"Marshal Hori completely wiped out the U.S. Pacific Fleet?" Hoffmann had just returned to Berlin from the front line of the Madagascar exercises when he heard the shocking news. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

"Almost all destroyed, probably a few light cruisers and destroy......ers ran back," Keitel lamented, "and what is even more rare is that it is said that not a single Japanese warship was sunk, and several American warships were captured, and it probably lost more than 30 pilots itself." Of course, the public war report did not write so, saying that more than 100,000 ships and more than 200 aircraft were lost......"

"What does that mean?" Hoffman was confused, "I've never heard that Japan concealed or underreported its own losses, he?" ”

"This is the battle damage from the battle in several other directions, and he simply put it in together." Keitel shook his head and said, "I don't understand what that means, but Marshal Hori is obviously different from the average Japanese, he is much more honest......"

Hoffman shook his head: "This has nothing to do with honesty, he is afraid of the army ......"

"Afraid?"

"I'm afraid that the Japanese Army won't be able to figure out the situation, so I will stretch out my hand indiscriminately and make indiscriminate prices, which is well-intentioned." Hoffman mused, "Looks like he's going to want to make peace." ”

"Want to make peace?" Keitel smiled slightly, "It's too early, how many people have died in the United States......"

Hoffman nodded silently: He does not advocate peace between Japan and the United States, and even if he wants to make peace, he cannot make peace so quickly. Japan's morale is still very high, the United States still has great potential, and it is not in the interests of Germany to make peace so early, which is not only sorry for the world audience, nor is it in the interests of Germany. The United States is not the only one in the world who can make war money, and Germany also wants to make a good fortune.

"Speaking of which, he's going to fight Hawaii next."

"When you talk about Hawaii, I think of one more thing...... The fuel stocks on Pearl Harbor were burned out. Keitel said in a gloating tone, "I'm afraid the Americans won't be able to hold Hawaii, will they accept our terms?" ”

"It's hard to say, Dewey is about to come to power, and he keeps sending people to contact us......" Ribbentrop called in just halfway through, "Führer, can I disturb you for a few minutes?" ”

"Of course, you say......"

"The Americans put forward new terms for peace, which mainly include: first, no longer forcing us to abolish the Axis Allies, but Germany should maintain a neutral position and sell supplies to both sides; Second, in terms of voting rights, assuming that it cannot be equal to us, it is hoped that the difference will not be too great. Thirdly, we could be conditionally recognized as having control over South Africa, but the latter should remain independent; Fourthly, the islands of the Caribbean Sea concerned European countries may be administered by European governments, but should not be garrisoned; Fifth, the Panama Canal issue can be discussed, but it does not include the right to garrison; Sixth, South America has a ceasefire and a demarcation of spheres of influence along the Line of Actual Control; Seventh, if Europe is willing to give the United States the most favored nation (MFN) treatment, the United States can provide a huge low-interest loan for 50 years to help European countries recover their economies. Eighth, after the normalization of relations between Europe and the United States, the United States will guarantee the return of the gold of the Bank of France; Ninth, the United States has pledged not to station troops in Canada or Mexico in the future......"

"Did Truman mean or did Dewey mean it?"

"That's what Dewey meant, and there are still rumors in diplomatic circles that the United States is also trying to negotiate terms with Japan through Switzerland, but I haven't heard what it is."

"It seems that the fiasco of the Pacific Fleet is certain." Hoffman smiled slightly, "You can talk to the other person about our feedback, but the principles need to be grasped, and the conditions need to be adjusted - but it would be more decent to say it in a less aggressive tone." Of course, in the end I believe that it will not be negotiated, you have to cover the military operation, the South African and South American battles will soon begin, and I will not give the Americans a respite. ”

Ribbentrop was stunned for a moment, and then immediately reacted: when the Führer learned of the fiasco of the Americans, he had raised the price in his heart, and of course he would not regret it, he understood it and patted his chest and said: "I promise that no binding terms will be agreed before Christmas!" ”

"Hang Dewey's appetite, but don't stiffen the relationship. Besides, he is not the official president, what is the hurry? ”

While Japan and Germany were sharpening their knives and preparing to advance the next step of their strategy, the situation in Washington had reached the point of being a critical issue. Although the results of the Pacific Campaign have not yet been announced, sensitive public opinion has already realized that the situation is not good -- martial law is imposed on the docks, hospitals are full of wounded soldiers, and a large number of planes frequently make sorties over the city, and the front line is afraid of another great defeat.

They used all means to inquire with Washington, the army and navy, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but the people in the know were either silent, and they were really pestered and left behind to "wait for official information." This strange and bizarre situation proved to be very bad -- the government either did not know what the final outcome would be, or it was trying to cover up and whitewash the final result. If it was peacetime, public opinion would have risen up long ago to expose the shady curtain, but now because of the control of the FBI and Hoover, the newspapers do not dare to do so, and Hoover can do anything if they are in a hurry. Taking another 10,000 steps back, reporters and editors are also afraid to learn the cruel truth, and everyone is like an ostrich, planning to bury their heads first.

