Volume 1: The Battleship Yitian Changes into the Sino-Japanese War of 1894 Chapter 15: Convincing the Old Fox to Take a Gamble
Sun Gang immediately understood what he meant and why he had adopted the strategy of "protecting the ships and defeating the enemy" back then. It is actually very easy for future generations to get a bird's-eye view of the overall situation, but in that era, China did not even have a popular telegraph, the battlefield situation changed rapidly, and China did not have a special national intelligence department. As the commander of the Chinese side, it was extremely difficult for Li Hongzhang to accurately grasp all kinds of information and opportunities. He had no idea about the enemy's strategic deployment. No wonder he was unwilling to take the fleet in his hands lightly. Hehe, since I have traveled through time and space and know this history so clearly, then I can't help but win in a despicable way.
"If the strategies and tactics are used properly, we can ensure victory." Let's cheer the old man up first, haha.
"Are you serious? To prevent the court from suspecting that I am a powerful man, I haven't added new ships to the Beiyang Navy for more than ten years. The court also forbids the navy to purchase weapons and replace guns. The Japanese ships are all in good shape and new. You just mentioned that the Japanese have the advantage of rapid-fire guns, and their ammunition is the same as ours. How can we guarantee victory?" Li Hongzhang looked at him in disbelief and asked, (Ah? It turns out that you are not short of money! I was wondering where the money for the replacement of ammunition came from, this old fox.)
It seems that the old man is quite clear about his weaknesses. Sun Gang smiled and replied, "Master Zhongtang only knows one thing, but not the other. Although the Japanese rapid-fire cannon is powerful, its maximum caliber is 12 centimeters. Even with this new ammunition, it is impossible to penetrate the armor of our Ding and Zhen ships. In short, unless the Japanese use torpedo boats to launch a surprise attack, there is no way they can sink our two ships with artillery fire alone!"
Li Hongzhang looked at him in surprise, waiting for him to continue.
"On the other hand, the 30.5 cm cannons on our Ding and Zhen ships may not be able to cause enough damage to the Japanese ships if they were equipped with the old, low-powered black powder shells. But if they are equipped with the current yellow powder shells, for example, the Japanese ship Yoshino can be smashed to pieces with just two shells!" Sun Gang said firmly, "With this alone, our chances of winning are very high."
"Thanks to you, I spent a lot of money to raise money to replace the medicine last time, and I didn't know how powerful it was. I saw it during the review. I was shocked and worried that if the Japanese warships and artillery were also so powerful, how could our navy resist?" Li Hongzhang said with lingering fear: "If it is really as you said, I can rest assured."
"Don't worry, Lord Zhongtang. As far as I know, the Japanese soldiers' artillery skills are not as good as ours. Our army has been established for many years, and our gunners are well-trained. The Japanese have mobilized all their ships in the country to fight against us. They don't have many skilled sailors and gunners, and the rest are temporarily recruited. Their combat effectiveness must be greatly reduced. In short, although the Japanese are coming with great momentum, they are not sure of defeating our Qing Dynasty. They have no choice but to gamble with their national destiny! If they win, they will dominate East Asia, and if they lose, they will be doomed! I think, Lord Zhongtang might as well take a gamble!" Sun Gang said.
"Bet? What are you betting on?" Li Hongzhang was shocked and asked, "Are you betting on the fate of the Qing Dynasty?"
"War itself is a gamble! We should bet on victory in this battle! To gain more time and space for the development of a strong country!" Sun Gang said excitedly, "I think that a strong country should do whatever it takes! We should not stick to the rules! Indeed, war is dangerous and a little carelessness can lead to a complete loss! But a war can destroy a country or build a country! Once the Spanish "Invincible Armada" was destroyed, the country gradually declined and was confined to the sea. The Battle of Nelson Trafalgar laid the foundation for England's maritime hegemony until today. Now that the Japanese are pressing forward step by step, you might as well give it a try! The great victory in the naval battle will open up the maritime power awareness of the people of the Qing Dynasty, look at the world, and enlighten the people. You have made this unprecedented achievement, and there will be fewer obstacles in the future to benefit the country. The country has a chance to thrive, so what can't be accomplished?"
