The naval review conducted by Germany was equally successful. The German Navy, in full display of its might before the representatives of other nations and the empire's citizens, showcased its formidable strength. One ship after another, these steel behemoths stood as undeniable symbols of the German Navy's power, compelling any nation contemplating opposition to Germany to carefully consider whether they had the strength to confront such a force.
After the naval review, the representatives from the various participating nations were left with a range of thoughts. The smaller nations were indifferent; after all, they had long been accustomed to following the whims of the great powers in international affairs. Previously, they had been at the mercy of British influence, but now their attention had shifted to Germany. The larger nations, however, were more perturbed. They knew full well the might of Germany and recognized that challenging this power would come at an immense cost.
Following the review, the German Navy hosted a grand banquet at the naval base to entertain the representatives from various nations.
Qin Tian made a brief appearance at the banquet before excusing himself. He had to confer with Admiral Count Tirpitz on which warships needed to be sold.
"Your Excellency, have the discussions within the Navy been concluded?" Qin Tian inquired.
Though the decision to sell a significant number of warships had already been made during the military reform conference, and Qin Tian had a clear idea of which ships would be sold, the naval officers were still reluctant to part with so many ships.
"Your Majesty, the officers wish to retain a few more of the warships, particularly those equipped with 343mm main guns," Admiral Count Tirpitz replied. "If we were to sell so many ships at once, it would leave a considerable vacuum in the Imperial Navy's strength. After all, the ships we acquired from the British will require time before they can be fully operational. Even the most advanced ships among them will take at least a year to become ready, let alone the others."
If the ships were sold as Qin Tian had requested, the German Navy would be left with only 16 capital ships for at least a year. While 16 capital ships was still a formidable force, it would feel somewhat insufficient when dispersed across various fleets. After all, the German Navy's interests now spanned the globe.
Qin Tian nodded. "You are correct; this will temporarily weaken the Empire's naval power. However, this is not a serious concern. The Empire has just emerged victorious from the Great War, and our enemies have all been significantly weakened. They no longer pose any credible threat. Furthermore, aside from the capital ships, the Imperial Navy still has six aircraft carriers. Even if all other nations combined their forces, they would be no match for us. If we hold on for just a year, new ships will gradually enter service, and the Navy's strength will be fully restored and grow stronger."
"Indeed, Your Majesty!" Admiral Count Tirpitz agreed. He shared Qin Tian's view. Following the war, the German Navy was already extraordinarily strong. With new capital ships set to join the fleet soon, retaining such a large number of battleships would only be a waste of resources. Moreover, the higher-ups in the Navy were aware that in the future, aircraft carriers, not battleships, would be the primary force. Building more aircraft carriers would make the Navy even more powerful.
Soon after, Admiral Count Tirpitz made his appearance in the banquet hall. His presence immediately drew the attention of the guests. Despite his age, Admiral Count Tirpitz was the head of the German Navy. Although many expected him to retire soon, his influence remained undiminished.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for interrupting," Admiral Count Tirpitz's voice echoed through the microphone, capturing the attention of every individual in the hall.
Everyone stopped their conversations and dances, turning to the admiral, curious about what he had to say.
"Gentlemen, as you know, the German Empire is a nation devoted to peace. The recent war has exacted a heavy toll on all nations involved. There are no true victors in this war," Admiral Count Tirpitz declared.
Many in the crowd scoffed upon hearing this. Was Germany truly a peaceful nation? Since its unification, Germany had fought numerous wars and emerged victorious each time. In fact, without these victories, Germany would not have become the formidable power it was today.
Moreover, Germany was the greatest winner of the world war. Admiral Count Tirpitz's words seemed to mock the other nations.
"Now that the war has ended, the world must embrace peace. To foster global peace, the German Empire has decided to sell a batch of warships. Naturally, the prices will be quite favorable. We hope that any nation eager to build a powerful navy will seize this opportunity," Admiral Count Tirpitz continued.
The announcement that Germany would sell warships took many by surprise. However, upon reflection, it was easy to understand. The German Navy was already overwhelmingly powerful, and selling some ships could save a significant amount of military expenditure.
"The ships being sold include battleships, battlecruisers, armored cruisers, light cruisers, and destroyers. Here, I will only introduce the capital ships we are offering for sale. Those interested in the full list may request it from the Navy Department. The Imperial Navy is offering for sale five 'Kaiser-class' battleships, four 'Helgoland-class' battleships, four 'Nassau-class' battleships, three 'Moltke-class' battlecruisers, and two 'Blücher-class' battlecruisers!" Admiral Count Tirpitz announced.
The revelation caused many to gasp in astonishment. Initially, they had assumed that Germany's offer was merely symbolic. But to their surprise, Germany was serious. The sale included no fewer than 13 battleships and 5 battlecruisers—an unprecedented fleet of capital ships. No nation in the world, aside from Germany, could match such a fleet. The sale of these warships would reduce the strength of the German Navy by nearly half. Yet, even with this reduction, no nation could challenge Germany's naval supremacy at present.