The Takeku aircraft carrier fleet was stationary off the coast of Singapore. Nagumo Chuichi was able to enter the warring waters first. At the same time, Tsukahara 243 also led his troops to advance into the Indian Ocean. The Yamato aircraft carrier fleet and the Wuwei aircraft carrier fleet began to move south and east. It moved closer to the Pacific Fleet gathered in the Timor Sea.
When the Japanese Combined Fleet and the Home Fleet moved into the Indian Ocean in two ways, the Xuebing Army judged the Japanese army's combat intentions. The total number of Japanese Combined Fleet aircraft carriers was twenty-nine, and even if three were left, there would still be twenty-six Therefore, the Japanese are fully capable of dividing their forces into three or even five groups. These fleets are all capable of acting independently. Therefore, the Japanese have relatively loose tactical choices and can directly attack Karachi all the way. , the other two groups sought lessons from the Pacific Fleet duel. In response to the Japanese military's tactical intentions, Chen Shichang's original plan was to make a time lag, first concentrate on defeating the Takejiu aircraft carrier fleet, and then, depending on the situation, engage in a battle with one of the Yamato or Wuwei aircraft carrier fleets. Decisive battle - in short, try to avoid encountering more than two Japanese fleets at the same time. God's calculations are not as good as those of God. Inoue Narumi led the Takeku aircraft carrier fleet to move westward through the Yellow Sea. Of course, in the end, the chicken was stolen but the rice was lost, but the loss was in vain. They captured more than 20 warships, including three aircraft carriers. But at the same time, they entered the Indian Ocean later than Nagumo Chuichi. This meant that Chen Shichang was not given the chance to deal with them first.
At this point in the war, Chen Shichang could not blame Chen Yuanyang for doing bad things with good intentions. He could only passively accept this grim fact: if he continued to stay in the Timor Sea, he would be surrounded by two Japanese fleets sooner or later; if he chose to withdraw to Karachi, he would be surrounded by two Japanese fleets. What they are facing is not two fleets, but a complete Japanese combined fleet. Of course, there is another option, which is to cruise in the Indian Ocean and actively seek fighters. However, there is still no way to escape being found by the three Japanese fleets, and then they have to proceed. The final decisive battle. Moreover, without the support of Karachi's land forces, it would be the worst if it really got to this point. The situation was so big that Chen Shichang did not dare to take charge of it, so he called the Chongqing headquarters to ask Ouyang Yun for instructions. Ouyang Yun Based on the many intelligences sent back from the front line, Chen Cheng and others were convened for discussion, and Chen Shichang was finally instructed to deal with Nagumo Chuichi's Yamato aircraft carrier fleet first, and to separate the submarine force against the Wuwei aircraft carrier fleet coming from the west. Conduct interception to try to avoid being attacked by the Yamato and Wuwei aircraft carrier fleet at the same time.
Of the three Japanese fleets, the Wuwei aircraft carrier fleet has six aircraft carriers and has been experiencing wars. It can be said to be the weakest. Ordinarily, if you follow the example of the Pacific Fleet in taking the initiative to attack, you should also pick up the weak ones. Let’s take the Wuwei aircraft carrier fleet first. Surgery. Why did Ouyang Yun go in the opposite direction and choose the Yamato aircraft carrier fleet first instead of choosing the easy one? Although Chen Cheng and others were not familiar with maritime affairs, they still had basic judgment, so they raised such questions at that time.
The explanation given by Ouyang Yundai is that although Nagumo Chuichi's headquarters has ten aircraft carriers, almost all of its aircraft carrier commanders are from the torpedo department and are not proficient in aircraft carrier warfare. Therefore, they are better than Tsukahara, who is from the naval aviation department. Two, four and three are easier to deal with. Chen Cheng and others could barely accept this point of view, but due to the huge strength gap between ten ships and six ships, he reserved his opinion and suggested that Chen Shichang be given the right to make an emergency decision if the Yamato aircraft carrier fleet was discovered. If it is too tough to swallow, let him break away from the battle first, and then choose the opportunity to choose the Wuwei aircraft carrier fleet to fight first.
