After a while, Halsey spoke: "Is the Japanese army planning to copy our rear road?" Or will we force us to withdraw our troops by attacking Australia? ”

Nimitz said: "It is very likely, there has been an urgent telegram from the Australian side, asking the fleet to return to the division to protect Australia and the precarious lines of communication." Pen %Fun %Pavilion www.biquge.info"

Holland was taken aback and hurriedly said: "Sir, the Battle of Tarawa is about to be completely victorious, and we must not withdraw our troops now, otherwise all our sacrifices and efforts will be in vain." ”

"I understand." Nimitz nodded, and said in an unquestioning tone, "I will let the Australians strengthen their defenses, and at the same time, the ground aviation we deploy there is not entirely a decoration, if Australia and New Zealand need the Pacific Fleet to defend, we will never be able to take the initiative." In fact, the Japanese attack on Perth also makes it easier for us to know more about the situation, at least I know where they are, and now we have won at least two more weeks, which is actually a good thing to deal with the enemy in Tarawa. ”

Halsey agreed with Nimitz's judgment, but at the same time asked uneasily, "What if this was the precursor to a large-scale Japanese invasion of Australia?" They still had a group of German troops in their hands. ”

"This can only be hoped for in the efforts of General MacArthur and the Australian side." Nimitz sighed, "If we really land, we will have a chance to beat the enemy, how many of them can come?" 20,000? 30,000? Australia has at least 300,000 troops on its own soil, plus the U.S. Army, so we don't have to worry about that, but I'm worried that the Japanese are just passing by -- and it will embarrass the Australians differently, just like they did when they attacked Sydney and Canberra. ”

Although he said it very vaguely, Holland understood what it meant, and that political pressure from Australia might force Washington to issue certain unnecessary orders, and he immediately said: "The Marines will take this island as soon as possible, and now we have more than 6,000 people ......"

Perhaps the news of the Japanese attack put a lot of pressure on Devon, and the intensity of his attacks began to increase again. After noon, he asked his troops to carry out a surprise attack on the south bank fortification group, and now the battleship's main guns have reduced each high-explosive ammunition to only a dozen rounds, and there are not many armor-piercing shells left, and the fleet said that except for the North Carolina, which can be completely destroyed, the rest of the warships must be reserved for naval battles, so Devin can only rely on tanks and other artillery units ashore.

At noon, the tide rose in Tarawa, a large area of the reef was submerged, and the landing craft drove directly to the shore to unload the artillery. The corpses on the reef were swept away by the waves one after another, looking at these comrades who donated their lives, the later soldiers not only had to endure the still smelly smell of corpses, but also worried about their own fate, whether they would also die without a place to bury like the people before them, and finally disappear into the boundless sea.

After several days of fierce fighting, the Japanese army also began to be very strained, and only after abandoning a large number of surface fortifications on the north bank could the defense needs of the south bank be satisfied. Even so, the resistance of the Japanese army was gradually crushed. The officers and men of the 13th Regiment, led by 6 Shermans, advanced all the way, and the infantry killed more than 10 Japanese soldiers who tried to destroy the tanks with an iron fist. Tanks helped the infantry suppress and destroy the fire points encountered along the way, advancing more than 170 meters in one afternoon, killing more than 160 Japanese soldiers.

The most prominent resistance of the Japanese came from a large point of fire in the western part of the south bank, which was covered in steel plates, coconut wood, and coral sand, and the firepower was deployed in such a way that the Marines were repulsed with each attack. In the end, the attacking force could only summon tanks, and after the first company destroyed 3 Shermans, the 4th tank opened fire at close range, directly using armor-piercing shells to break through the bunker's external defenses and tear a large gap. Desperate U.S. sappers shoved a series of bundles of explosives, directional mines, and blasters into the gap and eventually detonated them.

At about the same time, a lieutenant led an assault engineer to block the exit of a triangular fortification on the eastern south bank with flamethrowers and explosives, suffocating nearly 100 Japanese troops and Korean laborers inside. A bulldozer shoveled up coral sand with a shovel blade and buried a large tunnel that could accommodate 150 soldiers - only now there were only about 10 people left.

Relying on the attack of this group of soldiers who were not afraid of death, by dusk, the American army finally divided and surrounded the Japanese troops who were still in the surface fortifications on the south bank, and their destruction was only a matter of time. On the 7th day of the Battle of Tarawa, the casualties of the American army were finally smaller than the casualties of the Japanese army, and the Japanese army lost more than 500 people on this day, and the American army lost less than 400, but in the total battle loss ratio, the Japanese army still led by 3500:6500.

"Sir, the defenders of Tarawa sent a telegram that all the surface positions had fallen, and that there were still more than 1,500 of them, and Shibasaki said that he would rely on tunnels, underground fortifications, and communication trenches to fight the American troops to the end."

"It's been 7 days, it's really brave and tenacious!" Nobutake Kondo sighed, "This has exceeded Tsukahara-kun's original expectations for them. ”

"Send them a telegram of encouragement in my name, the whole navy will surely inspire the whole army with this spirit of killing, the fleet has begun to copy the enemy's rear road, and I hope they will hold on!"

