Chapter 617: Main Battle (Asking for a Monthly Pass)
The faces of Admiral John Jericho and Lieutenant General David Betty were so gloomy that they could almost drip water. Admiral Lame and Admiral Paul actually want to retreat, how can this work? Although the French Navy still had five battleships left, and the Italian Navy only had two battleships left, this was also an indispensable and important force for the British Navy.
If the French and Italian navies had retreated, the British Navy would have only 20 capital ships left. In the face of the 34 capital ships of the German Navy, what kind of fate will be, you can imagine it with your toes!
"General Lame, General Paul. Although, the attack of the Germans on aircraft gave us a lot of losses. However, this battle has only just begun, and we have not yet been defeated. If we're lucky, we won't have a chance to beat the Germans. This is the last chance for our country, and we must not let it go. If we retreat, we will lose the battle. When the time comes, we will only be able to lose this war! Lieutenant General David Betty said.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if we lose this war, the Germans will surely destroy our country." Admiral John Jericho also said.
Admiral Lame and Admiral Paul fell silent for a moment. Indeed, the reason why their government sent them to join the battle was to seize this opportunity to defeat the Germans and avoid the defeat of the country in this war. But now, the strength shown by the Germans in naval battles is too strong. Let them lose faith in victory.
"The Germans are strong, there's no doubt about it. Otherwise, they wouldn't have made the Royal Navy pay such a heavy price. But if we were therefore afraid of the Germans, there would be no need to fight the battle. I believe that the Germans, as strong as they were, could have sunk their ships just as well. Just like before we sank the German battlecruiser Blucher. Although we are now weaker than the Germans. But I believe that God will bless us! We still have a good chance of winning this battle. Admiral John Jericho continued.
Admiral Lame and Admiral Paul both nodded. Although the worries in their hearts have not dissipated, they know that there is no way back. For the sake of their country, they have to fight. If they fail, France and Italy will be completely doomed.
"Whew!"
Suddenly, a terrible siren sounded. Admiral John Jellicoe and the others all changed their faces.
"It seems that even if you want to retreat, it will be too late. The main fleet of the Germans has arrived, get ready for battle! Admiral John Jericho said.
Admiral Rame and Admiral Paul nodded, left the battleship Revenge, and took a transport boat to their flagship to prepare to direct the battle.
After the second round of strikes by the German Navy's carrier-based aircraft, the main force of the German Navy's high seas fleet accelerated southward and prepared for a final showdown with the combined fleet of the Allied powers.
Carrier-based aircraft forces solved ten capital ships of the combined fleet of the Entente. This is already a great help for the high seas fleet. Their use of 38 capital ships against the remaining 26 capital ships of the combined fleet of the Entente is absolutely ironclad.
"This will be our last showdown with the British. If they win this time, the British will have no chance of turning the tables around! Admiral Reinhardschel said.
"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander. However, it is really not easy to snatch the position of sea hegemon from the British! Lieutenant General Hipper said.
In order to defeat the British Royal Navy, the German Navy and the British fought several large-scale naval battles alone. Fortunately, the strength of the German Navy stood the test, and each time it ended in victory. This eventually allowed the German Navy to replace the British Navy as the dominant naval power. But it is clear that even by this time, the British had not given up and were still resisting.
"No matter how many times the British fight, we will defeat them! As long as they win every time, the British lose. Lieutenant General Spee said.
Both Admiral Reinhardscher and Lieutenant General Hipper could not help laughing.
Vice Admiral Speeth then returned to direct the battle on his flagship, the battlecruiser Mackensen. In peacetime, Vice Admiral Spee was the commander of the Broken Fleet. In the decisive battle at sea, he was in charge of the German Navy's battle cruiser formations.
After the sinking of the battlecruiser Blucher, there were only 11 battlecruisers left in the German Navy. However, their strength has not suffered much loss. 11 battle cruisers, divided into two battle cruiser detachments. 23 battleships, divided into 4 battleship detachments.
"Send a telegram to General Spee, asking him to lead a formation of battle cruisers and go around the back of the British. On the one hand, flanking the British. On the other hand, stop them from escaping! Admiral Reinhardschel ordered.
He hoped that in this decisive battle, he would not only win but also annihilate all the enemy's capital ships in one fell swoop. In this way, the British could no longer threaten the German Navy.
"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander." Lieutenant General Hipper nodded.
"That's right, Your Excellency, Commander. His Royal Highness informed us that the pilots would need to take a break and that it would take about two hours before they could launch a third attack. Lieutenant General Hipper said.
Admiral Reinhardschel nodded: "No problem, in two hours, the carrier-based aircraft force will attack again, and it will almost be able to assist us in defeating the British in one fell swoop." ”
The German High Seas Fleet immediately went into action, and the 11 battle cruisers began to speed up, preparing to circle around the flank of the Combined Fleet of the Entente Powers. The remaining 23 battleships continued to approach south, forcing the combined fleet to fight a decisive battle.
"Damn the Germans, they want to wipe us out!" Admiral Johann Jericht, at once, understood the intentions of the German Navy. This is not good news for the Combined Fleet. If they were defeated, they would probably not have many ships to escape.
"Order the ships and get ready for battle! Since the Germans want to outflank our rear, then we will defeat their main forces first! Defeat their battlecruisers before they come together! In that case, we win! Admiral John Jericho ordered.