Chapter 49: A Humorous World

  There were countless brilliant empires on the mainland, and the strong powers of the ocean also shone brightly around the world.

  China is the empire that has been brilliant for thousands of years on land, and its maritime status is also good. The Chinese mainland has produced countless prosperous and powerful dynasties, such as the Tang Dynasty's "Ten Nations Come to Pay Tribute", the Song Dynasty's "Jiangsu and Zhejiang Thousand Sails Compete in Navigation", the Yuan Dynasty's "Drinking Horse in Europe on the Danube River", and the Ming Dynasty's Zheng He's voyage to the Western Ocean. However, these achievements are not comparable to the Qing Dynasty's defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War. The First Sino-Japanese War led to the demise of the Manchu Navy, which was once the sixth-largest navy in the world and the largest in Asia. Since then, China's maritime borders have been lost!

  "After the establishment of the Republic, the remnants of the Qing Navy were reorganized to some extent. First, it was the Provisional Government of the Republic, then the Beiyang warlords, and now it has become the Guangdong military government and the division of the North. Although the Qing only left the Republic with 40 ships and a total displacement of over 40,000 tons, having is better than not having!"

  In January 1912, after the establishment of the Provisional Government in Nanjing, a Navy Department was set up. Huang Zhongying was appointed as the Minister of the Navy, and Tang Huaming was appointed as the Deputy Minister of the Navy and Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Expeditionary Navy. Later, under pressure from Yuan Shikai, the provisional government moved to Beijing and added a Naval Command Headquarters. Liu Guanzhong was reappointed as the Minister of the Navy, and Huang Zhongying was reappointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. In July 1913, the First Fleet, Second Fleet, and Training Fleet were formed, with more than 40 ships and a total displacement of approximately 40,000 tons.

  They also adjusted the limited domestic naval academies, changing Jiangnan Waterborne School to Nanjing Naval Military Academy; Zhoushan Shipbuilding School was divided into Manufacturing School and Ma'anshan Naval School, Yantai Naval Academy; Dongjiang Waterborne School was changed to Yantai Naval School, Guangdong Naval School; and the Waterborne Training Camp was changed to the Naval Training Camp. In addition, Jiangnan Dockyard, Dagushan Dockyard, and Fuzhou Shipbuilding Bureau were all placed under the jurisdiction of the Navy Department. In December 1914, the Navy Department changed the Marine Guard Corps to a Marine Corps with only one battalion. In 1915, the Navy Department took over the Wusong Merchant Shipping School, merged it with Nanjing Naval Military Academy, and renamed it Wusong Naval Military Academy.

  "What's next?"

  "In July 1917, Admiral Cheng Biguang and Commander of the 1st Fleet Lin Baojie led 'Haiqi' and six other warships from Wusong to Guangzhou, where they joined the 'Haichen' cruiser which had arrived earlier, as well as two original vessels stationed in Guangdong and the later-arriving training fleet's 'Zhaohe' cruiser, making a total of 11 vessels participating in the Constitutional Protection Movement. From then on, the navy was split into the Northern Government Navy and the Guangzhou Revolutionary Government Navy."

  "How much 'wealth' did the Qing dynasty actually leave for the Republic of China? Is it necessary to divide what has already been divided?"

  "The large warships left over from the Qing dynasty to the Republic of China included four cruisers, six destroyers, most of which were in the First Fleet. The four cruisers left by the Qing dynasty, such as the Hai Chi-class cruisers, were all in the First Fleet. In addition, there were many gunboats or shallow-draft gunboats in the two fleets, with the Second Fleet having more of this type of ship. Furthermore, the First Fleet had a transport ship, the Second Fleet had a training ship, and a certain number of torpedo boats."

  "What is the quality of the officers and soldiers?"

  "It's hard to say, if we consider the combat effectiveness based on the type and tonnage of warships. The First Fleet is definitely stronger, but both fleets have been lacking funds for a long time, and some sailors haven't received their subsidies for a while. The Qing dynasty sailors only hang their clothes on the ship's cannons and sunbathe, they can play tricks too. Moreover, almost all the warships are in need of major repairs or even retirement, but... As a member of the navy, the speaker seems to have no regard for his own naval identity."

  "The Qing dynasty has been gone for many years, and it's been so long since China had a warship launched. Our merchant fleet seems to have never seen the so-called combat patrols or offshore training of the Chinese Navy! No money, no ships, it's not easy for the two major fleets to survive until now!!"

  Zhang Yusheng stroked his chin, gazing at Chen Shaokuan with a distant look in his eyes. The man before him was one of China's rare naval talents, and would have demonstrated his abilities if history had unfolded as it originally did. As the commander-in-chief of Chiang Kai-shek's navy during the War of Resistance against Japan, he was now merely a naval officer about to be dispatched to France. If history continued on its current course, what kind of person would Chen Shaokuan become? Whose side would he be on? Zhang Yusheng truly had no idea, but after their pleasant conversation lasting over an hour, he already had the intention of recruiting him.

