"The Chinese have also improved the method of carrying aircraft and increased the carrying capacity of aircraft. In order to improve air defense capabilities, the Chinese have equipped two 127-mm anti-aircraft gun turrets at all four corners of the flight deck edge of the aircraft carrier, and the gun group firepower of the Chinese aircraft carrier is the strongest among all aircraft carriers in the world at present. Raeder said.

"With such an advanced design, Chinese don't know how much time, money and energy they have to pay." Hearing Raeder's answer, Ruprecht I said in surprise, "They never seem to have thought about cost. ”

"Although it sounds unbelievable, it is true, the design of the Chinese aircraft carrier, despite its complexity, was completed in only three months thanks to the efforts of the designers and the participation of experts from all walks of life." "I've heard that a lot of the designs are coming from the instructions of the top brass in China. ”

"It's incredible that the Chinese seem to have become experts in aircraft carriers." Ruprecht I was astonished, "China, it's not the China it used to be. ”

"That's right, Your Majesty." Raeder said.

"The emergence of a strong China is very beneficial to Germany." Ruprecht I said softly, his eyes radiating excitement, as if Wilhelm II at that time, "With China's containment, the 'Red Plague' will not spread to Germany, so that Germany will have more time to ......"

"Yes, I have always wanted to remind Your Majesty that it would be very disadvantageous for Germany if war broke out before the German Navy was ready." Raeder said.

"I understand." Ruprecht I regained his composure and nodded. He gazed at the empty harbor and began to imagine the spectacle of ships like mountains and ships like forests.

After a secret visit to the port of Kiel, Ruprecht I returned to his hotel, and just as he was about to rest, a guard hurried into the room and handed a note to the German Emperor.

"Mr. Hitler was assassinated." The guard officer told the Emperor what had happened, and there was a palpable hint of regret in his voice.

Ruprecht I was very calm when he heard the news, he took the note, read it for a while, nodded, and ordered: "We will return to Berlin now, immediately." ”

As the guard departed, Ruprecht I sat down, and he could not help but sigh deeply when he remembered the time when he appointed Hitler as chancellor and the changes he had brought to Germany since he took office. But as the ruler of a country, he did not care about the death of Hitler, and he quickly thought about the unexpected impact on Germany after the death of the leader of the German National Socialist Workers' Party, who had been chancellor of the German Reich for less than three years.

On January 30, 1933, it was a midwinter morning, and it was almost noon. Hitler was accompanied by a new cabinet member to the Palace of Sanssouci to meet Kaiser Ruprecht I. Ruprecht I's already suspicious of Hitler's appointment, coupled with his late arrival, made him somewhat irritated and met with Hitler with a somewhat cold attitude. He gave a perfunctory welcome to the new cabinet, muttering in a low voice that he would be happy to see the nationalist right resolve internal differences and finally come together. He then presided over the routine: Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of the German Reich.

Wearing a black tie and a black suit, Hitler solemnly swore to uphold the Constitution, to be loyal to the Imperial Family and the German people, to perform his duties without partisanship, and to work for the benefit of the entire German nation. In a short impromptu speech that followed, Hitler pledged to defend Germany's rights. In the afternoon of the same day, the new cabinet members held a meeting with the German media at the Chancellery. Hitler sat in a comfortable cushioned chair surrounded by new cabinet members. To his right sat Hindenburg, and to his left was his deputy, von Hindenburg, who held a high position and had great influence on the appointment of high-ranking officials. Papen. The rest of the men stood behind them, their expressions visibly uncomfortable, showing not the slightest hint of comradeship. Despite knowing each other, they didn't make the slightest eye contact. The ministers either stared coldly ahead, or they looked both ways. Only Hitler smiled. It was the first time he had made a statement as prime minister congratulating his followers on a "great political victory."

In fact, Hitler's ascension to power was not as glorious as the National Socialist propagandists claimed. Although his party enjoys popular support and support, he did not get it through normal means. On the contrary, it was a number of scheming politicians behind the scenes who conspired to put Hitler on the throne of chancellor. Power was not in Hitler's hands, but was handed to Hitler like a poisoned wine glass. Although Hitler attributed his success to popular support for him. But the scheming politicians were trying to get Hitler under control and beware of his greater ambitions.

