Kantai Kessen - Empire of Japan [HOI3 with HPP mod]

[TheBromgrev]

Kantai Kessen
(Decisive Battle)

Warning: this is a picture-intensive AAR!
Most of the pictures are click-able, so if you can't read the text then click on the picture to see a larger version. The pictures are placed in spoiler tags to help speed up web page loading times.

Nation: Empire of Japan
Difficulty: Normal
Game Version: FtM 3.06b2
Mod: HPP 2.6.71a
Style: History Book

House Rules:
1) Manually control navy and special forces. Invasions will be handled manually until the entire command structure has been landed. Everything else will be under AI control at the army group level.
2) Any ships that are built must use components that match the historical models. Japanese ships were fast, powerful, but lacked armor. I'll replicate this for RP purposes unless the components are a little "off" in terms of year required to research them.
3) Don't escalate the Battles of Khalkhin Gol and instead leave it as a border skirmish if I win. If I lose them I'm at the mercy of the Soviet AI.

The outcome of the voting thread means my next AAR will be as Japan. Japan is a challenging nation to play, as it has to deal with sustaining large-scale overseas engagements and has to maintain naval superiority against the world's largest and 2nd largest navies. Since the AAR will be presented in the history book style, I'll first briefly go over the background material to set things up then dive into the game itself. Since the HPP mod includes events to model the inter-faction rivalry between the IJA and IJN, I'll be forced to roleplay a bit. As I did for my PRC AAR, I will link to online articles when discussing certain people, places, vehicles, or events for further reading if the reader is interested in learning more than what I present in this AAR.

Note that the first two chapters are a brief summary of real history. I'm not making any of it up and none of it appears in the game. I wrote them to explain the context of what happened IRL and what will happen in the game. The third chapter is as real as possible given the state of the mod and the limitations of the game, and everything has been painstakingly researched in an attempt to create as accurate a starting scenario as possible (this has been done for every nation in the game). Parts of the rest of the AAR are a mix of real history and the game, and where the lines blur I make an attempt to provide a link to an article describing the real history to prevent any confusion. So, anything past chapter 2 should be assumed to be part of the game unless I provide a link that explains what really happened.

NOTE: The version of the mod I'm using is outdated and has a few bugs. The biggest bugs you'll see are that the unit pictures are wrong. They were fixed in a later release, but the pictures for ships like the Yamato are incorrect in this release. Currently the mod is on release 3.1.0.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction to Japanese History - 1894 to 1905
Chapter 2: Introduction to Japanese History - 1905 to 1936
Chapter 3: The State of the Empire of Japan - January 1, 1936

Prelude to War
Chapter 4: The 2-2-6 Incident - January 2, 1936 to June 7, 1936
Chapter 5: Preparing for War - June 8, 1936 to June 2, 1937
Chapter 6: Status Summary - July 2, 1937

The 2nd Sino-Japanese War Part 1
Chapter 7: The Marco Polo Bridge Incident - July 2, 1937 to August 2, 1937
Chapter 8: The Capture of Nanjing - August 3, 1937 to September 2, 1937
Chapter 9: The Fall of Shanxi - September 3, 1937 to November 2, 1937
Chapter 10: The 1937 Winter Offensive - November 3, 1937 to March 2, 1938
Chapter 11: The Invasion of Hainan - March 3, 1938 to April 2, 1938
Chapter 12: The Capture of Guangzhou - April 3, 1938 to May 2, 1938
Chapter 13: The Battles of Xi'an and Changsha - May 3, 1938 to July 8, 1938
Chapter 14: The Battle of Changde - July 9 to August 17, 1938
Chapter 15: Analysis of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War from July 2, 1937 to August 17, 1938

The 2nd Sino-Japanese War Part 2
Chapter 16: The Changkufeng Lake Incident / The War Escalates - August 27 to December 2, 1938
Chapter 17: The Battles of Yan'an - December 3, 1938 to June 2, 1939
Chapter 18: The Xinjiang Campaign - June 3, 1939 to August 1, 1939
Chapter 19: The Battles of Khalkhin Gol - August 2 to September 15, 1939
Chapter 20: Fighting on The Roof of the World - September 16, 1939 to November 27, 1939
Chapter 21: Analysis of the Wars in China and the Soviet Far East - November 27, 1939

Interbellum
Chapter 22: Interbellum - November 27, 1939 to September 2, 1940
Chapter 23: Overview of the Empire of Japan - September 2, 1940
Chapter 24: The Co-Prosperity Sphere - September 2, 1940

The Phoney War
Chapter 25: The Powder-keg Ignites - September 27, 1938 to June 2, 1939

World War 2 - East Indies Campaign

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 1: Introduction to Japanese History - 1894 to 1905

(Author's note: all of this is real history. I will be referring to certain events prior to the game start, so decided to write up a very brief history summary)

The conflict now known as WW2 was not spontaneous in origin, but was the result of decades of wars, revolutions, mistrust, and deception. For some nations that participated in the war, they fought to regain their former glory, while others sought to keep their prestige intact. Still other nations sought to gain the power and status they believed was denied to them by the nations who had already achieved great power. The Empire of Japan falls into this last category.

Having rapidly industrialized after US Commodore Perry's Black Ships threatened to level the town of Uraga, opposite of the capital of Edo (now called Tokyo), by 1894 Japan had developed into a powerful modern nation, and set its sights on preventing the Great Powers from directly threatening Japan's safety. The first step toward this goal was to either annex Korea or guarantee its independence from the imperialist European nations. In 1876, Japan forced a trade treaty upon Korea and forcing Korea to abandon its status as a Chinese tributary state, which was essentially a reversal of what Perry forced upon Japan 22 years prior. Starting in 1882, anti-Japanese sentiments amongst the Korean people, as well as Japanese and Chinese covert operations, resulted in several violent incidents against Japan's diplomatic delegation as well as coups and counter-coups by pro- and anti-Japanese Koreans. Korea's chaotic internal situation finally brought Japan and China to war, as both sides sought to maintain their influence over the country and expel the other side's diplomatic delegation.

The First Sino-Japanese War was mainly fought in Korea and Manchuria

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During February 1894, a large-scale peasant revolt took place in southern Korea, which was unable to be suppressed by the Korean emperor's army. In response, the Emperor asked for Chinese assistance in putting down the rebellion. China agreed and sent 2,800 soldiers to Korea, failing to inform Japan. This was a violation of the earlier Convention of Tientsin (now spelled Tianjin), which stipulated that neither nation would station troops in Korea without notifying the other. Japan quickly learned of the violation and secured southern Korea, reaching Seoul on July 23 and replaced the existing government with pro-Japanese Korean politicians. This act terminated all Sino-Korean treaties and permitted Japan to expel China's expeditionary army by force, starting the war.

Japanese woodblock painting of the Battle of Yalu River

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While the IJA began offensive operations against China in Korea, the IJN sought to destroy the Beiyang Fleet, the most powerful fleet in China's possession. On paper, the Beiyang Fleet was the most powerful fleet stationed in Asia, containing two pre-dreadnought steel battleships and 7 protected cruisers as its core, while the IJN consisted of 9 protected cruisers. However, the Beiyang Fleet was poorly trained and extremely poorly equipped. Due to corruption, most of the shells fired by the Beiyang Fleet were filled with concrete or porcelain, or the shells were not the right caliber and couldn't be fired. The few shells that were viable were 13 years old and unreliable. As a result, during the Battle of the Yalu River the Chinese flagship's opening volley damaged its own bridge, killing or wounding most of the officers present, leaving command of the fleet to German adviser Major Constantin von Hannecken.

The destruction of the Beiyang Fleet allowed Japan full access to Chinese territorial waters, which greatly helped conclude the fighting. However, at this point Japan's stunning victory was checked by the European Powers. As per the Treaty of Shimonoseki, China had originally agreed to cede Taiwan and the city of Dalian to Japan and recognize Korea's independence. However, the Europeans also had interests in China and refused to recognize Japan's acquisition of Dalian. Not willing to go to war with Europe, Japan agreed to forgo Dalian in return for greater financial compensation. Within months Russia had begun construction of a railroad to Harbin and Dalian, and had forced China to lease Dalian to the Russian Empire. Likewise, France gained its concession of Zhanjiang, Germany gained Qingdao, and the UK gained Weihai. The Europeans had fully taken advantage of Japan's victory over China to strengthen themselves while preventing Japan from doing the same.

The Japanese Bombardment of Dalian started the Russo-Japanese War

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Tensions between Russia and Japan quickly rose as Russia violated agreements to leave Manchuria and war was declared on February 8, 1904 when the IJN attacked Port Arthur (another name for Dalian). Later the IJA bombarded Dalian, which was originally to be a war prize for Japan 10 years earlier. The siege began on July 30, 1904 and ended on January 2, 1905 and resulted in the complete destruction of Russia's Far East Fleet, which had retreated into the port after the Battle of the Yellow Sea, the first naval engagement between steel battle fleets.

