Jingshi Xinhua Palace, the second conference room of the imperial base camp.

“…… It has now been determined that the basic strength of the Allied detachment supporting the landing operation in the Gulf of Iskendelon in the eastern Mediterranean earlier this month is six capital warships of the super-dreadnought type, three battle cruisers and light battle cruisers, three fleet aircraft carriers and modified aircraft carriers, and nine old warships. In addition, the shore-based air force based on the island of Cyprus has about 250 combat aircraft of various types. ”

The tall and muscular body of Lieutenant General Su Mengxin, chief of intelligence of the General Staff, was in strong contrast with his courtly elegance.

Without waiting for Su and Mongolia to take their seats, Lieutenant General Su Sanling, chief of the Operations Division of the General Staff, said in a magnetic and energetic voice: "At present, Turkey has sued for peace, our army's joint air force in Turkey has also withdrawn to the Persian Gulf, and the entire Turkish Strait is opening up to the Entente countries without hindrance. On the other hand, the limited size of the Austro-Hungarian Inland Sea Navy was being blockaded by the superior forces of the Italian Navy, and the coastal defense navies of Bulgaria and Romania were nothing to mention in the face of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which had several capital warships......

"From this, the Operations Department of the General Staff has judged that once the main forces of our combined fleet are withdrawn from the Indian Ocean, it is very likely that this Allied detachment, which has already shown considerable strength in the Battle of Iskendelon Bay, will be sent to the Indian Ocean after strengthening its forces to strike at the sea lines of communication between our troops in the Gulf of Aden and the Persian Gulf......"

Before Su Sanling could finish, the elegant-looking rear admiral on the other side had already sneered and said: "The scars in the Bay of Bengal are not healed, and they dare to return to the Indian Ocean?" ”

"Chief of Staff Ye, if you dare to withdraw, they will dare to return."

Senior General Gu Yingyang, the chief of the General Staff sitting in the center, bowed to the arrogant rear admiral, who was none other than Ye Fei, the chief of staff of the Combined Fleet who had personally sat in Rabaul last month and participated in the remote control of the Battle of the Solomons.

Ye Fei responded very easily: "Isn't it okay to block the Red Sea?" As soon as Djibouti and Aden were occupied, a few diving teams and lightning strike teams were put in and Gabre patrolled the Red Sea every day, and then the withdrawn United Air Force stationed in Turkey was renamed and transferred. Even the Allied Grand Fleet during the Bay of Bengal Naval War had to shed several layers of skin if it wanted to break out. ”

Gu Yingyang wanted to laugh but couldn't.

"Not to mention whether the Red Sea can be blocked in your way, and even if it can be blocked, the enemy will not enter the Indian Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean around the Cape of Good Hope?"

Ye Fei said sarcastically: "Then withdraw the garrisons in the Gulf of Aden and the Persian Gulf." Turkey has all surrendered, what is the army still grinding there? Do you want to go north to Egypt from the Gulf of Aden? Or do you want to fight all the way from Mosul to Istanbul? Or maybe just head south from the Gulf of Aden, around the Cape of Good Hope, swim across the Atlantic, and land in London, New York, or whatever? ”

Gu Yingyang frowned: "Chief of Staff Ye, please pay attention to your attitude. ”

Ye Fei looked serious: "Your Excellency Chief of the General Staff." I'm just talking about things. ”

Su Sanling, who was opposite Ye Fei, sneered: "Since it is a matter of facts, then I can answer you openly and openly, who is also the chief of staff of the army: whether it is going north to Egypt, counterattacking the Turkish Straits, or going south to East Africa, Madagascar and even South Africa - these planned operations are still being seriously prepared, and there are no fundamental changes due to changes in the situation in Turkey." ”

Ye Fei was still aggressive: "Then may I ask, how long does the army want the main force of the combined fleet to wander around the Indian Ocean?" You must know that the strength of the enemy forces in the Outer South Seas is expanding every day. Solomon's defeat is just the beginning, how many more times do you want the empire to suffer Solomon-style humiliation? ”

Su Sanling said: "Please rest assured that the army will be supported by shore-based aviation and submarine forces. Drag the enemy to death in the outer South Seas! For the Army, the greatest shame is not to hold its position, but to retreat without a fight in the face of a good situation! ”

Su Sanling paused slightly, and the expression on his face instantly upgraded to awe-inspiring righteousness: "That's right, such a stubborn defense may pay a big price, but it is worth it!" The army stubbornly defended the Outer South Sea, so that the navy could let go of its hands in the Indian Ocean, uproot all the bases on the east coast of Africa that could be used by the Allied fleets in one go, and turn the Indian Ocean into the inland sea of the empire! ”

"—until then. The Combined Fleet will be able to return to the Pacific without any worries, and the Army will hold on to the east coast of Africa to buy time for the Navy to let go in the Pacific! ”

Ye Fei squinted and said, "It's really moving, but has Chief of Staff Su ever thought about it?" When the main force of the Navy leaves, won't the east coast of Africa become a dead place? The army is willing to throw tens of thousands of officers and men to death, and the navy does not dare to bear the infamy of not being able to save them if they die......"

"Chief of Staff Ye. That's it. ”

Admiral Yan Fu, the acting chief of staff of the Navy, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke, preventing Ye Fei from continuing to resist.

"But ......"

"Let's ask the General Staff to make it clear how the Navy should respond."

Yan Fu's face was sad: After the Battle of Solomon, Liu Buyun, a naval veteran who tried to return to the front line, was sent back to the reserve, and Lin Taizeng, who asked for a transfer to cooperate with Liu Buyun, was also hopelessly left in the Naval University, and some conservative generals who faithfully followed Liu and Lin's military line were refrigerated one after another.

Yan Fu, who is currently the dual head of the navy's military politics and military orders, knows very well in his heart that a new era of the navy is about to open, and he will not be able to sit in his seat for long.

Su Sanling received Gu Yingyang's eye instructions, straightened up with the attitude of a victor, picked up the whip in his hand, and pointed like a dragonfly on the map of the conference table.

"First, the Turkish Combined Air Force, which has now retreated to the Persian Gulf, will be disbanded on the spot, and its forces will be returned to the Navy's Third Air Fleet and the Army's 101st Task Force, of which the 3rd Air Fleet will be immediately transferred to the Southeast Theater, and the 101st Task Force will be transferred to the Indian Theater and transferred to the Gulf of Aden."

"Second: As soon as the strategic operation in the Gulf of Aden achieves the expected goals, the two Longwei-class and three Yuezi main warships of the third and fourth warships, as well as the two diving teams of the 11th fleet, should be transferred to the southeast theater as soon as possible. If there is a special need, after the base camp enlarged meeting and discussion, one or three additional high-speed warships of the Sea or Wave can be dispatched according to the situation, or the Thunder Patrol can be added. ”

"Third, the two 'sick'-class cruise ship converted aircraft carriers, which are scheduled to be commissioned in September, should be deployed to the southeastern theater as soon as possible after the carrier-based aircraft units are fully equipped. The aircraft carrier of the 'Saker' fleet, which is scheduled to be repaired and refitted in the same month, will be discussed at an enlarged meeting of the base camp before deciding where to go. ”

"Fourth, before the end of the year, the basic strength of the Indian Ocean Navy should be maintained at the following level: four to six high-speed warships of the Haizi with 380 main guns, three to four high-speed warships with 350 main guns, two to three Thunder battle cruisers with 350 main guns, and two to three aircraft carriers of the Peng and Hayabusa fleets."