Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Thursday, April 08, 1943
>> Imperial Japanese Army lands near Singapore – Royal Army launches invasion of the Bismarck Archipelago! <<
>> The war in the Pacific is reaching a new climax! <<
At the end of March, the Imperial Japanese Navy learned that a large squadron of the Royal Navy had gone to the South Pacific. According to information from the secret service, among them were numerous troop transporters with soldiers to reinforce the British garrisons in the South Pacific.
This reinforcement has turned out to be a colossal error. In fact, it was a huge invasion fleet aimed at the Bismarck Archipelago. The British troops have successfully landed there to contest the archipelago that has just been taken over by the German Reich.
However, even before the British Expeditionary Force reached its destination, the Imperial Japanese Navy took advantage of the absence of the Royal Navy off Malaya for its own purposes.
After most of the Imperial Japanese Marines are in captivity on Malaya, the Navy directed a large number of troop carriers owned by the Imperial Japanese Army to the south. In a quick coup d'état, the 25th Army of the Imperial Japanese Army under the command of Rikugun-chūjō Tanabe Moritake has succeeded in landing near Singapore!
The army leadership says that this invasion is not only aimed at wresting the most important base in Southeast Asia from the British Empire, but also at the liberation of our prisoners in Malaya.
Whatever caused the British High Command to leave British Malaya so unprotected for the rather insignificant Bismarck Archipelago, the Japanese Empire mercilessly exploited the opportunity that presented itself!
Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Wednesday, April 14, 1943
>> The United States of America declares war on the Japanese Empire! <<
>> After the Japanese invasion of Singapore, the US gave in to the urging of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and declared war on Japan! <<
This morning at eight o'clock Washington time, American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared war on the Japanese Empire in a televised address to the American nation!
He is not willing to stand idly by and watch the uninhibited expansionist drive of the Japanese Empire any longer.
He called on the American people to do everything humanly possible in a joint effort that has never been seen before, to put Japan in its place.
It is certainly no coincidence that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is currently in Washington D.C.!
The Western imperialist forces are thus forging an unholy alliance in order to be able to impose their will on Asia in the future!
In a first reaction, the Imperial Japanese Navy announced that it could take on any threat at sea!
Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Wednesday, April 14, 1943
Osaki Shiko was at a loss for words! Now the Japanese military had achieved what he believed had been the goal of recent years.
Japan was at war with the USA!
And he had to admit that the Imperial Japanese Navy's statement that it could take on any threat at sea had not been without substance.
The Royal Navy was considerably weakened in Asia. Despite the invasion of the Bismarck Archipelago, the Japanese invasion of Singapore could now deprive the Royal Navy of its base in Asia any day. A further stay of the Royal Navy was then practically impossible.
The Imperial Japanese Navy would therefore have to deal with the US Navy, and the latter would have to go into battle thousands of nautical miles away from home. The US bases in the Philippines were neither large enough to supply the US Navy for long, nor were they safe from Japanese bombers.
Yes indeed – it went well for the Imperial Japanese Navy – despite all the setbacks!
+ + +
Osaki Shiko visualized the size of the American naval forces:
The US Navy in April 1943
At the beginning of the war, the U.S. Navy fleet consisted of the following units:
Guantanamo Bay Air Force Base (Cuba)
Portland Air Force Base (Cuba)
San Juan Bay Air Force Base (Puerto Rico)
Pearl Harbor Air Force Base (Hawaii)
Boston Naval Air Force Base (USA)
Charlston Naval Air Force Base (USA)
San Francisco Naval Air Force Base (USA)
Philadelphia Naval Air Force Base (USA)
Norfolk Naval Air Force Base (USA)
Naval Air Force Base Seattle (USA)
Pensacola Naval Air Force Base (USA)
Wilmington Naval Air Force Base (USA)
San Diego Naval Air Force Base (USA)
Naval Air Force Base Miami (USA)
Naval Air Force Base New York (USA)
Tampa Naval Air Force Base (USA)
He found that the US had concentrated almost exclusively on its own territory. With the exception of Pearl Harbor, no overseas base of the USA actually had an airfield. He did not include the Caribbean, as this "puddle" was almost an inland sea of the USA.
For Guam and the Philippines, this was something of the greatest conceivable catastrophe at that moment, as these two places were almost certainly in the focus of the Imperial Japanese Navy!
In fact, Japan had a real chance of holding its own against the United States of America!
+ + +
Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Monday, April 19, 1943
Then something unexpected happened. The Navy Ministry announced that the heavy cruisers under construction would be aborted. Supposedly, the navy needed its funds for the expansion of the new colonies. This expansion can be realized much faster than the completion of these cruisers and aircraft squadrons would also be comparatively expensive.
Behind closed doors, however, it was learned that the naval leadership no longer saw any sense in large ships as long as they were not aircraft carriers.
The heavy cruisers would be useless and the Navy would rather order new fleet carriers, light cruisers and destroyers as soon as possible. When this would be the case, however, was unknown.
Osaki Shiko noted that the Imperial Japanese Navy did not have a single ship under construction or conversion. He couldn't remember if this had ever been the case in the last four decades and decided to ask his father about it!
>> The bombing of Tanganyika 29 to 30 April 1943 <<
The new colony of Tanganyika came as such a surprise to the Japanese High Command that there were no plans to secure it. Of course, the expansion of the base and the airfield was started immediately, but the base was still tiny. It also took time to ship all the material to Africa and free up warships to move to the Indian Ocean.
Although the battlecruiser Ikoma was sent to have at least one powerful ship on site, it was clear to everyone that this battlecruiser could have been sent to scrap right away.
As was to be expected, the British did not tolerate the expansion of the Japanese Empire into Africa. The Royal Navy was planning an invasion, but before it could take place, they wanted to thwart the Japanese efforts to enlarge the base.
At the end of April in the year nineteen hundred and forty-three, a tiny squadron of the East Africa Station set out to bomb the Japanese bases in Tanganyika.
The Imperial Japanese Navy at least got wind that the Royal Navy was up to something, but didn't know what it was. It didn't matter much, because only the light cruiser Kasagi was ready to ward off the impending adversity. The rest were tiny corvettes that had been hastily transferred to Tanganyika as coastal protection after the capitulation of Germany.
+ + +
For the Kasagi, this task was practically impossible to solve. British Zanzibar was located about halfway between Tanga and Dar es Salaam. Both places were considered as targets. So the Kasagi could stay with Tanga, or run to Dar es Salaam.
It was practically pitch dark and a radar set was not available
+ + +
So the cruiser had no choice but to drive to all the interesting places, stay for a short time and then head for the next place.
That's exactly what the Kasagi did – it was now twenty-two o'clock thirty-five local time!
About an hour later, the Kasagi reaches the new barracks north of Tanga.
After that, the Kasagi ran a few nautical miles to the east and then patrolled south again.
To make matters worse, rain set in, which further worsened visibility. Nevertheless, the corvette Tatibana Maru came into view, which would continue to control the northern position.
