There is no doubt that the empire will have an overwhelming advantage over Japan in the future. The empire's steel production was dozens of times that of Japan. Moreover, in terms of scientific and technological strength, after absorbing a large amount of German technology, the empire was already ahead of Japan. Among other things, the Reich was already able to create 343-mm naval guns on its own. A breakthrough was also made in the 381-mm naval gun. The 'Five Emperor-class' battleships being built by the Imperial Navy were able to use the 381 mm main guns built by the Empire itself.

Japan, on the other hand, had to import even the 356 mm guns used on the Fuso-class battleships and the Ise-class battleships, not to mention the development of larger-caliber guns. The Imperial Navy, having mastered the process of the 381-mm gun, will also begin to develop a larger caliber 410-mm gun. If Japan wanted to surpass the empire, it would be almost impossible.

Another point is that Japan's current steel output is only 17,000 tons, and it does not even have enough steel to build its own warships, so it can only import it from abroad. On the other hand, the Empire, after obtaining Krupp's latest armor steel technology, has been able to manufacture world-class marine armor steel.

With the empire's current strong industrial strength, it can fully support the empire's military development and military expansion. Japan, on the other hand, is reckless, and even with the support of Britain, France, and the United States, they need to step up their efforts to harvest the wealth of the people in order to maintain a huge army, and in a short time, there may not be any problems. However, after a long time, I am afraid that it is easy to have problems. In particular, if you lose the war, it is very likely that it will start to collapse from within.

"The empire defeated Japan and became the hegemon of the Far East, and no one can change it." Wu Haoxuan said secretly.

The special train went north and stopped at Anda County Railway Station. Anda County has now become a construction site in full swing. As soon as geologists discovered oil here, the empire immediately extracted the oil here. Up to now. The first phase of the project has been completed and put into operation. The oil produced here will free the empire from importing oil from abroad.

Coupled with the oil extracted from the oil fields of the East Indies, it was more than enough for the empire to use at this stage and even for decades to come.

"Your Majesty, the Anda oil field is now capable of producing about two thousand tons of oil per day. After half a year, the output can be increased to more than 10,000 tons. It is expected that after the completion of the second phase of the project. The daily output can reach more than 30,000 tons, and the annual output is 10 million tons! Minister of Industry Cen Chunxuan said with a smile on his face. For a long time, the empire was short of oil, and all the oil it needed had to be imported from abroad.

All this time, the empire was an import of American oil. When the relationship between the two countries is close, this is naturally not a problem. But now, the relationship between the two countries has become worse and worse, and there is a possibility that the Americans will be stuck in the neck in the future.

"The oil here, plus the oil of the East Indies. Enough for the development of the empire in the coming decades. However, if the empire wants to control the core of the world's energy in the future, it needs further development. Lord Cen, we need to train enough oil workers in the Anda oil field. Wu Haoxuan said.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Cen Chunxuan nodded.

After spending two days at the Anda Oilfield, Wu Haoxuan returned to Guannai by train. However, he did not return to Yanjing directly. Instead, he went to the Lucheng Industrial Base. After that, it followed the main railway line of the empire and headed south to the Daye iron ore area.

Wu Haoxuan inspected at this moment. I took a look at all the industrial areas of the empire. The workers were building in full swing, and the industrial strength of the empire was increasing step by step.

The empire is now developing not only heavy industry, but also light industry. With the investment of a large amount of private capital, a large number of factories have sprung up. With the completion of the land reform in the empire, the peasants became richer and richer, and their purchasing power increased greatly. This, in turn, contributed to the development of industry. It can be said that the huge domestic demand market of more than 400 million people alone has enabled the industrial and commercial development of the empire to develop benignly. The rapid development of industry also made the empire's national strength increase day by day.

Time passed slowly, and in a blink of an eye, it entered the era of the Yellow Emperor in 4512 (14). The antagonism between the two major military-political blocs in Europe is becoming more and more serious. Both sides are secretly accumulating strength, looking for opportunities to defeat each other in one fell swoop. The whole of Europe is like a powder keg, and it only takes a little spark to make this powder keg explode.

The clouds of war were thickening over Europe, and even ordinary people seemed to be able to smell gunpowder in the air. Many people are starting to find ways to leave Europe and go to places where the war will not be affected. The New World across the ocean became the preferred destination for these Europeans. The Chinese Empire also welcomed a group of immigrants from Europe. It's just that compared to the immigrants to the United States, the immigrants to China seem a little insignificant, which makes the emperor Wu Haoxuan very greedy, but there is nothing to be done.

