I forgot to add it to the previous map above, bright red lines show the front Japanese advance on day three, the darker red show the lines on Day 4.
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Day 5
When the assault on the Kurils began, and the full size of the invasion force was realized , all the troops on the west coast were put on immediate standby. As the reports came in to Washington day after day it soon became apparent that first Barton's men were having a time of it, and a short while later it became that they were in trouble. To say the least the folks at the War Department were aghast at how easily the Japanese were advancing on all fronts. The idea of two cavalry division out contesting a crack Marine Division seemed hard to stomach, and the fact that an amphibious invasion gong up against well entrenched forces, without any support from naval shelling or air support should go so well went against every facet of military strategy.
Nevertheless, with the issue now in doubt, George Marshall instantly ordered replacements from the mainland sailed out there. Patton's 5th Armored, and Clarkson's 38th Motorized on the west coast were quickly loaded onto Sherman's 5th Flotilla Fleet, the same that had delivered the overseas force to the Kurils. A few days later as reports came of the heavy casualties, and extremely pessimistic estimates from Vandegrift and Barton, another set of transports was set out from the mainland for possible evacuation if time permitted. All haste was made in getting the troops aboard and getting the fleet underway, it was only hoped the defenders could hold out until fresh troops arrived.
What gains the Americans had seen on the fourth day of battle were quickly wiped out on day five. By this point all three regiments of the 6th Division had undergone direct unceasing assault from all directions by a force over twice its size. They had done well on the previous day to fight a retreating battle in the south, and help to make contact with the Marines to the north. But it was at great cost on both lines, and the 6th was just no longer able to hold the lines. In the early morning of the 25th, the Japanese southern force, now up into the heights on the left and around the lake on the right flank now concentrated their force on this right flank, clearly attempting to crush the depleted 10th and link up with their surrounded beleaguered division on the northern beachhead. The motorized division being perfect for this terrain went into the fray mostly fresh and well armed, and by noon the 10th commander seeing the entire front collapsing around him ordered a full retreat to the north west, between the 2nd and 11th. As it were, the 11th had taken it on the chin the hardest since the battle began, and already in a gradual retreat were also soon seen as unfit for battle. By the end of the day the 10th and 11th were ordered off the front lines, and the 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, the only unit still in reserve, was called in to hold the line in their place. Due to the help of the 1st and 5th Marines on their right flank, the 2nd Regiment although beaten and depleted remained on the line holding onto their ground, the only regiment of the 6th Division still in the battle.
On the previous day, the 3rd Marine division had successfully launched a flanking maneuver by the 4th around Little Round Top, while the 3rd had removed to a solid defensive line. With considerable aid by their artillery in the mountains, this was the most promising of all the American fronts. Shepherd had anxiously been watching his embattled 9th Marines to the north fighting a last ditch effort against the Japanese Cavalry, biding his time that he could complete the assault on his east flank before they had to turn around and face the cavalry coming down from the south. As it were, time ran out on the fifth day. With the northern sections secured, and only one division needed to finish off the 9th Marines, the second cavalry division had made its way south along the shoreline and finally had turned the corner to the east. Immediately Shepherd ordered a controversial withdrawal of the 4th from its advantageous spot in the mountains to take up the rear defenses behind the 3rd, in effect watching each other's backs. The Cavalry made great use of their mobility by sending their main force up into the heights to capture and neutralize the Marine artillery.
Finally, to the north, what would go down in American lore as the Last Stand of the Ninth took place. Drained in manpower, fatigued beyond words, out of supplies and ammunition and completely cutoff, wedged in on three sides of the mountains, men ate their meager breakfast with blank stares, as the officers went about to each squad urging them on to one last great stand. On the previous day the Japanese general in charge of the operation had been replaced with a true firebrand, and he had assembled everything he had in the area and at 9 am he let them loose in full fury. It began with an immense mortar barrage, far more potent than the uncoordinated ones of the previous days. Soon after that was silenced the cavalry came forth in a great rush, so tight were the formations to fit everyone in, it was wall to wall horses with foot soldiers rushing in behind. The Marine machine gunners let loose on this front row with everything they had, doing considerable damage to the first wave, but by then the attackers were upon the men, and what ensued next was the ugliest fighting of the entire Paramushir campaign. Because of the all out technique of the Japanese they lost considerably more men than they should have, but in the end the 9th Marines were reduced to small pockets of resistance, surrounded and outgunned. A few managed to slip away up into the mountains and cross into the 1st Division's zone, but the inevitable finally came as the surrender was given late in the afternoon. The whole northwest of the island was now in Japanese hands, and their attention could be given to the main battles to the south.
Japanese Advances - June 25
When the assault on the Kurils began, and the full size of the invasion force was realized , all the troops on the west coast were put on immediate standby. As the reports came in to Washington day after day it soon became apparent that first Barton's men were having a time of it, and a short while later it became that they were in trouble. To say the least the folks at the War Department were aghast at how easily the Japanese were advancing on all fronts. The idea of two cavalry division out contesting a crack Marine Division seemed hard to stomach, and the fact that an amphibious invasion gong up against well entrenched forces, without any support from naval shelling or air support should go so well went against every facet of military strategy.
Nevertheless, with the issue now in doubt, George Marshall instantly ordered replacements from the mainland sailed out there. Patton's 5th Armored, and Clarkson's 38th Motorized on the west coast were quickly loaded onto Sherman's 5th Flotilla Fleet, the same that had delivered the overseas force to the Kurils. A few days later as reports came of the heavy casualties, and extremely pessimistic estimates from Vandegrift and Barton, another set of transports was set out from the mainland for possible evacuation if time permitted. All haste was made in getting the troops aboard and getting the fleet underway, it was only hoped the defenders could hold out until fresh troops arrived.
What gains the Americans had seen on the fourth day of battle were quickly wiped out on day five. By this point all three regiments of the 6th Division had undergone direct unceasing assault from all directions by a force over twice its size. They had done well on the previous day to fight a retreating battle in the south, and help to make contact with the Marines to the north. But it was at great cost on both lines, and the 6th was just no longer able to hold the lines. In the early morning of the 25th, the Japanese southern force, now up into the heights on the left and around the lake on the right flank now concentrated their force on this right flank, clearly attempting to crush the depleted 10th and link up with their surrounded beleaguered division on the northern beachhead. The motorized division being perfect for this terrain went into the fray mostly fresh and well armed, and by noon the 10th commander seeing the entire front collapsing around him ordered a full retreat to the north west, between the 2nd and 11th. As it were, the 11th had taken it on the chin the hardest since the battle began, and already in a gradual retreat were also soon seen as unfit for battle. By the end of the day the 10th and 11th were ordered off the front lines, and the 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, the only unit still in reserve, was called in to hold the line in their place. Due to the help of the 1st and 5th Marines on their right flank, the 2nd Regiment although beaten and depleted remained on the line holding onto their ground, the only regiment of the 6th Division still in the battle.
On the previous day, the 3rd Marine division had successfully launched a flanking maneuver by the 4th around Little Round Top, while the 3rd had removed to a solid defensive line. With considerable aid by their artillery in the mountains, this was the most promising of all the American fronts. Shepherd had anxiously been watching his embattled 9th Marines to the north fighting a last ditch effort against the Japanese Cavalry, biding his time that he could complete the assault on his east flank before they had to turn around and face the cavalry coming down from the south. As it were, time ran out on the fifth day. With the northern sections secured, and only one division needed to finish off the 9th Marines, the second cavalry division had made its way south along the shoreline and finally had turned the corner to the east. Immediately Shepherd ordered a controversial withdrawal of the 4th from its advantageous spot in the mountains to take up the rear defenses behind the 3rd, in effect watching each other's backs. The Cavalry made great use of their mobility by sending their main force up into the heights to capture and neutralize the Marine artillery.
