Years of the Republic of China 1913

yellow sea.

In the southeast of Wei*hai, 100 nautical miles away from Qingdao, most of the Japanese Second Fleet has been assembled. More than 20 capital ships plus [-] transport ships and other large and small ships have covered a large sea area. The flagship of the Second Fleet Zhou Fang The battleship No. [-] was brightly lit, and fleet commander Yatsushiro Rokuro was holding a pre-war meeting.

Compared with China, the strength of the Japanese navy, which ranks among the top five in the world in terms of size, is undoubted. Except for a few outdated gunboats, it can almost be said that such a big China can't produce a decent navy at all.

China has one of the longest coastlines in the world, but its navy is so weak.According to the general state of war, the fleet must implement a blackout on the eve of the war, especially if the scale of the huge assembly of the Japanese Second Fleet is detected by the opponent, the consequences will be unimaginable.However, the Japanese Second Fleet was uncharacteristically, not only did not implement blackout, but all ships parked swaggeringly on the sea, and even held a pre-war meeting under the bright lights with no regard for safety. This deployment is unique in the world.

This is the tragedy of China's current situation. After losing the Beiyang Fleet, China's territorial waters are almost defenseless against the Japanese Navy and have no power to fight back. This is why Yatsushiro Rokuro is so confident.In Yatsushiro Rokuro's eyes, the opponent's navy, which is so weak that it can be ignored, is not under his Second Fleet at all, and it is even more impossible for the Chinese to detect their actions so far away from the coastline.

As a big country, military strength is an important symbol of national strength.Since China experienced the reorganization of the National Defense Forces, its army strength has risen extremely rapidly, but the weak navy remains unchanged.In addition to maintaining the current state, the fleet composed of several gunboats in the south mainly focuses on defending the Yangtze River Estuary and the southeast coastal areas, so the coastal defense in the northeast is almost blank.Don't talk about Fang Zida on this issue, even Yuan Shikai and Song Jiaoren are well aware that it's not that they don't want to build a navy, but that developing a navy under the current circumstances is really not worth the candle.

Ten years of the Army.A century-old navy, this sentence is not without reason.The capital, manpower, and material resources required to build a navy are extremely astronomical, and the time and effect of the navy's formation is much slower than that of the army.It is for this reason.Fang Zida fully considered this point when he proposed the national defense construction plan to Yuan Shikai and Song Jiaoren, so he decided to start with the army first, and then consider the navy issue after building a strong army.

Such a choice is helpless and the most rational.Given China's current situation, it is not easy to build a powerful army. How can we talk about spending more on building the navy while building the army?Walking on two legs is of course a good thing, but it is a wiser choice to focus on one point limited to the conditions.

Under the eyes of the Chinese, the Japanese Second Fleet has easily completed its assembly in the predetermined sea area, and is preparing to officially launch an attack on Qingdao in accordance with the navy's plan, that is, tomorrow, November 11th at 19:11 am.Today, it is nine o'clock in the night on November 18th, and there are still thirteen hours before the official launch of the offensive. The commander of the fleet, Lieutenant General Yatsushiro Rokuro, is dressed neatly.Sitting in the flagship conference room, on his left and right are Lieutenant Admiral Higashifushimiya Yoshihito, Vice Commander of the Fleet, Major General Suzuki Kantaro, Chief of Staff, Major General Yamaya Toto, Commander of the Second Squadron, and Ryozo Nakamura, Commander of the Fourth Squadron Major General Yasuhei Yoshikawa, Commander of the Sixth Squadron, Lieutenant General Mitsuomi Kamio of the [-]th Division of the Army, and the captains of all ships attended the meeting.

First, he publicized the naval spirit of the Emperor of Japan and the Great Japanese Empire, and Yatsushiro Rokuro began to assign tasks with great ambition.According to the navy's scheduled plan, tomorrow.That is, at three o'clock in the morning on November 11th, the second fleet will officially set off from the assembly area. At ten o'clock, Qingdao first has the permanent fortifications built by the Germans, but Yatsushiro Rokuro and his admirals firmly believe that it will not take long for their navy's powerful artillery to destroy the opponent, if all goes well.In the evening of November 18 at the latest, the No. 11 Division of the Army, with the cooperation of the Navy, will fall into the hands of the Navy on the outskirts of Qingdao. In a few days, the flag of the Japanese Navy will fly high in the city of Qingdao* the highest point.

"Gentlemen, the Battle of Qingdao* Island will be the glory and pride of our Japanese Navy. I hope that you will work together to win Qingdao* Island as soon as possible! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Great Japanese Navy!" announced triumphantly. Task, Yatsushiro Rokuro raised the red wine that had been poured in front of him, and the admirals wearing white gloves toasted elegantly together, wishing victory from afar.