  "I heard that Chen Wuguan not only inspected the American Navy in the United States, but also served in the British fleet and fought bravely to receive encouragement and awards from the British Queen. You must have some ideas about the navies of the major powers. The ship can set sail at any time, we're not in a hurry, why don't you tell us?"

  Chen Shaokuan entered the Jiangnan Naval Academy at the age of 17 to study navigation, and after graduation, he went through the process of being a probationary officer, second lieutenant, first lieutenant, etc., until he was promoted to deputy commander of the General Command. After distinguishing himself in the revolutionary party's struggle for the "Zhaohe" warship and being promoted to captain, he rose rapidly. In 1916, he was sent to the United States to inspect the navy, and at the end of the year, he went to Europe to observe the war, then joined the British battleship fleet to fight against the German Navy, and received the "Special Meritorious Service Medal" awarded by the British government. After returning home, he was again sent to France to investigate the navy before his seat had even warmed up.

  Zhang Yusheng estimated that Chen Shaokuan would eventually break out of his shell and become a butterfly if he continued to develop in this order. Of course, Zhang Yusheng was particularly grateful for the damned war of protection, otherwise he wouldn't have met Chen Shaokuan who had been delayed by the ship's schedule. Anyway, almost every week, there were fleets departing from the autonomous region to Europe, and Chen Shaokuan, who had been detained, sometimes chatted with Zhang Yu.

  "In fact, my investigation in the US did not gain anything, just like in the UK, all were stereotypical big powers with big warships. The navy is a technical branch of the military, although the quality of soldiers is crucial to some extent, but the real protagonist is still the quality and quantity of weapons, that is to say, the industrial strength of a country determines its naval power, a fleet bought is not a reliable fleet!"

  Chen Shaokuan is one of the most farsighted generals among many in modern China, perhaps due to his rich experience. Later, he dreamed of building several aircraft carrier fleets for China, but Chiang Kai-shek used delaying tactics and eventually dashed his dreams, wasting a talented naval general.

  "In the US and Europe, I've seen many powerful industries, especially their emerging automobile industry, which is truly enviable!" Chen Wuguan said with a sly smile, looking at Zhang Yuansheng, who also gave him a sly smile in return. "In the US, UK, and France, where I'm about to go, they must all use luxurious cars, branded fashionable clothes, exquisite food, high-end residences, and lavish parties as symbols of status and life themes, with the first place seemingly occupied by Director Zhang's achievements!"

  At this point, Zhang Yu-sheng couldn't help but laugh and quickly picked up his teacup to cover his embarrassment. However, Chen Wuguan was not one to let go easily and continued, "When I was in the US and UK, I had no idea that the AsiaMei Group was actually a Chinese company? Later, after being repeatedly told and finally believing it, but soon after visiting the prosperous New York Wall Street, especially the office building that was almost as luxurious as those of other major American companies, I could only choose to continue holding my own views. The AsiaMei that dominated the global luxury car industry would never be a Chinese company! Then I went to the UK, where gentlemen all considered having an AsiaMei Huayi as a basic condition for going out, and I was even more convinced that the AsiaMei Group was just an American super- enterprise... Of course, I don't believe it now..."

  "You've said that, it seems my hidden technique is indeed old and mature enough! However, there are very few people who really know that the boss of that company is Chinese. Because when we were at our peak, there weren't many reports in the media, and by the time our reputation spread out, most of us Chinese had already returned to our home country to pursue our own dreams. And how could the proud citizens of a powerful nation possibly acknowledge the identity of a Chinese boss of a large company? Nowadays, AsiaMe Group is a global group, wherever there's a factory, it's naturally mainly staffed by workers from that country, so you can't even tell who the boss is anymore?"

  "Besides, who is the boss doesn't matter. What matters is that we can truly bring benefits and progress to our country and people, that's what a national enterprise should do!" Zhang Yusheng glanced at the wall clock, then looked at Chen Wuguan with a faint smile, and continued: "The United States has already won a crucial battle on the European battlefield. I believe that if this continues, the Allied victory is inevitable, but the specific time cannot be determined yet. Chen Wuguan, take care on your way to France!"

  Chen Shaokuan, who "accidentally" encountered a delayed boat from Hong Kong, was dragged all the way to the southwest by Zhang Yuansheng, who tried his best for half a day but still couldn't shake this stubborn northerner into joining his camp. That's how things look at present.

  "Our fleet will set sail in half an hour, it's time to board and depart. Of course, the cargo ship is definitely not as comfortable as a cruise liner, don't blame me, brother Shao Kuan!" Zhang Yu Sheng smiled wryly and grasped Chen Shao Kuan's hand, feeling that he was so close yet so far away from talent.

