usatvline Chapter 180 Battle of Tsushima
Chapter 180 Battle of Tsushima
Japanese warships repeatedly rammed the Russian fleet, quickly closing in to fire a couple of shots, causing chaos among the Russian ships. When the Russian battleships caught up, they would quickly retreat.
This cat-and-mouse game continued until noon, keeping the Russian fleet on edge and making it impossible for them to maintain their formation.
At 2 PM, aboard the Japanese flagship "Mikasa," Togo Heihachiro drew his command sword with a swift motion. "The fate of the Empire rests on this battle! All officers must fight with utmost determination!"
The Japanese fleet suddenly accelerated and quickly overtook the Russian fleet.
"The Japanese are speeding up! What are they going to do?" The Japanese military's actions sparked heated discussions among the officers on the warships of various countries who were watching the battle.
"A U-turn! The Japanese are about to turn ahead and seize the T-junction. They're about to make their move!" Sa Zhenbing slammed his hand on the railing.
“The Japanese have big ambitions! Commander, who do you think will win?” a young captain next to him asked.
"The Japanese navy had almost twice as many warships as the Russian navy. However, the Russian navy had the advantage in total tonnage. In particular, the Russian navy had almost twice as many battleships as the Japanese navy."
"However, the Russian warships were old and lacked maintenance, resulting in a significant decrease in speed. They had been at sea for ten months, and the morale of the officers and soldiers was low."
"On the other hand, the Japanese army is well-rested and has the psychological advantage of winning the land battle. This should be a closely fought battle. Overall, I think the Japanese army has a better chance of winning!" Sa Zhenbing said, observing without stopping through his binoculars.
As one of the few naval commanders after the First Sino-Japanese War, and having also studied in England, his qualifications, abilities, and judgment were undoubtedly excellent.
The movements of the Japanese fleet naturally did not escape the notice of the Russian military!
"Full speed ahead! All ships, fire freely! Don't let the Japanese seize the T-series ships!" Stevinsky swiftly issued the order.
"Boom boom boom!" The Russian flagship "Knyaz Suvorov" fired the first shot. The massive 300mm guns roared deafeningly as the shells hurtled straight toward the Japanese flagship "Mikasa".
Unfortunately, the two sides are now far apart, and the shells are scattered thousands of meters away from the Mikasa, creating several huge water columns tens of meters high.
"Ignore him, turn at full speed!" Togo Heihachiro didn't even blink.
The Japanese fleet remained silent, focusing solely on turning and seizing battle positions. Meanwhile, Russian shells rained down on the Japanese ships like hail, creating a continuous barrage of explosions.
As the two sides gradually closed the distance, a Japanese warship was finally hit.
The Russian battleship "Oslyavyavia" made history when a shell from one of its 305mm main guns struck the stern of a Japanese armored cruiser.
The violent explosion nearly flattened the stern of the 5,000-ton cruiser, killing and injuring many officers and soldiers in the vicinity, and blasting a large hole in the hull, allowing seawater to rush in. The entire warship immediately slowed down.
"Hurrah!" The Russian crew aboard the battleship "Oslyabia" cheered!
"Well done! Keep firing and kill the Japanese!" Stevinsky shouted excitedly.
As the two sides drew closer, Japanese warships were continuously hit. Soon, three Japanese ships withdrew from the battle; one burst into flames, and a 5,000-ton cruiser fared even worse, slowly beginning to capsize.
However, this loss was negligible for the Japanese army. Half an hour later, the Japanese army finally completed the turn, with nearly a hundred warships all pointing their hulls at the bows of the Russian ships, and thousands of cannons pointing at the Russian fleet.
Although the Russian fleet was also firing and turning left, its ships were too slow. They could only watch helplessly as the Japanese seized the front!
"The Russian army has lost the initiative; now it's just a matter of how much damage they can inflict on the Japanese army!" Sa Zhenbing shook his head.
"Fire!" Togo Heihachiro gave the chilling order.
With a series of booming sounds, the massive main guns of the Japanese flagship battleship Mikasa began to fire at the Russian flagship battleship Knyaz Suvorov.
Within three rounds of firing, the Mikasa had completed a strafing attack on the König Suvorov!
"Damn it! Why are the Japanese artillery so accurate!" Stevinsky's expression changed drastically. His warship being straddled by enemy fire meant he was close to being hit.
The superb skills of the Japanese naval artillery drew admiration from various countries, and the officers on the Chinese warships wore solemn expressions. Everyone knew this was their next adversary, and they couldn't help but be on high alert.
"Let's fight them!" Stevinsky said angrily. Since there was no way to escape, they might as well fight to the death!
In an instant, the sound of cannons roared across tens of square kilometers of sea. More than a hundred warships from both sides were desperately throwing fire at each other, trying to blast the other into the sea.
Warships were constantly being hit by cannon fire and bursting into flames. Thick plumes of black smoke shot straight into the sky, turning this area of the sea into a scene of hell.
The Japanese army, with its superior numbers and speed of warships, gained the upper hand and overwhelmed the Russian forces.
The Russian army, relying on its tough and resilient defenses, resisted the Japanese. The Russian navy possessed as many as eleven battleships exceeding 10,000 tons, especially the four Borodino-class battleships, which were incredibly powerful.
This battleship, with a full load displacement of over 15,000 tons, surpassed Japanese battleships in every aspect. It was equipped with eight 305mm guns, making it impossible for any warship to withstand a single salvo.
At 3 p.m., the Russian fleet flagship, the battleship "Knyaz Suvorov," was subjected to concentrated fire from the Japanese army. The rudder was damaged, and the warship lost control.
Fleet Commander Stevinsky was also seriously wounded, and the "King Suvorov," whose entire superstructure was destroyed, was forced to withdraw from the battle and began to drift on the sea.
The Russian fleet descended into chaos with no one in command.
At 3:30, the flagship of the Russian Second Squadron, the "Oslyavya," was hit by a concentrated attack from six Japanese warships and sunk.
Because the "Oslyavya" had repeatedly hit and sunk Japanese warships, the Japanese hated it intensely and indiscriminately shot and killed Russian officers and soldiers who jumped overboard to escape.
This action by the Japanese army provoked strong resistance from the Russian army. Without unified command, the Russian warships disregarded the danger and desperately approached the Japanese ships to fire their cannons.
"These Russians are insane!" Togo Heihachiro muttered, gazing at a Russian battleship engulfed in flames in the distance, still charging and firing its cannons.
The Japanese army paid a heavy price for their folly. By 4 p.m., the Russian army had sunk or damaged more than 20 Japanese warships at the cost of sinking five battleships.
By 7 p.m., the Russian battleship Alexander III had sunk. Ten minutes later, the Borodino's ammunition magazine was hit and exploded by the Japanese ship Fuji, triggering a boiler explosion that caused the Borodino to sink immediately.
The Russian army's defeat is inevitable!