Chapter 58 Panic-Stricken Metropolis

The port city of New York did not have a prominent position on the North American continent at its inception, but after the American Revolutionary War, its economic development surged. By the end of the 18th century, New York surpassed Philadelphia to become the largest trading port in the United States. By 1830, it had surpassed Mexico City to become the largest city in the entire Americas!

As the capital of the United States from 1785 to 1790, New York's size expanded over time. In 1898, through a referendum, the boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the Bronx were consolidated into New York City. By 1900, the newly expanded New York had a population of 3.43 million, surpassing many of the world's oldest and largest cities at the time!

By the mid-to-late 19th century, when the German Empire had just achieved unification, the United States had already surpassed Britain in GDP. As the 20th century began, while countries like Britain, Germany, France, and Russia were investing heavily in war preparations, the United States continued to develop its economy at full throttle.

Until the outbreak of World War I, as the economic center of the United States, New York boasted the most prosperous downtown area, the most modern public transportation system, and the most enviable skyscrapers in the world. To escape the ravages of war, many European aristocrats, wealthy businessmen, and professionals flocked to this modern city, making New York a shining star in the midst of the war.

"Now for the news report, around 4:10 a.m. this morning, an explosion occurred approximately 10 nautical miles outside New York Bay. This vessel, a British merchant ship carrying cargo, of over ten thousand tons, is currently adrift in the shipping lanes. According to estimates from the Navy, it will completely sink within the next two hours. Incoming vessels, please take caution to avoid the area! The cause of the explosion on this vessel is still unclear. A spokesperson for the Navy stated they will swiftly investigate the matter. Preliminary speculation suggests a boiler explosion. Citizens need not worry. If anyone around you spreads rumors of German submarines, please do not believe them and promptly report these instigators to the relevant naval authorities!"

The soothing voice from the radio sounded pleasant, but when Zhang Hainuo relayed the news to the crew, everyone burst into laughter. The American government's attempt to cover up bad news was indeed clumsy, actually attributing torpedo attacks from the outside to boiler explosions. One can only wonder what those British sailors would think upon hearing such news.

From another perspective, Zhang Hainuo believed that the more the American government feared such news causing panic among its citizens, the more advantageous the situation became for him. However, since the morning when they sank the British merchant ship outside New York Harbor, a large number of American warships appeared in the area, forcing Zhang Hainuo and his crew to stay submerged for five hours until after lunch before surfacing to listen to the broadcast.

"Lieutenant, there are many more American warships outside New York Harbor compared to Boston! Shouldn't we return to Boston?"

Otto von Glennbock, the 20-year-old junior officer, cautiously expressed his opinion.

Zhang Hainuo glanced kindly at him. There was even a hint of innocence remaining on his handsome face. For Zhang Hainuo, who had served on four submarines and commanded three of them, the most notable characteristic of the crew of U148 was their youthfulness. Except for 26-year-old Chief Mate Simon and the two 25-year-old engineers, Karen and Wilhelm, the other crew members were all under 23 years old!

Admittedly, the youthful age structure imbued the submarine with youthful vitality and enthusiasm, but the lack of experience would be their biggest shortcoming. This phenomenon also reflected the predicament of the German military in personnel—more and more inexperienced German youths like Anna's brother were being conscripted, many of whom would become cannon fodder in the war. All of this was eerily reminiscent of the war that would occur more than twenty years later.

"Otto, your point is valid—better safe than sorry! But on the battlefield, we must learn to think inversely. In the past three days, we have sunk two ships with our mines and damaged one, including an American warship. How the American government reassures its people is one thing; I believe their navy must have strengthened patrols and vigilance near Boston. Perhaps minesweepers are busy clearing the mines we laid. On the other hand, here in New York, despite the quick reinforcement of vigilance by the Americans, I believe due to those news reports, the vigilance of merchant ships entering and leaving this port may still not be very high. Moreover, with so many ships entering and leaving the port every day, the U.S. Navy is bound to have oversights. That's where our opportunity lies!"

Otto was a gifted young man, and he quickly understood what Zhang Hainuo was saying.

"You're right, Lieutenant! It's just a pity we've run out of mines. Otherwise, laying some mines in the frequented areas by merchant ships could definitely yield good results. Maybe we could even prevent commercial ships from leaving New York Harbor for several days!"

"If we had five, ten, or even more submarines, it would be enough to block the entire New York Harbor for an extended period. Not only would the port be in panic, but the entire East Coast of the United States would be unsettled!"

Listening to Zhang Hainuo's words, Edvin, Simon, and the others sitting beside him all sighed with regret. Compared to the hardships of operating around British waters, hunting on the East Coast of the United States was too easy!

In the following week, Zhang Hainuo's strategy was to attack at most one merchant ship leaving New York Harbor each day. It didn't necessarily have to be the largest, but it would definitely be an American ship. Through the radio, they heard the New York authorities' broadcasts every day. Initially, they could attribute the attacks to mines, accidents, or sabotage by German spies. However, as days went by, perhaps due to too many external questions, the spokesperson for the U.S. Navy finally admitted that the explosions outside New York Harbor were highly likely caused by German submarines. Despite repeatedly claiming that the Navy would strengthen port patrol and even deploy warships for limited escort of individual vessels, Zhang Hainuo still clearly saw a decrease in the number of merchant ships entering and leaving New York Harbor every day.

Although he didn't know how much damage this would inflict on Americans, he was certain that certain high-ranking officials in the New York City government, the U.S. Navy, and even the White House were cursing themselves fiercely.

However, Zhang Hainuo and his crew were not affected by these curses at all. On June 15th, the 14th day since U148 arrived in the eastern waters of the United States, Zhang Hainuo used the last two torpedoes on board to sink a U.S. light cruiser sailing outside New York Harbor. The thinly-armored warship couldn't withstand the continuous blows from two German torpedoes and soon split into pieces in a violent explosion. Since this attack occurred during dinner time and the location was very close to the entrance of the New York Bay, many people were fortunate enough to witness this spectacular scene.

Although the U.S. Navy subsequently dispatched a large number of ships to search for the German submarine responsible for the incident outside New York Bay, their underwater detection technology was limited, and night soon fell. U148 safely withdrew from the area.

With the fruitful results of sinking five merchant ships, damaging three, and sinking one warship, Zhang Hainuo and his U148 embarked on the journey back. Their expedition could be deemed successful, but tactical victories could never compensate for strategic defeat. When they returned to Wilhelmshaven after another long voyage, there were no flowers or cheers on the dock, and the atmosphere in the naval base was worryingly somber.