Shōwa Democracy - A Darkest Hour Kaiserreich Cold War AAR (Japan)

[Health]

Interlude - Citius, Altius, Fortius

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In June 1939, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in exile in Berlin, had awarded the 1944 Olympic Summer Games to Amsterdam, ahead of Rome, Tokyo, Budapest, Bern, Stockholm, Montreal and Athens. The outbreak of the Syndicalist War however had put a hold on the Games, so when the IOC reconvened in the Spring of 1946, reinstated in Laussane, to plan the Summer Olympics of 1948 Amsterdam ran again. In June 1946 the IOC, through a postal vote, gave the summer Games to Amsterdam and the winter competition to St Moritz. Amsterdam had been selected, ahead of Laussane, Stockholm, Vienna, Athens, St. Petersburg and Warsaw.

Amsterdam, which had previously hosted the 1928 Summer Olympics, became the first city to host the Games twice.
​

Given that war still raged between the Entente and the International, both sides chose to not take part in the Games although they had been invited. Following the Peace with Honour, the IOC had tried to approach the Red Sport International multiple times, however it wasn't until 1944 that a meeting could be organized. Following fervent discussions representatives from the Union of Britain agreed to disband the Red Sport International and reunite under the banner of the IOC. The reunification allowed for the return of all Syndicalist states into the Olympic Games, although only Venezuela, Mexico and Centroamerica took advantage of the opportunity in 1948. The Combined Syndicates of America sent observers, but said that they would be training to join the 1952 Summer Olympics, whilst the Totalist state of Georgia refuse participation on principle. Also absent from the Games were the Hashemite Kingdom of Arabia, Egypt, Libya, Kurdistan and Persia, who were still at war and thus refused the invitations.

The Games were the biggest so far with athletes from 58 states taking part. Eighteen made their first official appearance: Siam, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Centroamerica, Bantu Federation, Namibia, Benikongo, Sierra Leone, Madagaskar, Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen, Oman, Republic of China, Qing Empire, Transamur, Fengtien Republic and Albania. With close to 4500 participants representing these states. With the biggest delegations coming from Germany - 300, Japan - 250, Netherlands - 210, Austria - 200 and Sweden 189.

The Games opened on the 29th of July. Army bands began playing at 2 PM for the 40 000 spectators in the refurbished Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam. The international and national organisers arrived at 2.35 PM and Queen Willhelmina and other members of the Royal Family, at 2.45 PM. Fifteen minutes later the competitors entered the stadium in a procession that took 50 minutes. The last team was that of the Netherlands. When it had passed the saluting base, Charles Pahud de Mortanges began his welcome:

Your Majesty, the hour has struck. A visionary dream has today become a glorious reality. The storm that ravaged Europe has come to an end and with it has come the reunification of the great Olympic Movement, let us hope that this dream will continue to prosper.​

After welcoming the athletes to two weeks of "keen but friendly rivalry", he said Amsterdam represented a "warm flame of hope for a better understanding in the world which has burned so low."

At 4 PM the Queen declared the Games open, 2500 pigeons were set free and the Olympic Flag raised to its 11 meter flagpole at the end of the stadium. The Korps Rijdende Artillerie sounded a 21-gun salute and the last runner in the Torch Relay ran a lap of the track – created with cinders from the domestic coal fires of Limburg – and climbed the steps to the Olympic cauldron. After saluting the crowd, he turned and lit the flame. After more speeches, Baron Nishi of the Japanese team took the Olympic Oath on behalf of all competitors. The National Anthem was sung and the massed athletes turned and marched out of the stadium, led by Greece, tailed by the Netherlands.

1948 Olympics opening ceremony at the renovated Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam​

The 580-page official report concluded:

Thus were launched the Olympic Games of Amsterdam, under the most happy auspices. The smooth-running Ceremony, which profoundly moved not only all who saw it but also the millions who were listening-in on the radio throughout the world, and the glorious weather in which it took place, combined to give birth to a spirit which was to permeate the whole of the following two weeks of thrilling and intensive sport.​

The opening ceremony and over 60 hours of Games coverage was broadcast live on television, which was then only available to a small audience. The RRG reportedly paid 1000 marks for the broadcasting rights.

The 1948 Summer Olympics featured 136 medal events, covering 23 disciplines in 17 different sports and in arts. Following is a selection of 5 different sports.

Top ten nations at the 1948 Summer Games, ranked by number of gold medals won.
The Netherlands was 11th, with 23 medals, including four golds.

Athletics​

Olympisch Stadion was the venue for 33 athletics events at the Games; 24 for men and nine for women. Of these, four were making their Olympic debut – the men's 10 km walk, and the women's 200 metres, long jump and shot put. A total of 754 athletes from 53 countries participated in athletics. Fanny Blankers-Koen of the Netherlands, a 30-year-old mother of three children nicknamed "The Flying Housewife", won four gold medals: in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 80 metre high hurdles and 4 x 100 metre relay. As world record holder in the long jump and high jump Blankers-Koen may have been able to win further medals but, at this time, female athletes were limited to three individual events. Duncan White won the first medal of any kind for Sri Lanka when he finished second in the 400 metre hurdles.

