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Allied Players: (UK, USA, France, Nationalist China, Canada) Cominter: (Soviet Union) Axis (Germany, Italy, Hungary, Japan)
Currently the date is Jan. 1 1939. Clouds hang over much of Europe. Germany is making overtures toward the Sudentland, Italy has its eyes on Albania, and Lichenstein is arming itself for a war with Switzerland.
The actual war right now is between Japan and China. It is a slugfest and the Chinese are holding their own. [Expect a real humdinger of an update from Pags on this]
Currently the date is Jan. 1 1939. Clouds hang over much of Europe. Germany is making overtures toward the Sudentland, Italy has its eyes on Albania, and Lichenstein is arming itself for a war with Switzerland.
The actual war right now is between Japan and China. It is a slugfest and the Chinese are holding their own. [Expect a real humdinger of an update from Pags on this]
LEBENSRAUM
June 2nd 1938 – January 1st 1939
NEW POST MAY 28th
NORTH AMERICA SERIES GAME #3
Players (9/10): AXIS (Germany, Italy, Japan & Hungary), ALLIES (UK, USA, France & Nationalist China), KOMINTERN (USSR)
THE 1st CHINESE OFFENSIVE: XEIBE SAN MA
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
July 1938
In May, young Commander Sou-Zshang was able to cut the Japanese lines and isolate 3-4 Japanese mountain divisions between Yunnan and our lines. In July, I ordered him to clear those pockets and secure the mountains of Xeibe San ma. The combats in the pockets lasted more than I thought. But within three months, we finally got rid of those pockets. The Japanese tried to save those troops, by attacking on the border (Liangzhen province) but we hold the position. First, they came with aggressiveness. Then, with despair.
…
This campaign was well executed. Our airplanes scattered Japanese troops and harassed their supply lines on a daily basis throughout June and July 1938. We must have destroyed a hundred trucks and killed thousands of mules and horses in the process. This is a victory. My guess is that we killed more than 50 000 elite soldiers of the Emperor in those pockets. My “peasants” did well. The strength of the will prevailed.
…
This success can be the key to others. I ordered Sou-Zshang to keep pressuring the Japanese. They shall not rest. Our troops shall ambush them. They shall enter Japanese territory every night and bring fear and terror. Sapping Japanese moral by any means and then wait for the opportunity shall be our only and true goal.
…
The opportunity will come…
THE 5th JAPANESE OFFENSIVE: ZHENGZHOU OR NANJING?
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
August 1938
The offensive on Zhengzhou was a diversion… A diversion !!! It masked their real offensive on Nanjing… What a fool I was. I should never have believed Chief of Staff Jiang Baily. This Japanese agent… or is he?
This is the first time I do not follow my instincts and here we are, on the verge of a disaster.
They came in force this time. They broke 3 lines of defense in a row. They are in the suburbs of Nanjing. I can hear the echoes of their cannons. Smoke is filling the horizon. This morning, I reviewed our last line of defense. The city has been converted into a fortress. The enemy waves shall break on it, like water on reef.
They broke three ;ines but it took them time to do so… I was able to gather troops. Tons of them. I can count on more than 600 000 men around Nanjing to sustain casualties and drain the enemy. I will rotate them. When a first 60 000 will be exhausted by the fighting, I shall ask another one to take its place and withdraw those units. Then, when the Japanese will be exhausted, I shall order a swift counter attack. Something that will hurt them. They are aggressive but there must be a weakness in their deployment.
…
2 weeks of fighting so far. A lot of advances and retreats. Somekind of a tango. The situation is unclear. The Japanese came close to take the city. Combats took place in the suburbs, but we prevailed. The Japanese offense came to a halt. I still did not find their weakness. But we managed to stop them.
…
Fighting is still ongoing. There is no clear winner. But I can feel it. The Japanese will break soon. It is time to call the reserves in and launch our offensive. We shall go along the coast, to isolate the main Japanese army North of Nanjing. At the same time, we shall cut their lines in Ganyu. This is their weakest spot. By doing so, I will trap more than 15 Japanese divisions between Ganyu and Nanjing, along the coast and inland.