Finally, to the north, what would go down in American lore as the Last Stand of the Ninth took place. Drained in manpower, fatigued beyond words, out of supplies and ammunition and completely cutoff, wedged in on three sides of the mountains, men ate their meager breakfast with blank stares, as the officers went about to each squad urging them on to one last great stand. On the previous day the Japanese general in charge of the operation had been replaced with a true firebrand, and he had assembled everything he had in the area and at 9 am he let them loose in full fury. It began with an immense mortar barrage, far more potent than the uncoordinated ones of the previous days. Soon after that was silenced the cavalry came forth in a great rush, so tight were the formations to fit everyone in, it was wall to wall horses with foot soldiers rushing in behind. The Marine machine gunners let loose on this front row with everything they had, doing considerable damage to the first wave, but by then the attackers were upon the men, and what ensued next was the ugliest fighting of the entire Paramushir campaign. Because of the all out technique of the Japanese they lost considerably more men than they should have, but in the end the 9th Marines were reduced to small pockets of resistance, surrounded and outgunned. A few managed to slip away up into the mountains and cross into the 1st Division's zone, but the inevitable finally came as the surrender was given late in the afternoon. The whole northwest of the island was now in Japanese hands, and their attention could be given to the main battles to the south.
Japanese Advances - June 25
Last edited:
GrevenWhite said:
Yep, all maps are done in house. I had a contract for a firm in China to do it but the Japs are in the way currently. :rofl:
Actually downloaded the map of the island off the internet, yes they even have maps on the internet for out of the way places like Shumushushina.
Holding On For Dear Life
The date of the Japanese attack proved very untimely for the American forces on the island in terms of trapping them on the island. Sherman's transport fleet which had brought the expeditionary force over from stateside to the Aleutians and then to the Kurils, had returned to Kiska initially to act in support of the troops incase they were to be ferried to other islands. Once it was determined to stay put on Paramushir instead of expanding the operation southward, Sherman's fleet was recalled to California for refueling, as well as prepare for future operations. By June 26 it had become painfully apparent just how blunderous this move was. With the American defenders in a desperate fight 5000 miles from home, the closest transports for possible evacuation were a week away. When the battle broke out reinforcements and extra transports set sail from the west coast, but it was now looking like they would just not be able to get there in time.
A dispatch to Washington in the early morning of the 26th indicated just how dire the situation was in the Kurils, and how desperately Barton wanted transports to evacuate the men. He realized he was fighting a losing battle, with his own 6th Division shattered on all fronts. On the left side the 3rd Marine Division was surrounded and cutoff, with Cavalry to the west and Infantry to the East closing in from both sides. The western assault on this day continued their attack on the artillery upon the high ground, while the eastern one tried their best to break the line against the 3rd Marines on their well entrenched defensive ridge. For the most part the Marines held their own on this day, but surrounded in this fashion time was simply running out for them.
On the 26th the 6th Division's 2nd Regiment was also ordered removed from the line and marched to the north to join the other two units of the 6th which had withdrawn on the previous day. This now left merely the 1st Marine Division holding the east west line against several divisions of advancing Japanese units. Their only advantage was the width of the area between the beach and mountains that afforded fighting. The 7th Marines, called onto the line the previous day let loose with furry on the right flank on the by now battle weary Japanese front line troops, but the 1st and 5th had by now consigned themselves after days of toil to a purely defensive role in holding the line. The marine artillery behind the lines let loose at the assaulting hordes with everything they had, but it was just not enough to make up for the lack of troops guarding the line. By midday a slow defensive retreat was ordered to the north.
Vandegrift and Barton agreed at this point, with victory all but gone, the only hope to stave off total annihilation was a slow defensive withdrawal to the north until the ships from the states arrived. Despite this being over a week away, and the facts stating they could not hold out that long, nevertheless a slow defensive withdrawal northwards was the only option other than surrender. There was no way for them to help out their beleaguered men in the 3rd Marines to the west at this point, they were surrounded and left to fight their own little war, while the northern group slowly withdrew under fire.
The B17 Squadron that was stationed on the island to originally bomb the Japanese home islands, once the invasion had begun had taken to the ill suited role of tactical bombing the Japanese on the beaches. Completely ineffectual at this it cost more than it helped, with the poor weather in recent days negating their even getting off the ground to do runs. At last with the battle on the ground becoming a losing cause, the bombers were ordered rebased at Kiska. The battle weary and retreating American GI's looked up at the bombers flying in formation behind them, and when the planes then flew off to the north instead of for a tactical bombing run, it was then that the reality of their plight set in: The planes were leaving the island while they still could, the command was all but admitting defeat. One thought kept running through men's minds: Where were the transports?
The Battle's End
The retreat to the north on the 26th was meant merely to prolong the battle until the ships could arrive, but nevertheless they were under fire and assault the entire day, and the Marines holding the lines took heavy damage the entire way. Nighttime saw a nearly continual exchange of artillery fire between the two sides, including several charges by the Japanese. The lines by dawn of the 27th were devastated and badly formed. Vandegrift implored for remnants of the 6th division to rejoin the battle but Barton denied it: there was simply nothing left of them to put on the line. The 6th had in all effect ceased to become a fighting force. The Marines with holes in an already thinly stretched line had no support to count on, against overwhelming odds. Needless to say the fight that day went very badly for them, as the momentum of the Japanese advance continued. Field Marshal Sugiyama could sense the end was near and ordered every man and unit on or near the front to advance unceasing until it was over. Part of the Japanese Cavalry to the west, in particular the group that had finished off the 9th Marines in the battle of the fort, had made their way around the north of the island, and come down south to hit the Americans on their flank. Completely incapable of rejoining the front lines, the depleted 6th Division now had to turn on their heels and mount what defense they might against this rush out of the north.
This same day the Japanese to the south were able to form up and launch a coordinated assault from both directions on the embattled Marine positions. The fighting was fierce and desperate, but outnumbered the Marines eventually were bottled into a corner, the end was in sight for them. Oddly that night the Japanese declined to send heavy artillery bombardments as on the previous night. It was of little consolation to the soldiers on the beaches, they knew the end was very near. What the man in the trench didn't realize is that Field Marshall Sugiyama had ordered a cease fire that night, while requesting the American General to surrender. He gave them the night to decide before resuming the fighting. In effect this helped the Japanese to further fortify and reposition their forces for a more lethal attack on the next day if the surrender offer was refused.
On the next morning, that being the 28th, Barton still reluctant to call it a fight one last time tried to reach his commanders for word of where the transports were and when they would arrive. With his failure to respond to the surrender offer, the offensive was continued on all fronts. By noon, with slaughter on all sides, Barton finally received word that the transports were still four to five days away. With this news received, he conferred with Vandergrift, and the situation was clear to both of them: Surrender the fight now, the one sidedness of the morning's battle would only end in more tragedy if the fight continued. At 2:00 in the afternoon, the official ceasefire was given on both sides. The American soldiers were ordered to put down their guns and surrender to the Japanese. Begun with such bold ambitions, the ill named Operation Paradise had turned into a strategic and tactical disaster, rife with blunders and ill conceived plans. Fresh from an idealist pacifist nation that put no emphasis on its soldiers, not only were the men in uniform complety green, but their weapons and doctrines were completely untested.
In what to this day is still held as a controversial subject in many military circles, for reasons undisclosed by the War Department for many years, General Vandegrift was ordered off the front lines before the battle officially ended, to take a handful of staff to the northern part of the island to rendezvous with small boats from King's Battle Fleet that had been stationed in the waters to the north. The rest of the force, including General Barton were left to become prisoners of Japan for the duration of the war. The reason for this evacuation, as ordered by the War Department, was for Washington to be able to gain first hand experience of the fighting on the island, of the Japanese tendencies and tactics, as well as what obvious flaws they exposed in the American defensive plan and its equipment. Why Vandegrift was chosen for this over someone else was never quite made clear. The fact that it was a Marine General and his men that were evacuated brought about a great unintended rift between the army grunts and leathernecks for the duration of the war. Be that as it may, on June 28, 1942 Operation Paradise officially ended, an unmitigated disaster.
The date of the Japanese attack proved very untimely for the American forces on the island in terms of trapping them on the island. Sherman's transport fleet which had brought the expeditionary force over from stateside to the Aleutians and then to the Kurils, had returned to Kiska initially to act in support of the troops incase they were to be ferried to other islands. Once it was determined to stay put on Paramushir instead of expanding the operation southward, Sherman's fleet was recalled to California for refueling, as well as prepare for future operations. By June 26 it had become painfully apparent just how blunderous this move was. With the American defenders in a desperate fight 5000 miles from home, the closest transports for possible evacuation were a week away. When the battle broke out reinforcements and extra transports set sail from the west coast, but it was now looking like they would just not be able to get there in time.
