HCB Chapter 504: The Japanese Navy is Finished
Chapter 504: The Japanese Navy is Finished
Military airport outside Yangon.
The wind swept across the empty runway, kicking up fine dust.
Beside the runway, the crowd who were seeing them off stood solemnly.
The uniform military uniforms were straight as if they were cut from a knife. Whether they were members of the White Eagle Instructor Corps, senior generals of the Nanyang Defense Force, or Zhang Chi himself, they were like javelins nailed into the ground, looking calmly at the C-47 transport plane painted with the White Eagle logo at the end of the runway.
The engine roared deafeningly, and the transport plane began to glide and accelerate slowly. The nose of the plane rose high, and finally it broke free from gravity and rushed into the lead-gray sky with a huge roar.
Several P-47 Thunderbolt fighters painted with shark mouth patterns quickly climbed to both sides of the transport plane like loyal guards, forming an escort formation and flying towards the northwest.
By the cabin window, Stevenson's face was pressed against the glass, his eyes slightly red.
On the increasingly smaller piece of land below, that tall figure was still clearly visible among the crowd.
A mixture of sadness, emotion and expectation for the future surged in my heart.
"Zhang... my friend... wait for me," he whispered, his heart surging with pride. "When I return to DC and wear the rank that symbolizes the highest honor... I will devote all my resources and connections to help you build a solid fortress in this land, one that embodies the values of the free world."
He secretly vowed to shape the relaxed Nanyang Kingdom into the most reliable ally of the White Eagle in the Far East.
On the ground, the atmosphere relaxed slightly until the few gray shadows in the sky completely disappeared at the end of the distant skyline.
The White Eagle instructors chatted in low voices as they walked in twos and threes toward the waiting vehicles. The Nanyang Defense Army generals all turned their gazes to their commander-in-chief, Zhang Chi.
Zhang Chi withdrew his gaze from the distance, and an indescribable complexity flashed in his eyes.
He had a premonition that the next time he met Stevenson, the five stars shining on his shoulder straps would most likely represent the highest military rank.
A more powerful force also means a more complex game.
"Let's go, Guangjun." Zhang Chi turned and said to a young general beside him, also wearing a navy blue general uniform and with a sharp temperament. It was Zhang Guangjun, the commander of the Nanyang National Defense Force.
The two of them left the airport, where the noise was gradually fading, side by side and walked slowly along a road leading to the naval base.
Many guards followed behind a few steps.
The sea breeze blew in with a unique salty smell, and the outlines of anchored ships were vaguely visible in the harbor in the distance.
"Commander-in-Chief—" Zhang Guangjun broke the silence, his voice filled with a hint of suppressed excitement, "I just received a summary of the battle report forwarded by the White Eagle Pacific Fleet Command today. The earth-shaking naval battle around Luzon (the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which included the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Cape Engaño, and a series of other battles) has finally come to an end.
According to the White Eagles' detailed statistics, the results of the battle were simply terrifyingly brilliant."
"Oh?" Zhang Chi did not stop, with just the right look of "interest" on his face, but his heart was slightly moved.
He naturally knew the outcome of the Battle of Leyte Gulf in history, but he didn't know that with the addition of him as a variable, after the Strait of Malacca was captured in advance.
Will the butterfly effect also cause a shift in the war situation in the distant Luzon Sea?
"Tell me more about it?"
Zhang Guangjun spoke faster: "The White Eagles knocked out four of the devil's most precious battleships in one go!"
Zhang Chi's heart skipped a beat: "Which four?"
"The super battleship Musashi, the battleships Fuso and Yamashiro." Zhang Guangjun then emphasized, "and the Haruna."
"The Haruna also sank?!" Zhang Chi suddenly stopped and turned to look at Zhang Guangjun.
This is indeed a major change.
In his memory, although the Haruna suffered heavy damage in this battle, it did not sink in the Leyte Gulf. Instead, it struggled back to the mainland and was eventually sunk by an air raid in Kure Port.
Now, it has been buried in the sea ahead of time.
Zhang Guangjun was stunned by Zhang Chi's slightly "extreme" reaction. What does "also" mean?
But he didn't dare to ask further, and immediately answered affirmatively:
"Absolutely true. The White Eagle Navy has confirmed the battle report. Their carrier-based aircraft completely sank the Kongo-class battlecruiser in the Sibuyan Sea and the waters near Samar Island."
Zhang Chi nodded slowly, his thoughts racing.
It seems that with the capture of the Strait of Malacca, the Nanyang Defense Army's conquest of cities and territories inevitably produced a huge butterfly effect.
The future no longer seems so predictable to him as a time traveler?
Zhang Guangjun continued excitedly:
"Not only the battleships, but also the aircraft carriers Zuikaku, Zuiho, Chitose, and Chiyoda were sent to the bottom of the sea. By this calculation, all the Japanese aircraft carriers that participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor have been written off.
Seven Japanese heavy cruisers were sunk: Takao, Atago, Maya, Toriumi, Mogami, Suzuya, and Chikuma. Four light cruisers and eleven destroyers were sunk.
Commander-in-Chief, the White Eagles fought brilliantly this time. The main force of the Japanese Combined Fleet was almost completely annihilated, and they fled back to their homeland in disgrace to lick their wounds."
"From now on," he puffed out his chest, his voice filled with incomparable heroism and longing, "this thousand-mile sea of the South China Sea will be guarded by me, Zhang Guangjun, for you!"
"Hahaha." Zhang Chi laughed heartily, his voice full of pride. "Well said! I'll leave this vast sea to you from now on. Watch over it!"
Zhang Guangjun also laughed heartily, but then added:
"However, the White Eagle Navy's losses this time were minimal. Regarding ships, only three light aircraft carriers or escort carriers and two destroyers were sunk. The main loss was in the form of heavy aircraft, reportedly close to 200."
Zhang Chi was not surprised by this:
"Aircraft are expendable products. As long as the people come back alive, that's all that matters. The White Eagles have Catalina seaplanes patrolling the skies for search and rescue, and a dense network of destroyers and escort destroyers at sea waiting to retrieve people.
As long as the pilot successfully parachutes out, there's a good chance they can be rescued. With a new Hellcat or Corsair, it's a brave new world."
"Guangjun." He looked at Zhang Guangjun seriously. "This battlefield search and rescue capability is one of the soft powers our navy needs most right now, and we must accelerate its development. Every mature pilot and sailor is a valuable asset."
"Yes, Commander-in-Chief, I understand. We are already working on expanding the professional sea and air rescue team." Zhang Guangjun saluted solemnly.
Then, he rubbed his hands, and his face once again showed sincere admiration:
"Commander-in-Chief, speaking of escort carriers, I'm truly impressed by your vision. During this naval battle, the White Eagles' humble Casablanca-class escort carriers played a significant role in the Battle of Samar and the subsequent pursuit.
The carrier-based aircraft chased the Japanese battleships and heavy cruisers and showed their prowess. You went against the majority's opinion and placed an order for three ships from White Eagle at once when they were not taken seriously. This was a brilliant move.
Now that the Casablanca-class has become famous and a hot commodity, even the White Eagle Navy has begun to value it. If we buy it now, not only will the price go up, but we're also worried about whether they'll be willing to sell so many."
Zhang Chi smiled slightly, waved his hand, and acted nonchalant, as if to say, "Don't be crazy about basic exercises."
This is the advantage of being a time traveler.