Two days later, the fleet arrived 350 nautical miles southwest of Ryukyu Island. It is about 450 nautical miles from Iwo Jima, about 800 nautical miles from mainland Japan and 650 nautical miles from the Philippines. This is the safe range of operations of the fleet and the meeting point of Task Force 1 with the supply fleet.

The first to arrive was not the flotilla, but more than a hundred combat aircraft that were replenished to the 1st Task Force. The fighters took off directly from Kadena Airport on the island of Ryukyu, and they arrived about three hours behind the fleet. Just as the bombers and fighters began to land, a seaplane flew over. The plane did not dock next to the cruiser, but landed directly next to the aircraft carrier "Yangtze River".

"It seems to be General Liao Hanxiang!" Lei Shaoqing whispered.

Tan Renhao also saw that it was Liao Hanxiang who got out of the plane.

"Renhao, what is your father-in-law doing here?" Hao Dongjue said half-jokingly.

"Who knows, maybe it's coming to visit this prospective son-in-law!" Lei Shaoqing laughed beside him.

Tan Renhao looked back at the two "evil friends", and then went down to the island. He didn't know what Liao Hanxiang was doing at this time when he came to the First Task Force, was he here to deliver medals? It's unlikely, at least not until the fleet returns to port before the officers and men who fought bravely will be commended, not now. So, what is Liao Hanxiang here for?

The group greeted Liao Hanxiang on the flight deck, and naturally a greeting was indispensable. Praise and wordiness.

"Well done, no one dares to gossip this time." Liao Hanxiang patted Tan Renhao on the shoulder vigorously, "Let's go, let's go to the headquarters, this time the marshal also asked me to bring you a new order." ”

Tan Renhao also knew that Liao Hanxiang would not make a special trip to the First Task Force for a word of praise, so he did not rush to ask, but led the way in front.

"Shaoqing. Go prepare a few cups of tea, in addition. See what kind of pastries are available today, and bring a few to the fleet meeting room. "Tan Renhao actually wanted Lei Shaoqing to take the staff officer away. After speaking, he made a gesture of invitation to Liao Hanxiang, and only after Liao Hanxiang entered the fleet conference room did he follow in.

"The results of your report have been confirmed......"

"So fast?" Tan Renhao glanced at Liao Hanxiang in surprise, and then closed the door.

"We intercepted radio communications between the Japanese Navy command and the bases, as well as the fleet." Liao Hanxiang sat down, then took out a cigarette. "Just a few hours after you sent the war report back, the 'Obscura' had already deciphered the telegram. The Japanese First Air Fleet was completely annihilated, and Vice Admiral Yamaguchi Bunta was killed. Only a few light cruisers and destroyers of the Japanese Combined Fleet escaped, and Yamamoto 65 was missing, presumably sinking along with the 'Yamato'. ”

Tan Renhao looked at Liao Hanxiang suspiciously, why is it that his whereabouts are unknown? It's over, it's over, it's not over, it's not over. Ordinary sailors can be unaccounted for (missing), but Yamamoto Sixty-Five is the commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet. Admiral, how can it be possible to find out what is missing.

"As far as we know from the Japanese naval telegram, in the first round of bombing, a bomb fell on the bridge of the 'Yamato', and the people inside were either killed or wounded. And until the sinking of the 'Yamato', no one saw Yamamoto 65 leave. No one could prove that Yamamoto Sixty-Five was still on the battleship, so the Japanese Navy made a 'whereabouts unknown'. Liao Hanxiang shrugged his shoulders, "However, it doesn't matter, now the Japanese Combined Fleet is finished." Although the Japanese Navy still has some strength, it can no longer compete with the First Task Force. The marshal is very pleased with your performance. When I came to the First Task Force, the marshal went to the capital, and it seems that this time the acting prime minister, and the bastards of the army, have nothing to say. Of course. This is just the beginning. The beginning of the imperial counterattack. We have only taken the first step towards defeating the enemy. ”

"So what do we do next?" Tan Renhao took the cigarette and touched it on his body for a while. I found out that I forgot to bring the matches.

