Utsunimiya’s War
(HoI3 TFH - Interactive Japan AAR)
Chapter Seventy-Five : The Reds Fall - 23.12.1937 To 29.12.1937
The Land War
The Imperial Japanese Army started the twenty-sixth week of the conflict engaged in three battles. The Battle of Yan’an, which was the most important one, the Battle of Dangshan and the Battle of Pixian.
The Battle of Yan’an was becoming a real nail biter as a Japanese mountain division and a Japanese infantry division went up against a Communist mountain division. Both sides also had reserves. The Japanese had a cavalry division and the Communists had a militia unit.
The Japanese DID have a huge advantage as they also had air support. But there was the danger of even more Red units pouring in from the nearby Provinces.
The Battle of Dangshan was, in some ways, even more uncertain. While the Japanese infantry was facing only one Nationalist division there was two enemy divisions in reserve.
And in the Battle of Pixian the Navy directed 16. Infantry Division was facing two enemy units.
Then, during the late afternoon of the 23rd of December, the Battle of Dangshan came to a close with a clear Japanese victory. The Army lost 318 soldiers while the Nationalists lost 659 men.
A few hours later the Army sent a infantry division into the Province of Suixi to take it away from the Nationalist militia unit which was guarding it.
By the 24th there was some reports of supply issues but it seemed to be only a couple of units complaining. Not that there was anything that could be done about it. It was the state of the Chinese roads that was causing the problems and those roads could not be improved on til after the war ended.
Then during the early morning hours of the 24th the Army announced another victory. The Battle of Suixi had come to an end with the Army losing 15 men while the Nationalists had lost 77 men.
Then it was announced on the 25th that, once again, fuel was starting to be used up faster than it could be produced. At this point no amount of wheeling and dealing would solve the problem. It would run out or it wouldn’t. And the Army pointed out just how much oil was for the taking in the Soviet Far East while the Navy pointed at the South Pacific and it’s resource rich islands.
Then the Battle of Yan’an came to an end that morning. There was no formal announcement. Under the bomber attacks and the assault by three Japanese divisions the enemy fell apart and became a mob. The Communist forces just tossed their weapons to one side and ran. The city now belonged to the Japanese. (OOC)
Three Communist militia units, no doubt sent as reinforcements before the collapse,tried to take back the Capital but the Japanese Division, the 1. Hohei Shidan, held it and pushed them back. About eight thousand Japanese soldiers pushed back over twenty-nine thousand Communists. And won. The Japanese lost zero men while the three enemy units lost 3 men.
Reports from the Army stated that the enemy’s Capital was a total mess. All the factories were ruins, the Land Forts had been cracked open like egg shells, and the infrastructure was nonexistent. The Province would have to be rebuilt if it was going to be useful to anybody.
The Communists were desperate to retake Yan’an. Without their factories, stockpiles, and treasury there was no way for them to continue their fight.
On the other hand it was almost like the victory had gone to the Army’s head as they launched a single division attack, once again, on the Province of Jingbian. Which held over thirty-seven thousand enemy soldiers. It COULD be that the nearby Japanese forces were trying to pin down the Communists so they could not try to retake the Capital?
At the same time, to the east, the Army sent a lone division into the Province of Fuyang. This attack was a tad more realistic as the province was defended by a militia unit.
Shortly after lunch they launched a third attack. The 8. Cavalry Division was sent into the Province of Lingbi. The defenders were the 6th Corps HQ. A bunch of staff officers and their clerks. It was noticed that many of the remaining enemy units defending the line for the Republic were militia OR HQ units. Most of which were already withdrawing. Much of their infantry divisions were to the south trying to contain the Navy's footholds.
A few hours later the Battle of Lingbi was a victory. Neither side lost any men. It was likely the Chinese fired off a few shots and then ran.
Around sunset the Army announced another victory in the Province of Fuyang. 9 Japanese soldiers died while the Nationalists lost 74 men.
At this point most of the Nationalist’s eastern battle line was falling back.
On the 26th of December the People’s Republic of China officially surrendered to the Empire of Japan. The Communists realized they could not fight any longer and gave up. The territories were annexed and then there was only one enemy.
