I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 235

Black Sea.

Odesa, a port city vital to the Russian fleet.

In the late 18th century, the Russian Empire heavily invested in developing this area, seized from the Ottoman Empire.

Its location, with wide-open access to the Black Sea, made it ideal for exporting agricultural products and fostering commerce and industry.

Especially after the Industrial Revolution, as Europe’s demand for food imports surged, Odesa’s importance grew exponentially.

It became a crucial hub for exporting wheat produced in the black soil region of Ukraine, one of the most fertile areas in Europe.

This was precisely why Great Britain couldn’t afford to be overly aggressive with Russia.

As the volume of imported wheat increased, Great Britain hesitated to sever ties completely with Russia, the primary source of wheat from the black soil region.

However, once a war erupts, these strategic locations inevitably become prime targets.

Kwaaang!

Despite the Anglo-French fleet’s relentless bombardment since dawn, the Russian army stood firm.

To establish naval dominance in the Black Sea, the Allied forces had to subdue Odesa; it was a necessity, not merely an option.

The Russian army had prepared defenses, including coastal artillery batteries.

“Return fire! Return fire!”

“The Pallada has been sunk!”

“Enemy ships approaching from the port side!”

“What are our ships doing!”

Admiral Nakhimov watched his ships being destroyed in real-time, curses rising in his throat.

How could they be losing when they had the advantage of coastal batteries?

The answer was painfully obvious.

The enemy’s cannons possessed a significantly longer range.

The hastily installed cannons offered little resistance against the British fleet.

Moreover, the new incendiary shells, devastatingly effective against the Ottomans, proved almost useless against the Allied warships.

Unlike the Ottomans, who relied on wooden warships, Great Britain possessed ironclad ships, making it difficult to inflict substantial damage unless the shells hit at close range.

“Did our great victory against the Ottomans ultimately become a curse?”

They had historically prioritized the army over the navy, but their triumph over the Ottomans had led to excessive confidence.

Realistically, no matter how formidable the Russian army was, they couldn’t possibly defeat the British at sea.

Perhaps even believing they could defend Odesa was an act of hubris.

But he was left with no choice.

Nakhimov was the commander, but he couldn’t disregard the Tsar’s orders.

“Admiral! Our defensive line has been breached!”

“We’ve lost 16 ships so far!”

“Retreat.”

“Sir? But…”

“Abandon the port and reinforce the defenses of Sevastopol.”

Observing the current battle, the vast disparity in naval power was undeniable.

With Britain involved, alongside France, achieving naval supremacy was impossible from the outset, a reality they were now forced to confront.

Instead of clinging to a futile objective, it was wiser to quickly reorganize the army and formulate a realistic defense strategy.

“Send a messenger to Saint Petersburg. Odesa has lost its function as a port. Other ports are also indefensible, so we will fortify Sevastopol and withstand the Allied forces’ offensive.”

“Are we abandoning Kerch as well?”

“We must. After witnessing this, do you still believe we can win a naval battle against them? Can’t you see our fleet being decimated?”

“…Admiral.”

“This was inevitable after we became arrogant from defeating the likes of the Ottomans! I told you… the Ottomans and the British are not the same!”

Kwaang! Puh-puh-puh-pung!

Amidst the fiery rain of shells, another of their ships was dragged beneath the waves, as if testing the sea’s depth.

Each of those ships represented a fortune; the sound of their destruction was agonizing.

“Damn it. I can’t bear to watch this any longer. Turn all the ships around! Abandon Odesa!”

“But if we maintain a siege here, we can still prevent the entire port from being captured.”

“We’ve already lost naval supremacy in the Black Sea, so what’s the point of holding on to this place? What benefit does it offer?”

Continuously pouring troops into a location that has lost its purpose as a port is tantamount to choosing defeat.

“Right now, we must focus not only on this area but also on the Sea of Azov and the Caucasus. If you don’t want to ruin the country by clinging to trivial and insignificant places, withdraw the troops immediately! Relay that message to the capital as well!”

Kwaaang!

A shell landed close to the warship in the rear where the admiral was stationed, causing the ship to sway violently from the솟아오른 [솟아오르다 means to soar or surge] water column.

At this rate, they would be annihilated. The officers, sensing the danger, hurriedly nodded and issued orders.

“Retreat! Retreat!”

“Abandon the port! Cease all naval engagements and retreat!”

Unable to watch his fleet’s destruction any longer, Admiral Nakhimov closed his eyes briefly.

At the same time, an ominous feeling crept up his spine.

Based on the current situation, Russia couldn’t possibly launch an offensive.

Some ignoramuses argue that even a strong fleet can’t simply land and fire cannons, but being completely dominated in the Black Sea has far-reaching consequences.

Of course, if they could crush all enemies on land like Napoleon, a land advance wouldn’t be impossible, but…

Given the news that France had already mobilized over 200,000 troops, that seemed unlikely.

Even in terms of army strength, they were probably evenly matched, but the opposing side would have naval support, giving them a significant advantage in supply lines.

After considering all factors, the only viable option was a defensive war.

Still, it wasn’t entirely hopeless.

Isn’t war inherently less burdensome for the defender than the attacker?

If they could maintain the defense of Sevastopol in the Black Sea, they could at least avoid a losing situation.

By securing the Sea of Azov and the Caucasus and maintaining a strong defense, the enemies would eventually give up.

Then, they could negotiate peace under favorable conditions.

But as if anticipating their plan, the Allied forces moved even faster than Nakhimov had expected.

“Admiral! Urgent news from Sevastopol… the enemy’s Allied forces have landed on the Crimean Peninsula!”

“…What?”