+ + +
After more than three hours, the Kasagi was south of Tanga and the question arose to continue to Dar es Salaam, return to Tanga or as a third option to look for potential British merchant ships off Zanzibar?
The Kasagi continued south when half an hour later a radio bearing indicated a contact to the northeast.
Just as the Kasagi reached the position, the broadcast ended and contact was lost.
Another hour and a half later, a Japan-safe freighter came into view. Nothing else was to be found here.
+ + +
So the Kasagi went south again!
At four fifty a.m. local time – more than six hours after the start of the operation – the alarm message came over the radio that enemy ships were shelling the barracks at Tanga!
+ + +
The Kasagi was now racing north again at full speed!
When the Kasagi arrived fifty minutes later, there was only smoking rubble of the barracks to look at. There was no sign of enemy ships.
However, there were reports that an enemy unit was now on its way to Tanga City.
+ + +
At six o'clock local time, dusk set in and visibility increased significantly.
However, there was nothing to be found on the calculated opponent course.
Again the Kasagi changed course and now zigged back and forth in the hope of having overtaken the opponent and now finding it a little further from the coast.
Apart from the Japanese corvettes and some Japanese freighters, however, there was still nothing to be seen!
In the end, it was decided to run at full speed to Zanzibar, where the opponent would most likely retreat.
+ + +
There was also no trace of the opponent at Zanzibar. Not even British cargo ships had been to be seen here.
At fifteen o'clock local time, the Kasagi broke off the search and ran to Dar es Salaam to bunker!
+ + +
From the War Chronicles of Imperial Japan:
>> Memorandum of Kaigun-taishō Yamamoto Isoroku on the bombing of Tanganyika 29 to 30 April 1943 <<
Honored officers and members of the 大本営 (Daihon'ei),
my memorandum on the possibilities of the Imperial Japanese Navy has, to my regret, only incompletely come into its own. Even if an expansion beyond the Pacific was not explicitly mentioned there, this could still be read. The possibilities of the Imperial Japanese Navy to operate at a greater distance from the Japanese home islands are limited despite the technical characteristics of our ships. There is more to an operation at a great distance than the fact of being able to reach this place and drive back again.
A large fleet must be able to bunker and repair. It requires the accommodation and food of the crews and the protection of the fleet by local defense facilities. It is well known how much time it took to expand the Asian and South Pacific bases. Polynesia is still a rather small base.
Therefore, no one could expect that we would be able to protect a colony in Africa. In ten years, we would not be able to expand this colony to the point where it would withstand a concentrated attack by the British or French. This would require not only the facilities on site, but a complete third fleet consisting of half a dozen additional fleet carriers, twenty light cruisers and a good forty destroyers. We are now hardly in a position to finance the existing units, how is that supposed to be possible with a fleet that is a third larger? In a hundred years' time, Tanganyika's revenues will not be enough to make these ships possible.
We can therefore be glad that the Royal Navy has so far only undone the work done and that no invasion has taken place as in the Bismarck Archipelago.
We have to assume that Tanganyika is the next colony where British troop carriers will appear.
This invasion – and it will come – is impossible for us to repel and we shouldn't even try!
On the contrary! Due to the new strategic location, I recommend concentrating all fleet units in the Pacific and that includes our trade disruptors that are deployed worldwide! We will need every ship – no matter how old it may be – here and not tens of thousands of nautical miles away.
+ + +
Thus, the officers of the 軍令部 (Gunreibu) of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the 参謀本部 (Sambō hombu) of the Imperial Japanese Army, and the 海軍省 (Kaigun-shō) may take note of the prepared and illustrated course of the battle for the bombing of Tanganyika from April 29 to 30 of that year.
Long live the Rengō Kantai, long live the Imperial Japanese Navy, long live the Emperor!
Kaigun-taishō Yamamoto Isoroku, May 3, 1943
+ + +
Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Monday, May 10, 1943
>> British invasion of the Bismarck Archipelago successful – Japanese soldiers go into captivity! <<
>> As has only now become known, the Royal Navy has already bombed Tanganyika over a week ago! <<
The Japanese garrison of the Bismarck Archipelago had to surrender in the early hours of today. Our soldiers had no chance against a supposedly thirty-fold superiority. It was impossible for the Imperial Japanese Navy to intervene in the fighting. The maritime superiority of our opponent, which was also present, was far too great for that. It would also have meant abandoning the invading troops of the Imperial Japanese Army off Singapore and thus running the risk of losing these troops as well.
As part of the Bismarck Archipelago Declarations, the Imperial Japanese Navy has admitted that the Royal Navy has also reduced the barracks under construction in Tanganyika to rubble.
More and more, the impression arises that the Imperial Japanese Navy is not able to protect the expansion of the Japanese Empire!
This impression is reinforced by the fact that the Imperial Japanese Navy has ordered all ships outside East Asia back to Asian waters!
+ + +
From the War Chronicles of Imperial Japan:
>> Battle of the Cruiser off British Malaya 22 May 1943 <<
The heavy cruiser Suzuya had a boring mission to carry out since the beginning of the war ten months ago, it had been assigned to trade protection. Like the Imperial Japanese Navy, the other belligerent nations also had trade disruptors on duty. Throughout the war, however, the Suzuya had not succeeded in confronting an enemy trade disruptor.
This was primarily due to the fact that its main place of operation in Southeast Asia was now largely the Japanese sphere of influence and secondly the Rengō Kantai was so often on the move in this sea area that hardly any opposing trade disruptors dared to come here!
With the entry of the United States of America, this circumstance changed. The USA maintained a small but fine flotilla in the Philippines and the captains of these ships were consistently braver than those of the Royal Navy. The saying was already making the rounds that the 'American cowboys' were now trying to round up the Asian 'herds of cattle'.
On the twenty-second of May, shortly before dusk, the Suzuya tracked down an unknown ship and was finally in business!
+ + +
The Suzuya opened fire at maximum distance, because the hitherto unidentified contact had at least identified himself as an American through a radio message. Since dusk was falling, however, it would be of no use to the enemy ship to ask the British for air support.
+ + +
For a short time, the Suzuya lost sight of the enemy, but thanks to the modern radar system, he could be tracked down and pursued again only minutes later!
+ + +
The opponent seemed to think he was safe in the dark. He changed his course only slightly and slowed down. Although the view range was now minimal, the Suzuya knew how to intercept the enemy!
At nineteen:fifteen local time, both ships came into sight and opened fire at the same time!
+ + +
The enemy ship was addressed as a Chattanooga-class light cruiser, making it clear that it was far inferior to the Suzuya in terms of artillery. If anything, only a torpedo attack would be dangerous, the Suzuya had to watch out for that!
+ + +
The US Navy cruiser actually tried to outmaneuver the Suzuya, but allowed the Suzuya to use all turrets in the bow and stern.
After a few minutes, the enemy cruiser lost considerable speed and clearly showed its side!
+ + +
Shell after shell slammed into the light cruiser without there seeming to be any resistance.
