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 1064: Plot to seize Sicily

Previous page        Return to Catalog        Next page

    "The General Staff and the Navy have come up with a battle plan against Italy. We hope that in this battle, we can quickly win a victory and let Western countries know how powerful we are. Moreover, in this battle  It must be completed quickly. The empire's main energy now must be on the United States. Only after defeating the United States first can the empire have enough energy to intervene in the European war!" Wang Yuze said.

    "Yes, Your Majesty!" Chief of General Staff Cai Yun and Navy Minister Zhang Chengdu nodded.  Such a task is not difficult for China.  Although Italy is one of the world's powerful countries, their military strength is completely inconsistent with their status as a great power.  If China wants to attack Italy, there will be no problem at all.  However, according to the wishes of Emperor Wang Yuze, China cannot invest too many troops in Italy.  Then, China only needs a hearty victory.

    Two days later, Chief of the General Staff Cai Yun and Minister of the Navy Zhang Chenggong jointly met with the Emperor Wang Yuze and submitted the battle plan drawn up by the General Staff and the Navy.  On the cover of the plan, the words "Operation Plan to Capture Sicily" were clearly written.

    "Capture Sicily? Are our troops in the Middle East capable of doing this?" Wang Yuze said with a frown.  Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean. There is only a narrow strait called the Strait of Messina between it and Italy. The narrowest point is less than 3 kilometers.  Although Italy does not deploy many troops on this island, the Italian Naval Base Taranto is not very far away.  In addition, if the Chinese army captures Sicily, Italy will definitely find ways to recapture Sicily.  By then, China will inevitably have to invest a large number of troops in Sicily.  Although Sicily's geographical location is very important, it is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. If you occupy this island, you can control the throat of the Mediterranean Sea.  But if too many troops are invested in this, the gains will outweigh the losses.

    "Your Majesty, according to the information we have received, Italy only has one division of troops in Sicily. We plan to use one marine division to land on Sicily. After that, we will gradually deploy about ten infantry divisions to the island. This kind of force is enough.  Defend this island. As for the Italian Navy, although it has 6 new battleships, they are just multi-turret monsters built by the Italians. The Imperial Navy Indian Ocean Fleet can completely sink these battleships. In addition, after Italy and Austria-Hungary declared war  After that, the main force of the Italian Navy had been deployed to the Adriatic Sea to confront the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The Imperial Navy¡¯s Indian Ocean Fleet could fully obtain sea control in the Mediterranean. After gaining control of the sea, although the Messina Strait was very narrow,  But it is not something that the Italians can swim over. In addition, we can also deploy air force or naval aviation fighter planes on the island to completely turn this island into our stronghold in the Mediterranean. In this case, the empire will be able to conquer the East in one fell swoop  With the Mediterranean under control, we can also threaten the Western Mediterranean, and we can even use fighter planes to bomb Italy and France!" Cai Yun, Chief of General Staff, explained.  Of course, with the current combat radius of fighter planes, it is still somewhat unrealistic to bomb important areas in northern Italy and France.  But at least the Mediterranean can be divided into two parts in one fell swoop.  After the new fighters and bombers enter service, the empire will be able to use Sicily as a base to threaten the entire southern Europe.

    Moreover, this was also very effective for China to exert influence on Europe after the war.

    Wang Yuze looked at the large map of Southern Europe hanging on the wall and fell into deep thought.  It is foreseeable that it will not be very difficult for China to capture the Italian island of Sicily.  However, this will definitely cause a series of problems.  In order to regain its territory, Italy will definitely fight with China.  However, as long as the Chinese navy can kill the Italian navy, it will not take much effort to defend Sicily.  However, Britain and France will definitely not sit back and watch Sicily be occupied by China.  They will definitely send their navy to fight a war with China in the Mediterranean.  When the main force of the Chinese Navy is gathered in the Eastern Pacific, if you want to defend Sicily, you can only rely on fighter planes.  After deploying Puffins, fighter jets, HBB's Sea Harriers, bombers, C'Osprey, torpedo attack aircraft and 'Iscan Eagles' and dive bombers on Sicily, although Sicily can be defended, it will also expose the presence of Chinese fighter planes.  Application in naval warfare.  This will probably have a great impact on China's strategy.

    "Your Majesty, news has come from the Panama Canal. We will repair the Panama Canal in at most 4 months. By then, the main force of the navy will be able to sail to the Atlantic Ocean and annihilate the US Navy. Even if the use of our fighter planes in naval battles will be  It will be exposed, but it won't have much impact!" Navy Minister Zhang Cheng guessed what Wang Yuze was thinking, so he said.  !

