Micronesia, a small country in the Pacific Ocean, consists of more than 600 islands, the largest of which is Pohnpei. The Western Tooth Extractors arrived here in the 16th century and occupied it with 1885. Fourteen years later, however, the Sibaja transferred it to the Germans. And before Germany entered the First World War, it was once again transferred to China.

Now, the Chinese Marine Corps has taken over all of Micronesia. And on the island of Pohnpei, a whole battalion of troops was stationed. Large quantities of building materials began to be shipped to Pohnpei. The Imperial Navy will build a naval base here, and in the future an airfield. Of course, airports will have to wait until the development of aircraft that can be put into actual combat before they are built.

Micronesia is strategically located between the American-controlled island of Guam and the Mariana and Hawaiian Islands. To the east of Micronesia is the Marshall Islands, which China has just acquired from Germany. In the future, the empire could fully use this as a base to launch an attack on the Hawaiian Islands of the United States. At the same time, the islands blocked the way for Japan's southward expansion.

On August 12, 4612 (14), it had been a week since Japan declared war on Germany. In the waters near Micronesia, warships of the Japanese Navy appeared. However, they are all light warships. And this also aroused the vigilance of the Imperial Marines stationed on Pohnpei Island. By wireless telegraphy, they made contact with the Imperial Navy's Pacific Fleet. The warships of the Pacific Fleet are rushing to this sea area.

The Reich knew that the Japanese must have been resentful of the Reich's takeover of Germany's colonies in the Pacific. With the paranoid nature of the Japanese, they may take risks. So, the empire has been strengthening its defense of these colonies.

Three Marine Divisions. Separately deployed on these colonies. At the same time, four battlecruisers of the Imperial Navy, four heavy cruisers of the 'Zodiac class', seven light cruisers of the 'Blue Dragon class' and 12 destroyers of the 'C class' were cruising in this area. It's just that this sea area is too wide. If you want to do it all, it's simply not possible. Unless technology develops rapidly and the aviation age is fully entered, the airports on these islands will be able to be closely monitored.

Less than 50 kilometers from Pohnpei Island, two warships flying the flag of the Japanese Navy are cruising on the sea: the Japanese Navy's light cruiser Tone and the light cruiser Otowa respectively.

The light cruiser "Ligen" has a displacement of 4100 tons and a maximum speed of 23 knots. Armed with two 45-caliber 152-mm guns, ten 40-caliber 120-mm single-mounted guns and four 40-caliber 76-mm single-mounted guns.

With a displacement of 3,000 tons and a maximum speed of 21 knots, the light cruiser "Otowa" was armed with two 40x caliber 152 mm rapid-fire guns, six 40x caliber 120 mm single rapid-fire guns, and four 40x caliber 76 mm single rapid-fire guns.

These two light cruisers are both light cruisers that survived the Second Sino-Japanese War, and they belong to the old ships. Performance compared to a large number of light cruisers built by the Japanese Navy after the war. It's kind of backward.

It's just that this time the two light cruisers are on the job of decoy. At a distance of less than a hundred kilometers from them. It was a powerful formation of four 'Kongo-class' battle cruisers of the Japanese Navy. In addition to the four 'Kongo-class' battlecruisers, there were three 'Tsukuma-class' light cruisers and two 'Tenryu-class' light cruisers, as well as six destroyers.

The Japanese Navy's move, naturally, was aimed at the four battle cruisers of the Imperial Navy. They wanted to take advantage of the gunpower of the four 'King Kong-class' battlecruisers to destroy the four battlecruisers of the Chinese Navy in one fell swoop. In this way, the Japanese Navy will get rid of the inferiority. It's back to the top. At that time, even if it starts a war with the Chinese Navy, the Japanese Navy will have a good chance of winning.

On the light cruiser Tone, Captain Takebe Kishiro Osa was waiting for orders from the rear. In charge of the battle plan was Rear Admiral Naoe Nakano, who was the first captain of the battlecruiser "Kongo".

"Didi, Didi." The wireless telegraph machine is working. A communications officer is translating a cipher.

A few minutes later, the communications officer reported to Takebe Kishiro Osa: "Your Excellency, Your Excellency the General has ordered us to advance to Pohnpei Island at once, shell the Chinese defenders on Pohnpei Island, and then quickly withdraw north. ”

"Is it finally about to start? Send a telegram to Kanemaru Kiyoshi Daisa. It's time for us to act. Takebe Kishiro Osa ordered. Kanemaru Kiyoshi Osa was the captain of the light cruiser Otowaba.

"Yes, Your Excellency." The communications officer nodded, and immediately sent a telegram.

