There is a first time in everything. As the first air battle in the true sense of human history, the British paid an expensive tuition fee based on their strength.
Refueling tactics are only suitable for specific occasions. Playing like this in air combat is obviously giving away.
It is a pity that Britain has never had any experience in air combat. After the attack, the first reaction of the British government was to dispatch the air force to intercept it, and it did not consider the issue of assembly at all.
Because of the different distances and different reaction speeds, the British fighter jets that took off from various airports finally arrived at the front line in batches.
The air battle is still going on. After paying a heavy price, the British Air Force on the field finally assembled three-digit fighters. Although still at a disadvantage, the battle is no longer one-sided.
The Shinra Air Force participating in the war has already changed a wave. Due to the limited flight time, the previous batch of fighter jets have returned for a rest after completing the mission.
Unlike the first wave, which was dominated by bombers, almost all of the Shinra fighters in the sky are fighter jets.
If it is put in the future, everyone will understand at a glance that today's bombing is over, and now it is aimed at the main force of the British Air Force.
Anyway, it is impossible to fight head-on, and the most important thing now is to save the living force. Even if you really want to work hard, you have to change to a battlefield that is more beneficial to yourself.
Down below is London, where every plane crash is a giant bomb, more lethal than any bomb in the world today.
To put it bluntly, the loss caused by the bombing to London was less than one-tenth of the damage caused by aircraft falling in air combat.
Obviously, the British government trapped in it can't think of that much. At this moment, they only have one idea, that is, to assemble more fighters, keep the enemy behind, and wash away today's shame.
As for the "loss" caused by this, the big people who are full of anger can't care so much.
Anxiety in battle. The air battle didn't stop for a moment, and everyone had to stay in the dugout all the time.
The order in London is getting out of control. Although the cabinet government has repeatedly ordered to appease the hearts of the people, it is still too embarrassing for the bureaucrats to work under the fire of the enemy.
When such a big thing happens, someone always needs to be responsible for it. The battle in the sky is not over yet, and the upper echelons of the British government have begun to think about the aftermath.
"Your Excellency Prime Minister, something is bad!"
The secretary's voice interrupted everyone's thoughts. Prime Minister Campbell, who frowned, hurriedly asked: "Our Air Force has been defeated?"
The flames of war have reached London, and things have long been bad. If there is worse news, it must be that the Air Force has lost the battle in the air.
The enemy is the world's No. 1 air force power. As a qualified politician, naturally, he must prepare for the worst in advance.
The defeat of the Air Force is the worst outcome that everyone can expect right now, and there is no such thing as one.
"no!"
After answering habitually, the secretary quickly explained: "The battle in the sky is still going on, although the losses are a little big, but our fighters are coming in a steady stream, and it's only a matter of time before we expel the enemy.
The news just came from the port of Liverpool that there was also an enemy air attack there, and the defenders requested to send fighter planes to support. "
Hearing that "the air battle is still going on", Prime Minister Campbell's nervousness eased a little, and then he became nervous again.
In the context of the dominance of the Royal Navy, the British Air Force is only a little better than the Army. The British government, which has not experienced air combat, did not expect this scene to happen today.
If it weren't for the fact that the Holy Roman Empire had invested heavily in the Air Force, "in line with the idea that what the enemy has, I also want to have it", there would be no such thing as the Air Force.
It started late, but the domestic manufacturing industry has fallen behind in the second industrial revolution, and the air force that follows the trend is naturally not comparable to the Shinra Air Force.
Had it not been for the advantage of home-based combat, air combat would have long since failed. The current situation is not much better, the fighters participating in the war did not escape, that is because they could not escape at all.
The overall performance of the aircraft could not keep up. After close contact, the enemy could not be thrown away at all, and he could only bite the bullet.
It just so happened that the military department issued another death order, and the people below did not understand the situation in the sky at all, they just thought that the air force was fighting heroically.
These issues do not affect Campbell's decision now. London and Liverpool were attacked at the same time, and the British Air Force was unable to take care of both battlefields at the same time.
After a little thought, Prime Minister Campbell said in an artistic tone: "Tell the Liverpool defenders to organize their own air defense first, and the reinforcements will arrive in the shortest time."
