It's better to conquer them than to command the steel torrent

Chapter 237 | I'm going to focus my energy on military affairs! (Two chapters combined)

Faced with the massive influx of American troops, the Russian soldiers stood ready, with many officers and soldiers retreating into their bunkers, leaving only a small number of troops in the guard positions.

Shells and aerial bombs rained down, and the flames of the explosions seemed to engulf the position, but this caused negligible damage to the Imperial Russian soldiers who were holding their positions in the trenches.

Colonel Khalichev was full of confidence in his troops. More than two months ago, during the surprise attack on Sedan Fortress, the Kerch Naval Infantry Brigade was one of the vanguards of the assault army group, setting records for the fastest advance and the most enemy prisoners.

The war had barely begun when the Imperial Russian forces displayed the prowess of seasoned veterans, with two infantry battalions and a mortar battalion responding calmly to the challenge.

The sophisticated field camouflage rendered artillery fire largely ineffective.

The hour-long barrage of firepower was all bark and no bite, a spectacular sight that led the naive American soldiers to believe that "the enemy is all dead." Then, in their optimistic advance, they were met with a fierce barrage of light and heavy fire from the Imperial Russian forces.

The mortars fired sporadically, breaking up the formation of the attacking troops, while the light and heavy machine guns provided sparse but continuous crossfire with short bursts, which was just right.

One or two hundred American infantrymen were pinned down in the field, unable to move. At this moment, the Imperial Russian snipers on the defensive position suddenly launched an attack!

Accurate and deadly bullets appeared out of nowhere, with two or three shots rang out every minute, followed by two or three people being shot and killed. The rest could only desperately lie on the ground and fire wildly.

The American soldiers were at a loss. Some people instinctively huddled together out of fear, as if this would make them feel safer. Eight or nine people squeezed into a small ditch!
A sergeant roared at them from a distance, "Get out of there! Gathering together on the battlefield is suicidal!"

Upon realizing the situation, the Imperial Russian Observatory was unwilling to miss such a golden opportunity.

The two 82mm mortar teams immediately turned their guns around and fired four mortar shells in quick succession. One of the four hit the target, and the powerful explosion of 450 grams of TNT turned the low-lying area into a bloody grave in the blink of an eye!

By 6 p.m. on July 24, the U.S. 38th Infantry Division had made little progress, and its offensive on Montreal had stalled...

At the same time.

Nova Scotia, the largest island in eastern Canaan, Halifax, Lloyds Bank Building.

On the top of the building, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Roberts frowned, holding binoculars and staring at the American Atlantic Fleet that had appeared on the horizon where the sky met the sea.

Roberts then went downstairs to the command center located on the first floor.

There are dozens of figures busy at work here, wearing two colors of uniforms: olive green for the British Home Army and blue-black for the Ivan Rosse Black Sea Fleet naval infantry.

The Halifax garrison consisted of three parts: the Royal Wilson Fusiliers Regiment (Battalion) of the British Home Army, the 4th Rostov Naval Infantry Brigade of the Imperial Russian Army, and a small number of Cannavaro militia, totaling approximately 5000 men.

"Colonel Potapov, the enemy fleet is approaching. We expect to face bombardment from naval guns and aircraft, as well as an attack from landing forces. You are marines, so you should know how powerful naval guns are."

"The Royal Navy is already on its way, and we must hold Halifax until they drive out the American fleet."

Colonel Potapov was a tall, thin middle-aged man, the complete opposite of the burly Colonel Khalichev of the Kerch Naval Infantry Brigade.

He said noncommittally, "My troops are in position, and the city's buildings will offset most of the heavy firepower. Don't worry, the Americans won't make much progress. We've been through far more dangerous things."

After finishing his sentence, he added, "Previous experience in urban warfare has demonstrated the enormous advantage of street fighting over the defenders. I think you should be aware of that, Lieutenant Colonel."

A slight smile appeared on Lieutenant Colonel Roberts' face, indicating that he had relaxed somewhat.

"I believed we would succeed, and I hoped the Royal Navy would arrive on time. Unfortunately, Halifax is going to be reduced to ruins once again."

Roberts said this because Halifax was almost destroyed more than 20 years ago.

During the European war, the cargo ship Marianne 'Monte Blanc', carrying more than 5,000 tons of gun ammunition and high explosives, collided with another ship in the bay, subsequently caught fire, and exploded violently shortly afterward.

The explosion of more than 5,000 tons of munitions sent a thick plume of smoke three kilometers high, instantly leveling neighborhoods near the port. The entire city of Halifax suffered varying degrees of damage, with more than 2,000 people killed instantly and nearly 10,000 injured. This massive explosion remains a source of eternal pain for the citizens.

