Chapter Summaries

The German Expeditionary Fleet sank the Japanese Battleship Tango and continued to batter the Island Nation Navy’s ships, whose older guns struggled to penetrate German armor. The battle remained in Germany’s favor as the Kongo-class Battlecruisers took hits but continued fighting.

• The Battlecruiser Moltke shrugged off a hit from the Battleship Shikishima and shifted fire onto her while the damaged Battleship Tango sank with most of her crew.
• Vice Admiral Spee and Rear Admiral Mauff celebrated the sinking of the Tango and assessed the German fleet’s advantage in guns and armor.
• The Battlecruiser Hiei hit the Battlecruiser Mackensen’s deck, causing a fire, and the Mackensen answered by piercing the Battlecruiser Kongo’s bow armor with a 380mm shell.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō learned that the hit on the Kongo had caused limited damage and ordered the fleet to keep fighting.
• The Battlecruiser SMS Friedrich der Grosse hit the Battlecruiser Haruna, and Vice Admiral Spee urged his ships to focus on destroying the Kongo-class Battlecruisers.

The German battlecruiser Seydlitz sank the Island Nation Navy battleships Fuji, Sagami, and Suo, while the German fleet continued to overpower its opponent. After a devastating magazine explosion sank Haruna, Admiral Ijūin Gorō realized the Island Nation Navy had no chance of victory.

• Seydlitz pierced Fuji's armor, killed Captain Aranishi Kyōtarō, and sank the battleship with its crew.
• Seydlitz sank Sagami after eight minutes of fighting and Suo after thirteen minutes.
• Yamashita Gentarō worried that the Island Nation Navy had already lost four Capital Ships, while Ijūin Gorō recognized the German fleet's growing advantage.
• A 380mm Shell from SMS Friedrich der Grosse detonated Haruna's magazine and sank the battlecruiser.
• Ijūin Gorō lost his confidence and concluded that the Island Nation Navy could no longer win.

The Island Nation Navy’s Combined Fleet suffered heavy losses against the German Expeditionary Fleet’s superior dreadnoughts, so Admiral Ijūin Gorō ordered a risky cruiser attack to prepare for a destroyer torpedo assault. The German fleet spotted the maneuver and readied its cruisers and Capital Ships’ guns to counter it.

• Rear Admiral Yamashita Gentarō warned Admiral Ijūin Gorō that five Battleships had been lost and the Island Nation Navy was losing the battle.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō acknowledged that the Island Nation’s Pre-dreadnoughts could not match German dreadnoughts and ordered the cruiser squadrons to prepare.
• Eight Armored Cruisers and thirteen cruisers moved toward the German Expeditionary Fleet’s left flank.
• Rear Admiral Mauff and Vice Admiral Spee assessed the Island Nation Navy’s maneuver and ordered German cruisers and Capital Ships’ guns to support one another.
• Rear Admiral Yamashita Gentarō prayed that the Island Nation Navy would destroy the German cruisers and destroyers, clearing the way for a torpedo attack.

Colonel Sakamoto Shigenori led the Island Nation Navy’s armored cruisers against the German light cruisers, expecting an easy victory, but the two sides fought to a near standstill. After Karlsruhe sank, Vice Admiral Spee realized the Island Nation Navy was trying to destroy the German cruisers and destroyers before surrounding its battlecruisers with destroyers.

• Colonel Sakamoto Shigenori ordered the armored cruisers to close to eight thousand meters and attack the German cruisers without waiting for the protected cruisers.
• The Island Nation Navy’s armored cruisers and German light cruisers exchanged fire, with the German ships’ faster guns offsetting their disadvantage in armor.
• German shells pierced Kasuga’s superstructure and started fires, while Island Nation shells damaged several German cruisers.
• A 203mm shell hit Karlsruhe’s magazine, and the German light cruiser broke apart and sank.
• Rear Admiral Mauff warned Vice Admiral Spee that the German light cruisers were outmatched, and Spee realized the Island Nation Navy intended to eliminate the cruisers and destroyers before encircling the German battlecruisers.

Vice Admiral Spee redirected the German Expeditionary Fleet's Battlecruisers from the Island Nation Navy's Capital Ships to its Armored Cruisers, foiling the enemy's torpedo plan. The fleets maneuvered while the German guns sank Izumo, and the other Armored Cruisers faced the same danger.

• Rear Admiral Mauff explained that the Island Nation Navy planned to clear German cruisers and destroyers so its torpedoes could threaten the Capital Ships.
• Vice Admiral Spee ordered the nine Battlecruisers to target the Island Nation Navy's Armored Cruisers, and Admiral Ijūin Gorō realized the Germans had exposed their plan.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō ordered his Capital Ships to close the distance, while Vice Admiral Spee maneuvered to keep them at range and bring the Armored Cruisers closer.
• SMS Friedrich Karl hit Izumo with two 380mm shells, breaching its hull and destroying its steering gear and a propeller.
• Izumo flooded, lost power, and sank within minutes.

