Nanyang Storm 1864

After looking at the North American model for a while, Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui gathered his scattered thoughts. He felt waves of heat surging through his body and his heart was filled with joy.

Everything is unfolding according to his strategic plan. The complete annihilation of the main force of the US Atlantic Fleet will be a heavy blow to the United States, inevitably exacerbating division and discontent.

This is just the beginning; the real excitement is yet to come...

The main warships of the Third Expeditionary Task Force of the Great Chu Empire have been formed into the Second Pacific Expeditionary Fleet, which is currently lingering in the outer waters of the San Francisco Bay Area, blocking the main force of the US Pacific Fleet in the bay area.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet is relatively weak, currently possessing only 3 main battleships and 5 heavy cruisers, and these are relatively old models, most of which entered service between 1913 and 1918.

Because the Great Chu Empire has six large army air bases in Lower California, its operational range covers the San Francisco area.

After occupying Los Angeles, the Army Air Forces relocated to the suburbs surrounding Los Angeles, with the furthest point reaching as far north as Visalia, which is only a hundred kilometers from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Fighter jets can reach the airspace over the San Francisco Bay Area in just over ten minutes after takeoff.

At this time, fierce air battles were taking place over the San Francisco Bay Area, with Army fighters and bombers swarming like locusts, continuously wearing down and damaging the strength of the U.S. Army Air Forces.

Therefore, the Royal Navy's Second Pacific Expeditionary Fleet was not equipped with an aircraft carrier, but consisted mainly of six main battleships, along with 12 heavy cruisers and more than 20 light cruisers.

The US Navy's equipment is also quite peculiar, typically top-heavy.

Limited by the Manila Naval Disarmament Treaty, the tonnage of the U.S. Navy could not grow too much, only reaching half that of the Great Chu Empire.

To this end, the United States has vigorously developed its main battleships and heavy cruisers, but is severely lacking in the field of light cruisers, and all of its light cruisers are in the Atlantic Fleet.

The US Pacific Fleet has no ships; isn't that top-heavy?
Fortunately, Vice Admiral William Scott, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, knew his own limitations. After the outbreak of war, his fleet remained huddled in the San Francisco Bay Area and dared not go out to sea to fight.

Having suffered utter annihilation in the Battle of the Atlantic, they dared not launch an attack.

This is also the most troublesome thing for the Second Pacific Expeditionary Fleet. The enemy is hiding in a rat hole, which is really very troublesome.

Encouraged by the complete victory in the Battle of the Atlantic, the Second Pacific Expeditionary Fleet is attempting to make a difference and has submitted a new request to mobilize no fewer than four aircraft carriers to strengthen its fleet.

The Navy Department also raised this point during the court hearing just now.

Emperor Zheng Guohui rejected the idea without hesitation, arguing that frequently mobilizing the main force of the imperial expeditionary fleet between the two oceans was not conducive to combat.

Next Step

The main force of the Imperial Expeditionary Fleet still needs to carry out amphibious landing operations and blockade operations of the Atlantic shipping lanes; the tasks are by no means easy.

The new aircraft carrier currently under construction in the dock will not be delivered to the Royal Navy until at least August or September of this year, leaving a gap of up to six months.

During this period
Not a single aircraft carrier can be deployed to the Pacific region; the goal is to maintain absolute dominance and blockade in the Atlantic. This is determined by the Empire's overall grand strategy.

Since the U.S. Pacific Fleet is holed up in the San Francisco Bay Area, it might as well stay there.

Once the land forces launch a full-scale offensive and initiate the "Battle of San Francisco," breaking through from the land, let's see if this remaining American fleet can still hide.
If they don't leave port, then there's only one way out: surrender.

Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui strolled out at his own pace and came to the huge Nine Dragon Pool outside the palace, where he watched with great interest the nine enormous sea turtles kept there.

This Nine Dragons Pond covers an area of ​​2.7 acres and is surrounded by exquisitely carved jade pillars. The pond is filled with seawater and also has artificial hills and shallow beaches, with areas divided according to the terrain.

Nine large sea turtles, each as big as a round tabletop, exude a sense of age and history.

This pool is much larger than the one in the Zichen Palace. Emperor Zheng Guohui looked at it with great interest, and footsteps could be heard beside him.

He could feel the shade coming over him, and he heard the respectful voice of Deputy Director Zhou Qing: "Your Majesty, please forgive this humble subject for acting without authorization."

"Ah Qing, how many years have you been with me?"

"Your Majesty, it has been 37 years since I joined the Secretariat."

