Chapters 115 to 116: The Southward Advance Plan

"Akiyama, please continue."

Togo Hirahachiro's voice was particularly calm. Shimamura Soo looked at the commander in confusion, and was still a little nervous, but he had to shut up.

Akiyama Matsuno looked at the encouraged veteran, his nose sore and his eyes were a little wet. He nodded with a little sob, refreshed his spirits, and when he arrived at the chart, everyone also surrounded him.

"The advantage of our navy is that the number of main ships is large and the frontal combat power is strong, and the defect is that the speed of the main battleship is slower than that of the enemy's fast armored cruisers. Therefore, the key to our army is to attack the enemy's key points first, force them to accept the decisive battle, to annihilate or severely damage their main force as soon as possible, to eliminate their ability to threaten the empire's offshore and ocean traffic, so that the main force of the joint fleet will transfer north to the north, start the north landing operation, and cut off them.

The traffic line in the northern war zone was forcing the enemy's capital and destroying its will to resist." Akiyama Masao said, "Therefore, our army established a southward plan to advance to the base of the Huajun Zhoushan to invite the war with the main team of the joint fleet. The Second Fleet covered the transport fleet landing in Okinawa and launched the Okinawa battle. The Chinese army stationed in Okinawa's fleet was old and weak, so the main force of the Chinese mobile fleet in Zhoushan had to accept the battle."

Shimamura Soo frowned and asked softly: "Akiyama, do you think there is something wrong with it?"

Akiyama Matsuyuki continued: "From the perspective of the Chinese army, with their ability, we will not be unable to see the potential threat of our army's tactics, so the Chinese army will inevitably use corresponding measures to counter it."

"As the commander-in-chief asked, if the Chinese army had a submarine force that was above our army in terms of performance, experience and scale, considering the highest performance of the submarine, its best tactic would probably be to set up an ambush circle with submarine forces outside Zhoushan." As soon as Akiyama said, everyone was in a state of ecstasy. "With our army's current anti-submarine capabilities, once the blockade operations are carried out outside Zhoushan, such submarines can attack our main warships day and night, and when they move forward, they can add ammunition to the nearshore base. I am afraid that our army will suffer heavy losses and have a low morale. At that time, the enemy fleet will be replenished and launched in one move, I am afraid that our team will be worried about defeat."

Shimamura Soo opened his mouth, trying to defend something, but the sharp lyrics of the past have become particularly dull for some reason. Togo Hirahachiro's expression remains unchanged, and his eyes are just lingering in the locations of Zhoushan and Okinawa on the chart. Kenji Iiden's eyes shot strange lights and nodded seriously at Akiyama Matsushi.

"Akiyama, then your opinion... is that our team cannot approach Zhoushan near the sea?" Donggo Heihachiro asked.

"That's right, commander-in-chief." Akiyama Matsuyuki nodded, "My opinion is mainly two: first, we must also use the combat power of the submarine, not just as the protection of the offshore waters of the empire; second, our army must choose a more favorable decisive battle battlefield, try to give full play to our combat power, and weaken the enemy's combat power. Then, a very simple way is to move the decisive battle battlefield closer to our base group."

His white glove-wearing hand pointed at an area on the chart.

“Okinawa?!”

A low scream.

"Yes, Okinawa!" Akiyama Masao said firmly, "This is the gateway for the enemy to enter the Pacific Ocean, and it is also the main forward base for attacking the empire's land. It is the capital of the so-called Ryukyu Kingdom of its vassal state. In any case, the Chinese army will never be able to sit and watch Okinawa fall, and Okinawa is closer to my Kagoshima military port and Seed Island. My proposal is to use our team and the Second Fleet to attack Amami Oshima first and attract Chinese troops to help. Otherwise, we will take advantage of the situation to capture Amami and Tokuno Island, and use its port facilities to quickly send Marines and Navy base troops to provide logistical support for the joint fleet. Our army and the Russian submarine forces can draw elite detachments to go forward to Tokuno Island in order to exert combat in the battle of Okinawa. Our joint fleet is ready to face the main force of the Chinese mobile fleet in the Okinawa waters."

"At present, the enemy's regular troops stationed in Okinawa are only one garrison brigade of the Marine Corps, and the so-called Ryukyu Kingdom Army. The combat troops are no more than 10,000, and the combat power is uneven. Our Navy concentrates sixteen brigades of Marine Special Attack Forces, and then requests the base camp to support a division of the Army. With the naval guns provided by our fleet, we should be able to take down the main island of Okinawa within one to two weeks." Akiyama Matsuno continued, "The fleet is waiting for the fleet to support land operations while waiting for the Chinese army to leave the port to provide assistance. Our submarine forces can go forward to reconnaissance the enemy situation and set up ambush nearby. At that time, regardless of the right time and place, our army will take the initiative, and the Chinese army will be forced to accept our army's battle in an unfavorable situation."

