World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

Can the construction progress of the aircraft carrier be accelerated?

"Sure, but we'll need more workers and materials," Li Te said, looking at Zhao Xuecheng.

The Minister of Industry immediately replied, "If we launch Project Taishan, implementing three shifts and prioritizing military allocation, the total construction cycle for an aircraft carrier can be shortened from twelve months to eight months. But the cost will be that the civilian shipbuilding industry will come to a complete standstill."

"Approved." Chen Feng said without hesitation. "In addition, notify the shipyard that all foreign orders under construction are suspended from today. Those that are more than 80% complete can continue; those that are below that progress must be converted for military use."

Zhao Xuecheng quickly took notes.

Lin Hwai-min.

The Air Force officer stood up. This 38-year-old was an aviation expert Chen Feng had poached from America; he was a PhD from MIT and spoke with a slight New England accent.

"The Air Force currently has 320 aircraft of various types, including 240 combat aircraft. There are 2,800 pilots and 1,200 aircrew. The training program is designed to train 50 new pilots per month."

"Change it to one hundred," Chen Feng said. "Don't worry about fuel consumption. I need you to double the number of pilots within six months."

Lin Hwai-min took a deep breath: "That would require at least 500 tons of aviation gasoline per month, which is two and a half times the current consumption."

"From the strategic reserves." Chen Feng looked at the Finance Minister. "How much fuel reserve do we have?"

"Eight thousand tons of aviation gasoline, twelve thousand tons of automotive gasoline, and twenty thousand tons of diesel. At the current rate of consumption, this can last for ten months."

"Initiate the strategic oil extraction plan," Chen Feng ordered. "Increase the production capacity of the Hurdesa oil field by another 50%. Tell the head of the Ministry of Petroleum that I don't care what methods he uses, I want to see daily crude oil production increase from the current 30,000 barrels to 50,000 barrels in six months."

The only sound in the meeting room was the scratching of pens on paper. Everyone was quickly jotting down their assigned tasks, which would translate into work schedules for thousands of people within hours.

"Liu Yongfu".

"exist."

"Is the Army expansion plan ready?"

Liu Yongfu opened his folder.

"Currently, there are five infantry divisions, totaling 75,000 personnel. The plan is to expand to ten divisions, exceeding 150,000 personnel. The 1st Division will be reorganized into an armored division, equipped with upgraded Panzer I and Panzer II tanks. Additionally, the 'Arab Divisions' will be expanded from the current ten divisions to twenty."

The atmosphere in the meeting room shifted subtly when the "Arab Division" was mentioned. This unit consisted of warriors from Arab tribes along the Persian Gulf coast, commanded by Lanfang officers, but the soldiers were mostly locals. They were fierce and skilled in battle, but loyalty was always a sensitive topic. (Most of them had joined Lanfang later.)

"How do we solve the loyalty problem?" Lee Teuk asked, directly voicing everyone's concerns.

"Three points," Liu Yongfu held up three fingers. "First, treatment. Arab soldiers receive the same pay and benefits as local Lanfang soldiers. Second, honor. We grant them independent military flags and titles, and allow them to retain their tribal customs. Third…" He paused, "and most importantly: the political commissar system. Each company is equipped with three political officers responsible for ideological education and loyalty supervision. At the same time, all officers' families are relocated to designated 'military new villages,' enjoying preferential treatment, but their movements are… appropriately restricted." (Whether or not to establish political commissars in the Lanfang army is up to the comrades.)

A combination of soft and hard tactics. Carrots and sticks. This is the only way Chen Feng could rule a multi-ethnic empire, a method he learned from history.

"Okay," Chen Feng nodded. "But I must emphasize: the Arab Division is a key force for our control of the Persian Gulf, and we absolutely cannot afford any problems with it. The Ministry of Security must strengthen its monitoring of this unit."

Liu Yongfu nodded and noted it down.

Two hours had passed by this point in the meeting. Waiters silently brought coffee and sandwiches, but few touched them. The pressure weighed heavily on everyone's shoulders.

"One last question," Chen Feng said, surveying the room, "If we activate 'Operation Taishan' and fully shift to a wartime economy, how will the public react? Can society withstand it?"

Interior Minister Wu Wen-yuan cleared his throat. This former university professor was one of the few civil servants in the cabinet, responsible for people's livelihood and social stability.

"Currently, public support is very high, mainly due to full employment and income growth," Wu Wenyuan said. "However, the 'Mount Tai Plan' means rationing, price controls, and forced labor allocation. Living standards will decline, and freedom will be restricted. In the short term, stability can be maintained through propaganda threatening war. But if it lasts for more than a year, or if war does not actually break out... discontent will accumulate."

"So we need an external threat," Chen Feng said thoughtfully, "a threat that can unite the people and make them accept sacrifice."

Wang Wenwu suddenly raised his head: "The British."

All eyes turned to him.

"British troops stationed in Sinai have been operating near Holdessa," Wang Wenwu said. "Although things have been relatively quiet recently, we can... create some 'friction.' For example, patrols encountering firefights, or oil wells being threatened. There's no need for actual conflict; we just need to make the public feel that war is not far away."

Chen Feng remained silent for a few seconds. The suggestion was cold-blooded, but effective.

"It's possible, but we need to control the scale," he concluded. "Let the security department plan and create two or three low-intensity 'incidents.' At the same time, the propaganda department should cooperate by emphasizing 'external threats' in newspapers and on the radio. But we need to strike a balance—we need a sense of preparedness, not panic."

Orders were issued one after another. Industrial mobilization, military expansion, diplomatic actions, public opinion guidance... a massive state apparatus began to shift its direction, moving from pursuing the profits of war to addressing an existential crisis.

The meeting ended at nine in the morning. Sunlight streamed through the ventilation shafts of the underground command center, casting several slanted beams of light, in which dust particles floated slowly.

Chen Feng was the last to leave. He stood before the sand table, gazing at the miniature world model. Europe was burning, Asia was restless, America was making a choice, and his country, this miracle rising from the cracks, stood at the crossroads of fate.

"Commander-in-Chief," Wang Wenwu approached and said in a low voice, "when should the note to Meilika be sent?"

"This afternoon," Chen Feng said, "send it once in plaintext and once in encrypted form to make sure they receive it. The wording should be...sincere and urgent. Emphasize Lanfang's concern for world peace as an emerging nation, and our willingness to act as mediators."

"And what was Germany's response?"