Chapter 172 1944: Fast and Lightning (43)
For the senior US officials, Japan is not the most troublesome issue, and the peace talks with Germany were not going well. The other party bit the price to death: South Africa has no need to talk about, South America belongs to Germany, Central America and the Caribbean Europe, the interests of the United States are shared, and Newfoundland is the inherent territory of the London authorities. What makes the United States even more intolerant is that Germany has raised the internationalization of the Panama issue, and the joint companies of major powers control the canal, and the demand for the European joint forces to station troops is almost a rope that is stuck in the throat and is only tightened.
The Panama Canal is not concerned about the conditions, and they do not understand the harm of "internationalization" control. However, for the two senior politicians, Truman and Dewey, the US capital and the US Navy, this is very deadly. It is almost equivalent to cutting off the transportation channels between the two oceans and the two oceans.
"Tener had just talked to me, and he said that if you have to do so, the conditions of the Panama Canal can also be discussed. After all, Nicaragua can still be controlled by us. You can dig the Nicaragua Canal through the San Juan River through Lake Nicaragua and then dig the Nicaragua Canal through the Isthmus of Rivas. After completion, the navigation conditions are better than the Panama Canal, but the investment amount is a little larger. However, the Nicaragua Canal is too close to the Panama Canal. If there are European troops stationed there, the war will break out, I am afraid..."
Dewey's eyes lit up: "He means that the Panama Canal can be jointly managed internationally, but Europe cannot garrison troops? Then we use the Nicaragua Canal to abolish Panama's capacity and prevent the Germans from receiving money?"
"No...he means." Truman lowered his voice, "If you are determined to fight World War III, you will hit the Panama Canal in the first shot, and you must keep the canal in your hands! To achieve this goal, sneak attacks may be required."
"This..." Dewey took the air conditioner: Not only did he take the initiative to provoke World War III, but he also had to take the initiative to attack Panama first, which made his little heart a little unbearable. Turner's name is "stupid and bold" indeed!
"But this is not a problem you and I should worry about." Truman smiled tragically, "It is enough for us to bring peace to the American people... As for war, it will take more than ten years to wait for a younger president. Maybe he has a way? To win the next war, the United States needs a new president, new generals, new army, new war concepts, especially sufficient military preparation and cutting-edge equipment..."
Dewey nodded at all a loss, without thinking about the election next week, now he is the only candidate with enough weight (and several independent candidates who are not a good match). He knew he would win, but he was not happy at all. Instead, he felt that he had taken over a hot potato and was likely to sign the president of the armistice treaty!
It is said to be a truce, but it is actually not much different from surrender.
Just as they were thinking about it, the third Japanese attack wave had arrived at the scene. This time, it was mainly composed of the Five Aviation Battle. Although the night battle was slightly worse, there were no powerful warships now. When everyone saw something that was still moving, they rushed over and exploded. For the escort aircraft carriers, light cruisers and the Indiana, which had already been sank on the sea, there was no intention to fight, and they only focused on finding escort aircraft carriers, light cruisers and destroyers that had slipped into the net.
In this round, many destroyers that rescued other warship officers and soldiers were in great danger and were killed four of them in succession, especially after the incendiary bombs were dropped, even the entire sea surface was burning, and no warships could escape.
In the third round of attacks, the Japanese army sunk a total of 1 cruiser, 2 escort aircraft carriers and 7 destroyers. By the way, they also used incendiary bombs and machine guns to harvest many lifeboats and life rafts that escaped from the sea. The scene was terrible. Even the Japanese pilots themselves felt that it was meaningless. After a hasty patrol, they left in a hurry. There was also an injured escort aircraft carrier. Because there was no way to escape, the captain who received the telegram to persuade him to surrender could only order to turn on the light switch and order to surrender.
The Japanese army also complied with their promises and no longer attacked the US warships that turned on the lights and remained stationed on the anchor.
Given that the results of the first three rounds of battle were relatively brilliant, several fleet commanders unanimously agreed that the night battle was almost the same. After the engine soldiers sent by the Water Reconnaissance completely controlled the Bismarck Sea, everyone felt even more relaxed. Finally, the decision was made to slow down the pursuit speed appropriately, and the fourth attack was released until dawn to see if there were any targets worth attacking on the sea surface at that time.
At 9 a.m. on October 31, 1944, the main forces of the joint fleet, the first, second and fifth three aviation fleets, gathered 1,500 kilometers on the west coast. Matsuda Chiaki reported to Hori Teiki excitedly: "Sir, the fourth wave has completed the battlefield cleaning, and has sunk another escort aircraft carrier and two destroyers. The rest of the US warships cannot be searched for the time being. Should we send more aircraft to attack?"
The US military has a total of 12 escort aircraft carriers. Except for one of them captured by four pilots and one surrendered after being injured, all the rest sank. The two Essex-class ships have long been sunk. Now there are more than 500 aircraft and more than 700 pilots in the joint fleet, which can make the West Coast go upside down.
"Forget it, the closer is the US military's shore-based air defense circle. If you have to forgive others, you can send planes to patrol the sea to see if there are any surviving officers and soldiers on both sides of our side. If there are any, rescue them together."
"How to deal with these two South Dakota-class ships?" Chiaki Matsuda pointed to the two US battleships that were floating in the distance with the swelling of sea waves, "Send the ship to tow it back?"
