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unmerged(148765)

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Aug 6, 2009
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  • Hearts of Iron III
  • Semper Fi
To The Last Man II-The Sinking Sun

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Japan's Last Man

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Second Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda is a a former Japanese army intelligence officer who fought in World War II, and did not surrender until 1974. Onoda was trained as an intelligence officer by the Nakano School, and on 26 December 1944 was sent to Lubang Island in the Philippines. After the Americans landed in Lubang Island, Onoda and three other soldiers fled to the hills of the island. In 1950 one of his fellow soldiers Yuichi Akatsu surrendered to the Filipino army. Onoda and fellow soldiers participated in many shootouts with the Filipino police and civilians. Corporal Siochi Shimada was killed by a shot fired by a search party looking for the men, Kinshichi Kozuka was killed by two shots fired by local police on 19 October 1972 leaving Onoda alone. On 20 February 1974, Onoda met a Japanese college dropout, Norio Suzuki, who was traveling the world and was looking for "Lieutenant Onoda, a panda, and the Abominable Snowman, in that order". Onoda and Suzuki became friends, but Onoda still refused to surrender, saying that he was waiting for orders from a superior officer. The Japanese government located Onoda's commanding officer, Major Taniguchi, who had since become a bookseller. He flew to Lubang and on 9 March 1974 informed Onoda of the defeat of Japan in WWII and ordered him to lay down his arms. Lieutenant Onoda emerged from the jungle 29 years after the end of World War II, and accepted the commanding officer's order of surrender in his uniform and sword, with his Arisaka Type 99 rifle still in operating condition, 500 rounds of ammunition and several hand grenades. Though he had killed some thirty Philippine inhabitants of the island and engaged in several shootouts with the police, the circumstances of these events were taken into consideration, and Onoda received a pardon from President Ferdinand Marcos.
 
If this AAR goes like your last, your first post might get you shot for defeatism. ;)

Glad to see you back and looking forward for more.
 
June 1944- Tojo Assumes Overall Command Of Japanese Forces

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As the Allies were opening a second European front, Japan,like Germany,found itself at a crossroads.The war against Nationalist China was hanging in the balance,British forces were on the counter attack from India,the Australians and US troops were slowly pushing the Japanese out of Guinea while the Americans were also continuing to gain Pacific island after island,getting ever closer to Japan itself. Japanese forces were thinly stretched and many of its conquests sat alarmingly undefended.
Coupled with the unfolding military disaster,Japan's economic dream of Empire was also beginning to shatter.The much-needed resources that it had fought for were dwindling away.Supplies of oil and fuel were especially in decline, further undermining the military effort.Japanese manpower was also critically low and reinforcements to the frontlines were slow and often non-existent.
Faced with possible catastrophe, long-running differences in strategic planning between the Army,Navy and Air Force were now more apparent than at any previous time in the war.If Japan was to avoid defeat, unification of its armed forces was required and Emperor Hirohito granted command of all Imperial Japanese Forces to Prime Minister Hideki Tojo.The fate of Japan was now solely in Tojo's hands and all strategic decisions on land,at sea and in the air were now ultimately his.

The Japanese Empire- June '44


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The war against Nationalist China

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Japanese troops outnumbered by the British close to the Indian border

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The Thinly Defended Japanese Mainland

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Allies Gain The Upper Hand In Guinea

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The Unprotected Oilfields Of The Dutch East-Indies

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Tojo's Early Strategies

At an end of June meeting with the Japanese Imperial High Command,Tojo finalized Japan's initial strategic objectives.

1.Victory against Nationalist China.
Tojo claimed that the greatest threat to Japan were the Allies.He demanded that a swift victory against the Chinese nationalists was crucial as this would enable Japanese troops in China to be redeployed elsewhere.The protracted war against Nationalist China has left Japan severely exposed throughout the rest of Asia and the Pacific.There is great disagreement though among Japan's generals regarding Japan's offensive capabilities in China.

2.Maintaining control of the Dutch East-Indies oil supplies.Currently, these vital oil supplies are unprotected.An Allied offensive in this area would be a disaster for Japan's main source of oil.

3.Defence of Japanese territory.All territorial gains Japan has made since the start of the war are vulnerable.Currently, Japan does not have the required troop numbers to defend all of its land.Sacrifices will have to be made in the short-term.This situation is being assessed and priorities will be agreed upon soon.
 
