The Rise of the Third Reich

"Why do we have to fight in the Hawaiian Islands? We can completely deceive the Germans and they won't know. Even if they know, what can they do to us?"

"Yes, there is no guarantee of victory in the decisive battle at present, and even if it wins, the combined fleet will definitely be severely weakened..."

"And now the Americans have used bacterial weapons against our homeland. If this war continues, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Japan, Kuril Islands, in Danguan Bay, Sawazuo Island. In the commander's cabin of the Japanese Combined Fleet flagship Yamato, Commander Chuichi Nagumo and Chief of Staff Ryunosuke Kusaka were having a secret conversation with Seiichi Ito, who came in person to convey orders from the Military Command.

Nagumo Chuichi and Kusaka Ryunosuke have commanded the combined fleet to deal with the Americans for more than three months. During this period, they also led the fleet to attack several times to cover the reinforcement of the Hawaiian Islands.

However, they have never found an opportunity for a decisive fleet battle, because the size of the US fleet is too large, covering a large area of ​​​​the ocean south of the Hawaiian Islands. Moreover, the Americans have carefully hidden their main aircraft carrier formation, making it difficult for the Japanese to determine their location. This makes it impossible to launch suicide missile attacks, and even conventional aviation strikes will be difficult to carry out.

Although American escort aircraft carriers are easy to find, their strike value is not high.

In addition, the large number of P-47Ds deployed on Niihau Island also made Chuichi Nagumo and Ryunosuke Kusaka feel very troubled.

The P-47D is equipped with an R-2800-21W air-cooled engine with a turbocharger and a power of 2,300 horsepower (up to 2,535 horsepower with water injection). Not only does it have excellent high-altitude performance, it can also undertake the dual tasks of high-altitude interception and penetration.

Moreover, the P-47D is also a very sturdy aircraft with a large bomb load. The full weight is as high as 9387 kilograms. It has strong armor and a large range - the internal fuel tank can support 1658 kilometers, and the external storage capacity is up to 1113 kilograms. ——Can hang auxiliary fuel tanks or bombs.

With its high altitude, high speed, large range and large external capabilities, the P-47D is a bit like the German all-purpose aircraft Fw-190. It is a multi-purpose aircraft that can be used as a fighter-bomber.

Because the P-47's fuselage is very strong, it is difficult to shoot down the aircraft when performing ground and sea attack missions.

And its excellent performance and powerful firepower at altitudes above 6,000 meters are enough to break through the obstruction of any Japanese fighter jet.

In other words, as long as the main force of the Japanese combined fleet reaches the combat radius of the P-47D on Niihau Island, they can only watch as this heavy, fast and sturdy American aircraft breaks through the direct cover aircraft with hundreds of kilograms of bombs. protection, and then conducted a shallow dive to drop the bomb.

Although the effect of U.S. Army aircraft carrying out ship attacks cannot be compared with that of naval aircraft specifically used to deal with ships (mainly due to the difference in pilot skills), Nagumo Chuichi and Kusaka Ryunosuke are not willing to take advantage of their precious fleet. To take that risk.

In addition to the above two reasons, the US military's increasingly rampant operations to break diplomatic relations and the Japanese base camp's confirmation that the United States was using submarines to release anthrax bacteria into Japan were also the reasons why Chuichi Nagumo and Ryunosuke Kusaka were unwilling to fight decisively.

Due to the combined effects of U.S. submarines, mines, and break-up fleets (usually composed of Independence-class aircraft carriers, Cleveland-class light cruisers, and Fletcher-class destroyers), the amount of supplies shipped back from the South China Sea was declining rapidly.

If it cannot strengthen its escort as soon as possible or make peace with the United States, Japan will not be able to produce enough fuel for the combined fleet to use in a few months to a year at most.

Escort operations also require the investment of a large number of surface ships, especially to deal with the United States' small break-up fleet, which requires the dispatch of aircraft carriers. If the Combined Fleet suffered heavy losses in the Battle of the Hawaiian Islands, what else could Japan use to protect its maritime lifeline?

If it can't even protect the lifeline at sea, what else can Japan do to maintain the war?

Moreover, the United States' attack on the Japanese mainland also made people feel very thorny. Although Japan does not lag behind the United States in the research of bacterial weapons, their medical level and pharmaceutical industry are much worse than the United States. It was impossible to produce penicillin that could treat anthrax, so we had to use serum therapy, which was not particularly effective and also had certain risks. So now there are anthrax outbreaks in many places.

Therefore, neither Nagumo nor Solu wanted to fight, but only dealt with the Germans.

"That won't work," Deputy Minister of Military Command Zhengichi Ito shook his head and said, "The Germans will send observers to supervise the battle! If we don't fight hard, then... then they will consider signing a peace treaty with the United States and betrayal. our!"

Signing a treaty with the United States and betraying Japan was the brainchild of Japanese naval figures such as Isoroku Yamamoto, Osamu Nagano and Seiichi Ito.

But the possibility is still very high! Because the Japanese Combined Fleet does not severely defeat the U.S. Pacific Fleet, it will be difficult for the European Combined Fleet to win in the Atlantic-Caribbean battle. If the naval war cannot be won, there is no possibility of using atomic bombs to force the U.S. government to accept huge reparations.

