The Rise of the Third Reich

November 2, South Pacific, Solomon Sea.

A huge Japanese fleet is rapidly heading southeast along the dotted Solomon Islands.

2 Yamato-class battleships, 2 Kongo-class battleships, 2 Ohtaka-class aircraft carriers, 2 Mogami-class heavy cruisers, 3 Kawauchi-class light cruisers, and 9 additional destroyers.

A total of 20 battleships formed a column with two Yamato-class battleships as the core, which looked like city walls, moving forward in a mighty manner. The Yamato's majestic body and prestigious reputation made all the sailors on the deck excited. Coupled with the exciting victory at Port Moresby two days ago, most people now believe that the Battle of Australia is inevitable, and the great achievements of the Empire of Japan will be completed in one battle!

Perhaps, as soon as the Yamato and Musashi appear off the coast of Brisbane or Sydney, those cowardly Americans will pee their pants in fear, and then run back to the American continent crying?

However, on the bridge of the Yamato battleship, Combined Fleet Commander Yamamoto Isoroku was not as optimistic as the sailors. He didn't think that the American soldiers guarding Sydney and Brisbane would be easily scared away - the Americans spent 10 months strengthening the defenses there, and it would be a hard fight to capture them!

So the Yamato and Musashi are not going to scare people off Brisbane or Sydney at all now. The first target of the two Japanese super battleships in this operation was the French colony of New Caledonia, less than 1,200 nautical miles away from Rabaul.

Although this New Caledonia belongs to France in terms of sovereignty, the orders of the Pétain government in Paris cannot reach here. The French colonial authorities in New Caledonia now owed allegiance to the Free French movement in exile in London.

Therefore, after the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Australian and New Zealand troops and the US military successively stationed on the island. As Japan pressed forward in the South Pacific and successively occupied the Bismarck Islands and the Solomon Islands, the status of New Caledonia became very important.

Because the straight-line distance between the island and the Port of Brisbane on the east coast of Australia is only 1,500 kilometers, if SBD dive bombers and TBF torpedo bombers are deployed on New Caledonia and Brisbane at the same time, the British and American allies can blockade Brisbane. between New Caledonia and Sydney to ensure the safety of the waterway between Sydney and New Zealand.

If the Japanese Combined Fleet cannot pull out or temporarily paralyze New Caledonia, the nail stuck in the South Pacific, then the 1st Air Fleet heading south will not be able to reach the large American fleet and will be bombed by shore-based aircraft. .

Although Japan's 1st Air Fleet, escorted by a large number of Zero aircraft, is not afraid of air attacks by British and American shore-based aircraft. However, once the 1st Air Fleet is discovered by the enemy, the fleet heading to Australia may go to New Zealand to avoid the storm until the 1st Air Fleet leaves.

Therefore, in order for the 1st Air Fleet to move south smoothly, it must first destroy the US military airport on New Caledonia.

Moreover, this task cannot be completed by the 1st Air Fleet itself, but must be completed by the 1st Fleet that goes south first. Because once the 1st Air Fleet launches an air attack, the Americans will know that the main force of the Japanese aircraft carrier force has moved south.

Therefore, Yamamoto instructed Ugaki Matou and Kurojima Kameto to plan a 1st fleet ahead to "blind" New Caledonia (while also creating the illusion that the Japanese army was about to attack New Caledonia). , and then the 1st Air Fleet and the 1st Fleet will go south together again.

"Commander, the Yamato's electronic reconnaissance found an enemy aircraft, number 1." Just when Yamamoto Isoroku was thinking about how to deal with the main aircraft carrier of the U.S. Pacific Fleet that might appear, the captain of the Yamato, Takayanagi Hachi, was a little nervous. The voice suddenly rang.

"Oh," Yamamoto Isoroku responded, "How far is it from New Caledonia now?"

"Less than 300 nautical miles," the combined fleet's chief staff officer Kurojima Turtle replied, "what is approaching now should be the enemy's reconnaissance plane."

"Don't let this plane enter the attack position," Yamamoto Isoroku said with a smile, "If the Americans want to see it, let them see it clearly. Maybe we can draw out the American aircraft carrier formation!"

Compared to New Caledonia, the main US aircraft carrier is a more important target! If they could be completely wiped out, both New Caledonia and mainland Australia would be in trouble.

…

"Two 'Yamato' class ships, two 'King Kong' class ships, two 20,000-ton aircraft carriers..."

The news that the Japanese naval fleet was discovered about 300 nautical miles northwest of New Caledonia was quickly spread via radio waves to San Diego, thousands of miles away.

Lieutenant General Spruance looked down at the telegram copy, frowned and said to Nimitz: "Admiral, this fleet should be going to occupy New Caledonia."

"Occupy New Caledonia?" Nimitz stood in front of the huge chart table, frowning slightly.