The Russian Army retreats after the Battle of Mukden

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Russian fortunes were no better on land, as Japan was routinely able to defeat Russian forces, with the final major battle on land being the Battle of Mukden. At sea, the Russian Baltic Fleet was being redeployed to Dalian and had reached Madagascar when news arrived of Dalian's fall and the complete destruction of the Far East Fleet and its 5 battleships. The Baltic Fleet's only option was to reach Vladivostock to resupply and prepare to face the IJN. However, the Baltic Fleet was caught in the Tsushima straights and almost entirely annihilated during a night battle. By the time the war ended, Japan had sunk 13 of Russia's battleships while losing 2 of its own. UK observers of the battle returned to Britain and their observations of Japanese naval tactics were directly responsible for the construction of the battleship HMS Dreadnought, which revolutionized naval warfare and began the naval arms race of the early 1900s.

With the loss of nearly the entire Russian navy and the Russian army soundly defeated, diplomats from both sides were brought to the negotiating table. US President Theodore Roosevelt hosted the negotiations in Kittery, Maine. The result was the Treaty of Portsmouth, which stipulated that Russia would leave Manchuria, Manchuria would be returned to Chinese control, Japan would gain control of Dalian as well as the Russian railways in Manchuria, and that Russia would cede the southern half of Sakhalin Island. Ignorant of the conditions on the ground, the Japanese public was outraged at the terms, as they were led to believe that Japan would receive all of Sakhalin and financial compensation. While Japan was indeed the victor, it was unable to sustain a protracted war with Russia and needed to end the war quickly, resulting in the abandoning of the claim to all of Sakhalin. Once again European and American influence denied Japan what the Japanese public felt they deserved.

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 2: Introduction to Japanese History - 1905 to 1936

(Author's note: All of this is real history. The point of divergence is on January 1, 1936 when the game starts.)

As a result of the 1st Sino-Japanese War, Korea was free of Chinese influence and no longer a vassal state to the Qing Emperor. Instead Korea was an autonomous nation under the protection of Japan, which was the first step towards achieving Japan's dreams of empire and join the Western nations in carving up Asia into spheres of influence. On November 17, 1905 Japan and Korea signed the Eulsa Treaty, which placed Japan in charge of Korea's diplomatic policy. Two years later the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1907 was signed, giving Japan control over Korea's internal matters. Formal annexation occurred on August 20, 1910 when the Emperor of Korea ceded all of his holdings to the Emperor of Japan.

Japanese troops landing near German Qingdao

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The outbreak of World War I gave Japan a great opportunity to expand its influence in China and in the Pacific. On August 23, 1914 Japan declared war on the German Empire and seized Germany's Pacific holdings as well as its leased territories in Shandong, including the city of Qingdao. Japan assisted the UK during the war in several ways, such as basing 2 cruisers in Cape Town, suppressing an Indian rebellion, and sending 8 destroyers and the cruiser Akashi to Malta. Japan's intention was to aid the Entente in return for them turning a blind eye to Japan's actions in China, which culminated in Japan's Twenty-One Demands. While the Europeans were too distracted by the war at home to object to Japan's aggressive expansionist policies, the USA was highly concerned due to the massive American economic interests in China. The US would repeatedly protest and actively attempt to thwart Japanese imperial aspirations in China up to Japan's entrance into World War 2, and was China's most vehement defender. The 21 Demands prompted a large-scale American boycott of Japanese goods, for example.

Japan's involvement in WW1 led to the so-called Big Four Great Powers (the UK, the US, France, and Italy) being expanded to the Big Five and Japan receiving a permanent Council seat of the League of Nations. The period between 1918 and 1931 was highlighted at first by rising communist influence as a result of the creation of the Soviet Union, leading to a ban on new parties and a ban on abolishing private property, resulting in Japanese society becoming much more militant. Immediately after WW1 the UK, USA, France, Italy, and Japan began to rearm and expand their navies, which as a result of war debts and cooling economies would have bankrupted all nations involved in the new naval arms race, leading to the creation of the Washington Naval Treaty, which would have a profound impact on the size and quality of the navies that would participate in WW2. The fact that Japan was forced to limit its total capital ship tonnage to 3/5 of the tonnage allowed for the US and UK was considered by the Japanese public to be further Western denial of Japan's right to form a colonial empire. The London Naval Treaty, which kept in place the capital ship tonnage ratios despite Japan's attempts to raise the ratios from 5:5:3 to 10:10:7 (US:UK:Japan), was also viewed as a Western mechanism to keep Japan's status below that of the West. Prime Minister Osachi Hamaguchi was shot by a Japanese ultra-nationalist for having been unable to negotiate terms more favorable to Japan.

Japanese troops entering Mukden

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The era of calm that existed throughout the 1920s ended on September 18, 1931, when officers of the Imperial Japanese Army destroyed a Japanese-operated railroad near Mukden, starting a short war with China. The fighting would last until February 18, 1932. The immediate result of the war was the creation of Manchukuo, the refusal of the League of Nations to recognize Manchukuo and Japan's subsequent departure from the League. Later, on May 31, 1933 the Tanggu Truce formalized the cease-fire from February 18, 1932 and led to the creation of the East Hebei Autonomous Council in 1935.

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 3: The State of the Empire of Japan - January 1, 1936

As 1936 began, the Empire of Japan was one of the world's major powers. Due to the global recession and the necessary budget cuts to remain fiscally solvent, Japan's military was not at the level befitting a major power, but closer to a large regional power, like Poland or Argentina. However, in the event of war, either with the Soviets or Chinese, Japan could quickly expand the IJA beyond the current peacetime level.

The Keisuke Cabinet
Author's note: Leadership in the HPP mod is determined mainly by how powerful a nation is. Other, smaller factors are the education tech, ministers, and random events.
Power is measured in terms of effective IC and the size of the military.

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Japan's army and navy were both large and modern, though the army lagged behind the navy in terms of equipment quality. Japan's air force was split between the army and navy, with each side jealously guarding their aircraft. Japan's navy operated under a single, unified command, while the army was split into several competing factions. In Japan itself, the army consisted of the Imperial Guard division (Konoe Shidan) and garrison forces. On the mainland, the Korean Army (Chosen-gun) was under the command of the Imperial General Headquarters (Daihon'ei) and responsible for the defense of Japanese assets in Korea as well as guarding the Soviet border. Separate from the forces stationed in Korea was the Kwantung Army (Kantogun), responsible for the defense of Manchuria from the Republic of China and the USSR. The Kantogun was largely independent from the Daihon'ei, and caused the Mukden Incident without orders from Tokyo. Kantogun units would frequently provoke Soviet and Chinese soldiers into attacking Japanese positions. Such uncontrolled behavior would later spark the 2nd Sino-Japanese War as well as large-scale border skirmishes with the Soviet Union.

The IJN had its own garrison forces as well, which were stationed in Japan's Pacific Island bases. The IJN also had the Special Naval Landing Force (Kaigun Tokubetsu Rikusentai, aka SNLF), which served as the navy's ground troops. In 1936 the majority of the IJN was stationed in Japan.

A breakdown of Japan's military

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Distribution of Japan's military by theater
Author's note: The mod has several new units and has removed some familiar units. The counter that is an oval with a x through it is an infantry support tank.
The two counters that have a triangle in the middle are the HPP's support brigade "container" units. The version with small circles at the bottom is motorized, while the version with a small oval at the bottom is mechanized. Japan had the world's 3rd largest armored force, which consisted mainly of armored cars.

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The Imperial Japanese Army's operational doctrines, while effective during WW1, were outdated in 1936. The main tactic the army used was the Mass Assault, supported by artillery fire. This was the tactic used at the start of WW1 by all combatants. Since Japan did not participate in the trench warfare of the Western Front, Japan did not learn the same lessons from the war that the Europeans had learned, and Japan's operational tactics did not change after the war ended. Likewise, Japan's tanks were divided into two segments: Cavalry and Infantry Support (IST). Cavalry tanks were light-weight and fast, designed to be used alongside the dragoon-like cavalry units stationed in Inner Mongolia. The ISTs were either slow, heavily armored tanks designed to provide cover from enemy fire while the infantry advanced upon fortified locations or small armored cars designed for scouting duties. However, there is one aspect where the IJA was truly unique, and that was the focus on infantry trained to fight in rough terrain and away from major transportation hubs. Japanese troops were far more skilled at taking advantage of the environment than their western counterparts.

