Ugaki's opinion was quickly supported by all of the Japanese navy top brass in power, including Yamamoto Isoroku, Nagano Shusui, and Ito Junichi. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

Because Japan is indeed unable to resist the attrition tactics that the Americans are now adopting...... Even if in this war of attrition, the price paid by the United States far exceeds Japan's losses, Japan will not be able to hold out.

So Japan must fight to the death!

Hawaii time, October 3, 1943, the main forces of the Japanese Combined Fleet joined the Japanese First Mobile Fleet in the Pacific Ocean between Midway and Palmyra Atoll.

Immediately, a new First Mobile Fleet consisting of the aircraft carrier "Shohe" as the flagship, including the aircraft carrier "Zuizuru", the aircraft carrier "Taiho", the heavy cruiser "Kaohsiung", the heavy cruiser "Atago", the heavy cruiser "Chokai", the heavy cruiser "Maya", the light cruiser "Oyodo", the light cruiser "Niyodo" (the No. 2 ship of the "Oyodo" class was built in this time and space), and ten other destroyers, headed for Wake Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean at a high speed of 25 knots!

The day before the main forces of the Combined Japanese Fleet and the First Mobile Fleet joined forces, the 58th U.S. Fleet attacked Kwajalein Atoll, which had been operated by Japan for many years (originally a German protectorate that was acquired by Japan after World War I). This time, however, no Japanese planes or pilots were damaged, as the Kwajalein Atoll was expected to be attacked, so the Japanese moved their air forces stationed there ahead of schedule.

However, this kind of passive war avoidance is not a good way to deal with the US fleet that breaks diplomatic relations! Since there was no resistance from Japanese fighters, and Japan's anti-aircraft firepower on the island was too weak, American planes carried out several waves of air strikes, which not only blew up the airfield, but also destroyed many warehouses and barracks, turning years of painstaking Japanese operations into ruins.

After the bombing of Kwajalein Atoll, the Japanese Navy's top brass estimated that Wake Island, north of Kwajalein Atoll, would inevitably be bombed next, so they ordered the 1st Mobile Fleet to rush to the aid of Wake Island at full speed.

However, after more than 60 hours of raiding, Ozawa Jizaburo received the news that Guam and Saipan had been bombed, and because the planes there had not been transferred in advance, dozens more were lost (the planes transferred from Wake Island were also on Saipan).

……

Keizo Furumura drew a half-circle on the chart, and then said to Jizaburo Ozawa, commander of the 1st Mobile Fleet, "Now we can determine the approximate location of the American fleet...... It's about 1000 nautical miles away from us! ”

"Soon to catch up!" Jizaburo Ozawa didn't have a trace of joy when he spoke. Because he knows that catching up with the American fleet means another big drain on the lives of carrier-based pilots!

"That's right!" "It is estimated that the U.S. fleet maneuvered northward, passing through the waters between the Japanese archipelago and Wake Island, and then turning northeast and breaking into the North Pacific," Furumura said...... It is expected that a fleet of tankers and another U.S. aircraft carrier group will join them in the North Pacific. ”

The North Pacific has always been a channel for the United States to break diplomatic relations with aircraft carriers to advance westward and return to the east, and the Americans often use aircraft carriers to escort oil tankers in the North Pacific to meet the returning broken diplomatic formations, so Furumura Keizo will make such a judgment.

"We can't let them converge, or we'll be in big trouble!" Jizaburo Ozawa paused, and then said: "The question now is not whether we can catch up, but whether we can determine the position of the American fleet. As long as it can be determined, then there will be a chance to attack, and ...... The grasp is very great! ”

Ozawa is not entirely bragging, he has three large fleet aircraft carriers in his hands, and the number of carrier-based aircraft is sufficient.

The losses of the Shozuru and Zuizuru in the Battle of Christmas Island were made up by the transfer of aircraft from Oahu and other aircraft carriers. At present, there are a total of 144 commonly used aircraft on the "Shuanghe aircraft carrier," including 36 Zero fighters, 54 "Comet" dive bombers, and "Meteor" torpedo bombers.

The Dafeng has 60 commonly used carrier-based aircraft, including 19 Zero fighters and 21 "Comet" and "Meteor".

The three aircraft carriers have a total of 204 carrier-based aircraft, and their combat effectiveness is still quite impressive.

"Let the Western Pacific, including the bases on the mainland, dispatch Type 1 Land Attack, Type 97 and Type 2 to search, and find the location of the US aircraft carrier no matter what." Jizaburo Ozawa said, "We also sent seaplanes and reconnaissance planes to find it!" ”

Ozawa gritted his teeth, "Once the target is found...... Just send out all the carrier-based aircraft at once, and not a single direct mask aircraft will be left! “

"No direct masks?" Furumura looked at Ozawa, "Are you going to make a desperate bet?" ”

Ozawa nodded and said, "It must be like this, otherwise the air attack formation is likely to be defeated by fighters on American aircraft carriers...... In that case, we would be the greatest sinners of the Japanese Empire. ”

"Hay!" Furumura nodded heavily at Ozawa, turned around and went to fight according to Ozawa's instructions.

