Lake Michigan, USA. On Chicago's Lake Harbor, two icebreakers crush the thin ice around the harbor to open a channel to the deep, unfrozen waters, followed by two low, broad-bodied flat-topped boats: an all-access flight deck painted with white reticles, and a small island with a chimney, and a few crane levers sticking outboard next to the island, which at first glance look like an aircraft carrier - but not only is the deck empty, not a single plane in sight, There is also no sign of an aircraft lift leading to the hangar. What is particularly strange is that the obvious protruding part of the middle of the two sides, although it is covered by the gunwale, can still be seen from the strange white waves on the side of the gunwale: it is obvious that these two boats are propelled by paddle wheels.

On the strange ship, a group of uniformed soldiers and officers in top hats were slowly pacing along the edge of the deck with a thick-looking, high-nosed and big-eared old man, stopping from time to time to point something.

“…… The 'Wolverine' under our feet was originally a paddle steamer "Xiapi" built in 1912, and shortly after Pearl Harbor, it was acquired by the War Shipping Administration at the same time as another older paddle steamer "Erie" built in 1900. Brigadier Chambers will be the head of the project. ”

“…… The ship has a standard displacement of 7,200 tons, a flight deck of 500 feet long and 98 feet wide, equipped with 4 coal-fired boilers and two reciprocating steam engines, and a maximum speed of 16 knots; The Weasel on the other side had a displacement of only 6,000 tons, a flight deck of 450 feet (137 meters), a width of 90 feet, and a maximum speed of only 14 knots. Both ships are sufficient to meet the basic take-off and landing requirements of various carrier-based aircraft in service and design...... That's the basics of this project, Mr. President. ”

The old man tightened his grip on the black staff of civilization in his hand and greeted the introducer, Assistant Secretary of the Navy in charge of aviation affairs, Mark Brown. Major General L. Bristol nodded: "Very well, Colonel, then, when can we start training?" ”

Major General Bristol to Washington, who has just been introduced. Irving. Rear Admiral Chambers tilted his head sideways, and Chambers took a step forward knowingly, bowed his head and reported to President Wilson: "The relevant regulations for take-off and landing and deck operations have been formulated with the assistance of the British side, but they still need to be verified and revised in practice, and the coordination with the Glenview Naval Air Station is still in the final run-in, and the first batch of official cadets will be reached at the latest, and if the system is running ideally, it is expected to complete more than 100,000 takeoffs and landings per year and train more than 12,000 flight cadets." ”

Wilson smiled at him with kindness and appreciation: "Chambers, I've heard of you for a long time, when I wasn't president. The first time the Navy took off a plane from a warship, you did it, and you were the director of the Navy Materiel Bureau at the time, which sounds a bit unprofessional, but maybe because of this, I remember you. ”

After that, he picked up his cane and tapped the wooden flight deck under his feet, shook his head regretfully, and said: "The correct proposal for the large-scale development of carrier-based aviation is also the first to be put forward by you. It's a pity that the time we wasted in the Taft era will never come back......"

Chambers took advantage of the situation to give way to the side slightly, so that the CEOs of Curtis, Wright, and Martin could show their faces in front of the president in time, and at the same time answered smartly: "Fortunately, the well-known figures in the aviation industry, represented by Mr. Curtis, Mr. Wright, and Mr. Martin, have not been deterred by the indifference and numbness of the military, and insist on developing their own aircraft with excellent performance......

As he listened, the president gratefully shook hands with several of the leading figures of the U.S. aviation industry.

"Of course, thanks to the honorable Mr. Baruch, without his matchmaking and the introduction of several prominent bankers on Wall Street to fund the operation, the civil and commercial aviation activities could not have developed to such a prosperous extent as before the war, thus reserving a large number of pilots, and also ensuring the effective development of the American aviation industry in the absence of sufficient military orders, which is an important basis for the explosive development of the army and naval aviation after the war was imposed on us, or rather...... Key factors. ”

Bernard Bernard, chairman of the Military Industrial Commission, who was so flattered by Chambers. Baruch bowed his head and said with a smile: "This is all thanks to the Chinese, the wide function and great potential of various aircraft in the Asian-Russian War, especially the heavier-than-air powered aircraft, although it failed to alert the military at once, but it has unearthed opportunities for our country's businessmen who have always had a keen sense of smell......

