On a sunny day, Galway Naval Base in south-west Ireland is a busy scene. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 info "Belfast", "Celtic", "Long Live Freedom", three old ships more than 20 years old, docked next to Pier No. 1 in turn, hoisting cranes hoisted entire boxes and piles of supplies onto the ship, sailors in blue and white navy shirts sat in gondolas or stepped on inclined ladders to paint their respective warships - the superstructure was still the standard color of light gray, but the walls of the ship showed irregular block-like patterns, this camouflage paint used to interfere with the enemy gunners' judgment of the speed of the target appeared as early as the last war, It is adopted by the navies of various countries because of its good effect.

Adjacent to Pier No. 2 at Pier No. 1, there is a fleet of light ships docked outward, they are in groups of three or five, like objects made of molds, and there is no difference in appearance, this is the Irish Navy's domestic destroyer group. From 1919 to 1931, the Irish Navy ordered five 1,000-ton Hunter-class destroyers, five 1,280-ton Agni-class destroyers and five 1,520-ton Wind class destroyers, which were favored by the navies of Germany, Ottoman, Spain, Sweden and other countries because of their balanced performance and affordable price, and a total of 29 ships were exported, bringing sufficient source power to Ireland's military shipbuilding industry. Like the three old ships, the destroyers were painted in blue, gray and white block camouflage uniforms, and the tarpaulin covering the guns and searchlights had been removed, revealing a refined and capable temperament.

Pier 3 on the north side of the harbour was the cruiser berth of the Irish Navy, and throughout the twenties the Irish had purposefully built a modern cruiser fleet, consisting of two 15,000-ton Standard Salute-class heavy cruisers, one 18,500-ton Danu-class heavy cruiser, six 6,000-ton Fiona-class light cruisers, and one 7,500-ton Explorer-class light cruiser, which cost enough to buy two Mackensen-class battlecruisers or five Confederate-class aircraft carriersHowever, the Irish Navy did not choose the development model of the air pavilion, but carved out its own world in the field of medium and light ships. Of the four classes of light and heavy cruisers, the Standard Salute-class heavy cruisers and Fiona-class light cruisers were the de facto standard equipment of the Allied navies, and in addition to the Royal Shipyard in Limerick in Ireland, the Bremen Shipyard in Germany, the Pula Naval Shipyard in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ansado shipyard ******in Italy, and the Faro shipyard in Spain all built these classes. By the beginning of the 30s, there were 11 standard military ceremonial heavy cruisers and 23 Fiona-class light cruisers in service with the Allied countries, thus setting an unprecedented and unprecedented military record.

At this time, there were six Irish cruisers moored in the harbor -- the standard Salute-class sister ships "Ruger" and "Dagda", the Standard Salute-class sister ships "Ruger" and "Dagda", the Fiona-class light cruisers "Oscar", "Gower-Mona", and "Conan-Mona", and the Explorer-class light cruiser "Piwell", which had just completed half a year of service. These majestic warships were full of busy figures, and on the pier on the gangway, you could see many naval officers and men carrying bags, their expressions were serious, or they bowed their heads silently, or looked dazed. The military order is like a mountain, they have to interrupt the vacation to rush back to the base, leaving their families and relatives is sad, what makes them feel even more indescribable, the battlefield is ruthless, the artillery fire is blind, once on the battlefield, it is difficult to say whether they can see their loved ones again.

Turning his gaze to London, England, it was close to noon, a luxury Mercedes-Benz sedan stopped in front of the gate of No. 10 Downing Street, and the German ambassador Hansen Neuhaus, wearing a black top hat, got out of the car with a blank face.

On Downing Street, there were many pedestrians coming and going, some noticing the German diplomat and casting curious glances, while others hurried past the neighborhood, unaware that a major event was taking place.

Guided by a British official, Neuhaus walked into the world-famous residence, never knowing that the historic building, along with the 400-year-old street, would be devastated in the coming war, and that the glorious history of London and the British Empire would come to an end.

Neuhaus was taken directly to the Prime Minister's office of Stanley Baldwin, a Conservative politician who certainly has the talent to lead a country, but not everyone has the courage and courage to face war. He is increasingly being compared to the war-time Prime Ministers Herbert Asquith and George Lloyd, and there are many calls for George Lloyd, who has been retired for a long time, to re-emerge, and the representative of the main war faction, former Admiral Winston Churchill, has also received more and more attention in recent times, and it is not impossible for him to be appointed to take over the cabinet in a critical situation with his background, qualifications and talents.

In such a terrible maelstrom, Baldwin endured every day, even every hour, every minute, so that he looked as if he was a few years older.

