Operation Dilemma
1
0000 December 1st 1944.
North China Army Headquarters. Jinghong, China.
British forces had superior numbers and technology over their Japanese counterparts but the Japanese had mountains and jungles in which to fight.
The Tactical bombers were beginning to inflict significant damage on Field Marshal Wilson's motorised divisions with one all but destroyed.
0000 December 1st 1944.
BB Division 1 Flagship. IJN Yamashiro, Singapore.
Yamamoto was in command of the amphibious forces until such time as they made landfall. He had most of the Imperial Japanese Navy with him to protect the more fragile Transport fleets.
General Ueda, who would command the initial ground forces for the operation, was the first to board the waiting transport ships closely followed by twelve infantry divisions. The troops were carrying extra supplies as they knew that they were heading behind enemy lines and out of direct supply.
No sooner had the infantry finished boarding the transports than all four fleets sets sail. Both Transport fleets and Carrier Group C headed for the coast of India while Yamamoto led BB Division 1 towards Rangoon where he would try and halt all troop movements by sea either in or out of Burma.
To replace his patrol pattern around Indonesia BB Division 2 left Davao and headed for Singapore.
0100 December 1st 1944.
Industry Offices. Tokyo, Japan.
Ginjiro had already stated that he would begin constructing convoy ships to replace losses to enemy Submarines. He received an additonal request as he left the meeting with the Emperor.
Three more Destroyer Flotillas were also ordered to allow the repairing fleet in Tokyo to have a full compliment of such vessels.
1900 December 1st 1944.
25. Armee Headquarters. Thom Buri, Siam.
Lt. General Kozuki was in command of the defensive forces in Thom Buri and he was watching the enemy build up closely. He knew it was likely to only be a matter of time before his defences were tested.
Field Marshal Montgomery had decided the time was right to try and force Kozuki to move. The Lt. General tended to agree with the British officer that he should probably withdraw to the safety of Bangkok.
His second in command, one Mj. General Banzai, did not agree that a withdrawal should commence immediately.
"We are in the middle of jungle, its night and, in case you hadn't noticed, its raining a little out there. Why should we move back from a force that is mostly in trucks that can't even move in this?" he argued.
"Because they out number us more than two to one and that is Montogomery out there." Kozuki replied. "We shall wait for a few hours to see how things develop at dawn. Is that suicidal enough for you Mj. General?"
"It is a start certainly."
000 December 2nd 1944.
Diplomatic Offices. Tokyo, Japan.
Mamoru was entertaining the Soviet Ambassador again. This time he would try to negotiate a slightly smaller trade in the hopes that his opposite number might actually honour it for a while.
The initial transaction was handled quite smoothly with both sides agreeing to what appeared to be a fair deal. Now it just remained to be seen if the Ambassador came back to see him tomorrow.
0800 December 2nd 1944.
BB Division 1 Flagship. IJN Yamashiro, South Malacca Strait.
It had not taken long to find hostile shipping as the invasion fleet headed north. Their first encounter was in the South Malacca Strait where the bad weather conditions made Carrier operations difficult which allowed the three British ships to escape alive from a force more than ten times it size.
They were not so lucky when they met again in the North Malacca Strait. All three British ships would sink with only two confirmed to any particular ship.
The Light Cruiser HMS Colombo was hit by so many bombs and torpedoes it was impossible to say who had made the fatal blow. The same was not true of the two Destroyer Flotillas.
Aircraft from the Carriers IJN Junyo and IJN Hiyo would be credited with the death blows.
1300 December 2nd 1944.
25. Armee Headquarters. Thom Buri, Siam.
"Well Mj. General have you had enough bloodshed now?" asked Kozuki.
"I believe that now might be a prudent time to make Bangkok our new home, yes." replied Banzai.
All four divisions, two infantry and two marines, marched off in good order towards the Siamese capital where a much larger Japanese force had gathered. They never really stood much chance of stopping Montgomery but they did inflict some damage.
2200 December 3rd 1944.
The Skies Above the West Celebes Sea.
Mj. General Saboru was currently patrolling the Celebes Sea and he found the returning American Carrier fleet as it entered his area form the west. One ship was crippled with the rest, including the USS Ticonderoga, showing signs of damage. He passed the co-ordinates back to his base in Davao where an Air General just happened to be passing as the report arrived.
"No rest for my squadrons." he thought as he headed off towards his aircraft and summoned the other pilots of both his wing and that of his fellow wing commander.
By 0100 hours Ozawa and Genda had reached Saboru and joined in the attack. The 38th Destroyer Division did not last even an hour as the Naval bombers began to inflict their damage. Nightfall would prevent any other major damage occurring. There was still a fairly big distance between Admiral English and safety.