"Go on the offensive." Liao Hanxiang helped Tan Renhao light a cigarette, "According to the plan of the Navy Command, after defeating the Japanese Navy, the Marine Corps will launch a campaign to land on Iwo Jima within half a month, and strive to complete the combat operation of sweeping the nearby islands before December. Now, the Marines have boarded the ship at the port of Naha, and the ships carrying ammunition and supplies will arrive in Naha within a few days. At the latest, the Marines will depart in five days. ”

Tan Renhao let out a sigh, which was consistent with the news he had received before.

"Your first mission is to assist the Marines in landing on Iwo Jima first. After the Marines occupy Iwo Jima, they will repair the airfield as quickly as possible and build a large number of new military installations. Subsequently, the Navy will send shore-based combat aircraft to the islands, and in the future, the Marines themselves will be responsible for attacking the other islands, and the fleet will be free to move. ”

"So, what's the second mission?" Since there is a first, then there is a second, Tan Renhao has already heard Liao Hanxiang's voice.

Liao Hanxiang laughed. "The second task is that the Navy must cooperate with the Army's strategic counterattack operations."

Now Ren Hao is even more puzzled, the Navy has a conflict with the Army, and now it has to cooperate with the Army! He also quickly realized that the headmaster was not the kind of person who held personal grudges, and if the army did have a good plan, then the headmaster would definitely not stand still.

"The Army has stabilized the situation on the Korean Peninsula and is in control of the front." Liao Hanxiang saw Tan Renhao's expression change, and he laughed. "Now that Japan's defeat is assured, although the Japanese Army is still organizing an offensive on the Korean Peninsula, it is almost impossible to cross the lines of the Imperial Army. The Korean Peninsula is not a plain, but a mountainous area, and the army has invested fifteen divisions to organize three lines of defense, and offensive forces are being organized. It was only a matter of time before the Japanese were driven out to sea. In addition, the Army's ground war situation in the Northwest Theater has also improved, domestic mobilization has been completed, and the Empire has newly formed 85 divisions. After the naval battle of Iwo Jima, the army is also considering recovering the Nanyang region as soon as possible. This time, the marshal went to the capital, in fact, to discuss with Marshal Yan Dingyu about the coordinated operation of the naval and land armies. ”

Tan Renhao nodded slightly. It seems that the Empire is ready to turn the tide of war once and for all.

Lei Shaoqing brought in pastries and drinks. Tan Renhao let him stay. At least, Lei Shaoqing is the second-in-command in the fleet, with almost the same power as Tan Renhao.

"The situation is already clear that by the Battle of Iwo Jima, the Japanese Navy has lost the ability to go to sea to fight. The Japanese mainland has also been cut off from the South Seas region, and now is the best time to regain the South Seas. Moreover, this is directly related to the question of the strategic direction of the empire. Liao Hanxiang nodded at Lei Shaoqing. How do you think we can defeat Japan? ”

Tan Renhao and Xiang Yaoxiang glanced at each other, and then waited for Liao Hanxiang to continue.

"Now, we have two ways to defeat Japan. The first is to land on the Japanese mainland, but there are no plans to do so at the moment. In the last war, the Imperial Expeditionary Force landed in Japan, and as a result, the casualties were extremely heavy. When it hit Tokyo. More than 200,000 emperors were killed. This time, the Army only made a rough estimate, believing that if we landed on the Japanese mainland again, we would be mentally prepared to sacrifice at least one million officers and men. Perhaps this is an exaggeration, but before the war situation in Europe has not been determined, and the attitude of the United States has not been clarified. It is also impossible for us to throw the main force into the Japanese mainland. Unless, we are confident that we can settle Japan within a few months, then the empire will have enough strength and time to prepare for war with the United States even if the United States enters the war. ”

"And what about the second option?" Tan Renhao was not in favor of landing on the Japanese mainland, in fact, the imperial navy did not approve of the landing on the Japanese mainland, except for the reasons that Liao Hanxiang said at the beginning, the battle for landing in Japan was played by the army as the main force, and the navy was only responsible for the early transportation work, so it was completely a supporting role.

