Age of Rebirth

On the flagship of the Southern Fleet of the Independent Division, Tang Qiusheng, the deputy division commander and commander of the Sulu Mobile Corps, Admiral Tang Qiuquan, the fleet commander, Major General Xin Xiguo, the chief of staff, Lieutenant General Han Tie, the commander of the Marine Corps, Major General Wang Dongshan, the chief of staff, etc. Gathered in the command cabin, there were two attack targets for the generals to choose from, one was Iwo Jima, the main island of the Iwo Jima Islands, and the other was Chichijima, the main island of the Ogasawara Islands.

According to the planned attack plan, the first attack target should be Chichijima, the main island of the Ogasawara Islands. However, after Tang Qiusheng, Tang Qiuquan and others carefully read the military map, combined with various information, and comprehensively analyzed, they It was discovered that if the Japanese army on Iwo Jima was not eliminated, it would be impossible to attack Chichijima with all hands and feet.

"Xiguo, report the deployment of Japanese troops on Iwo Jima and Chichijima to the deputy division commander and Commander Han!" Tang Qiuquan said to Chief of Staff Xin Xiguo.

Xin Xiguo walked up to the map, pointed to the location of Iwo Jima and said: "According to reliable information, the Japanese army defending Iwo Jima is the 109th Division, the division commander is Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, and this division is newly formed. The reserve division has a total strength of more than [-] people. In addition, there are more than [-] people from the Yi Detachment of the former Iwo Jima garrison of the Japanese army. There are more than [-] troops!"

"There is a heavy artillery wing, a tank brigade, and the rest of the artillery equipped with small and medium-caliber artillery, about two brigades. Also, there is a Japanese field airfield on Iwo Jima, where the Japanese Navy's land-based air force No.80 is stationed. The Fifth Air Force, with more than 130 combat aircraft of various types, is the only air combat force for the second line of defense in the southern defense circle of Japan!""

"The terrain of Iwo Jima is long strip. It is about eight kilometers long from north to south, and about four kilometers wide at its widest point from east to west. The narrowest point is only [-] kilometers. The vegetation on the island is not dense. But it is full of caves and valleys, and the beaches are mostly There are not many places suitable for landing on steep cliffs, and the Japanese army has built a fairly complete permanent defense system on the beachhead and defense depth, which is easy to defend but difficult to attack."

After Xin Xiguo introduced the situation of Iwo Jima, Tang Qiuquan remained calm, but Han Tie frowned, obviously concerned about the topographical conditions of Iwo Jima.It was very nerve-wracking, "Xiguo, let's talk about the situation in Chichijima!" Tang Qiuquan said.

Xin Xiguo pointed to the location of the Ogasawara Islands on the map and said: "Geographically speaking, the Ogasawara Islands are the last line of defense in the southern Pacific Ocean defense circle of Japan's mainland. The Japanese army once again stationed heavy troops, and Chichijima will go to its key defense area. !"

"Chichijima, the main island of the Ogasawara Islands, covers an area of ​​about 24 square kilometers. The surrounding area is about 52 kilometers long. Suitable places for landing are concentrated in the southern part of Chichijima, and beaches in other directions. There are cliffs and vegetation on the island. It is dense, and the terrain conditions are more complicated than Iwo Jima. Most of them are valleys and caves!"

"The Japanese defense force on Chichijima is the 3th Division. The commander of the division is Lieutenant General Chunchuan Kazutomo, with a strength of more than [-] people. It belongs to the reinforced division and has a heavy artillery regiment, five An artillery brigade equipped with small and medium-caliber mountain artillery, an anti-aircraft artillery brigade, and two tank brigades. In addition, the Japanese garrison on Chichijima and the former Chichijima independent garrison are brigade-level organizations with a strength of more than [-] People, the captain of the defense is Major General Yanai Yokoji!"

"Therefore, Chichijima's total Japanese garrison strength is more than 1, which is about 80 more than the Japanese army's strength on Iwo Jima. In addition, Chichijima has been operated by the Japanese army for many years, and the island is densely covered with fortifications, all of which are reinforced concrete. structure, and has a good defense in depth, and if necessary, it can get air support from the land-based air force of the Japanese Navy from Iwo Jima, the No.[-] Fifth Air Force!"

"That's all about the Japanese military strength and fortifications on Iwo Jima and Chichijima. However, it should be noted that the source of this information is the information collected by the Intelligence Department a year and half a year ago. At present, the intelligence department has not reported the relevant information, so we do not know the latest situation of the Japanese army on Iwo Jima and Chichijima!"

Tang Qiusheng and Tang Qiuquan looked at each other, neither of them said a word, they were obviously thinking, "Commander Han, your troops should be the main force in the landing operation, what's your opinion, which one to fight first?" Tang Qiusheng asked first. road.

Han Tie frowned and said, "Deputy Commander, regardless of the terrain and the defensive force of the little devil, in terms of defense system, Iwo Jima is easier to fight than Chichijima. Guys with wings, if you don't get rid of them, it will be a big trouble!"

"Don't let the little devil's more than 100 planes bite from the back when we attack Chichijima. However, the commander's order is that we only need to attack Chichijima. Hey, you are the commander-in-chief, or listen I will follow your orders!"

