CHAPTER 650: CHAPTER 650: GAMING MINDSET

Admiral Gephardt wanted to gain control of the ten new destroyers, and it wasn’t difficult for him to do so.

In his report, he stated, "These ten destroyers were funded by the Brest Navy. If the government ever decides to deploy them to Toulon, there won’t be any financial support for that."

Thus, the government faced a choice:

Disagree, and the French Navy would get nothing.

Agree, and the French Navy would get ten destroyers, although they would operate under the command of the Brest Faction in the Atlantic and North Sea.

Only a fool wouldn’t know which one to choose.

In fact, the parliament and the government wanted to choose the other option.

Briand and Clemenceau even agreed that these ten destroyers shouldn’t be built.

"We all know this is the first step for Shire to control the navy," Clemenceau said, "even if it’s just the Brest Navy. Also, he might use this to strengthen his control over supplies."

"I know," Briand nodded, "but we have no reason to refuse!"

Reject the warships funded by Shire?

Reject Shire’s victories in the North Sea?

Reject Shire’s control over supplies?

This would only trigger another mutiny, perhaps even a nationwide revolt.

People would think their Prime Minister and deputies had gone mad, or that deputies had been bribed by the British or even the Germans.

Because this doesn’t make any sense, the only explanation would be treason!

Clemenceau smiled, "Maybe it’s a good thing. Shire is making enemies out of the British, or more precisely, the Royal Navy. That arrogant guy will get the lesson he deserves!"

Briand slowly nodded. Challenging the world’s number one navy couldn’t be done with just a few planes.

What they didn’t know was that the one who hadn’t slept for days, overwhelmed with stress, wasn’t Shire but the Royal Navy, whom they regarded as gods.

Perhaps out of absolute confidence in the Royal Navy, or maybe to quickly push Shire to confront the Royal Navy, the parliament approved Admiral Gephardt’s request in just two days.

On the other hand, after Shire confirmed with Dejoka, the first batch of 3 million US dollars in funds was secured on the same day, and even the steel needed for shipbuilding had been arranged in the United States.

(Note: It takes about a week to transport from New York to Brest Port, and the transportation cost is low. At the same time, with the devaluation of currency and soaring prices in France, importing steel from the U.S. is cheaper than buying domestically.)

Thus, the construction of the destroyers was scheduled at an unprecedented speed.

...

At the Antwerp Airport Command, Shire received a special guest that day.

This guest was very mysterious, and Shire knew nothing about him.

The order came from Minister of the Army Gallieni in a telegram last night: "Someone wants to talk to you. It will be tomorrow morning. Please make sure to handle the reception and confidentiality. No one else can know about this meeting."

Who could it be?

Shire wondered, who else would need to meet in such a confidential manner?

But Shire didn’t think much about it, simply telling the guards not to let anyone approach the airport.

Sometimes the higher the "secrecy," the more likely it would leak.

For example, suddenly assigning extra patrols or conducting a thorough search around the area, or increasing the airport’s lockdown level and so on.

Just these movements would alert spies that a significant person was coming and allow them to prepare in advance.

Shire didn’t give it much thought and forgot about it completely the next morning, reviewing documents after breakfast as usual.

While signing documents, he considered:

What kind of anti-air fire should be mounted on the new destroyers?

Install Bofors anti-aircraft guns?

It didn’t seem right!

Right now, I have air superiority, so bringing out this kind of mid-range anti-aircraft weapon wouldn’t make sense.

No, it should be done gradually.

We should develop step by step like Russian nesting dolls, always keeping Britain tied down layer by layer!

At that moment, a guard came up to report, "General, someone wants to see you. He says he is Major Fernan."

Shire was stunned; Major Fernan? Could he be the mysterious guest Gallieni mentioned?

Shire smiled and ordered, "Let him in."

He took it as a practical joke.

Soon, Major Fernan appeared at the office door, accompanied by a few others who looked like his guards and aides, judging by their uniforms and attire.

Shire smiled and stood to greet them, thinking Major Fernan would casually greet him as before.

Unexpectedly, Major Fernan looked around nervously, lowered his voice, and leaned in to Shire, "Someone needs to see you alone, Admiral."

Saying this, Major Fernan stepped aside, revealing a mustached staff officer to Shire.

The staff officer looked at Shire with interest, smiled slightly, and greeted him in Russian, "Hello, nice to meet you, Admiral Shire."

Shire immediately realized that this "staff officer" was the "guest."

He was Russian, probably of high military rank, otherwise he wouldn’t be worried about being assassinated by spies.

Indeed, when Shire, the "staff officer," and the translator were in the conference room, the translator introduced, "Admiral, this is General Brusilov. He is very interested in your armored breakthrough tactics."

(Pictured above: General Brusilov, Chief of the General Staff of Tsarist Russia. The only great victory on the Eastern Front was commanded by him during the Brusilov Offensive, which nearly crushed Austria-Hungary.)

"Nice to meet you, General." Shire stepped forward and shook Brusilov’s hand.

Brusilov seemed rather serious. He nodded to Shire, "I’ve heard you’re only 19. I’m curious, how did you come up with tactics that should only be conceived after numerous battles?"

He then cited a battle example: "For instance, the ’reverse slope defense’ tactic you used at Verdun. It’s an incredibly bold innovation. Hardly anyone would willingly give up high ground, which is typically a highly contested tactical and even strategic point."

Tactics concern the battle itself. Being on high ground means overlooking the enemy, giving a geographical advantage.

Strategically, controlling high points provides intelligence for the entire army and holding them can delay enemy movements, much like driving in stakes.

In this era, indeed, as General Brusilov said, many battles revolved around seizing high ground.

"That’s because I treat war like a game, General," Shire answered half-jokingly, "We often don’t think of certain things because we take them too seriously, always thinking failure means bloodshed, loss of life, and even a nation’s survival. But if treated as a game, you’ll find many things worth trying."

Brusilov was taken aback but then laughed, "You’re right. The battlefield indeed needs this game-like mindset."