+ + +
A torpedo attack by the Suzuya was unsuccessful, but then two full broadsides managed to capsize at the shortest distance and caused the enemy to capsize!
+ + +
From the War Chronicles of Imperial Japan:
>> Memorandum of Kaigun-taishō Yamamoto Isoroku on the cruiser battle off British Malaya 22 May 1943 <<
Honored officers and members of the 大本営 (Daihon'ei),
the heavy cruiser Suzuya had a task, this task was accomplished. The Imperial Japanese Navy has sunk the first ship of the United States Navy, let's hope that the revenge of the US Navy will not be too painful. The size of the US Navy is shocking, we can only try to humiliate the enemy in a decisive battle so massively that he is ready to make peace. If we lose this decisive battle, there will be no second one, because then our fleet will be at the bottom of the sea.
No more words are needed!
+ + +
Thus, the officers of the 軍令部 (Gunreibu) of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the 参謀本部 (Sambō hombu) of the Imperial Japanese Army, as well as the 海軍省 (Kaigun-shō) may take note of the prepared and illustrated course of the battle for the cruiser battle off British Malaya May 22 of the same year.
Long live the Rengō Kantai, long live the Imperial Japanese Navy, long live the Emperor!
Kaigun-taishō Yamamoto Isoroku, May 23, 1943
+ + +
Editorial office of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Monday, May 24, 1943
Osaki Shiko sat in the editorial office and sorted the latest news. These were typical war reports that had been read daily since the beginning of the conflict.
Actually, he had expected the US Navy to carry out an invasion of unprecedented size in Asia, but that was not the case. He caught himself almost disappointed about it, but what wasn't would come.
+ + +
Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Friday, June 18, 1943
The disappointment increased. Osaki Shiko had expected more from the US Navy, but the enemy had failed to fight in several encounters. On reflection, this made sense to the Americans. They had time and did not have to look for a fight in which they did not have the upper hand. Japan had hardly any troops available for another invasion and as long as the Royal Navy and parts of the US Navy sufficiently dominated the sea zones, the danger was low.
No – the US Navy would be looking for a decisive battle to settle everything in one fell swoop. Together with the Royal, the superiority would be so significant that the entire Imperial Japanese Navy combined would look like a toy fleet that only needed a kick to end its existence!
Osaki Shiko was so focused on the US Navy that he didn't pay attention to the news from Europe and therefore completely overlooked what was coming!
Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Thursday, June 24, 1943
>> Political earthquake sends shock waves throughout Europe! The Empire has capitulated! Churchill in the pillory of the people! Our soldiers are free! <<
>> As if out of nowhere, resentment over the war has broken through throughout the British Empire and the British people have followed the example of the German Reich! <<
The world is in shock! After further heavy losses of the British merchant marine, the population took the events in the German Reich as an example and overthrew the British government. Prime Minister Winston Churchill has called new elections for the autumn. However, it is uncertain whether he will be able to remain in office until then.
It is already being heard that uprisings have also broken out in numerous British colonies.
The Imperial Japanese Army has entered Singapore without further fighting and has taken control of the city and the port. The occupiers of the Bismarck Archipelago have handed over their weapons to the captured Japanese soldiers and are now in the penal camp. The garrison of the Solomon Islands capitulated willingly and without being asked to do so after this news. According to the local commander, further resistance would be pointless with a Japanese base in the immediate vicinity and without the Royal Navy as a protective umbrella.
American President Franklin D. Roosevelt has regretted his ally's move. However, he currently sees no reason to admit defeat as well. The USA would ensure the freedom of the world on its own if necessary! However, he called on all peace-loving nations to join the fight.
Apparently because of this speech, the Japanese ambassadors in Paris and Moscow were summoned to the respective foreign ministries. It is not yet known what kind of negotiations will take place there. However, it is expected that both the Grande Nation and the Russian Tsarist Empire will declare war on Japan today!
For the governments in Paris and Moscow, this is playing with fire, because it is to be expected that the peoples of Europe will no longer be willing to send their fathers and sons to their deaths on the battlefields of Asia and the oceans of this world!
+ + +
Editorial Board of the Tōkyō Shinbun – Thursday, June 24, 1943
So that was it? The great British Empire? Would it really come to an end? It had received its foundation with a pirate! Yes, Francis Drake or should Osaki Shiko better say Sir Francis Drake? Sir Francis Drake was really just a pirate, a buccaneer of the seas!
It was precisely this Sir Francis Drake who had created the possibility of equipping the English fleet in the first place with his pirate voyages, which was subsequently able to fight the Spanish Armada. Without this event almost 355 years earlier, England might never have been able to build an empire of global proportions.
This empire – would it now come to an end? Could it really have been the Japanese Yamamoto Isoroku with his modern privateers who brought down this empire? Kaigun-taishō Yamamoto Isoroku a simple soldier in the service of the Japanese people – a Kaigun-taishō in the service of Tennō Hirohito – Emperor of Japan.
Osaki Shiko knew that history has been made today – on the twenty-fourth of June in the year nineteen hundred and forty-three!
Story that would change the course of the world forever!
And yet – it could all still prove to be a dream. One imperialist European tyrant had withdrawn from the war, but in his place two other European imperialist tyrants entered the war.
The task of the Imperial Japanese Navy had not become easier, but more difficult!
Shiko sifted through the strategic maps and assigned some errand boys to gather the information about the new opponents. These were still missing and he could not publish an overview, but he would make up for that as soon as everything was available in detail.
Today, however, he would leave the editorial office early, go to his father and empty a bottle of sake or two with him.
Both the American and Japanese high commands were aware that a decisive battle had to take place as soon as possible in order to end this war quickly. If this decisive battle did not take place, this conflict could last for years!
At the same time, however, neither side could assemble their entire fleet without leaving vital sea areas unprotected. For several weeks now, large carrier fleets have been ploughing the waters of the Pacific Ocean without meeting each other. Now the Japanese used a stratagem that was all too obvious. The Japanese High Command knew that the American codebreakers around Lieutenant Commander Joseph Rochefort had recently been able to read at least parts of the Japanese naval code. Therefore, they constructed an encrypted message in such a way that the relevant parts had to fall into the hands of the Americans.
The message was that the third point of the triangle would be wrested from the enemy at the end of July. Further Japanese radio messages had to lead the US Navy to suspect that the Japanese army was sending out another invasion fleet, which urgently needed additional fresh water condensers to ensure the drinking water supply of the infantrymen because of the long journey.
All in all, the Americans had to come to the realization that the only meaningful destination was the island of Guam!
For this mission, Kaigun-taishō Yamamoto Isoroku decided to leave the battle fleet in Japanese home waters.
There was no invasion fleet!
The 機動部隊 ("Kidō Butai") was thus able to fully exploit its maximum speed and agility without being slowed down by the slow battleships.
