Chapitre 155: Chapter 35: The Supreme Commander
The Ar95 reconnaissance/torpedo bomber of the German Navy, developed in the late 1920s, was a biplane seaplane with a combat weight of 3.5 tons. It could carry a 700-kilogram torpedo to attack targets within 1,000 kilometers. In contrast, the battleship "Gneisenau" of the Schanhorst class, which combined battleship defense and cruiser speed, was a newly commissioned warship in 1938, with a standard displacement of 35,000 tons.
In terms of weight, the Ar95 was only one-thousandth of its counterpart. Placing the two together was like putting a mouse next to an elephant. However, the enormous difference in size did not mean that the outcome of their confrontation was without suspense.
On a calm day in the late autumn of 1938, in the southern part of the North Sea, 16 "mice" successfully brought down the "elephant" in full view of everyone. Despite the massive bulk of the "Gneisenau" racing across the sea at 30 knots, evading furiously, and despite the ship's considerable anti-aircraft firepower roaring persistently, three torpedoes filled with water hit its hull one after another. The dull thuds made every officer and crew member on board sweat profusely—if this were a real battle, even if their warship managed to avoid sinking by some stroke of luck, its combat effectiveness would likely be severely compromised, and its mobility greatly reduced!
Observing this exercise were several senior officers of the German Navy, including Admiral Erich Raeder, Vice Admiral Kurt Guse, Chief of Staff Helmuth Heye, Fleet Commander Wilhelm Marschall, newly appointed Commander of the Torpedo Squadron Gunther Lutjens, and Commander of the Submarine Fleet Roderick von Hessen, along with his deputy, Karl Dönitz. The exercise's adjudication committee consisted of several senior staff officers who, after extrapolating from the torpedo's power and the hit locations, determined the outcome of this "battle": if the "Gneisenau" were attacked in the North Sea, there was a thirty-three percent chance of it returning to its home port; if the battle occurred in the Atlantic, the probability of survival dropped to just four percent!
Although the results of the exercise were psychologically difficult for many to accept, as they had witnessed firsthand, all the officers and crew of the "Gneisenau" had done their utmost, and the tactical instructions of the command team demonstrated their high level of tactical proficiency. However, the crux of the problem lay in equipment and tactics.
"First, increase the warning distance; second, strengthen anti-aircraft firepower, improve the accuracy and efficiency of fire control systems; third, enhance the crew's anti-aircraft training during peacetime; fourth, improve hull design, emphasizing maintaining maneuverability and navigational capability when hit by enemy shells or torpedoes; fifth, emphasize coordination between ships in anti-aircraft operations!"
After the exercise, although considered a "defeated general," Zhang Hainuo confidently presented this series of suggestions to senior naval officers and staff officers at the summary meeting. These suggestions had been elaborated upon in several reports he had written and had attracted the attention of several leaders, including Raeder. However, to this day, many people's thinking remained stuck in the patterns of the previous war. It was akin to the model of the "Seydlitz" ship that Hitler had given to Zhang Hainuo—it vividly reflected the situation at the beginning of the ship's service—strong surface combat capabilities, a formidable and simple appearance, but lacking dedicated anti-aircraft guns. While such a configuration was typical during World War I, replicating it and sending it into naval battles in the late 1930s would likely not preserve the "unsinkable" reputation of the ship!
Chief of Staff Heye then put forward his supporting opinion: "Gentlemen, as we saw in today's exercise, the old model of relying solely on a warship's speed and maneuverability to evade torpedo attacks is being greatly challenged by the advent of aircraft as a new torpedo delivery weapon! In the foreseeable future, aircraft torpedo technology will inevitably advance, and the power of air-dropped torpedoes will surpass what we use today. While we continue to study how to use aircraft to attack enemy ships, we must also constantly consider how to improve the survivability of our own vessels! I believe all departments have a responsibility to take this seriously!"
"During the refitting period of the 'Gneisenau,' in addition to improving seaworthiness, another emphasis will be on enhancing anti-aircraft capabilities!" suggested Fleet Commander Marshal more specifically.
"And the 'Scharnhorst' and the two 'Bismarck' class ships under construction!" Guse, still fixated on his favorite battleships, chimed in.
Everyone added their thoughts, and seeing a consensus emerging on this issue, Raeder spoke up:
"Vice Admiral von Finkenstein, do you think our destroyers and cruisers also need to enhance their anti-aircraft combat capabilities?"
