The Rise of the Third Reich

"Destroy the oil depot in the first wave?" Nan Yunzhong frowned, as if he was making repeated calculations.

There is no problem in blowing up the oil depot. Japanese spies in Hawaii have already identified the location and defense of the oil depot. Although the Americans have stored millions of tons of heavy oil and aviation gasoline in the oil depot on Oahu, the defense of the oil depot is relatively lax. It is not a solid underground oil depot, and it is not surrounded by anti-aircraft guns. Just one squadron of dive bombers could blow up the oil depots on Oahu.

However, once the oil depot caught fire, it would produce thick smoke, and the thick smoke would obscure the port, making it difficult for Japanese pilots to attack American ships anchored in Pearl Harbor.

"Commander," Minoru Genda knew what Nagumo Chuichi was hesitating about. He said, "The Americans must be prepared now, and a sneak attack is completely impossible. They only need to deploy anti-aircraft guns next to the battleship berth in the port and put down mine protection nets. . It would be difficult for us to sink the US battleships. Instead of destroying the battleships that are difficult to sink, we should use part of our firepower to destroy the airport and oil depot, and then use the Taiwanese mixed brigade that landed on Kauai as bait to attract the US in Pearl Harbor. The fleet and the U.S. aircraft carriers south of the Hawaiian Islands came for a decisive battle."

Genda Minoru's analysis is very reasonable. The night attack on Toulon Port in 1940 has shattered the myth that shallow water ports cannot airdrop torpedoes. It is impossible for Americans not to know this.

Now that Pearl Harbor is defended, they will definitely put up mine protection nets and add anti-aircraft gun positions near the battleship berths. A torpedo attack will not work at all, but will cause heavy losses to the Type 97 torpedo bomber.

By the way, because it was expected that the Americans would lay mine protection nets around the battleships in Pearl Harbor, the plan to use pocket submarines for a sneak attack was also cancelled.

The 250-kilogram armor-piercing bomb of the Type 99 carrier-based dive bomber is not powerful enough to sink a battleship with strong armor, so it should be used to destroy airports and oil depots.

"The American battleships are still going to be bombed," Nagumo Chuichi thought for a while with a frown on his face, and still thought that several American battleships would be bombed and sunk. "Since the Type 99 dive bombers are not powerful enough, use them to bomb oil depots and airports. Use 'Comet' dive bombers and some Type 97 torpedo bombers to carry 800 kilograms of armor-piercing bombs to deal with American battleships."

"It is enough to use one squadron of Type 99s in the oil depot," Minoru Genda thought, "and then use two squadrons of 'Comets' and two squadrons of Type 97s to bomb American battleships, and the remaining aircraft will bomb the airport. ”

"Hai!"

After receiving the order, Genda Minoru immediately revised the attack plan. The third attack wave was cancelled, and all 48 "Comet" dive bombers were concentrated on the first attack wave. In addition to the Comet dive bombers, the first attack wave also had 64 Zero fighters serving as escorts, 24 Type 99 dive bombers, and 75 Type 97 torpedo bombers. A total of 211 aircraft will be dispatched in the first attack wave.

The second attack wave consisted of 203 aircraft, including 64 escorting Zero aircraft, 64 Type 99 dive bombers, and 75 Type 97 torpedo bombers.

In addition, there are 72 Zero fighters flown by German pilots responsible for protecting the safety of the First Mobile Fleet. There are also 15 Type 99 dive bombers acting as reconnaissance aircraft, searching for traces of US aircraft carriers while the first and second attack waves are attacking.

…

At about 5 a.m. on December 7, 1942 (Hawaii time), the five U.S. aircraft carriers, which left many high-level Japanese soldiers unable to eat or sleep, ran into the Pacific waters about 200 nautical miles east of Guam-Saipan.

Like Japan's First Mobile Fleet, this U.S. aircraft carrier task force immediately implemented radio silence as soon as it left Pearl Harbor, then avoided the Japanese-controlled Marshall Islands and quietly approached the Guam-Saipan line.

"Dong dong dong..." A staff officer knocked hard on the door of Lieutenant General Halsey's cabin, "Lieutenant General! Lieutenant General! Emergency call from Pearl Harbor!"

Halsey, who was sleeping soundly, was awakened from his dream. He put on his pajamas and opened the cabin door. He asked unhappily: "Henry, what's going on?"

"Lieutenant General," the navy captain named Henry said to Halsey with a nervous expression and an urgent and fast tone, "the war is about to break out! The Japanese are about to declare war on us! "

"Soon?" Halsey's sleepiness suddenly disappeared without a trace. "When is it soon?"

"I don't know, but the telegram from Pearl Harbor said that war should happen around 7:00 a.m. Hawaii time! Admiral Kimmel ordered us to launch carrier-based aircraft to bomb Saipan at 7:30 a.m. Hawaii time."

"Two and a half hours left?" Halsey laughed. "This is great. All the yellow-skinned monkeys in Saipan will die soon. This is really pleasant news."

