Von Rom
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From the War Diary of vice-Admiral Isokora Tanaka: August 14, 1942 War news: The Axis advance: On July 1st, victorious German armies captured Sevastopol in the Crimea; on July 23rd, they over-ran Rostov-on-Don; and on August 3rd, they seized the vital oilfields in the Caucasus. The Allies plan: On August 12th, Churchill and Stalin met US and Free French Representatives in Moscow to discuss opening a Second Front against Germany; and on August 13th, General Montgomery took command of all British forces in Egypt. Events in the South Pacific: The Battle for Guadalcanal This battle has raged for several weeks as the Americans launched a concentrated attack on Guadalcanal with two powerful surface fleets consisting of battleships, heavy cruisers and destroyers. These bombardment fleets were backed up by a carrier task force consisting of the Wasp. This attack, while expected, occurred suddenly, temporarily catching our forces off guard. The Wasp's carrier planes attacked our shipping in the Slot, sinking several ships, including the heavy carrier Hiryu (which was already damaged from a previous battle). Our airfield on Lunga was also temporarily shut-down, as the American surface fleets bombarded it during the night. After two days of attacks, the American carrier task force and surface ships were attempting to withdraw, when our air forces, based on Lunga, launched a withering attack against the enemy ships. Our aircraft attacked the American surface ships first: Japanese Air attack on American Ships: Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 18 A6M3 Zero x 5 D3A Val x 13 B5N Kate x 28 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val x 8 damaged B5N Kate x 13 destroyed B5N Kate x 15 damaged LT M. Yamagami of DI-3 Daitai is KILLED Allied Ships DD Grayson, Bomb hits 2, on fire DD Monssen DD Stockton DD Farenholt, Bomb hits 1 DD Hughes, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage CA Salt Lake City, Torpedo hits 1, on fire CA Pensacola, Bomb hits 2 CL Phoenix CA Astoria, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Japanese Air attack on American Ships: Japanese aircraft A6M3 Zero x 4 D3A Val x 3 B5N Kate x 32 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val x 2 destroyed D3A Val x 1 damaged B5N Kate x 5 destroyed B5N Kate x 21 damaged Allied Ships CA Vincennes, Torpedo hits 1 CL Phoenix, Torpedo hits 1 CA Salt Lake City, on fire DD Stockton DD Gwin, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage DD Hughes, on fire, heavy damage -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Japanese Air attack on American Ships: Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 5 D3A Val x 9 B5N Kate x 27 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val x 1 destroyed D3A Val x 3 damaged B5N Kate x 5 destroyed B5N Kate x 22 damaged Allied Ships DD Hammann, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage CL Honolulu, Torpedo hits 1 DD Jarvis DD O'Brien BB North Carolina, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1 DD Ralph Talbot, Bomb hits 2, on fire ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Then Japanese aircraft launched a massed attack against the American carrier, Wasp: Japanese Air attack on American Carrier: Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 16 D3A Val x 8 B5N Kate x 19 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 16 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero x 2 destroyed D3A Val x 2 destroyed D3A Val x 6 damaged B5N Kate x 6 destroyed B5N Kate x 15 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 destroyed F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 damaged Allied Ships CV Wasp, Bomb hits 1 CA Quincy CA Louisville DD Sims, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Japanese Air attack on American Carrier: Japanese aircraft B5N Kate x 17 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 15 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate x 2 destroyed B5N Kate x 9 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 damaged Allied Ships CV Wasp CLAA Atlanta --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Outcome: For the Americans, this air and naval battle resulted in the loss of the Wasp (with all of it aircraft), a light cruiser, and several destroyers. In return, our Japanese forces lost the heavy carrier Hiryu, with severe damage inflicted on another heavy carrier Akagi. In addition, we lost several supply ships and planes. This was a tactical victory for our forces since we stopped this combined American assault against our eastern flank. However, this was merely the opening round, in what is shaping up to be a prolonged and bitter contest for Guadalcanal. The Battle for Australia Soon after our victory on New Guinea, our forces enjoyed several days rest before we put into effect: Operation 'Tsunami': The Invasion of Australia There was much debate about where our forces would be engaged next against the enemy. A few officers suggested that we attack the Americans at Luganville in the New Hebrides. But I advised that we attack Australia, while the Australians were still reeling from their great loss suffered at Port Morseby. Here are my reasons and plans for attacking Australia: 1) In order for Japan to win against the Allies, it has to hold a southern base (below the 52nd parallel) until at least January 1, 1943. If Japan succeeds in doing this, then America will balk at the extent of territory it must re-capture, and will sue for peace. Townsville will be the main base that we will capture and hold until January, 1943. It is four times further from Noumea than is Luganville, and therefore, would be harder for the Allies to re-capture. By holding this base, and winning, by January 1, 1943, we will avoid the massive American build-up of ships and planes that would be sure to come later in 1943. A quick victory is essential. 