…
Our counter attack is underway. From the first reports I got, the Japanese lines broke very quickly. They can foresee their future and they are running. They want to get out of the trap. But it is too late. Too late, unless we fail to implement my plan. Or should I say, “Unless someone fails to implement my plan”. That’s more like it. How could I fail to implement my own plan? I did not take direct command of this offensive to fail. Chief of Staff Jiang Baily is out. I asked him to oversee the transit of reinforcement to the main front. This way, he can’t fail me. I will not forget his betrayal, but I will deal with him later. Now is not the proper time. China is at stake.
…
3 weeks of fighting and we did some marvelous work. First, we managed to kill 6 divisions in a pocket North of Nanjing. That’s about 72 000 men. Then, we managed to break through the enemy lines in Ganyu like I planned. The Gods favor us. From there, we can free the Quingdao Peninsula, retake Jinan and disrupt Japanese lines all the way back to the Yellow River. This is too good to be true. I can’t believe we did it. The Emperor is probably thinking the same… Hahaha ! His troops are like ripe tomatoes in my hand… I shall crush them.
…
Jinan has been freed. The Japanese lines are disrupted and they began their retreating movement. As they were doing so, our troops pushed forward. The front is moving. Will I succeed in pushing them back to the Yellow River?
…
I even have troops near Quingdao by now, but Japanese landed new expeditionary forces in there. So we will not prevail. We made real progress. We went up to 1 or 2 provinces into Japanese controlled territory. Clearly, we hurt them. I know we encircled and kill a couple of other divisions, but reports are unclear.
…
End of the month. The Japanese were able to stabilize their front. They retook Ganyu and re-establish the link with the remnants of their main forces North of Nanjing. We were not able to push them back up to the Yellow River. Neither were we able to definitely pocket all their main attack force. It was probably too much asking.
But the front lines moved East and Japanese left the East Coast near Nanjing. They will come back. They have to. But not now. We clearly prevailed. The next time, they will be more cautious and they will secure their lines. So a similar counter attack won’t work. I will have to thing about something else… Something sneakier… Hahaha ! Sneakier…
Battle for Nanjing
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21210
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21207
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21205
(1) Click to enlarge the pictures.
CHAN SHACKUAN TREACHEROUS ACTION
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
October 1938
Admiral Chan Shackuan, bold and impetuous, ordered the Navy to seek and destroy Japanese merchants’ ships in the Ryukyu Sea. At first, the trio of ships, (Yung-Swei, Chao-Ho and Hai-Chen) were quite successful, sinking unescorted ships as the old Junk Rig Pirates. Who would have thought so? The IJN had left the Sea wide open to our raiders. Well, for the time being as I doubt Yamamoto will let Admiral Chan Shackuan make a fool of the IJN.
But this was a nice surprise. A very nice one indeed.
…
I received a bad news today from Chan Shackuan. The fleet was intercepted and sunk by the Japanese. It was first able to reach safe haven in Shanghai but the Fool ordered the fleet to break the blockade. If I had no confidence in him, I would say he gave that order on purpose.
…
This is getting annoying. Every morning, I keep asking myself why Chan Shackuan ordered the fleet out. We have nothing left, except an old cargo rusting in the British port of Hong-Kong. Yeah, my trick worked well, until Chan Shackuan spoiled it. Our fleet was safe from Japanese attack in Hong-Kong. Out of our ports. Out of Japanese sight. But he had to sneak out and make some stupid decision of his own. Why?
…
This failure of Chan Shackuan is a stain. China glorious victories on the battlefield cannot afford to be affected by such a despicable action. Chan Shackuan must have done this on purpose. Was he acting alone?
…
My first good night of sleep in a week. Yesterday, Chan Shackuan was killed while inspecting our last cargo in Hong-Kong. I ordered Chen Lifu, the Chief of our secret service, to make sure he would not survive the little surprise I organised in his honor: the scuttling of his last vessel. It shall be his tomb. May he rest in peace at the bottom of the sea.
Now, I shall replace him with another man of confidence… Maybe Zen Yiding? He does not know anything about the sea, but he is an expert at organising shipping. An accountant at the head of the Navy. That shall do for the time being. Let’s name that fellow.
