After having dinner in a hurry, Tan Renhao called Hao Dongjue, Yan Guozhong also called several of his important staff officers, and everyone came to the command center of the theater headquarters.

Unlike the command cabin of the fleet, the command center located in the theater command has enough space, so there is no need to save space, it appears extremely spacious, and a large number of equipment can be arranged. For example, in the center of the command center is a huge sand table, on which the actual size, according to the scale (not the equal ratio of length, width and height, slightly exaggerated in height) made of the theater model, and the center of the model is the Solomon Sea, and a shrunken naval Zhenhai flag is inserted on Lae, indicating that this is the location of the theater command. Rabaul, Bouin and other places are planted with small golden flags, indicating that this is an occupied place, while on Kuah Island there is a red line, indicating the battle line of the two sides, the blue flag indicates the islands or important strongholds controlled by the US military, and the green flag means that the US military has abandoned or the islands and strongholds that the imperial army has not occupied. Port Moresby has a blue flag there.

A major staff officer arranged by Yan Guozhong first explained the current battle situation. This seems a bit redundant, although Tan Renhao does not know the situation in the Southwest Pacific Theater very well, but at least he has a grasp of the overall situation. He is not a tactical commander (the fleet commander has always been outside the category of tactical commanders, in the fleet, the captain of the ship, and the commander of the aviation unit are the tactical commander, and the fleet commander belongs to the campaign commander), and the mastery of the battle situation is more focused on the overall situation than on the specific details. The major officer didn't go into too much detail, he was also from an orthodox background in the navy, and he knew very well how to make the senior generals understand the current situation without wasting too much time.

"That's probably what it looks like." When the major officer finished speaking and stepped aside, Yan Guozhong walked to the sand table, "We have controlled most of the Solomon Islands. After taking Kuah Island, the front will continue to advance southward. But the problem is that if we want to attack Port Moresby, we must first uproot several important US strongholds in the Dontelkasto and Louisiade Islands, and destroy the US airfields on these islands, otherwise the marines will not be able to pass, and the transport fleet will not be able to pass. ”

Tan Renhao looked at the sand table and thought quickly.

"If you attack these islands. I am afraid that it will take us two or three months, and we will also disperse our troops, increase the burden of logistical support, and the difficulty of the whole campaign will not be small. ”

"The purpose of attacking Port Moresby was not to take it quickly." Tan Renhao raised his head, "The short-term purpose is to force the U.S. military to divide its forces and make them think that we are going to attack the Australian mainland, so that MacArthur will have to transfer some of the forces that could have been deployed to Kuah Island, Rennell Island, and the New Hebrides to strengthen Port Moresby." ”

"Even so. We're going to send our troops over. There is also a great deal of difficulty. Yan Guozhong was still a little hesitant.

"Why are you attacking those islands?" Tan Renhao glanced at Yan Guozhong, "The biggest threat to us is the US military airfields on these islands. Now the sea control is in our hands, as long as these airports are destroyed. Then we could enter the Coral Sea from the east of the Louisiade Islands and send our troops to Port Moresby. ”

Yan Guozhong thought for a while and said, "Then, we must first destroy the US military airfield on Rennell Island, otherwise our transport fleet and landing fleet will not be able to go down at all." Moreover, if we attack according to this line, our aircraft carrier fleet will have to enter the Solomon Sea, which will also have to destroy the US airfield on Rennell Island, and even blow up the US airfield on Makila Island. ”

"This task can be done jointly by the Navy and the fleet. The airports on both islands are located relatively close to the coastline. Tan Renhao is still very experienced in attacking island airfields, "HNA shore-based bombers can concentrate on bombing these airfields during the day." Then the shelling fleet approached at night, carrying out suppressive shelling. It will only take about two or three nights for these airports to be out of service. ”

"But......" Yan Guozhong also knew Tan Renhao's ability, "to ensure that these airfields are suppressed during the day, so that the fleet can reach the sea outside the airfield at night, and buy a few hours of shelling time, then we must increase the number of airfields on this side, and increase the number of bombers deployed." ”

"Bombers can be drawn from Lae and Rabaul, and the task of building airfields is left to the Marines." Tan Renhao laughed. "General Yan, it shouldn't be a big problem to build a few field airfields on Kuah Island that can provide ammunition and fuel supplies for bombers, right?"

