Operation Influx
30
2300 May 16th 1949.
Central Asia Army Headquarters. Sevastopol, Soviet Union.
The Allied advance in the north was causing Hata some problems as supply lines became interupted in the Baltic States.
The occupation of Narvaa and Kingisepp allowed the supplies to begin flowing again with Obata moving his bomber group to Tallinn to allow shorter flights to attack the advancing enemy forces.
The loss of Parnu allowed the Americans to attack Tallinn which resulted in Lt. General Sato Ko being ordered to withdraw towards Narvaa. Obata moved to Turku in Finland to prevent his airfield being over run by the advancing enemy troops.
The remainder of the front line remained fluid as Allied troops continued to try and push forwards only to be destroyed by Shimoyama and Nakajima. Both bomber groups were still over worked and largely conducting attacks to allow Hata to maintain a defensive line.
Shimoyama had destroyed the three enemy divisions that had entered Bobraisk, which had removed the threat of possible encirclement for some of Hata's forces, and Nakajima was trying in vain to contain the Allied build up outside of Kiev as more and more American led troops advanced into Zhitomir and Vinnitsa. The point had still not been reached where the bombers could be allowed to target the rear area reinforcements which would allow Hata to launch a more wide spread offensive.
0500 May 18th 1949.
Africa Army Headquarters. Abadan, Persia.
Higashikuni had a few worries of his own. He had a massive coastline to protect as well as a general offensive to conduct in Africa. The Imperial Japanese Navy was doing most of the work to protect against Allied invasion but the threat still existed.
Itabana had been moved to support operations in the center of Africa where French troops were attempting to advance towards El Obeid. The bomber support for Higashikuni's troops would prevent any Allied advance but Itabana also had to remove resistance or Japanese forces could not move forwards as they were too few in number.
1300 May 18th 1949.
Central Asia Army Headquarters. Sevastopol, Soviet Union.
The initial Allied offensive had begun in the north but the south was beginning to show signs of more aggression. The north had been largely neutralised with the sides becoming a lot more even but in the south the Allies still held the edge.
General Itagaki was ordered to withdraw from Krivoy Rog on May 18th after he was attacked by four enemy divisions from Balta. Hata could have allowed Itagaki to defend the province but again chose to minimise losses and cede territory for the time being.
The Americans continued to vary their tactics in the north and another invasion in Helsinki temporarily cut supplies to the Japanese forces in Finland. Tallinn had also been lost to the advancing Allies but their numbers were decreasing to the point were a counter offensive could be considered.
General Yamada's advance back towards Cherkassy met with some resistance at 0500 hours on May 19th as an Armoured division attemtped to block his path. He would overcome the defences and continue his march forwards.
Yamada arrived in Cherkassy at 1100 hours and was immediately counter attacked by a superior Allied force. Hata did not issue orders to withdraw this time as another three Japanese divisions would arrive in two hours to support the defence. Cherkassy's defences would hold on this occasion but the Allies still had more reinforcements moving forwards.
0900 May 20th 1949.
Africa Army Headquarters. Abadan, Persia.
The almost constant threat of Allied invasion throughout Africa led to another landing taking place on May 20th. Higashikuni needed more bombers to support his advances across the continent as Itabana could not fly north and south indefinately.
Tobruk was the latest target for the Allies as a Brazilian Headquarters divisions landed ahead of advancing Japanese troops which were to protect the province. No advance would be possible until air support arrived but the Japanese advance was wide enough now to prevent a single invasion from cutting supplies to the lead forces.
0500 May 21st 1949.
The Skies Above Sevastopol.
Hata had been attacked enough and there was little in the way of enemy air activity so he ordered an Interceptor wing to remove the bombers circling over Sevastopol.
Fukui would be the commander tasked with attacking the out dated Central American and Czech bombers. He destroyed one squadron and badly damaged most of the others before they could call off their bombing run.
Further north Nakajima led his escorted Dive bomber group over Krivoy Rog where the latest Allied advance threatened to isolate four Japanese divisions defending Odessa.
1600 May 22nd 1949.
Africa Army Headquarters. Abadan, Persia.
The French forces in Africa were building up in the south and center and had become numerous enough in the south to begin to launch attacks against Higashikuni's smaller forces.
Lt. General Sukarno would not be able to hold Nova Lisboa after he was attacked by two enemy divisions. He was ordered to withdraw south after having spent weeks moving into Nova Lisboa. No air support was currently available in this region as it was too far from a friendly air base.
Shortly afterwards the advance in the south east also stalled after more enemy troops redeployed into Tete province. The enemy troops were doomed as they had not managed to arrive before this part of Africa had been isolated by Japanese forces. At least three Allied divisions were now hopelessly cut off behind enemy lines.
2200 May 22nd 1949.
Central Asia Army Headquarters. Sevastopol, Soviet Union.
Towards the end of May 22nd Nakajima had removed the enemy forces in Krivoy Rog which allowed General Itagaki to move back towards the province to solidify the southern defensive line.
Yamada was attacked again in Cherkassy which was proving to be the focal point of the Allied attempts to advance in the south. He would hold against inferior numbers.
An Allied Mechanised division, led by Eisenhower, advanced into Vyshgorod in the late afternoon of May 25th where it immediately drew the attention of Nakajima and his Dive bomber group. The latest attacks and advances pointed to an Allied attempt to encircle Kiev but it was not making enough headway to be of any serious threat.
2100 May 23rd 1949.
BB Division 1 Flagship. IJN Fuso, Cape Alguhas.
Ozawa had moved his Carrier Groups north and moved BB Division 1 south to patrol around the Cape off southern Africa.
Battleships were more versatile at attacking small Allied fleets as they were not limited during night and bad weather as much as Carrier Air Groups were. Both Mexican Destroyer Flotillas were sunk but only one would be credited to a Japanese ship. IJN Fuso's guns sank 8a Flotilla de Destructores.