A dispatch to Washington in the early morning of the 26th indicated just how dire the situation was in the Kurils, and how desperately Barton wanted transports to evacuate the men. He realized he was fighting a losing battle, with his own 6th Division shattered on all fronts. On the left side the 3rd Marine Division was surrounded and cutoff, with Cavalry to the west and Infantry to the East closing in from both sides. The western assault on this day continued their attack on the artillery upon the high ground, while the eastern one tried their best to break the line against the 3rd Marines on their well entrenched defensive ridge. For the most part the Marines held their own on this day, but surrounded in this fashion time was simply running out for them.
On the 26th the 6th Division's 2nd Regiment was also ordered removed from the line and marched to the north to join the other two units of the 6th which had withdrawn on the previous day. This now left merely the 1st Marine Division holding the east west line against several divisions of advancing Japanese units. Their only advantage was the width of the area between the beach and mountains that afforded fighting. The 7th Marines, called onto the line the previous day let loose with furry on the right flank on the by now battle weary Japanese front line troops, but the 1st and 5th had by now consigned themselves after days of toil to a purely defensive role in holding the line. The marine artillery behind the lines let loose at the assaulting hordes with everything they had, but it was just not enough to make up for the lack of troops guarding the line. By midday a slow defensive retreat was ordered to the north.
Vandegrift and Barton agreed at this point, with victory all but gone, the only hope to stave off total annihilation was a slow defensive withdrawal to the north until the ships from the states arrived. Despite this being over a week away, and the facts stating they could not hold out that long, nevertheless a slow defensive withdrawal northwards was the only option other than surrender. There was no way for them to help out their beleaguered men in the 3rd Marines to the west at this point, they were surrounded and left to fight their own little war, while the northern group slowly withdrew under fire.
The B17 Squadron that was stationed on the island to originally bomb the Japanese home islands, once the invasion had begun had taken to the ill suited role of tactical bombing the Japanese on the beaches. Completely ineffectual at this it cost more than it helped, with the poor weather in recent days negating their even getting off the ground to do runs. At last with the battle on the ground becoming a losing cause, the bombers were ordered rebased at Kiska. The battle weary and retreating American GI's looked up at the bombers flying in formation behind them, and when the planes then flew off to the north instead of for a tactical bombing run, it was then that the reality of their plight set in: The planes were leaving the island while they still could, the command was all but admitting defeat. One thought kept running through men's minds: Where were the transports?
The Battle's End
The retreat to the north on the 26th was meant merely to prolong the battle until the ships could arrive, but nevertheless they were under fire and assault the entire day, and the Marines holding the lines took heavy damage the entire way. Nighttime saw a nearly continual exchange of artillery fire between the two sides, including several charges by the Japanese. The lines by dawn of the 27th were devastated and badly formed. Vandegrift implored for remnants of the 6th division to rejoin the battle but Barton denied it: there was simply nothing left of them to put on the line. The 6th had in all effect ceased to become a fighting force. The Marines with holes in an already thinly stretched line had no support to count on, against overwhelming odds. Needless to say the fight that day went very badly for them, as the momentum of the Japanese advance continued. Field Marshal Sugiyama could sense the end was near and ordered every man and unit on or near the front to advance unceasing until it was over. Part of the Japanese Cavalry to the west, in particular the group that had finished off the 9th Marines in the battle of the fort, had made their way around the north of the island, and come down south to hit the Americans on their flank. Completely incapable of rejoining the front lines, the depleted 6th Division now had to turn on their heels and mount what defense they might against this rush out of the north.
This same day the Japanese to the south were able to form up and launch a coordinated assault from both directions on the embattled Marine positions. The fighting was fierce and desperate, but outnumbered the Marines eventually were bottled into a corner, the end was in sight for them. Oddly that night the Japanese declined to send heavy artillery bombardments as on the previous night. It was of little consolation to the soldiers on the beaches, they knew the end was very near. What the man in the trench didn't realize is that Field Marshall Sugiyama had ordered a cease fire that night, while requesting the American General to surrender. He gave them the night to decide before resuming the fighting. In effect this helped the Japanese to further fortify and reposition their forces for a more lethal attack on the next day if the surrender offer was refused.
On the next morning, that being the 28th, Barton still reluctant to call it a fight one last time tried to reach his commanders for word of where the transports were and when they would arrive. With his failure to respond to the surrender offer, the offensive was continued on all fronts. By noon, with slaughter on all sides, Barton finally received word that the transports were still four to five days away. With this news received, he conferred with Vandergrift, and the situation was clear to both of them: Surrender the fight now, the one sidedness of the morning's battle would only end in more tragedy if the fight continued. At 2:00 in the afternoon, the official ceasefire was given on both sides. The American soldiers were ordered to put down their guns and surrender to the Japanese. Begun with such bold ambitions, the ill named Operation Paradise had turned into a strategic and tactical disaster, rife with blunders and ill conceived plans. Fresh from an idealist pacifist nation that put no emphasis on its soldiers, not only were the men in uniform complety green, but their weapons and doctrines were completely untested.
In what to this day is still held as a controversial subject in many military circles, for reasons undisclosed by the War Department for many years, General Vandegrift was ordered off the front lines before the battle officially ended, to take a handful of staff to the northern part of the island to rendezvous with small boats from King's Battle Fleet that had been stationed in the waters to the north. The rest of the force, including General Barton were left to become prisoners of Japan for the duration of the war. The reason for this evacuation, as ordered by the War Department, was for Washington to be able to gain first hand experience of the fighting on the island, of the Japanese tendencies and tactics, as well as what obvious flaws they exposed in the American defensive plan and its equipment. Why Vandegrift was chosen for this over someone else was never quite made clear. The fact that it was a Marine General and his men that were evacuated brought about a great unintended rift between the army grunts and leathernecks for the duration of the war. Be that as it may, on June 28, 1942 Operation Paradise officially ended, an unmitigated disaster.
A Black Day for the United States
June 29th was a gloomy rainy day across much of the north east. It was gloomier still inside the government and military facilities throughout the entire country. While the news of the shocking annihilation had not yet reached the general public, the war department was filled with long faces with hollow stares. The absolute one sidedness of the battle in the Kurils was simply too overwhelming for the Army brass to accept. Horsemen going thru the best trained best armed men the United States had? In one fell swoop of fate Operation Paradise went from an overwhelming success to a disastrous and complete failure. The follow up plans to invade further Kuril Islands was of course canceled, especially until the brass could figure out just what went wrong and how to correct it. The fleet of ships on its way with troop reinforcements and transport ships was ordered returned to the states. The entire American military strategy was in effect put on hold until it could be figured out what went wrong, how it went wrong, and what could be addressed in a prompt manner. Only then could the next scheme for waging the war be pursued.
As news eventually filtered out of Washington of the absolute defeat of the overseas American forces, memorial services were held throughout the country to honor the fallen, while the wives and families of the tens of thousands taken prisoner of war were consoled by churches and friends. The defeat was an incredible blow to the American psyche, both in government and in public. Simply put it was the worst defeat of American forces since the Civil War. In response to the surrender of the overseas force President Roosevelt ordered the flag at all federal buildings to be lowered to half staff.
The flag flies half staff over the Capitol Building in Washington
There were several reasons floated around early on of what had contributed to this defeat. The most common consensus was the extreme lack of troops that the Army had to work with. At the time of the attack, there were only 39 divisions to be spared for continental defense, island defense, and Operation Paradise. Outnumbered by the Japanese at an estimated four to one ratio in ground forces, it was immediately decided to put most resources on increasing the size of the ground forces. The other idea floated around was that the training and the weaponry of the infantry man had been severely neglected over the years, and they were just outgunned. Emphasis had been put on building up the Navy, and creating a top of the line submarine fleet, at the neglect of the Army. Now that the submarines and Navy had control over the seas, not only increasing the army's size but also improving its weapons and tactics became priority one. Another item of concern was the lack of true tactical air support for the defenders. Naval bombers and B-17's were ill equipped for such a task as proven in the Kurils, and there was not a single tactical bomber within 5000 miles of the forces at the time of the battle. Tactical bombers had to be built, and they had to be present at all forward bases.
The Kurils invasion had been a very risky mission, highly controversial, highly unconventional, boldly planned without proper resources or without contingency plans should something go awry. When it fell flat on its face consequently, people began running away from taking responsibility for it like mice running from a cat. Officers tried to disassociate themselves from other officers who had a hand in its planning, others who had worked on the project began damage control by trying to shift the blame elsewhere. Such is the way of the human creature, that its ego is unquenchable when something goes well, and it wishes to heap more of the glory upon itself than it deserves; and that its shame in times of trouble cannot bear the brunt of the scrutiny of others, and it will do all the non virtuous things it can to allay or spread the blame to others, lightening the burden of blame upon oneself by placing on the back of another.
