The Pearl of the Orient

Kasakka

It seems that AI kicks in around 42'. I'm expecting the brunt of the assault to occur then.

Spacehusky

Only the navy gets its due in this update. Hopefully the land and air forces will push some copy in time.

Khan

Await no more.

---

The Hammer Falls: November – December 1941

December 8, 1941 – December 9, 1941

The year had been mostly uneventful; filled with musings and debates about the course of the war in Europe. But conflict would soon no longer be confined to the plains of China, the sands of Libya, and the heart of Europe; war now edged to the doorstep of the Commonwealth. Then on December 7, 1941 at 6:37 A.M. Honolulu Time the Imperial Japanese Navy’s ‘Kido Butai’ Taskforce disabled the battleships of the United States Pacific Fleet with a surprise aerial assault via carrier on the port of Pearl Harbor. Exactly one hour later President Quezon’s Monday Cabinet meeting was interrupted by Chief of Staff, Basilio J. Valdez, personally delivering a telegram from the US Secretary of State, Cordell Hull. After being handed the yellow parchment, Quezon went over it once, then after a pause read it aloud.

“… at 6:37 Hawaii Time the Japanese launched an air raid against US forces stationed at Pearl Harbor. We believe that the Japanese may in the next hour or so launch similar attacks on the Philippines… I repeat we strongly believe that the Japanese will launch an attack on the Philippines… We advise that the Commonwealth Government take any and all precautions to deal with this threat…” The President now turned his gaze towards Douglas MacArthur, now nominal commander of American forces stationed in the Philippines. “I suggest all leave be canceled immediately and that the Philippine Divison be brought the full strength. I am sure General Valdez has ordered the same for the Commonwealth Army. I would estimate that we have less than four or five hours before the attack beings. The fleet must put out to sea at once; I would hate for our carriers to meet the same fate of the American battleline.[/i]

---

Manila Bay

Within the hour the entire Home Fleet had castoff into Manila Bay. Reports were flooding in from various sources of Japanese offensives in Malaya, the Dutch East Indies, and even a Japanese incursion into still neutral Thailand. With the destruction of the US Pacific Fleet, reductions of the Asiatic Fleet and the British China and India Station, the Commonwealth Navy became the primary Allied naval presence in the Orient. And that presence was about to be felt as reports came via wireless from Asiatic Fleet destroyers who were just returning from routine patrol in the South China Sea. The Asiatic Fleet had been reduced to a force of WWI-era Destroyers and one Heavy Cruiser. This group had encountered a Japanese force of four battleships, an unknown number of heavy cruisers, and several destroyers. In just under 8 minutes the entire Asiatic Fleet had been reduced to 2 Destroyers that barely managed to limp back into port. The only bright note in the entire episode was that Admiral Jose V. Andrada, Commander of the Home Fleet, now had a clear idea of what awaited him further into the Bay.

Andrada flew his flag from the ‘Crown of Spain’ class Heavy Cruiser ‘Fernando VII’. Just a month ago all four ships of this class had been fitted with fire-control systems to extend their lifespan if caught in battle against enemy battleships or battlecruiers. But these improvements would matter little if the fleet cruisers engaged the Japanese battleline directly. Andrada therefore ordered the carrier flights from the ‘Ciudad de Madrid’ and ‘Ciudad de Baguio’ to take to the skies to find just where the Japanese were located. This task would take sometime; time that Andrada would take to consult with his command.

Philippine naval doctrine was based around the principles of fire and movement. To deliver effective firepower the fleet would rely on its carrier based scouts and then send fighter craft to mop up the approaching enemy line before they could get into gun range. Should the enemy get into gun range it would be the jobs of the fleet cruisers, destroyers, and submarines to divert enemy attention and protect the fleet carriers. Knowing the location of the enemy fleet allowed Andrada to draw up a path of intended motion or in other words the general direction of movement the fleet must move towards. Within 14 minutes the scouts had sighted Japanese light cruisers operating 110 land miles from Corregidor; the island fortress which guarded the mouth of the Bay. With enough information on the general direction and constitution of the enemy attack force Andrada ordered the fleet to take up anti-surface warfare formation. This entailed a concentration of the capitol ships, the ‘City’ class carriers of the fleet, in the center with destroyers and cruisers fanning out keeping a close watch on possible submarine attacks and surface ship movements. As the late afternoon sun soared upward, the forward deployed portions of the two fleets could sight each other. This was the signal for Andrada to throw his air wings at the enemy.

