Kasakka
It seems that AI kicks in around 42'. I'm expecting the brunt of the assault to occur then.
Spacehusky
Only the navy gets its due in this update. Hopefully the land and air forces will push some copy in time.
Khan
Await no more.
---
The Hammer Falls: November – December 1941
December 8, 1941 – December 9, 1941
The year had been mostly uneventful; filled with musings and debates about the course of the war in Europe. But conflict would soon no longer be confined to the plains of China, the sands of Libya, and the heart of Europe; war now edged to the doorstep of the Commonwealth. Then on December 7, 1941 at 6:37 A.M. Honolulu Time the Imperial Japanese Navy’s ‘Kido Butai’ Taskforce disabled the battleships of the United States Pacific Fleet with a surprise aerial assault via carrier on the port of Pearl Harbor. Exactly one hour later President Quezon’s Monday Cabinet meeting was interrupted by Chief of Staff, Basilio J. Valdez, personally delivering a telegram from the US Secretary of State, Cordell Hull. After being handed the yellow parchment, Quezon went over it once, then after a pause read it aloud.
“… at 6:37 Hawaii Time the Japanese launched an air raid against US forces stationed at Pearl Harbor. We believe that the Japanese may in the next hour or so launch similar attacks on the Philippines… I repeat we strongly believe that the Japanese will launch an attack on the Philippines… We advise that the Commonwealth Government take any and all precautions to deal with this threat…” The President now turned his gaze towards Douglas MacArthur, now nominal commander of American forces stationed in the Philippines. “I suggest all leave be canceled immediately and that the Philippine Divison be brought the full strength. I am sure General Valdez has ordered the same for the Commonwealth Army. I would estimate that we have less than four or five hours before the attack beings. The fleet must put out to sea at once; I would hate for our carriers to meet the same fate of the American battleline.[/i]
---
Manila Bay
Within the hour the entire Home Fleet had castoff into Manila Bay. Reports were flooding in from various sources of Japanese offensives in Malaya, the Dutch East Indies, and even a Japanese incursion into still neutral Thailand. With the destruction of the US Pacific Fleet, reductions of the Asiatic Fleet and the British China and India Station, the Commonwealth Navy became the primary Allied naval presence in the Orient. And that presence was about to be felt as reports came via wireless from Asiatic Fleet destroyers who were just returning from routine patrol in the South China Sea. The Asiatic Fleet had been reduced to a force of WWI-era Destroyers and one Heavy Cruiser. This group had encountered a Japanese force of four battleships, an unknown number of heavy cruisers, and several destroyers. In just under 8 minutes the entire Asiatic Fleet had been reduced to 2 Destroyers that barely managed to limp back into port. The only bright note in the entire episode was that Admiral Jose V. Andrada, Commander of the Home Fleet, now had a clear idea of what awaited him further into the Bay.
Andrada flew his flag from the ‘Crown of Spain’ class Heavy Cruiser ‘Fernando VII’. Just a month ago all four ships of this class had been fitted with fire-control systems to extend their lifespan if caught in battle against enemy battleships or battlecruiers. But these improvements would matter little if the fleet cruisers engaged the Japanese battleline directly. Andrada therefore ordered the carrier flights from the ‘Ciudad de Madrid’ and ‘Ciudad de Baguio’ to take to the skies to find just where the Japanese were located. This task would take sometime; time that Andrada would take to consult with his command.
Philippine naval doctrine was based around the principles of fire and movement. To deliver effective firepower the fleet would rely on its carrier based scouts and then send fighter craft to mop up the approaching enemy line before they could get into gun range. Should the enemy get into gun range it would be the jobs of the fleet cruisers, destroyers, and submarines to divert enemy attention and protect the fleet carriers. Knowing the location of the enemy fleet allowed Andrada to draw up a path of intended motion or in other words the general direction of movement the fleet must move towards. Within 14 minutes the scouts had sighted Japanese light cruisers operating 110 land miles from Corregidor; the island fortress which guarded the mouth of the Bay. With enough information on the general direction and constitution of the enemy attack force Andrada ordered the fleet to take up anti-surface warfare formation. This entailed a concentration of the capitol ships, the ‘City’ class carriers of the fleet, in the center with destroyers and cruisers fanning out keeping a close watch on possible submarine attacks and surface ship movements. As the late afternoon sun soared upward, the forward deployed portions of the two fleets could sight each other. This was the signal for Andrada to throw his air wings at the enemy.
