In the south-central Red Sea, the German High Seas Fleet was speeding south. 『『，

On the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, the flagship of the fleet, Chen Dao and Lütjans stood on the bow deck, looking up at the sky as a group of carrier-based aircraft flew by.

Chen Dao roughly counted the number of fighters and said to Lu Teyans: "At least thirty-five have come back, close to forty. ”

"It's thirty-seven." Lütjans said.

"I'll bet on a mark, the Radiance must have been blown up and sunk, and maybe even the three battleships that escorted him would be turned into steel coffins." Chen Dao said.

"There's no point in betting on this kind of winning game." Ruthjens said, and after saying that, he fell back into his usual state of thinker.

"We originally wanted to cooperate with the Japanese naval aviation to annihilate their main fleet, but we didn't expect to encounter the aircraft carrier Radiance halfway, and the luck of the British is really enough. I think the British on board the USS Tejas would have died if they had known that they were substitutes. Chen Dao said with a smile.

Lütjans looked at the vultures in the sky to the north, waiting in line for the planes to land, and wondered what to think until his lieutenant hurried from the bridge with a telegram.

"The sinking of the aircraft carrier Radiance, the sinking of a light cruiser, and two destroyers are very profitable." Chen Dao said.

"I'm starting to believe what you say now, aircraft carriers are going to be one of the main forces in naval warfare. Without Zeppelin, we would have watched the Japanese snatch all their achievements. Ruetjens said.

Chen Dao hurriedly struck while the iron was hot and continued to instill the core theory of aircraft carriers in Lu Teyans.

"You should have changed your mind a long time ago. In future naval warfare, aircraft carriers will be the core of the fleet. All warships will be attached to aircraft carriers. It revolves around the purpose of how to maximize the combat effectiveness of aircraft carriers. Like in the Army. With the tank as the core, multiple arms work together.

As a senior admiral, a future admiral, or even a naval commander, he must have this kind of thinking that keeps pace with the times, and can no longer cling to the outdated thinking of big ships and huge guns. ”

Hearing the two key words of the admiral and the commander of the navy, Lütjans's thoughtful eyes flashed with a glint of light.

He covered it up well, but he was looked at by Chen Dao.

I don't believe you have no ambitions. I don't believe you don't take the bait, Chen Dao laughed secretly in his heart.

"Heinz, don't forget, in the Battle of the Danish Strait, the aircraft carrier Zeppelin was a bystander the whole time and did not contribute to the victory." Lütjans said.

"This is not a reason for the uselessness of aircraft carriers, in that naval battle, the role of battleships can be understood as protecting the Zeppelin, the core of the fleet, from harm." Chen Dao retorted.

In a word, the core of aircraft carriers as surface ships is the trend of future naval warfare, and only those who follow this trend are those who follow this trend. to qualify as the future master of the German Navy.

Originally, I only came to the Navy to help build naval aviation, but I found out. Except for me, in the Navy, and even in naval aviation, there is basically no one who believes that aircraft carriers are the masters of naval warfare of the future.

In order to ensure the healthy development of the German Navy, I decided to stay in the German Navy for a longer period of time and train a group of admirals from the aircraft carrier faction. If I can't train success, I will even personally compete for the position of commander of the navy, and at the same time strive to obtain the rank of marshal of the navy, completing a small pursuit of my life. ”

After Chen Dao finished speaking, he turned his gaze to the sea, as if he was looking at the sea, but secretly used the corner of his eye to check Lu Teyans's expression.

Ruttejans was fooled.

Competing for the commander of the navy and obtaining the rank of marshal of the navy, hearing these two words, Lu Teyans did not feel that Chen Dao was arrogant.

As a capable and background-rich young general, Chen Dao's pursuit is very reasonable, after all, people always have to pursue progress.

Lütjens himself dreamed of being promoted to the rank of marshal of the Navy and becoming the commander-in-chief of the German Navy.

In Lütjans's mind, if he can realize these two dreams, his life can be called complete as a man and a naval admiral.

What stung Rutteyans' self-esteem was Chen Dao's last sentence, "Realize a small pursuit of my life."

The goal that he regarded as the highest pursuit in life was just a "small life pursuit" for him.

