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PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWolF K (Japan)

 
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PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWolF K... - 1/22/2005 8:15:56 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Here's the story.

I got an email from SeaWolF K, saying that he liked my game philosophy and asking me if I would be interested in a PBEM game -- the fact that I impose all sorts of limits based on what I think would make sense from the commander's point of view.

I figured that either (1) he actually had the same game philosophy and wanted to play an opponent who would not exploit game mechanics in the course of the game, or (2) he was looking for somebody who could be easily sliced into itsy, bitsy pieces and fed to the fish.

Game Parameters:

Scenario 15

Historical First Turn: ON
December 7th Surprise: ON
Japanese Submarine Doctrine: ON
Allied Sub Doctrine: ON
Allied Damage Control Advantage: ON
Fog of War: ON
Advanced Weather Effect: ON

Cycle: 1 day per turn

Reinforcements: Extreme variability

In addition, we have discussed and agreed to a number of house rules.

The first rule is not really a rule, but a mode of thought. We are going to look at our moves from the point of view of a commander in the field and do what, in our best judgment, would make sense to them. We are not going to mini-max the game mechanics or seek to exploit weaknesses in the model.

Some specific restrictions that I will be working are include:

(1) Allied units, except those in a "combat zone" such as Philippines, China, and Malaya, will not be able to move -- nor will they be able to change their "future Objective" setting, until December 15, 1941.

(2) No allied port may begin loading of more than ((Game turn) - 1) ships. All US West Coast ports combined equals 1 port for purposes of this rule. This simulates the need for the United States to get its war machinery wound up.

(3) All allied units not in their native country must start the game with "Do not accept replacements" until they have a line of communication (road or rail, not trail) to a port that has been visited by fully loaded transport from USWest Coast or Karachi. Karachi cannot be used to satisfy this requirement for Commonwealth and British units until December 22, 1941.

(4) Chinese units not assigned to Southeast Asia headquarters at the start of the war must stay in China.


In addition, I have adopted additional restrictions that SeaWolF K does not know about. For example:

• The AVG will immediately move to a remote airbase and train until December 21, 1941. (The AVG did not fly its first combat mission until that date.)

• Given the "Hitler First" philosophy, Wasp was an Atlantic carrier brought into the Pacific to replace allied losses at Coral Sea and Midway. So, if none of the original 4 carriers are sunk or badly damaged, this carrier remains in moth balls on the USA West Coast until January 1, 1943 -- the successful completion of Operation Torch.

Again, I remind you, SeaWolF K knows nothing about these restrictions. And there are others.

Of course, there are billions and billions of rules that could be adopted for historical accuracy. However, our goal really is not accuracy, but historical rationality. This game, when it is done, should be able to closely approximate an actual alternative to the War in the Pacific.

I will seek to keep you informed of our progress in this battle if you are interested. I do not intend to abandon my Thayne News Campaign Reports -- I can play turns in that game while I am waiting for SeaWolF K to complete his turns in this game. However, the pace of Thayne News Campaign Reports will almost certainly slow down a bit.

Please, enjoy.

Thayne

< Message edited by Thayne -- 1/24/2005 3:43:22 PM >
Post #: 1
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 1/22/2005 8:23:17 PM   
Alikchi2

 

Posts: 1785
Joined: 5/14/2004
Status: offline 		A PBEM AAR by Thayne! This should be rather intense. Good luck. I'll be following.

But.. Allied and IJN sub doctrines? Aren't they a bit.. broken?

_____________________________


(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 2
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 1/24/2005 2:10:53 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Henry:

First a quick note. I am having a copy of this and all future reports placed in a folder where key staff, those possessing sufficient clearance, will have access to them.

As I write this, I am flying over Las Vegas on my way to San Francisco in that PBY you said was to be my new office.

I have to say, as I look out the window, if I was an enemy bomber, I would have a field day right now. The city is lit up like a Christmas Tree. I have no trouble picking out key locations, even given my limited knowledge of the area.

A short while ago, we flew over Hoover Dam. Now, there is an inviting target. I can easily imagine dropping a few sticks of bombs on that.

I have to say, Henry, I hate war. I hate the mentality that says that destroying something like Hoover Dam is a good idea. But, war has been forced upon us, and I have no intention whatsoever of allowing people who think that way to win the day.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I have heard from most of the theater commanders by now. I am afraid that most of them do not see much wisdom in your decision to name me your Assistant Secretary in Charge of the Pacific Theater.

Sure, they were polite. However, trust me, years in the diplomatic service has trained me to read between the lines. Their letters of congratulations and praise put a thin varnish over the resentment that I know sits just below the surface.

I have told them that I recognize that I am no military expert, and I am not going to be second-guessing their decisions. In fact, I told them not to be looking over their shoulder at me, but to focus on fighting the Japanese instead. I'm here mostly to make it easier for the different theater commanders to talk to each other, and to their colleagues in other countries. It is a job that is tailor made for a career diplomat.

Don't worry, Henry. I know what I am doing. Smoothing ruffled feathers is what I do for a living.


Damage Report

I'm not going to bore you with things you already know. Just an update.

Wake Island still holds out. Japan has dropped 2100 troops on the island so far, compared to our 1900. According to reports, the Marines there punched a hole in a light cruiser, but nothing serious.

I'll be honest, I hope Japan takes the place. If not, public opinion is going to demand that we send in a rescue team. Japan can sit its carriers just outside of airplane range and destroy us as we go by.

Public opinion makes a pathetically poor General.


Naval Losses (at Pearl Harbor unless otherwise noted):

Sunk:
• CA New Orleans
• PT-21

Critical Damage:
• BB Maryland
• MSW Penguin (at Guam)

Extensive Damage:
• BB Tennessee

Heavy Damage:
• BB West Virginia
• BB California

Moderate Damage:
• BB Nevada
• BB Arizona
• BB Pennsylvania
• BB Oklahoma
• DD Jarvis
• DD Cummings
• DM Prebble

Minor Damage:
• SS Cachalot


Planes Lost (Theater Wide):

75 P-40 Tomahawks
33 PBY Catalinas
27 P-36A Mohawks
17 P-26A
16 P-40E Warhawks
15 B-18A Bolo
12 A-20 Boston
11 P-35A

45 Other Misc. Aircraft Types

251 Airplanes total destroyed


Territory Lost

Guam
Batan Island

Oh, by the way. I received an intelligence cable today.

JAPAN PLANNING ASSAULT ON GUAM. SUGGEST WARNING ISLAND TO PREPARE FOR IMMINENT ATTACK.

I got this 3 hours after Guam surrendered.


Actions

(1) All the usual stuff -- all leaves are cancelled, all soldiers are ordered to report to duty as soon as possible, that kind of stuff. Front-line units are being told to dig in and wait for further orders.

(2) Hawaii: Admiral Kimmel has recalled his carriers. He's also got reports of submarines in Hawaiian waters so he is sending out some minesweeper patrols to clear them out -- hopefully chase them away before the carriers go through.

(3) South Pacific: I've given approval for TF1007, which is half way to Australia with the 26th USA FA Brigade, to continue to Australia, but to keep out of range of Japanese airplanes in the Marshall Islands.

(4) Philippines I saved the best for last, Henry. I want to get rid of McArthur tomorrow. Short was surprised at Pearl Harbor. McArthur had known for hours that Japan was going to attack. When the attack came, all he could muster for combat air patrol was twelve fighters. Most of his fighters were destroyed on the ground. There has to be accountability in this army, Henry. McArthur will be the first. Please give me the name of a suitable replacement some time tomorrow and I will make the announcement.

Everybody else is pretty much waiting for Roosevelt and Churchill to decide what they want to do. It's going to take a couple days to get all the troops assembled, ammunition handed out, and get everybody mobilized, even for active duty units.


Reinforcement Schedule

I've got the list of when I can expect reinforcements. I understand the "Hitler First" philosophy, but, really, I'm not getting much to fight with here. From what I have been told, I can expect the following:

Air Unit Reinforcements, December

84 Squadron (16 x Blenheim IV) in India; Dec. 19
232 Squadron (16 x Hurricane) in India; Dec. 27
8th Fighter Group (72 x P-39D Aircobra) in U.S.; Dec. 30

New Ships Arriving Next 7 Days

DMS Lamberton, Pearl Harbor; Dec. 9
DMS Boggs, Pearl Harbor; Dec. 13
DMS Hovey, Pearl Harbor; Dec. 14
TK Gufgen, San Francisco; Dec. 16
AK Wallingford, San Francisco; Dec. 17
AK American Packer, San Francisco; Dec. 17

Ground Units Reinforcements, December

18th UK Division, India; Dec. 25
125th USA RCT, USA; Dec. 26
225 Group RAF, India; Dec. 27
2nd USMC Para. Btln, USA; Dec 29
111th Aviation Rgt, USA; Dec 31

Really, Henry, I'm being forced to do a lot with very little until Christmas. That is a pretty harsh request.

Well, I suspect that griping is not going to get anything changed. I'll do my best.

I'm meeting with General Bachurek, commander of allied forces in the US West Coast, in San Francisco tomorrow to discuss the west coast defense. Hopefully, we'll start to get rolling on some of this stuff.

I'll check in tomorrow night.

Thayne

(in reply to Alikchi2)
Post #: 3
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 1/24/2005 3:29:25 AM   
stonefoot


Posts: 32
Joined: 2/7/2004
Status: offline 		Great Start, Another must read AAR.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 4
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 1/24/2005 4:50:09 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		I would like a volunteer from the studio audience.

Would some kind reader care to create a link from this AAR to SeaWolF K's AAR on the same game, and on his back to here, so that readers can easily go from one to the other?

And to create a new link, from time to time (not too often -- just every once in a while) that will take a reader from one AAR to the other at the same day?

I would consider it a kindness.

Thayne

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 5
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 1/24/2005 2:41:41 PM   
WhoCares


Posts: 653
Joined: 7/6/2004
Status: offline 		Put those links into your signatures - this way you just have to check the signature box with your posts once in a while.
Anyway, Link: SeaWolF K thread

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 6
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 1/24/2005 3:11:45 PM   
Captain Cruft


Posts: 3652
Joined: 3/17/2004
From: England
Status: offline 		Excellent. I wish you both the best of luck.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 7
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 1/24/2005 5:32:06 PM   
Terminus Est

 

Posts: 12
Joined: 11/6/2004
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: WhoCares

Put those links into your signatures - this way you just have to check the signature box with your posts once in a while.


I think Thayne and Seawolf prevent themselves from reading each other's AAR. Since to link from one AAR to the other on the same day, you need to read it first, that might be the reason Thayne asks for a "neutral" to do it.

_____________________________

Who IS General Failure, and why is he reading my disk?

(in reply to WhoCares)
Post #: 8
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 1/24/2005 5:39:16 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Terminus Est
I think Thayne and Seawolf prevent themselves from reading each other's AAR. Since to link from one AAR to the other on the same day, you need to read it first, that might be the reason Thayne asks for a "neutral" to do it.


