Briefing: September 1, 1943
Senators,
For the first time in many months, I have reports from both theaters of action, as our Pacific offensive resumed with Operation Catalyst.
General Hodges and Second Army were directed to devote all efforts to attacking Bucharest, the Romanian Capital, and to leave Ploesti to the Soviet Union. We simply cannot match their manpower, and if units are not wasted in occupation duty, we have a better chance of breaking through in Germany or France. General Taylor was recalled to active duty to take over the Provisional 1st Army, consisting of General Ridgway's Third Army Corps and the Second US Marine Corps. His objectives were to eliminate all German units from Southwestern France in preparation for our previously discussed attack on [redacted.] General Devers, CO of Army Group 'Italy', left western Italy for Ljubljana, in an effort to get closer to the front.
July 3rd saw the official beginning of Operation Catalyst with the invasion of Ponape.
Multiple Pacific task forces were ordered to aggressively seek out and destroy IJN units. Our first Pacific battle (which took place on July 5) in quite some time, the Battle of Central Mariana Basin, was inconclusive, but future battles were not. On July 6, CTF 'Lexington' sank three Japanese heavy cruisers, finishing off a fourth mere hours later. Two more cruisers, the
Chokai and
Tone, joined their comrades on July 8. The next day, with Ponape secured by units of the Pacific First Army, the invasion of Truk began. Not all American actions in the Pacific went without cost; the
USS Raleigh and the 15th destroyer division were sunk at Pisaras Pass on July 9. Fortunately, these were the only American warship losses in the entirety of Operation Catalyst. Our boys were avenged on July 11th, with the sinking of a Japanese destroyer division and the
Chiyoda, a light carrier. Truk was secured the same day.
In Europe, American and Soviet troops fought together for the first time on July 12th, with four Soviet rifle divisions joining the 2nd US Armored Division at the Battle of Sfantu Gheorghe. July 15th saw the final stage of Catalyst in the Pacific; the invasion of Satawan.
July 16 was the first mandatory status report required of all commanders. Just before the reports were sent to my desk, the CO of CTF 'Yorktown' reported sinking the Japanese light carrier
Unyo. General Patton is said to have ordered a 21 gun salute directly into German positions.
Army Group 'France' reported that France was all but secured. General Taylor reveled in his new assignment, and pushed his men hard to seize Bordeaux and the southwestern coast of France.
In Romania, Second Army and Soviet forces continued to close their pincers on a huge pocket of "Romanian forces", almost all of which were in actuality German.
While Generals Patton and Marshall pushed hard on southern Germany, along with our Italian allies, progress remained slow. With the Soviets pushing west faster every day, a friendly wager was proposed by Generalissimo Stalin -- the side who gets to Berlin first gets to hang Reichschancellor Hitler. General Patton's reply was extremely colorful, but for the sake of decorum, I cannot print it here.
Our allies in China reported that things had slowed down quite a bit there; a couple of Soviet divisions had crossed into Manchukuo, but did not stay.
One day later, more Japanese warships found Davy Jones' locker; another light carrier and a submarine squadron met their ends. July 22nd saw the most important battle of the Atlantic Campaign thus far begin: the battle for Bucharest.
Major General Emmons took the 25th Infantry Division right to the outskirts of the Romanian capital before meeting a German infantry division wearing Romanian uniforms. Later that same day, the newly formed Fourth Mechanized Corps landed at Dunkirk, immediately joining Third Army and beginning to push east. On July 24, three Soviet infantry divisions joined the assault, along with the US 7th Infantry Division.
On July 25, with the fall of Saratawa, Operation Catalyst was declared a complete success, with American naval forces returning to base for much needed repairs and R&R. Three days later, citing problems with coordination between American and Soviet troops, General Emmons retreated from Bucharest, his forces bloodied.
The Nazis clearly recognize how important Romania is to them; if Romania leaves the war, they will have no significant allies. The news in Germany was more of the same: casualties on both sides, with the front settling down to a World War I-like pace.
The Chinese, incredibly, began to slowly drift back as well, as if some sort of disease had infected them.
Our one success in early August was a bit of revenge on a German destroyer division who had been picking off American convoys going to Boston. August 9 saw General Hodges report that the Soviets had abandoned Ploesti, making the defeat of Romania that much more difficult.
By August 16, even the news that more German ships were sunk had failed to restore Allied spirits; many American officers openly cursed their Soviet counterparts for cowardice in the face of the enemy. When the Soviets bragged about their "glorious victory" at Brest-Litovsk, General Patton was heard to suggest that our dear friend Stalin do something anatomically impossible with their cursed victory.
The one bright spot in the Atlantic theater was the elimination of all German troops from France. General Taylor is already back at the Pentagon, although he's ready to fill in where needed.
In Romania and Germany, things have improved slightly, but somehow the German troops in Romanian clothing continue to fighting.
If not for the Pacific Theater, I would call this an unfortunate sixty days for the Allied cause.
The Chinese still seem to have lost their nerve somewhat, but I have been assured by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek that a new offensive is sure to begin soon.
Technologies learned: Mechanized Offensive Advance 3, CAS Ground Crew Training 5, Medium Tank Engine 5, Medium Tank Reliability 5, Medium Tank Armor 5, Anti-Tank Ammunition and Muzzle Velocity 6, Ground Attack Tactics 3, Light Artillery 6, Anti-Aircraft Barrel and Ammunition 6, Medium Navigation Radar 2
Units built: 4 x BB, 3 x SS, 3 X TR (deployed to Los Angeles, CA), 1 x armored division (1 х АRM, 2 x MECH), 2 x FTR (deployed to Norfolk, VA)
Warships sunk: 3 x CVL, 6 x CA, 1 x DD, 1 x SS (Japanese), 2 x DD, 1 x TR (German)
Warships lost: 1 x CL, 1 x DD (by Japan)
Convoys sunk: 5/0 (Japanese)
Convoys lost: 2/0 (by Germany), 2/0 (by Japan)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Would somebody more experienced than me care to share how the Germans in Romania are still in supply? It's irritating to see how long they've lasted (although kudos to the AI for dumping expeditionary forces effectively). Although I didn't mention it, I put an allied objective in Washington DC in the hopes of getting some British expeditionary units. They've literally done nothing this entire war since we won in North Africa.
No special bills or pressing issues I'm aware of -- the naming convention bill does need a co-sponsor. The Liberation of Vichy France bill specifies Allied forces must be at the Elbe before we declare war; if we want to move up that timetable, it will require a separate vote to declare war (provided two Senators create such a bill, of course).
shierholzer, until Tom officially returns to the thread, you're still ATLCOM. If we don't hear from him by the end of, say, 1943, you'll be official ATLCOM.
I'd like to have all bills voted on and plans completed by
Monday at 10 PM (-6 GMT), if not sooner.