Mengkukuo and Siam Enter The War

Following several days of difficult negotiations,Mengkukuo and Siam agreed to Japan's request to declare war on Nationalist China.However, there is still uncertainty as regards to the level of military support that both countries will provide.

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The Pressure Mounts

Widespread fighting has broken out across many parts of Japanese-occupied China.Although Chinese offensives have been small, they have managed to advance in several areas,exploiting the large gaps in the Japanese lines to claim control of several provinces.
The Allies too have gained control over a number of provinces.All in all, the Japanese have lost control of 12 provinces in the space of just four days.

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Tojo Plans Counterattack

Several Japanese cavalry and infantry divisions have been moving south from northern China.A counterattack has been quickly planned involving a thrust south from near to the border with Communist China with the aim of reaching deep behind Nationalist China's frontline.

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Excellent! Another one! I can't imagine things will get as horribly bloody as your Germany AAR, but the change of theater and patch should keep things very interesting.

Good luck with the offensive into China. How's your navy looking, particularly vis a vis the USN? :)
 
Japanese Imperial Forces

Japan's main disadvantage is the overall size of its armed forces compared with the other great world powers.Currently,its land forces total just 403 brigades,less than half that of its German ally.At present, Japan has only 2 armoured divisions and just a single motorised division.
Japan's air force has also been severely reduced in size since the USA entered the war.
The Imperial Navy still maintains a potent carrier threat.Currently, the Japanese Navy is being reorganised into 2 new battle fleets.

Imperial Navy

7 Carriers
2 SH Battleships
5 Battleships
2 Battlecruisers
12 Heavy Cruisers
3 Light Cruisers
10 Destroyers
(several new ships are in production and will be completed by the end of the year)

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The War In Europe

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The Red Army Drives Into Hungary And Romania

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***NOTE***
So,it looks like the D-Day offensive still needs re-balancing...:(
 
Very interestign. Going to follow this.
 
Looking forward to see how this second installment goes.:)
 
End Of June - Early July 1944

The Pacific Islands

US bombing severely damages Japanese submarine base on Iwo Jima

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US Attacks Guam

Several days of heavy bombing of Japanese positions on Guam culminated in an attempted amphibious landing by US troops.Japanese soldiers are currently bravely defending the island and Tojo has ordered that they fight to the last man.
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Japan continues to lose control of territory

In recent days, several islands and mainland provinces have continued to fall into the hands of the Allies and the Chinese nationalists.

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British Troops Push East

British forces have continued to slowly push east from India.Japanese troops,in danger of being outflanked by the British, have been ordered south where a new defensive line will be formed.

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China

Although Nationalist Chinese troops have retaken a number of provinces,Japanese forces have been able to reorganise to the point where a prolonged counteroffensive is now possible.

The Battles Of Changyuan and Luoyang

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Japanese Troops Breakthrough In The North

Tojo's planned offensive from the north has begun successfully.The Imperial Army has broken through weak Chinese lines and is now pushing south behind the main Chinese frontline.

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Nice oppurtunity there in China.
 
Good luck, I am just now getting into HOI3 cause of 1.03, and there is no way I can survive as Japan on normal, in 1936. I'm sure this is going to be very interesting. I love how much more you can do in HOI3 versus HOI2. Great work so far! What settings are you playing under?
 
This should be quite a lot of fun.
 
July 1944


The Pacific

The Allies continued their attacks on the Japanese controlled islands in the Pacific.Australian troops attacked Rabaul on the island of New Britain while the Americans attacked Kanua in the Solomons.

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Americans Retake Guam

After weeks of heavy bombing, Japan was forced to abandon the island of Guam.

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Australians Capture Rabaul

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China

The Imperial Army was able to keep up the pressure on Nationalist Chinese forces throughout the rest of July.Tojo's doubling of efforts and the increase in troop numbers began to pay dividends with a series of important victories.

The Battle Of Baofeng

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China,mid-July

By mid-July the Japanese breakthrough from the north was making significant progress south.In the east,the pockets of Chinese resistance were becoming increasingly smaller and weaker.

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Japanese forces begin to form new defensive line in Burma

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The Battle Of Anlu

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China,end of July

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Europe- Romania falls to the Russians;Deadlock in Italy

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