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"That's true. The French-made warships have no other advantages, but they are strong. Their 'Richelieu' class brought a lot of trouble to the Germans in the North Sea War." Narumi Inoue, commander of the First Air Fleet, said at this time interjected.
"So, we can't be fooled. But the reconnaissance plane they send will find us sooner or later..." Ganfu Kengoro hesitated at this point, walked to the chart, looked at it for a while and said to Inoue: "Your Excellency, Commander, Humble has a suggestion."
"Go ahead."
"Humble job suggests using the four aircraft carriers of the United Fleet as a bet, betting on the fate of the country with the United States!"
"What kind of gamble?" Inoue raised his eyebrows and asked.
"It is now 2:30 in the afternoon, and it will be dark in a short time. It is impossible for a battle between aircraft carriers to start at night. Therefore, I suggest avoiding today's decisive battle, and the entire fleet retreats north. I estimate that the United States and France The 6 aircraft carriers of the two countries will definitely advance northward to search for the fleet. And we will turn back to the south after dark tonight, and risk sending seaplanes to search for the aircraft carriers of the United States and France before dawn tomorrow. Anyone, launch a kamikaze special attack!"
"That means there is a 50.00% probability that the US aircraft carrier will be spotted first." Narumi Inoue nodded slightly, "But what if we encounter the US and French aircraft carrier formation at night? We only have two heavy cruisers, although the newly commissioned Tone The first stage is already equipped with a radar imported from China, but...the current radar can only detect, not guide bombardment."
"Then fight at night! Your Excellency, Lieutenant General, please believe in the artillery skills of the Imperial Navy and the power of mine special attacks!"
Chapter 0832 Landing in America ([-]) The Art of Returning to Heaven
1939年3月4日，下午5点30分，东太平洋。
US aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.
Standing by the railing of the ship island, Admiral Halsey stared at the huge aircraft carrier task force beside him, then looked down at the urgent call from Nimitz of San Diego, and took a deep breath of salty In the sea breeze, a kind of pride that sees the enemy will be destroyed arises spontaneously.
Nimitz sent the telegram to Halsey on the instructions of Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Leahy.In the telegram, Nimitz did not urge Halsey to start a decisive battle with the Japanese aircraft carrier as soon as possible, but conveyed the current difficulties facing the United States to the vice admiral who is known as "the bull".
The Japanese army's unexpected landing in Costa Rica and the destruction of the Panama Canal immediately disrupted the overall strategic layout of the United States.In order to maintain its prestige in Latin America, the United States can no longer tolerate a Japanese aircraft carrier fleet cruising on the west coast of America!Who knows if they will launch another landing campaign on the coast of some Latin American country?The Panama Canal has been unusable for six months. If those South American idiots turn their backs... It will be difficult for the newly commissioned US warships to go around the entire South American continent to the west coast.
Therefore, Halsey affirmed his judgment even more: a decisive battle with the Japanese aircraft carrier must be launched immediately, even if it means that both sides suffer!
"Mr. Lieutenant General, there is an urgent call from the USS Bearn. The reconnaissance plane they sent found the Japanese aircraft carrier 120 nautical miles off the coast of Nicaragua!" Struance's voice echoed in the combat command center of the flagship Enterprise.When Halsey heard the voice, he immediately strode up to Struance, took the telegram, and scanned the ten lines at a glance.Then he walked to the chart station. At this time, the staff had already marked the specific location of the Japanese aircraft carrier on the chart.
"How did the Japanese get there?" Halsey lit a cigar, took a deep puff, and frowned tightly. "What are they trying to do? Are they going to threaten Mexico?"
Now Mexico has not clearly stated that it is on the side of the United States, and considering that Mexico lost 1846 million square kilometers of land in the Mexican-American War in 230... Their ambiguous attitude is really worrying.If the Japanese aircraft carrier appears near Mexico's territorial waters, they are likely to reject the United States' solicitation and choose to be neutral.
"Maybe, but it's more likely that the Japanese have already noticed our intentions." Struance pointed to the chart and said, "They probably guessed that the fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Jean Sur was just a decoy. And we are right behind the Jean Sur fleet, once they use suicide planes on the Jean Sur fleet, then we will take the opportunity to attack their aircraft carrier. That's why they are maneuvering all the way north, avoiding us during the day decisive battle."
