Chapter 798: The Winning Hand (6, the Second Update Today)

In order to arrange for Minoru Genda to join the team and give him a logical background and motivation, Chiaki Matsuda also took great pains.

Minoru Genda always ignored aircraft protection and opposed adding armor. Engineers from Japanese aircraft manufacturing companies, such as Mitsubishi and Nakajima, have made many suggestions and proposals on protecting pilots' safety, but they are always rejected by Minoru Genda.

"This will only make pilots ignore their own skills training and turn into cowards who rely on machines." This is Minoru Genda's catchphrase. This is not only a concrete manifestation of his true inner thoughts, but also represents the ideas of a group of aviation personnel in the Japanese Navy at that time. Shibata Takeo, a classmate of the same period, often argued with Minoru Genda, especially about the development and tactics of fighter jets. The arguments between the two sides were even more intense, but every time Minoru Genda's opinion won and Shibata's opinion was almost never passed.

But this time the situation was reversed. At the aviation armament meeting chaired by Hori Teikichi himself and attended by a group of aviation faction senior officials such as Yamamoto Isoroku, Inoue Narumi, and Onishi Takijiro, they focused on criticizing Genda Minoru's idea of ​​ignoring protection, and believed that it was necessary to pay great attention to aircraft protection and pilot safety protection. At the same time, they decided to take a two-pronged approach. On the one hand, they continued to introduce new aircraft from Germany, including models such as the Caiyun Kai and Meteor Kai, which should be put on board as soon as possible; on the other hand, they should strive to develop new aircraft, not only to speed up the cooperative development of the Gale and Shiden Kai, but also to consider introducing the Type 4 Fighter Gale from the army. In terms of tactics, based on many combat experiences, the pilot representatives also proposed that in addition to continuing to focus on horizontal combat, they should also focus on speed and promote the "one-hit-and-run" tactics.

Genda Minoru was embarrassed at this meeting, while Shibata Takeo shone brightly, sweeping away his previous depression. He was so happy that he told everyone that Chief Hori Teikichi was wise and was the best military strategist in Japan. After the meeting, Genda Minoru "fell out of favor", complained constantly, was indignant, and his position gradually "slipped" to the other side. But in fact, the question of whether to strengthen protection and focus on speed tactics was exposed on Socotra Island. The effect of the US imperialist 12.7mm heirloom against aircraft was only average, and the stormy firepower of the German Fw-1G213 machine gun made people feel desperate. The German side also asked: "Why do your Yamato battleships pay extreme attention to defense? The armor is as thick as possible, but now you don't need protection when changing aircraft? Aren't naval pilots the navy?" This statement left the arrogant Showa staff speechless.

The first experience that Hori Teikichi summarized for the South Pacific Campaign was that pilots should survive as much as possible. What's the big deal about losing a plane? As long as people are alive, there is always a way to get a plane. After arriving in Germany, the entire fleet was even more stimulated. The German side said: It takes more than a year to train a qualified pilot, and burns 30 to 40 tons of gasoline. The cost of an ace pilot is more than ten times that of an ordinary pilot, but the aircraft can easily build 2,500 aircraft in a month! If Japan is willing to provide excellent pilots to Germany, Germany is willing to exchange aircraft with Japan. Aces like Akamatsu Sadaaki directly offer 100 aircraft/year, and senior commanders like Fuchida Mitsuo who have participated in many battles even offer 300 aircraft/year.

This price made the Japanese side smack their lips - the annual salary of all Japanese naval admirals could not buy a Zero War Kai, but the Germans believed that a pilot who was not even an officer was worth 100 aircraft.

Not to mention that Akamatsu Sadaaki was moved to stay at the beginning, even pilots like Itaya Shigeru who didn't like to carry a parachute and would rather carry a saber were no longer stubborn now. Everyone joked with each other: "You are worth a few planes, I am worth a few planes", meaning that life is very precious and you have to find ways to survive. How could a man as smart as Genda Minoru not understand such an obvious truth? It was just for performance, so Fuchida Mitsuo mocked him for being a "good actor".

At 1:00 p.m. on December 29, 1943, the main force of the Combined Fleet, including Yamato, Musashi, Taiho, etc., swooped towards Tokyo Bay. Before that, reconnaissance aircraft had reported that the Second Air Fleet was not found in Tokyo Bay. In order to defend against enemy aircraft, Ikawa Koshiro gave an order to Taiho, requiring the ship to take off fighters for cover and prepare for the attack aircraft group to be dispatched. Taiho immediately quickly broke away from the formation and turned to the upwind position to release the battle group. The high efficiency was very satisfactory. Ikawa Koshiro couldn't help but nod repeatedly, thinking that Hosoka Mushiro and Genda Minoru performed well and controlled the troops and started work so quickly.

He had no idea that before these pilots were released, all the officers and soldiers on the ship had already mobilized to fight against the rebellion. Everyone was wearing a "Respect the Emperor and Fight the Traitor" scarf and listening to the instructions. The pilots who had been depressed and listless all the way were excited when they heard that their superiors were going to "join the rebellion". They were like chicken blood.

"I declare that the Taiho has joined the anti-rebellion army! Raise the flag!"

