Chapter 106: Proactive Response

Feng Chengqian stayed in Wilhelmshaven for only two days. After handling some matters that should have been managed by the operations staff, he returned alone to Berlin. Instead of seeking an audience with the Emperor, he first went to the Navy Ministry, where he found Tirpitz preparing a victory banquet for the triumphant sailors.

“You’re back so soon?” Tirpitz asked.

“Had something to attend to, so I came back early.”

“Yesterday, His Majesty already expressed his intention to reward you, General Hipper, and General Reeder. The fleet’s victory has greatly pleased him; he spent the entire day discussing naval affairs with me,” Tirpitz said with a smile. “More importantly, Falkenhayn sees us in a new light.”

“Is His Majesty planning to award us oak leaves?” After receiving the Blue Max, Feng Chengqian had taken the time to study the Empire’s military honors system. The Blue Max was the highest medal of the Empire; to go beyond that, one could only add distinctions such as oak leaves.

“More or less. Who asked you to rise so quickly?” Tirpitz chuckled.

“Whether or not I get a reward isn’t important. I didn’t come back just for that.”

“So, what brings you here...?”

“I’m planning to launch an attack operation in the first half of next year.”

Tirpitz’s brow twitched slightly, but he did not rush to speak. A naval attack obviously involved breaking the deadlock, something Feng Chengqian was clearly intending to undertake.

“On the way back, I was thinking—the possibility of a decisive battle against the Royal Navy early next year is quite low.”

“My intelligence suggests otherwise.”

“Is that so?”

“Jellicoe might not want to engage in a decisive battle, but Asquith certainly won’t let him hide in the harbor watching from the sidelines,” Tirpitz paused briefly before continuing. “From what I’ve gathered, this operation was proposed by Churchill, who strongly advocated for it and only received Asquith’s approval because of him. Undoubtedly, Churchill’s best outcome would be to resign voluntarily; otherwise, Asquith would have dismissed him. The key point is that Asquith’s approval of the operation has nothing to do with Churchill, or rather Churchill was just a scapegoat.”

“So you’re saying...”

“That the Anglo-French forces have performed poorly, and Asquith’s position as Prime Minister is precarious.”

Feng Chengqian exhaled deeply. “So, Asquith is desperate for a victory. Since the Anglo-French forces are unlikely to succeed on the ground in the near term, he pinned his hopes on a naval victory. Yet, he suffered an unprecedented defeat.”

“Do you think Asquith will give up after this?”

“Unless he no longer wants to be Prime Minister, I doubt it,” Feng Chengqian smiled. “I understand your point, but I think it’s all the more necessary for us to fight hard.”

“Why?”

“First, the Anglo-French coalition will certainly launch a large-scale offensive on the ground early next year.”

“That’s certain. Falkenhayn thinks so too; preparations have already begun. If all goes well, he’ll strike by the end of the month.”

“An offensive?”

“Falkenhayn believes that offense is the best defense, and His Majesty agrees.”

“But...”

“Of course, it will be a campaign-level offensive, not involving too many resources. Its main purpose is to disrupt the Anglo-French deployments and prevent them from concentrating their forces.” Tirpitz glanced at Feng Chengqian and said, “The focus has shifted eastward; Rudolf von Ludendorff will launch his offensive no later than the end of January.”

Feng Chengqian nodded, not pressing further about ground operations.

“Besides, the Ottoman Empire has entered the war, adding another opponent for the Anglo-French-Russian coalition.”

“In other words, the Anglo-French coalition’s chances of a major victory early next year are nearly impossible. We’ll still have a clear advantage into the first half of the year,” Feng Chengqian paused before adding, “Therefore, the Royal Navy will likely be more aggressive in the first half of next year, trying to wear us down with several small-scale naval engagements.”

“Wear us down?”

“To set the stage for a large-scale naval battle in the second half of the year, aiming to crush us completely.”

Tirpitz nodded thoughtfully, indicating he understood Feng Chengqian’s reasoning.

“Without a doubt, we must be proactive and not cede the initiative to the enemy.”

“You mean...?”