Hori Teiki looked with a telescope: "It's so serious that it's not worth dragging it back. It will cost a lot of money to repair it, which is not cost-effective! However, if several injured light cruisers and destroyers can still drag it back."
Everyone was shocked, and then they thought it through: Not to mention the new construction, even restoring battleships is expensive. It takes a long time. It is better to build two more Axis-class aircraft carriers than to have this time and energy. Didn’t you see that the current aircraft carriers are fighting battleships? If it weren’t for the escort of the aviation fleet, would the Yamato-class dare to come to such a close place on the west coast?
"Send people to see what is available on the warship that can be used as souvenirs, collect some, and then hand them over to the battleship troops..." Horitochi smiled faintly, "These giant ships fought for the American hegemony, but unfortunately they were born at the wrong time and did not catch up with the good times. The Yamato class sent them a journey and gave them a final decent."
Matsuda Chiaki originally thought that Hori Tei Yoshi would send a destroyer torpedo to sink. He heard that he would hand it over to Yamato-class target shooting, but he was stunned that Yamato's volley shells were much more expensive than torpedoes.
Hori Teiki seemed to see his doubts and explained: "There will be Zhe 3 in two days. The battleships are very important to reinforce the ground shelling. How can I not practice artillery more accurately? Especially the newly-served Shinno must practice it well."
At 10 o'clock, a US Army Air B-29 reconnaissance aircraft flew across the sea and suddenly discovered all the main forces of the joint fleet and a large number of air defense fighters. They were so scared that they slipped away quickly.
While the telegrapher was joking, he sent a telegram tremblingly: he found that all the main forces of the Japanese Combined Fleet, 10 aircraft carriers, 6 battleships, and the remaining auxiliary warships covered the entire sea surface. The center was 1,450 kilometers on the west coast, and it seemed that the remaining warships of our army were dealing with...
"The chief said that we would hand over the two South Dakota-class ships to us for target shooting?" Lieutenant General Takagi Takeo, commander of the IAV artillery formation, stood up excitedly, "Okay, let Shinono practice well!"
On the other hand, Nishimura Shoji also shouted at his subordinates on the Musashi: "Sir, I haven't forgotten us! You should fight at the right time and strive to sink the enemy ships for five rounds. Don't ruin the Chief's mood, and don't be compared by Yihang Battle... Tell them that although our oil is exhausted a little bit, our artillery skills are good!"
The staff members laughed and conveyed the order.
"Open fire!"
The sound of fierce artillery fire quickly sounded on the sea. The three super battleships, Yamato, Musashi and Shinoo, opened fire from 28,000 meters away. Through 5-7 rounds of artillery fire, they simply sank two South Dakota-class ships worth nearly 200 million US dollars with a thick tube of 460 mm.
The sinking of the South Dakota-class without resistance was not the climax of the morning. At the peak, the Bismarck Sea, which flew the Japanese naval flag, broke into the center of the sea with great might. Now everyone knows that the four pilots captured an aircraft carrier, and they all stumbled on it. Kusato Ryunosuke also wanted to boast about several meritorious ministers in front of everyone. Not only did they order them to drive the warship to the center, but they also instructed Toshio Ota and Hiroyo Nishizawa to fly the US F6F fighter jets under the escort of more than 30 Japanese fighters. This is also the only fighter jet that could fly past Hori Teki in this Central Pacific Battle with the US five-star logo painted on it.
Seeing Hori Teiki nodded repeatedly and waved to show that he was deeply satisfied with Kusou Ryunosuke's actions, what else could inspire the entire army more than this behavior?
"The whole army returned, fighter covers, we go to Hawaii!"
"Sir, the Army has informed the news and is preparing to launch the Czech-3 operation as soon as possible. All tankers, supplies and supplies arriving in China are concentrated on Midway Island."
"I plan to draw two more Army divisions and four flight divisions from China, and then hand over the F plan to the army management, with a fund of 64 yuan from the Luhai Sea." Horitoki explained, "Let Chief Yamamoto communicate as soon as possible. The Battle of Hawaii cannot be taken lightly, and he must do his best."
"This is my prepared telegram for victory. Please check it out..."
Hori Teiki glanced a few times and picked up a pen to paint the words "Our army has not lost a single ship, and has completely wiped out the US Pacific Fleet..." in the manuscript of Chiaki Matsuda, and changed it to "Our army has lost more than 100,000 tons of warships. Fortunately, the soldiers have used their lives. The entire army is brave and has not lost its main force, and basically wiped out the enemy Hawaii fleet."
"Sir, are you?"
"Didn't you lose warships when fighting Pearl Harbor, Seattle, and Panama?"
"But it has nothing to do with this battle..."
"It's related. Without the previous few combat restraints, there would be no such good result. In addition..." Hori Teiki sighed, "Don't write me wisely and majestic, and invincible. What if I defeat the war in the future?"
"Sir... will never."
"Even if you don't, how can later generations take over the position of commander-in-chief of the United Fleet by writing such a high-profile writing? Don't let them be shrouded in my shadow. Later generations should be more capable than us..." Hori Teiki sighed, "The empire has a long way to go, and there is nothing wrong with being humble."
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Chapter completed!