The German Navy’s battlecruisers overwhelmed the Island Nation Navy’s armored cruisers, sinking several ships while maneuvering to concentrate their fire. The chapter ended with the German fleet destroying Kasuga, Nisshin, Iwate, Azuma, and Yagumo.

• Moltke’s shells destroyed Asama’s forward turret, killed Captain Yoshioka Hansaku and the officers in its conning tower, and sank the cruiser.
• Lützow and Seydlitz subjected Tokiwa to concentrated fire, sinking it with only a handful of its more than five hundred sailors escaping.
• Kongo hit Mackensen and damaged Kongo, prompting Vice Admiral Spee to order the German fleet to accelerate and outmaneuver the Island Nation battle line.
• The faster German battlecruisers pulled away from the Island Nation fleet, circled ahead of its armored cruisers, and seized Crossing the T.
• German ships struck Kasuga more than ten times in two minutes and sank it, then destroyed Nisshin, Iwate, Azuma, and Yagumo.

After the Island Nation Navy lost all eight armored cruisers, Vice Admiral Spee ordered the German Expeditionary Fleet to pursue its Protected Cruisers. Admiral Ijūin Gorō, unable to retreat under the Cabinet’s orders, sent the remaining Kongo-class Battlecruisers and destroyers after the Germans for a last torpedo attack.

• Rear Admiral Mauff asked whether the Germans should target the Island Nation Navy’s Capital Ships or Protected Cruisers, and Vice Admiral Spee ordered them to pursue the cruisers.
• The German battle line accelerated to 25 knots and turned toward the retreating Protected Cruisers.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō recognized that the Island Nation Navy had suffered a disastrous defeat but refused to order a retreat.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō ordered the remaining three Kongo-class Battlecruisers and the destroyer formation to pursue the Germans and seek a chance to launch a torpedo attack.

The German Expeditionary Fleet's battlecruisers devastated the Island Nation Navy's protected cruisers, sinking nine and leaving only four. Admiral Ijūin Gorō ordered the remaining cruisers toward the flagship and sent more than thirty destroyers into a torpedo attack, leaving the battle's outcome uncertain.

• German battlecruisers sank or crippled several Island Nation Navy protected cruisers, including Tsushima, Kasagi, Akashi, Otowa, Chikuma, Yahagi, and Hirado.
• Rear Admiral Yamashita Gentarō warned Admiral Ijūin Gorō that the protected cruisers would be destroyed if the attacks continued.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō ordered the remaining protected cruisers to close in on the flagship to draw the Germans closer and enable a torpedo attack.
• German battlecruisers sank Soya and Suma as the remaining protected cruisers turned toward the flagship, leaving four afloat.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō ordered the destroyer squadron to attack, and more than thirty destroyers charged toward the German Battlecruiser Squadron.

Vice Admiral Spee’s Expeditionary Fleet tried to stop the Island Nation Navy’s destroyers from launching a torpedo attack on its capital ships. The destroyers pressed on through heavy gunfire, and the chapter left Kamikaze, Yayoi, and Kisaragi still charging forward.

• Vice Admiral Spee ordered the German ships to defend against the Island Nation destroyers’ torpedo attack.
• The German battlecruisers and their escorts opened fire on the charging destroyers.
• A 150mm shell crippled Hatsushimo, but Captain Masaki Yabu ordered the attack to continue.
• A 380mm shell destroyed Hatsushimo and killed Captain Masaki Yabu before he could launch his torpedoes.
• A 150mm shell struck Kamikaze’s conning tower and killed Captain Yoshihiro Hayashi, but the destroyer kept charging.

The Island Nation Navy's destroyers charged the German battlecruisers under heavy fire, suffering severe losses while trying to launch torpedo attacks. The Chikaze struck the Derfflinger with a torpedo that failed to penetrate its armor, then was destroyed by German gunfire.

• The Kamikaze was disabled by a hit to its engine room and sank, while the Yayoi and Kisaragi were sunk before reaching torpedo range.
• The German battlecruisers concentrated their fire on the attacking destroyers, and the Derfflinger fought off an encirclement by four Kamikaze-class destroyers.
• Captain Danshita Hironao led the Chikaze to within 1,500 meters of the Derfflinger and launched two torpedoes.
• The Derfflinger evaded one torpedo, while the other hit its stern but failed to damage its 380mm waterline armor.
• As the Chikaze turned to reload, German shells set it ablaze and opened a hole below the waterline.
• Further German fire tore the Chikaze apart, killing all seventy sailors aboard.

