Chapter 1117: To Coexist or Die with the Fleet

The Japanese Navy’s Combined Fleet was indeed defeated, and it was an unusually tragic defeat. This colossal failure shocked everyone. Even Akado, far away in Germany, was shocked speechless when he learned that the Japanese had once again pulled off a disastrous defeat on the scale of Midway. He thought he had changed the course of the war, that even if the Japanese Navy was no match for the US Navy, they wouldn’t suffer that kind of instantaneous, blood-draining catastrophe.

But he had never expected that the Japanese, who in their bones were more willing to risk it all, would so resolutely choose the desperate, all-or-nothing gamble of “showing their hand” (all-in) when faced with adversity. The Japanese Navy had thrown practically every decent ship the Combined Fleet had into the Bismarck Archipelago, fighting the largest naval battle in human history against the US Navy.

At first, it was Takeo Kurita’s strike force, under the cover of Japanese carrier aircraft, madly attacking the exposed US Navy. Then, US carrier aircraft thrashed the Japanese Zeros, regained air superiority, and turned the tide. Subsequently, the Japanese fleet split into three, attempting to encircle the US fleet. All of this still seemed to be following Mineichi Koga’s script.

But the situation took a sharp downturn. The US Navy desperately attacked the Japanese aircraft carrier fleet. By sunset, they had accomplished the magnificent feat of sinking 7 warships of the Japanese carrier fleet. The carrier force that the Japanese had painstakingly assembled was wiped out by the US Navy in one fell swoop.

Chuichi Nagumo, Yamamoto Isoroku’s most experienced carrier operations expert, was killed in action. The entire aviation force that the Japanese Navy had worked so hard to build up was almost completely annihilated. By this point in the battle, Japan had already “lost its pants” (lost everything). Even if they had annihilated the entire US fleet, it would only be a lingering, dying gasp.

But Koga, having lost his mind from the defeat, chose an even crazier, all-or-nothing gamble. He ordered Kurita’s strike force and his own interception fleet to continue the attack, attempting to use the window of opportunity at night—when the US carrier fleet couldn’t counter-attack—to complete a comeback and continue to hang on. He felt that the Japanese Navy’s night-fighting capabilities were unquestionably superior to the US Navy’s, and that the current situation was still in Japan’s favor.

Thus, Kurita’s and Koga’s two fleets began to pincer the US main fleet from the left and right. The largest night battle of naval guns and torpedoes in history had begun.

The fundamental difference from the German Navy was that the US Navy was not just destroyers and carriers with little night-fighting capability. On the contrary, the US Navy possessed a large number of destroyers, cruisers, and battleships. Their carrier fleet had a relatively complete, all-around protective screen. So when the Japanese fleet attacked, the Americans did not just wait to die; they began to fight back bravely.

Under the cover of night, the Bismarck Archipelago rumbled with gunfire. Both sides used radar as a guide, opening the prelude to a long-range artillery duel. The Americans, relying on the advantage of their more accurate radar, struck first at the farthest range. However, due to the lag in their gunners’ training, their first few salvos failed to hit their opponents.

On the other hand, the Japanese Navy’s radar screens were still blank, even after the Americans opened fire. Kurita and Koga could only grit their teeth and continue to advance, hoping to hold on until their fleet spotted the Americans. Their persistence finally paid off, and the Japanese radar subsequently found its enemy.

The Japanese Navy immediately returned fire, and the two fleets began an unusually massive artillery battle. However, due to sheer luck, up until 8:30 PM, it was all thunder and no rain (all talk and no action); neither side had made any decent progress. At 8:34 PM, the scales of victory seemed to tip toward the Japanese. The Kongō, leading Kurita’s fleet, finally hit a US battleship. The resulting fire became the best indicator for attack. The Japanese fleet was the first to concentrate its fire, sinking the US battleship that had been hit first.

However, Kurita’s fleet, in its pursuit of this US battleship and the supporting US destroyer squadron, became separated from the flank of the main US fleet, its position slightly off. This also laid the groundwork for the US fleet’s subsequent escape.

Koga’s attack fleet was, at this time, biting at Halsey’s fleet, attacking fiercely. The battleship Yamato, this time, did not miss its destined sea battle just because the Combined Fleet was in decline. Its 460mm giant cannons showed their full power in the night battle, sending a US cruiser directly to the bottom of the sea.

This night battle fully demonstrated the ferocious combat effectiveness of the Japanese Navy. In terms of traditional naval power, the Japanese Navy indeed possessed a superior level of training. If not for their inferiority to the US in the number and replenishment speed of naval aviators, the Americans would have paid a much heavier price in the Pacific.

