And the heavy cruiser "Yidi, was equally unlucky, it was hit by one of the eight bombs that hit the bridge directly. The captain of the ship, who was directing the operation there, was killed by the bombing.

Another 200-kilogram armor-piercing high-explosive shell pierced its gun deck, officers' quarters, junior officers' cabins, and finally exploded in the main telecommunications room. The explosion severely damaged the internal structure of the ship's hull. The doors of the watertight compartments were destroyed. The entire superstructure and crew cabins were blazing everywhere, like hell. Countless Japanese officers and soldiers were burned to death on the spot by the sudden fire.

Then the fire spread to the ammunition depot, detonating the shells inside. This heavy cruiser of the "Aoba" class exploded in two on the spot with a bang, and 625 officers and men were buried in the belly of the fish.

Finally, after half an hour of bombing, the terrible dive bombers finally dropped all their bombs. Then he shook his wings and swaggered back. Behind them was a sea of fire in the Bohai Bay, and in this huge air raid, the Japanese First Foreign Fleet suffered heavy losses, sinking three Venezuelan cruisers, two light cruisers, four destroyers and one minesweeper. However, the three mighty battleships and battlecruisers still did not encounter air attacks.

From 5:30 p.m. on 12 February, when the light cruiser "Chongqing" fired the first shot of the naval battle in Bohai Bay, it has only been a little more than 14 hours. But the Japanese Navy seems to have passed a whole era! Everyone knows that the time for them to dominate the East is over. In this short period of fourteen hours, the Japanese Navy suffered its first crushing defeat since the day of its establishment, and it was also the first defeat! As many as twenty-five battleships were sunk! Among them were also one battleship "Fuso" with a standard displacement of 29,330 tons, four heavy cruisers with a displacement of seven or eight thousand tons. Moreover, one battleship and two battlecruisers were trapped in the Bohai Bay, and finally could not escape the fate of annihilation. Its opponents, the Kuomintang navy and air force, suffered negligible losses, with only eleven planes and eleven pilots killed for every ship sunk.

"Your Excellency, there are still nine warships left in the main force of the 1st Foreign Fleet, they are the 1st Hyuga, the battleship Kongo, the battlecruiser Kirishima, the battlecruiser Tama, the light cruiser Kuma, and the light cruiser ......."

Yoshida Zengo was almost crying and informing Shiozawa Koichi of the latest results. Although he had already decided to die, no one expected that he would die so badly! Paid such a heavy price, but not even a shadow of the opponent's fleet was seen! Such a naval battle is simply too subversive.

Shiozawa Koichi sighed softly and looked up at the blue sky that had already dissipated the gunsmoke: "Yoshida-kun, write a detailed report on today's battle, and then ...... I ordered myself to take the seaplane of the fleet and send this report to Arthur.

No, to be sent back to Japan, it must be personally handed over to Commander Yamamoto of the Combined Fleet. ”

Hearing that Koichi Shiozawa was going to record the opportunity to "become a god", Yoshida Zengo was not happy, but said loudly with a disdainful face: "Shiozawa-kun! From the moment I, Yoshida Zengo, set foot on Etajima, my life has been entrusted to His Majesty the Emperor! There is nothing in the world to be nostalgic for."

"Yoshida!" Shiozawa Koichi interrupted him impatiently: "There is no time for this nonsense now, there is something born here that is extremely important for the future of the empire." Any idea what's going on? ”

Yoshida Zengo thought for a moment and said, "Could it be the two air raids just now?" Based on what I have just observed, it seems that the planes of the Chinese people have easily taken out our heavy cruisers, light cruisers, and destroyers. If this continues...... When I arrived at Qinhuangdao, I was afraid that only battleships and battle cruisers remained. ”

"Yes, the plane easily took out the heavy cruiser!" Shiozawa Koichi closed his eyes and was silent for a while: "If this trend continues, at most the concubine will be the protagonist, and the protagonist of the naval battle will be the plane!"