"Young people are always competitive." Li Hongzhang looked at him with a smile, "What you said is not wrong, but I am old now . I always think about defeat instead of victory. What should I do if I can't win the battle?"
"I think that you have no way out in this battle, and you can only fight with your back to the river! You are not fighting for the court, but for the 400 million people !" Sun Gang said, "Because this battle is different from the previous ones, you can't lose it at all! The Japanese have been plotting to destroy the Qing Dynasty for a long time. If we lose this battle, our Beiyang Navy will inevitably be destroyed, Beijing and Tianjin will be wide open, the people will lose confidence, the country will be at the mercy of the powers, and it will be ruined. And you, who have been promoting Westernization for a long time, have ended up like this. The court will definitely use you as a scapegoat to deceive the people. You will not only be infamous, but your years of hard work will be wasted. Isn't it a pity!"
This sudden blow stunned Li Hongzhang for a long time. It took him a long time to come back to his senses. He seemed to have aged a lot. He looked at Sun Gang and nodded slowly, "You are right. The Japanese probably know the key to this, so they are pressing our Qing Dynasty step by step. I actually have no way out, but I am still unaware of it. It's ridiculous." He looked at Sun Gang as if he had just woken up from a dream, as if he had just met him, "If you have nothing else to do, how about joining my Beiyang and helping me? Ruchang was confused, so he gave you something..."
"I don't ask for anything else. I just hope that my suggestions can reach the ears of Master Zhongtang from time to time. That will be enough for me." Sun Gang said. It's not that he didn't want to be an official, but he had worked in a bank for so many years and was used to seeing the intrigues and ulterior motives of those people. The Beiyang Fleet must be more powerful than a small bank. He was a newcomer in the officialdom and he had no idea whether he could be competent for a half-baked official position.
But Li Hongzhang didn't give him a chance to think about it. After thinking for a while, he said, "How about transferring you to Beiyang Coast Defense and temporarily serving as the Chief Counsellor of the Navy to help with Beiyang military affairs? Although it is a special appointment outside the system, if you have any suggestions, you can report them directly to Ruchang and write to me. If the situation is urgent, you can also send a telegram."
"I, the junior, thank you, Lord Zhongtang." Sun Gang smiled bitterly in his heart, but still stepped into the officialdom. Thinking about the treacherous officialdom and bloody naval battles he might face in the future, he couldn't help but feel a little cold in his heart. However, Ma Yue would probably be happy to know this.
Li Hongzhang sighed, "Now that you've said that, I know what's going on. My Huai Army is in decline, and the problems are far more serious than those of the navy. This year also coincides with the Empress Dowager's 60th birthday. I originally wanted to delay this battle as long as possible. Since we have to fight a big battle, we must prepare in advance. It's probably too late to replace the army's artillery ammunition with this yellow gunpowder. Alas. This battle is extremely dangerous. If we win, everyone will be happy, and it will be a great achievement for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. If we lose..." His eyes fell on Sun Gang, and he said slowly, "I'm afraid that if it's really as you said, I will bear the eternal infamy and will never be able to turn over."
"Your Majesty is responsible for the safety of the country. You must not retreat at this moment. You can only encourage all the soldiers to strive for victory and make a desperate move." Sun Gang said: "As long as Lord Zhongtang wins this battle, he can continue to lead our Qing Dynasty on the path of enriching the country and strengthening the army. I am not talented, but I am willing to be your pioneer, even if I die without regrets."
"Don't say that. The world will still need you in the future." Li Hongzhang laughed self-deprecatingly, "I am getting old. The censors in the court always accuse me of being old-fashioned. This time, I will change my ways and fight a good battle with Japan with my old bones to vent my anger. Let's see what they can say next."
Sun Gang felt excited as he watched his expression gradually become determined. History might have really been rewritten in this way.
