, 815 The Admiral's Decision, the Victor of the Sixteen Foreign Powers

Just when the naval battle in the North Sea was going to its worst. Thousands of miles away in the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean, in the Nagato, the flagship of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Rear Admiral Ugaki, the chief of staff, was reporting on the final results of the Hawaiian naval battle.

"Up to now, the destroyer detachment has rescued a total of 37 crew members of the Type 98 shipblast who fell into the water, and the remaining nearly 400 crew members of the Type 98 shipblast (a pilot, a navigator and bombardier) are still missing. Coupled with the losses in the previous air raid on Pearl Harbor, the warriors of the Type 98 crit team on the 7 aircraft carriers of the Combined Fleet have all been shattered!

The Type 97 torpedo attack aircraft also suffered heavy losses, and the Akagi attack aircraft squadron lost 13 aircraft and 39 crew members; The Kaga attack aircraft squadron lost 12 aircraft and 35 crew members; The Canglong attack aircraft squadron lost 11 Type 97s with a crew loss of 33 people; The squadron of attack aircraft of the Wyvern lost nine Type 97s, and the crew lost 25 people...... The 1st Air Fleet lost a total of 80 aircraft and 232 crew members.

The losses of Type 96 fighters were somewhat better, with a total of 45 Type 96 fighters and 40 crew members lost by 7 fighter squadrons on the mothership.

In World War I in Hawaii, excluding seaplanes, a total of 671 people were killed or missing in the air force of our Combined Fleet, and 325 aircraft were lost (again, excluding seaplanes). Your Excellency, Commander! What a loss this time! ”

Yamamoto Fifty-six smiled slightly, "It's worth it." He walked to the chart table, pointed to the Hawaiian Islands, and said, "According to the information sent back from Oahu, the US troops began to retreat in a big way yesterday afternoon. The Army has just reported that the resistance of the American forces has suddenly weakened, and that at noon today, the Army has broken into Honolulu and occupied the Governor's Palace...... Now that the U.S. forces on Oahu have retreated to Pearl Harbor, it is estimated that they will all be evacuated this evening. Hawaii is finally here! With this gateway to the eastern and western Pacific, the fortunes of the Japanese Empire could finally be reversed, and Germany and China would not be willing to abandon the Empire. Moreover, the US Pacific Fleet has already suffered a devastating blow, and at least for a year do not want to recover! ”

"But the Combined Fleet lost 671 experienced crew members, especially the more than 300 carrier-based pilots, who were the best pilots in the entire Empire! It is also the greatest reliance on the combat effectiveness of the Combined Fleet......" Speaking of this, Ugaki turned his head and glanced at the "Immortal Staff Officer" Kuroshima Kameto and Minoru Genda standing behind the mountain itself, the battle plan of the Combined Fleet Aviation was formulated by these two people, but these two guys were bent on winning, and they did not consider the life or death of the crew members of the carrier-based aircraft at all! He even drew up an air attack plan of "going and no returning", which cost the lives of more than 190 Type 98 crit pilots in vain!

"Although the loss is great, the gain is even greater!" Kuroshima Kameto stepped forward and said loudly: "In particular, the bushido spirit displayed by the Akagi critter squadron during the air attack on the US aircraft carrier formation has made the Eastern and Western powers, including China and Germany, dare not despise the Great Japanese Empire!" At this point he paused, glanced at Yamamoto, and suggested, "Your Excellency, Commander! The 'one plane, one ship' tactic invented by Mizu Yunaka Fuchida is of extraordinary significance to a country like the Empire, which is poor in resources but whose military sacrifice is unparalleled. The Combined Fleet should form a special flying task force and let the Empire's warriors fly special planes to ram the enemy's warships! ”

Hearing this almost crazy proposal, Ugaki's heart was shocked, in fact, after the report of the air attack on the US aircraft carrier formation was sent back, he realized that this kind of tactic of planes hitting warships was completely feasible! However, it is not worth the loss to let experienced pilots carry out this one-shot deal, and the best way is to train a group of rookie pilots to act as cannon fodder, but Ugaki just thinks about it, and it is another matter to really implement it.

