While Tan Renhao and Lei Shaoqing were discussing the possibility of the Japanese fleet advancing, Yamamoto 65 was also considering the actions of the Tang Empire's First Task Force in the command compartment of his flagship battleship "Yamato".

"Yamato" is a brand-new battleship, which has just finished sea trials last month, and immediately after the sea trials, it was assigned to the Combined Fleet and became the flagship of the Combined Fleet. This is also a battleship on which Yamamoto Sixty-Five has high hopes, and in essence, Yamamoto Sixty-Five is a "big ship and big gun" activist, a conservative admiral. Although he planned the surprise attack on Naha Port and the combat operations of the three naval fleets of the Tang Empire, he did not immediately realize that the aircraft carrier had become the main force of naval warfare. There were many factors that made Yamamoto 65 fail to realize the decisive position of aircraft carriers in naval warfare, and in addition to his superstitious belief in battleships, it was also directly related to the excellent performance of Japan's shore-based air forces in sneak attack operations.

Sixty-five Yamamoto is still a gambler, a crazy gambler who likes to bet his life on the table. The plan to sneak attack on the Tang Empire was a thorough manifestation of his role as a gambler. The entire sneak attack plan was divided into three parts, which were commanded separately by two ground commanders and one fleet command. The whole sneak attack began almost at the same time, if there was a mistake, or if the action was uncoordinated, then the sneak attack would end in failure, and as long as one of the three main fleets of the Tang Empire was preserved, the Japanese navy would face a life and death test.

While admiring Yamamoto's nature of gambling with 65 magmpies, we also have to admire the discipline of the Japanese army, especially the navy. Without a well-disciplined army that strictly adhered to the planned combat ground, Yamamoto Sixty-Five's sneak attack plan would not have succeeded. However, such a sneak attack can only be staged once, and the god of luck cannot favor Yamamoto Sixty-Five forever. Compared with the Tang Imperial Navy, the Japanese Navy can only be regarded as an upstart at best, an unhealthy teenager. The Navy of the Tang Empire has a long history. And a brilliant record, even if this giant falls. It will also get up quickly and give the enemy a lethal response.

Yamamoto Sixty-Five was well aware of the Tang Empire and the tenacious vitality of the Tang Empire's navy, which had been proven in several previous naval battles. With only a fleet of battleships, not even a few heavy cruisers, and only three aircraft carriers, the Tang Imperial Navy won three naval battles in a row. It turned the tide of the East China Sea, and also took Ryukyu Island in one fell swoop, swept away the Ryukyu Islands, and turned the tide of the war. This result is something that Yamamoto Sixty-five does not want to see, and it is difficult for him to believe it. In Yamamoto's view, the Tang Empire needed at least a year to recover, and this was the opportunity he wanted. But in fact, since the outbreak of the war, the Tang Imperial Navy has not stopped its activities, and has sabotaged the strategic offensive plan he formulated several times.

The situation on the battlefield was becoming more and more unfavorable for Japan, and the counterattack of the Tang Empire had already begun and was gradually strengthening. When the Tang Empire amassed enough power. Then Japan will be devastated. Yamamoto was well aware of this, and by the time the Tang Empire's navy broke through the shackles of the Ryukyu Islands, it would have been difficult for Japan to win the war, and as time went on, if there were no other powerful forces to contain the Tang Empire, Japan was likely to be defeated within two years.

The transfer of the command of the Combined Fleet to Truk was the decision of Yamamoto Sixty-Five. And the reason for his decision is very simple, he wants to hold back the Tang Empire in the south, so that the Tang Empire cannot threaten the Japanese mainland, and. The Combined Fleet, based on Truk, could go north to support the mainland. Go south to stabilize the situation in the South China Sea, and even enter the South China Sea. Attack the mainland of the Don Empire. Yamamoto Sixty-five has also been looking for an opportunity to counterattack, and he even took advantage of the secret help of the Americans to find the first task force of the Tang Empire, and then use the 460 mm main guns on the "Yamato" to kill those "fly ships", but he has never found such an opportunity.

As soon as the news of the bombing of the Imperial Palace came, Yamamoto Sixty-Five immediately set off with his fleet. Along the way, he was watching the situation in the country, and he was relieved to know that the emperor was not in the palace at the time, and there was no news of his injuries. Then, he received a telegram from Prime Minister Tojo and the Emperor, asking him to stop the First Task Force of the Tang Empire at all costs and kill the fleet that sent bombers to blow up the Emperor's Palace!

