The scorching heat of early autumn is no less blazing than in the middle of summer, and the boiling heat wave reminds people in Europe of 1914. Twenty-four years ago, in the same hot and dry August of the autumn cicadas, the bombardment of the war spread rapidly from the Serbian border to the whole of Europe, and Europe was devastated by a devastating catastrophe. The world war, which lasted for four years and three months, brought catastrophe to countless families. The sorrows of women, children, and the elderly can grow into rivers, and the wounds of despair in their hearts will never heal in their lifetimes.

Time flies, years pass, and when a quarter of a century has become history, the people of Europe are horrified to find that the clouds of war have hung over Central Europe in the early autumn of August, like a lingering nightmare.

In Central Europe, Germany demanded that the Czech government must grant the Sudetenland Germans "national self-determination", or else use all means he saw fit to make the latter do so. The attitude of the Czech government is also unusually tough, saying that this is its own internal affair that no outsiders will interfere in, and at the same time constantly using France, the big brother in the background, to warn Germany of its actions. Riots are taking place every day in the Sudetenland. At the end of August, the Czech government declared martial law in the Sudetenland and began to arrest the "Sudeten German Party" elements in an orderly manner. The party's leader, Hanlein, escaped capture and entered Germany, declaring that the only solution to the crisis was to annex the Sudetenland to Germany.

Despite being in northern Germany, far from the core of the storm, Fang Yan still felt the atmosphere of war like a black cloud pressing down on the city. From September 1, the Navy Headquarters ordered the cessation of vacation, and all personnel immediately returned to their posts to report for duty; Fang Yan could only reluctantly leave Sylvia, who had just been pregnant with her third child, and went to Wilhelmshaven to listen to the call of the headquarters at any time. After all, if France and Britain had declared war on Germany because of the German attack on the Czechs, the German navy would have to go all out.

At this time, Fang Yan was in sight. The whole of Wilhelmshaven was tense as if it were facing a great enemy. The officers and men of the Port Command are busy day and night with anti-aircraft camouflage and anti-aircraft guns at various key facilities, and the fleet is also on standby, ready to gallop in the vast deep blue at any time.

In the face of the nervous and serious attitude of the navy, Fang Yan was a little unable to lift his spirits. No one knows better than he the present state of affairs: Britain and France are simply unwilling to engage in a new European war for the sake of Czechoslovakia, even if the latter is the only remaining fruit of the Little Entente remaining loyal to Paris. Moreover, today Britain and France, together with the vast majority of other countries in the world, apparently still firmly believe that Hitler's entire demand was nothing more than justice for his compatriots in Czechoslovakia.

Therefore. The current situation seems to be about to rain, but in fact it is just a thunderstorm and no clouds and rain. If it weren't for the preservation of his reputation, Fang Yan was ready to let Sylvia move to live near Wilhelmshaven and continue to play the flute with her at night.

"Jonas, you don't seem to be worried about war breaking out at all?" Seeing Fang Yan's calm and relaxed appearance, Otto, who had a deep friendship with him, asked in puzzlement. Fang Yan didn't answer, but asked his old friend a question: "So, what kind of views do you have on the war, and do you support or oppose it?" ”

Otto's well-defined face showed a bit of heaviness and solemnity, and he said, "Jonas." I believe that the whole Navy, and indeed the entire German people, do not want to see war befall us again. ”

"In the World War, as many as 2 million soldiers in Germany sacrificed their lives for the country; Three people in my family died in battle, and my father was left with a lifelong disability. However, what Germany gets. But it was the Treaty of Versailles, which was extremely humiliating and painful. If the country that suffered the most from the war was probably Germany among the Western countries! Moreover, today we are far from having the strength to take revenge on Britain and France, and it is difficult to achieve victory even if we only fight France. These days. Every day before I went to bed, I prayed to God to bring the dawn of peace to the land of Europe. Otto said with some excitement.

Fang Yan sighed lightly, and a look of emotion quietly crept up his face. As Otto put it. The attitude of the German people towards the war today is very different from that of 1914, when they were not familiar with the world: the world war, which lasted for more than four years, had already completely destroyed the illusions, passions, and blood in their hearts, and all that was left was the fear and trembling of hunger, fatigue, sickness, and death!