So the battleships and heavy cruisers we lost here are simply not worth pity. Because they no longer have much value, it is impossible to rely on these warships to dominate the East in the future, and they will need planes to fight in the future! Yoshida-kun, when I go back, I will learn to fly an airplane, and in the future, I will show it to aircraft carriers. But the most important thing is to vigorously advocate the development of aviation, the future of the empire is in the sky, and only by mastering the sky can we master the earth and the sea! The Kuomintang of the Southern Branch has taken the lead in this regard in the past two years, so it has pulled the empire down from the throne of the overlord of the East! However,........., that's fine, in the future, Britain and the United States will not be like thieves guarding against us, and we will have the opportunity to learn their most advanced aviation technology and use it to show our own air force, and I think we should be able to catch up. ”

Yoshida Zengo had already understood Shiozawa's words, and he wanted to bring the lessons learned from the naval battle in the Bohai Bay back to Japan and tell the leaders of the army and navy that they must vigorously develop their aviation. Only by mastering air supremacy will the empire have a chance to revivenation!

"Yoshida-kun, I'll sign the order and leave the fleet." Shiozawa Koichi glanced at the sky again and continued, "I'm afraid their third banquet attack is coming soon, and the next one will definitely blow up the battleship...... When the time comes, if the seaplane is blown up, it will not be able to go. I'll write the report after it arrives in Lushun! His tone suddenly increased: "Yoshida-kun! Remember to let the people of Guoran deeply understand the importance of airplanes! Tell them that airplanes are directly related to the survival of the empire, and they must do whatever it takes to show them! "This" Yoshida Zengo hesitated for a moment before nodding heavily: "Hai! Subordinates obeyed. Shiozawa nodded and smiled a little gratifying: "Okay!" Yoshida-kun, I'm waiting for the good news at the Yasukuni Shrine... Commander of the future air fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy! "Jinan, Wanzhuyuan.

"Auxiliary commander, the Navy and Air Force have won a great victory! In less than twenty-four hours, a dozen or twenty Japanese ships were killed, and one battleship was among them! It seems that the battle in the Northeast will not be long before there will be an end. ”

It was Luo Yaoguo's secretary general, Sheng Shicai, who was holding the telegram he had just received from the Navy's Beiyang Fleet, and had just reported to Luo Yaoguo the results of the two air raids.

"These Japs are really ruthless! Zhenhua, what do you think? Luo Yaoguo drooped his eyelids as if he was not closed, and just looked at the military map spread out on the table. A cup of coffee is placed next to the map, and it is long gone with heat.

Hearing Luo Yaoguo's question, Long Tenghui was slightly stunned, and only after a while did he mutter: "Auxiliary commander, it seems that the future naval war will really rely on aircraft carriers and aircraft to fight, our battleships don't need to be rebuilt, or concentrate financial resources on aircraft carriers and aircraft." ”

Luo Yaoguo waved his hand and said in a deep voice: "I'm not this, I'm these Japanese who are desperate for their lives and battleships to destroy the port of Qinhuangdao, is there any way for the navy to stop it?" Long Tenghui frowned: "Zhao Hanyu of the Beiyang Fleet came over with a telegram that was ready to let the dive bomber try his luck." Luo Yaoguo said coldly: "I think it's a little hanging, by the way, have the supplies in Qinhuangdao been evacuated?" Long Tenghui thought for a moment and shook his head: "It's too late, the materials transported from Huludao are now stored in the Shanhaiguan Customs City." I didn't expect the Japanese to be so desperate. Luo Yaoguo just smiled bitterly: "It seems that I still miscalculated a move and sent a telegram to An Sihua and Zhang Wenbai, suggesting that they give priority to ensuring the safety of personnel, and we can't put the troops under the guns of the Japanese to be bombed." He thought for a moment and asked again: "In addition to Qinhuangdao and Huge Island, are there any other ports available on the Liaoxi Corridor?" ”

"The western Liaoning corridor is close to the sea, and there are many ports." Long Tenghui sighed and said, "But except for Huludao and Qinhuangdao, there are some fishing ports, and there are no big ships at all, and there are no port facilities. If the port of Qinhuangdao is also destroyed......" He lowered his head and thought in his heart: "Before the port is repaired, we can only rely on the beach, and all the materials must be transported by boat, without loading and unloading equipment, and completely rely on manpower." Our transport ships can provide the army with a few tons of supplies a day at most, which is simply not enough to sustain the army for a long time, and the only way is to go to the ............... of the Chinese army."

