Commander Chen Shaokuan's worries

At the mouth of the Yangtze River, almost all the ships of the Chinese Navy have been hiding here since receiving the order from the Central Military Commission to attack, waiting for the latest orders from the front-line general headquarters. *.**/*

Among the dozens of ships, the only old cruiser that is suspiciously worthy of being called a warship is the commander of the navy, Chen Shaokuan, the commander of the navy, who was directly appointed by the Central Military Commission as the first commander of the Chinese navy after the dissolution of the Nationalist Government because of his military exploits and prestige among the Chinese navy. Standing on the wide deck with a solemn face, facing the whistling sea breeze, looking at the vast sea, silent...

At this time, Zhang Aiping, the first Chinese naval commander in history. At this moment, because of Chen Shaokuan, he was appointed by the central government as the first political commissar of the Chinese Navy. Also under the cover of the sound of the waves, he stood silently beside Chen Shaokuan...

Seeing in front of him, he has dedicated almost half of his life to China's modern navy. As a political commissar, Zhang Aiping can be said to be sincerely admired, even if he is from the Kuomintang and was once his sworn enemy.

Seeing his old partner, facing the vast sea again, he fell into deep thoughtZhang Aiping knew that the commander in front of him, the first commander of the navy who was pinned on by the central government, began to worry about the current situation and future of the Chinese navy.

Thinking of this, Zhang Aiping sighed and comforted her partner who had been in contact with her for half a year.

"Lao Chen, we don't have to worry too much. The problem of troop equipment is not something that the two of us can solve. Besides, the Central Military Commission has clearly replied to us that it will take a month at most for the various ships supported by the US Government to arrive. When the time comes, the first fleet of our Chinese Navy will truly live up to its name...."

"Commissar... I understand what you say...." Chen Shaokuan shook his head helplessly. Surprisingly, however, the look of frustration on her face did not decrease, but intensified. Facing the political commissar in front of him, he continued to speak.

"You also know that I, Chen Shaokuan, as a member of the Chinese Navy, have watched the Chinese Navy develop step by step, and then slowly weakened step by step, until now. Especially when I think of the Jiangyin Naval Battle, I always feel sorry for the Chinese Navy and sorry for this country when I see the navy accumulated by the Republic of China through decades sinking in front of me one by one..."

"Of course, that's not the most important thing. The most important thing is that China has tens of thousands of miles of coastline, but we do not have a fleet that can really defend this coastline. I watched the Japanese fleet show off its might on our coastline and shoot the people along our coast, but there was no way..."

"Whenever I think of this scene, I think of the scene of the ** people along the coast, being bloodily slaughtered under the bombardment of the Japanese navy. As the commander of the navy, my heart hurts like a knife... Sometimes, I even think that all of this was caused by me alone, and that I destroyed the hope of the Chinese Navy in the original Battle of Jiangyin."

The more he talked in front of him, the more excited he became, and he kept pouring out his inner pain to himself. As a partner, Zhang Aiping clearly knows that the only thing she can do at this moment is to stand by and listen quietly. Because he believes that only when Chen Shaokuan reveals all the pain in his heart can he regain his strength in the next time and contribute to the development of the Chinese Navy....

Time passed minute by minute... ̈

With the passage of time, Commander Chen Shaokuan's face, which was still excited just now, slowly calmed down. Just when Chen Shaokuan stood silent in front of him again. Political Commissar Zhang Aiping spoke. ..., "Lao Chen, the past is in the past.... I believe that the fact that the Central Military Commission has appointed you as the first commander of the Chinese Navy is enough to show that you are the real mainstay of our Chinese Navy and enough to show that the Central Military Commission has placed trust in you.

More importantly, this appointment of the Central Military Commission also pins the hope for the future development of the Chinese Navy on you..."

"You just said so much. As your partner in the future, I hope that you can forget the past, from now on, really cheer up, and we will work together to create a truly modern Chinese naval force...."

On the huge deck, just when the hands of two people were clasped together. The sound of hurried footsteps reached the ears of the two of them. Immediately after, the figure of the communications staff officer of the headquarters stood in front of the two.

"Commander, political commissar, the latest operational order of the Nanjing Front Command: All ships of our navy are required to anchor immediately after five hours. target, the detachment of the Japanese troops docked at the Shanghai Naval Port ...."

"What, the Japanese Detachment Fleet..." In the face of the communication staff officer's answer, Commander Chen Shaokuan and Political Commissar Zhang Aiping, the two of them opened their mouths almost at the same time, and asked with an incredible face....

