Nanyang Storm 1864

The flagship of the Royal Navy Expeditionary Fleet of the Great Chu Empire, the aircraft carrier "Wrath".
On the spacious and well-viewed aircraft bridge
Admiral Tang Shaoyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's Expeditionary Fleet, and a group of senior officers were gathered around the nautical chart, pointing and discussing their next operational strategy.

Everything that happened on the front lines was transmitted back via the shortwave radio of the reconnaissance aircraft, allowing the rear command to have a clear understanding of the situation on the front lines from more than 170 kilometers away.

Based on this, timely adjustments to offensive tactics were made to deliver a fatal blow to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

At this moment, the commanders of the Royal Navy Expeditionary Fleet of the Great Chu Empire looked relaxed, with a hint of the excitement and passion of battle; the current battlefield situation was excellent.

The Royal Navy's expeditionary fleet has been tracking the main force of the US Atlantic Fleet for three days, conducting continuous maneuvering and deploying high-intensity fighter jets to blockade the surrounding waters and block reconnaissance aircraft released by the United States.

Once spotted, it was shot down immediately.

Relying on the powerful naval and air blockade force of ten aircraft carriers, the Royal Navy Expeditionary Fleet of the Great Chu Empire has maintained a firm grip on the initiative, while the enemy remains completely unaware.

Although the U.S. Atlantic Fleet sensed the approaching danger and the inability of several reconnaissance aircraft to return was itself an extremely dangerous signal, they were powerless to do anything about it.

"Based on reports from the front, the U.S. Army Air Forces are increasing air protection for the Atlantic Fleet. By noon, each wave of U.S. aircraft taking off had reached over a hundred, causing considerable disruption to our operations."

"This was expected, but we didn't expect the Americans to react so quickly, giving our army a real problem!"

"The operations center received the latest military intelligence from Wilmington Air Base in the United States. The base is constantly receiving fighter jets from all over the United States. By noon, the number had reached more than 560, and this number is rapidly increasing at a rate of 60 to 70 per hour."

"Oh... that means that by evening the number will reach over a thousand. This is not good news and will seriously interfere with our military operations."

"Commander-in-Chief, shall we initiate the 'Counterattack Plan' to completely eliminate this hidden danger?"

"Okay, report the current positions of each fleet."

"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, the Third Cruiser Squadron is closest to the main enemy fleet. The two are currently about 30 chains apart and are continuing to carry out the plan to clear and strike damaged American ships, with very significant results."

"The Third Cruiser Squadron did a good job. Order the seventh wave of torpedo bombers to cooperate with the naval forces to concentrate on annihilating the damaged American ships left behind. Sink them all."

"Yes, Commander-in-Chief."

"What about the other fleets?"

"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, the First and Second Battleship Squadrons are approximately 28-30 kilometers from the main force of the US Atlantic Fleet. They are expected to approach engagement range around 3:40-4:00 PM and launch an attack on the main force of the US Navy fleet."

"Yes, order the two fleets to approach rapidly at a speed of no less than 18 knots, and launch a decisive attack no later than 3:40 pm. The Holy Emperor has placed high hopes on us. The Empire's mighty hammer should show its edge, and this is the time to make our mark."

"Yes, Commander-in-Chief. The Holy Emperor has placed high hopes on us; now is the time to make our mark and achieve great things."

"Report on the losses of the air force."

"Commander-in-Chief, the fighter wing has, to date, shot down 251 enemy aircraft and damaged 67 enemy ships at the cost of 87 aircraft lost. It has also delayed at least 100 U.S. Army Air Forces aircraft from running out of fuel and making emergency landings at sea or on the ground."

"Well done! You truly deserve to be called the elite of the Royal Navy of our Great Chu Empire. You have secured absolute air superiority in this naval and air battle, laying the foundation for victory."

"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, due to the continuous launch of multiple torpedo attacks, the torpedo attack aircraft force suffered heavy casualties, losing 103 aircraft. However, it achieved a major victory by severely damaging and sinking more than 100 enemy ships, including sinking 17 enemy ships."

"Good, very good. The bravery of the torpedo bomber unit has been witnessed by everyone in the expeditionary fleet. I hereby award them special commendation in the name of the Commander-in-Chief. I hope that the brave naval aviation warriors of the Great Chu Empire will continue their efforts and inflict fatal damage on the enemy, writing their loyalty to the Empire in this sea of ​​blood."

