"Impressive, the Americans aren't just sitting idly by while the 3rd Battleship Division and 5th Carrier Division return," muttered Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet. His expression was grim.
Having received word of the Pacific Fleet's deployment from the I-boat on patrol near Hawaii, Yamamoto promptly ordered the First Fleet and the 1st Air Fleet, which were on standby on the mainland, to set sail. Currently, both fleets are heading eastward, ready for their advance.
First Fleet
- Battleships Nagato, Mutsu, Ise, Hyūga, Yamashiro, Fusō
- Heavy cruisers Aoba, Kinugasa, Furutaka, Kako
- Light cruisers Kitakami, Ōi
- Destroyers Shiratsuyu, Shigure, Hatsuharu, Nenohi, Hatsushimo, Wakaba, Ariake, Yūgure
1st Air Fleet
- Akagi (21 × A6Ms, 18 × D3As, 27 × B5Ns)
- Kaga (21 × A6Ms, 27 × D3As, 27 × B5Ns)
- Sōryū (21 × A6Ms, 18 × D3As, 18 × B5Ns)
- Hiryū (21 × A6Ms, 18 × D3As, 18 × B5Ns)
- Ryūjō (18 × A6Ms, 12 × B5Ns)
- Heavy cruisers Tone, Chikuma
- Destroyers Tanikaze, Urakaze, Hamakaze, Isokaze, Kagerō, Shiranui, Kasumi, Arare
The surface strike force of the First Fleet is missing the 3rd Battleship Division consisting of four Kongō-class battleships and has only half the number of destroyers. This is because they were deployed to the southern campaign as part of preparations against the rapidly strengthening Eastern Fleet. The Mobile Force's 1st Air Fleet is also lacking the 5th Carrier Division, composed of Shōkaku and Zuikaku, resulting in a decrease in their carrier-based aircraft strength to less than seventy percent of their full complement. Nonetheless, the morale of the personnel in both units is high. After the overwhelming victory in the Naval Battle of Malaya, where the Seventh Fleet and base air units overpowered the British Eastern Fleet at the outset of the war, the vague fear and anxiety towards the United States and the United Kingdom were dispelled.
"Now it's our turn."
The personnel of the First Fleet and the 1st Air Fleet no longer fear the Pacific Fleet, and everyone is dreaming of achieving greater success than that off the coast of the Malay Peninsula.
"Even our inexperienced 5th Carrier Division can achieve such great results. With the seasoned 1st and 2nd Carrier Divisions, defeating the Pacific Fleet will be a walk in the park."
Their optimism is not unfounded considering the current situation. The Japanese military has consistently outperformed expectations on various fronts. In less than a week since the start of the war, Japan has captured key locations like Hong Kong and Guam, bringing the British and American forces to the brink of surrender. The base air unit in Taiwan dealt a heavy blow to the US air force in the Philippines, and off the coast of Malaya, as mentioned earlier, the Seventh Fleet and the base air units jointly defeated the Eastern Fleet. On the other hand, Japan has suffered relatively minor losses, mainly in terms of aircraft, with minimal damage to its naval vessels.
'Apart from exceptions like the Eastern Fleet, most of our engagements have been with colonial garrisons. With second-rate equipment, fewer troops, and less experience, we naturally came out victorious. However, facing the Pacific Fleet, a regular unit with both quantity and quality, will be a different thing.'
Contrary to the rising arrogance and overconfidence among the troops, Yamamoto, with extensive experience in the United States, understands well the latent strength of the US. The fact that the Americans are a fighting nation beyond hunting nations is also something he keeps in mind. It is believed that the Pacific Fleet heading for the Marshall Islands, consists of around seven to eight battleships, along with roughly three aircraft carriers. They would be accompanied by a dozen or so cruisers and several dozen destroyers. Except for the aircraft carriers, the US Pacific Fleet overwhelms the Combined Fleet in terms of naval strength. That's why, if Japan wants to find an opportunity to win, it has no choice but to engage in aerial operations at sea.
'If only we had the Shōkaku and Zuikaku of the 5th Carrier Division, we wouldn't have to worry so much.'
The significant reinforcements that went beyond the expectations of the Eastern Fleet led to the reassignment of Shōkaku and Zuikaku to the Malay region. Without deploying these two carriers to the Malay region, the carrier-based aircraft strength of the 1st Air Fleet would have approached 400 planes, potentially overwhelming the Pacific Fleet's carrier force. Therefore, Yamamoto has no concerns about the lack of strength in the 1st Air Fleet.
"The quantity of our planes is important."
Yamamoto recalled the words of Vice Admiral Ozawa, who became a hero after the great victory in the Naval Battle of Malaya. While factors like aircraft performance and pilot skill are important, ultimately, all countries rely on the same principle: people build and pilot the machines. In the same era, there should be no extreme difference between Japan and the Western powers.
'I hate to admit it, but the battle's outcome may indeed depend on the number of carriers in the Pacific Fleet.'
Rather than relying on their own strength, they have to rely on the help of external forces. Thinking this way only deepened Yamamoto's concern.
VOCÊ ESTÁ LENDO
Battering Ram of the Sea
Ficção Histórica「The situation has changed. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor has been called off.」 "The British Empire is sending six battleships to maintain peace and order in Asia." Due to the unexpectedly upgraded Eastern Fleet's naval power, the attack on Pe...
