:rofl:I laughed when I saw the "liberated" France. You conserve all the French colonies that controled Petain and this marechal has now Paris as new capital. Everyone is happy, right?
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Seems like the old Roman Empire has finally taken shape. Of course, all that's left is to re-invade France and then Britain
Chapter Thirty Seven: Global Responsibilities (10/9/42 - 12/21/42)
Rome had been predominately a Mediterranean empire. There are stories of Roman galleys lost is storms landing in South America, but generally the technologies of the day made it impossible for the empire to project force too far from its base. However, modern navies and air forces had changed that. The New Roman Empire aspired to be a global power, and with that global power came global responsibilities.
The Regia Marina assembled a great blue water armada in Lisbon. In actuality, the entire fleet was dated. The two battleships were of the pre-war vintage and the four fleet carriers although launched in ’40 and ’41 were based on technologies dating back to 1918. However, anti-aircraft weaponry had been improved, radar had been installed, the crew training doctrines were modern, the airplanes were cutting edge, and their tactics were state of the art. Mussolini hoped that once his carriers launched their air groups into the skies, his fleets would be a match for any on the seas.
After the fall of European Portugal, Antonio de Oliveira Salazar and his compatriots fled to the jungles of Africa and purported to continue the fight from the Portuguese colonies. However, back in European Portugal, he was viewed as a hardliner and deadender. Without support from home, the colonies could not mount a significant threat to Roman domination. However, due to the geopolitical situation in Europe between 1940 and 1942, Mussolini could not or would not risk a global expedition to hunt down the remnants of the Portuguese government. After the fall of Germany and the settling of affairs in France, Mussolini was no longer so restrained. On October 9, 1942, the armada set sail.
By October 20, 1942, the armada had rebased itself to Bata, a colonial possession in central Africa obtained from the annexation of Spain. The marine headquarters units were disembarked and the fleet continued south.
On October 22, 1942, the fleets appeared on the coastline of Portuguese Angola. The CAG’s provided air cover as the marines landed, but there was no organized resistance. The government fled from New Lisbon to Mozambique. Two marine divisions were left in Angola to mop up while the remainder of the marines returned to their transports and the fleets set sail again.
By November 22, 1942, the armada had completed its rebasing to Moqadishu. However, the admirals were disappointed to learn that the range of the fleet was inadequate to perform an invasion from Italian Somaliland to Mozambique.
Fortunately, Petain came to Mussolini’s assistance, and like the loyal puppet that he was, allowed the Regia Marina to use his French bases in Madagascar for the purposes of facilitating the invasion.
On December 3, 1942, Italian marines stormed the shores of Mozambique at Inhambane. Again, there was no organized Portuguese resistance and the marines took the capital at Quelimne, but again the Portuguese moved their capital south to Lourenco Marques.
On December 13, 1942, the marines conducted yet another amphibious assault at Lourenco Marques. The Portuguese again put up no fight.
Finally, on December 15, 1942, the Portuguese colonial government surrendered and consented to Annexation. Salazar escaped to Brazil.
The Roman Empire was now truly a global empire with global responsibilities. The Empire was still at war, and its fleet headed to southeast Asia.
Rome had been predominately a Mediterranean empire. There are stories of Roman galleys lost is storms landing in South America, but generally the technologies of the day made it impossible for the empire to project force too far from its base. However, modern navies and air forces had changed that. The New Roman Empire aspired to be a global power, and with that global power came global responsibilities.
The Regia Marina assembled a great blue water armada in Lisbon. In actuality, the entire fleet was dated. The two battleships were of the pre-war vintage and the four fleet carriers although launched in ’40 and ’41 were based on technologies dating back to 1918. However, anti-aircraft weaponry had been improved, radar had been installed, the crew training doctrines were modern, the airplanes were cutting edge, and their tactics were state of the art. Mussolini hoped that once his carriers launched their air groups into the skies, his fleets would be a match for any on the seas.
After the fall of European Portugal, Antonio de Oliveira Salazar and his compatriots fled to the jungles of Africa and purported to continue the fight from the Portuguese colonies. However, back in European Portugal, he was viewed as a hardliner and deadender. Without support from home, the colonies could not mount a significant threat to Roman domination. However, due to the geopolitical situation in Europe between 1940 and 1942, Mussolini could not or would not risk a global expedition to hunt down the remnants of the Portuguese government. After the fall of Germany and the settling of affairs in France, Mussolini was no longer so restrained. On October 9, 1942, the armada set sail.