And now that the U.S. Pacific Fleet has been crushed, the Hawaiian Islands are about to fall into the hands of Japan, and Britain and Germany are fighting in the North Sea...... At the very least, it's a lose-lose situation. From this point of view, in the next year or two, Japan will be able to control the sea supremacy in the Pacific Ocean, and will it be necessary to use such extreme tactics?

Thinking of this, Ugaki couldn't help but look at Yamamoto Isoroku, who was staring at the chart with his hands behind his back and looking without joy or anger, wondering how he, the "god of war" of the Japanese Navy, would make a decision on this issue?

Seeing Ugaki's gaze, Yamamoto Fifty-six looked light-hearted, turned his head and glanced at Kengoro Hirosa, who didn't know when he appeared in the command center of the Combined Fleet in the Nagato, and said, "You came just in time, what are we discussing, have you heard?" ”

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander!" Liver pay weight focused on the head. He was ordered by Ugaki to come to the Nagato to meet Yamamoto.

Due to the heavy losses of the aviation of the Combined Fleet in this battle, even the captains of the air forces on aircraft carriers such as Akagi and Kaga were killed. Therefore, Minoru Genda had to personally send the unit to serve as the captain of the Akagi Air Force, while Kengoro Hetofu was qualified to serve as a staff officer of the Combined Fleet Aviation because he had a diploma from the Naval University. According to the practice of employing personnel in the Japanese Navy, an officer who has not attended a naval university cannot serve as a fleet staff officer, and to serve as an aviation staff officer, he needs to serve as a squadron leader of a carrier-based aircraft.

"Then tell me your opinion, is it necessary for the Combined Fleet to form a 'special attack team' at present?" Yamamoto asked the liver Fu Kengorou.

"Humble duty is necessary!" Kengoro Hefu replied without hesitation: "Not only should the combined fleet form a 'special attack team,' but also the shore-based naval aviation and army aviation should also form a 'special attack team' as soon as possible." ”

"But the training of pilots is ......," Yamamoto hesitated.

Liver Fu took out a stack of papers from the leather bag he brought with him and handed them to Yamamoto with both hands. "Your Excellency, these are some lessons learned from yesterday's 'special attack' operations, including suggestions on training pilots of the 'special attack team.' It is humbly believed that experienced carrier-based aircraft pilots are not suitable to serve as 'special attack officers'. Because, the cost of training carrier-based aircraft pilots is very high, and the training time is also very long, so it is really worth the loss to use it all at once. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a special flight school to train as many 'special attack team' members as possible in the shortest possible time and at the lowest possible cost. ”

"Roar!" Yamamoto Fifty-six nodded with satisfaction and cast an appreciative look at Liver.

Seeing Yamamoto's eyes, Hesuke knew that the other side was already planning to use a "special attack war" against the United States, so he made a further suggestion, saying: "In addition, the aircraft used by the 'special attack team' should also be specially designed. The aircraft should be easy to maneuver, not combative, not very armed, and not too fast...... As for the quality, it doesn't have to be too good, as long as it can handle a takeoff, you can fly hundreds of kilometers, and you can make a 50-60 degree angle dive......"

"Yes, your suggestion is good." Yamamoto Fifty-six nodded, a cold glint in his eyes. "This special attack method should become a killer weapon for the Empire to defeat the enemy, and only the warriors of the Empire can carry out such a decisive attack with no return!" Saying that, he took the proposal in Liver Fu's hand and said with a smile: "Liver Fu-kun, I will submit your proposal to the Military Command Department and the Minister of the Navy in the name of the Combined Fleet, presumably Admiral Eisuke Yamamoto will also support it, right?" ”

"There is one more suggestion for the lowly position." Seeing that Yamamoto had accepted the 'Special Attack Plan', a hint of ecstasy flashed across Liver Fu's face, as if he had seen the United States, which he hated the most, being beaten to pieces.

