Spence vs Dixon - The first year scenario

[spence]

PKA RADIO BROADCAST picked up in Darwin - 14 February 1942
(Translated by Arvin de Feet - the actual signaller is unknown) "...the last time from Soerabaya. Japanese forces are now just down the street from the station. The bombing and shelling have been intense and much of the city is burning. We've just been told by a soldier that we're going to have to leave in 5 minutes or trust our luck with the Japanese. From eye-witness accounts from the outlying districts that is not a real option...widespread massacres of captured soldiers and civilians alike have proven to be pretty much the norm for the Japanese Army. We must go now. Good-bye and good luck to you all. God Save the Queen."

[Mike Dixon]

Digest 16th February 1942

The KB reported finding the CA Minneapolis limping towards Pearl. Several flights of D3A Val's and B5N Kates attacked and sunk the ship by 11.20am.

Java attack force announce that several infantry divisions have penetrated deeply into Soerabaja. After an early morning battleship bombardment (including the Isa and Nagato), all the days objectives were met. Reports of widescale Dutch evacuations are considered to be valid.

In another development, several assault battalions of Northern force landed in the Aleutians today. In a preventive excerise, Kiska Island was captured. It was believed that the island was being fortified and the airfields expanded to take heavy bombers. Intelligence sources suggest that the Japanese major cites were to be targeted by these bombers. Further actions in the Aleutians cannot be ruled out.

Captured U.S. personnel at Kiska:-

[Mike Dixon]

Map of Kiska Island

[Mike Dixon]

On patrol at Kiska.

[Mike Dixon]

Southern Army Hq 17th February 1942

At 1.23pm the final enemy strongholds in Soerabaja were captured. Several Dutch divisions were seen fleeing to the SW. A large haul of enemy supplies were captured, including vital oil and resources  for the greater East Asia Japanese co-prosperity sphere.

China Hq

Today Lanchow fell to a whirlwind assault. Many Chinese divisions were routed. A large number of communist forces were captured. The whereabouts of Mao and his cohorts are unknown at the present time.

Officer relaxing at Lanchow

[Mike Dixon]

Report from Java attack force

In hot pursuit of fleeing Dutch forces. Djokjakarta fell as the enemy resistance crumbles. The major port of Tjilatjap is expected to fall soon.

Burma Hq

A large scale B-17 raid was beaten back this morning. Up to 100 enemy heavy bombers attempted to bomb Rangoon, however our A6M2 Zero and Ki-43-Ib Oscar aces lay in wait. At least a dozen B-17's were destroyed and many more are thought to have crashed on their way back to India.

Photo from an Oscar - another B-17E is downed:-

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei) 19th-20th February 1942

Luzon Hq reports the success of a preliminary probe into Manila. Several divisions are now to be rested, prior to the final assault.

Kuala in Sumatra has fallen, announced Southern Army this morning.

China Hq report the complete destruction of an invading horde at Pakhoi, South China.

Japanese heavy armour moving up to Manila:-

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei) 21st-23rd February 1942

Relative calm has descended over the Pacific area of operations.

Southern Army has announced the fall of both Maumere and Lautem (Timor). Defensive preparation are now underway although it is considered unlikely that Allied offensive operation can begin in the near future.

Admiral Yamamoto (pictured below) has meet the Emperor to discuss the current war situation. Although details of the discussion are highly confidential, both parties believe that further offensive operations may be required before peace talks can begin with the American war lords.

Official portrait of Isoroku Yamamoto

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DATELINE DARWIN, AUSTRALIA - 26 February, 1942
     A government spokesman addressed reporters in this small but important outpost in Northern Australia today about the desperate fighting now going on on Java.  "Malang has fallen and the Dutch garrison of the city has surrendered.  About 10,000 troops have been taken prisoner.  Also on the South coast of the island, a large Japanese force has advanced into the outskirts of Tjilatjap.  Although the initial attacks were beaten back there is little hope that the tiny garrison can hold the city for long.  Japanese losses in those attacks are thought to have been quite large.  Unfortunately, the main Allied force still on Java, near Batavia, has been containing the Japanese beachhead at Merak for the past week and can do little to help the developing threat from the South.  Although the overall situation is grim Allied submarines continue to harass the enemy in the area and are credited with sinking or damaging several large transports over the last few days."