By October 20, 1942, the armada had rebased itself to Bata, a colonial possession in central Africa obtained from the annexation of Spain. The marine headquarters units were disembarked and the fleet continued south.
On October 22, 1942, the fleets appeared on the coastline of Portuguese Angola. The CAG’s provided air cover as the marines landed, but there was no organized resistance. The government fled from New Lisbon to Mozambique. Two marine divisions were left in Angola to mop up while the remainder of the marines returned to their transports and the fleets set sail again.
By November 22, 1942, the armada had completed its rebasing to Moqadishu. However, the admirals were disappointed to learn that the range of the fleet was inadequate to perform an invasion from Italian Somaliland to Mozambique.
Fortunately, Petain came to Mussolini’s assistance, and like the loyal puppet that he was, allowed the Regia Marina to use his French bases in Madagascar for the purposes of facilitating the invasion.
On December 3, 1942, Italian marines stormed the shores of Mozambique at Inhambane. Again, there was no organized Portuguese resistance and the marines took the capital at Quelimne, but again the Portuguese moved their capital south to Lourenco Marques.
On December 13, 1942, the marines conducted yet another amphibious assault at Lourenco Marques. The Portuguese again put up no fight.
Finally, on December 15, 1942, the Portuguese colonial government surrendered and consented to Annexation. Salazar escaped to Brazil.
The Roman Empire was now truly a global empire with global responsibilities. The Empire was still at war, and its fleet headed to southeast Asia.
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Well done. Now that you are heading into SE Asia, I know why you are using such a big fleet.
If you are going to continue this AAR, I think you should be looking for a powerful ally in mainland Asia to distract the Reds.
If you are going to continue this AAR, I think you should be looking for a powerful ally in mainland Asia to distract the Reds.
Good thing you have those former Portuguese colonies in SE Asia, or else moving a fleet over there would be almost impossible, unless they are on the verge of being swollowed by the Japanese
Chapter Thirty Eight: Clash of the Empires: Italian East Indies (12/25/42 - 6/12/43)
Upon the surrender of Portugal, that country’s possessions in Asia became Italian. Those possessions included two ports on the Island of Timor and the trading port of Macau. The Italian fleet and marines set sail for Asia immediately upon the Portuguese surrender in order to claim those territories, if for no other reason that to secure those properties as a base for further operations in the theater. Without those properties, given the range of the Italian fleet, intervention in that part of the world would have been impossible.
Back in March of 1942, when Italy declared war on Axis member Slovakia at the outset of hostilities with Germany, all the other Axis powers declared war on Italy, including the Empire of Japan. So, the Regia Marina was sailing into uncharted waters dominated by the Japanese Imperial Navy. The Japanese had the audacity to declare war on Italia when they thought the sunny peninsula would be quickly overrun by the Germans. Once again, Italy, did not look for a fight with a major power but once started, she intended to finish it.
At the begining of 1943, the Axis straddled Asia like a colossus. The Japanese with their mainland allies, Manchukuo, Mengkukuo, and Siam had conquered both Nationalist and Communist China as well as the Yunnan Clique. Further to the south they conquered French (now Italian) Indochina as well as all of the useful portions of the Dutch East Indies and Singapore. The Guangxi Clique clinged to an uneasy neutrality, but the Japanese had ousted the British from Hong Kong, and at their zenith had even made inroads into Burma. To the west, the Japanese had seized the Philippines and the American possessions on Wake Island, Guam and as far west as Midway Island. However, that is where the British and United States Marine Corps drew the line. By the start of 1943, the British (who had been doing practically nothing in Europe) had recaptured Burma, made headway into China, recaptured Singapore, and raised the Union Jack on the top of Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. They even made an ill-advised and ultimately unsuccessful sea borne invasion of the southern most of the Japanese home islands, Amami-O-shima and Tokuno-shima. The Americans had recaptured Midway and Guam, and had seized Saipan. All signs indicated that the juggernaught from North America was just getting started.
