The Battle of Taiwan Straits

It all began in the Taiwan Straits, when the free and democratic Islanders officially declared their independence from the oppressive mainland. The brutal Chinese failed to live up to expectations that freedom would come with their liberal economic expansion, and continued to oppress their own people. The response to Taiwan’s succession was as expected, short and brutal. What survived of the island’s tiny air force after the initial bombardment of missiles was soon overwhelmed by thousands of red Air Force fighters and bombers. Next came the waves of paratroopers seizing the vital air strips, followed by the main amphibious assault in hundreds of landing barges.

America’s response was typically quick, but less decisive. 5 aircraft carrier groups surged from Eastern Pacific bases in an attempt to stem the invader’s tide and sailed boldly into the Taiwan Straits as did a sistership during the 1996 Crisis. The huge fleet, which also consisted of scores of cruisers, destroyers, and submarines positioned themselves between the besieged islanders and the attackers. Leading the force was the brand new CVN-21 USS Colin Powell, and a recently commissioned super-destroyer, the DDX USS Zumwalt.

At the Battle of Taiwan Straits the Chinese used every weapon in its arsenal to defeat the Americans. From the land came ballistic missile with GPS guided warheads. This latter technology was stolen from US defense companies which had business dealings with the communists. From the sea came awesome Russian designed cruise missiles, far superior than the American Tomahawk, with supersonic speeds and hundreds of pounds of explosives.

Waiting in ambush were several Kilo class subs armed with the deadly Shkval torpedo. This underwater missile could travel at 200 knots leaving no room for evasive maneuvers. The ex-Russian diesel boats, now updated with air-independent-propulsion were waiting undetected for weeks as the carriers defiantly cruised into the enemy infested waters. Next, the thousands of Chinese aircraft easily swamped the few hundred Super Hornets defending the big ships.

The advanced American Aegis warships escorting the battle groups were designed to handle such a swarm attack. Faced with an assault from every conceivable modern weapon, the Aegis became overtaxed, and the defense failed. Guided missile warheads crashed into carrier flight decks, destroying heavily armed aircraft preparing for takeoff and starting a firestorm topside. Supersonic missiles slammed into the side decks of the massive ships, piercing hangars where lay more aircraft and munitions. Sub launched Shkvals burst into the giant flattops’ sensitive underbelly, stopping the behemoth dead in the water, making them even more vulnerable.

It was a sight unseen in naval history as all 5 American supercarriers succumbed to the Chinese assault. It became a scene reminiscent of the Bikini Atoll atomic tests after World War 2, with a massive fleet of warships overwhelmed in moments, yet no nukes were fired by either side. That day, no US vessels which entered the Straits returned to port. It is estimated some 50,000 sailors died with their brave but outclassed ships, the worst maritime disaster in modern history.

The communists were flushed with victory and began a campaign of conquest unparalleled in their history. The Japanese next became their targets, and other American allies from South Korea to Australia were subject to attacks. Every port in the Pacific was shut up for fear of the Chinese naval blitzkrieg and the new super-weapons at sea.

Everyone expected the US counterattack would involve nuclear arms, as much of her Navy was on the bottom of the ocean or huddled meekly in harbor. When the cowed American President failed to respond for fear of a communist missile strike, Congress called for his impeachment. Yet, as always happens in our nation’s history, some hero rises to the challenge when the country is in most dire peril.

A lone voice in the Office of naval transformation was Admiral Geoffrey Keith, who called for an immediate revolution in US warship design. By removing the top superstructures of cruisers and destroyers, save for a barely visible navigation bridge, a type of stealth ship could be created with existing naval vessels. With vertical launchers, all ships armament could be stored out of sight and safely in the hull. Given permission for rebuilding the fleet by a haggard Commander in Chief, Keith further ordered 4 medium sized oil tankers converted for a special mission.

Having swept the seas of all opposition the Chinese were poised to attack the West Coast. The Russians were intimidated into allowing passage of the communist army over the Bering Strait as the vital oil fields in Alaska were threatened. The rumor of a strange fleet being constructed in the San Diego Shipyards spurred the Chinese Admiral in Chief to lead his seemingly unbeatable navy toward the Golden Gate. Just barely completing his radical ship conversions, Admiral Keith sailed his bizarre makeshift stealth fleet, plus 4 heavily laden tankers out to meet the enemy. Altogether he possessed 34 warships and no aircraft carriers to the enemy’s 100 plus 2 aircraft carriers.

Instead of the American smaller warships spreading out to defend the big ships, as had been the custom of the carrier task forces, the tanker conversions encircled the others like a mother hen. As the communists attacked at long range with their deadly missiles they aimed for these ominous appearing dreadnaughts. Keith had planned for this; as the ship killers slammed into the giant ships’ outer hull, the blast of the explosions were blunted by an outer layer filled with sea water. The great arsenal ships took hit after hit yet the simple but unique "water armor" saved them from major damage, and failed to even stop them.

It was now time for the Americans to strike back. Thousands of guided weapons were fired from the inner armored hull of the arsenal ships. These streaked toward the enemy fleet which were far beyond their land based air cover and could do little more than the American Navy in the Taiwan Straits. The holocaust was quick and brutal, not an enemy ship survived the massacre at sea.

The honor of the US Navy was restored at the Battle of San Diego, by a maverick Admiral who fought against the tide of military intransigence and tradition. Though it has become a glorious military victory in the annals of naval warfare, its fame is nearly overshadowed by the needless tragedy of the Taiwan Straits.