[spence]

DATELINE CALCUTTA - 27 February, 1942
  Fighting in Northern Burma continues unabated but for the moment the Japanese advance has stalled at Lashio and Mandalay.  Previously a Japanese tank force attempting to rush Myitkina had been stopped on its outskirts and then driven back with heavy losses by a combined British and Chinese force.  The enemy has heavily reinforced this force and may again advance toward Myitkina or perhaps reinforce his stalled forces at Lashio.  Upwards of 100,000 enemy troops appear to be concentrated at Mandalay.  They were pounded by Allied bombers yesterday and numerous vehicles and artillery pieces were knocked out.
   Another enemy advance, apparently with smaller forces but supported by enemy fleet units is advancing through Arakan along the coast to Akyab.  Minor enemy air raids on our base there have inflicted no damage but suffered heavily from anti-aircraft fire.


Allied troops inspect a destroyed Japanese tank near Myitkina 

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DATELINE SAN FRANCISCO - 3 March 1942
      There is little hope now for the Allied forces on Java.  Like the American forces in Manila and Bataan in the Philippines they are pinned with their backs to the wall in Batavia.  Enemy bombing attacks on the city continue with scant resistance.  At best a few patched up Hurricanes rise to challenge them.  Other isolated garrisons in the East Indies are capitulating one by one. 
     
      US Naval Headquarters in Honolulu reports that several enemy submarines have been attacked and damaged in waters near Hawaii. 

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DATELINE PERTH - 7 March, 1942
The USS Canopus, an American submarine tender, arrived in the harbor today having broken through the Japanese blockade from Manila Bay in the Philippines. Amazingly, it was not attacked by any Japanese forces, during the several thousand miles of its voyage. Reportedly the ship left Manila in mid-February carrying several hundred seriously wounded men. The ship will now be used to service the score of American submarines patrolling near Australia.

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei) 24th-28th February 1942

Java

Both Tjilitjap and Malang were occupied after light resistance. Several divisions of Dutch troops have been reported fleeing to Batavia.

Fiji

Nandi was captured on the 27th February. At least one brigade of New Zealenders have surrendered after minimal opposition. Reports of unrest in Auckland and Wellington cannot be discounted.

Phillipines

A ragtag starving band of joint American and Phillipinom troops were seen entering Dadjangas. The former Japanese base had been deemed unsuitable and abandoned several weeks ago.

General Homma has arrived in the Phillipines. Great victories are expected shortly. The twin enemy enclaves of Bataan and Manila are believed to be running short of both ammunition and food. Desperate messages calling for support have been intercepted. A large freighter or passenger ship was observed fleeing from the area under cover of darkness.

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei) 1st-4th March 1942

Southern Army reports the fall of Bandoeng on the 3rd March. The Dutch are retreating in some disorder to Batavia.

Admiral Yamamoto is pleased with the initial preparations of operation 'IN'. This further blow to the colonial powers is expected to lead to the so called 'Allied' powers to request peace talks.

Admiral Yamamato pondering operation 'IN':-

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DATELINE PERTH, AUSTRALIA - 8 March 1942
Local military officials were surprised this morning when U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur, commander of the American Army in the Philippines disembarked from the USS Canopus, the submarine tender which broke through the Japanese blockade and pulled into Perth the previous day. General MacArthur, accompanied by his family and several key staff officers, apparently waited until all of the wounded soldiers transported on the Canopus were unloaded and taken to hospital before making his presence known.
Met on the docks by Brigadier Curtiss and few members of the local press, General MacArthur declared, "The President of the United States ordered me out of the Philippines to help organize the Allied defense and to prepare for our inevitable counteroffensive. I have come through and I SHALL RETURN".

