The sun is shining and the sky is blue. In the early morning of March 25, outside the port of Kiel, ships gathered, masts were like trees, and the red, white and black Iron Cross battle flags of the old empire were hunting and flying in the air, and the welling of the late Marshal Tirpitz, the father of the ocean fleet, was impressive. During the more than ten years of the Weimar Republic, the German Navy always refused to use the black, red and yellow flags representing the democratic republic, and later, under the pressure of public opinion, it reluctantly added an inconspicuous Weimar logo to the upper left 10% of the flag. Now that Hitler has become the country's chancellor and wreaked havoc on the democratic constitution of the Weimar era, the navy naturally threw the flags that "represented shame" into the scrap heap and reused the battle flags of the Second Reich. Since Raeder's landing, the entire Navy has hoped that under the guidance of this flag, they will be able to regain the supreme glory of the high seas fleet in the heyday of the high seas fleet.

In a black convertible Mercedes-Benz sedan, the 57-year-old commander-in-chief of the Navy sits upright; Compared with a few years ago, his face has not changed much, and his gentle and upright face is solemn, showing the outstanding demeanor of a senior general. Next to him, the new prime minister in a suit and leather shoes was full of spring breeze, although his height and size were thinner than the admiral next to him, but in his gestures, there was already a power in charge.

"I really didn't expect that the navy has developed to such a gratifying extent." Hitler looked at the rows of steel battleships outside the harbor, and couldn't help but be full of surprise and indignation, "I originally thought that since the sinking of the former High Seas Fleet at Scapa Bay, the German Navy has no more ships that can be used; Today, however, I find that this traditional army with a glorious history has not only not sunk, but has risen again from the ashes of the past and embarked on the great path of rejuvenation. As a citizen and chancellor of Germany, I have nothing but infinite admiration and gratitude for you, the admiral who led the fleet to achieve today's prosperity. ”

"All for Germany." Raeder replied unfazedly. He knew very well that he had only taken the first step in rebuilding his fleet, and that there would be more tests waiting for him in the future. But. When Raeder set his eyes on the dozen or so new warships in the harbor, a hint of joy and pride could not help but appear on his face. Today, the rags left over from the previous dreadnought era no longer exist, and the combat capability of the entire fleet has been improved by many steps compared to before.

Even if the Franco-German war broke out now, Raeder was fully confident that he would be able to break the battle on the sea. At this time, he already had 8 high-speed warships with complete combat power and worthy of heavy responsibilities, and 2 of them were still pocket battle cruisers. Their defenses, firepower, speed, and range were enough to turn France's Atlantic shipping lines upside down, lacking high-speed capital ship maintenance!

Greeted by the sound of the military band's horns, Hitler and Raeder stepped out of the car one after another, and the two immediately inspected the naval honor guard standing upright in a standard military posture. Hitler's right arm was raised diagonally, and the officers and men of the Navy responded with a traditional military salute. It's different for that. Knowing full well that he was not yet powerless to shake the traditions of the old army, Hitler did not care in the slightest; Through a short and concise speech, the enthusiasm of the audience was quickly aroused and they were enthusiastically cheered for the new prime minister in front of them.

"Your Excellency, although the strength of the navy today has improved qualitatively compared with the weakness and hardship of 10 years ago, it is still facing serious threats and challenges from powerful foreign enemies." In the process of inspecting the warships in a small boat, Raeder took the opportunity to sell his wishes to the head of government in front of him, "The French Navy is building two new high-speed battleships, which are almost as fast as cruisers, and are armed with eight 330 mm guns. Once such a warship was built into service. At present, the German pocket war cruiser, which we are so proud of, will be completely suppressed. For the sake of Germany's national security and maritime rights, we urgently need to build large warships capable of fighting it, and overcoming the obstacles of the Treaty of Versailles will be inevitable. ”

"Dear General, I never thought that 448-page vicious treaty was an unbreakable law!" Hitler did not hesitate to respond. His firm statement made Raeder's heart feel very relieved. He paused, then spoke again: "The navy is an indispensable armed force of Germany, and I am fully willing to devote all my efforts to its revival during my tenure." Now, the Navy is only responsible for designing the most complete warships. And have all the readiness to put it into practice. As for the political obstacle, I promise that in two years it will no longer exist. ”

Raeder was pleasantly surprised to hear that the new chancellor's promise to him today far exceeded his expectations: Hitler, as a land animal, was not only not prejudiced against the naval fleet. On the contrary, he expressed a heart of support comparable to that of Wilhelm II in the past; In particular, in the unfavorable historical situation in which the high seas fleet, which had spent a huge amount of money in the past, had almost no contribution to the war, it was obvious that it was commendable. Unconsciously, this slender new prime minister, who was more than a decade younger than him and had only the rank of corporal, had already developed a heartfelt closeness and trust in him.