Lieutenant General Halsey has such an optimistic character. Although he has always been very dissatisfied with the poor skills of carrier-based aircraft pilots on several aircraft carriers (mainly the poor skills of dive bombers in dropping bombs), he still firmly believes in him. The fleet will definitely be able to wipe out all the Japanese Japs on Saipan without any effort.

"Henry, you go to the bridge and sound the alarm." Halsey said with a smile, "I'll get dressed and I'll be there soon, and then I'm going to speak to the entire fleet and tell the guys the good news... Now the United States of America can finally join. The war is over, this is a good thing, our descendants will be proud of our generation of American soldiers!”

…

It was still noon in Washington, the capital of the United States, and President Roosevelt was in the Oval Office with Secretary of State Hull, Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Navy Knox, Chief of Staff of the Army Marshall, Secretary of Naval Operations Stark, and Secretary of Commerce. Hopkins, White House Intelligence Coordinator Donovan and other senior officials and generals met to discuss how to expose the United States to a despicable and shameless sneak attack!

"President, Ambassador Nomura of Japan has requested to meet with me at one o'clock this afternoon," Secretary of State Hull told Roosevelt. "I believe he is going to hand me a declaration of war."

"Put it off until two o'clock in the afternoon," Roosevelt said in an emotional tone. "The Japanese are good at sneak attacks. They must make sneak attacks on Clark Base and Cavite Base in the Philippines... This is the most despicable and shameless sneak attack in human history. Hundreds of unprepared American soldiers lost their lives as a result!”

Then the President of the United States glanced at the spy chief Donovan. Donovan understood and stood up and said: "Mr. President, I have some important personal matters..."

Roosevelt smiled and said, "Go ahead and do your work."

Donovan got up and left to arrange "private matters." Roosevelt continued to discuss official matters with everyone, which of course was how to turn the war with Japan into a worldwide war.

This seems not to be easy, because the despicable and shameless country that attacked the United States is Japan, not the scary-looking German Empire.

"I'm afraid it will be difficult for members of Congress to approve a declaration of war against Germany because of Japan's sneak attack." Commerce Secretary Hopkins said, "Unless we can produce convincing evidence to prove that there is collusion between Germany and Japan."

"You can get a telegram, just like during the last war." Someone immediately suggested.

"That won't work, because Germany looks much better now than it did in 1917."

"Then... maybe we can unite with the Soviet Union to attack Japan." Secretary of State Hull suggested at this time. "In order to rescue Japan, Germany is likely to attack the Soviet Union. Since we and the Soviet Union are allies, we are naturally obliged to declare war on Germany."

"This won't work," Army Chief of Staff Marshall shook his head and said, "Germany will most likely betray Japan, sign some kind of treaty with the Soviet Union, and then attack the British mainland."

"And Stalin will not take the risk of a war on two fronts," Roosevelt shook his big head. "Once he goes to war with Japan, he will definitely compromise with Germany... The Russians have basically never started a war on two fronts in history."

A room full of American big shots discussed for a long time, but they couldn't think of a way to drag Germany into the water. Unless the Germans themselves are willing to declare war on the United States, the United States will still have no way to declare war on Germany in the short term.

Of course, once the United States declares war on Japan, the entire country will be at war. Roosevelt was the wartime president, and his power would be far greater than that of a peacetime president, enough to drag the United States step by step into hostility with Germany.

"Have you not discovered the Japanese aircraft carrier yet?"

In Pearl Harbor, at the Pacific Fleet Headquarters, Admiral Kimmel had just issued an order for martial law and first-level combat readiness. Prior to this, starting from December 1, the Pacific Fleet and the U.S. Army and Marine Corps stationed in Hawaii have all canceled the vacations of officers and soldiers, and tens of thousands of troops are already on alert.

But Admiral Kimmel is still a little worried, because the Japanese aircraft carrier that has disappeared for many days has not yet appeared! These aircraft carriers seemed to have evaporated from the world.

"Admiral, no trace of them has been found yet." The staff officer immediately replied.

"Have submarines been sent to search the area east of the Philippines?"

"Twenty-two submarines from the Asian Fleet have been wandering there for two days without finding anything."

"What about near Guam?"

"Only a Japanese small fleet was found arriving on Saipan, and no aircraft carrier was found."

"Did they go to the South China Sea?" Kimmel thought for a while, "It must be the South China Sea! The Japanese must want to open the Strait of Malacca first, and then join the Germans in the Indian Ocean. Immediately send electricity to the Asian fleet and let them leave Singapore. Hong Kong, take shelter in the Indian Ocean first.”

"Admiral," a young staff officer suddenly reminded Kimmel, "will the Japanese aircraft carrier come to Hawaii?"

"Coming to Hawaii?" Kimmel was stunned, and just about to say it was impossible, he saw a staff officer hurried in and reported loudly: "Admiral, the radar station in the northern part of Oahu reported that an unknown object was found 50 kilometers north of the island. airplane!"