Chapter 487 Retreat

When Washington is bickering. The advance of the French army did not stop. The artillery formation of the French Atlantic Fleet began to bombard El Salvador violently. Large-caliber artillery shells continued to fall on the US military's positions, blowing up the US military and fleeing.

Since the U.S. military has always believed that the entire western part of the South Atlantic is under the control of their navy, it is not tight in terms of coastal defense, and it can even be described as very lax. Among the long coastlines of South America, except for El Salvador and Sao Paulo, they are basically undefended. Since Sao Paulo is an important overseas base of the U.S. Navy and an important support point for the U.S. Navy’s South Atlantic strategy, relatively strong coastal defenses have been built. El Salvador also built some coastal fortifications because of the location of the US-Canadian coalition headquarters, but these coastal fortifications are much worse than those of Sao Paulo.

On the French Navy's "Giant Whale" class battleship, the 305mm naval gun is almost the nemesis of the US coastal fortifications. The US military's coastal defenses were not very strong. Just like a piece of paper, it will be broken when you poke it.

When the French Navy's artillery formation was less than 8 kilometers away from the coast, the US artillery also began to counterattack. On the coast of El Salvador, the U.S. military has a total of 8 large and small forts, and a total of more than 50 coastal defense guns of various calibers. Among them, the most powerful fortress guns with a caliber of 280 mm. However, in El Salvador, there are only two such large-caliber fortress guns. The US counterattack made the French artillery formation feel threatened. In order to avoid damage, the French retreated decisively. Withdrew from the range of the US military. The French "Giant Whale"-class battleship used its ultra-long range to bombard the US fortress guns, preparing to kill the two fortress guns that threatened the French artillery formation the most.

In this case, the US military has completely become the target of being beaten. Although the French army now has only a few warships that can bombard at this position, and due to the long distance, the hit rate has also dropped greatly. However, for fixed targets like the fortress, the French Navy's hit rate can still be maintained at about 10%. In other words, for each round of shelling by the French army, at least one or two shells could hit the target. As for the coastal defense batteries of the US military, they can only watch the French navy show off its might.

For the coastal defense artillery shells of the US military, their defense is still relatively strong. The French Navy's shells with a caliber below 155 mm cannot do them any harm at all. In particular, the two fortress guns with a diameter of 280mm have a turret armor of nearly 300mm. Except for the 305mm naval gun of the French Navy, other shells pose no threat to him at all. Only the 305mm armor-piercing shell can tear his armor.

As the artillery formation of the French Navy changed its strategy, it adopted a method of one-by-one fixed-point removal to deal with the US coastal defense forts. Under this shelling method, the U.S. military simply couldn't resist it. One by one the forts were pulled out by the French. However, the disadvantage of this strategy is that it takes a long time. When all the coastal defense batteries of the US military were destroyed, it was already two o'clock in the afternoon.

Without the threat, the artillery formation of the French Navy immediately approached the coast and continuously poured shells into the defensive positions of the US troops. The defensive positions of the US military were riddled with holes. At this time, the French Marine Corps is also preparing.

Half an hour later, the US positions were basically plowed by the French artillery formation, and more than half of the fortifications were destroyed. After receiving the results report, Field Marshal Otis, commander of the Iberian 2nd Army, decisively issued an order to attack. The two regiments of the 1st Division of the French Marine Corps simultaneously boarded the landing craft that had been prepared long ago. When Otis's order was issued, nearly 500 landing craft galloped towards the coast like arrows leaving the string. Nearly 3 kilometers away, they arrived in less than 10 minutes. During the landing process, since the US artillery had long been destroyed by the French artillery formation, it did not pose any threat to the French landing.

Two regiments of Marines made it to shore with zero casualties. At this time, the artillery formation of the French army began to shoot extended fire at the defensive positions of the US troops. Many "Dolphin" class destroyers even approached less than 1 kilometer from the coast for shelling, clearing the way for the Marine Corps to advance with their fierce artillery fire.