---
On the flight deck of the ‘Ciudad de Manila’
The air complement of each carrier ranged anywhere from 60 to 80 planes. The ‘Ciudad de Manila’ carried onboard 68, 2/3rds fighters and 1/3rd bombers, planes which were about to be launched into the air. She and the other three carriers of the fleet turned into the wind to make take off easier for her Air Groups and held for the signal from Andrada onboard the ‘Fernando VII’. At approximately 4 P.M. in the afternoon, Manila time, the order was given to send the planes into the sky.
--
The Skies above Manila Bay
“This is Fight 2 Leader, calling all planes of the Ciudad de Manila group; we are about to enter the Japanese line of fire… just as your briefing mentioned we know conclusively that the Japanese strike force consists of four battleships and assorted cruisers and destroyers and now… we can confirm that the Japanese carrier ‘Hōshō’ is flying air cover for the invasion force.” Hōshō’s air complement barely topped 19 craft and she dated from WWI; these defects withstanding her pilots were some of the most competent in the Imperial Navy and had more experience in combat than their Filipino adversaries. Yet the Mitsubishi A5Ms ‘Claude’s of the Hōshō seemed underpowered in comparison to the Grumman F4F Wildcats in used by the Commonwealth. This would prove to be decisive in battle to come. “We have been tasked with eliminating Japanese air cover. Once this task is complete we will focus our attention on strafing Japanese troop transports. They cannot reach the harbor defenses. I repeat, the enemy cannot reach the harbor defenses.” The Japanese had decided to devote their carriers to the ‘Kido Butai’ taskforce and moved to box in the Commonwealth navy by launching a land invasion of Bataan and Cavite. Only luck had given the Home Fleet time to mobilize to meet the enemy as he attempted to force his way through.
Over the blue waters of Manila Bay, 19 A5Ms were pitted against nearly 80 or so fighters tasked from each of the carriers to shoot them down. The pilots of the ‘Ciudad de Manila’ had taken the initiative and climbed to meet the Japanese fighters. Each Filipino plane was paired up with another and this ‘buddy system’ ensured that each plane at two sets of eyes scanning the sky for targets and threats. Working systematically, four Filipino planes attacking per one Japanese plane, the Hōshō’s fighters were slowly swept from the sky. The pilots of the Commonwealth were not fans of aerial duels; as long as the enemy went down the job was done. With the sky now devoid of enemies the scene shifted to dealing damage to the Japanese surface fleet. The Japanese Heavy Cruiser ‘Kumano’ was overwhelmed by aerial bombs dropped by the ‘Ciudad de Cebu’ flight wing and went down after fires ignited her magazines. As the first Japanese surface ship slid beneath the waves the four ‘Crown of Spain’ class Heavy Cruisers engaged the battleships ‘Fusō’, ‘Yamashiro’, ’Ise’, and ‘Hyūga’. Though clearly outgunned Aranda urged his fleet onwards from the tower of the ‘Fernando VII’, coordination between surface guns and aerial assaults would bring down the relics of WWI that Japan had decided to throw at the Commonwealth. Aircraft strafed the conning towers of the ‘Ise’ and as her crew struggled to get into gun range of the ‘Carlos III’ two torpedoes detonated right under, her followed by a direct hit to the center, just under her armor plate. The submarines of the Commonwealth had bided their time and found the right moment to make their presence known to the Japanese. They were now helped along by generous volleys from the 10 inch guns of the ‘Felipe V’. The Commonwealth had never been bound by the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty and now lack of US enforcement the treaty’s guidelines on the military build up of the Philippines seemed as though it were a blessing.
The Battle of Manila Bay had lasted less than 1 and 45 minutes yet proved to be decisive. The Japanese invasion fleet had been annihilated by the Commonwealth Navy without help from the Americans (save the initial warning delivered by the US Secretary of State to Quezon) without the loss of a single ship. In contrast 4 battleships, 1 carrier, 3 heavy cruisers, and 8 destroyers of the Imperial Navy now lay at the bottom of Manila Bay. But before the fleet could celebrate Andrada ordered it back to Cavite for repairs; he would take no chances against a possibility larger Japanese force waiting in the waters of the South China Sea. And news of the victory would be kept from the public until after President Roosevelt delivered his address to Congress. Upon receiving notice of the victory Quezon thought it wise to let the Filipino people dwell on the words of the American President before letting the victory distract Filipino minds from the great task at hand.
---
Manila radio carried the following words live from Washington. The question of ‘what would and how would the United States react to Pearl Harbor’ was on everyone’s mind?
