Long live Joachim

Chapter 68: Panic On March 28, 1946, Manila, Philippines. In front of the Japanese Military Governor General's Office in the Philippines, Commander Mitsumi Shimizu of the Southern Fleet's 2nd Squadron hurriedly descended the stairs and quickly got into a car with tightly closed curtains. The black car then drove towards the dock under the front and rear escort of a rolling tricycle and military truck. As the convoy passed through the bustling city, Mitsumi Shimizu reached out and lifted a corner of the car window curtain, scrutinizing the Filipinos around him with a cold and stern gaze. Although most people avoided the Japanese convoy with a reverent expression, the Japanese Navy Rear Admiral sensed resentment and even hatred in the eyes of many people, which made his mood even heavier. The Japanese military has been occupying Manila for almost 13 years now, and propaganda slogans promoting the establishment of a Greater East Asia Co Prosperity Sphere and a new order in Asia can be seen on the streets and alleys. However, these hypocritical slogans that claim "liberation," "respect," and "independence" cannot withstand the test of time. Japan has plundered resources from colonial countries such as the Philippines, causing a decline in living standards, medical conditions, and even the degree of freedom of the people in these countries and regions. The dissatisfaction of the people from all walks of life is constantly growing. The previous wave of uprisings in the South Asian subcontinent was undoubtedly a warning to Japan's high-level officials. Although governors and puppet regimes stationed in various places have made some improvements to the living conditions and public facilities of the local people, the greed of vested interests has led to a decline. The essence and profit seeking nature have not undergone fundamental changes,Grassroots residents in Japanese occupied and Japanese controlled areas are still living in dire straits. Shimizu Mitsumi has never served as a military governor or any other position anywhere, but he led his fleet to garrison multiple ports and witnessed and heard various events that occurred there. Despite his ruthless heart towards the enemy on the battlefield, he couldn't help but feel angry and sad about the tragedies created by those people. Therefore, when he learned about the nationwide uprising in the Philippines, he did not feel that it was an inexplicable natural disaster, but rather a man-made disaster that accumulated over time. As a respected and dedicated naval officer, when his superiors ordered him to lead the fleet to maintain order and suppress the uprising, he had no choice. In Bangalore and Karasori, he twice ordered the firing of civilians armed with rudimentary weapons, which has become a memory that has troubled him in recent years After the convoy arrived at the dock, Shimizu Mitsumi went straight back to her flagship "Izumo". This "Izumo" is not an old-fashioned armored cruiser that participated in the Russo Japanese War, but a new generation of heavy cruisers with a displacement of 20000 tons. A total of six ships of the same class were built, making it the largest number of heavy cruisers built in a single class by the Japanese Navy, and thus earning the title of "Imperial Navy Sea Cavalry". By the standards of the early 1940s, this heavy cruiser, equipped with 12 60 caliber 280mm main guns and both main and secondary guns using semi-automatic loading technology, and equipped with Japanese made radar detection and radar fire control systems, was considered a top-level configuration. Its single ship combat performance and fleet command capability were greatly improved compared to traditional heavy cruisers. However, when the Japanese learned that the United States was ready to fight against Japan again, the pace of time had already reached 1946, and the appearance of nuclear bombs made any conventional weapon pale in comparison. The rumor that the US military will extensively use atomic bombs on the front lines has caused panic among the Japanese army. It should be noted that it is a terrifying weapon that can destroy half of Tokyo. Isn't its power enough to destroy an entire fleet? For the purpose of stabilizing military morale, Mitsumi Shimizu hinted to his subordinates that Japan also possessed a new type of weapon, the atomic bomb, but the operation technology was too complex, so it was directly controlled by the Japanese headquarters and not assigned to various frontline units and naval fleets. If the Americans used the atomic bomb on the front line, the Japanese headquarters would still be colored. However, Mitsumi Shimizu was full of doubts about whether Japan possessed the atomic bomb as claimed by the government, because whether it was his classmates at the Naval Staff Headquarters or his fellow countrymen engaged in advanced weapon research at the Imperial University of Tokyo, their private inquiries were vague and did not answer directly. This abnormal behavior made him feel that the Nagano Cabinet was using lies to cover up the facts. If this is indeed the case, then the Japanese Navy is facing a completely different situation from the Sino Japanese War, the Russo Japanese War, and World War II. Japanese ships may be like the samurai of Takamori Nishikawa, wielding cold weapons to fight against the enemy's machine guns and cannons! Before returning to the flagship and sitting on the hot bench, the duty officer on board hurriedly came to report that our land-based radar had detected an unidentified aircraft fleet in an area about 200 kilometers east of Luzon Island, with a preliminary estimate of around 600 aircraft. Shimizu Guangmei widened her eyes and clenched her fists. What is the concept of 600 aircraft? Based on the maximum value of a single aircraft carrier carrying 100 planes and deploying half of its aircraft in one attack, this means that the enemy has deployed at least 12 aircraft carriers in one go to launch a surprise attack on the Japanese army on Luzon Island! Moreover, although there are reports that the US Congress has authorized the war, the United States has not officially