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

Chapter 247 | Taking on a Critical Mission (Part 2)

It's no exaggeration to say that being able to fall asleep on an airplane in this day and age is a skill, a skill that's one in a million.

After returning to China, Mr. Shang mastered this skill.

There is no pressurized cabin and the sound insulation is very basic. The noise from the two engines running is like having a motorcycle revving its engine next to you.

He slept the whole way and finally arrived in Beijing at dawn the next day, where he went to the General Staff Headquarters.

Like him, Brigadier General Zhang Zhilin, the commander of the 11th Mechanized Infantry Division, also arrived after a long and arduous journey.

Chief of the General Staff Cheng Yun personally received the two. In the center of the No. 1 War Situation Room, there was a large sand table and a huge map, and several senior colonels were whispering and studying them.

Cheng Yun stared intently at the map and said, "We're all old acquaintances, so let's get straight to the point. Listen carefully, you two."

Shang Ke and Zhang Zhilin immediately stood up straight and listened carefully.

"The situation in the Americas is already showing signs of crisis, but it is still unknown whether it will develop in a bad way. It is very unpredictable, but we must be prepared for all eventualities."

"America's oil supply accounts for more than half of our country's needs and is directly linked to our country's security. Among these, California is of paramount importance and cannot be compromised."

"Based on the research and decision of the Political Committee (Federal Political Committee) and the Consultative Council, our country should prepare for the deployment of troops to the Americas. In order to reduce the reaction time, advance troops should be deployed to stand by en route."

"This responsibility falls on the two of you. The 8th and 11th Mechanized Infantry Divisions, set off immediately to Wusongkou to load and transport the goods by ship. This is not a drill; you must do a good job."

After Cheng Yun finished speaking, she put her hands behind her back and quietly looked at the two of them.

Shang Ke blinked and asked, "Wait a minute, Chief, where is 'midway'?"

"Wake Island and Midway Island."

"One division per island? Can the local authorities guarantee that?"

"The officers and soldiers will not land on the island, but will take turns going up to the island to rest. They will set sail immediately if the situation changes," Cheng Yun said.

"Understood. Being able to be the vanguard of the entire army is an immense honor," Zhang Zhilin said excitedly, clenching his fist.

Shang Ke, however, did not seem excited. He hesitated and said, "I have another question, Your Excellency."

Cheng Yun said directly, "Ask!"

"Is this the start of war? I remember that everyone generally thought the war wouldn't start until the end of the year."

"No, the strategy is to delay. As long as the oil supply remains stable, the later the war starts, the better."

Somewhat reluctantly, Shang Ke gave an "Oh".

Cheng Yun glared at him and scolded, "You're not happy about it, are you? The Commander-in-Chief wants to see you two later. If you dare to act like this, you'll be sent back to retire!"

"Understood, Chief, how could I dare?" Shang Ke assured him with a wry smile.

Damn it! We've only had a few days of free time? And now we're off to fight overseas again.

I haven't seen 'Daji' dance yet! Who can fill in this gap for me?

Of course, Mr. Shang was selective in his actions.

He dared to joke around with most people, and even dared to be a little presumptuous in front of the dean, but he dared not play any tricks in front of the steel company.

You should know that this is a ruthless character who ordered the immediate execution of tens of thousands of people during the Southeast Asian rebellion. Making excuses in front of him is like trying to light a lamp in a latrine.

The impression that Huaqing Pool gave Shang was one of elegance and solemnity. Although it appeared serene on the surface, it actually concealed a mystery, with members of the Federal Central Special Military Police Brigade everywhere.

The president was still smoking, endlessly, as if he never stopped.

"Is everything clear about the troop deployment?" The commander flicked his cigarette ash and asked, "You two have a heavy burden on your shoulders. Do your job well, but are you having any personal difficulties?"

Shang Ke and Zhang Zhilin both denied it.

The president looked at the former and said with amusement, "I heard you've been having a lot of fun lately? Playing around is fine, but when it's time to do your job, you have to do it well. When you're in uniform, you have to have the demeanor of a soldier."

Shang Ke, abandoning his previous bitter demeanor in front of Cheng Yun, said righteously and solemnly, "With the nation and family at the forefront, Your Excellency can rest assured that the supply of oil to America will be unimpeded."

The Grand Commander laughed and said calmly, "Huaiyuan and Mingzhao both said that you are the most troublesome person for the Ivan Ross people. I believe you. Going on a campaign abroad is no small matter. Perform well and put Veronica in her place."

"Yes!" Shang Ke saluted and replied, then said, "Your Excellency, I have a request, a small one regarding weapons."

