Chapter 1400 Cuba Raiders (First update, please subscribe)
On the rough South Pacific Ocean.
The sky was full of dark clouds, but the horizon in the east was already slightly white. On this gray sea, a huge fleet was splashing white waves and heading south. The fleet, which maintained a circular formation, was the Imperial Navy's mobile fleet that completed the "Hampton Raid".
Now, it's time for them to return victoriously.
At this time, they were cheering for victory, and they had no idea that behind them, in the north, in North America, in the United States, the Americans were in such a state of panic. Of course, they also didn't know that the hundreds of thousands of troops of the North American Empire had crossed the border and launched an attack on the US mainland.
For this victorious fleet, all they needed was to return home to enjoy the glory that belonged to them.
However, when the Special Mobile Fleet returned, they did not know that at midnight local time, in the waters near Cozumel Island on the southeast coast of Mexico, an Imperial Navy fleet had completed its formation and was heading towards Cuba at full speed - the Cuban Operation, which was the last action on the first day of the war and also the most important action - namely, "Operation Castro", whose purpose was to occupy Cuba and complete the east-west pincer offensive against the United States, thereby seizing the initiative on the battlefield!
As early as the 1870s, the Empire established a military base in Mexico and leased Lake Termités for a long time as the base of the Imperial Navy's Caribbean Squadron, which not only housed a large fleet of four pre-dreadnoughts and several cruisers, but also the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Division.
However, this time the fleet did not depart from the Carmen Base in Lake Termitos. The fleet had already left the Carmen Base a day ago and arrived in the waters near Cozumel Island.
At this time, the fleet was composed of two "Youzhou-class", two Huizhou-class and four armored cruisers as the main fleet, in addition to six new clam-shaped bow tank landing ships and up to nine troop transports and multiple coal and water ships and cargo ships. The fleet carried tens of thousands of officers and soldiers of the Second Marine Expeditionary Division and their equipment: including 56 tanks and hundreds of artillery pieces and a full six months of supplies - this was just in case, so they needed to carry as much supplies as possible. Of course, the food they carried was only enough for a few days. Because there were many overseas Chinese in Cuba, the army could purchase on the spot after landing, and there was no need to waste tonnage.
Although the fleet's overall speed was less than 10 knots due to the drag of slow landing ships and merchant ships within the formation, it was expected to reach the southwest coast of Cuba in ten hours because the distance was very close.
As the fleet was heading towards the target area at full speed, two seaplanes were cruising in the air to prevent interception by the enemy's airship forces. Although the Cuban army was backward, it was equipped with as many as six airships. Although their performance was average, they still posed a certain threat to the fleet.
Major General Huang Kunyi, commander of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Division, was standing on the bridge of the flagship "Xuzhou" with Major General Li Qinglin, commander of the escort fleet. Looking around, he could not help but sigh at the scene of the giant ship dominating the ocean.
"Alas, Zidu, the general trend of the world is so great and powerful that those who follow it will prosper, and those who go against it will perish! Now it seems that the only one who can follow the general trend of the world is the empire."
With a slight smile, Li Qinglin said:
"Brother Kunde seems very optimistic."
Although the Marine Corps and the Imperial Navy, known as the third branch of the Empire's military, which owns both warships and land forces, have never been on the same page, because both are stationed in Carmen and have frequent contact with each other, they naturally appear to be closer.
"Haha, optimistic, how can I not be optimistic?"
Huang Kun laughed.
"Zi Du, you have watched the Marine Corps exercises. Let alone those vulnerable Cubans, even if they were replaced by the elite American troops, they would not be our opponents. With new equipment and new tactics, I dare say the Cubans will definitely not be able to withstand our fierce attack. Will it be a problem to reach Havana within three days?"
Li Qinglin nodded with his hands behind his back and said:
"Yes, judging from the exercise, the result seems to be so, but the battlefield is unpredictable, just as you said, the general trend! What I am worried about is not the tactical victory, but the general trend!"
"You are worried that you may be able to attack but not necessarily defend it, right?"
"Cuba is America's backyard!"
Li Qinglin said.
"Now, the outcome of the mobile fleet is still unknown. Is it too risky for us to bet on air strikes? If we cannot severely damage the US fleet, then its remnants will inevitably pose a threat to the Empire's power in Cuba. Even if the US fleet preserves its strength for a future counterattack and does not attack the Cubans within one or two years, with the strong industrial strength of the US East Coast, they will still replenish the lost warships within one or two years, and the existence of the Empire's power in Cuba has become the Empire's weak point. On the one hand, most of the main force of the Imperial Fleet will be used in the Pacific in the future, and we will be fighting alone in the Caribbean. In this case, we are at a disadvantage. If... if the US military launches a counterattack in the direction of Cuba, then we will need to invest a lot of strength to defend Cuba. We only need one division to capture Cuba, but we need ten divisions to defend here. Our strength here is likely to be dragged down by a long-term war of attrition on both land and sea."
Huang Kun smiled as he listened to Li Qinglin's concerns.
"Haha, the General Staff has already figured it all out, so the Imperial Army will attack the U.S. mainland from the northern territories and go straight to Huanglong! The vast West is a place that the United States must defend. As for Cuba! At least in the next two or three years, the United States will have no time to look south!"
Huang Kunyi patted the railing beside him vigorously and said:
"The general trend is on my side, so why should I be afraid? Besides, with me here, even if the Americans want to take back Cuba, they will not only have to prepare ten times more troops, but also at least 100,000 casualties! By then, this place will be a meat grinder for the Americans!"
Just as he finished speaking, a staff officer suddenly ran over excitedly and reported loudly.
"Report to the commander, there is an urgent message from the base camp!"
An urgent call from the base camp. What is the content?
What were the results of the Special Mobile Fleet?
The outcome of the mobile fleet will directly determine whether "Operation Castro" will be launched. If the special mobile fleet fails, they will immediately return to their home port of Carmen to assist Mexico in defending its homeland.
Even if Mexico hasn't declared war yet, so what? The United States can declare war on Mexico!
The moment he received the telegram, Li Qinglin shouted excitedly.
"Great! The mobile fleet's raid was successful, sinking five dreadnought battleships and severely damaging six. The Great White Fleet is finished! Headquarters requires us to launch Operation Castro as planned!"
After that, he spoke excitedly again.
"Quick, tell the whole fleet this news immediately,"
Soon, the ships' radios were broadcasting reports of the successful "surprise attack on Hampton" and the annihilation of the Great White Fleet. For a moment, the ships were filled with shouts of "Long live the Empire". Whether they were naval officers or marines, they were all cheering for the Empire's great victory on the first day of the war...
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)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
