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Text Chapter 917 Raid (2)

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    Midsummer has not yet passed, and the Soya Strait is already filled with whitecaps. The cold ocean currents from the North Pacific not only stir up waves, but also bring abundant fishery resources.  It is this unique geographical advantage that has allowed Japan to become the fourth largest fishing country in the world, thus supporting millions of ordinary Japanese.  In addition to fisheries, the Soya Strait is also the most important energy and resource channel in northern Japan. Millions of tons of crude oil and other raw materials are shipped back to the country from here every year.  Among them, the Sakhalin oil field, which has gradually increased production since 1933, can bring half a million tons of crude oil to Japan every year. Moreover, because of the China-Japan South Sakhalin Lease and Petroleum Agreement mediated by the United States, the Japanese government only needs to pay the cost price.  .  It is precisely because of the increase in production from the Sakhalin oil field that Japan was able to accumulate 7 million tons of oil reserves before heading south.  This matter was once a hot topic in the Republic of China. The National Assembly accused the government of not increasing the production of the Sakhalin oil field, which was in vain to benefit Japan, but they forgot that it was the increase in production of the Sakhalin oil field that allowed Vladivostok, Temple Street and Transkhinganling, etc.  The region is no longer dependent on northwest and overseas oil, which has greatly promoted the industrial and economic development of these remote provinces.

    In addition to oil, after two decades of development and the cost of tens of thousands of North Korean labor casualties, the coastal areas of the Sea of ??Okhotsk have become Japan's most important source of raw materials.  Gold and coking coal alone are worth more than 10 million yen. Aluminum and iron have even gradually surpassed North Korea and become a booster for Japan's southward strategy.  As of 1938, Japan's annual industrial resources from the north accounted for 40% of Japan's annual imports.  However, this proportion has dropped rapidly recently, especially after seizing the Mariana Islands and the Philippines. The reduction of sea transportation has allowed Japan to speed up its acquisition of resources from the Southeast Asia.  Last year alone, the total amount of various resources imported from Southeast Asia to Japan was as high as 400 million yen. At the same time, the proportion of northern resources dropped by 15%. This does not include the floating wealth obtained and the millions of tons of food every year.  Considering that Japan occupied Nanyang for only two years.  This rate of decline is actually very fast. According to the prediction of the Naval Intelligence Department, if Japan can continue to stabilize Nanyang for two to three years, the proportion of northern resources will drop to 10%, and industrial capacity will increase by 30%.  Therefore, since the beginning of the year, the Navy has been clamoring to declare war on Japan to avoid the danger of raising tigers.

    To ensure the security of northern resources, the Japanese Navy has been deploying a fleet of coastal defense ships, 16 Minekaze-class and Mutsuki-class old destroyers, and ten submarines in the northern waters for many years.  The strength is higher than that of the 15th Squadron in Vladivostok.  However, the overall quality of the destroyers of the 15th Fleet is higher than that of the Japanese fleet, whether it is the six Lao Changfeng-class destroyers.  The six new Qinling-class destroyers built by the Vladivostok Shipyard are much better than the Minekaze-class and Mutsuki-class built after the European war.  In addition, the 15th Fleet also has twelve submarines, six of which are the latest Black Shark-class ocean-going submarines and 200 Navy Li Feng and other aircraft.  Moreover, the Republic of China Navy has two larger shipyards in the north, namely the Vladivostok Shipyard and the Heilongjiang Shipyard built in the Third Five-Year Plan. The former has the ability to manufacture 10,000-ton cruisers.  The latter can build destroyers and submarines, which greatly enhances the navy's logistics capabilities in the northern seas.

    Ruan Shaowen looked at his watch, put down this information, and walked onto the bridge of the Nanchang.  As the first treaty heavy patrol in the country's true sense, the Navy is actually dissatisfied.  Not to mention that the standard tonnage of the Wuhan class of 10,350 tons is very different from the 13,000 tons of the Taiwan Island class. The design alone is very immature.  The reason for this situation was that the shipbuilding technology of the Republic of China Navy was not as good as that of Europe and the United States at that time, and the Taiwan Island Class could still use excess displacement to make up for it.  But after the Wuhan-class could not exceed its quota, many designs had to be scrapped and started over.  Even if there are drawings that are higher, it is difficult to imitate them in the same proportions, and the things that are made are often too heavy and too large.  This is also the reason why the navy after the Wuhan class has not built heavy patrols for eight consecutive years.  However, with the complete absorption of the results of the Rhineland Plan, the influx of a large number of European and American technical personnel in the five years after the 1929 economic crisis, and the successive commissioning and construction of the Beijing-class and Shandong-class, the shipbuilding technology of the Republic of China finally approached the world level.  That's why the reborn Xi'an-class heavy cruiser was born.  Not only had six ships been ordered before the war, but six more were added after the war began.  This shows the technical maturity.

