"Prime Minister, General Peng Shichuan's telegram." Chang Ruiqing, who was still sitting in the operational command center in the Tangshan National Defense Building in Nanjing, received the telegram handed over by Chen Xinrui, the adjutant on duty. He glanced at it, frowned slightly, and handed the telegram to Bai Chongxi beside him, frowning and said, "North Korea is fighting very hard!" Peng Shichuan wanted us to make a move. ”

Bai Chongxi took the telegram and read it carefully a few times, then snorted coldly: "The General Staff has given him guidance on holding Pyongyang, but he didn't listen to it, now that he can't eat the besieged Japanese mecha army, the Japanese army has already assaulted the city of Pyongyang, and it looks like it is about to attack the city...... Now you want us to find a way to help, what can we do? It is only right to tell him to quickly withdraw his troops to Pyongyang and defend to the death! ”

Seeing Bai Chongxi's temper, Chang Ruiqing just smiled faintly: "Brother Jiansheng, Peng Shi's telegram said that now that the North Korean army and the Japanese army have reached the last moment, it depends on who can hold out for the last five minutes, if the North Korean army retreats first, then it can only be besieged in Pyongyang, and sooner or later we will have to send troops to relieve the siege." If the Japanese army retreats first, then the North Korean side can be handed over to the North Korean army in the future, and we don't have to worry about it anymore...... So I don't think there was anything wrong with this decisive battle, and now I'm trying to help the North Korean army so that they can hold on for the last five minutes. ”

Bai Chongxi just smiled bitterly: "This is really a big problem for the General Staff Officer...... We have been preparing for North Korea for so long, we have given so much aid, and we have even used the scorched earth tactic of killing 1,000 enemies and inflicting 800 losses, and in the end we still have such a result. It's really hard to say...... The last five minutes are not easy to persevere, and the Japanese are not stupid, and they understand the same reason. At present, the Japanese and South Korean armies are attacking and defending each other. The last five minutes of the North Korean army were not easy to fight, but the Japanese army was more numerous than the North Korean army, and the style was more tenacious. ”

He stood up with a frown, and kept walking around the war room: "The Japanese mecha army has been besieged by the Nanjiang River for 10 days, but judging from the reports from the front, these trapped little Japan can't hold out for a few days. However, Hu Shoushan's blocking troops could not resist for a few days...... Once the main force of the Japanese army comes up, it will be a decisive battle between 300,000 and 300,000, and most of the North Korean soldiers under Peng Shichuan will still lose! Even if you can take down the besieged mecha army before the reinforcements from Little Japan come up. There is still big trouble on the other side of Pyongyang, and if the Japanese army dares to surround Pyongyang before the five North Korean troops in Peng Shichuan's hand come back to help, things will be in trouble!

Now this Peng Shichuan wants to ask us to help, I'm afraid there is really no way...... That's right. This Peng Shichong is probably accurate, we will not die without help. You dare to fight such a dangerous battle, right? It's disgusting to count us all in. Yaoru, even if he wins this battle, he can't be promoted to the rank, and the errand of the military general adviser in North Korea should also be removed, and he should simply be pulled down in the reserves! ”

Chang Seo-hing listened quietly, but what came to mind was the magnificent scene of the great battle of millions of troops taking part in the land of North Korea. No matter what kind of calculation Peng Dhuai had, but this war is always about using the Koreans to consume the Japanese...... From this point of view, this General Peng still fulfilled his mission very well. It's just that the strength of the Japanese Army was somewhat unexpected by him. In fact, since the Sino-Japanese War in 1923, the Chinese National Defense Forces have somewhat despised the Japanese Army. It is not surprising that Peng d harbored such thoughts.

"Everyone, you can put forward any ideas now, and let's work together to help our North Korean allies." Bai Chongxi, the little Zhuge who probably couldn't figure out any ideas for a while, simply ordered the elite staff officers of the Wehrmacht in the war room to help with the idea. As a result, the staff officers began to talk about it.