That is exactly right.

I am not permitted to read his -- and he is certainly not permitted to read mine.

But, readers are permitted to read both, and I am thinking that cross-linking the two threads from time to time would be useful. (For example, linking my December 7 to his, then linking my December 21st to his December 21st, etc. -- every two game weeks or so.)

I don't think that putting it in my signature would work, because it would not link at to the coresponding day on the other thread.

It's just an idea -- if somebody has such an inclination.

(in reply to Terminus Est)
Post #: 9
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 1/24/2005 5:55:44 PM   
WhoCares


Posts: 653
Joined: 7/6/2004
Status: offline 		Of course you must not read each others thread. That does not mean that you can't link to it And you can always update those links by sending an update via pm/email.
Maybe it is even possible to link to single post via IDs, instead of just linking the page. This way it might be possible to create links like 'My Day 1' 'His Day 1'...

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 10
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 1/24/2005 6:08:06 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: WhoCares

Of course you must not read each others thread. That does not mean that you can't link to it And you can always update those links by sending an update via pm/email.
Maybe it is even possible to link to single post via IDs, instead of just linking the page. This way it might be possible to create links like 'My Day 1' 'His Day 1'...


Ah . . . a wise option. I like this . . . if I can figure out how to do it.

(in reply to WhoCares)
Post #: 11
Monday, December 8, 1941 - 1/26/2005 7:57:54 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Monday, December 8, 1941

Dear Henry:

You did not tell me that taking a little time off meant working only 18 hours. I got up at a little after 5:00, and, here it is nearly midnight.

When we came in last night, I had the pilot come in from the west, over the Golden Gate Bridge, so I could see the bay from the sea and the way a ship would see it. We flew toward the lighthouse on Alcatraz, then banked right and landed at Crissy Field, next to the Presidio.

That's where I spent the night. I figured that I would be spending a lot of time on this plane, so I set up a cot. I figure that I'll be catching sleep when I can.

I can understand the decision against keeping Crissy Field as a first-line airbase. It's too close to the water; too easy to shell or to land on.

Well, on to business.


Strategic Overview

I have a fear that future historians will read this section and consider it one of the funniest things ever read. However, historians have the advantage of hindsight. All I can do is describe the situation as it appears from where I sit, on this airfield in San Francisco Bay.

The way I see it, the Philippines is the main objective. All of the other attacks are attempts to secure the flanks. Japan wants to cut off aid from America, so they take Guam and Wake and cripple our fleet at Pearl Harbor. They also want to make sure that the British do not get involved, so they attack Malaya as a way of diverting the British attention.

I've spoken to General Percival, who is in charge of the army at Malaya. He assures me that the attack on Khota Bharu is not to be taken seriously. Japan is trying to take an airbase which it can use to try to close the Macassar Straight, he says. I'll trust him to handle that issue.

As for the Philippines, we agreed before the war started that it would have to be sacrificed. The real battle will be in the Dutch East Indies. That is where I am having our forces consolidate.

The Dutch are not cooperating, however. I have spoken to them about shifting some of their troops around. They report that they are content to leave them where they are. For some reason, they are being rather dogmatic about this. I am doing my best to persuade them to shift some units around.

Anyway, that is the overall view. For spacifics:


Losses

Ships

• MSW Penguin sank at Guam
• AP President Madison, trying to flee the Philippines, suffered an air attack and was heavily damaged. It is still floating, and will try to continue south.
• AS Canopus took two torpedoes leaving Manilla. It's nearly sunk. The captain has radioed that he stop at the nearest island and take the life boats to shore.

Air

• 12x F4F-3 at Wake Island when the Japanese took the island.
• 3x Blenheim and 1x Swordfish attacking the Japanese ships at Khota Bharu

Territory

• Guam
• Wake (I consider this a blessing. If they had not been defeated, public opinion would have forced us to hand our carriers to Japan on a silver platter.)
• Vigan (on the north coast of the Philippines)
• Legaspi (on the southern coast of the main island in the Philippines)


Damage Inflicted

• AVD McFarland reports sinking a Jap sub east of the Big Island of Hawaii
• Air attacks at Khota Bharu report damaging BB Haruna -- nothing serious I suspect.
• Reports from Wake Island say that the Marines there damaged 3 cargo ships, 3 destroyers, and 2 light cruisers. That's pretty impressive. Those guys showed us how to fight.


Misc. Notes

• Rumors that the Prince of Wales took a torpedo while leaving Singapore are false. They were attacked. Percival assured me that the ship was not damaged.
• The Enterprise also got shot at. I got a communique late today and I immediately saw the words 'Enterprise' and 'enemy torpedo' on the same line. I almost fell to the pavement right there. But, it was a miss.
• BB Maryland is still floating. I was certain that I was going to get a cable today saying it had sunk.


Leadership

McArthur

McArthur's political allies are raising a royal stink about my decision to sack him, and McArthur seems content to have this case tried in the press. He is good at playing this political game. I have been warned to expect some rather harsh editorials written against me in the next few days, and you may well hear calls for my resignation over the next few weeks.

Of course, I can't tell the press why I fired him without telling the whole Japanese army how successful they were in attacking Clark Field. Yes, McArthur is a master at the political game.

I only wish he could do as good a job being a General.


Kimmel

I'm sorry. I have been thinking about Admiral Kimmel's situation as commander of the Central Pacific forces, and I am afraid that I have some problems with keeping him in that position.

I have been briefed on all of the arguments in his defense. For example, it is General Short's responsibility to protect the fleet when it is in port so that the crew can rest, and Kimmel did not have access to all of the information available upon which to base a decision. However, I need leaders who have the ability to anticipate what the Japanese are doing and can take the appropriate counter measures, even when they do not have all of the information available. Kimmel failed that test.

He understands this. That statement it was said that he made when that spent slug hit his chest, "It would have been more merciful if it had killed me," was no depressed man's wish for suicide. It is because he knew what we must do.

I want somebody else in that position.


West Coast Defense

The people out here in the west are in a bit of a panic. There has even been violence in China Town -- idiots don't realize that China has been fighting against the Japanese for four years now. Still, a lot of people here at the Prestidio are worried about orientals coming down here and trying to blow things up. They think we should lock every one of them up until the war is over -- just to be safe.

I can't abide by that way of thinking. We're not just fighting to defend our lives here, but to defend our values -- the idea that all Americans have certain inalienable rights.

Sorry. No speeches, I promise.

As a part of this hysteria, there has been reports of Jap landings all up and down the coast. To listen to the rumors, the Japs have San Francisco surrounded by now.

Anyway, I told Bachurek to break open the armories and bring all of his units up to full strength. He gets first pick of available artillery, tanks, whatever he needs.

I also told him to be conspicuous about deplying them. Let the people see a show of strength. Drive right down main street if he has to, and fly a few squadrons of airplanes over the cities. Maybe that will calm the panic a bit.


Pearl Harbor Resupply

The next priority after the West Coast is getting Pearl Harbor rebuilt. Bachurek has had his men cleaning out every airbase up and down the west coast for spare parts for planes and ships at Pearl Harbor. Anything he can think of that they might need is getting loaded onto AK Aldebaran. As soon as it's loaded up, it's heading out -- probably Wednesday.

Now, we know about all of those Jap subs at Hawaii -- though aerial reconnaissance has them moving south. If I was a Jap sub commander, I would be taking my sub to the shipping lanes right up to San Francisco. So, I've got some concerns about Aldebaran making it. I told Bachurek that I want that ship well protected.

Once Pearl is up and running again, we will see about pushing out to some of the other islands.

However, I had Kimmel send some of the seaplane squadrons out to Johnson and Palmyra Islands to make sure that the Japanese cannot approach Hawaii again from that direction. I wish we had an island to the north.


Dutch Intelligence

I have shared with the Dutch government the intelligence information showing that the Japanese are preparing for an attack on Kuching. Even though Kuching is British, it is close enough to their territory that it should make them nervous, and perhaps force a little bit more flexibility from them.


Malaya

General Percival assures me that the landings at Khota Bharu on the northern end of Malaysia is too far away, with too much hostile jungle, to be a threat to Singapore directly. He thinks that Japan wants the airbase. He is arranging a counter-attack to force them off. The main attack, he says, will come against Singapore directly, and he does not want to be distracted by this little jungle war up north. He is planning accordingly.


China/Burma/India

China has agreed to send 9 divisions -- or, what the Chinese call divisions, which we would be more likely to call 'batallions' -- to India. I have informed the Chinese authorities that their departure would have to start immediately if they hope to make it down the Burma Road to Myitkyina before the Japanese take the town.

I am afrad that they are finding my claims a bit increadible and they have come just a hare's breath away from calling me a liar. They're not far wrong. I have my worries about what Japan can do with a half dozen divisions at Dacca, and a few tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers, however ill trained, would allow me to sleep a bit easier.


Other Areas

we are still under negotiations with the British about India and Burma, and the Australians and New Zealanders, about their involvement in this.

It's not that they are reluctant to help -- they have made some very strong and serious commitments. But, there is some negotiation that has to be done with respect to how to handle this.

Churchill has pretty much eliminated India's air force, sending its planes either to Malaya or bringing them back to Europe.


Conclusion

There is not much I can say at this point in the war. We are just starting to get wound up. It will take a while to get this war machine moving. Once we do, it will be difficult to stop. But it will not be reaching full speed right away.

I hope that the morning finds you well. I expect another full day tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Thayne

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 12
Tuesday, December 9, 1941 - 1/27/2005 7:51:11 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Tuesday, December 9, 1941

Good Morning Henry:

Why does everybody think that I should have a tour of everything? When I got up this morning, I was immediately informed that arrangements had been made for me to tour Fort Chronkite, the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, and the Port of Embarkation. I don't need to see these places. All I need is to know what the people doing there can get done.

The Port of Embarkation is one place I would have liked to have seen. The biggest struggle in this campaign is going to be logistics. They are loading AK Aldeberan and AK Alabaman there right now for the trip to Pearl Harbor. They're just pulling in a third transport, AK Coastal Trader.

But the flow of cargo is just a trickle of what it needs to be. We are loading what we can find around the port. We are waiting for shipments from across the country. But, once we pack up our available inventory, we will still be more -- and the factories cannot churn this stuff out overnight. Congress needs to get busy spending some money so we can start to get busy building some factories to churn this stuff out.

Well, that's my gripe for the day.

Losses

Ships

• S-39 took some damage from a depth charge attack east of Legaspi. It was looking for the carrier known to be in these waters. Instead, the carrier's escort seems to have found the sub. It suffered only moderate damage.
• AS Otus took a bomb hit at Zamboanga, in the southeastern region of the Philippines. It's suffered some pretty heavy damage. This is the second sub tender that Japan has hit.

Airplanes

• The British sent several waves of fighters and bombers against the Japanese invasion fleet at Khota Bharu. The Japanese had provided combat air patrols over the landings. Between the CAP and the flak, the British lost 7x Buffalo, 6x Blenheims, and 1x Walrus.

