Cooper took a deep breath. “I’ll keep that to myself, sir.”
Chapter 20
Admiral Sun Wei got some most unexpected orders as well, emerging from a heated discussion at the headquarters of the Chinese General Staff. Present were Zhen Bao, Chief of Naval Operations in the Littoral Seas, Zhang Wendan, the Chief of the General Staff, and Shen Jinlong, Commander in Chief of the Navy.
Zhang Wendan had consulted with the political leadership in Beijing to weigh their opinions and wishes in this matter, particularly that of the President. It was clear to all that the war was not going well. China had lost control of the Med, the West Atlantic, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and southern and central waters of the Indian Ocean. The Navy had neutralized Singapore, in effect pulling the cork out of the bottle where the Malacca Strait was concerned, but they had not yet been able to drink the wine. As midnight passed on the 19th and rolled over to January 20th, some very hard decisions were now to be taken.
“I am here to tell you both that the political leadership has lost faith in the Navy’s ability to prevail in the operations presently underway.”
That announcement was greeted with silence, and both the Admirals present knew that it had surely stemmed from the great setback suffered by Wu Jinlong in the Celebes Sea. There was nothing like the sinking of another aircraft carrier to turn heads and get the grumbling started in the civilian leadership. But it was more than that, it was the Party leadership, which had absolute authority concerning the conduct and progression of China’s war at that moment. So Zhang Wendan was merely there to dictate what had been decided, though he wished to hear the opinions of his Admirals, nonetheless.
“Operation Sea Eagle must now be deemed a failure,” said Zhang. “We were unable to destroy any of the three American Pacific island bases, and in fact, saw two of our valuable bases in the Philippines severely damaged, with significant losses to the valuable aircraft stationed there by the Air Force. Certainly the Party expected some losses… but not this. The sinking of Zhendong made this all the more difficult to swallow. Admiral Shen, given that Wu Jinlong has now seen two carriers lost under his leadership, the decision has been made to relieve him of command, effective immediately. Do you object”
“I have no objection,” said Shen Jinlong, knowing the decision had already been made by the General Staff.
“Good enough,” said Zhang. “Gentlemen, we must now take some hard decisions. First I must ask you if the Navy can recover from our fallen Sea Eagle and hold the South China Sea secure?”
“At the moment,” said Shen Jinlong, “we see no immediate threat to that region, which is not to say that one might not materialize in the days ahead. The Americans were able to defeat Operation Sea Eagle because of two things—their long range bombers at Guam, and the fact that they were able to shift a second Carrier Strike Group south to join their Enterprise group. It was the bombers that did the damage at Beiying,[6] not the American Navy. And it was the Siberians that sunk Zhendong, not the Americans. This must not be forgotten.”
“I am well aware of that,” said Zhang, “as is the Party leadership. That is why the decision was taken to turn matters over to the Army. The Siberians have been a thorn in our side, and they must be taught a lesson, once and for all. The Army is now fully mobilized, and we will now reopen hostilities on the Amur River line, as a direct reprisal for the continued Siberian hostility in the naval theater.”
“A wise decision,” said Shen Jinlong. “In spite of the Armistice. That regained most of the territory they seized in their offensive. If the Army can take it back again, all the better.”
“Yes? Well, that is not all. We have seen that while our client states and allies have been useful in peacetime in supporting our naval outreach programs, they are less so in wartime. Iran and Iraq started their Operation Desert Sword auspiciously, but we underestimated the resolve of the Europeans and Americans. That situation has now also suffered a severe reversal of fate, and as it is something the Navy cannot resolve, the matter there will also be turned over to the Army, and the Air Force. The following decisions have now been taken. 13th and 21st Armies have been moved by rail through Tajikistan and Turkmenistan to Iran. They will be deployed to secure and defend the major oil fields in Southern Iraq. I must ask you now to give me an estimate—how long will the Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf remain under our control? And please be realistic.”
Shen Jinlong scratched an eyebrow. “That will depend on the outcome of the fighting underway there. The most recent engagement must be seen as a draw. Our losses were minimal, just one older frigate. Admiral Sun Wei is competent, and he has my every confidence. As long as he is supplied, with adequate ordnance and supporting aircraft, I believe he will hold for some time.”
“And if Karachi were to be attacked and destroyed—what then?”
“That would make things… difficult. You believe this will occur?”
“Pakistani aircraft have been participating in the fighting, have they not?”
“Only in supporting roles. They have inadequate range to serve in the strike role, given the American tactics.”
“Indeed,” said Zhang, “but as they have flown in support of our forces, and opened their bases to our bombers and fighters, that makes those same bases legitimate targets.”
“You have intelligence to relate on this matter?” asked Shen.
“ I do… The Americans are now transferring more of their long range strategic bombers to their base at Diego Garcia. If they are able to do to Karachi what they have just done to our bases in the Philippines… Well, you can understand the concern.”
Admiral Shen pursed his lips, but yes, he understood. Without Karachi, his fighting Admiral Sun Wei would lose his support base, and the loss of his entire fleet would surely follow. He sensed now that a tectonic shift was about to play out in the naval war, but waited to see what the Chief of Staff would say next. It was as he feared.
“Shen Jinlong, the General Staff wants you to withdraw the Indian Ocean fleet at once.”
“Withdraw? Abandon the Persian Gulf? Abandon our allies in Pakistan?”
“You expressed no concerns when we ordered our Mediterranean Squadrons to move to the Indian Ocean.”
“That was different,” said Shen. “We knew we could not operate there for long, well before the war. The plan was always to relocate those forces to the Indian Ocean theater.”
“And it was well executed. That said, while Admiral Sun Wei sunk many British ships, he seems unable to sink the American ships any more than Wu Jinlong could prevail in his operation. There were forty ships in our Indian Ocean Fleet a month ago. Now there are twenty. It is the opinion of the General Staff that the fleet is now overmatched, and because the outcome of the land war in Iraq will decide everything, the mission of that fleet is now diminished. Yes, Sun Wei controls the Gulf of Oman, and sits as a naval shield for both Pakistan and Iran, but not for long, particularly if Karachi is destroyed. I ask you—how long?”
“In that event, it would be a matter of weeks before those ships could no longer operate… Perhaps more like a matter of days.”