THE 2nd CHINESE OFFENSIVE: RAIDING BEIPING
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
November 1938
Opportunity comes to the one who shows patience.
Commander Sou-Zshang finally reported the news I was waiting for. There is a weakness in the Japanese lines East of Xeibe San ma. A weakness we can exploit to raid through Japanese lines in order to disrupt their supply lines. I can’t believe this opportunity comes to us again. Twice in the last 4 months in fact.
I sent a sealed letter to the Commander: send 2 divisions through Japanese lines, raid and destroy everything, up to Beiping if possible. Beiping… this old city previously owned by Xanghi. I could not dream of a better way to wear down Japanese will to fight.
…
I’m waiting for news. 3 days and still no news of Commander Sou-Zshang. Has the letter been intercepted? Was my order misinterpreted? Did the mission fail?
…
At last, a messenger came in today. Reports are from first hand as the Commander himself came to tell me a story our children and grandchildren will talk about in a 100 years from now.
The assault was done during the night. 5 divisions made a frontal assault on the Japanese positions in Otog Quianqi, a previously Communist China held fief. By midday, the mountain division broke and the Commander was able to send through 2 divisions. Soon, the 2 divisions split themselves into smaller units of 1 or 2 brigades each. And they began their work of raiding behind the enemy lines. Disrupting supply lines. Destroying supply depots. Burning amunitions and fuel. Even taking an airport and destroying a few planes on the ground. Most OPS took place during the night, as Japanese, quite stunned at first, soon took steps to control the situation. The units were ordered to avoid direct contact. To keep on skirmishing behind enemy lines.
By November 18th, they entered Beiping. They were welcomed as heroes. Heroes of a new China. My new China. A unified China.
…
Of course, they were all dead a week later. But they fulfilled their duty: to bring hope to a devastated China; to deliver fear to a hated enemy; to break the confidence of the Emperor.
Xeibe San Ma Offensive
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21211
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21209
(1) Click to enlarge the pictures.
To be continued…
June 2nd 1938 – January 1st 1939
NEW POST MAY 28th
NORTH AMERICA SERIES GAME #3
Players (9/10): AXIS (Germany, Italy, Japan & Hungary), ALLIES (UK, USA, France & Nationalist China), KOMINTERN (USSR)
DIARY OF A CHINEESE WAR LORD
THE 1st CHINESE OFFENSIVE: XEIBE SAN MA
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
July 1938
In May, young Commander Sou-Zshang was able to cut the Japanese lines and isolate 3-4 Japanese mountain divisions between Yunnan and our lines. In July, I ordered him to clear those pockets and secure the mountains of Xeibe San ma. The combats in the pockets lasted more than I thought. But within three months, we finally got rid of those pockets. The Japanese tried to save those troops, by attacking on the border (Liangzhen province) but we hold the position. First, they came with aggressiveness. Then, with despair.
…
This campaign was well executed. Our airplanes scattered Japanese troops and harassed their supply lines on a daily basis throughout June and July 1938. We must have destroyed a hundred trucks and killed thousands of mules and horses in the process. This is a victory. My guess is that we killed more than 50 000 elite soldiers of the Emperor in those pockets. My “peasants” did well. The strength of the will prevailed.
…
This success can be the key to others. I ordered Sou-Zshang to keep pressuring the Japanese. They shall not rest. Our troops shall ambush them. They shall enter Japanese territory every night and bring fear and terror. Sapping Japanese moral by any means and then wait for the opportunity shall be our only and true goal.
…
The opportunity will come…
THE 5th JAPANESE OFFENSIVE: ZHENGZHOU OR NANJING?
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
August 1938
The offensive on Zhengzhou was a diversion… A diversion !!! It masked their real offensive on Nanjing… What a fool I was. I should never have believed Chief of Staff Jiang Baily. This Japanese agent… or is he?
This is the first time I do not follow my instincts and here we are, on the verge of a disaster.