After the successful landing, the two regiments of the French Marine Corps quickly began to attack. They must expand the landing field as soon as possible to facilitate the landing of large troops behind. After all, their time is running out. The French army still has 100,000 soldiers and a large number of troops still staying on the transport ship.

After the successful landing of the first wave of French landing forces, the second wave of French landing forces also set off immediately. Their task is to establish a safe landing field.

Although the U.S. military has invested nearly 30,000 people in two full divisions on the coast defense line. However, the French artillery formation had completely destroyed the morale of this unit during the previous long bombardment, and under the fierce artillery bombardment of the French army, their casualties were also very large. Basically, 20% of the soldiers were killed or seriously injured in the French shelling. A large number of soldiers were terrified. They forgot their duties and ran away with their rifles in hand. No matter how much the officers scolded and accused them, they would never return to their positions. In the end, the remaining troops on the U.S. defense line were less than 15,000 people.

The French Marines of the two regiments only had 5,000 people. However, with the support of the Navy's fierce artillery fire, they had no power to fight back against the U.S. Army. Robert, who came to the front line to command, was furious.

After all the 1st Division of the French Marine Corps landed, the pressure on the US military became even greater. As a last resort, Robert had to issue an order to withdraw troops. Because, if we persist, the casualties of the US military will only increase. The demoralized U.S. military is no match for the French army at this time. And for a period of time after that, the U.S. military had to rely on them to resist the French attack. So if there are too many casualties here, it will be quite unfavorable for future strategies.

When the Americans retreated, the entire port fell into the hands of the French. But the French army did not pursue it at this time. After all, the French army that landed now has only one division. It is basically impossible to capture the strong El Salvador. The most important thing now is to let the more than 100,000 troops of the Iberian Second Army land as soon as possible. Every minute you stay at sea, you are in danger.

Fortunately for the French army, due to the haste of the US military's retreat, they did not destroy the infrastructure in the port of Salvador. The French army was able to use these infrastructures and saved the French army a lot of time. More than 100,000 troops and a large amount of strategic materials can be loaded and unloaded within two days. And two days later, the French 89th Army will also arrive. At that time, the entire port will also be devoted to loading and unloading the French 89th Army.

"General, the entire port has been occupied by the French army, and now a large number of French troops are coming down from the transport ships." Robert said helplessly. Now, the capture of El Salvador by the French army is a foregone conclusion.

"What can we do about it? This place won't belong to us soon." Cavenster was also very helpless.

"General, we will definitely come back here again. I am absolutely convinced of this." Robert said firmly.

"Yes. This time it was entirely due to the machinations of the French. We were caught off guard. I promise God, it won't be long before this place will be back in our hands." Cavenster swore.

"General, we are ready and can retreat at any time." At this time, Brady came over and said. In order to prevent the French army from using El Salvador, the US military took away everything that could be taken away this time, and destroyed everything that could not be taken away.

"Let's go tomorrow morning~lightnovelpub.net~ Let the soldiers have a good rest tonight." Cavenster said after thinking for a while.

"General, I have another question, where should we retreat?" Brady asked. Yes, South America is really big, there must be a goal.

"Yes, General. Shall we retreat to the north to join the main body of our army, or to the south to join the navy?" Robert also asked.

"Of course we retreated to the north. To defend South America, those navies are unreliable, and in the end we have to rely on our army. I have already ordered the defenders in other parts of South America to retreat to the north. Now we can only move all of South America Only by concentrating all the troops can it be possible to resist the French attack." Cavenster said without thinking. For the navy, even though they have also achieved great military exploits, he is still very disdainful.

"Then which city should we evacuate to?" Robert asked.

Cavenster walked to the map hanging on the wall, thought for a while, and then looked at a city called Belem. It was a city in the southern part of the Amazon River, backed by the Amazon River, and the river network was dense after all, making it very suitable for defense. At the same time, the port is also very good, which is conducive to obtaining supplies.