In any affair when things go horribly wrong review boards will always be created, a witch hunt will ensue and scapegoats will eventually be found, and guilty or not will be punished or sacked. One such casualty of this incident was Armaments Minister John Cooper Wiley, who's emphasis on submarine warfare was now viewed as a detriment to the army's proper development. In reality, Operation Nemo was a brilliant plan that worked with great effectiveness. Wiley's plan for Operation Nemo will go down as one of the best early war strategies, as in a 4 month period, it had sunk 690 convoy ships, including 280 in June alone, the month he was relieved. He was replaced by Henry Kaiser who was more focused on increasing overall war production. While Wiley was merely a scapegoat in this sacking, the fact of the matter was even had the Kuril Island massacre not happened, this would have been the proper avenue to pursue anyway. The submarines had been researched, built and deployed, and what the military most needed now was the best possible capacity to increase its overall size, and in this Henry Kaiser was the man for the job. Nevertheless, the burden of blame was unfairly put upon Wiley's shoulders, even though it was not he who thought out the ill advised Kuril invasion.
June 29th was a gloomy rainy day across much of the north east. It was gloomier still inside the government and military facilities throughout the entire country. While the news of the shocking annihilation had not yet reached the general public, the war department was filled with long faces with hollow stares. The absolute one sidedness of the battle in the Kurils was simply too overwhelming for the Army brass to accept. Horsemen going thru the best trained best armed men the United States had? In one fell swoop of fate Operation Paradise went from an overwhelming success to a disastrous and complete failure. The follow up plans to invade further Kuril Islands was of course canceled, especially until the brass could figure out just what went wrong and how to correct it. The fleet of ships on its way with troop reinforcements and transport ships was ordered returned to the states. The entire American military strategy was in effect put on hold until it could be figured out what went wrong, how it went wrong, and what could be addressed in a prompt manner. Only then could the next scheme for waging the war be pursued.
As news eventually filtered out of Washington of the absolute defeat of the overseas American forces, memorial services were held throughout the country to honor the fallen, while the wives and families of the tens of thousands taken prisoner of war were consoled by churches and friends. The defeat was an incredible blow to the American psyche, both in government and in public. Simply put it was the worst defeat of American forces since the Civil War. In response to the surrender of the overseas force President Roosevelt ordered the flag at all federal buildings to be lowered to half staff.
The flag flies half staff over the Capitol Building in Washington
There were several reasons floated around early on of what had contributed to this defeat. The most common consensus was the extreme lack of troops that the Army had to work with. At the time of the attack, there were only 39 divisions to be spared for continental defense, island defense, and Operation Paradise. Outnumbered by the Japanese at an estimated four to one ratio in ground forces, it was immediately decided to put most resources on increasing the size of the ground forces. The other idea floated around was that the training and the weaponry of the infantry man had been severely neglected over the years, and they were just outgunned. Emphasis had been put on building up the Navy, and creating a top of the line submarine fleet, at the neglect of the Army. Now that the submarines and Navy had control over the seas, not only increasing the army's size but also improving its weapons and tactics became priority one. Another item of concern was the lack of true tactical air support for the defenders. Naval bombers and B-17's were ill equipped for such a task as proven in the Kurils, and there was not a single tactical bomber within 5000 miles of the forces at the time of the battle. Tactical bombers had to be built, and they had to be present at all forward bases.
The Kurils invasion had been a very risky mission, highly controversial, highly unconventional, boldly planned without proper resources or without contingency plans should something go awry. When it fell flat on its face consequently, people began running away from taking responsibility for it like mice running from a cat. Officers tried to disassociate themselves from other officers who had a hand in its planning, others who had worked on the project began damage control by trying to shift the blame elsewhere. Such is the way of the human creature, that its ego is unquenchable when something goes well, and it wishes to heap more of the glory upon itself than it deserves; and that its shame in times of trouble cannot bear the brunt of the scrutiny of others, and it will do all the non virtuous things it can to allay or spread the blame to others, lightening the burden of blame upon oneself by placing on the back of another.
In any affair when things go horribly wrong review boards will always be created, a witch hunt will ensue and scapegoats will eventually be found, and guilty or not will be punished or sacked. One such casualty of this incident was Armaments Minister John Cooper Wiley, who's emphasis on submarine warfare was now viewed as a detriment to the army's proper development. In reality, Operation Nemo was a brilliant plan that worked with great effectiveness. Wiley's plan for Operation Nemo will go down as one of the best early war strategies, as in a 4 month period, it had sunk 690 convoy ships, including 280 in June alone, the month he was relieved. He was replaced by Henry Kaiser who was more focused on increasing overall war production. While Wiley was merely a scapegoat in this sacking, the fact of the matter was even had the Kuril Island massacre not happened, this would have been the proper avenue to pursue anyway. The submarines had been researched, built and deployed, and what the military most needed now was the best possible capacity to increase its overall size, and in this Henry Kaiser was the man for the job. Nevertheless, the burden of blame was unfairly put upon Wiley's shoulders, even though it was not he who thought out the ill advised Kuril invasion.
Fire Sale on Generals
The United States is offering a fire sale on its Generals. Due to their inept planning and handling of the Kurils campaign, President Roosevelt is cleaning house. Buy two generals, get the third free! All have experience both in the first world war, and in the war department.
The State Department is also willing to swap generals with other readAARs and writAARs, so please contact the White House if you are interested in swapping or purchasing generals. :rofl:
All I can say is every general and admiral serving in my AAR right now can be thankful that I didn't choose to play as Soviet Russia instead. Can you say purge?
The United States is offering a fire sale on its Generals. Due to their inept planning and handling of the Kurils campaign, President Roosevelt is cleaning house. Buy two generals, get the third free! All have experience both in the first world war, and in the war department.
The State Department is also willing to swap generals with other readAARs and writAARs, so please contact the White House if you are interested in swapping or purchasing generals. :rofl:
All I can say is every general and admiral serving in my AAR right now can be thankful that I didn't choose to play as Soviet Russia instead. Can you say purge?
Miral said:The United States is offering a fire sale on its Generals. Due to their inept planning and handling of the Kurils campaign, President Roosevelt is cleaning house. Buy two generals, get the third free! All have experience both in the first world war, and in the war department.
The State Department is also willing to swap generals with other readAARs and writAARs, so please contact the White House if you are interested in swapping or purchasing generals. :rofl:
All I can say is every general and admiral serving in my AAR right now can be thankful that I didn't choose to play as Soviet Russia instead. Can you say purge?
I'll give you a Field Marshal Lescot for FREE!
ROFL! Lescot, why didn't I think of that! We need to get Haiti to join the allies and everything should be fine. More valuable even than a level 9 Patton!
I'd have to strip all the medals off all my other generals to offer to him for him to accept the job though. :rofl:
I'd have to strip all the medals off all my other generals to offer to him for him to accept the job though. :rofl:
Excellent aar, Americans fighting Japanese in the Kuriles? And then losing? Magnificent! Gotta love alternative history. Also I'd like to commend you on the flow of the story, couldn't tear my eyes away from it.
Thanks for the kind words Shaytana.
I'm still shocked that the Japs won the battle so overwhelmingly, I figured 3 division including 2 marines, both with artillery attached, completely dug in, defending, against an amphibious assault, of cavalry no less, with I think level 2 coastal fortifications, defending in mountainous terrain, with air support (b17) and naval bombardment would have easily fought off the invasion even though it was 2-1 superiority. I had all the favorable things on my side and still got slaughtered. I guess I'm still not used to the new battle variables of 1.06.
I'm still shocked that the Japs won the battle so overwhelmingly, I figured 3 division including 2 marines, both with artillery attached, completely dug in, defending, against an amphibious assault, of cavalry no less, with I think level 2 coastal fortifications, defending in mountainous terrain, with air support (b17) and naval bombardment would have easily fought off the invasion even though it was 2-1 superiority. I had all the favorable things on my side and still got slaughtered. I guess I'm still not used to the new battle variables of 1.06.