Yan Guozhong nodded slightly and looked at the major officer.

"It will take about 10 days, we can build at least three field airfields, and then we can transfer about 250 fighters from Lae and Rabaul." The major officer immediately replied.

"Five days at most." Tan Renhao quickly calculated the time, "MacArthur sent a convoy the night before yesterday, according to the previous law, he will definitely send a second convoy to Kuah Island within a week, and before that, destroying the US military airfields on Rennell Island and Makila Island can force MacArthur to abandon the operation of transporting supplies to Kuah Island, and the next time he will deliver ammunition and equipment to Kuah Island." ”

"We'll do our best to ......"

"Five days is enough." Yan Guozhong took over the major's words, "I don't want the U.S. troops on the mainland of Kuah Island to hold out for another three months. Then, five days later, the HNA bombed the two islands first, and the fleet entered at night. ”

"I'll take command of Task Force 1 myself." Tan Renhao did not talk in vain, and now only the First Task Force was able to shell these two islands. "The U.S. airfields on the two islands have been knocked out, and the gates to Port Moresby have been opened. The task of bombing U.S. airfields on the Dontelkasto and Louisiade Islands remained the responsibility of the Navy and the fleet. I will contact Huang Xiaotian and Lei Shaoqing, the two task forces still enter the Solomon Sea at night and then bomb at dawn, and the first task force will shell the most important US airfield here on the night of the bombing to increase the probability of destruction. When will the Marines be ready to attack Port Moresby? ”

Yan Guozhong hesitated for a while. "It depends on how many troops we put in."

"There is no need to take Port Moresby, but the landing force will at least be able to hold the beachhead and expand the landing ground appropriately to ensure that the convoy can safely unload supplies. Of course, it's best to be able to stick to it alone for a while. Until the end of our campaign to sweep the New Hebrides, the offensive on this side will only be contained, and supplies may not be delivered in time. In this case, how many troops would need to be invested? "In terms of landing operations, Tan Renhao is not qualified to show what little knowledge he knows in front of Yan Guozhong.

"At least two divisions, and the first three days of the landing need strong artillery support, and the first batch of supplies delivered over can hold the officers and men of these two divisions for at least a month. It would be advisable to transport a shipment of equipment over to build an airstrip. If the convoy is unable to deliver supplies, transport planes can be used to provide emergency assistance to the Marine Corps. ”

"So, how much time does it take to prepare?"

Yan Guozhong walked back and forth a few steps. "The forces are sufficient, there are transport ships, and the landing fleet is not a problem. Mainly supplies, it will take about ten days. ”

"Can you do it in eight days?" Tan Renhao already had a relatively clear idea at this time.

Yan Guozhong hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I'm in charge of this myself, and I should be able to do it in eight days."

"Then starting today, eight days later, the Marines will land in Port Moresby." Tan Renhao made a decision immediately. Then he said. "General Yan, I'm in charge of the arrangements on the fleet's side. This time it may be a bit of a usurpation, but I ask the general's forgiveness. As long as we can hold off the US troops in Port Moresby, then the operation of Zagua Island, the sweep of the Solomon Islands, and the attack on the New Hebrides will be much smoother! ”

Yan Guozhong laughed. "What's polite, our purpose is the same, then let's go separately and prepare!"

Tan Renhao smiled and nodded. "I rushed back to Rabaul with Hao Dongjue in the evening, and asked General Yan to contact Huang Xiaotian and Lei Shaoqing first, so that they could prepare for the battle as soon as possible."