“Imagine next year’s ground war will be fiercely contested—on the Western Front, Eastern Front, and the newly opened theaters of North Africa and the Middle East—both sides will commit massive forces. Yet, it’s undeniable that Britain, not France or Russia, will play the leading role,” Feng Chengqian took out a cigar, lit it, took two drags, and said, “The reason is simple: without the vast resources plundered from its overseas colonies and the sea lanes guarded by the Royal Navy, neither Britain nor France would have enough resources to sustain the war. France might be slightly better off, as it has rich resources at home—agriculture is mostly self-sufficient, and iron and coal are abundant. Britain, however, is different; without colonial resources, Britain wouldn’t last a month.”

“So, cutting off Britain’s sea lanes is our primary task?”

“Not quite the primary task. Without sea control, even if we commit forces, we might not achieve our goals.”

“Then what do you mean?”

“It can serve as an entry point.”

“This...?”

“To put it simply, as long as we break the deadlock, the Royal Navy will have to divert forces to deal with our raiding ships.”

Tirpitz nodded, understanding Feng Chengqian’s meaning.

The best example was the Spee squadron; to hunt it down, the Royal Navy deployed a battlecruiser and dozens of other warships.

“Now, what we need is to force the Royal Navy to divide its forces.”

Tirpitz was about to respond, but Feng Chengqian raised a hand to keep him silent and continued, “Although we’ve won two battles and sunk five of the Royal Navy’s capital ships, in terms of the crucial number of battleships, we’re still at a significant disadvantage. Both battles proved that battlecruisers are unsuitable for fleet engagements, especially against battleships. Even if we had more battlecruisers, it wouldn’t offset our shortfall in battleship numbers—at least not under current tactics.”

Tirpitz nodded again.

“However, if used properly, battlecruisers can still play a positive role in fleet battles.”

“You mean...?”

“How much chance do you think we have of winning a decisive battle against the Royal Navy next year?”

Tirpitz was taken aback. “Almost none. Even if we win, our losses would be so severe as to render the victory meaningless.”

“Is that so?”

“We not only have to defeat the Royal Navy but also...”

Feng Chengqian smiled. “I agree. We can’t have the decisive battle next year; it must be postponed at least until the year after.”

“So you’re saying...” Tirpitz finally caught on.

“To put it simply, next year’s battles aim to weaken the Royal Navy, winning limited engagements to gradually close the gap and prepare for the final decisive battle. To do this, we must avoid two things: engaging in a fleet battle too soon and preserving our forces.” Feng Chengqian exhaled deeply. “The Battle of Dogger Bank showed that if we use battlecruisers wisely, we can seize the initiative in naval battles—but only if the enemy’s battlecruiser squadron isn’t present or has already been defeated.”

“You mean forcing the Royal Navy to send their battlecruisers elsewhere?”

Feng Chengqian nodded. “Exactly. That’s why we need to plan a raid that compels the Royal Navy to dispatch battleships in pursuit.”

“But that risks escalating into a fleet battle.”

“So, I only need one warship.”

Tirpitz was stunned, staring at Feng Chengqian in astonishment.

“I’ve thought it through. Such a one-way mission isn’t suitable for anyone else.”

“Are you mad?” Tirpitz finally lost his composure. “Even if I agree, His Majesty won’t. Besides, you have a more important role in the Imperial Navy.”

“Have I left the Imperial Navy?”

“N-no... but...”

“The truth is, the Navy would function fine without me, and the last two battles have proven that Hipper and Reeder are reliable commanders,” Feng Chengqian smiled. “Besides, I’ve always been a staff officer.”

“Come on.”

“Anyway, I’ve made up my mind.”

Tirpitz sighed long and hard. “I won’t let you take such a risk, no matter what you think.”

Feng Chengqian smiled and shook his head, not arguing.

After a long silence, Tirpitz said, “Is there really no room for negotiation?”

“We’ve known each other for over twenty years, haven’t we?”

“Thirty-two.”

“Don’t you know me by now?”

Tirpitz gave a wry smile and shook his head. It was precisely because he knew Feng Chengqian too well that he understood once Feng made a decision, no one could change it.

“Alright, how do you plan to do it?”

“I only need one warship and a group of volunteer officers and men.”

“Which ship?”

“The one specifically built for breaking the deadlock,” Feng Chengqian paused. “If there’s a chance for a fleet battle and it’s advantageous to us, you must hold back all the capital ships to face the main fleet.”

Tirpitz thought for a moment and said, “I don’t oppose it, but you must ask His Majesty and let him make the final decision.”

“In that case, let’s go see His Majesty together.” (To be continued)