"But now that the posture has been opened, the bow has been drawn, but I can't say stop and stop." The perimeter wind returned.

Zhu Lingjing "um" for a moment, "The army is ready to go, and we will have to sit and watch the changes in the future." ”

The war was fraught with uncertainty, and even the long-prepared Battle of the South Seas had many unexpected omissions – but in the face of sheer strength, these omissions were quickly filled in.

She was inevitably worried that a similar situation would occur in the future, and at the same time, the combat effectiveness of the American and Australian armies was not comparable to that of the British and Dutch colonial armies, and the Ming army was an ocean-crossing expedition, so I am afraid that the slightest omission would be magnified many times.

Next, Zhou Changfeng gave Zhu Lingjing a detailed account of what he had seen and heard in Yanjing.

"As I said a long time ago, such a major military event has to take into account the cost of manpower and material resources, which itself seems stingy and timid." The latter said disdainfully: "Last time, I should have come according to what I said, and the two roads went hand in hand." ”

In the past, she didn't know that firewood and rice were expensive, but now she already knows that the expenses of the imperial court are not easy.

However, it is one thing to do everything possible to open up sources and reduce expenditures, and it is another thing to involve the safety of the community.

"Your Majesty, the minister thinks that we should inquire where there are ready-made mines, and the higher the grade, the better. The collision method uses a lot of raw materials, and the uranium content of the ore is a little higher, and the later purification can save a lot of trouble. ”

Zhu Lingjing remained silent, just turned sideways and opened a drawer in the cabinet next to her, and took out a question book from it.

"The report presented by the R&D meeting, two volumes and twelve pages, you can take a look."

To be honest, Zhou Changfeng wanted to laugh a little when he saw the "Special Crop Research and Development Meeting" written on the cover of this document.

Compared with the "Tubular Alloy Council" that coordinated all affairs in the British nuclear program in history, the name of the organization of the Daming nuclear program is not so strange, but it makes people laugh.

The report lists the known and developed uranium mines in the world today, as well as the locations of warehouses where uranium ore is stored in various countries.

In the past, people did not know the value of uranium, and uranium ore was often mined only to find radium ore – at that time, all kinds of radium-containing products were popular all over the world.

In Berlin, for example, there are more than 1,000 tons of uranium ore stored, and people think that it is useless to eat and discard, so they store it in warehouses very casually.

In the second volume of the document, Zhou Changfeng saw a mining area in the Belgian Congo in Africa, and the report indicated that there was a considerable amount of uranium deposits.

Congo is now under Belgian rule, and the Belgian tyrant Leopold II used bloody and brutal methods to enslave the locals during his reign – as long as the plantation rubber harvest quota did not meet the target, then the hands would be cut off.

More than 20 years ago, the Belgian United Mining Company carried out experimental mining in Hinkolobwe and discovered unusually high levels of uranium, but people were not interested in these useless things, but concentrated on the search for radium.

"Your Majesty, is this data wrong?"

Looking at the report that "the average content of uranium oxide is 60%, and the peak can reach 703", Zhou Changfeng subconsciously felt that this was unreliable.

Zhu Lingjing, who looked calm, picked up the teacup and shook it, "It's really bizarre, but the writer of the R&D meeting said that the summary is true." ”

Hinkelobwe is a world-famous uranium mine, a freak of nature, as there is no purer uranium ore anywhere in the world.

For example, the El Dorado uranium mine in Canada contains about 1%, which is already good, but many uranium mines contain only 0.3%.

However, the uranium deposits in Hinkolobwe are as high as 60 percent, and even the average grade is about 20 percent.

Historically, the Americans bought 1,200 tons of uranium ore from here in four or three years, and shipped it to Staten Island in New York as a raw material for the Manhattan Project.

"If that's true, that's outrageous." Perimeter Wind was shocked that there was such a magical place in the world.

"I have decreed that they should be reconfirmed, and if there is no doubt about it, then ......"

"Then we really have to find a way to get a few boats back...... But it seems that there is no way to pass, and the British are still blocking Indu. ”

Zhou Changfeng, who was extremely excited, snatched Zhu Lingjing's words, and the latter couldn't help but pout.

The Ming and Britain are still at war, and the submarine forces deployed by the Ming Navy in Sin Chew are constantly rotating attacks, and now they have sunk 200,000 tons of merchant ships.

Correspondingly, the Royal Navy stationed in Ceylon and Diego Garcia would not let go of any merchant ships of Daming, Korea, Annam, and Lanfang that passed through.

