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Before midsummer, the Soya Strait is already white, and the cold currents from the North Pacific Ocean bring both waves and abundant fishery resources. It is this unique geographical advantage that has made Japan the fourth largest fishing country in the world, and thus feeds millions of ordinary Japanese people. In addition to fishing, the Soya Strait is also the most important energy and resource corridor in northern Japan, with millions of tons of crude oil and other raw materials being transported back from here every year. Among them, the Sakhalin oil field, which has been gradually increasing since 1933, can bring 500,000 tons of crude oil to Japan every year, and because of the Sino-Japanese lease and oil agreement on South Sakhalin signed through US mediation, the Japanese government only needs to pay the price. It is precisely because of the increase in production from Sakhalin's oil fields that Japan will be able to hoard 7 million tons of oil reserves before moving south. The Congress accused the government of not increasing the exploitation of Sakhalin's oil fields, forgetting that it was the increase in production of Sakhalin's oil fields that made Vladivostok, Miaojie, and Trans-Khinganling no longer dependent on northwest and overseas oil, and greatly promoted the industrial and economic development of these remote provinces.

In addition to oil, after two decades of development and the cost of tens of thousands of North Korean laborers, the coastal region of the Sea of Okhotsk has become Japan's most important source of raw materials. Gold and coking coal alone are worth more than 10 million yen, and aluminum and iron have even gradually surpassed North Korea, becoming a booster for Japan's southward expansion strategy. By 1938, Japan's annual industrial resources from the north accounted for 40% of Japan's annual imports. However, this proportion has been declining rapidly recently, especially after the seizure of the Mariana Islands and the Philippines, and the reduction of sea routes has accelerated the speed of Japan's acquisition of resources from the South Sea. Last year alone, the total amount of resources imported into Japan and Turkey from the South Sea was as high as 400 million yen, while the proportion of resources from the North fell by 15 percent, not counting the floating wealth and millions of tons of grain obtained every year. Considering that the Japanese occupation of Nanyang was only two years. According to the forecast of the Naval Intelligence Department, if Japan can continue to stabilize the South Seas for two to three years, the proportion of resources in the north will drop to 10 percent, and the industrial capacity will increase by 30 percent. Therefore, since the beginning of the year, the navy has been clamoring for a declaration of war against Japan so as not to raise tigers.

In order to ensure the security of northern resources, the Japanese Navy has been deploying a fleet of coastal defense ships, 16 old destroyers of the Fengfeng class and Muzuki class, and 10 submarines in the northern waters for many years. The strength is higher than that of the 15 detachment in Vladivostok. However, the overall mass of the destroyers of the 15th fleet is higher than that of the Japanese fleet, whether it is the six old Changfeng-class destroyers. It is also the six cutting-edge Qinling-class destroyers built by the Vladivostok shipyard, which are much better than the Fengfeng-class and Muyuyue-class built after the European war. In addition, the 15 fleet has twelve submarines, six of which are the newest Black Shark-class ocean-going submarines and two hundred aircraft such as the Navy Mighty Wind. Moreover, the Republic of China Navy has two larger shipyards in the north, namely the Vladivostok Shipyard and the Heilongjiang Shipyard built in the Third Five-Year Plan, the former has the ability to manufacture 10,000-ton cruisers. The latter is capable of building destroyers and submarines, which greatly enhances the Navy's logistical capabilities in the northern seas.

Ruan Shao looked at his watch, put down the information, and walked onto the bridge of the Nanchang sailing ship. As the first treaty re-patrol in the true sense of the word, the navy is actually dissatisfied. Not to mention that the tonnage of 10,350 tons of Wuhan-class standard is very different from 13,000 tons of Taiwan-level island-class, and the design alone is very immature. The reason for this situation is that the shipbuilding technology of the Republic of China Navy at that time was inferior to that of Europe and the United States, and the Taiwan island class could still make up for it with excess displacement. However, after the Wuhan level could not be exceeded, many designs had to be reversed. Even if there are drawings that are high, it is difficult to imitate them in the same scale, and the things that are made are often too heavy and too large. This is also the reason why the navy has not built heavy patrols for eight consecutive years after the Wuhan class. However, with the complete absorption of the achievements of the Rhineland Plan, the influx of a large number of European and American technicians five years after the economic crisis of 1929, coupled with the successive service and construction of the Beijing and Shandong classes, the shipbuilding technology of the Republic of China finally approached the world level. That's why there is a reborn Xi'an-class heavy cruiser. Not only were orders placed for six ships before the war, but six more were added after the war began. It shows the maturity of technology.

