THEY WERE EXPENDABLE: Nagumo vs Spruance PBEM

[Bison Frontier]

Jan 19th to 24th

Radio Tokyo vehemently denies the Allied propagandists' claim that "20+ transports and escort ships were left sinking off Cagayan". That infamous Allied act of piracy netted them a half dozen small transports sunk, and several of our destroyers were badly knocked about, but they gave as good an account of themselves as was possible, given the fearsome odds. In the process of securing this inconsequential victory, the Allied "Force Z" suffered damage enough to have to make an ignominious withdrawal to the few remaining friendly ports in Borneo/DEI.

The implications of this are clear. Apart from a few scattered ships, there is virtually no significant naval opposition in the entire west Pacific theater to speak of. The US carriers are nowhere to be seen, and our intel suggests that they are unlikely to make an appearance until CVs Hornet and Wasp become available. Allied land-based air has thus far proved a most feeble opponent, and our ships' commanders may be excused for their mounting hubris in the face of the virtually disarmed foe [;)]

On Jan 23rd, our troops secured BOTH Davao and Amboina. With these latest conquests, Japan is now the proud owner of strategic real estate from Shanghai in the north passing through Lingayen and Davao in the Philippines through Amboina in the eastern Dutch East Indies down to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea! While the Allies continue to hold Borneo and the East Indies, these regions are for all intents and purposes cut off from the continental USA, and their surrender can only be a matter of time.

Hakko ichiu!


Admiral Nagumo, fire-eating commander Kido Butai

[racndoc]

SITUATION REPORT: Feb. 1st, 1942


Malaysia: One last British outpost holds out on the Malayan peninsula at Kuantan but will probably be liquidated within the week.

Burma: Complete reorganization of Allied forces but no sign of IJA yet.

China: An uneasy truce hangs over China after both sides suffered nearly 100k casualties in 1st month of the war. Only city to fall so far is Hong Kong.

DEI: The only captured bases in all of DEI are Menado and Amboina. Looks like IJN is ready to invade Kuching tomorrow. KB and major surface forces are patroling off Kendari looking for stray shipping.

PI: Mindanao has been almost completely overrun but Clark, Manila and Bataan are clear of IJA and Allies can stage bombers through at will.

NG: Japanese have captured Port Moresby but nothing else.

South Pacific: Rabaul and Shortlands have been captured by the Japanese.

Central Pacific: Wake and the Gilberts are still Allied controlled.

The elite of the Allied land forces in the east have been withdrawn from PI and Malasia,rebuilt, and redeployed in strategic locations.

Air-Air combat losses are running approximately 4:1 in favor of the Japanese. Ship losses to date include:

Allied:3 BB, 17 DD, 2 DM, 5 DMS, 1 PG, 3 AV, 10 MSW, 2 PC, 5 SS, 1 AO, 1 TK, 1 ML, 6 AP, 14 AK, 10 PT.
Japan: 3 CL, 8 DD, 10 MSW, 3 PG, 1 ML, 6 PC, 1 TK, 11 SS, 9 AP, 23 AK.

[racndoc]

Situation Report Feb. 14th, 1942

St. Valentines Day Massacre

The US CVs had been held back since Operation Backhand Blow at the start of the war. However, after Japan secured Port Moresby and Shortlands a new invasion IJN Task Force started unloading at Gili Gili. With the entire KB and baby KB creating havoc in the
DEI,The US CVs were committed along with a strong cruiser Task force to intervene in the South Pacific. SigInt reported 5 CAs in Port Moresby so US CVs were sent to attack Port Moresby while a CA Task Force intercepted IJN invasion force at Gili Gili. The 5 CAs at PM turned out to be 5 DDs which were duly sunk. However, the Japanese LBAC counterattacked and their 25 Betties broke through 62 CAP to put a fish in CV Saratoga. Meanwhile, 50 Nells in Rabaul hit the CA Task Force putting torpedoes in 3 CAs while the 15 ship CA Task Force failed to take a shot against the transports. The USN can only hope that the rain holds up on Feb. 15th to cover our withdrawal.

In Borneo, Japan has secured the north coast and with the recent invasion of Tarakan the issue is still in doubt. In Sulawesi, Kendari and Menardo have fallen to Japan. Still no sign of Japs in Sumatra, Java, or Burma.

All of Malaya has been secured by IJA. Clark, Manila and Bataan are still clear of IJA. Wake, Gilberts, and southern Solomons are still under Allied control. Meanwhile, troops,planes,and materiel pour into Brisbane on a daily basis. The 1st Allied air reinforcements from the West Coast have gone into action in the DEI.

