Chapter 717 Coral Sea-Yamato Is Coming

November 2, South Pacific, Solomon Sea.

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

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

A total of 20 warships, with 2 Yamato-class battleships like city walls as the core, formed a column, marching forward in a mighty manner. The Yamato's majestic body and great reputation made all the sailors on the deck excited. Coupled with the inspiring victory of Port Moresby two days ago, most people now believe that the battle of Australia will be won without a doubt, and the great cause of the Empire of Japan will be accomplished in one battle!

Perhaps, as long as the Yamato and Musashi appear off the coast of Brisbane or Sydney, those cowardly Americans will be scared to the point of peeing their pants, and then run back to the American continent crying?

However, in the bridge of the Yamato battleship, the commander of the Combined Fleet, Isoroku Yamamoto, was not as optimistic as the sailors. He did not think that the American soldiers guarding Sydney and Brisbane would be easily scared away - the Americans spent 10 months strengthening the defense there, and it would take a hard fight to capture it!

Therefore, the Yamato and Musashi were not going to the coast of Brisbane or Sydney to scare people. The first target of these two Japanese super battleships in this operation was the French colony of New Caledonia, which was less than 1,200 nautical miles from Rabaul.

Although New Caledonia belonged to France in terms of sovereignty, the orders of the Paris Pétain government could not reach here. The French colonial authorities in New Caledonia were now loyal 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 troops successively entered the island. As Japan pressed forward in the South Pacific, occupying the Bismarck Archipelago 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 Allied Forces can block the waterway between Brisbane and New Caledonia and ensure the safety of the waterway between Sydney and New Zealand.

If the Japanese Combined Fleet cannot remove or temporarily paralyze the nail of New Caledonia 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 the Japanese 1st Air Fleet, escorted by a large number of Zero aircraft, is not afraid of air strikes 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 hide until the 1st Air Fleet leaves.

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

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

So Yamamoto instructed Ugaki Matoi and Kuroshima Kameto to formulate a combat plan in which the 1st Fleet will go first, "blind" New Caledonia (while also creating the illusion that the Japanese army will attack New Caledonia), and then the 1st Air Fleet and the 1st Fleet will move south together.

"Commander, the Yamato's radar has detected enemy aircraft, number 1." Just as Yamamoto Isoroku was thinking about how to deal with the main aircraft carrier of the US Pacific Fleet that might appear, the somewhat nervous voice of the captain of the Yamato, Colonel Takayanagi Giya, suddenly sounded.

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

"Less than 300 nautical miles," replied Kuroshima Kameto, the chief staff officer of the Combined Fleet, "It should be the enemy's reconnaissance plane that is approaching now."

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

Compared to New Caledonia, the main force of the US aircraft carrier is a more important target! If they can be completely annihilated, New Caledonia and the Australian mainland will be trapped.

...

"Two Yamato-class, two Kongo-class, 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 transmitted to San Diego thousands of miles away through radio waves.

Vice Admiral Spruance looked down at the telegram copy and frowned as he 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, and the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands have also been occupied... If the Japanese can occupy New Caledonia and New Zealand, then the route between the United States and Australia will be completely cut off. The Australian mainland will become an isolated island, and an isolated island cannot be defended for a long time."

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

Although the Australian continent has no shortage of resources and food, Australia's domestic industry 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 they really want to fight with mountains of corpses and seas of blood, it will only be a matter of time before they are all killed. So as long as Australia is trapped, whether it can defeat it or not is a matter of determination.

As long as you are determined, not afraid of sacrifice, and fight for ten or eight years, Australia will definitely belong to Japan!

The Japanese have never lacked determination, and they are not afraid of sacrificing them at all. So after taking New Caledonia and New Zealand, the Australian mainland 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 does not have many troops stationed on other islands in the South Pacific, and it is easy for the Japanese to remove them one by one.

If there is no island on which the landing fleet and troops can rest and recuperate, and the troops can directly board ships from the United States to counterattack, it is hard to say whether those American soldiers, who have been seasick for 11,000 kilometers, can still walk after getting off the ships.

"Does General MacArthur know?" Nimitz asked.

The naval warfare in the Pacific Theater was now under the jurisdiction of Nimitz, while the land warfare was under the jurisdiction of General 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 New Zealand must be defended." Nimitz thought for a moment 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."

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

"No, the 1st Armored Division still has to go to Australia as much as possible," Nimitz said, "but the 1st Army Division can go to New Zealand... The supplies carried by the FS06 fleet can also be transported to New Zealand first."

"What about New Caledonia?"

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

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

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

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

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

Escorting the 4th Armored Division to Australia was a very important matter, and Nimitz knew there could not be any mistakes - as long as the 4th Armored Division could reach Australia, the 1st Infantry Division and hundreds of aircraft could 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 is the situation of the three break-up formations?" Nimitz then asked about the situation of the three break-up aircraft carriers.

Although it is a bit wasteful to break the relationship with the aircraft carrier, the Americans have this capital and can win while wasting it!

The current three aircraft carriers are just the beginning, and another 19 will join in the future! By then, unless the Japanese let their main aircraft carriers escort them, their routes will never be safe.

"A few more raids were carried out, but with much less success," Spruance replied. "Only two small ships of less than 2,000 tons were sunk yesterday."

Three aircraft carrier formations broke into the Western Pacific. Of course, the Japanese transport fleet was scattered, and they could not just wait to be bombed. Therefore, after the big harvest on the first day, there were no big results.

"However, our submarines and camouflaged assault ships have achieved good results," Spruance said with a smile. "There were reports of sinking yesterday and today. Maybe six Japanese transport ships were sunk."

The three American aircraft carriers frightened the Japanese transport fleet in the Western Pacific into disbanding. Without the escort formation, it was naturally easier for submarines and raiding ships to succeed. In short, from the time when the three break-through aircraft carriers appeared in the Western Pacific, the life of Japanese transport ships was quite difficult. In just a few days, the total tonnage lost was close to 200,000 tons! If such losses continue, Japan will not be able to survive even if it loses 200,000 tons in a few days! Even if it loses 200,000 tons in a month!