan resistance organization supported by the United States and Brazil, "Fuerzas de Liberación Nacional del Cono Sur", suffered a severe blow.

  The Argentine military junta announced that more than 2,000 Uruguayan resistance members had been killed locally, but Ren Shengping believed that the actual casualties caused by the Argentine army's military operations to the local area were far higher than the official figures.

  Because in the late stages of military operations, to block contact between the different units of the "Liberation Forces of South America" or to drive them out of the villages where they were hiding, Argentine troops made extensive use of a chemical weapon known as "tactical smoke".

  "Those who choose mustard gas for Argentina are either mad or chemical idiots." Although mustard gas has stable physical properties, high boiling point, low volatility, and stable chemical properties that do not easily decompose, it is easy to manufacture and store. However, its toxicity persists, often remaining effective decades later, and there is no effective special antidote; once poisoned, the victim will almost certainly suffer from the torment of illness for the rest of their life.

  In the medically underdeveloped northern mountains of Uruguay, local medical personnel treated burn victims with traditional methods, often resulting in severe scarring and disfigurement. Even after a large-scale chemical weapons attack, residual mustard gas vapor can cause massive damage to the human body, such as acute pulmonary edema from inhalation, severe bronchial mucosal necrosis, and death from asphyxiation due to blockage of major airways by detached pseudomembranes.

  Contact with the eyes can cause conjunctivitis, keratitis, and even corneal ulcers, panophthalmitis, leading to blindness. Although timely treatment in a large hospital with better medical conditions can control the poisoning symptoms and improve the symptoms, it will also trigger various sequelae.

  "The person who drew up such a plan of battle ought to be hanged." Back in the armored car provided by the Argentine Army, Ren Ping bluntly told Colonel Ettore Tomasi Netti, an Argentine Army woman officer accompanying him on the inspection, in Latin.

  "They are all enemies of Argentina, and we have the right to do so." Aitomasi replied in a voice close to coldness. "Don't you want to end the guerrilla war? Then I tell you that the Japanese, Russians, and Americans have all used chemical weapons on the Asian battlefield, but without exception, they were all driven out of the battlefield by local guerrillas. Terror can never stop resistance, it can only increase more hatred." Ren Shengping was somewhat out of control.

  "We are just testing the weapons we have to warn those Western powers that threaten us. Do not put too many obstacles on Argentina's path forward." And also Aitoma?? responded sharply.

  Just as Ren Shengping was about to argue, his attention was drawn to the powerful voice coming from the radio. "From both historical and geographical perspectives, Argentina has undisputed sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands. Today, our brave soldiers have once again planted the national flag on this sacred land." It was the voice of Juan Carlos Mu?oz, head of the Argentine military government and chairman of the Argentine Military Committee. "Malvinas Islands?" Ren Shengping subconsciously repeated the name amidst the cheers of the Argentine soldiers. "Isn't one bloody war enough?" Ren Shengping had a premonition that the good days for Argentina were coming to an end.

  "We cannot be intimidated by a single setback, Argentina's failure in 1982 was the result of our own unpreparedness and the joint strangulation by Western countries. Today we have a powerful armed force, our country has the ability to protect every inch of our land." In Miami, Florida, USA, General James Hill, Commander-in-Chief of the US Southern Command, is listening to Argentina's voice simultaneously with the whole world.

  "Our old friend is in trouble!" Although the Falkland Islands had become an independent country after the Falklands War in 1982, it was still a member of the Commonwealth. When the Argentine army suddenly landed on the islands, the British government would not sit idly by.

  But nearly 30 years have passed, can the aging British Empire still afford to cross the entire Atlantic Ocean to defend its dignity and glory? "President's call, four lines!" The soft voice of the secretary came from the answering machine. At the same time, on the other side of the Atlantic, the British government called on EU countries to sever diplomatic relations with Argentina through NATO and the European Parliament, and quickly established a wartime cabinet. With military force as its backing, politics, diplomacy, and economics joined forces to compel Argentina to withdraw its troops, which was entirely futile.

  Because behind Argentina is the support of powerful "emerging countries" such as China, any diplomatic effort to mediate can only be a waste of time. The UK and Western countries can only choose between retreat or war. The war machine of old Europe has already started rumbling, 2 NATO rapid reaction divisions quickly gathered in Gibraltar, 2 British Navy Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines belonging to the European fleet went ahead to conduct reconnaissance near the Falkland Islands, followed by the French Navy's "Rubis"-class nuclear-powered attack submarine "Perle".

  In contrast to the European navies, the US Navy was in a privileged position. The US Atlantic Command, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, quickly assembled 4-5 nuclear-powered submarines and sent them to the South Atlantic.

  "In Southeast Asia, the war between us and India is actually unavoidable, and this war is not as simple as some of our comrades imagine. In the history of our Republic, we have never had to take India's threat as seriously as we do today. Although I personally dislike such analogies, war is actually a high-stakes gamble. In the 21st century, either we or India will become a world-class power, and this will be a battle for national destiny. Before this war begins, we must strive to eliminate the possibility of Western powers intervening."

  In the heart of the Republic - Beijing, a young voice is explaining to the equally young generals of China's National Defense Army the impact of the Argentine War on China.

  In fact, before the Argentine government decided to deploy military forces to the Malvinas Islands, some people in the Chinese government had already developed a set of strategic guidelines for the Argentine army to counter the joint US-British military action. "As long as Argentina can hold on for 2-3 months and inflict heavy blows on the Anglo-American coalition, the Chinese government will intervene and persuade both sides to return to the negotiating table."

  In the southernmost part of Argentine territory, on Tierra del Fuego Island, taken from Chile through war. Under the year-round snow cover, young Argentine sailors are driving their "Amur" and "Song"-class C-type AIP conventional submarines, purchased from Russia and China, through underground tunnels into the vast deep sea.

  "We will not repeat the past." In the majestic song of "Argentina, Don't Cry for Me", Argentine Navy Commander-in-Chief Mario Rosario bid farewell to his soldiers with a military salute as they embarked on their journey. Under the waters of the South Atlantic, a fierce battle was about to begin.