At the same time the Battle of Jingbian was announced as a victory. It seems the Communists troops, hearing their government had fallen, fled. The Army lost 138 while the enemy left 49 bodies on the battlefield.
Also the 71. Hohei Shidan, a Garrison Division, had finished their training and had been deployed to the Port of Sasebo. There the unit was loaded onto the Transports of the 1st Navy and were ordered to the Port of Tianjin. There the unit could deploy to Yan’an which would become their home for the next few years.
Back in Nationalist China the enemy started a battle in the Province of Lingbi. Likely a accident as two enemy divisions passed through the region and ran into the Japanese cavalry Reports suggested the two units had no organization and had been in the process of retreating.
It ended in victory in which neither side lost a man.
Then during the late afternoon of the 26st the Army announced another victory. The Battle of Pixian had finally come to an end. The Japanese lost 412 while the Nationalists had lost 528 men.
Then, shortly before midnight, another Battle for Lingbi broke out. This time another Nationalist HQ unit got into a fight with the advancing cavalry.
A few hours into the 27th the Battle of Lingbi was announced as another victory. Once again neither side lost a man as the Chinese ran for it.
Early in the morning the 16. finally occupied the Province of Pixian. There was a discussion among the Naval advisers that the next target should be the Province of Lianyungang. It was right next door and one of the two remaining ports still controlled by the Nationalists. The only problem was the need for the division to recover. Which could take over three days.
The 71. Garrison Division was finally unloaded at the Port of Tianjin and started the LONG march towards Yan’an. The 1st Navy, of course, started their return journey to their home port.
During the afternoon of the 27th the Battle of Xinyang started when two Army divisions clashed with a Nationalist Infantry Division.
This news was somewhat overshadowed when it was announced that the Port of Fuzhou was under attack. (See Navy War)
In the early twilight of the morning of the 28th the Battle of Xinyang came to an end. The Army declared a victory. They lost 25 men while the Chinese lost 123 men.
In the afternoon a battle started in the Province of Xuzhou between a Japanese divisions and a Nationalist HQ unit. The ‘Battle’ lasted a few hours before the Army claimed it as a victory. Neither side lost a man as the Chinese fled before any shots were exchanged.
In the early hours of the 29th the 1st Navy finally docked at their home port of Sasabo.
In the afternoon the Army announced another battle. A Infantry Division had been sent into the Province of Hancheng. The defending unit, a militia division, was outnumbered and had a Chinese Major General without a ounce of skill. Another political appointee no doubt.
At the end of the seven day period the Arm claimed twelve victories (even though many of the battles had been tiny skirmishes) and also declared that it had finally defeated the Communists.
Of course the Pro-Navy press pointed out how much of the defeat of the Communists were due to the Navy’s control of the Army Air Groups.
In the Land Combat of the last seven days the Army lost 917 soldiers while the Nationalists lost 1,461 men and the Communist lost 52 men and their country.
The Army Air Groups continued their Ground Attacks on the Communist province. After their last attack on Yan’an, on the night of 22nd, where they killed 161 of the defenders they hit it again on the 23rd and killed another 171 enemy defenders.
They were back on the 24th and killed another 135 Communists.
When they hit it on the morning of the 25th the crews reported that the militia who remained in the Capital were on the verge of fleeing. They were disorganized mobs, without ammo or leadership, barely being kept in their trenches. In this last attack on Yan’an they killed 234 defenders.
With the fall of Red China the Army Groups were returned to their airbases in Beiping and transferred from direct control of the Imperial General Headquarters to the control of the Kwantung Army Theater.
The four Wings of Kawasaki Ki-48s needed repair and the crews needed rest. It had been decided to allow them some time off before handing them back to the HQ of ‘China Operations’.(1)
This MAY also be the reason the fuel shortage wasn’t an issue later in the time period - the Army’s bombers was not using it up.
The Navy’s Bombing Groups continued their attacks on the Provinces of Hefei and Nanjing. Though there was very little to bomb at this point. The Province of Hefei was hit thirteen times while the Province of Nanjing was also hit thirteen times.
On the 27th, while the Naval Bombers were carrying out their eighth bombing run on Hefei during this seven day time period, they were jumped by the remaining Wing of Chinese Fighters. And the bombers were defeated and forced to flee.