Territory

• The Japanese made no significant territorial advances since I wrote to you last.

Damage Inflicted

• The air attacks at Khota Bharu inflicted some damage on the Japanese battleship Kongo. However, I cannot imagine that the damage was significant.


Hawaii

I think you should no that reconnaissance airplanes are tracking the Japanese carrier fleet as it sails south between Midway and Pearl Harbor (close to Midway). This sudden change of course almost caught Lexington as it was returning to Pearl Harbor. However, Japan never seemed to discover that the allied carrier was in the region.

Pearl Harbor is still struggling to put together a working air force. The morning after the Pearl Harbor attack it had only 8 fighters and 6 bombers to defend the island (not counting seaplanes). It has gotten that up to 14 fighters and 9 bombers, but that is barely enough if Japan should come back.

To keep from losing the carriers if Japan should strike, I have suggested to Nimitz that he keep the carrier planes for Enterprise and Yorktown at Pearl Harbor, but pull the ships themselves out of harm's way to the east.

I do not want to see two American carriers go up against six Japanese carriers. Throwing the American carriers away would almost sound to me like aiding and abetting the enemy.

AK Aldeberan is due to leave port tomorrow with a full load of cargo for Pearl Harbor. I am more anxious and nervous about this than about anything else that we have going on right now in the Pacific Theater. If this ship reaches Hawaii, it can use the cargo on this ship to start to seriously rebuild the air force. This will give us a stronger base, from which we can start to expand west and south.

Until this happens, we are pretty much defenseless in the Pacific.

I fear that the Japanese may know this as well.


Leadership

Percival

I regret to say that I am hearing some things about General Percival. I have been told of a meeting in which Percival said, "Defenses are bad for morale." There are a lot of people under him who are displeased to the point of shock at some of the things Percival has claimed.

However, at this point I do not have anything specific that I can say is a cause to fire him. He claims that the attack on Khota Bharu is a distraction. He is said to be worried that the Japanese want to draw his troops into northern Malaya, then land behind them at Kuantan and trap them.

I am continuing to send out feelers among Percival's subordinates in order to determine how fit he is to command. I think you should warn Churchill to have a list of names ready in case I decide to replace him. I am not going to want to spend a lot of time getting a new leader in there if I decide that one is needed.


Canada

I think that negotiations with the Canadians have produced some solid results. We have agreed that Prince Rupert will become a major supply point for the Northern Pacific. Trains and trucks will get cargo as far as Prince Rupert, where they will be loaded onto ships and sent to Anchorage and Dutch Harbor.

The Canadians have agreed to send extra engineers to Prince Rupert in order to build up the port there to handle a larger volume of cargo. General Alexander has agreed to move his own headquarters to Prince Rupert in order to help coordinate the flow of supplies.


Japanese Airforce

There has been almost no activity from the Japanese air force in a couple of days. They have a light carrier south of the Philippines trying to intercept our ships, and they have some Oscars flying cover over their landing at Khota Bharu. We have also experienced a couple of raids using Lilly and Sally bombers, escorted by Oscars, out of Khompong Trach in southern Indochina.

I am wondering if they are shifting their forces in preparation for some future move. However, I cannot think of anything better for them to be using their power on than on capturing the Philippines. We know that they had several air groups within range of the Philippine Islands. I am curious as to when we will see those airplanes again.

That's pretty much all that I have to report for now. I hope that you had a pleasant night's sleep.

Thayne




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(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 13
RE: Tuesday, December 9, 1941 - 1/27/2005 7:50:53 PM   
munited18


Posts: 182
Joined: 9/5/2004
From: Texas
Status: offline 		As usual, another fine product put out by Thayne. I look forward to this latest installment!

_____________________________

You are what you do, when it counts.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 14
Wednesday, December 10, 1941 - 1/29/2005 6:35:01 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Wednesday, December 10, 1941

Henry:

I'm sorry, Henry, but this is my call. I ordered Nimitz not to engage the enemy carriers. He can scream all he wants, but sending our ships up against that battlefleet at 3 to 1 odds against is a waste of good carriers (not to mention good lives) and I will not have it done.

This is one of those cases that, if you override me on this, you can have my resignation.

I also had him call back those two task forces that were heading to Johnson Island. One was heading out to mine the seas around the island in case of invasion. The other was delivering the seaplane tender AV Tangier to care for the float planes sent there earlier.

They are to rendezvous at the big island of Hawaii.

I don't even want them at Pearl Harbor. So far, the air strength at Pearl consists of 14 fighters and 9 bombers. Put this up against a Japanese carrier force of 100 fighters and 250 bombers. If the carriers come back to Pearl Harbor, any of our ships that they catch are gone.

That's a simple fact of the matter. One that I hope the Japanese do not realize.


Losses

Ships

• PG Isabel torpedoed and sank in Dutch territorial waters at Morotai. The Dutch government is using this as a causus belli to rouse its people to war. I think we can expect to see more movement on that front now.
• AS Canopus, the sub tender torpedoed just off of Manila two days ago, sank. It's captain stopped the ship off the coast of Panay and allowed the crew to man lifeboats and row to shore. They should be able to reach the 61st PA Division at Iloilo.
• SS-38 damaged by Japanese Mavis (seaplane) east of Legaspi. Moderate damage -- enough to call it in for repairs.
• TK Manatawny: Large freighter torpedoed and bombed east of the Philippine island of Mindanao. Moderate damage; taking on a lot of water. May not survive.

Air

Nothing, really. When Percival (commander of Malaya) sent planes to Khota Bharu in several small waves, they took a lot of damage. "Defeated in detail" I think is the military term. So, he is consolidating his forces at Singapore for one large wave. He hopes to do a better job of plowing through that Japanese CAP.

Territory

• Nanchang (central China). This fight was going on before the U.S. entered the war. Its outcome was pre-determined.
• Khota Bharu (northern Malaya, east coast). Japan has 20,000 troops there, and Percival still tells me not to worry.
• Makin. The northernmost of the Gilbert islands, southwest of Pearl Harbor. There was nobody there to defend it.


Gains

• A night-time raid on Kompong Trach successfully blistered paint and cracked glass on some Oscar fighters sitting near the tarmac. Actually, it's hard to see how much damage one does at night, but the G2 guys say that the damage was slight.

That's all.

I am not pleased.


AK Aldebaran Left Port

Yesterday night, well before dawn, I looked outside of my airplane and watched AK Aldebaran slip quiety out of the harbor. It was bound for Pearl Harbor, flanked by two Flush Deck class destroyers. Two destroyers had left earlier, about an hour. No doubt, those destroyers had their sonar running to screen the waters ahead for enemy submarines. One more destroyer followed up from behind. At sea, he would warn of any Japanese task force coming from behind.

The two aircraft carriers Enterprise and Lexington have been assigned the task of clearing the seas east of Pearl Harbor of submarines.

In two days -- Friday, at about dawn -- two more transports will be loaded up and ready to leave. It is not much, but it is better than nothing.


Malaya

Khota Bharu fell today. Percival is still telling me that we have nothing to worry about -- that the Japanese can't get from there to Singapore.

I wonder if Percival has considered the fact that control of the airbase gives Japan an ability to attack any ship that sails that Macassar Straight. Where does he expect to get supplies and reinforcements from? Ships in Macassar Straight can be hit by any airplane capable of delivering a payload 200 miles -- which is just about anything Japan has in the air.

The units fleeing Khota Bharu reported that they left the airfield in pretty bad shape, so it will take a couple of days for the Japs to get it operational. They will also have to bring in the airplanes and enough supplies to actually fly missions. But . . .

It appears to me that in three days Singapore will be cut off from the west. The only avenue for them to get help will have to come from the east -- the Dutch East Indies.

Percival is continuing to gather his air force at Singapore. He had his bombers rest yesterday -- after the beating they took trying to attack Khota Bharu the day before. Besides, according to what I hear, he is keeping the Prince of Wales at Singapore as bait -- trying to lure the Japanese air force. And he is keeping his Buffalo fighters ready to attack the Japanese when they come.

The Japanese attacked the Prince of Wales once, on December 8, and we did inflict a fair amount of damage against the air force. But, they seem not to be falling for it a second time.


The Dutch East Indies

Maybe the sinking of PG Isabel in Dutch territorial waters -- within sight of the port of Morotai, may prompt the Dutch into being a little more cooperative. They are still insisting that they can hold out best with their current disposition of troops. Rather than consolidating their forces into a unified fighting force, they are insisting on holding many different ports with a minimal force at each port.

I believe that, now, I can at least convince them into massing a decent air force at a few places, rather than having their airplanes scattered about. That should not be too much to ask.

They have, at least, mined a few of their ports and consolidated their fleet to some extent.

I am wondering if the Japanese are getting a bit concerned about the possibility of a combined Dutch/American fleet going after their carrier. The carrier force, the one that hit PG Isabel and other ships in the southern Philippines, turned around yesterday and returned to the east.

It looks like we really could get a unified fleet put together in the Dutch East Indies. Houston and a squadron of destroyers has almost reached Balikpapan. The Dutch have three cruisers and a dozen destroyers at Soerabaja.

I have had a thought. What could we accomplish if we add the Prince of Wales and the Repulse, with their escort of destroyers, to this group? Or, add this group to the British battlefleet at Singapore?

It's a thought.


Japanese Carriers

PBYs are still tracking the Japanese carrier force. It turned west, toward the Marshall Islands. Fortunately. We really did not have anything left to protect Pearl Harbor. Even if it decided to reverse course at this point, we would have three additional days to prepare a response. The best part is that it is no longer a threat to the ships arriving from the west coast of the United States.

Unless, it split up into two groups, and we only know about one of them . . .

Maybe I am paranoid, but I have had a disturbing thought.

Yesterday, in the reports that Nimitz sent me, there was a message that said that AK Regulus left Midway two days ago, heading southeast. I looked at a plot of the ship's courses, and the transport sailed within 200 miles of this task force. Yet, it was not spotted.

Maybe it was having a very lucky day. Maybe this task force does not contain any carriers. Rather, it broke off from the carrier force and sailed the route it did because the commander knew that it would be easy for me to track it . . . and to make some rash assumptions.

I do think that this is the Japanese carrier force and the merchant ship got lucky. But, I am going to take its luck as a sign that the Japanese carriers could show up anywhere. At least, the survival of the AK means that I have no actual proof that the carriers are with this task force.


Japanese Air Force

A few more of the Japanese airplanes showed up again. There were the usual raids against Khota Bharu. But there was another raid, against northern Philippines, using a mixture of Lilly, Ann, and Val bombers -- about 50 bombers in all. We still have had no reports of Betty or Nell bombers.


Thayne

< Message edited by Thayne -- 1/30/2005 12:14:57 AM >

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 15
RE: Wednesday, December 10, 1941 - 1/29/2005 6:36:35 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		errir

< Message edited by Thayne -- 1/29/2005 4:37:16 AM >

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 16
Thursday, December 11, 1941 - 1/30/2005 11:11:34 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Thursday, December 11, 1941

Henry:

Man, I feel rotten.