"As you command, Your Excellency Commander, a special commendation is hereby given to the aerial torpedo attack aircraft unit for their unwavering loyalty to the Empire amidst the blood-soaked sea and sky."

The Chief of Naval Operations immediately took orders to the warship's telegraph room to send a coded telegram, conveying the fleet commander's latest orders.

General Tang Shaoyi frowned and considered for a moment before speaking to the group of senior officers around him;
"The key to victory lies between 4 and 5 o'clock, which will be the decisive moment in this air and sea battle. We must make a thorough plan for this."

Considering the continuous arrival of US Army Air Force aircraft, with waves arriving every 3 to 40 minutes, it was necessary to block two waves of US escort aircraft in order to ensure that the main force of our battleships could carry out a fatal blow to the enemy.

The "counterattack plan" would require too much air power and its effectiveness could not be guaranteed, so it is not being considered for the time being.

The Commander's Purpose
The goal is to win this crucial decisive battle at the lowest possible cost, demonstrating the invincible might of the Royal Navy and projecting national prestige across the vast Atlantic Ocean.

Do any of you have any good suggestions for me?

As soon as this question was raised, the senior generals present all frowned and pondered deeply.

The so-called "counterattack plan" involved using no fewer than 300 fighter jets to bomb enemy land-based airfields, severely damaging or paralyzing them, thus laying the foundation for victory in the naval battle.

Long-range raids on land-based airfields are extremely dangerous combat operations, and the deployment of so many fighter jets would inevitably greatly weaken the expeditionary fleet's air and sea protection capabilities.

These fighter jets form an invisible umbrella in the air, serving as the aerial safety pillar for the fleet's defense.

If it suffers heavy losses, the expeditionary fleet may have to abandon its current favorable battlefield position and retreat into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean in order to avoid significant damage to the expensive fleet.

The coexistence of enormous risks and opportunities made it difficult for Commander-in-Chief General Tang Shaoyi to make a decision.

In contrast
Between 4 and 5 o'clock, they fought against two waves of US Army Air Force aircraft. Assuming each wave consisted of about 100 fighter jets, the total number of aircraft would be between 220 and 250.

The Royal Navy Air Force of the Great Chu Empire only needs to dispatch a hundred or so fighter jets. Whether it is mid-flight dogfight, interception, or harassment and enticement, as long as the excess fuel of the American aircraft group is exhausted, they can return to base.

Rear Admiral Zheng Hong, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Naval Air Fleet, took out a pen and carefully calculated the details, then meticulously measured the nautical chart before drawing a conclusion.

He said;
"Your Excellency Commander-in-Chief;"
To achieve the interception objective, the Imperial Navy's Fourth and Fifth Carrier Fleets must now change course and sail westward, approaching the east coast of North America by 120 kilometers within three hours.

According to calculations
Please see... Three hours later, the main force of our aircraft carrier fleet will be roughly in this position.

That is, about 260 kilometers from the east coast of North America. Although this further increases the risk of exposing the main position of our aircraft carrier fleet, it effectively reduces the range of fighter jets for sorties and returns.

The combined distance is approximately 240 kilometers, which allows our aircraft to remain airborne for an additional 40 minutes, greatly increasing mission flexibility.

Starting from this location, intercepting aircraft taking off from the U.S. Wellington Air Base would increase our group's loiter time by 40 minutes, while the enemy's would not see a significant reduction.

Given that the US aircraft might disregard our interception and force their way through, a fierce air and sea battle would inevitably break out.

To be on the safe side, we must strengthen our interception capabilities.

In this way

If each wave of 80 fighter jets takes off, and another wave takes off half an hour later, it can basically complete the mission of intercepting the US aircraft group and make it difficult for them to reach the airspace of the US Atlantic Fleet to carry out escort missions.

Please provide instructions, Commander-in-Chief, regarding the specific procedures.

The question returned to General Tang Shaoyi, who considered it carefully and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, order the fourth and fifth carrier strike groups to immediately head due west and approach the east coast of the United States. Also, order the fighter wing preparing for interception to immediately prepare its full air superiority loadout and be ready to take off."