As a result, the New Deal axe, led by Hitler, absorbed only a small percentage of the National Socialist Party. Of the eleven ministers in the cabinet, only three seats were won by Hitler's men, including himself: Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, and Minister of Careless. The rest of the key positions are held by Conservatives. This strengthened the belief that the Tories could control Hitler, who was good at inciting the people. Despite so many restrictions that prevented Hitler from acting freely, his colleagues were unhappy with Hitler's appointment and forced him to make some concessions. On the one hand, Hitler swore that he would not make any adjustments to the cabinet. On the other hand, he made a promise that he would not keep at all, and that was to expand the ruling base of the political axe through contacts with centrist parties. The conspiracy of the conservative forces seems to have succeeded. Hitler seemed to be wrapped in a political straitjacket, to become, as one would expect, to be a puppet leader who was popular but did not hold real power.

Despite all the warnings, Hitler's victorious election was significant. As a corporal who fought in the First World War, the instigator of the beer hall coup d'état, and the self-proclaimed "drummer" of the national cause, Hitler had climbed to the pinnacle of power. His followers, of course, also celebrated his victory, holding an impromptu victory parade. At 7 p.m., when it was dark, the men marched to the site of the political axe with torches in hand. Along the way, military music was loud and drums were beating, and they marched in a row of sixteen people through the Brandenburg Gate and past Wilhelmstrasse, and when the marchers arrived at Hitler's new residence in the Chancellery, the new prime minister greeted them through the windows on the second floor, and the crowd immediately shouted "victory".

Hitler's new status was certainly a source of pride, but it also placed new demands on his security system. On the one hand, Hitler's emergence as chancellor greatly shocked those who thought that he and what he had done were history, as well as those who were somewhat sneering about it. As a result, these opponents, both active and passive, were shocked and alerted and considered how to fight back. It is reasonable to say that the moment of Hitler's victory was also the moment when he was most vulnerable.

As Reich Chancellor, Hitler became the target of the extremely barbaric tradition of assassination plots. The turbulent years after the end of the First World War were marked by many political murders. In the summer of 1922, German Foreign Minister Walter ? Rathenau was assassinated in Berlin, and his assassination brought the tradition of assassination to its zenith.

After that attack, the security of Hitler and his ministers entered a completely new period. Previously, the security of the leaders was very simple and consisted of a driver, an assistant and a few policemen. Today, these security measures are much tighter. Less than five days after Rathenau was stabbed, new measures were introduced. The German security services sent an additional car to escort Hitler's car, and the security of the Chancellery was completely reorganized. All those who send threatening or defamatory letters to the Minister will be investigated by the police. Any threat will be taken seriously.

As a result of these measures, many assassination plots were discovered before Hitler was appointed chancellor. In the winter of 1922, a man from Dresden named Willy? The merchant in Schulze was found in possession of two pistols. He confessed to using this to assassinate German Chancellor Werther at the time. A few years later, in 1931, a crude explosive device addressed to Prime Minister Brüning was intercepted by security personnel. The following year, a female Assassin was captured in the Prime Minister's Mansion building, where she was in possession of a 28-centimeter-long dagger. Despite the improved security system, the female Assassin infiltrated the building through a side door and was not captured until she reached the third floor. The improved safety and security system has indeed played a role. But after Hitler was appointed chancellor in 1933, the security system faced the most serious challenges.

It is perhaps not surprising that a man as violent as Hitler had a keen sense of danger in his own right. At the very beginning of his political career, Hitler realized that he needed an absolutely loyal guard, a group "to protect him...... A loyal guard who does not hesitate to turn his face against his own brother". To this end, he recruited a number of elite men to act as drivers, guards, and personal managers. This is the stormtroopers. Although the SA was responsible for all aspects of security, Hitler's personal bodyguard was a small group of people he trusted. Among them is former wrestler Ulrich? Graf, who served as Hitler's bodyguard; A watchmaker-turned-emir? Morris was a Freikorps veteran who was responsible for driving for Hitler; Christian, who worked as a horse trader and part-time pimp? Webb became secretary; Besides. And the guard Julius? Schaub and Adjutant William? Brückner. At first, these men were responsible for the safety of Hitler's public events and speeches. They formed the core circle of Hitler's security.

In those crisis-ridden years, the security system that protected Hitler was reorganized. A guard corps composed of elite elements, the Battle Flag Guard, was formed. Its personnel were recruited from the SA, and they were required to swear to protect Hitler from danger from internal and external enemies. However, when the Battle Flag Guards fell victim to the internal struggle of the SA, a new Guard, the Hitler Guards, was formed. The core of Hitler's bodyguards, numbered about 100, were still amateur bodyguards who knew Hitler well, and Hitler later re-established the National Socialist Party and the SA. The convoy was also rebuilt. The re-recruited Guards were initially named after the Battle Flag Guards, which were later changed to the SS. The SS was in stark contrast to the stormtroopers. Those who applied for membership in the SS had to pass a rigorous examination and undergo arduous training. Only the "best and most reliable members of the National Socialist Party" will be considered. They had to be efficient, resourceful, trustworthy and, above all, loyal to Hitler. They do not participate in political discussions, but they do attend meetings where political orders are issued. They were forbidden to smoke at party events and could not leave the room without an order. "Loyalty is honor" has become their motto.

