Volume 1: The Empire Awakens Chapter 55: Spring Military Exercises (Part 1)
The annual Imperial Navy event - the Spring Military Exercise has begun.
This year's scheduled exercise area is to the east of the Langgang Islands. The warships of the empire's five major fleets and four local fleets are all gathered in Zhoushan Port.
As in previous years, the spring military exercises were presided over by Marshal Sagittin, Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Navy, while several cabinet ministers led by Prime Minister Xue Xiyue and Prince Ninghai appointed by the Emperor attended the opening ceremony of the military exercises.
The Imperial Navy's spring military exercises have a history of more than 300 years. Except for interruptions during large-scale wars, the military exercises will start on time after the Spring Festival every year.
The Navy's spring military exercises and the Army's autumn military exercises are the two largest military reviews and displays in the empire.
There are only two purposes for military exercises. One is to review the combat effectiveness of the army, and the other is to show other countries the powerful armed forces of the empire and to deter those countries with ulterior motives.
The spring military exercises have actually developed into a global naval event.
Since the end of the last war, the Imperial Navy has opened some of its military exercises to media around the world and has specially arranged personnel to deal with reporters.
In addition, every year the Imperial Navy would invite naval commanders from other countries (mainly friendly allies) to observe military exercises, and other invited powers would also send ships to participate in the military exercises.
Some countries that have good relations with the empire, such as the Persian Empire, the Kingdom of Thailand, the Southern Chinese Republic, etc., will send warships to participate in the military exercises.
This year is no exception. The Emperor of the Persian Empire sent the Crown Prince to lead a group of more than 50 people to Zhoushan three days in advance. The King of Thailand also sent an observation group.
In addition, more than a dozen countries have sent ships.
Among them, Prince Eugene, the younger brother of German Emperor Wilhelm III and commander of the German Imperial Navy, led a huge fleet consisting of more than ten warships including the Bismarck battleship and the Deutschland pocket battleship to Zhoushan Port.
The German Empire was the country with which the Tang Empire had the best relations in Europe, and it was also the only ally of the Tang Empire on the European continent.
This time, Prince Eugen led his fleet to visit, not only to strengthen military ties with the Tang Empire, but probably also had a significant relationship with the current tense international situation.
Tan Renhao and his colleagues arrived at Zhoushan Port the day before the military exercise, accompanied by General Liao Hanxiang, on board the Fifth Fleet's flagship cruiser "Yancheng".
There are at least two hundred warships anchored in the huge port.
Among them, there are at least thirty main battleships.
The three docks on the east side of the port are reserved for the three aircraft carriers of the Fifth Fleet, and the "Yancheng" can only dock temporarily at the dock. After General Liao Hanxiang and others go ashore, it can only anchor in the port area.
"This is simply a warship exhibition!"
Chang Jianxin felt very excited. It was his first time to participate in a spring military exercise. In previous years, he stayed behind and had no chance to follow the participating ships of the First Fleet to the south.
"Yes, this is the Imperial Navy!"
Hao Dongjue was also very excited.
In the port, more than 80% of the warships belong to the Imperial Navy, and the more than 30 main battleships are enough to make all enemies feel afraid.
"Renhao, look over there!"
Chang Jianxin quickly pointed to the west of the port, where foreign warships were moored, and asked, "Why are Japanese warships here this year?"
Tan Renhao frowned slightly. Sure enough, among the more than 20 warships flying the flags of other countries, five warships were flying plaster flags.
"Damn it, are Japan invited to participate this year?"
Hao Dongjue gritted his teeth and said, "Aren't they afraid that some sailors might not figure it out and blow up those Japanese warships?"
Tan Renhao laughed. Perhaps the most impulsive person was Hao Dongjue.
In the last war, more than 40% of the officers and soldiers lost by the Imperial Navy died in battles with the Japanese Navy.
The children of these officers and soldiers have now grown up, and more than half of them have joined the navy.
Obviously, the two extreme emotions of national hatred and family feud are concentrated on these young naval officers and soldiers. It would be strange if they did not cause some trouble to the Japanese.
The flagship of Japan's "visiting" fleet was the battleship "Nagato", which had just completed its modification.
This was a battleship that was started to be built in the late stages of the last world war. When it was put into service, the war had already ended, and it has since served as the flagship of the Japanese Home Fleet.
The second large-scale modification began last year, mainly to enhance the battleship's anti-aircraft firepower, replace some old boilers, and rearrange the command center for the battleship.
Also accompanying them were two heavy cruisers and two destroyers.
Although the fleet is not large, this is the first time that Japanese naval ships have participated in the Imperial Navy's spring military exercises since the end of the last war.
Early the next morning, more than 200 warships passed through the departure channel between Ebizaki Island and Taohua Island and headed for the designated military exercise area in the east.
This waterway got its name from the fact that after winning the Battle of Yashojima during the last world war, the First Fleet returned to Zhoushan Port for rest and recuperation, and then set out from this waterway to the south to meet the Western Combined Fleet.
At that time, Marshal Sagittin was the Chief of the Imperial Navy General Staff. He saw off the Imperial Navy soldiers on the northern beach and wished them a great victory. Therefore, the waterway got this name.
Before the military exercise began, Marshal Sagittin, Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Navy, accompanied Prime Minister Xue Xiyue and Prince Ninghai to review the fleet.
They were on the "Emperor" sailing battleship, which has a history of more than 300 years, and the participating ships passed by this most glorious battleship in the Imperial Navy's battleship list one after another and were inspected.
Afterwards, the participating warships were separated according to fleets, and the exercises divided into more than ten projects officially began.
The first to appear on stage were the twelve main battleships of the First Fleet.
The twelve battleships and battlecruisers were lined up in a row and entered the designated channel according to the standard artillery line. Then, hundreds of main guns on the twelve battleships were all pointed at the small island reef on the easternmost side of the Langgangshan Islands.
There was a red flag flying on the island reef, which was the target of the bombardment by the twelve warships.
Tan Renhao and his men were standing outside the command bridge of the Fifth Fleet's flagship, only four kilometers away from the First Fleet.
The scene of twelve warships firing at the same time was very spectacular.
The explosion sounded more than ten seconds later, like a muffled thunder in the distance.
When the smoke cleared, the part of the island that was exposed above the water had disappeared.
The officers and soldiers on the "Yancheng" who were watching the bombardment show all felt the powerful destructive power. No one would believe such powerful destructive power if they had not seen it with their own eyes.