So Kaigun-chūjō Nagumo Chūichi just had to be in the right place at the right time with the Japanese carrier fleet. The clumsy journey from the west was too obvious. It was to be assumed that it would be deployed from the north or south. So Nagumo opted for the most far-fetched scenario because it also posed the greatest risk for the Japanese. Even in Japan, the truly gigantic range of the newest and most modern ships was regularly underestimated. The enemy did this all the more, even if the battle in the Strait of Malacca should have opened the eyes of the rest of the world.
The 機動部隊 ("Kidō Butai") thus took another extensive detour to the target area and appeared on the scene coming from the east.
This, the Japanese hoped, would give them the time they needed to strike first. Even though it was hardly worth mentioning, the sunrise for the "Kidō Butai" was a little earlier than on Guam. So this would give her own planes the possibly decisive piece of time to be able to take off earlier than the enemy.
Of course, it remained uncertain what considerations the US Navy would choose for the best tactical starting position. If the U.S. carrier fleet also came from the east, they would possibly clash at night in the deployment area, with all the advantages and disadvantages.
If the US Navy positioned itself too far west to intercept the Japanese fleet as early as possible, far away from Guam, they would probably not meet at all.
A push from the north or south made as much sense to the US Navy as it did to the Imperial Japanese Navy, and was therefore the most likely.
The last option for the US Navy was to stand bluntly right next to Guam and wait for what was coming from Japan. If, unlike Kaigun-taishō Yamamoto Isoroku, the Americans came to the idea that battleships were useful, his stay directly near Guam was even most likely.
Actually, the American high command even had to reckon with the deployment of the Japanese battle fleet to prepare and support the landing with the heavy guns. The question now was whether the US Navy wanted to answer battleships with battleships, or whether the US Navy had such modern-thinking admirals who saw only the aircraft carriers as the future?
On the seventeenth of July in the year one thousand nine hundred and forty-three, the 機動部隊 ("Kidō Butai") under the command of Kaigun-chūjō Nagumo Chūichi reached the target area. Now it would become clear what tactics the US Navy would use – aircraft carriers – battleships or simply both together?
Kaigun-chūjō Nagumo Chūichi stared out of the window of the bridge of his flagship Kurama at the flight deck, knowing that the fate of the Japanese Empire would be decided today!
He gave the order to call the historic Z-flag!
His gaze wandered over the horizon to his fleet and wondered which of these ships would sail the ocean for the last time today?
The day had dawned a long time without the first reconnaissance officers reporting a sighting. Nagumo had been walking south for hours and was now in a position he hadn't wanted to take. But there was no herb against the direction of the wind. The take-off and landing operations dictated the course of the fleet.
It was now ten-thirty local time at his position and he was planning the launch of the next reconnaissance planes. If there were no sightings in the next two hours, then the Americans would not be here!
+ + +
The maritime reconnaissance aircraft disappeared into the distance and from the decks the hunting protection thundered into the sky for the second time that day.
Kaigun-chūjō Nagumo Chūichi intended the majority of his fighter planes as fighter protection, which he had taken with him from Malacca. If the enemy did not get close to the carriers in the first place, the armor did not need to be tested!
The flying boats from Truk would form a second level of the search and the reconnaissance aircraft from Saipan came to meet the fleet. The sea area could hardly be monitored more closely!
+ + +
Three quarters of an hour after take-off, the eagerly awaited radio message came.
Reconnaissance #13 from Saipan announced that six large fleet carriers of the US Navy with battleship escort would run east of Saipan to the south. Chief of Staff Kaigun-shōshō Kusaka Ryūnosuke drew the position on the map and grimaced.
"The older torpedo and dive bombers can only manage this distance with a smaller payload, Admiral!"
"We can't attack with torpedoes?"
"Not with full force, for that we must approach the enemy at least thirty to forty nautical miles!"
"How long does it take to convert to medium bombs?"
"One to two hours could be necessary."
"So just as long as it takes us to approach safely with a heavy load?"
"It's going to be something like that, Admiral."
"And if the enlightener was wrong?"
"That's the well-known risk, Admiral!"
"Get Fuchida out of his cockpit, I want to talk to him myself!"
"Yes, Admiral!"
+ + +
"So you had some bombers equipped with lighter bombs anyway?"
"Yes Admiral, after we didn't discover anything in the morning, I already thought that the Americans would be late. The long-range torpedo bombers still carry torpedoes, but all shorter-range bombers are equipped with medium bombs."
"Well, Fuchida – why are you still standing around here – get everything into the air that has enough range – with or without fighter protection – the main thing is that the planes disappear from the decks!"
"Yes, Admiral!"
…
"Admiral!"
"Yes, Kusaka?"
"Reconnaissance #8 from Saipan has just flown over Guam and reports enemy shipping traffic at the southern tip of the island. Reconnaissance #69 of Chishima is also there and believes that they are battleships, while reconnaissance #8 claims to have spotted cargo ships!"
"How much time has passed?"
"Since the start of the Enlightenment – Ninety Minutes! The report about the enemy carriers is now forty-five minutes old and our bombers of the first wave have been off deck for five minutes."
"These battleships Kusaka – they're much closer than the first sighting of the carriers, and they're also exactly south of Guam – where the commander-in-chief thought it was most likely. And these alleged carriers – they are so close to Saipan?"
"I understand what you mean, Admiral – why didn't we spot these carriers after sunrise? And is it really plausible that these ships are so close to Saipan?"
"Yes, Kusaka – can we redirect the bombers?"
"Difficult – and besides, we had the torpedoes replaced by medium bombs. You can use it to damage an aircraft carrier, but sinking battleships requires torpedoes! It is hardly to be assumed that the American battleships have the same design flaws as the British ones!"
"Can we equip the second wave with torpedoes?"
"So back from medium bombs to heavy torpedoes?"
"Yes, Kusaka – do we have any other choice?"
"No, Admiral – I'll take care of it!"
+ + +
"Two hours around Admiral, everything we could get into the air is in the air, the rest will be retooled!"
"Good, Kusaka – then we'll wait!"
+ + +
"Almost two and a half hours, the first converted bombers are just taking off, then everything is out!"
"This waiting is grueling, Kusaka, I'll never get used to it. When you fire an artillery shell, you can see shortly afterwards where it hits and whether it is a hit. But planes, Kusaka, no, that's grueling!"
+ + +
"Look there – there – these are warships!"
"That can't be, we're still at least twenty minutes away from the destination."
"Look – man that fat battleship at the head – don't you see that!"
"Maybe it's a third association that the reconnaissance officers overlooked!"
"Stop it – it's definitely not Japanese ships, why are we even discussing!"
"Torpedoes Unyo – to ra to ra to ra!"
"What is that Kusaka?"
"An attack by torpedo bombers!"
"Yes, that's obvious, but who are they attacking?"
"This must be a third unit, Admiral, and seems to be heading north!"
"But it's near Kusaka! With our course to chase the planes to increase the time over the target, this convoy only needs to turn around and it will reach us before dusk!"
"There are still no signs that the opponent has discovered us!"
"Based on the direction from which our bombers arrive, the Americans can calculate this at the latest on the basis of a cross bearing when the first wave arrives at the carriers!"