With the sea breeze waving and the flag hunting, Hitler inspected all the ships in the harbor with great interest. The tall and majestic Hipper-class aircraft carriers, the fierce and fierce Deutschland-class battle cruisers, the delicate and delicate Raptor-class destroyers, and the sharp condensation of the Königsberg-class cruisers all opened the eyes of Hitler, a land creature, and gave birth to a sense of recognition and yearning for the navy. He learned from Raeder that these warships were all products of the ocean-going offensive strategy, and even the two small destroyers with a standard displacement of only 1,000 tons, the designers also gave it a range of 3,000 nautical miles/15 knots, and focused on making their stability, habitability, and freeboard height meet the normal needs of ordinary sea missions.

Towards the end of the review, Hitler suddenly offered to board the cruiser Nuremberg. Raeder was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously nodded in agreement. Just as he followed Hitler to the deck, full of doubts about this, he suddenly spotted Fang Yan standing in the crowd of people standing under the bridge to greet him; After a moment, his gaze turned solemn, and his smiling expression became more serious.

"My closest companion, you should have come to Berlin to see me!"

After inspecting the whole ship, Hitler shook Fang Yan's hand with a smile on his face, and his happy and sincere look made everyone present feel his unique enthusiasm and trust. The rumor that Rao is the leader of the National Socialist Party is thick is no secret in the navy, but seeing the new prime minister treat a lieutenant officer so favorably still makes everyone next to him feel extremely envious. In full view of everyone, Fang Yan, who was originally going to keep a low profile, had to give Hitler an adequate response at this time; He adjusted his mind and immediately replied with a smile: "You have just become chancellor, and you must have a lot to do, so I did not go to Berlin to disturb your time again." Allow me now to extend my most sincere congratulations on your election, and I have always been convinced that the National Socialist Movement, which you lead, is the only way to save Germany from its present predicament. ”

"I must be grateful for your help in our party's victory today, Jonas. Without your support for me in the past, I can hardly imagine what the National Socialist Party would be like today. Hitler spoke with emotion, and his face showed a hint of nostalgia for the past. Fang Yan saw it in his eyes, and knew in his heart that Hitler at this time did not have the slightest hypocrisy towards him: not to mention his strong support for the National Socialist Party, which was still in its infancy in the early 20s, just helping him to lead his family line was enough to make Hitler's time in power greatly earlier. After all, with the death of Goering, Hitler could only rely on Walter to liaise with the German elite for him in order to gain their support, and the attitude of the army and the big industrialists was decisive for Hitler's rule!

"It is the greatest privilege of my life to serve you on the road of the National Socialist Revolution." Fang Yan said these words without any psychological obstacles. With the acting skills that have been perfected over the years, it seems that he is really a believer in Hitler. Hitler was obviously greatly moved, he stared deeply at Fang Yan's solemn and pious face, and held the other party's hand and couldn't help but force it harder.

Looking at the two people who were happy to reunite in front of him, Raeder couldn't help frowning, their political-based conversation had clearly contradicted the traditions of the army. was about to open his mouth to remind, but when he heard Fang Yan's words, he changed his words and said with a smile: "When I take a vacation in the future, I will definitely visit the Prime Minister's Office and have dinner with you." I also hope that your loyal SS guards will not stop me at the door because of my status. ”

Hitler glanced at Fang Yan deeply, as clever as he undoubtedly understood the hint in the other party's words: the current occasion was obviously not suitable for them to reminisce about old love. However, Fang Yan's last sentence caught his attention. Hitler looked at Fang Yan's shoulders, only to find that the familiar straight epaulettes had only one more four-pointed Venus than five years earlier. A look of annoyance and displeasure quickly appeared in his eyes, and then fell into the eyes of Raeder, who had been watching his communication with Fang Yan.

Raeder sighed secretly, having made the final decision in his heart. (To be continued.) )