"Let you go back now?"

"Yes, Task Force 2 will replace us tomorrow.

Tan Renhao sent the telegram to his partner, "The fleet is back to Apra Port, and I will go first tomorrow morning." ”

Hao Dongjue quickly read the content of the message. "What do you mean? The Yankees are not ready to go on the offensive anymore? ”

"I don't know, it's definitely something important anyway." Tan Renhao laughed, "Don't worry, now the third task force has arrived in the waters of the Hall Islands, and the fourth task force is also southwest of the Marshall Islands." Our fleet has already arrived, and the US military will not be idiotic enough to challenge our four task forces, they are definitely planning a new offensive operation, and this time the chief of staff asked me to return to the headquarters to discuss the next stage of combat operations. ”

"Okay, when are you going to be back?"

"Maybe two or three days, maybe two or three months, who can say?" Tan Renhao patted his partner on the shoulder, "Don't think too much, I'll be back soon." After arriving at the port of Apra, I contacted General Liao Hanxiang and tried to let the officers and men relax as much as possible, and they should be ready for battle within two days, and when I rushed back, it was the time for the fleet to participate in combat operations. ”

Hao Dongjue smiled and shook his head. "Okay, then I'll contact you when I get to Guam, and remember to notify me in time if there is news."

The next morning, the 1st Task Force and the 2nd Task Force exchanged guards, and as the flagships of the two fleets approached, they exchanged flags and greetings to each other.

"Damn, Lao Lei seems to be in a good mood, I heard that his chief of staff this time is a newcomer." Hao Dongjue waved his hand at the "Hulun Lake" aircraft carrier, as if Lei Shaoqing could see him.

"It's a newcomer, just like you. He was born in the aviation force, and I heard that Lei Shaoqing chose it himself. Tan Renhao turned around, "Okay." I'm going to catch a plane and remember what I told you yesterday. ”

"Don't worry. Talk about Auntie! ”

Tan Renhao smashed it with a fist, and Hao Dongjue immediately jumped to the side, avoiding Tan Renhao's punch.

The bomber carrying Tan Renhao arrived at Andersen Airport in Guam at noon that day. Originally, it was proposed to rename the airport, but more people felt that it was unnecessary, so they continued to use the name with an American character. At least more people will think of the military airport on Guam when they hear the words "Anderson Airport" than when they hear an unfamiliar name and then look up the map and find nothing.

Liao Hanxiang was waiting for Tan Renhao at the airport, and the transport plane that was going to carry Tan Renhao back to the Navy Headquarters was already preparing for takeoff on the lawn next to the runway.

"This time the marshal asked you to go back." Liao Hanxiang accompanied Tan Renhao towards the transport plane, letting the sedan follow. "I don't know the specific situation, probably because the U.S. military's counterattack has changed this time, at least the U.S. military has not launched an operation in the direction of Midway until now, so the marshal will ask you to go back and discuss the operational matters."

"No news?" Tan Renhao glanced at his father-in-law.

"Except that the U.S. fleet has already entered Pearl Harbor. I didn't get any messages, and you should know about it, right? Seeing that his son-in-law nodded, Liao Hanxiang continued. Now I speculate that there are only two reasons why the US military did not immediately launch a counterattack, one is that the fleet is not ready for battle, and the other is that the US military has chosen the direction of the Xindi counterattack. Or a new counterattack plan. And I prefer to believe the latter, at least the American fleet will not rush to the Pacific without preparation. ”

"I know, and I think it's very likely that the U.S. military has determined the Xindi counterattack plan." Tan Renhao stopped next to the plane, "I asked Hao Dongjue to lead the fleet over, and after arriving, you help him arrange the fleet supply and rest." I may not be able to stay for a few days when I go back to Zhoushan this time. ”

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hold you back." Liao Hanxiang smiled and patted Tan Renhao's shoulder, "Get on the plane, leave early, arrive early." ”

Tan Renhao nodded, and after saying goodbye to Liao Hanxiang, he walked briskly towards the plane.