He had anticipated a landing operation, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly.

But that’s the nature of the battlefield, isn’t it?

A battlefield that unfolds as expected is merely a playground, not a true battlefield.

Admiral Nakhimov reluctantly turned away from the burning Odesa and hurried to move his troops to the Crimean Peninsula.

* * *

At the same time as the Royal Navy was gleefully turning the Russian fleet into fish food in Odesa,

a surprise landing operation was launched in Kalamita Bay on the Crimean Peninsula.

Originally scheduled to commence a few months after occupying Odesa, the operation was expedited due to my insistence on advancing the schedule since establishing the base in Gallipoli.

This was made possible by the near certainty that Odesa and nearby ports would fall to the British Empire’s fleet.

Moreover, the Russian army was caught off guard, not anticipating an Allied landing, and was in a state of indecision regarding troop deployment to Odesa.

A surprise landing operation is risky, but its success yields unparalleled results.

The fact that they had virtually secured naval supremacy highlighted the immense advantage it provided in war.

Of course, the Russian army didn’t simply stand idly by.

Even with a successful landing, establishing troops and supplies stably was another challenge.

The Russian army, belatedly realizing the situation, dispatched approximately 20,000 intercepting troops, prompting a response from the French army and initiating battle.

Still, even a mutt has an advantage in its own territory, and despite the Russian army occupying some high ground, the difference in basic weaponry was undeniable.

Despite being the next most powerful country after Great Britain, their strength was overrated, like 질소 [nitrogen]-packaged snacks [referring to the large packaging with very little content].

The cannons had a short range, and most of the troops were still armed with smoothbore muskets.

Conversely, Great Britain was gradually supplying the newly developed Enfield rifled muskets, and France had also begun using Minie bullets, which offered an effective range several times greater than existing bullets.

In other words, the gap had widened to the point where it was difficult for them to lose against a similar number of troops.

Nevertheless, the reason their side’s casualties weren’t insignificant was largely due to the fundamentally flawed command system of the army.

Unlike the navy, the generals were often incompetent, and officers commonly bought their positions, leading to unnecessary actions.

Of course, this wasn’t unique to the British army; France and Russia were similarly affected, so it wasn’t a critical issue.

Why do they say that if everyone is messed up, a normal person is treated as strange?

Moreover, this was a transitional period of rapid technological advancement, and proper tactics and strategies hadn’t been fully developed.

When you think about it, it’s all because of Napoleon.

Because Napoleon was such a self-made man, all army norms were changed to studying Napoleon’s strategies, and they were still adhering to the strategies of the Napoleonic era.

Anyone who objected would be met with a 백태클 [back tackle] with enough force to break their legs [meaning a harsh and unfair rebuttal].

“Hey, you bastard. Are you that great? Are you a better strategist than Napoleon?”

“N, no, I’m not!”

“Then shut up and do as Napoleon did. Ugh, these days, kids think they’re the only ones who are smart. Do you think other people are idiots and do this? We’ve tried everything, and this is the best way.”

However, compared to the Napoleonic era, the effective killing range of guns had increased threefold or fourfold, and the extent of bodily harm caused by bullets was also significantly greater.

In addition to bullets, the power and range of cannons had also increased, making it obvious what would happen if they fought using Napoleonic tactics.

And that reality was becoming blatantly apparent in this war.

“…Our army and the French army have reportedly repelled the enemy at the Alma River.”

“That’s good. But why do you look so grim?”

“Our side suffered more damage than expected. Of course, the enemy also suffered almost complete annihilation…”

For a landing operation to be executed flawlessly, harmonious cooperation between the army and the navy is essential.

Otherwise, a major disaster like that of 몰 불독 [a pun, meaning ‘ignorant bulldog,’ referring to a disastrous military operation] in Gallipoli will occur.

For that reason, Marshal Fitzroy and Admiral Parker were holding regular meetings before and after the landing operation, and the current problem was, of course, the casualties of both armies.

They were clearly fighting no differently than before, but for some reason, the damage on both sides was strangely high.

“How is the French army doing? Are we the only ones experiencing this?”

“No. They have sustained even more damage.”

“The Russian army even more so?”

“Yes. The 20,000 troops that the Russian army sent to intercept us must have suffered damage close to complete annihilation.”

“…Did they perhaps fight without even deploying properly?”

Marshal Fitzroy’s expression stiffened at Admiral Parker’s pointed question.

“Surely you don’t believe our army would neglect even the most basic principles, do you?”

“Ah, no. I apologize if I offended you. Well, if both sides fought so fiercely, wouldn’t something like this happen? When you think about it, there have been plenty of battles in the past where casualties occurred in this ratio.”

It seems they are prematurely attributing this to the fierce fighting required to repel the enemy’s desperate attempts to stop the landing operation.

I need to correct this perception, but it would be too presumptuous to act like a sage who has grasped everything after a single battle.

Instead, I decided to focus on the aspects I can improve immediately.

“But Marshal, looking at this, it seems the establishment of the medical department that we agreed on last time is still progressing slowly. What’s the reason?”

“Ah, are you referring to that? Permission has been granted, but it seems the priority has been slightly lowered because we need to complete this landing operation and address the damage to the military units.”

As expected, they promised immediate action, but as soon as their own tasks became pressing, it was relegated to the back burner.

Even though they have achieved remarkable feats such as eradicating cholera, they are being sidelined like this, so I can only imagine how indignant Nightingale or John Snow must be.

But for me, this situation presents an opportunity.

There is no greater achievement than this as a stepping stone to expand my influence in this war.

I spread the report on the table and began to speak in a low voice.

“Marshal, let’s talk for a moment.”