In mid-June, Okamura went to Nanjing to serve as the commander of the Chinese Dispatch Army, and fully commanded the Japanese army in the Chinese theater. Because Okamura Ninji had performed an excellent job in strengthening public order, political mediation, and operations to clear out base areas in North China, the Japanese army's base camp was adjusted according to the overall strategy, that is, from strategic offensive to strategic defense in the Chinese theater. With strategies such as razing and subduing razing and nurturing war with war, Okamura Ninji, a China expert, showed outstanding military and political talents, so it was natural for him to take on this great responsibility.

There was another reason why Okamura Ninji took office, that is, the Japanese Navy in the Pacific Theater suffered heavy losses at Midway, and the ruthless reality declared that this battle became a turning point in the Pacific War. Earlier, the Japan-GCC Combined Fleet successfully attacked Pearl Harbor, inflicting heavy damage on the US Pacific Fleet and successfully completing the first phase of its strategic mission. Needless to say, such an impressive record blinded the eyes of the Japanese.

The Japanese know that the United States has great war potential, but it will take a process to move to a wartime state, and the purpose of the Japanese is very clear, that is, to make the Americans succumb. The Japanese base camp expected that the United States would not be able to organize a counteroffensive until the summer of 43, so the Japanese Combined Fleet was still silent in victory, miscalculating the will of the Americans.

The strategy of the Japanese Navy was to take advantage of the weakness of the United States to further advance the battle line and expand the defensive circle. The use of forceful means to control Australia is the focus of this strategy. The Japanese Army and Navy unanimously agreed that Australia would be the largest base for the United States and Britain to counterattack, but because the Japanese Army was caught in the Chinese battlefield and had no spare troops to launch an Australian landing operation, it was urgent to cut off Pearl Harbor from Australia. The Japanese army's strategy was beyond reproach, but it was not wishful thinking.

In the Battle of the Coral Sea, the U.S. and Japanese navies were tied, and the Japanese strategic plan had to be postponed due to the obstruction of U.S. aircraft carrier warships. The Battle of the Coral Sea was a battle between the two fleets in search of an opponent and a duel between the aircraft carrier fleets broke out in the Coral Sea. This is the first contest between aircraft carrier warships, and it is fair for both sides to use carrier-based aircraft to decide the winner. The long-range attack fully reflects the combat effectiveness of the double anti-dump. In this battle, the Japanese lost one light aircraft carrier and 77 fighters. The United States lost one aircraft carrier, one destroyer, and 66 fighters, and the United States won a small victory.

After that, the United States dispatched carrier-based bombers from its aircraft carrier warships to attack Tokyo, and although the results of this air raid were not great, it was enough to cause the whole country of Japan to shake. As a result, a month after the end of the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Japanese base camp quickly drew up an operational plan to attack Midway, in an attempt to lure the remaining warships of the US Navy's Pacific Fleet to gather on Zhonggudao and annihilate it in one fell swoop. The Japanese Navy had to make a desperate gamble and concentrate all its main warships to fight a decisive battle with the US Pacific Fleet.

If the Japanese Navy can achieve the purpose of the campaign, then the West Coast of the United States will be directly threatened by the Japanese Navy. With the rest of the U.S. warships deployed in the Atlantic, the U.S. Navy is unable to carry out an effective counterattack in the Pacific in the short term. Japan is well aware of the military potential of the United States, and once the huge industrial manufacturing capacity of the United States is put into the orbit of war, Japan has little hope of victory. Therefore, Japan hopes to force the United States to sit down at the negotiating table and quickly end the war with the United States before such a situation occurs.

However, it is surprising that in the Battle of Midway, the US Navy created a classic of winning more with less. From 5 to 7 June, in just three days, the two sides fought bloodily, and the Japanese navy suffered heavy losses. Yes, the US Navy lost one aircraft carrier, 1 destroyer. 147 aircraft. The Japanese Navy lost 4 aircraft carriers, 1 cruiser, 332 fighters, and 3,500 killed (including hundreds of excellent pilots). The Midway fiasco was the first devastating defeat for the Japanese Navy since it sailed across the ocean.

The disastrous defeat at Midway dealt a heavy blow to the morale of the Japanese navy. The true situation of the naval battle was concealed, and when the Japanese naval officers and men returned to the Tokyo Bay Naval Base in a gloomy mood, they held a grand celebration in order to hide people's eyes and ears. Even if the Japanese Navy conceals the truth, the ruthless reality will not change; four of the Japanese Navy's main aircraft carrier warships have been sunk, the naval strength of the United States and Japan in the Pacific Ocean has rapidly narrowed, the balance of war has begun to tilt in favor of the United States, and the balance of naval power between the United States and Japan has taken a turning point.

The Japanese people did not know the real situation, and outsiders did not know the real situation, but Okamura Ninji knew very well in his heart that the fiasco in the Battle of Midway meant that the future of the Imperial Navy was dark. At this time, he was appointed commander of the Chinese Dispatch Army, with the purpose of stabilizing the war situation on the Chinese battlefield. After Okamura took office in Nanjing, the post of Chief of Staff Ita Yokoseishiro remained unchanged. Not to mention the crushing defeat of the Japanese navy and the failure of the Burma offensive, the land battle was equally frightening, which made the Japanese army even worse.

At this time, Itako Seishiro chattered and scolded the navy for its incompetence. The empire invested a lot of money in the navy, and there was such a crushing defeat. If one-third of the funds invested in the navy were allocated to the army, the imperial army would not be defeated repeatedly, and perhaps Chinese mainland would have been captured. Seeing Itayoko Seisishiro's indignant appearance, Okamura Ninji remained silent and silent. He knew in his heart that the naval defeat could no longer be changed, and in the Pacific theater, it was a foregone conclusion that the Japanese Navy would switch from strategic offensive to strategic defense.