"Thirty-seven years have passed. It's been quite a long time. It's really amazing how quickly time has flown by. It makes one feel quite emotional."

"To be able to serve Your Majesty is a blessing that I have accumulated over many lifetimes. I only wish Your Majesty good health and peace, for that would be a blessing for the hundreds of millions of subjects of the empire."

"Hehe, look at these dragon turtles, lying here peacefully. Are they mocking us humans for being nothing more than ants, our lifespan of several decades being but a fleeting moment in the long river of history?"

"The sage above must not have such thoughts. The brilliance of the Holy Emperor Taizu is comparable to the sun and moon, illuminating the Milky Way. He was truly a founding sage emperor who was unparalleled in history, a blessing from heaven for hundreds of millions of Chu people. Countless subjects pray for Your Majesty's well-being and wish Your Majesty a long and prosperous life! May Your Majesty live a thousand years."

“What is this talk of a thousand autumns and ten thousand years…” Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui laughed.

He patted his belly with a happy expression and said, "Tell the kitchen to roast a lamb today. It's been a long time since I've tasted such a delicacy."

“Your Majesty, roasting lamb is smoky and fiery, which is really not good for health. I humbly request Your Majesty to reconsider,” Zhou Qingshi said, bowing.

Emperor Taizu Zheng Guohui waved his hand and said, "That's fine. It's okay to try it once in a while."

"Your humble servant obeys the decree." Zhou Qing immediately withdrew quietly and turned to convey the decree.

Emperor Taizu turned his head to admire the dragon turtle again, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

Life is short, so why be so constrained?
Despite the immense pressure from Western countries, nothing could stop the empire's resolute strategic plan to expand into North America—a truly monumental undertaking.

The struggle for national destiny is a matter of days and nights.

two weeks later

Los Angeles City Hall
President Hoover was furious. He flew to the front lines in the San Francisco Bay Area to oversee the battle, but all he saw was chaos and no determination to fight to the death.

The wealthy and capitalists of the Bay Area fled by taking northbound trains. After arriving in Seattle, they could take a boat to continue north across the border to Vancouver.

That was British territory, and it wouldn't be affected by the war.

Alternatively, one could take a cruise from Seattle to the Far East, where one could travel to Europe via the Trans-Siberian Railway, or temporarily seek peace in the northern lands.

With all routes to the east or south cut off, American cruise ships and merchant vessels could neither pass through the Panama Canal nor bypass the southernmost Strait of Magellan without the permission of the State of Chu.

After the Central Pacific Railroad, which traversed the Sierra Nevada Mountains, was completely cut off, the only way east was to hike over snow-capped mountains, traversing rugged mountain paths through forests and swamps, with only a very slim chance of successfully reaching Denver in the central region. Such journeys often stretched hundreds or even thousands of kilometers, passing through desolate mountains and dense forests rarely visited by humans, and the hardship involved was unimaginable.

All the news coming from the front was bad. When they heard that the main force of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet had been completely wiped out, the entire San Francisco Bay Area was in an uproar, and people were filled with fear.

Rumors spread like wildfire, filled with various fantasies about the brutality and barbarity of the Great Chu Empire's expeditionary force, which further exacerbated the social unrest.

President Hoover was extremely dissatisfied with everything he saw when he arrived.

The militia urgently conscripted lacked standardized characters and standard infantry equipment, and the weapons they carried were a motley collection, with all kinds of supplies being extremely scarce.

There was a lack of artillery, rifles and ammunition, military tents and clothing, training, experienced officers, organization and everything else.

The White House originally thought that the strong border defenses could hold out for more than 3 to 4 months against the full-scale invasion of the Great Chu Empire. However, the Chu army delivered a fierce right hook, and the defenses collapsed completely in just over ten days.

The entire border fortress area, where more than 300,000 troops were stationed, fell. The elite American soldiers either died or surrendered, and only a mere 20,000 to 30,000 managed to escape back.

Dozens of large arms depots stockpiled in Los Angeles fell into enemy hands, and all active-duty equipment was lost, leaving only 2.73 US troops in the Bay Area and northern cities.

Including the 20,000 to 30,000 defeated soldiers who retreated all the way, the total number was only slightly over 50,000, and there was a severe lack of heavy firepower equipment such as artillery and heavy machine guns.

The military depots in the San Francisco Bay Area alone are simply not enough to arm the more than 30 militiamen and National Guard troops, who are severely lacking in equipment and training.

Tragic, too tragic.

"Brave American people, we must stop the enemy's advance in the San Francisco Bay Area and replicate the glory of the Western Front. This is a crucial step in turning the tide of the war."

