The situation on the battlefield was grim, and the situation at home was even worse. The opposition parties, members of parliament, experts, and scholars were all condemning the government. At present, there was virtually no one who was not criticizing it. If this had been a time of peace, protest marches would probably already have surged toward the government, demanding an explanation. Tonight, however, there was no need to worry about that. Everyone was busy moving house and, for the moment, had no energy to vent their anger on the authorities. Tomorrow would likely be no better. Based on the current situation, as long as there were no violent storms, enemy aircraft would almost certainly return the next day. No matter how deep the public’s resentment toward the government ran, they would not march out to protest with bombs falling overhead. If they really did stir up a commotion, they would become living targets. In this era, there was no notion of sparing civilians. Bombs were now most often dropped precisely where crowds were densest. Of course, the bombing of London this time was a special case. Constrained by natural conditions, the Holy Roman Air Force had been forced to carry out indiscriminate, largely uncontrolled attacks. Having narrowly escaped disaster for the moment, no one felt the slightest relief. The longer the pressure was suppressed, the more violent the eventual eruption would be. After a long silence, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Asquith, broke it: “The public is watching the government. The enemy has already dropped bombs on our heads. If we do not take concrete action in response, we will not be able to explain ourselves this time.” Sensing the expectant gazes around him, Attilio grew increasingly awkward. He too wanted retaliation, but the problem was that reality did not allow it. Seeing that he could not evade the issue, Attilio said helplessly, “Do not look at me. The air force cannot bomb Vienna. We cannot manage it, not even by dropping a single bomb. The enemy’s air force takes off from coastal airfields on the European mainland, and the distance to London is short. Vienna, however, lies deep inland in Europe, nearly a thousand miles from Britain. That distance already exceeds the operational range of our air force. If we truly want to retaliate, we could symbolically send aircraft to conduct raids on enemy coastal cities. If that still proves insufficient, we could just about manage to bomb cities such as Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam.” This was a deeply discouraging topic. Failing to reach the enemy’s capital was one thing, but even mounting a surprise raid against the enemy’s coastal cities required extreme caution, and the main force could not be committed. After all, the adversary was the world’s foremost air power. Britain’s lack of a comprehensive air defense early warning system did not mean the enemy suffered from the same deficiency. If they were detected in advance, it would simply be another wave of aircraft sent to their deaths. It could only be said that the daytime battle had frightened Secretary of Air Attilio badly, leaving a psychological shadow. Caution once again gained the upper hand. Even if retaliation were to be carried out, it had to be directed against areas where enemy forces were weak. Without question, a brief excursion into the airspace of France, Belgium and the Netherlands was far safer than venturing into the Holy Roman homeland. Foreign Secretary Adam objected, “No. Although France, Belgium, and the Netherlands are now our enemies, they were forced into joining the Continental Alliance and are not of one mind with the Holy Roman government. At present, although the three countries have entered the war, in practice they are merely providing airfields and some strategic materials to the Holy Roman Air Force. They have not yet committed troops in any real sense. Bombing their capitals now would indeed place indirect pressure on the Holy Roman government, but it would also push all three countries completely into open hostility against us. If it were only these three, that might still be manageable, but the real danger is the chain reaction. It would provoke hostility from the other members of the Continental Alliance as well. Given the Holy Roman government’s habitual methods, they would certainly not miss such an opportunity. If they used it to integrate the European states more tightly, then this war would become impossible to fight.” On the surface, it appeared to be a struggle between two great camps. In reality, the actual fighting was still being carried out only by Britain and the Holy Roman Empire. The remaining allied states were either observing from the sidelines or waiting for an opportunity. If these countries were truly provoked and forced to commit themselves fully, Britain’s situation would deteriorate even further. At the very least, the defense of India would be the first to ignite. No, to be precise, the defense of India had already begun. It was just that the battlefield was still some distance away from India itself and posed no immediate threat for the time being. Secretary of War Marcus said, “Adam is right. The current situation is extremely unfavorable to us, and it is indeed unwise to provoke other countries. This war is no longer confined to Europe. Africa and Asia have also become main theaters of war. On the same day, the enemy launched full-scale