On the distance, there was a faint sound of cannons coming. After passing through dozens of nautical miles, it was like a faint sound of thunder. This was a small Japanese ship that was launching artillery on the US positions on Kauai to support the landing operation of the Taiwan Mixed Brigade. A landing ship carrying seven or eight thousand Japanese troops had already arrived on the Pacific Ocean near Kauai with murderous intent.

A larger fleet appeared on the sea near Oahu, with 5 powerful battleships and 9 aircraft carriers as the core, as well as dozens of cruisers, destroyers, as well as dozens of oil tankers, ammunition ships, supply ships, and laying ships. The formations were listed on the dark sea surface, like a floating city.

The three main forces of the Japanese Joint Fleet, the First Mobile Fleet, the First Fleet and the Hawaii dispatched fleet, finally completed the convergence on the evening of December 12, local time in Hawaii. General Issa Yamamoto, who was in charge of the "Yawa Hotel", has now taken over the command of the Hawaii battlefield. This also announced the official beginning of the second phase of the "z-combat plan".

Before the Yamato battleship on Yamamoto arrived, four battleships commanded by General Takasu Shiro (Nakamon, Muro, Hiei, Kirishima) had already carried out the first tentative shelling of Oahu while the night of the 11th. The target of the bombardment was mainly the oil depot area of ​​Hawaii.

For security reasons, the four battleships opened fire on the ocean surface that was nearly 30 kilometers away from Oahu. Relying on a large seaplane "Type II Large Boat" to correct the ballistics in the air, they fired nearly a thousand large-caliber shells and exploded several oil tanks. The United States' artillery on Oahu and two stranded battleships also opened fire and counterattacked, but the shooting was not accurate and no one shell hit the target.

Tonight, Yamamoto Iroku, who had just taken over the command, did not order another shelling, but instead invited Takasu Shiro and Nagamoto Tadaichi to the "Yamato Hotel" to discuss the battle situation with them in person.

"Commander, after days of bombing and air combat, the US shore-based aircraft on Oahu have basically lost its combat effectiveness." Tadakaichi Nagamoto assured Iroku Yamamoto in the commander's office on the Yamato, "In the next battle, there is no need to consider the threat of US shore-based aircraft. However, the US military's ground air defense firepower on Oahu is relatively strong. During the air raids on the 10th, 11th and today's daytime day, 6, 5 and 4 aircraft were shot down."

"There is no need to bomb Oahu starting tomorrow," said Iroji Yamamoto. "The strength of the carrier-based aircraft force must be maintained and ready to fight the US aircraft carriers."

"Hayi!" Nan Yunzhong nodded.

Yamamoto looked at Takasu Shiro and said, "Hawaii sent a fleet and the 1st Fleet to merge. Takasu Jun is still the commander of the First Fleet, and the flagship is set on the Nagato. From tomorrow, the First Fleet will attack during the day and continue to bombard Oahu with powerful firepower!"

"Hayi!" Takasu Shiro pointed his head heavily.

Yamamoto Iroji's decisive battle plan was very simple, which was to use five battleships to bombard Oahu, and at the same time let the Taiwan mixed brigade land on Kauai. The eight aircraft carriers of the First Mass Fleet were replenishing their strength and waiting for the main force of the US Pacific Fleet to return to the final battle.

At the same time, the two divisions originally planned for Philippine landing operations and the two divisions in standby boarded the transport ships and came to Hawaii under the escort of the Third Fleet. If the First Mobile Fleet could defeat the US Pacific Fleet, then Oahu would be sure to win.

"The decisive battle is expected to happen from the 15th to the 18th," Yamamoto Iroji turned his head and said to Tadaichi Nagamoto, "This battle is related to the rise and fall of the imperial country. I hope Nagamoto and the First Mobile Fleet will work hard!"

Since Halsey's carrier-based aircraft bombed Saipan, Yamamoto Iroku could roughly infer the time of the decisive battle based on the distance between Saipan and Oahu. If Halsey's fleet ventured to return to the rescue in a straight line, the decisive battle would take place on the 15th. If Halsey's fleet took the z-shaped anti-submarine route, the decisive battle would take place on December 18, 1941.

...

"Damn, these Japanese devils must be crazy!"

In the waters near Midway, on the US Pacific Fleet flagship "Pennsylvania", General Kimmel said to Major General Fletcher, who had just become the chief of staff of the Pacific Fleet: "They must be seizing Hawaii, it's damn... We all underestimated the crazy Japanese devils.md, these yellow-skinned monkeys are just a group of lunatics!"

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was already a big surprise. Now they are becoming more and more powerful to capture Oahu! Although this style of play is a bit crazy, it completely disrupts the United States' position.

