Chapter 654: Game Mentality
It was not difficult for Vice Admiral Geprat to gain control of these 10 new destroyers.
He stated in his report: "These 10 destroyers were funded by the Brest Navy. If the government wants to transfer them to Toulon in the future, there will be no such funding."
The government is therefore faced with a choice:
If they disagree, the French Navy will gain nothing.
Agreed, the French Navy would receive 10 destroyers, although it would operate in the Atlantic and North Sea under the command of the Brest faction.
As long as you are not stupid, you will know which one to choose.
In fact, Parliament and the government want to choose another one.
Briand and Clemenceau even agreed that the construction of these 10 destroyers should not be started.
"We all know that this is Charles' first step in controlling the navy," said Clemenceau, "although it is only the Brest navy. In addition, he can also use this to strengthen his control over supplies."
"I know." Brian nodded and replied, "But we have no reason to refuse!"
Reject the warships funded by the Shire?
Deny the Shire victory in the North Sea?
Deny the Shire control of supplies?
This would only lead to another mutiny, or even a nationwide riot.
People would think that their prime minister and MPs were crazy, or that the MPs had been bought by the British or even the Germans.
Because this doesn't make any sense at all and can only be explained as treason!
Clemenceau smiled and said, "This may be a good thing. Charles is against the British, or more precisely, the British Royal Navy. This arrogant guy will get the lesson he deserves!"
Brian nodded slowly. Challenging the world's number one navy is not something that can be done with just a few planes.
What they didn't know was that the one who was so worried and afraid to sleep for several days was not Charles, but the British Royal Navy, which they regarded as a god-like existence.
Perhaps because of the absolute confidence in the British Royal Navy, or perhaps in order to push Charles to the front line against the British Royal Navy as soon as possible, the Parliament approved Vice Admiral Geprat's application in just two days.
On the other hand, after Charles and Djokovic confirmed, the first batch of funds of US$3 million arrived on the same day, and even the steel needed for shipbuilding was contacted in the United States.
(Note: It only takes about a week from New York to Brest Port, and the transportation cost is cheap. At the same time, the currency in France is depreciating and prices are rising. Importing steel from the United States is cheaper than buying it domestically.)
As a result, the construction of destroyers was put on the agenda at an unprecedented speed.
…
At the Antwerp Airport Command Center, Charles welcomed a special guest that day.
This guest was a mysterious one, and Charles knew nothing about him.
The order was a telegram sent by the Minister of War Gallieni last night: "Someone wants to talk to you tomorrow morning. Please be sure to receive and keep it confidential. No one except you can know about this meeting."
Who could it be?
Charles wondered, who else needed to meet in this way with such a level of confidentiality?
But Charles didn't think much about it and simply told the guards not to let outsiders approach the airport.
Sometimes the higher the level of “confidentiality”, the more likely it is to leak secrets.
For example, suddenly adding patrol teams, conducting a combing search of the surrounding area, or increasing the level of blockade at the airport.
Just these noises alone can let the spies know that an important person is coming, so they can prepare in advance.
Charles paid no attention to the incident, and the next morning he had forgotten all about it, and after breakfast he went about reviewing the papers as usual.
As he signed the document, he considered:
What kind of anti-aircraft firepower is suitable for the new destroyer?
Make a Bofors anti-aircraft gun and install it?
This doesn't seem right!
Now I am the one who has the air superiority. Wouldn't it be hard on myself if I developed this kind of medium-range air defense weapon?
No, you should take it slow.
It should develop step by step like a Russian nesting doll, so that Britain can always be trapped in the next layer and suppressed!
At this time, the guard came forward and reported: "General, someone wants to see you. He said it was Lieutenant Colonel Fernan."
Charles was stunned. Lieutenant Colonel Fernand? Could he be the mysterious guest that Gallieni mentioned?
Charles smiled and ordered, "Let him in."
He took it as a practical joke.
Soon, Lieutenant Colonel Fernando appeared at the door of the office, followed by several people who looked like his guards and staff from their uniforms and attire.
Charles stood up and greeted him with a smile. He thought that Lieutenant Colonel Fernando would greet him casually as before.
Unexpectedly, Lieutenant Colonel Fernan looked around nervously, lowered his voice and leaned closer to Charles and said, "Someone needs to see you alone, Lieutenant General."
As he spoke, Lieutenant Colonel Fernan stepped aside and presented a staff officer with a gray mustache to Charles.
The staff officer looked at Charles with interest, smiled slightly, and greeted him in Russian: "Hello, nice to meet you, Lieutenant General Charles."
Charles immediately realized that this "advisor" was the "guest".
He was a Russian and his military rank should be high. Charles thought he might be very important, otherwise he wouldn't have to worry about being assassinated by spies.
Sure enough, when Charles, the "staff officer" and the translator were in the conference room, the translator introduced: "Your Excellency Lieutenant General, this is Admiral Brusilov, he is very interested in your armored penetration tactics."
(The picture above shows General Brusilov, Chief of the General Staff of Tsarist Russia. The only major victory on the Eastern Front was the Brusilov Offensive commanded by him, which almost defeated the Austro-Hungarian Empire)
"Nice to meet you, General." Charles stepped forward and shook hands with Brusilov.
Brusilov seemed serious. He nodded at Charles and said, "I heard you are only 19 years old? I am very curious, how did you come up with those tactics that should have been summarized after hundreds of battles?"
Brusilov then gave a battle example: "For example, the 'reverse slope tactic' you used in Verdun was a very bold innovation. Almost no one would be willing to voluntarily give up the commanding heights, which were originally a tactical and even strategic location that everyone was fighting for."
Tactics refer to the battle itself. Being on a high ground means being in a commanding position, which means having a geographical advantage over the enemy.
Strategy refers to the impact on the battle. Several commanding heights can provide intelligence to the entire army, and holding them can delay the enemy's actions, just like driving a few nails.
In this era, as Admiral Brusilov said, many battles revolved around the fight for commanding heights.
"That's because I treat war as a game, General." Ciel answered half-truthfully, "There are many things we haven't thought of because we take it too seriously, always thinking that failure will cost us blood, lives, and even the survival of a country. But if you treat it as a game, you will find that there are actually many things you can try, and they are worth trying."
Brusilov was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "You are right, the battlefield does require this kind of gaming mentality."
(End of this chapter)
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