"Well, let's hear about it." Yamamoto smiled noncommittally, and the young man in front of him ...... It's really energetic, it's a bit like the adjutant of the army, but his mind is still very clear.

"It is suggested that the Navy should vigorously publicize 'special offensive operations' and conceal the fact that there are large losses of experienced pilots. We should explain yesterday afternoon's last offensive as the work of the 'kamikaze'! ”

"Kamikaze?" Yamamoto repeated these words, thinking that they sounded quite imposing, so he nodded and said, "This suggestion is very timely, we can't let the enemy ...... There were also allies who knew about the actual losses of the combined fleet in this operation. ”

As he spoke, his eyebrows twisted slightly. Although the Combined Fleet achieved an unprecedented victory in the Battle of Hawaii, sinking 5 American aircraft carriers (actually 4), 8 battleships, 10 heavy cruisers, and capturing the Hawaiian Islands. However, the price paid was also more than imagined, especially the loss of more than half of the carrier-based aircraft, which is the main combat power. And the performance of the Japanese carrier-based aircraft in this operation was also disappointing, even with the best pilots in the pilot, the Type 96 fighter was no match for the American F4F, the Type 97 torpedo aircraft had too poor defense and was very easy to shoot down, and the Type 98 crit fighter had insufficient range and bomb load...... If these problems are not solved in time, in the next operation, I am afraid that the Japanese Combined Fleet will lose the battle!

"Hehe, our combined fleet has done its best, and then it will be up to Nagata Tieshan to see what benefits he can get from the people of China." Yamamoto fifty-six loosened his eyebrows and smiled slightly, "Everyone has been busy for a few days and nights, let's go and rest, the battle of Hawaii is no longer our business, as for how to fight in the future, there is time to think about it......" When Yamamoto turned around and was about to leave, there was a report behind him: "Report!" The war report of the military command department that the Germans lost three aircraft carriers, two battleships in the North Sea! Two more motherships and two battleships were heavily damaged. And the British lost at least 10 battleships and 2 battlecruisers, as well as hundreds of aircraft! ”

……

The afternoon sun of 20 November pierced through the fog that enveloped London and spilled feebly into the Admiralty conference room in Whitehall.

Sir Pound, the First Sea Minister, sat there with red eyes, and his face was pale, and he looked like something was wrong. Seeing his appearance, everyone in the conference room had the feeling that they were falling off a cliff and were about to crush to pieces.

"Ten battleships were sunk, USS Nelson, HMS Revenge, HMS Determination, HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Barham, HMS Warweary, HMS Iron Duke, HMS Benbow, HMS Emperor of India, HMS Marboro. 2 battlecruisers were sunk, the Tiger and the Hood. 7 heavy cruisers were sunk, the Kent, the Cornwall...... 9 light cruisers sunk...... Destroyers sank 16 ......"

"In addition, the Rodney, the King, the Ramillis, the French Richelieu, Jean. Five battleships including the Barr were seriously damaged, and the rest of the battleships were damaged to varying degrees and needed to be repaired immediately. ”

Thankfully, however, the aircraft carrier detachment remained largely intact, and six carriers, the Brave, the Glory, the Radiance, the Victory, the Dreadsome, and the Indomitable, were very fortunate to take refuge under a rain cloud and evade the German bombers. In addition, three light aircraft carriers, the USS Fury, USS Cencyclops, and USS Athletic, will soon be able to complete their refits, and the Ark Royal will soon be commissioned. ”

Obviously, the British Empire suffered heavy losses in this naval battle in the North Sea, or rather, it was defeated, otherwise why would even the First Sea Lord's voice tremble? After reporting the losses, Sir Pound squeezed out a bleak smile and began to report the results. He said:

"Of course, the home fleet also inflicted heavy losses on the Germans and Chinese in this naval battle. According to Admiral Forbes' report, we sank two battleships, the Mackensen and the Ningyuan, and severely damaged four battleships, including the Bismarck, Tirpitz, Zhenyuan, and Dingyuan! In addition, the armored ships Deutschland and Count Spieby were sunk, as were the heavy cruisers Admiral Hipper and Lützov...... However, our greatest result was the heavy damage to the German aircraft carrier group, the Count Zeppelin, Peter. The Strasset and the Elbe were sunk; Frederick the Great and Seydlitz suffered heavy damage. So, judging from the current situation, in the next six months to a year, we will still be able to ensure sea supremacy in the North Sea......"

