The chimneys of the three *Blücher*-class battlecruisers of the German Navy belched thick, black smoke. The boilers began to force air through at high pressure, and the high-temperature steam surged into the turbines, causing the propellers to spin wildly. The speed of all three battlecruisers began to increase.
In contrast to the American battleships in the British fleet, as long as the fleet's speed increased, the British could do nothing but watch helplessly. Though the American battleships boasted formidable firepower and thick armor, speed was their greatest weakness.
On the *Nevada* battleship, Vice Admiral Martin also noticed that the German fleet was retreating.
"General, the Germans are trying to flee!"
"Damn it, those cowardly Germans! Where has their courage gone? They are running for their lives. The second battleship division must intercept them; we cannot let them escape!" Vice Admiral Martin commanded.
"Yes, sir."
Vice Admiral Martin was intent on eliminating all three *Blücher*-class battlecruisers. So far, only one had been heavily damaged. If they let the opportunity slip away, it would be a great loss.
This time, the primary goal of the joint fleet was to destroy the German Navy's battlecruiser division. Vice Admiral Martin's fleet had surrounded the three *Blücher*-class battlecruisers, and by eliminating them, he also aimed to draw out the remaining nine German battlecruisers. The main force of the joint fleet, under Admiral John Jellicoe, would serve as the "bait" and launch a final attack to eliminate the entire German battlecruiser fleet.
In doing so, the joint fleet would eliminate at least a third of the German Navy's strength, widening their advantage and making a victory in this naval confrontation all the more achievable.
Thus, Vice Admiral Martin would not allow the German *Blücher*-class battlecruisers to escape easily.
As the German fleet increased its speed, it gradually pulled away from the British fleet. Although the British continued their relentless pursuit, constantly firing their main guns, the distance between the two fleets was now so vast that the accuracy of their shots was greatly reduced, with shells often landing over a hundred meters off target.
"Damn British! Don't get too cocky. Once our main force arrives, you'll regret this!" Rear Admiral Lübeck hissed through clenched teeth as he watched the British fleet pursue relentlessly. It was known that the *Blücher* had lost a third of its firepower and, after this battle, would likely remain in dry dock for some time. This made Rear Admiral Lübeck furious.
At that moment, a shrill alarm blared once again.
"Sir, we've spotted the British fleet. Six British battleships have appeared ahead of us!" a staff officer exclaimed in terror.
"What? Six British battleships?" Rear Admiral Lübeck's face turned ashen.
"Damn it, those are American ships! The *Florida*, *Delaware*, and *South Carolina* classes!" Rear Admiral Lübeck muttered as he put down his binoculars, his face darkening like the bottom of a cauldron.
A full twelve battleships, all of them the core of the American Navy. But now, they all flew the St. George's flag. The sight of twelve battleships mobilized to surround them was a dire threat to the entire fleet. If things went wrong, they could all be sunk here.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The six battleships appeared in front of the fleet and immediately began firing. Each shell crashed into the sea, sending towering columns of water into the air.
The six British battleships had successfully gained the advantage of the T-cross, and now the German fleet faced a devastating barrage from the British. These six battleships, each armed with 305mm main guns, pounded the German fleet mercilessly. The *Florida* and *Delaware* classes were equipped with five twin-mounted main turrets, while the *South Carolina* class had four. This meant the German fleet was now under fire from a total of 56 305mm guns.
At the forefront of the line, the *Blücher* became the primary target of the British fleet's fire.
Shells rained down on the *Blücher*, as if it were caught in a violent storm.
"Order all ships to disperse and turn south immediately! Use speed to outrun the British and withdraw from the battle!" Rear Admiral Lübeck commanded.
If they continued forward, they would only close the distance to the British fleet, intensifying the fire they were already receiving. In such a situation, their only choice was to avoid the worst and retreat. Disbanding the battle line was meant to allow the two rear battlecruisers to turn more quickly and avoid further bombardment.
Upon receiving the command, the German fleet immediately reacted. The three *Blücher*-class battlecruisers began to turn, followed by the smaller vessels.
The turn was, of course, the most dangerous moment, as the vulnerable sides of the ships were now exposed to the British fleet, making them easy targets.
"Boom!"
A 305mm shell struck the *Blücher*'s port side, blowing off one of its 150mm secondary guns.
Moments later, another shell hit the bow, blasting a massive hole in the deck and killing several sailors.
In the next two minutes, the *Blücher* was hammered by the British fleet's concentrated fire, taking over ten direct hits. Its superstructure was shredded, flames erupted, and the rudder at the stern was destroyed, rendering it unable to turn. Meanwhile, seawater rushed in, flooding the ship.
Even with the *Blücher*'s robust damage resistance, it could not withstand this sustained onslaught.
"Send a telegram to the *Von der Tann* and *Leopold* to maintain speed and break out of the encirclement from the south, then return via a detour. We cannot let the British catch us. We will fight until the end!" Rear Admiral Lübeck commanded.
The *Blücher* continued firing until it sank, overwhelmed by flooding. Over a thousand officers and men perished with the ship, including Rear Admiral Lübeck, with no survivors.