Mendocino, California
It was a week after news of the defeat reached the ears of the American public, and its soldiers stationed at home. The 131st Field Artillery Battalion had been stationed in Mendocino, California for the last two months. A recently mobilized unit, it had been targeted to be attached to the 38th Motorized Division. When the Kuril campaign broke out and the 38th was boarded onto transports, time constraints required for the 131st to be left behind, so it waited in California until it was clear how the situation overseas was turning out. With the battle of the Kurils being lost, the men of the 138th were unsure where in the Pacific the rest of the Division was, and where it was now headed to. Some speculated Kiska, while others said Guam, and yet others guessed it was returning to California.
Four sergeants of Bravo Company sat around on an overcast evening late in June, playing cards and speculating upon what folly the folks in Washington were going send the troops into next. Needless to say this foursome did not hold the highest regard for the decision to send three divisions to their capture, and currently held little assurance that the men at the top knew what they were doing.
Sergeant Roy Wilkins from Memphis was the most bitter of the four, his friend from childhood was part of the 4th Division, and as far as Roy knew his friend would be spending the next five years in the unfriendly confines of a Japanese POW camp in some god forsaken place. "I just don't understand why they sent those boys all the way across the ocean, while the bulk of us stayed here at home, unable to support them. What an absolute waste. That's like what 50,000 soldiers gone in one fell stroke of the pen. If you ask me, Marshall should be court-martialed."
Willy Tubbs from Texas chimed in with his own version of it, "The guys at the top just got cocky, the navy won a couple of sea battles around Hawaii, and now the army brass who haven't set foot off North America think they are invincible. What's done is done, we can't do anything more about it except gripe."
Joked the Brooklyn native Jim Barnes, "But isn't that we're paid to do? We sit around all day when there's a war going on somewhere else, spending the day complaining about everything around us. I can't wait till the day they actually send us overseas so it feels like we're doing something."
Greg Mansfield, the oldest of the lot who had been in the longest pumped his fist "Amen to that. The only difference between what we're doing now and military service a year ago is that now we read the headlines and see we're in a war."
They went back to playing cards again until Tubbs started up with it again, "What do you think the bigwigs in Washington will do next, try to retake the Kurils?"
He got quite a ribbing at this from his friends, and a few slaps on top the head. "No way they are going to send more troops to the Kurils, we're done there for sure, it was a complete disaster and the last thing Roosevelt wants is another black eye."
"Well then what's their next step?"
Wilkins answered with a pessimistic shake of the head "Probably just sit on their hands like they've been doing for the last ten years."
Added Tubbs, still smarting from the friendly slaps, "Yea, we're going to sit here and dig in till the Japs invade."
Mansfield hit him again, "Buddy, you're a fool, there's no way the Japanese would invade a place like America that's 5000 miles away. Don't you read the papers? Their kicking butt in China and Borneo and Singapore. They've got everything they need right there in Asia. They have no reason to come here. We'll be guarding these beaches till we get old. Save your money and buy a house off base folks, we're going to be in sunny California for quite some time."
From behind him a tall figure appeared on the scene, it was Bravo's leader Captain Jeremiah Adams. A tall, lean man with a very gentle way about him, he was very well liked by his men. He had a knack for smoothly putting things into better perspective, and now was no exception as he tried to lighten the mood, "Sergeant Mansfield, I think you're right, in fact I'll get on the phone with Washington right now and tell them to disband the whole lot of us, the California coast is safe."
A good amount of laughter went up at this, except for Wilkins, who merely pouted that he wished he had a chance to get back at the Japs in hand to hand before it was all over. The Captain cautioned him in his well perfected way, "Be careful what you wish for Roy, you may just get the opportunity to be in that position. Listen up guys, enough of this doom and gloom stuff. We can't do anything about what happened in the Kurils, its called War, that's what happens sometimes. But I can tell you this: We are American soldiers, with the backing of the American people behind us. We are well fed, well trained, and better equipped than any of the Japanese troops are. Just give it time boys, we'll be sent overseas to do what we were brought here to do: Kick the Japanese in the rear end and then chase them all the way to Tokyo. You can depend on it."
The discussion was broken by a sergeant rushing up to them. Finding the man he wanted he called out, "Captain Adams?"
"Yes Sergeant?"
"Colonel wants to see you at Battalion at once."
With a slight tilt of the head he asked "Just me?"
"No sir, he's calling all company commanders."
"Very well."
As the Captain and his messenger walked briskly off, the sergeants sat there for a bit completely silent. All company commanders? Barnes started to deal out another hand but Mansfield stopped him. "Something is up boys, I can feel it."
"Here that boys? Mansfield can feel it!" Barnes joked, "All company commanders being called generally means something's up genius!"
"Yea, but what?"
After no answer to this, Barnes threw it out there, "Maybe the Colonel liked Mansfield's idea and he's telling them all to start buying houses off base."
Inevitably, after a jokingly aggravated shake of the head on the part of Mansfield followed by an expletive or two, they got back to playing cards again. As had been the case earlier, the light accusations of the winner cheating came up and the gloominess of the earlier conversation gave way to the more jovial atmosphere they had intended when they first started playing. It was maybe 20 minutes later when a jeep pulled up to their table, Captain Adams sitting in the passenger seat looking down at them.
"I hope you're all done sobbing all that doom and gloom stuff about never getting out of Mendocino. Get your gear together boys, and get your men ready, we're shipping out in 24 hours. Linking up with the 38th overseas." The jeep quickly sped off to other parts of the camp, leaving the sergeants around the table with raised eyebrows. We're shipping out in 24 hours!
Those were perhaps the six most inspiring words the four sergeants had heard since they first joined the service. After sitting on their backsides these last six months, this is exactly what everyone of them wanted to hear. Everybody wanted desperately to get back at the Japanese for the Kurils defeat, now the boys of the 131st Field Artillery Battalion felt like they were getting that chance.
It was a week after news of the defeat reached the ears of the American public, and its soldiers stationed at home. The 131st Field Artillery Battalion had been stationed in Mendocino, California for the last two months. A recently mobilized unit, it had been targeted to be attached to the 38th Motorized Division. When the Kuril campaign broke out and the 38th was boarded onto transports, time constraints required for the 131st to be left behind, so it waited in California until it was clear how the situation overseas was turning out. With the battle of the Kurils being lost, the men of the 138th were unsure where in the Pacific the rest of the Division was, and where it was now headed to. Some speculated Kiska, while others said Guam, and yet others guessed it was returning to California.
Four sergeants of Bravo Company sat around on an overcast evening late in June, playing cards and speculating upon what folly the folks in Washington were going send the troops into next. Needless to say this foursome did not hold the highest regard for the decision to send three divisions to their capture, and currently held little assurance that the men at the top knew what they were doing.
Sergeant Roy Wilkins from Memphis was the most bitter of the four, his friend from childhood was part of the 4th Division, and as far as Roy knew his friend would be spending the next five years in the unfriendly confines of a Japanese POW camp in some god forsaken place. "I just don't understand why they sent those boys all the way across the ocean, while the bulk of us stayed here at home, unable to support them. What an absolute waste. That's like what 50,000 soldiers gone in one fell stroke of the pen. If you ask me, Marshall should be court-martialed."
Willy Tubbs from Texas chimed in with his own version of it, "The guys at the top just got cocky, the navy won a couple of sea battles around Hawaii, and now the army brass who haven't set foot off North America think they are invincible. What's done is done, we can't do anything more about it except gripe."
Joked the Brooklyn native Jim Barnes, "But isn't that we're paid to do? We sit around all day when there's a war going on somewhere else, spending the day complaining about everything around us. I can't wait till the day they actually send us overseas so it feels like we're doing something."
Greg Mansfield, the oldest of the lot who had been in the longest pumped his fist "Amen to that. The only difference between what we're doing now and military service a year ago is that now we read the headlines and see we're in a war."
They went back to playing cards again until Tubbs started up with it again, "What do you think the bigwigs in Washington will do next, try to retake the Kurils?"
He got quite a ribbing at this from his friends, and a few slaps on top the head. "No way they are going to send more troops to the Kurils, we're done there for sure, it was a complete disaster and the last thing Roosevelt wants is another black eye."
"Well then what's their next step?"
Wilkins answered with a pessimistic shake of the head "Probably just sit on their hands like they've been doing for the last ten years."
Added Tubbs, still smarting from the friendly slaps, "Yea, we're going to sit here and dig in till the Japs invade."