The marathon saw a dramatic finish with the first man to enter the stadium, Etienne Gailly of Belgium,
exhausted and nearly unable to run. While he was struggling, Argentinian athlete Delfo Cabrera passed him,
with Cabrera winning the gold medal and Gailly managing to get silver.

Basketball​

Basketball made its second appearance as a medal sport, appearing as an indoor competition for the first time after poor weather disrupted the matches at the 1936 Helsink Games. The event, for men only, was contested by 23 nations split into four pools for the preliminary round; the top two in each pool advanced to the quarterfinals with the other teams entering playoffs for the minor placings. Mexico and the Kingdom of France reached the final which was won by the Mexicans 65–21. La Plata defeated Brazil 52–47 to claim bronze.

Modern pentathlon
​

Only one modern pentathlon event was contested, the five component sports– riding, fencing, shooting, swimming, and running- being held over six days. Scoring was by point-for-place system across the five phases with the winner being the athlete with the lowest combined ranking. The sport's international federation, the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne was founded during the Games, on 3 August 1948. Sweden won two medals in the event; William Grut won the gold, with a final points total of 16, and Gösta Gärdin took silver. Finn Lauri Vilkko won the bronze medal.

Shooting
​

Four events were contested, all open to both men and women, although all medals were won by men. In the 50 metre rifle, prone position, only two points separated the top three competitors. Károly Takács had been a member of the Hungary's world champion pistol shooting team in 1938 when a grenade shattered his right hand – his pistol hand. Takács taught himself to shoot with his left hand and, 10 years after his injury, he won an Olympic gold medal in the rapid-fire pistol event.

Károly Takács became an example of what Olympians strove to be

Football
​

Eighteen teams entered the football competition at these Olympics. Due to the rise of the professional game during the 12 years since the Helsinki Olympics the number of talented amateurs for teams to select from was reduced. The gold medal was won by Sweden, who defeated Germany 3–1 in the final. Denmark defeated hosts Netherlands 5–3 to win the bronze medal. In the tournament's 18 matches a total of 102 goals were scored; an average 5.66 goals per match. The joint top scorers with seven goals each were Gunnar Nordahl of Sweden and Denmark's John Hansen.

Nordahl and Swedish teammates Gunnar Gren and Nils Liedholm went on to play for
A.C. Milan and together were nicknamed Gre-No-Li.
​

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Firstly: Canadians were really stupid when they didn't attack the CSA in the early stages of the Civil War. KR should implement an option, which would allow the Canada to occupy New England and attack the Reds at the same time.

Secondly: A great chapter, as always. I especially liked the part about the king's death.

Thirdly: Will the CSA/British launch operation Torch (invasion of North Africa) now, or will the send more resources to the French front?

Agreed, I've got a couple of axes to grind with the CSA anyway, at least how its armies are represented in game given what seems to me at least as a dearth of any competent generals. Although yes they have the industrial heartlands of the old US, which really gives them their staying power it is very difficult to see how they could survive against even semi-comptent commanders.

As to Operation Torch, it is yet to be seen, since the Syndicates are spending time in the Carribbean. The conflict between the two sides will however end, which is more than I can say about the Middle-Eastern conflict.

The Entente is sundered, and the Exiles find the wolf is at their door once more as a new Red Dawn rises over North America. I'll be very surprised if National France lasts another year, and while Australasia might be mercifully isolated by distance, for all intents and purposes they're effectively alone in a hostile world.

The one possible saving grace for the Internationale's foes might be the fact that the CSA is now stretching itself thin -- if they're already having trouble dealing with homegrown unrest, imagine how much of a headache it must be fighting a full-blown guerilla war against a population that's had time to prepare for their coming. (Assuming this is modeled in future events, of course.)

I'm currently endeavouring to find solutions to the US, but yeah the rebels aren't going to fade away for a bit now. Collectivization has broken the stability that Reed's NEP provided to the CSA.

Really, has anyone EVER seen an AI Canada not get stomped by the CSA? I can't recall ever doing so.

Not one out of Civil War anyway.

I think that Australasia should abandon any hope of return to Europe, and try to ally with Japan to protect itself.

I also hope that the guerilla war in Canada will be interesing. Forests and anti-syndycalist populace create great conditions for this.

I'll endeavour to provide. As to Australasia, well it'll be addressed in a future post however there is a certain reason as to why that will prove to be difficult. Besides the obvious AI belligerence that is.

A sad day for monarchy.

Indeed.

First I am really happy to see a sane democratic Japan instead of a totalitarian insane junta in an AAR.
Second I hope this CSA doesn't implode like Crown Atomic AUS.This would be anticlimactic.

Glad to have you following.

As to your points, I agree that there are usually too many Japan is totalitarian stories. Whilst an interesting thing to observe it usually tends to boil down to carbon copies of WW2 Japan in our timeline. Going democracy doesn't mean just copying modern Japan either since Japan was fairly capable of being belligerent and imperialist even when it was, nominally, a democracy.