It seems that AI kicks in around 42'. I'm expecting the brunt of the assault to occur then.
Spacehusky
Only the navy gets its due in this update. Hopefully the land and air forces will push some copy in time.
Khan
Await no more.
---
The Hammer Falls: November – December 1941
December 8, 1941 – December 9, 1941
The year had been mostly uneventful; filled with musings and debates about the course of the war in Europe. But conflict would soon no longer be confined to the plains of China, the sands of Libya, and the heart of Europe; war now edged to the doorstep of the Commonwealth. Then on December 7, 1941 at 6:37 A.M. Honolulu Time the Imperial Japanese Navy’s ‘Kido Butai’ Taskforce disabled the battleships of the United States Pacific Fleet with a surprise aerial assault via carrier on the port of Pearl Harbor. Exactly one hour later President Quezon’s Monday Cabinet meeting was interrupted by Chief of Staff, Basilio J. Valdez, personally delivering a telegram from the US Secretary of State, Cordell Hull. After being handed the yellow parchment, Quezon went over it once, then after a pause read it aloud.
“… at 6:37 Hawaii Time the Japanese launched an air raid against US forces stationed at Pearl Harbor. We believe that the Japanese may in the next hour or so launch similar attacks on the Philippines… I repeat we strongly believe that the Japanese will launch an attack on the Philippines… We advise that the Commonwealth Government take any and all precautions to deal with this threat…” The President now turned his gaze towards Douglas MacArthur, now nominal commander of American forces stationed in the Philippines. “I suggest all leave be canceled immediately and that the Philippine Divison be brought the full strength. I am sure General Valdez has ordered the same for the Commonwealth Army. I would estimate that we have less than four or five hours before the attack beings. The fleet must put out to sea at once; I would hate for our carriers to meet the same fate of the American battleline.[/i]
---
Manila Bay
Within the hour the entire Home Fleet had castoff into Manila Bay. Reports were flooding in from various sources of Japanese offensives in Malaya, the Dutch East Indies, and even a Japanese incursion into still neutral Thailand. With the destruction of the US Pacific Fleet, reductions of the Asiatic Fleet and the British China and India Station, the Commonwealth Navy became the primary Allied naval presence in the Orient. And that presence was about to be felt as reports came via wireless from Asiatic Fleet destroyers who were just returning from routine patrol in the South China Sea. The Asiatic Fleet had been reduced to a force of WWI-era Destroyers and one Heavy Cruiser. This group had encountered a Japanese force of four battleships, an unknown number of heavy cruisers, and several destroyers. In just under 8 minutes the entire Asiatic Fleet had been reduced to 2 Destroyers that barely managed to limp back into port. The only bright note in the entire episode was that Admiral Jose V. Andrada, Commander of the Home Fleet, now had a clear idea of what awaited him further into the Bay.
Andrada flew his flag from the ‘Crown of Spain’ class Heavy Cruiser ‘Fernando VII’. Just a month ago all four ships of this class had been fitted with fire-control systems to extend their lifespan if caught in battle against enemy battleships or battlecruiers. But these improvements would matter little if the fleet cruisers engaged the Japanese battleline directly. Andrada therefore ordered the carrier flights from the ‘Ciudad de Madrid’ and ‘Ciudad de Baguio’ to take to the skies to find just where the Japanese were located. This task would take sometime; time that Andrada would take to consult with his command.
Philippine naval doctrine was based around the principles of fire and movement. To deliver effective firepower the fleet would rely on its carrier based scouts and then send fighter craft to mop up the approaching enemy line before they could get into gun range. Should the enemy get into gun range it would be the jobs of the fleet cruisers, destroyers, and submarines to divert enemy attention and protect the fleet carriers. Knowing the location of the enemy fleet allowed Andrada to draw up a path of intended motion or in other words the general direction of movement the fleet must move towards. Within 14 minutes the scouts had sighted Japanese light cruisers operating 110 land miles from Corregidor; the island fortress which guarded the mouth of the Bay. With enough information on the general direction and constitution of the enemy attack force Andrada ordered the fleet to take up anti-surface warfare formation. This entailed a concentration of the capitol ships, the ‘City’ class carriers of the fleet, in the center with destroyers and cruisers fanning out keeping a close watch on possible submarine attacks and surface ship movements. As the late afternoon sun soared upward, the forward deployed portions of the two fleets could sight each other. This was the signal for Andrada to throw his air wings at the enemy.