Mansfield hit him again, "Buddy, you're a fool, there's no way the Japanese would invade a place like America that's 5000 miles away. Don't you read the papers? Their kicking butt in China and Borneo and Singapore. They've got everything they need right there in Asia. They have no reason to come here. We'll be guarding these beaches till we get old. Save your money and buy a house off base folks, we're going to be in sunny California for quite some time."
From behind him a tall figure appeared on the scene, it was Bravo's leader Captain Jeremiah Adams. A tall, lean man with a very gentle way about him, he was very well liked by his men. He had a knack for smoothly putting things into better perspective, and now was no exception as he tried to lighten the mood, "Sergeant Mansfield, I think you're right, in fact I'll get on the phone with Washington right now and tell them to disband the whole lot of us, the California coast is safe."
A good amount of laughter went up at this, except for Wilkins, who merely pouted that he wished he had a chance to get back at the Japs in hand to hand before it was all over. The Captain cautioned him in his well perfected way, "Be careful what you wish for Roy, you may just get the opportunity to be in that position. Listen up guys, enough of this doom and gloom stuff. We can't do anything about what happened in the Kurils, its called War, that's what happens sometimes. But I can tell you this: We are American soldiers, with the backing of the American people behind us. We are well fed, well trained, and better equipped than any of the Japanese troops are. Just give it time boys, we'll be sent overseas to do what we were brought here to do: Kick the Japanese in the rear end and then chase them all the way to Tokyo. You can depend on it."
The discussion was broken by a sergeant rushing up to them. Finding the man he wanted he called out, "Captain Adams?"
"Yes Sergeant?"
"Colonel wants to see you at Battalion at once."
With a slight tilt of the head he asked "Just me?"
"No sir, he's calling all company commanders."
"Very well."
As the Captain and his messenger walked briskly off, the sergeants sat there for a bit completely silent. All company commanders? Barnes started to deal out another hand but Mansfield stopped him. "Something is up boys, I can feel it."
"Here that boys? Mansfield can feel it!" Barnes joked, "All company commanders being called generally means something's up genius!"
"Yea, but what?"
After no answer to this, Barnes threw it out there, "Maybe the Colonel liked Mansfield's idea and he's telling them all to start buying houses off base."
Inevitably, after a jokingly aggravated shake of the head on the part of Mansfield followed by an expletive or two, they got back to playing cards again. As had been the case earlier, the light accusations of the winner cheating came up and the gloominess of the earlier conversation gave way to the more jovial atmosphere they had intended when they first started playing. It was maybe 20 minutes later when a jeep pulled up to their table, Captain Adams sitting in the passenger seat looking down at them.
"I hope you're all done sobbing all that doom and gloom stuff about never getting out of Mendocino. Get your gear together boys, and get your men ready, we're shipping out in 24 hours. Linking up with the 38th overseas." The jeep quickly sped off to other parts of the camp, leaving the sergeants around the table with raised eyebrows. We're shipping out in 24 hours!
Those were perhaps the six most inspiring words the four sergeants had heard since they first joined the service. After sitting on their backsides these last six months, this is exactly what everyone of them wanted to hear. Everybody wanted desperately to get back at the Japanese for the Kurils defeat, now the boys of the 131st Field Artillery Battalion felt like they were getting that chance.
Wow I just spend my morning reading this AAR and I waiting to find it on teh W.O.W awards. You've valiently done what has plaugued most US AAR's, get past the pacifist part and into war.
Mr.G 24 said:
Thanks Mr. G. Unfortunately based on the slaughter in the Kurils I'm still paying for that pacifist part. So much for ambitious strikes when you don't have the clout to back it up. I want soooo bad to force that supply slider to the left so I can make more troops. Food? You guys don't need food or weapons, you're marines!
Situation Philippines - July 1942
As part of the Continental Defense Initiative, the Philippines along with the rest of the Pacific Islands were considered by the United States as expendable, to the extent that the resources were not available to ensure its defense from the Japanese. And while some argued against abandonment of such a strategic position and an ally, in effect it was not abandonment. The Philippines were in fact a sovereign nation, and in fact the country had more army divisions of its own than the entire United States had. Nevertheless, so close to the Japanese home islands, the invaders did come, in great numbers, seizing the southern islands around Mindinao. By late May they assailed Manila itself, and this is where the Philippine forces were brought into action, defending the nations's center with everything they had. After a lengthy battle, the minimal Japanese force was beaten off, but it took 7 combined divisions to do it.
Unlike the beginning of the war where the Japanese Navy had the upper hand, when distant places like the Philippines were cut off from proper resupply, now with apparent freedom of the seas, such a place could be properly supplied, reinforced and guarded by sea. With the recent collapse of the northern front in the Kurils, that door to Japan was shut. Looking for a new avenue to Tokyo, the Philippines now became the obvious choice. Unlike the small isolated islands of the Kurils, with no place to retreat to, the Philippines was quite a large landmass, and geographically was quite near the Japanese home islands. In addition, with the large size of the Philippine army, the combined garrison would be enough to thwart a true invasion. True, the Japanese held a significant portion of the islands currently, but the center had held, and the majority of the Philippine Army was still in 100% capacity in the northern half of the island chain, and this without any support from the United States.
The War Department now turned to looking into if the strengthening of the Philippines should be their next objective. With the ability to send proper naval support to the area preventing further Japanese landings, and create blockades to starve the existing forces on the southern islands, a large enough force could be built up around Manila to secure the center regions of the nation. Once that was achieved, further troops could be shipped across the Pacific as they became available to create a potentially offensive force for actually driving the Japanese completely off the islands. After a short investigation into this strategy it seemed by all the logical next course of action. The Philippines were an ally, that was in need, and a strategically placed ally whose land afforded runways for long range bombers well within reach of the Japanese islands. Once it was firmly established it could then be the launching point for the next phase of the war, with multiple possibilities including the invasion of Borneo, Singapore, Indochina, the Chinese coast, or even the southern most of the Japanese islands.
The decision of which troops to send to Manila seemed a logical one. The troops that were currently aboard the flotilla that was initially headed out to reinforce the Kuril troops, namely Patton's 5th Armored and Clarkson's 38th Motorized, were selected for this new mission. The flotilla, currently on its way back east to the states, was given the order to head instead for Wake Island, where it would rendezvous with the 131st Field Artillery Battalion which was shipping out from California. From there the unit would then sail with additional naval cover to Manila. This would be the first of the reinforcement to the Philippines as they became the new theatre of operations against the Japanese. Likewise two wings of A20C Havocs were ordered there as well for tactical air support, something that the Army had noted was direly lacking in the failed Kurils campaign.
The operation was of course not with out its risks. One look at a map of the pacific, highlighting American holdings and Japanese holdings and where the Philippines were clearly showed the danger of a resupply line snaking its way through several Japanese held island chains. Despite winning naval battles in American waters, Secretary of the Navy William Standley was still convinced the Japanese fleet was quite strong, particularly in the areas closer to its home waters. To cover this supply line he ordered a considerable amount of battle fleets to the area. Despite the extreme caution laid out in their overall defensive schemes of the last five years, particularly the Continental Defense Initiative, it was quite remarkable and indeed contradictory that the Army staff saw fit to launch two bold overseas operations far from home with minimal support, that being the failed Kurils campaign followed by this new reinforcement of the Philippines. At least this time they had the support of two complete Philippine Armies to aid them.
As part of the Continental Defense Initiative, the Philippines along with the rest of the Pacific Islands were considered by the United States as expendable, to the extent that the resources were not available to ensure its defense from the Japanese. And while some argued against abandonment of such a strategic position and an ally, in effect it was not abandonment. The Philippines were in fact a sovereign nation, and in fact the country had more army divisions of its own than the entire United States had. Nevertheless, so close to the Japanese home islands, the invaders did come, in great numbers, seizing the southern islands around Mindinao. By late May they assailed Manila itself, and this is where the Philippine forces were brought into action, defending the nations's center with everything they had. After a lengthy battle, the minimal Japanese force was beaten off, but it took 7 combined divisions to do it.
Unlike the beginning of the war where the Japanese Navy had the upper hand, when distant places like the Philippines were cut off from proper resupply, now with apparent freedom of the seas, such a place could be properly supplied, reinforced and guarded by sea. With the recent collapse of the northern front in the Kurils, that door to Japan was shut. Looking for a new avenue to Tokyo, the Philippines now became the obvious choice. Unlike the small isolated islands of the Kurils, with no place to retreat to, the Philippines was quite a large landmass, and geographically was quite near the Japanese home islands. In addition, with the large size of the Philippine army, the combined garrison would be enough to thwart a true invasion. True, the Japanese held a significant portion of the islands currently, but the center had held, and the majority of the Philippine Army was still in 100% capacity in the northern half of the island chain, and this without any support from the United States.
