Chapter 859: Total War 13

When the news reached the neighboring country that the mechanized infantry brigade Canada had sent to cooperate with the U. S. military had been almost completely wiped out, the Americans found themselves in a difficult position.

The Pentagon, or rather, the group of high-ranking U. S. defense officials and generals who had issued the order for an all-out counterattack against the Decepticons not long ago.

At this moment, a wordless awkwardness and silence made the atmosphere inside this top-secret conference room extremely uncomfortable.

After a long while, a general serving at the North American Aerospace Defense Command finally spoke first, "Canada has already exploded; this is likely their heaviest loss since the end of World War II, and it happened on their own soil. In the past half hour, the North American Aerospace Defense Command has received calls one after another from the Deputy Commander, the Canadian Defense Minister, and the Canadian Prime Minister. They want us to provide an explanation!"

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (abbreviated as NORAD) is a military defense organization initiated by the United States and jointly established with neighboring Canada during the Cold War to defend against the Soviet Union. Although its primary duty is for the two countries to jointly establish an aerial defense circle spanning the Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Circle, and the Atlantic Ocean, its responsibilities later gradually extended into more military defense fields.

The commander of NORAD is generally appointed by the U. S. military from among high-ranking generals, while the deputy commander is appointed by the Canadian side.

Although it is merely an economic colony of the United States, it is, after all, one of the few industrial nations on Earth. Under normal circumstances, the appearance of the Canadian Deputy Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command would be enough to make the United States treat the matter with gravity.

But this time, because of the total annihilation of a Canadian mechanized infantry brigade and the fact that three high-ranking military and political officials were personally demanding an explanation, even these official lords in the Pentagon, who usually held their heads high, all felt it was a very thorny issue.

"According to intelligence returned by satellites, it can currently be confirmed that Canada has lost at least five thousand soldiers; it can be said to be their greatest casualty count since World War II!"

Before World War II, Canada was a British colony and had, in both World War I and World War II, conscripted troops to fight far away in Europe for the interests of the suzerain state, paying a tremendous sacrifice.

This country had even, after World War II, participated many times in wars initiated by the United States in order to curry favor with its neighbor.

But a loss like today's is a first for Canada since World War II.

A mechanized infantry brigade was almost wiped out as a formed unit; although the opponents were aliens, the cause was to cooperate with U. S. military operations.

Even if the Americans are accustomed to being arrogant and domineering, in this situation, they truly need to give Canada an account.

Otherwise, it will be difficult for them to maintain their close alliance with Canada in the future.

There was another silence in the conference room, with files being opened from time to time or the sound of suppressed light coughing.

No one took the initiative to speak first at this time, because it now involved two countries, and as for how to compensate Canada, it was clear that the United States would have to bleed a little this time.

After remaining silent for a long time, the new Defense Minister finally took the initiative to take over the topic, "As for Canada, I will report truthfully to the President; there is no need to discuss it here!"

With his words, the atmosphere in the conference room suddenly eased.

Everyone knew that this newly promoted Defense Minister was a confidant of the new President.

Since he had taken over the most troublesome political issue, the remaining military aspects would be much easier to resolve.

A high-ranking general immediately followed his lead and began to talk, "The data captured by our satellites has been processed. The previous missile carpet-bombing clearly dealt a not-insignificant blow to those aliens. From the photos taken by the satellites, it can already be confirmed that at least thirty to fifty aliens have been destroyed by our missiles!"

Many people in the conference room already knew this intelligence, and someone immediately echoed, "Clearly, this batch of invading aliens is not as difficult to deal with as we previously worried!"

"No, no, no. Although nearly half of the invading aliens have been dealt with by our missiles, judging from the intelligence on the rapid collapse of that Canadian mechanized infantry brigade, we do not have much of an advantage in ground combat when facing the aliens."

Canada's military development is almost entirely modeled after their neighbor.

In a sense, compared to Canada, a U. S. mechanized infantry brigade does not have many more people or weapons than Canada's.

At most, because of their perennial warmongering and external projection of war, their individual soldiers might have richer combat experience.

Therefore, since the Canadian military was beaten to the point of near-total annihilation when facing the Decepticons, if the U. S. military were to really send ground troops into the fray, the result might not be much better.

"The aliens have already lost more than half, but their aerial combat power still remains..."

"Yes, the intelligence fed back from Canada shows that their mechanized infantry brigade, which was almost completely wiped out, was attacked by several aircraft that looked very much like our F-16, F-15, F-18, or even F-22 Fighter Jets!"

This is a very terrible experience, even though they already knew when the vanguard troops sent by the Air Force were attacked earlier that the Decepticons invading this time included those that could transform into U. S. military aircraft.

In the past, when the U. S. military was still cooperating with the Autobots, they had already learned from the Autobots that the Cybertronians could perfectly exert the full combat power of any machine or weapon after scanning it.

Their own side's pinnacle of military technology was easily stolen by the other side.

One can imagine how terrible the mood was for these U. S. generals and the hawkish officials of the defense department present.

However, a decision still needed to be made as soon as possible!

"Relying solely on our aerial combat power, it is difficult to resolve those aliens! But if we commit ground troops, then we might very well end up like Canada is now!"

"But will those aliens stay there forever? If they leave Niusheng and attempt to enter the United States, what should we do?"

"I think there is no need to worry about this. Our satellites have been monitoring Africa and South America. After those aliens landed on Earth, they have been mining everywhere. Clearly, those machines need more metal ore to replicate more machines!"

"But we are not aliens; no one can guarantee whether those robots will honestly stay there according to our wishes!"

Just like typical military meetings, this military meeting regarding the invading Decepticons soon descended into a noisy argument.

Fortunately, all the generals and defense officials invited to the meeting knew that the military situation waits for no one. Although the arguing was constant, they still made a decision in the end through continuous discussion and compromise.

"The Navy is ready. Two Ticonderoga-class cruisers and five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers have already set sail, and we have four submarines that have already entered the Hudson Bay ahead of time. The warships are loaded with over two hundred Tomahawk Cruise Missiles!"

"Have the Air Force prepare; this time, mobilize at least three air wings... It is said that the aliens are very afraid of electromagnetic weapons; mobilize a batch of electronic warfare aircraft to go there..."

"By the way, notify Cemetery Wind and have them prepare to act as the vanguard to engage in ground combat with the aliens!"