This was exactly what Yamamoto had planned, and after the Battle of Ryukyu Island, Yamamoto had come to realize that he was a very formidable opponent at the table, an opponent who was very capable of seizing opportunities and was no less daring than him. At the same time, he also realized that if he wanted to ensure that Japan was not defeated within two years, and dragged Britain and France into the Indian Ocean, or the United States entered the war, then he had to take out the Tang Empire's First Task Force and regain naval supremacy in the western Pacific. Sixty-five Yamamoto has been keeping an eye on the movements of the First Task Force and is still looking for an opportunity to annihilate the First Task Force.

Now is an opportunity, Yamamoto Sixty-five keenly seized this opportunity, even if the emperor and Prime Minister Tojo did not give him an order, he would immediately lead the fleet north to find the Tang Empire's first task force for a decisive battle. Of course, Yamamoto Sixty-Five is not the kind of reckless gambler, and when he encounters a powerful opponent, Yamamoto Sixty-Five is more cautious than anyone else, which is another characteristic of his character, which can also be said to be a shortcoming. He can make quick decisions when it comes to big gambles, but he can be a little overly cautious when it comes to tough opponents. This is an advantage and a disadvantage, and whether it is an advantage or a disadvantage, it depends on when, on what occasion, and how it behaves.

This time, Yamamoto Sixty-Five adopted a very cautious tactic. He split the fleet in two, with the 1st Air Force still acting alone, while he personally led the main forces of the Combined Fleet to follow behind. In addition, in terms of choosing course, the First Air Force took the route west of Guam, and the main force of the Combined Fleet took the route east of Guam. According to Yamamoto Sixty-Five's plan, the First Air Force would drag the First Task Force of the Tang Empire. And the main forces of the combined fleet took the opportunity to go up and then use the "Yamato" and other capital ships to kill the first task force!

The commander of the 1st Air Force of the Japanese Combined Fleet has also been replaced, and Nagumo Kazutada has been removed by Yamamoto 65 because of several combat defeats, and it stands to reason that it should be Jishiro Ozawa. Or Tsukahara 234 took over and became the commander of the 1st Air Force. Outcome. Yamamoto Sixty-five did not choose these two people, but made an exception to use the captain of the "Flying Dragon" Yamaguchi Bunta, and directly promoted this Osa to lieutenant general, and served as the commander of the First Air Fleet.

It can be said that Yamamoto 65 is indeed very far-sighted in the selection of talents, and Yamaguchi is a recognized expert in aircraft carrier tactics by the Japanese Navy, and he is bold and careful. It is very likely that it will be Yamamoto Sixty-Five's successor. In the Battle of Ryukyu Island, Yamaguchi Wenta finally commanded the "Flying Dragon" aircraft carrier team to avoid the bombing of the Tang Empire bombers, and also severely damaged the Tang Empire fleet and sank the "Taizong" aircraft carrier when counterattacking, which can be regarded as saving a little face for the Japanese Navy. And it was Yamaguchi's decisive decision that allowed the Japanese fleet to seize the last opportunity without a single defeat. From this point of view, Yamaguchi Wenduo is very similar to Tan Renhao. They are able to make decisive decisions in battle, turn the impossible into possibility, grasp the slimest opportunity, and turn the opportunity into victory.

Yamaguchi Wenta also did not live up to Yamamoto's high expectations, and after the two "Xianghe"-class aircraft carriers were incorporated into the First Air Fleet, Yamaguchi Wenta immediately launched brutal training. The newly recruited pilots had to take off and land on the aircraft carrier three times a day, and they did training in close combat with simulated bombs. All pilots who fail to pass in training are severely punished and even expelled from the Navy. In addition, the officers and men of the two new aircraft carriers have also undergone high-intensity training, ranging from the speed of preparation of aviation service personnel, to the damage management work of the officers and men of the fleet, to the training of air defense gunners, and so on. Yamaguchi Wenta spared no expense to make the First Air Fleet reach the best state in the shortest possible time. This alone is enough to prove that he is a very good admiral.

