Nanyang Storm 1864

1931st January 2

Washington

At approximately 9:10 a.m., He Wenhuan, the ambassador of the Great Chu Empire to the United States, personally delivered a formal declaration of war to U.S. Secretary of State Hart, which immediately broke Hart's guard.

He shouted angrily, but nothing changed.

After delivering the declaration of war, Ambassador He Wenhuan could only express his regret, as no one wanted to see the relationship between the two countries reach a point where war was the only solution.

At this time, on the Panama Canal, the Second Task Force of the Great Chu Empire was passing through the canal in an orderly manner, thus entering the Caribbean side and reorganizing in the port of Colon.

The main force of the Royal Navy of the Great Chu Empire has gathered here and is about to launch an attack on the main force of the United States Atlantic Fleet, striving to completely encircle and annihilate the main force of the United States Navy and gain control of the vital Atlantic Ocean.

The U.S. Navy is now divided into the Atlantic Fleet and the Pacific Fleet, with their strength roughly split 80/20.

The Atlantic Fleet possessed nine of the twelve capital battleships, along with the aircraft carrier USS Ranger and a large number of heavy cruisers, destroyers, and torpedo boats, placing it among the world's most powerful fleets.

In comparison, the Pacific Fleet was far inferior.

On February 17, the United States officially declared war on the State of Chu, thus beginning the Chu-US War.

November 18st

The expeditionary fleet, composed of the main force of the Royal Navy of the Great Chu Empire, consisting of the First Battle Squadron, the Second Battle Squadron, the Third Heavy Cruiser Squadron, the Fourth Carrier Strike Squadron, the Fifth Carrier Strike Squadron, and the Sixth Guerrilla Squadron, set sail from the port of Colón and headed towards Cuba.

Hundreds of warships covered the sea, and attack and reconnaissance aircraft launched from the aircraft carrier decks swarmed like locusts, forming groups of six to conduct reconnaissance over the surrounding hundreds of kilometers of sea.

If a US warship is found to be alone, it will immediately call for friendly forces to attack until it is sunk.

From the port of Colón to the southern coast of Florida, the Royal Navy Expeditionary Fleet of the Great Chu Empire passed through Cuba and the Gulf of Mississippi, fighting more than a dozen large and small naval encounters.

During the week-long voyage, a total of 27 American ships were sunk or captured, along with 266 merchant ships of various sizes, effectively blockading the southern waters of the United States.

Leaving behind a detachment to cooperate with the Great Chu Empire's expeditionary force in landing in Havana, Cuba, the mighty Royal Navy expeditionary fleet continued northward, heading fiercely towards the Hamptons Naval Base in Virginia.

This is the home port of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, home to the Norfolk Naval Base and numerous naval shipyards, naval warehouses, and a full range of logistical facilities, making it the largest naval base in the entire United States.

Norfolk Naval Base is the home port of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, located in Norfolk, Virginia, just 250 kilometers from Washington, D.C. The base covers an area of ​​25.9 square kilometers.

The base is adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay, located on a major Atlantic shipping route. It is not only an important line of defense for the U.S. Navy's East Coast, but also has world-class excellent water depth conditions.

Faced with the overwhelming force of the Royal Navy of the Great Chu Empire, the US Air Force took the lead in launching an attack, carrying a full load of ammunition to repeatedly search the sea areas where the fleet might appear, looking for an opportunity to engage in a decisive battle.

During this period, there were a few sporadic air battles, with both sides experiencing victories and defeats.

The U.S. Air Force's fleet is primarily composed of fighter jets, and their 12.7mm machine guns pose virtually no threat to large fleets approaching from the sea.

Only a few biplane bombers were capable of dropping bombs from the air, which could potentially cause some damage to the fleet.

However, this did not happen, because the pilots of the Royal Naval Air Wing of the Great Chu Empire were all elites, and they were also equipped with advanced fighter jets, which could pose a deadly threat to American bombers.

Compared to the cumbersome American bombers, the light and agile Chu monoplane fighters were faster, more powerful, and more lethal.

Once the squadron of American bombers is discovered, their only fate is death.

A limited number of air battles broke out between fighter jets from Chu and the United States over the sea and air, most of which ended in victory for the Chu air force, demonstrating the strength of the naval elite.

Realizing the threat posed by the U.S. Air Force fleet, the Great Chu Empire's Royal Navy Expeditionary Fleet, heading north, moved away from the coastline, deep into the Atlantic Ocean, and made a large detour before heading straight for the Norfolk Naval Base.

