Chapter 992 Strategic Defense (Part 2)

The results of the South Atlantic naval battle were announced through their respective media in the following two days. Both sides claimed to be the winner of this battle. Whose propaganda was more watery is completely a matter of opinion, depending on the angle from which the problem is viewed, but no matter which angle you stand on, it cannot change the fact that neither side has particularly powerful combat warships in the South Atlantic:

Although the US military still has 6 intact escort aircraft carriers and the New Jersey, their mission is to escort Patton's troops back and focus on transporting supplies to North America in the next month;

Although the German army saved the Jean-Bart and 3 battleships, they were all scarred and could not withstand the battle.

But if we look at the short-term and medium-term future, the German army will undoubtedly have an overall advantage. Crank used a squadron to fight Nimitz's main fleet. The German army still has a main fleet composed of 4 aircraft carriers, while the US fleet aircraft carriers are empty.

Currently, the USS Bonhomme Richard and USS Randolph (both Essex class) are the closest to completion. They were originally scheduled to be completed in early September. With Turner, Lehi and even Truman calling to urge them, and even hinting at slightly relaxing the acceptance standards for some non-important parts, the manufacturer did not dare to brag and only said that they could be completed a week earlier at most.

Then there are the three aircraft carriers Shangri-La, Lake Champlain and Antietam (all Essex class) scheduled to be completed in late October. The shipyard said that they can be completed 10 days earlier than scheduled - no faster than that.

But even the two aircraft carriers delivered in late August have to go through sea trials and run-in. It will take at least October to be able to form combat capabilities, and the next three aircraft carriers will all be ready by Christmas. Admiral King, who was hospitalized, had nothing to say except a sigh after hearing the news.

What made the Navy even more worried was that a large number of carrier-based pilots were lost in this operation, and the Navy's reserve forces were almost exhausted. As a last resort, Turner asked for help from the Pacific Fleet, saying that all of Nimitz's remaining warships would be left to the Pacific Fleet, but he hoped that Ingram would first provide at least 150 pilots to the Atlantic, otherwise even the aviation forces on the USS Bonhomme Richard and USS Randolph would not be able to gather enough. .

Although the Pacific Fleet had trained a group of pilots in the past six months, Ingram was very concerned about this. In addition, Nimitz inferred that Hori Teikichi's counterattack was very likely. After bargaining, the two sides finally gave 120 groups for the sake of the USS Franklin.

In addition to the more than 50 groups drawn from the escort aircraft carriers in China, there was still a gap of 70 groups from the minimum limit of 240 groups. Li Hai was forced to ask Truman to ask Churchill for people and recruit some former Royal Navy carrier-based aircraft pilots who had fled to Canada. Churchill could not provide too many people. Somerville hated the Americans for killing Marshal Pound. In the end, he barely gathered more than 20 groups of Canadian and British carrier-based aircraft pilots.

After this, Turner got 200 groups of pilots, but even so, there were still 40 groups missing.

Finally, he was forced to do nothing and made up his mind. He selected 10 groups from the reserve training instructors and 30 groups of the best Lv.4 pilots on the escort aircraft carriers, and asked them to use the next two months to forcibly improve their level.

But this only met the minimum requirements (normal establishment requires 300 groups). When he thought of the gap of at least 360 groups on 3 aircraft carriers in December, Turner was so anxious that he wanted to jump off the building.

Although the US Navy is training new pilots continuously, the high-level pilots it adds cannot keep up with the speed of consumption. What's more terrible is that due to the 70% casualty rate of carrier-based aircraft pilots, the number of volunteers who sign up to serve as carrier-based aircraft pilots has begun to shrink. Many families even disagree with young men signing up to be pilots.

He complained in his heart that Nimitz should not fight the Germans in the aircraft carrier battle. Didn't he agree to use the transport fleet to attract German firepower and then kill a group of German pilots and German warships? How come the transport fleet was unscathed in the end, but the main fleet was involved? Didn't Nimitz know that the army had millions of troops, but the navy fleet only had his own?

Of course, Turner didn't dare to say the last sentence now, which was not in line with the principle of "political correctness".

The Germans were in a much better situation than the US. Although they sank two aircraft carriers and two cruisers, one aircraft carrier was converted from a cruise ship and was not very strong. One Ise was sunk because it was damaged and used forcibly. Two cruisers were also a piece of cake - compared to the US's four Cleveland-class and eight Oakland-class ships, they would wake up laughing even in their dreams. As for the Rhine-class, the country has just added four ships, and the problem is not too big. Only a few battleships that were severely damaged or medium-damaged are a little troublesome.

But since the war, which of these battleships were not scarred but survived tenaciously in the end?

After emergency repairs, the Jean-Bart, which was the most seriously injured, did not have the combat capability of an aircraft carrier, but at least its speed was restored to more than 20 knots, and the parts of several battleships that were struck by lightning were also urgently reinforced. Upon learning that General Marshal was about to send the main fleet to reinforce, Crank's frown loosened.