---

On the flight deck of the ‘Ciudad de Manila’


The air complement of each carrier ranged anywhere from 60 to 80 planes. The ‘Ciudad de Manila’ carried onboard 68, 2/3rds fighters and 1/3rd bombers, planes which were about to be launched into the air. She and the other three carriers of the fleet turned into the wind to make take off easier for her Air Groups and held for the signal from Andrada onboard the ‘Fernando VII’. At approximately 4 P.M. in the afternoon, Manila time, the order was given to send the planes into the sky.

--

The Skies above Manila Bay

“This is Fight 2 Leader, calling all planes of the Ciudad de Manila group; we are about to enter the Japanese line of fire… just as your briefing mentioned we know conclusively that the Japanese strike force consists of four battleships and assorted cruisers and destroyers and now… we can confirm that the Japanese carrier ‘Hōshō’ is flying air cover for the invasion force.” Hōshō’s air complement barely topped 19 craft and she dated from WWI; these defects withstanding her pilots were some of the most competent in the Imperial Navy and had more experience in combat than their Filipino adversaries. Yet the Mitsubishi A5Ms ‘Claude’s of the Hōshō seemed underpowered in comparison to the Grumman F4F Wildcats in used by the Commonwealth. This would prove to be decisive in battle to come. “We have been tasked with eliminating Japanese air cover. Once this task is complete we will focus our attention on strafing Japanese troop transports. They cannot reach the harbor defenses. I repeat, the enemy cannot reach the harbor defenses.” The Japanese had decided to devote their carriers to the ‘Kido Butai’ taskforce and moved to box in the Commonwealth navy by launching a land invasion of Bataan and Cavite. Only luck had given the Home Fleet time to mobilize to meet the enemy as he attempted to force his way through.

Over the blue waters of Manila Bay, 19 A5Ms were pitted against nearly 80 or so fighters tasked from each of the carriers to shoot them down. The pilots of the ‘Ciudad de Manila’ had taken the initiative and climbed to meet the Japanese fighters. Each Filipino plane was paired up with another and this ‘buddy system’ ensured that each plane at two sets of eyes scanning the sky for targets and threats. Working systematically, four Filipino planes attacking per one Japanese plane, the Hōshō’s fighters were slowly swept from the sky. The pilots of the Commonwealth were not fans of aerial duels; as long as the enemy went down the job was done. With the sky now devoid of enemies the scene shifted to dealing damage to the Japanese surface fleet. The Japanese Heavy Cruiser ‘Kumano’ was overwhelmed by aerial bombs dropped by the ‘Ciudad de Cebu’ flight wing and went down after fires ignited her magazines. As the first Japanese surface ship slid beneath the waves the four ‘Crown of Spain’ class Heavy Cruisers engaged the battleships ‘Fusō’, ‘Yamashiro’, ’Ise’, and ‘Hyūga’. Though clearly outgunned Aranda urged his fleet onwards from the tower of the ‘Fernando VII’, coordination between surface guns and aerial assaults would bring down the relics of WWI that Japan had decided to throw at the Commonwealth. Aircraft strafed the conning towers of the ‘Ise’ and as her crew struggled to get into gun range of the ‘Carlos III’ two torpedoes detonated right under, her followed by a direct hit to the center, just under her armor plate. The submarines of the Commonwealth had bided their time and found the right moment to make their presence known to the Japanese. They were now helped along by generous volleys from the 10 inch guns of the ‘Felipe V’. The Commonwealth had never been bound by the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty and now lack of US enforcement the treaty’s guidelines on the military build up of the Philippines seemed as though it were a blessing.