They came in force this time. They broke 3 lines of defense in a row. They are in the suburbs of Nanjing. I can hear the echoes of their cannons. Smoke is filling the horizon. This morning, I reviewed our last line of defense. The city has been converted into a fortress. The enemy waves shall break on it, like water on reef.
They broke three ;ines but it took them time to do so… I was able to gather troops. Tons of them. I can count on more than 600 000 men around Nanjing to sustain casualties and drain the enemy. I will rotate them. When a first 60 000 will be exhausted by the fighting, I shall ask another one to take its place and withdraw those units. Then, when the Japanese will be exhausted, I shall order a swift counter attack. Something that will hurt them. They are aggressive but there must be a weakness in their deployment.
…
2 weeks of fighting so far. A lot of advances and retreats. Somekind of a tango. The situation is unclear. The Japanese came close to take the city. Combats took place in the suburbs, but we prevailed. The Japanese offense came to a halt. I still did not find their weakness. But we managed to stop them.
…
Fighting is still ongoing. There is no clear winner. But I can feel it. The Japanese will break soon. It is time to call the reserves in and launch our offensive. We shall go along the coast, to isolate the main Japanese army North of Nanjing. At the same time, we shall cut their lines in Ganyu. This is their weakest spot. By doing so, I will trap more than 15 Japanese divisions between Ganyu and Nanjing, along the coast and inland.
…
Our counter attack is underway. From the first reports I got, the Japanese lines broke very quickly. They can foresee their future and they are running. They want to get out of the trap. But it is too late. Too late, unless we fail to implement my plan. Or should I say, “Unless someone fails to implement my plan”. That’s more like it. How could I fail to implement my own plan? I did not take direct command of this offensive to fail. Chief of Staff Jiang Baily is out. I asked him to oversee the transit of reinforcement to the main front. This way, he can’t fail me. I will not forget his betrayal, but I will deal with him later. Now is not the proper time. China is at stake.
…
3 weeks of fighting and we did some marvelous work. First, we managed to kill 6 divisions in a pocket North of Nanjing. That’s about 72 000 men. Then, we managed to break through the enemy lines in Ganyu like I planned. The Gods favor us. From there, we can free the Quingdao Peninsula, retake Jinan and disrupt Japanese lines all the way back to the Yellow River. This is too good to be true. I can’t believe we did it. The Emperor is probably thinking the same… Hahaha ! His troops are like ripe tomatoes in my hand… I shall crush them.
…
Jinan has been freed. The Japanese lines are disrupted and they began their retreating movement. As they were doing so, our troops pushed forward. The front is moving. Will I succeed in pushing them back to the Yellow River?
…
I even have troops near Quingdao by now, but Japanese landed new expeditionary forces in there. So we will not prevail. We made real progress. We went up to 1 or 2 provinces into Japanese controlled territory. Clearly, we hurt them. I know we encircled and kill a couple of other divisions, but reports are unclear.
…
End of the month. The Japanese were able to stabilize their front. They retook Ganyu and re-establish the link with the remnants of their main forces North of Nanjing. We were not able to push them back up to the Yellow River. Neither were we able to definitely pocket all their main attack force. It was probably too much asking.
But the front lines moved East and Japanese left the East Coast near Nanjing. They will come back. They have to. But not now. We clearly prevailed. The next time, they will be more cautious and they will secure their lines. So a similar counter attack won’t work. I will have to thing about something else… Something sneakier… Hahaha ! Sneakier…
Battle for Nanjing
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21210
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21207
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21205
(1) Click to enlarge the pictures.
CHAN SHACKUAN TREACHEROUS ACTION
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
October 1938
Admiral Chan Shackuan, bold and impetuous, ordered the Navy to seek and destroy Japanese merchants’ ships in the Ryukyu Sea. At first, the trio of ships, (Yung-Swei, Chao-Ho and Hai-Chen) were quite successful, sinking unescorted ships as the old Junk Rig Pirates. Who would have thought so? The IJN had left the Sea wide open to our raiders. Well, for the time being as I doubt Yamamoto will let Admiral Chan Shackuan make a fool of the IJN.
But this was a nice surprise. A very nice one indeed.