"Akiyama, if this happens... if the Chinese army sends a rapid formation to attack North Korea's coast, how can we deal with it?" Shimamura Soo frowned and said, "If Zhoushan is not blocked, the enemy fleet will come and go freely, and the joint fleet will probably be attacked by the army and the country."

"The Russian Second Fleet is stationed in Incheon, which can cover the offshore coast of North Korea. In addition, our third Fleet is responsible for offshore defense and can also provide support." Akiyama Masao said, "In addition, our army can quickly ships, civilian ships, and arrange reconnaissance lines. Once the enemy situation is discovered, we will inform us in advance. The rapid formation of our Second Fleet can quickly go north to support."

"At the time, our navy had many disputes with the army for the plan of advancing south, and it was all up to the Prime Minister and His Majesty the Emperor to coordinate in the center, allowing the navy to conduct southward operations arbitrarily, and the army also agreed to support the operations with the 11th Division. Now if the combat plan is to be modified..." Shimamura Soo nodded, but immediately frowned, "Will the army's Changzhou Malu use this as an excuse to attack the navy again for inadequate planning and disturb the Shenggong, and now he hastily revised the combat plan... Akiyama-kun, this is too unfavorable for the navy and the joint fleet."

When Akiyama Masaru was stunned when he heard this, he shook his head and smiled bitterly.

The island country, the land and navy have always been incompatible with water and fire. The army has always been the world of the Cheung Chau faction. Although the navy is a rising star, it took the express train of the Satsuma clan. Coupled with the influence of the British, it was a vague momentum to come from behind. After the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the two armies fought in a mess in order to shirk responsibility. They all relied on the steady faction of the army, such as Oyama Iwa, Otaya Gentaro and Katsutaro, who came from the Satsuma clan, and then they could barely maintain a peaceful situation.

This time, in order to prepare for the Asian War, the two armies became a mess again. The army advocated the advance northward, from Yalu River to Changbai to Tumen River to advance east and west with the Russian army, annihilated the main force of the Northern Manchuria and Chinese army in one fell swoop. At the same time, it required the navy to dispatch a fleet to cover the landing troops to take Yingkou directly, cut off the traffic inside and outside the pass, and advance east and west with the First Army in Dandong. At the same time, the Liaodong Peninsula was determined in one fell swoop.

The Navy believes that this plan will inevitably make the Navy a vassal of the Army, which is absolutely untolerated by the arrogant Kagoshima samurai. The navy, which has always believed that it has more strategic vision than the army's granite heads, cannot accept the army's baton, so they proposed a plan to advance southward in a tit-for-tat way, preparing to first eliminate the Chinese army's mobile fleet and establish a reputation for unparalleled martial arts, so as to gain the power of freedom to operate in the north. The Army must accept the leadership of the Navy in its future landing operations.

As the backbone of the navy, Akiyama Masaki could not have known this, but now his mind is full of the future of the joint fleet. He really didn't expect that when the fate of the empire was in danger, these senior generals of the imperial army and navy were still thinking about these fucking vaguely! He sighed secretly, feeling a little disappointed.

It seems that the island nation’s national weapon, Xiao Yiying, mentioned by Zhongjiang Zhaomin, really makes some sense. The overall situation is unclear, and now he is busy with the future division of power...

But Hirahachiro Togo nodded to Akiyama Matsuno, then turned his head and said calmly to Shimamura Suo: "Chief of Staff, what Akiyama said is very reasonable... On the Army, your concerns are very necessary, but after all, the United Fleet is supporting nearby near Okinawa, and it is reasonable for land operations. That is the army to command... As for the army that may take advantage of the situation, I think with Prime Minister Ito and the eyes of the Army's Kotatsu Elderly, this problem should not be big. As long as we achieve some important victory as soon as possible... Okay, Chief of Staff, I think at least Akiyama's plan is worth studying..."

"That's it." This veteran who has always been low-key and calm showed a rare determination at this moment. "Chief of Staff, Akiyama, Ideko, I hope you will come up with a specific plan within two days for the revision of the southward advance plan. I am not here, Tian, ​​as the commander-in-chief of the joint fleet, will personally present to the Prime Minister Yamamoto and ask Prime Minister Ito for support. If necessary, in the Prime Minister of the Military Order, the Minister of the Military Order, will report to the emperor to the emperor to the emperor's approval."

Tears surged out of Akiyama's eyes in an instant.
Chapter completed!