"Counselor Wang, are you sure that there is no mistake in the order.... The front command really asked our naval forces to attack immediately and destroy the Japanese detachment docked at Shanghai Naval Port..." Chen Shaokuan asked with a suspicious expression.

"Yes, Commander. There is also the signature of the commander-in-chief on it, there are absolutely no problems ...." The communications staff officer replied in the affirmative ....

With the reaffirmation of the communications staff officer, especially after hearing that the order still had the signature of the commander-in-chief. Political Commissar Zhang Aiping no longer had any doubts, and asked Commander Chen Shaokuan in front of him.

"Lao Chen, what do you think...."

"Commissar, I don't know the reason for this telegram from the front command. However, when it comes to the upcoming naval battle in the telegram, you also know the strength of our fleet. To put it mildly, with the existing strength of the fleet alone, even a new destroyer of the Japanese army is no match for it. What's more, the naval port is not just a Japanese destroyer, but a detachment with aircraft carriers ...

"Our navy just passed like this, it is tantamount to a sheep in the mouth of a tiger, and there is no possibility of victory at all...." Chen Shaokuan replied with a dejected expression.

"The sheep is in the mouth of the tiger, it is not as good as a new destroyer of the Japanese army..."

Although, as the political commissar, Zhang Aiping has a certain understanding of the specific strength of the Chinese Navy, and also knows that the naval fleet can only be destroyed in the face of the Japanese detachment. However, when I heard that the current strength of the Chinese Navy was not even comparable to a new destroyer of the Japanese army. Zhang Aiping's face became unusually ugly for the first time, and she couldn't help but ask.

"Commissar, don't be surprised, it's true...." Chen Shaokuan's face became solemn again...

"At the moment our fleet, although there are still dozens of ships that can be used. However, among these dozens of ships, the only one that can handle it is the flagship at our feet. But, as you know, this cruiser has been in service with the Navy since the end of the Qing Dynasty. Except that it is not weaker than the new Japanese destroyers in terms of tonnage, the rest, whether it is armor protection, or the caliber of artillery fire, and the firing range, are not at the same grade as the new Japanese destroyers...

"Let's talk about the remaining gunboats and torpedo boats, although many of them are the latest models to be launched in China. However, you should not forget that these gunboats and torpedo boats had a very fatal drawback, which was that they could only conduct close combat. And the number of gunboats and torpedo boats in our hands is not very sufficient, and it is simply impossible to break through the dense fire network of the new Japanese destroyers with the number of these dozen or so..." Although this fact is difficult to accept. However, Chen Shaokuan, as the commander of the navy, still answered categorically when it came to real naval battles. …,

"Is there no other way?" Political Commissar Zhang Aiping still asked rhetorically.

Seeing Zhang Aiping's expectant look, although Commander Chen Shaokuan knew that this answer was very cruel, he still shook his head helplessly, and then spoke.

"Commissar, naval warfare is not a land war, especially between modern naval units. In land warfare, you can rely on the advantages of various terrains to achieve more results with less. However, naval warfare is different, because, as far as the current naval warfare is concerned, in addition to the caliber and range of naval guns, the real competition is the speed and flexibility of warships. And we don't have any of these two. So, if you want to win, it's almost a fantasy..."

There was silence, for a moment, on the entire deck, except for the whirring of the sea breeze and the sound of waves crashing against the side of the ship. All that was left was the thick panting of the two. Both of them were quietly thinking about the specific reasons for this order from the front command...

"Could it be that the front-line command still wants the navy to be sent to death when they know that the navy's attack is tantamount to a sheep's mouth..." An idea suddenly appeared in the mind of Political Commissar Zhang Aiping.

However, this idea, as soon as it appeared, was ruthlessly rejected by him. Because, he believed that the commander-in-chief would not let the newly developed naval forces be buried in vain in a naval battle with no hope of victory.

Thinking of this, Political Commissar Zhang Aiping seemed to think of something. said to Chen Shaokuan in front of him.

"Lao Chen, the commander-in-chief has his own reasons for giving such an order. Now that the order has been given, I suggest that we begin preparations immediately, and in five hours, we will anchor on time."

"Commissar, what do you mean...."

"If nothing else, before we leave, there will definitely be a specific combat order sent ...." Seeing Chen Shaokuan, who was puzzled in front of him, Zhang Aiping replied with an affirmative face.

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