Chapter 0735: A Miserable Defeat

Major General Yamashita Gentaro departed the battlefield aboard the destroyer Shidafū, fleeing for his life. To escape, the Shidafū increased its speed to 30 knots. The German fleet, indifferent to the escape of a single Japanese destroyer, remained unaware that the Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet had managed to flee.

The German expeditionary fleet, however, remained fixated on neutralizing the remaining Japanese warships. Only then could they claim a resounding victory.

"General, the three 'Kongō-class' battlecruisers of the Japanese navy are doomed, victory is within our grasp!" Rear Admiral Mauff beamed with a triumphant smile.

"Indeed! Well done. Seize this opportunity to sink the three 'Kongō-class' battlecruisers," ordered Vice Admiral Spee.

"Yes, General. We must not let such a golden opportunity slip away," Rear Admiral Mauff responded.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The eight battlecruisers of the German fleet continued their barrage, hurling a torrential storm of shells at the three 'Kongō-class' battlecruisers, which had now become their primary targets.

"Boom!"

A shell fired from the Mackensen struck the Kongō on the port side, blasting off a 152mm secondary gun. Had the shell been a few meters lower, the damage would have been far more catastrophic.

Soon after, the Frederick Carl battlecruiser also struck the Kongō with a 380mm shell, which hit the rear deck and obliterated turret No. 4. The armor of the main turrets on the Kongō-class was only 230mm thick—highly vulnerable, and the shell easily tore through it, leaving the turret in ruins.

The explosion inside the turret was devastating, toppling it completely, and causing further damage to turret No. 3, rendering it incapable of aiming. This significantly diminished the Kongō's firepower, making it a sitting duck in the chaos of battle.

Fortunately, the guns in the turret had already been fired, and the powder charges had yet to be loaded, preventing even greater damage.

With its ability to retaliate effectively destroyed, the Kongō was left to the mercy of the three Mackensen-class battlecruisers, which pummeled it relentlessly.

Two minutes later, the Mackensen struck again. This time, two shells hit the Kongō. One exploded on the forward deck, creating a massive hole and igniting a fire, while the other struck the port side, opening a huge gash near the waterline. The Kongō's 203mm waterline armor was as flimsy as paper, offering little resistance.

The damage control crew immediately sprang into action, attempting to stem the flow of water. Yet, the breach was too large, and they could not contain it. Faced with no other option, they sealed the watertight compartments, but the ship's list continued to worsen, slowing its speed once more.

In the ensuing minutes, the Kongō was hit several more times. The relentless assault from the three Mackensen-class battlecruisers continued to worsen the situation, inflicting irreparable damage.

As the Kongō's condition deteriorated, it became increasingly clear that the battlecruiser was beyond saving. With water flooding the ship, even the pumps could not halt the vessel's descent. In desperation, the captain ordered the ship to be abandoned. However, due to the insufficient number of lifeboats, most of the crew perished alongside their ship.

The sinking of the Kongō dealt another crushing blow to the Imperial Japanese Navy, especially as the Biru and Kirishima battlecruisers were in equally dire straits. With these three battlecruisers eliminated, the remaining eleven ships of the Japanese fleet were no match for the Germans, who could easily dispose of them at will.

Shortly after the Kongō went down, the Kirishima followed suit. Though it was attacked by only two German battlecruisers, the Kirishima's fate was sealed by even greater misfortune.

A 343mm shell penetrated the Kirishima's aft turret magazine, triggering a catastrophic explosion that obliterated the stern in seconds. In just two minutes, the Kirishima sank, taking with it over two thousand men—only a handful survived.

The Biru, meanwhile, found itself trapped by three Derflinger-class and three Mackensen-class battlecruisers. A relentless barrage of over fifteen 380mm shells pummeled the ill-fated vessel, delivering fatal blows.

"Commander, the Kongō, Biru, and Kirishima have been sunk!" a staff officer reported to Admiral Ijūin Gorō.

"I understand. Order all ships to fight to the last for the glory of the Empire!" Admiral Ijūin gave the order, his expression cold, though his trembling body betrayed the depth of his inner turmoil. The Kongō-class battlecruisers, purchased from Britain, were the pride of the Japanese Navy, symbols of their naval ambitions. But now, these warships had all been sunk, signaling the collapse of the Japanese fleet and the extinguishment of their hopes for victory.

With the battle now clearly lost, Admiral Ijūin knew there was no escape. His only option was to fight to the bitter end.