Before long, the invading enemy troops arrived at the city gates.

Because it was a rather hasty and sudden operation, the American army did not have time to make adequate preparations; it was a race against time.

The landing force consisted of only one army regiment (the 104th Regiment under the 26th Infantry Division) and the 5th Marine Regiment.

The Atlantic Fleet did send a considerable number of ships to make an appearance, with the aircraft carriers USS Ranger and USS Yorktown both present, along with four battleships including USS New Mexico and USS Idaho.

A day earlier, the U.S. military had sent a Catalina seaplane to drop warning leaflets over Halifax, urging the Halifax garrison to surrender immediately.

It was something like, "Those who know when to yield are the heroes. The royal army is coming. If you do not surrender, you will all be wiped out."

The most well-known mechanized landing craft has not yet been invented. The U.S. military lacks modern landing equipment and can only use barges and small boats to project troops to the beachhead, which is inefficient and slow.

During the landing, the Marines encountered only sporadic resistance fire and successfully established a beachhead.

The good times didn't last long. After assembling, the 5th Marine Regiment attempted to advance deeper into the enemy territory, but was immediately hampered by firepower from a variety of weapons, ranging from 7.62mm submachine guns to 120mm mortars.

The USS New Mexico was the first to provide fire support to the Marines with a half-salvo, followed by the USS Idaho and USS Mississippi.

The heavy, large-caliber shells crashed down like hammer blows, sending plumes of smoke soaring into the sky, and the shockwaves sending fragments of brick and stone flying several kilometers away.

After such terrifying support, those places will only be ruins, right?
The Marines were very wrong.

Russian soldiers unleashed a hail of bullets on the American Marines entering the city from rooftops, barricades, and corners, and many of the bombed ruins became excellent cover.

Some tricky tactics can only be mastered by experienced veterans, such as booby traps or cleverly and maliciously arranged landmines.

The Imperial Russian forces even formed four or five 'automatic gun squads' fully equipped with PPD or MP28 submachine guns. Each squad had more than ten men, including three or four female soldiers. They would infiltrate from various places into the rear of the 5th Marine Regiment and then seize the opportunity to wreak havoc.

For the American army, which was still equipped with Springfield bolt-action rifles, such battles were far too difficult, and every step forward came at a bloody cost!
The fierce battle lasted from July 25th to the afternoon of the 27th, two days later.

The 5th Marine Regiment fought bravely, but due to a lack of experience and outdated weaponry, it suffered heavy casualties. The 104th Infantry Regiment, on the other hand, lost only two or three hundred men, as the soldiers were extremely passive, retreating immediately to await naval artillery support at the first sign of trouble. The American forces made very little progress; the outskirts of Halifax and the southern part of the city were littered with ruins and the bodies of fallen soldiers. A dozen first-aid stations had been set up on the beachhead, but they were still insufficient to meet the needs.

Halifax became a scalding hot taro that was so close yet impossible to swallow.

The Union Jack and the tricolor flag with the double-headed eagle flew proudly on many buildings, without any concealment, seemingly mocking the weakness and incompetence of the American army.

at the same time……

On the turbulent, deep Atlantic Ocean, a massive strike fleet, led by the battlecruiser HMS Hood and composed of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet and a portion of the Mediterranean Fleet, was slowly approaching.

Annihilation Fleet! Yankees! Are you country bumpkins ready for the Third War of Independence?

More than a hundred warships of various sizes left behind dense white contrails, as if a giant comb had been gently sweeping across the sea.

Admiral Dudley-Pound personally led this unusual fleet across the North Atlantic straight toward Nova Scotia.

The seasoned Admiral Pound had made full psychological preparations, taking a proactive approach to seek a decisive battle, fighting every enemy he encountered, and sending his opponents to the bottom of the sea to feed the fish.

Any hesitation would be a sign of a lack of confidence in the strength of the Royal Navy. The American Atlantic Fleet only had eight old-type battleships. How could they be compared with the brand-new HMS Lion and HMS Reckless?

The benefits of secretly starting construction of four Lion-class battleships ahead of time to circumvent naval treaties were fully demonstrated at this moment. HMS Lion and HMS Reckless were currently the most powerful battleships, bar none.

In comparison, America's two North Carolina-class battleships are still under construction and are both treaty-type battleships that are 'outdated before entering service'.

At 10:7 a.m. on July 28, given the heavy casualties and minimal progress, the U.S. commander decided to halt the offensive. By this time, the nine Marine (infantry) companies of the 5th Marine Regiment had suffered an average combat loss of 45%, significantly reducing their combat effectiveness.