The Battle of Manila Bay had lasted less than 1 and 45 minutes yet proved to be decisive. The Japanese invasion fleet had been annihilated by the Commonwealth Navy without help from the Americans (save the initial warning delivered by the US Secretary of State to Quezon) without the loss of a single ship. In contrast 4 battleships, 1 carrier, 3 heavy cruisers, and 8 destroyers of the Imperial Navy now lay at the bottom of Manila Bay. But before the fleet could celebrate Andrada ordered it back to Cavite for repairs; he would take no chances against a possibility larger Japanese force waiting in the waters of the South China Sea. And news of the victory would be kept from the public until after President Roosevelt delivered his address to Congress. Upon receiving notice of the victory Quezon thought it wise to let the Filipino people dwell on the words of the American President before letting the victory distract Filipino minds from the great task at hand.

---

Manila radio carried the following words live from Washington. The question of ‘what would and how would the United States react to Pearl Harbor’ was on everyone’s mind?

”A Call For War” said:

Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives:

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And, while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has therefore undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense, that always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.

Click to expand...

CCA

Sadly I think this is just a realtively small part of the naval war. The US fleet is sitting pretty in the eastern Pacific while Japanese ships and divsions are popping up all over SE Asia.

Hannibal Barca2

Maybe two in-game weeks. My crusiers took a beating from the Japanese BBs. I might have to trade for some American BBs if I can convince the AI to cough some of them up...

RossN

Considering that most of my CAs are at around half strength, and my CLs are hanging in there... some change in strategy needs to be decided upon. I'd do a picture by picture assessment of the battle but my internet is too slow to allow me to upload a lot of pictures at once.

Overall i'd rate the performace of the fleet as adiquate but I can't rely on luck should the Japanese Battle Fleet or Scouting Fleet decide to head South. If i'm not mistaken the Yamato and Musashi have been compleded by now meaning that i'll likely be seeing Super-Heavies the next time I have to do battle with a major Japanese fleet.

I've just completed game play for 1942! meaning I can now start several rounds of updates for this AAR. Without giving away too much, the situation in Europe is pretty much dead even between the Brits and Germans, and the Germans have (suprise suprise) had their advance stalled half way to Moscow.

East Asia is another story and since this AAR deals mostly with that theatre of the war I won't give away any suprises just yet. But I will say that the competency of the AI has suprised me throughly.

The Northern Watch: Part I. Late December 1941 – Early January 1942

Cavite Naval Yard, Dusk

The Commonwealth Navy limped back into port. Though victorious on the field of battle, damage to her cruisers and the reluctance of Quezon to authorize another sortie restricted Andrada's ships from operations for the next two weeks. But the fleet had made it back to port in one piece and with PAAF wings flying air superiority missions overhead on a rotational 24 hour basis the fleet was in no direct danger of being overwhelmed by a surprise attack. But Andrada was not content with staying in port; he desired another chance to prove the worth of the sword he so skillfully crafted for the Commonwealth. Chief of Staff, Valdez made a concession and allowed the Commonwealth to deploy its submarines to prey on Japanese merchant shipping.

---

Manila, Morning of the 10th

The citizens of the Philippines went to bed hearing in real-time the words of Roosevelt and awoke to the words of Quezon announcing news of the victory over the Imperial Navy at the mouth of Manila Bay. No state of emergency was declared but in accordance with the Constitution public beaches were closed and provincial militias were called up and integrated into Reserve Forces. Though life proceeding as usual in central Luzon the north awoke to a full-scale Japanese invasion.

---

Appri, Morning of the 10th

In a strange twist of fate Appri was founded by Japanese traders in the 14th century. Now one of the first points of Japanese settlement in the Philippines became the first landing ground of the Imperial Army. The Japanese had ignored the outlying islands in the Babuyan Channel and had decided to bring the war to a swift end by overwhelming the land defenses of North Luzon. From there the road to the capitol would be open. Command in the North Luzon theatre was divided between General Vicente Lim and Major-General Jonathan Wainwright; Wainwright held authority over US forces and Lim held overall command. The Allied forces in the North were a mix of Philippine Constabulary (Garrison) and Commonwealth Army (Infantry 1939) Regulars deployed in defense lines stretching in the hills of central Luzon. Luis Borbón, now promoted to Lieutenant Colonel as a result of the shifting of experienced officers to higher commands, found himself commanding a relief column consisting of his battalion from the I. Corps and two others from the II. Corps. The scene that awaited him as his men neared the combat zone was utter chaos. The beach defenses had been completely overwhelmed by the Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces. This Japanese version of the Marine Corps consisted of battalion ‘regiments’ tasked with first strike duties. 2nd Sasebo SNLF lived up to their reputation and after intense fighting took the beach in a matter of minutes. Major Borbón’s task would be to retake the beach and somehow negate the firepower of the Japanese Type 2 ‘Ka-Mi’ amphibious tanks that were stalling the progress of the Commonwealth Army.