…
I received a bad news today from Chan Shackuan. The fleet was intercepted and sunk by the Japanese. It was first able to reach safe haven in Shanghai but the Fool ordered the fleet to break the blockade. If I had no confidence in him, I would say he gave that order on purpose.
…
This is getting annoying. Every morning, I keep asking myself why Chan Shackuan ordered the fleet out. We have nothing left, except an old cargo rusting in the British port of Hong-Kong. Yeah, my trick worked well, until Chan Shackuan spoiled it. Our fleet was safe from Japanese attack in Hong-Kong. Out of our ports. Out of Japanese sight. But he had to sneak out and make some stupid decision of his own. Why?
…
This failure of Chan Shackuan is a stain. China glorious victories on the battlefield cannot afford to be affected by such a despicable action. Chan Shackuan must have done this on purpose. Was he acting alone?
…
My first good night of sleep in a week. Yesterday, Chan Shackuan was killed while inspecting our last cargo in Hong-Kong. I ordered Chen Lifu, the Chief of our secret service, to make sure he would not survive the little surprise I organised in his honor: the scuttling of his last vessel. It shall be his tomb. May he rest in peace at the bottom of the sea.
Now, I shall replace him with another man of confidence… Maybe Zen Yiding? He does not know anything about the sea, but he is an expert at organising shipping. An accountant at the head of the Navy. That shall do for the time being. Let’s name that fellow.
THE 2nd CHINESE OFFENSIVE: RAIDING BEIPING
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
November 1938
Opportunity comes to the one who shows patience.
Commander Sou-Zshang finally reported the news I was waiting for. There is a weakness in the Japanese lines East of Xeibe San ma. A weakness we can exploit to raid through Japanese lines in order to disrupt their supply lines. I can’t believe this opportunity comes to us again. Twice in the last 4 months in fact.
I sent a sealed letter to the Commander: send 2 divisions through Japanese lines, raid and destroy everything, up to Beiping if possible. Beiping… this old city previously owned by Xanghi. I could not dream of a better way to wear down Japanese will to fight.
…
I’m waiting for news. 3 days and still no news of Commander Sou-Zshang. Has the letter been intercepted? Was my order misinterpreted? Did the mission fail?
…
At last, a messenger came in today. Reports are from first hand as the Commander himself came to tell me a story our children and grandchildren will talk about in a 100 years from now.
The assault was done during the night. 5 divisions made a frontal assault on the Japanese positions in Otog Quianqi, a previously Communist China held fief. By midday, the mountain division broke and the Commander was able to send through 2 divisions. Soon, the 2 divisions split themselves into smaller units of 1 or 2 brigades each. And they began their work of raiding behind the enemy lines. Disrupting supply lines. Destroying supply depots. Burning amunitions and fuel. Even taking an airport and destroying a few planes on the ground. Most OPS took place during the night, as Japanese, quite stunned at first, soon took steps to control the situation. The units were ordered to avoid direct contact. To keep on skirmishing behind enemy lines.
By November 18th, they entered Beiping. They were welcomed as heroes. Heroes of a new China. My new China. A unified China.
…
Of course, they were all dead a week later. But they fulfilled their duty: to bring hope to a devastated China; to deliver fear to a hated enemy; to break the confidence of the Emperor.
Xeibe San Ma Offensive
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21211
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21209
(1) Click to enlarge the pictures.
To be continued…
Last edited:
And now, the sequel…
THE 3rd CHINESE OFFENSIVE: FREEING JINAN
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
November-December 1938
The Japanese made numerous attempts to come back on the Coast North of Nanjing in November. The city could be in danger again if I don’t act quickly. But what can I do? It is almost the end of November now and I don’t have much reserve available around Nanjing. Most troops are exhausted by the last 2 months of fighting.
The only way I can stop them is to hurt them somewhere else, so that they will have to reinforce a new sector of their front… Which will undoubtedly come at the expense of their main offensive axis. Von Falkenhausen, Commander of the 3rd army, suggested me a plan yesterday. We discussed it the whole night, over a green tea I like, the Silk Dragon. His plan is simple, but good. Simple plans are quite often better. Less possibility for unseen events to spoil them. I told him he could go forward with it.