That night, Tan Renhao and Hao Dongjue left Lae on a small plane and flew directly to Rabaul. Wait for the plane to take off. Hao Dongjue, who had been silent before, found the topic.

"Don't you think that's a little too fast?"

"I know, there's no other choice." Tan Renhao sighed, "We must strive to complete the combat operation of sweeping the Solomon Islands before the beginning of June, and when the time comes, we have a new mission, and we cannot stay in the Southwest Pacific Theater." ”

"What task?" Hao Dongjue's mouth immediately opened wide in surprise. When Tan Renhao told him that he would attack Port Moresby, he knew that Tan Renhao was rushing for time.

"Very important action, I'll tell you when the time comes." Tan Renhao leaned back in his seat, "Judging from the current situation. If we do not force the American forces to divide their forces, the fighting on the upper part of Kuah Island will continue until mid-May, and it will take a month or two to capture Rennell Island, and then the operation to sweep the Solomon Islands will most likely be delayed until July, so I propose to attack Port Moresby. ”

"I know that your purpose is to get MacArthur to send heavy troops to Port Moresby, but the problem is that we are not very sure of victory this time, at least, the US still has three small aircraft carriers in their hands."

"Those three aircraft carriers are not terrible, our main problem is in the coordination of the various forces!"

Tan Renhao and Hao Dongjue are not worried about the same thing, "With Huang Xiaotian and Lei Shaoqing here, those three small American aircraft carriers may have to stay in the south of the Coral Sea." The problem is that the offensive operation is extremely demanding on all units, especially the ability to work together. Even the slightest negligence and mishap can lead to the failure of the attack. So, that's what we're most worried about. ”

"The marshal put you in charge of the command of the three task forces?"

"That is, so to speak, and in fact it is not. The principal gave me the task of coordinating the operations of the fleet and the theater of operations, rather than the specific command work. Tan Renhao sighed secretly, "However, at least Huang Xiaotian and Lei Shaoqing are on the same line as us, and they should be very aware of the importance of this battle, so they will not hold back." ”

"Are you worried that the Marines won't be able to keep up?"

Tan Renhao didn't speak, he was indeed a little worried that the Marine Corps would not be able to keep up with the pace of the attack he had arranged. There is no doubt about Yan Guozhong's personal ability, as the number one Marine general of the empire, he has already proven his ability on the battlefield. But the problem now is that Yan Guozhong only has ten divisions in his hands, four of which have been put into the Kuah battlefield, the other two divisions must be left in Lae, Rabaul and Bougainville, and one division has been crippled (in fact, most of the troops have been taken away to replenish the front-line troops). Yan Guozhong had only three divisions in reserve. According to Yan Guozhong's judgment, in order to gain a firm foothold on the Port Moresby side and make the US troops feel pressure, it is necessary to invest at least two divisions of troops, and in order to quickly take Kuah Island, it is necessary to invest two divisions of troops. Now, leaving aside the attack on Rennell Island, there is actually a lack of a division. The rector promised that the strength of the three divisions provided to the Southwest Pacific theater of operations would not arrive until the end of the month. And before that, the battle on Kuah Island will definitely be affected, which will have a serious impact on the progress of the entire campaign.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt a little upset. He could only pin his hopes on Yan Guozhong. If Yan Guozhong can find a way to save the next part of the troops, or scrape together a unit, or stimulate the morale and fighting spirit of the front-line troops, anyway, no matter what method he uses to ensure the attack on Kuah Island, then there is hope of winning this battle.

Hao Dongjue didn't ask anything more, his lack of insight into other tactical issues other than aviation operations was actually a major problem that prevented him from getting more opportunities. Of course, during the time he followed Tan Renhao, he was also seizing the time to improve his ability.

The plane was flying quickly to Rabaul, and Tan Renhao didn't think much about it, let's go back to the fleet first, maybe the affairs of the fleet are the ones that should be the most concerned.