Riva Ridge
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The tempo of the Japanese Offensive picked up over the past two weeks as the Japanese cut deep into the DEI, catching the Allied Forces unprepared with the speed and ferocity of their actions. From Port Moseby to Batavia, the Japanese are driving the Allieds from the sea and air and advancing at will with few exceptions. Elsewhere, the Japanese continue to advance in the face of spirited resistance. There has been little good news and the Allied High Command is stunned and reeling by the calamity being visited upon them as they attempt to craft an effective response.
CENPAC
The American Forces have begun to recover in the wake of the surprise attack against Pearl Harbor with the Americans beginning to fortify the Islands to the south of Pearl with various base forces and Patrol Aircraft. The IJN has flooded the area with multiple submarines that have ranged from Pearl and off the west coast of the United States (Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles). The submarines have been terribly effective with 2 Destroyers and 3 Transports sunk (one Base Force and 10 P-40s lost with them). The most unfortunate loss however was the loss of the USS Saratoga about 100 miles east of Pearl Harbor on the 20 December to a submarine attack. The sinking was so quick that the entire complement of aircraft were lost with the ship. The Americans have accounted for 3 Submarines destroyed but the battle continues as convoys from the west coast detour around the patrol areas in order to arrive unmolested. The other landing of note was the eventual fall of Wake Island after their earlier heroic defense.
SOPAC
After the initial landings south of Kwajelein, the Japanese have not conducted any additional landings. Like the Central Pacific, the Japanese do not appear to be making any major inititatives in the area as the Allieds are using the area to ferry the first materials westward.
SWPAC
There were few small engagements in the area with the Japanese rapidly moving southward after the fall of Rabaul on 22 December with a surprise attack on Port Moseby on 25-26 December. The KB made an appearance after it's attacks at Pearl Harbor and Wake Island and have interposed themselves between the Port Moseby landing and Australia in order to forestall any Australian interference. The combat has been relatively light in the area as the Australians have declined to squander any of it's combat power in a hopeless geasture though the Australian Cruisers did sortie once to destroy an unprotected Japanese cargo ship and patrol boat. Port Moseby continues to hold out against the initial landings having received supplies and minor reinforcements prior to the arrival of the invasion force.
DEI
The DEI has been the primary focus of the Japanese Offensive efforts with the majority of the identified Japanese Battleships and Cruisers committed as well as three Japanese light/escort carriers. The first prong of the Japanese Offensive has bypassed the Dutch bases off the southwest coast of Borneo and has attacked Batavia. Over 50 merchant vessels attempted to escape with roughly 25% of them being destroyed but the remainder managing to escape towards the Indian Ocean. The Japanese Battleships have wrecked havoc on Batavia but the Dutch continue to attack with their aircraft being completely ineffective. The second prong of the offensive moved towards Soerjaba with 60 merchant vessels attempting to escape but this movement was not as successful as the Batavia breakout with the Japanese Cruisers pursuing them the shipping towards Australia, sinking roughly 75% of the unfortunate vessels. The third prong was the only land new landing at Ternate. The American and Dutch Cruisers in the area made their stand against this effort with two seperate Task Forces attempting to get around the escorting force and striking at the troop transports. The American Cruiser TF failed to intercept and the Dutch TF was intercepted by Japanse Cruisers in the first pitched Surface Battle of the war. The De Ruthyer was savaged and the Dutch Fleet fled southward. The Dutch High Command has been completely overwelmed as they attempt to fashion some sort of credible resistance in the area.
SE ASIA
The pace of combat has slowed as the Japanese have slowly advanced from their beach-heads against the British Defenders. Japanese Bombers have begun the process of isolating the Malaysia theater with one relief convoy intercepted and the loss of the 46th Indian BDE at sea. The British have begun to divert further relief convoys to Burma and Java in order to avoid senseless loss at sea. Additionally, the Japanese Bombers have begun to bomb the airfied at Singapore, driving most of the ships out of the port but not significantly impacting air operations. The Japanese have managed to push back the Defenders at Temuloh but so far the British line has held against the Imperial Army. However, the British and Australian Forces have begun to get run down and are not likely to hold the line without breaking at some point early in January. The other fighting of note has been a concerted Japanese Air Offensive against Rangoon. The AVG was committed to the defense of Rangoon (along with a handful of Buffalos) with several large 100 plane battles against the Japanse Oscars and Zeros. The AVG managed a 1 to 1.5 kill rate but have subsequently withdrew after losing roughly 50% of their available fighters. Japanse Bombers have begun to sink Allied Cargo Vessels in the area creating a travel advisory into the area.
PI
Flipino resistance was spirted for roughly two weeks with the Filipinos even managing to push the Japanese back at Batangas before the Japanese second offensive broke through the lines and pushed them back to Manila. The Americans and Filipinos pulled back to the outskirts of Manila and have been under constant shelling by the encirciling Japanese Army. Further to the west, the Japanese Offensive turned into a bloody melee at Clark Field with over 10000 casualties being suffered in the battle before the Allied resistance broke. The Japanese held the field as the Allieds fled southward to the Bataan redoubt, leaving the western approach to Manila open and allowing more Japanese forces to join the siege at Manila. Further to the south, the Japanese have made several landings to take the various isolated outposts in the PI.
CHINA
There has been numerous desultory fights in the Chinese theaters with the Japanese Army usually getting the better of the poorly equipped and trained Chinese Forces. The Japanese Offensive against Changsa has slowed with progress being limited more by lack of Japanese aggressiveness and less by any Chinese prowness. However, the Chinese Offensive at Ichang was very successful in driving out the Japanese Defenders with the Chinese taking the city on 24 December. The other action of note was the Japanese Army finally taking Hong Kong after an epic 22 day siege that along with Wake Island has been the watchword for doomed but heroic resistance against the unstoppable Imperial Forces.
Losses:
Allied Aircraft - 812
Japanese Aircraft - 425
Allied Ships - 205 (1 CV, 4 BB, 1 CA, 1 CL, 12 DD, 4 SS, 116 AK/AP/TK/AO, 66 others)
Japanese Ships - 16 (1 BB, 3 DD, 5 AK, 3 SS, 4 other)
 Attachment (1)
< Message edited by Riva Ridge -- 1/17/2010 2:38:48 AM >
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Riva Ridge(A) vs VonTirpitz(J): Flailing Towards Success - 
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