Chapter 648: The Plan That Never Succeeded
Because this naval battle had been witnessed up close by merchant ships, news of the victory spread rapidly.
By that very afternoon, newspapers across Europe had released special editions to report on the triumph.
The official military publication, Bulletin of Honor, as always, maintained a reserved tone. It didn't overhype the engagement but instead published a few images taken from both warships and bombers, showing the destruction of German vessels—especially the sinking of the battlecruiser Seydlitz. One full page was dedicated to detailing the entire engagement, including commentary and diagrams.
The headline read:
"To the Brave Soldiers on the Front Lines—Your Victory Is the Pride of All France!"
Other newspapers, lacking access to military photos, didn't even manage to obtain images from civilian vessels.
At that time, ordinary people didn't typically own cameras, and in the chaos of naval warfare, anyone taking photos might easily be mistaken for a spy.
Still, Le Petit Journal—true to its reputation—displayed its usual flair. On the front page was a cartoon of a bomber carrying a torpedo, flying above sinking ships. The caption read:
"This is yet another exhilarating victory. Our genius inventor Charles has, astonishingly, brought the torpedo into the skies."
"Do you know what this means?"
"It means naval warfare may be rewritten. It's no longer a contest between battleships alone—the skies are now part of the battlefield."
"Unbelievable—no one imagined that aircraft could threaten battleships, vessels that cost hundreds, even thousands of times more than a bomber."
All of France was stunned by the news.
The younger generation responded more calmly. Many of them failed to grasp just how groundbreaking this victory was, viewing it simply as another in Charles's long list of achievements.
But for the older generation—those who had witnessed the decline of the French Navy—it was a moment of overwhelming emotion. They had once believed they'd never live to see the fleet's resurgence, even with Charles's brilliance.
And now, seemingly overnight, hope was real.
Many wept with joy, holding newspapers tightly, rereading the same article over and over. Then they'd buy another paper, and another—hoping to find new details.
…
The Times, London:
"Undoubtedly a major victory—we have once again repelled a German naval incursion."
"But regrettably, it was not the Royal Navy that secured the triumph—it was the French Navy, the very fleet we once looked down upon."
"And the most shocking part: they used aircraft to sink a German battlecruiser."
"Does this mean they could do the same to one of ours?"
"While we believe France wouldn't dare, this raises a pressing question: What remains of the Royal Navy's advantage?"
"Are we still the world's strongest naval power?"
…
In America, the press devoted only limited coverage.
The U.S. remained deeply entrenched in Monroe Doctrine thinking—most Americans were more concerned with domestic development than with wars across the Atlantic.
But one man paid close attention.
Colonel Johnson immediately sent a report to his superiors:
"I believe we must begin immediate development of bombers capable of carrying torpedoes. If we cannot produce them ourselves, then we must purchase them—at any cost. This may be the future of naval warfare."
He added with a sigh:
"My God, Charles is ahead again. I only wish we could bring him to America. With him, we would own the world."
…
War Office, London — Late night.
Though it was already well past midnight, the lights still burned brightly.
Staff officers and telegraph operators rushed through the halls, delivering updates and meals to working officers. Orders were being issued in rapid succession:
"Confirm whether bombers can indeed carry torpedoes. Identify the aircraft model used.""Begin trials of Caproni bombers with torpedoes immediately!""Contact Charles. If possible, purchase torpedo bombers—at any cost!"
…
On the third floor, facing the interior courtyard, sat the office of Navy Minister Balfour, who was now buried in documents, his face flushed with exhaustion.
(Image: Arthur Balfour, British Prime Minister from 1902 to 1905. During WWI, he served as First Lord of the Admiralty and later became Chief Secretary for Ireland, where he brutally suppressed Irish independence movements—earning the nickname "Bloody Balfour." He is also known for the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which supported the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.)
Charles's recent victory had been a nightmare for the Royal Navy.
Bombers carrying torpedoes, striking with precision and speed, while warships could barely react in time.
As Navy Minister, Balfour had no choice but to immediately assess this new form of warfare and decide the Royal Navy's future direction.
Suddenly, a staff officer rushed in and handed him a file. "Sir, this is a report left by your predecessor—a project that was never completed."
Balfour took the file and began to read. His eyes widened in shock. "Is this real?"
"Yes, sir," the staff officer confirmed. "In 1914, your predecessor conducted a torpedo bomber trial. It was attempted once, but after failure, the project was abandoned."
"Bring him here. Now," Balfour ordered.
The former Navy Minister was now the Minister of Munitions. His office was just down the hall.
Not long after, the Minister of Munitions appeared, cigar in hand, clearly tipsy—his cheeks flushed red under the harsh lighting.
"What is it, Lord Balfour?" he asked, eyeing the room while blowing out a puff of smoke.
He couldn't help thinking: This used to be my office…
Balfour tossed the file onto the table. "This experiment from 1914—was it yours?"
The minister flipped through it casually. "Oh, right. I'd nearly forgotten. Yes, it was mine. But we thought it was impossible at the time."
"Impossible?" Balfour narrowed his eyes. "It's now become reality."
Did the Royal Navy miss its chance to dominate the seas?
Had Britain acted then—invested fully—this disaster might have been avoided.
"I know," the Minister of Munitions said, flipping to the last page. He pointed to the conclusion: "You should read this part, sir."
"At the time, the aircraft available had only 80 horsepower, and we tried to strap on a 600-kilogram torpedo."
"When the torpedo was released, the plane almost crashed instantly. We had to abandon the concept."
Balfour read carefully. Indeed, it had been a failed test. Back then, everyone had concluded it was unfeasible and shelved the idea.
After a long pause, Balfour asked heavily, "Do you think this poses a threat to our navy?"
The Minister of Munitions gave a wry smile.
"Well, sir, that's your problem to figure out now."
"You're the Navy Minister. As Munitions Minister, all I care about is the convoy system."
(End of Chapter 648)
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