Chapter Fifty-Four: A Different Ponytail Sea Battle
The entanglement of the soldiers of the Loyal Yong Army was still minor, but the entanglement of the Gallic Roosters became more serious because they discovered that Keelung's landing dock was blocked by a huge base.
Anyone with a little military knowledge knows that the narrow passage ahead is a minefield. Without a safe route map, forcing entry is no different than seeking death.
Moreover, in the wide sea area behind the narrow waterway, there are also faint shadows of torpedo ships and other warships, which is not the most cruel thing.
The most powerful thing is that the firing range of the first round of coastal defense cannon shells just launched by the enemy reached an exaggerated 20,000 meters.
The Gallic Roosters all know that the other party's new artillery technology is not only available in France, but also in Britain, the world's largest naval power.
The opponent's first round of bombardment was obviously a warning. If one's own fleet was still ignorant, it was very likely that all of its own fleet would be left here.
After urgent high-level consultations on the French flagship, everyone unanimously decided to turn the ship around and threaten Taiwan's Tamsui Port in order to open a landing gap from there and implement a landing against Taiwan.
However, the Gallic Roosters also encountered the same problem in Tamsui Port. In other parts of Taiwan, they went through some trials. The Gallic Roosters sadly discovered that today's Taiwan is like a hedgehog, leaving them nowhere to go.
Lower your mouth.
The helpless French fleet had to return without success and returned to Da Nang, Vietnam for rest and recuperation. At the same time, it sent a telegram to France, truthfully reporting the specific situation in Taiwan, saying that Taiwan is now very likely to be under the control of the Zhongyong Army.
Yes, the weapons and equipment are extremely advanced.
In the telegram, Rashilde also proposed that the French army should avoid the sharp edge of the Zhongyong Army and find a second target, directly attack the Qing mainland, carry out the invasion from Fuzhou, Fujian, and force the Qing Dynasty to submit by force.
The new French cabinet called back and approved Rashilde's plan.
Today's Taiwan has been managed by Zhou Yu in every possible way. Ever since Liu Mingchuan fell into the arms of the Zhongyong Army, Taiwan has gradually been transformed into a state as solid as a meteorite. The outside world knows nothing about it.
The French army, which was blocked in North Vietnam, Taiwan and other places during the Qing Dynasty, did not attack the Chinese Zhongyong Army in the same way as before. They were afraid that if they were defeated by the Zhongyong Army again, France's world status would be severely hit.
It is very likely that it will be invaded by its evil neighbor Germany.
In that case, the mainland would be doomed to national subjugation, not to mention that the loyal and brave army in North Vietnam was different from the Qing army, and the French army would no longer be able to send troops to fight against it.
Do you always have to pick the soft persimmon? Compared to the Loyal and Yong Army, the Qing Dynasty is the soft persimmon of France. Following Rashilde's suggestion, they decided to change their strategy in the Far East and open a gap in the Qing Dynasty.
While trying to avoid the Zhongyong Army, they were forced to turn their guns and prepare to attack Fujian under the Qing Empire.
At the same time, the French Parliament passed an increase in military expenditures for the invasion of China, preparing for a large-scale invasion of China, and selected the target of attack in Mawei, Fuzhou.
Mawei is located in the southeast of Fuzhou and is a natural harbor on the lower reaches of the Min River. The Fujian Navy and shipyards are all located in the harbor.
The French army failed in its first battle to invade Taiwan, so it proposed peace terms to the Qing government, which the Qing government immediately rejected.
On November 10, 1983, French acting minister Ché Manlu issued an ultimatum to the Qing Dynasty, requiring the Qing Dynasty to immediately disband the Loyal and Yong Army and pay 250 million francs in compensation for military expenditures, otherwise it would resort to force, and the Qing Dynasty was given seven days to respond.
Four days later, two French warships took advantage of the peace talks between China and France and sailed into the mouth of the Minjiang River in Fujian in the name of "tourism".
They are making preparations for the invasion of Mawei.
Commander Rashilde, commander of the French Second Expeditionary Force, also arrived at the mouth of the Min River on a warship. The new French minister to China clamored in Shanghai that if China did not accept France's conditions, Rashilde would implement an ultimatum and destroy the Fujian Navy.
, destroy Mawei Shipyard and occupy Fuzhou.
The Qing government decided to compromise with France and sent Zeng Guoquan to Shanghai to negotiate with Badno, asking for exemption of compensation and extension of the ultimatum period. Badno insisted on extorting huge compensation and the negotiations between the two countries broke down.
Seeing that there was no hope for peace talks, the Qing government ordered the provinces along the coast and rivers to strengthen their defenses. However, for Mawei, it only instructed French ships to try to prevent them from exporting, and those who had not imported them were not allowed to re-enter. It did not lift the ban on taking the initiative to attack.
At the same time, the French government ordered the French fleet to be ready to attack Mawei at any time according to the current situation...
Therefore, from the middle of the next month, French warships successively broke into the Minjiang Estuary and docked at Mawei.
At this time, the imperial envoy in charge of Fujian's military affairs, Zhang Peilun, Minister of Maritime Affairs of Fujian, He Jing, Governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, He Ruzhang, Minister of Shipping, Zhang Zhaodong, Governor of Fujian, and Mu Tushan, General of Fuzhou, etc., according to the Qing government's "No Provocation, Self-initiation"
''s instructions.
Not only did they not stop the intrusion of the French ships, but they gave them warm hospitality. At the same time, they ordered the ships not to be allowed to fire their guns first, and any offenders would be killed even if they won.