And to your second point, I'm going to go with a we'll see. At the very least I'll say that it is unlikely to collapse into warring statelets, if for no other reason than because there isn't a state openly hostile to it to the North any more.

 

[Specialist290]

As the War winds down, the world seeks a return to normalcy -- or at least as close as it can get.

 

[stnylan]

Sport to reinvigorate the world?

 

[Maciej-Kamil]

I've got one question.

You mention second peace with honour, and it seems that it was a treaty between Germany and Britain. If so, then why did the British land in mainland France, which seems to be a German puppet?

 

[Health]

As the War winds down, the world seeks a return to normalcy -- or at least as close as it can get.

One would hope that the War stays cold.

Sport to reinvigorate the world?

Reunite it in some way at least.

I've got one question.

You mention second peace with honour, and it seems that it was a treaty between Germany and Britain. If so, then why did the British land in mainland France, which seems to be a German puppet?

Sure, the Entente managed to take that bit of France before the fall of the Commune. However due to some AI magic they also managed to abandon it, I think I mentioned it somewhere else as well.

So in reality that is actually land belonging to the Empire of France, at least whilst it remains alive, under British occupation.

 

[Health]

Wappen! (Part 1)

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"[...]
The cool morning air of Surabaya rushed by my head as I drove down the busy street in my Toyota ABR. Well not exactly my car really, the car of Governor-General Hata sitting in the back. I had been in business college in Batavia when the Japanese came and since then much had changed. Wages had gone up and merchants like my father were positively booming with business. The

Japanese had also promised freedom for Indonesia once it was ready for it and spirits ran high. Making everybody equal before the law had originally made my parents worried, but overtime it seemed that there had been nothing to worry about. I just had to drive the General to the office and I was free until 9.

"What should I do? Maybe I'll pay a visit to Sonia, she probably has time," I thought to myself as I slowed turning down the narrow curve that lead to the crossroads before the government building.

As I did so however a man suddenly appeared in front of the car, holding what looked like a small machine gun, in front of the car. He tried to fire, but it looked as if his weapon jammed.

"Stop," the General said from the backseat. "I'm going to deal with him myself," he said rising up to stand and shoot the baffled European with his pistol, as I ducked to cover.

As he said that however a briefcase flew into the car, exploding just a few seconds later. The General must've been hit, but despite that he stumbled out of the car. The men seemingly baffled that the General was still alive and shot at him with their pistols, but managed to miss all of their shots. The General then shot one and turned to chase the other. Suddenly I noticed blood and looked down seeing a hole in my chest. Then it all went black.
[...]"

From the testimony of Carlo Tabalujan, personal chauffer to the Governor-General of Indonesia Hata Shunroku, concerning the assassination

The assassination of Hata Shunroku on the 11th of December 1947 by Dutch radicals marked the start of the East Indies Independence War. The conflict was marked with a violent and bombastic start as rebel forces took control over Batavia, as well as large parts of Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi and Papua, and proclaimed the creation of the independent Kingdom of the East Indies. This particular phase of the East Indies Independence War is termed Wappen by native survivors of the period. The term is derived from the Indo battle cry and perpetual call to arms: "Te Wappen!" – "To Arms!" heard when potential enemies of the revolution were entering rebellious areas.

Indonesia at the outbreak of the conflict
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The rebels had gotten lucky with their timing. At the time of the assassination Japanese attention was turned towards the Inner Chinese Border after a spike of tensions threatened to develop into a full-blown war. Following the end of the Western Expedition, the Republic of China had turned its attention northwards. Wherever Republican agitators slipped into the Qing, riots and mass protests followed in their wake. Whilst police forces had cracked down on Republican sentiments since the start of the Yiyou Revolution, with the Qing Emperor proclaiming them servants of the new Hong Xiuquan, the policies of repressing Republicanism tended to exacerbate rather than solve issues.

Protests in Nanjing had begun on the 10th of October and grew more violent by the week, by late November the local police had issues containing the growing protests and the military was sent in to restore order. Whilst the issue seemed solved, a sharp peak of tensions soon followed as Japanese intelligence discovered Republican troops conducting invasion drills. As Tokyo demanded an explanation at first seemed uncowed by the Japanese ultimatum and proceeded with the drills leading to the bulk of the Japanese Army to be deployed along the Inner Chinese Border. Although Guangdong subsequently backed down, in the face of overwhelming opposition, the event was a wake-up call for Japan.

Chinese civilians welcoming Japanese troops, ca mid 1940s​

As it had become clear that war in China was unlikely at the moment three of the four Imperial Marine Corps were deployed to Indonesia. The I and III Marine Corps would be used to restore order in Java, whilst the II Marine Corps would reclaim the vital port of Palembang as well as the rest of Southern Sumatra. Considering the Hawaiian Islands as Japan's first line of defence in the Pacific, the Admiralty left the IV Marine Corps to its positions. However given that the Imperial Army was tied up on the continent needing both to act as deterrent in China and to guard the borders of Manchuria against potential Russian incursions, the Navy would largely be on its own with only the Air Force to back it up.