"Torpedoes Zuikaku – the squadron of the Unyo is right – there are enemy shaft ships!"
"I have them too – what do we do?"
"Down to attack height – follow me!"
"Torpedoes Zuikaku – to ra to ra to ra!"
"Bomber Zuikaku – we'll take him from above – to ba to ba to ba!"
"There's the anti-aircraft fire – watch out for the damn anti-aircraft guns, they're concentrated in the middle of the ship!"
"Bomber Zuikaku – second group after me – to ba to ba to ba!"
"Bomber Zuikaku – hit – hit – two bomb hits on enemy destroyer!"
"Hit – hit – destroyer hit by bomb!"
"Torpedoes Zuikaku – why is it so easy? Are there no enemy fighters here at all?"
"Torpedoes Shinano – to ba to ba to ba!"
"Bomber Shinano – to ba to ba to ba!"
"Torpedoes Shinano – watch out for the light cruisers, they're crazed with anti-aircraft guns!"
"Bomber Shinano – to ba to ba to ba!"
"Kusaka – can you still see through it? Who are the bombers attacking?"
"As far as I know, the bombers of the Schinano flew north, Admiral."
"To your knowledge? Isn't that confirmed? So this is already the enemy carrier group that is being attacked?"
"Yes – I mean no... – I don't know, Admiral!"
"If they're already with the American carriers, Kusaka – where is the hunting protection of the American carriers – they must have hunting protection, Kusaka!"
"Hit – damn hit – enemy ship hit by torpedo!"
"Bomber Shinano – Bombs out – now – now – bombs out!"
"Bomber Shinano – hit – hit – battlecruiser hit by numerous bombs."
"Carriers – carriers – oh damn – there are enemy carriers!"
"Torpedoes Shinano – those shitty light cruisers – they seem to have nothing but anti-aircraft guns! Watch out, watch out!"
"Bomber Shinano – take the battleship on three – that seems to dodge the torpedoes."
"Bomber Zuikaku – Hit – Damn – Hit – Hit Hit Hit – Aircraft Carrier hit by three bombs!"
"Bomber Zuikaku – fourth group attack on heavy cruiser – bombs out!"
"Bomber Zuikaku – we take the carrier at the end of the group – attack!"
"Bomber Zuikaku – Light cruiser hit by two bombs!"
"Admiral – enemy reconnaissance above us – he radios our position!"
"Torpedoes Schinano – The battleship there has not yet been attacked – follow me!"
"Torpedoes Zuikaku – There's two more carriers – damn it – that must be the entire US Navy!"
"I'll take the smaller carrier – bomb out!"
"Yay – torpedo hit – torpedo hit!"
"Damn – don't forget the other two carriers!"
"Hits – two more torpedo hits!"
+ + +
"Alarm – alarm – enemy bombers!"
"Damn – where do they come from so quickly? The American reconnaissance planes have just flown over us!"
"The question is justified, Kusaka, but..."
"Admiral?"
"Let submarine sound the alarm Kusaka and as far as possible zig-zag course applies to all carriers!"
"Yes, Admiral!"
"Enemy dive bombers are attacking the Katsuragi!"
"There are more bombers – where are our fighters?"
"They're all busy – this is a major enemy attack!"
"Amagi and Zuikaku report heavy attacks!"
"There – see Admiral!"
"Damn smoke and water fountains everywhere, who did they hit?"
"Unrecognizable!"
"Damn – when did it get caught?"
"Destroyer Hatakaze almost reports hits – no damage!"
"But that looked different! Is that really clouding the Hatakaze – it's like a madhouse here!"
"There are more and more of them – where do they all come from?"
"How many enemy carriers have our pilots reported in Kusaka?"
"According to what we've counted, five or six."
"That's more Kusaka, there have to be more carriers. They never all come from just six carriers!"
"Our next wave has reached the enemy and is attacking!"
+ + +
"Take cover, Admiral – now it's our turn!"
"Torpedo bombers – enemy torpedo bombers!"
"Bombs – bombs – that was close!"
"Always quiet people, they missed us by far!"
"Admiral, you shouldn't say that too loudly, see there"
"Heavens, what a column of water – is that the Shinano?"
…
"Cruiser Naniwa reports torpedo hit port amidships. All port departments full of water! Water ingress stopped. About thirty degrees on the side. Cruiser most likely not to be held. Capsizing possible at any time. Commander of the Naniwa asks for permission to leave the formation."
"Bomber Katsuragi – take the burning carrier – finish him off!"
"Bomber Katsuragi – Bombs out!"
"Hit – hit – I hit the wearer!"
"Bombers – even more enemy bombers!"
"Torpedoes – torpedoes!"
"Rudder hard port!"
"Hard port damn! –Fast! “
…
"Admiral – the last attack has pushed our carrier groups apart."
"We can't change that right now, Kusaka!
"Radar reports another approaching group of enemy aircraft."
+ + +
"Torpedo bombers are attacking the Katsuragi there!"
…
"The second wave is back Admiral, the first wave will soon be ready to take off again!"
…
"Should we attack the battleships or the carriers, Admiral? The latest reports say that the enemy battleships are now heading in our direction!"
"Let's grab the carriers Kusaka – the carriers!"
+ + +
"As soon as the planes leave the deck, we are heading east – we need more distance!"
"Yes, Admiral"
+ + +
"Our squadrons are now reaching the enemy carrier fleet again Admiral!"
"Then wish us luck Kusaka!"
"Enemy bombers!"
"Torpedoes – torpedoes!"
"There are some coming from port, too!"
"They're putting us in a bind!"
"Dodge – hard starboard!"
"That's not enough!"
"Dodge – dodge!"
BUUUMMMMMM
"Admiral – Admiral !! "Are you all right, Admiral?"
"Yes Kusaka – you – help me up – thank you..."
"Yes, Kusaka – I'm okay – how bad is it?"
"Water ingress near the port engine room – three degrees of pitch!"
"The flight deck?"
"Seems to be in tact. But if we don't stop the water intrusion soon, the Kurama will be too slanted in the water to take off or land!"
"Just a moment ago we were the masters of the sky Kusaka – strengthen the hunting protection!"
"Yes, Admiral!"
+ + +
"Admiral sunset is in ninety minutes, if we are not hit by then, we should be out of the woods admiral!"
"Enemy bombers – bombers – bombers!"
"Torpedoes – I count two – no three!"
"There - there's another one!"
"There – the Namikaze runs into the torpedo track to protect us!"
"Yes, but she's too fast!"
"There are more bombers!"
"There are some coming from port, too!"
"There are dive bombers over the Katsuragi!"
"More bombers from port!"
+ + +
"Sunset Admiral."
"Yes Kusaka, but it's not over yet!"
"Our bombers are attacking now – with the last rays of sunshine!"
…
"These could have been the most important torpedo hits ever!"
…
"Latecomer, admiral – but it's dark over the enemy now, too."