---
On the flight deck of the ‘Ciudad de Manila’
The air complement of each carrier ranged anywhere from 60 to 80 planes. The ‘Ciudad de Manila’ carried onboard 68, 2/3rds fighters and 1/3rd bombers, planes which were about to be launched into the air. She and the other three carriers of the fleet turned into the wind to make take off easier for her Air Groups and held for the signal from Andrada onboard the ‘Fernando VII’. At approximately 4 P.M. in the afternoon, Manila time, the order was given to send the planes into the sky.
--
The Skies above Manila Bay
“This is Fight 2 Leader, calling all planes of the Ciudad de Manila group; we are about to enter the Japanese line of fire… just as your briefing mentioned we know conclusively that the Japanese strike force consists of four battleships and assorted cruisers and destroyers and now… we can confirm that the Japanese carrier ‘Hōshō’ is flying air cover for the invasion force.” Hōshō’s air complement barely topped 19 craft and she dated from WWI; these defects withstanding her pilots were some of the most competent in the Imperial Navy and had more experience in combat than their Filipino adversaries. Yet the Mitsubishi A5Ms ‘Claude’s of the Hōshō seemed underpowered in comparison to the Grumman F4F Wildcats in used by the Commonwealth. This would prove to be decisive in battle to come. “We have been tasked with eliminating Japanese air cover. Once this task is complete we will focus our attention on strafing Japanese troop transports. They cannot reach the harbor defenses. I repeat, the enemy cannot reach the harbor defenses.” The Japanese had decided to devote their carriers to the ‘Kido Butai’ taskforce and moved to box in the Commonwealth navy by launching a land invasion of Bataan and Cavite. Only luck had given the Home Fleet time to mobilize to meet the enemy as he attempted to force his way through.
Over the blue waters of Manila Bay, 19 A5Ms were pitted against nearly 80 or so fighters tasked from each of the carriers to shoot them down. The pilots of the ‘Ciudad de Manila’ had taken the initiative and climbed to meet the Japanese fighters. Each Filipino plane was paired up with another and this ‘buddy system’ ensured that each plane at two sets of eyes scanning the sky for targets and threats. Working systematically, four Filipino planes attacking per one Japanese plane, the Hōshō’s fighters were slowly swept from the sky. The pilots of the Commonwealth were not fans of aerial duels; as long as the enemy went down the job was done. With the sky now devoid of enemies the scene shifted to dealing damage to the Japanese surface fleet. The Japanese Heavy Cruiser ‘Kumano’ was overwhelmed by aerial bombs dropped by the ‘Ciudad de Cebu’ flight wing and went down after fires ignited her magazines. As the first Japanese surface ship slid beneath the waves the four ‘Crown of Spain’ class Heavy Cruisers engaged the battleships ‘Fusō’, ‘Yamashiro’, ’Ise’, and ‘Hyūga’. Though clearly outgunned Aranda urged his fleet onwards from the tower of the ‘Fernando VII’, coordination between surface guns and aerial assaults would bring down the relics of WWI that Japan had decided to throw at the Commonwealth. Aircraft strafed the conning towers of the ‘Ise’ and as her crew struggled to get into gun range of the ‘Carlos III’ two torpedoes detonated right under, her followed by a direct hit to the center, just under her armor plate. The submarines of the Commonwealth had bided their time and found the right moment to make their presence known to the Japanese. They were now helped along by generous volleys from the 10 inch guns of the ‘Felipe V’. The Commonwealth had never been bound by the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty and now lack of US enforcement the treaty’s guidelines on the military build up of the Philippines seemed as though it were a blessing.
The Battle of Manila Bay had lasted less than 1 and 45 minutes yet proved to be decisive. The Japanese invasion fleet had been annihilated by the Commonwealth Navy without help from the Americans (save the initial warning delivered by the US Secretary of State to Quezon) without the loss of a single ship. In contrast 4 battleships, 1 carrier, 3 heavy cruisers, and 8 destroyers of the Imperial Navy now lay at the bottom of Manila Bay. But before the fleet could celebrate Andrada ordered it back to Cavite for repairs; he would take no chances against a possibility larger Japanese force waiting in the waters of the South China Sea. And news of the victory would be kept from the public until after President Roosevelt delivered his address to Congress. Upon receiving notice of the victory Quezon thought it wise to let the Filipino people dwell on the words of the American President before letting the victory distract Filipino minds from the great task at hand.
---
Manila radio carried the following words live from Washington. The question of ‘what would and how would the United States react to Pearl Harbor’ was on everyone’s mind?
”A Call For War” said:Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.
Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And, while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.
And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has therefore undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense, that always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.
I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.