At nightfall, the bearded and hideous Matsuo Keiko Daisa suggested to Major General Shibasaki: "Sir, let's launch a night attack, we are not afraid of death, the soldiers want to die with dignity, and they don't want to hide under the ground and live like a mouse!" ”

"Idiot!" Major General Shibasaki was furious, "It's easy to die generously, but it's hard to survive and persevere, don't you know that perseverance is the most difficult thing?" The commander told us to hold on for a month, and we must hold on for a month, and we must be firmly nailed to Tarawa Island like a nail, so that the US military will not be able to sleep! Didn't you die so easily, did the enemy a great favor? ”

"Hello."

"Sir, the Combined Fleet has called back!"

"Read!"

"The whole fleet is well aware of your heroic struggle and tenacious maneuvering with the enemy, and all officers and men are very proud of it, and the main force of the fleet is now copying the enemy's rear road, and I hope that you will continue to hold back the enemy's pace and work together to complete the arduous task of annihilating a strong enemy. The commander of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Horikichi! ”

"Call back: I have high hopes, I am deeply honored, our department will fight to the last man, and the combined fleet will be armed for a long time!" Shibasaki's eyes, which had been completely sunken, suddenly cast a terrifying light, "Tell the commander's telegram to every officer and soldier that the entire fleet is proud of our spirit of sacrifice, and we cannot live up to this high hope!" Today's night attack, 2 brigades each sent 15 people, mainly to attack and harass, not to attack! ”

Day 8, Day 9, Day 10...... The 3rd Marine Division was horrified to find that even though they had completely occupied the surface of Tarawa and even the airfield was being repaired as soon as possible, the resistance of the Japanese troops had not completely dissipated, and they were like unbeatable moles, rushing out of the unthinkable corners every day, every hour, every moment to attack, and a shuttle, throwing a grenade or an iron fist would be the end of the matter. Although the damage caused was not large, it made everyone tremble, not knowing if the doom of death would befall them. The 3rd Marine Division took full control of the island, but the casualty toll continued to increase every day, with a total of about 400 casualties in three days, plus many of the wounded soldiers who had been rushed down in the previous two days were seriously wounded.

Although they also eliminated more than 200 Japanese soldiers who came to sneak attack one after another, this kind of groundhog-like sneak attack tactics was impossible to guard against, and it was completely impossible to use their strength like a fist to fight mosquitoes.

"How long will it take for us to clear the island of enemy forces?" Nimitz asked, confused, "Or maybe we can garrison on this, but we have to keep clearing these rats?" ”

Holland was speechless, not to mention 7 days now, even 10 days have passed, although he barely occupied Tarawa, but he knew very well that this occupation was really very reluctant, not even a little modesty.

"The garrison is okay, but the fleet retreat is probably not possible, at least until a relatively complete defense system and supply base are established, and the other ......" Halsey said with some concern, "What if we go and the Japanese come to attack?" Will the Marines be able to hold on? ”

"This ......" Holland still has a 4th Marine Division in his hand, even when the fighting is at its most intense, he has not used it, because Nimitz told him that if Tarawa is successfully defeated, he also plans to let the 4th Marine Division take advantage of the situation to attack Marshall, but in this situation, even if the Marine Corps still has the ability and courage to fight Marshall, they will not be able to get reliable naval artillery support. Although he was embarrassed, he still said: "The fleet cannot retreat for the time being, we have not consolidated the defense of Tarawa yet, and besides, if the combined fleet comes to counterattack, I am afraid that we will also ......."

"That's where I'm worried." Nimitz sighed, "But you must know that in the past two days, in order to support the landing campaign, the fleet has used artillery shells and bombs very fiercely, far exceeding the planned quantity, and our ship's supplies cannot fully provide supply support, so we must rely on the rear for supplies, and the rear ......."

The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became awkward, and everyone found that they had entered a decision-making dilemma: if the fleet did not leave, they were afraid that their supply lines and rear would be terminated; When the fleet was gone, he was afraid that Tarawa, which had been fought down with great difficulty, would be lost, and Holland did not think that the 3rd Marine Division, which was scarred and in dire need of recuperation, could survive the overwhelming Japanese artillery fire; If the 4th Marine Division was to be garrisoned, he was afraid that this division would also suffer irreversible losses.

"Is it to let part of the fleet go first? Back to Australia or New Zealand? ”

"No way!" Halsey and Nimitz jumped up, there was a combined fleet haunted there, although the Japanese army had not shown their faces for three days after the air raid on Perth, but now going back is almost equivalent to death, and if you want to go back, you can't go back to Australia and New Zealand.

"Sir, Australia Emergency."

After reading it, Halsey's face became ugly: 3 merchant ships from Perth to Melbourne were sunk by Japanese planes halfway through!

"Obviously, their next target is likely to be Melbourne!" Nimitz glanced at the charts, "Immediately notify the Australian authorities to raise the alert level in Melbourne, if I am not mistaken, the Japanese offensive will be launched in 2 days." (To be continued.) )