Luo Yaoguo waved his hand, and his voice was deep: "Zhongg don't think about it for the time being, Jin Yong, report this situation to An Sihua and suggest that he give up counterattacking." ”

"Yes, Assistant." Sheng Shicai found a chair and sat down, began to draft the message, halfway through it seemed to suddenly think of something, raised his head and looked at Long Tenghui: "Commander Long, how many gunboats are there in the Beiyang Fleet now?" Can it provide fire support to the Army? ”

Long Tenghui was stunned when he heard this, and then he also showed a happy face, slapped his face and smiled: "I'm really busy and confused, forget about this matter, as soon as the devil's navy is finished, Bohai Bay will be our world." He counted with his fingers: "The Beiyang Fleet has four cruisers in the Bohai Bay: "Guangzhou", "Chongqing", "Haiqi", "Pinghai", "Huizhou, (1928 destroyer"), "Baoan", "Shaoguan", "Shantou", "Shanwei", "Qingyuan", "Maoming, and other seven destroyers: in addition, we have a total of nine torpedo boats from T1 to T9 of the 1924 grade, which have a standard displacement of 933 tons. Equipped with three single-barreled 105-mm naval guns, it is actually a type of destroyer... There are as many as 101 guns of 100 mm caliber in the entire Beiyang Fleet.

However, one of the main turrets of the Chongqing was damaged, and there are still ninety-eight guns that can be used now! However, the rate of fire of the naval guns is fast, and the firepower is much stronger than that of a heavy artillery brigade. ”

Luo Yaoguo sighed lightly: "Inform An Sihua and Zhao Hanyu of this situation, besides, when will the operation to blockade Lushunkou begin?" We can't let the logistics of the Japanese go unimpeded! His mission in Jinan was to supervise the war, which was actually to coordinate the Kuomintang's naval and army operations.

However, he didn't plan to take over the work of An Sihua and Zhao Zheng, just to make a little suggestion.

But Long Tenghui did not dare to snub this "Shangguan", although he is now the chief of staff of the Navy, it sounds like he is on the same level as Luo Yaoguo, but in the current Kuomintang army, the Navy is not qualified to compete with the Army. If it weren't for Luo Yaoguo sitting here, this Bohai Bay operational plan to create fighters for the navy at the expense of the interests of the army...

It is simply impossible to pass.

Long Tenghui replied respectfully: "According to the latest revised plan, the air raid on Arthur Pass will begin soon, and now that the Japanese fleet has opened up the combat radius of their army aviation, Commander Zhao of the Beiyang Fleet will let the dive bombers attack alone." The remaining HNA fighters carrying bombs and the planes transferred to Shandong by the 2nd Aviation Division will be dispatched together, and a total of more than 270 planes will be mobilized, and today we will certainly be able to completely blow up the port facilities at Lushunkou and Dalian Bay! "Pull the alarm and notify all personnel to enter combat positions!"

"Five minutes of preparation, each cannon began to be loaded with live ammunition."

"Guns, according to the Qinhuangdao coastal defense distribution map, prepare for shelling."

"Hello!"

The staff officers of Japan's 1st Foreign Fleet who received the order puffed up their chests and responded loudly.

Commander Shiozawa Honichi straightened out his military uniform, grabbed a high-powered binocular, and said solemnly: "Gentlemen, now is the time to avenge the officers and men of the First Foreign Fleet who died in battle!" Shoot all the shells! Completely destroy the Qinhuangdao fortress of the people of China! ”

"Hello!"

