The War of the 21st Century

Chapter 4:The Battle of the Taiwan Strait

After the armistice, the United States, Japan, Australia, and South Korea joined forces against China to stop the invasion of Taiwan. After years of threats and close calls, the Taiwanese got accustomed to China's military maneuvers near their coasts and airspace, so when the invasion came, it was almost like a surprise. The Taiwanese were prepared for this eventuality, but they were no match for the biggest army in the world at the time, and their allies' help came somewhat late due to the US being embroiled in a civil war. Some of those allies were reluctant to enter the war without the backing of the US. 

Japan was the only ally that declared war the day after the Chinese invasion. Ironic, considering that Japan had relinquished its right to declare war on any country after WW2. However, a lot had changed since then, and they firmly believed that China would not stop after taking Taiwan. They believed they would continue on until they had full control of the Pacific, and that now was the time to stop the invading force before it was too late. And so, they deployed their fleet against the Chinese and attacked the invading navy from the north side. The sky was filled with smoke, bullets, missiles, and falling debris as the Chinese and Japanese planes clashed against each other. After a few hours, China achieved air superiority and the Japanese fleet had to retreat because their ships were vulnerable to air attacks. The Japanese intervention delayed the invasion long enough for the Taiwanese to organize a stiff resistance...and yet it wasn't enough; the Great Dragon of the East swept through the land and victory was within their grasp.

 As the situation deteriorated in Taiwan, the US navy sent the Pacific fleet to the Taiwan Strait. Their main objective was to isolate and trap the Chinese 1st Army inside Taiwan by deploying the fleet around the island. This would cut off their supply lines, and pin the invading army between the Taiwanese army and the US Marines entering the coast. However, time was running out, and the Taiwanese army had entrenched itself on the last corner of the country, and what was worse: the US navy had to engage the Chinese navy head to head and push it out of the Taiwanese waters first before their main objective could be carried out. For this engagement, the Japanese agreed to attack the Chinese fleet from the north while the Americans attacked from the south, trapping the Chinese between them.

The Chinese fleet was ready to make a stand, not moving their carriers, and destroyers from their static position, maintaining the supply lanes for the 1st Army, they had laid mines on both extremes of the Taiwan Straight. They were planning to ambush both fleets outside the mined waters with submarines. As soon as the fleets arrived, they would be welcomed by submarine warfare, and fighter planes would arrive shortly to support them in battle.

And then time came and the two most powerful navies in the world clashed for the first time. It was a grueling match...The Navy had destroyed most of the submarines waiting to ambush them. However, the Americans had lost 5 destroyers, 3 cruisers and a couple of submarines. The aircraft carriers remained intact until one of them hit an uncleared mine, making it vulnerable to the attack of two Chinese submarines still operational. The ship was hit by 2 torpedoes, and then a Chinese fighter bomber finished the job with an anti-ship missile. It was the biggest American loss in the battle. Its pilots had to land at the airbases in Okinawa.

As for the Chinese, they lost most of the submarines committed to the battle, and the American air wings managed to sink 4 heavy cruisers, 3 destroyers and managed to damage their flagship carrier. They decided to withdraw their flagship, escorted by destroyers back to the mainland, but the Japanese caught them before it could make it; their submarines fired torpedoes on it until they sent the ship to the bottom of the South China Sea. The destroyers retaliated by sinking the submarines, but it was a huge win for the Japanese forces which were struggling at the northern side of the battle, specially because of the Chinese air superiority. Luckily for the Chinese, their airplanes could land on the airbases in Taiwan which were already in their control.

Unable to establish a complete blockade in Taiwan, the Pacific Fleet opted to blockade Taiwan's eastern seaboard for the time being while the Chinese controlled the South China Sea. This enabled the Americans to send their forces into Taiwan and aid the Taiwanese army. This also meant that both fleets kept harassing each other, attacking sporadically, probing defenses and weaknesses. The Japanese withdrew their navy back to their mainland and collaborated with the US Air Force bases all over the Pacific to bring supplies to their allies in Taiwan.

And thus, the Battle of the Taiwan Strait ends in a stalemate. The Chinese held their own and demonstrated to the world that they were ready to raise to the challenge of becoming the World's leading superpower. The Americans had underestimated them and paid the price, but make no mistake, they would also rise to the challenge to defend the world and keep the American Standard alive. The balance of power is in the balance, and whoever wins the War of the 21st Century will influence the rest of the world towards its beliefs into the next century. The fate of the whole world is at stake, and nothing will be the same after this great war...