"That's right, Renhao", Liao Hanxiang stopped Tan Renhao, "If you have time, go home and have a look." ”

Tan Renhao was stunned for a moment, and immediately said, "I will try to find time to go back." ”

The transport plane soon left Guam and flew directly in the direction of Zhoushan. Tan Renhao was speculating all the way about the reason why the principal recruited him back this time. After thinking about it, the only thing he was sure of was that the US military's counterattack plan must have changed, and the intelligence department had made new discoveries, or the principal and chief of staff had made new judgments, and the reason for letting him go back this time was to understand the enemy's situation and then make new arrangements and deployments.

The plane flew rapidly over the Pacific Ocean, and after dinner, Tan Renhao asked Duchenne to find something to do on his own. He went to the back cabin and slept for a while. The cabin of the new transport aircraft is much larger, and there is a cabin in the back for the pilot to rest during a long flight, which, of course, can also be provided to passengers.

When he arrived in Zhoushan, it was already the second half of the night, and Tan Renhao was woken up when the plane began to land. When the plane landed at the airport, he saw Gan Yongxing waiting next to the runway, and it seemed that his decision to sleep on the plane was not wrong.

"How does it feel after a hard time on the road?" Gan Yongxing walked quickly to the plane.

"I slept and didn't feel much!" After Tan Renhao greeted the chief of staff, he immediately gave the luggage to Du Xing, "You go back first, don't alarm your sister-in-law and them, put the luggage there first, and send it to my house tomorrow." ”

"Let's go, let's talk on the way." After Tan Renhao's adjutant left, Gan Yongxing called Tan Renhao and walked towards the car, "Do you know the reason why you were called back this time?" ”

"Guessed a little, has the situation changed?"

"Yes, we have just received some news, and we have not yet notified the theater command."

Tan Renhao glanced at Gan Yongxing in surprise, what news can't be told to the commander of the theater?

"Get in the car, the headmaster is still waiting for us." Gan Yongxing opened the car door and let Tan Renhao get into the car first. I just got into it.

"The headmaster didn't sleep?" After the car started, Tan Renhao asked.

"We haven't had much rest these days." Gan Yongxing took out a cigarette. "Yesterday afternoon, the American fleet entered Pearl Harbor. Now it is determined that there are at least six fleet aircraft carriers, as well as more than forty escort warships, among which are those large cruisers. ”

"What about the others?" Tan Renhao immediately discovered the problem in Gan Yongxing's words.

"Not certainly, maybe at Pearl Harbor, maybe somewhere else.

Gan Yongxing lit a cigarette. In addition, according to some information provided by the Military Intelligence Agency, we judge that the US military will not launch a counterattack in the direction of Midway for the time being, at least it will not put its main forces in the direction of Midway. ”

"They chose the Southwest Pacific as the main direction of counterattack?"

Gan Yongxing nodded slightly. "This is the judgment of the Military Intelligence Agency, and we have not confirmed it yet. Judging by the information from all sides, it is quite possible that the US military will put the main forces in the southwest Pacific, and in the direction of Midway, at most it will only ensure that we will not be able to completely capture Midway. As long as their counterattack in the Southwest Pacific is successful, then our attack on Midway will also be a complete failure. ”

Tan Renhao nodded slightly, this is very clear. For the U.S. military to succeed in the Southwest Pacific, the prerequisite is to defeat the fleet of the Tang Empire. And as long as the fleet of the Don Empire is defeated, then the US Navy will gain the initiative, and when the time comes. There is no need for the U.S. military to launch a counterattack, and the Marines who landed on Midway will withdraw on their own initiative. But at the same time, Tan Renhao thought of another question. Now counterattack Midway, it is easy to crush the landed Imperial Marines. And the waters of the Central Pacific Ocean are more suitable for a decisive battle of the fleet. In the southwest Pacific, the US military does not have many advantages, and the combat difficulty is also great. Why should the U.S. military give up the easy?

"Now I can't get enough attention with the headmaster, that's why I let you come back." Gan Yongxing rolled down the window, "You know more about the commander of the US military, so you know better what counterattack route the US military will choose." How likely do you think it is that the U.S. military will commit its main forces in the Southwest Pacific? ”

Tan Renhao hesitated for a moment and said: "This is not a good judgment, if you look at it only from a military point of view, I will choose to fight the first battle in the direction of Midway, and then the southwest Pacific, at least the situation here is more favorable to the US military, and the combat is much less difficult." As long as we are forced to leave Midway, then the morale of the American army will be raised a lot, and through this battle, we will also be able to train the team, which will have many benefits. If the U.S. military chooses to invest its main forces in the southwest Pacific, it will be choosing the easier and the harder, and it will not conform to the most basic tactics. ”

Gan Yongxing nodded, which was exactly what he suspected.

