Over the Pacific, the German Expeditionary Fleet was still undergoing repairs. Though the engagement with the Island Nation's Combined Fleet had inflicted little damage overall, many warships bore the scars of enemy shells and required minor fixes. Except for the battlecruiser Moltke, which had suffered significant hits, the other vessels sustained only superficial damage, easily addressed by onboard crews. Despite their battered appearances, the ships' combat effectiveness remained undiminished.
The grueling day-long battle had left the soldiers utterly exhausted. After hours of fierce fighting under intense pressure, without food or water, many collapsed from sheer fatigue once the guns fell silent. Observing their condition, Vice Admiral Spee ordered the fleet to withdraw from the coastal waters of the Island Nation and patrol the Pacific, granting the crew time to rest while awaiting further instructions from home.
With the destruction of the Island Nation's Combined Fleet, the next phase fell to the diplomatic corps to negotiate with their counterparts. Ideally, a settlement could be reached, sparing further conflict. If not, the fleet would be compelled to resume its offensive.
"Do you think the Island Nation will relent this time, General? Their navy is gone—there's no way for them to turn the tide. Surely, they have no choice but to capitulate," remarked Rear Admiral Mauve.
"I'm not sure," replied Vice Admiral Spee. "The Island Nation is notoriously stubborn, a people not easily judged by conventional logic. We can only wait for their response and adapt accordingly."
Having served in East Asia before, Spee knew the Island Nation's obstinacy well. Even with their fleet annihilated, he suspected they would continue their resistance. Their task, therefore, was far from over.
"General, a telegram from home!" reported the communications officer.
Taking the message, Spee read it and smiled bitterly. "It seems the Island Nation has yet to yield. The government has instructed us to intensify our attacks on their coastal cities until they are forced to submit."
"Good heavens! I can't fathom such a willful nation," Mauve exclaimed. "Do they not see that further resistance is futile? Their refusal to surrender will only deepen their losses. Can it be that they care so little for the lives of their citizens?"
Spee shrugged helplessly. "Who can say? Perhaps only God knows the nature of such a people. Regardless, orders are orders. Prepare the fleet to carry them out."
"Yes, General," Mauve replied, relaying the command to the ships.
The fleet, though still recovering, swiftly regrouped and set course back to the Island Nation's shores.
"We've already destroyed Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, and Nagoya. Next, we can enter Osaka Bay to strike Osaka and Kobe—two of their key cities," Spee proposed.
"General, if we can push into Tokyo Bay and directly assault the capital, Tokyo, it might yield an even swifter outcome," Mauve suggested.
Spee nodded thoughtfully. "I've considered it. But Tokyo Bay is heavily fortified as the nation's capital. The minefields alone in the Uraga Channel could halt us in our tracks."
"Since their fleet navigated through the Uraga Channel, they must have left a clear path. With some luck, we might find a safe passage," Mauve countered.
"Perhaps," Spee conceded. "But it's a risk we can't afford unless absolutely necessary. Let's first target their other cities. If they still refuse to yield, we can reassess and consider an assault on Tokyo."
Spee understood that Tokyo's defenses would be formidable, as befitting a nation's capital. An attack there could result in significant losses for the fleet. Yet, if breaking Tokyo's defenses was the only way to force a surrender, it would have to be done.
Osaka and Kobe, situated in Osaka Bay, were critical industrial hubs forming the Hanshin Industrial Belt. Despite government evacuation orders, local factory owners largely defied them, unwilling to abandon their enterprises and face ruin. This defiance ensured catastrophic consequences when the German bombardment began.
On August 15, the German Expeditionary Fleet navigated through the Kii Channel into Osaka Bay. The Island Nation's coastal defenses along the channel, manned by outdated artillery, crumbled under the Germans' overwhelming firepower. Reduced to rubble by the barrage, these fortifications posed no significant obstacle.
The news of the fleet's advance spread quickly to Osaka and Kobe, inciting panic. Residents hastily gathered their belongings, fleeing with children in tow. Roads became choked with fleeing masses—cars, horse-drawn carts, and rickshaws jammed alongside throngs of pedestrians, rendering escape nearly impossible.
"Move! You fools, clear the way! If the roads stay blocked, none of us will escape. The Germans are coming, and death is inevitable!" shouted a middle-aged man from his car, his voice rising in desperation.
Yet, his cries went unheard amidst the chaos. In such moments, even privilege offered little reprieve.
Meanwhile, the German Expeditionary Fleet had closed to within ten kilometers of Osaka.
"Fire!" Spee commanded.
A thunderous volley erupted from the fleet's eight battlecruisers, their heavy shells screaming through the air to rain devastation upon Osaka. The Island Nation bore witness yet again to the relentless and merciless onslaught of war.