"Yes, Commander-in-Chief."

The senior generals all raised their hands in salute and then immediately got to work.

Dozens of kilometers apart, two aircraft carrier squadrons and an escort guerrilla fleet, which were lingering in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, immediately turned around and headed toward the east coast of the United States after receiving orders.

From above

Hundreds of warships and supply ships of all sizes moved simultaneously, changing course in unison and leaving behind snow-white "L"-shaped trails on the azure sea, creating a spectacular sight.

The returning torpedo bombers entered the landing lane one by one, and the three aircraft carriers were concentrating on recovering this wave of torpedo bombers, while the other two aircraft carriers were launching fighter jets.

The other five aircraft carriers were packed with torpedo bombers and fighter jets, some refueling and loading ammunition, and others preparing for sorties.

The young pilots mostly stayed in the cabin, drinking water and eating, and hardly ever got off the plane.

The order to launch an attack could come at any moment; this is the busiest time of the year.

Fighter jets and reconnaissance planes roared overhead, expanding in all directions, with a focus on the due west.

The fighter jets carrying out airspace patrol missions are deployed in pairs, with thirty to forty pairs already deployed, completely covering the airspace hundreds of kilometers to the west, south, and north, protecting the safety of the Imperial fleet.

Only an unprecedentedly powerful aircraft carrier fleet could carry so many fighter jets to form an impenetrable airspace defense and shield, making it impossible for sporadic US reconnaissance aircraft and a small number of fighter jets to penetrate in.

In the field of military operations

The Americans were undoubtedly far behind. Although they had participated in World War I, the US military was deployed in companies or platoons to the trenches of the British and French forces as cannon fodder to fill the trenches.

Based on the combat effectiveness of American soldiers, they were at most half the size of the Anglo-French militia. Not only were they poorly trained and disciplined, but their military skills were also poor, making their combat effectiveness even worse.

Throughout the course of World War I, the performance of the U.S. military after entering the war was hard to describe.

Throughout the entire process, the U.S. military has never had a division-level or higher unit specifically tasked with defensive or offensive missions in a particular direction, nor is it capable of doing so.

In terms of naval and air power, the United States has built a total of 12 advanced battleships (note: historically there were 16 battleships) for its sea forces, as well as a sizable Army Air Force.

However, in terms of combat operations, tactics, reconnaissance and command, and joint naval and air operations, it was far inferior to the world's military power, the Great Chu Empire.

In this unprecedentedly fierce air and sea battle, the United States' shortcomings were fully exposed.

Around 3 p.m.

The main force of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, which had been sailing westward, approached within 80 kilometers of the U.S. East Coast and about 330 kilometers of Wellington Air Base to the north, and breathed a sigh of relief.

At this distance
Army aviation aircraft that take off from Wellington Air Base can remain airborne for about an hour, providing relatively reliable air protection.

From around 12:00 to 2:00, the air strikes from the Great Chu Empire focused entirely on the damaged American warships left behind, sinking the wounded light cruisers, heavy cruisers, and destroyers one by one.

This brief respite came at an unparalleled and immense cost.

Starting from 10 p.m., the heavy cruiser fleet of the Great Chu Empire, which had been tracking them, cut in rapidly from the north, coordinating with torpedo bombardment aircraft to bombard the remaining main force of the US Atlantic Fleet. The two sides fought and retreated simultaneously.

In the sky, fighter jets from both sides were locked in a fierce dogfight. The roaring aircraft flew back and forth over the battlefield, and the roar of their engines and the fireballs from the explosions of hit aircraft transformed the blue sky and sea into a scene of carnage.

Admiral Hughes, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, has received the latest information that two massive battleships of the Great Chu Empire's Royal Navy are rapidly approaching like two iron pincers.

This gave Admiral Hughes a serious sense of crisis. The main force of his fleet was now badly damaged, with four battleships and seven heavy cruisers being severely damaged by torpedoes, which seriously slowed down the entire fleet.

The US Atlantic Fleet can now only flee westward at eleven knots, while the pursuing Chu Royal Navy battle fleet has a speed of up to 18 knots.

Around 3:10, they will be able to enter the range of the battleships exchanging fire.

