Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 209



Only Noblemtl

#209. Glorious Days of the Navy (2)

“And to send such a large transport fleet without any escorts? It’s just plain crazy. Even though the Korean Peninsula and the Strait of Joseon are close by, this is crazy. Even if it doesn’t go all the way from Ujina Port to Busan, it would take at least five days to travel, prepare for landing, and disembark. And who knows what might happen during those five days.”

In particular, wasn’t it said that the fleet’s speed was adjusted based on the slowest ship? The transport ships were already slow, so the thought that they could slow down even more made my eyes dizzy.

And, whether he knew his feelings or not, the oblivious subordinate officer smiled and said.

“Haha, Your Majesty, you too. There wasn’t much of a problem during the Sino-Japanese War, was there?”

“You idiot! Do those Roske guys look like some fucking dog passing by?”

He growled and spoke as if he were a fierce dog.

However, the subordinate officer who had been laughing and snickering in front of him smiled and took a posture with military discipline.

The quartermaster was momentarily angry, but he lowered his voice again, thinking that scolding his subordinate would not yield any results.

“The Roske are on a whole other level than those Chinese brats. And those Joseon guys are also underestimated by their superiors, so they’re called monopolists. I really don’t understand why the 1st Army is so desperately requesting troops and supplies from us, and why the headquarters is so picky.”

The quartermaster’s point was quite logical. When the orders from the superiors were excessively unreasonable, it was possible to find a pattern that the situation was turning unfavorable or not going as planned.

Although the transport itself would not be difficult because the weather was less bad, this also meant that enemy fleets that were moving around to destroy trade would be easier to detect.

If the weather is bad, the enemy fleet will have a hard time moving, so if they use that as a shield and somehow manage to enter the port, there will be no problem.

“At times like this, it would be nice to get some support from the Navy guys…”

For a moment, the quartermaster thought back to the Go Seung-ho incident, the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War. They were stupid Chinese bastards, but they still had the brains to assign one protected cruiser and one gunboat to the convoy to protect it. But this army didn’t even do what the Chinese did.

The reason was simple. The task of transporting troops and supplies deployed overseas was usually under the jurisdiction of the Army, so the Navy could not be involved.

That was why the escort ships were not attached well, and in 1894, for that reason, the combined naval fleet, fearing a raid by the Beiyang Fleet, huddled together at Gunsanpo and virtually abandoned it.

“For now, there’s no other way. In order to transport this many troops, we have to send all the transport ships we currently have to Busan.”

He sighed as he looked down at a piece of paper.

The 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Division, the Engineer Corps to support the 1st Army in crossing the Imjin and Daedong Rivers, and the reserve infantry of about 4,000 soldiers gathered from the mainland to transport supplies in preparation for the poor transportation conditions on the Korean Peninsula.

These were the items he had to transport ‘safely’ to the Korean Peninsula.

If they failed to arrive properly, the 1st Army’s advance north would have been delayed.

If the enemy confirms this properly, they may immediately send out a fleet of destroyers to take a shot at it.

“This is too dangerous. Should we request support from the 3rd Fleet first?”

“Okay. If we take those junked ships with us, our transport fleet will be in more danger. But since we have ships in Busan, let’s ask them in advance to provide support in case of an emergency.”

Well, there was still one temporary fleet deployed for maritime defense of the east and south coasts and the entire archipelago.

While the 1st and 2nd Fleets were out to check Port Arthur, the 3rd Fleet, to defend the empty seas, was created around September of this year by scraping together old and captured ships that had been performing patrol and surveillance duties, and even the finest cruisers.

Of course, no one believed them.

To be exact, it would be more correct to say that I couldn’t do it.

It was to the point where it was even ridiculed as a ‘ridiculous fleet.’

Still, he did manage to deploy the Jinwon, Pyeongwon, and Jewon ships that he had captured from the Samgyeongham and the Beiyang Fleet.

Although the name alone sounds powerful, this level of power is insufficient to defend transport routes and conduct raids in the vast ocean.

“And if we ask them for fleet support and one of them gets breached and we get cursed at, do you think the Navy will protect us? They’ll immediately turn the tables on us, saying, ‘It’s the Army’s fault for requesting an escort ship to escort the convoy!’”

Considering the deep-rooted conflict between the Army and the Navy, that was more than enough.

In the first place, the fact that the army was in charge of maritime transport itself was quite bizarre.

“There’s no other way. We have no choice but to bring in a large transport fleet all at once, like we did during the Sino-Japanese War. In the grand scheme of things, even if one or two ships are attacked by the enemy, most of the ships will be fine as long as they arrive at the port.”

The quartermaster decided to formulate a plan with a cigarette between his lips.

Of course, if the enemy were to operate a large-scale trade destruction fleet, a catastrophe could occur, but he believed that it would be difficult to conduct joint operations or high-level trade destruction at the level of Vladivostok and Hamhung.

And there were eyes watching the urgent movements of these transport ships from afar.

They looked out at the harbor for a moment in the darkness, then disappeared like the wind back the way they came.