"Could it be that they want the aircraft carrier to fight at night?"
"Of course not. The Japanese may want to take advantage of this evening to make a big detour to our fleet to the west. Then tomorrow morning, they will have a chance to discover our three US aircraft carriers first."
Listening to Struance's analysis, Halsey also nodded secretly in his heart. In fact, he had already guessed the intention of the Japanese. Judging from the fact that the Japanese reconnaissance plane did not initiate an attack after discovering the French aircraft carrier, the Japanese fleet's The Commander has seen through his disposition.
"Where is Jean Sur's fleet? How far is it from us?"
"They are 30 nautical miles off the coast of Costa Rica, about 100 nautical miles away from us. At full speed, we will be able to join the Jean Sur fleet in three and a half hours," Struance said.
"Order the Jean Sur fleet to stand by on the spot, and the whole fleet will approach the Jean Sur fleet at full speed." Halsey raised his hand and looked at his watch. "Strive to join forces with them before 9 o'clock, and then go north to pursue the Japanese fleet."
"Sir... don't we need to hide in the deep sea tonight? What if we encounter the Japanese fleet going south?" Struance reminded.
"What should I do? Let's fight!" Halsey took another puff of cigarette, laughed and said, "According to reconnaissance, the Japanese only have 2 heavy cruisers and 4 light cruisers. After we joined forces with Jean Sur, we had 6 ships." Heavy cruiser and 6 light cruisers! The advantage is on our side."
"6 heavy cruisers!?" Struance asked puzzled.He clearly remembered that his fleet only had 3 Brooklyn-class heavy cruisers.
"Yes! There are 6 ships." Halsey nodded heavily, and said with certainty: "The three aircraft carriers of the Frenchman can be used as heavy cruisers. Their firepower is no less than that of heavy cruisers, and their protection is better than any other aircraft carrier." In fact, these are three heavy cruisers equipped with aircraft. Moreover, our heavy cruisers and aircraft carriers are equipped with radar, which has a clear advantage in night battles. If we really fight against the fleet of the Japanese devils Encountered in the night, maybe can sink one or two of their aircraft carriers."
……
July 3, 5:0 AM.
Off the coast of Nicaragua.
The night was hazy, the sea was covered with a layer of mist, and the sky was full of stars reflected in the sea, rippling with the waves. The hull of the more than 2-ton aircraft carrier Akagi undulates in the waves, but no light shines through.
On the ship island, Narumi Inoue sat on a chair with her arms folded, her eyes closed.Chief of Staff Kuroshima Kameto was discussing calculations with several staff members around the chart.
At this time, Japan's First Air Fleet has turned back and is heading south along the coastline on the west coast of the long and narrow Central American Corridor at a cruising speed of 19.5 knots.This sailing route was determined by the Black Island Turtleman and the fleet's staff after careful calculation.Although the Japanese fleet with 2 latest Tone-class heavy cruisers and "human torpedoes" is not afraid of night battles.But as an aircraft carrier task force, close combat with the enemy is always risking the precious aircraft carrier, so it should be avoided as much as possible.
Hei Dao and others believe that the commanders of the US-French aircraft carrier formation must have the same idea. They will hide in the deep sea after dark, away from the coastline of Central America.Therefore, it seems safest for the Japanese fleet to go south along the coastline...
"Report, received a telegram from the heavy cruiser Tone, their radar detected an unidentified fleet 50 kilometers southwest of us!"
The voice of the communications staff made the air in the entire island tense.Inoue Narumi hurriedly got up and walked to the chart, and asked, "How many ships does the other party have? Is there an aircraft carrier?"
"There are more than 10 ships, and it is impossible to determine whether there is an aircraft carrier radar." The communications staff replied.
"Your Excellency, Commander, we should deal with the US-French task force centered on three French aircraft carriers!" Kuroshima Kameto made a judgment after taking the message from the communication staff. "There should be 1 heavy cruiser, 3 light cruisers, and 11 destroyers to deal with... What is discovered now may only be part of it."