"The Air Force should be sent to North Korea, and the latest Air Force Attack 2 aircraft have a strong ground attack capability and can be used to strike Japanese marching columns and bomb their logistics convoys."

"Chemical weapons can be supplied to North Korea, and the weather in North Korea has cleared up in the past two days, and there is no strong wind, so it is just the right time to use mustard gas."

"We can also deploy medium-range bombers at the Eguchi airfield in the lower reaches of the Amur River that can bomb the oil fields on Sakhalin, which is Japan's only oil extraction, and as long as we blow up the oil fields there, they won't be able to fight them."

"But will this escalate the Korean War into a full-scale war between China and Japan? We're not quite ready yet, and we have billion-dollar machines waiting to be shipped on the East Coast of the United States. ”

"Yes, these equipment are very important for the development of heavy industry in our country in the next few years, and once China and Japan go to war, the Pacific route will definitely be cut off by Japan."

"We can send the main fleet to escort the ship, according to intelligence, the Japanese will not be able to get P.7 aircraft on aircraft carriers until the fourth quarter of this year, and before that, their navy will not have any air defense at all."

Hearing someone mention the main fleet, Chang Ruiqing and Bai Chongxi's eyes lit up at the same time. The two of them glanced at each other, Bai Chongxi clapped his hands and said, "Okay, sure enough, it's three stinkers who are Zhuge Liang!" Yaoru, why don't we move the idea of the naval fleet? Although the Japanese Navy had 10 capital ships, their thinking was aviation victory. ”

Chang Ruiqing nodded with a smile and said, "Brother Jiansheng, don't we have an idea?" What is the main fleet of the Navy in now? How much time does it take to make a sortie? ”

A colonel wearing a navy uniform in the war room immediately reported in a loud voice: "Report, the main fleet is still anchored in Guangzhou Bay, Zhanjiang, and is already in a state of readiness to be dispatched at any time after the outbreak of the Japan-Korea War. ”

"Very good," Chang Ruiqing clapped his hands and said to Bai Chongxi: "Let the main fleet be dispatched, and then order the navy to implement the 'No. 1 Readiness Plan', so that all ocean-going freighters flying our flag will return to our ports within a month, and if they really can't return, they will also enter the ports of neutral countries or allies to berth." In addition, the Navy was ordered to send 30 ocean-going cargo ships of more than 30,000 tons to the East Coast ports of the United States. ”

Hearing Chang Ruiqing's arrangement. Bai Chongxi was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly asked, "Yaoru, ...... are you?"

Chang Ruiqing smiled: "It's just a few months ago." If the fleet of small Japan really dares to approach, let the navy strike first! Saying this, he stood up and beckoned to his adjutant Chen Xinrui, and ordered: "Go and prepare the car, I want to go to the British Embassy." ”

……

June 27, 1932, Guangzhou Bay, the home port of the main fleet of the Chinese Navy. Zhanjiang Military Port.

Standing in front of the window, the warships neatly docked at the edge of the newly built military port dock in the distance made the new commander of the main fleet, Admiral Feng Yundong, a little short of breath. Six 'Cantonese-class' battlecruisers, three 'Zhongshan-class' aircraft carriers. Four "Haitian-class" heavy cruisers, twelve "Nanjing-class" large light cruisers. There are 38 "Nanhui-class" destroyers, two 10,000-ton "Chongmingdao-class" seaplane carriers, more than 100 P-class and S-class submarines, and dozens of gunboats, large torpedo boats, submarine hunters, submarine supply ships, fast tankers, fast supply ships, and fast troop carriers. 90% of the combat power of the Chinese Navy is now concentrated in the "main fleet". All in the hands of him, the commander of the main fleet.

Although this navy is still ranked fifth in the world behind the United States, Britain, Japan, and France in terms of total tonnage ranking and capital ship ranking, it is undoubtedly the first in the world in terms of its development speed! Everyone knows that just 10 years ago, the Chinese Navy did not even have a decent new cruiser! The protective cruisers used to serve as facades were purchased from Britain and Germany in the late Qing Dynasty. Most of the more than 200 ships of various types moored in Zhanjiang Port are built by China! Such a leap in just ten years can only be described as a miracle, and at the same time China has created a powerful army that can rival the Soviet Union and the German army!

