Age of Rebirth

On the night of August [-]th, the former Japanese Hengshan Brigade Headquarters, which is now the seat of the Independent Division’s Singapore Military Control Committee, was still brightly lit. Chief of Staff Zhao Yuhe hurried into the office of the division commander Tang Qiuli and said: “Mr. The basic information on the battlefield situation of the US and Japanese armies in Luzon Island that you asked the staff office to collect is here!" After finishing speaking, he put a folder on the desk.

Tang Qiuli didn't open it right away, but said, "Yuhe, tell me the general situation first!"

Zhao Yuhe pondered for a while and said, "Master, the battle situation can be described as fierce. The No. 14 Army of the Japanese Army and other attached troops, under the command of the commander-in-chief General Genzaburo Ito, attacked the U.S. Third Army's defense line in the Calais Mountains. , launched a full-scale offensive, and the U.S. military tried its best to resist, especially in Lucena and Karavag, the battle was even more tragic, because the Japanese army used these two places as the main attack points, and the U.S. military did not lose an inch of ground after a day of fierce fighting."

"However, the casualties of the U.S. Third Army are astonishing. On the day of the fierce battle, there were more than [-] casualties. According to the data provided by the deciphered Japanese military telegrams by the Intelligence Analysis Center of the Intelligence Department, the Japanese casualties were about [-] people. It was caused by aircraft of the [-]st Air Force of the U.S. Southwest Pacific Theater.”

"Lucena, Caravag?" Tang Qiuli repeated these two place names, and quickly found its location on the map. After examining it for a few minutes, he suddenly sighed and said: "Ito Yanzaburo is worthy of being The famous general of the Japanese army, with unique eyesight and sharp shots, chose the main breakthrough point, which happened to be the midpoint of the U.S. Third Army’s defense line in Calais, and, in terms of situation, was conducive to the Japanese attack!” [

"Yuhe. You see, if the Japanese army captures Lucena and Karavag, it will split the US Third Army's defense line in the Calais Mountains into two parts that are not connected to each other. See Come on, Ito has a lot of appetite. He wants to eat up the Third Army of the US Army in one bite in the mountains of Calais. However, the resistance of the US Army is beyond my expectation. After a day of fierce fighting, the whole line has not lost an inch. I can't think of it. This Whiteman Still good at fighting!"

Zhao Yuhe did not agree with the commander's point of view, and said with refutation: "Master, as far as I am concerned about the situation on the Luzon Island battlefield on August [-], it is not how tenacious the US military's combat effectiveness is. More than [-] people. The attacking side suffered more than [-] casualties. There is a big problem here. Besides, there is no air support from the First Air Force of the US Southwest Pacific Theater. I am afraid that the US Third Army in the Calais Mountains. Casualties have more than doubled, and the defense line will be breached by the Japanese in many places, so it is not how strong the American soldiers are in combat, but the air superiority!"

Tang Qiuli smiled, and did not continue to debate this issue, but raised another question, "Yuhe, you said that the U.S. Third Army has air superiority. Did you mention in the intelligence that the Japanese air force went to war?" ?”

Zhao Yuhe shook his head, and replied: "No, Commander, not even a single plane from the Japanese army took part in the battle. This is also where I am puzzled. According to our information, Japan dispatched troops to the Southwest Pacific. There are Iraqis on Luzon Island alone." The two field airports in Lagan and Bangdu have about [-] fighters of various types. This is not counting the field airports on the other islands. The Japanese Southwest Pacific Expeditionary Force has three air teams with more than [-] aircraft air power."

Tang Qiuli said: "So, there is a problem here. With the air power of the two air teams in the Southwest Pacific Theater of the US Army, there are only more than [-] fighters, but Japanese commander Yanzaburo Ito, on the first day of the war, why did he do anything? U.S. aircraft to provide air fire support for the U.S. Third Army instead of sending aircraft to fight?"

After listening to Tang Qiuli's question, Zhao Yuhe frowned and fell into deep thought. After a while, he raised his head and said, "Master, is it possible that the Japanese commander is planning a bigger conspiracy?"

Tang Qiuli's wise eyes flashed, and said: "It's not a conspiracy, but a trap. Ito, we have fought against him several times. Among the senior generals of the Japanese army, he is a guy who is good at strategy. On the first day of the war and offensive, Ito only used the army to attack, and it was a full-line attack, just to put the greatest pressure on MacArthur. At the same time, it was a tie with the third US Army. "

"As a result, it also created a psychological dependence on the commanders and soldiers of the U.S. Third Army. Without the fire support of the aircraft, it is impossible to hold the line of defense. Therefore, in order to defend his Manila battle, MacArthur dispatched troops to win the war. The buffer time will inevitably put more air power into the Calais mountain battlefield, and Ito's trap is set up for the two US air forces!"

