Drastically Modified Combined Fleet

OUTBREAK | Chapter 16

Combined Fleet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, sighed, looking at the formation chart posted on the wall. He couldn't count how many times he had sighed today.

Despite deploying the best talents in the naval and military administration fields, the Imperial Japanese Navy ultimately could not avoid war with the United States. Navy Minister Teikichi Hori, who wielded a sharp mind in both military and political matters, and Vice-Minister Shigeyoshi Inoue, known as "the Razor," had dedicated their utmost efforts to avoid a war with the United States. However, they were rendered powerless in the face of the overwhelming strength of the pro-war faction, driven by public opinion chanting "Crush America and Britain!" or those misled by Germany's rapid advances. In such a situation, it was now the turn of military strategy.

Admiral Kōichi Shiozawa held the position of Chief of the Naval General Staff, responsible for naval orders. He and Yamamoto were peers from the Naval Academy's 32nd class, constantly competing for the top position among their peers along with Minister Hori. In due course, they became known as the 32nd class's three most famous men or the Trio of Military Administration, bearing the heavy responsibility of the fate of the Imperial Navy, and more broadly, Japan itself.

Within the Imperial Japanese Navy, there was another trio. These were Shigeyoshi Inoue, Jisaburō Ozawa, and Torao Kuwabara, collectively known as the trio of the 37th class or the Trio of Aviation. They had made significant contributions to the development of naval aviation. Vice Admiral Inoue, who proposed the rapid militarization of the Navy's air force, was recognized for his eloquence and outstanding political sense, earning him the important position of Vice-Minister of the Navy. Vice Admiral Ozawa was an authority in naval aviation warfare centered around aircraft carriers, while Vice Admiral Kuwabara, with actual flight experience, brought valuable lessons to the Imperial Navy. Currently, Ozawa and Kuwabara are serving as the commanders of the Second Fleet and the Third Fleet, respectively. Since both fleets were centered around aircraft carriers, these appointments were widely accepted within the Navy.

On the other hand, many officers from the graduating classes between the 32nd and 37th were either placed in reserve or assigned to non-active positions, with some exceptions like Vice Admiral Mineichi Koga. This measure aimed to fully utilize the talents of the post-37th class but resulted in the 33rd to 36th classes being referred to as the "unfortunate" or "unlucky" generation. Moreover, except for a few honorific positions, most officers from the 31st class and earlier had retired, showing consideration towards Yamamoto, Hori, and Shiozawa.

The development of submarines and aircraft transformed naval warfare from the flat surface battles of pre-World War I into three-dimensional combat. Furthermore, the introduction of electronic warfare, such as radar, made it challenging for the older generation with rigid thinking to keep up, perhaps becoming a decisive factor between the 31st and 32nd classes.

Thinking about these unfavorable circumstances, Yamamoto sighed once again. The doubt lingered if he truly possessed the intellect to endure modern warfare. However, he was aware that the time for hesitation had already passed. The Combined Fleet was gearing up for war, and it was already in motion.

General Operation Support (Pacific Fleet Interception Force)

- First Fleet

-- Battleships Nagato, Mutsu, Ise, Hyūga, Yamashiro, Fusō

-- Heavy cruisers Kumano, Suzuya, Mogami, Mikuma

-- Destroyers Hatsukaze, Yukikaze, Amatsukaze, Tokitsukaze, Urakaze, Isokaze, Hamakaze, Tanikaze, Nowaki, Arashi, Hagikaze, Maikaze

- Third Fleet

-- Shōkaku (36 × A6Ms, 18 × D3As, 18 × B5Ns, 6 × Type 97 carrier recons)

-- Zuikaku (36 × A6Ms, 18 × D3As, 18 × B5Ns, 6 × Type 97s)

-- Kamikaku (36 × A6Ms, 18 × D3As, 18 × B5Ns, 6 × Type 97s)

-- Amakaku (36 × A6Ms, 18 × D3As, 18 × B5Ns, 6 × Type 97s)

-- Destroyers Kuroshio, Oyashio, Hayashio, Natsushio, Kagerō, Shiranui, Kasumi, Arare, Akigumo

Southern Command Main Force

- Heavy cruisers Takao, Atago

- Light cruisers Natori, Kinu, Nagara, Yura

- Destroyers Asagiri, Yūgiri, Amagiri, Sagiri, Oboro, Akebono, Sazanami, Ushio, Akatsuki, Hibiki, Ikazuchi, Inazuma

Philippine Air Assault Force

- Second Fleet Core

-- Unryū (24 × A6Ms, 27 × D3As, 27 × B5Ns)

-- Hakuryū (24 × A6Ms, 27 × D3As, 27 × B5Ns)

-- Chiyoda (28 × A6Ms, 2 × Type 97s)

-- Mizuho (28 × A6Ms, 2 × Type 97s)

-- Nisshin (28 × A6Ms, 2 × Type 97s)

-- Heavy cruiser Maya

-- Destroyers Asashio, Ōshio, Michishio, Arashio, Asagumo, Yamagumo, Natsugumo, Minegumo

Philippine Invasion Force

- Heavy cruisers Myōkō, Haguro, Ashigara, Nachi

- Destroyers Umikaze, Yamakaze, Kawakaze, Suzukaze, Murasame, Yūdachi, Harusame, Samidare, Shiratsuyu, Shigure, Hatsuharu, Nenohi, Wakaba, Hatsushimo, Ariake, Yūgure

Malay Invasion Force

- Sōryū (36 × A6Ms, 18 × D3As, 18 × B5Ns, 6 × Type 97s)

- Hiryū (36 × A6Ms, 18 × D3As, 18 × B5Ns, 6 × Type 97s)

- Heavy cruiser Chōkai

- Destroyers Fubuki, Shirayuki, Hatsuyuki, Miyuki, Murakumo, Shinonome, Usugumo, Shirakumo, Isonami, Uranami, Ayanami, Shikinami

Wake Island Invasion Force

- Chitose (24 × A6Ms, 6 × Type 97s)

- Light cruisers Kuma, Tama

- Destroyers Satsuki, Minazuki, Fumizuki, Nagatsuki, Mutsuki, Kisaragi, Yayoi, Uzuki

Guam Invasion Force

- Light cruiser Kitakami, Ōi

- Destroyers Kikuzuki, Mikazuki, Mochizuki, Yūzuki