"But the problem is that war is not only determined by military factors, and the U.S. military is not completely controlled by generals."

"You mean, the political factor?" Gan Yongxing looked at Tan Renhao.

"Is there any other reason?" Tan Renhao sneered, "It seems that this time we have to consider the counterattack of the US military in the context of the entire battle situation." This time, the U.S. military gathered the most powerful forces, and the intensity of the counterattack was certainly the highest. The U.S. Navy's counterattack is also a strategic counterattack, not a tactical and campaignal-level counterattack. Therefore, I believe that we should analyze and judge the whole situation. ”

"Then you and the headmaster are of the same mind." Gan Yongxing laughed, "Wait a minute, let's discuss it with the principal, have we had dinner?" ”

"I guess I haven't eaten breakfast yet." Tan Renhao glanced at the sky outside, "Chief of Staff, you're not so busy that you forget your time, right?" ”

"yes, it's time for breakfast." Gan Yongxing smiled and shook his head, "Then what do you want to eat?" ”

"Whatever, I'm not going to mess with the headmaster's idea of a few bottles of wine."

Both of them laughed, since they had been to Nie Renfeng's house, Tan Renhao had been thinking about the bottles of wine in the principal's house, which were really good wines.

After arriving at the Navy Headquarters, Gan Yongxing first took Tan Renhao to his office, and at the same time asked his adjutant to get two copies to come over early. After breakfast, the two went to Nie Renfeng's office.

After walking into the principal's office, Tan Renhao immediately noticed the quilt on the sofa, it seems that the principal has spent the night here for the past few nights, and has not gone home to sleep, and when he saw the principal's expression, he immediately affirmed this idea, although he has only been away for less than a month, but Nie Renfeng looks a lot haggard, and his face is a little pale, not as ruddy as before.

"You've all had breakfast, haven't you?" Nie Renfeng nodded at Tan Renhao, "I've been busy for two days, and I haven't been home yet, how are you doing along the way?" ”

"It's not bad, at least there's a bed on the plane now." Tan Renhao didn't let the principal do it, and consciously went to make two cups of tea.

"Did the chief of staff brief you on the situation?" Nie Renfeng walked over and sat on the sofa opposite Tan Renhao, "The situation has changed a lot, according to our previous guess, after the US fleet arrives at Pearl Harbor, it will immediately counterattack our attack in the direction of Midway on a large scale." But until now, the Second Task Force has not sent a message, and Han Shaofeng and his team have not been attacked by US bombers this year, that is to say, the US fleet has not gone to Midway. ”

"They left Pearl Harbor?" Tan Renhao immediately grasped another layer of meaning in the principal's words.

"Yes, it's early morning at Pearl Harbor." Nie Renfeng nodded, "Our submarine has discovered a large fleet about 350 nautical miles south of Pearl Harbor.

Although there is no way for submarines to determine whether there are aircraft carriers or other capital ships in the formation, it is judged that there are at least 40 or more warships, and there are more than 10 capital ships with a displacement of more than 10,000 tons, so the possibility of aircraft carriers cannot be ruled out. ”

"South?" Gan Yongxing was also surprised, the news must have just arrived.

"Yes, and due south."

There was an immediate silence in the room, the message was incomplete and inaccurate, but it was extremely important. If the U.S. fleet were to go south to the Southwest Pacific Theater, it would have to bypass the Marshall Islands and Gilbert Islands to the east, and after leaving Pearl Harbor, it should first sail south, reach the Cook Islands, and then turn around.

"Headmaster, any new information?" Tan Renhao broke the silence.

Nie Renfeng shook his head. "We are still waiting, and the nearby reconnaissance planes are dispatched, hoping that they will be able to find the American fleet."

Tan Renhao sighed secretly, he didn't have a lot of hope for this, if the US fleet wanted to avoid the reconnaissance planes, it only needed to set the course a little further east!