Operation Influx
7
0300 November 1st 1948.
Central Asia Army Headquarters. Sevastopol, Soviet Union.
The Allied build up in the Middle East was being monitored by Hata and it was no surprise when an assault began.
Kawashima's defences in Alexandria were being tested by recently arrived Allied troops including two Armoured divisions. He held easily until dawn with the fortifications providing excellent defence but once the sun began to rise Hata ordered him to withdraw towards the marshes of Tanta as it became clear that Kawashima would not be able to hold.
By 0800 hours Itabana's Tactical bomber group arrived over El Alamein to begin attacks against the advancing Allied forces which were a mixture of troops from several nations.
Over Poland Japanese Dive bombers continued to target the more advanced enemy divisions in Kowel and Lublin. Nakajima and Shimoyama would destroy their targets in short order and begin to choose other formations to attack.
The Allies advanced quickly in the desert and captured Alexandria at 0000 hours on November 2nd only twenty one hours after beginning their assault. Hata was confident that Itabana could reverse any Allied advances given time as he had done several times in the past.
0000 November 2nd 1948.
Diplomatic Offices. Tokyo, Japan.
"Please come in Ambassador." Mamoru greeted the Venezuelan Ambassador.
"Thank you Minister Mamoru. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"His Majesty has instructed me to negotiate for some of your resources in exchange for Supplies. Tea?"
"Thank you, that would be welcome." replied the Ambassador as the two politicians got down to business.
It did not take long for the two diplomats to come to an agreement as they had done on many occasions before. A large amount of Oil would begin to arrive in Tokyo in exchange for an equally large shipment of Supplies making its way to Venezuela.
1400 November 2nd 1948.
Central Asia Army Headquarters. Sevastopol, Soviet Union.
The Allies clearly thought that they could launch an offensive in the Middle East with the majority of the Japanese Army engaged in Europe. They continued to advance quickly.
General Abe was attacked shortly after the Allies had captured Alexandria and he too would be ordered to withdraw. He headed for Cairo to maintain a defensive line. The Allies had seen the Japanese advance through the Middle East before and had obviously forgotten that they had done so when their Army was heavily engaged in a ground War with the Soviets. Some lessons needed to be repeated before the message got home.
1600 November 2nd 1948.
BB Division 1 Flagship. IJN Fuso, In Transit.
Ozawa was steaming south towards Madagascar when he received a report from one of his Naval patrol wings.
Air General Kondo, an exceptionally capable commander, had spotted a small American anti-Submarine fleet in the Mouth of the Tsiribihina and had begun to attack the ships he found. The Destroyer Division would be sunk the following day but the Light Cruiser would escape.
0000 November 3rd 1948.
Diplomatic Offices. Tokyko, Japan.
Mamoru kept himself up to date on events around the World, paying particular attention to Countries that were at War with Japan. He was therefore aware of the elections being held in the United States.
Apparently the American people believed that Truman was doing a good job in prosecuting the War against Japan, a belief that could have been assisted by the recent advances by American forces in Poland when the War elsewhere was going very badly for Truman.