“All right gents, this is the real thing and those are real weapons pointed at us. We’ve got to hit’em not with just the palms of our hands but with our clenched fists! We out number them and are more heavily armed than them! Give it an hour. One hour is all we need before we can move our artillery up from the rear to get the Japs a good wallop.” The battle was straight forward; waves after wave of Japanese marines and infantry would come at the Philippine lines till they gave him. The Japanese were supported by 4 Type 2 ‘Ka-Mi’ tanks and 3 Type 92 Battalion Guns. The Philippine first responders lack artillery but their M1 ‘Garand’ rifles proved more reliable than the Type 38 ‘Arisaka’ rifles wielded by their Japanese adversaries. But service rifles were to be of little use as long as Japanese field artillery and tanks went about their business unmolested. But careful use of the terrain and delaying tactics allowed Borbón’s force to hold out till artillery could be brought up. With the Japanese troops running out of ammunition, a common Japanese problem throughout the war, some units resorted to bladed weapons and bayonets. The scene played out had an almost medieval feel to it. Japanese Katana and Bayonets were pitted against Philippine Jungle Bolos wielded by local militiamen. And just as the Japanese began exploit a break in the front artillery support arrived. Covered by an artillery barrage, Borbón’s men inched up towards the beach. The Japanese decided to cut their losses and withdrew their landing craft but true to their nature the men of the 2nd Sasebo SNLF had to be cut down to the man for they refused surrender.

The beach had been retaken and the Commonwealth captured two of the Japanese Type 2 ‘Ka-Mi’ tanks employed by the landing forces. Borbón ordered them resupplied and detached a platoon to escort the enemy armor to the rear for evaluation. Initial inspection confirmed the lack of protection that went into Japanese armor but the main gun and flotation devices convinced Commonwealth Engineers to incorporate those features into the light tanks they had begun to develop.

---

The Commonwealth had deflected the opening thrusts of the Japanese War Machine but the tide was turning. The Japanese had cleared the seas of allied navies save the Commonwealths and Japanese divisions in Indochina had began the push into British Malaya. Though initially repulsed, the Dutch East Indies were being divided piecemeal by the Imperial Navy and Army. And most disturbing of all the northern coast of Australia was now directly threatened due the defeat of their naval forces escorting troops to Malaya and the European theatre. Though a nation of islands the Philippines had now truly become an island of democracy in the sea of Japanese fascism. And it was only a matter of time before the Japanese marshaled their strength to wipe out this tiny blot in the middle of their ‘Greater East Asia’.

--

This game is getting a bit challenging. The Nat. Chinese are falling apart and not really diverting the attention of the Japanese. The goal now is to survive and wait for the USA to come to my aid. When I converted to the 1938 campaign because of a flawed 1936 save I hadn’t counted on the fact Japan had way more starting units than in 1936 which thusly affected their build ratio. More on that in later updates.

Hannibal Barca2

Thanks and the big personalities to look out for are as follows:

The Commonwealth of the Philippines

- Luis Álvarez Borbón y Zúñiga: Currently a Major in the I. Corps, served on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War, around 22-23 years of age. Mostly pops up in land battles.

- Ferdinand E. Marcos: Yep, the future President/Dictator/Die-hard Nationalist is spending his WWII days as an intelligence officer in the Army. Will become more important later in the war.

- Jose V. Andrada: The only full Admiral in the Philippine Fleet and commander of the Home Fleet's carrier force. Will be commanding the Commonwealth Navy in most naval battles.

- Basilio J. Valdez: Chief of Staff and ranking Commonwealth Army General. He's essentially the George C. Marshall of the Philippines in this AAR.

- Vicente Lim: Commander of the Northern Luzon Theatre, he was the first Filipino graduate at West Point (class of 1914). More on him to come in later updates.

- Manuel L. Quezon: President of the Commonwealth and America's go to man in the Orient. Political life in the Commonwealth revolves around him and as a result most political updates will be told form his point of view.