If my last letter was a bit rambling, it is because I am under the influence of some Jap sympathizer flu virus.

I had somebody put a cot and a case of Coca Cola for me in the communications building while I negotiated with the various factions in this fight. Except, nobody stopped to think that if somebody asks for a case of coke, they might also need a bottle opener.

Losses

Naval

• AK Taurus. Cargo ship trying to escape the Philippines, caught between Mindanao (the southernmost Philippine island) and Palau (Jap island to the east). 4 Torpedo hits, sunk almost immediately.

Air

• Bombardment attack on Manila. Zeros shot down 5x P-40s. 4x Betty brought down by AA. Fighters were flying CAP too high to intercept bombers.

• Naval bombardment of Del Monte Airfield (Cagayan base, N. coast of Mindanao Island, Philippines). Severe damage to airfield, but no effect on the bombers.


Gains

None


Leadership: Malaya Army

I have heard enough to remove General Percival from command of the Malaya Army. I am not saying that the harsh criticism that I have heard about him is justified. At this point, it does not matter. The people working under him do not trust him, and that is not what the Malayan army needs right now.

When I asked for a list of likely replacements, I was surprised to find a "Colonel C.E. Wavell" on the list. I have no idea why a Colonel's folder would be in that stack. However, as it turns out, he seemed to be just the person that I would like to see in that position.

Starting tomorrow, I have been promised that I will see an entirely new strategy on the Malayan peninsula. I have been promised a long conversation with Colonel Wavell this evening to discuss his plans.

I think that I want to pull the Prince of Wales and Repulse into the defense of the Dutch East Indies, rather than keeping them bottled up at Singapore.

Oh . . . that reminds me. Submarines and seaplanes have spotted a Japanese fleet sailing out of Camranh Bay, Indochina, that looks more than a little threatening. They report transports escorted by at least three battleships and a like number of cruisers. They gave me course and speed, and my guess is that they are heading for Kuching.

We received intelligence reports on the first day of the war saying that there were plans underway for the occupation of Kuching, so this would not be a surprise.

I asked the Dutch to send a few submarines into the area to intercept the landing force. It will not be able to stop them, but it may make the attack a bit more painful than it otherwise would have been.


Dutch East Indies

After extensive conversations with the Dutch, I think I have convinced them to make some changes in their defense. They will be pulling some units they have on the fringes of their country and pulling them in toward the center in order to bolster their defense.

Specifically, they have sent troop transports to Padang and Palembang on the southwestern coast of Sumatra to pick up the garrisons for these ports, and to take them to Bali. Bali has the potential to be a significant thorn in the Japanese side, if it is properly garrisoned. It also has the capacity to operate a sizable air force for the protection of eastern Java.

Also, as you know, I had given a lot of thought to how I would defend the Dutch East Indies from a Japanese attack, and another useful piece of real estate I discovered in my studies is Aru Island.

The main benefit of this island is that it does not seem to suffer from the problems with malaria that inflicts other south sea islands. I am not sure why this is the case, but the research that I have done seems to consistently identify this island as free of the disease. It is perfectly situated to be able to protect Darwin and the north coast of Australia from the Japanese. Or, alternatively, to be used by the Japanese as a place of relative safety against Darwin. The latter is not something that I want to see happen.


Phiippines

General Thompson has decided to try to hold out as long as he can on the Bataan Penninsula. He has already succeeded in getting as much food and ammunition as he could out of Manila and into supply caches in this area.

He also managed to get the 71st and 11th Philippine Army Divisions out of Tuguegarao and on the road to Clark Air Force Base. Landings earlier at Vigan threatened to cut these units off. That risk has been seriously reduced.

He has also called for the 41st Philippine Army Division to retreat to Bataan from Naga to help secure the Bataan defenses. He reports that he has some fear that the Japanese might land somewhere between Manila and Naga and, thus, cut off the southern force. Yet, he does not wish to abandon the southern fortress entirely, so this is a compromise position.

The Bataan Penninsula is a fairly thick jungle, where it is believed that a determined defender can hold up for a long time. Thompson says that he will try to keep the Japanese army tied up until April, giving us some time to build up our containment line.

I can only assume it is difficult to go out and lead an army that one knows is going to lose. What we will see at Bataan is something akin to the Alamo, with the number of holdouts in the tens of thousands. These people know they have lost, yet they are determined not to give up.

I mentioned above, that the Japanese are taking steps to eliminate the Del Monte airstrip at Cagayan. This airstrip was supposed to be the home of the bombers because it was supposed to be safe. It proved to be a little less safe than expected, with Japanese surface ships shelling the airfield.

Intelligence reports have also reached me that Japan has a task force at sea heading to Davao, on the large southernmost island of the Philippines. Landings are also planned for Lingayan, north of Clark Air Force Base on the northern island.

It's a bit frustrating, knowing all of these things, and being able to do so little about it.


Hawaii

The Japanese carrier force seem to have disappeared. Whatever that force was that cut south between Hawaii and Pearl Harbor, it has since turned west and vanished. Patrol planes flying out of Johnson and Midway have lost track of it.

As a result, Admiral Nimitz is starting to take moves to establish a more secure defense for the islands, and to secure the naval route to Australia.

He has ordered the 3rd and 4th USMC Defense Battalions loaded up onto transports. One of those battalions will go to the Line Islands south of Hawaii, unloading at Christmas Island and the Line Islands. He's sending the carriers south as well, to escort the ships.

The quest to try to find Japanese submarines around Pearl Harbor has proved fruitless, and I am starting to think that this is because they are not there. Nimitz has had minesweeper task forces sailing all over the islands without sign of a contact. Airplanes spotted a sub about halfway between Pearl and Johnson Island, but that still leaves the Hawaiian home waters fairly secure.

In order to expand the range of searchplanes, Nimitz sent seaplane tenders to Kona (on the southern tip of Big Island) and Lihu (100 miles east of Pearl Harbor) with a squadron of PBYs to look for Japanese ships.

Two more transport ships headed off to Hawaii from San Francisco yesterday, taking the southern route. If AK Aldeberan does not make it to Hawaii, it is hoped that this second ship will succeed.


Japanese Air Force

Japanese airplanes came out in force yesterday.

• 52x Betty, 48x Zero from southern Formosa for Manila
• 3x Tojo, 24x Sonia from Amoy to Hong Kong
• 47x Sally from Phnom Phen to Kuantan (central Malaya)
• 14x Sally, 47x Lily from Kompong Trang to Alor Star (N. Malaya)

A lot of the Japanese Betty bombers seem to be missing.

I have some reason to believe that what I thought might have been a Japanese move to reposition its forces was, in fact, a spat of bad luck in the weather. They simply could not get off of the field.

However, the weather seems to have moderated somewhat, allowing the Japanese to fly again.


Maryland

I have been getting some pressure to scuttle BB Maryland and to put the resources required to repair it to work on other, more productive projects.

BB Maryland is certainly in very bad shape. It's going to take a lot of work to get it back in fighting formation, and the effort we put into salvaging BB Maryland is work that is unavailable for other projects. All of this is perfectly true.

But, this is not a game of mere numbers here. We have to keep in mind that there are human emotions involved as well. Right now, I am able to honestly claim that, though Japan did damage several of our battleships, none of those ships were actually sunk. Well, technically, Maryland is sitting a bit deep in the mud right now, I am of the opinion that if you can still walk on parts of the deck without getting your feet wet, the ship is not actually "sunk".

If we scuttle BB Maryland, this will certainly hit the press. The American public will know of one lost battleship. Worse, the Japanese will see this as a partial success.

When it comes to the Japanese, I do not want to add one iota to their morale or confidence. I want them to be asking themselves, "What went wrong? Why did we fail?" I can do that best as long as I can honestly say, "We lost no battleships at Pearl Harbor."

So, I am not scutting BB Maryland. At least not yet. In a year or so, it will not matter. Maybe, then, I'll say that it is not worth any more effort. For now, however, we are keeping the ship.


New Orleans

I hear that the government of Louisiana has passed emergency legislation to build a new cruiser. In case you were too busy to catch this item in the papers, they authorized the formation of a committee to sell a special issue of war bonds, which will be donated to the Federal Government to pay for the construction of a new Baltimore class Heavy Cruiser, to be named the USS New Orleans.

I would like to know why the legislature for the state of Louisiana thinks that what I really want with that money is another cruiser. Give me an aircraft carrier; that will make me happy.

Well, the will of the people and all that. I'll take the cruiser, happily enough.




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< Message edited by Thayne -- 3/8/2005 3:52:12 AM >

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 17
Friday, December 12, 1941 - 1/31/2005 5:46:58 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Friday, December 12, 1941

The Honorable Mr. Henry Stenson:

I have had some criticism that my communiques are bit too informal -- not appropriate for correspondence at this level.

Sorry, Henry, but don't expect me to change. There is enough stress in this job without worrying about protocol with an old friend. Besides, even though informal, it does help me to get my thoughts in order. I need at least one person I can talk to where I do not need to worry about what I say.


Losses

Naval

• SS KXV - Dutch sub caught southeast of Camranh Bay. It was a bit of poor luck. The Japanese found another submarine in the area the previous day. That submarine headed south. KXV was also heading south, and happened to go through the same area, just as the enemy ASW showed up.

Air

• 7x Blenheim 1F: Percival's last mistake was flying night bombing missions out of the same airbase for several days without providing for protection from a Japanese counter attack.


Gains

None


Trap At Kuching

I am finally making progress with the Dutch and, apparently, it is just in time to set what I hope will be a trap for the Japanese.

This is a bit complex, so I hope you do not mind if I spend some time explaining it to you.

We have three signs suggesting that the Japanese about to invade Kuching, on the island of Borneo.

• An intelligence report on December 7 naming Kuching as a target.

• An enemy task force heading toward Kuching with several transports and escort ships included

• An enemy task force heading toward Kuching with several surface ships.

This suggests that a landing is imminent, and I managed to convince the Dutch to help the British defend the port.

There is no sign of a carrier force included in the attack.

Air Defenses

South of Kuching, the Dutch have two airfields that are capable of supporting air operations, at Pontianak and Singkawang. I convinced the Dutch to send 50 airplanes to each base.

I did not want to send any airplanes to Kuching itself, because it will almost certainly be bombarded -- leading to the destruction of all the planes. However, Kuching is well within range of airplanes statined at Pontianak and Singkawang.

Japanese Response: Air Bombardment

As I see it, Japan has two possible responses to this. He could bombard Singkawang. Pontianak is beyond the range of his Zero fighters, and he will not send the bombers without escort. So, Pontianak will not be bombed.

So, the next step in my plan will be to pull the bombers out of Singkawang and cover the base with fighters. Since the enemy will be flying at long range, they will not be able to fly as efficiently as they otherwise would be able to. And, with luck, some of them will crash and burn on the long flight back home. After the bombs fall, they still will not do any damage to my Dutch air force.

