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Text Chapter 908: Blowing up the canal

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    On October 27, a huge fleet sailed into the calm Panama Bay from the north. This fleet consisted of four huge battleships that looked like hills, as well as some light cruisers and destroyers.  Protected in the middle were more than thirty transport ships, carrying all the officers and soldiers of the Fifth Marine Division and their equipment.

    The four battleships are the most advanced Tang-class battleships of the Chinese Navy.  Using them to assist the Marine Corps in landing in the Gulf of Panama is completely overkill.  However, as the main fleet of the US Navy has fled back to the Atlantic Ocean, they have no use for the time being.  Only by seizing the Panama Canal as soon as possible can these warships be able to fight in the Atlantic.  At the same time, the Santa Cruz Island Naval Base and the Tumaco Naval Base, which were destroyed by the US military, have begun repairs.  However, it will take at least one to two years to completely repair it.  During this period, all warships of the Pacific Fleet and the Home Fleet could only use Pearl Harbor as their home port.

    Because of the outbreak of the Sino-US war, the originally busy Panama Canal has declined.  This is mainly because the US military blocked the canal after the war began, prohibiting ships from any other country from entering the canal, in order to prevent the Chinese army from seizing the canal by surprise.  Therefore, except for some US military ships that continue to navigate the Panama Canal, no other merchant ships can be seen!

    Guarding the Panama Canal is the 3rd Marine Division of the United States Marine Corps. The division includes three regiments, an artillery battalion, and troops directly under the division, with a total strength of approximately 12,000 people.  The division headquarters is located in Gamboa, in the middle of the Panama Canal, and the division commander is Major General Lewis.

    On the morning of the 27th, Major General Lewis got up early as usual. After a brief exercise, he started to enjoy breakfast.  Panama has a humid climate and difficult conditions.  However, as an overseas garrison of the United States, the 3rd Marine Division's treatment is quite good. A large amount of supplies are shipped from the United States every week to ensure the consumption of the troops.  In addition, American soldiers can also have fun at their base.  Since the U.S. Marines stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, there have been many incidents of humiliating Panamanian women, beating and even shooting Panamanians every year.  It's just that weak Panama has no choice but to protest to the United States.  However, these American soldiers still went their own way and ignored the protests of the Panamanians.  Panama has only a few hundred thousand people in the country, and its armed forces only have more than 10,000 people. This was established with the support of the United States.  After all, the equipment is poor. If a conflict breaks out between the two sides, the 3rd Marine Division only needs one regiment to defeat them.  What's more important is that the Panamanian government behaves like an upright slave in front of the American soldiers, and can only turn a blind eye to the evil deeds of the American soldiers in Panama.  The Panamanian government also expects the US military to defend them against the Colombian threat!  Panama was originally part of Colombia. The Americans supported Panama's secession from Colombia in order to seize the Panama Canal.  Colombia has always wanted to reintegrate Panama into Colombia.  Without the support of the United States, Panama, with a population of only hundreds of thousands, would not be Colombia's opponent at all.  What's more, after Colombia leased Tumaco to China, the rent and supporting weapons and equipment obtained from China improved Colombia's military strength a lot.

    Under such circumstances, the Panamanian government can only please the Americans in order to protect itself!

    Major General Lewis has not been in a very good mood recently, as China and the United States are fighting in Mexico.  To be precise, the US military took advantage of its huge military advantage in an attempt to drive the Chinese army out of Mexico.  However, unexpectedly, they failed in the end. Reinforcements from the Chinese army arrived in time and defended Acapulco.  A steady stream of Chinese reinforcements are arriving in Mexico by sea. Once the Chinese army completes its preparations, it will inevitably launch an attack on the US military.  And can the US military withstand the attack of the Chinese army?  In this regard, at least Major General Lewis does not have much confidence!

    In addition, what Major General Lewis is most worried about is that the Chinese army will launch an attack on the Panama Canal.  Although, this is already inevitable.  But he still hopes that this day will come later.  Although it is hard to be stationed overseas, soldiers can get more allowances, and he also enjoys the feeling of being the emperor in Panama.  Once they are withdrawn to the United States, or even transferred to the Mexican battlefield to fight, it will be very bad.

    After Major General Lewis had breakfast, Chief of Staff Colonel Paul came.

    "General, the Panamanians rejected our request. They claimed that Panama is a neutral country and will not participate in the war between the United States and China!" Chief of Staff Colonel Paul said angrily.

