Song Xilian stood in front of the sand table area in Saipan. He found that the sand table was very rough, almost like a splicing of aerial photos, and the island didn't seem big?

Holland Smith pointed at the Saipan sand table with his baton and said: "The key point of this landing operation is that our army will land on several large islands occupied by the Japanese army at the same time. Our First Marine Division, Second Division, Third Division

The Fourth Division landed in the west of the island, and General Song Xilian's six divisions landed in the south. Under artillery fire

We are advancing rapidly under the cover of the enemy, but we are now facing a problem, that is, the number of tank landing ships is insufficient. The tanks of the second regiment are less than two battalions ready for landing, so the tank regiment originally scheduled for General Song Xilian now only has one battalion.

, the 105mm howitzer group remains as normal."

Song Xilian looked at the sand table without saying a word. You Americans said it was you who gave the tanks. Now that the number of tanks landed before the battle has been reduced? It is you Americans who have the final say inside and outside? This is a war, not a game. Song Xilian saw almost everyone in the command headquarters.

They all looked at themselves, and after waiting for translation, they smiled slightly and said: "Would Chinese soldiers not be able to fight without tanks? All tanks are given to the US military, and our amphibious marine division does not need them."

Holland Smith shrugged after listening to Song Xilian's words. Obviously, the Chinese Expeditionary Force Amphibious Marine Corps did not appreciate his good intentions. In Song Xilian's view, the Chalangano area on the west coast where the Americans landed was very flat, and he landed on it himself.

The mountainous south of the island

, the armored force cannot be used at all. It has six divisions of troops, and can only invest two regiments of troops at a time. Even if the U.S. Navy transports them with all its strength, it will take four to five days to complete the landing of all troops and the transportation of supplies.

%&*";

Since the major islands in the Mariana Islands are relatively large, and the Japanese defense strength is tens of thousands, the U.S. military must invest superior forces and implement wide-frontal landings in order to advance quickly, which poses challenges for logistics and transportation.

Very demanding, Mariana is the westernmost point of U.S. military operations in the Central Pacific

The base of Eniwetok is 1,000 nautical miles away, 3,500 nautical miles away from Pearl Harbor, and more than 5,000 nautical miles away from the continental United States. The logistics supply line is very long, and transport ships can only go back and forth twice a year, making it impossible to make round trips.

Transportation, so the preparation time for launching the US military landing operation does not seem to be sufficient.

Anti-Japanese blood sacrifice to mountains and rivers 928

Song Xilian was more worried about logistical supply issues, because the lessons of Guadalcanal are still deeply remembered in his mind. The American fleet left the landing lone troops on Guadalcanal for thirty days. In the arduous thirty days of fierce battle,

In, the Chinese Expeditionary Force headquarters

The Amphibious Marine Corps taught the Japanese an unforgettable lesson, letting the Japanese know that the Chinese could endure hardships and survive better than they did. In the end, the Japanese failed to survive the Chinese. The tragedy on Guadalcanal was actually related to the Americans' improper command.

There is a big relationship.

Song Xilian turned to Holland Smith and said: "What I am most concerned about is whether this landing operation will repeat the tragic man-made disaster on Guadalcanal? Our officers and soldiers were unable to receive ammunition, food, and medicine for dozens of days, and were trapped on an isolated island and fought bloody battles with the Japanese army.

, because it seems to me that it is impossible for the Allied forces to mobilize more ships to the Pacific Theater in the short term, so now all participating forces must be concentrated in the Mariana Sea, but they lack enough landing craft and amphibious tracked vehicles to organize troops in several areas at the same time.

To implement a landing on an island, we have to capture Saipan first, and then attack Tinian and Guam. If this is the case, when the US military attacks Saipan, the Japanese troops in Tinian and Guam will most likely take the opportunity to strengthen their defenses. Therefore, I think

The rapid capture of Saipan is the key to this battle. However, the U.S. Navy's ability to quickly eliminate the main force of the Japanese naval fleet is related to the follow-up support of our landing force. I would like to ask Admiral Nimitz if he has any feasible plans and preparations.

?”

After waiting for the translation, Nimitz shook his head and said: "I am not sure. War can be said to be a gamble. It is difficult to determine the outcome before the trump card is revealed. The only thing I have enough is capital. We have a huge fleet.

It is no longer a worry if the Japanese lose their troops and generals. The Japanese cannot afford to lose, but I can withstand defeat."

Nimitz's words made Song Xilian very helpless. The American people fought for their great cause with steel, but the Chinese soldiers who fought on the landing fought with flesh and blood.

Song Xilian pondered for a moment and nodded: "If that's the case, then can our Chinese Expeditionary Force independently capture Saipan, and the US Marine Corps attack Tinian Island and Guam at the same time, using the existing ships separately?

If we first occupy the beachhead with the vanguard and then transport it repeatedly, the preparation time for the battle landing will be longer, but the benefits of attacking at the same time are obvious."

Nimitz was stunned for a moment and turned his attention to Holland Smith, who was also shocked. Attacking Saipan, Tinian and Guam at the same time is naturally good, as it can speed up the pace of the battle. Once captured,

Saipan, Tinian, Kanto, and all of Japan are within the radiation circle of the U.S. Air Force's strategic bombing force. The main force of the Japanese Navy's combined fleet must fight decisively even if it does not want to, otherwise the Japanese warships will become the U.S. Air Force's

target.

Nimitz asked Misset about the possibility of implementing Song Xilian's proposal. Misset hesitated and said: "Saipan is not only the central island of the Japanese army in the Mariana Islands, but also the core of defense in the Central Pacific.

The Army's 31st Army Headquarters and the Navy's Central Pacific Fleet Headquarters are both located on the island. Since the spring of 1943, the Japanese military has begun to

Saipan sent additional troops to strengthen its defenses. However, due to the tight blockade of our army, we suffered great losses on the way. As of now, the estimated strength of the Japanese army on Saipan is the 43rd Army Infantry Division, and the independent mixed infantry division.

The 47th Brigade, the 7th Independent Engineer Regiment, the 9th Tank Regiment, the 3rd Independent Mountain Artillery Regiment and the 25th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment."

Misette came to the sand table and explained in detail: "Saipan is the second largest island in the Mariana Islands, with a length of about 21 kilometers, a width ranging from 4 to 8 kilometers, and an area of ​​about 184 square kilometers.

, the terrain is high in the center and low on the surrounding sides. There are many peaks, hills, ravines, and caves on the island. The commanding point is the center of the island, which is 450 meters above sea level.

Meter-tall Tapojo Peak, there is a coral reef covering the entire beach on the west coast of the island, Cape Garapan divides it into two, forming a natural harbor in the north, Tanapan Harbor, which is also the largest in Saipan and the Mariana Islands.
Chapter completed!