Later, in Africa, the colonial war between Britain, Germany, Italy and France to divide Abyssinia, and the Italo-Turkish war for the territory of North Africa. As well as the two Balkan wars, and the pre-war landing operation in the Bay of Veracruz, in which we intervened in the Mexican Civil War, fully demonstrated the importance of aviation in future wars. ”

"Since the government is constrained by pacifism and isolationism, and does not want to lose the support of a part of the conservative parliamentarians who are both numb and ignorant of the development of military technology and its possible consequences, which is indeed politically difficult to choose, it is necessary to prepare for it by the knowledgeable people of the people...... While the actual participants may not have the sense to think about the future of the country, most of them only think of it as a fun and fashionable activity, or a shortcut to make money, or just to attract the attention of the girls, like this Mr. Martin, hehe- just kidding. In any case, the actual effect of this participation, whether intentional or unintentional, has been shown by all, and perhaps this is one of the concrete manifestations of the so-called 'American spirit' in our time......"

Baruch's self-absorbed speech was soon interrupted by Rear Admiral Bristol, and three young officers, one of whom was still dressed in a British naval uniform, was introduced to the president in his mid-thirties and forties.

Bristol wasted no time in introducing it: "This is the Nobel Prize. Colonel Erwin, who has just returned from an expedition to England, is now in charge of the study and improvement of naval aviation, especially carrier-based aviation......"

"This is Joseph. Major Reeves, the captain of the Navy's only dedicated seaplane carrier, the USS Jupiter, also had just returned from England and witnessed first-ever confrontation between aircraft carriers during the Battle of the Bay of Bengal on the USS Brilliant, the flagship of Vice Admiral Hood, and is now primarily responsible for the study and training of naval aviation tactics......"

"This is William of the Royal Navy. Pyle. Major Serris, one of the staff officers of Lieutenant General Hood's command during the Battle of the Bay of Bengal, who has participated in all combat operations of the Royal Navy's aircraft carrier force since the air raid on Kiel, has recently received approval from the British side to accept an invitation from our Admiralty to assist Colonel Erwin and Lieutenant Colonel Reeves in their work......"

Before Baruch could breathe, Bristol brought out a younger officer: "This is John. Major Tors. One of the first three flight officers trained by the U.S. Navy Tollite Company, he served as the squadron leader of the Navy's No. 1 Seaplane Squadron aboard the "Jupiter", participated in the combat mission to defend the Panama Canal Zone, and was later sent to the United Kingdom to study. ”

President Wilson happily shook hands with the officers one by one, briefly asked a few questions, and suddenly turned around and called Bristol, who thought he was doing things neatly and a little proud: "So, before they train enough carrier-based aircraft pilots and our aircraft carriers are put into service in batches, we can only watch the Chinese run around the world?" ”

"We will not let them succeed, Your Excellency."

Without waiting for Bristol's introduction, the one who took the initiative to stand out from the crowd was William Brown, the pioneer of the Navy's shore-based aviation and the commander of the first naval aviation combat wing. Major General Fletcher.

……

In Cining Palace in the Forbidden City, the secret conversation between the empress and a certain patriarch in the secret room continues.

"I think back then, when Elder Mo was on the issue of establishing a reserve, he did not hesitate to turn his face with Zhang Zhigao and them to support me, saying that it was kindness or righteousness, and I would never forget it...... In fact, over the years, how can I not see your achievements? But times are changing. This empire, this world realm, is no longer what some people had imagined it to be......"

The light dyed a gloomy yellow on the white linen cloth's filial piety clothes, and the sound of chanting Buddha outside was like the sound of mosquitoes and flies, echoing endlessly.

"I don't don't understand the true meaning of Your Majesty, indeed, the Manchu Eight Banners were overthrown, and an officer corps was launched, but the leader was unfamiliar, and he didn't recognize the emperor or the law, only the gun."