"Cunning!" Tang Qiusheng scolded Han Tie with a smile, and said to Xin Xiguo, "Chief of Staff Xin, immediately send a telegram to the division commander. Be the first to take Iwo Jima, the first to eliminate the No.80 Fifth Air Force of the Japanese Navy’s land-based air force on Iwo Jima, and then attack Chichijima, please let me know if it’s okay!"

Xin Xiguo handed over the record of the order to the communication staff officer, and Han Tie looked at him and asked: "Chief Xin, I have a question, our fleet and troop carrier formation, on such a large scale, how can the little devils on Iwo Jima reconnaissance Didn’t notice it? Or pretended not to notice us, and sneaked a bite at the critical moment?”

Xin Xiguo said with a smile: "Commander Han, when the fleet and troop transport fleet sailed in the Pacific Ocean, they deliberately avoided Iwo Jima and the Ryukyu Islands. With the flying radius of the reconnaissance aircraft currently equipped by the Japanese army, the reconnaissance range cannot cover this area. Sea area, it is normal if we are not found!"

"Understood!" Han Tie nodded, knocked on the table again and said: "The deputy division commander, Commander Tang, the Marine Corps and the Sulu Mobile Corps together have a total strength of several 10 people, and are fully capable of attacking Iwo Jima at the same time. And Chichijima, launch an attack, we only hit one island, isn’t it too conservative?”

"Wait for the teacher's call back!" Tang Qiuquan said dryly. Han Tie shrank his neck and stopped talking. To be honest, he was not very afraid of the deputy teacher Tang Qiusheng, but he was afraid of Tang Qiuquan from the bottom of his heart. , not only because Qiuquan is his direct boss.

Busan on the Korean peninsula, the location of the Independent Division Commander, the office of the division commander Tang Qiuli, Zhao Yuhe, the chief of staff of the division commander, walked in and said with a telegram: "Mr. , they decided to change the original plan and attack Iwo Jima first, please approve from the master!"

"Attack Iwo Jima first?" Tang Qiuli couldn't help trembling when he heard the name of Iwo Jima, and hurriedly took the telegram.

After reading it, he said in an unquestionable tone: "Reply a telegram to Deputy Commander Tang, Commander Tang, and Han Tie, ordering that the attacking troops on the South Route must not attack Iwo Jima first, but must strictly implement the established plan and attack Chichi Island first." !"

"However, before the battle is launched, the land-based air force of the Japanese Navy, the No.80 Fifth Air Force, and the other original combat plans must be resolved. There cannot be any changes. If there is any violation, the military law is ruthless!"

After recording the order, Zhao Yuhe was not in a hurry to send a telegram, but put forward his own suggestion, "Master, based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, Iwo Jima is easier to fight than Chichijima, why did you deny the attack from the South Route?" Suggestions from the Force Command?"

"Why are there so many? Hurry up and convey my order!" Tang Qiuli looked up at Zhao Yuhe and said angrily. Then, he buried himself in a pile of documents.

"Uh!" Zhao Yuhe was speechless, he didn't know why the teacher seemed suddenly unhappy, grinned, and hurried away.

Zhao Yuhe's figure disappeared in front of his eyes. Tang Qiuli raised his head with an unusual expression on his face. He knew very well why he suddenly felt bad after seeing Brother Qiusheng and Brother Qiuquan about to attack Iwo Jima.

Iwo Jima is a place name that can be recorded in history and the history of the Pacific Theater of World War II, because the Americans lost too many soldiers’ lives on Iwo Jima. In the records of the US Army’s combat history, the battle to capture Iwo Jima is called "Battle of the Pacific Meat Grinder!"

Iwo Jima is a place that Americans remember deeply, and they tremble all over when thinking about it. It was a military service, and the attacking US troops suffered more than 6812 casualties, of which 1083 died, while the Japanese garrison had more than 3 Only 22 people survived by luck. During the [-]-day bloody battle, more than [-] soldiers from both the United States and Japan fell on Iwo Jima, which covers an area of ​​just over [-] square kilometers.

Tang Qiuli didn't want history to repeat itself. Although it seemed that Iwo Jima was easier to fight than Chichijima, the actual situation was not the case. He knew all the situations on the Pacific battlefield of World War II. When the troops started to land, as long as they broke through the Japanese beachhead, the topography of Chichijima , is not as dangerous as Iwo Jima. Now that he knows this, he will not let the troops repeat the mistakes of the US military. Therefore, he must use the strictest and clearest orders to stop Tang Qiusheng and Tang Qiuquan's suggestions.

The teacher pointed out that this rather harsh telegram was soon in Tang Qiusheng's hands. After reading the telegram, he was obviously taken aback, and passed the telegram to Tang Qiuquan silently. Dazed, and then handed it to Han Tie, the faces of both of them were very puzzled and surprised.

"Two officers, what's the situation?" After reading the telegram, Han Tie was even more dazed, shaking the telegram, and said to Qiu Sheng and Qiu Quan: "Are we just making suggestions? Why did the teacher come here with such cruel words?" ,not understand!"

"Okay, then follow the order of the teacher! First, get rid of the Japanese No.80 Fifth Air Force on Iwo Jima!" Tang Qiusheng interrupted Han Tie's complaints, and said, with a look in his eyes thinking.

(to be continued) (to be continued...)