During the communications and satellite blackout, the PLAN had maneuvered two of their carriers and the rest of the battlegroup to within 90 miles of Okinawa. While it was still early in the first hour of confusion among the American forces, forty-six J36 attack aircraft began their bombing of Kadena AFB, destroying the runways and numerous aircraft. The battlegroup had launched 190 cruise missiles at the AFB and Marines stationed throughout the island. The Japanese Defense Force (JDF) was able to destroy several of the J36 aircraft while their naval forces moved to engage the Chinese battlegroup. With the bulk of the American naval forces fighting in Indonesia, Japan was on their own. Since the American bases on Okinawa were neutralized, the PLAN carrier battlegroup changed course towards Guam to finish destroying the bases’ capability and remove them as a threat.
With the start of Operation Red Dragon, the PLAN and PLAAF launched a massive barrage on the Penghu Islands in the Taiwan Straits and began their amphibious landings to secure the islands. The PLA bombarded the main island with thousands of cruise and several hundred short-range ballistic missiles carrying 20,000 pound warheads; they devastated the Taiwanese airports and major command and control centers, flattening them like bugs under a fly swatter. The missile and air bombardment of the main island lasted for nearly 24 hours before the PLA began to land troops on the main island.
Dozens of PLA and PLAN ships were being destroyed in the straits by Taiwanese missiles and artillery, slowing the PLA advance but not stopping it. The Americans had sold the Taiwanese their advanced mobile anti-aircraft and anti-missile railgun systems over the summer. The Taiwanese leveled these weapons to face the ocean and began to add their own devastating fire into the invasion force. These systems were also having a destructive effect on the PLAAF; within minutes of taking off from their bases on the mainland, they were already within range of the railguns. If it had not been for the swarms of thousands of PLAAF drones involved in the attack, the PLAAF may have suffered even worse losses. The railgun defensive systems were beginning to limit the level and frequency of air support that could be provided to the ground forces.
At the start of Operation Red Dragon, 1.1 million PLA soldiers advanced across the Chinese southern border into Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. Vietnam had been the Rice Bowl of Asia for over a century; the capture of Vietnam by the Chinese was paramount to stabilizing their nation’s food supply. Myanmar would give China deep water ports on the East Indian Ocean, along with vast amounts of arable farmland.
Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore were next on the PLA’s list. With control of Malaysia and Singapore, the Chinese would control the straits of Malacca and with it the shipping lane of nearly 60 % of the world’s exportable goods.
“Caliph Mohammed, the American satellites and communications systems are down. We have received word from the Chinese that they have commenced their attack on the Americans,” Zaheer Akhatar, Mohammed’s senior advisor said with glee.
“Excellent. How soon until our packages arrive in America, Huseen?” asked the Caliph, eager to knock the Americans out of the war in the Middle East.
“The Liquid Natural Gas tanker is at the Panama Canal now; it should enter the lock shortly. Once it does, our people will detonate it as it reaches the optimal spot. With the destruction of the canal, the Americans’ ability to move between the Atlantic and Pacific will be crippled. Since the Chinese have plans for the American West Coast, we have moved the Swords of Allah to the East Coast. The first ship has arrived in New York Harbor; once the Captain receives the order, he will move his ship towards the Hudson River until he is adjacent to the New Port Center in New Jersey. Inshallah, he will deliver the first of Allah’s Swords,” described Huseen ibn Abdullah Al Gubayel, the IR Intelligence Director.
“Is that the best location to deliver Allah’s Sword?” asked Mohammed.
“That location will ensure the vast majority of the buildings in lower and mid-Manhattan will be destroyed. It is also one of the heaviest populated areas in Manhattan and next to the Greenwich and SOHO districts; this is where the wealthiest people in the city live.”
“How many casualties do we anticipate?”
“At least one hundred thousand dead from the initial blast, then close to five or six times that number over the next several hours and days as people start to die from radiation poisoning and the general chaos this is going to cause,” explained Huseen with an evil sneer.
“The second Sword is still on track to hit Washington, DC?” asked Mohammed.
“The ship docked in Baltimore two days ago. Allah’s Sword has been offloaded to a lead-shielded delivery vehicle. When you give the order, our operative will drive the vehicle to Washington and will deliver Allah’s Sword near the Capital building. It will destroy everything within a half mile radius of the event, with severe damage extending as far as two to three miles away. We anticipate fifty thousand casualties initially, and that toll will rise to nearly three to four hundred thousand over the next several days.”
“Huseen, I thought the casualties were supposed to be significantly higher than that. What changed?” asked Mohammed.
“The American government has gone to ground. They instituted their Continuity of Government plan. The vast majority of administration functions are no longer being conducted in Washington, DC, and have moved to their various underground complexes. Before you ask if we know where these locations are — we do not. The ones we knew of have recently been decommissioned, which means they have newer ones that we have not found yet,” said Huseen.
“Perhaps we should move the last Sword to a better target then?” inquired the Caliph.
“Sir, the goal was to destroy the symbol of American power, Washington, DC. Even if the government is no longer operating out of Washington, we can still destroy the city,” said General Rafik Hamza.
“Destroying the city has been one of our major goals; however, we only have one of Allah’s Swords left to use. I want to make sure it is used where it can cause the most damage to hurt and kill the most Americans possible. We can have several of our direct action units in the area start fires all across Washington and attempt to burn it, but Allah’s Sword is special. What other targets should we consider?”
“If this is your final decision, then I propose we use Allah’s Sword on Baltimore. It is already in place; all that needs to be done is to move it to the downtown area and then deliver it. We would destroy one of their largest seaports on the East Coast, and cripple a key aspect of their rail and road infrastructure. The casualties from this should be several hundred thousand people initially, and eclipse a million within a month,” said General Rafik Hamza.