Information continued to arrive, and the second time the Japanese Combined Fleet was discovered, it was already near Iwo Jima. According to the telegram sent back by the submarine, the Japanese Combined Fleet was followed by a convoy of transport ships that had delivered a number of troops and supplies to Iwo Jima. As a result, the submarine made another old mistake by not specifying the presence of aircraft carriers in the combined Japanese fleet at that time, as well as the specific size of the fleet.

Tan Renhao only learned later that this problem was common in submarine forces at that time, which was mainly limited by the communication equipment on the submarine, so the submarine sent telegrams as short as possible and not too detailed. The Japanese Combined Fleet left the Volcanic Islands after reinforcing Iwo Jima, and the submarines were unable to keep up with the Japanese Combined Fleet, and the Japanese Combined Fleet lost its whereabouts again.

The question was in front of Tan Renhao, did the Japanese Combined Fleet not go south directly, was it just to escort the convoy to the Volcanic Islands? Also, what is the purpose of Japan in strengthening the defense of the volcanic archipelago at this time? Thinking about it, Tan Renhao only came up with one answer, that is, the Japanese side already knew that the Tang Empire was about to capture the Volcanic Islands and the Ogasawara Islands, so it would strengthen the defense of the Volcanic Islands. And the Japanese Combined Fleet went south at this time, naturally to force the Tang Empire to abandon its attempt to attack the Volcanic Islands through a sea threat.

The answer to this question was quickly and accurately, and when the commander of the Imperial Marine Corps, Admiral Yan Guozhong, came to Naha Port, he was the first to find Tan Renhao.

The Imperial Marines had a very special status. In peacetime, the Marine Corps is under dual command. Its funding is managed by the Navy, while direct command is in the hands of the Prime Minister, who can directly deploy the Marine Corps to carry out small-scale missions without having to go through the Navy Command and the Parliament. In wartime, the Marine Corps is directly under the command of the Navy and fights in conjunction with the Navy. Therefore. The Marine Corps Command is a branch of the Naval Command, and its status is extremely special. It is also the only ground combat unit in the hands of the Navy.

"That's the general situation." Yan Guozhong is a very "stocky" soldier, extremely burly, and there is a scar on his face, Tan Renhao has also heard people talk about this story of being only a major Marine Corps general during World War I. "According to the latest information we have obtained, Japan has sent about 2,500 additional troops to Iwo Jima, and has also delivered a batch of supplies, mainly steel and concrete to reinforce the fortifications. Now there were at least 7000 Japanese defenders on Iwo Jima. There are also a large number of fortifications. Japan is likely to reinforce the defenses of Iwo Jima again in the near future. ”

"In other words, we must complete the blockade of the Volcanic Islands and the Ogasawara Islands as soon as possible?"

"Yes, Japan must be prevented from sending reinforcements to these two islands as soon as possible." Yan Guozhong's words were very resolute, "The marines will be assembled within a month, and according to the will of the Navy Command, we will take Iwo Jima, North Iwo Jima, and Chichido Island by the end of the year at the latest." There are also four islands where airports can be built. In this way, by the beginning of next year, we will be able to deploy bombers on these islands to carry out bombing operations against the Japanese mainland. ”

Tan Renhao nodded slightly, Yan Guozhong's words were not directly explained, but the meaning was very clear. "What is the specific landing time ......?"

"Early November. Maybe it's the end of October, but it's up to you guys. Yan Guozhong patted the armrest of the sofa, "Let's put it this way, it took us more than two months to attack Ryukyu Island, and it was only when we had the advantage of our local forces and the full support of the army aviation that we took Ryukyu Island." This attack on the Volcanic Islands and the Ogasawara Islands would require an expedition of several thousand kilometers, and we would only be able to project a landing force of three divisions at most, and we would have to fight fiercely with more than 20,000 Japanese troops on the four islands. It will take at least two months. Maybe longer. If there is no support from the naval fleet. Then it will be difficult for us to take the islands. So, annihilate the Japanese Combined Fleet. The seizure of sea supremacy has a direct bearing on whether or not the entire landing operation can be successful. ”

Tan Renhao laughed, and he stood up with his hat. "Well, with further news, the fleet immediately set off. We'll take our chances. ”

Yan Guozhong sent Tan Renhao outside the door. "General Tan, I believe we will have a pleasant cooperation!"

