Chapter 387 The Japanese army in Tongliao is about to retreat
Su Tong, Zhangjiakou Seventh War Zone Headquarters, was listening to Chen Shaokuan's report on the battle, which had arrived in a hurry.
"At that time, the sea was full of floating corpses and debris. After falling into the water, most of our pilots were submerged in the cold water within a few hours. When our rescue fleet arrived three hours later, they were barely rescued.
Thirty-seven pilots were killed, and nearly a hundred other pilots who fell into the water died."
Listening to Chen Shaokuan's narration, Su Tong couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. The loss of more than two hundred aircraft and hundreds of pilots. These are the elites trained by Hainan Airlines with great difficulty. I didn't expect so many losses in one battle.
, HNA’s vitality has been severely damaged this time.
Su Tong stood up and looked out the window at the trees whose leaves were gradually turning green. He turned back to Chen Shaokuan and said, "Commander Chen, our warriors deserved their death. They defended the security and dignity of the motherland's territory and waters. Their
The blood will not be shed in vain. Now the whole world knows that we have a heroic naval aviation team. When we have our own aircraft carrier in the future, they will be the first batch of carrier-based aircraft pilots."
Chen Shaokuan murmured, "Sir, can we have our own aircraft carrier?"
"It will happen, everything will happen. I guarantee you that you, the naval commander, will definitely sail on our own aircraft carrier on the blue ocean in the future, and use our own steel Great Wall and weapons to defend our maritime borders."
Su Tong encouraged Chen Shaokuan: "Your most important task now is to run our naval school well and train a large number of talents for our navy, so that our navy will not have a situation where there are warships but no one to pilot them.
ah"
Hearing Su Tong say this, Chen Shaokuan's old face turned red. What Su Tong inadvertently said happened to describe the embarrassing incident that happened in the Navy when he just set out yesterday. Just yesterday, Su Tong ordered him to take a group of soldiers with him.
The officers and soldiers of the Navy's submarine force were dispatched to receive the eight newly arrived submarines. However, when Chen Shaokuan happily wanted to send people to receive them, he was embarrassed to find that the navy's submarine force was out of manpower. In the end, he had to scrape together enough.
More than 400 people were sent to receive the submarine.
He knew that when Su Tong said these words today, he was implicitly telling him not to be greedy for speed, but to lay a solid foundation slowly and steadily. There are only a few submarines now. What if the shipyard is built and produces large ships in the future?
, such as cruisers, battleships and even aircraft carriers, what does he need to control these big guys? Those large surface ships need not dozens or hundreds of people, but thousands of people.
When Su Tong saw that Chen Shaokuan had understood what he meant, he didn't take it seriously and said with a smile: "Commander Chen, it's good that you can think of this. In short, our purpose is to rather let people wait for equipment than let equipment wait for people."
Chen Shaokuan said solemnly: "Yes, I humbly bear in mind the teachings of my superiors."
"Well, it's good if you can remember"
In Japan's Tokyo base camp, Japan's current land minister Suzuki Kantaro is sitting at one end of the desk with a gloomy face. Opposite him is Japan's maritime minister Mitsumasa Yoneuchi. At this time, Mitsumasa Yoneuchi is slowly drinking something.
It tasted like boiled water, but now he drank it with a delicious taste, as if it was filled with fine wine.
This meeting was personally presided over by Emperor Hirohito. The only topic of the meeting was how to save the 500,000 Japanese Kwantung Army who were in trouble in Manchuria.
The just-concluded battle off the coast of Vladivostok made everyone feel the crisis. The Seventh Theater dispatched hundreds of fighter planes to bombard the Japanese task force, destroying the task force and even the Kaga.
The aircraft carrier and the battleship Nagato were both bombed and sunk, giving a resounding slap in the face to Marine Minister Mitsumasa Yoneuchi who had always boasted that the Japanese navy was invincible.
Later, the base camp dismissed Isoroku Yamamoto from his position as commander of the First Fleet and asked him to rest at home. The top brass of the navy were dissatisfied with this decision, because Yamamoto Isoroku's prestige in the navy was not as high as usual, and now
He was fired just because he lost a battle. This convinced everyone in the navy.
But to avoid Yamamoto Isoroku, it was Emperor Hirohito's intention, so the Navy had no choice but to hold its nose and admit it. However, it completely hated the Prime Minister Suzuki Kantaro, who was pushing the flames at the meeting.
Today's meeting discussed the issue of Manchuria. The Army requested that the Navy must once again send a task force to Vladivostok to suppress the forces there, so that they would not dare to send troops to attack Manchuria from east to west with the troops in Tongliao, and let the Second Flying Division of Jilin Province
He was able to rush to Liaoning to relieve the siege of Tongliao.
However, this proposal was strongly opposed by the Prime Minister of the Navy, Mitsumasa Yoneuchi. He claimed that the navy's strength had suffered a major blow, and what was needed now was emergency funding to speed up the construction of new ships and restore its strength, rather than fight against others again. So at the imperial meeting
When they came to land and sea, they fell in love with each other.
