Chapter 86 Hidden Dangers

Overnight, Hipper and Raeder became household heroes. Although in this battle, Feng Chengqian, as Hipper’s operations staff officer, played a rather inconspicuous supporting role, the people of the Empire did not forget him—nor did the Emperor. In the imperial decree commending the navy, the Kaiser made it clear: without the powerful fleet built for the Empire by Duke Feng Chengqian, there would have been no victory today. Hipper and Raeder would not even have had the opportunity to win.

On September 14th, the Kaiser issued a decree awarding Hipper, Raeder, and Feng Chengqian the Blue Max, bestowing the honor exceptionally upon the battlecruiser "Der Seelitz," and presenting medals to the officers and men of the High Seas Fleet battlecruiser squadron for their distinguished service.

These were the first Blue Max medals awarded by the Kaiser since the outbreak of war.

In the Second German Empire, the Blue Max represented the highest honor a soldier could receive. Historically, all the famous generals of the Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia were recipients, such as Field Marshal Moltke the Elder and Count Roon; even Chancellor Bismarck had received the medal.

In fact, the Kaiser himself was a recipient.

Every soldier in the Second German Empire aspired to earn a Blue Max. It was not merely an honor; it was recognition of one’s contributions.

On September 16th, the Kaiser held a grand banquet at the Potsdam Palace to welcome home the triumphant naval officers and sailors.

As one of the principal architects of the Battle of Shetland, Feng Chengqian was the first to be invited, with Crown Prince Wilhelm personally coming to invite him.

It could be said that the Crown Prince was the most active of all after the battle.

This victory thrilled the Crown Prince, for he had at last proven to the uncle who once looked down on him that the German Empire could indeed build a first-class fleet.

Curiously, what mattered most to the Crown Prince was not the process of the naval battle, but its outcome and repercussions.

Thus, when coming to fetch Feng Chengqian for the banquet, the Crown Prince arrived two hours early, seizing the opportunity to discuss related matters with him.

“Do you think this battle has changed the Empire’s situation?” the Crown Prince asked.

“We are, in fact, the victors. Tactically and strategically, we have defeated the Royal Navy and achieved a major victory.” Wilhelm paused, his gaze lingering on Feng Chengqian, before continuing, “Does the Count not agree?”

“You are quite right, Your Highness. We did indeed win a major victory,” Feng Chengqian replied with a smile. “Tactically, we defeated the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet with almost no loss, sinking several capital ships including the ‘Indefatigable’ and ‘Inflexible’ battlecruisers. Operationally, we struck successfully at Biscay Bay and forced Jellicoe to withdraw his fleet. Strategically, we further shattered the myth of Royal Navy invincibility, proving to the world that Britain does not have a monopoly on sea power. Yet, we must be clear: the Battle of Shetland is only a beginning, far from the end.”

Wilhelm nodded thoughtfully, seeming to understand.

Feng Chengqian exhaled and said, “In truth, this battle has not changed our relationship with Britain—it has, at most, narrowed the gap.”

“What do you mean, Count?”

“To put it simply, the outcome of the battle fell far short of my expectations.”

“Oh?”

“Has Your Highness considered whether the British will ever give us such an opportunity again?”

Wilhelm frowned, apparently uncertain.

“In fact, we let slip a golden opportunity,” Feng Chengqian sighed again. “My initial plan was to engage the Russian Baltic Fleet, lulling the Royal Navy into believing our main force was operating in the Gulf of Finland, so that they would send their Grand Fleet to encircle Raeder’s battlecruisers. If all went smoothly, Raeder would bombard the Shetland Islands on the ninth, and in the night or early morning of the tenth, encounter the Grand Fleet. Then, as Raeder and Beatty fought their decisive action, we would arrive on the battlefield. By then, even if Jellicoe did not wish to fight, he would have to do everything in his power to defeat us.”

“Why? Couldn’t he withdraw?” Wilhelm asked.

“Of course he could, but he would have to abandon six battleships unable to make over twenty-one knots.”

“I see…”

“If Jellicoe dared do so, even if we didn’t annihilate the Grand Fleet, we could inflict crippling losses on the Royal Navy and fundamentally alter the balance of power.”

Wilhelm nodded thoughtfully, now grasping Feng Chengqian’s meaning.

“Unfortunately, Raeder was too hasty—he bombarded Biscay Bay a day early, allowing Jellicoe to arrive ahead of time, and thus we missed a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”

“So, will there never be another such opportunity?”

