Chapter 583 Tiger of South Asia (2)

The U.S. military's attack on the Gilbert Islands entered its second day. After seizing Makin Island with lightning speed, Halsey aimed the next attack at Tarawa.

Although it is said to be an island, Tarawa is actually an atoll composed of a string of coral reefs. The overall shape is triangular, and there are about 20 small islands above the water. Betio is the largest of them, the island with the strongest defense by the Japanese army, and the focus of the US military attack.

There is an airport in the middle of the island with three runways. The main runway is more than 1,200 meters long. It is the only bomber runway in the entire Gilbert Islands. It is surrounded by coral reef islands with a width of 150 meters to 400 meters. A 500-meter-long coconut wood trestle stretches into the lagoon for ships to unload cargo, like Betio's bird legs. However, during yesterday's violent bombing by the US aircraft carrier formation, the airport was completely paralyzed and cannot be used. The combat aircraft on the island were basically wiped out yesterday. The remaining few were protected by ground troops and no longer went out to waste their lives. The US military has absolute air supremacy. .

On this coral island with an area of ​​only 1.18 square kilometers, the Japanese army has 2,500 troops stationed, all of them Marines. The commander is Rear Admiral Keiji Shibasaki. There is also an engineer battalion and nearly a thousand Korean workers. The total number of people on the island is Reached 4,500 people. Due to Gilbert's isolated overseas location and the importance of protecting the absolute national defense perimeter, Shibazaki has been building fortifications since landing on the island. So far, the overall fortification construction has not reached the level he expected, but the general outline has been fully formed. .

On the peripheral shallow-water reefs, the Japanese army set up a large number of concrete triangular cones, cut coral piles, barbed wire nets and coconut wood fences, along with a large number of artillery and infantry weapons to block landing boats. A large number of semi-underground bunkers are covered with thick coconut wood, steel plates and coral sand, which are enough to withstand the bombardment of large-caliber naval guns. There are 11 shore artillery positions on the island, all of which are concrete steel plate buildings equipped with 8-inch naval guns commonly used by the navy. There are also 25 field guns on the beach area, all of which are located in strong firepower points.

Deep inside the island, engineers successively built an extremely complex air-raid shelter system, with trenches and ravines crisscrossing each other, and a transportation network built underground. Shibasaki's headquarters was located in a giant bunker with steel plates and one-meter-thick concrete walls. He once boasted to his subordinates: "When the Tarawa project is completed, it will be impregnable. Even if 1 million U.S. troops come to attack, it will not be able to take it!"

Compared with history, the Tarawa defenders have added several variables. First, the Japanese army has weapons and equipment that have never been seen in history, including mass-produced multi-model iron fists and a total of 10 kamikazes; second, the islands Not all the fortifications were completed, but Shibasaki himself expected to be attacked.

The bigger variable is the U.S. military itself. The offensive strength of the Pacific Fleet is far less powerful than that of the same period in history: Historically, the U.S. Pacific Fleet mobilized a total of 9 battleships, 14 cruisers, 14 escort aircraft carriers, 5 regular aircraft carriers, and several more. There are an unknown number of transport ships and support ships. However, due to the serious losses in the South Pacific Battle, the Indian Ocean Battle and the Panama Battle, the US military's fleet strength in the offensive this time was only 4 battleships, 7 cruisers, 6 escort aircraft carriers and 2 regular aircraft carriers. (One fleet aircraft carrier and one light aircraft carrier each).

However, Nimitz, Halsey and Holland-Smith were still confident in the "Electric Shock" campaign: intelligence showed that the main force of the combined fleet was still in Ceylon. Even if they received the warning telegram and arrived immediately, it would take at least 15 days for the entire fleet to arrive. The Pacific Fleet can devote itself to fighting a good war. Although they are unable to obtain accurate information on the number of troops stationed on the island, judging from the size of the island and the lack of resistance on Makin Island, they believe that the number of Japanese troops stationed on the island is around 1,000 at best and no more than 2,000 at most, and the 5th Amphibious The army prepared to devote two divisions to this battle.

Nimitz's expectation for the operation was to launch an attack with all-out force, capture the island within five days, restore the island's airport and other defense facilities and station troops in the second five days, and then decide on the follow-up battle according to the situation. If the combined fleet sends a partial division to support, try to eat him; if the main force comes, then deal with it vigorously; if not, that's even better. With Gilbert as a springboard, it will be much more advantageous to attack the Marshall Islands next.

Due to the sudden launch of the Ceylon Campaign by the Japanese army, the comprehensive reconnaissance of Tarawa under time constraints could not be perfect, and could only be carried out through the air force. The level of detail and rigor was insufficient. Most of the key points of the island were underground, and not many abnormalities could be seen from the air alone. , which is why the US military judged that there were only more than a thousand defenders.

Everyone in the Pacific Fleet was optimistic, but the cautious Nimitz still ordered Halsey to bring all the main forces, and at the same time ordered Major General Levy to mobilize a sufficient number of supply ships, repair ships, tugboats, minesweepers, barges, ammunition ships and 9 The oil tankers form a logistics fleet, and the food, medicine, various ammunition, landing machinery, communication equipment and fuel carried on them can support the Pacific Fleet's continuous high-intensity operations for a month. Even so, he was not at ease and asked people to prepare follow-up combat supplies in Australia, New Zealand and the west coast of the United States.