But as the two fleets gradually closed in, the US Navy’s destroyers surged forward, exchanging their own sacrifices for the fleet’s chance to escape. They charged at the Japanese fleet, firing torpedoes and forcing the Japanese to turn their attention to these “mad dog” small ships.

“When it comes to torpedo brawling, the Japanese are the Americans’ ancestors!” It’s unknown who said this in the midst of the chaos. Kurita’s sub-fleet, already slightly off course, made its second fateful, erroneous decision: they estimated the US fleet’s speed and fired every Long Lance torpedo they could launch at an oblique angle.

Unfortunately, their estimation of the US fleet’s speed was wrong. Or perhaps, Kurita had greatly underestimated the US fleet’s determination to escape. With Admiral Halsey’s fleet acting as the rearguard, Spruance led the carrier fleet away at the maximum possible speed, disregarding formation. He even abandoned three escort carriers to maintain that speed.

And so, the Long Lance torpedoes launched by the Japanese hit the scattered stragglers of the US fleet—11 warships, including the three escort carriers. But the remaining torpedoes, which missed their targets, continued on their angle and ran straight toward Mineichi Koga’s interception fleet, which was aggressively chasing the main US force.

Thus, dozens of Japanese Long Lance torpedoes slammed into the Japanese Navy’s own fleet, instantly cutting off their path to continue pursuing the US Navy. Koga, aboard the battleship Nagato on the fleet’s perimeter, turned pale after being hit and forgot to give orders. It wasn’t until another cruiser was sunk that the Japanese fleet began to frantically evade these deadly threats.

By the time midnight arrived, the US fleet had easily broken contact with the Japanese and begun maneuvering north, evading the Japanese pursuit. Meanwhile, Kurita’s strike fleet was rejoicing over its “heaven-shaking” combat results, while Koga’s interception fleet, believing it had been “ambushed by US submarines,” was performing various snake-like maneuvers, completely unable to pursue the enemy ahead at full speed.

Before dawn, the Japanese Navy was forced to disengage and withdraw toward New Guinea. Kurita, full of ambition, reported his magnificent feat of heavily damaging the US fleet. Koga, however, committed seppuku in the commander’s cabin of the battleship Yamato, using death to escape the blame for his defeat. Unfortunately, he killed himself too early, closing his eyes before Imperial HQ could investigate the truth of the torpedo attack.

It’s no wonder he committed suicide. Who else would have thought that their own side’s torpedoes would pass through the enemy fleet and strike their own ships? This only happened because the Long Lance torpedo had such an astonishing range. Any other country, even if they had fired torpedoes, would not have had that much range.

After the Japanese fleet returned to New Guinea, Koga’s fleet flagship Nagato, which had been hit first, and the Mutsu, hit later by the Long Lances, were both slow due to heavy damage and were sunk by a counter-attacking US carrier aircraft. The news traveled back to Imperial General Headquarters. The Japanese Navy completely collapsed. Two battleships damaged in a night battle and sunk in the end, with the fleet suffering heavy losses—this was an intolerable failure for the proud Japanese Navy.

Although Kurita’s performance throughout the sea battle was commendable, sinking the majority of the US warships, he was put on the defensive in the subsequent investigation into the friendly fire. He was truly unlucky. A one-in-a-million dud Long Lance torpedo actually hit the battleship Yamato. The Yamato carried this torpedo back to Kure, and the truth came to the surface.

Kurita’s death was truly not unmerited. The torpedo was fired by the destroyer Shigure from his own fleet. The serial number on the torpedo’s body made the investigation exceptionally smooth. If Kurita had known about the “Yukikaze/Shigure” memes of later generations, he might have preferred to die rather than bring such “auspicious beasts” (sarcastic reference to their “lucky” survival as the rest of the fleet sank) as escorts.

In short, the Battle of the Bismarck Sea resulted in another “instant death” for the Japanese Navy. The mighty Combined Fleet was a setting sun. The Japanese Navy, from top to bottom, could no longer find a commander capable of shouldering the burden. And so, just as Tomoyuki Yamashita learned that the 232nd Division was being sent to Malaya, Yamamoto Isoroku was, in his own office, meeting a special envoy sent by the naval high command to “beg for peace.”

“Admiral Yamamoto! I am under orders to ask you to continue commanding the Combined Fleet, to continue serving His Majesty the Emperor… Our navy is now at its most dangerous moment. We implore you to put aside any prejudices and, for the sake of the Great Japanese Empire…” The man bowed before Yamamoto, pleading sincerely.

“My life, the life of Isoroku Yamamoto, is destined for the Navy.” The former commander of the Combined Fleet also bent his waist, interrupting the other man. “Please assure His Majesty the Emperor that Yamamoto will, without fail, coexist or die with the Combined Fleet!”

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