Holy Roman Empire

There are two exits from the big bathtub in the Mediterranean Sea. If you want to block and force the Shinra Navy to come out for a decisive battle, you have to go both ways at the same time.

The Royal Navy is indeed awesome, but after the soldiers are divided into two groups, it is not so easy to suppress the Shinra Navy, and they may even get themselves into it.

The only way is to cut out the wings of the Shinra Navy first, kill their overseas fleets, and then concentrate their forces to suppress their local fleets.

Of course, this is Admiral Michel's own judgment.In fact, there are more ways, such as blocking the Suez Canal and preventing the Shinra Navy from entering the Indian Ocean eastward.

Looking at the map on the wall, Michelle fell into deep thought, pointing with his fingers from time to time, as if looking for the "place" to break the situation.

……

Since its opening, the Suez Canal has carried the economic destiny of Asia, Europe and Africa.

There are as many as tens of thousands of ships coming in and out every year, and the income from tolls alone is tens of millions. It is a well-deserved golden waterway.

No matter how tense the situation in Europe is, the number of ships entering and leaving the Suez Canal has not decreased every day, and it feels a bit detached.

Unfortunately, this "detachment" is just an illusion.If you observe carefully, you will find that whether it is the merchants along the coast or the merchants coming and going, their expressions are very dignified.

Everyone knows that war is coming.Once the war broke out, the bustling Suez Canal would immediately fall silent.

There is already a long queue at the canal security checkpoint.Along with the tense situation, the security work of the Suez Canal has also been raised to a higher level.

As a businessman, Owen naturally hated the cumbersome inspection.But the arms can't hold the thighs, and if you want to pass through the Suez Canal, you must undergo inspection.

Seeing the staff constantly rummaging through boxes and cabinets, he was about to unload the goods and reload them on the ship. Owen couldn't stand it any longer: "These are all ballast stones, so there's no need to take them out one by one for inspection, right?"

The goods transported this time are porcelain and silk from the East, both of which are relatively light products. To ensure the stability of the hull, ballast stones are naturally indispensable.

Now even the stones have to be inspected, this cautiousness is really jaw-dropping.

The staff turned around and replied very seriously: "Sorry, Mr. Owen. This is a special period, please cooperate with our work.

Not only for the safety of the canal, but also for the safety of your personal life and property.You must know that spies are pervasive, and maybe there is a loophole somewhere, and they will take advantage of it. "

Hearing the word "spy", Owen decisively chose to shut up, and quietly waited for the result.

As a businessman, what Owen is most afraid of is getting involved with spies.Once it gets involved, even a thousand mouths can't tell clearly.

How to get a spy to help prove his innocence?

Even if a spy is willing to help testify, it will be useless, and no one will believe it.

Even if there is insufficient evidence to convict, the personal connections accumulated for most of his life will collapse in an instant.

After more than two hours, the suspicious places on the ship were finally checked.Before Owen could breathe a sigh of relief, someone shouted: "Catch the spies, don't let them escape!"

The originally orderly scene suddenly became chaotic.Just as the canal police were operating, the two oil tankers suddenly started and rushed towards the entrance of the canal at full speed.

It happened so suddenly that even though the canal defenders responded quickly and immediately activated shore artillery to intercept, only one ship was stopped, and the other directly hit the lock.

After a loud noise, the warship began to sink slowly.At this moment, the surface of the river has been covered by leaked crude oil, and the pungent smell blows over us.

Looking at the scene in front of him, Owen opened his mouth wide, but he didn't know what to say.Involuntarily came up in my mind: "I've been tricked", "The dead man", "It's going to be a disaster"...

Owen was not the only one who was irritated, whether it was the crew or the captain, all of them were ashen-faced now.

Although I saw it with my own eyes, no one knows the exact extent of the damage to the canal.

Even if the skin is only slightly scratched, it will take time to dredge the river, and at least the wreckage of the two oil tankers must be salvaged before navigation can be resumed.

If you don't want to wait, take a detour around the Cape of Good Hope.Those who run the boat these days are all smart people, so they naturally know how to choose.

Seeing that the hegemony war is about to break out, and the South African region has even started fighting, there will be no good fruit to eat at this time.

The merchants were worried, and the staff of the Canal Management Office had even more exaggerated expressions, all of them were ashen.

In such a heavily guarded situation, let the enemy steal the chicken, he must be responsible...

Chapter 128

Along with telegrams, news of the attack on the Suez Canal quickly spread throughout the world.The already tense situation in Europe has become more and more out of hand at this moment.

That night, the Vienna government held a press conference, announcing that they would not die with the mastermind behind the attack.

Although it is not stated clearly, everyone knows that apart from the British, there is no second master who can afford the "behind the scenes".

The investigation team has just set off, and the Vienna government has not yet reached a conclusion on the attack on the canal.

Armed conflicts are no longer limited to South Africa. Wars of varying scales have broken out in East Africa and the Malay Peninsula. The total number of troops involved by both sides has already exceeded the [-] mark.