As a result, such a strange and ridiculous phenomenon occurred in Mawei Port. French ships came and went freely in Mawei Port, while Chinese warships were under the surveillance of French ships and were not allowed to move.
On the 20th, the French charge d'affaires in China, Ché Manlu, disembarked and left Beijing. The Qing government did not smell any danger from this.
At 8 a.m. on the 23rd, the French deputy consul in Fuzhou issued an ultimatum to He Jing, requiring the Fujian Navy to withdraw from Mawei that afternoon, otherwise war would begin.
After He Ruzhang learned about it, he blocked the news from the Fujian navy officers and tried to ask the French to postpone the war until the 24th. After being refused, he hurriedly ordered preparations for war.
When the Qing generals believed that "the peace talks were making great progress" and made no preparations, Rashilde commanded the French ships to launch a sudden attack at the ebb of the tide.
However, he also ordered that only warships should be destroyed and no sailors should be hunted. The French navy officers did not understand this, but they still had to obey the order.
Two Fujian naval warships were sunk by enemy artillery before they could even lift anchor, and many were severely damaged. The patriotic soldiers were filled with indignation and fought back.
The pilot of the flagship "Yangwu", despite his fear of death, Zhang Cheng, ignored He Ruzhang's prohibition and carried sufficient ammunition in advance.
However, when the French ship opened fire, the pilot, Zhang Cheng, acted cowardly. Daifuku on the warship took command at zero time and accurately attacked the French flagship Taikang with its tail gun, killing 6 French soldiers. The French torpedo boat sank'
Yangwu', Chinese coastal defense artillery then hit the torpedo boat, causing its boiler to explode and losing its combat capability.
As for the pilot, he took Zhang Cheng and fled in the boat.
The gunboat Fuxing of the Fujian Navy was seriously injured at the beginning of the war, but they immediately broke anchor and turned around, rushed into the enemy's formation, aimed at the enemy flagship and fired fiercely, hitting consecutive hits. Later, they were besieged by enemy ships from three sides, the oar was destroyed, and the battleship was lost.
combat effectiveness.
After the French ship opened fire, the "Yangwei" also bravely fought back immediately. When it was penetrated through the hull under the attack of two French ships, the officers and soldiers on the ship continued to fire fire tenaciously to dampen the enemy ship and seriously injure the enemy ship, regardless of life and death.
The commander and two soldiers.
However, his own warship was not far from sinking and was floating on the sea, unable to fight anymore.
Feiyun and Fusheng were also fearless in the face of danger and fought hard until the battleships were seriously injured and were about to sink and could no longer fight.
The battle on the river lasted for about dozens of minutes. All 11 ships of the Fujian Navy were destroyed or sunk by the French ships, and more than 200 naval officers were injured or killed. The French army only suffered casualties of more than 30 people, two torpedo boats were seriously injured, and the rest were slightly injured.
Just when the French army was preparing to go on a killing spree, a large number of warships arrived at the mouth of the Min River. After discovering this, Rashilde ordered the entire army to retreat regardless of continuing to attack Fujian's security facilities.
These warships are the naval fleet of the Zhongyong Army.
Because Zhou Yu had spies in the French army, he did not order the naval fleet to join the Mawei naval battle in advance. He wanted everyone to see clearly the ugly face of the Manchu dynasty.
Without going through this doomed-to-failure Battle of Mawei, those foolish and loyal people still would not have clearly realized that the Manchu and Qing government was already too weak to support Adou.
Only in this way can we try our best to avoid the Chinese civil war, preserve the vitality of the Chinese nation, and provide a strong guarantee for the future development of China.
Although this may cause certain casualties, there is nothing we can do about it. How can we achieve great things without sacrificing our ego?
Zhou Yu made such a judgment with great determination.
After the Zhongyong Army fired several cannons at the French fleet, they did not pursue the fleeing French fleet. Instead, they carried out an operation to salvage the compatriots' navy. After an intense and orderly salvage, the Fujian Navy officers and soldiers were salvaged by the Zhongyong Army.
Many people, some suffered varying degrees of trauma.
Zhou Yu immediately ordered the medical staff on board the ship to provide necessary treatment to the injured.
Immediately after the Zhongyong Army naval fleet sank two French torpedo ships on the sea and seriously damaged the French navy, Zhou Yu ordered the entire fleet to turn around and return to the Keelung base.
When they arrived at the Zhongyong Army Base in Keelung, Taiwan, all the rescued officers and soldiers of the Fujian Navy suddenly discovered that this was not Fujian in the mainland.
As a result, they all asked the Zhongyong Army to send them back to Fujian. Zhou Yu said nothing and just silently took them to the residential area of the Zhongyong Army Base.
The officers and soldiers of the Fujian Navy found that their families were waiting for them here.
It turned out that Zhou Yu had already prepared. On that day, their family members, including the family members of those who died, were all disguised by Huang Feihong's intelligence personnel. On the grounds that the Fujian Navy had won the battle and the imperial court required their family members to go to Beijing to participate in the celebrations, God did not know.
Unknowingly, he brought them all to Taiwan.
Zhou Yu stood in front of the officers and soldiers of the Fujian Navy and said sadly: You are all the elites of China. In this Battle of Mawei, you also saw what the Qing Dynasty looked like. Because of their incompetence, China's sovereignty was lost.
, are you still not awake by now? The Qing Dynasty is hopeless!
Although the Qing Dynasty is hopeless, the Chinese nation cannot simply decline. Its rise depends on all of you here! It also depends on the awakening of each of us Chinese people.
We relied on our own blood to build the flesh-and-blood Great Wall of our new China. Our Chinese nation has reached a time of extreme danger!