Chapter 1365 (First update, please subscribe)
"He who controls the sea controls the world" - this is the common belief of all countries in the world. If we ignore the ocean, our country cannot prosper; if we do not protect the ocean, there is no national defense.
Control the sea, this must be done!
From the 17th century to the 19th century, with the development of geographical discoveries and overseas colonization, European powers used naval battles time and again to tell the world the importance of sea power. Especially after entering the 19th century, the navy was at the forefront of every event.
Sea control has become the top priority that concerns the future destiny of the country!
Since the sailing age, the battleships have been relied on, and the quality of the battleships depends on its tonnage and the caliber of its main guns. However, how many people realize that the times have changed?
Controlling the air comes before controlling the sea; without controlling the air, you cannot control the sea.
However, in the world's navies, there are very few people who truly see this problem.
But times have changed!
"Operation Big Thunderstorm is to concentrate our forces to fight in the Pacific."
Cheng Bichen flicked off his cigarette ash and said.
"oh!"
Qiu Zhenzhi, who participated in the revision of the plan, was not surprised.
"This is because Australia, New Zealand, and the western United States are all places that the Empire must conquer!"
Cheng Bichen leaned closer to the table and said.
"For the Empire, controlling the Pacific Ocean is its strategic goal. Therefore, we must occupy the South Pacific region and drive out the British forces completely. Strategically speaking, this is the Empire's top priority in this war."
He who controls the sea controls the world - He who controls the Pacific controls the world!
In order to control the Pacific Ocean, the Empire must ensure that the South Pacific region is occupied at the beginning of the war. This is the unanimous opinion of the Empire's top leaders. Qiu Zhenzhi is also very clear about this. The Pacific Ocean is the fate of the Empire and must be conquered. He listened to the general silently without saying a word.
"Controlling the South Pacific and the western United States is of course the Army's job, but the Navy needs to cooperate with the Army in landing. After all, the Army needs to carry out cross-ocean landing operations. Therefore, when the Army carries out operations, it must be escorted by the Navy. This is the basic requirement for carrying out operations. The General Staff means that, needless to say, the escort force must ensure that more than half of the Navy's forces are first concentrated in the Pacific operations, so as to strive to bring it to an early end."
Qiu Zhenzhi couldn't help but interrupt and asked:
"But then the question arises, what about the US Pacific Fleet? We can't just temporarily detain the battleship force in order to carry out the decisive battle, right?"
Patting his thigh, Cheng Bichen said:
"That's the problem. The key to the Pacific War is the US Fleet. As long as the US Pacific Fleet is still there, it will be impossible to easily conduct Pacific operations. No matter how successful the landing operations are, it will not be relevant to the overall situation. The decisive battle between the fleets will still determine the outcome of the Pacific North-South War."
After a pause, Cheng Bichen continued:
"If we follow the traditional idea, we will first use the navy to raid the US Pacific Fleet and decide the outcome with a surprise attack. If the US troops leave the port, that will be great, and we can quickly win the battle. However, if they do not leave the port, we must be on guard for a long time, which will occupy our sea power, not only prolonging the time, but also making it difficult to decide the outcome. Therefore, if we can defeat the US fleet at the beginning of the war, we will have no worries in the Pacific war, and we can also arrange the southern defense line to prevent the US fleet from entering the Pacific."
"The empire's greatest advantage is its control of the Strait of Magellan. Once the strait is blocked, it will be difficult for the US military to send reinforcement fleets to the Pacific."
This is the strategic advantage of the empire. The Panama Canal has not yet been built. If the United States wants to send warships to the Pacific Ocean, it must go through the Strait of Magellan.
That means we have to pass right under the nose of the empire. Is this possible?
"Therefore, the US Pacific Fleet should be more inclined to hold on in the port in the early stage! Rather than fighting outside the port."
"So... can we use aircraft from aircraft carriers to carry out air strikes on U.S. military ports?"
Cheng Bichen said directly.
"Of course, there have been such ideas before, that is, using airships for air strikes. However, due to the relationship between airship cannons and combat airships, the probability of success is not high. However, now we have airplanes and aircraft carriers. If we use aircraft carriers and airplanes to carry out attacks, there may be new breakthroughs..."
Use an aircraft carrier!
Qiu Zhizhi looked at the officer in front of him in surprise and was speechless for a moment. He only knew about the existence of aircraft carriers last year.
Staring at the young staff officer, Cheng Bichen continued:
"Mashiro! When we fight, we need to think of all kinds of possibilities and tactics. As long as we can win, that's fine. Now we have to launch an offensive operation, so we should be bold in thinking about it. How about you go to the First Air Fleet, learn more about it, and study the specific combat issues!"
Staff Officer Qiu Zhenzhi was thinking silently.
This is not something that can be agreed to lightly!
It is true that he is a naval staff officer, but he does not know much about aviation. However, from a tactical point of view, air strikes on the US military port and annihilation of the main force of the US fleet is simply the best tactic. If it can be realized, it is no less than the airship unit annihilating the Brazilian fleet.
However, if it fails, the naval operation will suffer a setback from the very beginning and may even lead to the failure of the entire war.
"It doesn't seem to have any effect?"
"What?"
"Sir, what I mean is that if the air operation fails, it will not have any impact on the overall tactics of the Imperial Navy. After all, the American fleet will most likely stay in the harbor and not come out. We can also use submarines to lay mines to implement closed operations..."
When Qiu Zhenzhi answered his superior's questions, he became a little excited.
An expedition of thousands of nautical miles to reach another continent and annihilate the enemy's main fleet on the spot is unprecedented in the history of naval warfare!
This is indeed a groundbreaking feat!
It is very tempting indeed!
Qiu Zhenzhi continued to think secretly. He was thinking about the plan he had made in the past to use airships to attack the main force of the US fleet in Hampton Roads. That plan was too difficult to implement because the distance was too far, the time was too long, and there were too many variables.
But what about aircraft carriers?
It can carry out attacks at a distance of one hundred nautical miles from Hampton Roads.
However, I don't know much about the performance of the aircraft.
We don't know much about his ammunition capacity and hit rate?
Cheng Bichen looked at Qiu Zhenzhi with sharp eyes. Qiu Zhenzhi was a young staff officer who had been admired by everyone since he entered the General Staff Department. While waiting for his decision, the office was silent, almost suffocating.
"Sir!"
After a while, Qiu Zhenzhi said,
"I think it should work. Do we need a plan now? I don't know much about aircraft carriers and airplanes, so I definitely can't come up with one now. I'll go to the aviation squadron and learn about it first!"
"Okay, you go to the aviation squadron first and learn about the tactics of the aircraft carrier. Once the plan is out, I will report it to the General Staff Headquarters!"
Finally, Cheng Bichen patted him on the shoulder and said.
"There's no rush for this matter. After all... it's time for peace!"
(End of this chapter)
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