I Became a Captain of the British Empire - Chapter 147



another war

June 25, 1931.

USA, Washington DC

While the summer sun was warmly melting the yard, an angry elite general was spitting fire in the Oval Office of the White House.

“Where are these desert bastards coming from?!”

With a booming voice in the large room, Army Chief of Staff MacArthur gnashed his teeth. It wasn’t the protests in front of the White House or the humiliating defeat of Newfoundland that made him indignant.

“These chews are not good enough!”

puck-

Seeing the article decorating the front page of the newspaper scraps MacArthur threw, President Charles Curtis let out a shallow sigh.

Mexico’s declaration of war.

When urgent reports were received from the South, the White House was thrown into more confusion than the failure of the White War plan.

The fact that the Mexican regular army had been lined up in the Texas National Guard came as little shocking news to MacArthur.

Rather, it was MacArthur who was indignant at the fact that Mexicans who were no more than brutes appeared arrogantly in front of the National Guard.

“The things that can be broken by the kitchen guard don’t know the fraction… . Mr. President, we must define Mexico as the enemy right now and mobilize our forces to launch a counterattack!”

Seeing MacArthur vomit in front of his desk in the Oval Office, President Curtis held his breath.

“… Do you really need to do that?”

“If we take Mexico, we can turn the entire Gulf of Mexico into an inland sea. Rebuilding the navy is not a dream either.”

is it a joke

But no. Facing MacArthur’s fiercely burning eyes, Curtis clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘I’m out of my mind.’

After the disaster in Newfoundland, he has been enthusiastic about everything.

mostly on the bad side.

Curtis, of course, had no concerns about it.

There are only slight changes in the abacus.

“If you gather the National Guard in the south, about 5 divisions will come out. I’ll send Patton. In just a few months, we will be able to push Mexico out and secure a stronghold.”

“It takes ‘a few months’ isn’t it? General.”

“There is still time.”

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Placing his hand on the desk in his office, MacArthur said. His bloody gaze flashed like that of a beast.

“Neither you nor I are completely defeated.”

“I’m sorry, General. How is the situation at Pearl Harbor now?”

soft voice.

MacArthur, who had been glaring at Curtis for a while, answered, averting his gaze.

“… The local submarine force is said to be fighting. Support is difficult due to the blockade of the combined fleet, but as soon as the remaining power and new ships come out, we plan to sortie the relief fleet.”

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President Curtis had to struggle to contain his laughter. The arrogant general in front of him still seriously believed in the possibility.

“that… The battlecruisers and carriers coming out next year?”

“This is the year, Your Excellency.”

In an instant, sharp eyes rose to face the president. Against the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the United States, MacArthur opened his eyes.

“It will come out this year.”

“Well, if the general is like that, then so be it.”

It was a president who did not express any questions about it.

I know that any honor and manners are meaningless.

The only thing that rules the White House right now is the supremacy of cold power.

‘But you wouldn’t think that it would hold you down. Arrogant bastard.’

Of course, if someone catches that general’s spirit even now, there’s a chance he’ll change his mind. He is a person with that much potential.

but,

‘There’s no need to do that.’

Curtis folded his arms and arched his back.

Catastrophe will come sooner or later. before things get bigger.

The president had no reason to act.

“More than that, General.”

At the president’s call, MacArthur frowned and turned his head away. Looking at the still arrogant attitude, Curtis said in a soft voice.

“Would you like to see Marshal Pershing next week?”

A mischievous smile twitched across her folded hands.

* * *

same time.

England, Portsmouth.

A port I have been to for a long time.

The port seen from Portsmouth Dock 1 was still hectic with crowded crowds.

Sailors and residents filling the plaza, and the sound of boat horns coming into the harbor.

As I was still looking at the view, Lieutenant Colonel Ritchie approached me and handed over the coffee cup Kirk had made.

“This is my first time coming here.”

“That’s right. So do i.”

When I look up, the majestic appearance of the mast under construction fills my eyes.

Three tall brim masts cast shadows around it.

HMS Victory.

Admiral Nelson’s flagship, a first-class battleship armed with 104 full-length cannons. It is one of the few evidences of the age of sailboats.

On top of the pride of the Royal Navy, I’m waiting for someone.

“You’re late.”

“Because it is an old body. Would you like some tea?”

“No, wait. It’s chilly too, so can’t I go in?”

“I think it will be a little difficult because it is under construction. If so, please go downstairs.”

“… No, I think it will be fine once the clouds clear.”

When I looked up at the sky, the sun peeked through the clouds.

“It’s clearing.”

“It’s amazing. Look at the weather.”

“If you circumnavigate from the North Sea to the South Pacific, you will see all kinds of situations. It’s a trivial trick. It’s like a feeling.”

Well, of course it’s not like the ability I got after falling into this world. In the old days, I prayed for rain in the hope that training would be canceled due to rain. Now that I have become an executive, I have no reason to wish for such a thing.

“The weather is getting better, and what a nice day to meet.”

“That’s right. By the way, couldn’t you go to London?”

