War in Asia (Japan 1936 AAR with CORE 0.61)

[Zanza]

January 9th, 1937 and May 30th, 1937

January 9th, 12th year of Showa
Konoe Fumimaro appointed new Prime Minister​

In late 1936 the tensions between the military and civil administration on military spending and military influence on civil life led to conflict in the government. It was no longer possible to make day-to-day politics as the military and the civil branch vetoed each other and prevented every decision-making.

Prime Minister Prince Konoe Fumimaro​

The emperor intervened in person on January 9th 1937. He replaced the unpopular bureaucrat Hirota Koki with Prince Konoe Fumimaro, the president of the House of Peers. He was a member of the ancient Fujiwara noble family. He didn’t achieve to lessen the military’s influence. Instead it even grew again a short time after his appointment. As time passed his liberal beliefs almost ceased to exist and he became more and more militaristic and expansionistic. Though inadequate in many ways, the Konoe Cabinet eliminated standing rivalries and achieved a semblance of national unity.

- from History of the Pacific War by Kiyoshi Inoue, Tokyo 1976

May 30th, 12th year of Showa
Meeting of the gosho kaigi (five minister conference)​

Yamamoto put his papers in order and then began his report. “We know that the polit bureau has decided to vastly increase the navy. Stalin-san and Orlov-san, their navy chief of staff, both favour a strong battleship fleet. They want to be able to project power onto the oceans. It will be a blue water fleet.
They already asked the United States, Germany and Italy for naval designs and other related technology. And these countries will most certainly give them what they ask for, as the Russian naval plans don’t threaten them. I suspect the Russian’s new naval armament to be primarily directed against us. They lost in 1905 in the Tsushima straits, but they still dream of being a major sea power.”

Russian cruiser Chapayev​

“That’s a really dangerous development. But it will take years to build a battle fleet to match ours. Perhaps we should deny them their access of the Pacific preventively?”

“I don’t think that’s necessary in the immediate future, Terauchi-san. As you said, it will take them years to build a modern battle fleet. As they only have a few smaller dry docks in Vladivostok, they’ll build their ships in Murmansk, Leningrad or Sevastopol. If they try to attack us via the Indian Ocean like they did in 1905 we should be able to destroy them easily.”

The Prime Minister Konoe Fumimaro seemed to think aloud. “Hmm, those Russians just act strange. Do you remember the reports of purges in their officer corps last month? Or the sudden disappearance of the NKVD chief? What was his name? Yagoda? Well, we can’t do anything about it now and we’ll have to see how the situation develops. Back to the China issue...”

 

[unmerged(16040)]

This is developing into a really interesting AAR. Great work Zanza, keep it up!

 

[Zanza]

June 12th, 1937

June 12th, 12th year of Showa
After a meeting of the gosho kaigi (five minister conference)​

“Yamamoto-san, stay, please. We have to talk.” Yamamoto was puzzled. The cabinet meeting had just ended and the civilian ministers had already left. What did Terauchi want to tell him? Why didn’t he tell it just minutes ago, when everybody was still in the room. Yamamoto turned slowly, still considering what Terauchi wanted. He looked at the older man and nodded. “Follow me, please. The general staff meets in a few minutes. I’ll have to be there.” They left the room and walked silent towards the exit. Their cars awaited them, but Terauchi made a gesture towards Yamamoto to join him in his car. Both cars drove of en route for the army ministry building.
“Now, what is it? Why are you so secretive?” Yamamoto was sure now that it was something concerning China.
“The skirmishes in China along the ceasefire line intensify. The morale of the troops suffers because of partisan activities beyond the lines. Our citizens in Shanghai and Tsingtao are harassed almost daily. Our interests in China need to be reconsidered.”
Yamamoto thought he would know what was to come next. The army would make up another small incident to grab another province in China or to even seize Shanghai or Tsingtao. He was stunned when Terauchi told him the whole plan.
“You really mean it, don’t you? Well I’m really interested how you plan to conquer a country with 400 million inhabitants and the size of China. And all that without the backing of the civil institutions.”
Terauchi smiled with the confidence of a man who was totally sure of his abilities. “You’ll see, Yamamoto-san. You’ll see.”
They spent rest of the short ride in silence. When they arrived at the army ministry Yamamoto was surprised to find the chief of the naval generals staff Admiral Nagano Osami waiting for them there. They greeted each other and then went inside.

Basic plan for the invasion of China​

Terauchi and his generals outlined their arrangements. The bulk of the troops would invade in the north and try to push towards the Huang Ho. Smaller troop contingencies would land along the coastline to secure the ports and then press inlands.
The fleet was to aid these landings and to blockade all shipping to Chinese ports. So, finally Yamamoto and Nagano knew why they were there. They were asked to support a major army operation without having any influence on the outline of the operations.