…
Another nice offensive. According to Von Falkenhausen, our troops are already threatening Jinan. Another stab into the Japanese lines. While they are trying to cover Jinan, he will implement the 2nd part of his plans: pushing back the Japanese lines further on the Jinan-Nanjing axis. Jinan is not our primary target, as we speak. It is a tool in our hand. It is the weakness in the Japanese wall. We shall exploit it until we suck the whole power it gives to us. November is going to be a month to remember.
…
Von Falkenhausen is a brilliant man. He may not be Chinese, but he would deserve to be one. The Japanese front collapsed and they retreated their whole front one province away to the East. Since last summer, we made progress on all fronts. Now, as December is showing its nose. I can say that we did great things in 1938. Definitely, it was the Year of the Chinese Dragon.
The front lines: June 1938-January 1939
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21208
(1) Click to enlarge the picture.
THE 4th CHINESE OFFENSIVE: COMMUNIST CHINA
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
December 1938
Things are so quiet along the Yellow River since the start of the war. Since they Japanese did pressure us in Xeibe San ma early this year and then, they kept on pressuring us North of Nanjing… they are probably weaker in the center. After all, when we broke their lines, troops along the Yellow River did not move to intercept our raiding units. They dispatched troops from Jinan and Yan’an. This means only one thing: they are weak in the center.
…
I met Commander Zhou-Shang Fu this morning. A routine visit I used to assess our strength in the center. As for the rest of the front, we have plenty of reserves. Plenty enough to open a new front. And now, as winter is coming, there would not be a better time. Japanese must be preparing themselves for their winter quarters. It is time to shake them and break their confort. This is China after all, not Japan. If they want to be on some vacation, they can go back to their nice islands, like Okinawa or Saipan.
…
As hoped, Commander Zhou-Shang Fu, seeing my disappointment when he told me his troops had seen few combat since the start of the war, ordered an assault on the Japanese lines two weeks before the New Year. A strong assault. Yan’an seems to be his objective but he stayed rather obscure about its real objectives. Maybe he is just trying to impress me and keep his head on his shoulders. Whatever his motives, they will serve China. This routine visit was definitely a good thing.
…
Reports are very positive so far even if our soldiers are facing a strong enemy. Those areas are filled with elite mountain divisions. This shall not stop us. The attack is going as planned. Troops are rotating and keeping the pressure on the Japanese Mountain veterans.
New Year is almost here. This campaign will still be ongoing by January. Probably the whole winter. Next Spring, we will assess what to do next.
THE NEW YEAR
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
January 1939
The New Year.
Our stockpiles are running low. This is strange. Well, strange and not strange. After all, I have 680 brigades on the front lines… So I guess they need to eat and they consume ammunitions. Modern army takes its toll on the logistical issues. But it is strange in itself per se because all reports I got over the course of the last three months were telling me that we should not fear any shortages and yet, this morning, when I decided to visit one of those depots myself, I saw an empty storage facility. An empty one…
There is only one possibility here: Chen Guofu, my Minister of Logistics and Armaments, lied to me. This deceitful, conceited and vile Guofu lied to me.
…
Took me some time, but I finally found him. He was trying to flee to America. And guess who was with him? That traitor of Chief of Staff Jiang Baily. Those 2 crooked thieves thought they could steal from China, steal from me and escape. Fleeing unpunished. When I will be done with them, Qin Shi Huang cruelty will be seen as kindness compared to mine…
No one shall dare to challenge me. Nor from the inside, or the outside. Neither crooked thieves, or the Japanese themselves.
I shall live forever and be remembered as the new Qin Shi Huang who reunified China.
I am Kuomintang.
I am China.
The new cabinet, as of January 1st 1939
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21206
(1) Click to enlarge the picture.
MUNICH
The Völkischer Beobachter
November 1938
Yesterday, November 30th, Adolf Hitler, our Führer, humiliated the Allies in making them accept a masterpiece: The Munich Agreement. Czechoslovakia, this abomination stemming from the shameful Treaty of Versailles, is no longer. The sons of the Greater German Reich who were kept under a puppet regime of the so-called Democratic Nations of the West are now free. Free to think by themselves. Free to embrace a new destiny. The Destiny of the 3rd Reich: to build a strong Reich, a millennium of peace and prosperity in Central Europe.
