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

Chapter 252 | Neptune (Two Chapters Combined)

The more joy Shang's sarcasm brought to everyone, the angrier Veronica was, far away in St. Petersburg.

That was a giant ship built with countless efforts and funds, symbolizing the glory of the Ivanros Empire's navy. How could it sink on its first mission?

While Veronica was still debating whether to make it public, the Senate and the State Duma had already begun arguing and fighting amongst themselves.

Lieutenant General Rybnikov originally intended to bravely 'go down with the ship,' but as the Ekaterina was about to sink, he suddenly had a change of heart.

Undeniably, he was somewhat afraid of death, which is only human nature, but he felt more indignant and resentful.

Those damned Britons betrayed our allies! I cannot die! I will denounce the Britons' despicable actions to Her Majesty the Queen! I will seek justice!
So when the adjutant dragged Lieutenant General Rybnikov away, he did not struggle, hesitated symbolically for a moment, and then obediently abandoned ship and fled with him.

After drifting on the oil-slicked and debris-strewn sea for two and a half hours, Rybnikov was rescued by a destroyer and then safely brought ashore.

That's why he was able to fly back to St. Peter's Castle alive and meet the cold-faced Veronica.

"...The British are as cunning and treacherous as ever!"

After hearing his explanation, Veronica remained expressionless and noncommittal.

After a moment, she looked at Rybnikov and replied, "For the time being, we must maintain good relations with the British. The sinking of the Catherine was a sacrifice after a heroic battle, because the Americans launched a relentless and desperate attack."

After saying that, she said softly, "Lieutenant General, this is not your fault, but you need to 'rest' for a while."

Rybnikov pleaded in a final, sorrowful voice, "Your Majesty, I wish to return to the front lines and command the fleet to continue fighting for my motherland."

“No, Lieutenant General, you were very brave when you commanded the battle. You were injured and should go to a sanatorium.” Veronica refused resolutely.

Regardless of external opinions, Veronica has always considered herself to be very fair.

The Catherine's voyage across the ocean to participate in the war had only political significance and no military significance. The person who truly supported and approved the sortie of this steel behemoth was none other than herself.

However, she would certainly not admit that her decision was wrong, so she could only blame the despicable Britons for not only abandoning their allies at a critical moment, but also deliberately framing them, which was simply outrageous.

Right now, they can't afford to fall out with those guys, and they have to maintain a superficially harmonious alliance for the time being. Therefore, as the fleet commander, Lieutenant General Rybnikov must take on the corresponding responsibility to appease public anger.

Sending him to a sanatorium to temporarily avoid the trouble was a form of protection.

Otherwise, considering the overwhelming public opinion against Ivan Ross's chauvinistic rule, he might be assassinated by indignant people at any time.

After settling the matter, Veronica, with mixed feelings, stared at the files on the table, lost in thought for a long time.

The war in the Americas doesn't seem to be going as smoothly as expected? May good fortune always be with our motherland.

Most importantly, what exactly do those Khitans want to do in the East? Are they really only capable of protesting and engaging in mild forms of opposition?
In fact, according to Europeans, being reserved and conservative in the face of threats is a sign of weakness. However, Veronica has recently discovered that one cannot use European thinking to judge Easterners.

Perhaps... the Khitans are waiting for their chance? Do they also have their own unspeakable secrets?
That day, she pondered deeply and became increasingly uneasy, thus hoping to expedite the invasion of America.

She sent a telegram to the expeditionary force, inquiring of Commander-in-Chief General Antonovich whether the expeditionary force was ready for a major southward advance.

General Antonovich, 57, is a veteran general. He was a Major General of Engineers at the end of the European war and is now a General of Engineers.

When he swept through Western Europe last year, he was the chief of staff of the Minsk Front. He and General Yudenich worked together very well, effectively ensuring that the million-strong army could overcome various terrain obstacles.

This little old man is full of vitality and always maintains a radiant appearance, with plenty of energy.

As of now, after several weeks of reinforcements, the Ivan Ross expeditionary force has expanded in size.

| 3 Guards Tank Brigades
｜1 tank divisions
| 1 Guards Motorized Infantry Division

｜5 infantry divisions
| 2 Guards Naval Infantry Brigades
| 1 Guards Airborne Infantry Brigades
The Ivan Ross Expeditionary Force assembled in the Canada region numbered approximately 11 men, with a total of 472 T-34 and 50 SMK multi-turret tanks.

