Chapter 43: Stage 2 - September 15 to September 29, 1943
Stage 2 of Unternehmen Abendsonne, the invasion of southern Japan, was marked more by the Kriegsmarine's efforts to gain local naval supremacy than the actual invasion itself. The first naval actions of Stage 2 involved the Ishimura's fleet as it attempted to escape capture in Okinawa. Ishimura's plan was to split his fleet into two components, the IJN Kaga under Ishimura's direct command and the 20 destroyer escorts, under command of Takagi S. The combined fleet was to engage Saalwächter's Flotte 3, and split before contact, with the IJN Kaga fleeing north to Nagasaki and the destroyers fleeing south to Palau. The ruse worked, and Saalwächter was fooled into believing the destroyers also had the IJN Kaga with them, allowing the IJN Kaga to escape. Despite having been fooled, Saalwächter pursued the destroyers and sunk all ships of the destroyer group 24 Kuchikukantai. Afterward, he continued to pursue the destroyers east.
Saalwächter sinks 5 of the 20 destroyers whose diversion allowed the Kaga to escape.
(Author's note: I didn't realize Japan split its fleet and pursued the destroyer fleet, not realizing the Kaga was going in a different direction. Pretty damn sneaky for the AI; I'm impressed.)
On September 16, Raeder's Flotte 1 had reached Nagasaki, where his screens had determined the city had no military presence manning the port. Afterward, two paratrooper divisions were dropped on the city and quickly overcame the local resistance, mainly in the form of the local police. Here it was learned from the captured provincial governor that Japan was suffering greatly as a result of the war. Due to a lack of recruits for the army, the Japanese government had enacted an emergency draft. While the governor could not supply specifics, it soon became clear that production of materials needed for the war was severely impacted, even with factories closing due to a lack of workers. As a result, Japan was left utterly defenseless outside of a few divisions training in Tokyo, according to the governor. On September 21, after recovering in Kaohsiung, the Reich's four mountain divisions were relocated to Nagasaki with orders to secure Kyushu.
While the mountain troops were preparing for their relocation, Saalwächter was patrolling east of Okinawa, looking for Japanese ships returning from Japan's outer defense ring. On September 18, he came into contact with a large battle-group led by Japanese admiral Ozawa. Ozawa's group consisted of the Battleship IJN Nagato, the Battlecruisers IJN Kongo, IJN Hiei, and IJN Haruna, and 40 destroyer escorts. Almost immediately, the Kongo suffered a crippling hit from the KMS Sudetenland, and was finished by the KMS Peter Strasser's CAGs. The battle ended after the KMS Sudetenland had sunk 5 destroyers, and the KMS Peter Strasser had sunk the IJN Kongo, IJN Hiei, and 10 destroyers. Ozawa fled south and was pursued.
The KMS Peter Strasser sinks 2 Japanese battlecruisrs
A day later, Saalwächter had once again come into contact with Ozawa's group, which was slowed by the aging IJN Nagato. After a short 3-hour standoff engagement, the battle was over, with the IJN Nagato and the destroyers of 4 Kuchikukantai sinking and the IJN Haruna escaping to Palau. Saalwäcther did not pursue and resumed his patrol south-east of Japan.
The KMS Peter Strasser continues its successful career.
In the early morning hours of September 21, after the mountain divisions were deployed in Nagasaki, two pairs of paratrooper divisions were dropped in both Hiroshima and Susaki, meeting no resistance. At this point, the marines in Okinawa were being carefully moved to Susaki, and Armee 1 in Hong Kong and Kaohsiung began relocating to Hiroshima. The relocation was slow and cautious, as the IJN was by no means beaten and was likely being recalled from the outer defense ring back to the home islands.
The latter assumption proved to be correct. Admiral Marschall's Flotte 2 had assumed a patrol along the Korean Straight, in order to prevent supplies from reaching Korea and any IJN fleets located in the north from disrupting the landing operations. Late afternoon, on September 21, Marschall encountered a large battlefleet led by Admiral Kondo. A short battle ensued, ending with the KMS Graf Zeppelin sinking 10 destroyers, a transport group bringing reinforcements from China, and the heavy cruiser IJN Myoko.
The KMS Graf Zeppelin sinks a transport group carrying reinforcements from China to Japan
Not even 6 hours later, Marschall was attacked by Japan's main carrier group led by famed Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku. Yamamoto's fleet was heading from its station in Sapporo to protect Japan's southern shores when he encountered Flotte 3 regaining its position in the aftermath of the earlier battle. Immediately Yamamoto launched his planes, one of which managed to score a hit on the KMS Grossdeutschland. However, the sheer volume of anti-aircraft fire from the Reich's modern ships prevented any major hits from landing. After the IJN Fuso and IJN Hosho taking some hits and losing the light cruiser IJN Kitikama and 5 destroyers, Yamamoto realized he would not be able to win the battle with his aging ships, and fled south. Admiral Marschall pursued.
Marschall wins his second major in two days.
The following day Flotte 3 came into contact with Yamamoto's group, but only managed to sink 5 destroyers who volunteered to distract Marschall's fleet in a rear guard action. Yamamoto's group then fled east, eventually reaching Tokyo. Rather than pursue, Marschall decided to remain in Seto Naikai and support the ground troops with direct bombardments. A day after defeating Yamamoto's fleet, another Japanese transport fleet had the misfortune to pass through Marschall's blockade. All 10 destroyers and the entire transport group plus reinforcements from China were sunk.
Admiral Marschall's Flotte 2 prevents more Japanese from returning home
On the ground, little resistance was met until September 23, when a paratrooper division in Takamatsu was attacked by Japanese paratroopers attempting to dislodge the occupiers in Susaki. By September 25, the marines from Okinawa hand landed and moved to support the defending paratroopers, and by September 29, the Japanese counter attack had stalled. News had reached Tokyo of Armee 1's landing in Hiroshima.
The Japanese attempt to dislodge the Reich from Shikoku is called off
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Not related to this chapter at all, but I didn't feel like making a new post for this question. Do you guys like my "analysis" and overview chapters before and after each major conflict?