Big-Ship Big-Gun Combined Fleet

SOUTHERN OPERATION | Chapter 7

Outbreak

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As the relations between Japan and the United States worsened day by day, those who still wished for peace continued their desperate efforts to repair the relationship between the two countries. However, the United States, strongly dissatisfied with Japan's actions such as the occupation of southern French Indochina, took extremely harsh measures by imposing a ban on oil exports. On the other hand, in response to the repeated coercive attitudes of the United States, such as the Hull Note, the Japanese people were outraged, and voices calling for retaliation against the United States and Britain rapidly filled the domestic scene. The large trend toward war, like an unstoppable force or an atmosphere, was beyond anyone's control, and the Tōjō Cabinet decided to initiate the war in a meeting on December 1.

Some lamented that if there were individuals within the Imperial Japanese Navy, such as Vice Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue, Teikichi Hori, and Isoroku Yamamoto, who understood the strength of Japan, or those who were aware of the might of the United States, the outcome might have been different. However, such thoughts were ultimately just speculative.

Then, on December 8, 1941, Japan declared war on the Allied Powers, including the United States and Britain, opening hostilities. The Imperial Navy committed the majority of its fleet to the Southern Operations to secure resources, while preparing the main battleship fleet, including the Yamato, Musashi, Shinano, and Kii, to respond if the Pacific Fleet were to sortie.

General Operations Support (Pacific Fleet Interception Force)

- First Fleet Core

-- Battleships Yamato, Musashi, Shinano, Kii

-- Battleships Hiei, Kirishima, Kongō, Haruna

-- Heavy cruisers Kumano, Suzuya, Mogami, Mikuma *Support from the Second Fleet

-- Heavy cruiser Aoba

-- Destroyers Yukikaze, Hatsukaze, Amatsukaze, Tokitsukaze, Urakaze, Isokaze, Hamakaze, Tanikaze

-- Heavy cruiser Kinugasa

-- Destroyers Nowaki, Arashi, Hagikaze, Maikaze, Kuroshio, Oyashio, Hayashio, Natsushio

Southern Fleet Main Force

- Second Fleet

-- Battleships Ise, Hyūga *Support from the First Fleet

-- Heavy cruisers Takao, Atago

-- Destroyers Asagiri, Yūgiri, Amagiri, Sagiri, Oboro, Akebono, Sazanami, Ushio, Akatsuki, Hibiki, Ikazuchi, Inazuma

Philippine Air Assault Force

- Third Fleet Core

-- Kaga (36 × A6Ms, 45 × B5Ns)

-- Akagi (36 × A6Ms, 27 × B5Ns)

-- Sōryū (36 × A6Ms, 18 × B5Ns)

-- Hiryū (36 × A6Ms, 18 × B5Ns)

-- Heavy cruisers Tone, Chikuma

-- Destroyers Kagerō, Shiranui, Kasumi, Arare, Asagumo, Yamagumo, Natsugumo, Minegumo, Akigumo

Philippine Invasion Force

- Ryūjō (18 × A5Ms, 15 × B4Ys)

- Zuihō (18 × A5Ms, 9 × B4Ys)

- Battleships Yamashiro, Fusō *Support from the First Fleet

- Heavy cruisers Myōkō, Haguro, Ashigara, Nachi

- Heavy cruiser Kako

- Destroyers Umikaze, Yamakaze, Kawakaze, Suzukaze, Murasame, Yūdachi, Harusame, Samidare, Shiratsuyu, Shigure, Hatsuharu, Nenohi, Wakaba, Hatsushimo, Ariake, Yūgure

Malay Invasion Force

- Battleships Nagato, Mutsu *Support from the First Fleet

- Heavy cruiser Furutaka

- Destroyers Fubuki, Shirayuki, Hatsuyuki, Murakumo, Shinonome, Usugumo, Shirakumo, Isonami, Uranami, Ayanami, Shikinami

Guam Invasion Force

- Heavy cruisers Chōkai, Maya

- Destroyers Asashio, Ōshio, Michishio, Arashio

The Combined Fleet strength deployed for the Southern Operations consisted of 6 battleships and 6 aircraft carriers, along with 12 heavy cruisers and 52 destroyers. In addition, numerous older light cruisers and destroyers from the Maritime Escort Force were assigned to tasks such as convoy escort and amphibious support.

The Philippines air raids were carried out not by Taiwan's base air force but by the Third Fleet's carriers Kaga, Akagi, Sōryū, and Hiryū. This was because the Imperial Navy lacked fighters with the range to travel between Taiwan and the Philippines, including Iba and Clark Field. The Zero's range was not short, but it's not long either, as it is equipped with enhanced bulletproofing and armament, as well as the Kinsei engine, which is bigger than the Sakae and Zuisei. Only a small part of the land-based air units were equipped with Zero fighters, with the mainstream still being the A5M carrier fighters. Even fighter squadrons such as the 3rd Air Group and Tainan Air Group based in Taiwan followed this trend. However, land-based attack planes, such as the G3Ms, could make round trips between the Philippines, making them suitable for night attacks when enemy fighter activity would be less.

After annihilating the American air force in the Philippines, the Third Fleet would hand over its mission to Ryūjō and Zuihō and swiftly head to Truk Lagoon. There, after replenishing the lost carrier-based aircraft, it would prepare for the arrival of the Pacific Fleet that is rushing to the Philippines for relief along with the First Fleet. However, this was a plan for after the destruction of the American air units in the Philippines. It was estimated that there were approximately 150 to 200 fighter aircraft, a mix of new and old, deployed in the Philippines. Fierce battles were inevitable.