A large flag with the words "Respect the Emperor and Fight the Traitor" was slowly raised on the flagpole, fluttering in the cold wind...

"Sir..." Shen Shigenori stumbled into the operations room and said to everyone in a horrified tone, "Genda Minoru is a spy, Taiho... surrendered to the enemy!"

"What?" It was like a thunderbolt in his ears, and Ikawa Koshiro almost fainted. He shouted, "What's going on?"

"I don't know either." Shen Shigenori cried, "Genda Minoru suddenly sent a telegram, and the words were very unpleasant..."

"What did the telegram say?" Ugaki Matoi suddenly asked.

"... You old thief Oikawa, you think you can fight Chief Hori Teikichi? Clean your neck and wait! God will punish you, ****!"

Kondo Nobutake, who had been silent all the time, ignored Oikawa Koshiro, whose face turned as black as coal. Instead, he sighed: "Now we don't have an aircraft carrier. If we can't defeat them, withdraw our troops."

"You...you..." Oikawa Koshiro trembled with his fingers and shouted, "No! Kamijutoku, please find a way out for me!"

"Otherwise, before the distance is widened, the rebel carrier-based aircraft will not be released and bombarded with naval guns."

"No!" Takagi Takeo said, "This is a heavy aircraft carrier that the empire finally built with great difficulty. How can it be attacked?"

"Yes, how can the navy kill each other!" Takeo Kurita helped.

"I don't think the Taiho will attack us. Everyone has his own ambitions, so let him go." Shima Qingying immediately expressed his position.

Seeing that several admirals had this attitude, most of the staff remained silent.

"No!" Oikawa Koshiro slapped the table, veins popping up on his face, "No matter how good a warship is, it will be useless once it rebels! I order: Yamato and Musashi immediately move forward and sink him with naval guns! Every destroyer is ready to release torpedoes!"

Shen Zhongde was about to rush to convey the order when suddenly a voice sounded: "Asshole, stop, who asked you to go? This matter has not been decided yet!"

Kami Shigetoku had just turned around, and was shocked when he heard this. He quickly turned around again and found that Ugaki was speaking, so he stamped his foot: "Chief of Staff, you can't be indecisive. Wait until Taiho releases the attack planes." It's our end, we can't bear to..."

Before he could finish saying the words "kindhearted and softhearted", there was a "bang" gunshot. Ugaki Matoi took out a Browning pistol from nowhere, pointed it at Kami Shigetoku and fired. A blood hole suddenly appeared on the latter's forehead, and blood was pouring out. His eyes were widened with an expression of disbelief, and he fell down unwillingly.

Oikawa Koushiro was stunned by this unexpected turn of events. He was stunned for a few seconds before he came to his senses and roared: "Ugaki Matoi!"

"You, sit down!" Ugaki Matoi pointed the gun at Oikawa Koshiro again, "No one is allowed to move, I will kill anyone who moves!"

"You, you, you... you are so confused." Oikawa yelled as he fell on the chair, "Have you forgotten how Yamamoto and Horikichi treated you? I... I have always valued you. Yes!”

"Bah, you deserve it?"

Several of Oikawa's confidants stepped forward to help, but were frightened by Ugaki Matoi's pistol and didn't know what to do for a while. Admirals don't carry guns in the command tower. Who knew that Ugaki Matoi would secretly bring a pistol? Fortunately now, the command center of the world's largest battleship with a 460mm naval gun was actually restrained by a small Browning pistol.

The lieutenant generals looked at me and I looked at you, and they were also caught off guard by this situation.

With a "bang", the door of the command tower was opened. The sailors outside heard the gunfire and thought something was wrong and quickly rushed in. They were equipped with submachine guns.

"Bring this traitor to me!" Oikawa Koshiro immediately became excited when he saw the savior. The guards hesitated and were about to step forward when Ugaki Matoi shouted, "Don't move, if you move again I will kill him!"

No one dared to move.

Kondo Nobutake sighed and waved to the sailors: "You can step back."

"Sir, is it okay?"

"It's okay, I will take care of it." Nobutake Kondo closed his eyes and thought for a while, "The commander is a little drunk. Please help him go down and rest."

"Kondo Nobutake! Do you dare to disobey my order?! Do you dare to rebel?"

"I only obey correct orders!" Kondo Nobutake waved his hand, and the soldiers stepped forward to pull Oikawa away.

"You...you...don't come here! Kill Kondou Nobutake and Ugaki Matoi immediately...each of them will be promoted to three levels!"

"It seems that the commander did drink too much!"

"Let's go, don't struggle..." The sailors, led by two lieutenants, suddenly showed a hint of ridicule. Oikawa Koushiro and his confidants were all taken away - Commander Kondo is the boss of the battleship unit, who does Oikawa count? ? Do you still dare to deal with Chief Horikichi? It's against him!

Kondo Nobutake patted Ugaki Matoi's shoulder and comforted him: "Why are you bothering..."

"I..." Yu Yuancheng was stunned, not knowing what to say.

"Command, all warships that are willing to join the fight against the rebels must raise the Z-shaped flag! If not, please turn around and return to the anchorage."

A few minutes later, the staff officer rushed over excitedly: "Sir, all ships in the fleet have raised the Z flag..."

"March to Tokyo Port!"

"Onboard!"