Letters from a Prime Minister

[ny59giants]

The problem with defending Port Moresby is trying to resupply and reinforce it. As Japan, I would take Milne Bay and Horn Island to isolate you. John knows this too as I've been on his General Staff for years. You are going to need to build up Cooktown quickly to be able to use your B-17s and 24s to slow him down along with lots of subs (S-boats and Dutch).

[Mike McCreery]

God bless your enthusiasm!!!

[1275psi]

Hi guys

Look, I will be very honest, if I was playing a normal game, especially against
someone like John, this is NOT how I would play
But this is an AAR driven game, and at the Moment, the allies , and the Prime Minister especially,
are living in cloud cuckoo land

I hope, as the game develops, this drives an interesting story (which is basically mapped out already for
the first 6 months)

I might subsequently have a tough time of it, but it will be more interesting.........

[1275psi]

30/12/41

From
Leader of the Opposition
to
the Prime Minister

Prime Minister:
In light of Japans terribly fast advance in the DEI's , I ask you,
what is the point of exposing our troops on Samualika north of Darwin?
They appear horribly exposed now

Would it also be better to bring them back to Darwin?
Also, again, I am urged to ask you, what of Port Moresby?
How will we support it?

Yours
Tony


My dear Tony

I have looked at the troops north of Darwin, and agree
If shipping can be found, we will retire them.

As for Port Moresby, I take General Blamey's advise, we will fight the Japanese
in PNG, not on Australian soil.
To this end, we are about to occupy Milne bay.
Again, I remind you, that the British Government has sworn, absolutely
sworn "that if the Nation of Australia itself is placed in peril, all the resources
of Great Britain will be sent to our aid"
I do not believe it will come to this

Yours
Frank





A letter begun, but not delivered

Frank:
Do you really understand just how ^%$#@#$% far away Great Britain is?

Tony

[1275psi]

The fighting around Oostenhaven, Palembang rises to fever pitch

To sum up, it breaks ABDA air command, shatters its navy

Nearly every fighter is committed, nearly everyone lost
The AP Dominion republic is sunk, with 2600 souls aboard.

ABDA orders the Navy out, but at least 4 CL's, a CA, 10 destroyers cannot sail, too damaged to leave port
at this time

(Boise, however, at just 5 knots, crawls away)
The army attacks at Palembang, and is defeated heavily, the 18th division is still
coming



But there are still a few spots of encouragement
In China, at Chengteh, the 34th Japanese Division is destroyed to the last man.
The Imperial guard is stopped cold at temorah Malaya, and hurt badly
The Japanese attack with the 4th and 7th tank regiment in the phillipines, they too
over today and tomorrow, will be utterly destroyed

The phillipine army will not be easily rooted out of the jungle covered central mountains.

And finally, Catalina's attack the mini KB west of the DEI's, deep in the Indian ocean,
landing bombs on both Taiyo, and Hosho


200 miles to their north, encouraged by this, Hermes detaches from the retiring Renown
TF, and moves to attack.

[1275psi]

AMC Westralia

pacific Ocean, 200 miles east of Noumea

Course south


"Load!, fire!, load!.....CLANG!!!"JESUS H CHRIST JEFFERY FORD!....what the hell are you
doing!!!...do you want to kill us all!"
"Again.....Load!, fire!,,Load!....fire!

[1275psi]

"Thank heavens for that"

The Admiral eyes Jackson , almost evilly..."I hope, lieutenant, that
you are going to bring me good news"
"Yes sir!, replenishment complete, all ships 95% fuel"

"Good, lets move these buckets, Westward bloody ho!"

[1275psi]

31 December 1941

It is a terrible day

Near Christmas island, 4 Japanese destroyers surprise the Hermes, she and the DD Edsall, are sunk

Near soerabaya, CA mauritious is sunk, CL Durban is sunk

The Japanese land another division, the 56th, at Bali



China, again, is the only place with good news, the Japanese attack at Changsha has failed,
and right now, the four divisions there are surrounded.

A relief column will have to be sent.



Enterprise reaches Auckland.

[1275psi]

From the Prime Minister
to
General Blamey

I am in two minds on deployment of Australian Militia divisions
can you please advise?

I have heard rumours that some consider an Invasion of Australia
well within Japanese means

Do you agree with this?

The Americans have requested our heavy cruisers to be attached to their carrier task force.
Can we live with this?

Please provide your thoughts at first opportunity

PM

[1275psi]

From PM
to
My secretary.

As we half expected, Mary and I have had 'another disagreement"
Please make arrangements for her moving back to Kirribilli house as soon as possible

Discreetly!, the last thing I need right now is for the media to hear about our troubles

I intend to return to Canberra tomorrow.
It was a crap Christmas after all

[1275psi]

January 2nd
1942

Aden

"Stop both engines"
"Stop both engines, rung down and repeated sir"
"very good"


"Lines secured sir"
"very good"

"Finish with main engines"

Hmas Napier, Australia's latest warship, gently nestles the wharf at Aden, the sun blazing down
upon her white clad crew

Behind her, Nizzan, Nestor, her two sisters also finish coming alongside.
100 yards away, much to Johns satisfaction, HMAS Hobart receives a fresh coat of paint.