The Island Nation destroyer Mikazuki torpedoed the German battlecruiser Moltke, forcing it to withdraw from the battle. Admiral Ijūin Gorō recognized that the destroyer force had suffered devastating losses and that the Island Nation fleet could no longer win.

• Captain Hasegawa Kiyoshi drove Mikazuki through German fire and launched two torpedoes at Moltke from close range.
• One torpedo missed, but the other tore into Moltke’s stern, damaging the hull and reducing its speed.
• Vice Admiral Spee ordered Moltke to withdraw, and it left under escort despite its captain’s protest.
• Rear Admiral Yamashita Gentarō celebrated the hit, but Admiral Ijūin Gorō warned that the Island Nation had lost too many destroyers for the damage inflicted.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō concluded that the surviving destroyers would struggle to attack again and that the Island Nation fleet had no chance of victory.

Admiral Ijūin Gorō halted the Island Nation Navy’s doomed torpedo attacks and ordered the Combined Fleet to retreat after the German fleet destroyed most of its destroyers. He accepted responsibility for the defeat and prepared to face the consequences upon returning to Tokyo Bay.

• The German fleet’s concentrated fire sank twenty-five of the thirty-seven Island Nation destroyers that launched the torpedo attack, leaving only twelve survivors.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō ordered the remaining destroyers to cease their attacks, rejecting Yamashita Gentarō’s reluctance to give up.
• Ijūin ordered the Combined Fleet to retreat at maximum speed and promised Yamashita that he would explain the defeat to the Cabinet.
• Ijūin told Yamashita that the Island Nation might grow strong enough to defeat Germany in the future, though he would not live to see it.
• Ijūin blamed the Army for occupying Southeast Asia and forcing the Navy to confront the Germans.

The German Expeditionary Fleet pursued the retreating Island Nation Navy after repelling its torpedo attack, with Vice Admiral Spee ordering the Kongo-class battlecruisers targeted first. Admiral Ijūin Gorō and Rear Admiral Yamashita Gentarō faced the prospect of a desperate fight as German shells began falling around their fleet.

• Rear Admiral Mauff reported that the Island Nation destroyers had withdrawn after losing more than twenty ships, while the German battlecruiser Moltke had suffered only light damage.
• After spotting the Island Nation fleet retreating, Vice Admiral Spee ordered the German ships to pursue and prioritize destroying the three Kongo-class battlecruisers.
• The German battlecruisers accelerated to twenty-five knots and began catching the slower Island Nation fleet.
• Rear Admiral Yamashita Gentarō offered to stay behind and cover the retreat, but Admiral Ijūin Gorō refused and warned that Yamashita might still face death if he fled.
• German battlecruisers opened fire and concentrated on Kongo, Hiei, and Kirishima, surrounding each with multiple ships.

The Island Nation fleet’s battlecruisers suffered devastating hits from the German fleet, forcing Admiral Ijūin Gorō to abandon plans to save them. He ordered Rear Admiral Yamashita Gentarō to escape by destroyer while he remained to direct the battle aboard Hanoi.

• German gunfire crippled Kongo, and Ijūin Gorō and Yamashita Gentarō left the flagship to transfer to other ships.
• Ijūin Gorō went to Hanoi to continue directing the battle, while Yamashita boarded Hiei to lead Hiei and Kirishima to safety.
• German shells disabled Hiei and heavily damaged Kirishima, killing its captain and throwing its command into chaos.
• Ijūin Gorō ordered Yamashita to return to Tokyo Bay aboard a destroyer, and Yamashita obeyed.

The German Expeditionary Fleet overwhelmed the Island Nation Navy, sinking Kongo and Kirishima and leaving Hiei mortally damaged. After learning that all three Kongo-class battlecruisers were lost or doomed, Admiral Ijūin Gorō ordered the remaining ships to fight to the death.

• Rear Admiral Yamashita Gentarō escaped the battlefield aboard Swift Wind as the German fleet focused on destroying the Island Nation Navy.
• Vice Admiral Spee ordered Rear Admiral Mauff to seize the chance to sink the three Kongo-class battlecruisers.
• German shells devastated Kongo, disabled half her main guns, and caused flooding until her captain ordered the crew to abandon ship; Kongo sank with most of her crew.
• Kirishima's stern magazine exploded after a shell pierced it, and the ship sank within two minutes with nearly all aboard.
• German battlecruisers struck Hiei with more than fifteen 380mm shells, inflicting fatal damage.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō learned that Kongo, Hiei, and Kirishima had been sunk or crippled and ordered every remaining ship to fight to the death.

The German Expeditionary Fleet destroyed the Island Nation Combined Fleet’s remaining battleships and drove its smaller ships into flight. Admiral Ijūin Gorō sent a telegram to the Naval Ministry and committed seppuku aboard the Katori.