“I have to adjust from this side. You don’t seem to want to come to London very much.”

It’s probably because it’s a bit awkward to meet Churchill. Anyway, looking down carefully, a group of people approaching Victory following the guidance of a naval officer draws attention.

“Here you are.”

Soon after, an old man appeared on deck.

A profound impression of someone in their 50s or 60s. Medals dangling from the uniform. And the evidence of the enemy revealed in the thick head.

David Beatty.

It was the moment when the elders of the battlecruiser system appeared.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen it myself, Admiral Lewis.”

“It is an honor to meet you, Admiral.”

“What glory. Sit down and talk.”

Beatty waved her hand in annoyance and immediately sat down and looked up at me.

clear eyes. He is like a man who held the position of 1st Naval Policeman until just a few years ago. momentum is still alive

Sitting cautiously next to him, who could be said to be the best senior in the Royal Navy, I waited for his story.

“It was a lot of trouble. It’s really our fault. I am making you suffer by ending the war poorly.”

“This is an outrageous statement. More than that, I don’t bother to come all the way to Portsmouth and I’m going.”

“Sometimes I want to see the naval port again. Oh, that… ?”

Soon Beatty tilts her head to the sound of the boat horn with an interesting face. The lively eyes are soaked in emotion.

“Derflinger class! It’s been a while since I’ve seen that guy.”

Where the admiral pointed out, a battlecruiser with two stacks was pulling into the harbor.

Derflinger class battlecruisers.

A battlecruiser of the German High Seas Fleet that was active in World War I. Since the first ship, Derflinger, has been dismantled, that ship is probably the Hindenburg, which was used as a training ship and returned to active duty.

“A battlecruiser operating in the North Sea. After patrols in the Baltic Sea, I’m in the process of switching with the Mackensen class. Now it is anchored for the purpose of a goodwill visit.”

Beatty silently nodded.

“The world has changed.”

The battlecruiser that competed with his 1st Battlecruiser Squadron at the Battle of Jutland was also the Derflinger class. The veteran, who met an old adversary again, seemed to be looking somewhere far away.

Yesterday’s enemies become today’s allies.

There is nothing very strange about it. Because the world is like that.

Maybe that’s why the admiral quietly took his eyes off the battlecruiser. There was no regret to be found in the aged eyes.

“I have heard about you. Thank you for raising the honor of a battlecruiser, Lewis.”

“no. Without the precedent of the admiral, I would not have come to this point.”

“Do you like being humble?”

Oops, did I make a mistake?

My shoulders twitched involuntarily. Beatty, who was staring at me, burst into laughter and waved his hand.

“What a fun friend. Never mind.”

what is fun Anyway, this man is also a bit like Admiral Pound.

After drinking a cup of black tea, he quietly looked around the harbor.

“ah… It’s been a long time since this time At its peak, this entire port was full of warships.”

At a glance, Portsmouth Port did not seem to show the potential of the days the Admiral was talking about.

3 battleships visible. Two of them are obsolete, and one is a foreign warship.

Of course, it’s the result of the majority of capital ships being overseas… Well, I can’t erase the feeling of emptiness. It seems that the human mind is not that rational.

“It’s a distant past now. The world is always changing.”

“That’s right. Who would have known that things with wings could roam the sea?”

“It’s ironic that I’ve come this far because of that.”

Shuk, Beatty turns her head.

The eyes looking at me shone fiercely.

“The Naval Air Corps will succeed the Battlecruiser Squadron?”

“Exactly, it’s a high-speed carrier task force.”

A premature wind blew across Victory’s deck. The sound of propeller engines echoed leisurely over the mast.

It is a patrol wing of the Royal Air Force.

“Evidence?”

“This is the lesson of the past year.”

I opened my mouth while meeting sharp eyes.

Now it’s time to get to the main point.

“good. How are you going to implement it?”

“Two or more aircraft carriers. And at least one fast battleship or battlecruiser to escort it. A large number of cruisers and destroyers. They form a unit and move for smooth air operations.”

A large number of surface fleets moving in circular formations. A base on the huge sea that launches planes from the center. Now it’s time to make it a reality.

Admiral Beatty, who had been listening attentively, opened his eyes wide.

“For air operations?”

“Yes, because the main force of the squadron is an aircraft carrier.”

“I want it to be a truly unrivaled capital ship.”

“To do that, I need the Admiral’s help.”

“I?”

Beatty expresses his doubts again.

It’s natural to think it’s strange. He was definitely a person who lived in the era of the Geoham Geopo.

As for naval aviation, I have no choice but to express my doubts. No, I’m just glad I’m not hostile.

So I thanked him for his generosity, held my breath, and continued his explanation.

“Of course, aircraft carriers still need a lot of time to push out battleships. However, it is certain that they have risen to an indispensable position in naval battles. Therefore, the Royal Navy should pay great attention to this new type of ship.”

That’s why I need him all the more.

The support of someone who is no different from an elder of the Battleship Faction Admiral.

“I would like to establish a Royal Navy aircraft carrier task force as a stand-by force.”

this is another war