"The formation of the so-called Pacific Combined Fleet is actually an offensive and defensive alliance with Japan and Russia in the Pacific region! In this powerful combined fleet, the Japanese navy exceeded 90 percent in terms of number and tonnage. It is obvious that our and the Russians' fleets have a limited role in real combat, this is only a political union! ”

At a meeting of the General Staff of the Navy, the Chief of the General Staff of the German Navy and Field Marshal Boll expressed his views on the formation of a joint fleet of Germany, Japan, and Russia.

"Does that make sense to us?"

German Admiral Reinhardscher, commander of the First Detachment of the German High Seas Fleet, said with disdain. US Secretary of State Brian angrily led a delegation to leave Germany on the same day, and the US Government immediately lodged a strong protest, accusing the three countries of "deliberately undermining the balance in the Pacific region," and at the same time declaring that the US Government would have the right to take countermeasures, and that the possibility of cooperating with the British government-in-exile was not ruled out.

Many generals and dignitaries in Germany considered it unworthy to conclude treaties with Japan and Russia that had such a huge impact, and even did not hesitate to make enemies with the US government, and General Schell, who had made great achievements in the war, was also one of them.

"Of course!" Chen Tian, who was sitting on the top seat, replied in the affirmative.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for being unreasonable! However, the treaty stipulates that the so-called "combined fleet" will be formed by the Pacific Fleet of our country, the main force of the Japanese Navy, and the Pacific Fleet of Russia, with the Japanese admiral as the first commander and the German and Russian generals as the second and third commanders respectively. In peacetime, the fleets of the three countries are stationed at their respective bases and assemble on time for training exercises, and once a war breaks out, the German and Russian fleets immediately go to Japan to rendezvous with the Japanese fleet, and must unconditionally accept the combat orders of the Japanese commander during the battle! Admiral Scheer spread his hands puzzled, "Actually, we don't have the slightest command over that combined fleet. It's up to the Japanese to decide! ”

"That's true!" Chen Tian continued to give an affirmative reply.

"What's the point?"

Scheer continued to ask, daring to raise his doubts in this way, because Chentian was not Wilhelm II, and would not scold his generals for being "stupid".

"Trust me, it won't be long before you know the answer, but for now the answer must be kept secret!"

Chen Tian said and glanced at Tirpitz, who had been silent, since he ascended the throne, the old marshal rarely disagreed with his decision. Perhaps he already felt that it was time to let go of his burden, or perhaps, he was just worried that his influence would overtake his position.

Tirpitz nodded slightly, "Yes, looking forward to His Majesty's answer!" ”

At this time, the Admiralty did not want to have a very consistent goal as in the war, and now the external environment of the Empire has improved greatly compared to the past, and the current Navy should continue the pre-war shipbuilding program or carry out peacetime reduction, the generals have their own opinions.

"Your Majesty, according to the agreement we have signed with the Spanish government. The battleships 'Braunschweig' and 'Alsace' will be handed over to the Spanish Navy next month! Furthermore. As soon as the refit work is completed, the battleship "Lorraine" and the cruiser "Erbin" will be handed over to the Irish government! At present, the battleships "Hesse", "Prussia" and "Hanover" have entered the dock for repair and repainting, according to plan. Next month, the battleship "Pomerania" and the cruiser "Ferres" will also enter the dock! ”

Marshal Pol's report made everyone here understand that the news that the navy would dispose of a large number of old ships in the short term was not for nothing, although most of these warships were old armored ships with more than ten years of age, but they still played a significant role in the war. Before the new warships that replaced them entered service, many generals were not in favor of removing them from the operational sequence of the German Navy.

"Excellent! According to the report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have basically negotiated with the Russian and Turkish governments that those warships will be sold to them at a preferential price! Chen Tian said with a relaxed expression, but the generals below couldn't help but start talking to each other.

"I know that the war has just ended, and the situation in Europe is still unstable, but we have reduced nearly 10 second-line capital ships at once. It's not unreasonable for everyone to have concerns about this! In fact, we don't value the money we get from selling these ships, and our government doesn't lack it! As for the real reason......" In the eyes of everyone's expectation, Chen Tian said word by word: "The answer will be revealed soon!" ”

Most of the generals present were not interested in politics, but the vast majority of them had absolute respect and trust for the young monarch in front of them, so that no one after that strongly opposed or criticized the navy's downsizing strategy.

To outsiders, the Germans seemed content with the fruits of their victories in the war. Their sharpest sword is being sheathed, and the heads of government of Europe are pleased with it, they sing the praises of peace, and they feel that the clouds of war that once hung suffocating over Europe have drifted away!

However, the clouds of war will never disappear, it will only drift across the ocean, and finally stop on the eastern sea.

"General, a secret message from Berlin!"

Lieutenant Admiral Spee, who was standing on the bridge, received the telegram from the adjutant, read it carefully, and looked at the sea ahead without saying a word. In terms of his personal feelings, it was not a pleasant voyage, and it was the twisting coastline of Japan that appeared in front of the fleet. The Japanese Navy sent two destroyers to pilot the ship, and General Spee and his men were no strangers to the striking Rising Sun naval flag on the mast. For a time, these German sailors had to take refuge between the islands in the southern Pacific Ocean against the Japanese 2nd Fleet, which had battleships and high-speed battlecruisers.

Why Berlin had to come to an agreement with Tokyo to form a combined fleet was not what Vice Admiral von Spey wanted to know the most, and at this time, he had a much more important task on his shoulders.

"Command...... Deck Queue! ”

In a few moments, on the foredeck and on the sides of the six cruisers, well-dressed soldiers lined up. Before the fleet sailed into the harbor, they could hear the sound of military music from the dock in the distance, which was familiar to all the officers and men, the "German Song"!