"Longer-term considerations, Ito wants to kill MacArthur's air power before the siege of Manila, or to urge MacArthur to transfer troops from Australia as soon as possible. Yuhe, let the intelligence department pay attention. In the next three days, Over Luzon Island, the air forces of the United States and Japan are bound to have a decisive battle!"

Zhao Yuhe was suddenly enlightened. The teacher's words clearly dissected the essential issues of the entire Southwest Pacific War situation, and a three-dimensional and vivid picture of the battlefield situation was displayed in his mind. He said: "Master, Ito He did not hesitate to use thousands of soldiers as bait, and paid such a large amount of money, just to seize the air supremacy on the battlefield of Luzon Island!"

Tang Qiuli said affirmatively: "Yes, it is to seize air supremacy. In modern warfare, whoever seizes air supremacy will have the initiative on the battlefield. MacArthur's air power has been exhausted. The rhythm of the battlefield in Luzon Island, It is completely controlled by Yan Saburo Ito, and he can fight, encircle, or annihilate according to the way he imagined. The ultimate goal of the Japanese is Australia. At the very least, you need to know if they are starting to reinforce Luzon!"

"It is no exaggeration to say that as soon as the British and Australian troops leave Australia and join the Luzon battlefield, the hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops that have been dormant for a long time will immediately attack Australia, which means that the Japanese will win the Pacific War And it's over, when the time comes, it's our turn to play!"

Zhao Yuhe listened quietly, and suddenly, a strange thought came to his mind, and he said to Tang Qiuli: "Master, the four fighter regiments, two bomber regiments and other aircraft regiments of the Southern Aviation Group, yesterday We have already stationed at the Singapore Field Airfield, shall we send fighter jets to join in the air battle between the Americans and the Japanese, and disrupt the situation for them, but Commander Le has been complaining that there is no battle!"

Tang Qiuli laughed and said, "Yuhe, did Le Yiqin bribe you to fight for him? It's not until we come out, what the Americans are most afraid of is on the battlefield in the Southwest Pacific. More than a million Japanese troops, that is, MacArthur's troops, were completely wiped out by the Japanese. The Japanese army turned around and rushed to the east coast of the United States. Instead, sit in the manor!"

On the same night, the Japanese military headquarters in Calais, the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Southwest Pacific Asia Expeditionary Force, General Ito Yanzaburo, is holding a review meeting on today's battle situation. Everyone is very excited, because the opponent they are facing can only be described as "weak" in one word. Today is just a tentative attack, and they have already figured out the details of the US military.

Only Lieutenant General Yoshihiko Haruta, the commander of the No.14 Army, Major General Hashimoto Ichiro, the chief of staff, and the heads of the four divisions seemed preoccupied and had a very unsightly face. The No.14 Army was the main force of the attack, dispatching four full troops The division stormed Lucena and Karavag, and paid the price of more than 6000 casualties, but did not even break through a single U.S. position. Regarding this, the commander of the army, Lieutenant General Haruta Yoshihiko, was very upset.

At the same time, he was still holding back his anger for one reason. When his troops were being bombarded by U.S. planes, he once asked the commander-in-chief, General Ito, to provide the necessary air cover for the attacking No.14 Army. Haruta Yoshihiko's request is very simple. As long as he can drive the American planes away from his head, he will be satisfied. He has no extravagant expectation to send the air force of the army around his troops.

What's more, when the soldiers of the No.14 Army fought for the Great Japanese Empire and His Majesty the Emperor, they never relied on planes. If there were no American planes to make trouble, the current No.14 Army might have already taken down Lucena and Karavag There would not be so many casualties, but such a small request was rejected by Commander-in-Chief Ito without hesitation, and I didn't understand why General Ito would do this.

Therefore, Haruta Yoshihiko came to the battle situation review meeting with a lot of resentment, and was going to have a good fight with the old guy Ito at the meeting. Anyway, he had already offended General Ito and was demoted to the rank of deputy Commander, you have been sent to the front line. Since you can't get along with each other in harmony, you should tear your face apart. Anyway, you can take advantage of yourself. Otherwise, in the ensuing battle, the [-]th Army might suffer! [

The meeting place is just west of Calais, at the foot of a mountain full of towering trees and green grass in the distance. The evening wind blowing from the South China Sea smells like the salty sea, making it humid and sultry. , Commander Haruta Yoshihiko, who was depressed, was so irritable that he almost jumped up. Even the refreshing drink prepared for the meeting changed his taste when he drank it into his mouth.

The chief of staff, Major General Hashimoto Ichiro, saw that the commander was in a bad mood, and was worried that if this boss with a cannonball temper got into a fight with Commander-in-Chief Ito, it would not end. Haruta Yoshihiko would be the one to suffer, after all, It was the immediate superior, so he persuaded in a low voice: "Your Excellency, Commander, for the sake of the future and destiny of the [-]th Army, please control your emotions!"

(To be continued)