Two days later, Fang Minghao was ordered to fly to Huludao Military Port to report to Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Chen Shaokuan. In the early spring, the peaks around this emerging naval base were already green. Inside the artificial breakwater, this building is located on the Bohai Sea.
There is a cruiser moored in the naval port in the bay.
and 4 frigates, in addition to some small torpedo boats and patrol gunboats. The naval shipyard located on the west side of the port is still undergoing intense expansion projects. The docks and slipways of the shipyard have been closed, but it is still possible to see it in the air.
You can see some outlines of the hull under construction.
In the early days, Huludao Port was a naval port and shipyard built by the Fengtian Navy. However, due to the outbreak of the Northeast Incident, the construction of the port and shipyard was temporarily stopped. It was later nationalized by the Ministry of Navy. Due to its superior geographical location compared to Qinhuangdao Port,
, gradually became the main base of the Republic Navy in the Bohai Bay.
After eight years of development, Huludao Naval Shipyard already has four large shipyards and four shipbuilding platforms, with the ability to build 50,000-ton merchant ships and other types of warships except battleships. The emerging Anshan Iron and Steel Base also provides this
The home shipyard adds many favorable factors.
The main ships of the Navy are now classified into the five major combat fleets. The dignified Commander-in-Chief of the Navy can only set his headquarters on the cruiser Anqing. This "Fuzhou" was built in 1926 and has a displacement of only 7,600 tons.
Class" cruiser hung with the admiral's flag symbolizing the highest military rank of the Republic Navy, and quietly docked at Pier 2 in the port.
Fang Minghao boarded the warship. The warship was very clean, but the wooden deck still looked a bit old. At the entrance to the gangway leading to the headquarters, two sailors with submachine guns on their chests stood saluting him.
Only then did he realize that this was an ordinary battleship.
General Chen is sitting behind a desk that is not very big. The five shining golden general logos embroidered with gold thread on the dark blue sleeves are really eye-catching. The decoration in this office is very simple, which is better than ordinary ones.
There are only two more bookcases in the headquarters, and a large frame with a photo of the president wearing a generalissimo uniform hung on the bulkhead behind the desk.
General Chen Shaokuan had a round face, but his eyes showed majesty. He motioned for Fang Minghao to sit on the chair beside the desk, and then looked him up and down.
"We will soon launch a North African campaign. The president needs an adjutant with a naval background. He mentioned you to me." the Navy Commander said, "What do you think of this campaign?"
Fang Minghao felt a little restrained, as if he had returned to the time when he had just joined the navy. He organized his thoughts and talked to the navy commander-in-chief about his own idea: using the Northeastern colonies belonging to the Italians to establish a relationship with the Italians.
They joined forces to launch an attack on Egypt and Sudan where the British were entrenched, and then drove the British out of North Africa.
He was very dissatisfied with his performance. His excessive nervousness made him appear lifeless when expressing himself, and he even stuttered several times.
General Chen was smoking a cigarette in his mouth and kept staring at Fang Minghao. He listened to his statement calmly, but there was no expression on his face, and he did not comment on this combat concept.
"Why should we give the Italians what they worked so hard for? Can't they themselves do it?" General Chen asked the question after a while after he finished narrating.
"I'm afraid they really can't do this. The Italians really don't have this ability." Fang Minghao said, "If we enter the Mediterranean directly, the whole of Europe will be alert. Our goal is to control Central and South Africa, and we can only control this area.
Give the area to the Italians and let them resist the British attack in this area. This is a good way to drag them down."
"If we are to attack the entire Africa and strengthen the strength of the entire navy in the Indian Ocean, Australia's actions will be delayed again," the Navy Commander-in-Chief said.
"Yes, that's the only way. Our navy can't support fighting in two oceans at the same time, and the Japanese haven't completely figured it out yet." Fang Minghao said, "But if this happens, the General Armament Department will increase its efforts.
The investment from the Navy will definitely be good news for us."
This answer still satisfies the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Navy is insufficient and the top management will definitely strengthen and accelerate the construction of the Navy. This also gives him reason to request more budget funds.
"Why are they all armies and not marines?" General Chen asked again.
"If an agreement is signed with the Italians, there will be no need for landing operations in this area, so there is no need to dispatch the Marines." Fang Minghao explained to him.
"If anything happens, we must add 2 to 3 Marine Divisions to the plan. Do you understand what I mean, Rear Admiral?" General Chen deliberately added the word "Navy" before his title, meaning to let him
The interests of the navy should be given priority when formulating plans.
"I understand, Commander-in-Chief!" Fang Minghao said.
"Very good. The Fang family has many descendants in the navy. I hope you can wash away the humiliation brought by your ancestors on the battlefield." General Chen said. The Fang family in Fuzhou once brought humiliation to the Fujian Navy. Of course, he was also happy to see it.
A hero will appear at Fang's house.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Navy stood up and said, "Okay, you will follow me to see the President, Rear Admiral Fang, and work hard. Your future in the Navy is very bright!" He was encouraging the Rear Admiral.
Fang Minghao was a little surprised: "The president is in Huludao?"
"No, not at the port. The president has just returned from an inspection trip to the north. His special train will arrive soon. Let's go to the train station in advance to prepare for it!" Chen Shaokuan said, and then walked in front, Fang Minghao and him
The adjutant had to quickly follow him off the warship.
At a heavily guarded military station in front of Huludao Station, a heavily armed armored train stopped first. Shortly afterwards, the presidential train also stopped at the dark, silent small station. Fang Minghao followed General Chen Shaokuan.
Behind him, from the dim platform under the dim street lights, he boarded the presidential train.
The interior of the carriage is arranged like a large living room, but the smell inside is no different from that of an ordinary passenger carriage. The sofa inside is covered with a lavender coat, but it looks a bit shabby. Sitting in the living room is Zhang Ceyuan, deputy chief of staff of the Republican Army.
General and General Chen Qi, the director of the National Security Agency who seems to always appear by the president's side, and the other person is Major General Tang Zhi'an, the president's deputy chief of staff.
After the two entered the carriage, the train began to slide slowly and continued to move forward.
"The President is talking to Director Xu, please wait for a while." Tang Zhi'an asked the waiter to bring two cups of green tea, and then said to them.
After leaving the station, it soon became dark outside the train windows and nothing could be seen.