A look at the doctrines used by the world's armies

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In 1935, Japan began to reconstruct its oldest battleships in response to the naval arms race sparked by the Anglo-German Naval Agreement. The treaty allowed Germany to bypass the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles and construct a navy whose tonnage was up to 35% of the Royal Navy's tonnage. This prompted France to replace all 6 of its battleships with 2 new battlecruisers and 8 new battleships, which in turn prompted Italy to retire two old ships and replace them with 4 new battleships. In response the IJN accelerated plans to rebuild the Kongo-class Battlecruisers to act as carrier escorts as well as refit the IJN Kaga and IJN Akagi on top of building the new carrier IJN Soryu. The new naval arms race was extremely taxing to the national budgets of France, Italy, and Japan. Japan's military industrial capacity was limited when compared to France or the UK, and it was heavily skewed to satisfy the demands of the IJN. Despite being a modern industrialized nation, roughly 90% of Japan's railways were designed to exclusively serve the needs of the IJN, leaving the stretch of Honshu between Tokyo and Hiroshima as the area where Japan's railway network was the densest. In contrast, Japan's highway system consisted of unpaved dirt and gravel roads.

A comparison of the modernized IJN Haruna and the IJN Hiei, which has yet to undergo reconstruction

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An overview of Japan's military industrial capacity and military budget

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A summary of Japan's technological standing. Years are relative to what the other major nations have, so a technology dated for 1936 means most of the 7 major nations acquired it in 1936.

Infantry weapons

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Tank equipment
Author's note: Yes, I can build heavy tanks. I don't know why though since I didn't mod this area...

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Small warship equipment
Author's note: I think TZoli is giving Japan's cruisers a bit too much credit

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Large warship equipment

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Large aircraft equipment
Author's note: Techs seem a bit high, but all the majors have air techs like this so it evens out

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Small aircraft equipment
Author's note: Techs seem a bit high, but all the majors have air techs like this so it evens out

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Industrial advances

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Advances in science and logistics

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Army doctrines

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Army Operational doctrines

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Naval doctrines¹

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Air doctrines

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[1] Notice that Japan starts with Night Fighting Training. This is a 1942 tech, but the IJA was extremely effective during night engagements until the Allies adapted their tactics near the end of the war, and Japan gets this tech at the start of the scenario to reflect that.

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 4: The 2-2-6 Incident - January 2, 1936 to June 7, 1936

Japan's status as a major global power was both a blessing and a curse. The Japanese people were driven to fierce nationalism due to their desire to truly join the ranks of the major powers through the colonization of China and the attempts of the West to contain Japan's expansion through international treaties and trade embargoes. Each of Japan's earlier aggressive actions had brought not only great honor and glory to the Japanese people but also condemnation and retaliatory actions from the Europeans. The truth of the matter was not that the West was actively containing Japanese expansionist ambitions, but rather that Japan's only options to expand directly threatened Western economic interests. The threat of Japan controlling access to trade in China was the primary motivation for the USA's frequent efforts to contain Japan. The American-Chinese economic links would play a critical role in Japan's economy during the time frame of this work.

Regardless of their true intentions, the main effect of the West's naval limitation treaties and trade embargoes was to drive Japan's population toward political parties that favored nationalist and militant themes. The liberal reforms of the '20s, were shortly curtailed in the Peace Preservation Law of 1925. By 1932, the nation was effectively ruled by the admirals of the IJN, while Japan's colony of Korea and Machurian puppet were effectively ruled by the army. The immediate result of this lack of central control was the Mukden Incident mentioned earlier. By January 6, the internal political situation had deteriorated to the point that Japan's two largest opposition parties began to form a coalition in an attempt to wrest control of the Diet from the conservatives. While the influence of the Diet was limited in light of the Emeror's veto privilege and the military's de-facto control over the nation, a successful joining of the two parties would have been a highly symbolic victory for the Japanese people's individual freedoms and liberties, showing the ruling class that a major portion of Japan's population opposed the militarization of the country. Unfortunately for the opposition, the military and Zaibatsu that held power broke up the attempts for the coalition to form, resulting in arrests and scandals being publicized in Japan's state press.

Japan's ruling military elite was constantly under pressure from the nation's opposition parties

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Japan wasn't the only nation with an unstable internal political situation. Spain had recently formed a democratic government in 1931, which was opposed by large portions of the Spanish established elite, such as the military and the Catholic church. The February 1936 elections brought the nation's festering dissent to an explosive conclusion. The Spanish Army attempted a coup and the northern portion of the country outright revolted. The army's failed coup on February 24 signaled the start of the Spanish Civil War. While the war itself was of no direct consequence to Japan, many nations would send varying amounts of support to both sides of the war, which would impact the larger European war that would break out in 1939. Italy's complete occupation of Ethiopia on March 20, 1936 was little more than a footnote, as the war in Spain occupied Europe's attention.

However, Japan's turbulent political situation resulted in Japan's own coup attempt on February 26, 1936 - the so-called 2-26 Incident. Junior IJA officers stationed in Japan, including some members of the Imperial Guard (Konoe Shidan) had first-hand witnessed the poverty of Japan's rural areas and the corruption of the political elite, and decided that the only way to "destroy the deadly spirit that was poisoning Japan" was to kill senior politicians and allow Emperor Hirohito to reign in the out-of-control military. Hirohito initially was enraged at the murders of his loyal supporters¹, but eventually calmed and assessed the situation. The earlier attempt to form a coalition in the Diet to counter the militant ruling party accompanied by the unrest in the rural areas which prompted the coup in the first place convinced Hirohito that by improving the lives of his people he could further strengthen his own personal power. In the end, the coup was successful, and the "Showa restoration" was complete.

Emperor Hirohito decides to use the coup to consolidate his power and reign in the Japanese military

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In late December of 1935, the 2nd London Naval Disarmament Conference began. Despite the attempts of Japan's negotiators to raise the tonnage ratios in Japan's favor, the UK and US refused to adjust the ratios and Japan signaled on January 15 that it would not sign the treaty. Italy also did not sign the treaty, and on March 26 only the US, the UK, and France signed the naval limitation treaty. This effectively meant Japan's and Italy's withdrawal from the treaties limiting their naval construction and the size of their capital ships' main guns².

Japan refuses to continue limiting the size of its navy and remain 2nd-class compared to the British and Americans

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Since the restrictions on the size of Japan's navy were lifted when it refused to sign the treaty, the IJN Hiei was reactivated and reconstructed along the same lines as its sister ships the Kongo and Kirishima³.

The IJN Hiei is reactivated and modernized to improve its armor and engine

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To best leverage his new power, the Emperor embarked on a series of agricultural reforms and reorganized the IJA. The reforms mainly involved the production and introduction of heavy farming equipment, meant to make farming more efficient. The result of the reforms was that fewer farmers were needed to work the same amount of land, resulting in newly unemployed men fit for military service. The Emperor's changes to the IJA saw a complete reorganization of the army. The Emperor had long decided that in order for Japan to truly join the ranks of the world's greatest nations, it needed to fully subjugate China and its population of 480 million people⁴ and China's vast supply of raw materials. To do so, the IJA would first be reorganized to properly cover the front into the Gobi Desert and the front covering the portions of China's Hebei province not already occupied. After the reorganization was complete, a new full army was to be raised to create a second front near either Shanghai or Guanzhou.

The Emperor's agricultural reforms resulted in greater farming efficiency, but also some unhappy former farmers

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The result of the Emperor's reorganization of the IJA

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Author's notes

0) In case you're wondering, super-script is done using the code [sup]text[ /sup] (remove the space before the /).

1) IRL the emperor chose to crush the coup. In-game crushing the coup leads to a series of events that replace the prime minister on a regular basis and causes a lot of internal issues I'd rather not deal with in the game. Since I want to fight the Allies, choosing the democratic route was out too. That left the option to support the rebels, which also makes the military reorganizations I'll do later more plausible given the context of what has happened so far. The screenshot is misleading; I actually chose the middle option, not the top one.

2) In the mod this is represented by placing limits on the tech levels treaty signatories can research. Some nations, like Japan, start off with techs higher than the cut-off, but can't increase this advantage. Since the democracies signed the treaty, they can't research past 1936-level techs until WW2 starts, giving me a three year head-start on naval research.

3) In-game what happens is the decision removes the ship from the map, then loads an OOB file (the SCW intervention units come from OOB files) that places a higher-model version of the ship in the build queue. Chapter 3 shows the stats of each version of the Kongo-class battlecruiser.

4) To put that number into perspective, Japan itself had a population of 64 million, India had a population of 351 million, and the USSR had a population of 161 million. More details here: http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/...ferrerid=47409

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 5: Preparing for War - June 8, 1936 to June 2, 1937

The 2-2-6 Incident resulted in the concentration of power shifting from Japan's military to Japan's imperial family. Just as the Kantogun leadership was replaced and the army reorganized, the IJN was to undergo a similar reorganization. Prior to the 2-2-6 Incident, the IJN was split between two competing factions: Yamamoto Isoroku's supporters of naval aviation, which the IJN pioneered, and the remaining admirals led by Prince Hiroyasu Fushimi. Of note is that both men fought in and were wounded at sea during the Russo-Japanese War. Yamamoto opposed aggression against China and the United States, due to the fact he studied at Harvard University and saw first-hand the industrial superiority of the USA, while Prince Hiroyasu was a vocal advocate of Kantai Kessen and expanding Japan's influence into South-East Asia by force. Yamamoto's anti-war stance against China resulted in numerous death-threats from Japanese ultra-nationalists and members of the IJA. In the end, the emperor decided to reorganize the IJN in a way that would satisfy not only both IJN factions, but the IJA as well: The IJN would be organized and built up to include 4 surface action groups (SAG) of 4 capital ships and 8 escorts, 3 carrier task forces (CTF) consisting of 4 carriers and 6 screens, 9 submarine groups of 15 subs per unit, at least 12 patrol groups of cruisers and destroyers, and 2 transport flotillas.