The pursuit of life was blasphemed, and no matter how well Lütjans cultivated, he couldn't help but feel boundless anger at this time, and he asked with a calm face: "It turns out that in General Rosen's heart, becoming a German naval marshal and naval commander is just a small life pursuit. May I take the liberty of asking, in General Rosen's mind, what is the supreme pursuit, or the ultimate pursuit, in your life. ”

Is this angry? Does this hurt self-esteem? The radical method really works, Chen Dao said with a secret smile in his heart.

Instead of calling Heinz, he was called the cold General Rosen, which is enough to show that Lütjans is really dissatisfied, and he has to strike while the iron is hot and add fuel to his fire.

"Mine has four, and becoming a marshal is just one of them. There is a philosophical saying that quantitative change leads to qualitative change. The day when all four of my pursuits are fulfilled, my ultimate quest will be fulfilled. ”

Chen Dao instantly turned into an actor, looking at the rising sun hanging in the blue sky in the east, with a look of infinite yearning on his face.

The cool sea breeze blew, and the heat of Lu Teyansi's mind dissipated slightly, and seeing the deep face of Chen Dao, the dissatisfaction in his heart instantly turned into curiosity.

"Can you elaborate, I'm curious about your answer." Lütjens asked.

"Is your heart alright? Don't you scare you when I say it? Chen Dao asked with a serious face.

"My mental capacity is very strong, you can just talk about it." Seeing Chen Dao asking himself seriously, Lu Teyansi's curiosity in his heart became even more serious, and he only hoped that Chen Dao would tell the answer quickly.

"It's good that you don't have a heart attack, look at this?" Chen Dao raised his hand and felt in his left breast pocket, took out two military ID cards, opened his right breast pocket, and took out two more military ID cards.

Lieutenant General of the Air Force, Lieutenant General of the Navy, Major General of the Army and Major General of the Waffen-SS. Lu Teyans read four military ID cards. I suddenly felt that my brain was a little insufficient.

I really don't see it. He actually stepped on four circles, and he was younger and more promising than he and many colleagues imagined.

After Lu Teyansi sighed, he was still confused in his heart, and asked puzzledly: "What do these military ID cards have to do with your life pursuit?" ”

Chen Dao took back his military ID card and first waved the vice admiral's military ID card to Lu Teyans.

"My first little pursuit was to become a marshal."

"I already know that." Lütjans said.

Chen Daoliang showed his lieutenant general's military ID and said, "My second one?" ”

The mystery is like a layer of window paper, which can be seen through at one point.

Lütjans's face instantly turned bloodless, then white and red. It turns from red to purple and finally to blue-black.

"Do you want to be the field marshal, and the Waffen-SS general?"

Lu Teyans had already guessed the answer, but his whole body was throbbing as if he had been hit by five thunderbolts, his tongue was knotted, and he could only stutter and ask.

Chen Dao showed a smile that he thought was very modest, and said to the colorless Lütjans: "You are right, our dream is to obtain the four highest military ranks of Luftwaffe Field Marshal, Field Marshal, Field Marshal and Waffen-SS General, and become the Grand Slam winner of the highest military rank of the four major branches of the German armed forces.

After fulfilling my life's pursuit, I wake up every morning. My wife will come and ask me, dear. Which uniform to wear today? Marshal uniform? Field Marshal uniform? Air Marshal Uniform? Or was it the uniform of the Waffen-SS general?

Having to worry about which uniform to wear every morning is also a blessing, I think, don't you think? ”

Chen Dao made a generous statement, but Lu Teyans had completely lost his language function at this time.

Isn't this a quest anymore? This is **naked ambition.

Compared with this careerist, his life pursuit can indeed be called a "small life pursuit", which is not too much at all.

Chen Dao mercilessly mended the knife to Lu Teyans.

"Man eats to live, but he does not live to eat. I always have to pursue a little bit, why I don't sit in a comfortable office, go to North Africa to drink wind and eat sand, and follow the fleet across the ocean and fight everywhere, is so that in the distant future, when people discuss my rank, they can find out that every promotion I have is supported by iron-clad achievements, not just by nepotism, I want them to be blameless for my rank. ”

Lu Teyansi coughed lightly, his mind gradually calmed down from the violent agitation, and he was about to speak, but he was preempted by Chen Dao.