The question for Mussolini was where to make the Italian entrance into this theater. Macau was the obvious choice, as it was the most developed port. However, it was just across the bay from Japanese possessed Hong Kong. It was anticipated that the Japanese had significant forces in Hong Kong that might interfere with the Italian attempts to claim Macau. So, it was decided that the more prudent course of action would be to first establish a base of operations on Timor.
On Christmas Day, December 25, 1942, the Italian Fleet sailed into the formerly Portuguese port at Dili and started setting up for operations in Asia. By that time, the Japan had openly declared its hostility by seizing Macau before it could be garrisoned.
As of that same Christmas day, Italian industry (with the assistance of captured resource stockpiles and seized foreign factories) was furiously preparing for the anticipated conflict in Asia. The port at Dili was being expanded. Two carriers were scheduled to be launched in late 1943 and three more in late 1944, ten light cruisers were in various stages of completion, and the Italian merchant marine was being expanded to meet the anticipated necessary capacity as well as expected losses. Four maniples were being raised to assist with the garrisoning of Africa, 2 mechanized division were being fitted out just in case Russia were to try anything, and seven more marine divisions were being raised to augment that ever growing branch of the Italian military. Finally, ten CAG wings, three close air support wings and one wing of multi-role fighters were being raised and constructed.
It was not until February of 1943 that the African possessions were fully garrisoned and the entire marine army had been transported to Timor and was ready for operations. The first Italian objective was the former Dutch port of Makassar in the southern most finger of the Celebes. Four marine divisions under Gens. Vecchiarelli, Romero, Marras and Reverberi were loaded into transports and set sail for a landing at Watampone to the east of Makassar off the Gulf of Bone. The planes from the four Italian carriers, the RM Aquila, the RM Sparviero, the RM Europa and the RM Falco were to provide cover for the invasion fleet.
It did not take long for the Japanese Imperial Navy to attack. On February 5, 1943, a Japanese carrier task force engaged the invasion fleet. The Italian Re.2001 Falco II’s and the Picciarellos stationed on the carriers at Dili attacked the Japanese fleet, sending a carrier, the IJN Hosho, and a cruiser, IJN Myoko, to the bottom of the Gulf of Bone. That Japanese fleet withdrew to lick its wounds only to be replaced by yet another carrier task force.
This second Japanese fleet consisted of two carriers, a battleship, and two light cruisers. They too discovered the lethality of Italian airpower as another carrier, IJN Shoho, and another cruiser, IJN Nagara, settled on the ocean floor.
After the defeat of the Japanese navy in the Gulf of Bone, the marines were able to land at Watampone and overwhelm the Japanese garrison in Makassar. The next objective was the rich island of Java.
In early March, six marine divisions under Gens. Sala, Dapino, Gioda, Battisti, Marigi, and Stripoli were landed on the eastern side of Java under a carrier provided air umbrella. They landed at Jember and Malang and quickly seized the minor port at Soerabaja.
By March 19, 1943, they had started their offensive across Java towards the valuable resources in the island’s interior and the major port at Batavia on the western side of the island.
By April 6, 1943, Gen Battisti’s marine division had marched the breadth of Java and engaged the garrison of Batavia.
By April 19, 1943, four more marine division had joined the battle and enveloped the Japanese garrison.
On April 24, 1943, Batavia was seized, but some Japanese military officers were observed attempting to escape on light boats from Selat over the straight to Oosthaven on Sumatra.
Gen. Sala’s marine division was ordered to Selat to investigate the Japanese activity and were shocked by a vicious counter attack by Japanese marines under Gen. Hashimoto from Oosthaven. Both sides poured more and more troops into the battle.
The battle has been referred to as Bloody Selat, because of the almost suicidal tenacity displayed by the Japanese marines on the difficult attempted amphibious crossing. The crossing attempt lasted for almost a month. Several of the Italian marine divisions were so beat up that they were forced to retire. However, the Japanese marines could never force a crossing. On May 24, 1943, the battle was over. 4,068 Italians, of 35,974 total engaged, were killed in action. 9,612 Japanese, out of 50,579 engaged, almost 20%, were killed in action. This battle was far bloodier than any single battle against the Germans.
