Two more days passed, and now, Tan Renhao had to be anxious. The defenders of Wake Island had been driven near the airport, Liao Hanxiang had no way to reinforce Wake Island, Task Force 2 avoided fighting, and the US forces continued to bomb Wake Island. Although long-range reconnaissance planes departing from Kwajalein Atoll airfield have found the US fleet, it has not been able to judge the specific size of the US fleet, and the US fleet has always been out of the range of bombers.

"Halsey still hasn't crossed through the New Hebrides, and our submarine to the east of New Caledonia hasn't found much. Now there is a good chance that he is in the southern waters of the Coral Sea. ”

Hao Dongjue circled a large area on the chart, "In addition, the 32nd Task Force has appeared in the northeast sea of Australia before, but the submarine has been lost. Judging from the telegrams sent back by the former submarines, it is very likely that Task Force 33 is with Task Force 32, otherwise, there is no way to explain those capital ships. ”

"Could it be a large cruiser of the American army?" Tan Renhao listened patiently to Hao Dongjue's explanation.

"Unless Halsey is confident that he will protect his three fleet carriers with those light cruisers, he will have to leave the three large cruisers in Task Force 31."

Tan Renhao nodded slightly, originally he still doubted whether the three fleet aircraft carriers were in the 32nd Task Force, but the submarine had clearly judged that there were only six small aircraft carriers with a length of less than 200 meters in the 32nd Task Force, and there were no large fleet aircraft carriers. As a result, Task Force 32 does not have fleet carriers, and all three fleet carriers are in Task Force 31. But so far, there has been no trace of Task Force 31.

"As long as Halsey doesn't leave the Coral Sea, then he must be in the southern part of the Coral Sea."

Hao Dongjue dropped the pencil in his hand. "Shall we force him out?"

Tan Renhao didn't speak, his gaze still stayed on the chart. At least for now, there is no evidence that Halsey has left the Coral Sea, but the problem is. What the hell is Halsey waiting for? Did he want to wait until Nimitz conquered Wake Island before he came out? This is clearly unreasonable. While the battle on Wick Island was still raging, it was much greater to come out and kill the Tang Empire's fleet by surprise, and the chance of victory was far greater than when Wick Island was captured by the US army and the Tang Empire began to reorient. So, what exactly is Halsey waiting for?

"Renhao. Do you want to contact General Yan Guozhong and let the Marine Corps ......"

"Don't worry, it's only the 23rd, there's no need to fight with Halsey so soon." Tan Renhao glanced at Hao Dongjue, "Maybe Halsey is waiting for something, but I don't know what opportunity he needs to wait for." ”

"The landing of U.S. troops on Wake Island is Halsey's opportunity, what else is he waiting for?" Hao Dongjue was a little puzzled.

"It's definitely a big deal." Tan Renhao sat down, so that Hao Dongjue didn't have to stand, "All our inferences are that the 31st Task Force is still active in the southwest Pacific.

And Halsey has at least three fleet aircraft carriers in his hands. In these two aspects, we are at least 90% sure of the strength of the 31st Task Force. As for the movements of the Third Task Force, we are only about half sure. Well, most of our previous judgments were correct. The U.S. offensive on Wake Island was the signal for Halsey to leave, but the problem was. The purpose of the U.S. military landing on Wake Island has not been achieved so far? ”

"Capture Wake Island?"

"No, that's not the real purpose of the U.S. military." Tan Renhao shook his fingers, pondered for a while, and said, "The real intention of the U.S. troops landing on Wake Island is to ask us to send a fleet over, and to deal with their fleet. Now, the Second Task Force has passed, but it has not taken the initiative to participate in the battle, but has been wandering outside the battlefield, and has been operating under the cover of shore-based fighters. In other words, our combat effectiveness in the southwest Pacific has not weakened, Halsey has no superiority in troops, and if it were to be a decisive battle with our two aircraft carrier task forces, then his chances of victory would not be very good. ”

"You mean, the purpose of the U.S. military is to ask us to send an aircraft carrier task force over?"