offensives against Persia and the Indochina Peninsula, clearly aiming at India. Right now, reinforcements are being demanded everywhere along the front lines. Even after expanding the army to one million troops and increasing colonial forces to three million, it is still not enough. Judging from the current situation, if we want to hold on to our overseas colonies, we will need at least two million regular troops and five million colonial troops.” Hearing these staggering figures, everyone felt dizzy, as if they had suffered a blow to the soul. Two million regular troops and five million colonial troops was effectively rewriting the upper limits of military strength in human history. Even during the great continental wars, no single power had ever fielded an army of seven million men. This was a direct challenge to everyone’s common sense. “Do not look at me like that,” Marcus continued. “These figures are the result of data collected by the War Office and determined after careful study and analysis. Let me break it down for you. Even under the most optimistic assumptions, maintaining security and stability in the homeland, especially stability in Ireland, requires at least five hundred thousand regular troops. For key strategic military locations such as the Cape of Good Hope, the War Office plans to station one hundred thousand regular troops and two hundred thousand colonial troops, to be deployed in phases depending on actual conditions. In East Africa, the strategic importance is slightly lower, but the territory is vast. The War Office plans to station two hundred thousand regular troops and six hundred thousand colonial troops there, with the option of abandonment if necessary. As for the Indochina Peninsula…” You do not realize it until you start calculating. Seven million troops sounds like an enormous number, yet the battlefield truly demands that many soldiers. If a counteroffensive were to be launched, even this figure would be far from sufficient. There was no alternative. When combat effectiveness could not keep up, numbers had to make up the difference. If reserves and replacement formations were included, Britain’s total armed forces would likely exceed ten million personnel. The mere thought of maintaining such a vast military force was enough to make one’s scalp tingle. Even for a power as wealthy and deep rooted as Britain, the strain was becoming palpable. After a brief silence, Home Secretary Azevedo was the first to speak: “This war belongs to the entire Oceanic Alliance. It cannot be shouldered by us alone. I propose that we mobilize the strength of our allies so that the burden can be shared.” In truth, the British government had long been trying to activate allied support. Unfortunately, everyone involved was the type who would not act without seeing tangible benefits. Shouting slogans together was one thing, but asking others to risk their lives without sufficient returns was unrealistic. There was a reason for this. Over the past several centuries, the British government had issued too many unfulfilled promises, and now everyone was on guard. Unless concrete interests were secured in advance, no country was willing to take the bait. More importantly, Britain was no longer strong enough to inspire confidence. This was especially evident after the air raid earlier that day. A leader unable to guarantee the security of its own homeland would find it even harder to persuade others to fight on its behalf. Even knowing that choosing sides now left no room for retreat, private interests could not simply be erased. … Singapore. Almost at the same moment the declaration of war arrived, the Holy Roman Navy appeared offshore, only to be met by defenders already prepared for battle. As a strategic choke point controlling the Strait of Malacca, Singapore had been cultivated by the British for decades and was never going to be abandoned lightly. Rows of coastal artillery with enormous calibers formed the defenders’ greatest source of confidence. The moment the Holy Roman fleet appeared on the horizon, it was greeted by a sky-filling barrage of shells. Startled, Admiral Alister immediately issued orders: “Command the fleet to halt its advance. Order the bombing squadrons to take off at once. Their target is the enemy’s coastal artillery.” Trading blows between warships and coastal artillery was an undeniably losing proposition. In earlier times, there would have been no debate—strategic objectives came first, and any losses were merely a matter of hairline concern. Now things were different. The advent of aircraft carriers had changed the nature of naval warfare. With a mobile bombing fortress in play, there was no need to continue the direct clash. When coastal artillery faced bombers, the outcome was obvious. Bomb after bomb rained down from the sky, instantly disrupting the balance on the island. The once-impenetrable defenses now seemed like paper, tearing apart at the enemy’s bombardment. Colonel Burkes, stationed at Singapore Port, had lost all his usual composure. Nearly shouting in rage, he bellowed: “Organize the air defense immediately! All anti-aircraft guns and machine guns, get moving! Any coastal guns not yet detected by the enemy, camouflage them at once, and make it fast… Communications officer! Communications officer! Where have you gone?” A young man sprinted forward, but before reaching him, Burkes barked, “Stop running about! Send a message to the Far East Fleet