At this time, the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet did not sit idly by and wait for its fate, but instead dispatched its main force in a grand procession from Norfolk Naval Base, heading south along the coastline.

Unlike the Royal Navy of Chu, the U.S. Atlantic Fleet stayed as close to the coastline as possible to gain the protection of its air force, thus bridging the huge gap between itself and the Chu naval air force.

If it comes to a contest of battleships with their massive guns, the US Navy is not intimidated by the Chu people who have come from afar.

The main gun calibers of the battleships of the Chu and American navies are basically on the same level, with the former having a caliber of 343 mm and the latter 354 mm.

There is no qualitative difference between the two in terms of main gun range and power. The difference lies more in naval performance, daily training level, and on-site command factors during naval battles.

November 5st

After patrolling the sea for more than half a month, a reconnaissance aircraft launched by the Chu Kingdom Royal Navy Expeditionary Fleet discovered the main force of the U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet at a location 76.8 kilometers off the coast of North Carolina.

Its fleet is sailing from north to south, forming several southward-bound squadrons. The vast and imposing naval formations stretch as far as the eye can see, creating a truly magnificent sight.

This news was quickly relayed to the main force of the expeditionary fleet, which was cruising in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Admiral Tang Shaoyi, the Chief of Naval Staff who was personally commanding the fleet, was overjoyed upon hearing the news and immediately ordered his fleet to change course and pursue the enemy to the south.

In the early days

Around 3:00 AM on March 2, 1931
Along the Baja California border between the United States and Canada, a long-dormant barrage of artillery fire rained down on American positions, causing the ground to shake and illuminating the night sky with flames and explosions.

After eight hours of artillery preparation, the Chu army launched an attack on the US border positions, and the two sides engaged in a bloody battle. The situation was intense and stalemate.

At approximately 8:00 AM on March 3, a force of over 70,000 troops from the Fourth Army Group, primarily composed of Cheetah light tanks, bypassed the main US-Chocolate border and advanced rapidly from the Mexican side, heading straight for Phoenix, more than 110 kilometers away.

After a brief but intense battle, the Fourth Army of Chu quickly captured Felix and, along the wide and unobstructed highways within the United States, launched a fierce attack from east to west on the rear of the Chu-US border.

That sudden, roundabout right hook was incredibly powerful and heavy. In just two days...
The Fourth Army of Chu moved 337 kilometers from east to west, directly attacking the Palm Springs area and cutting off the logistics transportation center of the US forces, which totaled more than 22 troops, putting them in a difficult situation of being attacked from both sides.

After three days of bloody fighting at the front, the US Second, Sixth, and Seventh Armies were all surrounded and trapped in the encirclement of the Chu army, and their morale collapsed immediately.

November 6st

Under the siege of approximately 45 troops from the Third, Fourth, Seventh, Ninth, and Thirteenth Army Groups of the Chu State Expeditionary Force, the American forces defending the border fortifications completely collapsed, and convoys of soldiers fled north in droves.

Under the relentless pursuit and fierce attack of the Seventh Army's armored forces, the U.S. frontline troops suffered heavy casualties and lost the crucial El Kajon and Oceanside fortress areas.

Los Angeles, a major metropolis in California, was thus exposed to the overwhelming force of the Chu army, and its fall was inevitable.

After breaking through the border fortresses, the Chu army spread like a flood, with endless military vehicles, tanks, cavalry, and infantry marching in columns along the northward route.

Hundreds of thousands of Chu infantrymen marched north in a large force, and then came even more shocking news.

The Central Pacific Railroad, which connects the east and west coasts of the United States, had several important tunnels and bridges traversing the Sierra Nevada Mountains destroyed by bombing, and severe landslides caused by the destruction of the railroad, completely paralyzing this vital artery.

As a result, the vital transportation link between the Great Plains of the central United States and California in the western United States was severed.

The large number of reinforcements and essential supplies urgently needed for the war could not be transported to the war zone. This was like pouring a bucket of gasoline on top of a fire when things were already in dire straits, leaving no way out!

The army forces of the Great Chu Empire launched a fierce attack from south to north, with almost all of them concentrated in the western region.

The main force of the Chu army, numbering over 700,000, marched north along the coastline, with its attack aimed directly at Los Angeles. After completely occupying Los Angeles, it would continue north along the well-developed coastal highways and railways, with its target being major cities such as San Francisco and Seattle.

