Winston's Soft Underbelly -- A Dream Realized?

[rkr1958]

35. May/Jun 1945. Siege of Bangkok, Siam.

Even with reinforcements and significant air and naval support from the USN, the CW once again failed to take Bangkok. The Japanese defenders held with the loss of a single corps to the loss of 4 CW corps. To make matters worse, the Japanese were able to replace the lost corps and did this under the nose of the superior USN and RN forces operating in the South China Sea.

[rkr1958]

35. May/Jun 1945. South China Sea.

Even so the IJN managed to get reinforcements to Bangkok through the South China Sea, the IJN fleet operating there was nearly annihilated. Only 3 IJN CPs managed to survive.

Note the massive RN force docked in Singapore. All but a couple of CP points are disorganized and will remain that way next turn, victims of the RN oil shortage.

The war in the Pacific is, for now, falling squarely on the shoulders of the USA with the exception of a few RN SCS and Nav units here and there.

[rkr1958]

35. May/Jun 1945. China Sea.

In addition to handing the IJN serious losses in the South China Sea, the USN supported by the RN did that in spades in the China Sea. In fact, all IJN ships and convoys in the China Sea were sunk with the exception of a lone CP point that was aborted.

Japan lost 18 CP points and saw another 3 aborted in the China and South China Seas this turn.

[rkr1958]

35. May/Jun 1945. CP Losses (to date).

[rkr1958]

35. May/Jun 1945. Japan. Japanese Coast.

The IJN did manage to retrieve Haha and the 16th elite IJA army from Truk and get them back to defend Japan. Also, the IJN also moved two corps and one division from Saipan and the Dutch East Indies to reinforce Bangkok and Port Arthur. While the Japanese still hold doggingly to Bangkok, they lost Port Arthur to the Soviets due in part to losing supply after the USN gained full control of the China Sea.

USN carrier based bombers from the China Sea and the Japanese Coast continued their bombing campaign against Japanese factories. They managed to destroy 2 PPs this turn. Which doesn't sound like much, but ...

[rkr1958]

35. May/Jun 1945. Japanese Production.

The loss of 2 PPs when coupled with the loss of Japanese convoy routes and the resources they bring, resulted in a net Japanese production of 3 PPs, or 5 build points. The Japanese war economy is in shambles. But the imperialist vow never to surrender. The Japanese still have a lot of fight left.

[rkr1958]

35. May/Jun 1945. The Marianas.

Without a major port west of Pearl Harbor, the USN is spread out all across in the Pacific due the 4 ship limitation in minor ports. This combined with the IJN pull out of Truk and Saipan, makes these two based much more attractive, especially given the supply status of their defenders.

[rkr1958]

35. May/Jun 1945. New Guinea.

And we can't forgot about "Down Under", or really just north of "Down Under". The USN is really in need of a major naval base close to Japan! That is, a fully repaired major naval base.

Tahoku in Formosa could be one of such bases. But, it was damaged by the joint USA / CW invasion and is in need of repair. Getting an engineer to that base is high priority. Hopefully, this can be done next turn. Logistics!

[rkr1958]

35. May/Jun 1945. P.S. The Finnish Front.

I forgot to post this when talking about the Soviets. A Soviet front has seized most of the Finish borderlands and will soon be moving into Finland proper soon. The Finnish army is down to two corps and is likely to last much longer.

[rkr1958]

35. Trade for 36.

The USA upped the number of oil points being sent to the CW by two, from 6 to 8.

[rkr1958]

36. Jul/Aug 1945. Victory Total.

On August 31, 1945, Karl Donitz, acting head of Germany, unconditionally surrender all German land, sea and air forces to the powers of the United States, Great Britain and the USSR. This unconditional surrender went in effect on that same day at 11:59:59 pm (23:59:59).

In a second and separate negotiation, Gen. Pietro Badoglio of Italy reaffirmed the surrender of December 31, 1942 to the Western Allies. In this reaffirmation he has assured that all Italian land, naval and air forces anywhere in the world have ceased all combat operations and will, if request, surrender their arms to any forces of the countries of Great Britain and the USA.

In a third, separate and final negotiation, Marshall Petain, the recognized leader of Vichy France, affirms his "nation's" neutrality and renounces any and all cooperation with Germany and the Nazis. As far as Churchill and Roosevelt are concerned, Vichy France is a French problem.

From a game perspective, Germany, Italy and Vichy France exceed expectations (i.e, the historical totals). Though, all German and Italian victory points are not in their control. If fact, I would and do argue that Istanbul is closer to the USSR and that Athens is closer to the CW than they are to Italy. So I really don't understand why Italy gets credit for these two victory points?

As a team the CW and USA met expectations and so did China. Japan, the USSR and Free France all fell short.

Well with unfinished business in the Pacific and Asia, this game will continue until Japan is defeated.

[rkr1958]

36. Jul/Aug 1945. Destroyed Pool.

[rkr1958]

36. Jul/Aug 1945. Germany.

USSR got Berlin. But as part of the agreement to let the Soviets take Berlin, the Western Allies were given the "liberation of" Denmark.

[rkr1958]

36. Jul/Aug 1945. Denmark.

One hour before the official surrender of Germany, Soviet forces moved unopposed into Kiel. Dontiz, under the impression that German ships and u-boats would surrender to the Western Allies, ordered what forces could get out Kiel to proceed to Denmark and surrender to the Western Allies there. The "liberation" of Denmark by the Western Allies was agreed to by Stalin as part of the deal for Berlin.

[rkr1958]

36. Jul/Aug 1945. Finland.

Stalin needed no deal to conquer Finland.

An iron curtain is already falling of Eastern Europe and the Soviet occupied Germany.

[rkr1958]

36. Jul/Aug 1945. China. North Temperate.

The Soviets have wasted no time in moving into northern China in strength. They currently have five HQ units, Rokossoy, Yeremenko, Koniev, Chernyekhovsky and Timoshenko in deployed to northern China. This gives the Soviets the capability to put 14 additional units in China, which they have done.

[rkr1958]

36. Jul/Aug 1945. Manchuria and Korea.

As part of the deal for Berlin, the Soviets "gave" the USA Seoul and "South Korea". The motivation by the USA were for the ports of Seoul and Pusan.

[rkr1958]

36. Jul/Aug 1945. China Sea, South Korea and Sea of Japan.

Without a major (repaired) port in adjacent to the China Sea, the USA sorely needed the capabilities offered by Seoul and Pusan.

[rkr1958]

36. Jul/Aug 1945. China, North Monsoon. Formosa.

USMC engineers complete repairs on the major port facilities at Taihoku, Formosa. This gives the USN the only functional major port west of Pearl in the Hawaiian islands.

[rkr1958]

36. Jul/Aug 1945. South China Sea.

Two things to note ...