"Yes, Your Excellency, Admiral of the Navy! Any ship going to sea on combat missions is likely to be harassed and attacked by enemy aircraft! In order to achieve our operational objectives, strengthening anti-aircraft capabilities is imperative! Regarding the current situation of the British and French navies, the naval aviation strength is stronger than the submarine force, especially with the British Navy having several aircraft carriers and seaplane carriers!" Zhang Hainuo answered meticulously, "To prepare for the war that may break out in the next few years, it is necessary for us to first improve our understanding in this regard! Of course, my suggestion does not mean weakening the surface combat capabilities and anti-submarine capabilities of our ships, but rather, on the basis of existing technology, enhancing the ability of ships to respond to various situations!"
At the mention of the word "war," reactions among the group were varied. After briefly expressing his own views, Raeder reiterated: "The Führer assured me that Germany will not be involved in a war before 1946!"
In Zhang Hainuo's view, Hitler's political declarations had little credibility, but the naval officers, who had always refrained from politics, apparently entrusted their trust to their leader. Especially in the aftermath of the Sudetenland crisis being resolved, Hitler's prestige had swelled as never before!
"Respected Admiral of the Navy, forgive me for speaking frankly. Regardless of when the war breaks out, the most rigorous approach is to be prepared to face it at any time. This preparedness is both psychological and material!"
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After the completion of the North Sea survey and exercises, the "Gneisenau" returned once again to the large shipyard in Kiel. This time, it awaited a refurbishment project lasting at least four months. After joint research by the shipyard engineering team and the naval technical department, it was decided to improve the seaworthiness of the "Gneisenau" by converting its straight-leaning bow into a more suitable Atlantic bow for long voyages, increasing the sheer of the bow, and installing additional deck wave protection equipment. Due to the involvement of partial hull structure in the project, the entire refurbishment was expected to last until after Christmas. During this period, the crew either enjoyed a long holiday or, like Zhang Hainuo and his staff team, were reassigned to other warships. Many experienced officers and sailors were transferred to the "Scharnhorst," which was undergoing sea trials and expected to be commissioned at the beginning of the new year.
Zhang Hainuo originally intended to transfer to command the "Scharnhorst," as it would be very meaningful to command two warships of the Scharnhorst class successively. However, when he learned that Vice Admiral Ernst Lindemann, who was equally outstanding in commanding large surface vessels, had recovered from his injuries and been appointed as the commander of the ship, he couldn't bear to take away this opportunity from his colleague. Moreover, it seemed unreasonable to replace a vice admiral of similar age and qualifications with himself, a rear admiral, without a valid reason.
Not being the captain of the "Scharnhorst," Zhang Hainuo didn't have much idle time. During the refurbishment of the "Gneisenau," he continued to serve as the director of naval aviation and also acquired a relatively leisurely "part-time" job—overseeing the improvement of anti-aircraft firepower on various levels of the German Navy and conducting related training. Urged by the Naval Staff, engineers from the technical department quickly developed anti-aircraft improvement plans from the 1934-class destroyers to the Scharnhorst-class battleships. Based on the radar technology developed by Gema, the plan included strengthening the number of anti-aircraft weapons. Additionally, the Naval Headquarters sent project proposals to companies like Krupp for the development of new shipborne anti-aircraft guns to replace existing ones before 1939.
Due to the high-level attention given by the navy, the first batch of ships to undergo refurbishment, including four 1934-class destroyers and two light cruisers, quickly began their respective refurbishment projects. However, due to their smaller hulls, there was relatively less space available for improving anti-aircraft facilities on these ships. After installing one twin 37mm gun and three quadruple 20mm guns on the 2,200-ton standard displacement 1934-class destroyer, the deck was already crowded with guns and various equipment. The installation of the FUMO-J radar on the destroyer was more welcomed by officers.
As a special supervisor, Zhang Hainuo rarely interfered with the technical transformation of these ships by engineers, focusing instead on guiding the anti-aircraft training of various fleets. "Outsiders shouldn't meddle in internal affairs" was his consistent principle. During this relatively leisurely period, he paid special attention to the work on the Hessen side. Currently, his and Dönitz's submarines were larger and more advanced than the German submarine force at the outbreak of World War II. Due to the advantage in technology and strategic considerations, the submarines serving in the German Navy were mainly 500 to 600-ton medium-range submarines and over 1,000-ton ocean-going submarines. Purely small coastal submarines were fewer, and after a long period of training and adaptation, the quality of officers and crew was satisfactory.
To avoid situations where torpedoes failed to detonate in combat as much as possible, Zhang Hainuo suggested that Hessen and his subordinates conduct more live-fire training. Although a standard 1,500kg torpedo was relatively expensive, and the naval budget was not abundant, they could have Schneider Shipyard mass-produce G7 torpedoes for naval training. While this traditional contact-triggered type was not the best combat choice with current technology, it was the most effective tool for training submarine commanders and crews.