Tan Renhao nodded slightly. "That's what I just thought, the U.S. military is of little significance in conducting that kind of large-scale landing operation on Wake Island, and it is still the decisive battle between the fleets that will determine the outcome of the battle. As long as we have enough fleets, the victory of the American army will be short-lived. Even if the U.S. military occupies Wake Island now, what can they do? Keep pushing? If the American forces do not defeat our fleet, they will at most wander around the Marshall Islands, near the Gilbert Islands. The supreme aim of the U.S. military is to take out our fleet. Do you think it would be easier to deal with Task Force 1 and Task Force 4 operating together, or should they be dealt with separately? ”

"Needless to say?"

"Then, the U.S. military wants us to send a fleet over." Tan Renhao stood up and took two steps back and forth, "In the past few days, there must be new large-scale operations by the US military, and their purpose is ......"

"Task Force 2!" Hao Dongjue also stood up.

Tan Renhao nodded. "Immediately send a plane to Rennell Island, send a telegram, and ask Zheng Guanhua to be careful, don't take risks, fall into the trap of the US military, as long as the second task force is still operating near the war zone, then the US military can only go to Wake Island, and there is no chance to take the Marshall Islands, delaying the US army's offensive time, this is more important than anything else!"

Hao Dongjue immediately went to find the communications staff officer and asked him to draw up a telegram immediately, and then he went to arrange for a reconnaissance plane to go to Rennell Island with the telegram and use the island's radio station to send the telegram.

When the staff officers were busy, Tan Renhao glanced at the navigation clock, it was already more than four o'clock in the afternoon, maybe the second task force was still wandering outside the war zone, maybe Spruance was thinking about how to deal with this fleet, maybe Halsey was rushing over, who could be sure what the situation was?

When Hao Dongjue rushed back, Tan Renhao looked at him, and at this time, there was a roar of the aircraft engine after it started.

"Let's hope our warning is timely."

Before Hao Dongjue could sit down, the communications staff officer ran over, and a new telegram arrived. Hao Dongjue took the telegram first. After reading it, he immediately gave it to Tan Renhao.

As soon as Tan Renhao saw the first sentence on the telegram, he immediately stood up. ". Spruance is really moving fast enough, when was the last time our reconnaissance planes spotted the U.S. fleet? ”

"Yesterday morning. I lost it because of the weather. Hao Dongjue took out a cigarette, "But why did the U.S. military bomb Midway?" ”

Tan Renhao glanced at the telegram again, and at this time he calmed down. The U.S. military bombed Midway at 3 p.m., and now Han Shaofeng is arranging for engineers to repair the airfield, but the effect will certainly not be much better.

The U.S. artillery fleet will definitely arrive at night, and there will definitely be another round of bombardment before dark.

But why did the U.S. military bomb Midway, and what is the point? The size of the U.S. bombers was not mentioned in the telegram, only that the runways of both airfields had been damaged and that the repair was not progressing quickly.

"How many bombers will be needed if we were to destroy these two airfields?"

"Bombers and fighters on three small aircraft carriers are enough." Hao Dongjue knew what Tan Renhao was going to ask, "Moreover, the last time they were discovered. It's about 800 nautical miles from Midway, and more than 30 hours is enough to maneuver in place. But the problem is. What was the purpose of the U.S. bombing of Midway? ”

Tan Renhao couldn't figure it out. Judging from the combat operations of the US troops landing on Wake Island, the US Marine Corps is now also adopting the tactic of island hopping and attacking, avoiding heavily guarded islands and choosing weak defenses. But no less important islands. Therefore, instead of landing on Midway, the US military went directly to Wake Island. Sadly, the air force on Midway Island was not able to react in time, and did not even detect the US fleet close to the ground, otherwise there would not have been such a painful loss.

"The US military's sneak attack on Midway must have been commanded by Spruance, and before that, he had already mastered the law of the activities of the reconnaissance planes on Midway, otherwise, he would not have dared to bomb Midway Island in the afternoon." Tan Renhao was still extremely puzzled, "But why did the U.S. military turn around and take the only fleet to risk after letting Midway go?" If Spruance made a mistake in this step, then the U.S. military would lose sea supremacy, Task Force 2 could easily destroy the U.S. forces on Wake Island, and Nimitz's counterattack would be a complete failure, but why take the risk. ”

"Then their purpose must be to take out the second task force!"