At 12:15 p.m. that day, the HMS Bass submarine spotted the Royal Navy fleet, and three and a half hours later, a PBY from Patrol Group 3 accurately locked onto the approaching enemy.

Based on a comprehensive calculation of their position and speed, the Royal Navy fleet should arrive no later than the latter half of the night, and even faster if they accelerate their attack en route.

According to the guiding principles of the Red War Plan, the Atlantic Fleet did not intend to engage in a head-on decisive battle with the Royal Navy, but tactically, it could at least harass them a bit, otherwise it would be too cowardly.

Originally, the US military hoped to ambush the enemy from a distance with aircraft carriers before retreating, waiting for them to come to them.

However, according to current calculations, the Royal Navy fleet will approach after dark regardless of whether it is early or late. Under such circumstances, the attack efficiency of carrier-based aircraft is extremely low, and the risk of returning to base for landing is also quite high.

Therefore, the task force had no choice but to prepare for a reluctant retreat, which was particularly humiliating.

Admiral Pound's shrewdness was on full display.

That evening, the American troops hastily withdrew, leaving countless supplies behind on the beachhead, none of which were even destroyed.

The Halifax garrison erupted in cheers, with soldiers shouting or taunting in both languages.

Lieutenant Colonel Roberts and Colonel Potapov arrived in the southern suburbs by car. As dusk approached, many Imperial Russian soldiers spontaneously went to the beachhead to clean up the battlefield and collect supplies left behind by the American army.

"So many years have passed, and these Yankees haven't improved at all; they're still as bad as they were during the Thirteen Colonies Revolutionary War," Lieutenant Colonel Roberts said with considerable satisfaction.

"I feel as if I've been transported back more than twenty years to fight against an army from the European War era. Their weapons were terrible, and they had absolutely no idea how to organize a battle. Such a regular army was no better than a militia," Colonel Potapov said meaningfully. "Our journey to conquer the Americas begins today."

Admiral Pound's strike fleet missed its target, but that didn't mean it was a waste of effort.

War should not be confined to the gains or losses of a single city, nor should it be overwhelmed by the outcome of a single battle.

The American Atlantic Fleet has been driven back and dares not engage in battle. For the time being, it will probably only remain in port as a presence fleet.

Now, the Royal Navy has begun to requisition civilian merchant ships suitable for ocean transport in preparation for deploying United Kingdom and Ivanrod's armies to Cannae.

The losses and costs of maritime transport are even lower than those of rail transport. As the country with the largest total tonnage of merchant ships in the world, and unlike in the past when it faced the threat of 'wolf packs', the United Kingdom is fully capable of deploying and supporting a million-strong army in combat.

However, there is a crucial prerequisite that cannot be ignored – there must be two or three large ports with complete facilities.

The next day.

The war reached the Americas, but for the people of the uninvolved United Federation, it seemed like no big deal; the sun rose as usual.

"What a joke, I told you long ago, it would be a miracle if we could take it down, that's the Russian Haibu."

Mr. Shang's mindset actually underwent a subtle change.

At first, he was quite worried, thinking that America was doomed and the world was about to be submerged by a gray wave.

But now he has changed his mindset. After all, the American continent stretches for more than 4,000 kilometers from east to west, with the Rocky Mountains blocking the way, providing ample strategic depth. Even if the Great Lakes industrial region falls, it doesn't matter, since it's not impossible for his country to serve as the 'arsenal of democracy' in this plane.

Compared to the raging war halfway around the world, what Shang Ke urgently needs to solve right now is his personal problems.

That day, as soon as he arrived at the division headquarters office, Zhang Anyuan winked and said, "Commander, on this hot day, a little fox has come to our door on its own initiative."

What the hell?
He was completely baffled and said irritably, "What nonsense are you spouting? Your words don't make sense. Just say what you have to say."

Zhang Anyuan coughed twice, turned his head to look, and couldn't help but chuckle as he explained, "Have you seen the movie 'Investiture of the Gods' this year, Master? The female lead... what's her name again? Oh, Hua Yanjun. She's asking to see you, Master. I heard she's in some kind of trouble."

To be honest, Shang Ke's first reaction was that he was still dreaming, and his second reaction was that he had misheard.

No? Dude?
What time is this? World War II! How did things in the entertainment industry get involved with me?

"Are you kidding me?" Shang Ke rolled his eyes and said righteously, "I will resolutely eliminate the complacency and frivolity in military affairs! I want to focus my energy on military matters!"

(End of this chapter)