The creation of our Lebensraum shall not end here. Hungarians did join us. Now it is time to look to the East. Our neighbors in Poland shall be put in front of a unique choice: embrace the new destiny of Europe or disappear in the thunder of Germany’s Wrath.
Extract of a speech by Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
THE 3rd CHINESE OFFENSIVE: FREEING JINAN
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
November-December 1938
The Japanese made numerous attempts to come back on the Coast North of Nanjing in November. The city could be in danger again if I don’t act quickly. But what can I do? It is almost the end of November now and I don’t have much reserve available around Nanjing. Most troops are exhausted by the last 2 months of fighting.
The only way I can stop them is to hurt them somewhere else, so that they will have to reinforce a new sector of their front… Which will undoubtedly come at the expense of their main offensive axis. Von Falkenhausen, Commander of the 3rd army, suggested me a plan yesterday. We discussed it the whole night, over a green tea I like, the Silk Dragon. His plan is simple, but good. Simple plans are quite often better. Less possibility for unseen events to spoil them. I told him he could go forward with it.
…
Another nice offensive. According to Von Falkenhausen, our troops are already threatening Jinan. Another stab into the Japanese lines. While they are trying to cover Jinan, he will implement the 2nd part of his plans: pushing back the Japanese lines further on the Jinan-Nanjing axis. Jinan is not our primary target, as we speak. It is a tool in our hand. It is the weakness in the Japanese wall. We shall exploit it until we suck the whole power it gives to us. November is going to be a month to remember.
…
Von Falkenhausen is a brilliant man. He may not be Chinese, but he would deserve to be one. The Japanese front collapsed and they retreated their whole front one province away to the East. Since last summer, we made progress on all fronts. Now, as December is showing its nose. I can say that we did great things in 1938. Definitely, it was the Year of the Chinese Dragon.
The front lines: June 1938-January 1939
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21208
(1) Click to enlarge the picture.
THE 4th CHINESE OFFENSIVE: COMMUNIST CHINA
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
December 1938
Things are so quiet along the Yellow River since the start of the war. Since they Japanese did pressure us in Xeibe San ma early this year and then, they kept on pressuring us North of Nanjing… they are probably weaker in the center. After all, when we broke their lines, troops along the Yellow River did not move to intercept our raiding units. They dispatched troops from Jinan and Yan’an. This means only one thing: they are weak in the center.
…
I met Commander Zhou-Shang Fu this morning. A routine visit I used to assess our strength in the center. As for the rest of the front, we have plenty of reserves. Plenty enough to open a new front. And now, as winter is coming, there would not be a better time. Japanese must be preparing themselves for their winter quarters. It is time to shake them and break their confort. This is China after all, not Japan. If they want to be on some vacation, they can go back to their nice islands, like Okinawa or Saipan.
…
As hoped, Commander Zhou-Shang Fu, seeing my disappointment when he told me his troops had seen few combat since the start of the war, ordered an assault on the Japanese lines two weeks before the New Year. A strong assault. Yan’an seems to be his objective but he stayed rather obscure about its real objectives. Maybe he is just trying to impress me and keep his head on his shoulders. Whatever his motives, they will serve China. This routine visit was definitely a good thing.
…
Reports are very positive so far even if our soldiers are facing a strong enemy. Those areas are filled with elite mountain divisions. This shall not stop us. The attack is going as planned. Troops are rotating and keeping the pressure on the Japanese Mountain veterans.
New Year is almost here. This campaign will still be ongoing by January. Probably the whole winter. Next Spring, we will assess what to do next.
THE NEW YEAR
Chiang Kai-shek Diary
January 1939
The New Year.
Our stockpiles are running low. This is strange. Well, strange and not strange. After all, I have 680 brigades on the front lines… So I guess they need to eat and they consume ammunitions. Modern army takes its toll on the logistical issues. But it is strange in itself per se because all reports I got over the course of the last three months were telling me that we should not fear any shortages and yet, this morning, when I decided to visit one of those depots myself, I saw an empty storage facility. An empty one…
There is only one possibility here: Chen Guofu, my Minister of Logistics and Armaments, lied to me. This deceitful, conceited and vile Guofu lied to me.