Then selling Japan to the United States in exchange for thousands of tons of gold and millions of tons of grain is Hitler's only option - with the atomic bomb in hand and Japan to sell, Roosevelt or the future U.S. president will still make this deal .

Moreover, Japan deceived Germany first, and there is nothing morally inappropriate for Germany to abandon Japan - Germany even gave them the electromagnetic equipment to separate uranium-235, and also acquiesced to Japan to take over the Soviet Far East. If Japan continues to be ignorant , then it’s no wonder that Germany turned its back and refused to recognize anyone.

"Will you betray us?"

Nagumo Chuichi and Kusaka Ryuunosuke looked at each other, both of them looked very worried. Nayun shook his head, lowered his voice and said: "Since we know that Germany cannot be trusted, we should make peace with the United States... If Germany really defeats the United States with our help, Japan may be the next victim, right?"

Ryunosuke Kusaka nodded and agreed with Nagumo, "Now Rome can only rely on the European Community, and the Soviet Union is about to be defeated by the European Community. Looking at the world, Europe, the United States, and Japan stand on three pillars. And Europe is the most It is as strong as the Wei State in the past, followed by the United States, just like the Shu and Han Dynasties sitting on Jingzhou and Liangchuan, and we, Japan, are Soochow. Not only do Wu and Shu not unite to fight against Cao, Soochow will also help Wei to destroy Shu. In the future... …”

The proposal of "alliance with Shu to resist Cao" or "alliance with gold to resist Mongolia" (referring to uniting with the Bolsheviks) was not unknown in Tokyo. But after seeing the scene of the atomic bomb explosion, Tojo Hideki and the living god in the Imperial Palace did not dare to really betray Germany.

"Let's talk about the future later," Ito Zhengichi also shook his head. "Those guys in the Army think too highly of themselves. They think that as long as they conquer the Far East, subdue East Asia, and guard Malacca and Hawaii, they will be enough to fight against the Europeans. And... This is what Fushimi Palace means too!”

Prince Fushimi Miyahiro Kyou is the mouthpiece of Emperor Showa. He himself has no meaning, only the meaning of Emperor Showa.

Nagumo Chuichi and Kusaka Ryuunosuke now had nothing to say.

…

Hersmann had returned to his estate in Zossen before dinner on June 28. The European Community leaders' meeting had just ended that afternoon, and all parties finally reached an agreement on the expedition to America.

And Hessmann rushed back to Zossen from Fort Europa not because of any changes on the battlefield, but to see off his son Rudolf.

Rudolf, now no longer the vice-chancellor of the Brandenburg Jet Pilot School, had been given a new assignment a few days earlier, heading to the Pacific as an observer for the German Navy. This was something Rudolph was familiar with, but this time the situation was different from the past.

The reason why Hessmann rushed back from Zossen in such a hurry was actually to give his son some advice.

"What? Supervise the battle?" Rudolf was stunned by his father's words, "Father, is this really appropriate?"

Hersman confessed to his son on the garden lawn of his home, which was large enough for horse racing. No one else was around.

"Of course it's appropriate." Hersman looked at his son, who was wearing a handsome naval aviation major uniform, and smiled and said, "Rudolf, do you think Japan is still an equal partner of the empire?"

"Isn't it?" Although Rudolf was Hessmann's son, he didn't know about the atomic bomb, nor what kind of deal or tacit understanding reached between Japan and Germany.

"No more." Hessman shook his head and said, "Otherwise, I wouldn't have sent you to the Pacific... Our relationship with Japan is very delicate now. They are almost forced by us to fight a war that they are unwilling to do. The battle to continue.”

"Forced?" Rudolph became even more confused. "Father, if the Japanese don't fight, what can we do to them?"

"They don't dare!" Hessman said with certainty, "but they may fight passively."

Japan took so many benefits from Germany and was tacitly allowed to annex the Soviet Far East. If you dare not to fight, you are betraying Germany, and the consequences will of course be very terrible!

"What if they fight passively?" Rudolf asked again. "What can we do?"

"Just tell me!" Hessman said, "Your task is to supervise them and report their combat status to the General Staff. This information is very critical!"

The United States is not easy to fight. If Japan does not fight hard on the Hawaiian Islands, but releases the entire Pacific Fleet, the European Combined Fleet will not be sure of victory. The most sophisticated units of the U.S. Navy are currently gathered near the Hawaiian Islands. The strike force concentrated most of the navy veterans and experienced carrier-based aircraft pilots (although many died in the battle, there are still some left).

If they are allowed to go to the Atlantic Ocean after experiencing some experience in the Hawaiian Islands, their combat experience will be richer and their performance on the battlefield will be more calm. Coupled with the huge numerical advantage of the U.S. Navy, operations in the Atlantic-Caribbean Sea will become very difficult.

Maybe... taking less money and things, and then reaching a peace treaty with the United States to buy time for the European Community to consolidate and develop is also an option that can be considered.

"That's it, just remember it." Hessman turned around and patted his confused son, "I'm a little hungry, let's go to the restaurant."