Due to difficulties in unloading, this bottleneck significantly hampered the efficiency of maritime transport, resulting in a lower efficiency than the Royal Navy had anticipated.

In her telegram, Veronica pointed out the problems with the strategic situation and asked General Antonovich to be prepared, saying:

"I'm afraid we can no longer wait patiently. The British have not kept their promise to eliminate the threat from the American navy, and it would be unwise to continue waiting for more reinforcements."

Upon receiving the instructions, Antonovich knew there was nothing to refute, and simply stated the shortcomings of the objective conditions and the possible risks.

The invasion of America across the ocean was already extremely risky, and everyone had long been mentally prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.

Dozens of generals are gathered at the joint command headquarters located in Quebec City.

A Tsarist Russian Army brigadier general said: "The Americans have deployed about 400,000 men and more than 700 aircraft on the main defensive lines in New York and Vermont. Our forces are at a significant disadvantage, and our only advantage is in tanks."

General Antonovich’s voice was loud and clear, and he said incisively: “We are facing a difficult test, but I don’t think it will be any more difficult than dealing with the Varlanders. We need to maximize the breakthrough and mobility of our tank forces, and the strategic offensive should be directed towards the Great Lakes industrial region.”

Brigadier General Tikhonov, commander of the tank unit, said with great concern: "Your Excellency, my biggest concern is air superiority. If the enemy completely gains air superiority, our advance will become extremely difficult."

“It won’t be that bad.” Major General Agut, the commander of the tactical air force, glanced at the friendly general beside him and said cautiously, “On the main axis of attack, the air force can protect the troops and supply lines from air attacks, but otherwise we will probably have to endure it.”

"The Royal Air Force will provide full support," the Royal Air Force Major General present assured.

“I hope you will keep your promise,” Brigadier General Tikhonov sneered. “We are allies now, fighting side by side. I hate betrayal. I will cut the throat of a traitor and let him bleed to death.”

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The tall Royal Air Force major general knew this was a veiled sarcasm; after all, if the fighter squadron deployed in Halifax hadn't stood by and watched, the Catherine might have actually managed to hold on and return to port.

Currently, the Royal Air Force has deployed a total of 3 Spitfire squadrons and 5 Hurricane squadrons, with approximately 100 fighter jets, to Canada.

伊凡罗斯远征军航空兵则有4个歼击机团，合计32架雅克-1和80架伊-16战斗机。

The two air forces combined were few in number and could hardly provide air support; even self-defense was limited to a single direction. In contrast, the American Army Air Forces had approximately 4500 registered aircraft, but this included many trainers and transport planes, with only about 720 bombers and 1030 fighters actually in combat.

This number seems large, but it is filled with a lot of outdated interwar aircraft—such as the P-26. The most capable fighters the US Army Air Forces can offer now are the Curtiss P-36 and P-40, the latter being the equipment of the famous Flying Tigers.

Together, nearly seven or eight hundred aircraft have been delivered, but the full replacement has not yet been completed. Of course, this number is increasing by hundreds every week.

Therefore, the Allied generals all agreed on the decision to launch an attack as soon as possible—now was not the best time, but it was not the worst time either. The longer it dragged on, the more difficult it would be, and there would be no going back then.

Both sides reached a consensus on this point.

However, there are also disagreements, the biggest of which is the direction of strategic offensive.

With limited troop strength, it was impossible to split the force into two groups as previously hoped; instead, the forces had to be concentrated in one direction.

The Britons believed that destroying heavy industry—specifically military manufacturing capabilities—was of utmost importance, and therefore they should attack the Great Lakes industrial region and occupy Chicago and Detroit.

Some Ivanross agreed, but given the current situation, they preferred to attack the east coast.

The only route to attack the Great Lakes industrial region was from Toronto to Detroit, through a narrow peninsula, and then across the St. Clair River.

【Picture】

The terrain in this area is relatively flat, but the area is not large, making it difficult for large-scale troop operations to be carried out. If they are concentrated in one place, they are very vulnerable to heavy losses from air raids.

In addition, the American Army has already set up a defensive line along the St. Clair River, which has been continuously reinforced in recent weeks, making it difficult to break through easily.

Moreover, our side does not have superior troop strength, the margin for error is too low, and we must plan carefully. If the breakthrough fails, we will be in a dilemma.

General Antonovich sent a telegram to St. Petersburg requesting instructions.