Aside from the capital ships and submarines, the IJN's commissioned ships already fulfilled the Emperor's requirements. The IJN's reorganization was designed with three goals in mind: the destruction of the USN, the subjugation of China, and the liberation of Europe's colonies in Asia. While Japan's battleships were deemed more than sufficient to combat the RN, they had an additional purpose of supplying a vital land-support role the IJA lacked. Since China was to be subjugated as soon as 2 Shinagun (2nd Chinese Front Army) finished training, according to the Emperor's plans the IJN's SAGs would provide critical ground support for the IJA along China's extensive coastline and its sole existing CTF would supply air support to the IJA. The time period prior to the start of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War saw the launching of a fleet carrier, 2 light carriers, and 3 light cruisers in order to fulfill the Emperor's requirement for 3 CTFs.

The IJN Hiryu of the Soryu-class was launched on July 2, 1936

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On May 11, 1937, the light carriers Zuiho and Shoho were launched. These ships were converted submarine tenders.

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Three Katori-class light cruisers were launched on August 4, 1936. These ships were training vessels suitable for combat roles.¹

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As 1936 progressed, the only notable events for the remainder of the year were the 1936 Olympics, the abdication of Edward VIII of the UK, Ioanis Metaxas's rise to power in Greece, and the creation of the Anti-Comintern Pact on October 6, 1936. On paper the Pact was a defensive alliance stipulating that the signers of the pact would work together "in an appropriate manner" in the event of an attack by the USSR against a signatory nation. In reality the pact was an attempt to improve relations amongst Germany's ideological allies and no formal alliances were formed by signing. Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact on October 7, 1936, following the lead of Hungary, Italy, and China.

The Anti-Comintern Pact was mostly a symbolic gesture, but it did have a positive impact on the relations between the signers

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On April 1, 1937, the UK split the administration of Burma from India, creating a colony administered locally rather than from India. Local Burmese resentment had boiled up over time and forced the UK to grant some measure of autonomy. This was an important event for Japan, because in the event of a war with the UK Japan could tap local resentment and possibly gather local support. On top of that, the UK's defenses were now weakened in South Asia as the new colonial government would now have to raise troops from the ground up and Indian divisions were moved west. Burma's small industry meant that the colonial government would not be able to field a large force to defend itself if Japan were to attempt to liberate the nation in the future.

The UK split Burma from India on April 1, 1936 in response to severe local unrest

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May 1 saw the completion of the reconstructed battleships, bringing the size of the IJN over 100 ships. This greatly increased the influence of the admirals in the cabinet, resulting in the admirals successfully acquiring more funding than the army. In response, on June 2, 1937 the Kantogun (Kwantung Army) stationed along the Chinese border mobilized without orders, taking great pains to hide the mobilization from Tokyo, even resorting to falsifying reports to maintain the deception. The generals greatly resented the navy's influence and the loss of control the military as a whole experienced as a result of the 2-2-6 Incident, and the generals were not about to allow themselves to lose all of their influence in the cabinet.

The navy's influence on the Japanese budget is now affecting the IJA


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Author's notes

1) Even though I have plenty of screens and these ships are actually worse than the preceding class since they really were training ships, they provide cruiser practical which will help speed up cruiser doctrines.

Bonus screenshot that shows how I reorganized the IJN in-game:

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[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 6: The State of the Empire of Japan - July 2, 1937

The Kantogun was widely respected as the IJA's premier fighting force, and much prestige was gained if a soldier was assigned to northern China. However, the Kantogun's reputation as an effective fighting force, combined with several other factors led to the Mukden Incident in 1931. The same factors that led to war in 1931 would once again lead to war in 1937. Elements of the Kantogun began night drills starting in June, and on July 1 several alarmed Chinese troops fired shots toward the East Hebei Autonomous Region. After the drill concluded, one Japanese soldier failed to report to his post and his local commander assumed he was captured by the NRA. Local Japanese troops attacked the Marco Polo Bridge on July 2, threatening to escalate the conflict to the national level.

The Kantogun's independent actions sparked the beginning of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War

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Overview of the soldiers stationed along the Chinese border

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Overview of the troops slated to attack Shanghai

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Overview of the SNLF

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Summary of Japan's and Manchukuo's armed forces

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Overview of the status of Japan's equipment and tactics

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[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 7: The Marco Polo Bridge Incident - July 2, 1937 to August 2, 1937

The Kantogun's independent actions on the night of July 1, 1937 would eventually provoke a full-fledged war between the Empire of Japan and the Republic of China. The attack on the Marco Polo Bridge was calmed after the local garrisons' commanders brokered a cease-fire, but other local Japanese commanders engaged Chinese forces on their own and without orders. The Kantogun's low-level officers felt that their honor was tarnished as a result of the Emperor's pro-IJN policies, and with the tacit approval of their superiors planned to provoke another Incident in which China could be forced to grant another concession.

Unfortunately, a quick land-grab was not to be had. Despite the open fighting in China's rugged Shaanxi province between the National Revolutionary Army (NRA) and People's Liberation Army (PLA) occupying a large portion of the NRA, China's ruler Chiang Kai-Shek¹ could not politically survive handing Japan another concession and ordered his border troops to engage Japan's forces. Thus the 2nd Sino-Japanese War began. Japan's official stance on the war is that China was the aggressor nation, as Chiang declared war on Japan, but the Western nations claim Japan started the war due to the Kantogun's provocations. Regardless, the Japanese leadership in Tokyo were caught by surprise, as the planned expansion of the IJA was not yet complete. This resulted in a emergency redirection of funds from the navy to the army in order to expand the IJA for the task of pacifying the RoC.

The Kantogun's provocative actions sparked the 2nd Sino-Japanese War

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The IJA's influence on the national budget and the cabinet was greatly elevated due to the land-based nature of Japan's opponent

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Before the Emperor could react to the situation, the entire front became active, with IJA soldiers attacking Beijing, Tianjin, and the empty deserts of Chahar. As the Kantogun advanced south, the Emperor demanded that two surface action groups and two carrier task forces (one of which was under-strength) be sent to assist the army. The large battleships were to provide coastal bombardment support and the carriers were to find and destroy the ROCN. The ROCN was in no shape to challenge the IJN, but if left alone could hamper Japanese shipping. It's destruction would eliminate any potential danger. The IJN would not have to wait long, as Mikawa Gunichi's task force centered around the battleships Mutsu, Fuso, Yamashiro, and Hyuga would come across a cruiser group led by Wang Shouting and after several minutes sink the entire flotilla. The pre-WW1 Chinese cruisers Haichen, Zhaohe, and Haiqi along with China's highest-ranking naval officer were lost on July 3, 1937.

China's highest-ranking naval officer, Wang Shouting, was killed on July 3, 1937

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As Mikawa's force headed north, Ozawa Jisaburo's CTF centered around the IJN Kaga, Akagi, Ryujo, and Hosho encountered the remnants of the ROCN at 2am on July 10 outside of Shanghai. The cruisers ROCS Haichou, Yingrui, and Tongji were sunk along with all of China's smaller ships, with no losses on the Japanese side. The rest of the ROCN fled north to Nantong, where they were sunk by aircraft on July 15. In just under a week the entire Chinese navy was destroyed and Japan had full naval superiority.

The small and outdated ROCN was sunk between July 3 and 15, 1937

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As soon as the war began the IJA's heavy bombers began a campaign to destroy China's limited heavy industry, which was located mostly along the Yangtze River. In response, China's leadership ordered the factories moved to the interior regions, where they would be out of the range of the IJA's bombers. At the same time, the capital and its army of bureaucrats was moved to the city of Wuhan, home of the Wuhan Arsenal, then to Chongqing. Both actions would serve to prolong the war as well as deny Japan the use of the moved resources. In the end the industry transfer would prove ineffective in the long term.

The KMT's decision to transfer as much of China's heavy industry to the interior would prolong the war
Author's note: You can see the carriers positioned to aid the IJA in this screen.

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On July 26, after the Hiei's reconstruction was completed, the IJN Yamato was launched despite Admiral Yamamoto's reservations. The battleship's construction was deemed justified in light of the perceived need for coastal bombardment capabilities and as a means to modernize Japan's aging battlefleet in order to counter the RN, MN, and USN in the event of a future conflict.

