1275psi(herbiesan) vs gen Hoepner

[1275psi]

ADM Yammato read the report with foreboding


........in conclusion.......... the presence of our Carriers to the North East of pearl harbour must have been known all along to the enemy...............

........do not believe signals compromised, ................... security good...........
.......remained baffled at how they................

[1275psi]

17/1/42
The japanese war machine, driven by the insatiable commands of dictator herbiesan, on this day commenced landings at Kendari - 3 full divisions of men, escorted by almost the bulk of the Navy.
To the east of kendari a second large convoy departed Ambionia waters, and headed west, ultimately aimed at Kupang.
As a decoy, lautern was heavily reconnoited, and navy bombers bombed this field.

Again the b17s tried to stop the invasion - but the pre war plans of using the B17 as a decisive naval weapon would still need time to mature -again they missed.
But the aim was getting better.

In Burma the british bombed the forward japanese troops
In Singapore both sides threw artillery shells at each other, and manilla was again bombed.

[1275psi]

Extract from Burma HQ combat diary….

............., the british attempted to bomb our forward troops today, they of course missed everything, the jungle is too thick. Im not sure if this is a portent of more to come, or just there to annoy us. I did win 1000 yen in my bet with the air HQ, he bet we would not see a bomber until mid may.
feeling far more confident with 4th brigade, 2 construction units joined them today -they will hold............

[1275psi]

From minister of production
to
Herbiesan

as required by yourself, following reinforcements have arrived as commissioned units Tokyo military district
..........................
......................
..........................

ect, ect, ect
herbiesan, i regret to say that none of these units are at full strength, Im being bull shitted by navy in particular -they tell you that these units are arriving on schedule -and then when you actually enquire -they have not even outfitted them fully -nor raised the required TOE, really, I cannot....................

[1275psi]

A letter to herbiesan..



he is lying through his teeth if he tells you that units are arriving at full strength, and he is lying through his teeth even more if he says its our fault!
I simply cannot get armaments out of him - and the descrepancies i find in reported stocks and production -to actual deliveries - where the hell is the stuff going.

let me give an example
City x is contracted to produce 20 trucks this month
we allocate the required supplies
they are delivered, but then i get a complaint, they are 5000 tons short, for 3 days -thus we will only recieve 17 trucks this month.
Where is this stuff going?
Sir, i humbly submit, for the sake of the empire in this war, that you investigate my superior -i strongly.............

[1275psi]

Over Dinner,
local Giesha house

herbiesan to his minister of production

...........and that reminds me. Your secretary -um "
"Saito"
"yes saito, he's umm"
"becoming suspicious?"
"yes"
"Regretful, he is very good at his job"
"Too good Im afraid"
'AAH, I see..............."






TO
Mr Saito
You are hearby ordered to report to Commander Parishimio as Quarter master general, effective immediately.
Stop

[1275psi]

18/1/42
The operations in the southern DEI continued this day - as the troops continued to land at kendari.
Supported by the battleships big guns, progress at securing the town was rapid.
despite the best efforts of the pilots of the B17s -they were unable to interfere at all with the landings

heavy bombing of Singapore again , yet the allies seemed to be unaffected by it -they remained solidly defiant

bataan began its period in hell -60 betties bombing it .

[1275psi]

98th bombing sentai did not fly this day -they were finally beginging to prepare the unit for conversion tothe new heavy bomber helen, and the squadron was very busy handing over its spares and tools to the 60th Sentai.
None of the pilots were sorry to see the sally go - a once nice to fly, easy to operate plane -had now changed in all their perceptions to a deadly, vulnerable obscelete aircraft -in adequate for the missions assigned to it.

All hoped that the new bomber would be far more robust.

At the rate the allies were NOT being destroyed in singapore -something heavier was desperately needed.

[1275psi]

Private diary of Herbiesan

........a fine pickle. I was assured that 5 divisions would be a sledgehammer for Singapore -and I find that now he tells me -that I will need to find more!
the man angers me.
badly
he has definately failed me.
And I cannot accept that.

I will have to be careful here -he is Armies favourite.................

[1275psi]

19/1/41
The invasion of kendari continued.
To the south of kendari a second invasion force , now loaded with the troops from Ambionia, rendevoued with RADM Takagi's CVL group -now boosted by the addition of the little CVE taiyo.
To distract the allies, the Admiral formed a small task force of three Cls and 3 DDs, and dispatched them to bombard lautern, while this convoy began to pass to its North enroute to Kupang.

The Allies response this day was however, unexpectantly efficient, the B17s continued to miss everything, but other planes were entering the fray.

[1275psi]

The first pink of dawn was just breaking over Takagi's task force when the attack occured

Unoticed against the dark shore line the 5 lumbering Dutch float planes were not even fired upon as they made their attack on the massed shipping in kendari harbour and its approaches.
But nobody could miss the the sickening thud of the torpedoe on BB Haranuas massive side. Immediately everyone could see she was in troble -fires breaking out on her gun deck, and her great bulk leaning to Stbd an alarming 10 degrees.

