Chapter 0582: A Countermeasure

Berlin, Imperial Palace.

Since Qin Tian ascended to the throne as Emperor Wilhelm III, he could no longer remain on the front lines. Fortunately, the German forces had already secured decisive victories on the Western Front, relieving him of much concern. Transferring command to the General Staff posed no problem.

Being emperor was markedly different from being crown prince. Despite granting considerable authority to others—entrusting governance to the Cabinet, and military affairs to the Ministries of the Army and Navy—Qin Tian found himself fatigued by his new responsibilities. Yet, he knew this was only temporary; once he settled into the role, things would become easier.

On May 7th, as Qin Tian was lunching, a servant informed him that Field Marshal von Falkenhayn, Minister of the Army and Chief of General Staff, and General Walderssee, Deputy Chief of General Staff, had requested an audience.

"Have them wait in my office; I'll join them shortly." With that, Qin Tian swiftly finished his steak and juice, wiped his mouth, and made his way to his office. He knew Falkenhayn and Walderssee would not have disturbed him without urgent reason.

"Your Majesty!" Upon his entrance, both men saluted him. Although Qin Tian was young, he was, after all, now Emperor.

"Gentlemen, please, have a seat. Have you had lunch yet? If not, I'll have something prepared," Qin Tian inquired.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, we've already eaten," Falkenhayn replied.

"Very well, bring three coffees," Qin Tian ordered.

Once the servant had exited, Qin Tian asked, "What's the situation?"

"Your Majesty, the offensive against Le Havre by the First and Eighth Armies has encountered a setback," reported Falkenhayn.

"What? How could that be?" Qin Tian frowned. The First and Eighth Armies, numbering nearly half a million of the Reich's finest, should have had a sure victory against the 300,000-strong British Expeditionary Force holding Le Havre. The idea of failure seemed inconceivable.

"Your Majesty, the British deployed their navy. A large fleet of 21 pre-dreadnoughts and 13 armored cruisers appeared off Le Havre's coast and unleashed a fierce bombardment on our forces. Under the heavy shelling of their large-caliber guns, both the First and Eighth Armies not only failed in their assault but suffered severe losses," Falkenhayn explained.

Qin Tian's expression darkened. Though he had not witnessed it firsthand, he could easily imagine the scene—German infantry advancing on Le Havre, only to be met by a relentless naval bombardment. The toll on his forces must have been substantial.

"What are our casualties?" Qin Tian asked.

"Your Majesty, the First and Eighth Armies alone have lost over ten thousand men in this assault, along with hundreds of artillery pieces destroyed by British naval fire. This setback has dealt a serious blow to the troops' morale, which will be detrimental to future operations," said General Walderssee.

Qin Tian nodded, acknowledging the gravity of this defeat. The Eighth Army, especially, had never known such a loss. Always victorious on both the Eastern and Western fronts, this battle against the British navy had left them battered and humiliated.

"What are Generals Kluck and Ludendorff's plans?" Qin Tian asked.

"For now, Your Majesty, both armies have withdrawn beyond the range of the British naval guns. However, any further assault on Le Havre would require us to neutralize the British fleet. If we cannot eliminate this threat, we will likely be unable to capture Le Havre and may suffer even heavier losses," replied Falkenhayn.

Qin Tian agreed. The British fleet was indeed formidable, reflecting the vast power of the Royal Navy. Few nations could amass such a force with ease. Despite the fleet's outdated warships, it was clear that nothing was truly obsolete—only misallocated.

"How do you propose to neutralize the British fleet?" Qin Tian asked.

Falkenhayn and Walderssee exchanged glances, then Falkenhayn spoke up, "Your Majesty, I would suggest sending a detachment from the High Seas Fleet to engage and drive away the British fleet, thus neutralizing the threat to our ground forces."

Dispatching a fleet to confront the British was certainly the most reliable solution. However, Germany's naval resources were stretched thin.

"Unfortunately, the navy can't spare the main battle fleet at this time. Although we have significantly weakened the British navy, the blockade around Britain has reached a critical juncture, with most of our ships operating in the western British seas and the North Sea. Additionally, the Admiralty has observed that the British, French, and Italian navies are conducting covert maneuvers. Intelligence suggests they are preparing a coordinated offensive against the Imperial Navy, which has us on high alert. The High Seas Fleet must remain vigilant, with all main battleships available to counter this threat. Therefore, we may be unable to provide immediate support to your forces," Qin Tian stated.

Although their maneuvers were discreet, it was impossible for the British, French, and Italians to conceal all traces of their coordination. German intelligence had deduced that these three allies were preparing to confront the Reich's fleet. Having fought so hard to reach their current advantage, Germany's navy was now on guard, determined not to lose this hard-won position through a single misstep.