The largest battleship the world had seen was launched on July 26, 1937

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Meanwhile, progress in the north was slow where the fighting was taking place away from the range of the IJN's large guns. While the IJA had punched into the province of Suiyuan, the Hai River was preventing the IJA from pushing south past Beijing and Tianjin. The Grand Canal was also a formidable barrier to the army and would remain an obstacle throughout the campaigns of 1937. By the beginning of August, little ground had been made, prompting the IJA to consider opening a second front in the industrialized Yangtze Delta region. Reconnaissance flights from the carriers showed that Chinese defenses were weak in the region, and the partially-formed 2 Shinagun could land and secure the area quickly, forcing the NRA to fight on two fronts.

Recruits from Manchukuo arrive in Korea for training. The IJA would rely heavily on soldiers from its colonies and puppets.

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1. Spelled Jiang Jieshi in Pinyin, which is based on Mandarin; Kai-Shek is the Cantonese romanization. Chiang is his family name and Kai-Shek is his "courtesy" or common name.

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 8: The capture of Nanjing - August 3, 1937 to September 2, 1937

While the fighting in Hebei intensified as 1 Shinagun attempted to cross the Hai River, plans were made to use the undermanned 2 Shinagun stationed in Japan itself along with the SNLF to invade the heart of China's power base: the Yangzte Delta. The area between Nanjing and Shanghai was the most heavily industrialized region of China as well as the wealthiest. It was here that China's ruling KMT party had their greatest support and where China's people benefited most from the KMT's policies. Despite Chiang having moved some of the heavy industry into Sichuan, much remained in the Yangtze Delta region. Capturing the KMT's home turf would force the parties ruling elite to relocate to the less-friendly interior, where they would be less effective in their attempts to resist Japan's military might. On August 15, the SNLF would land and occupy the Yangtze port of Nantong, situated on the northern bank of the mighty river.

The bloody August 6 Battle of Yongqing was the first successful IJA attempt to cross the Hai River

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The goal of the invasion was to not only capture the heart of the KMT's core territory, but to force the NRA to divert troops from the northern front and relieve pressure on 1 Shinagun. The SNLF was responsible for occupying Nantong and the northern bank of the Yangtze and for moving north along the Grand Canal's eastern shore in order to link up with the northern IJA forces. 2 Shinagun was to land along the entire length of the eastern peninsula, taking Shanghai and Hangzhou, both of which were foolishly left undefended by the NRA.

The invasion's initial landing zones

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1 Shinagun landed near Shanghai on August 17, 1937, quickly taking China's largest cities

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Kuribayashi Tadamichi, 1 Shinagun's commanding officer, was appalled at the lack of any resistance from the NRA. Rather than face the Japanese troops crawling up the beaches, it appears that only a single division defended the entire delta region, with the nearest defenders being static defensive troops stationed in Nanjing to the west and Ningbo to the south. Using the IJN's carrier-based aircraft, Kuribayashi realized that the entire distance between Shanghai and Nanjing was undefended, including the so-called Chinese Hindenburg Line, which was a series of forts created to defend Nanjing in exactly this type of scenario. This was the perfect opportunity to prove the effectiveness of Japan's cavalry tanks - light tanks supported by armored cars and mobile artillery designed for speed over protection. Kuribayashi ordered the tanks of 3 Kiheishidan to speed toward Nanjing and ignore or push through all opposition. If Nanjing was taken only a month after the war started, Kuribayashi thought that the war could be ended. Unfortunately, Chiang Kai-Shek had other plans.

Nanjing, China's capital city, was taken by IJA armored units on August 21, 1937

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When Chiang ordered China's industry to be moved, he also took a major political gamble: he decided to keep the bulk of the NRA fighting in the north and deliberately left Shanghai exposed. From a military strategic perspective, this move was incredibly foolish. However, what Chiang wanted to show was that Japan was the aggressor nation and China was only defending itself. If Chiang left China's wealthiest city as well as the capital undefended and Japan captured both cities, then the League of Nations would have no choice to but to act against Japanese aggression. Unfortunately, the international community had little appetite for war as a result of not only the Great Depression, but memories of WW1 were still fresh in the minds of the Europeans. Only the United States, China's unofficial guardian, wished to intervene, but President Roosevelt's hands were tied by the isolationist American public. Weak attempts to broker a cease-fire were made, but China's demand that the IJA withdraw from Hebei and allow the KMT to conduct political activities in the province were rejected by the Japanese delegation, which agreed to the American proposal to return to the status-quo. Despite, or perhaps because of, the failure of the American intervention, another nation sided with China, albeit secretly. The United Kingdom began to secretly supply China with equipment and advisers through its colony of Burma, bypassing China's ports and the IJN patrols. While the UK was no friend of the Chinese, it felt that China was too weak to defeat Japan and must be supported. Otherwise, Japan would become the sole independent power in Asia, something the UK could not afford to see and something Japan desperately wanted.

On August 23, the United States attempted to broker a cease-fire

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With the failure of Chiang's political gamble, the chances of Chiang's Central Army defeating the IJA were slim. China had lost most of its industry and was unable to prevent the IJA's heavy bombers from destroying the arsenals of Wuhan, Guangzhou, and Chengdu, which was where 70% of China's heavy industry was now located. Despite the outer provinces of Guangxi, Yunnan, Xinjiang, and those controlled by the Ma Clique having pledged loyalty to Chiang, they had yet to participate in any fighting. In fact, not one provincial soldier had left their home areas since the war began. With the UK's aid, Chiang was able to show that China could in fact resist Japan, but only if the provinces sent troops to the front. To complicate matters, fighting was still taking place between NRA soldiers stationed in Shaanxi and the PLA. It wasn't until August 29 that the outer provinces joined the so-called United Front, fully allying themselves to Chiang Kai-Shek.

Chiang forms the 2nd United Front. Most warlords join immediately, but Mao refuses to join at this time

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2 Shinagun's operational area and objectives

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The front lines on September 2, 1937

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[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 9: The Fall of Shanxi - September 3, 1937 to November 2, 1937

The formation of the Second United Front did little to alter China's fortunes in the war. 1 Shinagun in the north continued to advance west toward Taiyuan and south toward the Yellow River. The SNLF continued their march along the Grand Canal in order to link up with 1 Shinagun. Meanwhile, 2 Shinagun in the east was expanding the front in all directions, hoping to gain as much ground as possible. The next major turning point in the war was the conclusion of the Battle of Taiyuan¹ on September 18, in which 2,424 brave soldiers of the IJA's 46,933 men committed to the battle gave their lives in service to the Emperor, while 1,960 of China's 82,709 defenders were KIA. The city is situated in a mountain valley along the Fen River and was unusually difficult to take due to the rugged terrain surrounding the city. The Battle of Taiyuan was the first of an increasingly large number of bloody battles the IJA would face.

The Battle of Taiyuan effectively ended Shanxi province's participation in the war²

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The remainder of September saw slow progress as Chinese resistance stiffened and the terrain 2 Shinagun was reaching in the south became increasingly mountainous. However, despite the slow advances of both fronts, the IJA was winning the war overall. By October 12 the IJA had begun to cross the Yellow River at several points and began to assault the city of Jinan, capital of Shandong Province. Jinan was a strategically important city, as a major north-south rail line ran through it and the loss of the city would place China's defenders in eastern Shandong at risk of being cut off. Indeed, the SNLF was advancing along the Grand Canal and the coast to link up with 1 Shinagun in the north to cut off as many Chinese divisions as possible, and taking Jinan was a critical first step for 1 Shinagun to complete. The Battle of Jinan was concluded on October 22 and the city occupied on October 25.

The capture of Jinan would directly lead to the encirclement and capture of many Chinese divisions in the Shandong Peninsula, as it was the last major obstacle between 1 Shinagun and the SNLF. The city was of such strategic importance that its loss compelled Mao Zedong to make peace with the national government and join the United Front, though Mao did not immediately join the war. However, simply the risk of the experienced People's Liberation Army joining the war would tie up Japanese divisions guarding against any potential surprise attack.

The loss of Jinan was enough to convince the Chinese communists to agree to a cease-fire with the national government and possibly join the war

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On October 27, grim news was leaked to the world through western reporters. After the capture of Nanjing, the inexperienced troops of 2 Shinagun began to systematically pillage, rape, and murder the residents of Nanjing in what is now known as the Nanking Massacre. Because of the difficult fighting at the front, the occupation troops had little in the way of training regarding occupation duties as well as oversight and felt they could do as they pleased. It wasn't until Europeans hiding in Nanjing's so-called Safety Zone escaped that word of the massacre spread to Tokyo and the world. The Emperor was outraged at the conduct of his army, but the damage had already been done. The event would harden Chinese resolve to resist and worsened Japan's already poor standing amongst the international community. Already a pariah state, Japan needed to import vast quantities of raw materials to feed its industry; raw materials only the colonial powers had.

The Nanjing Massacre was a heinous act committed by the IJA and harmed relations amongst Japan's major trade partners

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The front lines on November 2, 1937.

