Chapter 41: The Red Eagle Medal

Since returning to Wilhelmshaven, Zhang Hainuo had been kept busy and delighted. First, he reported to the Navy Submarine Headquarters and confirmed their achievements. According to the regulations of the Imperial German Navy, submarine commanders and crew could receive corresponding rewards based on the enemy ships they sank. This time, Zhang Hainuo as the captain would receive 3,000 marks, while the crew members would receive rewards ranging from 300 to 1,500 marks depending on their positions. However, these rewards were not immediately issued; they had to wait for higher-level review and funding allocation before reaching the hands of the crew.

The delay in receiving the rewards was not the worst part; the worst part was the increasingly evident impact of the depletion of war resources in Germany by mid-1917, particularly the prominent issue of inflation. Compared to the purchasing power of the mark when the war broke out in 1914, it had decreased by two-thirds! If they had received the same amount of rewards in the previous two years, Zhang Hainuo and his crew could not only have taken a trip to Berlin but could have even bought some land in the countryside with the leftover money.

Although the reward issue was somewhat frustrating, the German Imperial Navy submarine badges that Zhang Hainuo brought back made the new crew members aboard U171 happy for quite a while. This was an honor awarded for successfully completing their combat mission on their first voyage, a recognition of their abilities and courage.

Subsequently, Zhang Hainuo spent several hours with his immediate superior, Colonel Georg, the commander of the 3rd Submarine Squadron of the Imperial German Navy. The conversation mainly revolved around the coordinated operations conducted by U171 and four other submarines previously. The Colonel was particularly interested in this mode of operation and instructed Zhang Hainuo to write a detailed written report, which he would then present to the Naval Staff.

Zhang Hainuo naturally welcomed this opportunity.

Afterward, Zhang Hainuo paid a visit to the S-28, as although Redel was no longer serving in the destroyer fleet, he still had a certain understanding of current anti-submarine technologies employed by various countries. He believed that the two new anti-submarine weapons recently introduced by the British would pose a significant threat to the German submarine force. Redel also informed Zhang Hainuo that due to the upheaval in Russia, the German army was able to redeploy a large number of elite troops from the Eastern Front to the Western Front, potentially turning the tide of the Western Front battle in favor of the Central Powers.

Redel's optimism left Zhang Hainuo feeling somewhat helpless. He knew very well that even if the German army redeployed all its Eastern Front troops to the Western Front, it would still be unable to defeat the Allied forces, which had numerical and equipment advantages.

In the days that followed, Zhang Hainuo was busy with his crew inspecting the submarine, loading ammunition, and preparing for their next voyage. With the United States joining the war, the number of merchant ships and escort vessels traveling between North America and Britain had significantly increased. Unable to deploy a large number of new submarines in a short period, the German Navy could only increase the frequency of single submarine sorties by reducing the docking time in Wilhelmshaven. Originally, Zhang Hainuo 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 U171 set sail again, there was a sudden change.

The achievement of sinking ships totaling 27,000 tons, although not exceptional for a submarine commander during the First World War in Germany, had gained Zhang Hainuo, a "newcomer," considerable attention due to his outstanding performance on his first voyage. In the past week, prominent German newspapers such as *Pan-Germanic Gazette* and *Hamburg News* prominently featured the deeds of U171 and four other German submarines in the North Atlantic, decimating the British escort convoy with the N22 code. This not only boosted morale among the beleaguered population but also earned praise from the German Navy from the top levels.

On May 12th, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany personally visited Wilhelmshaven for an inspection. As a result, he also received the submarine commanders who had achieved outstanding performance in recent months. Somewhat unexpectedly, Hainuo von Finkenschtein's name was also on the list of officers to be received.

Facing this unexpected opportunity, Zhang Hainuo once again harbored hopes of persuading the German high command to change naval strategy. However, he also felt that the chances of reversing the course of the war were becoming increasingly slim – the United States had entered the war, the strength of the Allied Powers had grown significantly, and, conversely, Germany was facing dwindling resources domestically, with the Austro-Hungarian Empire on the brink of collapse. The gap in strength between the warring sides was widening further.

Another reason Zhang Hainuo felt pessimistic was the various shortcomings he had observed in the naval system in recent times. If some old habits and practices within the navy could not be changed in mindset, even if he were appointed as Chief of Naval Staff by the German Emperor and given full authority over naval affairs, he felt it would be difficult to turn the tide.

The audience and decoration ceremony were surprisingly simple, lasting less than 10 minutes. Although Zhang Hainuo got the chance to see what the last monarch of the German Empire looked like up close, the only words he could say were:

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

After the decoration ceremony, Zhang Hainuo found the emperor's personal aide-de-camp and informed him that he had something very important to report to the emperor in person. However, the haughty aide-de-camp gave him only a cold response: "Reports should proceed through the proper channels; they should not be bypassed."

Even what Redel, who had earned the favor of the Emperor, could not achieve, Zhang Hainuo ultimately failed to accomplish.

When he returned to U171, Zhang Hainuo had already been awarded the Fourth Class of the Red Eagle Order. This order was established to honor the Prussian spirit of knighthood and had a history of 107 years since its inception in 1810, even preceding the famous Iron Cross by three years. It was primarily awarded to soldiers who had fought bravely in battle and outstanding military leaders, but civilians were also eligible.

Red Eagle Order was divided into six classes: the Grand Cross of the Red Eagle Order, the First Class of the Red Eagle Order, the Second Class of the Red Eagle Order, the Third Class of the Red Eagle Order, the Fourth Class of the Red Eagle Order, and the Red Eagle Medal. They were usually awarded based on the recipient's contributions, with the Red Eagle Medal being established for ordinary soldiers and civilians.

Redel had received the Fourth Class of the Red Eagle Order for his achievements as the editor-in-chief of *Naval Observer* and *Navigation* magazines.

Looking at the cross-shaped medal and the certificate of award printed on parchment, Zhang Hainuo suddenly realized that the honors he had received since arriving in this era were not few: just the experience of participating in the Jutland Sea Battle aboard the S-28 had earned him widespread admiration. Add to that his injuries sustained in battle, the Iron Cross, and the war wound medal, and the sinking of

 several British ships. In this moment, he discovered his spiritual wealth.

Thinking of those commanders who would dominate the Second World War, only Redel and Rommel (with two Iron Crosses and one Blue Max) had such capital in the First World War!

At this moment, Zhang Hainuo recalled Hessen's question about his plans after the war. If Germany's defeat in the First World War was inevitable, Zhang Hainuo said to himself, then let the Second World War not tread the same old path!

That moment of inspiration had now formed a rough outline in his mind. There was still one year and six months until the end of the war!