"Tell me."

Mr. Shang's request was simple: to replenish the departing troops with as many disposable rocket launchers as possible.

The prototype Type 40 individual rocket launcher has not yet entered formal production, and the army is not satisfied with its current effective range of only 40 to 50 meters.

However, the armor-piercing depth of this thing is so powerful that it is tempting. Having it is better than not having it. Mr. Shang hopes to urgently manufacture a batch for the vanguard troops going overseas.

The president agreed.

Having clarified the ins and outs, received the highest instructions, and obtained the essential tools to enhance his abilities, Shang Ke immediately seized every second to make a trip to the General Headquarters Equipment Bureau.

There, as a regular visitor to the Equipment Bureau, he didn't hold back this time. Relying directly on the President's approval, he demanded that the Equipment Bureau, in conjunction with the military industry, work together to expedite the production of a batch of trial-produced disposable rocket launchers, starting with 10,000 units!

After doing all this, he set off immediately, boarding a plane again and heading straight for Songjiang Prefecture...

□

□

□

The summer of 1940 was not a good time for the United States of America.

This summer is more unsettling than the summer of the Second War of Independence more than a hundred years ago.

How will the war unfold?

For the United States, the rapidly expanding army of one million seems like a large force, but it remains to be seen whether such an inflated army can defend the country.

It's worth noting that this spring, the army only had a little over 400,000 men, and in just a few months, that number has more than doubled.

The Washington Post was the first to call this sudden war the 'Third War of Independence,' a name that was adopted by other newspapers.

Coincidentally, the federal government believed that this would help inspire patriotism among the public, and therefore adopted this term in official reports as well.

On the first day of the latter part of the month, the main force of the American Army had completed its assembly in Indiana and Pennsylvania.

The two main forces were organized into the First Army and the Second Army, totaling 34 infantry divisions and 4 armored divisions, as well as 2 cavalry divisions that were almost incapable of performing traditional combat missions. The First Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Walter Krueger, was assembled near Indiana and was responsible for protecting the Great Lakes industrial region, with a strength of approximately 350,000 men.

The Second Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Douglas MacArthur, was assembled near Pennsylvania and tasked with protecting the political and economic center of the East Coast, with a strength of approximately 400,000 men.

The Army Air Forces are also a force to be reckoned with, currently maintaining a fleet of approximately 1200 fighters and 700 bombers.

A distinctive feature of American pilots is that many have prior experience flying civilian aircraft, making it easy for them to get started. However, this doesn't change the fact that they are still novices and require over two hundred hours of military aircraft flight training to qualify.

Therefore, it can only be said that the number of reserve pilots in the United States is sufficient, so there is no need to train them from scratch, and the training cost is lower. It does not mean that an American pilot is more capable than a pilot from other countries.

Given that the war is currently in a stalemate, the American General Command has formulated a rather conservative plan.

In simple terms, the Army was "holding its ground and holding out," with the Army Air Forces using bombers to continuously bomb several important ports and railway hubs in Cannavaro, hindering the enemy's assembly across the ocean and buying time for the United States to strengthen its military.

The series of plans were essentially no different from the guiding ideology of the Red War plan—to launch an offensive against Cannavaro, then enter a strategic defensive phase, accumulate strength, and then launch a counter-offensive.

However, the navy is relatively more proactive and has the idea of ​​taking the initiative.

The Norfolk raid, in particular, was a humiliating defeat for the American Navy. To be honest, they couldn't swallow it, so the Navy was eager to give the enemy a good slap in the face.

In his sixties, Ernest King received instructions signed by the president, and was appointed admiral to serve as commander of the newly formed fleet.

At this time, only two years had passed since he was promoted to lieutenant general.

Before taking office, the president summoned him to the White House.

“Many people call you ‘Almighty God,’ and I wonder if you have any way of teaching the Ivan Rus’ and the Britons a lesson?” the president asked.

“Of course, Mr. President, I have a way,” General Kim replied calmly.

Ernest King is a legendary figure.

At the age of thirty-six, he commanded a destroyer.

At the age of thirty-eight, he commanded a torpedo boat squadron.

At the age of forty, he commanded battleships.

At the age of 41, he became the president of the Naval Academy.

At the age of forty-four, he commanded a submarine squadron.

At the age of forty-eight, he personally obtained his pilot's license and began commanding naval aviation.

At the age of fifty-two, he commanded an aircraft carrier.

Such a resume is impeccable no matter how you look at it; he is proficient in all military specialties and is almost omnipotent.