"My lords, the situation in Manchuria is critical now. Let's see what we should do." Hirohito was actually feeling quite uncomfortable in his heart. Not to mention the loss of the navy, seeing that the situation in Manchuria was so critical now, the two leaders of the navy and army
The guys were still fighting with each other, and he felt an unknown fire welling up in his heart.
Prince Hanyuan Gong Zairen on the side said: "Your Majesty, I thought that the navy had been defeated for the first time, so it is inappropriate to let them go to Vladivostok. We should quickly replenish the lost fighter planes of the First Flying Division of the Kwantung Army and send more
A pilot regiment will go to support, so that we can be sure to gain air superiority over Tongliao."
The experience of Tongliao has profoundly taught the Japanese that in the wars of this era, losing air supremacy is equivalent to losing half of the war. Therefore, the base camp now pays more attention to the air force, and many new fighter aircraft projects have also been put forward.
Said Cheng.
"Huh, but now we don't have so many fighter planes in our country to supplement the Kwantung Army's deficit." The Prime Minister of the Land, Kantaro Suzuki, rolled his eyes at the side. If there were so many fighter planes to supplement the losses, why would we come to this meeting?
At this time Hirohito spoke, "If there are not enough planes, they can be drawn from the Guards Flying Division that guards the homeland. If there are not enough, they can be drawn from other battlefields in China."
"Your Majesty, no, the Guards Flying Division has to defend the homeland. If the fighter planes are transferred to China, what will happen to the homeland's air defense?" As soon as Hirohito said this, Prince Xianin Gongzaihi became panicked.
Hirohito had a sullen face, "Well, what can we do if we have the Guards Flying Division? Aren't the Chinese bombers able to bomb Tokyo freely?"
"Your Majesty makes atonement." As soon as Hirohito said this, everyone left their seats and bowed to Hirohito at a ninety-degree angle.
Hirohito sighed, "Okay, let's not argue anymore. I have made my mind up and decided like this. Besides, didn't you say that the new fighter planes will be produced in two months? At that time, priority will be given to replenishing the Guards Division.
That’s it for the group.”
"Your Majesty is wise." Everyone was silent for a while before reluctantly agreeing to the plan.
The meeting finally decided to allocate 200 fighters from the Guards Flying Division, and also send more than 100 fighters and pilots produced in recent times to the Tongliao battlefield immediately to fight for air supremacy with the Seventh Theater to resolve the crisis in Tongliao.
.But can the battle situation in Tongliao really wait until their arrival?
In Tongliao at this time, Hu Lian was commanding his more than 200,000 troops to fight one after another on the Tongliao battlefield. Due to the occupation of Dalin, the Japanese army's supplies could not be transported, and the Japanese army was forced to
The 500,000-strong army has lost nearly 200,000 in the battle. The remaining 300,000-strong army has retreated to the back of Dalin County, ignoring Tojo Hideki's strict orders, and is retreating towards Liaoyuan.
"Quick, order the troops to speed up and catch up with the little devil."
Having just eliminated a Japanese army unit that was responsible for blocking, Commander Liao Yaoxiang of the 41st Infantry Division was sitting in a jeep and leading his troops in hot pursuit of the Japanese army.
"Master, we are too far forward. Why not wait for other troops to pursue us?" the chief of staff suggested from the side.
Liao Yaoxiang shook his head, "Now is the time when the Japanese army is retreating. We must catch up with them before they escape to Liaoyuan, otherwise there will be no chance."
"But" the chief of staff wanted to persuade Liao Yaoxiang, but Liao Yaoxiang glared at him, "It's nothing but, execute the order."
"yes"
There were so many military orders that the chief of staff had no choice but to order the troops to speed up their march.
Liao Yaoxiang led the troops to pursue the Japanese army, and it could be said that he was in high spirits, but at the headquarters of the Kwantung Army, everything was gloomy.
Tojo Hideki received an army of 500,000 and was still defeated. He was retreating to Liaoyuan and locked himself in his office for a whole afternoon without coming out.
Tojo Hideki, who had lost a lot of weight in a few days, was stunned for a while, and his eyes were dull, "Am I really wrong? Are the half a million brave Kwantung Army soldiers really no match for the Chinese? Why do I want to
It’s so difficult to recapture Rehe.”
At this time, the door of the office opened, and Ishihara Wanji and Umezu Meijiro walked in together. Ishihara Wanji said, "Tojo-kun, stop now, before the situation becomes irreversible. It's still too late.
.”
"Hum, stop it. Now the troops are retreating. Does it make any difference whether I stop it or not?" Tojo Hideki said with a bitter smile.
Of course there is a difference. Now that the Chinese are taking advantage of the victory, Liaoyuan is no longer defendable. We must quickly order the troops to withdraw to Jinzhou. As long as we can hold Jinzhou, we have hope of retaining Fengtian. Do you understand? Ishihara Wanji said earnestly.
Tojo Hideki was stunned for a while, then he sighed and said to Umezu Yoshijiro, "Your Excellency, Commander, I am really sorry for what happened this time. I will write a letter to the base camp to apologize. I will trouble you and Ishihara-kun about the retreat."
After saying that, Tojo had already walked out of the office.