Things are still quiet in China. Japanese subs have been successful recently in slipping by escorts to sink TKs.

Ship losses to date include:

Allies: 3 BB, 17 DD, 10 MSW, 5 DMS, 2 DM, 2 PC, 5 SS, 1 AO, 4 TK, 16 PT(they were expendable), 1 ML, 8 AP, 19 AK.

Japan: 3 CL, 13 DD, 10 MSW, 3 PG, 6 PC, 12 SS, 2 TK, 2 ML, 9 AP, 25 AK

[Bison Frontier]

Jan 25th to Feb 15th

Despite several minor hiccups, our indomitable forces continue their inexorable advance on all fronts.

Kuantan, the last British stronghold in Malaya, was declared secure on Feb 9th. The surrender of the last 8,000 British Empire troops in Malaya has now freed Yamashita's fearsome 25th Army for fresh operations. Even from where I stand on the Akagi's bridge, I can feel the enemy quake in his boots at the thought of the 25th Army unleashed anew! [:D]

The campaign against Borneo is also progressing ahead of schedule. Elements of 33rd Division took Kuching on Feb 2nd and Brunei on Feb 10th. Resistance was negligible. Farther south, troops from our 38th Division stormed Tarakan on Feb 15th, compelling the Dutch defenders to flee in panic towards Samarinda. The rich oilfields (captured relatively intact - the enemy was so busy trying to run away they didn't even have time to properly destroy the facilities [8D]) at Brunei and Tarakan will serve the Empire well. Our tankers are already en route to bring this "black gold" back to the home islands.

In Sulawesi, the strategic ports (with their good-sized airbases) of Menado and Kendari were also seized on Jan 29th and Feb 5th respectively. At Menado, our haul of prisoners exceeded 3,100 and four P-40E Warhawks were also destroyed when we overran the airbase there. Allied air tried desperately to slow down our advances in Borneo and Sulawesi, but their efforts came to naught in the face of our murderously efficient fighter arm. On Feb 12th for example, a B-17E bombing attack against Amboina was badly thwarted when our Zeros shot down six of the lumbering Fortresses without a single loss!

While supporting our various amphibious operations in the Indies, Kido Butai added over 30 enemy aircraft (including 13 B-25C Mitchells) and seven transports to its “bag” of kills. These were naturally achieved with virtually no loss to our naval air arm.

The enemy's concentration of over 250,000 troops at Clark Field in the Philippines is of little consequence, as they are completely cut off from any possible air and/or naval resupply. Our 16th Army in Lingayen is more than sufficient to keep them preoccupied while we further tighten the noose around them.

Imperial General Headquarters also denies that our naval forces suffered a significant setback at Port Moresby. While it is true that enemy carriers did attain a measure of surprise there, our air umbrella of superlative Zero fighters ensured that only a minimum of damage was sustained from their air attacks. Three small destroyers were sunk and two others moderately damaged. However, our Zeros shot down over sixty of their F4F-4 Wildcats and a half dozen SBDs in the process. Our fighter losses were relatively minor (a mere two dozen planes damaged or destroyed) and of course many of our pilots, fighting over friendly territory, were able to parachute to safety. Our own Betty counterstrike was not slow to materialize, hitting CV Saratoga with two torpedoes; most of our pilots report the enemy carrier was left aflame almost from bow to stern!

At Gili Gili, Allied attempts to smash our transports proved futile as we got wind of their intentions and took the necessary evasive action. Having failed to catch our merchantmen, our Nells from Rabaul decided to add to their frustration, hitting heavy cruisers Indianapolis and Portland with a tin fish each, and CA Northampton with two. Some of our pilots believe the “Nora Maru” was left sinking, but in any case, that ship will be out of action for a very long time.

Tenno heika banzai!


Admiral Nagumo, commander Kido Butai

[Capt. Harlock]

However, our Zeros shot down over sixty of their F4F-4 Wildcats and a half dozen SBDs in the process.

This is odd: the USN should not have the F4F-4 deployed in until at least May 1942. (It's the reason why there are typically fewer than 30 Wildcats per CV in the early war.)

[BPRE]

They are being produced from 41-01 in all scenarios starting 7/12-41 just like the F4F-3.
Maybe it's a typo and it should be 42-01. They would still be available earlier than May but it's a bit more realistic.