"Admiral, the water ingress has been reduced, but we already have a five-degree downside. Any more and we will have to stop flight operations."
"Let some starboard detachments flood Kusaka to raise the Kurama again."
"But Admiral, then we'll lose speed!"
"That's not our problem now. We need to get all the planes on board to have enough for tomorrow, Kusaka!"
"Tomorrow? You want to continue the battle?"
"Of course Kusaka – we are here, the enemy is here – our mission is clear!"
"Yes, Admiral – we or the enemy! – Such were the words of the Commander-in-Chief – no retreat, no slackening – victory or death!"
"Victory or death Kusaka!"
"And speaking of the honorable ending – are there any reports from the Naniwa?"
"The cruiser makes about ten knots and has set course for Truk. The pitch side could be reduced to 28 degrees, but the condition is still critical. If the weather remains calm, the commander believes he can reach Truk. But if the wind picks up, the cruiser will almost certainly capsize!"
+ + +
"What course, Admiral?"
"Where have the American carriers moved recently?
"To the south, Admiral."
"And the battleships?"
"To the east?"
"Would you stay the course?"
"With the chance to find us? Yes, Admiral, we are completely defenseless against battleships at night!"
"And if you expect an invasion of Guam?"
"Then the battleships would have to stay with Guam."
"So it could be that we run blindly into the enemy or not?"
"Yes, Admiral!"
"And if we go east to keep our distance?"
"Then tomorrow morning we will be out of range of our bombers if the enemy stays at Guam!"
"We are going to southwest Kusaka, but slowly. If the enemy is looking for us in the east, he will pass us to the north. If he stays with Guam, we are still within striking distance and still have distance to his carriers!"
"Yes, Admiral!"
…
"Admiral – the water intrusion has stopped. The pitch is now two degrees."
"Good, Kusaka – good!"
…
"Admiral – Unknown Radar Contact!"
"Where – in the north?"
"Southwest Admiral – we're heading straight for it!"
"Rudder hard port – full speed ahead – one of the cruisers is to reconnoiter what we have in front of us!"
"Yes, Admiral!"
"Is the enemy following us?"
…
"Apparently not Admiral!"
"Good – then at least these ships don't have radar!"
…
"How long since the radar contact?"
"Now fifty minutes Admiral – cruiser Natori reconnoiters in the direction of the enemy, but could not establish any further contact."
"And one more thing, Admiral – we're short on air torpedoes!"
"So we have to equip the torpedo bombers with bombs as we did at the beginning?"
"Yes, Admiral!"
+ + +
"Cruiser Natori reports contact at the shortest distance, surfaced directly ahead. The commander asks for instructions."
"Identify the contact and, if it is superior, immediately turn away!"
"Natori reports that there are at least two ships running at high speed!"
…
"Natori reports: Enemies behave like destroyers!"
"Hammm – destroyer? Nothing more?"
"Not yet Admiral!"
"You know what, Kusaka – they're looking for us! The Americans are looking for us with advanced destroyers in order to be able to take off immediately at sunrise."
"And now Admiral? We would have to do that too, otherwise we would have enemy bombers above us, especially when we take off our planes."
"According to its own risk assessment, the Natori should attack and sink the destroyers!"
…
"Natori reports first target identified as Kimberly-class destroyer. After shelling, the destroyer lies motionless in the water and burns!"
+ + +
"The Natori should not stay too long and seek the second contact!"
…
"The Natori has found the second destroyer, it has turned north."
"Sink! – Soon it will be sunrise, then we must not be blocked by a marauding destroyer."
+ + +
"Cruiser Natori reports fire on board and considerable damage after reserve torpedoes exploded!"
"Critical?"
"Not yet Admiral."
"Then the Natori should continue to fight the enemy!"
…
"Natori reports fire under control, opponent shows side and lies still in the water"
+ + +
"Natori returns, Admiral!"
"Kusaka – Order to the Natori – She is to go to the station before us. We need to know if the U.S. Navy has more destroyers in our vicinity, and the Natori will be able to detect approaching planes with its radar long before we are able to do so ourselves."
"Yes, Admiral!"
"How far are our bombers?"
"Ready to go, Admiral!"
"Then into the air with everything that can still fly!"
"Are you sure that the enemy really stayed with Guam?"
"No Kusaka, of course they can try to find out who sank their destroyers and thus be close to us. But if that is the case, our bombers will have to fly over the enemy on their way to Guam and can attack them immediately."
"But then it's still dark!"
"It doesn't matter, you can make out the wake. It's bright enough for that! Then, if necessary, the pilots are supposed to turn circles until it is light. The order is to turn to the wind and take off!"
"Yes, Admiral!"
+ + +
"The first wave is off deck and on its way to Guam, the second wave will follow in about thirty minutes!"
+ + +
"There you see it – it glitters like a comet's tail!"
"What is that?"
"Wake – damn it – the admiral was right, that's wake that glitters and shines like neon advertising!"
"Have you ever seen anything like that? Why does it light up like that?"
"There — there — there are more in the north!"
"Damn – that shadow there – it looks like an aircraft carrier!"
"Attack – attack – no matter how – even if it's still dark, they're probably preparing for the start! Sunrise is soon. If we meet them now, we'll catch them on deck with all the planes full of fuel and armed!"
"Did you hear that, Admiral?"
"Yes, Kusaka – how far away are these carriers?"
"Close Admiral – very close to our unit!"
"Then we need more distance!"
"Torpedoes Zuikaku – to ra to ra to ra!"
"Bomber Zuikaku – to ba to ba to ba!"
"Bomber Zuikaku – Bombs out!"
"Hit – hit – two bomb hits on enemy battleship!"
"Two bomb hits on battlecruisers!"
"Hit – two torpedo hits!"
"Light cruiser hit by two bombs and burning!"
"I'll take the destroyer – hit – hit!"
"Hey – let's leave something left!"
"Torpedoes go, go!"
"Hit – Enemy cruiser hit!"
"I got a battlecruiser!"
"Two more bomb hits on battlecruisers!"
"Make three of it!"
"Torpedo hits – torpedo hits!"
"Three more torpedo hits!"
"Heavy cruiser, three bomb hits and burns!"
"Two bomb hits on battlecruisers!"
"Aim light cruisers – bombs out – bombs out!"
"Hit – Light cruiser hit!"
+ + +
"I haven't heard of carriers Kusaka"
"Unfortunately not, the first report must have been wrong!"
"If we don't hit the carriers now, the U.S. carriers will bomb us to the bottom of the sea later!"
"Battleship – Battleship – Battleship Hit!"
"Bomb hit on destroyer – destroyer is burning!"
"Bomb hit on battleship!"
"Enemy battlecruiser hit by bombs and torpedoes!"
"MADNESS – MADNESS – that must have been over ten torpedo hits on six or seven ships!"
Author's note: We counted no less than 18 (!) individual torpedo hit reports. However, only 4 are listed in the log. We don't know which number is correct!
"More torpedo hits – there's so much smoke and fire here that it's hard to tell what was hit!"