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency, I am hereby instructed by the Emperor and the Chancellor of the German Empire to deliver an ultimatum to your Government. Your country shall, within 12 hours, cease its military mobilization, order the disbandment of reservists who have been called up or are in the process of being drafted, and withdraw from any military treaties concluded against the German Reich, thereby securing the defence and security of the Reich. ”

When the other party made his intentions clear, Baldwin did not rush to speak, but filled his pipe with cigarettes, lit it with a match, took a few puffs silently, and asked in a calm voice: "Your Excellency, who has served in the diplomatic circles for many years, has you ever seen such an unreasonable ultimatum?" ”

Neuhouse was stunned for a moment, and rubbed his hands together with embarrassment: "In the past few hundred years, the British Empire should have experienced more wars than any other country, and there are many reasons for going to war, and there are all kinds of far-fetched and strong words. Personally, I would very much not like Germany and Great Britain, two countries that once considered each other's best friends, to get to where they are today, and I can only express my deep regret. Your country's previous actions have seriously damaged the interests of the German Reich and its allies, and we, as government officials, can do nothing but pray for good fortune. ”

Baldwin sneered: "Everyone can shirk the responsibility for causing the war, anyway, in the end, it is the winner who has the final say." Your Excellency, please go back, for in 12 hours we will no longer be able to talk so calmly as we do now, when we will be enemies on opposite sides. ”

Neuhaus placed the note in front of Baldwin, bowed slightly, and walked briskly to the door with his top hat in both hands. At the door of the room, he turned around and took one last look at his old friend from a foreign country who had known him for many years, his eyes were full of helplessness and sadness, and then he left without looking back.

Baldwin turned to look out the window, London was still the familiar and busy, but at sunrise tomorrow, the Prime Minister was completely unsure whether it would burn under the bombardment of enemy warplanes and the shelling of battleships. After meditating for a long time, he took out the resignation letter he had prepared from the drawer and tore it to shreds.

A few hours later, dusk came as scheduled, Limerick under the sunset is still the bustling and charming city, it is the towering trees that grow on the barren land of Ireland, the spacious and clean streets and alleys, the perfect public facilities and the magnificent landmark buildings make every foreigner who visits here breathtaking, it is the crystallization of the hard work and wisdom of the Irish people, the fruit of the diligence and dedication of the Irish royal government, the home of millions of people living and working in peace and contentment, and it is a world-renowned miracle place. It is the pearl of the West that countless people worship. At this moment, it was shrouded in the muffled whimpering sound of air raid sirens, which seemed to color the sunset on the horizon with compassion.

War is coming, and this is the signal that the sound of air raid sirens is transmitted to every resident of Limerick. For a long time, the Irish royal family and government have been ingrained in the minds of the people to be prepared for danger in times of peace, and the universal service system has been supported by the whole country, and every healthy adult male has to go into the barracks to be trained - they do not have to be the most elite soldiers, but they can at least take up a gun to defend their country in times of crisis!

The army is only a part of national defense construction, Limerick, which gathers one-third of the country's population, is not only the political and diplomatic center of Ireland, but also the absolute core area of economy and industry, it is ready to resist war from the beginning of urban planning, the standard of fire-fighting facilities and equipment far exceeds that of any European city, every park, square and stadium have dug air-raid shelters, every school, hospital and commercial area has a large-scale air-raid shelter, and subway facilities can meet the requirements of air defense, fire and anti-poison, There are also a large number of emergency evacuation sites on the outskirts of the city, with a large number of tents and sleeping bags and other emergency supplies stockpiled in the defense warehouse, and on those days of special significance, such as National Day, Belfast Return Day, and the anniversary of the Battle of Cork, the Limerick city defense department will sound the air defense siren at a specific time, and schools, hospitals and neighborhoods will also hold regular or irregular air defense drills.

Standing on the carpet-like lawn of the "Forest Palace", Natsuki quietly listened to the sound of air raid sirens coming from the direction of the city. Although Germany and Ireland have more than three times as many fighters in service as Britain, and will take a strategic offensive against Britain, and Ireland has the most advanced and complete homeland air defense system of this era, he still does not dare to slack off in the slightest. Considering that Britain had a sizable bomber force and a group of brave and determined pilots, the British military repeatedly boasted that they had the ability to strike and wreak havoc on Berlin, but Natsuki did not think that they would attempt such a difficult challenge at the beginning of the war. Judging from the recent frequent aerial reconnaissance of Ireland by the British military, it is very likely that they will use Ireland as an example to make those countries that do not have a direct conflict of interest with Britain have any scruples about following Germany into the war. In that case, the shadow cast by hordes of British bombers on Irish soil would no longer be the spectacle of the imagination. Now, Ireland's fighter and anti-aircraft artillery units have been deployed, but it is still very uncertain whether they will be able to perform another military miracle and completely keep the British Air Force out of the metropolitan area.

Goodbye, peace!

In the years since you left, countless loyal and brave soldiers have shed their blood on the battlefield, their families have prayed for their safe return, and their country needs them to return safely.

Goodbye, peace!

When you are called out again and again by innocent civilians, the savage war machine will wield a sharp scythe, snatching tens of thousands of lives, displacing countless people, and leaving countless people grieving and suffering.

May you return soon, peace!

(End of chapter)