And out in the roads, the Queen Elizabeth dominates all.
John views the harbour with curiosity, its a first for him.

"What do you think Nav?"
its the Engineer, a little thin man, who, despite himself, John can never think of as
someone slightly.......well, queer.
But he is a dependable type, and that is what really matters.
"Another step on the way home, I hope" John answers
"Aye....still a long way though, and from the sounds of it, lots of Japs between here and Perth"

John considers this, for a moment
A new half of the world.....and a million possibilities. He has a lot of work ahead,
a lot of charts to update.

Even, if they are lucky, one for Sydney harbour

[1275psi]

Jan 3rd

From
Headquarters, Australian fleet
to

Operation spy glass

Japanese Troop ships known to be approaching Guadacanal, shortland islands.
All coast watchers to activate plans

Good luck

[1275psi]

Jan 4th

Commander ABDA holds the signal in trembling hands

It might be best, if I do fall with the defenders, fall, after hearing this.

The Indians have retired from Palembang.........a confused "follow me order", apparently
The 18th Division has not arrived yet.

And today, an entire bloody division is landing there, the 2nd....
(and just how bloody many divisions do they have!!?)

Disaster upon disaster.........


Somehow, somehow, I have let the Navy down, terribly.

"Signal the dutch....if it flies tomorrow, it must hit the oil fields.

Not that that would really help.

[1275psi]

In the Phillipines, the general feeling from the lowest private, to the President himself, of what
Mac has done, is clear

"he has led us to disaster"
The Japanese certainly think so. Two divisions, the 21st, the 38th, drive into the hills, determined
to crush "this little army of beggars"

They are not quite flung back out again, but as a fighting unit, the 21st is truly wrecked......

(AV down to 160)

And in Malaya, near Kuala Lumpur, the 5th also jags itself on the allies



Japan is winning, winning quickly.
She is also bleeding quickly too.

[1275psi]

From
Commander, Eastern fleet
to
Admiralty

I have withdrawn all shipping from DEI theatre, and am retiring all ships
onto Cape town.

I do not, repeat, not, consider Colombo safe at this time with Jap CV's roaming at will

Estimated losses
BB Prince of wales
BC repulse heavily damaged, but safe

11 light cruisers lost (American Dutch and British)
20 destroyers, ( British, American, and Dutch)
1 CVL
1 CA
9 SS

Japanese losses

BB haranua is in Hong kong, (hit twice today by bombers operating in china)
Believed to be heavily damaged
BB Kongo is believed heavily damaged

I can confirm 16 Japanese destroyers sunk

3 light cruisers are also claimed, but not confirmed, sunk

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: 1275psi


I can confirm 16 Japanese destroyers sunk

If real, those are big losses for the IJN. They get so few 'real' replacement DD's ... he's gonna have to use dinky DD's and E's to screen his capital ships ...
When you get Fletchers, it will be worse than usual for your opponent.

[1275psi]

January 6th

its "the big effort"
18th division will leap across the river, and re take Palembang.
The Indians will come down from the North
The Dutch will support

japan crosses the river first, and smashes the 18th division to pieces.

Yenan, China, falls

36 dutch 139wh's bomb Palembang, a great attack, avoiding the 41 zero's on CAP
The oil fields are 5% damaged

Not enough, not nearly enough.

Malaya, java, ........its a shambles

[1275psi]

HMAS Westralia departs Auckland harbour, her hold filled with artillery, her
decks crowded with artillery men, Americans, strong and proud

It has taken Jeffery but 5 minutes to decide he hates these rich arrogant
barsteds.

And less then half a day before he is exchanging blows with one
Blows where he receives considerably more than he gives.

The Executive officer has no sympathy.
"cells, and he can stay there until we arrive and get the yanks off my ship"

[1275psi]

January 7th 1942

The phillipines hold on
Today three divisions drive against the "army of the hills"
The Japanese leave 3000 dead in those hills

Yet another massive invasion fleet is reported approaching, Merak this time.
We have little to stop it.

[1275psi]

January 10th
The offices of that great paper, The daily telegraph, Surrey Hills, Sydney.
Well, not the office then, but the pub directly across the road.

Which, in the Journalists world, is where half the work of the day really gets done

We won't spend too long on the character of this particular reporter, (he is only a link in the chain)
, picture him how you will.
What matters, this stinking hot day, is that he has had 3 beers, has no story for
the next issue, that the censors have destroyed his last three.
And that the editor is pissed a him

But what really matters, is the young pale girl standing before him, a girl obviously in
trouble.
And one, who he knows minutes later, has more than a story, has a great big fat SCANDOLOUS story,
, Oh joy of joys.

he hands the girl a small drink.
"So Margaret, can we start from the beginning again?"