The Italians wanted to strike while the Japanese were still disorganized from the battle of Bloody Salat. So, three more marine division were cobbled together and an amphibious assault was made on June 1, 1943 on Sumatra just to the North of Oosthaven at Djepara.
On June 2, 1943, the Italian marines overcame the Japanese on the shore of Djepara just in the nick of time. Because, right after the marines established their beachhead, the Italian fleet was attacked by a Japanese carrier task force and forced to flee. The Regia Marina had suffered its first casualties to the Japanese navy as two light cruisers (RM Claudio Tiberio and RM Libia) as well as a transport flotilla were sunk.
On June 6, 1943, the three marine divisions in Djepara and two divisions still fit to fight over the straight in Selat attacked the Japanese garrison in Oosthaven.
On June 12, 1943, Oosthaven was captured. As the Japanese retreated, it was noted that one of the commanding generals for the Japanese had been the legendary General Yamashita.
Rumors abounded, and every able bodied marine scoured Oosthaven on his own behalf looking for a hidden stash of gold bars and a giant golden Buddha.
Upon the surrender of Portugal, that country’s possessions in Asia became Italian. Those possessions included two ports on the Island of Timor and the trading port of Macau. The Italian fleet and marines set sail for Asia immediately upon the Portuguese surrender in order to claim those territories, if for no other reason that to secure those properties as a base for further operations in the theater. Without those properties, given the range of the Italian fleet, intervention in that part of the world would have been impossible.
Back in March of 1942, when Italy declared war on Axis member Slovakia at the outset of hostilities with Germany, all the other Axis powers declared war on Italy, including the Empire of Japan. So, the Regia Marina was sailing into uncharted waters dominated by the Japanese Imperial Navy. The Japanese had the audacity to declare war on Italia when they thought the sunny peninsula would be quickly overrun by the Germans. Once again, Italy, did not look for a fight with a major power but once started, she intended to finish it.
At the begining of 1943, the Axis straddled Asia like a colossus. The Japanese with their mainland allies, Manchukuo, Mengkukuo, and Siam had conquered both Nationalist and Communist China as well as the Yunnan Clique. Further to the south they conquered French (now Italian) Indochina as well as all of the useful portions of the Dutch East Indies and Singapore. The Guangxi Clique clinged to an uneasy neutrality, but the Japanese had ousted the British from Hong Kong, and at their zenith had even made inroads into Burma. To the west, the Japanese had seized the Philippines and the American possessions on Wake Island, Guam and as far west as Midway Island. However, that is where the British and United States Marine Corps drew the line. By the start of 1943, the British (who had been doing practically nothing in Europe) had recaptured Burma, made headway into China, recaptured Singapore, and raised the Union Jack on the top of Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. They even made an ill-advised and ultimately unsuccessful sea borne invasion of the southern most of the Japanese home islands, Amami-O-shima and Tokuno-shima. The Americans had recaptured Midway and Guam, and had seized Saipan. All signs indicated that the juggernaught from North America was just getting started.
The question for Mussolini was where to make the Italian entrance into this theater. Macau was the obvious choice, as it was the most developed port. However, it was just across the bay from Japanese possessed Hong Kong. It was anticipated that the Japanese had significant forces in Hong Kong that might interfere with the Italian attempts to claim Macau. So, it was decided that the more prudent course of action would be to first establish a base of operations on Timor.
On Christmas Day, December 25, 1942, the Italian Fleet sailed into the formerly Portuguese port at Dili and started setting up for operations in Asia. By that time, the Japan had openly declared its hostility by seizing Macau before it could be garrisoned.
As of that same Christmas day, Italian industry (with the assistance of captured resource stockpiles and seized foreign factories) was furiously preparing for the anticipated conflict in Asia. The port at Dili was being expanded. Two carriers were scheduled to be launched in late 1943 and three more in late 1944, ten light cruisers were in various stages of completion, and the Italian merchant marine was being expanded to meet the anticipated necessary capacity as well as expected losses. Four maniples were being raised to assist with the garrisoning of Africa, 2 mechanized division were being fitted out just in case Russia were to try anything, and seven more marine divisions were being raised to augment that ever growing branch of the Italian military. Finally, ten CAG wings, three close air support wings and one wing of multi-role fighters were being raised and constructed.