Tan Renhao looked at Hao Dongjue. "Yes, definitely. Is there any other information? ”

"Not yet."

"Then we can only adapt to all changes with the same." Tan Renhao laughed, "Even if Nimitz sends troops to land on Midway, judging from the size of the defenders on Midway, as well as the elite marines in Han Shaofeng's hands, the fortifications they have built, and the large amount of combat materials in reserve, even if the US army dispatches four divisions of marines, it will not want to successfully take Midway, in addition, without strong sea and air support, without strong artillery preparations, the US army landing on Midway Island is looking for death." We don't need to worry about this, now it's up to Zheng Guanhua to see if he can hold his breath! ”

"Shall we add another telegram then?"

"There's no need, the previous telegram was clear enough, Zheng Guanhua must have known that this was a trap of the US military after receiving the telegram, and Liao Hanxiang would definitely warn Zheng Guanhua."

Zheng Guanhua did receive this warning from Tan Renhao very quickly, and Liao Hanxiang did immediately add another telegram, asking Zheng Guanhua to calm down and not take any action without further information. Zheng Guanhua also knew very well that the purpose of the US bombing of Midway Island was actually to get the Second Task Force out and then kill the Second Task Force. Therefore, Zheng Guanhua was unmoved, and he was not fighting in the fleet on the first day, which can still be seen.

Midway was bombed again on the evening of the 23rd, and the Marines' rush to repair the airfield failed. That night, the U.S. artillery fleet appeared off the coast of the island and began shelling the airfield, barracks, artillery positions and other military targets on Midway Island. Han Shaofeng sent several telegrams in a row, but he did not ask for help, he had already received an order from Liao Hanxiang in advance, and the marines on Midway Island had to hold on alone, without any support and without any supplementary troops. Therefore, Han Shaofeng did not complain, nor did he complain, he just reported back the enemy's actions.

By the 24th, a telegram had been sent from Midway, and at this time, I am afraid that no one had to believe that this was the real purpose of the US military.

"Landing fleet?" Tan Renhao couldn't believe it, "Is it the landing fleet that the U.S. military used to land on Wake Island before?" ”

"Definitely, the size is comparable, and besides, there is no second landing fleet left in Nimitz." Hao Dongjue let out a sigh, "There are at least two divisions of marines, and judging from the transport fleet that is being assembled, it is very likely that the US army will put in four divisions of marines." ”

"Where did Nimitz get so many Marines?"

"The reserves of the Hawaiian Islands can be mobilized, and in addition, the lightly wounded who were previously withdrawn from Midway Island have almost returned, and they should be able to organize into a division. That is, Nimitz only needed to draw a division of reserves. Hao Dongjue lit a cigarette, "The U.S. military has only invested 30 divisions of army units in the Southwest Pacific Theater, and the U.S. investment in the Pacific theater must be more than that, so where is the excess strength of the U.S. military?" Even if you are still on the West Coast on the 20th, you will be able to reach the Hawaiian Islands in a few days. If Nimitz wanted to, then he could first land on Midway with four divisions of marines, and if there were not enough troops, he would definitely put in more troops. ”

"You're saying that Nimitz's real purpose was to take down Midway, not to go somewhere else?"

Hao Dongjue nodded slightly, and then sighed, in fact, he was not very sure about his judgment.

Tan Renhao pondered for a while. "This may be there, but they are fighting on both Wake Island and Midway Island at the same time, and they only have one fleet, so this is possible?"

"If the defenders on Wake Island can't hold out for a few days, then maybe Nimitz will do so if he has enough troops."

"It will depend on how long the Imperial Marines on Wake Island can hold out, and how long the U.S. military can continue to attack." Tan Renhao slapped his forehead, immediately turned around, and asked, "Now can we estimate the amount of those remaining Marine Corps supplies for the U.S. military on Wake Island?" ”

"This ......"

"Find a way to contact Liao Hanxiang and let him tell me as soon as he has the result."

Hao Dongjue immediately went to the staff officer, Tan Renhao sat down, he felt that there must be a problem in the middle, a big problem.