Special Naval Landing Forces, dubbed Imperial Marines,
in Indonesia during the East Indies Independence War
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The II Marine Corps made landfall at the river port of Jambi on the Batang Hari River on the 15th of January 1948. Before making landfall Admiral Ōsumi Mineo, commander of the East Indies Force, made contact with the Air Force radar garrison in the city, who reported that the city and they were safe and that the river and its sides were clear. It was only then that the ships at the mouth of the river released the Daihatsu landing craft that would ferry troops as well as resources into the city. Although Palembang was the target for the assault, the river based insertion necessary to get into the city was deemed too big of a risk by the Admiralty and instead the port would be reclaimed by land. This would ensure that the Marines wouldn't be caught with their pants down on the river whilst still in their landing crafts. Although the land based assault wouldn't be without its risks the Admiralty as well as Admiral Ōsumi considered them smaller than the threat of having the Marines destroyed by landing directly at Palembang.

Admiral Baron Ōsumi Mineo, the posting to Indonesia had originally been a final peaceful one prior to retirement,
however the assassination of Hata Shunroku and the subsequent East Indies Independence War had pushed him to lead
​

As the Marines left Djambi however they soon met tough resistance, as many former KNIL soldiers had joined in the rebellion bringing with them weaponry that had been hidden away in caches after the Japanese had taken over control of the islands. Unlike the Viet Minh the KIL, Koninklijk Indisch Leger, more often than not faced the Japanese forces head on providing easy targets to the Imperial Air Force, the Naval Air Service and the artillery of the Marines. Whilst KIL offered strong resistance on the Lilin River they were no match for the force of fire brought on them by the advancing Marine units as well as their aerial support leaving the approach to Palembang open.

The majority of the SNLF artillery support was made up of small mortars making air support a vital asset​

Following that, besides occasional harassment by Landsturm the Marines had no significant opposition on their advance towards Palembang. Once the city appeared into sight, giant stacks of smoke filled the sky from the direction of the city. KIL seemed to have set fire to the refinery as well as the oil stores within the city. Further inspection within the city also made it clear that they had destroyed what they could from the port facilities and had subsequently withdrawn to the other bank of the Musi River.

As the smoke made it difficult for air support to hit their targets and practically nullified the Japanese aerial advantage, turning it into an equal fight. That had however turned what had at first seemed like a walk in the park into a vicious fight in which no mercy was asked or given. KIL had boobytrapped houses on the opposite side of the river, making advance increasingly arduous. By the time that the Marines had fully cleared their side of the river, the smoke had faded allowing for aerial support from the 2nd Fleet and the Expeditionary Bomber Wings as well as making it clear that the KIL had wasted no time or resources given by the delayed advance of the Japanese forces in fortifying their bank of the Musi River. Although KIL soldiers fought tooth and nail and pushed back multiple Japanese advances and beachheads by the 25th of January the Imperial (Marine) Engineers had established multiple beachheads on the other side of the river from which Japanese troops poured in surrounding what remained of the KIL forces in the city. A bloodbath followed as the II Marine Corps hunted down each and every KIL soldier still in the city putting the majority of them to the sword.

Situation in Sumatra after the restoration of control over Palembang
​

After a few days to rest the Japanese were back on the trail of the KIL as their forces had retreated to the port city of Oosthaven in an attempt to escape to nearby Java, to regroup with their forces and to continue the fight. The 2nd Fleet had however earlier spotted movement between the two islands and moved to intercept, as Marines moved in from the ground trapping the forces. Many native as well as Indo soldiers the KIL had managed to recruit tried to defect and were, from time to time, accepted by the Marines. As the pincers were closing in more and more KIL soldiers that stayed loyal to the Batavian government tried to escape under the cover of night in small boats, something that would prove fatal for most of them. Those that did make it across spread stories amongst the KIL soldiers on Java of what they had experienced causing fear and anger amongst the ranks. Something that would cause many KIL soldiers to fight to the death.

The Battle of Oosthaven would mark the end of organized resistance in Sumatra​

 

[Maciej-Kamil]

Dutch rebels commited a mistake by not behaving like the Viet Minch.

 

[Specialist290]

The rebels had gotten lucky with their timing.

That's certainly one way of looking at it. I can't help but think, though, that the KIL have been getting backing from someone who knew when might be the right moment to cause maximum chaos and distraction for the Japanese. Rebellions of that magnitude don't just boil up out of nowhere...

 

[Health]

Dutch rebels commited a mistake by not behaving like the Viet Minch.

It's not really a lack of want, although that does contribute to it, but more a lack of support from the vastly more populous "native" population. You can't really expect to wage guerilla warfare on a large scale if you lack that support from the populace.

That's certainly one way of looking at it. I can't help but think, though, that the KIL have been getting backing from someone who knew when might be the right moment to cause maximum chaos and distraction for the Japanese. Rebellions of that magnitude don't just boil up out of nowhere...