After all, the United States and Europe in the New World are of the same origin, and their cultures and beliefs are extremely similar, and it is easy to integrate into the local society if you go to the United States. If you're traveling to China, it's different.

You know, the people who were able to emigrate before the outbreak of war were either rich or talented. If the Chinese Empire can absorb these immigrants and their capital and technology, it will undoubtedly be able to further improve the development of national strength. In order to attract immigrants, the empire also thought of many ways. The Empire's legations and consulates in various European countries proclaimed the friendliness of the Empire on various occasions and invited those who wanted to emigrate to the Empire. It's just that the effect is not obvious. In the eyes of the vast majority of Europeans, China is still a backward barbarian land, a country of barbarians. It is unlikely that they will be able to reverse this perception anytime soon. Therefore, if the empire wants to develop and become strong, it is obviously not feasible to take these shortcuts, and it can only rely on its own efforts to work hard.

On March 18, 4512 (14) of the Yellow Emperor Era, Emperor Wu Haoxuan convened a joint military and political meeting in the imperial palace. Senior officials of the Imperial Cabinet and the military attended the meeting. The meeting was attended not only by the chief of the General Staff, but also by the commanders of the fleets of the Imperial Navy, the commanders of the armies of the army, etc.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the situation in Europe has become more and more tense, and the war has reached the point where it is on the verge of breaking out. I estimate that it will be about three or four months before the war breaks out. Although, in this war, the empire will not get involved in the war. However, we have to prepare in advance. Wu Haoxuan said solemnly.

The military and political officials of the empire, after listening to Wu Haoxuan's words, couldn't help but become serious. Although, they also sensed that war seemed to be coming. However, I didn't expect that the time would come so quickly, only three or four months.

No one questioned Wu Haoxuan's inference, let alone raised objections. They all believed that Wu Haoxuan's inference was correct. These assumptions have been confirmed years ago.

"In that case, Your Majesty, then we must speed up some action. Once a war breaks out, the Japanese are likely to take the opportunity to stir up trouble, and we must be prepared against the Japanese. Imperial Prime Minister Yang Du said. The Japanese were allies of the British, and who knows if the Japanese would suddenly provoke a war by relying on the strength of the Entente? The Japanese are not a very sensible people, and they tend to do a lot of crazy things.

Wu Haoxuan nodded: "From now on, the Imperial Army and Navy will maintain the highest state of combat readiness. In particular, the Pacific Fleet, as soon as it receives an order for war, will immediately go to sea to fight. At the same time, it is necessary to guard against a sneak attack by little Japan. The Japanese are best at sneak attacks. ”

"Yes, Your Majesty." Marshal Shi Tianhan, Chief of the General Staff, Marshal Zhao Xifu, Minister of War, Marshal Sa Zhenbing, Minister of the Navy, and Marshal Cheng Biguang, Commander of the Navy and Commander of the Pacific Fleet, all received orders.

"In addition, in this war in Europe, the national policy of the empire is to sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight. Although we have relatively good relations with the Germans. However, in this war, we must maintain strict neutrality. Both major military blocs need a large amount of weapons and equipment and war materials, which we can provide. Therefore, from now on, the time has come for all kinds of factories in the empire to run at full capacity and make a big fortune. Wu Haoxuan said.

Historically, the Entente and the Central Powers spent tens of billions of pounds in military spending in order to win the war. Many of these military expenditures are for the purchase of military equipment and war materials from abroad. Historically, the United States and Japan achieved rapid development because they made a huge war windfall in World War I. This time, of course, the Chinese Empire could not lag behind the United States and Japan, and would have to find ways to grab their share. Only in this way will the empire be able to obtain sufficient funds for industrialization. By the time the war was over, the empire had already become an industrial and powerful country.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Once war broke out, the empire was able to switch to a wartime system and speed up the production of all kinds of war materials. Imperial Prime Minister Yang Du said.

The weapons and equipment produced by the empire, from small pistols and rifles to large warships, were world-class. And there are quite a few weapons that have been tested on the battlefield. Therefore, once the war broke out and both the Entente and the Central Powers were seriously short of weapons and equipment, the weapons and equipment of the Reich would definitely be welcomed.

Now the empire is ready, just wait for the war to break out, and then step on the body of the European power and climb upward. (To be continued.) )

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