Such a large-scale exchange of fire has yet to declare war, and the coquettish operations of the two governments have once again refreshed the perception of the European world.

According to a politician who did not want to disclose his name, it is a hegemonic country, and this kind of "reservation" (face) is not something that ordinary countries can have.

……

Vienna Palace, at this moment Franz is fighting with Frederick, a stinky chess basket, and the turmoil from the outside world has not affected this place at all, as if he has already transcended the world.

Detachment is impossible. At this critical moment, there is no room for relaxation.But it is true that it was not affected by the Suez Canal tragedy.

The reason is very simple. Whether the Suez Canal is blocked or not has little impact on this war.

To borrow a sentence from the media: "The Mediterranean Sea is our inland sea. The great Holy Roman Empire will shine on the world. This is our era."

Although exaggerated a bit, but basically still in line with reality.The current Mediterranean Sea can indeed be regarded as the inner sea of ​​Shinra.

There are both the Europe-Africa-Middle East Railway and the bathtub sea transportation. The core territory of Shinra is still firmly controlled by the Vienna government, which is enough to ensure the normal supply of raw materials.

The basics are stable, and Franz naturally doesn't panic.Not to mention that the Suez Canal was blocked for several months, even if it remained blocked, the Holy Roman Empire could bear it.

As for the strategic impact, if you can't go east, don't rush to go east for the time being.After all the warships in the dock are in service, it will not be too late to find the bad luck of the British.

In contrast, the damage caused by the oil spill is even greater.Tens of thousands of tons of crude oil spewed out, not only polluting the river, but also the entire Red Sea.

If Franz hadn't reacted quickly enough to order the clearing and interception as soon as he received the news, the Mediterranean might have been affected.

Frederick: "Father, since the British planned this attack, they will definitely pick themselves out. I'm afraid it will be difficult for the investigation team to gain anything."

Neither Britain nor the Holy Roman Empire is alone, and war is also a group fight.

If you want to start a war, you must not only look at the problem from your own perspective, but you must also consider the reactions of the people in your allies.

Old-fashioned routines like the disappearance of soldiers can tell the truth from the fake at a glance, and people will not buy it.

Although it is possible to forcibly pull allies onto the boat, what is pulled in this way is not allies, but a group of resentful pig teammates.

Originally, pig teammates from all over Europe were gathered this time. If the relationship with the masses is not improved, the Vienna government will not be able to bring it back.

Among other things, just borrowing other people's airports and ports requires the cooperation of the locals.

Otherwise, if the local snake does something casually, or delays the speed of material transportation, it can make the battle plan fail.

In fact, this war has not started for a long time, and one of the important reasons is the lack of a reasonable pretext for war.

The attack on the Suez Canal is undoubtedly a good entry point.Although this economic life is in the hands of the Vienna government, it is most of the countries in Europe that benefit from it.

As long as it is proved that the attack was planned by the British, it is logical to launch a war to retaliate.

"Don't worry, there will definitely be gains. Even if it really has nothing to do with the British, we can also let them get involved.

The current investigation is just a formality.Inviting countries to send representatives to participate together is nothing more than letting them endorse together.

Of course, a fake is a fake after all, no matter how perfect the arrangement is, there will always be clues left.

If possible, it is best to find out the real evidence.Otherwise, it will be a big trouble if you wear it in the future.

In the future, if similar matters are encountered, they will be directly handed over to the cabinet government for operation.As monarchs, we must learn to pretend to be confused when the time is right. "

It is the essence of human nature to tend to the pros and cons, and being an emperor is no exception.Especially this kind of shady operation, that is how far you can hide.

As long as you don't get involved, even if you are really in trouble in the future, you can still use "I don't know" to deal with it.

Although it is a formality, the investigation is still exquisite.For example: How long the investigation lasts depends on the anti-British propaganda of the governments of various countries.

When the anti-British sentiment of the European people is mobilized, it will be the end.The best time to launch a war is when the whole people support the war.

……

Sulawesi, Austrian South Seas Governor's Palace.A group of military and political officials gathered together, and Prince William was discussing the battle plan with everyone at the moment with great interest.

The British wanted to attack the Nanyang Fleet, and the Nanyang Fleet also wanted to attack the Royal Navy's Far East Fleet.Both sides are calculating each other, and the result is that there is no result.

Arrest, commander of the Nanyang Fleet: "Your Highness, we have failed to lure the enemy many times, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to achieve results if we continue.

Either the British had insight into our plan and were not fooled at all; or the British had too much appetite and didn't like the small profits and wanted to swallow us in one bite.

It is unlikely that the plan will be leaked, and there are not many insiders.If it's the latter, we got it right from the start.

The biggest problem is that the war did not break out, otherwise we could form a coalition with the three countries of Spain, Netherlands and Portugal, and the odds of directly fighting the British in a decisive battle are also great. "

William asked suspiciously: "Although our number of warships is smaller than that of the British, we still have an aircraft carrier formation. Is there no chance of winning if we directly fight the Far East Fleet head-on?"