What time is the "shortest time" is another unsolved mystery in human history, and no one has ever figured it out.
But it just applies to the current situation in Britain. If you don't give enough confidence to the people below, chances are those guys who are in a panic will even forget to organize resistance.
Although it is difficult to resist under the limited anti-aircraft firepower, it is better than nothing. Even if only one enemy fighter jet was shot down, that was a record.
After sending the secretary to leave, Prime Minister Campbell came over. The Prime Minister personally commanded the military battle and seemed to have gone astray.
Not every British Prime Minister was Mr. Churchill, keen to participate in military command, at least Campbell had no interest in commanding the military.
Unlike any previous war, the current war requires the joint operation of the three armed forces of the land, sea and air.
The first time anything is encountered, it is synonymous with trouble. This time is no exception. In addition to the need to consider military command, political balance must also be considered.
It can be said that except for Edward VII himself, anyone who serves as the commander of the army, navy and air force will attract criticism.
The problem is that as King Edward VII, even if he is a real king, at most he has a name, and it is impossible to coordinate the joint operations of the three armies in person.
If it is a tailwind, it is enough to make political achievements. It is estimated that Edward VII has jumped out and took over the command of the three armies.
It is a pity that the war has just begun, and Britain ushered in the darkest day, which deeply damaged everyone's confidence in winning the war.
In the absence of certainty, the shrewd Edward VII will naturally not emerge. Anyway, the daily work is presided over by the cabinet, and now the problem is also the fault of the cabinet, or the kind that can't be thrown away.
Realizing the seriousness of the problem, Campbell immediately decided to speed up the construction of the command system. After all, war is better left to professionals.
…
The port of Liverpool, when the order of the London government arrived, the bombardment of the sky was over.
Looking at the telegram, Major General Winston was heartbroken. Perhaps because of the discovery of conscience, or to shirk responsibility, the news of the air defense warning finally came.
It came a little later than the order of the London government to organize resistance on the spot. Major General Winston couldn't do anything now, except to greet all the relatives of the bureaucrats involved in his heart.
The response speed of others has been very fast. According to the normal procedure, it takes at least a week for the light-walking process, and it may be delayed for the first half of the year.
Acting in accordance with procedures is the consistent code of conduct for British civil servants, free from any moral and legal reproach.
Although the bombing was over, the big man in the Port of Liverpool still did not appear. Perhaps it was because they were too busy at work, or perhaps because they were too selfless, the military and political circles signalled their subordinates to report to Major General Winston.
Major General Winston, who had not yet reacted, passively became Liverpool's top commander in a daze.
Not only to command the army, but also to restore order in the city, organize people to save themselves... All the things that clean up the mess have become his job.
Don't think this is a good thing. If nothing else, the anger of the citizens and the first person responsible for the air raid in Liverpool is also the unfortunate major general on duty.
At this point, it is too late to refuse. Since the first self-rescue order was issued, Major General Winston became the scapegoat for everyone.
No way, Liverpool is not only a commercial port, but also one of the most important military ports in Britain. As the martial arts hall on duty, Major General Winston himself had an inescapable responsibility for this air raid.
If you have too much debt, you won't be overwhelmed. Anyway, your career is over, and there is nothing wrong with taking the blame for everyone.
Essentially, everyone is unlucky. There are so many cities in Britain that the Shinra Air Force did not go to, but Liverpool chose Liverpool, where should everyone go
Fortunately, there was London to accompany. London, where many soldiers gathered, suffered heavy losses, and Liverpool, which was weak in strength, suffered heavy losses, and it was justified militarily.
If it is really to be held accountable, it is the British government that bears the brunt. In this context, the end result is likely to be "raised high and lowered gently".
Major General Winston asked dutifully, "Has the loss been counted?"
The officer in charge of the summary replied: "At present, only preliminary statistics have been made on the losses of personnel, warships, shipyards, and port buildings, and other losses are still being counted.
If all goes well, the statistics will be completed in two days. The specific loss data are as follows:
A total of 1,287 people were killed, including 49 officers and 757 soldiers of the army; a total of 5,176 people were injured, including 276 officers and 1,186 soldiers.
