In the headquarters of the National Defense Forces in Beijing, Chen Jintang took a telegram and handed it to Deng Zixuan and said: "President, everything is going well, the naval fleet has won a great victory, and the enemy's 2nd Pacific Fleet and Kaohsiung Port Detachment have almost been completely annihilated. The enemy battleship Breaking Wave sank, and the flagship Washington surrendered and was captured. In addition, 28 large and small warships were captured. However, our ships suffered heavy losses. Deng Zixuan raised his head from the telegram and said in surprise: "It is much beyond my expectations, this is an unprecedented victory for our young navy, and we immediately arranged for the institute to report it to the media, and it should be accompanied by photos, so that the people of Li people across the country can share this happiness." ”

Deng Zixuan continued: "Although we have also suffered heavy losses, it is better than I expected, and I want to send a telegram to commend Fan Tao and all the officers and men of the navy who participated in the war." The enemy must fight back, telling Fan Tao that the main battleship must not fight the enemy ship without authorization, how did he take this point? Chen Jintang replied: "Fan Tao ordered the South China Sea Fleet, all new torpedo boats, to blockade the southern part of the Nanwan Strait, and the North Sea Fleet's new torpedo boats to blockade the northern part of the Taiwan Strait to ensure the smooth implementation of Operation Hurricane." ”

"Very well, we have lost face to the proud Western Navy in this battle, and the enemy will surely be annoyed. At present, we are still unable to engage in a large-scale naval battle with the powerful Western Fleet, which is called knowing oneself and knowing one's enemy. However, we can carry out a sea raid war, and we must gradually accumulate the results of the battle by entangling with the enemy ships piecemeal, and we will grow stronger day by day, and I believe that the day when the Chinese Navy will dominate the ocean is not far off. At this time, Chief of Staff Pei Gejin walked in and said: "President, the First Army of the Southeast Front has all landed in Kaohsiung Port, and the Second Army is in transit. ”

Chen Jintang added: "The Penghu Islands have been taken by me. Liu Mingchuan commanded the deputy assault corps to begin to gather in Penghu, and I have already ordered Nie Fengwu to take the port of Tainan on the west coast of Taiwan. Ensure the smooth entry of the secondary assault corps and material supplies into Taiwan. Deng Zixuan said in a very good mood: "It's only a matter of time before Taiwan is taken, and I'm not worried about this." What offensive tactics the enemy's huge fleet will use next is the most important thing. Now we don't have any secrets, but you hit yours and I beat mine, and this policy remains the same. Make our enemies crazy and impatient, so that we can find fighters and deal heavy blows to them. The next step is the detailed operation of the naval raid war, let Fan Tao submit it to the headquarters for review and approval! ”

The season when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Tokyo seems to be enveloped in an atmosphere of floral scent. However, the gloom also shrouded the headquarters of the coalition forces, and at this moment, the commander of the coalition forces, Han Ruowei, was thundering with a telegram in his hand. The former modest and gentlemanly demeanor was gone, and this was the first time he had been furious since he became commander of the coalition forces. "Tandin, this bastard, he knows nothing about the situation of the Chinese Navy, and he is proud to underestimate the enemy. Caused heavy losses to the fleet. His sins are unforgivable. Immediately take Tandin back to Tokyo for trial. ”

Bill, the chief of staff of the Americans, said with a gloomy face: "At present, the enemy has occupied the port of Kaohsiung and the Penghu Islands. The Chinese army launched an offensive from the south to the north, and it was very difficult for us to resist. Once the Chinese army takes Taiwan, our maritime defense line will be torn apart. There is no hope for us in a land war, and the only hope is to destroy the Chinese fleet in order to turn the tide of the war. Han Ruowei said decisively: "Order the 2nd Fleet of Keelung Port in Taiwan to wait for reinforcements and not to attack." Ordered the 1st Fleet, the 2nd Philippine Fleet to dispatch its main warships to Taiwan. Be sure to look for fighters and destroy the Chinese fleet. ”

Han Ruowei added: "Order the command of the Japanese army in Taiwan. It is necessary to stubbornly defend at all costs, delay the offensive of the Chinese army, and ensure that our fleet is encircled and annihilated on the sea. Chief of Staff Bill said: "Commander! We focused our energies on Irkusco and did not expect the Chinese to do anything in Taiwan. The participation of the Chinese Navy in the war shows that they already have the capability of large-scale naval warfare, and we have to attach great importance to it!"

Han Ruowei sighed and said: "What I am most worried about is the development of China's economy and industry, they build warships independently, how many warships are being built now, we don't know, this is the most terrifying." But our intelligence is so bad that it is the root cause of the heavy losses suffered by the fleet. The purpose of the Chinese fleet's attack on Penghu was to attract our fleet to dispatch. Tandin, this bastard, if he knows and is prudent, the Chinese have no chance. ”

Chief of Staff Bill said: "When fighting with the Chinese, if you are not careful, you will be fooled, and there are few repeated lessons and lessons?" We want to warn our admirals to put down their arrogant heads and get to know the Chinese Navy anew, and the facts have proved that the destruction of the Kaohsiung Port Detachment is the most haode proof! "Bill, as an American, is not cautious and forward-looking. He was reminding Mr. Han that he should not take China's rapidly rising navy lightly. Han Ruowei is a pragmatist, and he is not annoyed by the chief of staff's insinuations and accusations against him, on the contrary, he appreciates the chief of staff's outspokenness.

