Conducting see trials, admiral Horthy personally took command of the ship!
Enthusiastic of the new gains, the admiral ordered 2 more destroyers which are a brand new model.
On the 9th of June Luxembourg was annexed and on the 15th Czechoslovakia followed.
Soon after Italy joined the axis.
Beside the 2 destroyers Hungary purchased a licence for an another Nürnberg light cruiser. Looks like Hungary is investing heavy into the navy.
Both Belgium and the Netherlands were now occupied by Hitler´s regime.
The situation in north Africa after a little more than 2 weeks since Italy joined the Axis
Looks like the tide has changed.
On the 3rd of September Paris has fallen as has the will to fight
Britain declares it´s finest hour!
Foreign secretary immediately goes Horthy with this news.
"My regent, the soviets are mobilizing their armed force."
"Call Henneyey" so did the foreign secretary leave and called the Chief of staff.
Henneyey: "You wanted to see me my regent?"
Horthy: "Have you heard the news? Is our army ready?"
Henneyey: "I did my regent, but there is no threat to us. My informants reported some hostilities going on on the Finish border."
Horthy: "Never the less, what would happen if the Soviet attacked us and tried to impose their revolution?"
Henneyey waited and said: "My regent, Romanian Forces should hold up enough for either our and Bulgarian forces to reinforce or to either establish a defensive line in the Carpathians."
"Is that all that you can tell me? How long could we hold against the Russian hordes?" Horthy asked horrified.
Henneyey said nothing at first, Horthy took a look at him, then Henneyey said: "My admiral, other countries wouldn´t let this happen. Do you know how afraid Churchill is about them? Not to mention Hitler, he hates Stalin."
The eyes of Horthy lit up as he heard this words. He entrusted Henneyey to be quiet about this and asked him "Are the new cadets ready, the light cruiser MKH Esztergon will be ready any tome now."
"They will be my regent and only the best one were selected to be part of the crew!"
"Excellent," said Horthy.
Things seems grim for the Allies as Sydney fell on the 3rd of November 1939
People from Hungary are working hard for the army expanding program.
In the middle of Novemer the hull of MKH Esztergom was launched. The main 150 mm guns were already awaiting to be mounted onto the ship.
A couple of days before Christmas the regent was surprised to hear the news. We can build BBs!
Deployment of the ship
Horthy speech at the inauguration of MKH Esztergom to it´s crew of 530 and thousends of civilans who came to see and to other who listened to this event over radio.
"Today is a great day for Hungary, for you my fellow people. As Hungary is becoming a powerful nation. A nation that the world has not predicted. After the fall of the old empire it was not only ground that we lost, mostly it was pride. We all endured hard times, but no more shall war destroy us, or anybody be our ruler. We will stand strong, we will stand united, as we can trust on each other I am proud to be a regent of such people. I confess, I missed the time when I was an admiral. But I never looked on subordinate soldiers as strangers. I saw them as my sons and I would avoid any useless harm to them. You, people from Hungary and others who are part of this magnificent kingdom, are my family. This ship is just a tear into the ocean compared to other navies, but we have something that others don´t have, the will to be ourselves . I know that some of you didn´t approve of the triple alliance, but it is for the best. As I read newspapers and listen to the radio, the ongoing conflict in Europe and around the world make me worry. I hope I am mistaken, but there might come a new war, an even worse than that from 20 years ago. And believe me, that if such war comes, we will be ready for it. It might come from the communism in the east, greedy Greeks from the south, or axis expansionism from north and west. We can fight those, but never let a war come between us, a discrepancy between fellow people. A discrepancy in our beliefs, our hearts, in our beloved Hungary. As it is more powerful than thousand guns, soldiers and tanks, that´s why we gathered today, to commemorate the hard work of people and our believes in a new Hungary. Long life the Kingdom of Hungary and it´s people!"
MKH Esztergom
As the fleet was ready to conduce exercises the news from the far east came.
Although, that might be to poke in the hornet's nest and call upon the wrath of the Allies.