declared war so far. Does a democratic country like the United States also have to learn from Japan and launch a surprise attack of fighting before declaring war? At this time, there were more than 120 Japanese warships anchored in Manila, most of which were long-term surveillance and patrol ships stationed in the Philippines. Their frontal combat power was basically negligible, and the main ones of sufficient grade were the ships under the command of Mitsumi Shimizu in the 1st Squadron of the Southern Fleet, including 2 light aircraft carriers, 3 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, 9 destroyers, 12 minesweepers, and 7 auxiliary ships of various types. Putting such a fleet at sea, there is no chance of winning against 600 carrier based aircraft, but Manila is different. It is a key colonial stronghold operated by the Japanese Navy, with a large number of coastal and air defense fortifications. Excluding the carrier based aircraft brought by Shimizu Mitsumi, there are more than 500 land and air force fighter jets stationed in nearby airfields, and a complete land-based radar early warning system has been established. More than three weeks ago, Mitsumi Shimizu led his team to Manila. The first thing he did was to meet with the Japanese military governor and senior officers of the army and air force stationed in the Philippines, quickly establishing a cooperative relationship of mutual trust and support with them. After a disturbance occurred in the United States, he sent the only reconnaissance cruiser of the team carrying a high-power warning radar to the eastern waters of the Philippines, and all the ships remaining in Manila were put on wartime alert, which meant that they could quickly enter combat mode upon receiving instructions. After hesitating for a moment, Mitsumi Shimizu ordered all ships to maintain their positions and fight with all their might. Making such a decision requires taking a certain level of risk, as aircraft carriers are vulnerable targets when anchored in still water. An enemy aircraft, a bomb, or a successful dive bombing could potentially inflict heavy damage on them. However, at the same time, the lightning protection nets deployed around the berth can effectively resist torpedo attacks from enemy aircraft. If the hull is severely damaged, there is still a chance for it to run aground and be rescued. As the Japanese sailors quickly rushed to their respective combat positions, low air raid sirens had already sounded in the downtown area of Manila, and Japanese fighter jets stationed at surrounding airports had also taken off one after another. They circled over the port and then flew eastward in groups. Shimizu Mitsumi and his subordinate officers boarded the open-air bridge, looking solemnly in the direction of the rising sun. However, the scene of enemy planes appearing in groups did not occur. About half an hour later, the garrison headquarters received news that the previous enemy report was a false alarm caused by technical problems. There were only seabirds east of Luzon Island and no enemy planes Upon hearing this news, Mitsumi Shimizu did not fly into a rage, nor did he mock the army. Instead, he conducted a near real combat response exercise, and the performance of the officers and soldiers on each ship remained calm and capable as always. This was the magic weapon for the Japanese Navy to defeat the enemy. After some turmoil, Manila Bay returned to tranquility. However, later that day, the reconnaissance ship dispatched by Shimizu Mitsumi sent back a report to the enemy. Their radar detected a large number of enemy planes in the southeast waters of Luzon Island, with a quantity of about 700-8000, appearing 600 kilometers away from Manila With the "lessons learned" from the army, Mitsumi Shimizu did not hastily order preparations for war. Instead, she ordered a patrol ship to launch a water reconnaissance plane to confirm. However, after only twenty minutes, the enemy situation alert was once again verified as a false alarm. Nevertheless, the radar of the army and navy repeatedly reported false alarms, which made Mitsumi Shimizu alert to whether the Americans had any way to interfere with their own radar and disrupt their line of sight. If this is indeed the fault of the Americans, it means that their attack may be within reach. With these thoughts in mind, Mitsumi Shimizu quickly sent a telegram to his superior, Keno Kurita, the commander of the Japanese Navy's Southern Fleet, reminding him that the Americans may pose a threat in the near future. He suggested that he request reinforcements from the Navy Staff Headquarters and deploy the fleet headquarters, along with the First Fleet, which has three main aircraft carriers, to a more defensive position. Kurita expressed his gratitude for his suggestions and reminders in his reply and revealed that he is making arrangements in this regard. At around 9 pm that evening, the Japanese military headquarters in the Philippines once again issued an enemy attack warning to Shimizu Guangfa. Their land-based radar detected a group of large aircraft attacking the northeast of Luzon Island, with a preliminary estimate of around 800 aircraft. Obviously, they feel that the credibility of this number is not high. The garrison headquarters emphasized in the telegram that they cannot rule out the possibility of technical problems with the radar equipment again. Shimizu Mitsumi did not take any chances, but unequivocally ordered all officers and soldiers to prepare for the enemy. However, not long after, the garrison headquarters once again confirmed that this was a "regrettable technical malfunction". Shimizu Mitsumi stated in the reply that maintaining high vigilance is beneficial and harmless, even if there are a few more false alarms, it is not harmful. However, the officers of the garrison headquarters severely reprimanded the duty personnel of the land-based radar station, accusing them of "losing face" for the army. It was this bureaucratic approach that led to their land-based radar station hesitating to report when it truly detected the enemy situation, resulting in a major disaster