May 2 was the third day that the 6th Sentai landed on Hachijojima Island, the last day of submitting the plan for the next phase of bombing missions to the Navy Command. Luo Yunchong rushed over early in the morning and handed over his completed bombing plan to Tan Renhao.

"You haven't slept in a few days?"

Tan Renhao glanced at Luo Yunchong, whose expression was extremely haggard, and then beckoned Du Xing over: "Go and help General Luo make a cup of coffee, a little stronger." ”

"It's okay, I'm going to get a good night's sleep tonight!".bsp; Luo Yunchong smiled reluctantly: "This is the bombing target that I have planned in an important order according to the opinion of Chief of Staff Gan and the help provided by the intelligence department. Because there are many targets that are 15oo kilometers away from Iwo Jima, I have listed the combat radius, bomb load, and difficulty level later. ”

Tan Renhao nodded, threw the cigarette case directly to Luo Yunchong, and then opened the bombing plan. Luo Yunchong is indeed a very meticulous person, Gan Yongxing has listed a total of more than 50 goals, which are actually more than 50 cities, and more than 50 cities with the highest concentration of Japanese industry. The importance of these cities varies, but the most important of them are naturally Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe, and other cities with the highest concentration of industry, especially military industry. This was followed by a number of cities with a relatively high concentration of basic industries, and then other cities with light industry, and so on. Luo Yunchong gave a brief introduction to the first batch of urban targets to be destroyed, and made it difficult to bomb, the number of bombers that need to be invested, the number of incendiary bombs used, the number of bombs used, and the optimal bombing time. Among them, there were the first night bombing targets, and those targets that could be dealt with with by the bomber force on Jeju Island, and which targets should be dealt with by the bombers on Iwo Jima.

"Yes, it looks like I don't have anything to change."

Duchenne walked in with a coffee mug and walked out after putting it down. Tan Renhao took the cigarette and said, "What do you think?" Which city will we bomb first on the night of the 3rd? ”

"Ideally, it's Osaka."

Luo Yunchong leaned back in his chair and drank the espresso in his cup in one gulp, "This is the second largest city in Japan and the second largest industrial city in Japan, with a lot of basic industries, and the target population has reached 3oo. If we can drop two thousand tons of bombs on this city, the city will be almost finished. ”

Tan Renhao nodded slightly, and then went to find a picture of Japan. Osaka is the western part of the island of Honshu. It is one of the most important industrial areas in Japan. Osaka is only the largest city in the Osaka Industrial Zone, but there are also important cities such as Nara, Kobe, and Kyoto in the vicinity, among which Kobe is the most important shipbuilding base in Japan, and Nara is home to Japan's largest aviation power factory, and Osaka plays the role of a central city. The Osaka area is the most populous and industrially concentrated area in Japan outside of Tokyo. The gains from the bombing of Osaka would certainly be enormous, and it would be of great benefit to the morale of the Japanese military and civilians. Of course. It is also capable of destroying a large number of basic industrial targets.

"It's just that it's going to be very difficult to bomb Osaka."

Luo Yunchong pressed his forehead hard, "When we were bombing the western part of Japan. The Japanese side has already strengthened Osaka's air defense, and if our bombers take off from Jeju Island, they can easily blow up Osaka, but we did not have a suitable way before, and considering that they have to fly long-range, they have not bombed the city. Now that we have bombed Tokyo, and the distance from Iwo Jima to Osaka is about 135o, and bombers can still bomb Osaka with pure incendiary bombs. Japan's air defense will certainly be strong. If night bombardment is still carried out, then our losses will not be small. ”

Tan Renhao nodded and said, "In addition, Osaka does not have many decent military-industrial targets. I think that in the early stages of the bombing, we had to make a further selection of targets. ”

"That's what I thought too."

Luo Yunchong laughed: "The biggest threat to us now is the Japanese anti-aircraft artillery, and when we are bombing during the day, the biggest threat to us is the Japanese air defense fighters. Therefore. I think it's best to deal with the Japanese ammunition and artillery factories and aircraft factories and engine factories first. As long as we focus on bombing these factories, Japan's native air defense will be dismantled. When the time comes, our bombers will be able to drive straight in, and they will not be threatened at all. ”

"That's what we're going to do!"

