I was a tycoon in World War I: Starting to save France

Chapter 1001 The Ballista Plan
"I call it 'Project Ballista'," the Quartermaster Minister said, pointing to the map.

"We have two aircraft carriers, each carrying 25 'SE5a' fighter jets."

"Its role was to work in conjunction with anti-aircraft fire to take down the French 'torpedo planes'."

"As soon as our warships get close to Malta, our naval guns can blow the French airfields to smithereens."

"And then, victory will be ours."

The politicians looked at the map thoughtfully, then nodded in agreement.

This appears to be a feasible operational plan.

In order to achieve surprise in the campaign, the Minister of Munitions suggested that the fleet sail to the war zone at night and launch a surprise attack at dawn.

"Only in this way can we catch the French army off guard." The Minister of the Navy pointed to the map and gave a series of explanations:

"Our battleships have penetrated to a position about 150 kilometers from Malta."

"Because it was nighttime, French warplanes could not take off, and this distance was also within the navy's warning distance."

"As soon as it was light, the battleships launched an attack on the enemy navy, then broke through the enemy's defenses and approached the Maltese coast to bomb the airfield."

……

On this day, major British newspapers were published exceptionally early.

Before dawn, newsboys were already running through the streets and alleys shouting:

"Breaking news! Breaking news! Britain has decided to declare war on France!"

"The Minister of Munitions believes that in order to achieve peace, we will have to seize control of the Mediterranean."

"This is a heartbreaking but necessary decision!"

The once dark streets were lit up one by one. Some people rushed out of their homes and exchanged their money for newspapers. Then more and more people followed, many wearing only a thin nightgown.

Then they all exclaimed in surprise:

"God, it's true! What have we done? We've declared war on France!"

"Isn't France our ally?"

"The British army appears to be prepared, and this urgent announcement seems to be part of a surprise attack!"

……

Grand Hotel Crillon

Clemenceau stayed in his reserved room as usual, which he found much more comfortable than his villa.

Although the rooms were smaller, there weren't as many servants, and the food selection was limited.

But he could always feel the admiring and worshipful gazes, as well as the constant applause.

Clemenceau enjoyed it; he received more praise in these months than all of his usual praise combined.

Perhaps this is the joy of following Charles, Clemenceau thought.

Because of this, Clemenceau slept soundly every night and felt that something good was going to happen every morning.

But that day, he was awakened by a series of urgent knocks on the door.

Clemenceau impatiently removed his blindfold, rolled out of bed, opened the door, and berated his secretary standing before him: "I told you, Turato, there's nothing that can't wait until dawn..."

“But Your Excellency the Prime Minister,” the secretary said, her face pale, “this matter cannot wait. Britain has declared war on us!”

Clemenceau was stunned for a moment, thinking he was still half asleep.

It wasn't until he took the telegram, turned on the light, and read it several times that he exclaimed in surprise, "God, this is real!"

The next second he turned to his secretary and ordered, "Wake everyone up, all the representatives!"

"Yes, Your Excellency the Prime Minister."

Soon, the once quiet Grand Hotel Crelon became chaotic, and then people on the streets of Paris heard the news and got up one after another.

……

Meanwhile, 200 kilometers east of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, the sea was as smooth as a mirror, and night was falling.

The British aircraft carriers HMS Argus and HMS Furious, under the "protection" of dozens of destroyers, approached Malta to prepare for battle.

They swayed gently in the waves, as if waiting for something.

On the aircraft carrier deck, fighter jets were lined up on both sides, and a fighter jet was parked in the middle of the runway with the pilot in position.

Ground crew are giving the aircraft a final check.

The gray east gradually turned a pale white, and the sun, with its fiery red rays, slowly emerged from the sea.

Specks of golden light shone on the cockpit, illuminating the pilots' faces, which appeared pale from excessive tension.

In the aircraft carrier command post, the captain glanced at the gradually brightening sky, took out his pocket watch, and expressionlessly ordered, "Take off!"

The engines roared to life, and fighter jets were launched into the air under the command of ground crew, heading towards Malta.

Colonel Will is the commander of this flight squadron.

His mission was to protect the battleship.

He protested to his superiors more than once:

"We cannot protect the battleships, sir."

"Because we are so fast, the battleship is like a snail."

"If we want to protect them, we can only circle around them, which does not give full play to the speed advantage of our fighter jets."

But his superiors rejected his suggestion without hesitation:

"This is your mission."

"Remember, you protect the safety of the battleships so that they can use their guns to destroy enemy airfields."

"So you must destroy every 'torpedo plane' that gets close to the battleship, even if it means ramming them down, understand?"

Colonel Will replied reluctantly, "Yes, sir!"

When the fighter planes arrived over the fleet, the third squadron had already engaged the French fleet.

The British fleet dispatched a total of 7 battleships, along with more than 30 cruisers and destroyers.

The French fleet was much weaker, with only two battleships fighting and retreating, while the rest were mostly torpedo boats.

The cannons roared, and towering waves, blasted up by shells, filled the sea, occasionally leaving white streaks on the calm surface.

Colonel Will knew that it was a new type of French torpedo, a torpedo that could turn and chase its target in the sea.

Perhaps because of it, the French Navy did not fall behind at all.

Two British cruisers and one destroyer were hit by torpedoes and are slowly sinking to the bottom of the sea, billowing black smoke.

"What's going on?" Colonel Will exclaimed in surprise as he observed the battle: "Our navy can't break through the enemy's defenses?"

At that moment, several small black dots appeared in the distant sky.

The wingman nervously gestured to Colonel Will, who nodded and led the group of aircraft to begin climbing.

"The target is a 'torpedo plane'," he muttered to himself. "Shooting it down will guarantee the safety of the battleship."

Suddenly, Colonel Will realized that this was a trap set for the French army.

British battleships were not incapable of breaking through enemy defenses; rather, they deliberately lured enemy aircraft towards them.

because……

This place is about 150 kilometers from Malta.

French warplanes have a range of over 400 kilometers. If they engage in aerial combat for even a short while, they will run out of fuel to return home.

"They've finally gotten smart for once," Colonel Will thought.

France's "torpedo planes" will become our targets!
(End of this chapter)