Chapter 41: The Red Eagle Medal

  Since returning to Wilhelmshaven, Zhang Haino has been busy. First, he went to the Navy Submarine Command to report and confirm his achievements. According to the relevant regulations of the German Royal Navy, submarine commanders and crew members can receive corresponding rewards based on the number of enemy ships they sank. This time, as the captain, Zhang Haino could get 3,000 marks, while the crew members received reward money ranging from 300 to 1,500 marks depending on their positions. However, these bonuses were not immediately issued and had to wait for approval from superiors and funding before being distributed to the crew members.

  The delay in awarding the prize was not so bad, what's worse is that by mid-1917, Germany's war resources were exhausted and its impact became more apparent, with inflation being the most prominent. Compared to when the war broke out in 1914, the purchasing power of the mark had already fallen by two-thirds! If they had received the same amount of prize money in the previous two years, Zhang Haino and his friends could not only go on a tour of Berlin, but also buy a piece of land in the countryside with the remaining money.

  Although the bonus issue was a bit frustrating, the German Royal Navy submarine badges brought back by Zhang Haino (which were replaced with U-boat medals during World War II, but the style and awarding method remained basically the same) delighted the newcomers on the boat for a good while. This is an honor reward for their first voyage to complete the combat mission successfully, and also a recognition of their ability and courage.

  Thereafter, Zhang Haino was again summoned by his immediate superior, Colonel Georg of the 3rd Submarine Squadron of the German Imperial Navy, to talk for several hours. The conversation mainly concerned the coordinated operations previously conducted by U171 and four other submarines. The colonel was very interested in this way of warfare and asked Zhang Haino to write a detailed written report, which he would then submit to the Naval Staff Office.

  Zhang Hainuo was naturally overjoyed at this.

  After that, Zhang Hainuo went to the Sedlitz again. Raeder is no longer serving in the destroyer squadron, but he still has some understanding of the current anti-submarine technology of various countries. He also feels that the two new anti-submarine weapons put into use by the British will pose a huge threat to the German submarine fleet and expresses his willingness to remind the naval staff office of this point through his relationship with high-level officials. Raeder also told Zhang Hainuo that due to the internal turmoil in Russia, the German army was able to withdraw a large number of elite troops from the Eastern Front, and it seems that the reversal of the Western Front is imminent.

  R?del's optimism left Zhang Haino feeling a little helpless, he was very clear that even if the German army transferred all its troops from the Eastern Front to the Western Front, it would still be powerless to defeat the Allied forces of Britain, France and the United States, which had an advantage in both numbers and equipment.

  In the next few days, Zhang Haino was busy inspecting and repairing the submarine with his crew, loading ammunition and preparing for the next voyage. Due to the US entry into the war, the number of merchant ships and convoys traveling between North America and Britain had increased dramatically, and the German Navy, which could not deploy new submarines in large numbers in a short period of time, had to increase the frequency of single-boat sorties by shortening the time spent in port. Originally, Zhang Haino and his crew could have rested for at least a week and a half in Wilhelmshaven, but now the Navy Department only gave them six days!

  Just two days before U-171 set sail again, things suddenly took a turn for the unexpected.

  Sinking 27,000 tons of ships is not a standard achievement for a German U-boat ace during World War I, let alone one of the top ten or twenty aces. However, Zhang Haino, this "newcomer", has gained widespread attention due to his outstanding performance on his first voyage. In the past week, influential German newspapers such as "Allgemeine Deutsche Zeitung" and "Hamburger Nachrichten" have prominently reported on the exploits of U-171 and four other German submarines in heavily damaging a British convoy (N22) in the North Atlantic. This has not only boosted the morale of the beleaguered population but also earned praise for the German submarine fleet from high-ranking officials.

  On May 12, Emperor Wilhelm II visited Wilhelmshaven for inspection and met with submarine commanders who had achieved outstanding results in recent months. To Zhang Haino's surprise, the name of Heino von Falkenstein was also on the list of captains to be received.

  Faced with this sudden opportunity, Zhang Haino's heart rekindled the hope of persuading the German high-level to change its naval strategy, but he also clearly felt that the opportunity to turn the tide was becoming increasingly slim - the US had already entered the war, and the Allies' strength had greatly increased, while on the other hand, Germany's domestic resources were gradually dwindling, Austria-Hungary was facing collapse, and the gap in strength between the two warring parties continued to widen.

  Another reason for Zhang Haibo's pessimism is the various drawbacks he has seen in the naval system in recent times. If the old habits and bad habits of some people in the navy cannot be changed ideologically, even if the emperor appoints him as the chief of staff of the navy now and handles all naval affairs with full authority, he feels that he is also unable to reverse the tide.

  The audience and decoration ceremony was surprisingly simple, the whole process took less than 10 minutes. Zhang Haino could only see what this last monarch of the German Empire looked like up close and say two sentences:

  "Thank you, Your Majesty! It is an honor to serve in the Royal Navy!"

  After the award ceremony, Zhang Hainuo found the personal attendant of the German Emperor and told him that he had very important things to report to the Emperor in person. However, the arrogant attendant only gave him a cold response: "Reports should be made level by level, and must not be reported out of turn!"

  Even someone like Rader who was favored by the German Emperor could not accomplish what Zhang Hainu ultimately failed to do.

  When Zhang Hainuo returned to U171, a fourth-class Red Eagle Medal had been added to his chest. This medal was established in 1810 to commemorate the Prussian knight spirit and has a history of 107 years, even three years earlier than the famous Iron Cross Medal. It is mainly awarded to soldiers who fought bravely in battle and outstanding military leaders, but civilians also have the qualification to receive it.

  The Order of the Red Eagle is divided into six classes, namely the Grand Cross of the Order of the Red Eagle, First Class of the Order of the Red Eagle, Second Class of the Order of the Red Eagle, Third Class of the Order of the Red Eagle, Fourth Class of the Order of the Red Eagle and the Medal of the Red Eagle. They are usually awarded according to the recipient's contribution, except for the Medal of the Red Eagle which is established for ordinary soldiers and ordinary people.

  Rydel was awarded the Order of the Red Eagle, 4th class, for his literary achievements while serving as editor of Morskoy Sbornik and Voyenniy Zhurnal.

  Looking at the cross-shaped medal and the certificate of award printed on cowhide paper, Zhang Haino suddenly felt that the honors he had obtained since coming to this era were not inferior: just one experience of participating in the Battle of Jutland with the Seydlitz alone made countless people admire him, and being seriously injured in battle, winning the Cross Medal and the Wound Medal, sinking several British warships. At this moment, he discovered his spiritual wealth.

  Think of those famous generals in World War II, only Raeder and Rommel (two Iron Crosses, one Blue Max) had such honor capital during the First World War!

  At this time, Zhang Haino thought of Heisen asking himself what he planned to do after the war ended. If Germany's fate of defeat could not be reversed, Zhang Haino knew that the vast majority of ships in this harbor, including his own U171, would become spoils of war for the Allies. He might be able to stay in the German Navy like Raeder, but before Hitler tore up the Treaty of Versailles and rearmed in 1935, Germany would not have a single submarine again. If he did nothing, Germany would still follow the trajectory of history, expanding its military, going to war, and ultimately losing.

  If Germany's defeat in World War I was inevitable, Zhang Hainuo said to himself, then let World War II not repeat the same historical path!

  That fleeting idea has now formed a rough outline in his mind, and at this time, there is still 1 year and 6 months until the end of the war!