The War Department now turned to looking into if the strengthening of the Philippines should be their next objective. With the ability to send proper naval support to the area preventing further Japanese landings, and create blockades to starve the existing forces on the southern islands, a large enough force could be built up around Manila to secure the center regions of the nation. Once that was achieved, further troops could be shipped across the Pacific as they became available to create a potentially offensive force for actually driving the Japanese completely off the islands. After a short investigation into this strategy it seemed by all the logical next course of action. The Philippines were an ally, that was in need, and a strategically placed ally whose land afforded runways for long range bombers well within reach of the Japanese islands. Once it was firmly established it could then be the launching point for the next phase of the war, with multiple possibilities including the invasion of Borneo, Singapore, Indochina, the Chinese coast, or even the southern most of the Japanese islands.
The decision of which troops to send to Manila seemed a logical one. The troops that were currently aboard the flotilla that was initially headed out to reinforce the Kuril troops, namely Patton's 5th Armored and Clarkson's 38th Motorized, were selected for this new mission. The flotilla, currently on its way back east to the states, was given the order to head instead for Wake Island, where it would rendezvous with the 131st Field Artillery Battalion which was shipping out from California. From there the unit would then sail with additional naval cover to Manila. This would be the first of the reinforcement to the Philippines as they became the new theatre of operations against the Japanese. Likewise two wings of A20C Havocs were ordered there as well for tactical air support, something that the Army had noted was direly lacking in the failed Kurils campaign.
The operation was of course not with out its risks. One look at a map of the pacific, highlighting American holdings and Japanese holdings and where the Philippines were clearly showed the danger of a resupply line snaking its way through several Japanese held island chains. Despite winning naval battles in American waters, Secretary of the Navy William Standley was still convinced the Japanese fleet was quite strong, particularly in the areas closer to its home waters. To cover this supply line he ordered a considerable amount of battle fleets to the area. Despite the extreme caution laid out in their overall defensive schemes of the last five years, particularly the Continental Defense Initiative, it was quite remarkable and indeed contradictory that the Army staff saw fit to launch two bold overseas operations far from home with minimal support, that being the failed Kurils campaign followed by this new reinforcement of the Philippines. At least this time they had the support of two complete Philippine Armies to aid them.
I've been out awhile but you have done excellent work and it was a pleasurable read keep the updates coming
The Transit to Manila
To cover the transportation of the troops to the Philippines, in fear of a more pronounced Japanese naval presence in that theatre, the Navy ordered several fleets from Kiska to Hawaii to be sent as cover for the force. Not since the opening days of the war, with the sea battles around Hawaii and off the California coast, had the American fleet met any serious resistance. It gave a false hope to the admirals no doubt, but Secretary of the Navy William Standley knew the Japanese navy was far more powerful than that, with the vast majority of its bite left. He knew that the bulk of the Japanese navy was out there still, probably protecting the waters closer to home, but exactly where it was, what its mission was and how large it was were the questions that troubled him most, forcing him to gather a large host of capital ships from several ports to help cover the transport fleet on its way to the Philippines. The second phase of the operation for the navy, once the troops were landed would be to guard the shores from Japanese invasion.
Despite the risky trip through the Japanese held waters, the convoy fleet successfully navigated the waters between Guam and the Carolinas. Without so much as a single Japanese ship sighted in the areas, the confidence increased as the Philippines neared. Like the landing in the Kurils, the troops disembarked onto the eastern beaches without a hitch or shot fired. To say the least, General Simpson commanding the 370th on the island since before the outbreak of war, was quite glad to see his fellow Americans coming ashore to aid him. The Philippines were so very far from home, and so very cut off from it. With the landings completed successfully, the troops were reassigned around the perimeter of the city and beaches.
Patton and Clarkson met with Simpson and the Philippine generals to lay out the best plan for defense, choosing to integrate the two forces into one combined command. To the south on Mindinao, the Japanese force, collectively known as the Fourteenth Army under General Hanada, was comprised of up to six divisions, the exact makeup at the time was unknown. Air strikes were ordered for the newly arrived tactical wing fresh from the states, to get a better idea of the force dispositions and makeup. It was agreed upon by the Generals for the time being to hold the line from Manila to the north, in effect grouping the forces together to prevent being overpowered by a large invasion force. With the first step of the mission complete, Sherman's now empty transport fleet was ordered back to Wake, while the other naval forces began to close around the northern and eastern half of the island to protect it from invasion.
The Naval Battles of the Philippines
The staff at Pacific Navy HQ in Hawaii were quite busy at this time, pushing and relocating many ship units across the board, as unit after unit were being sent to the Philippine theatre. It was quite a cluttered mess really, with units ranging from single destroyers to entire fleets setting sail for the general Philippine theatre, without so much organization as to be able to coordinate and support one another. Once the fleets were in place around the island, then they would be drawn up into more cohesive units, and given proper theaters of operations off each coast. Very soon the majority of the fleets sent to the theatre had arrived, or were arriving when the first contact with the Japanese Navy began.
Mitscher's 5th Cruiser fleet was brought down from the northern pacific for coastal duty in the northern Philippines and the timing could not have been more perfect. Their main mission being to prevent a proper Japanese landing force from getting ashore, their purpose was realized just as they arrived in the area. A seventeen ship fleet of mostly convoys was intercepted off the shores of Manila, apparently meant for a massive invasion. The guns were let loose, and fire reigned down on the Japanese ships. After quite a bit of damage was done to them they were sent fleeing.
However, two days later in the West Philippine Sea William Standley's nightmare of what the Japanese Fleet might be made of came to light. Mitscher's fleet was assailed by an absolutely massive fleet under the much feared Admiral Yamamoto. The pilots on reconnaissance flights merely radioed back words of great disbelief at the sheer size of the armada. Coming at the American fleet broadside, it let loose a hail of fire from its many battleships and cruisers. The 5th Cruiser Fleet was simply outnumbered, outmatched and outgunned. A very lopsided battle which did considerable damage to the main of the fleet, several ships were quickly sunk, while the bulk of the force withdrew under cover of night, most ships severely damaged. Mitscher realizing just how much damage his ships had taken ordered a full retreat, and the wounded fleet, much smaller in size than a day before, was sent limping back to Wake Island for repairs.
The Second Strike
After having dropped off the troops on the island, Sherman's 5th Transport Fleet had set sail to return to Wake to began planning for the loading of more reinforcements. To the southeast of the battle that had just transpired, on the following morning to Sherman's horror, that same immense fleet making incredible speed soon caught the transport fleet in its sights. As on the previous days the massive guns of the Japanese battleships and immense firepower afforded by the sheer size of the fleet ripped through the lightly defended transport fleet and decimated its ranks. It was a second day of woeful losses for the American navy, and under cover of night the ships remaining afloat were ordered withdrawn "at all speed" to Wake for repairs. In anticipation of engagements with the Japanese Navy in the Philippine theatre, Wake was set up to anticipate an increased need for ship repair, with many men being sent from the San Francisco and Pearl Harbor docks for that purpose. They simply had no idea there would be this many ships headed this way looking for repairs. The docks at Wake would become the busiest area in the entire American military over the next few weeks. Overburdened, those ships that were in the best shape were transferred instead to Pearl Harbor, as Wake was just unable to service this many ships at once.
The Third Strike
With unprecedented speed and awareness of the American fleet dispositions, Yamamoto's work was not done. Reconnaissance flights having picked up the largest of the American navies, Kimmel's 4th Fleet off the east coast of Manila, the massive armada move with all speed to destroy it. For reasons not entirely known, Kimmel's 4th fleet despite knowledge of the two naval battles in the waters to the north over the previous three days, was completely unprepared for battle. Disorganized and still drawing up its formation for coastal defense, it had simply not anticipated being attack by such a large fleet so quickly. And Kimmel had simply not considered that a Japanese fleet of that size could have moved so quickly after two successive battles.