    "Is there any news about the reconnaissance plane?" After arriving at the bridge, Ruan Shaowen took the telescope from the staff officer, walked to the porthole and observed the surroundings.  Although he is from Guangxi, he is tall and tall. His burly figure of nearly 1.9 meters is like a pagoda. Standing in front of a window with direct sunlight, it directly dims the light in the bridge.

    "The news from ten minutes ago was that there were two Minekaze-class ships traveling from east to west in the Soya Strait, and three Japanese merchant ships came out of the South Sakhalin Port, accompanied by a coastal defense ship. The model of the coastal defense ship is still being identified, anyway.  Either the Azuma or the Iwate." As soon as Liao Wenhai, the chief of staff behind him, finished his introduction, the voice of the captain of the Nanchang Shen Shicai rang out: "Why do these Japanese keep so many old ships?" He is also a navy man.  A son of an aristocratic family, his grandfather Shen Weiyong was the gunnery instructor of the Zhiyuan ship. He personally fired the cannon and hit Japanese ships many times during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894.

    After Japan advanced southward, its army expanded rapidly, and its navyIn order to cope with more wars, all eight old warships, including Sagami, Tango, Joban, Azuma, Izumo, Kasuga, Shikishima and Asahi, were activated, and more than ten old warships were also activated at the same time.  Protected cruiser, classified as coastal defense or training ship.  This move seems a little unbelievable to various countries. You must know that many of these warships can be traced back to the Sino-Japanese War of 1894. The maintenance costs are extremely high, and they can even purchase three to four heavy cruisers.  "The Japanese Navy has always cherished its ships, not to mention that the territory it has now acquired has exceeded its jurisdiction. There is no time to build new ships, so it can only make a fuss about the number." After Liao Wenhai finished speaking, he handed the brewed strong tea to Ruan Shaowen and continued:  "I just received a telegram from the base. The Japanese Navy has learned about our departure from the port, and the fleet stationed in Hakodate is chasing us at full speed. There are four heavy cruisers about 250 kilometers behind us, and two more have entered the Pacific. From the time  Calculating the speed, it should be at Shikotan Island, about 450 kilometers away from us. In addition, the two coastal defense ships Tango and Asahi and two destroyers in the direction of Magadan have also weighed anchor and are approaching the Northeast Strait."

    "Why are there so many coastal defense ships in Magadan?" Shen Shicai sniffed.  Japan's eight coastal defense ships are all old-fashioned pre-dreadnought battleships or armored cruisers. They have strong firepower and thick armor, but are slow and more similar to shallow-water heavy gunships.  Although it is difficult to capture the 15th fleet, if you are entangled.  The 305mm naval gun above is still a great threat.  So he couldn't figure out why Japan had so many coastal defense ships in the north.  "Shicai, you just came here and don't know the situation in the Northeast." Liao Wenhai introduced the situation.  It turns out that since the discovery of a large amount of non-ferrous metals in Magadan Kolyma, Japan immediately regarded it as a treasure, so during the navigation season from May to October, four to five defense ships will be stationed in places such as Magadan and South Sakhalin.  It can also serve as a temporary fort.

    "So, we will be surrounded in the strait in six hours?" Ruan Shaowen, who had been silent, put down his telescope and walked to the chart table to carefully check the position and possible trajectory of the Japanese fleet marked by the staff.  "It's not that simple. Judging from this scale, the Japanese may want to take action!" Liao Wenhai said seriously: "After all, we don't need six heavy cruisers to deal with us. To deploy such a strong force in the north all at once, we can only  They said they were ready to attack us. We just happened to come out early to break their plan." Ruan Shaowen nodded.  The Japanese Navy treats heavy cruisers differently from its domestic counterpart.  The Republic of China Navy only regarded heavy cruisers as cruisers, mainly protecting aircraft carriers and battleships, or serving as flagships of patrol formations.  The Japanese Navy has always felt that its battleships are inferior to those of Europe and the United States, so it has built heavy cruisers aggressively and used them as secondary battleships for decisive battles.  Therefore, when there was only one heavy cruiser and two light cruisers in the northern part of the Republic of China, it was very unusual to dispatch six of them at once.

