In the Pacific, all fleet commanders and commanders of the Combined Fleet gathered on the Yamato to discuss the next course of action. Lieutenant General Takasu Shiro, commander of the First Fleet, took the lead in speaking, hoping to win the mission and make military exploits.
Seeing Takasu Shiro's speech, Lieutenant General Kondo Nobutake, commander of the Second Fleet, also said: "For a small Hawaiian Islands, the First Fleet does not need to be dispatched at all. Although my Second Fleet has no battleships, it has 13 heavy ships.
Cruisers, thirty-two destroyers, and two light cruisers, although their combat effectiveness is not as good as that of the First Fleet, it is not a problem at all to deal with the Americans who have lost control of the sea. This battle should be fought by our Second Fleet."
Commander Takahashi Imo of the Third Fleet quickly said: "Let us, the Third Fleet, be the vanguard."
Kondo Nobutake glanced at Imo Takahashi and said: "Your third fleet is mainly composed of submarines, why are you joining in the fun?"
Takahashi Imo said: "We also have dozens of surface ships, which are completely sufficient to deal with the unbearable Americans."
Subsequently, Lieutenant General Narumi Inoue, Commander-in-Chief of the Fourth Fleet, Lieutenant-General Hosaro Goshiro, Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth Fleet, Lieutenant-General Mitsumi Shimizu, Commander-in-Chief of the Sixth Fleet, and Lieutenant-General Ozawa Jisaburo, Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Expedition Fleet, all asked for battle. One by one, they
Gearing up, as if defeating the Americans is just a matter of effort.
Seeing the eagerness of his subordinates to make great achievements, Yamamoto Isoroku felt very proud. Recently, the Combined Fleet has really been going smoothly, winning consecutive battles, and the morale of the troops is high. Now, the Combined Fleet has basically annihilated the U.S. Pacific Fleet in the Pacific.
There is no sea power that can stop the advance of the combined fleet. It is only a matter of time to capture Hawaii. Yamamoto Isoroku's eyes are on Chuichi Nagumo, Pearl Harbor and Midway. Nagumo Chuichi's troops are the main force. I don't know.
What's on his mind?
General Nagumo Chuichi saw Yamamoto Isoroku looking at him and already understood what he meant. Nagumo Chuichi secretly thought that with the current strength of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, it would not be able to pose any threat to the Japanese fleet. In this case, if
If you continue to request that you take the lead in fighting, you will inevitably arouse the public anger of other fleet commanders. Your own contributions are already too great, and it is necessary for others to take some credit, otherwise you will become the target of public criticism.
Thinking of this, Chuichi Nagumo said: "My First Air Fleet has suffered some losses in the recent battle, and the combat aircraft pilots also need to be supplemented. This time, I will assist other fleets in attacking."
Hearing what Chuichi Nagumo said, several fleet officers let out a sigh of relief. They knew that if Chuichi Nagumo wanted to take the credit, then none of them would be able to do so. Can his aircraft carrier determine the victory at sea?
Negative, but now Nagumo Chuichi said that he would give up this opportunity to perform meritorious service, indicating that his aircraft carrier only plays a supporting role. It seems that Admiral Nagumo is still very good at life.
Nagumo Chuichi's statement caused several fleet commanders to argue again.
"Let's go to the first fleet."
"Takasu-kun, let my second fleet go up first. If we fail, you can follow up later." Kondo Nobutake said.
"Kondo-kun, my fleet is still stronger. The large-caliber naval guns of the battleships are more effective against infantry landing operations." Takasu Shiro did not give in.
Yamamoto Isoroku coughed slightly.
Seeing that Yamamoto Isoroku wanted to speak, everyone calmed down. There are thousands of people in the family and one person is in charge. Now it depends on how Marshal Yamamoto Isoroku will distribute the tasks.
Yamamoto Isoroku is very satisfied with his control over the combined fleet. These officers under him can compete and rob them, but they must obey his orders. This prestige and ability are not so easy to establish.
Looking around, Yamamoto Isoroku said: "The Third Fleet is mainly composed of underwater ships, which are not suitable for surface combat cover. Some of the main forces of the Fourth Fleet, the Fifth Fleet, and the Sixth Fleet are not here, and some are for defense."
The mission is the main task, and the tonnage of the ship is too small, so it is also not suitable for carrying out this mission..."
After hearing what Yamamoto Isoroku said, some were happy and some were sad. Takasu Shiro and Kondo Nobutake were very happy and waited for Yamamoto Isoroku to announce the final decision.
Yamamoto Isoroku said: "The First Fleet is dominated by battleships, and its movement speed is not as fast as that of the Second Fleet. Therefore, I decided that in this Hawaii battle, the Second Fleet will be the vanguard, the First Air Fleet will assist, and the First Fleet will
Then follow up, and the remaining fleets will do the third wave to support the first fleet and the second fleet."
"Thank you, Marshal!" After hearing Yamamoto Isoroku saying that his second fleet would be the vanguard, Kondo Nobutake was ecstatic, while Takasu Shiro looked disappointed.
