-September 1st, 1938.
The Beginning:
Its september 1938 and the war with nationalist china and the Guangxi Clique still goes on.
At present japanese divisions hold positions from Shanghai in the east, stretching to the border with communist china to the north-west.
For now the offensive has stalled and all HQs are ordered to maintain positions while imperial high command devisises a new offensive plan which can overcome the supply problems in central china, aswell as the vast numerical supperiority of the enemy.
Prince Kanin Kotohito, chief of the army, calls his general staff to discuss the new plan.
Prince Kanin Kotohito, Chief of Staff and Chief of the Army wearing his ceremonial uniform.
He clearly states its ultimate goal is to bring nationalist china to its knees once and for all, hopefully anexing large parts of its territory and leaving japan to concentrate on different goals.
As the generals start to discuss, many ideas and strategies emerge.
Genral Sugiyama Hajime suggests a defensive stance, where japanese troops should maintain position dig in and build defensive structures so that japan can maintain the territory already gained, while chinese forces simply "crash like water on rock" against our defensive positions.
General Sugiyame Hajime, who aspires to take the princes place as chief, believes that his plan will both win the war and provide him with the glory, honour and prestige he has been looking for since he became an artillery officer.
He believe that after the chinese see that there is no breaking though the japanese lines, they will either seek for peace or retret. Both allowing japan, either through diplomacy of further late advances, gain more of the chinese territory it desires.
Admiral Yamamoto, one of the most promising leaders of the empire and the navy, agrees that it is a clever altough ambitious plan and says that, if necessary, he can support defensive actions by harrasing chinese troops with his carrier-based aircraft.
Admiral Yamamotos official photo after bieng given command of japans "Scouting fleet"
Altough he quickly declares that before proclaiming his full support for the plan he would like to hear the opinions of the Imperial Land Army generals, who he understands have more knowledge about the capability of their divisions and if the present situation favours this kind of defensive doctrine.
Indeed, most land army generals agree that the situation in no way favours defensive action at present, mainly due to the fact that divisions are already under supplied and out numbered by the enemy and no defensive fortification may be built in time to repel the more than obvious chinese counter attacks that are imminent. Their only option is to advance and take out the nationalists in one big push across the chinese central plains and the south-eastern china mountain ranges.
Difficult terrain and long distances make supply a very big problem difficult to overcome.
They also agree that the war cannot turn into a war of attrition, it must be won through inteligent manouvers to surround or trick enemy divisions. But some generals are scarred of using this tactic, the idea of "manouver warfare" was very new and most veteran officers where uneasy of change. But still the Prince decided that this was the way the plan would go. He ordered his generals to come up with offensive plans to be done by the following week, no longer. All "candidate" plans should and will be in by the 7th of September!
Meanwhile all HQs are ordered to maintain position and await further operational orders. 2 aircraft carriers will be sent to the Area or Operations (AO), sailing today with orders to help in defensive operations.
Admiral Naganos "Striking force" would sail towards the port of Quindao. 3 of the fleets most modern carriers, the Kaga, The Akagi and The Soryu would provide the much needed air superiority and support mainly for the west front, but have clearence to operate in the south front.
The IJN KAGA, photo taken after its modernisation in 1936.
The IJN AKAGI, leaving Tokio bay towards the China AO.
THE IJN SORYU, photographed from the battleship IJN NAGATO (part of the carriers escorts) leaving Tokio Bay.
The second carrier group, this time with only 1 carrier, the Husho, would sail towards the port of Shanghai, and provide air cover for the south front.
TO BE COMPLETED
The Empires Struggle. A Japanese Empire AAR - Hearts of Iron 3
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