The Diversion. Even though we have no concentration of air units at Kuching, we have taken efforts to lead Japan into believing that we do. We have sent a squadron of patrol planes to Kuching, with orders to spend a lot of time flying around the city making it look like there are a lot of airplanes. If Japan has any spies in the area, they may be caused to report the possibility of airplanes to Japan. If there is any Japanese air bombardment in preparation for the assault, we would rather have Japan bomb Kuching, rather than Singkawang.

Japanese Response: Naval Bombardment

Japan's alternative response will be to send the bombardment task force attacking Kuching around to bombard the airbase at Pontianak.

In preparation for this, I have asked the Dutch to fill the ocean from Kuching to Pontianak with submarines. In addition, I have called the Prince of Wales and Repulse from Singapore, and a combined Dutch and American task force is forming up at Kragan on the north coast of Java (toward the center of that long island).

Repulse and Prince of Wales

Percival's plan with the Prince of Wales was to lure the Japanese into a trap. He was hoping that the Prince of Wales would attrack Japanese bombers. He had kept a large combat air patrol over the island to intercept the attack. In addition, the Prince of Wales would benefit from AA battaries on the shore, which would force Japan to pay a heavy price if it decided to launch a torpedo attack, or force them to use a much less effective high-altitude bombardment attack.

His reports to me indicated that he was certain Japanese planes saw the ship; several reconnaissance airplances were spotted over Singapore. However, Japan has apparently made a decision not to attack the ship in port.

In calling the Prince of Wales and Repulse to the Dutch East Indies, I suggested that a light cruiser and destroyer be left behind. It is my hope that this will cause the Japanese to think that the there is still a British task force at the Singapore, and the Prince of Wales is a part of it.

Meanwhile, the battleship and battlecruiser have sailed east. It's first stop will be at the port of Palembang. From there, it will get into position to defend Pontianak.

Joint US/Dutch Cruiser Force

Meanwhile, a task force consisting of the heavy cruiser Houston and light cruiser Marblehead, and the Dutch light cruiers Tromp and De Ruyter, and British light cruisers Durban and Dragon, will form a surface fleet in northern Java.

Decisions

Whether or not these units will challenge the Japanese task force has not yet been determined. When the ships get close enough to shell Kuching, we hope to get an idea of its composition, and how much damage they took attacking Kuching. I will be in contact with the commanders of the fleets to assess the possibility of a victory. We will make our decision as to a surface engagement at that time.

What Could Go Wrong

We have looked the plan over from a number of different directions for what could go wrong.

(1) There is no planned landing at Kuching. The sighting of the two enemy task forces heading southeast from French Indochina -- one made up of transports and the other of surface ships -- might have some other objective. Or, they could be a diversion. If this is the case, then we have lost nothing by setting up the ambush.

(2) Japan anticipates the possibility of a trap and sends bombers against the base at Singkawang, catching its bombers on the ground. A huge raid would certainly do a fair amount of damage, and tip our hands to the Japanese. However, I do not see how Japan can suspect that we are making such a move. If Japan is planning to bomb any place in preparation for the attack, it would be Kuchang itself, where there are just a few planes.

(3) There could be a Japanese carrier in the area. Several smaller Japanese carriers are unaccounted for. We might be sending our task forces into a hornet's nest. However, it seems unlikely that a Japanese carrier would be nearby, and we have simply missed it. We already know that 7 of Japan's carriers, are not in these waters. The six fleet carriers are still east of the Marshall Islands, and Ryujo was last seen two days ago on the east side of the Philippines, heading East.

(4) Japan wins in a fair fight. Japan bombards, and we send in our bombers, doing no damage and getting stacks of airplanes shot up. Then, Japan sends its bombers against Singkawang. Its Zero escort chews our fighters up and spits them out. Then, we engage the surface fleet, only to get ourselves mauled by the Japanese Navy. That could happen. I hope, however, that we are a little better than that.

All things considered, there is some risk, but I think that this is a good plan. At the very least, I hope to gain one additional effect from this -- to make Japan think twice about launching an invasion. If Japan grows timid, if it slows down its rate of advance, that can only work in our favor. We need to buy time. Even if we do not inflict major damage, we may something that the statisticians cannot count.

Tomorrow will be quiet. If the trap gets sprung, it will happen on Sunday. Somehow, fitting, don't you thing?


Battle for Burma Begins

Japan invaded Burma. We have reports of a Japanese units on the outskirts of Victoria Point. I have no fixed assessment on the size of the attack group, but I am suspecting that it is probably a division. It is much too large of a force for the defenders at Victoria Point to hold out against.

I had hoped that the Malaya campaign would take all of Japan's attention. However, that has proved not to be the case. In addition to the Japanese army approaching Victoria Point, other Japanese units sit right across the border from Tavo. I cannot help but think that Japan will be driving in toward Rangoon relatively soon.

I have been informed that there is a group of American mercenary pilots organized and sent to train in Burma, for operations in China. It is called the American Volunteer Group. Allegedly, they arrived only recently and they are still in the process of getting organized. They would prove useful in the defense of Rangoon. However, I am afraid that I may have to negotiate with Chang Kai Shek for their use.

So far, I have not been able to get in touch with them. Hopefully, I can reach them before too long.

Until tomorrow

Thayne




Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Thayne -- 1/31/2005 4:23:29 AM >

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 18
RE: Friday, December 12, 1941 - 1/31/2005 2:26:52 PM   
WhoCares


Posts: 653
Joined: 7/6/2004
Status: offline 		Dir Sir,
This is FltLt. Kannitverstaan, CO 3rd RNAF Tac. Bomber Sq..
Shall we relocate our bombers to Pontianak immediatly or shall we transfer just in time saturday afternoon?
Option one would give us some more time between transfer and actual battle, fix damages from transfer and general rest, at the risk of a premature alert of the enemy by our transfer (from spys either here or near the destination base; prob. not enough for them to know our numbers but just about our general presence).
Option two would be at the risk of an attack with reduced numbers (losses in transfer, reduced coordination due to higher fatigue) but at least give us a better change of surprise, a factor that might very well make up the disatvantages just mentioned.

At your command!

Sincerly,

FltLt. Kannitverstaan
(CO 3rd RNAF Tac. Bomber Sq.)


(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 19
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 1/31/2005 2:39:44 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		DECEMBER 12, 1941

ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF ORDERS THEN PROCEED IMMEDIATELY TO ASSIGNED AIRBASE STOP GET A GOOD DAYS REST AND MAKE SURE THAT YOUR PLANES ARE IN WORKING ORDER STOP ATTACK EXPECTED ON THE 14TH STOP

< Message edited by Thayne -- 1/31/2005 12:53:37 PM >

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 20
Saturday, December 13, 1941 - 2/1/2005 7:11:08 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Saturday, December 13, 1941

Henry:

I am not feeling much better, and the news I got today did not help.

I was not prepared for Hong Kong to surrender so quickly. I was sitting at my desk going through the intel on the battle at Yenen when a sergeant from Intelligence gave me the news. I wasted an hour having it double checked.

That frees up hoard of units for Japan to use elsewhere. One division, two gun battalions, three mortar battalions, we can expect all of them to be showing up again shortly.

Japan also has a huge task force heading west through the South China Sea . . . a transport task force. How much would you like to bet that they are going to put a division or two at Pakhoi and reinforce Nanning?

Anyway, back to the matter at hand:


Losses

Naval

• AP President Madison. It was hit earlier by the Japanese light carrier as it tried to flee the Philippines.

Air

• Another air attack on the Manila airfield. The 24th Fighter Group puts a fair number of P-40s in the air, but the pilots go up against the Zeros, turn and run, leaving the bombers to have free reign.

• Del Monte airfield shelled again. Still, three heavy bombers got repaired and shipped off to Diamond Harbor in India.

Territory

• Hong Kong
• Victoria Point (the southernmost part of Burma)
• Alor Star (another part of the northern border of Malaya)
• Miri. This is on the northeaster coast of Borneo. I did not even know there was a Jap army in the area.


Reinforcements for the Next Week

I decided that this is going to be a regular part of my Saturday report, specifying what I have been told will be released to me during the next 7 days.

Sunday, Dec. 14th

• No new units released on this day.

Monday, Dec. 15th

• TK Gulfgem, San Francisco

Tuesday, Dec. 16th

• AK Wallingford, San Francisco
• AK American Packer, San Francisco

Wednesday, Dec. 17th

• CA Australia, Sydney
• TK Solana, San Francisco
• TK Caliche, San Francisco
• MSW Bellachase, Vancouver

Thursday, Dec. 18th

• DD Nestor, Karachi
• AS Sperry, San Francisco
• TK Matinicock, San Francisco
• 84 Squadron (16x Blenheim), Karachi

Friday, Dec . 19th

• DMS Chandler, Pearl Harbor
• TK Chilbar, San Francisco
• MSW Bungaree, Sydney

Saturday, Dec. 20th

• TK H.D. Collier, San Francisco

As you can see, I get no ground units, and only one air squadron in the whole theater. That is not much to work with. I am certainly losing more than I am gaining.



Kuching Ambush

I decided to increase the number of planes there from 87 to 168 -- flying a lot of planes out of Singapore to add to the Dutch planes that have gathered at the two airports.

Singkawang actually has a decent sized airport -- large enough to handle all of the airplanes that I have sent there. Now, there isn't the ground crew one would like to keep all of the planes flying, but that is going to be one of the casualties of war.

I look at it this way . . . it is our factories versus their factories. We can produce more airplanes -- a lot more airplanes. If we play rough with them and burn a few up, then we can always get more.

What Japan cannot get (at least so easily) are new ships.

So, I am more than happy to risk a bit of wear and tear on a dozen or two planes from rough treatment in order to do some damage to a few Japanese ships.

Number 1 Worry

My main concern now is that poor leadership or bad weather will turn the mission into a failure. What has me concerned is that the planes sitting at Singapore had been set up to attack the Japanese fleet at Khota Bharu in northern Malaya. They sat at Singapore for three days without doing anything -- all of them. That is not what I want to see happen at Singkawang, but it is what I fear will happen.

The weather tomorrow is actually supposed to be good -- just about perfect for flying. A few scattered clouds should allow us to get close to our target without being seen, and then attack quickly. The winds will be low and the air calm. All is set.

Deployment

Here is what I have made available.

Swingkawang

• 31x Brewster 339D
• 27x Martin 139
• 26x Vildebeest IV
• 12x Hudson I
• 10x Blenheim IV
• 05x Swordfish

Pontianak

• 20x Martin 139
• 14x Blenheim I
• 11x T IVa
• 6x CW-21B Demon

I know that this is too much for the ground crews to handle. They will do their best. If I wanted to maintain this as a continual-use airbase, I would have to see about getting enough people there to do the job and the supplies to handle the missions as well. But, this is a one-shot deal. We attack, then we leave. Guerilla warfare from the air.

