Beiyang reactionaries

"Cheng Zhang (Shen Honglie), I asked you to personally sign the 'Sino-Japanese Naval Restriction Treaty', and started to reduce the naval force again. Are you blaming me?"

"No."

"Really do not have?"

"Yes."

Shen Honglie nodded seriously.

Said: "Prime Minister, I believe that the Prime Minister also has his own plan for our navy. Because under the leadership of the Prime Minister, our country has come to its current position. It has washed away so many shames since the Opium War and has a strong army. I I believe that the Prime Minister will definitely not let our navy go down.”

Duan Xun smiled.

Looking at Duan Xun's smile, Shen Honglie was very serious.Because this is not Shen Honglie flattering Duan Xun.Shen Honglie is six years older than Duan Xun, this year Shen Honglie is already 47 years old.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, I saw too much shame, and I clearly remembered the tragedy of the country at that time.

After the Revolution of [-], he has been studying abroad.I have seen the advanced technology of foreign countries, the strength of the great powers, and the backwardness of China.At that time, Shen Honglie was even a little desperate, thinking that China would not be able to catch up with these great powers in a century.

But things have been improving for the better part of this decade.

Since Duan Xun's rise in the southwest, Duan Xun has solved the Tibet issue, the Outer Mongolia issue, the Hulunbuir issue, the customs issue, and the concession issue.

Duan Xun solved a lot of problems.

And the current Chinese army has 150 million army troops and a strong air force.On land, no power is challenging China.

Therefore, Shen Honglie has great confidence in Duan Xun, and believes that Duan Xun is the "Master" who can lead China to become stronger.In a country like China, which has 2000 years of Confucianism, it is difficult to popularize republican thought.Social elites like Yang Wei also have the idea of ​​meeting the Lord, and others are even more so.

In particular, Duan Xun was born as an army general, but he also knows a lot about the future development of the navy.In other words, the future development trend of the navy coincides with many of my own ideas.This made Shen Honglie trust Duan Xun even more.

"Of course the navy is important, and it is not so important. The reason why Britain became an 'empire on which the sun never sets' and why it became the hegemon of the world depends on their tyrannical industrial strength and powerful naval strength. How the United States bared its fangs shocked The world. It was the Spanish-American War where the U.S. Navy defeated the Spanish fleet. It still relies on the navy. If China wants to be strong, truly strong, as powerful as those big powers, it must also develop its navy and have a world-class navy. .I have no doubts about it.”

Duan Xun gave Shen Honglie a clear answer.

Admirals don't like Duan Xun, Duan Xun understands this.After all, Duan Xun had controlled the Dharma Guardian Fleet long ago, and it has been the tenth year since he took over Beijing.

But what?

Duan Xun did not give the navy any chance to develop, nor did he give them the funds for development.On the contrary, because Duan Xun did not give them funds these years, many warships of the Navy have to be decommissioned.Some admirals even believed that Duan Xun was born in the army, so he deliberately suppressed the navy.

But for Shen Honglie, Duan Xun is willing to give him a promise.Because Shen Honglie is a naval general whom Duan Xun values ​​very much, and also the future naval commander that Duan Xun hopes for.

"However, you have to understand me. Our country's finances do not allow a large amount of investment in the navy, and the current international situation requires us to keep a low profile."

"Yes."

"But I said low-key, but it doesn't mean I don't develop the navy. Since we have an agreement with the Japanese army, I don't want to develop surface ships too much for the sake of the overall situation. I can only develop some warships with a tonnage of less than [-] tons. But I Not developing large-tonnage warships does not mean that I will not develop aircraft carriers and submarines. Because I always believe that in future naval warfare, aircraft carriers and submarines will play an increasingly important role, and those surface warships are only subordinate and protective. So we are on the surface If you show weakness on ships, you will develop towards aircraft carriers and submarines. I hope you understand my thoughts."

"Prime Minister, I also think that in future naval battles, aircraft carriers will play an increasingly important role. I support the Prime Minister's ideas on naval development."

"It's fine if you think so."

Duan Xun nodded.

Shen Honglie understands himself and trusts himself, only in this way can he complete the task assigned by Duan Xun well.

So Duan Xun said with a smile: "Cheng Zhang (Shen Honglie), I have high hopes for the third round of the navy. That's why I will allow you to select the elite talents you like in the whole navy, and allow you to take the lead in the naval academies across the country." The power to recruit people. Now is the time for your navy's third bureau to show its strength. Now that our first aircraft carrier has been launched, we must let it form a combat force. After all, how an aircraft carrier fights is what we talk about on paper. We only need to be proficient Only by mastering the operation of the aircraft carrier can we judge the power of the aircraft carrier and find out the combat tactics of the aircraft carrier."

"Prime Minister, I will go and see for myself. I will go with General Chen Shaokuan, General Chen Ce, and General Yang Xianyi to set up an aircraft carrier command room in Shanghai. Let the aircraft carrier form a combat capability in a short period of time."

"Who are you going to appoint as the captain of the aircraft carrier?"