"The Eight Imperial Examinations were abolished, and a group of new bureaucrats were raised to take the new examinations. The leader doesn't say or deny the emperor, the original laws were all made by them, and on the surface, they are also angry with the military leader, but in fact, what's the difference? It's just that I hate myself for not having a gun. ”

"The difference is only that some people play warlordship with the barrel of a gun, and some people act as a political lord with a pen. Someone came to the light, which seemed to be a despicable plot but was actually a robbery; Someone comes to the yin, and it looks bright and fair, but in fact it is ruthless. What's the solution? Because we are all the same, before the courage to gamble on our lives, no matter how high or low, this world was created by us, we are all creators, we do not distinguish between high and low, but only for the need to cooperate and negotiate the division of labor, this deep-rooted idea determines that no one among us will recognize the only absolute supreme authority, let alone obey the laws that are only made for 'man' and not 'God'......"

"The way out that His Majesty pointed out to us before is actually a hint that we want to be in the depths of our souls who still refuse to give up the 'divinity', and take our own power to develop outside, and you can do your kind of thing with restrictions on the outside - there is a little bit of separation, and give up the seat to those who sincerely respect the supreme authority of the law and agree with the spirit of today's constitution in their bones The new generation of elite backbones, in this way, can we truly unify the hearts of the people, and with the momentum of all people, not only to win this war, It is also necessary to complete the final integration of a supra-national civilization empire beyond the narrow nation-state significance of the West. ”

Behind the black-rimmed glasses, which are not too thick, the inquiring gaze is like a needle and an arrow, without the slightest humility that a courtier should have, but it is full of sincerity, and there is no trace of concealment.

After two puffs of cigarettes, Empress Liu Qianhua slowly got up, took a step forward, and slowly reached in front of Mo Ning.

"Welcome to join us...... We. ”

……

"Isn't it too anxious to send large-scale reinforcements to the Australian battlefield now? Although the morale of the navy is high, the strength and training are ......"

Washington. The oval room of the White House was brightly lit, but only two people sat opposite each other on the sofa across the coffee table: President Wilson, who had just returned from a trip to Chicago, and Bernard Brown, chairman of the Military-Industrial Commission. Baruch.

"Training is never enough, strength depends on how to use it. The enemy will not allow us to produce armaments, train our armies, catch up little by little until they overwhelm them, they will destroy our allies, weaken our economy, control the strategic points indispensable for our offensive before we have a clear advantage in military power, and force us to fight the battles they wish in the battlefields they have chosen. ”

"Of course I understand this, but I doubt that they have enough resources to achieve absolute superiority in all theaters......"

Baruch did not hesitate to interrupt the president: "At least after the Battle of the Bay of Bengal, there is no force that can really stop them in the past few months, the most important thing they need to worry about is how to maintain their supply lines that are getting longer and longer, about to circle most of the world, but this is not a problem that can never be solved, as long as we have been unable to effectively attack their supply lines, the well-protected coastal industrial belt will continue to produce standardized transport ships in the form of assembly lines, Just like they had already done before the war, only the scale would be much larger. Yes, they will become bigger and stronger until they devour and destroy the entire Western civilization world, and re-establish their traditional Huayi order within the world, that is, they alone are the center of the world, the only apex of civilization, and beyond that, they can only be the country of backward and vulgar barbarians......"

President Wilson frowned unhappily, and his tone became more intense: "Do you really believe the nonsense in those things?" The elite who led that empire, even their emperor and the current empress, had traveled through time and space from the future? How can the Council, how can it...... To be so absurd and distorted by this is that it is simply blasphemous to God......"

"So, are you going to suspect the Board of Governors who made a decisive contribution to your campaign fundraising?"

Wilson, who was hit by the point, narrowed his eyes and said unwillingly: "I didn't mean that, I just wanted to ......"

Baruch snorted through his nose: "If it weren't for the arrogance and willfulness of that German polio, we could have joined forces to complete that strangulation strategy before all this happened, but now, it's useless to say anything...... If this war is not won, we will either have nothing left, or we will only have a few more breaths - like the condemned prisoners who have stuck their heads in the noose, those monsters will not give us any chance - especially not as many as we have given them so many chances. With all due respect, Your Excellency President, if you do not recognize the reality in any case, I am afraid that you will not be able to lead this God-given Garden of Eden, and indeed the entire world of white civilization, to the ultimate victory. ”

“…… I see...... I'll take a look at the ...... of those documents when I have time."

Baruch smiled unappretently at His Excellency the President, who had to give in: "So, now can we start with more important topics?" ”