Ouyang Yun could not say that he was not optimistic about Chuichi Nagumo, but because of his performance in the Pacific War at that time and space, he added this clause to the telegram, which gave Chen Shichang the greatest degree of self-determination.
When Chen Shichang received this telegram from the headquarters, Nagumo Chuichi's headquarters had already passed through the Seram Sea, and Tsukahara's No. 243 Division had already arrived offshore of Perth, Australia. It was left to him whether to fight or return to Karachi. Time was running out for decision-making. He urgently summoned officers at the level of fleet admiral and above, including Degoux and other French volunteer generals, to discuss the next step of action. Finally, with the support of Degoux, he decided to follow the advice of the headquarters and fight first. Yamato aircraft carrier fleet.
At the pre-war mobilization meeting, he first suppressed and then advanced. He first listed the various strengths and glorious achievements of the Japanese Combined Fleet, and then asked loudly: "Gentlemen, are you afraid that the Combined Fleet is so powerful?"
When Chen Shichang trumpeted the glorious achievements of the United Fleet, some of the officers below could not sit still. They thought, no matter what the real situation was, as the de facto supreme commander of the Pacific Fleet, it would be too long for others to be prestige and destroy their own ambitions. After he asked, Bian Jingdao shouted loudly: "Afraid? The reason why the little devils can have such a brilliant record is because they did not encounter our army first. Hehe! Victory is guaranteed every day. This is not a saying. We said it ourselves, the Army is like this, the Air Force is like this, and now, the Navy must be the same way! Chief Commander, please be the vanguard in this battle!"
"Old Bian, do you want us to be the vanguard? Do you think the current naval battle is still the era of big ships and cannons? To be the vanguard, you have to be an aircraft carrier, and our Hanwu is the best candidate for the vanguard!" A man under thirty years old The young major general stood up and directly questioned Bian Jingdao's words of "please be a pioneer".
Bian Jingdao is currently the captain of the battleship Beijing and the commander of the mobile fleet with Beijing as its flagship. Bian Jingdao and Chen Shichang went to the United States together, so he can be regarded as an old man who learned from the Pacific Fleet. His personality is inherently flamboyant and self-reliant. As a veteran, he usually relies on his seniority in front of his colleagues.
Hearing someone targeting him, he turned his head and saw that it was Li Deyan, the captain of the Hanwu aircraft carrier. He said with a smile: "It turns out to be Xiao Li. I wonder who is so loud. I admit, now The main force in naval battles in China is aircraft carriers, but can aircraft carriers alone win the battle? Without our mobile fleet, who will block your torpedoes and help you with air defense. Damn it, you are willing to be the vanguard, I We are not doing this to protect those precious little ones on your aircraft carrier. We are the vanguard. First, we can test the reaction of the Japanese army. Second, we can help you attract enemy firepower and give you the opportunity to strike later.*, you are a standard ignorant person. What a good heart!"
Chen Shichang wanted to use the method of provoking the generals to stimulate the fighting spirit of the whole army. However, because of the existence of Bian Jingdao, the topic went astray. He reprimanded: "Okay, who will be sent as the vanguard and how to fight specifically? This is the headquarters Don't worry about your responsibilities. I just hope that when it's your turn to go to war, you won't have to fight with two sides or be scared out of your wits by the little devil."
"Chief Commander, you are looking down on me! Don't tell me, Xiao Li. When did I, old Bian, ever fear the Japanese? I think when I was in Madang, the junior officer also praised me..." Bian Jingdao boasted of his qualifications. Lao's biggest qualification is that he once fought with Ouyang Yun and stayed with him for a long time. This can be regarded as his habitual statement every time he shows off his qualifications.
Li Deyan, everyone here has long been familiar with his routine. Chen Shichang knew that if he was allowed to continue talking, he would not be able to finish it in less than ten minutes. He slammed the table and shouted: "Okay, I will leave your glorious deeds to you."
Let’s talk about it later, now let’s discuss business.”
(Old poison: A colleague bought a car and drank too much, that’s it for this chapter)