The Rise of the Third Reich

"The special training of the Akagi flight team is now over. All personnel pack their bags and board the ship on time at 4 o'clock this afternoon!"

In a very spacious lounge full of pilots, Lieutenant Commander Mizuo Fuchida, the captain of the Akagi flight team, publicly announced the order to "board the ship". Now all captains, whether flying Zero fighters, Comet dive bombers or Type 97 torpedo bombers, have understood the tactics of American fighter jets and also know that American pilots are very difficult opponents - in fact, most of them Some American pilots were easier to deal with than German aces like Hersmann Jr.

"The Japanese pilots are now disbanded." Mitsuo Fuchida then gave another order, and then he said in English: "All German pilots stay."

More than a hundred Japanese people in the room stood up and then filed out in good order. Only eight German pilots assigned to the Akagi remained. According to the plan, they will form a fighter squadron with little Hersman as the squad leader (the Japanese carrier-based aircraft force has a squad structure), and will be responsible for the direct cover of the Akagi in the upcoming battle.

Mitsuo Fuchida continued to say in English: "Everyone, we are going to board the aircraft carrier Akagi, and then we will stay on the aircraft carrier for a long time, and we will also go to colder places, so we need to bring more warm clothes."

The aircraft carrier Akagi will go to Saeki Bay and conduct training there for a week. Then it will leave Saeki Bay on November 18 and sail to Dankan Bay on Etorio Island in northern Japan.

Fuchida continued: "Your aircraft has been sent to the aircraft carrier. It is a Fokker Zero manufactured according to the drawings provided by Fokker Company. Except that it does not have a supercharger and MW50 system, it is the same as the Fokker Zero, and the engine is the same. Made with German technology, it is very powerful. You have a week to get familiar with the new aircraft and practice taking off and landing on the Akagi.”

It is now November 11th, and one week later it will be November 18th. The Akagi will go to the gathering place of the First Mobile Fleet - Danguan Bay on Sawazu Island.

According to Yamamoto Isoroku, the "Z Operation Plan" was drawn up (actually drawn up by the staff).

It consists of 8 aircraft carriers including "Akagi", "Kaga", "Soryu", "Hiryu", "Zuikaku", "Shōkaku", "Ryujo" and "Hosho", as well as the "Kongo" class battleship "Hibi". "Ei" and "Kirishima", as well as 12 battleships including the heavy cruisers "Tone" and "Chikuma" as the core, plus 1 light cruiser, 9 destroyers, 3 submarines and 7 oil tankers. The first mobile fleet will set off from Danguan Bay on November 26, enter the standby sea area on the evening of December 3, refuel, and then wait for Yamamoto's order.

Different from the historical "Operation Z Plan", this time's "Operation Z Plan" is much more complicated. Because Yamamoto Isoroku’s purpose this time was not to attack in a sneak attack, but to occupy the Hawaiian Islands! If the goal of occupation cannot be achieved, we will still have a decisive battle with the U.S. Pacific Fleet in the waters of the Hawaiian Islands and strive to deliver a devastating blow!

On the battleship "Nagato" that was in conflict at the anchorage island, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was giving instructions to Nagumo Tadikachi, who was about to command the First Mobile Fleet to attack.

"Nagumo-kun, this time the fleet with the core of the 'Nagato' and the 'Mutsu' will also be dispatched, commanded by Lieutenant General Takasu Shiro, to escort the Taiwanese mixed brigade to Hawaii. If the raid is successful, the landing operation will follow immediately Expand..."

In the commander's cabin on the "Nagato", Yamamoto Isoroku and his old subordinate Nagumo sat on the floor. A chart of the vicinity of Hawaii was spread out between them, and two glasses of cold wine were placed between them. of coffee.

There is not much time left for Yamamoto Isoroku to live on the "Nagato", because the new flagship "Yamato" of the Combined Fleet has been completed and is currently undergoing sea trials. According to the plan, Yamamoto Isoroku and the Combined Fleet Command will wait at the "Yamato Hotel" in Shanguan Bay on December 1, and the original flagship "Nagato" will become the flagship of the "Hawaii Dispatch Fleet" , with former 1st Fleet Commander Takasu Shiro as commander. Escort thousands of elite Japanese army officers and soldiers to Hawaii.

The Taiwanese mixed brigade commanded by Major General Dohashi Yongyi was sent by the Army to participate in the Hawaii operation. Of course, the Taiwan Mixed Brigade is not a force mainly composed of Taiwanese, but is composed of the 1st and 2nd Infantry Regiments of the Taiwan Army (Japanese garrison in Taiwan) and the Taiwan Mountain Artillery Detachment (composed of 2 squadrons) A brigade-level detachment.

