June 2, 1941, Wuchang, the anchorage of the Yangtze River Fleet of the Navy
"Houfu, is this really a new ship?" Mr. He was very surprised after visiting the "Zhongshan" ship. Such an old warship was actually brand new. Except for the signs of natural aging on the wooden deck, it was actually Not even the slightest trace of use, a new ship from the nineteenth century? Who would do such a thing?
"Commander, this is a new warship. Not to mention every cannon is brand new, and the boiler is not even over-fired. This ship should have been built in dry dock from construction to outfitting, even in dry dock. The kind that is stored in the dry dock for a long time after it is completed, the hull will never be launched for more than a month." Commander Chen said with emotion, although this warship is old, but for the current battle on the Yangtze River, it is It is absolutely sufficient, because their opponents cannot sail warships of the same tonnage through Jiujiang. In the waters west of Jiujiang, this warship is absolutely invincible.
However, one thing is certain, that is, this warship can sail freely in the Yangtze River for no more than seven days in a year. There is no way, because the draft of this warship is too deep. With the best leaders, In the case of sailors, it is also necessary to take risks to drive out of the Yangtze River Estuary. As for entering Sichuan, there is no need to think about it, because it cannot be done. In this case, the combat waters of this warship are strictly restricted.
In the past, a single wave of Japanese aircraft would have probably sunk the warship, but it is different now. The Chinese Air Force has completely mastered the air superiority in the Wuhan area relying on its excellent P-39 fighter jets. The Japanese aircraft It is difficult to fly over and carry out effective bombing. In addition, the navy also has a set of effective air defense plans, such as smoke screens. Once the Japanese army attacks, the navy can fully cover the Yangtze River before the Japanese aircraft arrive. Even if you let them explode, they can't do it.
Of course, the Navy is still modernizing the Zhongshan ship. They have obtained a large number of air defense artillery and Hans' latest air defense radar through special means. It will only take half a year for this warship to have limited air defense capabilities.
"Who would do such a thing? I have also consulted relevant experts. The 'Palada' class was not an excellent warship from the beginning of its design. If it were not for special needs, no one would build such a warship. ." Director He expressed his doubts.
"Chief Commander, many people in the Navy have been to the Alliance and have been on the cruiser Aurora. According to them, this warship is a 1:1 replica of the Aurora. Although The inscriptions on the ship were deliberately scratched off, but many details are still there. You know, even warships of the same level are rarely so similar." Commander Chen smiled and expressed his thoughts. Who would build an Aurora without any trouble? If it’s not the Alliance itself, it must be the enemy of the Alliance. You must know that building such a warship and occupying a 10,000-ton dry dock for decades is a lot of money.
"No wonder the alliance ambassador is going crazy. It is said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the alliance secretly sent a note to the Japanese Navy Ministry, warning them not to bomb the Zhongshan ship." Director He suddenly realized that Comrade Steel attached great importance to this totem warship.
"The Navy has confirmed through diplomatic channels that the alliance's ship Aurora is still there. Otherwise, the alliance ambassador may have been replaced by now." Commander Chen's smile contained a hint of amusement. Those within the alliance over the years have Everyone has known about the matter for a long time. In such a political environment, anything may be magnified infinitely.
"The alliance may ask to use one of their active cruisers to replace our Zhongshan ship. What do you think?" Director He suppressed his smile and said, this matter is actually a unilateral notice from the alliance, which is very strong. The unilateral decision was made without consultation at all. This is probably the tragedy of a weak country.
"Replace? This is the Zhongshan ship. How can the Zhongshan ship be exchanged? You simply don't even need the state body!" Commander Chen said angrily. A country's warships are a flowing territory and a manifestation of a country's sovereignty. It can be done casually Just exchange it? Not to mention that the current Zhongshan ship is still the flagship of the Chinese Navy.
"'Weak countries have no diplomacy', people say. If the supplementary terms of the loan agreement are activated without exchange and require us to repay the loan in advance, the government's finances will be unable to bear it. How can it have the ability to repay the alliance's loan in advance?" He The commander-in-chief smiled bitterly, the alliance's loan was not so easy to obtain, as it required various benefits in exchange. Even territorial sovereignty could be secretly promised, let alone a warship.
"Commander, the Pacific Fleet doesn't have cruisers, right?" Commander Chen suddenly thought of another question. In fact, the entire alliance navy during this period was a joke. Not to mention that all the capital ships were the legacy of the previous dynasty, and most of the new warships were just a few. The combat effectiveness of small boats can only be regarded as second-rate, and they are not at the forefront of the second-rate. It is like facing the Pacific Fleet of Japan and Bald Eagle at the same time. There are only a dozen destroyers in decent warships, and they are not advanced destroyers. , he even suspected that the current Alliance Pacific Fleet might not be able to defeat him. Of course, this was just a thought.
"They say they came from Europe. The Japanese navy has been making constant moves in the northern seas in the first half of this year. Even if the alliance cannot defeat the opponent, it must take action. Otherwise, its international image will be ruined." Director He suddenly felt that the alliance seemed to have It's not much better than our own side. Facing the provocation of the Japanese navy, it's not like thunder and rain. What can a cruiser do when it comes to the Pacific? You can’t even try to embolden yourself, right?
"Commander, do you think they can really fight?" Commander Chen was a little curious. Both Japan and the Alliance are warlike, but there have been several misfires in the past few years, and indeed there has never been a real fight. When I got up, I despised Nomenkan that time, but he still stopped after being beaten like that.
"It's hard to say, but it is true that the Japanese navy and army have reduced their military expenditures and troop strength invested in our side. In the first five months of this year compared with the same period last year, the military expenditures of Japan's China Expeditionary Force dropped by 15%. Taking into account inflation, the reduction It should be about 25%, they can’t afford to fight anymore.” Director He said with a smile that the atmosphere within the government has changed a lot recently. Although the theory of quick victory has not yet started again, there are many people who firmly believe that the war of resistance will be won. Everyone thought that as long as they persisted, they would be able to kill the Japanese. Obviously, Mr. He thought so.
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