One focus, Guam
Guam is an important island in the Mariana Islands, with a length of 48km, a width of 14km and a total area of 544km2. This island is located at the southern tip of Marianada Islands in the western Pacific Ocean, between Manila Bay and Pearl Harbor. This is one of the best ports. Any ship departing from here can reach the Philippines, Australia, Japan and the Straits of Malacca in four days, and the west coast of the United States in nineteen days.
Therefore, its importance is self-evident. Guam has been an important stronghold of the US military in the Pacific since it was seized by the United States from Spain in 1898.
For the US military, Guam is not only the defense center of the US in the western Pacific, but also the comprehensive supply station of the US Navy in the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately, however, because of the Washington Naval Treaty, the US Navy can only give priority to the defense and construction of Pearl Harbor, the largest anchorage in the Pacific Ocean, with limited military expenditure. Therefore, Guam's military strength is not strong, so when the Pacific War broke out on June 5438+094 1 June 65438+February 7, there were only 574 soldiers on the island, which was not enough to fight the Japanese.
On 65438+February 10, after the Japanese army landed in Guam, the American troops guarding the island almost collapsed. The Japanese army successively occupied the government residence, the US Marine Corps camp and the city of Algana. Seeing the American army go, George, the governor of Guam, USA? j？ McMillin surrendered at 65438+February 10 06:00; All sporadic fighting stopped one after another. Since then, Japan has occupied Guam.
After the Japanese army occupied this place, it strengthened the construction of Guam and occupied it for a long time. However, unlike Saipan, which was occupied by Japan for a long time during World War I, Guam's defense force is not as strong as that of Saipan, nor is it so strong. After all, it's only been more than two years since the Japanese occupied Guam, and it's not difficult for the US military to win it. However, because of the heavy losses in the previous battle to seize the island, the US military still attaches great importance to this place.
According to the plan of the U.S. military, the battle plan of Mariana Islands needs a big bombing. First, shore-based aircraft departing from the aircraft carrier and the Marshall Islands in the east will be bombed by coastal battleships after gaining air superiority. Guam was chosen as a target and must be recovered except for political reasons.
It is also because Guam's huge area can be used as a logistics base for allied forces to support the next military action against the Philippine Islands, Taiwan Province Province and Ryukyu Islands, as well as against the Japanese mainland. However, considering the tragic battle of Saipan, the US military finally decided to shell and bomb Guam first, and the attack on the island will be postponed for one month. This is a plan for artillery fire to destroy Japanese fortifications and kill Japanese troops.
Second, unexpected joy.
The Japanese base camp also realized that the US military was trying to attack the Mariana Islands. Soeda Sobu started the joint fleet on may 20th, after he succeeded the late Koga Hefeng as commander-in-chief of the joint fleet? The first battle (123530)? It is hoped that when the US military attacks Mariana, the mobile force composed of nine aircraft carriers led by Lieutenant General Ichiro Ozawa can deal a fatal blow to the US Fifth Fleet.
Of course, launching this operation is a last resort, because if it is not launched, Japan's communication lines will be cut off, and the troops of Southeast Asia and the Philippines will not get the weapons and ammunition sent by China, and Japan will not get the means of production of Southeast Asia and the Philippines, especially the precious oil.
So for Japan, the battle number is A? In fact, it is a life-and-death battle. Anyway, if it is not like this, then the fleet staying in the south will become useless soldiers. It is better to fight to the death. However, the battle itself became a disaster. Japan's First Mobile Fleet was badly hit by the 58th Task Force of the United States. The U.S. military paid only a small price, with 76 people killed, 123 aircraft lost, 4 warships slightly injured, causing huge losses to the enemy's 4 aircraft carriers and 1 battleships, 3 aircraft carriers and 2 oil tankers sunk, 600 aircraft destroyed, and most air forces were killed. Although it can't do more harm to the enemy, it is still a decisive naval battle, and the sea power in the western Pacific has completely fallen into the hands of the US military.
After that, the U.S. military can block Guam unscrupulously and bomb Japanese positions and important facilities in Guam with powerful fleet strength and air force. On the other hand, an American soldier who has been lurking in Guam for many years turned out to be a communications petty officer George? Ray. Keweide, in July, 1944, 10, successfully contacted the U.S. navy with self-made signal lights and was rescued by the U.S. navy.
Keweide has been lurking on the island for many years, carefully avoiding the Japanese search and collecting information about Japan for more than two years. After observing the existence of American fleet and bombers, he began to strengthen the intelligence collection of Japanese troops stationed in Guam, recorded the Japanese troops in detail, and drew a protection map.
Although Ke Weide is not a professional intelligence officer, his maps are not accurate and his estimation of the Japanese army is not very accurate. But for the US Navy, this is still very important. Because in all the attacks on the island, the biggest trouble for the US military is that it does not understand the situation on the island. Even if we rely on the reconnaissance plane to take aerial photos, and then the intelligence personnel analyze the photos, the results are not very accurate, and even there will be a large-scale judgment error.
Therefore, Vico's information is so important to the US Navy. After carefully evaluating Kaud's intelligence, the US military decided to stop shelling Guam and planned to land in Guam on July 2 1, 1944.