The United States won a resounding victory at the Battle of Midway, and it was no longer possible to return to the negotiating table, and it was no longer possible to attempt a quick end to the war with the United States. The next step is to fight to the end with the behemoth of the United States, but who will die of the deer, Okamura Ninji has a mirror in his heart, and the only hope for Japan's survival is pinned on the Germans. However, the disastrous defeat of the German army under the city of Moscow made him disheartened, but he could not tell others what he really thought in his heart. For a long time, Okamura Ninji said: "After the defeat in the Burma campaign, the base camp developed a strategy of air blockade. ”

"This strategy is feasible, deploying a strong air force in southern Myanmar to block the land and air transportation routes from India to China, and preventing the Chinese government from receiving foreign aid to the greatest extent. However, intelligence shows that China's western railway has reached Dihua, Xinjiang, and although this transportation route is long but safe. In the next step, the United States will use its strong air transport capacity to transport military supplies from India to Dihua, Xinjiang. Once the Chinese government receives a large amount of military aid, the Chinese army will inevitably carry out a large-scale counteroffensive. ”

"Gangmura-kun, the Intelligence Headquarters has been paying close attention to the Western Railway. A few days ago, the railway from Lanzhou to Dihua was opened to traffic. If we want to paralyze this western artery, we must deploy a large number of combat aircraft in Shanxi. However, our air force wants to ensure that the Pacific theater operates, and our battle front is too long to achieve this plan. However, according to the analysis of the General Staff Headquarters, if the Chinese military wants to gain air supremacy, it will not be able to do so in a short period of time with its current capabilities. If we survive this difficult period, it will not be too late to start with the Northwest Transportation Line. ”

"Ita Hengjun, the navy's failure at Midway Island is the result of great joy and arrogance, so that there is confusion in command and errors in judgment, allowing the Americans to take advantage of loopholes. Our national power is not comparable to that of the United States, and if the Americans suffer heavy losses, they will be able to recover, but we will have much more difficult to recover from the losses we have suffered. Any mistake is fatal for us, don't underestimate our opponents! "Are you referring to the legendary general of China?" "I've been studying this man since '37, and it's a coincidence that we have his shadow every time we lose big?"

"The battle of Jiangxi was lost, the battle of southern Hunan was lost, and we did not seriously learn the lesson. As a result, in the Battle of Guinan, the mighty 5th Division was destroyed, and then the 106th Division was defeated in Shantou. Although we suffered small losses in the Burma campaign, the results were even more terrible. This battle shows that the Chinese army's combat capability and combat experience have been greatly improved, and it has become a formidable opponent for us. Will we be able to hold back the enemy's attack if the Chinese army receives large-scale military assistance? "Gangcun-kun, we have to admit that the Jiangxi Communist Party's armaments are developing rapidly and its combat effectiveness is strong, and the General Staff Headquarters has drawn up a thorough defense plan in the Songhu area."

"In order to take the initiative to defend, the Wuhan Theater cannot be lost as the front line, the operational strategic points in the Songhu area must be solid, and North China, as a strategic depth, can effectively support Shanxi's defensive operations. If we stabilize these areas, China will be safe and sound, or we will lose everything. Now I am most worried about the deployment of air forces by the US military in Fujian, and if the Taiwan Strait is blocked, the connection between Chinese mainland and even the mainland in the South China Sea will be curtailed. If the enemy gains air supremacy and launches a landing operation on the island of Taiwan, all sea transportation lines will be cut off. ”

"Gangmura-kun, your analysis is very incisive, and I am also worried that this situation will arise." "In order to ensure the security of the Taiwan Strait, we must deploy a powerful air force in the Songhu area and the western region of Taiwan to ensure that air supremacy is firmly in our hands. At present, the current situation does not allow us to make the slightest strategic mistake, so I have decided to transfer the air force in Guangzhou to Taiwan to strengthen Taiwan's air force, and in addition, the air force in the northeast should also be transferred to Guannai, and first of all, to strengthen the air force in the Songhu area. ”

"Gangcun-kun, if Guangzhou withdraws the air team, the defensive force will be greatly weakened." "I have considered this question, and if the enemy army launches a major attack, I can consider retreating to Hainan Island. Occupy Hainan Island, the Beibu Gulf, and the South China Sea are still under our control. The next step is to make a careful defense plan, build strong permanent fortifications, and use defensive means to consume the enemy's vital forces. Itako Seishiro agreed.

Okamura Ninji continued: "In addition, we must adjust the strategy of using razing to control razing, and give more rights and freedoms to the puppet government that is loyal to us, so that we can use it to the greatest extent. In the next step, we will continue to intensify encirclement and suppression in the occupied areas of North China, and we must thoroughly smash the enemy's base areas and achieve the goal of strengthening public order. In order to give a new look to public security in North China before the end of the year, you personally sat in Beiping. "Please rest assured, I will do my best."

Okamura Ninji took a sip of sake, and said with a hearty look on his face: "Good news for you, according to the statistics of the meteorological department, the rain in the Central Plains has been halved compared with previous years, and there is a possibility of a large-scale drought in Henan." If there is a mass starvation, the Chinese government will carry a heavy burden. This is a godsend, and we must take advantage of it. "Gangmura-kun's eyes are sharp, this is an opportunity given to us by God." Itachi Seiseishiro understands it.