Another force, totaling approximately 16 troops, followed behind the Fourth Army and, after taking control of the occupied Phoenix, continued its northward offensive.

The target is major cities in Arizona such as Flagstaff and Gallup, which is another major land route from the central and eastern United States to the west, mainly consisting of wilderness roads.

The route passes through vast stretches of uninhabited Gobi Desert and dark, rocky mountains, traversing hundreds of kilometers of uninhabited areas. However, this is a vital transportation route across the Sierra Nevada Mountains, making it of great military significance.

Continuing east from Gallup, you reach Rio Rancho, an important city in New Mexico. It is a crossroads connecting the north, south, east, and west, and a vital route for migration from the east to the west.

Rio Rancho travels north to Denver, south to the major Mexican city of Juarez, west to Los Angeles, and east to Oklahoma and Louisiana.

By occupying this place, the main passage to the west will be completely cut off.

Due to the severe lack of preparation by the US military, after breaking through the border fortresses and strongholds, the Great Chu Empire's expeditionary force spread like a flood and quickly occupied the aforementioned areas.

Then, they immediately began emergency repairs and construction, digging up roads, building fortresses and strongholds, constructing defensive earthen walls and trenches, and setting up permanent military bases, clearly preparing for a long-term war.

Soon, three lines of defense were formed outside Rio Rancho, extending 22 kilometers in depth. These defenses included numerous earthen walls, large fortresses, and artillery emplacements, transforming the area into an impregnable fortress.

The Great Chu Empire's move was insidious, practically driving the Americans into a corner.

Why do you say that?
As is well known, Arizona and Mexico in the western United States are desolate places, barren, silent, and with endless deserts and bare rocky mountains, which are extremely unsuitable for human habitation.

Whether heading east to Oklahoma or north to Denver, the journey is thousands of kilometers long, with few oases or water sources along the way, mostly consisting of endless, monotonous, and desolate landscapes.

Faced with the complete disruption of the Central Pacific Railroad, the United States is forced to take only one route south: Rio Rancho, Gallup, Flagstaff, and Las Vegas. There is no other option.

How many troops would the United States need to expend to open up the road to Rio Rancho, which is heavily defended, and to send a large number of reinforcements and supplies to the fallen California?

Think about it, these are all impossible tasks.

The vast distance of thousands of kilometers in this desert is the biggest obstacle facing Americans. Water, food, weapons and ammunition, and all supplies have to be continuously transported from the central and eastern United States.

The U.S. military would need to assemble at least 50 to 60 troops, along with an astonishing number of artillery pieces, tanks, armored vehicles, and so on, to possibly open up this vital transportation artery after paying a heavy price.

At this stage

Roads to the western United States were almost completely cut off. Small-scale personnel transport or teams could still make their way along some rugged mountain trails, but large-scale transport of supplies was definitely out of the question.

There's no need to consider the north either. North of Denver are the perpetually snow-covered and barren states of Montana and Idaho, which were once a paradise for bison and have hardly any decent roads.

The snow-capped mountains isolated transportation routes, and the original plan to build a railway was stalled due to the high construction difficulty, leaving the project stuck in the feasibility study stage.

Further north lies the desolate province of Alberta in Canada, so there's no point in even thinking about it.

On March 8, the Great Chu Empire's expeditionary force stormed into Los Angeles from multiple directions and engaged in fierce fighting with the city's National Guard and American white militia, with gunfire continuing throughout the night.

North Carolina Offshore
At around 8:40 a.m., a large number of aircraft flew in from several directions in the sky, and a fierce air and sea battle immediately broke out.

The USS Ranger immediately launched its fighter jets, but the 53 fighter jets it carried quickly took off only to be attacked by more than 200 Chu army fighter jets. One by one, they were shot down and crashed in the sky.

More and more biplane torpedo bombers arrived in waves. Seeing the dense enemy aircraft fleet in the sky, Admiral Hughes, commander of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, turned pale instantly and hurriedly ordered air defense operations.

Fighter jets roared to and fro in the sky, the sound of machine gun fire accompanied by the roar of engines echoing across the sea and sky.

In just over 20 minutes

Only a few American fighter planes remained after taking off from the USS Guerrilla; they were shot down one by one like turkeys, resulting in near annihilation.

The elite attack aircraft of the Chu Kingdom's naval air force often achieved excellent results of 4:1 or even 5:1 in battles against the United States, demonstrating a significant advantage. (End of Chapter)