The United States

- Douglas MacArthur: Field Marshal in the Commonwealth Army and General in the US Army. The man responsible for the doctrines of the Commonwealth Army and the man in overall command of the military assets of the Philippines.

-Jonathan Wainwright: Major-General in the US Army. Field commander of US forces in the Philippines and all around good guy.

-FDR: US President and leader of the free world.

That's pretty much all the 'important' people introduced thus far for the Allies. The Axis players will be introduced rather quickly; in fact several will find their way into the next update (which should be posted in a few hours).

Spacehusky

Heh, since I haven't exploited the AI or tried to fight the war sooner the Japanese are pretty darn strong. I'm trying to see if minors can survive without being 'gamey'. So far i'm hanging on, by a thread.

Quanto

Thankies. Though the real fireworks haven't even begun.

aussieboy

Thanks! But contemporary issues aside, part of this AAR is to explore how things became the way they are. It took a leap from Macros the UP student/duelist to Marcos of WWII to Marcos the Congressman riding on supposed ‘Ang Maharlika’ brigade fame and finally the Marcos who decided to undermine what he supposedly fought for by eliminating democracy. I try not to judge and having relations on both sides of the Marcos/Aquino-and-friends spectrum makes me wish to know just why a person would do and act the way he did. But regardless he was a huge fibber; his account of the Battle of Besang Pass is an example…

---

The Northern Watch: Part II. Mid-January 1942

December 20th marked the entry of Thailand into the war on the Japanese side. Thai military dictator Plaek Pibulsonggram had decided to throw in his lot with the Japanese in exchange for Cambodia. King Ananda Mahidol, son of the ousted King Prajadhipok, was an absentee monarch residing in Europe therefore not in a position to block Pibulsonggram's machinations. Preparations were made between Pibulsonggram and the Japanese commander in the South, Terauchi Hisaichi, for an invasion of Burma. Meanwhile in China, Wang Jingwei had formed a collaborationist regime based in Nanjing. The Japanese seemed to be gaining large following among the peoples of Asia and Pan-Asian protests in support of Japan were to be encountered in every major city in the Orient.

Manila was no exception to this rule and Pan-Asian supporters showed their colors by rallying in the street. Quezon was loathe to use force or the law to quell this potential threat. Freedom of speech was enshrined in the national consciousness and to betray those principles even in time of war were to betray everything the Propaganda Movement of Rizal and Katipunan fought for in the days leading up to the revolt against Spain. Besides, the Japanese showed no signs of launching attacks at the Philippines and instead focused their attention on Malaya, Indonesia, China, and Burma. Australian and New Zealand divisions had begun the defense of New Guinea and managed to maneuver their divisions to guard the southern part of the island. The outnumber, out gunned, and outclassed Royal Netherlands East Indies Army along with their counterparts in the Royal Netherlands Navy were annihilated early in January leaving only the expansive jungle as a defense against Japanese penetration. And the British in Burma and Malaya continued to hold out against Japanese attacks but the loss of Hong Kong and several ships to the Japanese damped morale. Only in the Philippines did the Allies see the potential for successful resistance against Japan; even then the Commonwealth could not conceivably carry on the war if all her allies around her started to fall.

---

Manila, Afternoon of the 5th of January 1941

The war had not damped Christmas and New Years celebrations. And Japanese broadcasts out of Taiwan feeding upon Pan-Asian sentiment did much to lull the populace of the islands into complacency. But Quezon and his Staff did not subscribe to propaganda. Replacing an American overlord with an Asian overlord would not contribute much to the cause of Philippine independence and Japanese guaranties of a free Philippines had to be taken as mere propagandas; the amount of leverage allowed to Pu Yi's government in Manchukuo was proof positive of the future puppet regimes the Japanese wished to create in East Asia. Though leading academics and political figures continued to make arguments of the benefits of Japanese cooperation, Quezon and the Armed Forces refused to budget. If worst did come to worst the Commonwealth could count on the absolute loyalty of its military personnel. Having been indoctrinated with a sense of professionalism and non-interference in political affairs, the Commonwealth Armed Forces stood in contrast to the various factions within the Japanese military that had brought on Japan’s latest bout of expansionism in Asia.

