Fang Lang understood that his First Fleet was a very tempting piece of fat meat, and many people wanted to take a bite.
The top military officials will certainly prevent the First Fleet from becoming their own private army and will try their best to add sabotage to it.
Fang Lang did not object to someone adding sand to the mix.
Because, from the beginning to the end, he had never thought of leading the troops to rebel. As long as he had control of the army, he didn't mind if there were some other people's spies among them.
However, the expansion of his Marine Corps to 2,000 personnel was a reward for his support for President Dutra's rise to power.
He had two tank landing craft provided by the US military. If he was not given enough troops, these two landing craft would be of no use at all.
More importantly, when helping President Dutra come to power, Fang Lang felt the shortcoming of insufficient land combat power during the process of commanding the Marines to occupy the airport and the radio building.
That's why these two thousand Marines appeared.
He didn't expect that when he, the commander-in-chief of the First Fleet who always neglected his military duties, went to purchase advanced aircraft carriers for Brazil, someone would actually make trouble in his home.
...
...
If a tiger doesn't show its power, people will treat it as a sick cat!
"Did you hear anything?"
Fang Lang agreed with De La Torre's suspicion that someone was eyeing the command of the Marine Corps.
After all, there is no one in the Marine Corps of the First Fleet who is qualified to serve as a brigade commander.
Because the brigade commander's rank must be at least colonel.
The highest-ranking commander in the entire First Fleet, Commander-in-Chief Guan Lang, was only a colonel.
Even if he succeeds in getting an advanced aircraft carrier for the Brazilian Navy this time, the Navy Ministry may promote his rank to rear admiral, but this is just a possibility.
If a colonel officer is really transferred from outside to manage the newly formed Marine Corps.
By then, there will be a colonel officer other than him in the First Fleet.
Perhaps when Fang Lang is often away from the base, this colonel will slowly become the supreme commander of the First Fleet.
Maybe by then there will be a transfer order to transfer Fang Lang to the Navy Headquarters, and he will naturally take over the position of commander of the First Fleet.
In this way, all the efforts Fang Lang made for the construction of the First Fleet were used to benefit others.
Thinking of this, Fang Lang couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
In response to Fang Lang's question, De La Torre could only shake his head helplessly. He had no channels to inquire into this kind of high-level game.
"Does Syrio Recchi have any relevant intelligence information?"
De La Torre knew that the Sirio Reci that Fang Lang was talking about was an intelligence officer that Fang Lang had recruited, and was now the head of Section 2 of the Logistics Department of the First Fleet.
“I have not received any relevant intelligence report from him.
However, I have read the intelligence he reported, and it seems that it is all concentrated on intelligence information within Natal and our First Fleet, and there is no intelligence about the headquarters.
It seems that the intelligence network has not yet been expanded to the headquarters."
At this time Fang Lang could only shake his head helplessly. It seemed that he would have to stay in the army more in the future, otherwise, someone might try to steal his house.
Now he was really curious about who was so brave to attack the troops under his command without consulting the commander.
No matter what the final result is, this person or this force will become Fang Lang's political enemy in Brazil, the kind that will fight to the death.
The current Fang Lang is no longer the unknown person with no background.
A cold light flashed in Fang Lang's eyes, and he nodded to De La Torre and said:
"I understand. I'll take care of this matter."
After communicating with De La Torre, Fang Lang put on a smile again and walked up to chat with General Clark and General Crook.
It was as if he was not affected at all by the news he had just received.
After finally getting the American advisory group to rest in the dormitory area of the naval base, Fang Lang finally had the opportunity to sit in his office with General Crook.
Before Fang Lang could speak, General Crook took the initiative to say:
"It seems you already know. This matter is rather complicated and was not the original intention of our Admiralty."
After saying that, he picked up the cigar on the table and started trimming it.
Fang Lang knew what the other party was talking about. It seemed that the other party came here today in name only to welcome General Clark, but another purpose might be to communicate this matter with Fang Lang.
Even General Clark said that this matter was rather complicated.
It seems that Fang Lang really cannot directly reject the appointment of this Marine Corps commander.
"I wonder which big shot has such great ability?"
Fang Lang also picked up a cigar and trimmed it like General Crook, speaking in a calm tone.
“In fact, this person is your comrade-in-arms, or your former superior. He was the commander of the Third Regiment of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force and was promoted to colonel during the war because of his military achievements.
However, the original Army's 3rd Regiment was just an ordinary infantry regiment, and there was no suitable position for him in the tank division formed by the Army this time. Isn't this just right for you to form a Marine Corps!
Considering that your First Fleet has two tank landing ships, your Marine Corps will definitely have armored capabilities in the future.
The opinion of the Ministry of War is that all armored forces in the Brazilian Army should be under the command of the Army.
Plus, you know that the current president is the former Secretary of the Army, and we in the Navy Department don’t have the power to say no.”