General King arrived in Norfolk by train, and then quickly ignited the soldiers' desire for revenge, sweeping away their sense of defeat.

General Kim and his staff worked through the night to devise a plan to lure the enemy. They planned to use a fleet as bait, in conjunction with an aircraft carrier task force and shore-based air power, to leave the enemy with an unforgettable lesson.

Operation codename: Hurricane.

Meanwhile, after days of hard work, the massive Task Force 18 (TF-18) is also ready to launch.

April 8st morning.

It was a rare and auspicious day; the Atlantic Ocean was unusually calm, like a mirror, with clear skies.

A Sunderland seaplane, which had taken off from Halifax, was flying smoothly at an altitude of 1,000 meters. The crew members enjoyed the good time while carrying out their search mission, and even had the leisure to boil water and make a pot of tea on an electric stove.

Before long, they spotted faint black smoke rising in the distance and thus located their target.

"American fleet spotted!"

"The target fleet includes battleships and aircraft carriers, heading northeast at a moderate speed. Specific details are still being verified."

Task Force 1 of Task Force 18 was actually spotted by a Royal Navy submarine shortly after it left port yesterday.

However, after the submarine sent out reconnaissance signals, it was detected by radio surveillance and forced to hide, so it was lost.

So the Royal Navy sent planes to search early this morning, and they found it.

The U.S. fleet, consisting of six battleships and three aircraft carriers, is heading northeast at 14 knots, seemingly intending to attack Halifax and the shipping lanes to the east.
Cunningham judged this to be a counterattack by the American Navy, partly for revenge and partly to disrupt sea lanes.

In fact, Cunningham had a general idea of ​​what his opponent was planning and expected a joint attack from American shore-based air forces, but he still decided to launch a decisive battle.

This is because although Halifax's two airports were severely damaged by the heavy air raids and only part of the runways were repaired, temporarily not supporting the take-off and landing of large aircraft, fighter jets could still take off, largely providing cover for the Royal Navy's attacks on the naval fleet.

The mission of the strike fleet was not to annihilate the US fleet; the minimum objective was simply to repel it and thus protect sea lanes of communication. Whether or not a greater victory could be achieved was of little concern.

Cunningham once again commanded the Hood, leading the entire strike fleet to confront the American fleet more than 300 kilometers south of Halifax.

Task Force 18, Task Group 1, appears to be a proper decisive battle fleet, consisting of everything from battleships to destroyers to aircraft carriers, including the Ranger, Wasp, and Yorktown.

Because of the unusually good sea conditions these past few days, this naval battle that broke out in the Atlantic seemed to be taking place in the Pacific, actually starting with the carrier-based aircraft of both sides discovering each other.

Although the last raid on Norfolk was successful, both HMS Ark Royal and HMS Illustrious lost many Swordfish aircraft, severely damaging their attack squadrons.

Therefore, Cunningham did not order the carrier-based aircraft to sortie, but only requested the fighter squadrons of both ships to take off for patrol.

The US fleet strictly adhered to the "all-deck attack" doctrine, with all three aircraft carriers launching over a hundred carrier-based aircraft at once, charging aggressively towards the enemy!
In the early stages of the war, the air defense weapons of the navies of various countries were inadequate.

Whether it's the 'Chicago Piano' or the '37 Hand-Pulled Locomotive', without comparison there is no harm. Among these two outstanding talents, the Royal Navy's 'Bang Bang Cannon' actually stands out quite well.

With a caliber of 40 mm and a rate of fire of 120 rounds per minute, the bang-bang cannon had poor ballistic performance, but its firepower and destructive capability were quite terrifying.

【Picture】

It can be said that American pilots—especially torpedo bomber pilots—were exceptionally brave and fearless in the face of death.

Faced with the interception of the Tsubame fighter jets, one Destroyer torpedo bomber after another rushed towards the enemy amidst dense anti-aircraft fire.

Carrying heavy aerial torpedoes, the TBD Destroyer was extremely clumsy and was shot down one after another into the sea like a sitting duck, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft and the loss of life. Among them, the VT-7 torpedo bomber squadron belonging to the USS Wasp was almost completely wiped out, with only one aircraft managing to return to base.

They suffered heavy losses, but only a few Destroyers had the opportunity to launch torpedoes, and all of them malfunctioned due to their speed or altitude at which they entered the water.

The sacrifice of the torpedo bomber squadron bought the bomber squadron an opportunity to attack, but after the Defender dive bombers struggled to break through the barrage and drop their aerial bombs, the American pilots discovered that the bombs were completely ineffective against the armored flight deck!

(End of this chapter)