/BPRE

[Bison Frontier]

Feb 16th to 23rd

Our troops began landing at both Miri and Balikpapan on Feb 18th. Fighter, bomber and search units quickly redeployed to Tarakan (seized on Feb 15th) to maintain a covering presence over southwest Borneo and also to cover the invasion of Balikpapan, where intel indicates relatively strong enemy land and air strength. Miri however, fell quickly on Feb 19th. The entire northern coast of Borneo is ours!

Carriers Hiryu, Shokaku and Zuikaku with their supporting escorts and cruisers arrived off Darwin on Feb 19th. From the 19th to the 23rd, their air groups put an end to CL Adelaide and eleven transports. Several minesweepers were also sunk and two other transports were severely damaged. From the naval activity around Darwin, we surmise that the enemy was preparing to use Darwin as a springboard from which to launch counterattacks. After the devastation our carriers caused, he will indubitably have to shelve any such plans. [:'(]

Our decision to buff up our land-based air on Borneo (Tarakan, Brunei, Kuching) proved a judicious one. The enemy, desperate to maintain his ever-weakening grip on the strategic island of Borneo, has also vastly increased his own air strength (using units recently arrived from the USA) in west/southwestern Borneo (including Balikpapan itself, where fierce fighting is currently raging) as well as Java. Fierce air battles raged throughout this period, especially on Feb 21st and 22nd, as the enemy attempted to interfere with our naval movements and/or strike at our troop concentrations. The Allies lost over thirty aircraft, including a good number of B-17Es and B-25C Mitchells. Our own losses amounted to a handful of fighters.


Admiral Nagumo, commander Kido Butai

[Capt. Harlock]

They are being produced from 41-01 in all scenarios starting 7/12-41 just like the F4F-3.
Maybe it's a typo and it should be 42-01. They would still be available earlier than May but it's a bit more realistic.

The actual start of regular production and delivery for the -4 model of the Wildcat was in November 1941. Hoever, it takes several months to equip, train and certify a squdron with a new aircraft (in the USN at least). It is worth noting that the Battle of the Coral Sea was fought mostly with F4F-3 fighters. By the Battle of Midway, the USN fighter squadrons were using the F4F-4.

[BPRE]

Well, I've put a note in the OOB thread about this too so hopefully somebody might look into it.

/BPRE

[Bison Frontier]

Feb 24rd to Feb 26th

The battle for Balikpapan is over. The city fell to troops of 48th Division on Feb 25th after a week of heavy combat. In a series of large-scale air battles (albeit lopsided in our favor) over Balikpapan and its environs from Feb 24th to 26th, our fighters shot down over seventy enemy aircraft, including 6 B-17Es and over a dozen P-40Es. (22 more aircraft were destroyed when our troops overran the airbase there) Admiral Raizo Tanaka's battleship task force also engaged the two British light cruisers Durban and Danae at Balikpapan (probably trying to intercept our transports) and blew them out of the water in short order. Banzai!

Despite their stupendous losses, the Allies refuse to come to terms with the futility of clinging on to southern Borneo and continue to base air units at neighboring Samarinda. I suppose we'll just have to give them a further demonstration of our martial prowess. [8D]


Admiral Nagumo, commander Kido Butai

[racndoc]

SITUATION REPORT: March 1st, 1942


The second half of Feb. was marked by the Japanese invasion of Balikpappan. Despite the heroic resistance of Dutch ground units and the commitment of Allied surface forces and massive Air reinforcements Balikpappan finally fell after a week of seige. Balikpappan had been the linchpin of Allied defenses in the northern DEI and after falling the cadres of the battered Allied air groups have been withdrawn to Java to rest and rebuild to try to repel the final Japanese thrust to complete the conquest of the SRA.
2 British D class CLs were lost in the battle.

Still all quiet in China, India and Burma. The Allies continue to build up the Pacific island chain to guard their sea route to Australia. Sara ended up taking 2 torpedoes in the Port Moresby raid but the flotation damaged was rapidly fixed and her propulsion systems are now being repaired in port.

Meanwhile, the IJN CV TF(heretofore known as the "Death Star" as referred to in other threads) sortied to Darwin sank CL Adelaide and ravaged Allied shipping on the north coast of OZ. The Death Star then turned east towards Port Moresby sinking shipping as it went. After refueling in Port Moresby, the IJN Death Star paused off the Northeastern tip of OZ. Will the Death Star move west to assist the invasion of Java and Sumatra, or will it move south to interdict Allied sea lanes between Noumea and Brisbane?