Admiral Arrest shook his head: "Your Highness, although the aircraft carrier showed good attack power in the exercise, it is different in actual combat, and there are more factors to consider.

We lack experience in the use of aircraft carriers in actual combat, and there is not even a reference case in the world, and the specific tactics are still being explored.

Out of responsibility for the empire, I dare not overestimate the combat effectiveness of the aircraft carrier formation before actual combat. "

The mainstream thinking of the navy these days is still a giant cannon ship, and the Shinra Navy is no exception.Even with the support of the emperor, the aircraft carrier faction is still at a disadvantage.

The aircraft carrier faction is at a disadvantage in the battle of ideas, and the biggest problem is the lack of actual combat cases to support it.Everyone supports the giant ship cannon theory, not entirely because of love, but more for insurance.

It is not terrible to make mistakes in the military. What is terrible is that everyone else is on the right track, and you are the only one who is off the track.

Since other countries are playing with giant ship cannons, just keep up.If everyone is wrong together, it means that no one is wrong.

The biggest problem with new ideas that are difficult to promote is uncertainty.Even if it can prove that the aircraft carrier concept is correct, it does not mean that the aircraft carrier formation has combat effectiveness.

A correct idea is just equivalent to walking in the right direction; but there are many forks in the same direction, and if you are not careful, you will go astray.

It is mainly limited by aircraft technology. It was not until technological breakthroughs in recent years that the development of aircraft carriers began.

Before that, although there was research and development, the investment was far from being comparable to battleships.

There is no way, there are too many places that need to be invested, and no amount of military expenditure will be enough.Before it can be determined that the aircraft carrier can be effective, more resources must be invested in the battleship.

After a pause, Admiral Arrest added: "In fact, the role of the aircraft carrier formation is not necessarily in the decisive battle, I think it is better to use it for sneak attack.

It is similar to the Air Force's "Bull Hunting Plan", which concentrates a group of bombers to carry out strategic bombing of the enemy's ports and shipyards.

In the Far East, the British have limited anti-aircraft firepower, and basically pose little threat to the fourth-generation bombers.

If the layout of Cam Ranh Bay can be figured out, the chances of a successful sneak attack should be very high.After the bombing is over, we will go up to a decisive battle with the enemy, and the chances of winning will be greatly improved.

It's a pity that the timing is not right now. We did this ahead of time, and the Air Force's plan went bankrupt ahead of time.

Unlike us, the Air Force has more fighters and has rich bombing experience.If the "Bull Hunting Project" is successful, the benefits it brings will be far beyond what defeating the Far East Fleet can achieve. "

"Overall view" is a compulsory course for every senior general.They were all raids, which severely damaged the British Far East Fleet and the British Home Fleet, which were not at the same level at all.

Defeating the Far East Fleet of the British would at most make the Nanyang Fleet famous; and defeating the British Home Fleet would be a change of hegemony.

National interests are paramount, and local battlefields must make concessions to the overall situation.No matter how many thoughts there are in his mind, Admiral Aleister can only hold them in his stomach first.

"Your Excellency, this idea is very good. It can be prepared now, and we will start to implement it as soon as the Air Force takes action.

Even if it fails, it doesn't matter, the British can't use warships to chase planes, right?Think of it as a bombing training, to accumulate experience for the next time. "

After discussing for a long time, a reliable plan was finally born, and William would naturally not be stingy with language.

As the future king of Nanyang, William also needs to accumulate prestige and meritorious service.Although the Holy Roman Empire has not developed to the extreme of "fame is only obtained immediately", war is still the best way to accumulate merit.

……

Chapter 129 God's Face

With the formation of the two camps, the international situation has become increasingly clear.On one side is the anti-British alliance at the core of the Holy Roman Empire - the Continental Alliance; on the other side is the anti-Shenluo alliance formed by Britain - the Pan-Oceanic Front.

The attack on the Suez Canal tore off the last layer of window paper, and the conflict between the two camps was placed on the table.

With the continuous escalation of armed conflicts in various places, apart from the lack of a declaration of war, there has been a substantial war between Shinra and Britain.

Most of the main member states of the Continental Union are concentrated in Europe, and there is a ready-made organizational framework of the Continental Union. Now only a little change in function has taken place, and the British-dominated Pan-Oceanic Front will be in trouble.

When the countries first joined the Pan Oceanic Front, the situation was not what it is now.The British just told everyone to form a group to besiege Shinra, but they didn't say that the enemy was the entire European continent.

The range of the enemy expanded and disputes arose within the Pan Oceanic Front.Although everyone has full confidence in the Royal Navy, everyone has no idea about this war.

"A distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor" does not apply to countries.Due to historical reasons, most countries have conflicts of interest, or even long-term hostility, with their neighboring countries.

An enemy of an enemy is not necessarily a friend, but can be an ally most of the time.For example, if Chile joins the Pan Oceanic Front, then the two hostile countries, Peru and Bolivia, will naturally lean towards the Continental Alliance.

They didn't jump out to stand in line now, but because of the superior position of the Royal Navy, everyone didn't dare to act rashly, maybe they had already hooked up secretly.