On Yamishiro's flag deck Takeda blanched -here was his worst nightmare, a battlewagon crippled by a mere single torpedoe bomber.
"And this is what happens when you tie us to bombardment duties " he thought.
"I must not let this happen to my ships, I must not"

[1275psi]

from
RADM Takagi
to
Air Commander Menando
Air Commander Ambionia

Enemy air bases to our west now active.
attack immediately! -use of naval attack bombers authorised

To
Capt Takeda

Dispatch your BB squadron and deal with enemy airfield immediately!
Good hunting!

[1275psi]

Capt Umeya of the Hosho could only smile.
There, rising out of the mist was his own home port of Ominato.
They were home.

Home -some leave, and a new command - Hosho was been given an escort of a CL, and some 8 DDs.
A fleet.
What would Yammato have him do next with that?

But that was for later
Tomorrow home, and his little sloop - and his fishing.

[1275psi]

20/1/42
kendari rapidly fell to the 3 divisions of troops landing there.
very rapidly these same troops re loaded onto the transports, and by the dawn of the 21st, the large convoy had departed, leaving a special aviation detachment to hold the town, and try to repair the massive damage to the airfields.

In the harbour Haranua struggled with flooding -36% of her compartments affected by the single telling torpedoe.

Again on this day Capt Takeda brought his batleship guns into action -in revenge -the 4 battle ships pounding Makassar relentlessly -destroying several planes, and wrecking the field

In Singapore -a general assualt went in, and went no where -4000 casualties on iether side.
But it was apparent that General Hada's grand plan was rapidly becoming de railed, with unexpected consequences.

[1275psi]

Flight Log Lt Yamato
98th sentai


Mission 15 -target singapore again
Extremely heavy Flak again today, our unit has suffered 30% casualties since the start of this battle -some units here worse.
Hopefully this is the lastmission in the sally -we are upgrading to a new bomber this week.
Its all very depressing - we bomb, and bomb, and bomb, and the Army goes nowhere, and we die, and die, and die.

The news is that the army easily beats the Indians, is equal to the British, but the Australians are killing us.
Why are we fighting the Australians?

If this war continues to stall like this -I fear for our futures.

[1275psi]

Both generals sat depressed in the command HQ

LGEN Mutaguchi, LGEN Oda had both spent many, many years in the army.
Many years fighting in China.
Just 2 months ago the plan had seemed so good - arapid 5 division thrust -a capture of Singapore by overwhelming force.
All that really seemed to matter was who got their first -who gained the honour of the victory.

Bitter ashes now.

4000 casualties.
No gains
None

Oda spoke first " My friend - " and the pause was long, as he considered carefully what he had to say " at times I have hated you with all my heart "
Mutaguchi nodded -as if in assent, as if he too needed to say this "but I have been wrong -we have moved our gaze from what should be our true focus -our enemies"

"yes"

"I apologise. we must work closer. 25th Army demands it. Our men demand it. our empire demands it"
carefully he stood up -extended his hand - "We must find another way to capture this fortress"
Mutaguchi took it
"yes, we must"

[1275psi]

General Hada settled gently onto the privy.

he needed to think, needed to come up with answers to the disaster his grand plan was descending into.....

There was no time for fear, or anything -the door simply crashed open -and a dark shadow was there -and then the single gunshot



To all Units
General Hada, commander of Southern Area HQ has been killed in action
Lgen Sawada assumes command.

we press on with renewed vigour to victory!

[1275psi]

Private diary of herbiesan

I have "retired' Hada - Yammato and the Navy are pleased.
Good

I like Sawada's plan -its really the only option.
Continue pressure at singapore -use the 3 divisions at kendari to finish soerabaya -then add them to the Singapore attack.
Should have 8 divs at Singapore by march 1 -and all in the one place, with shipping.
Hope remains

China is stabalising -good, I need it quiet.
Still no signs of allied activity in the pacific -damn the General -damn him! -where are his carriers!

[1275psi]

21/1/42
Today the japanese again hit maccassar with heavy cruisers -detirmined that no more interference would come from there.
Capt takeda in his 4 battleships also continued his pounding of the base

The big news in the empire was of course the killing of General Hada -the message seemed pretty blunt.
perform or perish.

In Singapore the Japanese again confined themselves to bombardments -they simply had run out of ideas.

The invasion fleet for Java from Kendari sailed serenly west, again RADM Takagi would have a nervous time, wondering if the allied CVs would turn up.

[1275psi]

Private Ado was content

he now had a nice bunker
A bed of sorts
And no sign at all that they would be attacking soon -which meant that he might live a little longer.

He did not share the despondancy settling into many of his companions.
They were in Singapore.
The allies were trapped.
Soon enough they would recieve reinforcements -the allies would not.

Let the guns hammer each other.
he was content