2) Therefore, with 60,000 veteran combat soldiers on New Guinea, and with two powerful surface fleets not far from Cooktown, Australia, it is clear where we would strike next. 3) Our forces would invade Australia at three locations: Cooktown, Cairns, and Townsville. Our two surface fleets would bombard the various bases to destroy the aircraft stationed at the airfields, and our fighters, based on Gili Gili, would fly cover over our ships. I gave the order, and our invasion proceeded at once. Under a hail of Allied air attacks from Cooktown, our troops stormed ashore at this base, attacked, and soon captured it, sending the defending Australians into a head-long retreat towards Cairns. Then, we sent our troops to invade at Cairns, and further down the coast, we stormed ashore at Townsville. Currently, we hold Cooktown, and are in the process of fighting for Cairns (with 12,000 soldiers) and for Townsville (with 30,000 soldiers). The Australians have large numbers of troops at both locations, so we do not expect to take these bases easily. I have ordered the transfer of heavy bombers to be based at Gili Gili and Cooktown, in order to help facilitate the capture of both Australian locations. Here is just a small sample of the massive fighting that has taken place in the air, on the sea, and on land, over the past several weeks in the Battle for Australia: BATTLE REPORTS: Japanese Naval bombardment of Cooktown: Allied aircraft Allied aircraft losses B-17E Fortress x 1 destroyed B-17E Fortress x 3 damaged A-20B Havoc x 1 destroyed A-20B Havoc x 1 damaged Airbase hits 12 Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 72 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Allied Air attack on Japanese Ships, near Cooktown: Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 6 Allied aircraft Beaufort x 10 Wirraway x 17 P-400 Airacobra x 9 P-40E Kittyhawk x 21 B-25D Mitchell x 15 B-26B Marauder x 15 A-20B Havoc x 25 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero x 3 damaged Allied aircraft losses Beaufort x 5 damaged P-40E Kittyhawk x 1 damaged B-26B Marauder x 1 destroyed B-26B Marauder x 1 damaged A-20B Havoc x 2 damaged Japanese Ships BB Kongo BB Haruna, Torpedo hits 2 CL Sendai DD Ikazuchi CA Mikuma, Bomb hits 1 BB Yamato CA Takao DD Shirakumo DD Akigumo DD Suzukaze -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Allied Air attack on Japanee Ships, near Cooktown: Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 6 Allied aircraft Beaufort x 6 Wirraway x 16 P-400 Airacobra x 9 P-40E Kittyhawk x 18 B-25D Mitchell x 12 B-26B Marauder x 12 A-20B Havoc x 24 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses P-400 Airacobra x 1 damaged P-40E Kittyhawk x 1 destroyed P-40E Kittyhawk x 1 damaged A-20B Havoc x 1 damaged Japanese Ships CL Sendai BB Kongo BB Yamato CA Takao CA Mikuma, Torpedo hits 1 BB Haruna DD Akigumo DD Yukikaze DD Suzukaze ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Japanese Naval bombardment of Cooktown: Allied aircraft Allied aircraft losses A-20B Havoc x 1 destroyed A-20B Havoc x 2 damaged B-17E Fortress x 1 destroyed P-400 Airacobra x 1 destroyed P-400 Airacobra x 2 damaged Airbase hits 23 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 56 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Allied Air attack on Japanese Ships: Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 4 Allied aircraft Beaufort x 6 P-39D Airacobra x 10 B-25D Mitchell x 6 B-26B Marauder x 3 A-20B Havoc x 19 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed A6M2 Zero x 3 damaged Allied aircraft losses Beaufort x 2 destroyed Beaufort x 2 damaged B-26B Marauder x 1 destroyed B-26B Marauder x 1 damaged A-20B Havoc x 1 destroyed A-20B Havoc x 2 damaged Japanese Ships CA Chikuma CA Chokai DD Hatsuyuki CA Nachi, Torpedo hits 1, on fire ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Cooktown: Japanese Ships BB Kongo BB Haruna BB Yamato CA Takao DD Akigumo DD Kazegumo DD Takanami DD Kuroshio DD Hatsukaze DD Maikaze Allied Ships AP Fuller, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk AP Crescent City, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk AP Largs Bay, Shell hits 10, and is sunk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Japanese Naval bombardment of Cooktown: Allied aircraft Allied aircraft losses P-40E Kittyhawk x 1 destroyed P-40E Kittyhawk x 2 damaged A-20B Havoc x 1 destroyed A-20B Havoc x 1 damaged Airbase hits 19 Airbase supply hits 5 Runway hits 100 ***END*** We expect that both the Battle for Guadalcanal and the Battle for Australia will rage for sometime. Both of these battles will consume prodigious quantities of men, planes, ships, and courage from both sides. Japan must win these battles and secure victory by January 1, 1943. It cannot hope to win this war in the long run. America's military might, by the middle of 1943, will be too powerful for us to overcome. The outcome hangs in the balance. . . Hei According to Sun Tsu: The rush of torrential waters tossing boulders illustrates force. The strike of a bird of prey breaking the body of its target illustrates timing. Therefore, the force of those skilled in warfare is overwhelming, and their timing precise. Their force is like a drawn crossbow and their timing is like the release of the trigger. Statistics To Date: Ships Lost Allied - 99 Japan - 72 Planes Lost Allied - 1,218 Japan - 656 Bases Held Allied - 11 Japan - 22 Score Allied - 4,628 Japan - 11,900
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