Chapter 1398: Bombardment of New York (Second update, please subscribe)

Hampton Roads under air raid!

The war broke out!

…

When the sun rose again, people in New York thought it was just another day like yesterday, with little difference. But soon, a message began to spread in the streets, first in the train station, where there were telegraph lines, and then in Wall Street.

This was a piece of news that made people doubt its authenticity, and even at the beginning, many people treated it as a joke - no one believed it at all.

Is such an incredible thing possible?

People didn't even have to think about it, they all thought it must be fake news.

"The Great White Fleet was attacked by the Ming Empire? The entire fleet was annihilated? How is this possible?"

As soon as he entered the elevator, Morgan learned the news from his partner Frank. He was stunned at first, and then said.

"This must be fake news released by someone. It is impossible."

Morgan, smoking a cigar, spoke as he walked.

"God is my witness. Even if the Ming Empire's airships are very advanced, so what? They are our "Great White Fleet"!"

The reason why Morgan was so confident was because... that was the "Great White Fleet". It was so powerful, and that mighty fleet had already attracted the attention of the whole world.

How could such a powerful fleet be destroyed?

Morgan said while disdaining “fake news.”

"However, this seems to be a good opportunity. We can take advantage of it to short sell..."

But as soon as he finished speaking, Morgan shook his head and laughed at himself.

"What kind of idiot would believe such fake news?"

Yes, even for people like Morgan, in their eyes, the "Great White Fleet" is impossible to be destroyed. As for ordinary people, they are also dismissive of such news, and no one will believe it.

This is just a "fake news"!

Even many newspaper editors think so. They believe that this so-called "news" is very likely "fake news" created by some "ill-intentioned" people.

It’s just that the “fake news” they created is too fake!

Sometimes, the results of a war are so brilliant that people are unwilling to believe it. Or people simply won’t believe it.

However, by 8 a.m. Eastern Time, more and more "fake news" had reached New York from various channels. And those well-informed people in Wall's group, such as Morgan, also received a call from Washington, and the person on the other end of the phone clearly told him that the Great White Fleet had indeed been attacked and completely annihilated.

Morgan muttered in astonishment after hanging up the phone.

"How is this possible?"

How is this possible?

No one dared to believe it, and no one was willing to believe it.

Soon the whole of New York fell into an unprecedented panic. On the crowded streets, newsboys wearing tattered clothes, waving newspapers and shouting loudly could be seen everywhere. The shouting of the newsboys and the tense atmosphere made the whole of New York fall into an inexplicable tension.

"Declare war! The Ming Empire declares war on the United States!"

"The Ming Empire's new flying machines attacked Hampton! The Great White Fleet was completely annihilated..."

"The Ming Empire's special forces attacked the west coast fortress..."

"What a shame! What a shame for America!"

…

Of all the news, what is the most shocking?

Of course it’s the “Great White Fleet”!

The "Great White Fleet" was completely wiped out!

Although we are mentally prepared for fake news, the psychological impact is inevitable.

After the American press learned about the declaration of war and the attack on Hampton from various channels, newspapers of all sizes across the country began to print more newspapers.

While newsboys were hawking newspapers and people were buying them like crazy, trying to figure out what was going on, the two surviving Virginia-class battleships quickly sailed out of the Hudson—they were undergoing maintenance in New York, which saved them. In fact, a total of five battleships escaped, including three that were undergoing maintenance in New York and two that were undergoing training at sea.

Just as they reached the mouth of the Hudson River, suddenly, an alarm sounded on the coastal artillery. Amid the shrill alarm, the highly alert U.S. coastal artillery immediately operated the old Rodman cannon to bombard targets at sea - after the Hampton Roads was attacked by air, news came that the Ming fleet would attack New York and they would bombard New York from the sea.

To this end, Washington required coastal artillery to remain on combat readiness.

Prepare for war!

For New York's coastal artillery, this news was a wake-up call, not for any other reason, but simply because their weapons were old - the forts and forts were built during the Civil War, and the cannons on the forts were old Rodman cannons, but later a rifled inner barrel was added.

Using such a cannon to block the dreadnought is just courting death, isn't it?

Whenever the American artillerymen at the coastal fortress saw the "daddy-generation" Rodman cannons on the gun positions, they felt depressed. Besides being depressed, they were also very nervous, fearing that whatever they feared would happen.

Soon, an observation post discovered enemy ships approaching at sea. This was unacceptable. The highly nervous coastal artillery almost subconsciously believed that the enemy ships that appeared at sea must be warships of the Ming Empire, and they must have appeared here to attack New York.

So those conscientious American artillerymen immediately fired at the targets at sea, not giving the enemy any chance to get close.

The rumbling of cannons not only shook the sea, but also gave New York an unprecedented shock. The roar of more than ten-inch cannons resounded over New York, and also plunged the people of New York into endless panic. When the cannons sounded, whether they were rich or poor, they hurriedly got on cars, carriages, or even rode horses and fled out of the city.

Almost instinctively, people in New York believed that "Ming Empire's warships were attacking New York" and there were even rumors that New York had been bombarded.

No one doubted this at all. Everyone was fleeing in a hurry, escaping from the city. For a moment, the streets of New York were full of running people. Cars collided with each other in a hurry, carriages fell to the side of the road, and babies sat on the ground crying, while their parents had already fled to who knows where.

There were people running everywhere, and no one asked what was going on. In a word, everyone was running for their lives.

As people desperately fled, rumors continued to spread, saying that Lower Manhattan was being bombarded, that the Ming Empire would soon land, and so on.

The old group is down, so I created a new book club group: 739209015. Everyone is welcome to join and discuss and deduce the plot together.

(End of this chapter)