Although the Air Force lost dozens of planes to protect the fleet that day (most of the crew members were intact), the Air Force's strength actually increased after all of the HNA aircraft landed in Rio, and there was no grudge against cooperation - the HNA was originally transferred from the Air Force, and now it is simply returning again, and seeing its former comrades is even more cordial.

The U.S. Army Air Force tried to send out heavy bombers to continue attacking the German fleet, but the reinforced German Air Force built a tight defense network and thwarted the U.S. attempt.

The news of the German-American Atlantic War also reached Japan. The headquarters unanimously stated that this was a godsend opportunity to defeat the United States, and was more enthusiastic about the Battle of Midway proposed by Hori Teikichi. Although the latter believed that the Americans would not be defeated, the news that the U.S. military had lost hundreds of pilots was undoubted.

Hori Teikichi said to Isoroku Yamamoto: "I really don't understand why the Americans have to adopt this kind of persistent consumption tactics. Shouldn't they retreat and accumulate strength? Even pretending to be with us is a strategy."

The latter shook his head: "It's okay to pretend to be with us at ordinary times, but don't forget that this year is the year of the U.S. presidential election, and Truman dare not take this risk."

Hori Teikichi slapped his forehead: "Forgot! Oh, I made a mistake. No wonder Truman didn't want to talk to us. He didn't want to burden himself. Anyway, we can't beat him."

He is about to lead Tsukahara Jishizo, who was on the expedition, interrupted and said, "I heard that Dewey is a pacifist. Would it be better if he came to power? Is there still hope for reconciliation between Japan and the United States?"

Hori Teikichi and Yamamoto Isoroku smiled bitterly at the same time: "It is true that Dewey advocates peace, but he advocates peace with Germany and toughness against Japan."

Tsukahara Jishizo said that he did not understand this logic. According to his thinking: After the reconciliation between Japan and the United States, Japan is still much weaker than the United States. Germany is the biggest rival of the United States in the competition for world hegemony. The Americans even tolerated Germany's monopoly in Europe, so why should they be so hard on Japan? Didn't they say that the Pearl Harbor incident can be negotiated? Punishing the "culprit" and asking for "compensation" can all be negotiated. Why refuse without saying anything?

"Tsukahara-kun, think about it, if a new president comes to power and is peaceful with Germany and Japan, can he keep his position? In our country, such a prime minister will be punished by God." Hori Teikichi sighed, "I have been saying recently that Japan and the United States will eventually be at peace, and the prime minister has repeatedly reminded me to pay attention to my identity, occasions, and atmosphere. Alas... when will the "patriots" come to punish me?"

Tsukahara smiled: "You worry too much. Everyone knows that you are doing this for the good of Japan. You want fewer deaths and fewer wars, but the Americans are unwilling. It's okay if they are unwilling. Isn't it better for us to fight until they are willing?"

"Please!" Yamamoto nodded slightly to Tsukahara, "I look forward to your help in washing away the shame of Midway Island."

"You are too kind, too kind. The positions and responsibilities of the two commanders are more important!"

On August 4, the huge Combined Fleet secretly assembled in various ports, the powerful mobile fleet was reorganized, and the army troops and equipment began to board the ship.

In order to win the Battle of Midway, Hori Teikichi used all his strength:

The mobile fleet has 6 aircraft carriers, including Taiho, Zuikaku, Shokaku, Unryu, Amagi and Béarn. Among them, Béarn removed the original French boiler and replaced it with the same main engine as the Unryu class, but because the displacement is more than 2,000 tons larger than the Unryu and the front hull is different, the maximum speed can only reach 29 knots, and the aircraft carrier is slightly more than 4 aircraft than the Unryu. Generally speaking, it can be regarded as another Unryu. In order to transform the Béarn, Japan also slowed down the construction progress of the Aso aircraft carrier and installed all the materials and parts used on it on the Béarn.

Originally, there was still a time point to wait for the completion of Katsuragi and Kasagi in October before setting off, but Hori Teikichi thought that there was no need to wait any longer, and the existing forces were basically complete, which was the best time window.

After the 3rd and 4th Unryū-class ships enter service in October, they will strive to obtain another British Titan-class ship and re-form the 5th Carrier (the 1st and 2nd Carriers followed Tsukahara 243 in the attack, and the 3rd Carrier patrolled the Indian Ocean)

Since Tsukahara 243 is to perform the duties of the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet this time, his flagship and headquarters are to be arranged on the Yamato, and the 2nd Carrier Kakuta will command the Taiho.

The bombardment formation is also large in size. In addition to the three Yamato-class super battleships, Yamato, Musashi, and Shinano, it also includes Nagato and two Kongo-class ships. In view of the experience of the Atlantic battlefield and the experience of the last "Musashi Destroyed Diplomatic Operation", Tsukahara directly incorporated two modified Kongo-class ships, 4 heavy cruisers, and 8 light cruisers into the mobile fleet. In addition to the 4 slower battleships, the bombardment fleet also includes another 4 heavy cruisers and 4 light cruisers.

On August 8, Hirohito and all the important cabinet ministers personally went to the dock to see them off. Amid the deafening sound of "boarding", the Combined Fleet began its main eastward expedition...