Most of the remnants of the Pacific Fleet returned to Los Angeles and San Francisco on the evening of November 1, and in order to cover their retreat, the West Coast Army and Navy Airlines dispatched a large number of planes to cover them. After noon on October 31, the main force of the Combined Fleet began to turn around about 1,400 kilometers from the west coast and slowly retreated at a speed of 16 knots.

But the scene at that time was a great deterrent to these remnants of the warship, and the arrival of wave after wave of Japanese planes in the dark night, which was crushed without resistance, made them frightened and rumored on the way to escape, and many people did not let go of their hanging hearts until they set foot on the land of the West Coast.

The most well-staffed of the retreating warships was the Delu Division, which not only did the entire warship come unscathed, but also brought back all the personnel of the escort carrier on the Bismarck Sea. But the other warships were not so lucky, and there were many naval officers and men who suffered heavy losses, especially the wails of the wounded and sick, which made the whole warship live like a hell on earth, and made the officers and men of the army and navy who came to the dock to meet them cry.

Halsey's performance was even more worrying, his eyes glazed over, his expression broken, and he guarded McCain's body along the way, muttering to himself, sometimes crying, and refusing to eat or drink for two days and two nights. In order to prevent accidents, the adjutant and staff officers had to take turns guarding him to prevent him from acting irrationally, and finally arrived in Los Angeles safely.

Spruance greeted them at the docks, and when he saw the acquaintance, Halsey's expression returned to normal a little, but he didn't say a word, and even Spruance cried bitterly as he watched McCain's body push by—the other party came to see him almost every afternoon when he was hospitalized, and everyone was still talking and laughing at that time, but they didn't expect it to be goodbye.

Considering that McCain's body had been at sea for a long time, and that although the weather was cold, it was necessary to bury him as soon as possible to prevent accidents, Spruance endured great grief and comforted Halsey, and finally arranged for the plane by Army Airlines to send everyone to Washington.

As soon as he arrived in Washington, Halsey couldn't bear to fall ill, and it was rescue and infusion, and finally the doctor found that the physical problem was not big, but he suffered a huge blow that he couldn't bear, and he could get better after a few days of rest.

On the afternoon of 2 November, the Joint Chiefs of Staff convened an enlarged emergency meeting -- this meeting was held in a hospital for the first time in the first time, and now not only Nimitz, but even Spruance and even Truman have been hospitalized due to the tremendous blow, and the entire center of power and command in Washington has been completely paralyzed, and everyone has no regard for ordinary daily affairs and is preoccupied with military affairs, and now the war situation in the United States can be said to have deteriorated to the extreme. Although the Combined Fleet turned around, it did not mean that the West Coast was safe, and the Japanese could come again anytime and anywhere.

Losing all of his fleet, Admiral Ingram, who had become the commander of the bare-bones, ventured from Pearl Harbor to the Aleutian Islands and then back to the West Coast to participate in the conference. Due to the fall of several bigwigs in the navy one after another, and the fact that Mitchell, Hewitt and others were guarding the German fleet in the Atlantic, he was temporarily appointed as the head of naval affairs of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and worked with Turner to deal with daily affairs.

Dewey forcibly briefed the crowd on the progress of the peace talks with Germany and Japan, and there was no objection to the terms of the revised contract with Germany that he proposed -- he could not defeat others, and of course he could only accept humiliating conditions.

Regarding the terms of the armistice with Japan, Dewey said that the intermediary had conveyed the intention to the Japanese side, but it would take at least 3-5 days to receive a reply, because the last time Japan put forward a peace proposal and was rejected by the American side, this line was interrupted, and it will take time to restore it, and the United States needs time the most!

"Judging from the reconnaissance of the Pearl Harbor Army Airlines, the Japanese attack on Hawaii may be on the line." Ingram briefed the crowd on the dire situation facing Hawaii, "In the past month, the submarine force has reported that Japan has been sending convoys from the mainland to Midway, and although they have sunk some of them, they have also suffered heavy casualties of their own, and now this route is completely uninterrupted.

Army long-range reconnaissance planes conducted detailed reconnaissance of both Midway and Christmas Island, and found that large-scale construction was being carried out on both islands, and the most worrying thing was Midway, where aviation and defense forces were getting stronger and stronger, and the number of personnel was increasing one after another, and the pilots reported to me that they were intercepted by Fw-190s, Ta-152s, and even Spitfires! In addition, we found a large number of landing craft - a few Japanese models, many of which were German Sibel-class landing craft! ”

As soon as they heard the words Spitfire, everyone's faces turned unpleasant: they had learned through diplomatic channels that the British had given the Giant-class aircraft carrier to Japan, and now it seems that the British had gone too far to give the Spitfire fighter to Japan, and then it should not be the Japanese Army that flew a Churchill or Cromwell tank to Hawaii to land?