The military matched their silence in the political realm with vocal demands for greater funding and concise mission directives. MacArthur and Quezon agreed to shift the bulk of the Commonwealth budget to military procurement but the Administration warned that funding for portfolios such as Education, traditionally an American responsibility, would have to be taken up directly by Filipinos owing to wartime conditions. Quezon also noted that the economy was already heavily skewed towards matters of defense, to the point were during the years of 1938-1939 consumer goods were totally neglected. But as General Basilio J. Valdez was about to point out during the following Cabinet Meeting, the costs outweighed the benefits.

“Sir, the following slideshow will capture in pictures what we are up against. The dossiers in front of you contain a brief summation of the points I shall be going over today. The Empire of Japan is a land and naval power that possesses one sore weakness that most interestingly enough fuels its success; the lack of natural resources in Japan proper. Save for a few bits of fine iron ore the Japanese Home Islands lack petrol, coal, and iron reserves in great quantity. They must import the copper they use in their munitions from abroad and require shipments of scrap metal from various subject peoples to replace the supply lost by declaring war on America. But the most important raw material weighing on the mind of General Tojo and his ilk is of course petroleum. Without oil their formidable battlefeet is nothing more than a plethora of fancy paperweights and their armored divisions a fair sideshow. Unfortunately the Dutch East Indies, Malaya Thailand, and the Philippines contain petrol reserves the Japs covet. Without oil their war with China cannot be prosecuted and thusly we are in their crossfires.”

“From prior study we can safely assume the following about Japanese war aims; 1. They are resource driven. 2. They are channeling the Pan-Asian and anti-Colonist sentiment to cast their conquests as being part of a ‘War of Liberation’. The achievement of those stated goals will culminate in their ‘Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere’. Now, while we realize that this is the greatest advertisement and propaganda coup since that one fellow invented the concept of ‘.99 cent products’, the vast majority of our fellow countrymen and much of Asia remain either captivated by Japanese promises or purely apathetic.”

“To achieve that end the Japanese subscribe to an interesting form of realpolik that subordinates domestic interests to military needs. ‘Fukoku kyohei’ or ‘enrich the country, strengthen the military’ which means literally ‘pillage your neighbors for their useful possessions by giving more toys to the pillagers.’ And for this reason the Japanese maintain the world’s strongest navy and Asia’s largest and most well-equipped land army. So far we’ve kept the pillagers out but the Japanese enjoy a contest of equals and as they say, a determined society will task its best and brightest to causes of highest importance. As long as we can keep the Japanese out the Philippines will remain a dagger aimed at the heart of Japan; from here we can easily seize Taiwan or even launch raids on the Home Islands. And for us to hold out till the United States can come to this end of the Pacific requires a new round of fleet enlargements and the raising of more divisions. “

“By our estimates all we need is to hold out for six months. By then the United States will have fully awoken from her slumber and will have out produced the Japanese in terms of military equipment. And if we can hold it, it gives time for our Australian and Kiwi friends to clean up some of the mess left behind by the Dutch in the Indies.”

--

Baguio, Highland Luzon, Afternoon of the 14th of January 1941

The second most urbanized region in Luzon also happened to be in the middle of nowhere. Connected to Manila by one narrow road the only rationale behind the city was that Americans enjoyed its climate and as a center to exploit the rich metal deposits of Benguet. And it was here where Americans located their administrative organs along streets and building style imported from the West. But even for the city’s apparent worth, Commonwealth officials were hesitant to divert more troops to its defense as well as air cover. In spite of the vocal opposition of US businessmen the Quezon Administration continued to maintain that inland regions were better garrisoned by militia to free up regulars and reservists to guard the coastline.

Of more concern to the Quezon Administration was the state of the Philippine Military Academy. This four year university trained officers for the army, navy, and army air corps and was modeled off similar US institutions at West Point and Annapolis. The 300 cadets enrolled in the facility were given a directive to continue their education in spite of the need for more officers. But cadets and their professors continued to during their free time help train local militia groups in the case of a Japanese breakthrough to the highlands. And upon hearing of these developments the President decided to visit the Academy himself to decide if the Administration would be willing to commission the more talented cadets for line service a year early.

---

And that last part was just tacked to lead on into the next update.