________________________________________
It was not until February of 1943 that the African possessions were fully garrisoned and the entire marine army had been transported to Timor and was ready for operations. The first Italian objective was the former Dutch port of Makassar in the southern most finger of the Celebes. Four marine divisions under Gens. Vecchiarelli, Romero, Marras and Reverberi were loaded into transports and set sail for a landing at Watampone to the east of Makassar off the Gulf of Bone. The planes from the four Italian carriers, the RM Aquila, the RM Sparviero, the RM Europa and the RM Falco were to provide cover for the invasion fleet.
It did not take long for the Japanese Imperial Navy to attack. On February 5, 1943, a Japanese carrier task force engaged the invasion fleet. The Italian Re.2001 Falco II’s and the Picciarellos stationed on the carriers at Dili attacked the Japanese fleet, sending a carrier, the IJN Hosho, and a cruiser, IJN Myoko, to the bottom of the Gulf of Bone. That Japanese fleet withdrew to lick its wounds only to be replaced by yet another carrier task force.
This second Japanese fleet consisted of two carriers, a battleship, and two light cruisers. They too discovered the lethality of Italian airpower as another carrier, IJN Shoho, and another cruiser, IJN Nagara, settled on the ocean floor.
After the defeat of the Japanese navy in the Gulf of Bone, the marines were able to land at Watampone and overwhelm the Japanese garrison in Makassar. The next objective was the rich island of Java.
In early March, six marine divisions under Gens. Sala, Dapino, Gioda, Battisti, Marigi, and Stripoli were landed on the eastern side of Java under a carrier provided air umbrella. They landed at Jember and Malang and quickly seized the minor port at Soerabaja.
By March 19, 1943, they had started their offensive across Java towards the valuable resources in the island’s interior and the major port at Batavia on the western side of the island.
By April 6, 1943, Gen Battisti’s marine division had marched the breadth of Java and engaged the garrison of Batavia.
By April 19, 1943, four more marine division had joined the battle and enveloped the Japanese garrison.
On April 24, 1943, Batavia was seized, but some Japanese military officers were observed attempting to escape on light boats from Selat over the straight to Oosthaven on Sumatra.
Gen. Sala’s marine division was ordered to Selat to investigate the Japanese activity and were shocked by a vicious counter attack by Japanese marines under Gen. Hashimoto from Oosthaven. Both sides poured more and more troops into the battle.
The battle has been referred to as Bloody Selat, because of the almost suicidal tenacity displayed by the Japanese marines on the difficult attempted amphibious crossing. The crossing attempt lasted for almost a month. Several of the Italian marine divisions were so beat up that they were forced to retire. However, the Japanese marines could never force a crossing. On May 24, 1943, the battle was over. 4,068 Italians, of 35,974 total engaged, were killed in action. 9,612 Japanese, out of 50,579 engaged, almost 20%, were killed in action. This battle was far bloodier than any single battle against the Germans.
The Italians wanted to strike while the Japanese were still disorganized from the battle of Bloody Salat. So, three more marine division were cobbled together and an amphibious assault was made on June 1, 1943 on Sumatra just to the North of Oosthaven at Djepara.
On June 2, 1943, the Italian marines overcame the Japanese on the shore of Djepara just in the nick of time. Because, right after the marines established their beachhead, the Italian fleet was attacked by a Japanese carrier task force and forced to flee. The Regia Marina had suffered its first casualties to the Japanese navy as two light cruisers (RM Claudio Tiberio and RM Libia) as well as a transport flotilla were sunk.
On June 6, 1943, the three marine divisions in Djepara and two divisions still fit to fight over the straight in Selat attacked the Japanese garrison in Oosthaven.
On June 12, 1943, Oosthaven was captured. As the Japanese retreated, it was noted that one of the commanding generals for the Japanese had been the legendary General Yamashita.
Rumors abounded, and every able bodied marine scoured Oosthaven on his own behalf looking for a hidden stash of gold bars and a giant golden Buddha.
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Tell those marines to quit wasting time and get back to kicking some Japanese Ass
Well, as we know, the Italian Marines need their primping time so they can invade with style.
Very nice progress for the Italians! But stop plundering Dutch colonial cities, they should go back to the Netherlands!