    "Hmph! These Panamanians think that we must not be the opponents of the Chinese. However, they do not think about it. Even if we evacuate Panama, the Chinese will definitely?I won¡¯t get divorced either.  our.  Sooner or later they will pay for their actions!  "Major General Yisi said coldly. He had hoped that after the Chinese army launched an attack on the Panama Canal, the Panamanian army could cooperate with the US military. However, he did not expect that the Panamanian government rejected his request. If it were not for the Chinese army, it would be coming soon.  If so, he really wants these Panamanians to have a taste of the power of the US military!

    "General, there is another bad news. We just learned that a week ago, the Chinese boarded a marine division in the Hawaiian Islands and set off. The destination is unknown, but it is very likely that their target is us!" Paul  The colonel said worriedly.

    After Major General Lewis heard this, his expression suddenly became gloomy.  A division of the Chinese Marine Corps has more than 18,000 people. Its strength is 1.5 times that of the US military. In terms of equipment and combat quality, the US military is no match for the Chinese army.  If the goal of the Chinese Marine Corps is the Panama Canal, then there is no way they can resist it!

    "Order all ministries to prepare for battle. The engineering troops will check the explosives we have planted in various locks, dams and artificial canals. Once the order to blow up the canal is given, they will be detonated immediately!" Major General Lewis said.  He knew very well that it was basically impossible for his division to reach a division of the Chinese Marine Corps. All he could do was to blow up the canal before the Chinese army seized the canal. In this way, he was accomplished.  Mission accomplished.

    "General, why don't you prepare ships in Cologne? Once the war situation goes unfavorable, we can immediately withdraw to the country!" Colonel Paul suggested.

    "Well, order the transport ship to prepare!" Major General Lewis said.  It is especially important to prepare your way back!

    At this moment, a low-level staff officer hurriedly walked into the headquarters.

    "Report to the General, the 1st Regiment sent a telegram that a large number of Chinese battleships and ships have appeared in the Bay of Panama. Among them, four huge battleships are suspected to be Tang-class battleships of the Chinese Navy!" the staff officer reported!

    "Damn it, how did those Chinese sons of bitches come so fast? They even dispatched Tang-class battleships? Paul, get ready right away! In addition, order the 1st Regiment to do your best to resist the Chinese attack!" Major General Lewis  ordered.

    "Yes, General!" Colonel Paul quickly left the division headquarters to give orders.

    At nine o'clock in the morning, the Chinese fleet has arrived in the Gulf of Panama, only more than ten kilometers away from the mouth of the Panama Canal.  The thick 381mm main guns of the four Tang-class battleships have already been aimed at the American-built fortress at the mouth of the canal!

    On the battleship Tang Gaozu, Admiral Li Dingxin, commander of the Home Fleet, was observing the U.S. river mouth fortress with a telescope. Next to him were Lieutenant General Hai Zhengsheng, Chief of Staff of the Home Fleet, and Commander of the Fifth Marine Division.  Major General Wu Haibin.

    "Chief of Staff, how long will it take to destroy the American fortress?" General Li Dingxin asked.

    "Commander, with the power of four Tang-class battleships, it will only take half an hour at most to deal with the two small American fortresses!" Lieutenant General Hai Zhengsheng said.  The US military has only built two small fortresses at the mouth of the Panama Canal. Each fortress has only a dozen coastal defense guns, with a maximum caliber of only 210 mm.  The main reason is that other countries oppose the construction of fortresses by the US military in the Panama Canal, thus threatening ships from other countries passing through the Panama Canal.  These two small fortresses were built by the US military only after the relationship between China and the United States deteriorated extremely!

    "Okay, Commander Wu, after we destroy the American fortress, it's up to you! Try your best to seize the Panama Canal completely!" General Li Dingxin said.

    "Yes, Commander!" Major General Wu Haibin nodded, but he also knew that this was unlikely!

    "Boom! Boom! Boom!" At 9:00 AM, four Tang-class battleships launched a bombardment on the US military fortress.

    The shells of the 381mm naval gun weigh about one ton and can easily penetrate the US military fortress.

    Facing the attack by the Chinese navy, the US military launched a counterattack.  However, in front of the powerful Tang class battleships, the US military's counterattack seemed so fragile.  In less than half an hour, the two small fortresses built by the US military at the mouth of the canal were blown into ruins.

    After that, four Tang-class battleships launched a fierce bombardment on the US military position, and the Fifth Marine Division also launched a landing operation.  The resistance of the US military quickly collapsed under the terrifying firepower of the Tang class battleships.  The 5th Marine Division was able to successfully land.  After the US military commander Major General Lewis learned that the Chinese Marine Corps had successfully landed, he immediately issued an order to blow up the canal!
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