Ship losses to date include:

Allied: 3 BB, 3 CL, 17 DD, 13 MSW, 1 PG, 3 AV, 5 DMS, 2 DM, 2 PC, 5 SS, 1 AO, 4 TK, 16 PT, 1 ML, 8 AP, 28 AK

Japan: 3 CL, 13 DD, 11 MSW, 3 PG, 6 PC, 3 TK, 3 ML, 13 SS, 9 AP, 28 AK

[racndoc]

SITUATION REPORT March 3rd, 1942

The IJN Death Star moves south from Port Moresby towards Noumea. Evidently the invasion of Java has been put on hold.

[racndoc]

SITUATION REPORT: March 15th,1942

The 1st half of March saw the IJN Death Star do a commerce sweep along the Gold Coast of OZ. Fortunately the Allies had pre-emptively evacuated most of their shipping in the area. A partial strike was launched against Allied ships in port at Brisbane. This time the Allied CAP of P-40s and P-39s held their own and shot down as many Zeroes as they lost of their own(1st time in the war). Several AA regiments had been shipped to Brisbane and they decimated the IJN bombers. Out of 70+ Vals and Kates only 2 hits were scored on ships in harbor with 25-30 bombers destoyed and most of the rest damaged. The Death Star then turned NE towards the Coral Sea to cover Japanese landings in Gudalcanal. Buna was also captured in NG.

Japan also invaded Samarinda in Borneo and Macassar in the Celebes to tighten their stranglehold on the northern DEI. Kendari appeared to be building up as an advance base for future Japanese thrusts on Java and the Malay Barrier so massive raids with 80+ B-25s and Soerabaja based B-24s and B-17s were launched against airbase and port facilities. A strategic bombing campaign against oil production facilities was begun at Brunei, Amboina, and Tarakan. Still quiet in China, Burma, and the PI.

Air to Air losses are running approximately 3.5:1 in favor of Japan. Ship losses to date include:

Allies:3 BB, 3 CL, 17 DD, 1 PG, 3 AV, 5 DMS, 3 DM, 13 MSW, 2 PC, 5 SS, 1 AO, 4 TK, 16 PT, 1 ML, 9 AP, 30 AK.

Japan: 3 CL, 13 DD, 11 MSW, 3 PG, 3 ML, 6 PC, 3 TK, 13 SS, 10 AP, 28 AK.

[Bison Frontier]

Feb 27th to Mar 27th, 1942

Japanese forces continue to add to their list of victories. On Feb 28th, landings begin on Buna in Papua New Guinea. Five days later, the (relatively small) forces assigned to the task succeeded in overcoming the Allied garrison at Buna.

On March 8th, carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku raided Brisbane port. Despite the enemy's fierce AA fire and CAP, our attack planes succeeded in hitting two submarine tenders with an 800kg bomb each. We had hoped to find more significant shipping at Brisbane but the enemy (rather predictably) declined to sally forth to do battle!

Enemy outposts continued to fall to the Empire throughout March. Samarinda on the southern coast of Borneo was secured on March 7th, Macassar on March 13th, Lunga on March 14th, and Banjarmasin on March 17th. All these bases were taken with ease - the enemy preferred to "fight another day" [;)].

Sporadic air battles (mostly over Kendari and Port Moresby) in early March saw the destruction of almost fifty Allied aircraft - with a loss ratio of almost five to one, the enemy was soon dissuaded from further aggressive activity...

After our troops took Banjarmasin however, the Allied land-based airforces suddenly made a concerted effort to redress the (worsening) situation. Our intel warned that Allied air had received substantial reinforcements from the continental USA (especially in B-25Cs and P-40 fighters) throughout February and early March, and the enemy boldly unleashed them all after March 17th.

For three days (March 18th to 20th), the largest air battles to-date were fought over and around Banjarmasin. Hundreds of aircraft on both sides were committed in a grim, unrelenting contest for supremacy. Despite the enemy's hoarding of reserves and massive use of fresh fighter and bomber squadrons, Imperial Japan's crack fighter groups first held the enemy at bay, then broke the back of the Allied air offensive. In three days' aerial jousting, over 150 Allied aircraft of all types were downed. Our own losses were about sixty aircraft (mostly damaged, and therefore not total write-offs [:)]). Unable to sustain such grievous losses, the enemy was forced to call a halt on March 21st.