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Author's notes:

1. Surprisingly very much like what happened in-game.
2. Notice the gang of infantry divisions chilling out north of Beijing and the division about to be trapped. This is the first of several instances where the 3.062 AI "fell asleep" and I had to save and reload to wake it up.

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 10: The 1937 Winter Offensive - November 3, 1937 to March 2, 1938

The winter of 1937-'38 was characterized by slow, bloody, and steady progress as the IJA crept toward the provisional capital of Chongqing. The formidable Yellow River and Qin mountain range were major obstacles for 1 Shinagun to overcome in the north, with breakouts not occurring until the spring. In addition, the bulk of the NRA was deployed in the northern front, with the Chinese having 5:1 numerical superiority during most battles. To the south, the Mufu and Wuyi mountain ranges combined with a lack of troops caused 2 Shinagun's advances to halt for fear of creating gaps in the line. At this point in the war, 2 Shinagun was operating at half-strength since 4 Homengun's infantry hadn't completed their training.

The first major offensive of the winter was the completion of the Shandong Campaign, the goal of which was to encircle and destroy the NRA units defending the Shandong peninsula. 1 Shinagun and the SNLF had been working toward the creation of this pocket since the invasion of Shanghai, and on November 16, 1937 both Japanese army and navy elements met at the Battle of Xinyi. The battle was swift and masterfully executed with 190 Japanese killed compared to 877 Chinese KIA. However, Chinese losses were actually far higher. By February 19, all Chinese resistance in the peninsula would be stamped out, with the NRA losing an estimated 4 corps-level HQ units, 1 garrison division, 1 cavalry division, 6 militia-grade divisions, and 5 regular infantry divisions, for an estimated total loss of 18 ground units. The SNLF was responsible for closing the pocket, with the navy providing heavy fire support.

The Battle of Xinyi marked the success of the Shandong Campaign

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While the SNLF had begun operations to pacify Shandong, 1 Shinagun had reached the city of Zhengzhou, provincial capital of Henan. Located just south of the Yellow River, the city was of great strategic importance, as it was a local rail hub. However, the urban landscape, the Yellow River, and the river fortifications the defending infantry hastily constructed allowed the NRA to defend the city much better than the IJA expected. After nearly a month of fighting the NRA defenders were finally routed, but 1 Shinagun's troops were too exhausted to occupy the city in full force. The Fist Battle of Zhengzhou ended on November 30, with 2,476 Japanese KIA and 1,544 Chinese KIA. Despite no territory changing hands, the battle had other psychological effects. The troops of 1 Shinagun were demoralized, having suffered their first true loss when on the offensive. In addition, Mao's People's Liberation Army had begun to mobilize, potentially threatening 1 Shinagun's rear. Throughout the remainder of the war 1 Shinagun would be forced to garrison the border with the Communist rebels, depriving the front lines of badly-needed soldiers.

The First Battle of Zhengzhou was a victory for Japan in name only

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In the south, 2 Shinagun was faring no better. Despite having the element of surprise, 2 Shinagun lacked the manpower to fully exploit China's defenseless eastern provinces. The infantry divisions marked for 4 Homengun wouldn't complete their training and their weapons wouldn't be ready until June 1938, forcing 2 Shinagun to stay on the defense, advancing only when the flanks wouldn't be threatened. However, despite the cautious strategy being employed, 2 Shinagun still advanced and gained ground throughout the winter period, taking the port city of Xiamen on January 28, 1938.

Despite the manpower shortages, 2 Shinagun played a major strategic role. Its slow advance forced the NRA to shift troops to the south in order to protect its rich Guangdong province, depriving the NRA's northern front of defenders. The Winter Offensive in the south slowed down as more and more NRA soldiers relocated south, simultaneously relieving the pressure on 1 Shinagun in the north.

2 Shinagun suffered from lack of manpower for the majority of the war

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The effects of 2 Shinagun pulling Chinese units to the south was finally felt during the 2nd Battle of Zhengzhou, concluded on February 6, 1938. Even bloodier than the first battle, the second battle did not drain the soldiers of 1 Shinagun enough to prevent them from occupying the city, which they did on February 7. The urban terrain cost 1 Shinagun 3,026 soldiers with China losing 1,931 defenders.

The 2nd Battle of Zhengzhou was a costly victory for Japan and would not be the first

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By the start of March, the front lines for 1 Shinagun had barely changed, while undermanned 2 Shinagun had won the Battle of Wuhan, Battle of Nanchang, and neared Lake Dongting. With the weather in the north warming up, the Spring Offensive began with the aim of concluding the war.

The front lines on March 2, 1938

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Author's notes:

1. In case you're wondering, the IJN hasn't been idle the entire time. My battleships have been patrolling the coasts and providing shore bombardment assistance while the carriers have been convoy raiding. I've sunk a total of about 5 convoys and I don't think China starts with much, so there isn't a lot of raiding to be done in the first place.

2. Ever since the war started I've been using my 2 strategic bomber wings to destroy China's IC.

3. I'm not creating Menjiang, because I want China - Nanjing to be a really big puppet. Menjiang isn't very useful, but the Jingwei regime is, and I won't have to deal with the possibility of having one of my puppets surrender if I give Menjiang's territory to Jingwei.

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 11: The Invasion of Hainan - March 3, 1938 to April 2, 1938

The Spring Offensive was a multi-pronged attack, with the key thrust being performed by the SNLF in Guangdong province. The aim of the operation was to first draw Chinese units south by landing on Hainan Island. The invasion of the island would be performed by the 4 SNLF divisions. After Hainan was secured, 2 SNLF divisions would cross the shallow Qiongzhou Strait and march up the Leizhou Peninsula and take defensive positions. Meanwhile, the other two SNLF divisions would land in Guangzhou, southern China's largest city and a major transportation hub. These two divisions would trap any Chinese defenders positioned between Leizhou Peninsula and Guangzhou.

In the meantime, it was believed that pressure in the north would be relieved as Chinese divisions moved south to reinforce Guangdong. 1 Shinagun's main task during the operation was to capture the city of Xi'an and advance on Chongqing, while 2 Shinagun was to continue its advance west along the Yangtze River and capture the strategic cities of Changsha and Changde. The goal of the entire operation was to capture China's remaining large population centers and force Chiang's government to capitulate. The invasion of Hainan was slated to begin on March 30, after the SNLF had recovered from its pacification of Shandong.

In the lead-up to the offensive, elements of 2 Shinagun had captured the port city of Shantou and thus secured the Chinese side of the Taiwan Strait. The Strait was a major global shipping lane, and having secured the waterway Japan was able to police and patrol it, ensuring that foreign merchant traffic was kept safe from Chinese pirates taking advantage of the war. As a result, civilian traffic through the Strait increased, resulting in higher tax revenue and increased supply production due to having access to cheaper materials. However, due to the possibility of Japan closing the Strait, Japan became much more threatening in the eyes of the world's leaders, worsening Japan's already bad standing in the world and solidifying its status as a pariah state.

The Empire of Japan gained full control over the Taiwan Strait on March 7, 1938

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In the north, 1 Shinagun had managed to make another bridgehead across the Yellow River, this time at Linru. The costs of the battle were high, with 4,342 Japanese KIA and 2,836 Chinese KIA. 1 Shinagun had reached the limits of the Northern Chinese Plain and began to encroach upon the Dabie Mountains in the south. This battle marked the first of many battles where casualties favored the Chinese and losses on the IJA's side were heavier. In addition, China's undeveloped infrastructure was raising attrition amongst the entire IJA, and supply problems were common.

The Battle of Linru marked the beginning of a trend of battles where the IJA suffered very heavy losses

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China's poor infrastructure wasn't the only cause of supply problems and attrition. Partisans ran rampant in the areas behind the front lines, as Communist and KMT guerrillas sabotaged roads, rails, and ambushed IJA peacekeepers. The situation in Suiyuan and Shanxi exploded into outright rebellion in mid-March, as 18,000 Chinese partisans grouped together and formed 2 divisions of organized resistance fighters. Since 1 Shinagun had its full attention focused on the front lines, a cavalry division stationed along the Soviet border was dispatched to deal with the sword-armed rabble. It would take months to clear out rebels.

A massive partisan uprising in Suiyuan province

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2 Shinagun would face similar problems to what 1 Shinagun faced in the north. The terrain in south China was characterized by forested mountains with farming villages hiding amongst the various mountain valleys. Such terrain favored the local Chinese, who could hide in the mountains and ambush Japanese divisions as they fought to occupy the area. Even with Japan's superior artillery and support from IJN carrier-based aircraft, rooting out the defenders from the mountains was slow and deadly work for IJA infantry. Even worse was the jungles of Jiangxi province, which made it easy for defenders to conduct ambushes by hiding in the thick vegetation. One such battle was the battle of Yichun, which saw 2,041 Japanese KIA compared to 1,002 Chinese KIA.