After the first turn, the planes fly away before the Japanese have a chance to swarm over and destroy them.

I double checked and I have been assured that Japanese fighters cannot reach Pontianak from any base in Indochina, so our fighters are gathered at Swingkawang.

Well, tomorrow will be a restless day.


New Jap Offensive in China

I remember being told, just before I started this job, that Japan was not expected to launch any major offensive except to clear the railroad from Shanghai to Hanoi.

Never trust an expert. Japan launched an attack on the northern province capital of Yenen. Speculation: Japan will march from Yenen to Kungchang to cut the soldiers off from the sources of food and peasants that are being grown in the rough western part of the country.

When I talked with Chang Kai Shek shortly after the start of the war I noticed the vulnerability at Kungchang and asked him to move some units back to cover the city. His answer to me: "It's not my problem. That's communist territory."

So, I talked with Mao Tse Tung. He did start some units heading back a while ago, but whether they can reach Kungchang in time, or hold it when they reach it, remains to be seen. Actually, I think that he got an early enough start that Japan will discover a greater strength at Kungchang than it anticipates.

The victory at Hong Kong will free some units that China can then throw into whatever offensive it wants.

I also mentioned tracking a Jap transport convoy heading west in the South China Sea. It will undoubtedly land at Pakhoi, on the southern shore of China, drop a few hundred units off, and reinforce Pakhoi and Nanning. This will be the first step in securing the rail line.


Burma

I said that the War for Burma was about to start. Japan took Victoria Point with a tank batallion, and is presently marching on Tavoy. We have nothing to stop them with.

I have ordered the frontier units in central Burma back to help in the inevitable defense of Rangoon. However, I expect that it will take them a while to get back out of that jungle. Why they had been placed in such a remote location, I cannot guess.


Subs

A Japanese submarine found our mercy ship AK Aldeberan, en route from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor with the first boatload of replacements and spare parts.

Quite a coincidence, that. The one ship we did not want them to find, and they find it. I am wondering if there is something more than coincidence at work here. It's not as if the ship took any of the standard routes.

Still, the AK Aldeberan's escort of destroyers chased the enemy submarine away. No damage was done. In fact, I do not even think the submarine actually saw the cargo ship. The escort found the submarine a fair distance away and forced it deep.

That worked out the way it should.


Negotiations

I am still spending the bulk of my day in negotiation between the different factions involved in this war. I believe that we have worked out a new war plan that treats seriously the factors that were not considered in the old Ranbow 5 -- such as the overwhelming advantage that Japan seems to be enjoying right now with air power.

As I understand it, the leaders of the different sections will be sending their orders out tomorrow for their units to move.

If I could give you a brief summary of the high points:

• Australia will donate the Fort Largs Coastal Artillery Regiment to the defense of Noumea. Transports are already at Hobart, Tasmania to pick up the cargo.

• The Dutch are going to set up fortresses on Bali and Aru Islands. Bali is in the central part of the Dutch East Indies, just east of Java; Aru is on the eastern edge, north of Darwin, Australia. These areas should be easier to defend than any of the larger land masses, and significantly hinder the Japanese advance until they can prepare to deal with it. They should serve as larger versions of Corrigadore in the Philippines.

• The U.S. will give first priority to securing trade routes. We will send units down to Panama. I know, Panama is not my responsibility. However, the plan that I worked out with them is consistent with this model of securing our most important infrastructure before preparing an attack. That infrastructure includes a string of islands in the South Pacific. In this, we will also be completing a series of airbases that have already been started from Christmas Island to Australia, and fortifying them. We will have to make sure that Japan cannot cut this line.

• With the fall of Victoria Point and Khota Bharu, Japan now controls a number of airbases from which it can block access into the Macassar Straight, the only route from India to Singapore. Singapore has been cut off from the west, and there is nothing east of there that can spare resources for its defense. Hopefully, Singapore can hold out for a while, but I fear it will become another Bataan. The British, then, are to use the time that Singapore buys them to fortify Ceylon and the eastern coast of India, as well as Burma, as much as possible.

I have a lot more to write about, but the hour is late and, as I said, I have a busy day tomorrow.

Wish me luck.

Thayne

< Message edited by Thayne -- 2/1/2005 12:55:37 PM >

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 21
RE: Saturday, December 13, 1941 - 2/2/2005 4:20:56 PM   
Captain Cruft


Posts: 3652
Joined: 3/17/2004
From: England
Status: offline 		Great stuff.

Just one thing, Pontianak is a size 1 airfield and therefore cannot fly offensive missions.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 22
Sunday, December 14, 1941 - 2/4/2005 2:53:49 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Sunday, December 14, 1941

Henry:

I keep telling you, Henry, that we pessimists live happier lives. No matter what happens, it is always better than we expected. So, every event is a pleasant surprise. An optimist always discovers that things turned out worse than he expected, and thus faces perpetual disappointment.

The raid at Kuching went better than I expected. That’s not to say that we managed to destroy the Japanese navy, but we inflicted some damage.


Losses

Naval: Total ships lost to date: 12

• TK Manatawny attacked east of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, succumbed to its wounds near Sulawsea.
• PT-31 ambushed by Japanese surface fleet near Jolo
• PT-32 ambushed by Japanese surface fleet near Jolo
• PT-34 ambushed by Japanese surface fleet near Jolo

Air: Total planes lost to date, all causes, 341

• 13x Brewster 339D destroyed in dogfight at Singkawang, Borneo.
• 6x P-40E shot down at Manila, Philippines


The Land War

• China: The Japanese have four divisions attacking Yenen, in the north, and has started to advance against Ichang, in the central part of China.

• Burma: The Japanese are moving toward Tavoy, in southern Burma, on the border with Thailand.

• Malaya: Japanese units are advancing south of Khota Bhuru. Approximately 20,000 Japanese units are engaged against retreating British units north of Kuantan.

• British Borneo: Japan has landed at Kuching and Brunei.

• Philippines: Japan has landed at Davao on the southern island of Mindanao.


Losses Inflicted

• 24th Fighter Group at Malaya shot down 5x Zeros, 2x Lilys, 2x Nates at Manila

• 1x CL, 4x AP, 1x ML damaged at Kuching

• 1x CL, 3xAP, 2x PG damaged at Brunei


Kuching Ambush

The day started off with nothing but bad news.

Pontianik SNAFU. First, I got a message from a Captain Cruft informing me that the airbase at Pontanik was not able to support bombing missions against the Japanese fleet. Here, I had 50 attack planes there, and I was just now being told that there were no facilities there for loading bombs onto airplanes.

That did not make me happy. What made me even more unhappy is that I had units sitting on those airfields for a day, and none of their commanders thought to tell me about this. Did they think that the bombs were simply going to teleport themselves onto the planes? Do I evoke so much fear and trembling that nobody can speak to me?

I was not pleased.

Now, the fact is, Singkawang airbase was loaded up to its maximum number of planes, so we did not lose any attack ability with this SNAFU. We just ended up transferring a bunch of planes in and out for no reason.

Singkawang airbase attacked; 17 Brewster 339s lost Jap Air Raid. The next message that I received said that the Japanese had launched a huge air raid against Singkawang airbase. 50 Zeros escorting 80 bombers hit the base. The vision this created in my head was of this runway, with 100 airplanes on it, all lined up as hulks of burning wrecks. I imagined the mission completely ruined as cratered runways kept even the few surviving airplanes from flying.

The dogfight over Singkawang was fierce. At first I was told that the Japanese had destroyed fifty Brewster 339D fighters. Later, the number of planes actually reported as destroyed was given as 17. No Japanese airplanes were shot down in this attack.

I got some comfort from the fact that the Japanese airstrike came after our airplanes were already on their way to Kuching. None were caught on the ground. Furthermore, the damage to the runway was not so extensive that it would prevent a second strike.

Vildebeest fail to find the enemy. Even though the planes took off, my next message from Singkawang said that almost all of the torpedo planes came back, with their torpedoes. They got lost on their way to Kuching, and decided to come back before they ran out of fuel. Of all the planes that I wanted to have find the target, these were the most important. Yet, these were the ones that failed.

First Strike The first wave of bombers to hit the Japanese ships struck two transports that was already showing signs of damage from the coastal defenses at Kuching. They added to the damage by hitting one transport ship with a torpedo, and another with a bomb.

Second Strike In spite of the damage to the airfield at Singkawang, the crews there loaded up the airplanes for a second strike. This time the Vildebeests flew with the rest of the airplanes and all of them found Kuching. This strike hit a light cruiser and another transport ship.

Overall. I had convinced myself that this strike was doomed to failure. The first three messages, from Captain Cruft, the Japanese airstrike, and the lost Vildebeests, seemed to confirm the start of a miserable day. But, the next messages confirmed four ships hit – three transports and a light cruiser. So, I can’t really complain.


Next Steps at Singkawang

I told Lieutenant Colonel Kloppman, who was commander at the Singkawang base, that I wanted the airbase cleared of planes after the attack. There was no reason to doubt that Japan would leave the plane alone, or that the meager defenses that were there were enough to protect the base. So, the British planes back to Singapore, and the Dutch planes to Tarakan.

Even the fighters were removed. With 17 planes shot down the previous day, there were not very many fighters left, and none of them had much left to fight with. They went with the Dutch bombers to Tarakan.

Planning a Tarakan Ambush About 300 miles north of Tarakan, a Japanese task force consisting of nearly 20 ships had just done battle with 4 PT boats. They destroyed three of the PT boats without taking any damage; the fourth PT boat managed to escape and report the presence of the Japanese task force. Again, there was no sign of an enemy carrier.

Tarakan is a sufficiently large and well developed base for launching attacks against the Japanese fleet. We ended up with 70 airplanes at the Tarakan airstrips ready to hit any Japanese task force it might find in the area.

28 damaged airplanes left at Singkawang.The various air groups had to leave 28 damaged airplanes back on the field. No doubt, Japanese bombers are going to show up again tomorrow to destroy these planes. Plus, I fully expect a Japanese task force to come around the corner of Borneo and do some shelling. The damage that we inflicted today tells Japan that it needs to take this threat seriously. The ground crews are working to save as many of these planes as possible.

The Singkawang intercept fleet.In the mean time, the Prince of Wales and Repulse have joined up with the Dutch/American/British cruiser force to create a surface fleet with 1 battleship, 1 battlecruiser, 1 heavy cruiser, 5 light cruisers, and 17 destroyers. These ships will try to intercept the Japanese bombardment force that I suspect will be heading to Singkawang.

I also have three submarines lying in wait along the route from Kuching to Singkawang to harass any Japanese bombardment force.


Fiji Snafu

I have been meaning to tell you about this other incident for a couple of days now, but I keep forgetting. The Pescadores task force – which was delivering material from Hawaii to Australia – was ordered to Fiji to meet up with a minesweeper. We wanted to give the task force better protection from submarines.

While at Fiji, somebody got the idea that we wanted to unload the 26th USA Forward Artillery Regiment at Fiji. This regiment was bound for Australia (and, ultimately, to the Philippines). So, they unloaded the ships.