We'll see.

 

[Health]

Wappen! (Part 2)
​

Although the original plan had foreseen simultaneous deployment of all three Marine Corps - repair, replacement as well as lack of proper transport delayed the arrival of I Marine Corps. Leaving the III Marine Corps alone for the start of the Java operation, with them landing in Surabaya, the administrative capital of the Japanese East Indies, on the 17th of January. Finding the city on the verge of being surrounded, as rebel forces had already taken Kediri and forward elements had been spotted near Surabaya. Unwilling to wait for the arrival of the I Marine Corps, the corps headquarters of III Marine Corps put in motion the plan for the liberation of Jogjakarta.

Situation in Java on the 17th of January
​

The plan proved to be a rousing success, as the Imperial Marines quickly overran the unprepared forces in Pacitan and the vital transport hub of Ngawi, thus gaining control over the approaches to Surabaya. This gave time for the regional garrison to advance, prepare fortifications and take over the task of defence of the city and its surroundings. Facing sparse resistance III Marine Corps reached Jogjakarta on the 23rd reclaiming it for the Empire. However it is here that their advance ground to a halt, as the Semarang-Magelang-Purworejo line, where the Dutch had dug in using the local mountainous terrain, blocked further advance. Despite Japanese attempts to break through the line at Semarang, so as to avoid the mountains, the relative shortness of the line, just over 115 km, and the ability to rapidly re-deploy their troops through the mountains made it a formidable nut to crack. The first advance culminated in the bloody assault on Semarang in which the Imperial Marine elements were forced to retreat after sustaining over 2000 casualties.

The first Battle of Semarang gave the Imperial Marines their first bloody nose in Indonesia
​

Whilst III Marine Corps was in the thick of it I Marine Corps had reached the operation area on the 29th of January with the task to open up a second front by recapturing Batavia. With the majority of the KIL forces tied up defending the SMP-line, the Imperial Marines quickly overran what little resistance remained in Batavia, landing in force in the city on the 4th of February, the day before Oosthaven fell. Learning from KIL troops captured in the city as well as reports from II Marine Corps that troops fleeing from Sumatra had been being formed into new units in the city of Cilegon, the I Marine Corps had their new target as the command of the East Indies Force wished to nip that issue on bud, as well as reclaim Western Java.

Situation in Java after the fall of Batavia
​

Although facing disorganized KIL fighters armed with little more than their rifles the Imperial Marines found themselves bogged down. KIL fighters that had fled Sumatra had taken control of the units there enflaming a spirit of resistance amongst the troops that had fled from Batavia causing them to refuse all offers of surrender. Although the fighting in and around Cilegon was vastly less bloody, for the Japanese than the Battle of Palembang was for the II Marine Corps. It still proved to be the baptism by fire for the I Marine Corps in Indonesia

Armoured vehicles had been provided for the Imperial Marines to improve their survivability and speed on the battlefield
​

After the liberation of Cilegon, and subsequently the rest of Western Java, the Imperial Marines turned their eyes back towards SMP-line. Intending to crash through Magelang, isolate Semarang and Purworejo from each other and thus destroy the ability of the KIL forces to reinforce their line. The Japanese forces now enjoyed a 2 to 1 advantage along the line, with regional advantages nearing 6 to 1 at points, as well as the undivided attention of the Air Force. With these advantages in the early evening darkness of the 12th of February, 1 division from the I and 2 divisions from the III Marine Corps struck the quiet small town of Magelang. Supported by artillery fire as well as close air support, the three divisions slammed into the lines of the KIL troops, within the city and trapped them between a hammer and an anvil. KIL forces on the flanks fled from towards the strongholds of Semarang and Purworejo at the start of this onslaught, but as the pincers closed it left the forces within the city few chances, but standing their ground. After 3 days of grueling fighting which saw large chunks of Magelang flattened, Japanese troops triumphed managing to form a secure line from Western to Eastern Java. During the fighting however Japanese troops had discovered a platoon of ANZAC commandos, three of whom they had managed to capture. The men denied any ties to the Australasian Confederation and claimed to be KIL soldiers. As news of this reached Tokyo, theories quickly began popping up about the connections between the assassination of Hata Shunroku and the subsequent rebellion.

The capture of Australasian commandos in Indonesia helped fan the already
unfriendly relations between the Japanese Empire and the Australasian Confederation
​

The KIL forces had found themselves cut off from each other and subsequently attempted to link up and continue resistance. In a series of rapid assaults they managed to push out what remained of the III Marine Corps in Jogjakarta reclaiming the city for the Kingdom of the East Indies, many of them subsequently escaping on ships that nominally flew the Australasian flag. Instead of chasing down the fleeing KIL soldiers however, I and III Marine Corps focused on mopping up the remnants of the SMP-line with I Marine Corps striking north towards now largely abandoned city of Semarang and the III Marine Corps displacing what remained of the KIL forces in Purworejo towards Jogjakarta. However it wasn't until the 8th of March that Japanese forces had fully restablished control over Java.

