Chapter 35 Cleanliness

Vandergrift and the Marine Corps continued to receive good news after severely injuring the advance team of the 2nd Division and eliminating the threat of the Japanese army on the west bank of the Matanikau River to the airport. On the morning of October 13, the transport fleet led by Turner sailed to Guadalcanal and sent the officers, soldiers and supplies of the 164th Regiment of the 25th Division ashore.But Vandergrift's joy did not last long. That night, Henderson Airport, which he listed as the key to defense, encountered a catastrophe. It was the Combined Fleet that attacked Henderson Field.The naval battle of Savo Island made Yamamoto quite frustrated, and it seemed that the scene like the first Solomon naval battle would never happen again.In a letter to his friends, Yamamoto expressed his frustration and pessimism: "Everything here is very difficult, and it will not work in the short term."

At this point, Yamamoto had no choice but to fight with his back. He thought of exerting the power of the battleship. The leader of the Japanese battleships was none other than the "Yamato". Therefore, when Yamamoto told Tsuji Masanobu that he would send the "Yamato" to Guadalcanal to cover the army's landing operations, Tsuji Masanobu was really excited, but In fact, it was impossible for Yamamoto to send the "Yamato" there. As the flagship of the Combined Fleet and the place of command of Yamamoto, the "Yamato" has become a symbol of the Japanese Navy, and the Combined Fleet itself has also lifted up the "Yamato" to the sky.When Midway was defeated, all the ships were trying to accommodate the wounded, but the staff of the United Fleet refused to let the "Yamato" get involved, and even a very senior commander could not even think about setting foot on the deck of the "Yamato" .Asked why, he said that he was afraid that Yamamoto's tragic scene of bloody wounded would affect his mood and determination to command the battle.

American Life magazine published a very interesting article on how to distinguish the friendly Chinese from the hostile Japanese in war.The top and bottom right of the picture are Chinese civil servants, but this face shape is often mistaken for Japanese.This article tells readers that one of the ways to tell the difference is to look at facial expressions. Chinese people are tolerant and peaceful, while Japanese people are serious and nervous, typical of Hideki Tojo (bottom left in the picture). Even if you tease him violently, he will see Your eyes are still watching cotton, and you won't show a smile. You can't help but want to beat him.

The "Yamato" has almost become the cleanliness of the United Fleet.Cao Lu was not bloody and bloody, he hurried back to the "Nagara" after reporting the battle situation on the "Yamato", and he didn't dare to stay on the "Yamato" for a minute.What is the reason for this?Because Caolu is the general of the defeated army, staying too long will bring bad luck to Yamamoto and the "Yamato". How superstitious do you think this is! Yamamoto's "emotion and determination to command the battle" did not see much improvement, but the rules of the world were established, and even the military command directly ordered that the "Yamato" not be dispatched.

Of course, something like the "Daiwa Hotel" itself is an embroidered pillow-like burden. Once dispatched, not only will it consume a lot of fuel, but it will not have much effect.Yamamoto's idea is that unless it is absolutely necessary, he will never move lightly. When is it a last resort?Almost forever. The "Yamato" has always been moored at Krut Island, and it seems that it will participate in the war at any time, but it will not participate in the war at any time. In many cases, lies are always easier to tell than the truth. This is called "a load of needles can't be sold in ten days (true), but a load of nails can be sold in one day (fake)".Yamamoto has fooled Tsuji Masanobu, and he is indeed a master of masters.

Since the "Yamato" was only for fooling around, other battleships had to be sent to battle. Yamamoto sent the high-speed battleships "Kong Kong" and "Haruna". The work assigned to the "Kong Kong" and "Haruna" was to take over the guns of the Goto fleet and continue to bombard Henderson Airport. This was the first time in history that a battleship was used to bombard a target like the airport.Yamamoto also stipulated that if any of the "King Kong" and "Haruna" was hit by a U.S. submarine or destroyer during the shelling process, they would find a way to run aground on the beach, and the crew would directly land and fight as marines.To this end, each crew member is allotted a 38 cap.

After receiving Yamamoto's order, Lieutenant General Takeo Kurita, the commander of the battleship where the two battleships belonged, had both arms softened, and he was unable to say a word for a long time. Just the day before the U.S. transport fleet arrived in Guadalcanal, the U.S. destroyer towed four torpedo boats to Tulagi Island and established a base there.Kurita is a veteran admiral, and he knows that the establishment of the base is a symbol that the U.S. Navy will no longer turn a blind eye to the "Tokyo Express" at night. Measures must be taken against "Tokyo Express". If you bomb the airport, can the Americans let you go?Maybe the "King Kong" and "Haruna" will repeat the tragedy of the Goto fleet in the naval battle of Savo Island.

Kurita has a metaphor, saying that this operation planned by Yamamoto is equivalent to "tying a bell around the cat's neck", which is as dangerous as it is. Bad policy. Despite Kurita's resistance, the military order was hard to disobey, so he set off with the fleet centered on "King Kong" and "Haruna".