During this period, the Allies also committed another act of piracy against near-defenseless merchantmen and hospital ships (!) at Banjarmasin, sinking several minesweepers and small transports. Three of our valiant destroyers were also badly damaged. Their cruisers and destroyers did not escape unscathed, taking a sizeable number of small caliber hits. Meanwhile, our Bettys managed to score a torpedo hit each on CL Perth and CL Marblehead at Surabaya harbor. Both ships were left in flames.

An Allied attempt (with a single Chinese division to further undermine Thai sovereignty - at Krung Thep) was also badly defeated. The Allies were also unable to prevent the fall of Victoria Point to Japanese arms on March 20th.

Banzai!



Admiral Nagumo, commander Kido Butai

[racndoc]

113 Allied AC to 22 Jap AC 1 fish and 2 bombs were delivered to BB Fuso. IJA forces now started advancing from Kragen towards Soerabaja. The Battle of the Java Sea had now become the Battle of Java.

[racndoc]

That didnt turn out right.....for the 2nd time in a row I lost most of my post.

[racndoc]

SITUATION REPORT: April 1st, 1942

The Battle of the Java Sea

The last half of March saw the Allies staging in massive air reinforcements from China, SEAC, and SWPAC commands to bolster the battered ABDA air groups in Java. Japan captured Banjarmasin and turned it into a forward base for the invasion of Java. With the Death Star occupied in a covering operation in the Solomons the Allies had local air superiority over the Java Sea and repeatedly hit the airfields at Banjarmasin where assault transport TFs were forming up.

ABDA CINC Admiral Helfrich ordered Admiral Doorman to launch his Cruiser TF against the Japanese transports streaming into the Java Sea. In a brilliant daytime surface battle Admiral Doorman intercepted 2 transport TFs and sank CS Chitose, CS Mizuho, 3 DDs, and over a score of MSWs, PCs,PGs, APs, and AKs. Admiral Doormans cruiser force was unscathed but suffered 2 torpedo hits from Bettys during retirement.

Allied air losses were heavy so a relative calm settled over the Java Sea the final week of March. IJN transports then were spotted heading for Kragen on March 29th and the air battles resumed. March 30th saw 33 Allied AC lost vs 8 Jap AC with a fish put into BB Kongo as transports started unloading at Kragen. Kragen fell on March 31st as another bomb hit BB Kongo and 2 torpedoes struck BB Yamashiro. More AC were then rushed in from SE Asia, OZ, and British CVs. Over 400 AC were waiting for the Japanese Navy on April 1st.

[racndoc]

Battle of the Java Sea: April 1- April 5, 1942

April 1st
Allied air dispositions as of April 1st, 1942
Soerabaja: 87 F, 47 LB, 44 TB, 35 FB
Batavia:57 F, 93 LB
Singawang 16 F
Bali 24 F

Unfortunately the Death Star had been racing back to the DEI and arrived on April 1st. The Death Star is like a Black Hole....it sucks in all theater AC and vaporizes them. It sucked in 80 F and 10 LB from Soerabaja and annihilated them. The remaining bombers went in piecemeal and were cut to ribbons but 1 lucky air group of Swordfish managed to find the invasion TFs and put a torpedo in Fuso. The AC in Batavia fared better and hit Fuso with 2 more bombs. AC losses were 113 Allied to 22 Japanese.

April 2nd
AC losses were 56 Allied to 11 Japanese with no hits.

April 3rd
Thunderstorms.....no air ops

April 4th
AC losses 50 Allied to 4 Japanese but 3 APs and a MSW were torpedoed.

April 5th
No offensive Air Ops. The Death Star had exited the Java Sea through Sunda straight and was heading NW along the WEST coast of Java. Admiral Doorman had been hovering off the west coast of Java and now had his chance to re-enter the Java Sea. BBs were detached as they were too slow but 22 CAs, CLs, and DDs raced to Batavia , refueled under CAP, and then sped towards the invasion beaches of Kragen. This would be ADBA's Finest (and final) hour.

[racndoc]

Battle of the Java Sea: April 6th, 1942

The Japanese had spotted the Allied cruiser force refueling in Batavia on 4-5-42 so the IJN Death Star raced NW along the west coast of Java to deliver an AM port strike of 42 Zeroes and 84 Kates. Fortunately Admiral Doorman had sortied the cruiser force during the night and the port was empty.