"Kondo-kun, if it doesn't work, don't hold on. My first fleet will support your attack at any time." Takasu Shiro said sourly.
Kondo Nobutake laughed and said confidently: "Takahashi-kun, I'm afraid you can't see it. My first fleet is enough to take over the entire Hawaii!"
Yamamoto Isoroku continued: "Kondo-kun, your Second Fleet has no fighter planes, so Admiral Nagumo's First Aircraft Carrier Fleet assists your troops in combat and helps the Second Fleet gain air superiority."
"Hai!" Kondo also knew that his fleet did not have air power. Without the cover of the First Air Fleet, it would be difficult for the Second Fleet to survive the US bombers, so he could only agree.
At the moment, Kondo Nobutake is leading fifty-seven cruisers and destroyers of the Second Fleet, escorting dozens of large troop transport ships and eight aircraft carriers of the First Air Fleet, and some auxiliary ships are heading towards Hawaii with all their strength. The war is about to break out.
At the same time, the commander of the U.S. Army in Hawaii, General MacArthur, was having a long conversation with the commander-in-chief of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Nimitz. Both of them looked heavy. MacArthur asked Nimitz, "Chess
Special (Nimitz’s name), how many battleships do you have left in the Pacific Fleet?”
Nimitz said: "The Pacific Fleet suffered two disastrous defeats after Pearl Harbor and Midway. There were very few ships left. The only large battleship left was the Hornet, which was undergoing maintenance in the harbor. There were not even a single heavy cruiser or battleship, and there was only one light cruiser.
and one destroyer, but we also have three submarines and two minelayers."
"That's all that's left?" MacArthur asked in disbelief. A year ago, the U.S. Pacific Fleet was still the most powerful maritime force in the entire Pacific. However, only one year after the U.S.-Japanese war began, the Pacific Fleet was reduced to this point.
With only these few warships, they are inferior to even the navies of third-rate countries.
Nimitz sighed and said: "The Japanese launched a surprise attack on the Pacific Fleet. We were not prepared at all and suffered heavy losses. However, the shipyards of the United States of America are at full capacity. It is estimated that in three months, we will receive the first
A batch of newly built warships include two medium-sized aircraft carriers, four light aircraft carriers, and dozens of light cruisers and destroyers. As for heavy aircraft carriers, battleships, and heavy cruisers, the construction period is very long, and it will take us at least one year.
Only then can we get replenishment.”
MacArthur said: "In this way, if the Japanese attack Hawaii, we will have nothing to do at sea."
Nimitz nodded and continued: "Although our naval power has suffered a great loss and cannot stop the Japanese attack, we also have our own advantages."
"What advantage?" MacArthur asked.
Nimitz said: "First of all, our army is fighting on the mainland and can receive shore-based firepower support. Secondly, our army has strong air power. In Hawaii, our army has about 600 fighter jets and 100 torpedo bombers.
, one hundred dive bombers, the air power is superior to the Japanese, so although the Japanese combined fleet is powerful, as long as our army relies on shore-based power, it can still fight."
MacArthur said: "Chester, your Pacific Fleet may come in handy in this battle."
"MacArthur, even if there is only one warship left in the Pacific Fleet, we will never surrender." Nimitz said.
After listening to Nimitz's words, MacArthur admired him in his heart. He never gave up and knew he was at a disadvantage but dared to face the enemy. This is the true nature of a soldier.
MacArthur knew that Nimitz was a very proud man. He had been trying to prevent the U.S. Army from intervening in the Pacific War and wanted to rely on the Navy to win the war on its own. Although he had suffered setbacks now, he was unyielding. But this is okay, the U.S. Navy
Since it was no match for the Japanese Navy, it was naturally the U.S. Army's turn to take the field. As long as the Army defended Hawaii, it would be proud in front of the Navy, and the Army would become the main force in the Pacific War.
At that moment, MacArthur explained his deployment in Hawaii to Nimitz one by one, and finally said: "Chester, my army needs your navy's help."
Nimitz said: "I will send minelayers to lay mines in the main waters around Hawaii to prevent Japanese warships from approaching the Hawaiian Islands and buy time for you to deploy defenses."
"Okay, Chester, it's up to us whether we can hold Hawaii. Since the founding of the United States, the United States has never been invaded by other countries. We cannot set this precedent." MacArthur said with a solemn expression.
"Yes, MacArthur, this battle depends on us..."
Washington, USA, White House.
President Roosevelt was sitting in a wheelchair, with his assistant reading the battle report. When he heard that the Japanese combined fleet was marching to Hawaii, preparing to capture the Hawaiian Islands, completely destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet, and use the Hawaiian Islands as a springboard to attack the United States, Roosevelt
The President's eyebrows were drawn together.
Roosevelt did not expect that in just a few months, the war situation would deteriorate to this point. The powerful U.S. Pacific Fleet was almost completely destroyed by the Japanese Combined Fleet. With troops approaching Hawaii, the war was really not far away from the United States...