If not Heinrich? With Himmler's appearance, the SS remained only a small and even insignificant organization. In January 1928, Heinrich? Himmler became responsible for the regular functioning of the SS; A year later, he became the leader of the organization - the head of the Reichs-SS. Under his management, the SS grew in size and discipline was stricter than before, and the SS's unquestionable loyalty to Hitler was once again exaggerated. Heinrich? Himmler wanted to instill his extreme creed in the members of the SS. He once boasted: "If Hitler had ordered me to shoot my own mother, I would have done it without hesitation and would be proud of his trust." ”

Later, as the SA forces receded, the SS took full responsibility for Hitler's security. They are the obvious choice. Correspondingly, Hitler's new bodyguards were all selected from the SS. The first commander was called Zepp? Dietrich, a straightforward Bavarian, was a retired Freiko veteran who had participated in the beer hall coup. As politics heated up in Germany and violent clashes reached unprecedented levels, it was imperative to keep Hitler safe. In February 1932, Dietrich was ordered to form an all-weather guard for Hitler, and the SS Guard was formed. At the time, the unit was described as follows:

"They are the best example of a handsome, physically fit standard German. Dressed in a crisp black uniform with a zippered motorcycle blouse...... Wearing a pilot's helmet, armed with a revolver and a horsewhip, he looks like a Martian. ”

Under Dietrich's leadership, the convoy initially consisted of only 12 people. During the chaotic election campaign of that year, they had been guarding Hitler. In the spring of 1932, Hitler campaigned in the town of Elbin in East Prussia, and his entourage was ambushed by Communist Party protesters. Just as Hitler's driver slammed the steering wheel to escape the mob, bodyguards in leather suits jumped out of the car, and they rushed towards the attackers with rubber batons and black metal sticks, successfully protecting Hitler.

When Hitler lived in Munich, security measures were more regulated. From 1931 onwards he lived in the building known as the "Brown Mansion" – a beautiful three-storey palace that had served as the residence of the Italian envoys to the Bavarian court. The guards were transferred from the SS in three shifts of 17 men each, with at least 10 men standing guard inside the building and six guarding the entrance, ground and surroundings. Visitors are only allowed to enter the building with a valid pass.

But the effectiveness of Munich's security guards remains in doubt. First of all, before 1933, sentries were strictly forbidden to carry weapons. In addition to this, the security measures that have been put in place do not appear to be strictly enforced. According to a visiting Englishman, he was simply reprimanded by the sentry and told not to walk on the sidewalk outside the house, without mentioning the specifics of the security procedures for entering the building. In fact, Hitler's security measures in 1932 were largely the same as those adopted in 1923. He has a loyal escort at his disposal, but its effectiveness is questionable.

In order to create a reliable security mechanism to protect Hitler, it is first necessary to solve the problem of Hitler himself. Hitler's views on his own security were often contradictory and capricious. On the one hand, he was troubled by his fate and suffered. He saw himself as a "man of destiny", a leader who brought Germany out of slavery. And his weak physique made him feel that he didn't have much to say. He has been complaining of his ailments: tinnitus, migraines, insomnia, eczema, stomach pain, flatulence and bleeding gums. In addition to this, he also suffered from severe depression.

In addition, Hitler had a preconceived idea that he might die in an assassination attempt. As a result, as he always instilled in his guards, he believed that his life mattered. He has developed a keen interest in security measures and has asked them to be updated and strengthened at all times. He often carried a pistol in public, and his personal bodyguards and assistants were invariably heavily armed.

Hitler's political activities inevitably put him in great danger. As the leader of the most violent and offensive movement in German political life, he was a natural enemy of his opponents. On the campaign trail, whether speaking in front of hostile audiences or simply on a trip to a political event, he often encountered his attackers. Despite Hitler's meticulous attention to security details, he fundamentally did not believe that his bodyguards would play any practical role. His "fatalism" led him to attribute several escapes to death as "purely accidental, and unrelated to the strength of the guards."

(To be continued)