"The European battlefield has proven that trenches and barbed wire are the most reliable means of defense, and no enemy can cross them, including the fierce and brutal Eastern invaders."

"Cheer up, people! I firmly believe that no evil force can bring America to its knees."

"As long as we are united and of one mind, and fight with our guns in hand, we will surely win the final victory."

"Have faith in yourselves, have faith in the federal government. As long as we withstand the enemy's fierce attacks, aid from all the federal states will arrive continuously, tipping the scales of victory in our favor..."

"The great American cowboys, who value honor and are willing to sacrifice, will surely defeat the evil Easterners and win a great victory in this war of national defense. I firmly believe this."

President Hoover delivered a passionate speech to several hundred rearmed World War I veterans who were also the commanders of newly formed militia divisions.

He spoke with great enthusiasm, spitting as he encouraged these cannon fodder who were about to go to the battlefield!
The good news is that, thanks to the efforts of more than 20 people, several trench defense lines around the San Francisco Bay Area have taken initial shape, and there is no shortage of barbed wire.

Hiding in the trenches and firing at the outside requires far less from the defending officers and soldiers.

Once these white militia members are deployed, the defense will be quite effective, with a good chance of stopping the rapidly advancing Eastern army.

As for the cost of this?
How many people were killed or injured?
President Hoover did not consider, nor could he solve, issues such as medical treatment and subsequent ammunition.

President Hoover fully utilized his political eloquence, using passionate speeches instead of bread, and did everything he could to sway these militia leaders who had been summoned in the name of patriotism.

The United States is a typical example of a small government and a large society. This system was established by the Founding Fathers to minimize the intervention of authoritarian governments in a free society and allow the free market to function effectively.

This did indeed unleash a strong driving force for development in American society during times of economic prosperity.

However, every advantage has its disadvantages.

In its governance, the US government focuses more on the superficial effects of short-term policies, while lacking long-term policy design and a long-term strategic vision.

For example, there is a severe shortage of food reserves, weapons reserves, qualified officers after the expansion of the military, and corresponding weapons production.

Because of its location between two oceans, the actual military threat was relatively small, and the military-industrial complex on the west coast of the United States was basically abandoned and completely abandoned after World War I.

Without demand, where does production come from?
Despite its powerful industrial production capacity, the United States is severely unbalanced in the field of weapons and ammunition production, with most of its products used in the civilian sector, particularly small arms manufacturers.

Due to intense market competition within the United States, major manufacturers in this field are located in the Great Lakes region and the East Coast of the United States, with none on the West Coast.

If transportation is cut off, there's nothing we can do but watch helplessly.

Due to government funding constraints and congressional obstruction, the United States, despite becoming one of the world's leading economies, has not established a comprehensive strategic material reserve system.

If everything is driven by the market, then during a major economic depression, one side might see farmers dumping truckloads of milk into rivers, while on the other side, large numbers of people in urban slums go hungry, and some even starve to death.

President Hoover's impromptu speech was a success, and the city council chamber erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Militia leaders from across the West Coast raised their arms and swore to drive the Orientals into the sea, resolutely defend white land, uphold traditional ways of life, and safeguard their own beliefs.

As they turned to leave the venue, more wealthy people and capitalists from the Bay Area, laden with bags and suitcases, crowded onto cruise ships and left as quickly as possible.

White militiamen carrying rifles marched in formation to the front lines, while the wealthy fled north en masse. Who were the true patriots?
The contrast between these crowds from the north and south is ironic, and perhaps a true reflection of the current state of America.

In 1931 year

California has a total population of over 157 million, with the San Francisco metropolitan area accounting for one-third of that, including a dozen or so surrounding counties and towns.

The total population of the more than ten states along the West Coast is slightly over 400 million.

The current capacity to mobilize an army of over 420,000 people, if that can be considered an army, is arguably the limit.

Among these white militia members who participated in resisting the invasion from the East were elderly people in their fifties and sixties, as well as teenagers as fourteen or fifteen years old. The vast majority came from middle and lower class families and were filled with gratitude and loyalty to the country.

They were true patriots, and also the most dangerous group that the invading Chu army prioritized eliminating, representing the greatest destabilizing factor for future rule.

Therefore

The Imperial Expeditionary Force postponed the Battle of San Francisco, originally scheduled for early April, by more than ten days, giving the enemy more time to prepare.

Let these Americans gather more resistance forces, then wipe them out in one fell swoop, saving us a lot of trouble. (End of Chapter)