1275psi(herbiesan) vs gen Hoepner

[1275psi]

Captain Umeya read the signal carefully

at last!

" from Akagi maru
Observed by b17 patrol plane 1300 hrs.
have recieved following from ss I-23 -possible CV 300 miles due east of PH -speed 18 -heading 270 degrees true."

Good
now to hope the hell, that nagumo heard it as well.

[1275psi]

20/1/41
Wars often depend on luck
On this day -the ss I-7, lurking to the east of the Hawian islands, took a shot at the CV Saratoga - and missed
later that afternoon she again shot - and missed - but hit and sank the DD Dent.
It was much later that evening -shaken badly by the counter attack -but still combat worthy that she was finally able to surface and report her contact.
Nagumo - well away to the North east of the islands immediately swung south -far too far away to intercept -but if PG Akagi maru drew her quarry north..........
Eleswhere in the war - things were mainly shut down by the weather.
Captain Takeda -stung by his poor gunnery -prepared to return to batavia - while the Kongo and haranua blasted the defences at pontiak.
Japanese bombers hit manilla port again -now unchallenged in the skys.

[1275psi]

The troops were jubilant
At the peak of Mt Victoria the BANZIA! rang out
Hong Kong was theirs.
But there would be little time to celebrate -already the chinese were approaching the out skirts of canton........

[1275psi]

From HQ 15th Army
to
Mgen Hasegawa, 25th Army

5th division to relieve 16th division, continue drive from Taiping.
make utmost haste south.

Somewhere further south of the tent where this signal eminated -Private Ado's bicycle would become again the very spearpoint of the advance south...........

[1275psi]

From
LGen Yamamato, 15th Army HQ
to
General Hada, Southern Area HQ

Weekly Combat report
Summary.
Pleased to report that 15th Army HQ enrtered the fray this week, in both good order spirit
Both Guards 2nd division and 55 Div are performing well, and performed with both good co operation and vigour
Attack plan remains on schedule.
Enemy resistance negligable
Casualties very light
Supply situation remains very good
Co operation with Army air is good, this HQ has yet to recieve an air attack on its troops.

5th division, temperarily attached to this command also performing well.

Intentions
15th army will continue drive on Kuala Lumpar, where we remain confident of co operative action with 25th Army before final drive on Singapore.
Specific issues........

[1275psi]

From
MGen Hasegawa 25th Army HQ
to
General Hada, Southern Area HQ

Weekly combat report

16th, 18th division remain in blocking position, central Malaya, awaiting thrust from 15th Army
25th Engineering battalion has occupied Kuantan

Enemy resistance has been negligable
8 enemy units detected at Johore - we suspect a planned counter attack may be issued from here -we do not intend to engage until full strength is available.

Supply situation remains good
casualties very light

Relationship between 16th, 18th commands somewhat strained..........

[1275psi]

from Combat diary
Burma command
Gen Kawabe

...............progress north from Raheang remains painfully slow - the road is no more than a track.
Nevertheless 4th brigade pushes on, and I am confident we will reach Moulimien by months end

The enemy launched a small air attack against us this week - a real miserable mix of biplanes, and light bombers -we suffered no real loss.
I have however asked general hada if we could at least get some of the zero fighters into the theatre -merely for moral purposes.
Supply situation is...........

[1275psi]

private letter from General Hada to herbiesan


.........and that went very well. But, as i have already stated, racing down the malaya peninsula is all very well, but again i ask -how do we intend to conduct operations to the North without significant naval cover?.
.............


.........Again I agree - the sudden jump to Sumutra with what really amounts to only the 35th brigade is a risk so early on, but if we can grab a good beach head, then all the easier to get the divisions in malaya down there once we crack Singapore -if we do.............

1st para did very well taking banka yesterday - i will require a naval lift to get them back, if you could be so kind as to arrange..........

[1275psi]

from ADM Yammato
to
Herbiesan

Sir,
Again I must express my strongest wishes that you again resist Army calls to lend the carrier strike force to support army operations. The American carriers are -and will always remain our most dangerous threat.
We must be patient - extremely patient -as Gen Hoepner is going to be a very, very flighty quarry -however, as stated in the briefing yesterday -we know know where one CV is -and I believe that Gen Hoepener will concentrate his ships....

[1275psi]

22/1/41
With the war barely 2 weeks old the japanese advance met its first mild hiccup.
Some 3 divisions worth of troops began to land near the port of cagayan -and quickly realised that they had landed into the very heart of the allied defences -some 3 phillipine divisions -if they could be called that -had concentrated in the town.
They would take some weeding out..........
In malaya kuantan fell, and the advance continued down both coasts of the peninsula.

Enemy air activity continued over palembang -DD Yukaze being hit hard.

the biggest news of this day was the rushed Japanese attempt to eject the troops out of Canton -which ended in bloody failure.

China, in fact , had turned somewhat into a mess -with Chinese forces on the move -offensively all over the fronts.
Intelligence indicated that the majority of the allied air forces from the phillipines had moved to china .
Japanese reaction to this at the time was unexpected -they ignored it.