The cutting off of sea routes did not affect the resources of the Ming Dynasty, and now the tributary circle can easily complete self-sufficiency, and the transaction of a few high-end machinery and equipment can also be completed by land rail.

"After the last peace talks broke up, the British did not give up." Zhu Lingjing took a sip of herbal tea and said calmly: "Especially after the German submarine ran rampant in the Atlantic, the British were more willing to armistice with our country...... At least a temporary truce. ”

After leaving the port, the merchant ships loaded with cotton, manganese ore, and bauxite produced by Indo-Du were first attacked by Ming submarines, and then they were attacked again by German submarines in the Atlantic.

"So Your Majesty means that when the time comes, we will take advantage of the temporary truce to send ships to the Congo to buy a few ships of mines and come back?" Zhou Changfeng asked thoughtfully.

"That's pretty much it, but if you want to be more subtle, you have to plan carefully."

"Then this plan should be hurried, and the other powers will definitely notice Hinkolobwe after realizing that the nuclear fission phenomenon can be militarized."

Zhou Changfeng remembered that the beginning of the nuclear programs of Germany and Britain in history was very early, as if it had been initially launched in 39 years, but the progress was slow because of the degree of attention.

But in any case, there are hidden dangers, as long as the British government knows the importance of uranium mines, it is impossible for Daming to make a fuss about Hinkolobwe.

Before that, a few ships were transported back in the bright light, and the British regretted keeping them later.

In addition, Zhou Changfeng also truthfully informed the emperor of the urging and pressure on the scholars who participated in the Golden Crow Plan.

"There is no such thing, I am still waiting patiently, could it be that they are more anxious than me?" Zhu Lingjing was also not polite, and said nonchalantly: "In the future, the R&D will only be used as a resource coordination department to coordinate manpower and material resources." This kind of thing does not need to be pointed at by some people, and the actual progress and results are directly presented to the emperor. ”

After speaking, she took a blank booklet in her hand, picked up a pen and wrote two lines of words, and finally picked up the seal and knocked on a bright red square seal.

Well, that's right, it's better not to involve non-technocrats in the professional sector.

"Okay, your majesty is so wise and decisive, the minister will leave first."

The satisfied circumference of the wind immediately retreated, and left the Zhaoren Hall quickly.

Although the bumps in the Doomsday Miracle Weapon have not been solved, there are a few fewer obstacles to overcoming the bumps, and then it should only be necessary to wait patiently for the final result.

Because he has been busy with official work recently, Zhou Changfeng can often only spare a little time every few days to go around the garrison of the 1st Marine Brigade twice.

Now, with the main units participating in the battle assembling in Sanya, Guangzhou, and Fuzhou, the 1st Marine Brigade is about to be mobilized.

For soldiers who have already experienced war firsthand, the brutality of battle is a horror that many people cannot look back on, and the fear of going into battle again is a common situation.

And those soldiers who are silent are often numb, and their eyes are as empty as soulless fighting machines.

However, the atmosphere of the 1st Marine Brigade was quite relaxed, writing letters, cutting haircuts, chatting at dinners, playing cards and smoking...... It can also reflect that this is a battle-hardened force.

It sounds like a calm and unhurried professional army, and it sounds bad to say that it's a group of experienced veterans.

After walking around, Zhou Changfeng crossed his waist and said with a smile: "I have been sent to the squad platoon after thinking about the war briefing, and I am still so calm." ”

Detailed and accurate intelligence is the key to defeating the enemy, and the staff office of the Metropolitan Governor's Office and the military department often jointly write and publish some pamphlets to facilitate the officers and men to understand the details of the enemy's army.

The 1st Marine Brigade was responsible for carrying out the plan to invade Australia with the Australian Corps, and the 2nd Marine Brigade was the vanguard of the siege of the Philippines; The remaining Marine brigades are on standby at Hangzhou and Dagu and may be used to attack the Truk Islands in Micronesia.

As a result, the 1st Marine Brigade received pamphlets such as "A Brief Introduction to Australia's Topography," "A Brief Introduction to Australia's Towns," and "A Brief Overview of the Facts of the US-Australian Coalition Forces."

Considering that there are many strange and poisonous insects in Australia's magical continent, the Ming military medical unit also discussed how to better deal with them.

In all fairness, Zhou Changfeng was not as optimistic and relaxed as the officers and soldiers.

Perhaps it is because of the series of battles so far that everyone has returned with a high degree of psychological confidence, and I hope that when the time comes, I will not suffer because I take it lightly.

