Chapter 59 Key Figure

  At the age of 23, he was promoted to Oberleutnant in the German Navy and awarded the Third Class Red Eagle Medal. He also ranked 25th on the list of top-scoring U-boat commanders with a total score of 82,000 tons. This is something that many people dream of, but when all this was right in front of him, Zhang Hainuo couldn't get excited no matter what.

  The promotion and decoration ceremony was presided over by two German major generals, the whole process was even shorter than the meeting with the German Emperor, monotonous opening remarks, cold congratulations, weak handshakes, all of which made Zhang Haino feel the pessimism from the high-level naval officers.

  Due to the unprofitable attacks on British convoys and the severe shortage of naval fuel reserves, the German Navy Department ordered a reduction in the number of submarine fleet sorties. With the main fleet trapped in port, this was tantamount to surrendering to the British!

  What enraged and frustrated Zhang Hainuo was that U148, a brand new submarine, was also ordered to stay in Wilhelmshaven on standby. It's like putting a shark hunter in a large pool divided by iron wire mesh in the middle, with the other end of the mesh being delicious fish, but the shark hunter can only smell and see it, but cannot take a step beyond the pool!

  It seems that the war is really not far from ending.

  Standing on the dock, looking at this German advanced ocean-going submarine, Zhang Haino felt very uncomfortable. If he didn't do something, once the war was over, its outcome would only be two - either self-sinking in Wilhelmshaven or being handed over to the Allies as war reparations.

  Zhang Hainuo decided to take action, and all of this was what he had been thinking about for a long time.

  He first mobilized some crew members to live on the submarine with him and took out the weapons from the armory on the submarine to strengthen the guard, in case something unexpected happened to this submarine like U7.

  Next, because he didn't know when Hessen and his submarine would return to port, Zhang Hai No sent a telegram every day to Pola Port of Austria-Hungary, asking Hessen to reply immediately after receiving it. His luck was not bad, when the 17th telegram was sent, Hessen replied: I just returned to Pola Port, what's the urgent matter?

  He immediately sent a telegram to him: "Please make time to go to Fink Manor in the suburbs of Oshersleben. There is an important matter to discuss. It's very important, please ask for leave and go as soon as possible!"

  The next day, Hesen wired back: "I am starting out today!"

  After receiving this telegram, Zhang Hainuo handed over the safety affairs of the boat to Edwin and Simon, and then applied for a five-day leave from the submarine command. Without packing his things, he hurried to his own Fink Manor.

  Oshersleben is located in central eastern Germany, from Wilhelmshaven and Bremen it's almost a day trip, so Zhang Hainuo saw his long-separated friend Hess the next day. Without much small talk, he pulled Hess into his study.

  Zhang Haino told him bluntly that "reliable information" indicated that Germany would hold out at most until November, and the side that was absolutely inferior when the armistice was reached would also mean defeat. The German army and navy would be forced to hand over their main weapons, and the main battleships and submarines of the German Navy, which posed the greatest threat to the Allies, would inevitably be among them.

  Although equally disappointed with the current state of the war, Hessen was stunned when he heard this conclusion and couldn't speak for half a day. If it were someone else who didn't trust each other as much, they might have immediately gotten up and left, because it's still July 1918, and although the German army and navy are at a disadvantage, they seem to still have the ability to continue fighting.

  Saying such things four months before the end of the war would be considered "treason" and "inciting mutiny".

  Hessen, however, did not think so. As a young German military officer who was good at military technology and indifferent to politics, his confusion came from what Zhang Haino said, rather than Zhang Haino himself. Although the two had only been together for four short months, they had already become close friends who could talk about anything because of their common character and pursuit. The communication between two friends who valued military honor was based on mutual trust.

  It wasn't until much later that Heson asked Zhang Hainuo with a hint of despair: "Will all this really become reality?"

  Zhang Hainuo looked at those bewildered eyes with a sincere gaze and replied seriously, "It's almost certain!"

  Hesen let out a deep sigh, as if he were the most devout believer who suddenly found that his doctrine was on the verge of collapse due to a crisis of faith, feeling lost and helpless.

  "Is there no room for regret?" This is not a question, but a sigh of emotion, a heavy-hearted sigh.

  "It is difficult for Germany to recall 300,000 soldiers, but on the other side of the Atlantic there are more than 3 million troops undergoing rigorous military training, and a large part of them will be sent to the French front in the next few months!"

  What Zhang Hainuo said is indeed a fact, unless it's that kind of die-hard faction, anyone would admit that Germany's disadvantage has become irreversible in the face of such circumstances.

  "Heynow, actually the Navy Department has already given us German boat captains who are fighting in the Austro-Hungarian Empire a secret order. The political situation in Austria-Hungary is unstable, and once the situation at Pola changes, we will either take the submarines back to Germany or choose to scuttle them, but under no circumstances can they fall into the hands of Germany's enemies!"

  What is meant by a confidential order is a vital command that cannot be revealed to anyone unrelated without the consent of one's superiors. When Hesen said this, Zhang Hainuo knew that he completely trusted him!

  "Roderick, ever since I heard your plan to start a salvage company after the war, I've been thinking about it!" Zhang Hainuo pulled Zhang Hai down to sit beside him at his desk, then called Hastings to bring out their treasured tea leaves and brew a pot. Only after the tea was ready did he continue:

  "I don't know if you've ever come into contact with the U-139 type of cruiser submarine, I commanded it on a trip back and forth across America, its performance left a deep impression on me! I think rather than letting Germany's enemies take them all away, we'd better blow them up ourselves!"

  "That's right!" Hessen agreed on this point. He would rather destroy the submarines than let them fall into the hands of Germany's enemies.

  "With this point of view as a premise, I have a plan, a very bold plan!"

  Zhang Hainuo flipped open the map on his desk, one of which was a large-scale European map with a scale of 1:22 million, covering all European countries and every island in the European region.

  Zhang Hainuo studied the map for about ten minutes, although not long, but once again stunned this "sea madman" known for his boldness.

  "Believe me, Germany won't have a single submarine left after the war is over unless we plan to buy a trawler to salvage wrecks!" Zhang Hainuo said with confidence.

  "What's after that? I mean, where will we meet up here?" Hesen asked, pointing at a patch of blue on the map.

  Zhang Hainuo had thought about such a problem many times, and he replied: "From there on, we will use the equipment in our hands to salvage the sunken ship! Because U148 can only rely on its own crew members to deal with possible faults during long-distance ocean navigation, four sets of diving equipment are equipped on the boat! I'll think of a way to get a few more from the armory, as for lifting equipment, we're afraid we can only replace it with manpower!"

  Hesen's gaze lingered on the map for several minutes, and finally he nodded with a speed that was beyond Zhang Hainuo's expectation.

  "Hayno, I have to admit, this is a plan that drives me crazy! But a sea lunatic never fears challenges, so count me in for your plan!"

  Zhang Hainuo's biggest worry in his heart suddenly vanished, and two young hands grasped each other firmly.