When I heard of this I said ‘Fine, leave them there.” I want some better defense for the South Pacific islands anyway. But, they are not where they are supposed to be.

The Australians are upset. I promised that they would continue to Australia as soon as the 2nd USMC Division arrives in the South Pacific.


Travel Plans

I should tell you that I am heading down to San Diego tonight. The 2nd USMC Division is loading up onto troop transports I sent down there, and is starting its trip to the South Pacific. The carrier Saratoga and battleship Colorado will be escorting them. I wanted to talk to some of the leaders of this group before they head out. I want to make sure that they understand, their principle mission is to make sure that they reach Noumea safely. They are not to take any unnecessary risks.

I’ll write to you from there.

Thayne.




Attachment (1)

(in reply to Captain Cruft)
Post #: 23
From the Australian Governmant - 2/4/2005 4:05:09 PM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		Dear Mr President,

Sir, first on behalf of the Australian people this government would like to forward it's most sincere sorrow at the loss of life suffered by your nation in the attack upon Pearl Harbour. The profound shock that the American people have suffered is felt just as deeply here as well.

The main reason for this communication is to raise with you the growing concern that is being felt here in Australia in regards to the rapid advances by the Japanese. Australia has now been at war for the last two years and our best Divisions are in the middle east, our best pilots and aircrews are in Britain and a large number of our naval units are currently supporting the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean, all far beyond quick recall. Indeed even if we wanted to recall these units, it seems that the British government is unable to find the shipping required to bring the troops immediately home. It is this governments' view that aside from Singapore, Australia lays wide open to the threat of invasion from Japan, and while Mr Churchill continues to to say that Singapore will never fall, it has been this governments' experience over the last two years that what Mr Churchill says does not necessarily come to pass, Greece and Crete spring immediately to mind as an example.

Further, we have been asking for some months now for fighter aircraft to be sent to Australia to bolster our weakened defences ( we currently have no front line fighters) but so far this has met with a deafening silence from Whitehall, indeed Downing st has even suggested that we should increase the training of aircrew for deployment to Britain ! This situation is causing problems in parliament, with members of the opposition demanding that we even go so far as to demand the recall of our two brigades from Malaya, a suggestion that I am inclined to agree with.

I would therefore ask that you intercede with Mr Churchill on our behalf and seek to have a small increase of the lend lease aircraft diverted to Australia and also raise with him the possibility of releasing the two brigades currently stationed in Malaya at least until one of the AIF divisions in the middle east returns?

I trust that you will deal with the above in some haste.

Sincerely

John Curtin PM

< Message edited by Raverdave -- 2/5/2005 3:55:09 PM >

_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 24
RE: PBEM - Historical Limits: Thayne (allied) vs. SeaWo... - 2/4/2005 6:49:40 PM   
Speedysteve

 

Posts: 15998
Joined: 9/11/2001
From: Reading, England
Status: offline 		Excellent writing as per norm Thayne

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 25
Monday, December 15, 1941 - 2/5/2005 5:23:21 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		This should be a link to my opponent's AAR:

Historical Perspective: Japanese Commander's Daily Brief

However, somebody else is going to have to test it. I'm not supposed to look at it.

************************************

Monday, December 15, 1941

Henry:

As you can tell from the fact that you are reading this, I have arrived safely in San Diego. We left San Francisco early and arrived at North Island Naval Air Station just as the sun was coming up.

I saw Saratoga as I came in. It was at North Island loading up airplanes, and we flew just past it as we landed. I received a report this morning that the ship is switching out its F4F-3 with F4F-4 – the newer planes have more machine guns. Of course, machine guns only work if you can get the enemy planes in front of them. From what I am starting to read in my reports, that’s not so easy to do, with the Japanese Zero.

After I landed, they loaded me up onto a PT-Boat to get me across the Bay to Eleventh Naval District headquarters. Four of these tiny things took on Japanese cruisers and destroyers at Jolo (Philippines)? That was pretty stupid. I admit, I used my authority to see how fast these things can go. They should have just run away, as fast as they could. There is bravery, but beyond that there is stupidity.


Losses

Ships: 13 Ships Total

• PG Ashville torpedoed by a submarine north of Batavia in Java. There were two torpedoes, as I understand it. There was no ship left after the second explosion – just a field of splinters and oil.


Planes: 353 Planes Total (102 since Dec. 7)

• Japanese attack on Clark AFB, Philippines cost 3x P-40, 1x P-35A, 1x P-26A

• British attacks on Japanese ships north of Singapore, escorted by Oscars, lost 3x Buffalo

*Note: I do not include in these reports the loss of every Allied airplane, only the largest groups of casualties for every day.


The Ground War

• North China: Fighting continues at Yenen. Communist partisans are moving to interfere with Japanese supply – cutting off the roads to Yenen. I suspect that it won’t work. I fear Japan will succeed in driving Mao into the deep interior.

• Central China: Fighting continues at Iching. Chang Kai Shek will undoubtedly give the defense of Chungking his greatest priority, He is already calling units back to the city. He cares nothing about strategy or tactics, only in saving his new palace.

• Burma: Japan is at Tavoy. The 107th RAF Base Force is putting up a token resistance. The 16th Indian Brigade is leaving Rangoon to shore up defenses at Moulmein (to the east). The 1st and 2nd Burma Rifles Brigades are trying to get un-stranded. I do not know why the British thought it was a good idea to have those units stranded in the jungle.

• Malaya: General (formerly Colonel) Wavell is retreating from Kuantan to Malacca (central Malaya). There is a serious risk of a Japanese division coming down the west coast cutting them off. I think that there is time for an orderly retreat.

• British Borneo: Kuching is under Japanese control. Brunei soon will be.

• Philippines (North): The bulk of the Philippine army is on Bataan digging in. Other units are retreating. I have worries about supplies. Personally, I wonder how these people can survive until February.

• Philippines (South): Japanese landings at Davao and Jolo

• Gilbert Islands: Japan occupies Apamama. (They bypassed Tarawa, for some strange reason).


Damage Inflicted

• Hinode Maru #20 hit a mine at Hong Kong and sank, according to Chinese observers in the city.

• 3 Jap troop transports each hit by a bomb in waters north of Brunei, the north end of British Borneo


PM John Curtin’s Letter

Yes, President Roosevelt had this letter sent to me. I guess, since this subject is the main reason why I am here in San Diego, it would be a good time to comment on it.

Australia's Vulnerability. Let's start by making sure that we do not overestimate Australia's capabilities. People seem to have a habit of thinking of Australia as a Pacific superpower, a country comparable to the United States and England sitting at the bottom of the Pacific.

Pennsylvania has a larger population than Australia does -- by a margin of over 2,000,000 people. Darwin, the port on the north end of Australia that we plan on using as a major base, is really to Australia what Nome, Alaska is to the United States – a small frontier trading post. It is no city.

Plus, as Mr. Curtin so bluntly stated, Australia has been stripped of much of its war machinery.

Priority to Supply Route. A couple of days ago I had a decision to make – to ask Nimitz to reinforce his forward bases on Midway and Johnson Islands, or to move south to protect the Australian supply route. I chose the latter option – moving the 3rd USMC Defense Battalion to Palyrma, and the 4th USMC Defense Battalion to Christmas Island. The defense of Midway will have to wait for a little while.

Trust me, this makes me very nervous. I expect to see a Jap invasion fleet off of the coast of Midway any minute now.

Australian Relief Force. Here at San Diego, I am pulling together an Australian Relief Force consisting of:

• The aircraft carrier Saratoga with our most modern fighters
• The battleship Colorado
• 12 destroyers
• 2nd USMC Division on 3 transports
• 2nd USMC Defense Battalion on 1 transport
• 39th Bomber Group
• 42nd Bomber Group
• VMF-221

Now, I grant that I intend to deposit these units on the supply line from Los Angeles to Australia, and none of them will likely reach Australia itself, but Australia’s future depends on that supply line.

I want to stress that we are still unwinding our logistics on the West Coast. I am devoting a considerable percentage of our current logistical capacity – presently, about 50% of it – to this operation. This does not include the efforts being made at Hawaii.

Australia and New Zealand Contributions In fact, as an emergency measure I need to ask for Australia and New Zealand to make a contribution to this effort. I have been assured that the Fort Largs Coastal Defense Regiment is on its way to Noumea, and I will likely be asking New Zealand to release a brigade for the defense of Fiji or some other island further north.

The Best Defense of Australia. I would remind Mr. Curtin that the best defense of Australia is not to fight Japan on Australian soil, but to prevent Japan from reaching Australian soil. Mr. Curtin himself has admitted that Singapore is a key to this defense. There is nothing that the two Australian brigades in Malaya can do to defend Australia that can be more effective than what they are doing at Malaya. Australia is a huge land – Japan can easily attack where these brigades are not. At Singapore, Japan cannot avoid them. He must fight through them to get to Australia itself.

I am certain that the members of the 27th and 22nd Australian Brigade are aware of the importance of their mission – not to England, but to Australia.

Dutch East Indies Also, I have no intention of handing the Dutch East Indies to the Japanese. I will like to boast that the Dutch have forced the Japanese navy to retreat from British Borneo with heavy losses. Though Japan has taken control of the cities along this coast, we have given Japan notice that their advance will be costly.

I will state that I hope Australia will live up to its promise to contribute to these efforts, and will not hinder the transport of the Sparrow and Gull Forces from Darwin, to Aru Island. (Note: I believe that Aru Island is more important than Timor in holding the eastern end of the Dutch East Indies. It is easier to defend, less subject to disease, and closer to the protection that can be afforded by Darwin’s airfields.)

Future Plans Mr. Roosevelt has informed me that he will be releasing the 8th and 35th Fighter Groups (flying P-39 Aircobras) to me, and that they will be ready to travel before the end of the year. I intend to load them onto transports and the earliest possible moment, and ship them to Australia – one of them to be used in the defense of North Australia, and the other in defense of the Northeast Territories.

However, my ability to honor this intention depends fully on whether the shipping lanes from the United States to Australia remain open.

You may also want to make it known to Mr. Curtin that I have secured the use of BC Repulse and BB Prince of Wales for the defense of the Dutch East Indies. This should offset, to some extent, the Australian contribution to the British naval operations in the Mediterranean.


Gilbert Islands

The Japanese move through the Gilbert Islands – their capture of Makin and Apamama – represent the most significant Japanese threat to these intentions. Baker Island, and Nanomea Atoll are presently at risk, and I cannot say at this point where Japan intends to stop, if they intend to stop at all.

In light of these movements, I believe it would be in the best interest of the Australian government to dedicate the bulk of its remaining surface fleet to obstructing the Japanese advance south, preventing the capture of Fiji, Pago Pago, or Canton Island, while the American fleet protects the Line Islands, and holding out until reinforcements arrive.


Line Islands Reinforcements

I received a report yesterday that a Japanese seaplane, probably submarine-based, spotted the Line Island reinforcement task force as it was heading south. It is quite possible that Japan intends to interfere with this effort, using its carrier forces.