Look at the brand-new warships and busy sailors in the distance. Lieutenant General Feng Yundong took two deep breaths before retracting his gaze. Cast on the latest information in front of the desk, his face was also a little solemn.

Because the opponents of the Chinese navy are not weak, and they far surpass China's young but rapidly developing navy in jīngyàn, at least in the use of surface ships.

One battlecruiser of the "Akagi-class", two battleships of the "Kaga-class", four battleships of the "Gangut-class", two battleships of the "Liberty-class", at least twelve heavy cruisers, twenty-thirty light cruisers, and a large number of destroyers and auxiliary ships, as well as submarines (including Soviet submarines) of up to hundreds.

However, what worries Feng Yundong and the Chinese Navy the most is the 11 Japanese aircraft carriers (including those under construction)! According to intelligence, these 11 aircraft carriers can carry at least 700 carrier-based aircraft, while their three "Zhongshan-class" can only carry a maximum of 300 aircraft (including 30 reserve aircraft) after expanding their hangars. The difference between the two is as much as 400!

And the Japanese Navy also has a huge advantage, which is a series of naval bases on the Japanese mainland, Okinawa, Saipan, Truk Atoll and Rabaul! These naval bases, like a chain, keep the Chinese Navy out of the Pacific Ocean! It also blocked the shipping route between China and the United States...... More than a billion dollars worth of equipment are waiting to be shipped from U.S. East Coast ports. Once war breaks out, what can China do to bring them back unharmed?

Feng Yundong took out the Pacific Ocean chart and spread it out on his desk, there are tens of thousands of islands on the vast ocean, but none of them belong to China! If we want to transport more than a billion dollars worth of important aircraft and equipment back to China in wartime, the only way is to let the main fleet go to sea to carry out escort missions, protect merchant ships through the island chain under Japanese control, and most likely compete with the Japanese Navy's combined fleet!

But the main fleet must have a foothold in the Pacific Ocean, and perhaps it can ......

Feng Yundong pursed the corners of his lower lip, his fingers carefully outlined along the chart, and just as his fingers stopped on the east coast of Australia, a knock on the door suddenly sounded.

"Commander, Commander-in-Chief Chen of the Navy is here." As soon as the adjutant's words fell, Admiral Chen Shaokuan, commander-in-chief of the navy, pushed the door and walked into the office, and Feng Yundong hurriedly stood up and saluted: "Fu Gong, why don't you come to Zhanjiang to say hello?" I would like to go to the airport to greet me. ”

Chen Shaokuan smiled slightly, glanced at the chart on Feng Yundong's desk, and said with a smile: "Yizhi." Can't wait to strike? ”

Feng Yundong smiled and nodded, "Yes, I can't wait to immediately command the main fleet to go to sea and fight with Little Japan!" ”

At this time, the adjutant brought coffee. Chen Shaokuan took it and took a sip, then took out a copy of Wen Jiàn from the leather bag he brought, handed it to Feng Yundong, and said with a stern expression: "This is the order that the Ministry of Defense and the Navy General Headquarters have just issued to dispatch the main fleet!" ”

"Sortie?!"

Feng Yundong quickly took the text and flipped it up, but what puzzled him was that the order was only for the main fleet to go east from the Taiwan Strait and break through into the Pacific Ocean from near Okinawa. Then approach Japan's territorial waters and be ready for war at any time. But there were no further specific instructions, which did not say what the offensive goal was? There is also no specific date for the start of the war. It is not even stated whether there will be a war or not.

