Chapter Eighty-Five What's on His Mind

  The azure sea and blue sky, every coastal country has a beautifully shaped ocean with rich mineral resources due to nature's perfect creation. The ocean has enabled human beings to interact with each other through its power, bringing cultural exchange and sharing of civilization through maritime transport, promoting the progress and development of the entire world. It is also because of the ocean that human greed has been amplified, and powerful nations have brought endless disasters to small and weak countries.

  The ocean can bring enormous economic benefits to humans, providing resources and minerals that are scarce or non-existent in one's own country. However, the ocean can also bring powerful enemies and pose a great threat to national development. Nevertheless, as human civilization has developed to this point, it is undeniable that we have become inseparable from the ocean. Any nation or ethnic group that fails to make good use of the ocean will inevitably be left behind in the surging tide of progress and be taken advantage of by others.

  The Industrial Revolution brought the British Empire an opportunity to dominate the world, and with its powerful industrial capabilities and mad plunder that exterminated humanity, the British Empire quickly dominated the world through the oceans. Its sphere of influence was forever under the sun's rays, earning it a great name as the "Empire on which the Sun never sets".

  For the sake of maritime interests, for colonial rule around the world, Germany and England, as capitalist countries, wanted to redivide the global sphere of influence through war. They thought they could defeat powerful England by sea, but unexpectedly failed miserably, with no other means except threatening opponents with submarines in the ocean. Ultimately, the Allies transformed their strong maritime power into a comprehensive military advantage, winning the war thanks to the vast oceans.

  Thus, countries around the world and every individual have to re-examine the ocean. This double-edged sword that can bring happiness also has the magic of creating hell, and once it is not grasped properly, it will be bad for both others and oneself. However, for a coastal country with over 18,000 kilometers of coastline, China's utilization of the ocean can be said to be minimal, but the disasters brought by the ocean to the Chinese people are numerous.

  Zheng He's voyage to the Western Ocean, Chinese people utilized the ocean to bring friendship and exchange to the world. The Opium War was the British Empire utilizing the ocean, using strong ships and cannons to open up China's closed doors. The First Sino-Japanese War was the first time Chinese people placed great hopes on the ocean, but it ended in a mysterious defeat. Since then, China can be said to have lost its maritime rights, the impoverished and weak Republic of China could not build warships to defend its coastline, the existing warships were old and worn out, most of the energy was spent on how to compete for land, rather than how to get back up from where they fell, not rekindling the ambition to conquer the ocean again, but rather how to win the praise of the powerful nations...

  "The vast ocean, when can there be Chinese warships cutting through the waves? This question cannot be asked of others, but rather introspected upon oneself!" Zhang Yu rarely came to Zhanjiang again on this special day, not for the sake of the ocean. "Captain Chen Shaokuan, you represented the Chinese Navy at the Paris Peace Conference and even participated in the Battle of Jutland, earning a special labor award from the British Queen. You witnessed the true appearance of the world's sea battles among the major powers today, and you also saw how the major powers bullied weak countries, especially China, at the Paris Peace Conference. Regarding the ocean, regarding the navy, perhaps you have more opinions than I do?"

  Chen Shaokuan returned to the autonomous region with many German naval and military officers. When he left, he set sail from Fangcheng Port in the autonomous region, and when he returned, he landed at Zhanjiang Port, a place destined to become an important military port for the People's Liberation Army Navy in the future. It had been three springs and autumns since he left, and Chen Shaokuan, who was still proud and arrogant at that time, set out for Europe with high hopes, just like Xiao Naitian. However, when they returned, they were like different people, having witnessed and experienced the ugly and grand performances of the powerful nations, their wisdom had increased greatly, and they had also become more realistic. Of course, Chen Shaokuan's transformation was the greatest, he had already joined the ranks of the Revival Party, otherwise, he would not have come to Zhanjiang.

  "The Battle of Jutland can be said to be the largest scale battle in human history, with the deepest impact and the most tragic situation. In my view, the German Navy, whether it is the quality of officers and soldiers or the design quality of warships, is leading Britain. The British warship design idea emphasizes speed and firepower, sacrificing armor protection. German warships, on the other hand, emphasize better armor protection at the expense of reduced navigation speed and armament."