Tan Renhao stood up, walked around the room twice, and then leaned against the cabinet next to the bed, "First blow up the Japanese ammunition factory and the engine factory." This is the most critical. Although it is not realistic to completely dismantle the Japanese air defense forces, it can reduce the pressure on us. As long as we can ensure the safety of the bomber group, then sooner or later we will be able to finish Japan. ”

"Then we'll bomb Nagoya and Nara next!"

Luo Yunchong marked the two cities on the map: "Nagoya is home to Japan's most important aircraft factory, the main production area of the Zero War, and Nara is home to Japan's largest aviation power factory." Both cities are small in size, and a single bombing is guaranteed to have a good effect, at least destroying most of the city. ”

Tan Renhao smiled and glanced at Luo Yunchong. "I heard that Japan has begun a war evacuation?"

"That's what the intelligence services say."

Luo Yunchong lit another cigarette: "After we destroyed half of Tokyo, the Japanese government began to evacuate the factories that were originally concentrated together to small and medium-sized cities, or scattered in urban areas. However, it takes time, and it is impossible for so much industrial equipment to be transferred quickly. There is also the placement of workers and so on. By doing so, the Japanese are killing themselves, forcing us to bomb the city on a large scale, and it is all the Japanese who suffer! ”

"They deserve it!"

Tan Renhao gritted his teeth: "That's it, let's start with Nagoya tomorrow, here, the recent group of planes directly entered from Ise Bay, and returned directly after dropping bombs." ”

Luo Yunchong nodded, then yawned.

Tan Renhao didn't notice Luo Yunchong's expression, he hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Is it possible to arrange two rounds of bombing?" ”

Luo Yunchong pinched the back of his hand hard and lifted his spirit. "If you want to arrange two rounds of bombing, then the first round of bombing has to take off at four o'clock in the afternoon and drop the bombs at about half past seven. It was eleven o'clock when I returned. Then the aircraft is overhauled to the fastest extent to replenish ammunition at about two o'clock. Bomb again before dawn. In this way, both the entry phase of the first round of bombing and the retreat phase of the second round of bombing were likely to be intercepted by Japanese fighters. ”

Tan Ren Hao thought for a moment and said: "Just like this, arrange a few photo reconnaissance planes during the first round of bombing, and add flights when returning to the plane, and strive to return early." If I can come up with a bombing result at a point. We can also choose to bomb Nara or other cities. ”

"Is it necessary to be in such a hurry?"

"If the bombing effect is not satisfactory, then continue to bomb Nagoya!"

Tan Renhao smiled: "I'm just putting forward opinions, and it's up to you to decide what to do." ”

Luo Yunchong let out a long sigh. "Okay, I'll wait and get some sleep, and think about it in the evening. If you can, carry out two rounds of bombardment tomorrow night. Of course, if not. Then you can only carry out one bombing. ”

"Alright. Well, go and rest. ”

Tan Renhao then remembered that Luo Yunchong hadn't closed his eyes for two days. "Once we have our spirits up, we will consider this in detail. I'll go back to the bombing plan later. ”

Gan Yongxing directly approved the bombing plan submitted by Tan Renhao without any revisions, but emphasized one point when he replied to the phone, strengthening the bombing force against Japanese industrial targets, and destroying Japan's national and war foundations. The use of reinforcement symbols in this message is evident that the top echelons of the Navy are emphasizing strikes against Japan's strategic targets rather than being limited to general tactical targets. And this is actually to open a back door for Tan Renhao and them, as long as they can achieve the purpose of the war. The bombing of civilian targets is also permissible!

In the evening of the same day, Luo Yunchong, who had recuperated his spirits, went to several commanders of the bomber unit, and Jiang Shikuan, who was slightly injured, did not leave and insisted on continuing the bombing mission. Subsequently, he consulted with several officers of the aviation service unit to discuss whether it was possible to quickly replenish ammunition and fuel for the bombers and ensure that the bombers could carry out bombing missions for more than 10 hours in a row. After getting affirmative answers from both sides, Luo Yunchong found Ling Tianxiang.