In the British army, it was absolutely impossible for subordinates to blame their superiors, but in the American army this imagination was commonplace, which is why the Western group of countries Weishenme put the Americans as chief of staff at the headquarters of the coalition forces. Han Ruowei said: "Chief of Staff, I appreciate your bluntness very much, the biggest problem now is that we don't know what the Chinese are thinking, and their strategic decisions often surprise us." The Chinese army abandoned the attack on Irkusco and turned around to attack Taiwan, leaving us in a passive position. ”

"The commander has a point, strategic and accurate intelligence sources go hand in hand. I still remember what the commander said at the beginning of his tenure, intelligence work is bigger than the sky, we have started to train a group of agents on the Japanese island, and we have now left for Chinese mainland. However, China's counter-espionage agencies are very powerful, and some of these trained Japanese were arrested as soon as they entered the mainland. Those who survive will not be able to effectively spy on the enemy's core secrets. "Bill is very clear-headed.

Chief of Staff Bill continued: "We need time to send agents to Chinese mainland, so I agree with the strategic decision of exchanging time for space specified by the headquarters, so time is very precious to us, and perhaps in the process of winning time, it is inevitable to pay the price." Although the Kaohsiung Detachment was completely wiped out in this Penghu naval battle, the enemy also paid a heavy price. Therefore, we must take the initiative to look for opportunities for naval warfare, and constantly fight for attrition, which the Chinese cannot bear. ”

Han Ruowei said with a smile: "I let all the fleet concentrate in Taiwan, and this is the goal." I have already ordered the battleship Great Britain at the headquarters of the coalition forces to officially join the Pacific Fleet and serve as the flagship of the fleet. I warned Commander Martin that it was necessary not to enter the Taiwan Strait to lure the Chinese fleet out to fight, and to prevent the Chinese Navy from launching an attack using attack torpedo boats, which may be the purpose of the Chinese Navy. ”

Bill agreed: "The commander's plan is correct, but the Japanese army will not be able to hold the island of Taiwan, but by sending a large fleet to support, the Japanese will strengthen their confidence in defense." Han Ruowei nodded and said: "Order the Japanese army to defend tenaciously at all costs, so we will try our best to meet the needs of the Japanese army in logistics, and I have ordered the allied quartermaster department to fully meet the Japanese army's defensive operations." "You don't plan to requisition troops to Taiwan?" "That is the tactic of filling oil is not advisable, the Chinese army successfully landed in Kaohsiung Port, and Taiwan will not be able to hold it. As for how long the Japanese can hold out, it depends on their creation. Han Ruowei had no intention of withdrawing the Japanese troops from Taiwan, and Chief of Staff Bill naturally knew the mystery.

In mid-to-late April, the 1st Army and the 2nd Army of the main attack corps captured Guanmiao, Qishan, and Gaoshu in southern Taiwan respectively. At the same time, the left column took the port city of Tainan on the west coast and opened up the connection with the nearest point of Penghu. Then the auxiliary attack corps landed in Tainan, and by the end of April, the new 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th integrated armies of the Eastern Front Army had entered Taiwan, but the new 7th Army remained in Fuzhou and was used as a strategic reserve.

During this period, the Pacific Fleet of the coalition forces, under the leadership of Fleet Commander Martin, joined the battleships of Keelung and the warships from the Philippines, and appeared in the waters southeast of Kaohsiung Port to lure the Chinese Navy into battle. However, the Chinese fleet hid in the harbor and used the cover of coastal batteries to avoid the battle. Seeing that the Chinese fleet was not moving, Commander Martin had no choice but to withdraw to Keelung Harbor after a few days of showing off his might.

In late April, the weather was beautiful and the visibility on the sea was wonderful. On the pier, a transport ship, under the cover of several gunboats, docked on the pier. On the wharf, Fan Tao and Liu Buzhan led a large group of sea generals to greet them. Soon, Nie Fengwu, commander of the Southwest Front, and Liu Mingchuan, deputy commander, stepped down from the transport ship.

Nie Fengwu held Fan Tao's hand and said, "Old man, you played so beautifully, the president issued a commendation order to reward you by name." Operation Hurricane went so smoothly, and your navy was the first to do it. ”

Fan Tao said modestly: "Thank you to the president for raising love, the humble duty is not enough, a few days ago the coalition fleet came to provoke, we can only be a turtle with a shrunken head, a victory in a naval battle can not change anything." Commander Nie, please enter the city and I will pick up the wind and wash the dust for you! Nie Fengwu said with relief: "You are also right, a victory in a naval battle cannot mean anything, but we believe that in the future, the Chinese Navy will be able to dominate the ocean and be proud of the others." ”

With the launch of the Taiwan Offensive Campaign, the Front Army Headquarters was relocated to Kaohsiung Port. That night, in the headquarters, a certain division of the Third Army, which was responsible for attacking the port of Taitung, was strongly supported by the artillery fire of the allied warships, and as a result, the Taitung offensive was aborted. Fan Tao said: "Commander Nie, the appearance of the coalition warship in Taitung shows that they are not giving up, and still want to lure our warship to attack, they are drunkards, not drunk!" ”

Liu Mingchuan said urgently: "Order the Third Army to take Taitung at any cost!" "The operational staff officer has just left." Wait! Nie Fengwu's eyes left the map and continued: "Order the New 3rd Army to stop attacking Taitung!" Hearing this, everyone's eyes couldn't help but widen. (To be continued......)

PS: The road to victory was not all smooth sailing.