As the terrain in China's interior grew more extreme, taking land became much more difficult¹

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Finally, as planned, on March 30 the SNLF began their invasion of Hainan Island. The Island's main port, Haikou, was undefended, but a militia division was stationed on the island and quickly dispatched. It would only take a week to clear the island of organized resistance and begin phase 2 of the offensive: the capture of Guangzhou.

The SNLF quickly occupied Hainan Island

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The front lines on April 2, 1938

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China's government is on the verge of collapse²

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1. You can see some infantry divisions hanging out again. The AI moved them there so they could regain org in safety, but forgot to move them back. Again I had to save-reload to fix the sleepy 3.062 AI. The tank division is also moving away from the front in order to regain org, as it was near-zero after defending Nangsha from a counter-attack.

2. China starts off with an NU of about 80. It's now around 76, because I've been performing strat bombing non-stop.

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 12: The Capture of Guangzhou - April 3, 1938 to May 2, 1938

Despite being at war for almost a year, Japan's foreign policy was, to put it mildly, lacking in foresight and creativity. Before the war started, Japan's main geo-strategic objective was to pry the Soviet Far East out of the hands of the communists and to install a communist-free puppet state in the area. However, war with China radically altered those plans, as the IJA lacked the strength to fight a 2-front war. In addition, the war in China also strained Japan's already thin ties with the western Imperialist powers, with the United States in particular becoming uncomfortably vocal and belligerent. From a realistic perspective, Japan's plans for Siberia had to be shelved for the time being, and in their place plans were drawn up to protect Japan in the event that the Western democracies declared war.

Part of the new plan was to strengthen ties with Europe's major pariah states, Germany and Italy. Italy's invasion of Ethiopia caused it to be spurned by France and the UK, leaving Germany as Italy's only remaining potential ally in Europe. Likewise, Germany had few friends in Europe and despite its efforts to rearm was greatly weakened by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Despite their shortcomings, Italy, Germany, and Japan had several things in common that would make an alliance between them advantageous. First, the geographical separation of the two European nations and Japan was both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, each side could expect little to no assistance from the other, while on the other hand that very same separation would force their enemies to split their forces. A divided Royal Navy and Marine Nationale could allow for the Regina Marina and Imperial Japanese Navy to establish local superiority over their enemies. The risk, of course, was that the Allies would focus their naval might on one opponent at a time. In such a situation, the RM would likely be targeted first, which from the Japanese perspective was ideal, since such a move by the Allies would allow Japan to liberate their Asian colonies without much effort, thus securing natural resources vital to Japan's economy.

Japan signs the Anti-Comintern Pact

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Japan had earlier signed the Anti-Comintern Pact, which was a highly symbolic treaty signed between the world's autocratic powers denouncing communism. Building on the increased relations the signing of the pact brought, Japan sought for Germany to clarify its stance on the issues surrounding German military aid to China. It was a well-known fact that a German was leading one of China's armies and that some Chinese divisions were equipped with German grenades, guns, and and helmets. If Germany were to recognize Manchukuo as a sovereign state, something no other nation had done up to this point, then it would be fully aligning itself with Japan in the conflict that seemed to be approaching and would be forced to withdraw its advisers to China and cease weapon shipments. On April 2, 1938, Germany decided to recognize Manchukuo.

Germany becomes the first nation to recognize Manchukuo as a sovereign state¹

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Five days later, on the front lines the SNLF had finally taken China's last major port city of Guangzhou and had also begun to secure the coast of Guangdong. The SNLF would ultimately capture 5 NRA militia divisions. The port city of Fangchenggang would eventually hold out until China's surrender. The capture of Guangzhou was highly symbolic, as the city is the birthplace of the Republic of China, and Chinese morale dropped considerably. Chiang's regime was on the brink of collapse, and the ongoing offensive looked like it would succeed quickly.

The SNLF invades southern Guangdong province

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Unfortunately, the IJN's and Tokyo's optimism wasn't felt on the front lines. The IJA had finally reach the limits of the Northern Chinese Plain and thus the "easy" battles would come to an end. 2 Shinagun had been fighting in jungles and canyons for quite some time, and by April 25, the southernmost elements of 1 Shinagun had begun to fight in the same terrain. The bloody Battle of Zhongxiang saw the IJA lose 2,242 soldiers during a failed river crossing while the NRA lost 990 men. The battle was a major defeat for the IJA and was one of the few attempts to advance the front lines that was repelled.

Another typical battle in the Chinese interior, with heavy Japanese losses²

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The front lines on May 2, 1938³

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----------------------------------------------------------------

1) What happens in-game is that China loses the 30% officer recruitment bonus it gets from German aid, loses Von Falkenhausen as a general, loses out on a money bonus and loses a rare materials production penalty. Germany now has less rares than it used to but more money.

2) You'll notice that Germany is asking me to join the Axis. I'm going to hold off on joining until France falls for several reasons. First, threat is scaled on many things, including faction membership, and I'm generating a lot of threat. I don't want to help the Allies reduce their neutrality more than I already am. Second, there is the potential for the Allies to start WW2 instead of Germany, and I don't want to join the war until I'm ready to do so. That means China needs to be pacified and the IJA brought home.

3) The partisan uprising still hasn't been suppressed by the AI, though the cavalry division I detached is getting close. At this point the partisans ran out of supplies and stopped moving.

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 13: The Battles of Xi'an and Changsha - May 3, 1938 to July 2, 1938

The months of May and June would see several major events take place, both in China and in Europe. The biggest event was the completion of 4 Homengun's regular infantry divisions, which were deployed to China in early May. These 10 infantry divisions were composed of 3 brigades each with an additional brigade of horse-drawn heavy artillery. These extra troops would provide the critical punch needed for 2 Shinagun to advance along the Yangtze River and end the war. The soldiers were critically needed, as shown by the May 4, 1938 Battle of Xianning, in which 2,120 IJA soldiers were killed and 1,184 NRA soldiers were KIA. Both 1 Shinagun in the north and 2 Shinagun in the south were exhausted, but so were their Chinese opponents. The arrival of 4 Homengun's fresh infantry would tip the scales in the IJA's favor.

The Battle of Xianning was another typical battle in the Chinese interior

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

On the same day the Battle of Xianning ended, the Battle of Changsha¹ began. Changsha was a major rail-hub for southern China, as every rail line going from the north to Guangxi province or Hong Kong in the south passed through Changsha. Taking the city would cut off British aid coming in from Hong Kong and deliver a major morale blow to the Kuomintang leadership. Throughout the course of the battle, at most 2 IJA divisions were engaged in the fighting while a total of 6 Chinese divisions participated in the Battle. On May 18, Chiang Kai-Shek himself took command of the city's defense, but his efforts were in vain. On May 20, 1938 the Battle of Changsha was over, with 1,209 IJA soldiers KIA compared to 977 NRA KIA. The Chinese' main weakness during the battle was their lack of organization. Most Chinese defenders fled shortly after being fired upon.

The capture of Changsha left only 4 major cities under KMT control

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Following the capture of Changsha, 1 Shinagun to the north captured the major city of Xi'an on June 10 after only a few hours of fighting. The NRA militia defending the city was not prepared to fight seasoned IJA soldiers supported by heavy artillery and left after taking 933 KIA, while killing 123 Japanese attackers. Xi'an was the last major stop on the railway heading east to Xhuzhou, and was of vital strategic importance. The city also was one of the final locations of China's heavy industry that managed to be relocated from the Nanjing-Shanghai area, and its capture dealt a major blow to Chinese morale. At this stage of the war, the KMT's leadership was on the brink of collapse and the loss of one more major city would cause the entire government to fall.

The capture of Xi'an meant that China's collapse was imminent

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To the south, the capture of Changsha opened up China's second major southern rail junction of Hengyang to a flanking attack. The Battle of Hengyang was concluded on June 23, with 3,034 IJA soldiers killed and 1,840 NRA soldiers killed. The capture of Hengyang would allow for a multi-directional attack on Changde in order to end the war. The attack on Changde was slated to begin in July.

Hengyang's capture secured 2 Shinagun's southern flank, allowing it to devote many troops to the upcoming Battle of Changde

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At the same time, 1 Shinagun's fortunes in the north were fading. The northern army group was fighting roughly 80% of the NRA, and the rough terrain was causing serious problems. It was at Fangxian (Fang County) where the IJA suffered its worst "defeat". The goal of the battle was to cross the Hanshui River and shorten the front. However, Chinese divisions were dug in to the forests of the county, and fought back viciously, inflicting almost 4 times as many casualties as they received. However, despite the NRA's heroic defense of the county, they were no match for Japanese tenacity and the battle was over on July 1, 1938. The battle was a Japanese Pyrrhic Victory, with the IJA suffering 13,572 KIA and the NRA suffering 3,961 KIA. It was by-far the largest battle of the war, and the most costly for either side. When news of the battle reached Japan, confidence in the government dropped and the few vocal calls to stop the war became louder.

