Shadow Spy

Chapter 476 Being disliked

On March 3, Li Junhao flew to the Pacific Theater to prepare to personally command the landing battle on the Ryukyu Islands.

The First Army and the 10th Army and Navy Division (Gorkha Division), which he personally served as commander, had arrived in advance and joined the Second Army and the Fourth Army, waiting for his arrival.

When the special plane landed on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-12), Admiral Raymond Spruance, commander of the 5th Fleet, and Lieutenant Commander Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr., commander of the Army's 10th Army General, Lieutenant General Ennis Whitehead, Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief of Air Support, Lieutenant General Julian Smith, Commander of the Second Army and Navy, Lieutenant General Alexander Vandergrift, Commander of the Fourth Army and other senior The generals came forward to greet him.

After the greetings, Li Junhao listened to the battle preparation report...

The most critical part of this Ryukyu Islands battle is the main island of Ryukyu (called Okinawa by the Japanese). It is located between the Japanese mainland and the China Bay Island. It is about 340 nautical miles from Kyushu in the north, 105 kilometers long from north to south, and 3-31 kilometers wide. , covering an area of ​​about 1176 square kilometers; the north is mountainous and the terrain is steep; the south is hilly and natural caves. The island and its nearby Ie Island and Kerama Islands have 5 airports and more than 10 harbors.

However, Li Junhao knew the tragedy of the Battle of Okinawa in history. It was the largest, heaviest loss and the last battle between the United States and Japan during the Pacific War. The reason why he personally directed the landing battle was to avoid huge losses.

Therefore, after listening to the report, he said: "Generals, you have been very successful in the previous series of island seizure operations and have accumulated a lot of experience, but this time it is a little different. The Liuhuang Islands can be said to be Japan's The last barrier in the southern part of the mainland, the Japanese army will definitely defend it to the death, and will also send aircraft and ships from the mainland and bay islands to support...

"Just saying that there are more than 10 Japanese troops stationed on the main island of Ryukyu. They have been operating on the island for many years, making full use of the terrain and caves, building a large number of solid fortifications, tunnels, caves, and laying out many anti-slope positions. I am worried You will suffer great losses...so, I ask you to keep all of this in mind!"

"Commander Panson, this is what we did." Lieutenant General Buckner, commander of the 10th Group Army, said, "According to the plan, the Marine Corps landed in the middle of the main Ryukyu Island and established a landing site. Because this place is narrow, it can just fit in the main island. Cut it off in the middle, and then after our army troops land on the island, they will attack the north and south ends..."

Hearing the lieutenant general's confident words, Li Junhao couldn't help but take a deep look at him. In the original history, this man was killed by Japanese artillery shells in this battle. He was the highest number of U.S. military casualties in World War II. A high-ranking general looks like a brave general, but his expression and attitude appear to be a little overconfident!

At this time, Admiral Spruance, commander of the 5th Fleet, said: "General Panson, we have taken everything you said into consideration. As long as the land and sea forces seize the landing site as planned, our navy and army will be responsible for other aspects. The mission will be completed successfully..."

Li Junhao understood the meaning. This was to prevent him from intervening in the specific battle command. He was not unhappy about it. He just felt that these generals might have fought too smoothly before. They were a little overconfident. In order to reduce unnecessary Despite the loss, he decided to say one more thing, "Commander Spruance, after the battle begins, the fleet must pay attention to air defense. Japanese aircraft are likely to carry out suicide attacks..."

The meeting was a bit awkward. After Li Junhao said what he needed to say, he stood up and left. He knew that it was okay for him to inspect and inspect as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and commander of the military services, but he directly intervened in the command of a battle led by the navy and the main attack by the army. , people are not happy!

Therefore, after the meeting, he left the "Enterprise" aircraft carrier and took the sea and land generals to his amphibious command ship to avoid annoying people.

Before coming, he had imagined that he would personally command the Ryukyu landing battle. For this purpose, he specially brought the First Army. But now he felt a little uninterested and signaled to the Second Army, who was originally scheduled to be the commander-in-chief of the beach battle. Lieutenant General Smith, the commander of the army, continued to be in charge, and he was ready to stand back and watch the battle.
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On March 3, fighter planes of the 18th Fleet began to dispatch air strikes on Japanese airfields in Kyushu, Shikoku and Bay Island; at the same time, the landing forces began to set off. Starting from the 5rd, carrier-based aircraft and naval guns carried out advance fire preparations for the Kerama Islands and the main Ryukyu Islands, destroyed some airports and exposed defense facilities on the islands, and eliminated the Japanese offshore attack fleet.

On the 26th, the 22nd Brigade of the Second Army launched an attack and captured the Kerama Islands, 40 kilometers west of Naha at the southern tip of Ruri Island, and secured the ship parking area and logistics supply base.

On the morning of April 4, the 1th Fleet began to carry out naval artillery strikes and air strikes on the main Liuli Island and prepare for firepower.

Subsequently, the Second Army and the Fourth Army each sent three main forces to land on the beach in the middle of Ryukyu Island. It took only five hours to establish a landing site with a front of 14 kilometers and a depth of 5 kilometers, including two field airports...

Then, the army's 7th, 27th, 77th, and 96th infantry divisions of about 6 people and a large number of tanks and artillery landed, took over the land and sea forces, and then attacked to the west...

By the 4th, the U.S. military occupied the central area of ​​Okinawa, cut off the island from the middle, and began to attack the main positions in the north and south. At this point, the login task has been completed.

The land and sea troops only fought for five hours on the first day and completed their mission. The participating troops withdrew to the Kerama Islands to rest and recuperate, and other troops did not even disembark.

On the 5th, Li Junhao received a telegram from Lieutenant General Buckner, commander of the 10th Group Army, "asking for instructions" whether he could withdraw the land and sea troops from the Kerama Islands because the army's participating troops needed to use the island to rest and recuperate...

ha! Li Junhao was really unhappy now - he originally thought about staying to see if there was anything he needed help with, but now he was here to chase him!

The generals at sea and land were a little angry, but Li Junhao waved his hand and left!

However, out of caution and politeness, before leaving, he asked Smith, commander of the Second Army, to call Spruance, the commander-in-chief of the campaign and commander of the 5th Fleet, for instructions from the Second and Fourth armies. There were no combat missions, and Lieutenant General Buckner's telegram was forwarded.

Soon, Spruance called back: The Marine Corps' mission in the Ryukyu Campaign was over and they could retreat to the Philippines or South Asia to rest.

Then let’s go! Li Junhao decided to go to the Philippines to see the current situation there and where his old friends were!

(End of this chapter)