[1275psi]

Private Ado - of the first recon company -5th division -was to say the least -a little peeved.

he was at the front -the very, very front again.
Was he and his bicycle meant to conquer malaya alone?
what chance to lead the advance again?
what, in heavens name, sin, had he committed.

Ahead lay a smooth tarred road, bordered on each side by miles and miles of dark rubber plantations -capable of hiding any number of armies -let alone an ambush for he -private Ado - mighty warrior.

well there was nothing for it.
he mounted his bike, and began to peddle south, next stop kuala Lumpur

[1275psi]

Flight Log
LT yamato - 98th sentai

Mission 5
Against ground troops banka
No opposition, flight very good, bombing very effective, our paras took it easily.
target tomorrow -troop concentrations Johore
Good -anything to avoid Singapore flak!

[1275psi]

Radm Takagi could barely conceal his frustration.
Around him, some, just some of the elements for the advance to merak had gathered - a hodge podge of shipping.
But somewhere out in the mists -he was supposed -supposed to have some battleships, some cruisers, and the 35th brigade!
Who in their right mind made the Zuiho the flagship of this adventure?
her radio barely could handle her escorts -let alone this.

"Its like herding cats" he thought.
there was nothing for it.
All the ships knew the target, and time was critical -absolutely critical.

They would muddle through -somehow.
"To all ships assigned -advance to merak!"

[1275psi]

23/1/41
The invasion of cagayan continued, resistance would prove to be very tough in the hilly areas around the vital port .
Well down south several APs landed a small naval force at kavieng, scattering the local militia -hudson from rabual did how ever damage severly 2 small transports.

Again in malaya the bombers launched yet another massed raid -122 sallies striking troop concentartions at Johore
In the phillipines bataan too was lashed by 100 plus bombers.

The rapid drive into sumutra continued -2nd paras taking merak by storm.
Still facing no resistance, Kuala Lumpar was taken by advanced elements of the 5th division.

The war seemed to be going well,
However in China -Inchang was retaken from the japanese -"a startegic re alignment" acording to herbiesan.

[1275psi]

extract from combat diary
Gen Kanabe Burma army


...............very pleasing to see the zeros overhead today -impressive plane indeed - I hear they culled quite a few british fighters today...

..........trail remains very difficult, and i fear greatly what may await me at moulimien, 4th brigade is just not strong enough in itself.........
........still no contact with 21 brigade -must just assume they too are still driving north, probabaly ..............

[1275psi]

From
General Hada Southern area HQ
to
Imperial Commander -herbiesan.

Sir
I must know what the priority for replacements is at this time!
despite very low losses, I am very worried to hear from our Ministry of production, that already our replacement pools, especially those of armaments, are currently exhausted!
how can this be, i personally inspected these at war beginning, and found 20000 units available -what is ...............

[1275psi]

If he survived this war, private Ado could always be able to say that he captured a city by himself.
it went like this.
The road into Kuala Lumpu slopes down into the town from the top of a gentle rise. The Company had stopped, awaiting orders for the division to come up, except nobody had told him.
Lavered in sweat, Ado had been coming up the other side of the hill, trying to catch the rest of the company - and when he reached them, resting at the top of the hill, he had sworn to show them that he still had strength to catch them, and more.
So he had reached the crest -and charged ahead - down the hill.

And a curious thing happened.
As he approached the first buildings, people had begun to gather on each side of the road - all waving little rising sun flags.

Private Ado - astonished, then mightily pleased, had trundled on, the crowds growing, the flags waving.
A surreal moment -one he would never forget.

He would go to his grave never realising that nobody was cheering.

[USSAmerica]

Good stuff, herbie!  [8D]

[1275psi]

24/12/41
Its taken 3 weeks, japan today suffers her first naval loss of importance -DD Yukaze succumbing to her wounds in Palembang harbour
72 sallies attacked shipping in manilla Hbr - the Allies trickling the refugees out -today only 2 Aks were hit.
The last of 3 divisions of troops landed at cagayan -yet it was becoming very apparent that they might not be enough, a very rude shock for Southern command, who needed these divisions rapidly for the planned invasion of timor
the first assualt reduced many fortifications, but just could not gather the strength for complete victory.

Kuala Lumpar was declared a liberated city.

[1275psi]

From
herbiesan -his imperial Glorious!
to
General Hada
Southern command HQ

My dear Friend Hada
I was terribly dissapointed to hear of the check at Cagayan - you were right though friend to insist on the full 3 divisions - those mountains certaintly do give the defenders -even phillipino troops quite an advantage.

Do you require more troops?
I have promised Yammato some engineers, heavy artillery from Kagoshima and the like for his little bastion down at truk -I could lend you them if needed -I do have some transports here at Tokyo now...

How is our little fued between Mutaguchi and Oda going -I do believe the term Toad, and pig are very popular at the moment -chuckle - but as long as they keep trying to beat the other to singapore, all the better for us....
Yammato Im afraid will not yet release the carriers to you, as you know they willl be vital for the future attacks at.............