As the KIL forces had been surrounded in Jogjakarta the
Imperial Marines focused on clearing the countryside of stragglers
​

The fighting in Indonesia had highlighted the issue of asymmetric warfare for the Japanese Navy. Although the issue had been raised amongst military thinkers after the German failure in Indochina, many pointed to the fact that Germany had openly lost in the field after their forces became surrounded and cut off from the vital port in Saigon. However the fighting in Indonesia, minor uprisings in Korea by "Righteous Armies" as well as republican funded rebels in the Qing had subsequently proven to both the Army and the Navy of the necessity of developing proper anti-guerilla tactics. In Indonesia where the guerilla fighters in the Landsturm as well as the better armed KIL fighters received their support largely from the fairly small population of the former European caste Admiral Ōsumi enacted Ōsumis' plan. This saw both ethnic Europeans as well as Indos, mixed race people with European heritage, being removed from their land and interned in guarded camps called "New Villages". There were over 400 of these guarded camps. Furthermore 10 000 were deported to the Netherlands during the war, being Dutch citizens, with many more leaving afterwards.

Although the homogenous nature of the New Villages proved a perfect place for the fermentation of
anti-Japanese sentiments it managed to break the support network of the guerrilla fighters in Indonesia
​

 

[Maciej-Kamil]

What? I expected Russia, I suspected Republican China... but Australasia?

IDK... maybe they were trying to establish a buffer zone between themselfes and Japan...

However, the only thing which they achieved so far is the Japanese annoyance, which - given Japanese strength -
might mean serious problems for the British remnant.

 

[Specialist290]

I can certainly see it -- anti-Japanese "yellow peril" rhetoric was being pushed pretty hard in Australia around this time IRL, and it would in all likelihood only grow stronger with a proper Japanese Empire ascendant in the Pacific. An Indonesian buffer zone under Australasian "protection" would be highly desirable from Canberra's point of view.

Of course, that doesn't change the fact that this is likely to become the latest of many foreign policy miscalculations of the British Exiles and their supporters -- still acting like they have the weight of an empire to throw around when they barely have the ability to secure their own doorstep.

 

[stnylan]

Pretty much a textbook operation.

 

[Anuerin]

First, wanted to say that this is really great. Secondly, I'm assuming that with Canda out of the way the UoB is immediately reneging on its peace treaty. After all, whose going to stop them, National France?

 

[Health]

What? I expected Russia, I suspected Republican China... but Australasia?

IDK... maybe they were trying to establish a buffer zone between themselfes and Japan...

However, the only thing which they achieved so far is the Japanese annoyance, which - given Japanese strength -
might mean serious problems for the British remnant.

Russia is a bit difficult to fit into this context. Although possible I guess, but they'd be more likely to target the actual regions they can reach and arm like Manchuria. Same with Republican China, but in this case the Qing Empire.

The British remnant has certainly made a mess of it.

I can certainly see it -- anti-Japanese "yellow peril" rhetoric was being pushed pretty hard in Australia around this time IRL, and it would in all likelihood only grow stronger with a proper Japanese Empire ascendant in the Pacific. An Indonesian buffer zone under Australasian "protection" would be highly desirable from Canberra's point of view.

Of course, that doesn't change the fact that this is likely to become the latest of many foreign policy miscalculations of the British Exiles and their supporters -- still acting like they have the weight of an empire to throw around when they barely have the ability to secure their own doorstep.

Indeed, there is little to no reason that Australasia wouldn't try. Although the lack of support is an issue, there is the possibility that they considered it an operation they could pull off given the fact that the Japanese were tied up dealing with guarding their land borders in Asia. Reality however had other things to say.

Pretty much a textbook operation.

Quite.

First, wanted to say that this is really great. Secondly, I'm assuming that with Canda out of the way the UoB is immediately reneging on its peace treaty. After all, whose going to stop them, National France?

Thanks.
And to answer your question, the peace treaty wasn't really even signed since the UoB really had no reason to give up anything given they have just gotten a second wind in the form of the CSA. As to whether they'll let National France hang around, well that is another question.

 

[Health]

Wappen! (Part 3)
​

Although the backbone of the rebellion in the East Indies had been broken after Java fell, rebels still remained dominant in Borneo, Sulawesi as well as New Guinea. Despite having effectively cut off movement of large ships within the Sunda Islands the IJN struggled in closing off supply routes to the rebels. Smugglers on smaller craft as well as the land routes on New Guinea managed to break through the blockades the IJN had set and for much of the later part of the conflict proved to be a bigger issue than the few KIL forces opposing the Imperial Marines. Like on Java the smugglers were used to supply as well as redeploy cut off troops near the coasts back to the front lines and through the land routes on New Guinea the Australasian Confederation was overtly arming and equipping the natives to fight against the Japanese. Unwilling to be dragged into a long and arduous war in the Southern Pacific on somebody else’s terms the Admiralty had no way off stopping Australasian supply convoys to New Guinea.

