Stemming the Tide
4
0000 July 1st 1944.
BB Division 1 Flagship. IJN Yamashiro, Bonin Trench.
Yamamoto knew that plans changed. The previous plan for the Pacific had already been altered. He made the decision to not wait for his fleet to return to Tokyo before further moves were put into motion. He did not think that he had the extra three or four days required to make the journey back to Tokyo.
The fleets in Tokyo were reformed to make several smaller fleets, all of which had their own tasks to perform. His own fleet would remove the Transport ships as soon as he entered the Bonin Islands and then rendezvous with two new fleets that would sail immediately from Tokyo.
BB Division 2, commanded by Admiral Koga, and containing the remainder of Japan's Battleships and Battlecruisers, would accompany 1. Kaigun, commanded by Admiral Nomura, to the Bonin Trench. Nomura's fleet contained six Transport ships and three Heavy Cruisers and had embarked two infantry divisions from the Tokyo garrison.
Once all three of these fleets were in the Bonin Trench they would sail south towards Saipan and attempt an invasion of that island.
Kaiguns 4, 5 and 6, all commanded by Sea Wolf captains, would be used to cover vital areas in an attempt to stop any invasions of those areas.
4. Kaigun, containing six of Japan's most modern Sensuikantai, would head for the seas around Wake Island.
The next most modern Sensuikantai would head south for Palau and provide protection for this island.
All six of the oldest Submarines would move to the Japan Trench until such time as Saipan was captured, when they would then move forward and cover this island.
Yamamoto knew that these fleets would stand little chance against any well escorted invasion fleet but they could prevent any attempts by anything not escorted. They could all provide intelligence which would allow other forces to react to any situation in their areas.
Carrier Group C would stay in Tokyo for the time being. Yamamoto would have liked to have his Carriers at sea hunting the Americans but he only had so many escort vessels, and he would rather leave the Carriers in port awaiting the new ones that were almost complete, than risk losing them because of a lack of escort. The Carriers had some Heavy Cruisers with them and could provide emergency protection to Japan's main islands should the need arise.
He also decided not to actively search for the damaged American ships and would instead concentrate what little airpower he had to try and prevent any interference to his landing.
0000 July 1st 1944.
Diplomatic Offices. Tokyo Japan.
Mamoru had been ordered to find energy. He had very few options open to him, but chose the one that provided the best deal and had the highest chance of successfully providing energy to his Country.
Argentina would be the chosen source, with that Country gaining a large amount of rare materials for a relatively small amount of energy. More than 70% of the promised goods arrived in Japan and pushed the energy reserves up to over 3000 tons. Where he was supposed to find another 6000 tons to sustain production throughout July he had no idea. Guilin might solve most of his problem but he would not count on it.
0400 July 1st 1944.
BB Division 1 Flagship. Bonin Islands.
Yamamoto had completed his first objective without a hitch. Two divisions now guarded the port and airbase facilities of the Bonin Islands and these troops were no longer under threat on outlying islands. He would need to strengthen the defences of Iwo Jima when forces became available to him, but that island was at least garrisoned.
His Transport ships were split from his combat forces and sent back to Japan without escort. The Transports would be escorted by his fleet until they left the Bonin Trench, and would be covered by Admiral Koga's fleet as it headed south, for most of the remainder of their journey to Tokyo.
The importance of taking Saipan quickly was already becoming apparent as Air General Yamashita intercepted American fighters trying to land on the island. These aircraft were more modern than anything Japan possessed and could not be allowed to gain air superiority in the region.
0000 July 2nd 1944.
Diplomatic Offices. Tokyo, Japan.
The Hungarian Ambassador wished to speak with Mamoru on a matter of some importance. Hungary was an ally of Japan and the Ambassador was ushered into the offices of Japan's Foreign Minister with a minimal of delay.
The Ambassador wished to provide various papers concerning technology to Japan. He did not want anything in return for his gifts and Mamoru was certain that at least some of these plans would be useful to Koiso Kuniaki and his research teams.
0100 July 2nd 1944.
North China Army Headquarters. Zhuzhou, China.
Higashikuni could hope that his opposite number in the National Chinese Army would make more mistakes like the one in Zhanjiang that had cost him two divisions.
He did not have to wait long for a second mistake to occur. Field Marshall Li Zongren had decided to move his division in Wuzhou to prevent it being cut off by possible Japanese advances. He had guessed correctly as this was indeed Higashikuni's plan. Li Zongren had merely accelerated the death of his troops by opening them up to Nakajima's dive bombers.