novelraw Chapter 719 Another Kind of Asymmetric Warfare
Chapter 719 Another Kind of Asymmetric Warfare
The benefits of money were fully demonstrated at this moment.
Shire integrated the military, government, and commerce into one, which had caused him some trouble before, but as it developed to this degree, the benefits it brought far outweighed the problems.
Does the Minister of the Navy have a lot of power?
Crush him with money!
Shire may not compare to him politically, but he is wealthier.
Shire’s assets may not be as substantial as Schneider’s or Wentier’s, but Shire has military authority.
The overt military authority of Shire may not be as prominent as General Fuxu’s, but Shire holds resources in hand.
In short, it’s like playing chess with a Go champion, playing Go with a chess champion, and ultimately dismantling them one by one!
This is another form of asymmetrical warfare.
...
Paris City Hall, the office of the Minister of the Navy is located on the third floor.
Before the warm fireplace, the Minister of the Navy and Neon Military Officer Miyamoto Jiro raised their glasses in joyful conversation.
"On behalf of France, I express my gratitude to you, Mr. Ming Yuan." The Minister of the Navy rested comfortably on the sofa, casually raising his glass towards the Neon Military Officer: "For extending a helping hand when France was in trouble."
Miyamoto Jiro quickly stood up: "You’re too kind. It is what we should do; we are very willing to contribute to this war."
His French was somewhat clumsy, still retaining the habit of speaking in Neon, sputtering out a few words at a time.
"However." The Minister of the Navy changed the tone: "You should know that the war has entered a critical stage; our need for warships is very urgent. They represent the security of our resources."
"Yes, I understand." Miyamoto Jiro nodded and bowed: "Please be assured, we will complete the task at the fastest speed."
"As for the price..."
"Please be assured." Miyamoto Jiro nodded again: "The cost will not exceed the price quoted for your domestically made ships; the excess will be borne by our country."
The Minister of the Navy nodded in satisfaction, with all problems resolved, eliminating the capacity of the Brest Shipyard in its infancy.
Everything was so perfect.
He casually pulled out a cigar, and Miyamoto Jiro quickly stepped forward to light it for him.
Just as the Minister of the Navy exhaled a puff of smoke, the aide stepped forward to deliver a telegram.
The Minister of the Navy glanced at it and immediately frowned. He set the cigar aside, turned his head angrily and asked the aide: "Is it from Shire?"
"No, Minister." The aide replied: "It’s a telegram from Mr. Wells. He also mentioned that this is an order from Shire. If you want to cancel it, please talk to Shire personally."
The Minister of the Navy rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath.
He knew this matter couldn’t be discussed with Shire. Shire only needed one sentence to resist all the pressure he faced: "If you don’t agree, then you handle the cost, Minister."
Originally, the Minister of the Navy could use national interests to coerce Shire:
"Please consider for the sake of France, General."
"Building warships requires a lot of steel and manpower, which means less ammunition and equipment for the army, leading to more casualties among the soldiers. We must consider the overall situation."
"Meanwhile, we will deliver the warships you need to you, and the army’s ammunition and equipment won’t be compromised."
Shire had no reason to disagree; if he did, it would be disregarding the overall situation and national interests.
But now...
Shire directly increased the order: ensuring the completion of 10 warships from the Brest Shipyard, and purchasing an additional 10 warships from Neon.
Thus, the ball was passed back to the Minister of the Navy, making it impossible for him to refuse.
After thinking for a while, the Minister of the Navy raised his head and asked Miyamoto Jiro: "Could you accept more orders?"
The Minister hoped to use Neon’s capacity to overwhelm Shire.
Doesn’t Shire have money? Then buy up all of Neon’s capacity!
But Miyamoto Jiro’s response disappointed the Minister of the Navy.
"I’m very sorry, Minister." Miyamoto Jiro bowed at ninety degrees in panic: "Producing these 10 warships requires all of our shipyards; we currently cannot accept additional orders. Please forgive me!"
The Minister of the Navy responded with a "Hmm," hesitated for a moment, and then said with a tone full of helplessness: "Have you heard of Shire, Mr. Ming Yuan?"
"Yes, of course." Miyamoto Jiro replied: "I have heard many legends about him; he is an excellent commander..."
Halfway through, he noticed the Minister of the Navy’s displeasure and stopped in time.
Did he say something wrong?
Right, the Minister is jealous of Shire.
The Minister of the Navy again took up the cigar, seemingly trying to hide his embarrassment with smoke: "The money for ordering warships comes from him, and he hopes to talk to you."
Miyamoto Jiro was overwhelmed with surprise; he stared at the Minister of the Navy in disbelief: "You mean, Shire, Vice Admiral Shire? He wants to, talk to me?"
It is said that Vice Admiral Shire is the most powerful general in France. Now it turns out to be true; even the Minister of the Navy can’t do anything against him!
Meeting him is so wonderful; it’s a great opportunity for the empire to step into the civilized world.
The efforts finally paid off, how joyous!
The Minister of the Navy coldly glanced at Miyamoto Jiro.
Miyamoto Jiro instantly realized his rudeness and quickly retracted his joy, feigning: "Is that so? It seems unreasonable since the Minister is the most suitable person..."
"He’s at the City Defense Headquarters." The Minister of the Navy interrupted Miyamoto Jiro: "Discuss with him first, and then we can continue further discussions!"
"Yes, my apologies! Goodbye." Miyamoto Jiro bowed cautiously, like a child who did something wrong, and carefully exited the room.
...
At the City Defense Headquarters, Shire was discussing the Meuse River offensive with Gallieni.
"In one day and night, Fuxu’s army advanced only 36 kilometers." Gallieni pointed at the map: "This speed seems not very ideal."
Major Fernan explained: "The German Army deployed the Storm Assault Team, utilizing General Shire’s tactics, using sidecar motorcycles to maneuver between forests and paths, continuously attacking General Fuxu’s logistics, forcing him to advance steadily and deploy troops to ensure the safety of the supply lines."
This is the drawback of not having mechanized and armored units; infantry struggle to reach the area under attack in time.
The result is that despite having hundreds of thousands of troops, progress is slow.
Gallieni expressed concerns: "At this rate, the German main force is likely to break through the encirclement."
Shire, however, was not worried. He confidently concluded: "The speed will increase soon."
Gallieni was puzzled for a moment but understood upon seeing Bicangxi on the map: "Is the First Mechanized Division stationed at Bicangxi?"
"Yes." Shire nodded: "The area around Bicangxi is full of rivers, and most bridges and roads are blocked by the mechanized division. Even the Storm Assault Team can hardly perform effectively."
After all, the Storm Assault Team are still infantry, and they are vulnerable against Tijani’s mechanized division.
At this moment, the guard reported: "General, the Neon Military Officer is downstairs; he hopes to discuss with you!"