***

When Cho Dong-yoon and other staff members of the Records Bureau arrived in Hamheung, they were busy taking up their positions in a corner of the palace and carrying out their original duties, or rather, missions appropriate for the wartime.

“Director, an urgent coded telegram has arrived from staff member No. 23 of the Hiroshima 113 Branch.”

The Records Investigation Office’s Section 4 agents, still on duty within Japan, sent an urgent coded telegram to make sure they hadn’t forgotten their mission.

And the news they brought was nothing short of a jackpot. The Japanese had wagered a considerable amount of money, and now they were in a perfect position to win it.

After seeing the interpretation text that came with the cipher, Chief Jo Dong-yoon quickly read it with eyes that were much larger than usual.

If what they saw was true, within a few days a massive convoy of 18 transport ships loaded with 12,000 troops and supplies would be sailing from Hiroshima Ushima Port to Busan.

And not in a distributed manner, but by pouring out a large number of transport flyers all at once.

With the Japanese navy concentrated in Port Arthur, the escort force assigned to these transport groups would have been minimal or non-existent.

This would be natural, since most of the ships were deployed in the West Sea to begin with.

Their purpose was clear. In addition to the 8,000 troops of the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Division, the 4,000-strong reserve force would have completely controlled the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, while also targeting Gwanseo and breaking through to Manchuria through Uiju.

If the Navy were to strike them, it could deal quite a blow.

Because it was such a precious opportunity, and one that would never come again, Jo Dong-yoon was cautious.

“Is everything reported just true? It could be false information leaked by the enemy.”

As someone who deals with information, every piece of information he deals with from now on had to be prepared for the best of times, or the worst of times.

And this information that came in this time was perhaps the best moment that could be presented to the new Korean Navy. That is why he carefully requested cross-checking of the information.

Then an employee came with another document.

As if he had been waiting for it, he handed it over to Jo Dong-yoon and explained its value.

“This is the content of the interception of the enemy naval telegraph lines by the 555th and 612th branches in Gunsan and Busan. And looking at this, it seems that the report of the 113th branch is true. Also, it seems that separate orders were given to the members of the Japanese Navy’s 3rd Fleet anchored in Busan…”

And Jo Dong-yoon knew the value of that information better than anyone else. That’s why he spent a lot of money on those expensive radio equipment and distributed it to major branches around the country.

Although Military Affairs Bureau Chief Kim Si-hyuk briefly opened his eyes and pressed him, saying, “Oh, that should be used to modernize military firepower…”, he eventually gave permission after hearing his “sincere persuasion” that information warfare capabilities would change the course of future wars.

In the end, the opening of the second front that he was talking about had to be carried out thoroughly and efficiently with the information support of these rear branches, and through this, the civilian, government, and military had to unite to overcome this unprecedented national crisis.

Chief Kim Si-hyeok said that the true ‘sound of civilization’ was a beautiful orchestra disguised as the sound of Maxim guns roasting beans and the discordant sounds of French field guns.

I thought that what Chief Cho Dong-yoon meant by ‘the sound of civilization’ was the noises that were pounding all over his body right now.

Because they all have their own meanings and provide the necessary information through things flying at the speed of light.

And with all this information, I was really happy when his guess turned out to be correct.

It was the same pleasure as when I was young and would often read old books like the Four Books and Three Classics to the adults in my family and recite their hidden meanings, and they would give me great praise.

“This is a jackpot, a jackpot!”

This time, too, that pleasure enveloped him.

bang!

Unable to control his emotions, Jo Dong-yoon slammed his fist on the table and spoke. It was a huge stake that could possibly change the course of the war.

“We must meet with Jang Gi-ryeom right away. Perhaps we can support the allies in the government office. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

He hit the table so hard that all the employees working there looked at him in surprise.

Maybe it’s because it’s the first time I’ve seen him like that.

He ran out in a hurry without even putting on his combat boots properly.

Then a man without rank chased after him, carrying combat boots and a military jacket.

It was a moment that would bring about the most glorious days for the Navy.

***

“Is this true, Chief Archivist?”

“That’s absolutely true! In a few days, a convoy of 18 ships will sail from Hiroshima Ujina to Busan. If we set sail today, we can crush their noses to the ground!”

An excited Jo Dong-yoon said as he put on the military boots and uniform jacket his subordinates had brought.

Jang Gi-ryeom felt a shiver run through his body as he accepted the documents he had handed him.

“These guys are fearlessly sending large transport ships to our homeland. These rude guys are sending a huge number of troops and supplies to Busan, and our Korean Navy is just going to sit by and watch? The 3rd Brigade on the Gyeongin Road has also been defeated, and the Yangseo Police Command is currently preparing for defense.”

“···But there may be an enemy escort force. The Russian fleet has entered now, but is it possible with only four cruisers and six destroyers combined?”

“Would you rather throw away the glory of having the first victory won by the Navy rather than the Army?”

Jo Dong-yoon offered Jang Gi-ryeom the greatest honor a soldier could have.

If even the Army, which had been greatly reorganized over the years to strengthen its power, could only return to the defensive against the Japanese, and the Navy, which was just beginning to walk, could achieve victory… that in itself would be an enormous honor.

And no one would turn down such an honor.