Destroyers Shigure and Samidare patrolling the seas around the Sunda Islands
​

On the 20th of March the East Indies Force put into motion the operation to reclaim the strategically important oil fields in Borneo as well as the regionally important airbases in Sulawesi. The first steps of the operation saw all 3 Imperial Marine Corps land together across Borneo. As a result they reclaimed much of the coastline and the important oil fields. Given the sparse resistance on the island, Admiral Osumi decided to redeploy I and II Marine Corps away from Borneo with the intent of recapturing Sulawesi. This left III Marine Corps alone to re-establish order across the island. The majority of the KIL forces on the island had however been dispersed during the landings and many more had subsequently been caught in the advance across the interior. Cut off from the coast and facing overwhelming opposition Major van den Berg gave the order to engage in guerilla tactics to stall the Japanese. Given the high desertion rates among the native soldiers however, KIL units often wore down quite quickly even before they could engage the Japanese. For example captain Kroon assembled what was left of the Tarakan Compagnie and by the time he reached Longmerah he only had nine men left. Here the group was taken prisoner by the Japanese. All European members, were subsequently executed on the 5th of April. Captain van den Berg and his group were taken prisoner on 20th of April. His group, made up of pensioners, attacked the Japanese units on several occasions and inflicted heavy casualties. Out of respect for the high average age and fighting spirit, the Japanese commander allowed them to leave the island without being interned. Control over the island was finally re-established on the 6th of May.

Synchronous landings on Borneo quickly brought most of the island under Japanese control
​

Whilst III Marine Corps was reestablishing order across Borneo, I and II Marine Corps struck from Manadao and Makassar at the sparse entrenched forces of the KIL on island of Sulawesi. Similar to Borneo Japanese forces quickly overran the limited resistance the KIL forces could offer causing the Dutch to resort to guerilla tactics. Sergeant Maliëzer from E-Company did not want to surrender and started a guerilla force with fifteen of his men. On the 13th of May, they attacked a Japanese unit at Kanejan. The fighting turned into a maelstrom where Japanese forces were delayed for a whole day. Outraged by this act of terrorism the Marines burned down nearby Kampung and executed five civilians, suspected of harbouring the guerillas. Returning on the 16th of May in force to capture Maliëzers group. He was subsequently executed at Langoan along with twelve of his men.

Imperial Japanese Marines coming ashore on Sulawesi
​

In combination with attacks on Japanese patrols in the rear, the KIL guerillas also made the advance as arduous as possible for Japanese troops by blocking roads and destroying bridges in attempts to dely the Japanese advance to the airfields at Kendari, often at great personal risk. These delaying battles were aimed at keeping the Japanese forces in bay until evacuations by smugglers could be completed to disperse the KIL fighters across the Maluku Islands to continue their guerilla actions there, among a more friendly native population, as well as to destroy the airfields there to delay Japanese actions aimed at New Guinea. Their attempts were greatly aided by the sheer mass of the Japanese troops on the islands moving on the narrow roads with any delaying action aimed at blocking causing much time to be wasted as the Imperial Marine Engineers struggled to move up front to solve the issues. Despite these setbacks however control over the island was restored on the 26th of May.

KIL forces on Sulawesi quickly turned to guerilla tactics in an attempt to slow down Japanese advances
​

The Battle of New Guinea, beginning on the 13th of May with the landings at Fakfak, proved to be some of the bloodiest fighting of the latter part of the campaign. The Imperial Marines faced spirited resistance from the KIL forces on the islands, their native auxiliaries and Australasian commandos. Additionally the Japanese found themselves facing forces that were much better equipped than their counterparts across the islands, largely thanks to efforts by the Australasians. The terrain of the island, especially where they landed, ended up greatly hindering the Japanese advance as the Imperial Marines often found themselves facing enemies that had not only managed to build large entrenched positions taking great advantage of the terrain, but also conducted guerilla attacks behind Japanese lines. It wasn't until the I and II Marine Corps arrived that the Japanese regained the advantage through sheer weight of numbers and continued their advance, smashing through the lines at Bomberai peninsula. Robbed of their line of fortifications and faced with large scale desertion from their native auxiliaries, that had formed the bulk of the fighting force on the KIL troops on New Guinea, the KIL and their Australasian allies turned fully to guerilla tactics. Whilst the island would technically be recaptured on the 10th of July guerillas would continue to plague the island providing a continuous headache to the Japanese garrison as well as the natives.

The large amount of rivers as well as coastal area made the Daihatsu landing craft well suited for the fighting in New Guinea
​

The revolt in the East Indies had shocked Tokyo, which had seen the region as stable and of secondary concern as long as the oil exports continued. It also soured relations between Japan and the Netherlands with many Dutch citizens being rounded up into the "New Villages" as well as deported back to the Netherlands. Although the Netherlands had renounced any claims to the islands the sizeable Dutch settler population that still held much influence within the islands and had lead the revolt caused much headache in Tokyo. Aside from the deportations and internment MITI also raised the proposition of seizing Dutch assets in the islands, especially the oil fields. Whilst Tokyo pondered ways to decrease Dutch influence, Amsterdam was working round the clock in an attempt to salvage what they could of their influence within the islands - from offering to repatriate their citizens as well as their families themselves whilst handing over anybody the Japanese wished to prosecute to handing the Olympics Oath to Baron Nishi and providing Nippon Oil a share in the oil fields in exchange for aid in rebuilding the refineries. Although MITI failed to achieve their goals of excluding the Dutch from the region they had taken their first steps.