    Wang Yuze nodded, and with Sicily in his hands, China now has a stronghold in the Mediterranean.  China can be on the islandDeploying a large number of fighter planes will help China control this sea area.  As for the role of fighter planes in naval battles, it will not have much impact at this time.  Even if the West wants to catch up, it can never catch up with China.

    "Okay! Let's implement this plan!" Wang Yuze finally made a decision.

    "Yes, Your Majesty!" Chief of General Staff Cai Yun and Minister of Navy Zhang Cheng took the order.  The Chinese navy's troops and fleets stationed in the Middle East were immediately mobilized.  In addition, the Army also mobilized ten divisions of troops to board ships and transport them to the Middle East.  These troops, originally intended for use in India and Australia, have already been stationed in Singapore.  But now if we want to use troops in the Mediterranean, we can only put them into the Mediterranean battlefield first.

    Located in the southwest of the Apennine Peninsula, it is only separated from the Apennine Peninsula to the east by the Strait of Messina, which is 3 kilometers wide.  From the eighth to the sixth century BC, the Greeks established colonies on the east coast of the island, and in 241 BC it became a province of the Roman Empire.  Afterwards, it went through the rule of the Vandals, Byzantines, Normans, etc., and was merged into the Kingdom of Sicily in 1442. It soon split again and came under Spanish rule. In 1861, it was merged into the Kingdom of Italy.

    Most of Sicily is mountainous, and earthquakes and volcanic activities are quite frequent.  Mount Etne is the highest active volcano in Europe.  The only wide valley is the plain of Catania in the east, which is fertile.  It has subtropical and Mediterranean climate characteristics.  Spring and autumn are warm, summer is hot, and winter is humid.  The annual rainfall in plain areas is 400 to 600 mm (16-4), and in the mountains it is 10 mm (4755).  There is abundant groundwater and spring water.  Due to human influence, natural vegetation has been greatly reduced, and the forest coverage rate is only 48%.

    The islands surrounding Sicily include Ustica, Lipari Islands, Pantelleria, Egadi Islands, and Pelagie Islands.

    The Italian garrison on Sicily has only one infantry division.  There is also a naval fleet, but after Italy declared war on the Allies and China, all Italian navy warships gathered in the Adriatic Sea.  Therefore, Sicily's defense is simply vulnerable to the Chinese army.

    Port Said, north of the Suez Canal, has become the temporary headquarters of the Chinese Navy¡¯s Indian Ocean Fleet.  After the Indian Ocean Fleet solved the British Navy's small fleet in India, leaving only some light cruisers and destroyers in the Indian Ocean, other capital ships have gathered in the eastern Mediterranean to deal with possible threats from the British Navy.  After the German Navy's High Seas Fleet was defeated by the British Navy, the British Navy's more than ten battleships were enough to pose a huge threat to China in the Middle East.

    On the evening of July 5, Admiral Li Haitao, Commander of the Chinese Navy¡¯s Indian Ocean Fleet, and Lieutenant General Wu Zhiyuan, Chief of Staff, received orders from the General Staff Headquarters.  The General Staff ordered them to set off from Port Said on the evening of July 6 and head to the Ionian Sea to seize control of the sea area, cover the landing of the 8th Marine Division on Sicily, and provide the 8th Marine Division with  Fire support for the landing, while cutting off the connection between Sicily and the Apennine Peninsula.  At least until reinforcements from another ten infantry divisions arrive, they will be responsible for protecting the security of the Chinese Marine Corps and Army in Sicily.

    At this time, the Chinese Navy¡¯s Indian Ocean Fleet has a total of 8 battleships and 1 battlecruiser, as well as 8 ¡®Jianghe-class¡¯ heavy cruisers. Such a powerful strength is enough to ensure the strength of the Chinese Navy in the Mediterranean.  Of course, the prerequisite is that the British Navy will not enter the Mediterranean in a large scale.  However, according to Chinese predictions, the British Navy will not act rashly until the repairs of the damaged battleships and battlecruisers of the British Navy are completed.  Therefore, the only enemy of the Indian Ocean Fleet is the Italian Navy.  For the Italian Navy, the Indian Ocean Fleet did not take it seriously at all.  Although the four dreadnought battleships of the Italian Navy are relatively large in tonnage, the caliber and number of main guns are very terrifying.  But the real combat power is still incomparable with the Chinese Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet.

    After the combat order was issued, the Chinese Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet immediately entered combat mode, and all warships began to replenish fuel, ammunition, food, etc.  At the same time, the 8th Marine Division originally stationed in the Suez Canal also began to assemble its troops under the order of the division commander, Lieutenant General Tang Hongtao. They boarded the transport ship at night and, together with the Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet, departed from Said on the evening of July 6.  Depart from the port and head to Sicily!
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