The Rise of the Third Reich

"Commander, Saipan was attacked by American aircraft, and the southward detachment and Guam attack force suffered heavy losses!"

In the command tower of the battleship "Yamato", the flagship of the United Fleet, everyone heard news that they couldn't believe - Saipan actually caused the Americans to explode!

"Baga!" United Fleet Chief of Staff Ugaki scolded, "What did this idiot Kasuga Atsushi do? He was actually attacked by the Americans in Guam! It's really stupid... How much was lost? Could it be? Did the destroyer sink?"

In Ugaki's mind, it was probably the U.S. military in Guam who immediately dispatched planes to bomb Saipan after learning that Pearl Harbor had been bombed. However, there are only a few U.S. aircraft on Guam, so Saipan will not suffer much loss. The most "tragic" thing is the sinking of a destroyer or something.

"A destroyer was sunk in the battle..." the staff read out the damage situation aloud, "The installation ship 'Tsugaru' was sunk in the battle, the seaplane carrier 'Seikawa Maru' was sunk in the battle, the 'Kikuzuki', 'Yu' The destroyers "Yue", "Uzuki" and "Ozuki" were sunk in battle..."

"Ah!" Ugaki Matoi heard this and opened his mouth so much that he could stuff his fist into it. Then he yelled furiously, "A big idiot like Kasuga actually lost so many warships. How can such an idiot do this?" It’s so incredible to become a naval officer... By the way, did Kasuga Atsushi commit seppuku?”

Yamamoto Isoroku seemed relatively calm. He coughed lightly, interrupted Ugaki, and asked: "How many planes did the Americans dispatch?"

"At least 300 sorties, all single-engine aircraft, were divided into two waves of attack. The first wave arrived at Saipan around 6:30 Tokyo time, and the second wave arrived at around 7:20."

After hearing the detailed military intelligence report, Ugaki Matoi, who was furious just now, also calmed down. He turned around and said to Yamamoto Isoroku: "It's an aircraft carrier! It must be an American aircraft carrier that attacked Saipan!"

The two attack waves were less than an hour apart, and the total number was more than 300! This is simply not something Guam can send out. It is impossible for the airport in Guam to dispatch so many planes in such a short time, and the US military airport in Guam cannot accommodate so many planes.

"We found the American aircraft carrier!" Yamamoto Isoroku actually showed a relaxed smile when he said this. "Although some ships were lost, it was still worth it."

It is certainly worth it to exchange 4 destroyers, 1 seaplane carrier, 1 laying ship, some destroyer submarines and patrol boats, and dozens of aircraft for the approximate position of the US aircraft carrier force.

"Okay," Yamamoto laughed, "Now Chuichi Nagumo doesn't have to run away like a thief who stole something!"

Nagumo Chuichi's First Mobile Fleet has now completed 2 attack waves, and has achieved the results of sinking 1 American battleship, destroying 6 ships (in fact, 2 of them can reach medium damage at most), blowing up 300 aircraft, and shooting down 40 14 oil storage tanks were destroyed and destroyed. The only loss was that 49 aircraft failed to return.

However, Nagumo Chuichi, who had achieved a great victory, did not dare to continue the attack, but was eager to slip away. He even suggested that Yamamoto Isoroku give up his plan to land on Kauai and further attack Hawaii. The reason is that 5 US aircraft carriers are missing!

These aircraft carriers now seem to be a few super bombs hanging on the head of the First Mobile Fleet. Once they fall, the First Mobile Fleet will be finished!

The Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet, Matoi Ugaki, is also very worried about these American aircraft carriers, just like Chuichi Nagumo. Therefore, it was also suggested that Yamamoto Isoroku should give up as soon as possible and give up the unrealistic Hawaii landing operation.

"The U.S. aircraft carrier is now at least 3,000 nautical miles away from Hawaii," Yamamoto Isoroku said with a smile. "Nagumo and Takasu still have 6 to 7 days to destroy Oahu! Even if they have to abandon the plan of strategic Hawaii, Oahu The airports, oil depots, terminals and other facilities on the ship must also be completely destroyed so that it can no longer be the home port of the U.S. Pacific Fleet!”

Halsey's attack on Saipan was actually a strategic mistake! Originally, the Japanese didn't know where the US aircraft carrier was. Given Chuichi Minamigumo's courage, they would probably keep asking to escape as soon as possible. Although Yamamoto Isoroku is the commander, he cannot disrespect the opinions of the frontline commanders at all. It is only a matter of time before he agrees to retreat.

Even if Yamamoto forced Nagumo to continue fighting, Nagumo Chuichi would not dare to let go and fight, as it would definitely delay things.

