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

Chapter 244 | Pacific Rim Defense Organization

Mr. Shang was in Suzhou, and the latest news about the war reached him a little later.

Seriously? A surprise attack on Norfolk? Is this another remake of the surprise attack on Taranto?
Upon learning that Andrew Cunningham, who had been appointed to a critical mission, had successfully led HMS Ark Royal and HMS Illustrious in a surprise attack on the Norfolk Naval Base, Shank couldn't help but admire the general's skill.

Anyway, he's much better than some of those who just want fame and fortune.

Cunningham was to Britain what Manstein was to Germany. Cunningham was the brightest hue in the twilight of the Royal Navy. After his retirement, the Royal Navy declined day by day, until only a few ships remained by the beginning of the new century.

Regarding the sudden Battle of Norfolk, Mr. Shang also gave his own cross-disciplinary commentary: Support building more aircraft carriers!
As for which route aircraft carriers should take, this involves three fundamental questions.

(1) Medium or large?

(2) Wooden flight deck or armored flight deck?

(3) Closed hangar or open hangar?

In fact, Shank didn't know much about the navy, so he didn't interfere much.

Anyway, the productivity of the Great Unified Federation is what it is, so there is no concern about the cost of trial and error. Moreover, aircraft carriers in this era can be used even if they are built blindly, but obviously they are not that bad.

As for purely naval weapons, Shang Ke only paid attention to aerial torpedoes, ignoring the rest, or rather, he couldn't find a reason to interfere.

The other two major weapons—the gyroscope sight and the proximity fuse—were all proposed and developed by him in the name of the Army.

Doesn't the army need field air defense and point air defense? My far-sighted suggestion to develop these two things is quite reasonable, isn't it?
It can be said that the upper echelons of the ruling government reacted relatively quickly, expressing their desire to establish a trans-Pacific cooperative and mutually supportive organization with America.

This was a perfect match for Washington, and the talks were held in Tokyo. America immediately dispatched a special envoy to Tokyo.

Under external military pressure, the talks between the two sides progressed rapidly.

In just three days and two nights, the special envoys of both sides signed the "Declaration on the Establishment of the Pacific Rim Defense Organization by the Great Unified Federation and the United States," and this declaration was quickly publicized throughout the world.

Starting that day, cargo ships fully loaded with military equipment weighed anchor and set sail for Los Angeles across the ocean.

The first batch of military supplies sent to America consisted primarily of anti-tank weapons to address the immediate crisis, including:

| 200 65mm anti-tank guns

| 450 15.5mm anti-tank rifles

| 5500 Type 26 rifles
| 10 anti-tank rifle grenades (hollow charge warhead)

| 3 anti-tank grenades (hollow charge warhead)

Because the incident happened so suddenly, there wasn't even time to transfer the newly manufactured anti-tank guns from the arsenal.

To meet the required number, dozens of anti-tank guns were even requisitioned from nearby troops stationed near Songjiang Prefecture, and the inscription "National Defense Army Property" was hastily erased before being loaded onto the ship.

The formation of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) defense organization made the Union Jack men of London nervous.

British India has been in a state of panic these past few days, fearing that the Great Unified Federation might suddenly declare war, and that British India would be the first to suffer.

As a result, the colonial officials were like frightened birds, having already sent their valuables back to the mainland and packed their bags, ready to flee at the first sign of trouble.

In fact, since the advance into the Americas, anyone with political acumen knew that this had crossed the red line of the Great Unified Federation, so many civil servants and military officers assigned to India found various excuses to decline. However, after waiting for several days, the anxious officials did not receive an ultimatum from the Unified Government, only warnings and urging.

For a normal person, this situation would be more like the agony of waiting for execution, because it is unclear when the execution will be suddenly "notified".

However, some abnormal people will regard this situation as a swearing-in, and feel relieved and overjoyed.

Some politicians in Britain and Ivanros saw this as a sign of cowardice in the passive performance of the ruling government, convinced that it was because the government feared war and lacked the resolve and courage to wage it.

Oh dear, things have come to this point and you still haven't made a move? That just shows you're a real coward.

Regardless of the inside story, the reality is that the worst fears did not materialize, and the Grand Unified Federation showed no signs of joining the war.

The happiest person was Veronica, who considered it an unprecedented opportunity.

"This shows that our surprise attack completely shocked the Khitans. They are now hesitant and dare not oppose us. Of course, they will soon regret their hesitation, but by then it will be too late," she said.

Without external interference, the generals were 1,000 percent certain of defeating the crippled American army, quickly seizing the Great Lakes industrial region and the political and economic center of the East Coast, thereby crippling America's ability to continue the war!

Veronica kept urging the Earl of Halifax (Prime Minister) to speed up the sea transport so that the expeditionary force could quickly assemble sufficient troops.

The latter is helpless, the problem now is that there is sufficient transport capacity but the troops cannot be sent ashore.

Because the shipping capacity was more than sufficient, only 15-20% of the idle merchant ships were used. However, Halifax and Quebec were both subjected to fierce air raids by American Army Air Forces B-17 bombers. Many port facilities were destroyed in the air raids, making unloading quite difficult and causing a sharp drop in port throughput.

Veronica, who was in high spirits, was quite dissatisfied, but there was nothing she could do.

While she waited anxiously, the Xi'an Special Administrative Region also showed an unprecedented sense of urgency and anxiety.

It would be terrible if America were to fall apart! Anything is possible.

In recent days, the upper echelons of the ruling government have reached a consensus after intense discussions.

First, the survival of the United States of America’s government is none of its business.

Second, America's oil supply is tied to its own country.

Third, the American Pacific Fleet cannot surrender (even if the United States government surrenders).

Therefore, we must ensure California's oil supply at all costs, and prepare for the worst, even if it means the United States government has to surrender, we must still keep California under our control.

The council hall at Huaqing Pool was filled with seven or eight core members of the power structure.

"It's a delicate matter, and it's not easy to make a decision." The president stubbed out his cigarette and said to the naval commander, "Your navy is too slow."

The latter quickly explained, "Sir, the navy is ready to fight at any time and is guaranteed to win."

Initially, everyone agreed to participate in the war, but the navy said that the recently commissioned battleships and aircraft carriers had not yet achieved combat capability, and they had not yet organized amphibious landing exercises at the division level or above. They suggested waiting another month or two.
"We can't rush it, but we can't delay it either." The president's expression was serious, but his tone wasn't so serious. He continued, "We definitely have to send troops. Let them stay on the West Coast for now. The Americans are wealthy and powerful; they won't be short of money for our troops' food, will they?"

"Under what name?" the president of the Political Affairs Committee asked.

(End of this chapter)