"Where is the goal? Is it the implementation of the 'Haitian No. 1' battle plan? Feng Yundong narrowed his eyes and thought for a while, then suddenly asked. "Haitian No. 1" is a battle plan against Japan jointly proposed by the Navy General Headquarters and the main fleet of the Navy, and the core of the plan is to use carrier-based aircraft to raid Kure Port, the home port of the Japanese Combined Fleet! Moreover, the attack will be carried out in the form of a sneak attack and an undeclared war, and the aim will be to inflict heavy damage on Japan's maritime power at the beginning of the war. to ensure the seizure of sea supremacy in the western Pacific.

"Yizhi. When did you, the submarine faction, become an aircraft carrier faction? Chen Shaokuan grinned at the corner of his mouth and smiled: "Whether to implement the 'Haitian No. 1' plan has not yet been determined, and we need to wait for further instructions." However, is your main fleet ready? If the Prime Minister is determined, can you guarantee the success of the Haitian 1 project? ”

"Ensuring success? How is this possible? We don't even know how many Japanese ships are in Kure Harbor, and there is too little information about this. Feng Yundong glanced at Chen Shaokuan, who was frowning slightly, and suddenly asked, "Fu Gong." What is the real purpose of this sortie? ”

"This is a military secret," Chen Shaokuan paused. He added: "Maybe the prime minister hasn't made a final decision." ”

……

Nanjing Tangshan, Chang Ruiqing's official residence.

"Your Excellency, Whitehall wants to know if China has made up its mind to go to war with Japan?" The British ambassador to China, Sir Frank Lambsang, sat opposite Chang Ruiqing, holding a cup of coffee in his hand, but his eyes were fixed on the Chinese prime minister in front of him. Just yesterday, Chang Ruiqing made a very rare visit to the British Embassy in Nanjing, and made a request to the British side for joint operations, and also asked Lan Pusheng to use Britain's important ports in the South Pacific and Australia during wartime, and in exchange, the British Navy could of course also use the naval ports on Chinese territory.

It is different from the Soviet, Japanese, and Polish sides, which established the International Proletarian Command early on. Although the three revisionist and imperialist countries, China, Britain and Germany, had long since signed the "Anti-Third International Treaty," they never seemed to have seriously considered the question of unified command and fighting side by side in wartime. So when the imperial prime ministers and ministers on Downing Street and Whitehall Street heard Chang Ruiqing's request, their first reaction was shock, and the second reaction was to subconsciously want to refuse the port of the British Empire. However, when I think about it, I feel that the construction of the Chinese seems to make some sense. At the moment, the strength of the Chinese Navy is still considerable, with 6 battlecruisers and 3 aircraft carriers. In the event of a real world war (which the British Empire is still uncertain about), it seems that the British Navy still needs the help of the Chinese fleet, so it is time to study the command of joint operations, especially joint operations. But before that, the leaders of the British Empire wanted to know whether China really intended to go to war with Japan immediately.

Listening to Lan Pusheng's question, Chang Ruiqing shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Of course, in fact, our war with Japan has broken out!" It's just a matter of escalating war, and we have information that Japan is likely to attack the Dutch East Indies next, and then Malaya or even Australia under your rule. I think it is necessary for us to consider the issue of joint operations, why can't we strike first to defeat Japan, as long as Japan falls, we can concentrate our energies on dealing with the Soviet Union. ”

"Do you have any specific plans?" Lan Pusheng asked tentatively.

"Maybe our two countries can send a combined fleet to destroy the main force of the Japanese navy?" Chang Ruiqing smiled, sat up straight, and said with a sincere expression: "This is very sure that we can win, your country's Far East Fleet has 6 capital ships, and our navy also has 6 capital ships, and the two add up to 12 capital ships, in addition, our country has three aircraft carriers, all of which are equipped with the latest carrier-based aircraft."

Now the Japanese army has invested more than 1 million troops on the Korean Peninsula, and their logistics are all dependent on sea security. If the Sino-British Combined Fleet attacks Jeju Island and Tsushima Island at this time, it will definitely be able to force the Japanese Combined Fleet to attack, and we will fight a decisive battle with the Japanese Combined Fleet in the waters near Jeju Island! It is believed that Japan, the red lackey raised by the Soviet Union, can be defeated in one fell swoop. ”