“Do you think, after this engagement, the Royal Navy will give us another chance?” Feng Chengqian glanced at the Crown Prince. “After this battle, the Royal Navy will have seen through our intentions—to gradually narrow the gap through limited engagements. While we have no shortage of resolve, I will not seek a decisive battle when outmatched.”

“Then…” Wilhelm hesitated.

“The result will be that the Royal Navy will rapidly reinforce the Grand Fleet, gaining overwhelming superiority and giving us not the slightest opening. If that happens, then one day we will be forced into a decisive engagement with the Royal Navy under extremely unfavorable circumstances.”

Wilhelm’s brow twitched. “Count, are you saying we have no hope of victory?”

“It’s not impossible—just exceedingly slim.”

Clearly, Feng Chengqian was not optimistic.

“Of course, we must have faith,” Feng Chengqian forced a smile. “But it is getting late. It would be most improper to keep His Majesty waiting.”

With no further ado, the two set off together for the Potsdam Palace.

At the banquet, Feng Chengqian naturally did not display his concerns.

After all, the Battle of Shetland was a significant and rare victory. Moreover, three days earlier, Ludendorff had encircled and destroyed the Russian First Army under Paul von Rennenkampf on the Eastern Front, inflicting nearly half a million Russian casualties and scoring a major triumph in the east. Though the situation in the west was far less promising, with the German advance falling well short of expectations, these two major victories could inspire great confidence.

In such circumstances, Feng Chengqian had no wish to dampen spirits.

Fortunately, he was not the only one keeping a clear head. The Kaiser, seeing victory, also discerned hidden dangers.

During the banquet, the Kaiser summoned several key military and political figures for private meetings.

Feng Chengqian was left for last—not because the Kaiser held him in low regard, but because he wanted more time to discuss the situation in depth.

At this moment, the Kaiser needed an advisor like Feng Chengqian—someone who could offer objective opinions and counsel.

Taking advantage of the occasion, Feng Chengqian also gleaned information about the land campaign from the army officers present, especially those he knew well, such as Ludendorff.

It was undeniable that Ludendorff had won a critical victory in East Prussia.

From the broader perspective, this victory was not merely the destruction of nearly half a million Russian troops. Strategically, it first shattered Russia’s confidence in victory, making it clear throughout their ranks that defeating the Second German Empire was all but impossible. Second, it removed the threat to Austria-Hungary, forcing Russia to redeploy troops to the German front. And most importantly, the German army no longer needed to reinforce the Eastern Front and could continue to focus on the west.

The problem was, the eastern front was always secondary.

Before the war began, Feng Chengqian had repeatedly advised both the Kaiser and Moltke the Younger not to overemphasize the east in the first half-year of war, but to concentrate on the west. If reinforcing the east prevented victory in the west within six months, the Empire’s chances of winning would be greatly diminished.

In other words, Ludendorff’s victory in the east did not alter the situation in the west.

In fact, the problems went deeper still.

Though only a month had passed since hostilities began, there was already ample evidence that Moltke the Younger’s western strategy was about to fail—indeed, it could be said to have failed already.

Not to mention, by this stage, the Germans had not even managed to occupy all of Belgium.

At the end of August, Tirpitz had suggested to Falkenhayn that during the great right-flank offensive on the Western Front, German forces should be strengthened on the outermost wing to seize the Belgian coast and, ideally, capture several ports. Tirpitz’s aim was to secure naval bases near the English Channel for small craft, but this would also sever the most convenient maritime route between Britain and France.

Unfortunately, Falkenhayn failed to persuade Moltke.

Though Falkenhayn was Minister of War, under the imperial military system only the Chief of the General Staff had authority over operations; the Minister of War had to stand aside.

If Moltke had withheld troops from the right wing in order to attack Paris, that would have been understandable—after all, defeating France swiftly was the essential aim. Once France was beaten, even if King Albert I of Belgium fled, Belgium would surrender.

The problem was, Moltke did not focus his main effort on the advance toward Paris as planned.

By early September, German operations on the Western Front had deviated significantly from the original plan.

To make matters worse, Moltke had even transferred troops from August von Mackensen’s First Army and Georg von der Marwitz’s Second Army to attack the fortress at Verdun. Yet these two armies, on the German right, were the main force advancing on Paris. According to the plan, they should have been reinforced, not weakened, to ensure a timely arrival at Paris.

Thanks to Moltke’s meddling, even with Mackensen and Marwitz pushing forward and the French army collapsing before them, the Germans appeared weak, and their dangerously exposed rear had become a looming threat that could at any moment cost the Germans the initiative on the Western Front.

Clearly, the situation on the battlefield was far from promising.