The Belgians accepted a nice compliant puppet government, but not the Dutch. The Netherlands wanted its government in exile reinstalled. So, the Dutch are not under the protective aegis of the New Roman Empire. It's not now called the "Italian East Indies" for nothin'.
And remember, the two eagles have a taste for carrion:
The Dutch lion will eat your eagle if the Italians dont watch out!! Vive Les Pays-Bas!
"Where vultures dare" Great updates, unfortunately there aren't many, if any, pictures of Italian troops in jungles. The golden Buddha has me intrigued.
This is going to be interesting to see how you go in northern Asia against the might of the Japanese. I am not sure how much "power" they have received from owning all of China but it must be substantial.
Your huge production queue and you unconquerable marine divisions are going to be tough to beat.
Great updates, unfortunately there aren't many, if any, pictures of Italian troops in jungles. The golden Buddha has me intrigued.This is going to be interesting to see how you go in northern Asia against the might of the Japanese. I am not sure how much "power" they have received from owning all of China but it must be substantial.
Your huge production queue and you unconquerable marine divisions are going to be tough to beat.
Chapter Thirty Nine: The Scramble For Asia (6/12/43 - 7/30/43)
After taking Oosthaven on June 12, 1943, the Italian marines spent the rest of the month of June battling the Japanese across the island of Sumatra. Finally, on June 30, 1943, the remnants of the Japanese army had been cornered in Selat Bangka by no less than 5 marine divisions. The final assault was launched by Gen. Marras from Umbulan Padulmanan.
After five days of intense fighting, the Japanese were all killed or caputured or disappeared into the impassable jungles never to be seen again. But Japanese resistance would continue. Before the bulk of the Japanese army was cornered in Bangka Selat, a full strength Japanese marine division had slipped across the channel to Bangka Island itself and began preparing the fortifications in Pangkalpinang that they knew would likely double as their tombs.
On July 11, 1943, two marine divisions under command of Gen. Gioda cross over to the smaller island against light resistance. They easily brushed aside the HQ unit barring the straight, but then the Japanese marines -- distraught about news from home -- elected to take the path of Gyokusai, the jade shards. They leaped from their dug-in positions, and the entire division charged the Italians marines with bayonets fixed. The spine chilling shouts of Tennōheika banzai! filled the jungles as the Japanese marines launched an ill advised human wave assault across the island.
From July 11 through July 19, the Japanese charged across the island in large or small groups. The Italians held their lines in face of the incessant suicidal charge.
After killing over 25% of the attacking Japanese force over eight days, it seemed the attacks subsided, and the Italian marines went over to the offensive. The Japanese had wasted their strength on attack and were quickly overcome. The news that had caused distraught among the Japanese on Bangka was that of the invasion of their homeland.
On July 4, 1943, Independence Day in United States, the American behemoth launched a massive amphibious invasion on Kyushu, Shikoku and even the Kii Peninsula on Honshu Island. Mussolini took this news as a window of opportunity that was beginning to close. The scramble for power and influence in Asia was starting. Italia needed to pick-up the pace.
On July 24, 1943, Italian marines conducted an amphibious assault on the northeast side of Borneo on either side of Tarakan. The Japanese garrison, as was becoming typical of the Japanese, were not staying in their defensive positions but were taking the way of the shattered jade and launched an ill advised attack on one of the marine beachheads in Salimau. The attack was easily beaten back, and Tarakan was quickly taken by Romero’s marines.
On July 30, 1943, from the port at Tarakan, the Regia Marine lunched one of its most ambitious amphibious assaults of the Asian war spearheaded by three experienced marine divisions under Gens. Marras, Sala and Dapino as well as two additional green marine divisions, fresh from Italy. These two new divisions were led by none other than the sackers of Madrid and Berlin, Gens. La Ferla and Caracciolo di Feroleto, who had volunteered for reassignment to the marine corps once the fighting in Europe had died down. These five divisions were loaded into the Marine Landing Fleet under Admiral Quilicci and headed north towards mainland China.
The fleet headed towards Hainan Straight and the marines were thrown ashore at Macau, the European outpost that was briefly in Italian possession after the Portuguese surrender. The landing progressed as expected. However, the Japanese garrison of Macau was much more powerful than initially thought. It consisted of no less than three full infantry divisions and eleven total brigades. This was going to be a long and bloody assault.