Most of the losses of officers and soldiers were concentrated in the navy, mainly because warships were the center of gravity of the enemy's attack. Although we have left the port in time, the damage caused by the early attack is still huge.
The sunken warships included 2 cruisers, 3 destroyers, 4 torpedo boats, and 7 auxiliary warships; even more were damaged, including two dreadnoughts, and more than half of the warships were damaged to varying degrees.
The loss of the shipyard was even greater, and several docks were severely damaged. The three dreadnoughts under construction in the dock were completely destroyed, and various infrastructure losses were countless.
Most of the civilian casualties occurred in shipyards. When the bombing broke out, the shipyard was under construction, and many people were buried by the collapsed factory building before they could react.
…”
Rao was already mentally prepared, but after hearing the specific loss figures, Major General Winston remained silent.
The losses of the Royal Navy have all caught up with a major battle. Don't look at the few sunken warships, but there are many warships that can't stand up and get injured!
Repair of warships takes time, especially in the context of serious damage to the shipyard, and repairs have to go to other areas.
With his own professionalism, Rear Admiral Winston made a judgment that it would take at least half a year for the Royal Navy fleet, which is staying in Liverpool, to recover.
Not to mention the shipyard, the warships can still run away, but they stay in place and let the enemy bully them. It may take several months to clear the ruins.
In contrast, the loss of other infrastructure is not large. It can be seen that the enemy is well prepared, and even the attack target has been selected in advance.
After calming down, Major General Winston said indifferently: "To sort out the damage as soon as possible and send it to the London government. By the way, do we have an air defense early warning system?"
The blame goes back to the blame, but things that can reduce one's responsibilities must still be done.
Encountering enemy airstrikes without prior warning is the best excuse to shirk responsibility.
Despite the warning, it did not change the final result. But this did not prevent Major General Winston from speaking out.
…
Liverpool was lonely after the war. The damage caused by the war is far from being a few cold numbers on paper, which can be simply summarized.
What's more, bureaucrats have always had a tradition of artistic processing, and the bombing ended in just a few hours, how can they accurately count all the losses
In addition to the warships and shipyards that were the focus of attention, the overpasses, platforms, and railroad tracks of the station were bombed to pieces, and the ground was full of charred and mutilated corpses.
On the pier, Tom, who was lucky enough to escape, wiped the nervous sweat on his forehead with his sleeve, looked up at the red sun shining on the red land, and couldn't keep his eyes open.
What the war left is blood, loneliness, ruined homes, and irreparable pain.
The workers who were just chatting about the earth now have broken limbs all over the floor, and there are still painful groans from time to time.
Tom ignored it. It wasn't that he had no sympathy. It was because of his limited ability that he couldn't help at all.
I have to admit that people are really divided into three, six and nine. The big men are precious, and even if they only scratch a little skin, they are followed by a large group of medical staff; while the lives of the people at the bottom are like a must, even if they are seriously injured and dying, no one cares.
Don't ask why, just ask: we have done our best, medical resources are insufficient, and it is difficult for clever women to cook without rice.
After making sure that it was safe, Tom got up from the ground and looked over as he spoke, and it was John who was chatting and wrangling just now who was shouting in pain.
At this moment, John has lost his previous style. The collapsed cargo smashed his lower body heavily, and the ground is already bloody.
After hesitating for a while, Tom took back the steps he took and rushed home.
It's not that Tom is indifferent, it's just that he can't take care of himself, and there is no capital to meddle in his own business.
Don't look at John's lower limb injury, as long as he is rescued in time and sent to the doctor for treatment, it seems that it is not difficult to save his life.
But for the bottom-level dock workers, ordinary colds and fevers can make life difficult, not to mention serious injuries.
Expensive medical expenses are enough to overwhelm an ordinary family. John couldn't afford it, and Tom couldn't afford it either.
If it really saves people, it may not be a good thing for the John family. Either break the house or witness the ugliness of human nature.
For the people at the bottom, when encountering such a thing, it is better to come to a happy one.