Therefore, General Hughes urgently telegraphed the U.S. Army General Staff, requesting the immediate dispatch of no fewer than 200 bombers to bombard the encircling Chu battle fleet and slow its advance.

No matter what, we must persevere until after dark.

After approaching the East Coast of the United States by about 80 kilometers, the Atlantic Fleet is now turning south, preparing to escape into Charleston Harbor in South Carolina.

Why not continue fleeing north into Wellington Harbour?
The reason is simple: Wellington Harbour is an unarmed commercial port with an open bay facing the Atlantic Ocean, completely unobstructed.

For the formidable Royal Navy battle fleet of the Great Chu Empire and the torpedo bombers bombing from above, they were nothing more than fixed targets, utterly unsafe.

Charleston Harbor was much better; it was a naval port with fortified batteries along the nearby coast, capable of deterring and preventing the Chu fleet from approaching.

In addition, the surrounding army air bases can provide relatively strong air protection, and the strength of the Atlantic Fleet itself can eliminate potential security concerns.

The presence of numerous army units around Charleston, capable of forming hundreds of anti-aircraft machine gun positions, is a significant advantage.

In that case
Why did they launch their attack from Norfolk Naval Base in the first place, attempting to challenge the Chu Royal Navy's expeditionary fleet?

It would have been so much better to have stayed at the Norfolk Naval Base from the beginning. It not only has a world-class shielded harbor, but also many island fortifications and strongholds. It is also surrounded by powerful army and naval air bases, as well as numerous shipyards and logistical support facilities.

Hiding inside its shell and refusing to come out, even the mighty Chu Empire's Royal Navy Expeditionary Fleet was helpless against it.

That's not how you look at it. Once the Royal Navy Expeditionary Fleet of the Great Chu Empire arrives outside the Norfolk Naval Base, it will inevitably block the sea lanes, thereby blocking the transatlantic shipping lanes of the United States and completely severing the vital foreign trade lines of the United States.

In the context of the current Great Depression, this has undoubtedly plunged the US economy into a deep abyss of despair.

Whether from a political, economic, or military perspective, the cost is far too heavy to accept.

If the US Navy continues to cower within Norfolk Naval Base, the anger within the country will keep the White House up at night, and labels such as "cowards, shame, cowards, and incompetent idiots" will be blatantly plastered on its face.

This is not anyone else's fault, but also the fault of the American newspapers and media for always promoting the strength of America and doing their best to smear and belittle Asians, calling them "cockroaches with super reproductive capacity," "stupid and despicable orientalists," and "realists who only care about their own interests," etc., going to great lengths to slander them.

This inadvertently fostered a strong sense of superiority among the American public.

The bitter consequences of the boasts you made back then must be swallowed with tears in your eyes.

It was under these circumstances that the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet had no choice but to engage them head-on.

Just a few days ago

Admiral Hughes, commander of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, was also full of confidence. With his powerful fleet, he believed he could crush the arrogant Royal Navy of the Great Chu Empire and earn the reputation of a great general.

The reality is harsh: on paper, the naval and army forces of both sides appear to be roughly equal in strength.

Once the actual operation began, General Hughes painfully realized that the military strength of Chu and the United States was simply not on the same level.

One was a professional athlete, and the other was an amateur enthusiast. The Americans were thoroughly thrashed on the battlefield, suffering a complete and utter defeat.

In such a highly specialized and high-level competition as the Navy, the various shortcomings of the US military were simply appalling.

In short
It has everything, but nothing is particularly good.

General Hughes felt a deep sense of regret, but it was too late.

His situation is extremely common in the United States. From the political, economic, financial, and industrial sectors to the top levels of the military, there is a general shock at the full-scale invasion of the Great Chu Empire, and people cannot believe it is real.

Americans naturally assumed that these foolish and cowardly Easterners would never dare to attack the United States.
The harsh reality taught the Americans a severe lesson: their sense of superiority and self-perceived superiority were all shattered by the cannon fire of the Great Chu Empire.

President Hoover should also regret that he should have brazenly introduced the bill to crack down on and confiscate Eastern assets, which ultimately angered that decrepit Eastern dictator.

If I had known it would be like this, I would have been willing to wait a few more years.

But now that they've gone all in, they regret it, and there's no way to back out. America has no choice but to swallow this bitter pill. (End of Chapter)