Drastically Modified Combined Fleet

MILITARY PREPARATIONS | Chapter 1

Russo-Japanese War (1)

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The Russo-Japanese War, a fierce struggle fought with the survival of the nation at stake against the great power of Russia, turned the tide when the Japanese fleet achieved a decisive victory in the Battle of Tsushima. Undoubtedly, this was a pivotal moment, and the Japanese people celebrated in ecstasy while the world was astonished by the triumph of the Combined Fleet led by Admiral Heihachirō Tōgō. As the excitement began to subside, Tōgō and Staff Officer Saneyuki Akiyama, who orchestrated the victory in the Battle of Tsushima, faced each other in the commander's office.

"I've read the report. Unlike the others, your perspective, or rather your detachment, remains interesting," praised Tōgō with a unique expression, accompanied by a thin smile.

While other staff members attributed the victory in the Battle of Tsushima to the skill of the soldiers, the intricacies of fleet movements, and the superior performance of Japanese shells and gunpowder, Akiyama took a completely different approach in analyzing the naval battle.

"The reason we won this naval battle is that the enemy was the Russians. If we're up against a similarly sized fleet from Britain, we might have faced defeat instead," explained Akiyama, a statement to which Tōgō nodded in agreement.

The Russian Baltic Fleet, which they fought against this time, had numerous issues.

"Firstly, speaking about the entire Russian fleet, their ships were excessively inhospitable compared to ours. This led to severe exhaustion of soldiers during long voyages, and by the time they appeared off the coast of Tsushima, they were already in a state of extreme fatigue. On the other hand, our forces were well-rested, and our ships, being of British and French design, were more comfortable than theirs."

"Did the difference in the condition of the soldiers significantly impact the naval battle?"

"Yes. If soldiers are tired, the firing rate decreases, and the lack of concentration results in a lower accuracy of projectiles. Moreover, the ability to respond to damage promptly dramatically decreases."

Tōgō remained silent, prompting Akiyama to elaborate further.

"In this battle, the Russians couldn't extinguish fires on ships, apart from those sunk directly by shell damage. As a result, many of their ships, unexpectedly, succumbed to fatal damage due to uncontrolled fires. Of course, the high performance of our shells, particularly the Shimose powder, played a significant role. On the other hand, their ships had a lot of flammable materials like wooden furnishings, and the impact of the burning ship paint was substantial. The exhausted movements of the worn-out soldiers hindered the containment of fire damage."

"As for flammable materials inside the ships, wouldn't our side be similar? Mikasa emitted quite a bit of smoke when hit."

"Exactly. This needs urgent attention. However, fortunately, the explosive power of the Baltic Fleet's shells was inferior to ours, especially concerning the ability to induce fires. If the Baltic Fleet had been using something similar to the Shimose powder, our damages would have been much greater."

"Although they say that the best defense is a good offense, it seems we should also pay more attention to defense."

"Yes. Offense is offense, and defense must be distinctly considered as defense," concluded Akiyama, displaying remarkable decisiveness that left Tōgō with indescribable feelings as he continued to ask questions.

"I understand that the fatigue of the soldiers can diminish offensive capability and the ability to respond to damage promptly. So, what exactly should we do?"