Both American carrier groups are accompanying the reinforcement group. However, I do not intend the two American carriers to go up against the full weight of the Japanese carrier armada. Nimitz has ordered additional search planes to Johnson Island and Palmyra to help spot the Japanese carrier group if they should decide to interfere – effectively doubling the guard on these outposts.


Japan Retreats from British Borneo

The naval bombardment at Singkuwang and Pontianak Airbases that I expected did not come to pass. Instead, the Japanese forces retreated. I guess they took enough damage for one day. I suspect their plan is to wait until they have built up their air power on their newly captured bases, and then return in force when they have air cover. It sounds like a smart move.


Prince of Wales Moves East

The Prince of Wales task force has been ordered East. With a little luck, it may be able to interfere with the Japanese operations on Jolo and Davao in the southern Philippines. However, I suspect that they will not arrive here on time either.


That's all for today. I realize, I never got a chance to talk about today's meetings. Maybe tomorrow.

Thayne




Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Thayne -- 2/5/2005 5:05:36 PM >

(in reply to Speedysteve)
Post #: 26
Tuesday, December 16, 1941 - 2/6/2005 9:57:11 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Tuesday, December 16, 1941

Henry:

Today, I went north to talk to some of the Marines at Camp Kearny – those that were waiting their turn to load up on the transports. This was not a tour. I simply wanted to look into the eyes of some of the people who will be heading out.

I could tell, in their eyes, that they wanted me to tell them what was going to happen to them after they left port. They wanted to know if the Saratoga and the Colorado were here for them, or if they would be going in some other direction. They knew that I had the answers. They also knew that I could not tell them what the answers were, at least not yet. So, they looked for any clue they could find.

They were loading up into five transports: Tasker H. Bliss, Wharton, Harris, President Monroe, and President Polk. We had originally planned for four transports, but they were getting packed. They were finding their cots and stowing their gear. Each soldier barely had room to lay down. That was all they needed.

It was going to be a long trip to New Caledonia for them.


Losses

Ships: 14 Ships Total

• AS Otus – hit earlier trying to flee the Philippines, succumbed to its wounds east of Sulawesi.

Planes: 360 Planes Total

• 1x P-40B Tomahawk, 1x P-26A at Clark AFB, Philippines to Japanese raid.


The Ground War

• China: Japan decided not to fight today, on either front. Perhaps they are regrouping – gathering their strength. Both Chang Kai Shek and Mao Tse Tung are using the opportunity to continue a peaceful withdraw into the country’s interior.

• Burma: The same is true here – Japan is not advancing. They are gathered up on the edge of town, but they are just sitting there. Perhaps they are having supply problems.

• Malaya: Japan took Taiping in north-western Malaya. With this, they have cut two units off at Georgetown, on the country’s far western coast. I think, with two units behind their lines, they will take the time to eliminate this pocket before they continue their drive south. This should give the forces marching from Kuantan to Malacca a chance to avoid being cut off.

• British Borneo: Brunei now belongs to the Japanese. However, it cost them another transport. TV-1A sank an AP in the port of Miri just south of Brunei. I think this was carrying supplies for the invasion.

• Philippines (North): Japan is moving south, attempting to occupy Lingayan Bay (on the west coast) and Tuguegarao (on the east coast). The allied withdraw has Tuguegarao largely open – I did not want to have units caught behind the lines.

• Philippines (South): Japanese now occupies Davao and Jolo


Damage Inflicted

• AP sunk at Miri, in British Borneo.

• 8x Nate, 2x So-Ann shot down north of Clark AFB.


Gilberts

Mr. Curtis’ letter made me aware of a vulnerability that I did not sufficiently appreciated earlier – the vulnerability around the area of Canton Island.

I had been looking at a Japanese drive to cut the allied supply lines at Noumea and Espritu Santo – closer to Australia. This would be a fairly extensive operation involving a drive through the Bismarck Archipelago, Solomons, and Santa Cruz Islands before the ultimate targets were even threatened.

What would it take for Japan to cut the supply line further east? Japan has already taken Makin and Apamama. Baker and Nanaomea Atolls are undefended.

Canton Island would likely be next. The 114 USN Base Force currently stationed there could be pushed aside more easily than the Marines on Wake Island. That would, in effect, cut the supply lines. If Japan places a few bombers there and our ships would have to take a pretty wide detour to get to Australia.

Well, I have been wondering about the best place to put the 2nd USMC Defense Battalion, and this might just be the place. I’ll arrange to have someone on the trip who can talk to Lieutenant Commander Pappas about this assignment.

The fact is, if Japan makes a move on this area, we will not be able to stop them. Their carriers are already in the area, and can easily sweep aside anything we may seek to offer in terms of resistance.

Predicting Japan’s Carrier Movements

Still, there is a good argument for Japan not to make a drive on Canton Island. Japan may want to send its carriers to the Dutch East Indies.

Its attack on British Borneo could not be said to be going as well as Japan would have liked. It has suffered a lot of damage to transport ships and light cruisers. I believe that Japan may decide that they want to sweep the area of allied air and naval forces in order to leave the way clear for its advance. It needs these resources.

The best move that we can make, I think, is to draw Japan’s forces into the Dutch East Indies, leaving us time to develop our other resources.


Tours

I made a mistake in San Francisco, not going on the tours. The tour is not for the purpose of looking over some installation. It is for the purpose of meeting the people, talking with them, and helping to ensure that they know the value of their contribution to the war effort.

I learned my lesson when I visited Camp Kearny and I actually saw the people. I could see how it was for them to get some official recognition for the important job they were doing. It seemed to bring a measure of peace. Though, how anybody could doubt the importance of this job is beyond me. I made sure they knew that.

I had thought that we would be done loading the transports today. Two of the five transports are loaded; the rest will take until tomorrow. So, I would say, on Thursday, our fleet heads out.

I believe that the first step will be Canton Island, now that I have a new appreciation for that particular base. That will be the disbursement point. From there, we will look at the possibilities of sending a regiment to Nanaomea Atoll and Wallis Island – all to protect this portion of the supply line to Australia.

The other half of this particular task force will leave San Francisco Harbor tonight – cargo ships, carrying a couple of the bomber groups and other supplies. These troops will be traveling pretty light. They will not have the full compliment of their supplies until the cargo ships arrive – which will be about 10 days later.


Flight Plans

I am going to stay here another day. If the fleet sails on Thursday, then so will I. After that, I will be off to Pearl Harbor. I am not looking forward to that part of the trip. I know that it is going to depress me to see. It will be my first experience with the destruction of war first hand. I’m not talking about the ships so much, but the 1400 soldiers and civilians wounded in the attack.

They will also be burying some of the dead. I suppose that I should attend one of those ceremonies as well.


I hope that the morning finds you well.

Thayne

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 27
Letter from Curtin to Roosevelt - 2/7/2005 11:04:57 AM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		Dear Mr President,

Sir I am writing to you to confirm that all is in order for the movement of the Fort Largs Coastal Defence Regiment and am content at this point to place said unit under the command of the relevant US Officer that you may want to appoint. This is a fine example of Australia's commitment to our new alliance, and I wish that I could draw the same comfort from your commitments to Australia.

Mr Roosevelt, please allow me to articulate the root of my concerns, of which there are a number.

In the first place I was ecstatic to find a cable upon my desk out-lining the the newly named "Australian Relief Force" and a break down of what it consisted of, an Aircraft Carrier and Battleship, plus twelve attending Destroyers. A full division of US Marines and two bomber groups with one supporting fighter group. A first blush this seemed more that could have been hoped for at such short notice, and some how the press got a hold of the story and run with the headlines "The Yanks are coming !". I would quickly like to point out that no specifics or troop numbers were mentioned in the newspapers and my government is ordering an investigation as to how such information was leaked. But sir I digress, having read about the Marines and the carriers I was exasperated to learn that it is doubtful that any of these "Australian Relief Force" units will infact ever reach our shore. Is it not true that this "Australian Relief Force" will be used for little else but the defence of French Noumea ?? Sir this sounds much like the double talk and false promises that we have been getting from Whitehall for the last 20 years!



20 years you ask? Well sir that brings me to my second concern which, I fear, I failed to make clear to you in my last letter. For the last 20 years Australia has placed it's faith ( and not an inconsiderable amount of money) in the ability of the British fleet, based in Singapore, as a bulwark against possible Japanese aggression. The key words here Mr President, are British fleet. Indeed the naval base, and that is all it has ever been in both name and function, has been until recently a base without even a fleet, and it has only been at the strongest possible urgings that finally the Royal Navy, or should I say, the British Government agreed and sent the HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales.

Which brings me to another point, if it is felt by you that Singapore is such a fine defensive base why is it then that the two major British capitol ships are being tasked in the defence of Dutch East India ?

I am reliably informed by my military advisers that any planned defence of Singapore, by land, is doomed and this is because the very guns designed to defend Singapore and not able to be faced towards an enemy coming over land from the north ! Yet again I can foresee good Australian lives being sacrificed for little or no gain, this is Greece and Crete all over again, and if this does come to pass sir, you shall share the terrible responsibility of knowing that your inaction has caused the loss of many fine Australian men.

But having said that I must also report that my military advisors also point out that once battle is joined it would be very difficult if not impossible to disengage our troops. And so I must stress that it is of vital importance than both the 27th and 22nd Brigades of the Eighth Australian Division be released for service on Australian territory or at the very least in service within the ABDA, and this must take effect immediately before battle is joined.

In addition to the 27th and 22nd Brigades, it must also be requested that HMAS Vendetta and HMAS Vampire are required for escort duties in home waters while No 453 Squadron RAAF, currently based in Singapore, is needed for that Australian territories in New Britain.



It is our fervent hope that these requests are granted as soon as is practicable. There is no doubt in my mind that our two countries will gain in strength from the trial that is ahead of us, and that our alliance will become a model for other countries to look up to.



Sincerely

John Curtin PM

_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 28
Whats it all about? - 2/7/2005 11:52:58 AM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		Guys just to let you all know what is happening, about a week ago I dropped Thayne a line and asked if i could add a political dimension to his game, by adding pressure that he does not need.

It is also in keeping with what was going on behind the scenes between Downing St, The White House and Canberra.

Thayne is not bound by nor does he has to listen to anything that Curtin "suggests", but if he wants access to or use of Aussie troops then he will have to talk his way around.

Also I am not reading his opponents AAR as I want to keep my part as reactionary as possible. And while I plan to contribute on a small basis maybe week to week, or even month to month, I think that it will enhance what everyone aggrees is an excellent AAR.

_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Raverdave)
Post #: 29
RE: Whats it all about? - 2/7/2005 12:38:25 PM   
Moquia


Posts: 174
Joined: 7/12/2004
Status: offline 		He he, this just gets better and better. An WitP/RPG fusion, great stuff.

_____________________________


(in reply to Raverdave)
Post #: 30
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