Immediately afterwards, the military band on the flagship "Scharnhorst" also began to play this piece.

Germany, Germany, above all else!

above all things in the world!

Whenever it is, in order to protect and defend. Brothers stand together forever!

From Maas to Moer, from Esch to Belt, Deutsch, Deutsch, above all else!

above all things in the world!

The officers and men lined up on the deck all sang in harmony, and it was at the beginning of the war that thousands of German soldiers sang to the battlefield, after the war was over. They sang this song again in triumph,

The docks at the Port of Yokohama were crowded with people waving the black, white, red and red flags and the sun flag, but most of the Japanese citizens came to join in the fun, but they were soon disappointed because there was not much difference between the Germans and the British in appearance. It was the German businessmen and embassy staff who had happy smiles on their faces that came from the heart.

It seems that in order to show respect and sincerity to the new ally, the capital ships of the Japanese Navy were dispatched in unison today, including as many as one battleship lined up in the harbor to greet them, in addition to more than 30 cruisers and destroyers, and the entire harbor was crowded with warships of all sizes. This was a feast for the eyes of the sailors on the merchant ships in the harbor. Most of those from all continents had never seen such a spectacular spectacle.

Of course. Not everyone is admiring this spectacle, such as the crews of American merchant ships. Although the United States and Japan were not yet at this time, with the withdrawal of British power. The two sides had long been secretly fighting in the Pacific, so the American sailors were holding their hands one by one with a look of disdain on their faces. As for the old Commonwealth ships that were moored here not long ago, they were unceremoniously cleared out after Japan joined the Union.

After exchanging the highest standard of 21 gun salutes, the three armored cruisers and three light cruisers of the German Pacific Detachment sailed into the harbor one after another, led by the pilot ship. On the side of the wharf, the viewing platform was filled with heavyweights from Japanese political and military circles -- Shigenobu Oho, prime minister and minister of the interior who came to greet the German fleet on behalf of the emperor, Yusaku Uehara, leader of the War Department, Minoru Saito, leader of the Admiralty, and Kanetake Oura, minister of agriculture and commerce.

On the red carpet of the Japanese, Vice Admiral von Spey from Germany shook hands with those he had never met, but only 10 months ago. These men had hoped to send Spee and Speedi's fleet to the bottom of the sea - Rear Admiral Rokuro Yashiro, who was at the end of the Japanese admirals. The sharpened-faced, mid-40-year-old rear admiral commanded a detachment of light cruisers that suffered a crushing defeat to Spee's fleet last October.

Joe Grindman, the photographer accompanying the Scharnhorst, captured these memorable scenes with his own camera: "The faces of the Japanese were pleasant and respectful, and the generals bowed when they saluted, which I had never seen in any diplomatic setting!" I don't like this people, despite how powerful their military power seems! ”

Following Admiral Spee's instructions, Lindemann printed the ships in the harbor flying the flag of the Rising Sun on photographic paper, and soon after, the photographs were secretly sent back to Berlin through the German Embassy in Japan.

Interested in these scenarios and battleships. Germany is not alone.

"Settsu, Satsuma, Asahi, Mikasa, oh, and Kongo! Ten years, ten years ago, this navy defeated the invincible Russian navy! Ten years later, the navy is even stronger than it was then! ”

In front of the black-and-white photo papers, the top commander of the U.S. Naval Operations Department, William? Rear Admiral S. Benson admired softly, and although the shadows of the ships in the photograph were a little blurry, he recognized them at a glance. Before the war, it had been a long-standing policy of the United States to build a navy equal to or superior to the German or Japanese fleets (both of which were considered powerful), but by the end of the war, the German navy had become the world's largest navy, and the Japanese were stronger than ever.

The background of these photographs is no stranger to Admiral Benson, who had visited there with the Great White Fleet eight years earlier. The 46,000-nautical-mile, 14-month round-the-world cruise was an overall success -- not only to show Japan and the world that the United States had become a great maritime power, but also to rally support for Roosevelt's naval building plan at home and to test the fleet's ability to circumnavigate a continent, cross an ocean, and remain in combat position after reaching eastern waters. This fleet passed the test that the Russians failed and was widely welcomed wherever it went, but it also sowed the bitter fruit for the future - in Japan, the militarist clique saw this display of American naval power as proof that Japan was going to make greater sacrifices than it did!

"Damn the Japanese, but also the Germans and Russians!" Benson angrily threw down the photographs in his hand, and the last few of them appeared warships flying German and Russian flags, although they were not first-class battleships, but their political significance far exceeded their combat effectiveness.

"Major!" Benson quickly called his lieutenant and said, "Give me the file on Project Orange!" ”

About half an hour later, a thin, well-kept plan was delivered to General Benson, and after a cursory flip of a few pages, the general put down the plan in frustration, "This is too old!" We've got to make a more realistic plan, and also, get me a car, I'm going to see the president!" ”

Japan's naval defeat of the Russian fleet in a naval battle that showed that Japan was able to pose a threat to U.S. interests in the Pacific led the U.S. Army and Navy Joint Commission to consider other issues than bickering over cooperation between the two militaries. When the Japanese reaction to San Francisco's school quarantine case caused war panic, the Joint Commission hastily drafted a plan to defend the Philippines from a possible Japanese attack. Since then, Japan has been considered a potential enemy in the U.S. war plans. Beginning in 1911, the Naval Council, the Army General Staff, and the Army-Navy Joint Commission jointly developed a series of elaborate "colored" war plans.

The goal of the plan, known as "Orange," was to save the Philippines – according to the assumption, in the event of war with Japan, the Philippines would be the enemy's primary target.