The chimney of the light cruiser "Konigsberg" belched forth thick, billowing smoke. Under the intense pressure of steam, the turbines began to whir vigorously, propelling the ship to an ever-increasing speed.
Within minutes, the "Konigsberg" achieved a velocity exceeding thirty knots. While thirty knots might seem trivial on land, it represented a considerable swiftness for a vessel navigating the open sea.
At this moment, the "Konigsberg" was hurtling towards its target—the American fleet's flagship, the battleship "Nevada." This audacious maneuver heightened the tension within the American fleet.
"General, the Germans are rapidly closing in on us!" exclaimed a startled American staff officer.
"What is happening? What do those Germans intend to do?" Vice Admiral Fletcher responded, alarmed.
"Good heavens, they wouldn't dare to ram us, would they?" another American officer ventured.
Fletcher hesitated, instinctively wanting to order the destruction of the "Konigsberg." However, as the words hovered on the tip of his tongue, he swallowed them back. Undoubtedly, the might of the American fleet could easily obliterate the "Konigsberg," but opening fire would surely ignite a war between the United States and Germany.
"Sir, what should we do? The German warship is getting perilously close!" another voice urged.
"Warn them to halt immediately. Otherwise, we will open fire!" Fletcher commanded, his face pale with urgency.
Yet, the "Konigsberg" paid no heed to the American warnings, charging forward at a remarkable speed of 32 knots towards the "Nevada."
"Sir, the Germans are ignoring us!"
"Madmen! Are those Germans completely insane? Don't they realize that a collision with our battleship would constitute an act of war?" Fletcher thundered. In his eyes, the German sailors aboard the "Konigsberg" appeared utterly deranged—yet it was precisely such madness that made them truly terrifying.
"Commander, should we not fire upon them? At this distance, our chances of hitting are substantial. A single shell could inflict severe damage, even sink them. We could neutralize the threat," suggested one officer.
"Fool! If we fire, it will undoubtedly precipitate war with Germany. No one can bear the consequences of such an outcome," Fletcher replied grimly. Though he longed to issue the command to sink the German light cruiser, the repercussions were beyond his capacity to endure. Thus, he quelled his mounting frustration.
"Sir, what shall we do? Are we to stand idly by while the Germans bear down upon us? Their vessel's size and speed could not sink us, but they could still inflict significant damage."
"Order the other destroyers and cruisers to provide us with escort. If necessary, they may ram the German ships," Fletcher commanded. If the Germans intended to strike their flagship, the Americans could employ the same tactics in retaliation.
However, the American fleet's response was somewhat sluggish. With the "Konigsberg" having fully accelerated, the American light cruisers and destroyers, still in the process of gaining speed, were unable to intercept the German ship, which deftly evaded them.
"Hans, splendid work! You are undoubtedly the finest navigator in the Imperial Navy," Colonel Erich Raeder laughed heartily from the bridge of the "Konigsberg."
"Of course! My dream is to navigate a battleship as one would a speedboat. If I ever become the navigator of a battleship, it would be a dream fulfilled!" Lieutenant Hans replied with a broad grin.
"Hans, I assure you, that opportunity will come. When I become the captain of a battleship, I will make you my navigator!" Raeder promised with utmost sincerity.
As time slipped away, the "Konigsberg" drew ever closer to the "Nevada." They had successfully evaded the American warships sent to intercept them, now aligning their bow with the vulnerable midsection of the "Nevada."
"My God! Those Germans are truly insane; they dare to collide with us!" one officer exclaimed.
"Fools! Turn away! We must not allow the Germans to ram us," Fletcher shouted. Each battleship in the American fleet was an invaluable asset; if severely damaged, it would cripple their strength.
"Attention all stations! We are about to collide with the American warship. Hold on tightly; do not get thrown overboard!" Raeder ordered.
Instantly, the German sailors aboard the "Konigsberg" gripped anything sturdy to brace themselves against the impending impact. In such high-speed maneuvers, being thrown overboard would be nothing short of catastrophic.
"Damn it! Prepare for impact!" Fletcher, realizing there was no escaping the "Konigsberg," grimly ordered collision preparations. He could only pray that the formidable defenses of the "Nevada" would withstand the assault from the German light cruiser.
"Boom!"
"Creak!"
Before everyone's eyes, the "Konigsberg" violently struck the midsection of the "Nevada." Despite the formidable armor of the battleship, measuring 343 millimeters thick in the midsection, the sharp bow of the "Konigsberg" tore through it, producing a sound that made one's teeth ache.
However, the "Konigsberg," being merely a medium warship of over 5,000 tons, could not withstand the consequences of colliding with a battleship weighing 30,000 tons. The bow of the cruiser was nearly obliterated. Yet, to exchange its own crippling for significant damage to an American battleship was, without a doubt, a most advantageous trade.