• Vice Admiral Spee ordered the German fleet to prepare for a final assault on the Island Nation Combined Fleet.
• The battlecruisers opened fire on the battleship Kawachi, whose return shots failed to damage Mackensen.
• Mackensen crippled and sank Kawachi, then sank its sister ship Sesshu.
• The German battlecruisers sank the Island Nation fleet’s remaining capital ships, while most destroyers escaped toward Tokyo Bay.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō sent a telegram to the Naval Ministry and committed seppuku aboard the Katori.

After defeating the Island Nation Navy's Combined Fleet, Vice Admiral Spee prepared to continue pressuring the Island Nation government, expecting it to resist surrender. A report of an attack on the German transport fleet briefly alarmed him, but the staff officer clarified that the escort had repelled the attackers, and Spee ordered the Moltke to strengthen its protection.

• Rear Admiral Mauff celebrated the destruction of the Island Nation Navy's Combined Fleet, while Vice Admiral Spee warned that the Island Nation people might continue fighting and that Germany should prepare to attack coastal cities.
• Vice Admiral Spee learned that Island Nation sailors in the water refused rescue and chose to drown rather than board German ships.
• A staff officer reported that the transport fleet had been attacked, alarming Vice Admiral Spee and Rear Admiral Mauff because the fleet depended on its supplies.
• The staff officer explained that six Island Nation destroyers had attacked the transport fleet but were driven off by its escorts, with two sunk and the others damaged.
• Vice Admiral Spee ordered the Moltke and its escorting warships to join the transport fleet's protection.

Yashiro Rokuro and Admiral Shimamura Hayao received Admiral Ijūin Gorō’s farewell telegram confirming the Combined Fleet’s near-total destruction by the German Expeditionary Fleet. They agreed to protect Rear Admiral Yamashita Gentarō and place responsibility for the defeat on Ijūin, leaving the Cabinet and army to face the consequences of the German fleet’s continued strength.

• Yashiro Rokuro and Admiral Shimamura Hayao worried that the Combined Fleet could not defeat the German Expeditionary Fleet and discussed the Island Nation Navy’s weakness.
• A Communications Officer delivered Admiral Ijūin Gorō’s telegram reporting that nearly all the Combined Fleet’s warships were lost after sinking one German Light Cruiser and heavily damaging one Battlecruiser.
• Admiral Ijūin Gorō accepted responsibility for the defeat and asked Yashiro Rokuro and Admiral Shimamura Hayao to protect Rear Admiral Yamashita Gentarō.
• Yashiro Rokuro and Admiral Shimamura Hayao agreed to safeguard Yamashita and prevent blame for the defeat from spreading through the navy.
• Admiral Shimamura Hayao asked how they would address the Cabinet and the threat posed by the surviving German fleet, while Yashiro Rokuro said the Cabinet and army must deal with the consequences.

Admiral Yashiro Rokuro reported that the Combined Fleet had been almost completely destroyed by the German Expeditionary Fleet, leaving the Island Nation’s leaders to confront the threat to their occupation of Southeast Asia. The Cabinet ended its discussion with Oka Ichinosuke insisting that they could not abandon the region.

• Admiral Yashiro Rokuro told Prime Minister Okuma Shigenobu that the Germans had sunk nearly the entire Combined Fleet, including all four Kongo-class Battlecruisers.
• Yashiro reported that the Island Nation had sunk only one German Light Cruiser and heavily damaged one German Battlecruiser, prompting Oka Ichinosuke to condemn the fleet’s performance.
• Yashiro revealed that Ijūin Gorō had committed seppuku, and Yamagata Aritomo declared that they would end the matter there.
• Kato Takaaki and Wakatsuki Reijiro warned that the German Expeditionary Fleet could force the Island Nation out of Southeast Asia and inflict further damage on its coastal cities.
• Oka Ichinosuke argued that the Island Nation had to hold Southeast Asia because its resources were essential to the Empire’s rise.

Oscar ordered Germany to attack Britain in one week and set a three-month deadline, while the Imperial Council received news of a decisive German naval victory over the Island Nation. He demanded the Island Nation return German colonies and pay compensation, threatening further attacks if it refused.

• Oscar learned that Germany’s preparations to invade Britain were complete and ordered the attack to begin in one week, aiming to end the war within three months.
• Tirpitz reported that the German Expeditionary Fleet had destroyed the Island Nation Navy’s main force, sinking nineteen capital ships and suffering only minor losses.
• Oscar warned the ministers not to underestimate the Island Nation and ordered diplomatic contact, demanding the return of German and Southeast Asian colonies and compensation.
• Oscar threatened to have the Expeditionary Fleet bombard the Island Nation’s coastal cities if its leaders rejected Germany’s terms.