…
Took me some time, but I finally found him. He was trying to flee to America. And guess who was with him? That traitor of Chief of Staff Jiang Baily. Those 2 crooked thieves thought they could steal from China, steal from me and escape. Fleeing unpunished. When I will be done with them, Qin Shi Huang cruelty will be seen as kindness compared to mine…
No one shall dare to challenge me. Nor from the inside, or the outside. Neither crooked thieves, or the Japanese themselves.
I shall live forever and be remembered as the new Qin Shi Huang who reunified China.
I am Kuomintang.
I am China.
The new cabinet, as of January 1st 1939
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=e6af355183388b4a#cid=E6AF355183388B4A&id=E6AF355183388B4A%21206
(1) Click to enlarge the picture.
LEBENSRAUM
MUNICH
The Völkischer Beobachter
November 1938
Yesterday, November 30th, Adolf Hitler, our Führer, humiliated the Allies in making them accept a masterpiece: The Munich Agreement. Czechoslovakia, this abomination stemming from the shameful Treaty of Versailles, is no longer. The sons of the Greater German Reich who were kept under a puppet regime of the so-called Democratic Nations of the West are now free. Free to think by themselves. Free to embrace a new destiny. The Destiny of the 3rd Reich: to build a strong Reich, a millennium of peace and prosperity in Central Europe.
The creation of our Lebensraum shall not end here. Hungarians did join us. Now it is time to look to the East. Our neighbors in Poland shall be put in front of a unique choice: embrace the new destiny of Europe or disappear in the thunder of Germany’s Wrath.
Extract of a speech by Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
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Some nice battles going on there in China, it looks as if the Japanese will not be able to get through at all.
I don't think he moves over until/unless he is defeated as Nat. China. But I am really enjoying these back-and-forth's between Japan and Nat. China. Time is ticking for Japan, though. Nat. China can only keep getting stronger. I wonder if it will get to the point where Japan needs to concede and try for peace.
This is great. Finally a MP Sino-Japanese War that isn't a cakewalk for the Japan player. Maybe Japan will finally NOT be able to conquer the whole Asia easily. I think that you should be especially careful in the Nanjing region, though. Losing all of your stockpiles would hurt.
I can say I managed those stockpiles accordingly... but yeah, losing Nanjing would hurt.
There will be a delay in the production of the AAR this week as we took a lot time discussing rules among ourselves during the last days.
Soon back online.
Soon back online.
A German fleet surprise-landed in the UK. It seems we'll allow it, but now the question is when the US should enter. Any outside opinion might help.
Ninja-invasion? I don't like it. However, there is one redeeming aspect of this - the UK is player-controlled...
Nice going Pags. Interesting to see how this game turnes out with a fairly strong China.
If the UK has been physically invaded, I believe that the US should be permitted to join the war.
This. I just can't imagine FDR standing idly by while the Germans occupied London.
Why London and not Paris, Belgrade, Athens, Brussels, Amsterdam, Nanking, Warsaw, and most of European Russia as IRL?
The reason I ask is because we had a rule set already developed for US entry. Now, because of Germany's unorthodox strategy and the US player's objections were changing the rules to allow the US in... in Sep 1939 if London falls. If London falling was the issue then it should have been in the rule set..which it was not.
Considering the importance of British-American relations and fact that the UK was the last real power in Europe to oppose the Axis in 1939-1940 and that USA did everything it could to support the UK IRL, it is fair to assume that they would have rushed to the UK's defence if things had gone awry. IRL the fall of France was a shock. The fall of GB would have been a disaster.
Probably shouldn't make this a debate thread, but seeing as your a known HOI vet.
Would you abruptly change (in Sep 39) the rules for US entry because Germany's surprise invasion? Consider all the risk and planning that came from Germany (not me btw) in doing an unescorted invasion against the worlds leading naval power. So you would just force early US entry even though the German player knew the rules and counted on US not joining?