From the beginning to the end, the first wave of attacks on the Japanese southern fleet of the US carrier-based aircraft group lasted 37 minutes. At the cost of losing 41 fighter jets, they traumatized all three enemy main aircraft carriers, "Kashi", were hit by four aviation bombs and a torpedo. Not only did they basically lose their combat effectiveness, but more than 40 carrier-based aircraft that had not taken off were all reimbursed; "Izuma" was hit by three bombs, and after crew repairs, it barely recovered the carrier-based aircraft's take-off and landing capabilities, but after accepting the carrier-based aircraft to which the two friendly ships belonged, it no longer had deck space to launch or reclaim the carrier-based aircraft; "Asu" was bombed by high-altitude aircraft by enemy carrier-based aircraft and was hit by three ordinary aviation bombs. The fire was once out of control and almost abandoned. After the injury was controlled, it took the lead in evacuating the battlefield under the close protection of the brigade.

Although he was unwilling to accept that in a rather unfavorable situation, Keno Kurita had to lead the fleet to voluntarily withdraw from the battle. With the cover of the rain, the remaining ships of the Japanese southern fleet were finally able to get rid of the strong air strikes of the US Pacific No. 1 Special Mixed Fleet. Three cruisers, three destroyers, and more than 200 carrier-based aircraft, and more than 3,000 officers and soldiers disappeared in the southeastern waters of the Philippines...

In the Battle of the Philippines, the powerful US Pacific No. 1 Special Mixed Fleet in exchange for a slim victory at a punctual cost, demonstrating the rich rewards brought by the revolutionary development of the naval aviation force. After the naval war, Halsey led the fleet to approach Luzon again and carried out the third round of air strikes on the Japanese garrison troops. Due to technical and tactical disadvantages, the Japanese garrison troops suffered heavy losses in this round of attacks. Most of the land-based radar stations deployed on Luzon and surrounding islands were destroyed. A large number of military strongholds were broken by the Philippine Resistance Alliance after being bombed by the US military. The puppet armed forces trained in the Philippines fell into collapse, and the casualties of the Japanese troops also rose sharply. If the US fleet continues to maintain this oppressive offensive, it takes only one month for the Japanese army to be expelled from most parts of the Philippines.

During this period, the reorganized Japanese Combined Fleet finally completed the assembly of troops. A huge fleet with four battleships, seven aircraft carriers and six new heavy cruisers was rushing into the Philippine waters. The Japanese Army and Navy all drew air forces from all over Southeast Asia to the Philippine Islands. The continuous combat operations have caused the Halsey Fleet to consume one-third of the carrier-based aircraft and a considerable portion of the fuel and ammunition. For such a situation, there are two arguments among both participants and bystanders: one believes that the US fleet defeated the main force of the Japanese Navy in one go, so that the scope of the war can be as small as possible and the time span is as short as possible, so as to facilitate the upward trend of the US economy that is difficult to revive after the war; the other believes that the US fleet should avoid the enemy's edge, return to Hawaii or New Guinea for a short rest, and wait until the Japanese fleet is far away from its own base before looking for a decisive opportunity to defeat the enemy.

The military orders are not accepted. This ancient Chinese saying is not only praised by Chinese military commanders, but also often becomes the basis for officers to quote in the Japanese army. After the joint fleet left the local waters, the various opinions and instructions of the Japanese base camp and the Navy headquarters only serve as a reference for the decisions of the fleet commanders. The fleet commanders have absolute decision-making power in the face of actual conditions.

During World War I, aircraft carrier-based aircraft began to threaten the core position of battleships and battle cruisers. By World War II, the era of giant ships and cannons was undoubtedly the decline. After the war, the naval aviation flow began to become popular, and countries competed to design and build large aircraft carriers and develop and manufacture new carrier-based aircraft. Against this background, Yamamoto Iroku, as a representative figure of the Japanese naval aviation flow, gradually reached its peak in the Japanese naval naval status and influence. In 1942, the joint fleet was reorganized. He took the responsibility of governing the joint fleet and successfully suppressed the Soviet Pacific Fleet during the Japanese-Soviet War. After the war, Yamamoto was promoted with his important contribution to naval construction and outstanding military achievements during the war. He then served as Minister of the Navy Command for a long time.

There is no chance to gallop on the battlefield. This time, the reorganization of the joint fleet, Koga Beichi, who has outstanding qualifications, reputation and prestige, became the new commander of the joint fleet. Compared with the distinctive characteristics of Iroku Yamamoto, Koga Beichi is neither a flag-shaking caller of the naval aviation flow, nor a conservative school who is obsessed with cannons or torpedoes. He served as the commander of fleets and various ships at all levels, and served as the supervisor at the Shipmama Headquarters. He is one of the few naval generals who are familiar with ship construction and are proficient in command. He is highly praised by his subordinates, especially young officers, for his enlightened and pragmatic personality. When the Tokyo explosion occurred, he was leading the 2nd Fleet to cruise in the northern waters. Not only was he lucky enough to escape, but he was also praised for actively organizing personnel to conduct search and rescue aftermath.