"Is there any news from the reconnaissance plane?" After arriving at the bridge, Ruan Shao took the binoculars from the staff officer and walked to the porthole to observe the surroundings. Although he is from Guangxi, he is tall and tall, and his burly figure of nearly 1.9 meters is like a pagoda, standing in front of the window in direct sunlight, which directly dims the light in the bridge.

"Ten minutes ago, there were two Fengfeng-class ships sailing from east to west in the Soya Strait, and three Japanese merchant ships came out of the port of South Sakhalin, accompanied by a coastal defense ship. The type of the coastal defense ship is still being recognized, and it is either the Azuma or the Iwate anyway. As soon as Liao Hai, the chief of staff behind him, finished introducing it, the voice of Shen Shicai, the captain of the Nanchang, rang out: "These Japanese people, why do you raise so many old ships?" He is also a son of a naval family, and his grandfather Shen Weiyong was a gun instructor on the Zhiyuan ship, and he personally operated the gun in the First Sino-Japanese Naval Battle to hit the Japanese ship many times.

In order to cope with more wars, the navy used all eight old warships, namely the Sagami, Tango, Tokiwa, Azuma, Izumo, Kasuga, Shikishima, and Asahi, and at the same time used more than 10 old protective cruisers, which were designated as coastal defense or training ships. This kind of move seems strange to the countries, considering that many of these warships can date back to the Sino-Japanese War, and the maintenance is so high that it can even purchase three or four heavy cruisers. "The Japanese Navy has always cherished ships, not to mention that the territory it has laid now is beyond its jurisdiction, and it is too late to build new ships, so it can only be stamped in quantity." After Liao Hai finished speaking, he handed the brewed strong tea to Ruan Shao, and continued: "I received a telegram from the base just now, the Japanese navy has learned that we are leaving the port, and the fleet stationed in Hakodate is chasing us at full speed. There were four heavy cruisers about 250 kilometers behind us, and two more into the Pacific Ocean, which should have been in Shikotan Island, about 450 kilometers away from us, based on time and speed. In addition, two coastal defense ships, Tango and Asahi, and two destroyers in the direction of Magadan have also anchored and are approaching the Northeast Strait. ”

"How come Magadan has so many coastal defense ships?" Shen Shicai sniffed. Japan's eight coastal defense ships were all old-fashioned pre-dreadnought battleships or armored cruisers, with strong firepower and thick armor, but slow speed, more similar to shallow water heavy gunboats. Although it is difficult to capture 15 fleets, but if you get entangled. The threat of the 305-mm naval guns above is still very great. So he couldn't figure out why Japan had so many coastal defense ships in the north. "You just came here, and you don't know the situation in the northeast." Liao Hai gave a briefing on the situation. It turned out that since the discovery of a large number of non-ferrous metals in Magadan Kolyma, Japan was immediately regarded as a treasure, so during the navigation season from May to October, four to five anti-Japanese ships were stationed in Magadan and South Sakhalin Island, not only to patrol the sea area, but also to serve as a temporary battery in times of crisis.

"So, in six hours we'll be surrounded in the Strait?" Ruan Shao, who had not spoken, put down his binoculars and walked to the chart table to carefully check the position and possible trajectory of the Japanese fleet marked by the staff officer. "It's not that simple. Judging from this scale, the Japanese probably want to do it! Liao Hai said solemnly: "After all, to deal with us, we don't need six heavy patrols. Deploying such a strong force in the north at once can only say that they are ready to attack us. We just happened to come out early and broke their deployment. Ruan Shao nodded. The Japanese Navy treated heavy cruisers differently than at home. The Republic of China Navy only regarded heavy patrols as cruisers, mainly to protect aircraft carriers and battleships, or to serve as the flagship of the patrol formation. The Japanese Navy, on the other hand, always felt that its capital ships were inferior to those of Europe and the United States, so they built heavy cruisers on a large scale and used them as second-class capital ships for decisive battles. Therefore, when there is only one heavy patrol and two light patrols in the north of the Republic of China, it is very unusual to dispatch six ships in one go.