"The second wave should now arrive there directly with sunrise, Admiral."
"And no information about the enemy aircraft carriers?"
"No, Admiral!"
+ + +
"Admiral – cruiser Natori reports enemy aircraft on radar!"
"I knew it Kusaka – now pray that our fighter protection is as successful as our torpedo bombers!"
…
"We have been discovered, Admiral!"
…
"Cruiser Naniwa reports that it has been flown over by an enemy maritime reconnaissance aircraft!"
"Cruiser Natori reports radar contact!"
+ + +
"Cruiser Natori reports four enemy ships in sight!"
"Are these destroyers again Kusaka?"
"Unknown, Admiral!"
"They're close – they're very close to us Kusaka!"
"Cruiser Natori is under heavy shelling – enemies identified as battleships and aircraft carriers!"
"Now we know where the enemy carrier fleet is and that it is escorted by battleships!"
"Cruiser Natori reports that the enemy is making a battle turnaround."
"They ran into us just as unexpectedly as we did into them. They can't tolerate that an enemy ship is so close to their aircraft carriers either!"
"That helps us Admiral, they now steer exactly with the wind. This significantly affects their flight operations!"
"Then we'd better get everything possible into the air as quickly as possible and attack! Everything that is currently in the air will be diverted!"
"Yes, Admiral!"
"And the Natori shall keep in touch!"
"Yes, Admiral!"
+ + +
"Admiral to the north, the Natori has spotted a second group!"
"They're trying to intercept us, Kusaka, the Natori should keep an eye on it!"
…
"The first squadrons are from Deck Admiral."
"Well, apparently it was an advantage that the opponent had to go with the wind!"
"Natori reports approaching bombers headed for the Zuikaku appeared on the radar!"
"Well, yes!"
+ + +
"Admiral – Zuikaku reports debris and lifeboats ahead."
"This must be one of the destroyers that the Natori sank during the night!"
"The commander of the Zuikaku asks if he should initiate rescue measures?"
"With approaching bombers on its carrier group? No, not Kusaka at all. The carriers need every anti-aircraft gun of the destroyers that is available!"
"Yes, Admiral!"
…
"Our bombers report low-flying fighters heading for Zuikaku."
…
"Zuikaku reports enemy air attack – heavy air fighting is underway between the fighter protection and the American escort fighters!"
"Our squadrons have reached the enemy carriers and are attacking!"
+ + +
"Hit – hit – finally we can sink these aircraft carriers – two bomb hits on enemy carrier!"
"There – enemy fighters are coming from above – watch out!"
"Bomb hit on cruiser!"
"Hit on light aircraft carrier!"
"Second bomb hit on light cruiser!"
"Bomber Kurama – Enemy light carrier hit by two bombs!"
"The anti-aircraft gun is murderous – watch out!"
"Bomber Katsuragi – two more bomb hits on enemy light carrier – carrier is burning!"
+ + +
"Two hits on light cruiser!"
"Hit – Carrier hit by two bombs!"
"Admiral – enemy dive bombers!"
"Cruiser Natori reports attack by torpedo bomber"
"Admiral – the Zuikaku was hit!"
+ + +
"How hard has the Zuikaku been hit?"
"Water ingress amidships aft from the height of the machine plant, one degree on the pitch!"
"Message cruiser Natori hit by bombs! Tower B destroyed! More attacks are underway! Anti-aircraft ammunition is becoming scarce!"
+ + +
"Hit, I hit a fleet carrier!"
"Three bombs on enemy battlecruiser!"
"Bullseye – bullseye – bullseye on fleet carriers!"
"Bomb hit on battleship!"
"I got a cruiser!"
"Hit – bullseye – on fleet carriers!"
"Make two out of it!"
+ + +
"Admiral – the pressure of the enemy is easing. Our fighter shelter seems to win most of the dogfights."
"All right – Kusaka – what are our bombers doing?"
"The next attack is imminent – it's going well!"
+ + +
"Most of the planes come back damaged, Admiral, but we'll get another wave together."
"Then go ahead – don't wait too long. Whoever lands the first chance hit during a critical phase will emerge victorious from the battle here!"
…
"Cruiser Natori reports another attack!"
"Cruiser Natori hit by more bombs. Considerable water ingress and downside!"
+ + +
"Bomber Katsuragi – enemy carrier hit by four bombs!"
…
"Carrier Zuikaku reports significant problems with the machinery after the bomb hit. The Zuikaku is not able to keep up with the speed, only 18 knots are possible!"
+ + +
"Important hits Kusaka, but we have no reports that any US Navy carrier has sunk at all! And none of the pilots of the last attack reported that one of the carriers was on fire!"
"More of our bombers are still approaching!"
"But we have the old problem that we don't know what, how often and where exactly has been hit? This problem must be solved in the future."
"The pilots are doing their best, Admiral!"
"But it's not enough to know how the battle stands. Are there still six fleet carriers there? Why are there suddenly so many light carriers present? Are these additional carriers that we did not see yesterday, or were the reports yesterday not correct?"
"Kusaka – we don't know anything!"
+ + +
"Admiral – again heavy dogfights over the Zuikaku and Unyo!"
+ + +
"Again those light carriers Kusaka. I don't understand. After so many bomb hits, they must have sunk or been on fire!"
"Good news from the Zuikaku. The carrier gets the water ingress under control."
"Kusaka – I ask you, what have we achieved? The last attack just now hit several enemy carriers again. But what condition are these carriers in?"
"What are you getting at, Admiral?"
"How many aircraft can be repaired during the night?"
"You want to fight another day tomorrow? We have hardly any ammunition left. Neither for our aircraft, nor for our anti-aircraft guns!"
"That's a problem, Kusaka – that's a problem!"
"There are still bombers on the way!"
"And it will go the way it has been for hours, Kusaka – we don't know anything!"
+ + +
"Admiral – there were so many hits – we just have to believe that these carriers will sink!"
"Kusaka – you don't win a battle with faith! What should I report to the Commander-in-Chief tonight? That we have won, but that we do not know whether an enemy carrier has sunk at all?"
"Admiral?"
"Kusaka – if the situation allows, tomorrow we will have to deploy one or two destroyers to search the sea area for debris. Maybe then we will learn more about what happened here today?"
+ + +
"Numerous individual enemy aircraft approaching, Admiral – our fighter protection has shot down all of them so far. The condition of the damaged ships is stabilizing, but the Natori is still a cause for concern."
"It's not even noon Kusaka, this can be a long day for all of us!"
+ + +
"Our pilots report that the enemy is hardly resisting any more. No fighters, hardly any anti-aircraft guns!"
"That's good, Kusaka – and if we now receive reports of capsized carriers, we could go home in peace!"
+ + +
"Admiral – several bombers are now on their way home. They couldn't spot an enemy ship in the target area!"
"Well Kusaka, that speaks for the fact that something has sunk or is no longer within reach. It is possible that the opponent has stopped the fight and is retreating!"