In addition to frontline combat troops, Nimitz also mobilized the long-range bombers of the Army's 7th Air Force deployed on Funafuti Island and Canton Island bases in Tuvalu, totaling more than 100 B-24 bombers and 24 Catalina seaplanes crossed a distance of 1,500 kilometers to bomb Tarawa to destroy Japanese military fortifications, kill personnel, and implement early fire coverage.

Amidst the deafening bombing and shelling, the curtain of the "Electric Shock" campaign slowly opened.

The telecommunications staff hurriedly reported to Shibasaki Keiji in the underground fortification: "Sir, I have received a telegram from the Combined Fleet Headquarters. The main force of the fleet has set off from Ceylon Island to provide support. I hope that our department can hold on to a position on the spot. "Yue, never sacrifice lightly unless absolutely necessary."

The three main officers, Shibazaki Keiji, Matsuo Nobuo and Tubei Takeo, looked overjoyed after reading the telegram: After all, they were from the Navy. As soon as the call for help was sent, even the main force of the combined fleet was alarmed. According to the Haikou that Shibasaki Keiji originally boasted, Tarawa can be defended for several years. Now the telegram only requires that it be defended for a month, which is really not a problem. Besides, one month was actually very fast for the fleet to come all the way from Ceylon. He was very confident in winning the battle.

"Publish the news and let all officers and soldiers know that the Combined Fleet is taking care of us. We are by no means alone. The Navy will defeat the British and American monsters in Tarawa!"

None of them expected that Nimitz and Tsukahara 243's estimate of Tarawa's ability to hold on was surprisingly close - only 5-7 days, and only the defenders themselves believed that they could hold on for several years.

Beginning at dawn, the shelling and bombing of Betio had lasted for seven hours. Numerous large-caliber naval guns and aerial bombs dropped by army bombers poured out firepower on the island with an area of ​​only 1 square kilometer. The entire island was shrouded in smoke. middle. The Japanese army did not fire a single shell in retaliation, and the entire island seemed to have fainted.

According to the landing plan formulated by Holland, the landing troops should avoid the south shore where the Japanese troops were well fortified, enter the lagoon through the water channel of the atoll gap, and land on the north shore where the Japanese troops seemed to be weakly fortified. The command headquarters designated the beachhead locations as "Red 1", "Red 2" and "Red 3" from west to east. One battalion was landed on each beach, and it was planned to use 125 amphibious tracked armored vehicles to transport troops ashore in several batches. Holland specifically emphasized that the landing craft should be as close to the shore as possible to reduce the round trip distance of the amphibious vehicle and speed up the landing efficiency.

According to the timetable he envisioned, on D-Day (landing day), the U.S. military swept across the island, occupied the airport, and blocked the remaining Japanese troops at the southeastern end of Betio, annihilating them on the next day, and clearing out the remaining enemies on the third day - striving to use 3 days. Time ends the battle.

The landing order was carried out by the Third Marine Division led by Major General Devon Collin. Historically, this task was assigned to the Second Marine Division. However, due to the influence of the hell night when the Combined Fleet bombarded Guadalcanal, the Second Marine Division was still inferior to the Marine Division. The 1st Marine Division was better, but it also suffered heavy losses. It was barely replenished and restored until now. It was temporarily unable to undertake the task, so Holland changed the main offensive force to troops reinforced from the west coast.

At around 12 noon, the sun was already high. The Army bombers returned after dropping their bombs. The attack of the Navy's large-caliber naval guns also entered a pause stage. The time for landing finally came.

More than 100 dive bombers, attack aircraft and fighter jets were launched from each aircraft carrier in the task force, taking turns bombing and strafing the Betio beach. The fleet with destroyers as the main force moved forward, preparing to cover the landing craft with intensive firepower. , the remaining aircraft Halsey ordered them to monitor the surrounding sea areas to guard against the sudden appearance of the enemy fleet.

The close support fire preparation lasted for 60 minutes, and more than 2,000 tons of artillery shells and bombs were poured out. What is surprising is that so far, the Japanese army still has not made any counterattack.

"What happened to the enemy?" Holland, who was watching the battle on the Indiana, said to himself strangely, "Why is there no movement at all? Doesn't it mean that they have at least one brigade of troops and artillery?"

Devin Colin shrugged and said nonchalantly: "I don't know either! I guess the continuous bombing and shelling have almost killed them, right? The firepower this time was only slightly weaker than the firepower encountered on Guadalcanal, but Betio How big is the area? It’s only a few tenths of Guadalcanal! I suspect each Japanese army has to spread 10 tons of bombs or artillery shells. Will the taxpayers be mad if they know that we are squandering ammunition like this?”

This joke made everyone else laugh, and even Holland, who had always been serious about words, smiled slightly.

Ordinary officers and soldiers were not so optimistic. They packed their personal luggage, handed over their personal letters and wills to the clerk, and prayed with the priest. Although the front line reported that everything was fine, in this atmosphere, the soldiers did not dare not pay attention to it. Many recruits who were going into battle for the first time even trembled in their calves when they looked at the landing site with the rumble of cannons - even though they all knew that it was their own side. Artillery fire, but what if it misses and falls on one of our own people?