"A bunch of idiots!"

Sitting in the farthest corner was Ichiro Fujita. As an army liaison officer, he also attended the meeting, but his small role among many generals was not noticed at all.Standing up with everyone, shouting words of following the trend, but not taking it seriously in his heart, Ichiro Fujita did not believe that the strength of the Second Fleet could take down the fortification of Qingdao in such a short period of time. He was in China as early as I have seen with my own eyes that the Germans almost took Qingdao and did not give up the original perfect plan of the Germans, but also strengthened and expanded it again. Such a fortress Yashiro Rokuro actually wanted to take it in just four or five days. It was simply fantastic.

After taking a sip of the low-quality wine with a slightly sweet taste, Ichiro Fujita curled his lips, thinking that these proud navy men were too arrogant, and also felt that the wine looked good, but it really didn't taste very good.However, before he came here, he had the idea of ​​coming here to mess around. Of course, he would not make fun of himself in this situation. It would be better to hide and watch the jokes. I didn't see the division head of No.18 division, Kamio. Is Guangchen laughing awkwardly among the gang of marines?This is just a matter of the navy, not their army's business. Then again, apart from himself, Ichiro Fujita probably doesn't even have much affection for the army because of Uehara Yusaku.

"Fujita-kun, after our navy clears the Qing* Island fort, we will ask your army, hahaha! Your army should not let us down." Captain Chitose Maru Toyoda Deputy Takeshi patted Fujita Ichiro on the shoulder and laughed. Said, please, but the proud expression in Deputy Takeshi Toyoda's eyes was clearly visible, Ichiro Fujita immediately nodded with a smile, followed the other party's words to praise the navy, which made Deputy Takeshi Toyoda very happy.

Just when the navy was full of ambitions and felt that Qingdao Island was at its fingertips, the Governor's Mansion of Kanto Prefecture was also very lively. The Army's acting commander-in-chief and chief of staff Yusaku Uehara summoned the generals to make intense arrangements.

On the table was a huge military map, densely drawn with red and blue pencils, surrounded by middle and senior army officers, especially Lieutenant General Katsura Yamaguchi, the head of the [-]th Division, who was the most excited, looking at the map His eyes are full of urgency and wild greed.

"The navy will launch an attack on Qingdao at ten o'clock in the morning tomorrow. Our army must not lag behind. It must be launched before the navy! This is related to the reputation of our army." Yusaku Uehara pointed to Fengtian, his expression a little excited.

"Your Excellency, is it not appropriate for us to start planning ahead of the navy? What if the navy..." a senior officer said hesitantly, and everyone present knew that according to the new plan, the navy would If the army takes the lead in the war, the navy will probably not be able to account for it. Once the navy is annoyed, it will not be a good thing for the army. After all, whether it is logistics or other things, the army still has to rely on the support of the navy.

"Baga!" Before Yusaku Uehara could speak, Katsura Yamaguchi jumped up, and yelled at the unlucky chief: "My Japanese army is invincible, not those who can only play with cannons and dare not step on it." The navy on land can be compared. The new plan? This is a shame to our army! Our army must wash away this shame! You red deer, you are not worthy of being an army at all!"

"Hi! Hi!"

Da Zuo, who was so frightened that his face turned pale, repeatedly bowed and apologized, cursing in his heart that he was too short-sighted to mention the navy at such a time.Fortunately, because it was a military meeting and the acting commander-in-chief was there, Katsura Yamaguchi didn't slap himself, otherwise his face would have turned into a pig's head long ago.

"Yamaguchi-kun is right. Only by launching before the navy can we wash away the shame of our army!" Yusaku Uehara took Yamaguchi's words and said with gritted teeth. He was stabbed in the back by the navy and now he hates the navy and those people so much. Teeth itching, why don't you show them some color, do you really think their army is vegetarian?

"Your Excellency, then at nine o'clock tomorrow, we will start the navy an hour earlier?" Another officer proposed.

"No!" Uehara Yusuke vetoed it, and he squeezed his fist and slammed Fengtian on the map: "Be ready at five o'clock in the morning tomorrow, and the attack will start at six o'clock! Yamaguchi-kun, your tenth division will take the main attack, don't Let me down!"

"Hi! Don't worry, Your Excellency, my Tenth Division will definitely defeat the Chinese people on the opposite side!"

"Yaoxi!" Uehara Yusaku smiled happily, raised his head and glanced at the crowd, and then said solemnly: "The imperial army's prestige battle is here, please work hard! I wish our army a long-lasting military fortune!"

"I wish the army a long life!" (to be continued...)

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