Under the spur of Yamaguchi Wenta, the First Air Fleet of the Japanese Combined Fleet regained its combat effectiveness in just over two months, especially after a group of wounded men recovered and returned to the unit. The combat effectiveness of the 1st Air Fleet soon reached its peak. At the time when Yamamoto Sixty-Five ordered the combined fleet to attack. Yamaguchi did not hesitate to get the battle order. Immediately set off with the First Air Fleet.

At that time, the First Air Fleet produced three aircraft carriers, "Flying Dragon", "Xianghe", and "Zuihe" (two small aircraft carriers were not incorporated into the First Air Fleet because they were not suitable for operations in the open sea, but were assigned to the Eleventh Air Fleet, which was not formed and was mainly responsible for training recruits), there were also four heavy cruisers and eight destroyers. The Japanese Navy still adopted the traditional approach of aircraft carrier disposition, that is, the air fleet was separated from the battlefleet. This is the establishment made by Yamamoto Sixty-five, because in Yamamoto Sixty-five's eyes, the aircraft carrier is just a supporting role, and using battleships to escort aircraft carriers is simply a waste of the precious combat strength of the Japanese Navy!

Yamaguchi Wenta had no way to change Yamamoto Sixty-Five's decision, all he could do was to lead the First Air Fleet to defeat the First Task Force of the Tang Empire. At the same time, Yamaguchi also knew very well that the key to the decisive battle of the aircraft carrier was to discover and attack the enemy first. As long as the enemy can be detected first, then it can be the first to attack, and before the enemy has organized his forces, he will be the first to attack, defeat the enemy, and not give the enemy a chance to attack. At this point, he has the same understanding as Tan Renhao, so he is worthy of being the best aircraft carrier tactician in the Japanese Navy, far more powerful than Nagumo Kazutada, Ozawa Jishiro and others.

After leaving the Truk base, the First Air Fleet has been heading north at full speed, with an average speed of 26 knots, two knots faster than the main fleet in the command area where Yamamoto 65 is in command. Yamaguchi Wenta did not follow Yamamoto's order to go north at the same speed, because he knew very well that if he did not expect to get the cover and support of the main fleet, and at the same time, he did not believe that the main fleet could get close to the first task force of the Tang Empire. This decisive battle will break out between the two fleets, and the winner will be whose carrier-based aircraft force can deliver a fatal blow to the other side.

Just when Yamamoto Sixty-Five was thinking about how to use the First Air Fleet to entangle the Tang Empire's First Task Force, and the main fleet led by him was killing it as quickly as possible, the First Air Fleet commanded by Yamaguchi Wenta had already arrived in the sea area north of Guam three hundred nautical miles eight hours earlier than planned. That is, they have reached this sea area after dark. According to Tan Renhao's estimate, they should have arrived in this sea area before dawn, a difference of eight hours. And these eight hours, so to speak, were fatal for both sides!

Yamaguchi is a master of tactics, but not of strategy. Yamaguchi ignored a point, or rather, the Japanese Navy Command made a misjudgment in speculating on the whereabouts of the First Task Force of the Tang Empire. After the bombing of the Imperial Palace, the Japanese Navy Command speculated that Task Force 1 would return to Naha at full speed to avoid a decisive battle with the Combined Fleet heading north, and wait until all carrier-based aircraft units had arrived before looking for the next opportunity. According to this information, Yamaguchi's fleet was sailing in a northwesterly direction, rather than heading directly north.

The consequences of this erroneous intelligence will be directly manifested in the following naval battles. Tan Renhao also did not realize this, and as a result, the two fleets would be thrown into battle in an extremely reluctant way.

Yamaguchi Wenta is an excellent aircraft carrier commander, and he has not forgotten to do a very important thing, that is, to send the first batch of reconnaissance planes out before dawn to find the sea area where the Tang Imperial Fleet is most likely to be located, and let the bomber group prepare to take off on the deck of the aircraft carrier, so as to shoot sharp arrows and kill the enemy at the first time. Moreover, the time chosen by Yamaguchi Wenduo to release the reconnaissance plane was only fifteen minutes different from the time chosen by Tan Renhao!

An hour and a half before dawn, the first reconnaissance planes left the 1st Task Force, and fifteen minutes later, the first reconnaissance planes painted with plaster flags left the flight deck of the aircraft carriers of the 1st Air Fleet. Both sides cast their fishing nets, waiting for the moment when they caught each other!