From a military perspective, it would be more appropriate to concentrate forces to attack the east coast; playing to one's strengths and avoiding one's weaknesses is the key to victory.

The vast plains and well-connected roads are very conducive to the troops’ deep maneuver operations. Although our forces are not large, we have superior tank units. The enemy lacks tanks and anti-tank guns and has poor organizational capabilities.

The Expeditionary Force Headquarters and the Imperial General Staff exchanged views extensively, and Veronica also felt that they should attack the east coast first, as it would increase their chances of success.

Moreover, seizing coastal ports would further restrict the operational space of the American Navy, while also eliminating airfields for the Army and Navy Air Forces, significantly reducing the threat of air attacks—a win-win situation.

The Allied forces also included a small number of British and Canaan troops, roughly equivalent to about ten brigades (regiments), totaling over 40,000 men.

The Russian generals were actually suspicious of their British allies.

For this reason, in the operational plan, the British and Canaan infantry forces were mainly deployed in the Toronto area, confronting the American forces in the Great Lakes industrial region.

Apart from the infantry, only the 7th British Armoured Brigade (Regiment) and the 1st Royal Tank Regiment (Battalion) were ordered to the Eastern Front to assist the Imperial Russian forces in their attack on the east coast.

Operation codename: Neptune.

A few days later.

Midway atoll.

The land of Kyushu is vast, and almost all kinds of terrain and landforms can be found there. However, the cliffs with large drops and the azure sea are extremely rare. Due to the continental shelf, they can only be seen in a few areas, such as Qiongya and the Beibu Gulf.

Therefore, sailing on the vast ocean is a novel experience for the soldiers of the National Defense Forces, especially since many of them have never seen the sea before, making the scene even more breathtaking.

However, this novelty quickly faded, replaced by boredom and disgust. The turbulence of the ocean voyage made it difficult for many people to eat or sleep well.

Midway consists of three islands and a large ring of coral atolls. The surrounding coral atolls form natural breakwaters that protect the fleet from the waves.

After the fleet reached the midway atoll, it sailed into the lagoon in sequence.

The Federal Navy has built military facilities on Midway Island, including an airport, warehouses, barracks, docks, and a seaplane base, with a permanent garrison of five or six hundred people and twenty or thirty aircraft.

Fortunately, the facilities here underwent a second phase of expansion four months ago, allowing for the storage of more fuel and supplies, and a small desalination plant was also built.

Otherwise, if the entire 8th Mechanized Infantry Division, numbering over 10,000, were to crowd onto the island all at once, the small Midway Island would not be able to withstand it.

"Great! The higher-ups have good foresight. They're really willing to spend money. Now Midway won't be facing the 'potential shortage of fresh water' problem."

After disembarking, Mr. Shang couldn't wait to go ashore. After being rocked at sea for many days, the feeling of stepping on the sand was quite moving.

Incredibly, on this remote island isolated overseas, there are still two small shops.

The unkempt Mr. Shang deliberately changed into a lieutenant's uniform before coming to buy things, only to find that he could even buy chilled drinks, which immediately plunged him into deep self-doubt.

"Eighty cents a bottle is a bit expensive, and it's not cold enough. Can't you set the temperature of your freezer a little lower?" He shook the soda in his hand and said nitpickingly, "This would only sell for three cents at most back home."

The shop owner chuckled and said frankly, "It's to save money. I pay for the gasoline for this generator myself, and according to the rules, I can't sell things here for more than three times the market price."

"It's alright," Shang Ke nodded and left.

The canteens that cooperate with the military are allowed to set their own prices, but they cannot be too outrageous. In places like Midway Island, which is classified as a Category C area, the maximum price is three times the base rate. The most difficult places are the remote and impoverished areas in Tibet and the northwestern deserts, which are classified as Category D.

Little did he know that while he was inspecting the conditions of the troops stationed at Midway Island, a top-secret telegram had already been sent directly from Xi'an.

After a while, a major arrived in a car and found Shang Ke squatting on the ground playing in the sand.

"Sir! Urgent telegram from Xi'an!"

"read."

The major looked around and gestured for the others to step back. Then he lowered his voice and said, "The war is escalating. The U.S. has secretly notified us that it is urgently arranging the evacuation of gold. All the gold in the New York Federal Reserve Bank vault will be transferred to Fort Knox and merged. After that, we are considering further transfers to the West Coast for a long-term solution."

(End of this chapter)