Add Bookmark | Recommend this book | Back to the book page | My bookshelf | Mobile Reading

Free Web Novel,Novel online - All in oicq.net -> Historic -> chinese fourth empire

Text Chapter 288 Two versus five (please subscribe)

Previous page        Return to Catalog        Next page

    In the vast Eastern Pacific, a huge fleet composed of dozens of ships was sailing westward. The thick smoke drifting from the ship's chimney covered the sky and the sun, forming a large thick dark cloud.  .  The warship sailed past, leaving traces of water on the sea.

    This huge fleet is the U.S. Navy¡¯s West Coast Fleet that departed from the San Diego Naval Base and prepared to head to Hawaii for a decisive battle with the Chinese Navy¡¯s Pacific Fleet.  Dozens of warships look extremely powerful. This is all the strength that the U.S. Navy can muster.  However, even so, everyone couldn't believe that they could win.

    More than ten kilometers southwest of the U.S. fleet, the Chinese Navy's "Guangyuan" light cruiser has been following the U.S. fleet and reporting the U.S. fleet's movements to the Chinese Navy's Pacific Fleet through wireless telegraphy.

    The time now is the afternoon of September 15th. After more than three days of sailing, the U.S. Navy fleet has moved away from the mainland of the United States.  The Chinese Navy's Pacific Fleet is also arriving quickly.  It is expected that the two fleets will encounter each other in the central area of ??the eastern Pacific from Hawaii to the United States, and then start a fierce battle.  This will be the largest naval battle that has erupted since mankind entered the steam age.

    "Where is the fleet now? How long until we can rendezvous with the fleet?" asked the captain, Major Liu Fei, on the bridge of the "Guangyuan".  During these three days, the "Guangyuan" has been tracking the U.S. fleet and encountered expulsion and interception by the U.S. fleet several times, during which fierce battles also broke out.  If the "Guangyuan" hadn't been so fast, it might have been intercepted long ago.  Even so, the "Guangyuan" also ate several shells during the fierce battle.  Fortunately, they were all 75mm shells fired by some destroyers, otherwise the "Guangyuan" would have been severely damaged.  However, the "Guangyuan" was not without success. At least, during the pursuit of the US fleet, an American destroyer was hit by the "Guangyuan" and caught fire.  Now he has withdrawn from the formation and is probably returning to the United States.

    "If the U.S. fleet does not turn, according to the current speed, it will encounter our Pacific Fleet probably at noon tomorrow!" the navigator reported.  The target of the US fleet is Hawaii, and the Chinese Pacific Fleet is rushing over quickly after receiving the news. The "Guangyuan" reports the situation at any time, so that the Chinese Pacific Fleet does not have to worry about losing the US Navy.  A big battle will begin tomorrow.

    On the USS Indiana, the flagship of the U.S. fleet, Fleet Commander Mahan and Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Benson were studying the charts.  It has been more than three days since they left the San Diego base. It is obvious that they are about to meet with the Chinese Navy's Pacific Fleet.  At that time, it will be revealed whether the U.S. Navy can defeat the Chinese Pacific Fleet.  However, both Mahan and Benson seemed to lack confidence.

    "Your Excellency, Commander, that nasty Chinese warship is still following us. Do you want us to send another warship to drive it away?" Lieutenant General Benson put down the telescope in his hand and said bitterly.

    "No need, haven't we tried it a few times before? That battleship is too fast. The maximum speed can reach 28 knots, which is faster than our destroyers. How can we catch up? It seems that we  The Chinese, who have always looked down upon, are already far ahead of us in terms of warship construction technology!" Mahan said.

    "But if he keeps following us, our deployment will be completely exposed!" Benson said.

    "There is no way around it. However, we are going to have a decisive battle with the Chinese Navy's Pacific Fleet anyway. If they avoid it, then we will continue to move westward and directly attack Hawaii. I believe that they will definitely be with us somewhere.  A decisive battle in the sea. General Benson, regarding tactical issues, I still plan to use the Iowa and the Texas to chase the two Chinese 'Plateau-class' battleships. At the same time, the remaining three  The 'Indiana-class' battleships followed closely, catching up at maximum speed. The destroyers were transformed into three formations, used to launch lightning strikes and delay the enemy battleships. The cruisers protected the fleet and fought with the enemy cruisers at the same time!" Ma  Han said.  The 'Iowa' is the fourth of the US Navy's 'Indiana' class battleships. After some improvements, the 'Iowa' battleship's speed has reached 17 knots, which is barely equal to the 'Plateau' class of the Chinese Navy.  'Battleship quite.  Although the 'Texas' is a second-class battleship, its main guns are also two 305mm naval guns. At the same time, the speed has reached 17 knots, and it can be used as a battleship.  This is very important for the U.S. Navy whose battleship speed is too low.

    "I have no objection. However, China's Pacific Fleet has four armored cruisers with a displacement of nearly 10,000 tons, and we do not have any hostile cruisers. I am afraid we will suffer a loss!" Benson said with some worry.

