Time Slip Reiwa Japan

132 - The Stirrings of World War - 5

In the southern North Sea, a significant gathering of naval vessels from across Europe had drawn the attention of the world. Tensions were high, and everyone approached the situation with bated breath. It was evident to all countries that the relationship between France and Germany had reached a dangerous level.

Yet, simultaneously, it was expected that this situation wouldn't escalate into war. After all, with the uproar of most European nations dispatching naval vessels, it was assumed that everyone would proceed with caution, thus preventing any issues from arising. Even France and Germany, glaring at each other as a hot point, shared this belief. It was anticipated that the confrontation would amount to nothing more than a tense standoff.

. . .

Germany

For the Waffen-SS, who had been strictly ordered by Hitler to annex the Netherlands as soon as possible by any means necessary, the naval standoff in the southern North Sea presented a perfect opportunity. Although riding a wave of the zeitgeist, they had managed to cultivate a significant pro-German faction within Dutch society, including active-duty military personnel. With this in place, it was easy to manipulate small groups or even naval vessels to their hearts' content. Under the pretext of everything being for the good of the Netherlands (Germany), the Germans proceeded with their preparations. Their plan: a limited war against the Netherlands, under the covert designation "Operation Carneades."

A small-scale war to subdue the Netherlands.

It was a brilliant war plan where no one would lose out, even taking into consideration the robust economic ties with the Netherlands, including those with Japan. *1 France, which was exerting pressure on Germany, would likely back off once Germany's power increased. Poland, it seemed, had no choice but to yield. The tranquility of Europe born from Germany's growing power—this was the prevailing belief.

. . .

Southern North Sea Region

It all started with a remarkably small explosion. A destroyer from the German fleet, which had been facing off against French and Dutch vessels, suddenly erupted in flames along its side. Immediately, Germany dispatched a telegram to the Netherlands, demanding an explanation for the explosion. Attached was a stern statement indicating that they would not hesitate to open fire depending on the reason provided.

The Dutch were thrown into a panic. Facing an opponent they had merely been confronting, suddenly exploding, and being accused of responsibility for it, they had every reason to be flustered. The Dutch commanders hurriedly confirmed whether any of their ships had fired and urgently sent a message back to the Netherlands. It was a sensible response. However, this time it proved to be their downfall.

Contacting each Dutch vessel in the area took time, delaying communication with the German fleet significantly. Perceiving this delay as a stalling tactic, the German fleet declared a defensive action. A significant factor influencing this decision was the appearance of the Dutch navy's most formidable ship, the coastal defense ship Amsterdam, in front of the German fleet. While the Dutch intended this as a show of force, the Germans interpreted it as an act of intimidation. Furthermore, the fact that the largest ship in the German fleet present was the Admiral Scheer, a smaller armored ship compared to the Amsterdam, played into their judgment. Ships like the battleship Bismarck had returned to Germany (to the Kiel naval base) for resupply. It was a matter of unfortunate timing (or perhaps precisely targeted timing), as the narrative went.

Regardless, although the Admiral Scheer boasted superior caliber main guns compared to the Amsterdam, it was outmatched in every other aspect. Particularly, the captain of the Admiral Scheer feared the Amsterdam's rapid main gun firing rate. The Admiral Scheer, a 10.000-ton ship armed with 28,3 cm guns (a Deutschland-class armored ship), lacked the defensive capabilities commensurate with its firepower. In fact, it was considered relatively thin-skinned. Therefore, they concluded that in a close-range combat scenario like the present, they would be outmatched. Their defensive action aimed to prevent damage to valuable large ships in the German navy. However, it wasn't an immediate opening of fire—it wasn't an attempt to engage in gunfire. Neither the German commanders nor the captains were that rash.