After coming to the location of the brigade headquarters, Zhao Hanfeng routinely reported the main information to Zhou.

"At present, the establishment of the US infantry division is still relatively large, with a full force of 15,000 people, and the division-level artillery configuration is quite strong."

"The known U.S. 41st Division and U.S. 8th Division are not significantly different from our army in terms of weapons, and the firepower of the infantry detachments is still outstanding, and most of the equipment is old."

"The U.S. Eighth Division is now held by Joseph Stilwell, a graduate of West Point, who fought in Europe and was promoted to brigadier general three months ago......"

Aha? The name...... Meet a historical celebrity again?

A little curious, Zhou Changfeng asked, "Do you have any information about this division commander?" Why was he transferred to the division commander as soon as he was promoted to brigadier general? ”

"Yes." Zhao Hanfeng nodded, and after a short thought, he organized his words, "This person served as a military attache in the legation in the twenty-sixth year of Zhichang, and served for a total of five years, and then served for another year in the thirty-fourth year of Zhichang. When our army pacified Japan, the US military observer group was under his command. ”

Zhu Lixuan sighed, "This person knows a lot about us, no wonder." ”

"Indeed, he has a good understanding of China's national conditions, and the Americans call him a China expert, which is probably the reason why the upper echelons of the United States instructed him to transfer to the post of division commander." Zhao Hanfeng said.

Joseph Stilwell was transferred to the commander of the 8th Brigade of the 4th Division at the beginning of this year, but only half a year later he was ordered to be transferred to the commander of the newly reconstituted 8th Infantry Division.

At this time, Yao Liangchuan reminded: "In the past 20 years, the United States has been similar to China's DPRK and has never experienced the tempering of war, but according to the evaluation of the Germans, no matter what, its combat strength cannot be underestimated. ”

Some German officers in the European War recorded in their diaries their evaluations of the operations of the British, French, and American armies, and the American soldiers were at least praised by the Germans in terms of morale.

"There were Americans resisting every trench, they kept fighting even when they were surrounded, we only captured six prisoners of war, and the rest were killed."

"The Americans used all weapons to fight to the death. In close combat, they are insidious and cunning, and are the most dangerous enemies...... The officers and men of the [Storm] commandos believed that a large amount of explosives and flamethrowers would be needed to deal with the Americans."

As for the Australian army, its morale and combat effectiveness are first-class among the Commonwealth armies, perhaps because they are blessed with genetic gifts?

"The self-confidence and contempt of the soldiers can hardly be changed by our exhortations and reminders, but officers are different, and all officers must be cautious about the enemy's situation. Remember, we are on an expedition against the enemy's homeland. ”

"Yes." All the officers of the brigade headquarters clasped their fists and saluted together.

As for the situation of the US military's weapons and equipment, because the war was not sufficient, the federal government ordered the rebuilding of so many infantry divisions in one go, and naturally there was no guarantee that they could all be equipped with new weapons.

First of all, the Marine Corps is the lowest priority and can be disregarded.

The second is the army, which on the one hand uses Europe as an imaginary combat area, and on the other hand, it has to deal with the Ming army in the Asia-Pacific region.

Since the War Department believed that the United States would soon start a war against Germany, it gave priority to the new M1 steel helmet, the M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle, and the M2 medium tank to those units that were scheduled to be deployed to Europe.

So the 41st and 8th Divisions that came to Australia were undoubtedly very hard - wearing the same Tommy helmet as the British army, holding a Springfield bolt-action rifle, and carrying a field backpack made more than 20 years ago.

It can be said that they used their father's weapons and equipment to cross the vast Pacific Ocean to fight against the Ming army, and the only thing that can comfort them is that the artillery is not bad, the M2 105mm howitzer and the M7918 155mm howitzer are very good.

The M2 medium tank was a tank that had just entered service - something that the Americans themselves had invented, badly designed, and was born backward.

The vehicle is tall, with a total of 6 members, 32mm thick frontal armor, a 37mm tank gun as its main armament, and as many as 7 machine guns as much as its secondary armament.

[Picture]

Now the German Society has been mass-producing the No. III E model equipped with a 50mm tank gun and 40mm frontal armor, and even the VK4501 heavy breakthrough combat vehicle has been officially established.

Oooo

And Daming has also begun mass production of the Type 38 medium tank A, and although there is still no conclusion on whether the next generation of tanks should be developed now, it is also on the agenda.

At this rate, I am afraid that it will be a long time before the Ming army encounters the Sherman crisis.

(End of chapter)