at once. Tell Admiral Michel that we are under siege, the situation is critical, and reinforcements are urgently needed!” Panic was unavoidable. Singapore Port had been peaceful for decades. The island was mostly populated by immigrants, and even encounters with the natives rarely escalated into conflict. Since the garrison’s establishment, there had been no real combat. It was precisely because Singapore Port was so secure and relatively prosperous that Colonel Burkes had been sent there to “gain experience” for his family’s prestige. But plans could not keep pace with events. The once-peaceful Singapore Port, so tranquil for decades, now faced a major battle the moment Burkes took command. Originally, Burkes could have left, but confident in his knowledge of military texts, he insisted on remaining to defend Singapore for the Queen. To that end, he had even devised a “comprehensive” defensive plan. Those rows of coastal guns had been completed under Colonel Burkes’s direct supervision. Unfortunately, he had accounted for threats from the sea while neglecting those from the sky. When he witnessed a massive gun being rendered useless by enemy bombing with his own eyes, Colonel Burkes panicked. Still, as a military academy graduate, he possessed a basic foundation in warfare. After only a brief moment of hesitation, he reacted at once. In the distance, Admiral Alister, observing through binoculars, now showed a look of approval in his eyes, murmuring something under his breath that only he himself could hear. As time passed, the enemy’s coastal guns gradually fell silent. Some had been damaged by bombardment, others had gone quiet to conceal their positions. In any case, calm now returned to the surface of the sea. An aide reminded him, “Commander, the enemy’s firepower has been suppressed. We can launch the landing operation.” The conditions for a landing were indeed in place, but Admiral Alister waved his hand and said, “No hurry. We have plenty of time. The enemy’s request for reinforcements has only just been sent. The Far East Fleet has probably not even set sail yet. If we take Singapore too quickly, what if they decide not to come?” When tactics are distilled to their essence, ancient and modern warfare are much the same. Although the Holy Roman Empire did not have a formal term equivalent to “encircle a point to draw in reinforcements,” the tactic itself certainly existed. Pressing the attack on Singapore so urgently was precisely to lure the Far East Fleet into a decisive battle. One look at the map made it clear that fighting in the Strait of Malacca region was highly advantageous for the Holy Roman Navy. A neighboring area was already one of their colonies, and coordination with the air force had long been completed. An entire air force division had finished assembling and was now simply waiting for the Far East Fleet to arrive and be beaten. Under such circumstances, Singapore could not be taken all at once. Without giving the British a glimmer of hope, the Far East Fleet would never come for a decisive engagement. Admiral Alister had planned everything long ago. Once the British Far East Fleet was dealt with, he intended to advance into the Indian Ocean and strike Britain where it hurt most. Regardless of whether the final plan succeeded, as long as the British Far East Fleet was destroyed and the war was carried into the Indian Ocean, the strategy would have succeeded. … Those who scheme against others are themselves always being schemed against. While the Holy Roman Navy was plotting against the Far East Fleet, the British were hardly idle. At this moment, the Far East Fleet was no longer at Cam Ranh Bay, and was already less than two hundred nautical miles from the Strait of Malacca. After receiving the garrison’s request for assistance, Admiral Michel showed no sign of panic. Instead, a faint, mocking smile appeared on his face. He then asked the officer beside him, “How far is the Japanese navy from us, and how long before they can rendezvous with us?” The Holy Roman Navy’s attempt to besiege Singapore in order to lure the Far East Fleet into a decisive battle in the Strait of Malacca was an obvious stratagem, and naturally it did not escape Admiral Michel’s notice. As long as Britain intended to hold the Malacca Strait sea route, this battle was unavoidable. Both sides had anticipated this long before the war broke out. In Michel’s view, as long as one’s own strength was sufficient, even an unfavorable choice of battlefield could be offset by sheer power. In order to ensure the security of the Strait of Malacca, and given that it was impossible to draw out the main force of the Holy Roman Navy, Michel decided to turn the enemy’s plan against them. To guarantee victory, Michel did not hesitate to promise the Japanese substantial benefits, preparing to combine the naval forces of both countries in a single effort to seize control of the seas in Southeast Asia. “About fifty nautical miles away,” the officer replied. “At the current speed of both sides, they should be able to catch up and rendezvous with us by noon tomorrow.” Glancing at the telegram in his hand, Admiral Michel said calmly, “The pressure on the garrison is heavy. We cannot afford to waste too much time on the way. The decisive battle may come earlier than expected. Urge the Japanese to increase their speed and try to rendezvous with us as soon as possible.”
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