Furthermore, Zhang Hainuo reminded Hessen and his subordinates to pay special attention to torpedo depth settings and changes in internal pressure on the submarines. Historically, the German Navy paid a huge price before and after the Battle of Narvik in the realization of this issue, and Zhang Hainuo didn't want those regrettable events to be repeated here.
By the end of October 1938, after 40 months of lengthy construction, the main body of the aircraft carrier "Graf Zeppelin" was finally completed, and the launching ceremony was scheduled for early November—a month earlier than the unfortunate aircraft carrier's launch in history. The key reasons for this advancement were the attention given by the navy and priority supplies of materials.
While a month might seem short, launching, outfitting, sea trials, training, and commissioning were interconnected. Launching a month earlier meant that the crew could become more familiar with their warship, and the pilots could have more opportunities for real deck takeoffs and landings and sea attack training!
Since the death of President Hindenburg in 1934, the launching ceremonies of Germany's main naval vessels always featured Adolf Hitler. In Zhang Hainuo's opinion, the quieter the launch and commissioning of the "Graf Zeppelin," the better, preferably keeping outsiders in the dark. However, in Europe, such a situation was almost impossible—due to geopolitical, political, and historical reasons, navies of countries like England, France, Germany, and Italy were well aware of each other's situations. During peacetime, visits between the ships of both sides were frequent. Moreover, Goebbels always found ways to exploit the military progress and achievements of the German army to increase the influence of the Hitler regime in Germany, and to incite patriotic fervor among the people. As a result, the grandiose launching of the "Graf Zeppelin" could not be avoided!
At this point, Zhang Hainuo, under Rader's orders, returned to Berlin and then went to the Chancellery with the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy to invite Hitler to attend the launching ceremony of the "Graf Zeppelin." The Führer did not hesitate, and he also praised the recent construction achievements of the Navy, promising promotions for the major naval officers.
As Zhang Hainuo had anticipated, the launching ceremony of the "Graf Zeppelin" was unprecedentedly grand. Over 100,000 people, including navy personnel, flooded into the shipyard, while countless flashes and lenses focused on the triumphant figure of the Reich Chancellor. During the ceremony, Hitler declared that the German Navy was fully capable of defending the country and resisting foreign invasion. As usual, his speech was full of nationalist rhetoric. Traditional naval officers were worried that not only the fervent masses but also many naval officers and sailors were deeply influenced by such speeches.
At this moment, Zhang Hainuo saw the harbinger of war from the terrifying ambitions of Adolf Hitler.
The day after the launching ceremony, a large number of naval officers, led by Rader, were promoted. Since becoming Commander-in-Chief of the Navy in 1928, Erich Raeder had finally reached the pinnacle he had longed for—Marshal of the German Navy. The weighty baton made him radiant as if he had been reborn. Undoubtedly, under his leadership, the Navy would be even more firmly established in the capital of Berlin.
Among the naval officers, Zhang Hainuo's promotion seemed ordinary but represented the most significant change in power. On that day, he was promoted from Rear Admiral to Vice Admiral of the Navy Aviation and appointed as both Deputy Commander of Naval Aviation and Commander of the "Graf Zeppelin." Soon after, with General Karl's transfer to the Naval High Command, he formally became the Commander of Naval Aviation—the "Göring" of the Navy!
With Zhang Hainuo's appointment as captain of the "Graf Zeppelin," he became the most versatile commander in the German Navy—beyond him, no German officer had commanded submarines, battleships, and aircraft carriers, representing the typical types of underwater, surface, and air power!
Due to the different hull structures, the aircraft carrier's fitting-out project was relatively shorter than that of ordinary warships, leaving Zhang Hainuo little time to select and organize the crew. Fortunately, the training of the pilots had already begun. Without interference from the Air Force, by the end of 1938, four squadrons of carrier-based fighters and three squadrons of bombers had been allocated to the carrier battle group where the "Graf Zeppelin" was located: Messerschmitt fighter development and production progressed the fastest, and 28 Bf-109T aircraft, including spares and land-based reconnaissance units, had already begun takeoff and landing exercises on the training carrier; the progress of Junkers dive bombers was slightly slower, and the pilots could only use modified Ju 87A for deck landing practice for now. Undoubtedly, this type of Air Force land-based dive bomber was not suitable for true aircraft carrier operations. The inability to fold the wings alone would significantly reduce the number of aircraft carried by the "Graf Zeppelin," but this was only a temporary measure; compared to Messerschmitt and Junkers, Fieseler's development of carrier-based reconnaissance/torpedo planes was the slowest, and the production progress naturally lagged behind. Before their Fi167 entered service, the carrier-based aircraft unit attempted to use old-style land-based torpedo planes for training, but the first attempt ended in failure with the aircraft crashing into the sea during takeoff. Fortunately, the two pilots were rescued quickly, but such attempts had to be terminated prematurely.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone