Chapter 980 Critical Point 1
Showing off is one of human nature, just like men will show off their wealth and status, and women will show off their jewelry and looks. A soldier who has just won a big victory will naturally use the fastest way to inform his comrades that there is How do you say it in one sentence? Not returning wealth to one's hometown is equivalent to walking in brocade at night. If you win a battle and don't tell your superiors, how can they give you a raise in salary? Think of the telegram that Lutewings sent to the German Admiralty after killing Hood in the Danish Sea, which can be called a short novel. (It is said to be 4,000 words) After the successful escape of the submarine No. 12, Captain Laerch immediately sent this information through the radio, and said that he must have severely damaged at least one French main battleship!
The signal traveling at the speed of light instantly arrived at the Austro-Hungarian Fleet headquarters in Pola. At the same time, the Allied Mediterranean Fleet in Constantinople also received the news. At 8 a.m. the next day, the man who had just woken up The prince also learned about this.
"Very good, very good! This captain's achievements are enough to go down in history!" After carefully reading the telegram several times, the prince said excitedly. "Although it was only a dreadnought that was temporarily removed from the combat order, it caused great confusion for the French. If they plan to save the ship, they will definitely send troops to escort it. Alexandria may not be able to repair it. If it is damaged in the battle, then we can only go to Italy or France. There is an Austro-Hungarian fleet in the Adriatic Sea, and their escort force must not be less. So."
For a moment, the prince thought of the most likely situation that this incident would lead to.
"But if the French endure it and let the battleship run aground in the port, what should we do?" Tirpitz said on the side. Generally speaking, if a battleship is damaged, it does need to be repaired quickly, but if conditions do not allow it, Or if it's not suitable, you can leave it temporarily. There is no shortage of such things in history. For example, after the Goeben was hit by a mine, it was repaired in Sevastopol more than a year later. In the second battle, Richelieu was also severely damaged in the Battle of Dakar. The power was severely damaged, and it took a long time to go to the United States for repairs.
This time Tirpitz was indeed right. Although the French lost one battleship, the number of their Dreadnoughts and Super Dreadnoughts was still 7! There are also large numbers of Dantons and armored cruisers. In terms of its ability to fight to the death, it still stabilizes the Allied Mediterranean Fleet. At the same time, the entire blockade can still be maintained. Moreover, the Japanese fleet will arrive soon. When they arrive, can't the French fleet just repair the damaged warships? Why rush?
"It makes sense. The French are very likely to do this. Although the ub-12 submarine did a good job, it is really impossible to pry the French blockade with a single attack. But if we continue to attack or What about harassment?" the prince asked.
"That won't work either. Where is the overall number of the opponent's fleet?" Tirpitz said.
"Pay attention to the telegram! The submarine UB-12 laid dozens of mines before evacuating. The captain emphasized that the channel in the port is very narrow, and these mines pose a great threat to ships entering and leaving the port.
Even if the French are very lucky and they discover mines and perform demining operations without losing a single warship, then this will take a while, maybe a few days, and the French fleet is deployed in multiple locations. In this port When the main force of the French navy cannot go out, even if Count Spee's fleet cannot kill another French fleet, it will still be enough to cause certain casualties. If the Austro-Hungarian fleet cooperates at this time, it may not be able to force the French to temporarily give up the blockade. ! "The prince said with some dissatisfaction.
It is a pure dream to use this opportunity to completely push away the French fleet, but it is possible to let the French be trapped in Crete and no longer maintain the blockade. The most successful thing about the ub-12 submarine is besides the fact that it injured In addition to a capital ship, more importantly, the use of mines temporarily delayed the French fleet. The French did not have enough mobile forces to mobilize, and in order to protect the damaged warships in the port, they could not leave too far.
Castelli is not a military port in the first place, so it is naturally impossible to have forts and other defense facilities. If the French fleet goes out for action, what if the Count Spee fleet coming out of the Dardanelles bombards the port? ? You must know that this injured warship cannot move at all, and the observation problem can be solved completely by a seaplane. Shooting fixed targets with the help of a seaplane is not too simple! Do you want the French to just abandon this battleship? This decision is not easy to make! Therefore, they must keep a strong enough fleet here. And if the fleet is nailed behind Crete, then the Austro-Hungarian fleet can change its position and enter the Aegean Sea, and then join the Spey fleet. Maintaining a blockade and protecting damaged capital ships in port was, to some extent, an oxymoron.
What's more, even if this problem is solved, the Allied fleet still has a fleeting opportunity!
"Let's go to the conference room, where there is a Cretan sand table." The prince turned around and left without saying much, while Tirpitz and Admiral Routh followed.
"If your map and intelligence are correct, then we can be sure that the water channel in Castelli is not wide. Come and see here, the French have deployed obstacles and minefields on both sides of the water channel, directly blocking most of it. channel, and if the UB-12 submarine mines here, then it is almost certain that without minesweeping, a ship will hit a mine. If we are lucky, a damaged warship will sink here. If it does, it will directly block the channel for the French fleet to leave the port." The prince used the push rod to tap several locations on the channel.
"Then the French can only choose to clear the previous minefields or be blocked in the port. No matter what they do, the French will need time. During this time, Castelli's French fleet has been temporarily eliminated! Spey If the count takes action, he will definitely achieve a lot," the prince said.
"But do you think Count Spee will take action? This information is only based on the words of a certain captain, and for this ambiguous information, we have to put the fleet at risk! This is very reckless and even irresponsible "Yes." Tirpitz was a little dissatisfied with what the prince said. He always believed that it would be too imprudent to take action simply based on the words of a submarine captain.
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