readytorunbook Chapter 387 Landing (7)
Chapter 387 Landing (7)
At 7:22 a.m. local time, Singapore, once a fortress in Southeast Asia known as the "Gibraltar of the East", is now in a state of panic.
Although Japanese military police were still patrolling the streets and the radio was still broadcasting wartime martial law notices, everyone who could hear the rumbling of artillery in the distance knew in their hearts: the war had already reached the doorstep.
However, this time, the Chinese people in the city were secretly excited, because the ones coming were their compatriots, the Anmin Army, who claimed to "pacify the hearts of all Chinese in Southeast Asia."
Inside the Seventh Front Army headquarters, the atmosphere was so oppressive that it seemed as if someone had pressed the entire ceiling down on top of everyone's heads.
The ringing of telephones, the clatter of military boots, and the beeping of telegraph machines came one after another. Everyone was silent. Even the usually lazy and idle guy had to force himself to be alert, for fear that Kenji Doihara would vent his anger on him.
A telegram for help has been sent to the Southern Army Headquarters in Saigon. This time, Kenji Doihara did not play any word games, such as asking for "tactical guidance". Instead, he said frankly that he was doomed this time. If you don't save him, Singapore will belong to the Anmin Army.
Apart from anything else, the Japanese navy and army now have only more than 100 combat-ready fighter planes on the Malay Peninsula. If Shouyi doesn't transfer planes here, they will really be unable to fight next.
The destroyer Yukikaze was sailing at full speed, braving the white waves to sprint towards Singapore. However, the distance from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore is more than 200 nautical miles. Even if the Yukikaze was at top speed, it would still take at least several hours.
At the same time, the Japanese fleet in Lion City Port was also in a dilemma.
"Should we go out to sea to meet the enemy, head to the waters off Kuala Lumpur Harbor, and engage in a decisive battle with the landing forces of the People's Security Army?"
"Or should we hold on to the harbor and wait for the main force of the Combined Fleet from Luzon to arrive?"
While trying to establish contact with the Yukikaze and the Wugang Naval Base, Major General Susumu Kimura, commander of the 2nd Mine Warfare Squadron, ordered all ships to warm up their engines, be ready to go to sea at any time, and increase vigilance.
However, he soon received a report that the anti-aircraft radar systems on the Yahagi light cruiser, the Ushio destroyer and other ships of the Second Mine Warfare Squadron had all encountered malfunctions. This gave him a bad feeling and he could only urge the ships to complete the warm-up as soon as possible. At the same time, he ordered the naval aviation to take off 12 Zero fighters for air defense patrols.
Although the Japanese navy had given up the idea of advancing deep into the Sindhu Ocean at this time, in order to prevent the Allied forces from using the Malacca Strait to enter the absolute national defense circle, they still deployed a certain number of troops in the Lion City area.
The most important combat force among them is naturally the Yamato battleship. However, in preparation for the upcoming decisive battle with the White Eagle Navy, the Yamato had already set sail a few days ago and headed towards Luzon Island, preparing to carry out "Operation No. 1" (Battle of Leyte Gulf).
At this time, the only thing left in Singapore Harbor was the Second Mine Warfare Squadron, which was used to maintain the supply route between Singapore and Luzon and patrol the Strait of Malacca. The slightly larger ships included the Yahagi light cruiser and the Kitakami light (heavy?) cruiser, which was converted into a Kaiten torpedo carrier.
The latter, with a full load of over 10000 tons, was stopping at the Lion City port for replenishment and was also urgently drafted.
By 44, World War II had reached a point where even the most stubborn fleet faction had to admit the threat posed by aircraft to warships. What Kimura Susumu feared was the Anmin Army's aircraft.
At this time, Vice Admiral Taizo Kaohsiung, commander of the Southwest Fleet, hurried over and took over command.
Without waiting for anyone to salute, he immediately issued an order:
"In addition to the direct-cover aircraft, four more surface reconnaissance aircraft will be launched to focus on the direction of the Malacca Strait and the north to detect any approaching enemy ships."
"Also, send a telegram to Saigon immediately, requesting their support, even if it's just a few dozen Zeros."
As soon as he finished speaking, a young naval staff officer carefully handed over a note:
"Reporting to the Admiral, the Army... General Kenji Doihara has sent a message requesting that we deploy fighter planes to cooperate with the Army to intercept the enemy landing fleet outside Kuala Lumpur Harbor. What do you think?"
Upon hearing this, Kaohsiung Taisan frowned and his expression suddenly became displeased.
"Those Army idiots are at it again! They can't win the war, so they come to our Navy to clean up their messes?"
He slammed the note on the table: "Our Type 1 land attack aircraft is meant to carry torpedoes and bombard the enemy's battleships, not follow the orders of some idiot army officer to blow up a bunch of transport ships!"
He made the final decision:
"Right now, our aviation force's most important mission is to protect the Lion City Defense Headquarters and our fleet. Let the ground forces of the Security Army be handled by the army!"
At a command from Kaohsiung Taisan, all the Japanese pilots, whether on leave or not, were forced to gather and enter a state of combat readiness.
In the harbor, more than ten ships, with steam roaring and thick smoke rising, began to try to leave their berths.
At 7:34 am, the sky over Singapore was clear and slightly blue, the sun was shining on the earth, and visibility was good.
Among the several Zero-type seaplanes that had just taken off, one reconnaissance plane numbered "7-03" suddenly lost radio contact.
"Signal lost?" The staff officer turned around quickly.
Lieutenant General Kaohsiung Taisan glanced at the map, his eyes instantly cold: "That plane is flying northwest."
He straightened up, his eye twitching, and shouted coldly: "Sound the battle alert - the enemy air raid is coming!"
Seconds later, a shrill alarm pierced the dawn, jolting the entire naval base at Lion City Port as if suddenly awakened. Anti-aircraft batteries raced to their positions, sailors scrambled on the decks, and Japanese military police stood guard, viewing everyone as an infiltrator with ties to the People's Security Army.
At the naval airport, ground crews were rushing to make final preparations for the Zero fighters in the hangar.
At 7:42, the first wave of air strike aircraft arrived over Singapore.
At the horizon, those who first saw the plane were all stunned.
It wasn't just three or five planes, nor was it just a dozen or so, but a whole group of them - rolling in like a tide.
Densely packed propeller planes swooped down from the sky, their bellies painted blue and white giving off a deep metallic sheen in the sun. From a distance, they looked like a roaring steel sky swooping down.
The Chinese people on the ground peeked out from their windows and under the eaves of their shops, secretly rejoicing in their hearts: "This time we are here to deal with the Japs!"
At the same time, they quickly grabbed children and the elderly and hid in air-raid shelters, cellars or even drainage ditches to prevent themselves from being accidentally injured.
In the air, the Japanese pilot, Second Lieutenant Osamu Tsujitani, saw the overwhelming black spots in front of him from the cockpit and almost forgot how to breathe in an instant.
"Eighty, eighty? More than that! At least... at least a hundred!"
At that moment, he felt his heart skip a beat, but then the spirit of Bushido forced its way into his mind. He clenched the joystick tightly, his teeth clenched.
"Follow me, even if it means death, I will drag one of you down with me!"
More than a dozen Zero fighters that took off urgently flew alone towards the huge Anmin Army aircraft group.
As for the planes on the ground that hadn't taken off yet, Lieutenant Tsujitani Osamu pessimistically believed that they might not have a chance to take off, just like the White Eagle planes that were bombed on the ground on December 7th...