  "In addition, the armor-piercing shells adopted by the German Navy were significantly better in quality than the British ones that exploded on impact. The training results of the soldiers were also very different. The German army emphasized cooperation and discipline, with high morale and meticulous combat details. Just one detail, whether to close the ammunition compartment door when transporting ammunition, reflected the different combat qualities of the soldiers. Different warship design philosophies led to vastly different combat outcomes, and the German army won better results in battle thanks to its superior armor protection and shells."

  "Are you saying that the German Navy has a clear leading edge?"

  "It is indeed the case that battleship-to-battleship combat tests a warship's ability to engage at ultra-long range, and in terms of signal technology, target ranging, and night fighting equipment, the German side surpassed the British Royal Navy. If it weren't for the fact that the British had advance knowledge of the German battle plan and enjoyed advantages in numbers of ships and gun caliber, even if they won the Battle of Jutland, it would have been a Pyrrhic victory. However, as it turned out, the winner of the war was Germany, not England. Of course, one cannot deny that the British Royal Navy had an overwhelming advantage overall; the German Navy won a tactical victory but lost the strategic initiative..."

  Before the Battle of Jutland, both Britain and Germany were influenced by the idea of big gun battleships, believing that a fleet engagement was a necessary step to gain command of the sea and the most effective way. From the start of the arms race, both sides focused on equipping and training their personnel with the goal of annihilating their opponents in a decisive battle as the ultimate means of achieving war objectives, spending huge sums of money to build top-notch battleship fleets and massive naval combat personnel formations.

  But in fact, the progress of technology will greatly affect the combat effectiveness of the navy, and also affect the war. The participation of this high-tech integrated service branch in the war must test the pros and cons of both sides' hardware, the level of personnel quality, and of course, the commanding officer's decision-making ability is also a major factor. The British Empire Navy was defeated because they were timid and hesitant in battle, made mistake after mistake, and didn't even have the courage to pursue and attack at night, so they could only rely on the overall number of warships to gain strategic initiative.

  "It is indeed a pity that the German Navy, not because of poor ships or weak soldiers, but due to its own insufficient strength, led to defeat and sinking. The largest self-sinking event in history during the Paris Peace Conference, and the most intense Battle of Jutland in history, are intertwined, making the German Navy a thorough heroic tragedy."

  Zhang Yu certainly knew the bravery of the German Navy in the Battle of Jutland, and also knew the tragic Rainbow Operation. War tests a country's comprehensive strength, and the German Navy did not lose due to its own inadequacy, but was defeated by Britain's superior national power. Now, many of the backbone of the German Navy, after Germany's defeat, were forced to sign a nightmare-like treaty at the Paris Peace Conference, which suddenly declared them completely unemployed. However, the autonomous region promptly gathered them and invited them to come to China to help build the People's Liberation Army Navy while continuing their own blue sea dream.

  "When the Chinese delegation decided to refuse to sign the contract, I had already made up my mind to build a first-class naval force for China..." Chen Shaokuan lived abroad for many years and later knew the purpose of the Revival Party and the connotation of the autonomous region after long tempering. After joining this team, he felt that China's journey to the ocean was not a dream at all. "However, Commander-in-Chief, I am not suitable to be the principal, it is better for you to take on this role!"

  "Letting you take the helm of such an important school is a vote of confidence in you, as well as a test. Since you've been saying that you want to bring out a world-class navy for China, isn't the Naval University a stage for you to show off your skills? Are you still afraid that someone won't obey?"

  "That's what I mean, most of the 'teachers' in school are former German naval officers, they have rich combat experience and theoretical knowledge, but I do have some disagreements with them..." Chen Shaokuan said this, obviously having something stuck in his throat that he couldn't spit out.

  "My point is simple, that in my view, the future world will no longer be dominated by big guns and giant warships. I think naval warfare must move towards diversification. Underwater, we need submarines; on the surface, we need aircraft carriers; in the air, we need fighter jets. Most German naval officers attach great importance to submarines, but they are even more resentful of losing to the British with their superior ships and personnel..."

  "So you mean..."

