Chapter 344 Shock and Awe
July 10th, 1821, seven o'clock in the morning.
Without warning, the placid morning was shattered by the thunderous roar of cannons. The sleek destroyers of the French Pacific Fleet commenced their assault. Their precise volleys targeted the Japanese junk ships which encircled their formation. Every cannonball that found its mark sent splinters flying, tearing through the age-old wood of the junks with devastating force.
From the coast, the unsuspecting civilians were jolted awake, their homes shaking with the reverberation of the cannon fire. Panic spread like wildfire.
"The French are attacking! To arms!" cried out a military officer, his samurai uniform billowing as he raced toward the coastal defenses.
Samurais, now found themselves thrust into a new age of warfare. They scrambled, manning their dated cannons and clutching their old muskets.
The French, not waiting for a response, unleashed their next weapon. The rapid staccato of machine gun fire echoed across the bay. The Japanese junks, unable to withstand such firepower, were systematically torn apart, their wooden structures offering no resistance.
On the shores, the Japanese defenses mounted a valiant effort. Cannonballs were fired on the French Fleet, but their cannons simply bounced away from the steel structure of the French ships.
The IFNS Napoleon's main turret, the 406 millimeter 50 caliber guns swiveled slowly, aiming at the defensive forts on the shores of Edo Bay. It zeroed in on their target and unleashed a single volley.
The moment the massive guns fired, the atmosphere was pierced by a sound so deafening that it seemed as if the very heavens were torn asunder. The shockwave from the blast rippled outwards, causing the water around the battleship to churn violently.
On the Japanese shore, soldiers and samurai alike instinctively clasped their hands over their ears, trying to shield themselves from the overwhelming sonic assault. Even those who had been in the thick of battle for years had never experienced such a thunderous roar.
Seconds felt like an eternity as they waited for the shells to find their mark. And then, with a blinding flash, the defensive forts that had stood as guardians of Edo Bay for generations were engulfed in explosions. The ground trembled, and a shockwave raced across the land. Buildings shook, and the very earth beneath the feet of the Japanese defenders seemed to shift as if they were caught in the grip of an earthquake.
Dust and smoke rose high into the sky, obscuring the aftermath of the devastation.
It was not done yet, the French Pacific Fleet Battlecruisers fired their secondaries while the destroyers fired their mains. Their objective was to neutralize the coastal defense of Edo Bay, ensuring that their landing forces would face minimal resistance.
The Japanese coastal defenses, already reeling from the initial assault, were further battered by the relentless barrage. The secondary guns of the French battlecruisers, while smaller in caliber than the main guns of the IFNS Napoleon, still packed a significant punch. Their rapid-fire capability meant that they could sustain a continuous rate of fire, raining down shells on the Japanese positions.
The destroyers, nimble and agile, moved closer to the shore, firing their main guns at key defensive structures. Their focus was on any remaining artillery positions that could pose a threat to the French landing forces.
Japanese soldiers and samurai tried desperately to return fire, but the overwhelming firepower of the French fleet left them little room to maneuver. Many of their cannons, some of which dated back centuries, were simply not up to the task of fending off a modern naval force. Those that could fire were quickly targeted and neutralized.
"It's useless!" Shouted one of the officers.
Their cannons were ineffective against their ships, and the fact that they were being defeated without a single French infantry landing on their shores reminded them of the huge gap between the two nations.
Yet, the Japanese people won't go down without a fight. It is ingrained in their minds that surrender is not an option, and their honor and pride wouldn't allow it.
Francis observed the battle from the bridge deck of the IFNS Napoleon. A satisfied smile spread across his lips as he scanned the coastal city of Japan with a binocular. Burning houses, civilians running amok and Japanese forces in disarray were all within his view.
"All Japanese coastal defense has been neutralized," Admiral de Richebourg reported. "We can proceed to phase two of the operation."
Francis checked the time from his wristwatch and saw that it had been fifteen minutes since the first shot was fired.
"I didn't expect it would be this quick," Francis let out a short chuckle. "Very well, commence the landing operations."
"Yes, Your Imperial Highness," Admiral de Richebourgh bowed his head reverently before transmitting the orders to the Amphibious Assault Ship that was on standby to deploy troops.
The landing crafts were deployed, ten of them to be exact. Each of them carried fifty troops.
As the landing crafts started to approach the shores, Japanese defenders regrouped and prepared for a ground defense. Despite the heavy naval bombardment, their spirit remained undeterred. Civilians and samurai began to set up makeshift barricades.
The French infantry, equipped with repeating bolt-action, began their march towards the city center. Their objective was clear: to capture key strategic points and establish a stronghold in the area.
In the streets, Japanese forces formed a line of defense. Should there be a single foreigner crossing the street, they'll be fired upon.
And that moment happened when four French troops entered the street. The Japanese line, consisting of 30 musketeers aimed their muskets at them. They waited for them to come closer, into the effective firing range of the muskets.
But—
Blood splattered across one of the Japanese musketeers in a line had his head exploded when a bullet struck it.
"Yamada?!"
They were in shock, the French were still far yet they were able to reach them with their shots.
Systematically, the four French infantry fired their repeating bolt-action rifles, and the thirty Japanese musketeers fell one by one.
Hearing the gunshots, nearby Japanese forces attempted to flank the French infantry. Samurais, wielding katanas charged in, hoping that close combat would level the playing field.
However, the French troops were not caught off guard. They quickly formed a defensive circle, rifles pointed outward. When the samurai came within striking distance, the French simply pulled the trigger of their rifles and the Japanese fell.
On the other side of the city, one hundred Japanese cavalry samurais charged at the French position. The French responded with one infantry setting up their machine gun that had a similar design to MG42.
With a pull of a trigger, the deafening roar of the machine gun filled the air, spitting out bullets at an astonishing rate. The Japanese cavalry, despite their speed and agility, were mowed down before they could reach the French line. Horses and riders alike tumbled to the ground, a few managing to break through but most were cut down by the relentless barrage of bullets.
The landing of the troops continued with the landing craft returning to its mother ship to pick up more troops and have them land on different parts of Edo. The coast was secured.
For the first time in history, Edo has now been militarily invaded by a foreign power.
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