The three huge ships off the coast of Qinhuangdao that had been bombed and smoked all over the place seemed to exude a thick murderous aura in an instant, and a group of sailors who had already been ready to fight quickly entered their respective battle positions, and one after another shells were hoisted from the ammunition depot, filled into the barrels, and stuffed with propellants.

Then, the main gun turrets of the three battleships also slowly moved to the right, all aimed at the starboard side, and the gunners were making final adjustments.

The gunners took the telephones and arranged tasks to each gun position through the telephone line on the ship according to the key positions that needed to be shelled on the Qinhuangdao defense map in the possession of the Japanese.

The signal and communications officer also held the telephone, and together with the navigation staff, adjusted the attitude and speed of each fleet according to the constantly flashing signal lights of the flagship in front, and as for several young officers who had just graduated from the Etajima Naval Academy, they were constantly piercing between the various groups, and this was their first time participating in actual combat... Probably the last time! Therefore, it is cherished.

For the current shelling, the Japanese First Foreign Fleet has endured thousands of aircraft bombardments! In addition to the battleship "Hyuga", the battlecruiser "Kongo", "Kirishima"

All twenty-one warships except the battlecruiser were sunk! More than 8,000 officers and soldiers died in the sea! In exchange for such a heavy price, it is this opportunity for shelling, and then the Chinese submarines will come and sink these three precious battleships! The entire fleet, except for the Toyota detachment left off the Port of Arthur, was wiped out without even knowing what the enemy battleships looked like!

And now, what these self-righteous Japanese devils want to do is to bomb the logistics line of the world's third army (the latest ranking: the first is France, the second is Italy), so that the Kuomintang's 300,000 troops in western Liaoning will lack sufficient logistics supplies in the next few weeks, creating an opportunity for the army to annihilate them!

"Your Excellency, a secret message from the Combined Fleet Command. ，… The shouts of the communications staff rang out in the busy bridge.

"Cipher?" Shiozawa Yuki was stunned when he heard this, what kind of fame is this Eisuke Yamamoto doing? Everyone is going to die He shook his head, reached out and took the telegram he had just deduced from the hands of the communications staff officer, opened it, and immediately took a breath, and a strange look flashed on his face: "Call back to the United Fleet: Obey." Then he shoved the newspaper in

"Begin, for the sake of the Great Japanese Empire, for His Majesty the Emperor!" Shiozawa Yuki looked at the eastern sky, slowly straightened up, raised his hand to salute the east, and muttered, "I hope this plan can succeed." ”

At 10:50 a.m. on February 13, 1931, the battleship "Hyuga" was the first to fire the prepared light signal, and immediately after it, two identical light signals also began to flicker, and one by one the faces with hideousness and greed looked at the horizon at the same time.

On the sea off Qinhuangdao, three scarred battleships and battle cruisers were already lined up, facing the side of Qinhuangdao, with a forest of cannon barrels, densely packed.

Although most of the ships were lost in the previous air raids, the battleships and battlecruisers, which were the main striking force of the 1st Foreign Fleet, were not fatally damaged!

Shiozawa Yuki consciously calculated that when this "Hyuga" battleship attacked, it could have a maximum of ten 356 mm guns (the second turret was destroyed) guns and ten 140 mm caliber secondary guns on one side, and the "King Kong" class battlecruiser also had eight 356 mm guns and eight 1 mm caliber secondary guns, and the three battleships combined had a total of 52 naval guns! If you count the weight of the shells, then the total weight of one projectile will be more than twenty tons! With such a powerful force, what else can resist it?!

"After the bombardment, Qinhuangdao should be a flat land?" The corners of Shiozawa's mouth broke into a fierce smile. Behind him sounded the voice of the artillery staff officer.

"Report, direction xxx, each cannon is locked, ready to fire