Now, although Halsey's attack on Saipan was a great victory, it exposed the position of the US aircraft carrier. Now Nagumo Chuichi has at least 6 days to free up his hands and feet. Not only can he continue to send carrier-based aircraft to bomb Oahu, he can even send all four battleships owned by the First Mobile Fleet and the Hawaii Dispatch Fleet to bomb Oahu. Hu Dao (at night of course). This is much more efficient than using carrier-based aircraft to drop bombs. Four battleships can dump at least tens of thousands of artillery shells (main battery and secondary battery shells) on Pearl Harbor in one night. In two nights, combined with daytime air strikes, the Pearl Harbor can definitely be destroyed. The harbor exploded to look like the surface of the moon.

"Ugaki-kun," Yamamoto Isoroku smiled and said to Ugaki Matou, "go give orders to Nagumo and Takasu, let them carry out the Hawaii strategy as planned!"

…

"3000 nautical miles..." On the Akagi aircraft carrier, after Nagumo Chuichi received Yamamoto's order and the news that "the US aircraft carrier is near Saipan", he only felt waves of fatigue and sleepiness coming to him - not for several days. With his eyes closed, Nagumo Chuichi could finally let go of his anxious heart and go for a good sleep.

But before going to bed, Nagumo Chuichi had to send a telegram to Takasu Shiro, who dispatched the fleet to Hawaii, to arrange the fleet reorganization (the battleship Kirishima and Hiei would be incorporated into Takasu's fleet), and at the same time, he had to arrange the first Three, fourth and fifth waves of attack!

Since the US aircraft carriers are all in Saipan, there is no need for Nagumo Chuichi to sneak away in a hurry like a thief.

Now only a small half of Pearl Harbor has been destroyed, and even the airports and oil depots that were heavily bombed are far from being completely destroyed. Because the Pearl Harbor oil depot was built with the issue of bombing in mind, each oil storage tank was isolated by mounds of earth so that the burning fuel would not leak out and ignite other oil after the tank was blown up. Can problem. If the attack were stopped now, it would take a few days for the airport to be repaired, and the remaining oil tanks that had not been blown up would not be safe.

If God helps bring another heavy rain, the burning heavy oil is likely to be extinguished soon because the rain lowers the oil temperature. In this way, the heavy oil that has not leaked from the destroyed oil tank can be rescued, and maybe more than 70% of the heavy oil is left.

"Genda," Nagumo Chuichi yawned and gave an order to the fleet aviation staff officer Minoru Genda, "if the weather permits, we will arrange two more waves of bombing today, and the targets will still be the airport and oil depot!"

…

"Admiral, a telegram from Vice Admiral Halsey, the aircraft of Task Force 1 (Halsey Fleet) sank a light aircraft carrier (the mothership Seikawa Maru seaplane carrier), a light cruiser ( Tsugaru laying ship), 4 destroyers and 8 small ships, and also blew up the airport on Saipan..."

At the Pacific Fleet headquarters in Pearl Harbor, the staff was reporting exaggerated good news to Admiral Kimmel. However, Kimmel's face was still livid, because he also thought about the consequences of the exposure of the 1st Task Force.

Kimmel looked out the window at the burning harbor and the damaged fleet, and smelled the choking smell of fuel and gunpowder smoke drifting down the wind, and his brows frowned more and more.

He asked, "How many planes are available on Oahu now?"

"There are 107 aircraft left, including 21 P51s, 18 P40s, 16 F4Fs, 12 Catalina seaplanes, 10 SBDs, 9 TBDs, 8 B-17s, and B There are 7 -25s and 6 B-24s... In addition, there are at least 150 aircraft that can be repaired, and about 250 aircraft that were completely destroyed.”

Before the Pearl Harbor attack, there were more than 500 U.S. military aircraft on Oahu as reserve aircraft. Now there are 107 aircraft that can fly and about 150 aircraft that can be repaired.

"Send me all the SBDs, TBDs, B-17s, B-24s, B-25s and Catalinas that can fly!" Kimmel ordered loudly, "Go search the west side of Oahu and To the north, the Japanese fleet must be hiding there, and they must be found! Also... where is Fletcher's 2nd Task Force?"

The 2nd Task Force commanded by Rear Admiral Frank Fletcher was centered on the aircraft carrier "Raider". A few days before the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor, the fleet was sent to deliver the Marine Corps to Wake Island. The plane is gone. We were supposed to return to Pearl Harbor on December 7 (Hawaii time), but we encountered a storm on the way, so we were delayed.

"Task Force 2 is about 50 nautical miles southwest of Pearl Harbor and can return to Pearl Harbor in about three hours."

"Ask them not to return to Pearl Harbor and wait in the waters 50 kilometers south of Pearl Harbor." Kimmel said, "Let the carrier-based aircraft on the Raider be ready to attack. Once the Japanese aircraft carrier is discovered, they will attack immediately. Catch the Japanese by surprise!"

Yamamoto Isoroku's conclusion from the air raid on Saipan was not entirely correct. Most of the Pacific Fleet's aircraft carriers were indeed near Saipan, otherwise they would not have been able to dispatch so many carrier-based aircraft.

However, because it had to perform aircraft transportation missions, the "Raider" aircraft carrier did not move with Halsey's 1st Task Force. This gives Kimmel a little more power to fight back...