Tan Renhao also believes that he and Yan Guozhong will have a happy cooperation. Yan Guozhong was able to be promoted to Marine Corps admiral entirely by virtue of strength. When he was a major in the Marine Corps, he was the first to land in Tokyo Bay and sounded the clarion call to defeat Japan. And now, Yan Guozhong is facing his old opponent again, and he will naturally not be worse than he was more than 20 years ago.

Before returning to the fleet, Lei Shaoqing came up.

"What's the matter?" Tan Renhao could see at a glance that something big had happened.

"I just received the news that a submarine from our ground has spotted the Japanese Combined Fleet north of the Ogasawara Islands. Unfortunately, the telegram remained incomplete. ”

Tan Renhao glanced at Lei Shaoqing. "Let's go to the command module first, is there any other news?"

Lei Shaoqing shook his head. "This is the latest news we've received so far."

"It seems that the Japanese Combined Fleet has no intention of going south to Truk, and has been wandering around the Volcanic Islands and the Ogasawara Islands." Tan Renhao let out a sigh, and then laughed, "It's good, lest we go south and touch the hard nail of the Yankees, at least now we know the general whereabouts of the Japanese Combined Fleet." ”

The others soon arrived in the command quarters, where several staff officers were busy.

"Commander, this is a telegram from the Navy Command, asking us to leave the port as soon as possible to find a decisive battle with the Japanese Combined Fleet."

Tan Renhao took the telegram, only glanced at it and handed it to Lei Shaoqing. "The headmaster has also received this information, and this is our chance for a decisive battle with the Japanese Combined Fleet."

Lei Shaoqing quickly read the telegram. This was an order issued by the Navy Command after receiving information on the submarine, and it was made to Chief of Staff Gan Yongxing. Apparently. Gan Yongxing also realized that this was an opportunity to annihilate the Japanese Combined Fleet.

Tan Renhao didn't talk nonsense, and after asking the staff officer to mark the sea area where the Japanese Combined Fleet appeared several times on the chart, he climbed on the chart table, and then looked at it carefully. Then, new doubts appeared in his mind.

The Japanese Combined Fleet was spotted three times by submarines after heading south, and the staff officers had marked these three locations on the chart. And he also used a red pencil to connect the three dots. Tan Renhao took out a cigarette, he was used to smoking when he was thinking about problems. If he doesn't smoke, he can't think about things.

Judging from these three points, the Japanese Combined Fleet first went to Iwo Jima, reinforced a number of troops and supplies there, and then went north and appeared near the Ogasawara Islands, which must have been a place to deliver supplies to the Japanese troops on those islands. Herein lies the problem. Does this work of delivering supplies need to be done by the Combined Fleet? An ordinary transport fleet is enough, and to let the combined fleet go around in circles in this sea area, isn't it a waste of time, as well as valuable naval forces?

Tan Renhao felt a pain in his head, and after throwing away the cigarette butt, he took out another cigarette. With a "flutter", the match was struck, and Lei Shaoqing helped him light a cigarette. Tan Renhao smiled at his friend and nodded. said: "The biggest doubt now is, why is the Japanese Combined Fleet going around in circles in this area? ”

"I'm thinking about that too." Lei Shaoqing leaned on the chart table, "The only explanation is that the Japanese side already knows our specific plan of action, and even knows that we will land on the Volcanic Islands and Ogasawara Islands in the near future to block the southern gate of Japan." That's why the Japanese Combined Fleet operates in the waters near these two archipelagos. ”

Tan Renhao raised his head and glanced out of the porthole: "If this is the case, then it can only mean that the empire's intelligence security work is too inadequate, or Japan's intelligence collection ability has increased a lot." Yamamoto Sixty-Five even knew that we were waiting for fighters in the port of Naha, so he led the Combined Fleet to operate in the waters around the area. ”

"The Japanese Combined Fleet is actively looking for fighters?"

Tan Renhao didn't speak, he looked at the chart for a while. "If I were Yamamoto Sixty-Five, then the Combined Fleet would be just a decoy now."

