At a German airfield over ten kilometers from Le Havre, Generals Krook and Ludendorff were anxiously awaiting the results of the naval airstrike.
"General, I hope the carrier air units can destroy the British warships in one fell swoop. That way, when we launch our attack on Le Havre, we won't have to worry about their gunfire anymore," said General Ludendorff.
"Indeed. Admiral Ignal is confident. I believe the carrier units will deliver a satisfactory result this time. At the very least, they should be able to drive the British fleet away from Le Havre. Without the support of their navy, our assault will be much easier," said General Krook.
"Yes, General. We've already wasted enough time at Le Havre; we cannot afford to delay any longer," General Ludendorff replied.
According to the original plan, Le Havre should have already been secured by now, but due to setbacks in the attack, they had been forced to squander significant time.
"General Krook, General Ludendorff, the 3rd and 4th carrier air wings have completed their assault on the British fleet. The results so far are promising. We've already sunk several of their pre-dreadnoughts and armored cruisers. Now, the 5th and 6th wings are attacking as well," reported Admiral Ignal with excitement.
Though this was the first real combat mission for the pilots of these four carrier air wings, their performance had undoubtedly been impressive. The sight of British warships sinking one after another was the best testament to their training.
"Excellent, Admiral. It seems we are on the verge of victory, isn't that so?" General Krook asked.
"Yes, General. Our carrier air units will achieve victory. While it may be unlikely to sink every British warship, wiping out their pre-dreadnoughts and armored cruisers is certainly within reach," Admiral Ignal said confidently.
"In that case, that's perfect. We can resume our assault on Le Havre by this afternoon, or at the latest, tomorrow," said General Ludendorff.
"General, I recommend we wait until tomorrow afternoon to commence the attack. That way, we can give the naval fleet a chance to showcase its strength. The fleet of five 'Deutschland-class' battleships and five 'Brunswick-class' battleships will arrive by tomorrow morning. They'll bombard Le Havre with their large-caliber guns. The British will finally get a taste of what it's like to be hit by heavy naval fire. This will make the infantry's task much easier," Admiral Ignal suggested.
General Krook nodded. "That's an excellent suggestion. I too am eager to see the expression on the British faces when we unleash our heavy naval fire on them."
General Ludendorff nodded as well. They had suffered heavy losses under the British fleet's artillery, a pain that had long haunted them. To finally have the opportunity to repay them in kind would be immensely satisfying.
Soon, the results of the German naval air strike were confirmed. The 3rd and 4th air wings had carried out two rounds of attacks, and the 5th and 6th air wings had completed one round. A total of 384 sorties had successfully sunk 21 British pre-dreadnoughts and 13 armored cruisers. Additionally, several smaller British warships had been sunk as well. The attack was a resounding success.
The news of the British fleet's destruction and retreat sent a wave of renewed morale through the German forces.
Although most German soldiers were brave and fearless in battle, the overwhelming power of the British fleet's artillery had created immense pressure, especially for those within the range of the naval bombardment, who were often blown apart. This had deeply shaken their souls.
"Damned Brits! Their fleet has finally been defeated. Without naval support, how can they possibly withstand our assault?"
"This time, we will wipe them all out!"
With the restoration of morale, the German troops were poised for a far more determined attack on Le Havre.
On the other hand, the British Expeditionary Force's morale plummeted to an all-time low. Many British soldiers, unable to cope with the sudden shift from optimism to despair, broke down completely.
Some even deserted their posts, heading to the docks in hopes of escaping Le Havre aboard supply ships. Clearly, they had lost all confidence in the upcoming battle and only wished to save their own lives.
Reluctantly, Sir French ordered the British forces to hold their lines, forbidding any unauthorized retreats, and organized a large contingent of military police to prevent desertion. However, despite these efforts, the number of deserters continued to rise.
With no naval fleet to rely on, the British forces were left to defend Le Havre on their own. They began fortifying their defenses, although they doubted the effectiveness of these measures.
By the afternoon, the German 1st and 8th Corps artillery units had returned to the outskirts of Le Havre and begun shelling. Though the infantry had not yet attacked, the preparatory bombardment was certainly a step in the right direction.
The next morning, May 11th, a large number of ships appeared off the coast of Le Havre, but the flags they flew were no longer the St. George's Cross, but the banner of the German Navy.
"My God! The German fleet has arrived!" The British Expeditionary Force officers and men were stricken with despair upon realizing this.
"Damn it! The Germans are forcing us into a corner!" Sir French, upon receiving the news, turned ashen. They were already no match for the German forces, and now the Germans had the support of battleships. The fate of the British Expeditionary Force seemed sealed.