After speaking momentarily with Brigadier Curtiss, MacArthur held a brief ceremony with the paraded crew of the Canopus. The ship's Captain, CDR Earl LeRoy Sackett, of Nebraska was awarded the Navy Cross for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy both in the Philippines and for bringing his ship and its occupants safely through the blockade. The Canopus provided torpedos and other maintenance facilities to the American submarines while in Manila. CDR Sackett ordered that the ships' motor whaleboats be fitted out with light artillery and machine guns and set to patrol Manila Bay and the coasts of the American positions on Bataan. These "Mickey Mouse Battleships" destroyed several Japanese landing barges and in a number of actions prevented Japanese landings behind the American lines. Bombed many times the Canopus suffered only minor damage and its guns shot down at least two float-type Japanese Zeros.

MacArthur also awarded a Navy Cross to Ltjg Frank Landers, captain of the American torpedo boat PT-32. Ltjg Landers' PT Boat is credited with sinking one Japanese Destroyer (thought to be the very modern Asagumo) and damaging a second destroyer and a transport, both of which subsequently sank in a series of engagements near Davao on the island of Mindanao.

Following the presentations MacArthur left with Brigadier Curtiss to an undisclosed location.

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DATELINE HONOLULU - 12 March 1942
    A spokesman for Naval Headquarters here today reported that US Navy ships had sunk a Japanese submarine, identified as the I-20, approxiamately 250 miles Southwest of Johnston Island. Two japanese sailors were reported rescued and taken prisoner.
Further South a B-17 bomber reported damaging another Japanese submarine near the island of Palmyra.

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei) 5th-8th March 1942

Most fronts remain quiet, highlights include:-

6th March.

The fall of Koumac bring the completion of operations in New Caledonia. The island has been designated an outer perimeter fortress. Large Air and Naval assets are being located in the area. It is thought that the ocean to the south is being used to supply Australia.

8th March.

In China, several infantry divisions have established a beachead to the West of Canton, over the Jian Jiang river.

Burma Hq reports the complete destruction of an enemy thrust from Myitkyina. Several divisions have been assigned to the capture of this strategically important location.

Reports of General MacArthur's 'truimphant' entry into Perth have vindicated the Japanese defensive operations to date. Intelligence sources indicated that the American 'War Plan Orange' has been totally defeated and the garrison in the Phillipines has been left to its own devices. Decoded enemy radio tramsmissions from the region show that enemy morale has plummeted after the desertion of their principal commander. Fresh reinforcements are due in the area shortly and the twin enemy enclaves are expected to be subdued in due course.

Leaflet drop on enemy forces in Manila.

[Mike Dixon]

Soldiers in the Phillipines! Present this card to your nearest Japanese soldier and you will be guaranteed a safe conduct!

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei) 9th-11th March 1942

Highlights over the last three days operations

In China, several divisions have burst through a weak Chinese defence near Nanning. Reports of eneny troops fleeing from nearby Pakhoi are considered valid.

In Burma, Myitkyina was captured on the 9th of March. This base was being used to export large quantites of war materials to the arch criminals Chiang Kai-shek and Mao in China. A large mixed force of Indian and Chinese divisions was routed. A number of B-17 and Liberators were also shot down. Future operations could include an advance into India or Yenen in China. On the 10th of March, over one hundred enemy heavy bombers hit Mandalay in a surprise raid. The attack was successfully repulsed with only minor damage to the airfield.

On the 11th March in Java, a short bombardment by BB's Nagato and Ise destroyed large quantities of supplies and ammunition. Intelligence sources suggest that both Java and Sumatra have now been written off by ABDA.

[Mike Dixon]

Tokyo radio is pleased to announce a commemorative art exhibition of the Greater East Asia War. Leading artists such as Yoshioka Kenji and Koiso Yoshihira present the following renditions:-

Hong Kong attack