The Baltic Sea in June is calm and docile, and the mild southwest monsoon does not make the sea rough, and the gentle breeze brings the slightest folds on the sea. The comfortable climate makes you forget that this is a high-latitude sea area with biting cold winds and ice floes in winter. Such good weather and comfortable environment make everyone who enjoys the Kiel Week Sailing Festival rejoice.

The Kiel Week Sailing Festival, also known as the Kiel Sailing Festival, is a week-long celebration for sailing enthusiasts from all over the world, starting on the second Saturday of June each year. This is the 34th edition of the festival since its inaugural festival in 1882. The city of Kiel is filled with thousands of people, and the citizens of Kiel and tourists from far and wide celebrate the biggest summer festival in northern Europe.

The breakwater in Kiel Harbour was bustling with people, but of course, the attention was not drawn to the warships of the Imperial Royal Navy, which had attracted attention and praise in the past, but now only played a supporting role. Today, modern steel ships are all foils for their predecessors.

The sailboats driven by the sailing enthusiasts who came to participate in the festival gathered in the harbor, with towering masts like forests and snow-white sails like clouds, it is as if 300 years have been set back in time in the port of Kiel, back to the era of great sailing when the brave sailors steered the rigging and fought the storm, showing the bravery and pride of the men of the sea.

But there were always those who wanted to spoil the harmony, and while the ships of the German Navy were giving way to the sailboats, some had to sprinkle a little soot on the white sails of the harbor with billowing smoke.

The soldiers of the garrison at the naval base in Port Kiel stood solemnly with their guns in hand, the guard of honour and the military band were in full attendance, the officers on the docks were shining brightly, and Jochen and his own marshal were waiting for the goodwill visiting fleet from Great Britain.

The flagpole in the military port is fluttering the flag of the British Empire, and the military bands are ready. Waiting in their best condition for the British guests to play "God Save the Queen", the officers of the navy looked relaxed, as if this was indeed just an ordinary friendly exchange.

However, the content of the whispered conversation between their emperor and their marshal was at odds with the calm and peaceful atmosphere.

"Four months ago, at my mother's funeral, my cousin was holding his mother's coffin and tearfully expressing the friendship between Britain and Germany, and four months later, he asked his Royal Navy to come here and smash the field." Jochen's tone was cold: "He didn't have the face to come in person this time, right?" ”

February 1914. Before spring arrived, Joechen's mother, Queen Victoria, did not survive the cold winter and returned to the arms of the Lord. Jochen didn't feel too sad about his mother's death, after all, compared to the death of his mother in August 1901, his mother had been with him for 12 more years. And now that he has died, he can no longer see the British and German swords and soldiers meet each other.

It was only four months ago that George V's sworn words of friendship between the two countries were still in the ears, and now the British had made their most elite First Battlefleet appear in the port of Kiel.

"Oh. He didn't have the face to come in person, so he found a replacement. Jochen's mouth was full of mockery: "The battleship George V, is this my presence?" Hehe. ”

For this kind of private emotions of the emperor, and also involved the late Queen Victoria, Tirpitz did not dare to interject on the sidelines. But since the emperor is talking to himself, he always has to say something. After organizing the language, he whispered: "Now I can smell the smell of gunpowder in the Balkans even if I stand here, and even the sea breeze cannot dispel the smell. The visit of the British is undoubtedly a warning to us not to act rashly with regard to the Balkans. However, such a politically charged act of intimidation still wraps itself in the cloak of peace. In the name of friendliness. And we're here to put on a show with them. ”

Due to the perfunctory attitude of Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria were ready to move. But after all, they did not have the courage to start a war against the Ottoman Empire. But this does not mean that the Balkans are now peaceful, and there is a dark tide surging under the surface of calm. The Serbian and Bulgarian armies were on the border, and the Greek navy was building up for itself, as if the two battleships were delivered and they could sweep the Ottoman fleet.

The Ottomans also responded, with the army facing off at the border and the navy taking advantage of the fact that the Greek battleships had not yet been delivered. Go at every turn, the Greeks lowered their eyelids and showed off their might. The tense atmosphere between the two sides is such that everyone can see that this powder keg is already in a state of exploding at any time.