    Since it is a second-class battleship.  It is impossible to come out alone, so at least one or two light cruisers and six or seven destroyers must be protected. Coupled with the fleet originally deployed in the north, nearly thirty warships have gathered around the 15th Fleet.  "Although the order is for us to block the strait, it should be because we hope that we will cause some trouble, otherwise it will not be written that we can sink it immediately. But now we are outnumbered, and if we continue to block the strait, I am afraid we will be blocked. So I  Suggestion. Since the above clearly wants us to cause trouble, simply sink the Japanese destroyers and freighters in the strait. Then move northward and enter the Tartar Strait from the Northeast Strait." Ruan Shaowen nodded, took out a cigarette from his pocket and held it on his fingertips.  It hasn't been lit yet.  He came out this time with a total of one heavy cruiser, two light cruisers, 12 destroyers and ten submarines. Four of the destroyers and four submarines have already gone to the Tartar Strait to protect the waterway. Only the heavy cruiser Nanchang and the Nanchang are left.  The Tumenjiang light cruiser, the Liaohe light cruiser, six Qinling-class destroyers, and two Changfeng-class destroyers. As for the submarines, they are still behind due to their slow speed.  It is impossible to defeat the Japanese navy with such a fleet. It cannot even block the strait for a long time. Even if it is supported by air during the day, it cannot be stopped at night.  In fact, he knew in his heart that the 15th fleet was here to act as bait and cover for the main force.  Therefore, if just hastily sinking a few Japanese shabby destroyers and merchant ships will not be effective, we must use some tricks to give the Japanese navy a few powerful blows.  It's just that the Soya Strait and South Sakhalin area have open seas and are within the combat radius of Japanese aircraft, so they can't even fight guerrillas.  "We must find a good place." Ruan Shaowen thought to himself, his eyes wandering to the broken island chain to the east.

    "Why don't we stop getting entangled in the strait and go directly east to block the ships coming from the Pacific" Shen Shicai was just about to say that he was going to block the two heavy cruisers coming from the direction of Sedan Island when the electronic communications officer's call came from behind him.  Shout: "Sir, the radar reports that there are two targets approaching quickly about 27 kilometers ahead on the left!"

    ¡°Sound the alarm and get ready for battle.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Shicai immediately jumped up and rushed to the porthole.  Even Ruan Shaowen and Liao Wenhai picked up binoculars.  After the shrill alarm sounded, the nine warships immediately became busy like grinning cheetahs. Even the three-door triple-mounted 210mm/l50 warship of the NanchangThey all slowly turned to the direction reported by the radar.  In less than twenty minutes, two Japanese Minekaze-class destroyers came out from under the sea level.  Ruan Shaowen was completely uninterested in this old-fashioned destroyer built after the war in Europe. He waved his hand directly: "As soon as you get close, sink it immediately!"

    "Commander, we haven't declared war yet. We should warn him first" Liao Wenhai wanted to remind Ruan Shaowen that the two countries have not declared war yet. Even if they come to cause trouble, they should warn them first and then find a reason to kill them.  But Ruan Shaowen was too lazy to think about it. He just said four words coldly without raising his eyelids: "Sink them."

    Liao Wenhai was a little resentful towards Ruan Shaowen at first, but when he thought about the meaning of the order, he felt relieved.  Soldiers don't have so much nonsense, as long as they can achieve their goals.  Who made the first move, what excuses, etc. are all matters above. As for the witnesses and so on just die in battle.  Shortly after the order was issued, the two Minekaze-class destroyers approached 10,000 meters. Just when the Japanese sailors raised a flag and asked why Fleet 15 came to the Soya Strait, the Tumenjiang and Liaohe opened fire at the same time.  "Boom, boom, boom" Two standard 7,200-ton light cruisers, each with four twin 155mm naval guns, dealt with two old-fashioned destroyers with a standard displacement of only 1,345 tons and more than 20 years of age.  It was simply a massacre. Before the Japanese ships on the opposite side could react, the sixteen L50/155mm naval guns sprayed out huge fireballs. At the same time, the eight destroyers following them also opened fire in unison, and the forty-eight 120mm high and flat dual-purpose guns  The addition of naval guns fired countless white water columns around the Japanese ship in an instant.  Faced with such a powerful attack, the two Minekaze-class destroyers had no power to fight back. After a few shots, the entire superstructure was flattened.

    A surprise battle that no one in the world expected began with Ruan Shaowen's arrogant and unreasonable attack.

    "The Tumenjiang took two destroyers to stay behind to clean up. Use the long-wave radio to contact the submarine and ask them to continue blocking the strait. Notify the fighter group that there will be fighter protection above me in two hours. The other ships will turn 20 degrees to the left and go to the bay  " Ruan Shaowen straightened up and glanced across the two Fengfeng-class destroyers that were on fire: "We don't have much time."
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