Then the Japanese Imperial Navy struck. A carrier task force attacked the marine landing fleet. Wings of planes from the Italian carriers were sent to assist the landing fleet, but they were overwhelmed and scattered. It took all of Quilicci’s skill as a blockade runner to escape utter destruction, and his ships limped back to Tarakan. But where were the marines? Where were Gens. La Ferla and Caracciolo di Feroleto? Macau was still in Japanese hands, but the marines were no longer with the invasion fleet.
After taking Oosthaven on June 12, 1943, the Italian marines spent the rest of the month of June battling the Japanese across the island of Sumatra. Finally, on June 30, 1943, the remnants of the Japanese army had been cornered in Selat Bangka by no less than 5 marine divisions. The final assault was launched by Gen. Marras from Umbulan Padulmanan.
After five days of intense fighting, the Japanese were all killed or caputured or disappeared into the impassable jungles never to be seen again. But Japanese resistance would continue. Before the bulk of the Japanese army was cornered in Bangka Selat, a full strength Japanese marine division had slipped across the channel to Bangka Island itself and began preparing the fortifications in Pangkalpinang that they knew would likely double as their tombs.
On July 11, 1943, two marine divisions under command of Gen. Gioda cross over to the smaller island against light resistance. They easily brushed aside the HQ unit barring the straight, but then the Japanese marines -- distraught about news from home -- elected to take the path of Gyokusai, the jade shards. They leaped from their dug-in positions, and the entire division charged the Italians marines with bayonets fixed. The spine chilling shouts of Tennōheika banzai! filled the jungles as the Japanese marines launched an ill advised human wave assault across the island.
From July 11 through July 19, the Japanese charged across the island in large or small groups. The Italians held their lines in face of the incessant suicidal charge.
After killing over 25% of the attacking Japanese force over eight days, it seemed the attacks subsided, and the Italian marines went over to the offensive. The Japanese had wasted their strength on attack and were quickly overcome. The news that had caused distraught among the Japanese on Bangka was that of the invasion of their homeland.
On July 4, 1943, Independence Day in United States, the American behemoth launched a massive amphibious invasion on Kyushu, Shikoku and even the Kii Peninsula on Honshu Island. Mussolini took this news as a window of opportunity that was beginning to close. The scramble for power and influence in Asia was starting. Italia needed to pick-up the pace.
On July 24, 1943, Italian marines conducted an amphibious assault on the northeast side of Borneo on either side of Tarakan. The Japanese garrison, as was becoming typical of the Japanese, were not staying in their defensive positions but were taking the way of the shattered jade and launched an ill advised attack on one of the marine beachheads in Salimau. The attack was easily beaten back, and Tarakan was quickly taken by Romero’s marines.
_________________________________
On July 30, 1943, from the port at Tarakan, the Regia Marine lunched one of its most ambitious amphibious assaults of the Asian war spearheaded by three experienced marine divisions under Gens. Marras, Sala and Dapino as well as two additional green marine divisions, fresh from Italy. These two new divisions were led by none other than the sackers of Madrid and Berlin, Gens. La Ferla and Caracciolo di Feroleto, who had volunteered for reassignment to the marine corps once the fighting in Europe had died down. These five divisions were loaded into the Marine Landing Fleet under Admiral Quilicci and headed north towards mainland China.
The fleet headed towards Hainan Straight and the marines were thrown ashore at Macau, the European outpost that was briefly in Italian possession after the Portuguese surrender. The landing progressed as expected. However, the Japanese garrison of Macau was much more powerful than initially thought. It consisted of no less than three full infantry divisions and eleven total brigades. This was going to be a long and bloody assault.
Then the Japanese Imperial Navy struck. A carrier task force attacked the marine landing fleet. Wings of planes from the Italian carriers were sent to assist the landing fleet, but they were overwhelmed and scattered. It took all of Quilicci’s skill as a blockade runner to escape utter destruction, and his ships limped back to Tarakan. But where were the marines? Where were Gens. La Ferla and Caracciolo di Feroleto? Macau was still in Japanese hands, but the marines were no longer with the invasion fleet.
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Im guessing that they landed instead at Hong Kong or in that neighboring Chinese kingdom, cant spell the name, or they are at the bottom of the ocean.