 

[Zanza]

July 7th, 1937

July 7th, 12th year of Showa
Marco Polo Bridge Incident
(Roko Bridge Incident in Japanese / Lugouqiao Incident in Chinese)​

Marco Polo Bridge​

At dawn of July 7th, the Japanese forces in the Beijing area telegraphed the KMT forces saying that a soldier was missing and believed to be hiding inside the town of Wanping. The bridge there was the choke point of Pinghan Railway and the only way from Kuomintang terretories in the south to Beijing. If the bridge fell, the city will be completely cut off and easily captured.
The Japanese demanded that its army should be allowed to enter the town to search for their man. When the Chinese denied the request, the Japanese gave them an ultimatum that the Kuomintang must allow the Japanese to enter within the next hour. When the ultimatum ended at midnight, the Japanese troops attacked with tanks and artillery but were repulsed by furious fighting Chinese defenders. A few hours later a ceasefire was made up between the two opposing forces.
Both sides brought in more reinforcements during the negotiations on a permanent solution of the military skirmishes in the region. The situation escalated on July 11th when both sides started offensive actions in the demilitarized zone and led to the Second Sino-Japanese War.
The entire incident seems to be fabricated by the Kwantung Army in order to provide a pretext for the invasion of central China.

- from History of the Pacific War by Kiyoshi Inoue, Tokyo 1976

 

[MegaPIMP]

This imho is one of the best AAR I have read

Keep it up!

 

[Lone Wolf]

Great AAR! Let´s see if the chinese AI can put up a fight

 

[Zanza]

July 11th - 17th, 1937

July 11th - 17th, 12th year of Showa
End of the Chinese Navy​

Chinese Naval Jack​

Naval intelligence had reported the majority of the Chinese fleet cruising of Shanghai and in the Southern Yellow Sea. The Naval Air Arm flew several reconnaissance sorties but was unable to locate the Chinese ships. At 14:23 on July 11th the Northern China Area Fleet, commanded by Admiral Koga, was attacked by Chinese aircraft. It suffered only superficial damage while the Chinese lost a few planes.
About two hours later the first Chinese cruisers were sighted in the pale moonlight. Six light cruisers and several smaller ships were assembled by Admiral Chen Shao-kuan to break the Japanese blockade. The Chinese cruisers and destroyers approached at flank speed to come in shooting range, while the Japanese battleships Haruna and Kirishima started to fire broadsides. The Kirishima’s 360mm artillery and the heavy cruiser Chokai scored hits on the 2950-ton light cruiser Hai-Chou early in the battle. The superstructure was partially destroyed and the ship was critically slowed down.

First Battle of the Yellow Sea
Chinese bombers attack (14:23), battle between the fleets (16:37), Japanese bombers attack (23:12)
​

Due to high waves and bad sight both fleets had problems to engage each other. The Japanese destroyers Shikinami and Ayanami of the third Kuchikukantai sunk the Chinese destroyer Chang-Feng with two torpedoes at 17:46 and another torpedo from the Akebono hit the destroyer Lung-Tuan, which quickly got heavy list and was abandoned by its crew. The destroyer capsized later and sunk. After another hit by Kirishima’s heavy artillery the Hai-Chou exploded and sunk.
The Chinese cruisers began to retreat now, but the battleship Haruna was able to sink the Hai-Chi with several direct volleys. A lucky shot from Ying-Swei’s 6 inch guns set the superstructure of the Haruna ablaze. The fire was extinguished after thirty minutes but severely damaged the superstructure and cost 53 Japanese sailors their life. When in the dawn at 23:12 the thirteenth Hikodan from its airbase on Saishu arrived to attack the retreating Chinese fleet they almost sunk the cruiser Chao-Ho, but the damaged ship was able to retreat with the rest of the fleet. Fearing air attacks from land based bombers Admiral Koga decided to let the Chinese fleet headed for the harbour of Qingkou escape in the early hours of the July 12th.

Battleship Haruna (launched 1913, 29330 tons)​

When Japanese army forces landed near Sheyang on July 16th and rapidly raced northwards to Lianyungang the Chinese scuttled the damaged cruisers Chao-Ho and Hai-Tan, while the destroyer Fu-Yun and several smaller gunboats were captured by Japanese soldiers. The two undamaged cruisers Ying Swei and Hai-Yung left the port and steamed along the coast southwards. As they threatened the Japanese landings further south, Admiral Koga ordered the battleship Kirishima, the cruisers Chokai and Maya and a few destroyers to intercept the Chinese flotilla. In a dark rainy night the Japanese fleet found the two cruisers at around 17:32 and attacked immediately.