In fact, he completely understood Ozawa's thoughts. The aircraft carrier itself has no offensive power, and its combat effectiveness is based on having a powerful carrier-based aircraft formation.

And the elite pilots of the Japanese Navy have suffered heavy losses in the current war of attrition, and even if they can sink 2 more American aircraft carriers, the price they pay will be enough for Japan to win and lose.

If you extrapolate according to the previous air-sea exchange ratio, after sinking 2-3 Essex-class aircraft carriers, Japan's pilot losses are likely to exceed 800 people, or even close to 900!

This means that in less than a month, Japan has lost 10% of its pilots (captains), and most of them are experienced veteran pilots of naval aviation.

After such serious blood loss, it is difficult to say whether there will be enough carrier-based pilots on Japan's 19 aircraft carriers -- carrier-based pilots are not as easy to train as shore-based pilots, they do not have hundreds of hours of flying experience, and the threat to the lives of the Japanese is certainly greater than that of the Americans!

So aircraft carriers are already less important for Japan......

……

Already in the western Pacific Ocean, surrounded by Japanese-controlled islands, the whereabouts of the 58th Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Fletcher were soon revealed.

At 8 p.m. on October 8, Tokyo time, the USS Hornet, which was sailing in the waters of the northeastern Pacific Ocean of the Mariana Islands, suddenly remembered the sound of an air defense alarm.

"Sir, the radar has detected enemy aircraft, number 1, azimuth 230, distance 120, altitude 5000."

After listening to the report of the radar officer, the chief of staff of the 58th Broken Fleet, Ali Lee. Colonel Burke (Arleigh. The Burke-class destroyer was named after him) to his own commander, Mark Murphy. Major General Mitchell said: "Sir, it seems that the time for turkey hunting is coming soon. ”

"Hunting turkeys in the backyard of the Japanese...... It's exciting! "Mark with a pipe. Mitchell looks very old, 10 years older than his actual age, and the 59-year-old U.S. Navy rear admiral looks as if he is 69.

However, the old Rear Admiral Mitchell is a naval general who is very up-to-date, he is actually the first generation of carrier-based aircraft pilots in the United States, flying seaplanes during World War I, and in addition to playing racing flights (Schneider Race) between the two wars, he has been serving in the United States Naval Aviation, serving as a captain of a seaplane carrier and an aircraft carrier, and is an expert in naval aviation in the United States.

"Arley," Mitchell asked, "any good ideas?" Let's hear it. ”

"We can drive slower," said Arleigh. "Then at dawn we sent warplanes to shoot out the Japanese reconnaissance planes, and then turned eastward, and at the same time sent seaplanes to search for traces of the Japanese fleet." ”

"You want to have an artillery battle with the Japanese?" Mitchell took two puffs of his cigarette, "You're not worried about hitting the Yamato class?" ”

"I can't hit it," said Arlie. Burke said, "The Yamato has a speed of 26-27 knots at most, and it is impossible to use it to pursue us. The Japanese must have used fast aircraft carriers and heavy cruisers, and we can scare them so that they don't follow too closely. And...... We can also judge the position of the main force of the Japanese fleet by the direction of the Japanese fleet's retreat. ”

Ali. Burke estimated that the Japanese fast aircraft carrier formation, after being frightened, would definitely move closer to the main fleet. As long as they knew the direction in which they were fleeing, the 58th Breaking Fleet knew which route to retreat from.

"Okay, just do what you say."

……

"Found them!"

In Tokyo, the meeting room of the Japanese Navy Ministry, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The abominable U.S. sabotage fleet was finally discovered by a Type II boat equipped with German radar. Now this plane with a huge range is far behind the US fleet -- the US fleet should not be able to run now!

"Your Excellency Marshal, you have finally been caught!" Ito, who was on duty, immediately called Yamamoto Isoroku, who was resting at home.

"How many boats are there?" Yamamoto on the other side of the phone line asked eagerly.

"More than 10 on the radar." Ito replied, "I will definitely be able to destroy the enemy this time." ”

"Be sure to annihilate them all!" Yamamoto Fifty-six said categorically, "Do whatever it takes!" In addition, Okinawa, Taiwan, and the Philippines must also be tightly sealed to prevent the US fleet from breaking through and escaping to China. ”

China is still scemilally neutral, but its tense relations with Japan and its proximity to the Soviet Union threaten to become a target for the desperate U.S. fleet.

Ito replied: "There are already arrangements for the deployment of army aircraft in Taiwan and Okinawa, and the Philippines has aircraft from our 11th Air Fleet (which is also a shipless fleet). Absolutely! The Americans will definitely not be able to run this time! ”

"Send out all the escort carriers and be sure to block the route to China!" Yamamoto thought for a moment and said, "It is also necessary to prohibit merchant ships of any nationality from passing through the Ryukyu Islands-Taiwan-Philippine Islands island chain!" So as not to get supplies for the American fleet. ”

"Hay!"