"I have to warn you, Colonel!" MacArthur, who was drinking coffee on the sidelines, interjected, "Your idea is indeed bold, but if we attack the center of the archipelago directly...... Then it is very likely that it will be besieged by Japanese fighters! ”

Zhang Chi understood what MacArthur meant, the Japanese army had airfields on a total of seven islands in the Marshall Islands, and the current US troops were only capable of attacking three of them. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 infoIf it is according to the original plan, that is, the US military attacks from the outer islands, then there is no problem, if the US military knows the direction of the Japanese fighters, then the radar can also play a role, and the US air force can fight prepared battles in an orderly manner.

However, if the center of the archipelago were directly attacked, the Japanese airfield would encircle the US Navy, and Japanese fighters might appear in any direction, so the radar would not be able to confirm whether the fighters in the sky were their own or the enemy, and there was a possibility that a chaotic war would be fought.

This is also one of the reasons why the US military finally decided to fight from the periphery...... The U.S. military is naturally afraid of chaos, they always want to keep the battle within an operational range, and they will even give a scientific explanation for each battle.

But sometimes the battlefield is uncontrollable, and sometimes it is impossible to make a scientific explanation, such as the Battle of Shangganling, the US military can't understand why they lost.

Of course, this cannot be an argument for Zhang Chi to refute MacArthur.

"General!" Zhang Chi replied: "I also have to remind you that most of the Japanese aviation units are concentrated in the center of the archipelago, and as long as we control a few islands in the center of the archipelago, we can control most of the Japanese fighters. As a result, the Japanese fighters at other airfields were almost negligible. ”

MacArthur set his sights on Halsey.

Halsey looked at the map at the document, then nodded and said, "The colonel is right, according to our intelligence, more than 65 percent of the Japanese fighters are deployed on Kwajalein Atoll, Maloelap Atoll and Woje Atoll, and if we control these three atolls, we will destroy most of the Japanese fighters." Not only that, but if we take control of these three atolls, we will also split the few remaining airfields of the Japanese army in two, so that they cannot reinforce each other! ”

"But what if the Japanese have reinforcements?" MacArthur objected: "Our estimate is that the Japanese have about 600 fighters, right?" If this estimate is true, then this plan will put our aircraft carrier in danger! ”

It should be said that MacArthur was right: If a large number of Japanese warplanes suddenly appear on the periphery and attack the US fleet from the rear while US aircraft carriers and warships are attacking the center of the archipelago with all their might, and even the Japanese Combined Fleet may take the opportunity to sneak attack, then it is foreseeable that the US Navy will suffer heavy losses.

"We attacked early to avoid that, didn't we?" Zhang Chi replied: "What's more, if this happens, we can also be prepared!" ”

"Yes!" Halsey agreed: "I agree with the Colonel, we attack early...... The Japanese did not have time to prepare adequately. On the other hand......"

Halsey paused, then looked at the map and continued: "Even if the Japanese are really ready to gather about 600 fighters, it is not without a trace, their planes will first land on several islands on the outskirts of the archipelago and use them as offensive bases, such as Eniwetok Atoll, Kosrae Island, Wake Island, ...... "

This is common sense, the Japanese cannot let the pilots fly from afar without rest and refueling and immediately go into battle, they must have an offensive base.

And if the US Navy directly attacked the center of the archipelago, the Japanese would only attack the three islands such as Eniwetok.

This is also one of the reasons why the US military will choose these three islands as the target of its attack, and taking these three islands will not only encircle the Marshall Islands, but also cut off the Marshall Islands from Japan.

"And we have more than enough aircraft carriers!" "We also have new fighters...... It's true that we can't know how many fighters the Japanese have to reinforce or from which direction they are reinforcing them, but we just need to keep an eye on these islands, and we have the ability to do that! Isn't it? ”

With that, Halsey turned his gaze to MacArthur.

MacArthur knew that what Halsey said was reasonable, no plane can fly in the sky forever, so if you can't catch the plane, you just have to grab the airport, and in terms of air combat...... However, the US pilots have never been as confident as they are now, not only because the US pilots have mastered the weaknesses of the Japanese Zero fighters, but also because the US pilots are becoming more and more experienced in combat while the Japanese pilots are getting more and more vegetable, but also because at this time the US pilots have a "hellcat" that has just been developed specifically for the Japanese Zero fighters!

Just as the US pilots said, they couldn't wait to beat the Japanese on the battlefield to avenge the blood feud that they had suppressed by the Japanese Zero fighters.

"Okay!" MacArthur nodded helplessly and said, "If you think it's worth the risk of our aircraft carrier's safety......"

"General!" Zhang Chi replied: "Any battle is risky, not to mention that we are now the next five-dollar bet, but it is possible to win fifty-thousand dollars!" ”

MacArthur couldn't help but be stunned when he heard this, but this was very much in line with MacArthur's tone.

What MacArthur didn't know was that he actually said it, just not now...... A few years later, on the battlefield in Korea, when many opposed MacArthur's plan to land at Incheon, MacArthur said, "We are the next five-dollar bet and we could win fifty thousand dollars, so why not?" ”

So, MacArthur was never a conservative man, on the contrary, he was very adventurous.

But this adventurous spirit was only for himself...... Wherever MacArthur went, he wanted to be the center of attention. But now the focus is clearly not on him, so he is always picking on the thorns of relaxation.

Zhang Chi knew this, but he didn't mind, because he was sure that in the near future, the facts would prove him right.

And MacArthur ...... The more he objected to Zhang Chi's approach, the more he would shoot himself in the foot, because he let all the admirals and even his own subordinates see that he misjudged the situation on the battlefield again and again.

If this is only a few times, it is harmless, but if there are too many times, it will undoubtedly affect MacArthur's prestige. (To be continued.) )