Isn't this the same as Japan and the United States?
Both involve the shield and spear between the army and navy. General Crook's meaning is also very clear. The army has an absolute advantage in this game.
Even the president is from the army, so the navy has no choice but to admit defeat.
"Is that the Lieutenant Colonel Rivaldo Granma, who only wanted his soldiers to charge forward and didn't care about human lives?"
"Yes, but he is a colonel now."
Fang Lang had actually heard of this Colonel Rivaldo Granma. After all, he was also from the Army. In Fang Lang's memory, this officer had served as the head of the expeditionary corps.
The casualties among his men were the highest among all the troops.
Because the Brazilian army had no actual combat experience, the command capabilities of the commanders of various units in the early stages of the war were hard to describe.
But at least after suffering certain casualties in the early stages, everyone has learned how to avoid excessive damage.
But Lieutenant Colonel Rivaldo Granma was an exception. When launching an attack, he did not care about the casualties of his soldiers at all. He always pushed his troops to the front line in batches in companies.
This did make the enemy overwhelmed, but it also caused heavy casualties to their own troops.
In Fang Lang's eyes, this tactic is somewhat similar to the pig-rush tactic invented by the Japanese during the Russo-Japanese War.
It’s just that they are not using it skillfully, or they haven’t learned it well enough.
The soldiers of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force privately called him the Butcher, but at the same time they were very afraid of him.
Unexpectedly, such a person was assigned to his Marine Corps.
"It seems that this Colonel Rivaldo Granma is not very popular in the army, right?"
Fang Lang lit a long match and handed it to General Crook, wanting to help him light the cigar in his hand.
General Crook waved his hand, took the match from Fang Lang, and signaled Fang Lang to do it himself.
With a hint of surprise in his eyes, he said:
"Oh! How did you know that?"
Fang Lang lit a match for himself, put the cut cigar head on the flame and lit it, smiled, and said slowly:
“Since the Army is obviously superior to the Navy, this Colonel Rivaldo Granma was kicked over to our Navy to serve as the commander of this Marine Corps.
Isn't this a bit like being exiled to a remote frontier?"
"Yeah! This guy isn't very popular in the army, but he has a great wife!"
The man in front of him was obviously not very happy with this army officer who had forced his way into his navy. The sarcasm in his words was obvious, so how could Fang Lang not hear it?
"Oh! What's so good about this Colonel Rivaldo Granma's wife?"
For some reason, Fang Lang felt something strange when he said this.
"His wife's father was the previous Brazilian Army Minister! It turns out that our current President was his subordinate.
Do you think he married a good wife?"
General Crook's disdain was not concealed at all.
Fang Lang couldn't help but sigh, he really married a good wife!
No wonder this guy was promoted to colonel so quickly.
With a helpless smile, Fang Lang finally understood why General Crook felt that this matter was very complicated and the Navy Department was powerless to stop it.
"Are you trying to persuade me not to refuse this appointment?"
General Crook smiled and shook his head.
“I hope you can find a way to prevent this appointment.
Unfortunately, I knew it was impossible, so I personally visited the President to appoint Colonel Rivaldo Granma's father-in-law.
Although no official order has been issued yet, we all know that this appointment cannot be stopped."
His meaning was very clear, which was to persuade Fang Lang not to do useless work.
Politics is the art of compromise, since General Crook has already explained the whole story to Fang Lang in a frank manner.
Moreover, he expressed his attitude on this matter to Fang Lang without any hesitation.
Of course, Fang Lang would not stubbornly oppose the President's orders.
"Since the other party wants to come to the Marine Corps to command the armored forces, does our Navy Department have any plans to purchase tanks?"
After hearing what Fang Lang said, General Crook didn't know what Fang Lang really thought, so he asked hesitantly:
"you mean?"
Fang Lang understood that General Crook was testing him about the idea of forming the First Fleet amphibious force, and was worried that his ideas would conflict with his own.
"If the Army Department can send enough tanks, I have no problem with that.
However, if I need to apply for the establishment of an armored unit in the Marine Corps, I think the time is not right now."
It wasn't that Fang Lang wanted to create obstacles for the newly appointed Marine commander.
Although the U.S. military’s current LVT series of amphibious tanks does have impressive strength, this is not the focus of Fang Lang’s development.
In Fang Lang's mind, the importance of naval aviation is higher than that of amphibious landing forces.
It’s not that Fang Lang doesn’t pay attention to amphibious landing operations, but it is determined by Brazil’s strategic environment.
First of all, Brazil has no enemies in South America.
Even if a conflict occurs with neighboring countries, there is basically no need to launch an amphibious landing operation because it borders almost all South American countries except Chile and Ecuador.
If we really want to attack someone else's territory, there is no need for amphibious landing forces at all.
In fact, Fang Lang wanted to develop an elite marine corps capable of airborne operations and special operations missions.
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