Since it is a second-class capital ship. It would not be possible to come out alone, so at least one or two light cruisers and six or seven destroyers should be protected, plus the fleet originally deployed in the north, the 15th fleet has gathered nearly thirty warships around it. "The order though is for us to block the straits. But I should hope that we will make something happen, otherwise we won't be able to write and sink immediately. However, now that the enemy is outnumbered, if the strait continues to be blocked, I am afraid that it will be blocked. So I recommend. Since it was clear that they wanted us to make trouble, they simply sank the Japanese destroyers and freighters in the strait. Then move north, from the North-Eastern Strait into the Tatar Strait. Ruan Shao nodded, took out a cigarette from his pocket and pinched it on his fingertips, but it didn't light it for a long time. He came out this time with a total of one heavy cruiser, two light cruisers, 12 destroyers, and 10 submarines, of which four destroyers and four submarines had already gone to the Tatar Strait to protect the shipping lanes, and only the Nanchang heavy cruiser, the Tumenjiang light cruiser, the Liaohe light cruiser, six Qinling-class destroyers, and two Changfeng-class destroyers were still behind because of their slow speed. It is impossible to defeat the Japanese navy with such a fleet, and it is impossible to even blockade the strait for a long time, even if it is supported by air during the day, it cannot be stopped at night. In fact, he knew in his heart that the 15th fleet was here to be a decoy and cover for the main force. Therefore, if it is enough to hastily sink a few Japanese dilapidated destroyers and merchant ships, it will not work, and it will be necessary to give the Japanese navy a few powerful blows. However, the Soya Strait and the South Sakhalin Island area have open seas and are within the combat radius of Japanese planes, so they cannot even fight guerrilla attacks. "You have to find a good place." Ruan Shao thought secretly, his gaze wandering to the broken island chain to the east.

"Why don't you get entangled in the strait, and go directly east to block the coming from the Pacific Ocean." Shen Shicai was just about to say that he was going to block the two heavy patrols in the direction of Sedan, when the shout of the electronic communication officer sounded behind him: "Sir, the radar report is about 27 kilometers ahead of the left front, and there are two targets approaching quickly!" ”

"Pull the alarm and get ready for battle." When Shen Shicai heard this, he immediately jumped up and rushed to the porthole. Even Ruan Shao and Liao Hai picked up the binoculars. After the terrible siren sounded, the nine battleships immediately became busy like grinning cheetahs, and even the three triple 210 mm/L50 naval guns of the Nanchang slowly turned to the direction of the radar report. In less than twenty minutes, two Rifengfeng-class destroyers came out from below sea level. Ruan Shao was completely uninterested in this kind of old destroyer built after the European war, and waved his hand directly: "When you get closer, sink it immediately!" ”

"Commander, we haven't declared war yet, we should be warned first." Liao Hai wanted to remind Ruan Shao that the two countries had not yet declared war, and even if they came to make trouble, they should be warned first and then find an excuse to destroy it. But Ruan Shao didn't bother to spend this kind of thought, and he didn't raise his eyelids and still said coldly: "Sink them." ”

Liao Hai was still a little resentful of Ruan Shao at first, but when he thought of the meaning of the order, he was relieved. How can a soldier have so much nonsense, as long as he can achieve his goal. Who will do it first, what excuses, etc., are all matters above, and as for the eyewitnesses and witnesses, all of them died in battle. Soon after the order was issued, the two Fengfeng-class destroyers approached 10,000 meters, and when the Japanese sailors waved the flag and asked why the 15th Fleet had come to the Zonggu Strait, the Tumenjiang and Liaohe opened fire at the same time. "Boom, boom." Two standard 7,200 tons, each with four twin 155 mm naval guns of the light cruiser against two standard displacement of only 1,345 tons, more than 20 years old destroyers are slaughter, without waiting for the reaction of the Japanese ships on the opposite side, sixteen L50/155 mm naval guns spewed out a huge fireball, at the same time the eight destroyers following the side also opened fire in unison, forty-eight 120 mm high-level dual-purpose naval guns joined, in an instant around the Japanese ship shot out countless white water columns. In the face of such a powerful attack, the two Fengfeng-class destroyers had no power to fight back, and after firing a few shots, the entire superstructure was flattened.

A surprise attack that the world did not expect, and it kicked off in Ruan Shao's brutal and unreasonable attack.

"The Tumenjiang with two destroyers stayed behind to clean up. Contact the submarines with longwave radios and let them continue to blockade the straits. Inform the fighter brigade that in two hours there will be fighter protection over me. The rest of the ships turned 20 degrees to the left and went to the bay. Ruan Shao straightened his waist and his gaze swept over the two Fengfeng-class destroyers that were on fire: "We don't have much time. ”