Colonel Baron Nishi Takeuchi, having won medals in both the 1932 Los Angeles and 1936 Helsinki Olympics,
he was a popular figure both in Japan and the West proving the perfect man in the Dutch attempt to appease the Japanese
​

In an attempt to combat the guerillas dotting the East Indies the Japanese proceeded to ramp up the militarisation of the islands by both Japanese garrisons as well as the creation of the Pembela Tanah Air, Defenders of the Homeland, a volunteer native force that would later become the basis of the Indonesian Army. The Japanese also embarked on a policy of Japanification across the islands most prominently trying to root out Christianity within in the islands and replace it with Shintoism as well as the creation of a mandatory public education system mirroring that of Japan and replacing the last vestiges of the Dutch colonial era education policy.

Focusing mostly on Christians, the policy of Japanification would see the proselytization of Shinto to the East Indies
​

The rebellion however further soured the already cold relations between the Japanese Empire and the British exile remnants, especially the Australasian Confederation. The Kenpeitai had managed to capture the second assassin, the one that had managed to escape from Hata Shunroku. Whilst the chaos of the early part of the fighting in Java had left little time to deal with him, leading many to presume that he had been a local Dutchman, after the Imperial Marines restored order to the island the man confessed during interrogation that he was in reality Sergeant Leonard Siffleet, an Australian commando of Dutch heritage. He did so most likely in an attempt to be returned to Australasia. Instead he was executed as along with other captured Australasian commandos as an unlawful combatant.

The beheading of Sergeant Leonard Siffleet, one of the few photographs of the execution of Australasian commandos​

 

[Maciej-Kamil]

What will happen to the syndycalist controlled parts of France? Will Commune of France be restored in some form? Or will the Union restrain itself, and create Commune of Brettany instead?

Also: a very good chapter, as always. I especially like tha fact, that the Dutch guerillas (mostly) collapsed almoust instantly, after they were formed.

 

[Bill1993]

Will you invade Australasia?
Perhaps you could also support Mexico against the CSA.

 

[Specialist290]

Huh, thought I had already commented on this update.... Anyway:

Once again the Exiles' schemes blow up in their face. I'm not sure what all that actually accomplished, other than dropping their relationship with Japan into the gutter and giving the IJA the perfect excuse to tighten their grip on the East Indies with a series of brutal crackdowns on anyone or anything that even looks wrong. At the very least, it's likely killed the chances for any sort of local autonomy for a decade or more.

 

[Health]

Sorry for the short break, I've been dealing with a weird cold as well as a mountain of school work. The next part will be out soonish.

What will happen to the syndycalist controlled parts of France? Will Commune of France be restored in some form? Or will the Union restrain itself, and create Commune of Brettany instead?

Also: a very good chapter, as always. I especially like tha fact, that the Dutch guerillas (mostly) collapsed almoust instantly, after they were formed.

Whilst the Commune is a good option, you make a decent point that the area does have quite a bit of Bretons, whilst the UoB would probably find it easier to dominate a Commune of Brittany it's probably not the route it's going to go.

Will you invade Australasia?
Perhaps you could also support Mexico against the CSA.

Probably not, at least not yet anyway. Because whilst the Australasians have provided an excellent excuse to do so, story wise the Empire is quite tied down with dealing with its neighbours on the Continent as well as now stabilizing the East Indies.

As to Mexico, well if it ends up going that way maybe. Mexico is still Syndicalist though and whilst keeping the CSA away from the West Coast is one of the best way to ensure continued Imperial dominance of the Pacific, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Huh, thought I had already commented on this update.... Anyway:

Once again the Exiles' schemes blow up in their face. I'm not sure what all that actually accomplished, other than dropping their relationship with Japan into the gutter and giving the IJA the perfect excuse to tighten their grip on the East Indies with a series of brutal crackdowns on anyone or anything that even looks wrong. At the very least, it's likely killed the chances for any sort of local autonomy for a decade or more.

Local autonomy itself isn't a problem, as the Empire needs to rely on the locals to maintain order to a degree regardless. Not to mention inspire to work with the "liberating" power. People like Mohammad Hatta and Sukarno.

Western Indonesia/Islamic parts are probably the ones that are going to get autonomy at any point soon anyway, because as you said the IJA is likely going to continue cracking down on those deemed disloyal, many of whom come from the local Christian population. This will probably lead to a splitting of the islands, at best. The region is however going to be a tender balancing act for the near future, as the clock is ticking for Japan to produce a state "independent" from imperialism, if it doesn't want to end up with facing a native revolt far worse than the East Indies Independence War.