  Zhang Yu had already analyzed from Chen Shaokuan's words that he was going to say something, not everyone can have the experience of the Battle of Jutland, and of course, no one can be like Chen Shaokuan, who has visited and studied almost all the major naval powers in the world, including America, England, Germany, France, and Italy. He must have his own insights into the future development of the navy.

  "My intention is very simple, we Chinese are weak and not strong enough, to think of building large warships is absolutely wrong. So our goal is small but efficient, small but powerful vessels, such as submarines with great potential for use and destroyers and cruisers that can fight flexibly. As for battleships, we cannot afford them in a certain period of time, nor do we need to. After years of observation and study, I have come to realize that the future world belongs to aircraft, and aircraft carriers will inevitably surpass battleships... In short, my intention is that I need some power."

  Chen Shaokuan's words made Zhang Yu fall into deep thought. For a naval genius with such a great reputation in history, it was not necessary to test Zhang Yu to know that he was a true patriot. Of course, as the son of a high-ranking official, Zhang Yu naturally knew that the future would not be dominated by battleships and other large vessels, but rather submarines and aircraft, especially aircraft carriers equipped with various types of planes, which were destined to rule the world. However, Zhang Yu still had some worries in his heart, worrying about how Chen Shaokuan would build a first-rate navy for the People's Army.

  "I let you be the principal, be the commander of the navy, it's giving you the corresponding rights. Looking at the whole party and government, even the entire autonomous region, there is only you who has this ability to take on this responsibility."

  Zhang Yu thought for a moment and decided to let go and give it a try. Chen Shaokuan's words earlier had already proven his ability, which was beyond doubt. Since the People's Liberation Army Navy was poor and white, why not let Chen Shaokuan take charge? Whether they moved fast or slow didn't matter; what mattered most was that the direction of development was correct.

  Moreover, under the guidance of two traversers, would the Chinese Navy take a mysterious detour? Zhang Yu hopes that the principal of this school is a person with strategic vision, like Wang Zhuo and others in China Aviation, as long as Zhang Yu and others put forward the right ideas, they will definitely support them wholeheartedly. As for the navy, what Zhang Yu worries about most is encountering an obstinate old antique figure, if he insists on the idea of "big guns and giant ships", it would be really troublesome, fortunately Chen Shaokuan is not such a person.

  The People's Armed Department is the highest military department of the autonomous region, which also means "Ministry of National Defense". The General Staff Headquarters, General Political Department, General Equipment Department and General Logistics Department are the four major pillars that cannot be shaken. However, before 1921, the Armed Department only had jurisdiction over the army, but on April 5, 1921, the People's Army added a new branch of service - the Navy.

  At that time, the People's Navy could be described as "poor and white". 300 students were recruited from Guangxi Maritime Technical School, which provided technical personnel for shipping industry. 500 quasi-technical personnel were recruited from various technical specialized schools. These 800 students with junior high school education were the foundation of the People's Navy. The main force was the soldiers who were widely recruited from the people. The situation of the air force was even more "miserable". The navy is a technical branch, and the air force can be called a high-tech integrated force.

  Like the Navy, the Air Force placed its recruitment in various technical schools. However, many students were more interested in the Navy. The loss of the Sino-Japanese War still affects China today, and many people believe that a strong army and navy are necessary to revive China. As a result, the Air Force had to "recruit" many students from technical schools in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces to barely meet its quota of 500 people. However, they did not lower their recruitment standards, requiring at least a certain level of cultural quality. Fortunately for them, there was also an Aeronautical Engineering College in the Industrial University that served as a backup, with its strong faculty and student body destined to benefit the Air Force immensely.

  The development pace of the navy and air force are roughly the same, with the air force taking a purely self-reliant route. After the successful flight tests of two aircraft types by AVIC Group, AVIC quickly introduced a biplane trainer for the air force to train pilots. According to the air force's plan, they currently need two types of aircraft: first, a fighter with strong air combat capabilities and some ground attack capabilities; second, a bomber, as proven by the European war that bombers have great prospects. The air force can also obtain transport planes and bombers through AVIC's large aircraft project.

  Of course, this is not the time to classify aircraft too finely. If you really want to divide it in detail, transport planes can be divided into tactical and strategic transport planes according to their use, and they can also be divided into short-range, medium-range, and long-range transport planes. Bombers have similar classifications, but at this time, the air force has just been established, and China Aviation is still very young, with a long way to go in the future, and the aircraft needed will definitely be available, but it's not yet at this stage like an infant learning to crawl.