Shen Honglie was silent for a long time.After thinking for a while, he said, "Prime Minister, among our admirals, I am most optimistic about Houfu (Chen Shaokuan). He has always been very enthusiastic about aircraft carriers and has a deep understanding of the development of aircraft carriers in various countries in the world. Although his current job Not an aircraft carrier, but have always liked studying aircraft carrier tactics. Just..."

"what happened?"

"Prime Minister, Houfu is a Vice Admiral of the Navy, and has been in charge of the development of our country's submarines for the past few years. Including the submarine project in cooperation with Germany, Houfu is also in charge. Houfu's rank is too high, and he has been in charge of the submarine force. He's going to be the captain of an aircraft carrier, this?"

Hesitating, Shen Honglie was very hesitant.

It is not a big problem to be in charge of the ship, and it is completely possible to change the person.But Chen Shaokuan's rank is too high, he is a vice admiral.As a vice admiral who is only 40 years old, and a vice admiral who is highly regarded by Duan Xun, Chen Shaokuan has a high status in the navy.The captain of an aircraft carrier will not exceed a rear admiral.Letting a vice-admiral like Chen Shaokuan become a captain is unreasonable.Anyway, Shen Honglie dared not express his opinion.

"I understand what you mean. I've made a decision on this matter. Tell Houfu (Chen Shaokuan) that the aircraft carrier is the future development direction of our navy, and it is also what I value most. An aircraft carrier will not just go out to fight, but will Form an aircraft carrier fleet, equipped with water warships, and also equipped with submarine forces. Therefore, I hope that Houfu will become the commander of the first aircraft carrier fleet in the future. I have high hopes for him, and I hope he can train our country's aircraft carrier fleet."

Shen Honglie is not easy to arrange.

If Shen Honglie asked Chen Shaokuan to be the captain, it would be like jealousy.Now Duan Xun made a direct decision, which is good for both Shen Honglie and Chen Shaokuan.

"Yes."

"Also, let our Jiangnan Shipyard build another aircraft carrier for me. It's best to try to use our own strength. Don't be too anxious, you can take your time. If it is really an unsolvable problem, you can ask for advice The British. The parts that cannot be found in the country are imported from the UK. How much it costs is the same. The logistics of the third bureau of your navy can be directly contacted with the equipment department and logistics department without going through the naval command Contact. I will give approval to the Equipment Department and the Logistics Department.”

Duan Xun is the prime minister of the cabinet, but he has always served as the minister of the military department.

If it is a matter of other cabinet ministries and commissions, Duan Xun will talk to their ministers if he has any opinions.The work of specific ministries and commissions will not be arbitrarily intervened, this is the rule.But Duan Xun is the minister of the military department and can directly intervene in the work of the military department.

The third bureau of the navy is where Duan Xun's dream of the future navy is located.So what is given is special.

"Yes. Prime Minister, then I'll go back and pack up and leave for Shanghai tonight."

"I'm waiting for your good news."

530

"Fangchen (Han Linchun), you have to handle the affairs of the Admiralty yourself."

"Prime Minister, I understand."

Han Linchun nodded.

After Shen Honglie finished talking with Duan Xun, he went to Shanghai with Chen Shaokuan, Chen Ce, and Yang Xianyi that night.Chen Shaokuan and Chen Ce are young generals who have risen after the navy.

He is also a general in the navy who supports the development of aircraft carriers.

These people were all recruited by Shen Honglie into the Third Bureau of the Navy and became the generals of the Third Bureau of the Navy.And Yang Xianyi was from the Air Force, and was transferred from the Air Force to the Navy in order to develop aircraft carriers.Because the power of an aircraft carrier is reflected in the aircraft.

Anyone who is smart can see that Duan Xun attaches great importance to the Navy's three bureaus.At present, the First Bureau of the Navy was originally the main force of the Navy.The warships inherited from the original Manchu and Qing navy were basically assigned to the first bureau of the navy.It should be said that the main force of the navy is in the first bureau of the navy.

It's a pity that the warships in the hands of the Navy are too old.

Half of the warships are over 30 years old, and even the oldest ones are over 40 years old.What kind of battles can such a warship fight? It breaks down every day and needs to be repaired.

Therefore, during this period of time, Duan Xun allocated some of the warships in the hands of the First Bureau of the Navy to the Customs, and became the anti-smuggling ships of the Customs, no longer under the command of the First Bureau of the Navy.There are also those old ships that have been decommissioned and turned into warships of the Naval Academy.As a result, the number of warships owned by the current navy is less than one-third of their peak.

There are not many warships in the entire navy. It can be said that the navy has the most generals in the first round, but it has been in decline for a long time.

The Second Bureau of the Navy is the original Yangtze River Fleet, which is completely a force brought out by Duan Xun from Sichuan.However, their warships are all small-tonnage warships, rarely exceeding [-] tons.And most of them are warships built by Chinese shipyards themselves, and they are warships built by Wuchang Shipyard.It should be said that it is not a naval warship.