    "We can only rely on numerical advantage for this. Cruiser, we have 18Among them, 8 ships have 203mm main guns, which can pose a threat to them.  With a numerical advantage of two to one, even if we are at a disadvantage in speed, we are not without a chance to win.  The key is that we have to sink two of the Chinese' Plateau-class battleships.  With four battleships plus one second-class battleship, and a numerical advantage of five to two, we still have a great chance of winning!  " Mahan said. In addition, the main gun of the 'Indiana-class' battleship is 330 mm, while the Chinese main gun is only 305 mm. Although the US Navy's main gun has a larger caliber, it is 35 times the caliber.  , so the range is not as good as the main gun of the Chinese Navy's battleship.

    At the same time, the Chinese Navy's Pacific Fleet is also making final preparations. Through the telegram sent back by the Guangyuan, the Pacific Fleet can accurately grasp the movements of the US fleet and make tactical adjustments that are beneficial to itself. This is important in naval battles.  , has the upper hand.

    On the ¡®Plateau¡¯, Vice Admiral Li Dingxin, Commander of the Chinese Navy Fleet, and Rear Admiral Gao Yihai, Chief of Staff, were also discussing the upcoming war. According to time calculations, the naval battle will break out at noon or afternoon tomorrow.

    "Commander, let me command tomorrow's battle between battleships! You go to the 'Chengdu' to command the battle of the cruiser detachment!" said Rear Admiral Gao Yihai, chief of staff of the Pacific Fleet.  According to the combat arrangement, after the naval battle breaks out, the two battleships "Plateau" and "Qinghai", escorted by destroyers, will have a head-on showdown with four battleships of the US Navy.  The four heavy cruisers and four light cruisers tried their best to hunt down the cruisers and destroyers of the US Navy. After eliminating these small fish, they then cooperated with the battleships to besiege the battleships of the US fleet.  Although the performance of the 'Plateau-class' battleship is more powerful than that of the American 'Indiana-class', two against four is obviously very dangerous.  The battle of the cruiser detachment is much safer.  Although the U.S. fleet has a numerical advantage, the powerful heavy cruisers of the Chinese Navy can form an overwhelming advantage over the cruisers of the U.S. fleet.

    "What nonsense are you talking about? Why am I commanding the cruiser detachment? I am the fleet commander, so of course I will command the battleship detachment. You go and command the cruiser detachment!" Li Dingxin insisted.

    "Commander, am I not two years younger than you? It's better for me, the younger one, to do the hard work!" Major General Gao Yihai said with a smile.

    "Stop talking nonsense! Tomorrow you will command the cruiser detachment. So what if the Americans have more battleships than us? As long as we maintain a fighting distance of about 8 kilometers, we can completely stun the Americans! No matter how many they have  Advantage, it¡¯s useless if you can¡¯t hit it!¡± Li Dingxin said with a smile.  Fighting at long distances and achieving victory through precise artillery fire have become the magic weapon for the Chinese Navy to defeat the enemy.

    "Okay, I'll take command of the cruiser detachment. I will destroy the American cruisers as soon as possible, and then go to support you!" Rear Admiral Gao Yihai said.

    Li Dingxin nodded and said nothing more.  Although he seemed confident, there were too many considerable factors in a naval battle, and he could not guarantee that he could defeat the four battleships of the American fleet with two battleships.

    At 12 noon on September 16, 2,000 kilometers away from the West Coast of the United States, the Chinese Navy¡¯s Pacific Fleet and the U.S. Navy¡¯s West Coast Fleet finally met.  The light cruiser "Guangyuan" also completed its mission and returned to its queue.  The Chinese Pacific Fleet immediately divided into two detachments. Among them, two battleships and twelve destroyers formed a formation and began to turn to the northeast to seize the 'T' prefix in the naval battle, use the broadside to confront the enemy, and use the firepower to  The advantage of charging comes into play.  Four heavy cruisers and four light cruisers turned southeast, preparing to target the cruisers and destroyers of the American fleet.

    "Order the Iowa and Texas to turn northwest and advance at full speed. The Indiana, Massachusetts, and Oregon follow up at maximum speed. The destroyers are responsible for protecting the capital ships.  Cruisers engage enemy cruisers!" Mahan issued the order on the bridge of the Indiana.

    The U.S. fleet began to take action. The Iowa and Texas took the lead and rushed towards the two Plateau-class battleships of the Chinese Navy's Pacific Fleet.  The other three 'Indiana-class' battleships followed closely behind, and around these battleships were more than a dozen destroyers responsible for protecting them.

    "Have you even sent the second-class battleships? Accelerate to 17 knots! After entering the effective range, attack the second-class battleship of the US fleet first!" Li Dingxin ordered from the bridge of the Plateau.  This time the decisive battle will be between two 'Plateau-class' battleships versus the four 'Indiana-class' battleships and one second-class battleship of the US fleet.

    PS: The third update is here!  Four updates tomorrow, there will be an update in the early morning!  (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Gone with the WindRegistered members of Astronomy recommend this work. Your support is my biggest motivation.  )
Didn't finish reading? Add this book to your favoritesI'm a member and bookmarked this chapterCopy the address of this book and recommend it to your friends for pointsChapter error? Click here to report