  The construction of the navy, although similar to that of the air force, was much more steady. After the defeat of the German Empire, its naval forces were completely disbanded. The Asia-America Group recruited over a thousand former German naval officers and soldiers in Europe, especially those who had experienced the brutal Battle of Jutland. They came to China with their families, not for tourism, but to work. The navy prepared 800 soldiers with junior high school education, 1,200 intelligent and hardworking soldiers who could read and write, as well as a U-boat submarine that was brought back after much effort, and an old destroyer. These two ships were the starting capital of the navy.

  "The navy takes the most powerful steps, but its foundation is the poorest. However, a large number of experienced German naval officers are involved in education, and I believe that the navy will soon take shape. The air force is taking a high-end route, with the strongest background, but precisely because they are too high-end, I estimate that they can truly master flying skills and form combat effectiveness, while the navy's officers have already been able to sail out to sea for patrols on their own..."

  Zhang Yu finished speaking and handed the signed order to Chen Shaokuan. Upon receiving this letter of appointment, he would formally become the commander-in-chief of the People's Military Navy, with the Naval Academy being the place where he could take office the soonest. "I will definitely not disappoint the Commander-in-Chief!" Chen Shaokuan received the letter of appointment and immediately gave a standard military salute.

  "Don't disappoint my expectations, and don't waste the good foundation I've laid out for you. The quality of personnel in both the navy and air force is extremely high, I don't want to hear nonsense about a hundred years of naval history or that it takes a century to produce top-notch naval officers. With the support of the Aeronautical Engineering College of Industrial University, the Air Force can nurture high-quality talent, and you should do the same by merging the Maritime Technical School with the Naval Academy, making it a cradle for high-quality naval personnel." As he spoke, Zhang Yu took out a document from his drawer and handed it to Chen Shaokuan.

  "This is..."

  Chen Shaokuan took over the file with a red header, and his eyebrows furrowed as he knew that this thing was not something that anyone could easily see, especially since he was now only a lieutenant colonel in the military, although it was the highest rank in the navy, but it was clear that he didn't have the ability to move fourth-level confidential files, even if this was the lowest level of confidentiality, and for a lieutenant colonel like him, he wasn't at that level.

  "You've become the naval commander, you're no longer a lieutenant colonel! You naturally have the authority to review this report. After I leave, everything in this office is yours, including the books on the bookshelf and the files in the safe. You can take a look at whatever you want. I just wanted to hear your thoughts after reading this document, and if there's anything else you need."

  Chen Shaokuan's old face turned red as he opened the price list and began to browse, his expression getting better and better until he was almost laughing. "Commander-in-Chief, Zhanjiang Shipyard, Wuzhou Shipyard, Chongqing Shipyard, Qinzhou Shipyard, Beihai Shipyard, Liuzhou Shipyard, these six major shipyards of China Heavy Industry Group, are they really that amazing?" Chen Shaokuan asked with a delighted expression.

  Qinzhou Shipyard is the largest container ship manufacturer of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, with the first generation of container ships developed by the group capable of carrying 18,500 tons and 854 standard containers, able to reach major ports in Europe and the United States at a speed of 20 knots per hour. This is also the model with the largest demand and the most in-service vessels for China Ocean Shipping Group, and it is also the world's first professional container transport ship. Its emergence not only provides possibilities for the development of ocean trade in the autonomous region but also provides strong support for the healthy development of Qinzhou Shipyard.

  According to their design, the second-generation container transport ship should be able to reach a carrying capacity of over 20,000 tons, which is equivalent to 1,400 standard containers. The North Sea Shipyard is the second-largest large-ship manufacturing factory, with a focus on large bulk cargo ships, and also involves the manufacture of container ships. It collaborated with the Qinzhou Shipyard to complete all the manufacturing tasks for the first batch, including the development of crane-type, roll-on/roll-off, and crane-type container ships that rely on cranes or loading bridges on the ship or dock to load and unload containers.

  Roll-on/roll-off ships are vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using a platform vehicle, such as a self-propelled modular transporter. This is in contrast to lift-on/lift-off vessels, which use a crane to load and unload cargo.