…
"We have new sightings Admiral. Closer than we thought. There should be three carriers in this formation!"
"If we have anything left, let it fly to Kusaka – we have to finish it!"
+ + +
"All we have is in the air, Admiral!"
"So now it's time to wait again!"
+ + +
"Admiral – those were the last attacks – all squadrons are on their way home!"
"All right, Kusaka – after the return of the last squadrons, all units are heading for Japan!"
+ + +
From the War Chronicles of Imperial Japan:
>> Memorandum of Kaigun-taishō Yamamoto Isoroku on the Battle of the Carriers off Guam 17th to 18th July 1943 <<
Honored officers and members of the 大本営 (Daihon'ei),
our plan to humiliate the US Navy has worked! Of course, we can speak of luck that we were once again able to intercept most of the enemy aircraft with our fighter protection, but we also helped luck on the jumps. All of our newer and largest fleet aircraft carriers have armoured flight decks. This circumstance was largely responsible for the fact that the bomb hit on the Zuikaku remained without major damage.
The situation is completely different with the American fleet carriers, who do not have armoured flight decks. Here, just a few bomb hits were enough to cause the greatest devastation and fires, which ultimately lowered these sluggishness!
Of course, we sank only a part of the enemy's aircraft carriers. However, if you take into account that not only did we not lose any of our own carriers, but that the carriers that were hit remained practically undamaged, the outcome of the battle could not have been clearer.
Our two light cruisers have also been severely damaged by torpedo and bomb hits and have to go to the shipyard for months, but both have reached our base on Truk under their own power due to the latest and most advanced torpedo protection measures and considerable armor.
Older cruisers would have sunk after only one torpedo hit. But as it was, the US Navy had to learn that our ships are truly steadfast and that the US Navy is not in a position to sink our ships.
Out of this realization, which corresponds to an unprecedented humiliation, the American government asked for peace negotiations on the very day of the lost battle.
The governments in Paris and Moscow were taken completely by surprise and unilaterally declared a ceasefire, knowing full well what the Imperial Japanese Navy would do with its fleets after the US Navy withdrew from the fight.
The war in the Pacific is over – we have won!
+ + +
Thus, the officers of the 軍令部 (Gunreibu) of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the 参謀本部 (Sambō hombu) of the Imperial Japanese Army, and the 海軍省 (Kaigun-shō) may take note of the prepared and illustrated course of the battle for the Battle of the Porter off Guam from July 17 to 18 of that year.
Long live the Rengō Kantai, long live the Imperial Japanese Navy, long live the Emperor!
Kaigun-taishō Yamamoto Isoroku, July 20, 1943
+ + +
Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Friday, July 21, 1943
>> The war is over! – The war is over! <<
>> As it has just been announced, the Imperial Japanese Navy has inflicted a humiliating defeat on the US Navy off Guam! <<
Navy Minister Shimada Shigetarō announced the sensation to the assembled press this morning. In a two-day naval and air battle off Guam, which was fought almost exclusively by aircraft carriers, the 機動部隊 ("Kidō Butai") under the command of Kaigun-chūjō Nagumo Chūichi was able to inflict a terrible defeat on the United States Navy without any losses of its own.
According to the Minister of the Navy, the Imperial Japanese Navy has not lost a single ship, while three large American aircraft carriers are now at the bottom of the Pacific. Two other American aircraft carriers are said to have been so badly damaged that their safe return home is not guaranteed. Furthermore, an unknown number of American battleships and cruisers have also sunk, as well as a number of destroyers.
While the Japanese and U.S. fleets were still in the deployment area, the American ambassador in Tōkyō contacted the Japanese Foreign Ministry and asked for peace!
Why the American government took this drastic step is still completely unknown. Rumor has it that the losses of the US Navy are much higher than has been admitted so far. A major role may also have been played by the fact that all Japanese aircraft carriers and cruisers, some of which are also said to have received heavy hits, not only did not sink, but were able to continue the fight.
Thus abandoned by the Americans, visibly angry, frightened and demoralized representatives of the governments of Paris and Moscow have also declared the end of hostilities against the Japanese Foreign Minister.
Extra sheet of the Tōkyō Shinbun from Sunday, May 6, 1956
The Land of the Rising Sun
It was a beautiful, warm spring Sunday at the beginning of May. The sun was already quite strong and bathed everything in a golden glow. Osaki Satoshi had never really recovered from his severe depression after the death of his son Okada almost fifteen years ago, but he had stuck to the tradition of family outings.
Sure, these excursions were no longer as regular and frequent as they used to be, but today was one of those days.
Leaning on his walking stick, Satoshi and his whole clan strolled along the harbor and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. The Akagi, the latest heavy aircraft carrier of the Kirishima class, which the Imperial Japanese Navy had commissioned four years ago as the last aircraft carrier to date, anchored in the bay. It was the second aircraft carrier to bear this name and it was an impressive sight with its 80,000 gross registered tons.
Inevitably, Satoshi had to think back to his time with the Tōkyō Shinbun, which was now so long ago. His son Shiko had also long since ceased to work for the Tōkyō Shinbun. Immediately after the war in the Pacific, he moved to one of the new television stations, which started with its live reports and moving Pictures to outrank all other media. Shiko had recognized this well and his experiences with the Shinbun were not a disadvantage for television.
Picture 224: Osaki Satoshi with his family walking along the bay of Tōkyō
Source: AI image generated by the author
+ + +
Then words came to Satoshi's ears that he knew all too well:
"EXTRA SHEET – EXTRA SHEET – THE TENNŌ DECLARES THE END OF JAPANESE COLONIALISM – EXTRA SHEET – EXTRA SHEET!"
A good distance away, Osaki Satoshi saw the newspaper boy gesticulating wildly and holding up a daily newspaper. He quickly called the boy, who immediately came running.
"Would you like to have a Tōkyō Shinbun, dear man? A good newspaper, a really good newspaper!"
The newspaper boy had no idea who he had in front of him, so at his request he pressed the entire stack of newspapers into Satoshi's hand and disappeared with a more than generous tip towards the city center...
Picture 225: Newsboy at the bay of Tōkyō
Source: AI image generated by the author
Satoshi spread out the Tōkyō Shinbun and read the headline:
Tennō Hirohito declares the end of colonialism in a morning address
Early this morning, Japanese television broadcast one of the rare speeches of our Tennō Hirohito. In this speech, the Tennō declared that Japan would release all of its colonies into independence.
"It is time to respond to the people's desire for a peaceful and hopeful future and to leave the path of war."
"After the end of the war in the Pacific, it had already become apparent that the peoples of the world were no longer willing to sacrifice their sons, fathers and husbands for a small piece of land thousands of miles away.
It is time to come to an understanding and reconciliation with the other great nations in order to move towards a common future in prosperity and peace," was the exact wording of our emperor.
In a second decree, the Tennō ordered the limitation of the Imperial Japanese Navy to accommodate its new mission and its new designation as 海上自衛隊 (Kaijō Jieitai - Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force).