Chen Dao sighed lightly and said: "I am more introverted, more low-key, more modest, and more affectionate, so I don't plan to be the second imperial marshal, that is too showy, I don't like it very much." Let the rank of Imperial Marshal be the only one in the German world, and let Marshal Goering be in the limelight. ”

Talking to this person, I really want to have a heart attack, or a cerebral hemorrhage.

Low profile! Modest! How harsh these two words are when they come out, and his life pursuit has nothing to do with these two words at all.

Two people, four deep eyes looked at each other.

For a long time, under the stimulation of Chen Dao, Lu Teyansi suddenly gave birth to a pride in his chest.

He said with a straight face: "Heinz, compared to your life pursuit, my pursuit may really be just a small pursuit. However, I am very responsible to tell you that I will do my best to obtain merit, be promoted to the rank of Admiral, and then compete with you for the post of Commander-in-Chief of the German Navy, and I will be a competent competitor. ”

Chen Dao said-for-tat: "Competition is welcome. However, I am also very responsible to tell you that if you want to compete with me, you must grasp the pulse of the times, and don't always be full of old-fashioned thinking. Otherwise, for the sake of the future of the German Navy, I will definitely defeat all the old competitors, even if it is to cheat in front of the Führer. ”

"I'm not a conservative person, I know how to keep up with the times." Lutejens said confidently.

"Well, let me ask you a professional question, the Zeppelin was the first German aircraft carrier, what was wrong with it? How can it be improved? Chen Dao asked.

Lütjans was silent and re-entered the state of a thinker.

"Don't rush, think slowly, and tell me when you're ready." After Chen Dao finished speaking, he turned around and walked to the bridge

Five hours later, the combined German-Italian fleet arrived off the coast of the port of Hodeidah.

The port of Hodeidah is located in Al-Qasib Bay in the middle of Yemen's west coast, on the southeastern side of the Red Sea.

The German High Seas Fleet then parted ways with the Italian Navy and continued its march towards the Gulf of Aden.

The Italian navy, on the other hand, reduced its speed and approached the port of Hodeidah, whose mission was to cover the landing force to occupy the port of Hodeidah, and march from the land to the capital of Yemen and the port of Aden, liberating the whole territory of Yemen.

After bidding farewell to Campioni, commander of the Italian fleet, Chen Dao and Lütjans returned to the lounge.

Chen Dao asked again: "Seeing the actions of the Italians, don't you think that our German navy lacks something?" ”

Lu Teyans' brows furrowed even tighter, and after thinking carefully for a few minutes, he asked tentatively, "You mean the Marines?" ”

Chen Dao nodded and said, "Not only the Marine Corps, but also the supporting landing craft, amphibious tanks and armored vehicles. ”

After hesitating for a few seconds, Luteyans took out his diary and pen without saying a word, and wrote down the words "marines" and so on.

When recording, Lütjans was very weak, and he also saw the actions of the Italian Navy, why didn't he think of the marines? What a dereliction of duty.

In the continuous communication between the two, another five hours passed, and the rising sun in the sky had already turned to sunset red.

Just after dinner, Chen Dao and Lu Teyansi received a piece of good news.

A large radar signal appeared eighteen nautical miles to the southeast, which was supposed to be the Japanese fleet.

A few minutes later, the lookout post reported a large black plume of smoke in the southeast, approaching a fleet.

After some radio contact, Lu Teyans successfully got in touch with Nagumo Tadaichi.

Under the blows of the Japanese fleet, the British Royal Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet was completely destroyed, and all the ships were either sunk or sunk by the British army, and none of them were captured.

Looking at the battle report sent by the Japanese Navy, Chen Dao said to Lu Teyans: "See? In this situation of superiority, the battleships of the Japanese Navy were sunk by one, while the British paid the price of only a few dozen aircraft.

To exaggerate it, the naval aviation of the Radiance was the first to be a general among the million-strong army, and before he died, he fought a turnaround battle, which can be regarded as saving a little honor for the Royal Navy. It is hoped that this lesson will wake up the heads of the Japanese and make them pay more attention to aircraft carriers, and at the same time improve the air defense capabilities of surface ships. ”

Lütjans suddenly talked about another topic: "The Japanese fleet is coming, what is our next mission?" ”

"After the annihilation of the Indian Ocean Fleet, the door to the rear of the British army in the south of the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa has been closed, and they are the two dogs locked in the door, and our next task is to cooperate with the army to fight the dogs." (To be continued......) u