  "Actually, my brother's autonomous region is developing very well, and the book isn't bad either!" Chen Shaokuan waved a book in front of Zhang Yu-sheng, titled "The Road to Greatness", a book written by Zhang Yu-sheng based on China's current situation and the Revival Party, with the mission of reviving China, doing every trivial matter solidly. "Perhaps one day, we will meet again! At that time, there will no longer be you and me!" With his luggage in hand, Chen Shaokuan gave Zhang Yu-sheng a People's Liberation Army salute before smiling and leaving the office at Fangchenggang Port Dispatch Center, embarking on a long journey to Europe.

  "Wooooo..."

  A long, drawn-out whistle pierced the air, pulling Zhang Yusheng back to reality as he gazed out at the balcony. "If it's not useful to me, I'll kill it! Who the hell said that? It's absolutely true!" He muttered to himself, pulled out a cigarette and lit it with a lighter, sinking into even deeper contemplation.

  The news of the United States' entry into the war was already yesterday's news for the whole world. As for the reason for entering the war, some people say that Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare caused huge losses to the United States, while others say that the Zimmermann incident threatened the backyard of the United States and forced it to declare war on Germany.

  In February 1915, Germany declared the implementation of unrestricted submarine warfare, indiscriminately sinking enemy merchant ships in the waters surrounding Great Britain and Ireland, as well as the English Channel, without prior warning, including neutral vessels. On May 7, 1915, the German submarine sank the Lusitania, killing 128 Americans on board, sparking outrage among the American public, creating a certain foundation for public opinion for US participation in the war. The strong protests from the United States led Germany to temporarily suspend unrestricted submarine warfare in May 1916.

  In fact, Germany was indeed relying on its strong national strength, and the balance of war was almost completely tilted in its favor. However, with the British launching a desperate counterattack on the European continent, although it did not cause losses to Germany, but the limited national strength encountered the stubborn resistance of the Anglo-French coalition, which disregarded costs and consequences. As a result, both sides finally fell into a stalemate.

  After the British Empire won the Battle of Jutland, Germany completely lost its initiative at sea, especially strategic supplies from maritime trade. In order to break the stalemate on the land battlefield that had not broken through for a long time, in October 1917, Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare, attempting to force Britain to surrender within "about six months" by blockading submarines, of course, also maximizing the reduction of enemy combat effectiveness. The German Empire truly implemented an unlimited strategy, starting a crazy massacre on neutral ships, including the once-cooperative America, which had many unfortunate cargo ships in these few months.

  The Entente powers suffered even more heavily, by the beginning of 1918, nearly 6 million tons of Allied shipping had been sunk by U-boats. The losses were borne mainly by Britain, which lost over 5 million tons, and France, which lost around 400,000 tons. Although some merchantmen were sunk in 1914, it was not until the following year that Germany began to make a concerted effort to sink Allied ships.

  In the face of a severe situation, Britain first took a series of anti-submarine measures, including arming merchant ships, naval escort, and developing anti-submarine technology. Of course, increasing the number of cargo ship orders was also a major measure. However, the United States, which was also a neutral trader with two heads, suffered greatly from Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare, to the point where the number of new ships launched by Britain and the United States was less than the number lost. If this situation continued, even if the United States did not intervene in European affairs, its own development would be greatly affected.

  Although history has undergone some changes, it has merely delayed the time of occurrence of events and has not changed their nature.

  On January 17, 1918, the British naval intelligence intercepted a telegram encrypted with Germany's highest diplomatic cipher 0075. The telegram was from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann and was sent to the German ambassador in Washington, who would forward it to the President of Mexico. The contents of the telegram were an offer by Germany to help Mexico regain Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona from the United States if they declared war on them.

  On February 25, President Wilson learned of the contents of the telegram. On March 1, Wilson publicly announced the above message, and the Lusitania incident was still haunting, and the ocean trade ships were repeatedly sunk without reason, and the Americans were finally enraged. On April 6, the US Congress passed a war resolution, and the United States officially entered the war.

  "Americans are just a group of businessmen, wherever there is money to be made, that's where you'll find them!"

  Zhang Yu-sheng naturally did not believe that the Americans would be enraged by the so-called sinking incident and a telegram with an obvious ulterior motive, and then go to war. The main reason for hastily declaring war on Germany was not because of interests. Of course, the declaration of war by the Northern Government controlled by China may have been coerced.

  Chang Yu-sheng knew that before Germany was completely strategically blockaded, Germany's enormous purchasing power made neutral countries very comfortable. Although there were some unpleasantness between the US and Germany, the Allied Powers were the main trading partners of the United States, but with the emergence of autonomous regions and Asia as two strange creatures out of thin air, it was equivalent to maintaining bilateral trade at the same level, or even more favorable to Germany.