The long-term arms race and diplomatic strife in European countries have caused the nerves of various countries to enter a state of fatigue under long-term tension, and if the powder keg of the Balkans explodes at this time, then a mishandling will cause the nerves of a certain country to collapse, and then it will be like a domino that has been toppled. The flames of war can ignite the whole of Europe in an instant.

Realizing this, neither Britain nor Germany wanted this to happen, so since 1912, it has been a common understanding that they can relax their nerves and relieve fatigue. Although the hostility between the two navies is still increasing, at least at the government level, everyone is still unwilling to tear their skins, so the British and German governments still led this "goodwill visit" between the two navies, and did not care at all about the fact that the two navies were eager to strangle each other in one breath not long ago.

"Warning? What did the British warn us about? Just those little 13.5-inch barrels that they're about to dock into? Jochen said disdainfully, glancing at the four warships that were docked not far away.

The confidence that can make Jochen despise the 13.5-inch naval guns of the British King George V-class is naturally the four West Prussian-class battleships that have been built and put into service. The lead ship, the West Prussia, and the second ship, the Pomorian, have actually completed a six-month training and are deployed to Wilhelmshaven. However, this time, in order to support the emperor, the two battleships returned to the port of Kiel, and formed a battlefleet with the Württemberg and Salzburg, which were still training in the Baltic Sea, to give the British a dismount.

Tirpitz followed the eyes of His Majesty the Emperor and looked at the four West Prussian-class ships parked in the harbor, and on the one hand was glad that the Imperial Royal Navy had battleships that could surpass the British, and that they would soon be able to show off in front of the visiting British. On the other hand, it is a headache to think about the reaction of the British last year when they learned the real information of the West Prussian class.

Seeing Tirpitz frowning there, Jochen knew what he was worried about, but he still said disapprovingly: "The East Prussia class has begun to enter the factory for refitting, even if the British announce the construction plan of 7 new battleships, won't they still fall behind in terms of numbers?" And I'd like to see how long the British can keep the pace of construction of 7 battleships with 15-inch guns a year? ”

In mid-1913, the West Prussia was commissioned and the British finally understood why the Germans had not worked with the Americans on a 14-inch naval gun. But what followed was extreme panic and anger. You don't have to think about it to know that the 4 German battleships that are still under construction must be equipped with the same naval guns. And there is a high probability that the 4 large cruisers that have already started work will be equipped with such naval guns.

Then only 5 Queen Elizabeth-class battleships were at an absolute disadvantage in terms of quantity, so in anger and anger, the parliament approved the Royal Navy's plan to build 7 battleships equipped with 15-inch naval guns, and the German navy that learned the news was naturally shocked by the British trenches and suffered internal injuries, and then because of the reduction in the number of ships built each year, there was a strong sense of crisis. For a while, both sides were frightened, and then scolded. This is also the reason why the navies of both countries are eager to strangle each other immediately, as mentioned earlier.

In any case, the officers of the German Navy still had to make a good neighborly appearance, waiting for the arrival of the British.

While Jochen and Tirpitz were whispering, the Royal Navy visiting fleet of four King George V-class battleships and several light cruisers of the Royal Navy's First Battlefleet, guided by the pilot ship, slowly sailed into the harbor.

"King George V, Ajax, Centurion, oh, a thunderous boldness." Jochen looked at the British fleet slowly approaching the harbor, at the majestic posture of the ship, at the thick barrel, and at the energetic British Royal Navy sailors without the slightest awe. It seems that the four West Prussian-class ships in the harbor gave Jochen room to laugh at the Daring

It's hard for Jochen to imagine the jealousy of Wilhelm II when he stood here, watching the British dreadnoughts slowly sail into the harbor while the German navy had no ships to match.

Jochen believed that the visiting officers of the Royal Navy, who were now on those ships, were staring at the West Prussian class with their binoculars, looking at her 380mm cannon with envy and fear.

The King George V was the first to approach the docks, and the Royal Navy sailors on board and the German sailors on the shore puffed up at the sight of each other, both wanting to show off their most powerful side. No one instructed them to do so, but the old feud between the two navies allowed the officers and men of both sides to instinctively overwhelm each other. At this moment, the soldiers at the lowest level don't care about the friendship that can be created. The silent contest between the two sides began at the moment when their eyes met. (To be continued.) )