"It's not a big problem, and the pilots are very positive. With General Liao Hanxiang coming forward, many problems are no longer a problem. ”

Luo Yunchong's dark circles under his eyes were gone, and he looked very energetic, "In addition, the service troops also guarantee that they can complete their work within two hours, and they will work hard and never lag behind." ”

"Then we're left with only one problem now."

Tan Renhao tapped twice on the table: "Can the fleet carrying ammunition arrive on time tomorrow and when will it arrive tomorrow." ”

"One more thing, can we get these munitions to the airport as quickly as possible."

Luo Yunchong added.

Both laughed, and then both fell silent.

"I'm going to contact the 6th Squad Engineer to see if they can provide some manpower."

Luo Yunchong stood up: "If the fleet arrives at noon tomorrow, then we have the ability to organize two rounds of bombardment tomorrow night." ”

"I'd better go find Team 6."

Tan Renhao stopped Luo Yunchong: "You organize it here, organize all the people you can find, and then mobilize it." ”

Tan Renhao found the colonel officer of the supreme commander of the 6th Sentai on Iwo Jima at night, and immediately said that as long as they went to bomb little Japan, then they would go all out to support the strategic strike force. Obviously, the enthusiasm of the 6th team is not low, and more than 2,000 laborers will come in a few words. Luo Yunchong also mobilized a group of officers and soldiers at night, and a group of pilots, and even some wounded people all offered to make a contribution, and they couldn't sit and watch the excitement. After the efforts of the two of them, a team of nearly 4,000 people had already prepared that night, and a group of engineering vehicles were also transferred from the 6th team, and all the jeeps, trucks and other vehicles on the island were concentrated.

At about eleven o'clock, Tan Renhao and the others received a telegram from the convoy, which was about 27o nautical miles west of Iwo Jima, and was sailing at the fastest speed of 24 knots, and it would reach Iwo Jima at noon tomorrow. Tan Renhao immediately contacted the commander of the 6th Squadron and asked them to clear all the temporary docks and sent several patrol boats controlled by the 6th Squadron to meet the transport fleet.

Preparations for the bombing were carried out in an orderly manner. At dawn the next day, aviation crews began to inspect the bombers. Some pilots wanted to help carry ammunition, but Luo Yunchong forcibly ordered them to go back to their rooms to rest, because they would not have any time to rest at night.

At half past eleven, the patrol boats of the 6th Squadron returned to the temporary port of Iwo Jima first, and the convoy arrived at 12:35. Five improvised docks have been vacated, and a large number of vehicles and personnel are waiting on the docks. The first batch of five transport ships slowly approached the dock and unloaded the ammunition, and the officers and men of the 6 Combat Brigade, which had been organized, immediately loaded the ammunition into vehicles and sent them to the airport. In addition, four transport ships were parked in the sea of the temporary port, and the small boats of the 6th Squadron, assault boats, and even some of the 6 boats on board, participated in the handling of ammunition.

Accompanied by six destroyers, nine fast transports loaded with 15,000 tons of incendiary bombs, as well as a shipment of aviation fuel and parts for bombers. Intense pre-war preparations began immediately, and the aviation crew, knowing that a batch of spare parts had been found, managed to get the three bombers flying in the afternoon.

More than 10,000 officers and men were busy on this small island, which covers an area of just over 20 square kilometers (in fact, the garrison area is only 16 square kilometers). Staff officers were mobilized to assist the bombardment troops in preparing for battle. Of course, Tan Renhao and Luo Yunchong, the two generals, are not yet able to do coolies.

By three o'clock in the afternoon, all the bombers were loaded with bombs. The pilots had also already eaten their late lunch, and then brought a ration to listen to the pre-war briefing. After a busy day, the flight attendants began to make the final preparations before the pilots boarded. The officers and men of the 6th Sentai were hurrying to send more bombs so that the bombers could take off again with a full load in the evening.

Tan Renhao looked at the neatly arranged bombers, and then looked at the sky to the north, and there will be another Japanese city to suffer today!