Simply put the 4th Fleet was assailed and ambushed upon the first rays of dawn. A low hanging fog in the early morning hours prevented the two fleets from realizing the other was there. The difference was that the 4th Fleet wasn't expecting a fight and was not manning its guns, while the entire of Yamamoto's force had been moving in during the night with full knowledge of the 4th Fleets location, guns fully trained and ready for when the forces would meet. The 4th Fleet's positioning could not have been worse for the initial engagement. The first they realized of the Japanese Fleet's arrival was the sound of countless guns firing at them broadside. By time battle stations were ordered, several capital ships were engulfed in large black clouds of oil fire. Several ships, cruisers and battleships among them were sunk within the first 15 minutes of the fray.
Having sent a second smaller force farther out in the sea in a flanking maneuver, this 2nd Japanese group now moved in from the east, and the 4th Fleet was taking fire from two sides. Before Kimmel could even coordinate his ships in a firm battle plan, most of his ships were damaged beyond repair or sunk as the immense Japanese fleet of over 50 ships hit the 4th Fleet like a tsunami. Completely overpowered and outgunned, as well as outfoxed and unprepared, the bulk of the 4th Fleet was sent to the ocean floor within four hours. The last ship standing, that being the USS Saratoga was finally sunk by torpedoes at 4pm, July 19th. In a mere week, the majority of the United States navy in the Philippines had been sunk or put out of action by Yamamoto. It was very simply the worst naval defeat in United States History. For the second time in a month, the military had been served a crushing defeat, first on land in the Kurils and now at sea in the Philippines.
To cover the transportation of the troops to the Philippines, in fear of a more pronounced Japanese naval presence in that theatre, the Navy ordered several fleets from Kiska to Hawaii to be sent as cover for the force. Not since the opening days of the war, with the sea battles around Hawaii and off the California coast, had the American fleet met any serious resistance. It gave a false hope to the admirals no doubt, but Secretary of the Navy William Standley knew the Japanese navy was far more powerful than that, with the vast majority of its bite left. He knew that the bulk of the Japanese navy was out there still, probably protecting the waters closer to home, but exactly where it was, what its mission was and how large it was were the questions that troubled him most, forcing him to gather a large host of capital ships from several ports to help cover the transport fleet on its way to the Philippines. The second phase of the operation for the navy, once the troops were landed would be to guard the shores from Japanese invasion.
Despite the risky trip through the Japanese held waters, the convoy fleet successfully navigated the waters between Guam and the Carolinas. Without so much as a single Japanese ship sighted in the areas, the confidence increased as the Philippines neared. Like the landing in the Kurils, the troops disembarked onto the eastern beaches without a hitch or shot fired. To say the least, General Simpson commanding the 370th on the island since before the outbreak of war, was quite glad to see his fellow Americans coming ashore to aid him. The Philippines were so very far from home, and so very cut off from it. With the landings completed successfully, the troops were reassigned around the perimeter of the city and beaches.
Patton and Clarkson met with Simpson and the Philippine generals to lay out the best plan for defense, choosing to integrate the two forces into one combined command. To the south on Mindinao, the Japanese force, collectively known as the Fourteenth Army under General Hanada, was comprised of up to six divisions, the exact makeup at the time was unknown. Air strikes were ordered for the newly arrived tactical wing fresh from the states, to get a better idea of the force dispositions and makeup. It was agreed upon by the Generals for the time being to hold the line from Manila to the north, in effect grouping the forces together to prevent being overpowered by a large invasion force. With the first step of the mission complete, Sherman's now empty transport fleet was ordered back to Wake, while the other naval forces began to close around the northern and eastern half of the island to protect it from invasion.
The Naval Battles of the Philippines
The staff at Pacific Navy HQ in Hawaii were quite busy at this time, pushing and relocating many ship units across the board, as unit after unit were being sent to the Philippine theatre. It was quite a cluttered mess really, with units ranging from single destroyers to entire fleets setting sail for the general Philippine theatre, without so much organization as to be able to coordinate and support one another. Once the fleets were in place around the island, then they would be drawn up into more cohesive units, and given proper theaters of operations off each coast. Very soon the majority of the fleets sent to the theatre had arrived, or were arriving when the first contact with the Japanese Navy began.
Mitscher's 5th Cruiser fleet was brought down from the northern pacific for coastal duty in the northern Philippines and the timing could not have been more perfect. Their main mission being to prevent a proper Japanese landing force from getting ashore, their purpose was realized just as they arrived in the area. A seventeen ship fleet of mostly convoys was intercepted off the shores of Manila, apparently meant for a massive invasion. The guns were let loose, and fire reigned down on the Japanese ships. After quite a bit of damage was done to them they were sent fleeing.
However, two days later in the West Philippine Sea William Standley's nightmare of what the Japanese Fleet might be made of came to light. Mitscher's fleet was assailed by an absolutely massive fleet under the much feared Admiral Yamamoto. The pilots on reconnaissance flights merely radioed back words of great disbelief at the sheer size of the armada. Coming at the American fleet broadside, it let loose a hail of fire from its many battleships and cruisers. The 5th Cruiser Fleet was simply outnumbered, outmatched and outgunned. A very lopsided battle which did considerable damage to the main of the fleet, several ships were quickly sunk, while the bulk of the force withdrew under cover of night, most ships severely damaged. Mitscher realizing just how much damage his ships had taken ordered a full retreat, and the wounded fleet, much smaller in size than a day before, was sent limping back to Wake Island for repairs.
The Second Strike
After having dropped off the troops on the island, Sherman's 5th Transport Fleet had set sail to return to Wake to began planning for the loading of more reinforcements. To the southeast of the battle that had just transpired, on the following morning to Sherman's horror, that same immense fleet making incredible speed soon caught the transport fleet in its sights. As on the previous days the massive guns of the Japanese battleships and immense firepower afforded by the sheer size of the fleet ripped through the lightly defended transport fleet and decimated its ranks. It was a second day of woeful losses for the American navy, and under cover of night the ships remaining afloat were ordered withdrawn "at all speed" to Wake for repairs. In anticipation of engagements with the Japanese Navy in the Philippine theatre, Wake was set up to anticipate an increased need for ship repair, with many men being sent from the San Francisco and Pearl Harbor docks for that purpose. They simply had no idea there would be this many ships headed this way looking for repairs. The docks at Wake would become the busiest area in the entire American military over the next few weeks. Overburdened, those ships that were in the best shape were transferred instead to Pearl Harbor, as Wake was just unable to service this many ships at once.
The Third Strike
With unprecedented speed and awareness of the American fleet dispositions, Yamamoto's work was not done. Reconnaissance flights having picked up the largest of the American navies, Kimmel's 4th Fleet off the east coast of Manila, the massive armada move with all speed to destroy it. For reasons not entirely known, Kimmel's 4th fleet despite knowledge of the two naval battles in the waters to the north over the previous three days, was completely unprepared for battle. Disorganized and still drawing up its formation for coastal defense, it had simply not anticipated being attack by such a large fleet so quickly. And Kimmel had simply not considered that a Japanese fleet of that size could have moved so quickly after two successive battles.
Simply put the 4th Fleet was assailed and ambushed upon the first rays of dawn. A low hanging fog in the early morning hours prevented the two fleets from realizing the other was there. The difference was that the 4th Fleet wasn't expecting a fight and was not manning its guns, while the entire of Yamamoto's force had been moving in during the night with full knowledge of the 4th Fleets location, guns fully trained and ready for when the forces would meet. The 4th Fleet's positioning could not have been worse for the initial engagement. The first they realized of the Japanese Fleet's arrival was the sound of countless guns firing at them broadside. By time battle stations were ordered, several capital ships were engulfed in large black clouds of oil fire. Several ships, cruisers and battleships among them were sunk within the first 15 minutes of the fray.
Having sent a second smaller force farther out in the sea in a flanking maneuver, this 2nd Japanese group now moved in from the east, and the 4th Fleet was taking fire from two sides. Before Kimmel could even coordinate his ships in a firm battle plan, most of his ships were damaged beyond repair or sunk as the immense Japanese fleet of over 50 ships hit the 4th Fleet like a tsunami. Completely overpowered and outgunned, as well as outfoxed and unprepared, the bulk of the 4th Fleet was sent to the ocean floor within four hours. The last ship standing, that being the USS Saratoga was finally sunk by torpedoes at 4pm, July 19th. In a mere week, the majority of the United States navy in the Philippines had been sunk or put out of action by Yamamoto. It was very simply the worst naval defeat in United States History. For the second time in a month, the military had been served a crushing defeat, first on land in the Kurils and now at sea in the Philippines.