Although each unit bears the name "Taiwan", the vast majority of the wealthy members of these "Taiwan" units are Japanese, and there are only a very small number of Taiwanese volunteers. Japan has not yet implemented a military conscription system in Taiwan. A small number of volunteers existed. Moreover, these Taiwanese volunteers all have Japanese names and are completely Japaneseized in their ideology and culture. They can basically be regarded as Japanese.

However, relying on 2 infantry regiments and 2 mountain artillery squadrons, it is impossible for a force of less than 7,000 people to touch Oahu. The mission of Taiwan's mixed brigade is only to land on Kauai, which has few U.S. military defenses. Also landing with them were 3,000 workers from North Korea and Taiwan. Their task was to expand the airport, docks and build barracks on Kauai.

"If the attack on Pearl Harbor is successful," said Isoroku Yamamoto, "the First Mobile Fleet will retreat to the open sea and join the Hawaiian Expeditionary Fleet, and then the 'Hiei' and 'Kirishima' will join the Hawaiian Expeditionary Fleet. The Hawaiian Expeditionary Fleet will attack Kauai and act as bait. A decisive battle involving battleships and aircraft carriers is expected. If the decisive battle is won, the next step will be the attack on Oahu. At that time, I will personally lead the newly formed First Fleet to escort a large army to Hawaii to participate in the war!"

The First Fleet has always acted together with the Combined Fleet Command. After Isoroku Yamamoto brought the headquarters on the "Yamato", the original First Fleet will be renamed the Hawaiian Expeditionary Fleet, and the new First Fleet will be formed with the "Yamato" as the flagship.

"Commander, has the Army agreed to send a large army to participate in the Hawaiian War?" Nagumo Chuichi asked uncertainly, as he had not heard of this news.

Yamamoto Isoroku shook his head and smiled bitterly: "How can a person like Foolish Yuan understand the key position of Oahu in this war?"

"Foolish Yuan" is the nickname of the current Japanese Chief of Staff Sugiyama Gen. This guy is not stupid, but he looks a little stupid.

In addition, like most Japanese army officers, he is a "continentalist" and hopes to turn to the East Asian continent after solving the oil supply problem. That's why Yamamoto Isoroku called him "Foolish Yuan" behind his back.

"Foolish Yuan believes that as long as the oil supply is solved and the western continent is taken, the empire will have the basis to compete with Germany and the United States." Yamamoto Isoroku said with a smile. "He thinks that it is not enough for us Japan to fight the United States, and we have to add the Soviet Union. I really don't know what to say."

"Commander, then the Hawaii battle..." Nanyun Chuichi was stunned.

Isoroku Yamamoto smiled and said to Nagumo, "Mr. Nagumo, it's up to you. If you can win a great victory like the Battle of Tsushima in Hawaii, then even the fool Yuan can't stop us from occupying Hawaii. Only by taking Hawaii can the absolute defense circle of the empire be truly guaranteed."

Nangumo Chuichi nodded, "Please rest assured, Commander, the First Mobile Fleet will definitely go all out!"

Yamamoto smiled and nodded, "By the way, the Germans did not agree to send an aircraft carrier to the Pacific, but they sent a missile cruiser."

"Missile cruiser? What is a missile?"

"It's a flying bomb operated by a person," said Isoroku Yamamoto, "The Germans' ultimate idea is to use radio guidance, so they named this weapon a missile. But at the moment they haven't solved the problem of radio guidance, so they changed it to a manned one."

"Is there anyone in Germany willing to drive this kind of missile?" Nagumo Chuichi asked a little uncertainly.

"Probably not..." Yamamoto Isoroku shook his head, "So they sent this missile cruiser named 'Emperor Friedrich III' to support us. According to the Germans' description, this is a large ship with a standard displacement of 23,700 tons, with two V3 missile launchers, carrying 18 V3 missiles and 1 V3 training missile." "When will this ship arrive?" Yamamoto Isoroku replied: "It will arrive in Japan before the end of this month. If everything goes well, this 'Emperor Friedrich III' will act together with the 'Yamato'. Participate in the final attack on Oahu Island at the beginning of next year." ... Oahu Island, Pearl Harbor. Vice Admiral William Frederick Halsey, commander of the US Pacific Fleet's aircraft carrier task force, walked quickly into the Pacific Fleet Command Building. He had just come down from his flagship Enterprise aircraft carrier, and before he had time to go home, he received a call from the Pacific Fleet Command, asking him to meet Admiral Husband Kimmel immediately. When he walked into the Pacific Fleet Command Building, he found that there was actually a hint of gunpowder here. The officers coming in and out were all in a hurry, with serious expressions on their faces. Some were still talking in low voices. The topic of their conversation was not about the weekend dance or the sunshine on the beach, but how to kill the Japanese! Although Halsey liked such topics very much, he was still very confused. Someone in the Pacific Fleet Command was actually discussing war! Vice Admiral Halsey thought, has Japan declared war on the United States?