"Yes, isolate Australia first and then attack." Spruance analyzed, "Now Port Moresby has been occupied, the Bismarck Islands and the Solomon Islands have also been occupied... If the Japanese can occupy New Cali Donia and New Zealand, then the route between the United States and Australia will be completely cut off, and the Australian continent will become an isolated island, and an isolated island cannot hold on for a long time.”

It is difficult to defend an isolated city, and it is equally difficult to defend an isolated island.

Although the Australian continent has no shortage of resources or food, the industry in Australia is not developed and cannot provide the weapons and equipment needed for a long-term war. Moreover, there are not many white people in Australia. If there is a bloody battle, it will only take time for them to die. So as long as Australia is encircled, whether it can be conquered is a matter of determination.

As long as there is determination and no fear of sacrifice, Australia will definitely belong to Japan after fighting for ten or eight years!

The Japanese have never lacked determination, and they are not afraid of sacrifice at all. So after taking New Caledonia and New Zealand, the Australian continent will be really difficult to defend.

Moreover, it is very difficult for the United States to counterattack New Zealand and New Caledonia. Because except for New Caledonia, New Zealand and the Australian mainland, the United States has few troops stationed on other islands in the South Pacific, which can be easily removed by the Japanese one by one.

If there are no islands to rest for the landing fleet and troops, and the troops are directly sent to the ship from the US mainland to counterattack, it is hard to say whether those American soldiers who are seasick for 11,000 kilometers can walk after getting off the ship.

"Does Admiral MacArthur know?" Nimitz asked.

Now the naval battles in the Pacific battlefield are under the jurisdiction of Nimitz, while the land battles are under the jurisdiction of Admiral MacArthur, the Allied Commander-in-Chief of the Southwest Pacific Theater, stationed in Brisbane.

"Admiral MacArthur has been notified," Spruance said, "Admiral MacArthur believes that the route between Australia and the United States must be maintained."

"That means we must defend New Zealand." Nimitz thought for a while and said, "Losing New Caledonia will only cause a serious threat to the route, but as long as New Zealand is in hand, we can always maintain the route."

"Admiral, do you want the 1st Armored Division to go to New Zealand?"

"No, the 1st Armored Division should still go to Australia as much as possible," Nimitz said, "but the 1st Army Division can go to New Zealand... The FS06 fleet will carry The supplies can also be shipped to New Zealand first. "

"What about New Caledonia?"

"We can only give up." Nimitz thought for a while and asked, "Where is Halsey?"

"It's almost New Zealand. It will reach the waters near New Zealand in two days at most." Spruance asked, "Admiral, do you want Admiral Halsey's fleet to attack the Japanese fleet?"

"Of course!" Nimitz gritted his teeth, "Of course we can't let them go!"

These are two "Yamato" (through Soviet spies, the United States learned that the terrible Japanese battleships were called "Yamato" class)! How could we let them go?

"But the FS07 fleet must reach safe waters first." Nimitz said, "Then Halsey can command the 1st Task Force to go north to fight."

It is very important to escort the 4th Armored Division to Australia. Nimitz knows that there can be no mistakes-as long as the 4th Armored Division can reach Australia, and the 1st Infantry Division and hundreds of aircraft can reach New Zealand at the same time. The battle of Australia was easy to fight. Even if Halsey's 1st Task Force was defeated, the situation could be maintained in the short term.

"How are the three commerce raiding formations?" Nimitz then asked about the three commerce raiding aircraft carriers.

Although commerce raiding with aircraft carriers is a bit wasteful, the Americans have the capital to waste and win at the same time!

The current three commerce raiding aircraft carriers are just the beginning. There will be another 19 in the future! At that time, unless the Japanese let the main aircraft carriers escort, their routes will never be safe.

"We carried out several more attacks, but the results were much smaller," Spruance replied. "Only two small boats of less than 2,000 tons were sunk yesterday."

With three aircraft carrier formations breaking into the Western Pacific, the Japanese transport fleets were of course scattered, and it was impossible for them to wait foolishly to be bombed. Therefore, after the big harvest on the first day, there were no big results.

"But our submarines and disguised raiders have achieved good results," Spruance said with a smile, "there were reports of sinkings yesterday and today, and there may be 6 Japanese transport ships sunk." The three American aircraft carriers scared the Japanese transport fleet in the Western Pacific to disperse, and without the escort formation, submarines and raiders were naturally easy to succeed. In short, since the three anti-shipping aircraft carriers appeared in the Western Pacific, the Japanese transport ships have had a very difficult time. In just a few days, the total tonnage lost was close to 200,000 tons! If such losses continue, it will not take more than a few days to lose 200,000 tons. Even if 200,000 tons are lost in a month, Japan will not be able to fight!