Proposal for the New General Army-Navy Agreement on the Conduct of Operations
OK, that sounds quite pompous, but actually my proposal is quite simple:
1)With loss of 5 CVs, 1 fast BB, 3-4 CAs and 1 CL, USN just ceased to exist as an effective fighting force for the next several months. I'm willing to bet, that our opponents, even after divining, through the air losses screen, that IJN lost several carriers, won't be willing to risk another major commitment until late in 1942 at the earliest. Moreover, looks like we already hold more than we might want for our perimiter in the Pacific. Except Midway and Aleutians, maybe. Those might be important as forward raider and sub bases. But now we can pick them at our leisure sometime in the summer.
Therefore, Pacific does not require a major fleet commitment in the immediate future anymore.
2)This means we can commit the vast majority of our naval assets to the Indian operation. As a large-scale invasion of India is extremely likely to tie the western part of Allied assets down, this also means, that we can commit the vast majority of our LCUs to the Indian operation, leaving in DEI only enough to provide garrizons.
Therefore, I believe that we have a shot at conquering India entirely.
3)To conquer India, we need to cut off the flow of Allied reinforcements from Aden. To do this, we need to establish Netty and surface raider bases on the
western coast of India or close to it.
I do believe, that this will be very hard to do by landing on the eastern coast and driving towards them by ground. Unless our opponents deploy their forces stupidly, they'll be able to use their superior mobility by railroads to erect roadblocks in rough terrain whatever we target. And we will probably not have enough men and metal to force our way through in time.
But if we use a massed force to seize Ceilon, and then amphbiously attack a coastal base of your choosing, one of those to which arrows point on the map below - we'll be able to take it easily, because it is impossible for Allies to strongly garrizon everything.
This part of the operation should be the responsibility of the Navy, i.e., yours
4)To make it much less possible for Allies to strongly garrizon everything, Army, i.e., myself, will launch an overland drive for Burma in the nearest future. Preferably as soon as Irrawaddy valley is secured and before the remnants of Burma corps can cross jungle into India. I'll need some surface units and amphibious capability to support this drive by pounding airfields, hauling supplies and possibly landing behind the enemy roadblocks. The general direction of my offensive is also shown on the map.
5)If you agree with the general idea, John, we can proceed with distributing ground assets between the two fronts of the Indian operation. But considering the supreme effort this invasion will require, I'm against sending any major LCUs into the Pacific at the moment. Nothing greater than naval garrizons and engineers/air support to form a perimeter of airbases. But I do believe that you'll be able to return KB to Pacific soon enough to discourage any signfificant Allied movements there.
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