  Both have a very promising future, while the two major shipyards are intensively studying the second generation, they are also actively seeking to maximize the use of the first generation model. Therefore, the manufacturing capabilities of these two shipyards are not in doubt, and the autonomous region's ocean trade is so prosperous that it naturally cannot be separated from the contributions of the two shipyards. Of course, after the emergence of the navy, they may become powerful competitors in the manufacture of medium-sized warships in the future, and even the two major shipyards will have to "fight" each other.

  Liuzhou and Wuzhou, as the largest inland river shipbuilding factories in the autonomous region, have relatively mature experience in designing and manufacturing 300-3,000-ton inland transport ships. The cargo ships of the two companies are not only sold domestically but also exported to coastal areas in the east, including the United States. Therefore, in the future, the two shipyards will be the best manufacturers of small-tonnage vessels, and the Chongqing Shipyard, which was established during the great construction boom, is also a force to be reckoned with. They will inevitably intervene between the two companies, but it's still hard to say who is stronger or weaker at this time.

  Zhanjiang Shipyard is the most affluent and dominant, relying on its natural deep-water harbor, without the need for artificial excavation of navigation channels like Qinzhou Port, Fangchenggang Port, and Beihai Port, to allow ships of 10,000 tons or more to navigate, manufacture, and berth. Zhanjiang Shipyard has always been a manufacturer of special-purpose ships such as chemical tankers and oil tankers for the China COSCO Group, capable of manufacturing both near-sea and ocean-going vessels, especially its 35,000-ton deep-sea oil tanker, which is highly welcomed by Mobil Oil Corporation under Rockefeller. Of course, the autonomous region's petroleum is also mainly provided by this company, a win-win situation for both parties.

  "Three of the six major enterprises, Qinzhou, Beihai and Zhanjiang, have all experienced the baptism of brutal order wars. The German Navy's crazy unrestricted submarine warfare greatly promoted the development of global ocean-going ship manufacturing companies. All three major shipyards received huge cargo ship orders from the Allied Powers with the help of the German Navy, adopting modular manufacturing processes to create a record of completing a 10,000-ton cargo ship in just four months."

  "Now, many core technical personnel from several major German shipyards such as Wessel Shipyard in Bremen, Vulkan Shipyard in Stettin, the former German Imperial Shipyard in Wilhelmshaven and Germaniawerft in Kiel, including the design team that designed the Nassau-class battleships, have been adapting to these three shipyards for several months. They are ready to manufacture warships for the navy, just waiting for your performance!"

  Zhang Yu's words have made it clear that he can only lay the best foundation for the development of the navy, and a good start is half of success. Although the autonomous region has not achieved much in military terms in recent years, it has made significant progress in economic strength and industrial foundation. Otherwise, the construction of the naval and air forces would not have been so smooth. Recruiting a large number of troops, preparing sufficient military funds, and mobilizing considerable technical forces are all things that can only be accomplished after possessing certain strengths. A poor country cannot afford to maintain a navy, but at this point, the autonomous region already has the ability to nurture an elite navy, including an air force that far surpasses the world's, not seeking to be large in scale but rather excellent in quality.

  "Commander, over at Sanya..."

  "Sanya that side..." Zhang Yu had already stood up and was about to leave, but since Chen Shaokuan, who had just been promoted to Navy Commander, asked the question, Zhang Yu didn't need to hide anything. "That side is our submarine manufacturing base, many German U-boat manufacturing technical personnel are there, of course, we also have many technical personnel, they are learning submarine manufacturing craftsmanship. In addition, torpedoes are also a good thing. In short, you might as well go and take a look, you will definitely find what you want, because you and I are the same, we both like submarines!"

  After finishing, Zhang Yu left the office that no longer belonged to him with a smile. From now on, this room will belong to Commander Chen Shaokuan, and maybe in the future it will become the commander's office of a fleet based in Zhanjiang. But at this moment, it really doesn't belong to Zhang Yu anymore. He needs to go back to Liuzhou to take a look, to see what progress the air force has made.

  "Commander, can you really entrust the navy to me?"

  "We're both Chinese, what's there for me to worry about?"