"Perhaps the opponent's radar detected us first, and their aircraft carrier has already withdrawn!" Gan Fukengoro suggested: "Please also order the aircraft carrier to retreat, and let the heavy cruisers and light cruisers compete with each other. With us The torpedo is here, tonight's victory must belong to Japan!"
"Human torpedo!" The name can be seen as a suicide weapon.This is a suicide torpedo developed by the Japanese submarine force on the basis of the 93-type spear torpedo. This torpedo is driven by a death fighter. Like the kamikaze aircraft, it also adopts the tactic of "one mine, one life". "For "one ship".At present, Japan's heavy cruisers and light cruisers are also equipped with such suicide weapons.However, this weapon has not been put into actual combat, so the United States does not know its existence.
"Okay," Inoue Narumi ordered: "Order the captain of the heavy cruiser Tone, Takashi Kuroda, to command the heavy cruisers Tone and Chikuma, the light cruisers Isuzu, Natori, Yura, and Kinu, and the first destroyer squadron to attack! The rest of the ships Stay away for now."
……
At the same time, on the aircraft carrier Bearn, Lieutenant General Jean Sur took the telegram from the communication staff officer and looked at it, taking a deep breath.
"Lieutenant General Halsey ordered me to command 3 French aircraft carriers, 3 heavy cruisers, 6 light cruisers and 16 destroyers to engage the Japanese fleet!"
"General, do the Americans want our aircraft carrier to engage in close combat with the Japanese ship?" The chief of staff reminded after thinking for a while.
"It doesn't matter. Our three aircraft carriers have protection no less than that of a battlecruiser and firepower that exceeds that of an ordinary heavy cruiser." Jean Sur pouted and smiled: "Actually, they are just to deal with the current situation." designed for this situation.”
"General, the Japanese fleet has re-formed." The voice of the radar director of the Bearn sounded, "A formation composed of more than 10 Japanese ships is rushing towards us, and the rest of the Japanese ships are turning around and heading north. Avoid engagement."
"General, it looks like the Japanese have equipped radar!"
The chief of staff's words made Lieutenant General Sur's face serious. Now the distance between the two sides is nearly 50 kilometers, and it is still at night.If the Japanese fleet did not have radar, it would be impossible to find itself.Radar was originally the trump card used by the US-French mixed fleet to deal with Japan in night battles. Although the current radar is not a fire control radar but a search radar, it can still play a certain role in night battles with flares, which is enough to offset the stronger Japanese forces. Night training.But now the Japanese fleet is obviously equipped with radar!It seems that China and Germany provided them with this technology.Without the advantage of radar, I'm afraid it will be a tough battle tonight.
However, the numerical advantage of 6 heavy cruisers (including 3 aircraft carriers with strong firepower and defense power), 6 light cruisers and 16 destroyers can still ensure that the victory tonight belongs to France!
A cold light flashed in Jean Sur's eyes, and he began to issue combat orders. "Let's form a bombardment formation too, with New Orleans at the head, followed by Astoria, Minneapolis, Bearn, Joffre, Banlvee, Cleveland, and Columbia. ..."
"Target, the Japanese fleet, advance at full speed!"
……
"Boss, the enemy fleet has accelerated and is charging towards us..."
Before the radar director could finish speaking, Koji Kuroda interrupted him and said anxiously: "Report the size and distance of the enemy fleet again."
"There are more than 20 enemy ships, including 3 large ships. The distance is about 33 kilometers, and the speed is about 30 knots."
"What? The other party has three large ships?" Koji Kuroda, the captain of the heavy cruiser Tone, took a deep breath.He quickly walked to the radar screen and stared at the twenty or so green light spots flashing on the screen, three of which were significantly larger than the rest.
Could it be a battleship?Although Japan sank 8 American battleships in the Pearl Harbor incident, the United States still has at least 7 battleships, 5 of which are now on the west coast of North America. In addition, French and British battlecruisers may also be sent to the Americas West Coast... Thinking of this, drops of sweat seeped from Koji Kuroda's back, and wet his vest in the blink of an eye.