Chapter 654: Gaming Mentality
It was not difficult for Vice Admiral Gueprat to get control of these 10 new destroyers.
He stated in his report: "These 10 destroyers are funded by the Brest Navy. If the government wants to transfer them to Toulon in the future, there will be no funding."
So the government faced a choice:
If you don't agree, the French Navy will get nothing.
If you agree, the French Navy can get 10 destroyers, although it will operate in the Atlantic and North Sea under the command of the Brest faction.
As long as you are not stupid, you will know which one to choose.
In fact, the parliament and the government wanted to choose the other one.
Briand and Clemenceau even agreed that these 10 destroyers should not be started.
"We all know that this is Charles' first step to control the navy." Clemenceau said: "Although it is only the Brest Navy. In addition, he can also strengthen his control over materials through this."
"I know." Briand nodded and replied: "But we have no reason to refuse!"
Reject the warships funded by Charles?
Reject Charles' victory in the North Sea?
Reject Charles' control over materials?
This will only lead to another mutiny, or even a nationwide riot.
People will think that their prime minister and parliamentarians are crazy, or that the parliamentarians have been bought by the British or even the Germans.
Because this doesn't make sense at all, it can only be explained as treason!
Clemenceau smiled: "This may be a good thing. Charles is against the British, or more precisely, the British Royal Navy. This arrogant guy will get the lesson he deserves!"
Brian nodded slowly. Challenging the world's number one navy is not something that can be done with just a few planes.
What they don't know is that it is not Charles who dares not sleep for several days, but the British Royal Navy, which they regard as a god-like existence.
Perhaps it is because of the absolute confidence in the British Royal Navy, or perhaps it is to push Charles to the front line against the British Royal Navy as soon as possible. The parliament approved the application of Vice Admiral Geprat in just two days.
On the other hand, after Charles confirmed with Deyoka, the first batch of funds of 3 million US dollars arrived on the same day, and even the steel needed for shipbuilding was contacted in the United States.
(Note: It only takes about a week from New York to Brest Port, and the transportation cost is cheap. At the same time, the currency in France is depreciating and prices are rising. Importing steel from the United States is cheaper than buying it domestically.)
So, the construction of the destroyer was put on the agenda at an unprecedented speed.
…
At the Antwerp Airport Command, Charles welcomed a special guest that day.
This guest was very mysterious, and Charles knew nothing about him.
The order was a telegram sent by Army Minister Gallieni last night: "Someone wants to talk to you, tomorrow morning, please be sure to receive and keep it confidential. No one except you can know about this meeting."
Who could it be?
Charles was puzzled, who else needs this kind of confidentiality?
However, Charles didn't think much about it, and just told the guards not to let outsiders approach the airport.
Sometimes the higher the level of "confidentiality", the more secrets will be leaked.
For example, suddenly adding patrols, or conducting combing searches around the surrounding area, or increasing the blockade level of the airport, etc.
Just these movements can let the spies know that a big shot is coming, so they can prepare in advance.
Charles didn't take it to heart, and forgot about it the next morning. He reviewed the documents after breakfast as usual.
He signed the documents while thinking:
What kind of anti-aircraft firepower should be installed on the new destroyer?
Install the Bofors anti-aircraft gun?
This doesn't seem right!
Now I have the air advantage. Isn't it hard for myself to develop this kind of medium-range anti-aircraft weapon?
No, it should be done slowly.
It should be developed step by step like a Russian nesting doll, so that the British can always be trapped in the next layer and suppressed!
At this time, the guard came forward to report: "General, someone wants to see you, he said it was Lieutenant Colonel Fernand."
Charles was stunned, Lieutenant Colonel Fernand? Could he be the mysterious guest that Gallieni said?
Charles smiled and ordered: "Let him in."
He regarded this as a prank.
Soon, Lieutenant Colonel Fernan appeared at the door of the office, with several people behind him. Judging from their uniforms and attire, they looked like his guards and staff officers.
No mistake, a poem, a post, a content, a book, a forum, a 6-9 book, a look!
Charles smiled and stood up to greet him. He thought that Lieutenant Colonel Fernan would greet him casually as before.
Unexpectedly, Lieutenant Colonel Fernan looked around nervously, lowered his voice and approached Charles and said, "Someone needs to see you alone, Lieutenant General."
As he said that, Lieutenant Colonel Fernan stepped aside and showed a staff officer with a gray mustache in front of Charles.
The staff officer looked at Charles with interest, smiled slightly, and greeted him in Russian: "Hello, nice to meet you, Lieutenant General Charles."
Charles immediately realized that this "staff officer" was the "guest".
He was a Russian, and his military rank should be high. Charles thought that he might be very important, otherwise he would not worry about being assassinated by spies.
Sure enough, when Charles, the "staff officer" and the translator were in the conference room, the translator introduced: "Your Excellency Lieutenant General, this is Admiral Brusilov, he is very interested in your armored penetration tactics."
(The picture above shows Admiral Brusilov, Chief of the General Staff of Tsarist Russia. The only great victory on the Eastern Front was the Brusilov Offensive commanded by him, which almost defeated the Austro-Hungarian Empire)
"Nice to meet you, General." Charles stepped forward and shook hands with Brusilov.
Brusilov seemed serious. He nodded at Charles: "I heard that you are only 19 years old? I am very curious, how did you come up with those tactics that should have been summarized after hundreds of battles?"
Then Brusilov gave a battle example: "For example, the 'reverse slope tactics' you used in Verdun, which is a very bold innovation. Almost no one would be willing to give up the commanding heights voluntarily. It was originally a tactic or even a strategic location that everyone fought hard for."
Tactics are for the battle itself. Being at a high point means looking down from a high place, which means forming a geographical advantage over the enemy.
Strategy refers to the impact on the battle. Several commanding heights can provide intelligence for the entire army, and holding them can delay the enemy's actions, just like driving a few nails.
In this era, as Admiral Brusilov said, many battles are fought around the battle for commanding heights.
"That's because I treat war as a game, General." Charles answered half-truthfully: "There are many things we didn't think of because we took it too seriously, always thinking that once we fail, we will pay with blood, life, and even the survival of a country. But if you treat it as a game, you will find that there are actually many things you can try, and it is worth trying."
Brusilov was stunned and laughed: "You are right, the battlefield does need this kind of game mentality."