They were attacked again on their tenth bombing run on the 28th by the Chinese Fighters. This time the attack was, at best, a draw as the bombers brushed off the attackers and escaped.
This, of course, forced the Navy to take a long, hard look at their Naval Bombers. The Mitsubishi G3M Chukou were good planes. But using them to bomb ports and urban centers was NOT what they had been designed for. Also, they were first generation aircraft with limited range when compared to other Japanese bombers. The Fighters, Carrier Air Groups, and Tactical Bombers were all second generation.
The Navy was forced to admit to itself that newer Naval Bombers were needed. Also, it was suggested that in future wars the Naval Bombers stick to attacking targets at sea. The crews of the 5. Nihon Koukuujieitai were gaining all the WRONG skills. While Major General Watanaba was a Superior Air Tactician he, and his men, were also becoming pros at carpet bombing and tank busting. Not really useful against battleships and submarines.
The Carrier Air Groups, on the other hand, seemed to control the skies over their targets without a problem.
The Province of Yong’an was bombed five times and 334 Nationalist Cavalry were killed. Along with their poor horses. On the 27th the CAG Wings involved in the bombing of this province switched to bombing the Province of Ningde. Ningde was attacked seven times and 315 Nationalist Infantry were killed. This proved to be very helpful. (See Below)
The Province of Shenxian was bombed twenty-eight times and 507 Nationalist Infantry were killed.
The Province of Xiaoshan was bombed fourteen times and 360 Nationalist Infantry were killed.
Then on the afternoon of the 27th of December the Japanese occupied Port-Province of Fuzhou was attacked by two Nationalist Infantry Divisions. Eleven thousand attackers against over eight thousand Japanese soldiers. The Japanese had a few advantages. One, they were dug in. Two, the winter weather was causing the attackers problems - some of the ground was frozen. And they were about to get Naval support as the 1st Task Group was ordered to leave port so it could get into a better position to rain death onto the attackers. By night fall it was anchored off shore and the two battleships were firing their big guns on the attackers.(2)
Also one of the attacking units was in the Province of Ningde. Which was already under attack from the Akagi’s aircraft.
Major General Shibazaki, a Commando by training, was very confident that the 52. could easily hold the Port even while outnumbered and outflanked.
In fact by night fall of the 29th there was no sign he was wrong. He and his men were well positioned, well supplied via the sea, and had heavy support from the Navy.
At the end of the seven day period the Navy didn’t try to downplay their Naval Bombers’ defeat but accepted that changes needed to be done to the Naval Bomber Group.
On the other hand they, once again, pointed out just how much damage they were doing to the Republic’s ‘Revolutionary’ Army and how unlikely they would lose the Port of Fuzhou. This was the second attack on a Port by the Nationalists and it was believed that it, like the first attack, would fail.
While the fuel issue, by the 29th, seemed to work itself out there was still some international Trade Deals made, and broken, during the seven days, between the 23rd of December and the 29th of December. Trade Agreements, for example, were made with Persia and Afghanistan. While the US and Mexico canceled Trade Agreements with Japan.
And on the 27th Germany asked Japan to join the Axis. At this point such requests were starting to feel awkward. Of course it was refused though many within the government realized that, in the end, Germany might be the only choice between the three developing factions. Of course there was always the fourth way - that of going it alone.
It was also noticed that countries in Europe and Asia were breaking off relationships with Germany and were leaning towards the Comintern.
By the end of the week the Head of Intelligence reported that the US had captured one of our agents, that the Guanqxi Clique had captured four of our agents, the Communist Chinese had captured one of our agents, that the Canadians had captured one of our agents, and that the Nationalist Chinese had captured one of our agents.
But also announced that one spy from the USSR had been captured, one spy from Mongolia had been captured, and one spy from Nationalist China had been captured.
There was a joke among the Army and Navy that the Intelligence folks should recruit their new agents from the people of the nation of Guanqxi Clique.
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Author’s Notes:
OOC: The Communist divisions in Yan’an lost their organization and just disappeared. No formal announcement of the ending of the battle was made. Just *poof* they were gone.
1. They were at half organization and truly needed some R&R. It was feared that the HQ in China might just throw them into battle without allowing time for a proper refit and rest.
2. Naval crews were trained for night fighting.