The ABDA cruiser TF had sortied the previous evening to deliver a nightime strike on the invasion TFs at Kragen. To Admiral Doormans surprise the IJN surface TF that was covering the invasion contained no BBs.....they had probably been withdrawn due to the pounding they had received from Allied LBA. The ABDA force of 5 CA, 7 CL, 2 CLAA and 9 DD now faced a meager IJN force of 2 CA, 3 CL and 7 DD. The ABDA surface forces had been manuvering for several days to gain a favorable advantage and were now presented with an with an incredible opportunity beyond their wildest dreams. The transport TFs were theirs for the taking if only they could destroy the IJN escorting surface force. Only 2 ships in the IJN TF could even penetrate the armor of the 5 Allied CAs.

Unfortunately on their 2nd salvo CA Aoba and CA Furutaka both achieved magazine hits on CA Australia and CA Canberra and both sank immediately. Evidently the gods of surface combat would now prove to be as cruel and capricious as the gods of aerial combat. Now the ratio of heavy CAs was only 3:2 but the Allies still possessed a huge gunnery advantage. DD Fortune of the Allies was unfortunate and sank as did DD Oboro of IJN. IJN DD Ushio was hit 5 times on the 2nd salvo and left a floating hulk but on the 3rd salvo ALL 22 Allied ships concentrated on her and pumped an additional 36 shells into her leaving most of the rest of the IJN surface force unscathed. Admiral Doorman then withdrew as daylight approached to the relative safety of Soerabaja's CAP. The Japanese broke through the CAP and landed 4 bombs on Allied cruisers.

To make a bad situation worse, the Allies again launched a strike of 36 Swordfish and 9 Beauforts into the teeth of Jap Zero CAP without fighter escort and were butchered without making any hits. AC losses totalled 107 Allied to 22 Japanese.

April 7th, 1942
Allied cruiser force withdraws as 40,000 IJA troops advance on Soerabaja. With depleted Allied air groups and no offensive missions scheduled several Allied AC still commit Hari Kari and destroy themselves at Kragen . AC losses total 11 Allied to zero Japanese.

[Bison Frontier]

March 28th to April 9th, 1942

After a brief period of consolidation, our battle-hardened forces prepared to carry the offensive into the heart of the Dutch East Indies - the glittering prize of Java itself. As our task forces sailed from Banjarmasin and Balikpapan for Kragen, the enemy - who had spent many weeks busily transferring air assets from virtually every "quiet" theater - began a series of heavy air offensives against the sons of Yamato.

From March 29th to April 8th, the skies were black with enemy land-based aircraft - British, Dutch and American - as they incessantly attacked our ships and bases. In many instances, our own aircraft were badly outnumbered almost five to one but our trusty fighter arm again did Japan proud under most trying circumstances.

Almost three hundred enemy aircraft were destroyed during this period, for the loss of fewer than 50 Zeros and Oscars. Meanwhile Kido Butai, having returned from operations in the south Pacific, accounted for another 140 aircraft shot down!

Despite the valiant efforts of our fighter pilots, the enemy did attain some fleeting success. Our battleships Fuso and Yamashiro were hit with several bombs and torpedoes and have temporarily withdrawn for minor repairs. Several transports were also damaged by these air pirates. By and large, however, the Allied offensive failed, considering their horrendous aerial losses and their inability to frustrate our main landings at Kragen. From Kragen, our ground troops, spearheaded by the 55th, 38th and 33rd Divisions, are already moving swiftly against the stronghold of Soerabaja (advance units reached the city on April 8th and fighting broke out a day later).

As our friendly Allied correspondent has disclosed above, Admiral Doorman's attempt to intercept and smash our shipping at Kragen ended with similar dismal results. Even though our battleships had withdrawn, our badly outnumbered cruisers and destroyers put up a hell of a show, sinking heavy cruisers Australia and Canberra, as well as DD Fortune. Several other Allied vessels were also gravely damaged. Our own losses were a mere two destroyers. Bad weather then came to the aid of the Allied navies. While Kido Butai's strike planes caught CLAA Columbo off Bali and quickly finished her off, our Bettys were unable to get a real fix on the fleeing enemy. [:@] On April 9th however, Kido Butai surprised an Allied transport TF desperately trying to gain sanctuary in (northern) Australia. Two tankers and five transports were duly sunk.

Farther north, General Homma's reinforced 14th Army has engaged MacArthur's massive US-Philippine forces at Clark. Even though the enemy has fortified his positions there to almost unbelievable levels, I have full confidence that our (far tougher and better motivated) troops will still be able to collapse their positions without too much difficulty.

In northern Thailand, our forces have also ejected the nosey Chinese units from Rahaeng. On the frontiers of Burma, light infantry forces have succeeded in pinning down an entire Chinese division at Tavoy.


Hakko ichiu!