Lei Shaoqing was secretly startled, and immediately asked, "Bait?" Sixty-five Yamamoto will use the Combined Fleet as bait? ”

"Why not?" Tan Renhao raised his head and touched the bridge of his nose, "Yamamoto Sixty-five is not a fool. Unless he believes that the Combined Fleet still has the strength to defeat us. Otherwise, he would have been able to use the Combined Fleet as a decoy. Of course, we do not rule out that Yamamoto Sixty-Five still believes this. Therefore. In my opinion, the activities of the Combined Fleet in the waters near these two islands are just bait, and even deliberately operate in the waters frequented by our submarines in order to attract our attention. On the other hand, what would we do if we did not know that the Japanese combined fleet was bait? ”

Lei Shaoqing thought quickly for a while and said, "Then we will definitely go to the Japanese Combined Fleet for a decisive battle." ”

"Yes, I would do the same." Tan Renhao leaned back on the chair next to him, "I will do my best to destroy the Japanese Combined Fleet, and this just fell into the trap of the Japanese." ”

"A full set?" Lei Shaoqing glanced at Tan Renhao with a little puzzlement.

"Judging from the area where the Japanese Combined Fleet operates, the Japanese fighter planes deployed on the islands can provide effective air defense cover, and the bombers deployed on the islands can easily cover any area of the sea where we launch an attack." Tan Renhao roughly marked a range on the chart with a pencil, "That is, the combined fleet is just a decoy to seduce us, and the real striking force is those shore-based bombers deployed on the islands." According to the current aviation combat capability of the Japanese Combined Fleet, it is simply impossible to duel us in the open ocean, and as long as there is one chance, we will be able to make the Japanese Combined Fleet go to the Dragon Palace to report. Yamamoto must have recognized this problem, so the Combined Fleet has been operating within the cover of shore-based aircraft, and has not easily advanced into the open sea. As a result, we would have to fight a decisive battle with the Japanese Combined Fleet against the threat of Japanese shore-based bombers. ”

"So what are we going to do?"

Tan Renhao laughed. "Sixty-five Yamamoto is a crazy gambler, should we play a game of Russian roulette with him?"

Lei Shaoqing looked at Tan Renhao in confusion.

"Now that we know what the Japanese are going to do, are we still worried that there is no way to deal with the Japanese Combined Fleet?" Tan Renhao took out another cigarette, and he lit one for Lei Shaoqing first. "The Japanese Combined Fleet relied on ground-based fighters on those islands. Compared to aircraft carriers, the islands have much stronger defenses, and the number of deployed warplanes is certainly much higher. The disadvantage is that the aircraft carrier can sail everywhere, while the islands are fixed. Why don't we bomb the islands first? ”

"But it's too dangerous!"

"It depends on the direction we choose to enter." Tan Renhao pointed on the chart, "Judging from the distribution of these two archipelago islands, Iwo Jima is the most vulnerable link in the island chain. We can first bomb Iwo Jima, opening a passage. If Yamamoto Sixty-Five wants to rely on his trap to destroy us, then the Combined Fleet will inevitably go south. When the time comes, we will bet on whether Yamamoto Sixty-Five will lead the fleet to fight us, and if he has the guts, then we will win. ”

"You mean, Yamamoto Sixty-Five has come to a decisive battle with us with a battleship?"

Tan Renhao nodded. "Sixty-five Yamamoto was a very traditional admiral, and if he had believed that battleships were the masters of naval warfare, then he would have done so. Taking advantage of our bombing of Iwo Jima, we led the fleet to the south quickly, and this was our chance. ”

Lei Shaoqing pondered for a while, and then laughed. Talking about Renhao is a plan. The Japanese set a trap to deal with the First Task Force, and Tan Renhao set another trap based on this trap of the Japanese, waiting for the Combined Fleet to come and send him to death. However, whether this method can be effective depends on whether the Japanese Combined Fleet will be fooled, and whether Yamamoto 65 really wants to rely on the shore-based aircraft on these islands to provide cover for the Combined Fleet.

"Now we're going to gather as much information as we can, and then get the fleet ready to go as soon as possible." Tan Renhao sat down, "We'll set off after everything is ready, last time I let Yamamoto Sixty-five that old dog day escape, this time I can't let him go back alive!" ”

Lei Shaoqing nodded, and immediately went to make relevant arrangements and arrangements. He had the same idea as Tan Renhao, how could he not let the Japanese Combined Fleet slip away again this time.