Five minutes later, the light cruisers Tone and Otowa began to pick up speed and headed for Pohnpei. With the firepower of two light cruisers, it can pose a great threat to the Chinese marines on the island. Although, the Imperial Marines deployed a whole battalion on Pohnpei Island. However, there is a lack of security fortifications. The weapons they were equipped with were almost no threat to the warships on the sea.

At 10:12 a.m., the Japanese Navy's light cruisers "Tone" and "Otowa" sailed off the coast of Pohnpei Island, less than ten kilometers from the shore.

When the Chinese marines on the island found out about this, they immediately became vigilant and ordered their troops to evacuate and prepare for a Japanese naval attack. On the other hand, it is in contact with the Imperial Navy.

"Damn the Shina people, go to hell and repent! Use your blood to atone for the sins of the Japanese who died! Takebe Kishiro said secretly in his heart. His family also died in the Chinese navy's shelling of a Japanese coastal city.

Immediately, Takebe Kishiro Osa gave the order to open fire.

The light cruiser "Ligen" crossed the hull and aimed its side at the shore. Two 152-mm main guns and five 120-mm secondary guns on the side of the side, as well as two 76-mm rapid-fire guns, all began shelling.

"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! ”

For a moment, orange-red flames shone on the side guns of the light cruiser 'Ligen', and one after another shells whistled towards Pohnpei Island. The light cruiser Otowa also attacked with the light cruiser Tone.

"Damn, the Japanese dared to attack on their own initiative. Order the troops to dodge! The commander of the Marine battalion stationed on Pohnpei Island ordered.

He knew that it would be almost impossible to withstand the shelling of naval guns without strong fortifications. Fortunately, the area of Pohnpei Island is not small, more than 300 square kilometers. It is possible to hide more than a thousand people. Of course, the Japanese Navy did not send transport ships, so they were not afraid of their landing.

"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! ”

The shells exploded on the beach, leaving craters in their wake. The sand flew in all directions under the action of the kinetic energy of the cannonball.

The indigenous people living on the island have suffered unjustified disasters. Houses were destroyed and people were killed and injured in the shelling.

These natives have never experienced anything like this. For them, it's no different from the end of the world.

"Boom!"

A shell fell, and one of the fortresses of the Imperial Marine Corps was hit. The Navy's 152 mm naval guns, with their extreme power, easily wiped out the fortress. The bones of several Marines hiding inside were gone.

"Dog's day, little Japan is so shameless! This hatred, one day I will explode. Said the commander of the battalion of the Imperial Marine Corps stationed on Pohnpei Island.

Although the unfamiliar marines on Pohnpei Island have dispersed, it is still impossible to completely avoid the shelling of the Japanese Navy. In the continuous shelling of the Japanese Navy, the Marines still paid some casualties. The indigenous inhabitants of the island suffered more casualties. It's just that for these natives, not only the Japanese don't care about their life and death, but the empire also doesn't care about their life and death.

"Die! All the people of China deserve to die! "On the bridge of the light cruiser 'Tone', Takebe Kishiro Daisa's face was completely hideous, and his expression was very scary.

South of Pohnpei Island, two 'Blue Dragon-class' light cruisers of the Imperial Navy are speeding up. After receiving the appearance of the Japanese Navy near Pohnpei Island, the Imperial Navy realized that the Japanese probably wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to stir up trouble. It's just that I didn't expect the Japanese attack to come so quickly. At the time of the Japanese Navy's bombardment of Pohnpei Island, the two 'Blue Dragon-class' light cruisers were still 50 kilometers away from Pohnpei Island. In addition, two 'Zodiac-class' heavy cruisers and several 'C-class' destroyers of the Imperial Navy are also on their way.

The light cruisers 'Fangri Rabbit' and the light cruisers 'Xinyue Fox' have increased their speed to 25 knots, but even so, it will take more than an hour to reach Pohnpei Island.

"Captain, the flagship has sent a telegram asking us to be vigilant. It is possible that this is a trap for the Japanese. The main forces were coming, and the general ordered us not to fight with the main forces of the Japanese Navy if we found them. A communications officer reported to Lieutenant Commander Chen Jiliang, commander of the light cruiser Fangritu.

"Well, send a telegram to the 'Heart Moon Fox' as well, and tell them to be careful." Lieutenant Colonel Chen Jiliang nodded.

This time, the fleet sent by the Imperial Navy to the Pacific formed a formation with Vice Admiral Liu Guanxiong as its commander. At this moment, Vice Admiral Liu Guanxiong led two 'Longfei-class' battle cruisers and two 'Longxing-class' battle cruisers on their way to the scene. (To be continued.) )

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