That Time When I Was Suddenly Reincarnated in a Fleet Battle

Chapter 19 - Countermeasure

In the midst of a function-oriented warship, I, who received exceptional treatment in the form of a small yet private room, was troubled by various thoughts. Where I am now is not the aircraft carrier Akagi but the battleship Yamato. It is a colossal ship with a standard displacement of 64.000 tons, equipped with forty-six-centimeter guns, and served as the flagship of the Combined Fleet. My transfer to the Yamato was a direct request from Admiral Yamamoto, the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet. Vice Admiral Nagumo of the 1st Air Fleet and staff officers like Commander Genda seemed to want me to stay on the Akagi, but given the demand of the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, they had no choice but to relent.

On the other hand, for me, having easier access to contact Admiral Yamamoto, who holds greater authority than Vice Admiral Nagumo as the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, was a significant advantage. Therefore, I 'reluctantly' remained on the Yamato. The appearance of reluctance was a pose for members of the 1st Air Fleet command, including Vice Admiral Nagumo. The truth was, Akagi was preferable for me, but because of the request from the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, there was no other option~

Upon boarding the Yamato, I immediately visited the sick and injured personnel housed on the ship, using healing magic while pretending it was the power of a divine servant. Even robust soldiers are ultimately human and susceptible to sudden illness or injury on extended expeditions, such as the one to Midway. It was unavoidable that there would be urgent cases of illness or injury. In the Yamato, with a crew exceeding 2.000, it was impossible for everyone to complete the operation in perfect health without exceptions.

However, being the flagship of the Combined Fleet, the Yamato had exceptionally advanced medical facilities among the Imperial Navy vessels. The medical staff in the medical department was also very well-equipped compared to other vessels, and it seemed that during berthing, seriously ill or injured individuals were occasionally brought in from outside. Therefore, on the Yamato, there was no shortage of critically ill or seriously injured individuals. In fact, the Yamato at present has several patients and injured individuals brought in from other vessels, including some in life-threatening situations due to accidents.

However, even these seriously ill or seriously injured individuals were restored to health by my magic. Some were even individuals whom military doctors had given up on, leading those around me to be greatly surprised and pleased that their comrades had been saved. This information was quickly relayed to the Chief Medical Officer and members of the Combined Fleet command, softening their attitudes towards me considerably. Perhaps they feared that if they treated me disrespectfully, divine punishment would befall them, believing my lie of being a divine servant.

Well, with such events, the rumor that a divine servant had descended upon the Yamato spread not only within the ship but throughout the entire Combined Fleet in no time.

By the way, the Battle of Midway, where intense fighting took place until recently, had undergone significant changes in its course due to my intervention with future knowledge. The carriers Akagi and Kaga, as well as Hiryū and Sōryū, escaped sinking, while on the American side, the carrier Yorktown, which was supposed to be lost in the same naval battle, was spared. For the Japanese side, the most significant impact was that what was supposed to result in the deaths of over 3.000 officers and soldiers in the naval battle ended up with only a few dozen casualties. While most of those lost were valuable crew members, considering that over 100 were lost in OTL, the damage was considerably mitigated. However, concerning the crew members of the D3As, a considerable number ended up engaging in close combat with enemy torpedo bombers instead of enemy ships. Although it was understandable given the circumstances at the time, there was a somewhat apologetic feeling about this matter.

Regarding the occupied Midway Atoll, the decision was made to abandon it after giving up on maintaining it, thoroughly destroying the atoll's facilities. Regarding obtaining essential equipment for future battles, such as radars and construction machinery from Midway base, most of it was lost due to bombings and naval gunfire, yielding no significant results. However, on the positive side, capturing numerous American crew members on the island was a stroke of luck. These experienced veterans, if left unattended, could become instructors, passing on the experiences and skills they had cultivated to the next generation, essentially producing pilot replicas. And these pilots could pose a significant threat to the Japanese military in the near future. In the sense of severing the root cause, this achievement was by no means insignificant. The decision to abandon Midway Island early on was largely influenced by the opinions of the military headquarters and various fleet command headquarters. Still, it seemed that my advice to Admiral Yamamoto had some impact on that decision.

I was contemplating what would happen after the Battle of Midway. In OTL, about two months later, the Allied forces launched Operation Watchtower, initiating the battles around Guadalcanal. Due to the Imperial Navy's miscalculations regarding the timing of the Allied counterattack, the landing operation on Guadalcanal turned into a surprise attack. The garrison on Guadalcanal was scattered, and the partly completed airfield was easily taken by the Allied forces. What followed was being dragged into a protracted attrition battle, resulting in the loss of numerous aircraft, warships, and merchant ships, significantly affecting the subsequent operations.

On the other hand, if we turn our attention to Europe, Fall Blau was supposed to be launched around the end of this month. This operation aimed to deal a blow to the Soviet economy, dependent on the Baku oil fields, by aiming to occupy these oil fields. Initially meant to cut off the supply route from the Baku oil fields, Hitler's intentions expanded the goal to the occupation of the oil fields themselves. However, at that time, Germany had no capability to occupy the Baku oil fields, and generals opposed it due to insufficient troops and logistical difficulties. Still, Hitler overrode their objections. I can't help but feel a connection between Admiral Yamamoto, who proceeded with the Midway Operation despite objections, and Hitler, who pushed through Fall Blau.

Regardless, in Fall Blau, the German forces imposed significant casualties on the Soviet forces but failed to achieve the operational goal. Furthermore, they suffered severe personnel losses that could be considered fatal. This must be stopped at all costs. The weakening of Germany as an ally would have extremely adverse effects on the war between Japan and the United States. The more effort the German forces put into the Eastern Front and other European theaters, the fewer war resources would flow from the United States to the Pacific theater, meaning less pressure on Japan.

"What should I do...?"

As for my schedule, tonight's dinner was planned to be with Admiral Yamamoto alone in his office. He expressed a desire to have a chance to talk with me before returning to Japan. Well, it would be more beneficial than playing shōgi with subordinates. However, unlike land warfare, I, not just a naval enthusiast but lacking in-depth knowledge like military enthusiasts or history enthusiasts, don't know much about Fall Blau compared to the Pacific battles. Of course, I know the general overview, as it is considered one of the turning points in World War II, but even that knowledge is frankly unreliable.

"What should I do...?"

Those words come out of my mouth repeatedly.

The designated dinner time was approaching in no time.