In many cases, the German people trembled as if they had suffered a nightmare at the thought of those four years of attrition, and had no desire to repeat the mistakes of the past and return to war. In fact, if it had not been for Hitler's seizure of all power and his insistence on going his own way on the road to war, Germany's foreign policy in the post-economic crisis era would have been weaker and more accommodating than that of Britain and France, which held high the banner of appeasement.

However, the power of the individual can be so transformative, powerful and extraordinary. Hitler, relying solely on his own political skill, redirected the country into the orbit of revenge for foreign expansion; And it will not be long before he, with his military instincts, will make the German nation reach the pinnacle of power that they have never reached in a thousand years in just two years, and become the supreme lord from the Volga to the Pyrenees!

"I am confident that, by God's mercy, He will fulfill this pious wish of yours, Otto." Fang Yan looked at his friend head-on, and said with a gleam in his eyes, "However, He will not always show you the same pity and favor as your parents' doting eyes. One day, war will come to Germany again. That will be a life-and-death struggle to determine the fate of the nation for the next 500 years. All we have to do now is gather strength and meet the unprecedented storm with fearless courage. ”

Otto looked at Fang Yan a little blankly, he really didn't understand what the reason for the confidence of the person in front of him was; Judging from the current situation alone, a European war with Britain and France seems inevitable. Otto took a deep breath and said, "No matter what, I don't want to see another brutal war of attrition. May the Führer always show his genius and get all that Germany needs by peaceful means. ”

The sunset was dim and the sun was low, Fang Yan, who had finished his shift for the day, stretched his waist, and then greeted his colleagues around him with a smile, and walked quickly towards the gangway of the boat with brisk steps. However, few of the officers next to him showed a similar optimism as Fang Yan. Each of them had solemn expressions, as if the demons of hell were waiting for them in the future; Even if a few officers followed Fang Yan off the warship, they were only walking around the dock, and had no intention of going to a café or a guild hall a little far from the port to eat and rest.

Seeing this scene, Fang Yan shook his head helplessly. At present, the Sudetenland crisis is in a tense stage of continuous fermentation, and this land with an area of only 28,000 square kilometers has become the "new Balkans" of Europe.

Although it is common for one country to issue an ultimatum to another for several hours before the outbreak of war, it stands to reason that there should be enough time for the officers and men of the naval fleet to be ready to take their positions. But it is clear that the actions of the armed forces will not wait for a political declaration of war to take place. If the situation requires it, the fleet will even take action ten days and a half months in advance, and this requires that both personnel and warships are in a state of readiness to go on the expedition at any time!

However, because Fang Yan was sure that Britain and France would not go to war with Germany for the sake of the Czechs, he did not have any psychological pressure on this. Taking a step back, even if the emergency alarm bell was really sounded, Fang Yan could guarantee to return to the warship within the stipulated 15 minutes. He smiled and walked into the elaborately decorated café on time as usual; After a short time, the food he ordered was brought by the waiter without any loss.

Ten minutes later, Fang Yan, who had eaten a full meal, wiped the corners of his mouth with satisfaction, walked to the counter and prepared to check out; The harbor is quiet when the lights are on, and the star-dotted night sky is clear and blue. Just when Fang Yan thought that today was another ordinary day, the boss in front of the counter pushed back Fang Yan's banknote and said with a smile: "Mr. Lieutenant Colonel, someone has already paid the bill for you a few minutes ago." That gentleman asked me to tell you that a friend of yours is waiting for you in the El Hall. He wants you to follow him to the car after the meal to meet the old friend. ”

Fang Yan was stunned for a moment, turned his head to look, and saw a black car parked on the side of the road outside the gate. His eyes narrowed slightly, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Since Hitler came to power, he has received not 100 but 80 invitations, but never has the invitees been so secretive that they have not even been willing to explain their true identities to themselves. Although Fang Yan didn't want to make contact with this unknown person in his heart, after thinking for a moment, he finally walked towards the car. This is the inner city area adjacent to the military port, and it is guarded on all sides by naval gendarmes, and no force in the whole of Germany dares to do anything out of the ordinary here!

"Is it Lieutenant Colonel Brom? Please get on the bus. The driver in the uniform of the El Guild Hall saluted Fang Yan respectfully, then bowed slightly and opened the back door for him. Fang Yan glanced deeply at the person in front of him and dispelled the idea of asking the driver; When they reach their destination, the mastermind behind the scenes will appear in front of him. (To be continued.) )