Second Battle of the Yellow Sea
​

Maya’s and Chokai’s heavy 203mm artillery hit the Hai-Yung about a dozen times in the next thirty minutes. Hai-Yung listed and her stern went down and minutes later the ship sunk with most hands lost. The Ying-Swei escaped in the darkness and bad weather.
At dawn of July 17th heavy torpedo bombers of the thirteenth Hikodan found the Ying-Swei off the coast of Sheyang and sunk it with several torpedo hits. Admiral Shen Shao-kuan and most of the men sunk with the ship.

Light cruiser Ying Swei (launched 1912, 2500 tons)​

 

[Zanza]

@all: Thanks for the kind words! They're really appreciated.

Originally posted by Lone Wolf
Great AAR! Let´s see if the chinese AI can put up a fight

I hope so!

 

[unmerged(14683)]

Great AAR! Keep it up!

 

[unmerged(14683)]

Bump!


MORE!

 

[Zanza]

Got a lot to do in university lately. But I'll continue this soon.

 

[unmerged(15561)]

That is good news! Dont keep us waiting 2long.

It gets better and better with each new post!

 

[unmerged(11703)]

Great AAR! Keep it up

 

[Neroon]

Great AAR but its been July since an update.
Did you abandon it????

 

[EasilyConfused]

Um, its only been a few weeks...

 

[Neroon]

Whoops i look at the "registered" date. My mistake.

 

[Lone Wolf]

*bump*

Zanza, any chance for an update? I really miss this AAR...

 

[Zanza]

July 11th, 1937

July 11th, 12th year of Showa
Joint meeting of cabinet and army leadership​

“The general staff has decided to force the Chinese to cooperate. The anti-Japanese movements which are rampant in China are no longer tolerable. We will eliminate them and safeguard our interests in China. Our citizens there are harassed on a daily basis. It’s our duty to protect them. We will annihilate the Chinese army and destroy their will to resist.” Terauchi seemed overly self-confident to Yamamoto. As if he would be amused by the apparent powerlessness of the civil government. Konoe Fumimaro’s answer came as a surprise to both Yamamoto and Terauchi.
“Good.” Yamamoto felt shocked. Konoe approved? He had expected an angry outburst. “It will give us a better basis for negotiations with the Chinese government if we are successful in the field. We may persuade them to cooperate with us. But one thing must be clear: I will lead the negotiations with the Chinese government.” Now, Yamamoto understood. It would be interesting if the army would accept the bargain. They would get the government’s backing for their aggression in China, while the government still remained in control of the overall situation. Terauchi, the Chief of the Staff Kanin Kotohito, Field Marshal Hata Shunruko and General Tojo Hideki were clearly surprised by this move of the Prime Minister. They gazed at each other with meaningful mimics.

After almost a minute of silence, Kanin finally cleared his throat and answered. “Well, so be it. You will assure that the diet approves the necessary funds for the war effort and…“ Yamamoto understood how it must hurt these up most echelons of the army to obey a civilian. He had never held the civil government in high esteem himself. “…lead the negotiations with the Chinese. We demand immediate cessation of all anti-Japanese activities like pestering our citizens, interfering with our economic interests. We demand establishment of bases in Tsingtao, Shanghai and Hainan to suppress every future Chinese aggression against peace in Asia.”

“You may spare your pathos, General. I am well aware of the army’s plans to seize north-west China, Shanghai and Hainan. And, if you believe it or not, I’m sympathetic with the idea. We must safeguard our interests in China. But we must lead the war, no, we don’t call it a war, let’s stay with the neutral ‘incident’, in a way that doesn’t lead to further isolation due to atrocities. The Europeans and Americans won’t accept our hegemony in Eastern Asia otherwise.”
Now, Yamamoto was stunned. Konoe had been a liberal early in his career. He became more conservative and nationalistic over the years, but it looked as if Yamamoto, and judging their astonished views the army generals, had underestimated how nationalistic Konoe had become over the years. He had taken him too lightly anyway it seemed.

“What’s the emperor’s stance towards this development? Has he been informed?”
The Chief of Staff Prince Kanin Kotohito, the uncle of the empress, affirmed this. “He is well aware of the situation and said that the army and the government have to resolve the situation and end the war.”
General Tojo added. “Well, actually we haven’t declared war. And I don’t think that it will become necessary. An official declaration of war will only lead to frictions with England and the United States. And in this stage we still have to appease them.”
Terauchi seemed finally to awake from his shock over Konoes support for the invasion. “Oh, by the way, the army appoints General Tojo here as new war minister. I will personally oversee the frontlines in Northern China for some time.”
So, it was Tojo now. Yamamoto would see if he would be a worthy opponent in Shogi.

New war minister General Tojo Hideki​

 

[Zanza]

Zanza, any chance for an update?

Dont keep us waiting 2long.

Did you abandon it????

Well, I guess I answered these questions satisfying.

Thanks for your praise. I'll try to update more often. I had a busy time in university the last few weeks. All that damned maths...

 

[unmerged(11439)]

good to have you back