  From 1914 to 1918, the autonomous region and its controlled conglomerates traded with Allied countries under the name of American companies or their own names, from $115 million in '14 to $1.5696 billion in '18 before the unrestricted submarine warfare. However, trade with Britain-led Allies increased slowly, from $256 million in '14 to $2.11 billion now, which would not have risen so high if it were not for the cut-off of trade with Germany.

  Of course, the US trade volume with Germany has decreased from $523 million in 1914 to $26.4 million before the unrestricted submarine warfare, and now it is almost zero. On the contrary, the trade volume with the Allied Powers has increased from $335.1 million in 1914 to $3.378 billion now, and the wealthy America also lent nearly $15 billion to the Allied Powers for war expenses, binding itself thoroughly to the chariot of the Allied Powers.

  Two issues can be seen from this. The unrestricted submarine warfare almost became a watershed, that is, the point of war judgment. With the influx of large amounts of materials and loans, the Allied forces could launch any war campaign without worrying at all, because they had plenty of supplies, the Anglo-French coalition had plenty of people to go to the battlefield to consume these supplies, but the Allies were not, sooner or later they would be overwhelmed by a torrential rain of bullets.

  Unrestricted submarine warfare really did pose a huge challenge to the Allied naval transport lines, with trade figures running into tens of millions, looking so astonishing, but in reality, the proportion of supplies that could be transported to the front line or even British ports was very tragic. Although several million tons of sea transportation had been lost, trade expenditure continued to increase and was biting hard.

  The British were not willing to see the supplies they had spent a lot of money on being used to feed fish, and the fish in the Atlantic and Mediterranean could not be so happy. America did not want its allies to become completely bankrupt, and if the Allied Powers lost, it would pose an absolute threat to America's European interests. Therefore, the Allied Powers could not lose, and America could no longer stand by.

  Of course, the world war has been going on for four years, and the United States has long determined that the warring parties are exhausted and unable to find a way out. If it intervenes in the war at this time, it will be able to gain both face and benefit, eliminate Germany and Italy as the main allies, leave a exhausted Entente, the decline of traditional European powers, which is very beneficial for the United States to dominate the world in the future, so the United States must participate in the war and should do so as soon as possible.

  "We are glad to fight for the last peace of the world, for the liberation of all nations in the world, and for the interests of big and small countries... We have no selfish purpose to pursue, we do not want to conquer others, we do not demand compensation for ourselves, we do not seek material compensation for our voluntary sacrifices..."

  On April 7, 1918, the day after Congress declared war on Germany, President Wilson delivered a speech at a mass meeting in Washington, where he announced that General John J. Pershing, who had distinguished himself in the Mexican-American War, would be promoted to general and appointed commander of the American Expeditionary Force, leading brave American soldiers to Europe to fight for justice.

  Sitting in the car, Zhang Yu-sheng was preparing to return to Liuzhou. Looking at the busy port with different types of container cranes and huge cargo ships, he thought of the report that had been passed back a few days ago. Zhang Yu-sheng muttered to himself: "I always thought that American soldiers were the representatives of strength, but it turns out that they can't even win a small battle! Without strong logistical support, they might not be able to win at all. The German army is a group of old soldiers who have experienced four years of war, and if you want to easily gain victory and medals from them, you'll need to spend more ammunition!"

  One side muttering to himself while tidying up the back seat, struggling to find a comfortable sleeping position, the driver quickly started the car and the three vehicles soon left the bustling port. A report that Zhang Yu-sheng had read slipped quietly out of his hand, its contents shocking, because what it reported was far from what the American people saw in the newspapers:

  On September 29, 1918, the first battle of the United States' participation in the war was also the Second Battle of the Marne River. Two hundred thousand American soldiers participated in the battle, facing experienced and well-prepared German troops. Apart from helping the British and French armies consume ammunition, they themselves lost 60,000 dead bodies and 20,000 wounded soldiers. The war fell into a stalemate again. However, the British and French armies in the trenches had company now. The addition of American soldiers changed their trench life with new companions to talk to.

  Of course, the news from within the United States is that the brave and fearless warriors of America, in their first battle, fought valiantly and annihilated over a million enemies. The dawn of victory in the Marne River Battle has already arrived...

  This news deceived many people, including General Pershing. If everything had been reported truthfully, the upcoming US military operation would have been the Saint-Mihiel campaign, and there wouldn't have been a nightmarish ending... So, as Zhang Yusheng said, American soldiers will start the war alone, it's better to prepare more supplies in advance. When the cannons roar, tens of thousands of gold coins will be spent, not to mention even more people firing cannons!! It's really funny how this world can change just a little bit.