NIP Chapter 1024 1024: Germany's Chance Has Come!
Chapter 1024 1024: Germany's Chance Has Come!
Here is the translation of the Chinese text:
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London War Building.
Telegrams requesting assistance were sent to Prime Minister George, everyone frowned at the current situation.
"These are almost the most ships we can deploy." Minister of the Navy Belfort said in distress:
"Brest direction 5 Dreadnoughts, Gibraltar direction 4, only 24 left for the North Sea."
"And the German High Seas Fleet has 22 Dreadnoughts."
"If we send more reinforcements, the North Sea will be at risk of being breached by the Germans!"
The command center fell into silence.
After a battle with the German fleet at Jutland, the British naval commanders generally understood the characteristics of German warships:
German warships generally have thicker main armor, making their battleships more resilient and having stronger survivability, often taking several hits yet still successfully leaving the battlefield.
In contrast, British battleships are inferior in both protection and cannon precision compared to German ones, but their strengths are speed and range.
More importantly, the British Army has overwhelming numerical superiority.
But now, the Royal Navy has divided itself into three: North Sea, Brest, Gibraltar.
Without the advantage of numbers, can the First Fleet stationed in the North Sea stave off the German High Seas Fleet?
However, ignoring the crisis at Brest and Gibraltar Strait is obviously not a wise choice either.
The aim of Britain in this battle is: One, to blockade the main force of the French fleet in the Gibraltar Strait, and Two, to capture Brest Port and to demonstrate its military might to the world.
If neither is achieved, it means complete failure!
Prime Minister George turned his gaze to the Minister of Military Supplies, indicating how to handle this situation now and whether it is necessary to continue the fight?
"Gentlemen." The Minister of Military Supplies appeared very calm:
"Think about the current situation of the Germans?"
"Their sailors have just mutinied, splintered, some commanders have betrayed, some have disobeyed orders."
"Do you think they can organize all their forces to launch an attack on us? Even if they brought all their warships over, can they have half the combat power they did before?"
The others were clearly not convinced, expressing opposition through silence.
Prime Minister George spoke their thoughts:
"Although your conjecture has a certain rationality."
"However, one common sense is that we cannot rely victory on the enemy's weakness and mistakes."
"This is dangerous and speculative, equivalent to giving fate to God!"
The Minister of Military Supplies raised an eyebrow: "You are right, Prime Minister, but do we have any other choice?"
This sentence made Prime Minister George choke.
Prime Minister George frowned unhappily, he found that the plan of the Minister of Military Supplies seemed to always be like this: plunging into a beautiful vision, then being dragged along helplessly.
"Additionally." The Minister of Military Supplies added: "We can think from another angle."
He tapped his finger on the location of Brest Port:
"The French are laying mines outside Brest Port, which means their warships are in a defensive state not ready to counterattack."
"Then, once the German High Seas Fleet launches an attack on us in the North Sea."
"We can immediately bring the Second Fleet back to the North Sea for reinforcements."
Minister of the Navy Belfort showed support:
"Yes, the English Channel is only 560 kilometers, our fleet only needs a dozen hours to return to the North Sea."
"And by then, these returned fleets will appear behind the German High Seas Fleet."
"This is our advantage, the English Channel is in our hands!"
Trenchard asked:
"But have you considered this: the French Army might set a safe passage in the mines around Brest Port."
"If necessary, their fleet can leave port to launch an attack on us."
"By then, we will be in a dilemma, with threats from both ends!"
The Minister of the Navy immediately dismissed this idea:
"There will be no problem, what we have to do is just lay a batch of mines before we leave."
"Then, the French safe passage will not be safe."
"They will have to spend some time clearing these mines before counterattacking."
This is a common operation in naval warfare, the Minister of the Navy is well-versed.
Finally, a few people exchanged glances and gave the order for reinforcements.
...
The reinforcement fleet included 2 "Queen Elizabeth-class", with only the "Barham" left in the North Sea.
Additionally, there were 3 Dreadnoughts, 6 pre-Dreadnoughts, and 30 Destroyers.
Only 19 Dreadnoughts remained in the North Sea.
...
Belfort Castle, upon receiving intelligence that the Royal Navy was sending reinforcements towards the Atlantic, Shire was relieved.
Gibraltar, Brest, and the North Sea.
If any of these directions is feigned, it is undoubtedly the loudest Gibraltar direction.
The French Mediterranean fleet cannot assemble over a hundred ships and exert combat power.
A navy is not just about capturing ships and being able to operate them; to form combat power and make various parts work closely together and synchronize in battle, at least a few months of training is needed.
Therefore, the battleships, cruisers, and destroyers captured from the British forces are actually just a show, used to scare people by racking up numbers.
They are operated by French infantry holding guns to the heads of British prisoners.
And this is just to make the ships move, actually having no combat power.
In a real fight, even with much more numbers than the "Iron Duke," it still can't cross the Gibraltar Strait.
Their role is to draw more British warships out of the North Sea.
Shire looked up at the staff officer and ordered:
"Order General Pierre to have all aircraft carriers ready."
"Once British reinforcements pass through the English Channel, their aircraft must move!"
To deceive the British forces, aircraft carriers' planes had been taking off and landing on the deck.
But Shire is not anxious, carrier planes are fast and can fly to the target airport and complete deployment in a few hours.
The only issue is long-term high-intensity flight operations followed by entering combat status.
Luckily, over the years Shire has emphasized pilot training, now part of the pilots have redundancy, waiting for rotation at the target airport.
Then Shire added another order: "Contact Eitzberger, tell them the British have been fooled, let them be ready!"
The German provisional government was still in a semi-chaotic state, the intelligence system not fully restored, unable to monitor the movements of the British fleet.
"Understood, General." The staff officer responded, and relayed the intelligence.
...
Eitzberger was anxiously waiting in Liège City.
"This is the moment that will decide the fate of Germany." He muttered to himself: "Victory or defeat depends on this battle!"
When Shire's telegram was delivered to him, he jumped up:
"Great, they actually moved another 5 ships."
"Immediately inform Scheer, his opportunity has come."
"No, Germany's opportunity has come!"