"The second way is to force Japan to surrender." Liao Hanxiang picked up a piece of pastry, "This is the main point of view of the Navy. Now Chief of Staff Gan Yongxing has set up a special staff group. Specialized in planning combat operations in this area. I believe that a result will come out soon. If we can force Japan to surrender. Then there is no need to land in Japan at all. However, this is also a very large strategic plan, and it will depend on who will decide which side of the plan will be adopted by the acting prime minister. ”

"Then we have to do something to prove that we can force Japan to surrender." Lei Shaoqing interjected next to him.

Liao Hanxiang swallowed the pastry, and then laughed. "Yes, so we must capture the Volcanic Islands and the Ogasawara Islands, block the southern gate of Japan, and establish this as a bomber base. Secondly, the reconquest of the South Seas could also put pressure on Japan. The Army did not believe that we could force Japan to surrender, but they also believed that we should recover the South Seas so that we could secure the shipping lanes to the Indian Ocean. In addition, the navy has won several brilliant victories in major battles in a row, and the army is still mainly defensive on the Korean Peninsula and in the northwest direction, and the army needs a victory that can be won, so Nanyang is their best choice. ”

Tan Renhao had already reacted. "Does the Army need our support?"

"No, the marshal has provided the army with enough transport ships, and the size of the navy has not yet been restored, and the fleet must be used where it is most important. The South China Sea region is densely populated with islands, and the army can completely rely on its own aviation to seize air and sea supremacy, and then use the ships we provide to transport troops to land. Liao Hanxiang lit a cigarette, "The first phase of the ground operation will last about three months, and the army will mainly fight on the Malay Peninsula, Luzon and Sumatra, and open up the shipping lanes connecting the Indian Ocean. The second phase of the campaign is planned to take place over a period of five months, with the army focusing on the islands of Java and Bo Ni. By the end of the second phase of the campaign, the army will basically control the main islands in the South Seas and, if things go well, be able to reclaim the entire South Sea region by the middle of next year. ”

"The acting prime minister will make a decision in the middle of next year?" Tan Renhao asked a key question.

"Yes, that's the deadline, and by now, you should understand why you're in a hurry to capture the Volcanic Islands and the Ogasawara Islands, right?"

Tan Renhao nodded slightly, now he completely understood. If the navy wants to prove that it can force Japan to surrender, then in addition to blockading Japan, the most important thing is to carry out strategic bombing of the Japanese mainland, destroy Japan's industrial system and social infrastructure, and eventually make Japan lose the capital to fight. If the army wants to land on the Japanese mainland, it must prove that the navy's view is wrong, so the navy must find itself a few reliable front-line airfields and bomb the Japanese mainland without relying on the help of the army.

"Alright, I've already said what I need to say." Liao Hanxiang stood up, "Marshal also asked me to tell you that in the next combat operations, as long as you can complete the task, you can decide on your own combat operations." I'm in the fleet, I'll be back tomorrow, you don't have to accompany me. ”

Tan Renhao sent Liao Hanxiang out with a smile, the First Task Force was reorganized from the Fifth Fleet, so Liao Hanxiang can also be said to be the founder of the First Task Force, and many officers and men in the fleet used to be mixed with Liao Hanxiang. Liao Hanxiang arrived at the First Task Force as if he had arrived at his own home.

In the afternoon, the supply fleet arrived at the rendezvous area and began to supply Task Force 1 with fuel, ammunition, food, fresh water, spare parts that had to be replaced, and so on. The damaged planes on the battleship (most of the damaged planes were kept because the battle was not tragic) were also sent to the transport. The wounded were received on a hospital ship converted from a cruise ship, and more than 100 wounded were evacuated.

The entire resupply operation lasted until the evening of the next day, and the replenishment of ammunition and fuel was very time-consuming. Four large fuel supply ships were to supply fuel to more than twenty warships. And two fuels are also needed on board the aircraft carrier (diesel for aircraft, and heavy fuel oil for battleships). The delivery of ammunition is even more troublesome, and it has to be carried with great care, and no one wants to be killed by their own bombs.

Liao Hanxiang left the fleet in the evening by seaplane. The supply fleet also returned half an hour later. Task Force 1 reinstated its formation. Before dark, the fleet turned to the southeast, and new combat operations began.