"Speaking of which, we won."

Sir Pound had not finished his sentence when he was interrupted by a majestic and confident voice, which was familiar to everyone, and it was none other than the head of the Admiralty, the First Admiralty of Great Britain, Winston. Churchill - a 100 per cent counter-revolutionary optimist.

"Hehe, we are indeed the victors!" Churchill glanced around, a victorious smile on his face, but the cigar in his mouth trembled slightly...... I don't know if it's because of the excitement of winning the hard battle, or the heartache after the loss of 12 battleships and battlecruisers? Fat Qiu took another puff on his cigar and smiled faintly, "Gentlemen, our British Empire is clearly the victor, although ...... We lost more than 300,000 tons in this naval battle, while the Germans (including China) lost 16 or 70,000 tons at most, but the German high seas fleet will not be able to move in the next 6 months to 1 year! And the navy of the British Empire had 10 aircraft carriers and 4 battleships at its disposal! And 5 more King George V-class battleships will soon be in service. In addition, the plan to transform the merchant ship into an aircraft carrier is also going very smoothly, and four light aircraft carriers will be ready for delivery to the Navy by the end of February next year. At that time, the British Empire will have the most powerful aircraft carrier fleet in the world! It will not only ensure sea supremacy in the North Sea and continue to suppress the German high seas fleet, but will also be able to transfer several aircraft carriers for operations in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. ”

Originally, everyone thought that the war was lost, and the British Empire was running out. However, listening to Churchill's explanation, it seems that the situation is not too bad. At least Britain has the most powerful aircraft carrier fleet in the world! Well, of course, that counter-revolutionary optimist, Churchill, seemed to have forgotten the heavy losses suffered by the air and naval aviation of the British Empire in this operation.

And Sir Pound, the First Sea Lord, did not mention to the Cabinet members the losses of the British Air Force and Naval Aviation. In fact, the so-called world's most powerful aircraft carrier fleet is now in a situation similar to that of the Japanese Combined Fleet...... Because of the very strange design ideas, the performance of the British's carrier-based aircraft was extremely poor, and their Tubenose Swallow fighters could not be compared with the German FW-190C at all, and the "Daqinghuayu" and "Swordfish" bombers/attack aircraft were even more targets that could only fly slowly. In the first wave of strikes against the German aircraft carrier group, nearly 200 British carrier-based aircraft were almost completely wiped out by more than 60 FW-190C fighters, and the only result was to severely damage the cruise ship-converted Elbe aircraft carrier.

However, the ensuing battle between the German Navy and the Luftwaffe helped the British. Eager to make his air force a part of the naval battle, Goering ignored Raeder's request for the Air Force to send BF-109s and FW-190s to provide air cover for the aircraft carriers, and instead sent all the planes he could to attack the main force of the British Home Fleet...... It turned out to be Hugh. Dowding's shore-based planes took advantage of the return of the German carrier-based planes and sank the Elbe, Zeppelin, and Peter. The Strasser!

However, on the way back, these British shore-based planes that succeeded in sneak attacks encountered German planes that had just returned from bombing the main force of the British Home Fleet, and as a result, the two sides fought another big battle over the North Sea! The RAF and RAF lost more than 200 Hurricanes in this sudden encounter (about 100 of which were shot down by German planes and the rest ran out of fuel on the way back), while Blenheim bombers and Brest "Beaufort" torpedo bombers lost more than half. And the losses of the German side were only 12 f,