"Admiral, the Japanese cannot capture Oahu." Major General Fletcher shook his head and said, "There are groups of fortresses on Oahu, and there are about 60,000 defenders, and there are very sufficient weapons and ammunition reserves. Moreover, there are two Colorado-class stranded near the Williston Fortress. Last night, the four Japanese battleships did not dare to approach, and only dare to fire 16 nautical miles away."

"Of course they can't beat Oahu!" Kimmel smiled reluctantly, "There will be no problem with Oahu, the Japanese will definitely get bloody when they hit it there."

Major General Fletcher had guessed Kimmel's intention, "Admiral, we want to use the Oahu Fortress to weaken the strength of the Japanese fleet?"

"Yes," Kimmel clapped his face and said, "That's it! Oahu is the most powerful fortress in the world, and no one can defeat it. But this alone is not enough to defeat the Japanese devils... We must try to send the p51 and sbd shipped from the local area to Oahu. As long as the air force on the island can replenish the plane, the Japanese devils will have to retreat in disgrace from Hawaii."

After several days of air raids and air combat consumption, the aircraft of the Shanghai Army Air Force and Army Air Force on Oahu have been exhausted. However, there are quite a few pilots on the island, because most of the aircraft are destroyed on the ground, and most of the remaining ones are shot down in air combat over Oahu. Therefore, the pilots are not consumed much. If the losses of American and Japanese pilots are simply compared, the losses of the Japanese will definitely be greater.

But without planes, there is no way to fight at all, so replenishing planes to Oahu has become the key to the victory or defeat of Hawaii.

"The transport ship cannot be close to Oahu," said Major General Fletcher. "There are four Japanese battleships near Oahu, and even if they are escorted by the main force of the Pacific Fleet, they are not sure, because at least one of the four Japanese battleships is Nagato-level."

Not to mention the USS Colorado, which is still under maintenance on the west coast, the battleships that the Pacific Fleet can fight now are the USS Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Nevada. They are not the opponents of the two Nagamon-class ships at all. On the night of the 11th, the two Nagamon-class ships participated in the shelling of Oahu. The Americans used the craters fired by the main gun shells of the Nagamon and Muo, and they had already determined that at least one Nagamon-class ship was near Oahu.

"It can allow the transport fleet to enter the Port of Hilo on Hawaii Island," Kimmel said, "and then let the plane take off from the airport near Hilo Port and fly to Oahu."

Hilo Port on Hawaii Island is about 350 kilometers away from Pearl Harbor on Oahu, and is basically on the edge of the attack radius of Japanese aircraft carriers. Japanese planes have not bombed Hilo Port in recent days, but the Japanese army will definitely not ignore the existence of Hilo Port.

"There must be Japanese submarines or light ships patrolling near the Port of Hilo, and their seaplanes will certainly fly further." Major General Fletcher thought, "Unless we can lead the Japanese aircraft carrier away from the island of Oahu, the transport fleet will still not be able to get to Hilo."

"I'm afraid it won't work with battleships." Kimmel walked to the front of the chart table with his arms in his arms. "If they wanted to sank our battleships, they would have followed us long ago." He paused and said, "Only use Halsey's aircraft carrier! Use the 1st Special Mix Fleet to lure the enemy. We first go around the east of Hawaii to meet with the local transport ships, and then escort them into the Port of Hilo."

While Kimmel and Fletcher were discussing military information, the communications officer in the "Pennsylvania" bridge suddenly shouted: "Admiral, the telegram from the Marine Corps of Kauai, the Japanese have landed on Kauai!"

...

At the same time.

Dozens of Japanese landing crafts, the B-type engine, penetrated the fog on the sea in the early morning of December 13, and leaned on a mudflat on the east side of Kauai Island with a bang.

Before the landing craft had stopped, the Japanese soldiers loaded with them had already staggered down. These people were not used to the bumpy navy at sea, but the officers and soldiers of the Japanese Army's Taiwan Mixed Brigade. They rode the 11,800-ton "Akitsumaru" on the sea for more than ten days and almost twenty days. They were all exhausted by seasickness, and most of them were weak. Now they were all loyal to the emperor and forced to go to the battlefield.

If they were asked to land on Oahu now, they would probably be easily wiped out by the US troops who were holding on the beachhead. However, on the beachhead of Kauai, American soldiers who were not armed to their teeth were waiting for them.

Although these tired Japanese soldiers who were probably still sick were elite Taiwanese mixed brigades, they were all on the battlefield for the first time. They all looked nervous, afraid that they would be hit by their children who were beaten out of nowhere and would be killed.

Suddenly someone shouted in Japanese with a Taiwanese accent: "We have stepped on the land of the United States! It's worth dying here!"
Chapter completed!