However, Koga was in a very embarrassing situation when he served as commander of the Joint Fleet for the first time. The assembly of the Joint Fleet was accused of being the least efficient combat assembly in history. It took 152 hours from the issuance of the order to the departure of the base camp, which forced Keno Kurita's southern fleet to fight against the main fleet of the United States alone in the Philippine waters. The Japanese Navy, which always paid attention to high efficiency, did not waste its martial arts because of its arrogance. This was purely a sequelae of the Tokyo Big Bang. The generals of the Navy Generals and Shimamasa Headquarters were mostly killed in that celebration. The officers and officials who were later appointed were ordered in the face of danger. Many people were not familiar with the operation of the new position, and many retired personnel were also disbanded for a long time. After the rebuilding assembly order of the joint fleet was issued, the 3rd Fleet stationed in the southern part of the local area was

Due to the delay in supply supplies and being unable to set off, the 1st and 2nd Fleets suffered large-scale injuries and injuries due to the incoming front-line rescue after the Tokyo explosion. Until the fleet was departing, some ships were still short of staff. The joining of a large number of reserve personnel and naval cadets forced the joint fleet to carry out various training during the voyage, which caused many non-technical accidents, which affected the fleet's voyage several times. Faced with the above difficulties, Koga and his assistants tried every possible way to make the joint fleet set off as soon as they could. Therefore, from the perspective of the commander of the joint fleet, Koga did not want to fight a tough battle with the Americans face to face as soon as they arrived in the Philippines. If the American fleet retreated, then he would only let the joint fleet pursue it in a pretentious manner.

When the joint fleet arrived in the Philippine waters, the Japanese aviation forces stationed in the Philippines had been unable to detect the traces of the US fleet for 48 hours. In addition, there was intelligence and reality. The US military in Hawaii seemed to be making large-scale preparations for the ships to enter the port. Even so, Koga Beichi still carefully set up a battle stance. He ordered the two best-in-class light aircraft carriers and some light ships to form a reconnaissance squadron to go to the eastern Philippines for combat alert. He led the main force of the joint fleet to follow up at 200 nautical miles behind the reconnaissance squadron. Once the reconnaissance squadron discovered the traces of the US fleet or were suddenly attacked by the enemy, the main force of the joint fleet immediately launched a counterattack with the carrier-based aircraft carried by the remaining five aircraft carriers.

In the next three days, the Japanese army dispatched more than 300 carrier-based aircraft and more than 200 land-based aircraft to conduct large-scale and long-distance reconnaissance in the waters east of the Philippines, but failed to capture the traces of the US fleet. Instead, the intelligence personnel from Hawaii sent back a vague information: they saw the US fleet sailing into Pearl Harbor, with battleships and aircraft carriers.

Koga thought that the main American fleet had really returned to Hawaii for rest and rest. He did not expect that the Americans had been brewing and preparing for this local war for a long time. As soon as the war started, they quickly mobilized the power of the entire country, and even tried their best to assist in the war with external forces. The 1st Pacific Fleet in the United States commanded by Halsey seemed to be in deep alone, but in fact there was no shortage of support. The 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2

The carrier-based aircraft and pilots consumed by the special mixed fleet, the light ships and casualties returning due to injuries, and the second special mixed fleet were timely supplemented by the second special mixed fleet. In addition, the US military also deployed 90% of the submarine troops to the Pacific battlefield, providing alert, reconnaissance, cover for fleet operations, and sabotage the Japanese sea routes of the Philippines, and established a secret underwater shipping line to transport various equipment, ammunition, equipment, and personnel to the Philippine Resistance Alliance, making the Japanese army lose one's attention...

Based on the various intelligence information in his hands, Koga decided to lead the main force of the fleet to Manila. On the one hand, the nervous newbies were relaxed a little. On the other hand, he was preparing to dispatch ships to strengthen the blockade of the Philippines islands, send Marines to cooperate with the army to regain the occupied town strongholds, and strangle the Philippine resistance forces. When it rained for days, two light aircraft carriers responsible for reconnaissance and surveillance missions were recalled and transferred to land-based aviation forces and large seaplanes for long-range reconnaissance. The light cruisers and large destroyers equipped with radar equipment were responsible for mobile alert patrols. As a result, as soon as the main force of the joint fleet entered Manila Bay, Halsey commanded the US Pacific 1st Fleet to return to the Philippine waters.

The tragic situation caused by a US military attack on Manila caused a frightening situation in Koga's staff. Koga, who had always been calm, was very nervous. He led the main ship away from Manila overnight, but was ambushed by the US submarine troops. According to previous combat experience, the destroyers that strengthened anti-submarine capabilities of the joint fleet were enough to drive away the US submarines that came to fish in the dark and windy wind. However, the Americans had already used new equipment with increasingly mature technologies such as sound self-guided torpedoes and magnetic self-guided torpedoes. Their submarines continuously fired arrows at long distances, and sank two Japanese cruisers and five destroyers that night, traumatizing the Japanese modernized and modified battleship "Origi" and severely damaged the Japanese light aircraft carrier "Seahawk".
Chapter completed!