The Battle of Fangxian could hardly be called a victory²

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The front lines on July 8, 1938

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Meanwhile, events in Europe during the months of May and June continued to steer the continent toward war. On May 8, Germany peacefully annexed Austria, and a day later Italy formed a defensive alliance with Germany, formally forming the Axis Powers. After the so-called Anschluss, Germany again approached the Empire of Japan with an offer to form a defensive alliance against the Soviet Union, but the Emperor once again declined, saying only that "the current situation is not advantageous to Japan", but conceding that should the situation in China and Europe change Japan would be willing to accept the offer.

On May 8, the Anschluss of Austria started in motion a series of events that would lead to World War 2

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Several hours after the Pyrrhic victory at Fangxian, Tokyo learned of the result of the Treaty of Munich. Not content with annexing Austria, German dictator Adolf Hitler put into motion his plans to incorporate all areas with large German populations into a Greater German Reich, and his next target was the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia. Not willing to enter another war with Germany, the UK agreed to the land transfer despite protests from the Czech government, who wasn't represented at the negotiations. France also objected, but was unwilling to go to war without the backing of the British Empire. Abandoned by their allies, the Czechs reluctantly agreed to hand over the Sudetenland to Germany, an area that contained 1/4 of Czechoslovakia's heavy industry and population and virtually all of Czechoslovakia's static defenses.

Germany continues to steer Europe toward war

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

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1) There were several Battles of Changsha. The one I linked to here is the 1939 battle. Here are links to the 1941, 1942, and 1944 battles.

2) Yes, the KIA totals are backwards in the battle event

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 14: The Battle of Changde - July 9 to August 17, 1938

The loss of Changsha and its vital rail network placed China in a very dangerous position. Confidence in Chiang's ability to at least stall the IJA was as an all-time low, and his failed defense of Changsha was a major blow to his credibility. Chiang only had one last chance to secure a victory for China and stall the IJA's advance, and he chose the city of Changde to make his last stand. Kuribayashi Tadamishi, the commander of 2 Shinagun, knew that Chiang's time was running out. Throughout his time as Generalissimo, Chiang had suffered through many failed and successful kidnapping attempts, the most recent kidnapping being the Xi'an Incident. If Chiang were to fail in the defense of Changde, then it was certain that Wang Jingwei would be able to convince Chiang's supporters to switch sides and join Wang's faction of the KMT, which favored peace and collaboration with Japan over continued resistance. Due to his status as one of the KMT party's co-founders along with his close friendship with Sun Yat-sen (it's widely believed that Wang drafted Sun's will), Wang held significant influence in the KMT party and was a very outspoken critique of Chiang, whom Wang felt cheated him by taking control over the KMT. With dissent boiling in the Chinese ranks, Japan felt that all it needed to do was give the teetering Chinese government one more push and force it to act against Chiang and submit to a peace treaty.

As preparations began for the assault on Changde, the disastrous July 21 Battle of Kaixian forced 1 Shinagun to halt major offensive operations

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The overall plan was to surround the city from the north and south and attack from both directions. A pinning attack would be performed in the area near Dayong to the west in order to prevent the Changde from being reinforced. The plan was put into effect on July 36 and coincided with the commissioning of the heavy cruisers Kumano, Tone, and Chikuma. By July 31, elements of 2 Shinagun had won the costly Battle of Jinshi. Chiang's defenders north of Changde were dug in and took full advantage of the IJA's difficulty crossing the Yangtze River to inflict maximum casualties, resulting in 3,193 Japanese KIA compared to 1,873 Chinese KIA. Despite the heavy losses, the IJA's capture of the province would prove to be the decisive event that would end the war.

The July 31 Battle of Jinshi would allow the IJA to attack Changde from two different directions

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Unfortunately for Chiang Kai-shek, he had greatly misjudged the speed of the IJA's advance. The seven divisions he personally commanded were not able to reorganize and arrive in Changde before the city's 2 defensive divisions were attacked on August 8, 1938. Izeki Mitsuru of 16 Kyoto no Hoheishidan (translated as "16 Infantry division of Kyoto" or "16th Infantry division, 'Kyoto'") performed a masterful pinning attack on Chiang's column in Dayong, preventing Changde from being reinforced, and the Battle of Changde ended on August 13 as a decisive Japanese victory.

Izeki Mitsuru's pinning attack prevented Chiang from reinforcing Changde¹

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The Battle of Changde ended the Republic of China's participation in the 2nd Sino-Japanese War²

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Chiang's humiliating defeat set the stage for Wang Jingwei's coup, and peace was signed on August 17, 1938. The terms were harsh, but far lighter than what Wang had feared. The new Republic of China would eventually be responsible for governing all land between the Soviet border to the west and Manchukuo to the east. The Republic's government would be required to allow Japanese advisers full access to all government documents and proceedings, effectively making Wang be a puppet ruler in the same vein as Puyi. China's markets would favor Japan over western nations in regards to trade deals, but in order to placate US and UK fears the markets would not be closed to the western imperialists.

Chinese territory would be administered by Japan for a short period of time to allow Wang's future government to relocate to Nanjing and allow the IJA to maintain order in light of the NRA's disarmament. Despite ignoring Chiang's calls for the autonomous provinces to join the war effort, the fall of Chiang's government prompted the outer provinces to mobilize in an attempt to make gains out of the chaos and protect themselves for the inevitable conflict with Japan, as Japan wished to unite China into a single state for ease of control. The Ma Clique was still openly fighting the IJA, and it was very likely that the other Chinese factions would join the war. 2 Shinagun was ordered to reorganize and man the Guangxi border while 1 Shinagun was to continue advancing into Xibei San Ma territory and position itself to attack the communists after the fall of the Ma Clique.

East Asia on August 17, 1938

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

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1) The AI did this on its own, and it was brilliant.
2) The war isn't completely over yet, but the main threat is now gone

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 15: Analysis of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War from July 2, 1937 to August 17, 1938

While victory was mostly obtained, the war was not yet over. Xibei San Ma ("The Three Ma's") was still resisting, and it was very likely that the other Chinese factions would attempt to grab land for themselves and fill in the power vacuum in the western portion of China. However, the outer areas of China stood no real chance now that Chiang's government has collapsed, and their defeat was inevitable.

The causes of China's defeat were many and varied. The NRA suffered from a serious deficiency in heavy artillery and aircraft. The IJA was able to attack NRA positions well before the NRA was able to return fire. This allowed Japanese infantry to close on NRA defenses under the cover of artillery and bombs, reducing casualties. The NRA's weapons were mostly obsolete, and only Chiang's German-trained divisions carried equipment that performed as well as their Japanese counterparts. The NRA was also poorly led, and their tactics were very simplistic. While IJA soldiers were trained to operate in poor environments in a semi-independent manner, NRA soldiers lacked the training to operate independently and relied on mass assaults to gain ground. As a result of the NRA's poor tactics, training, and leadership, the NRA was never able to go on the offensive.

A Chinese "Big Sword" close assault unit. These troops were equipped with swords, grenades, and a pistol and were used in large numbers to defend cities and fortifications.
Their main role was supposed to be that of a stormtrooper, but the situation never allowed them to be used on the offensive.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

However, despite China's deficiencies, the IJA did not perform as expected. The IJA was a modern, well trained and equipped army, yet at the start of the war was too small to make significant progress against China's vast armies. Until early 1938, the IJA's southern army lacked the manpower to fully exploit the situation on the ground, and it was the addition of a new Homengun (corps) that pushed China over the edge. Also, despite being trained to operate in bad terrain, China's mountainous interior posed serious challenges. The IJA also performed very poorly when crossing rivers, and the majority of casualties came from river crossings. What was expected to be a 6 month war turned into a 13 month war. In the end, the current structure of the IJA was deemed adequate and sufficient for future operations in either Siberia or Southeast Asia, but improvements to the IJA's ability to cross rivers were deemed to be a mandatory requirement to any future wars.

Japanese tanks moving through an occupied village

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Below are a series of graphics illustrating the state of Japan's armed forces and military-industrial complex:

Japan's current military production¹

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A summary of Japan's and Manchukuo's armed forces²

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An overview of Japan's infantry equipment

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An overview of Japan's armored equipment

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An overview of Japan's small warship equipment

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An overview of Japan's large warship equipment³

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An overview of Japan's heavy aircraft equipment

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An overview of Japan's small aircraft equipment

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An overview of Japan's industrial equipment

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An overview of Japan's theoretical knowledge

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An overview of Japan's infantry and armor training

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An overview of Japan's operational army doctrines

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An overview of Japan's naval training and doctrines

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An overview of Japan's pilot training and doctrines

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Author's notes

There are a lot of cool pictures from the historical war online. If you're interested, here's a thread with pictures from the Japanese side and another from the Chinese side. I want to point out those links go to a forum outside of this one that Paradox has no control over, so if you don't feel comfortable visiting the Axis History Forum then don't click the links.

1) What you can't see are 2 more convoys. Supplies are eating up most of my IC, but after I create China-Nanjing I'll free up about 30 IC for production. I'll end up using the freed IC to build more IC.
2) The IJA is structured into 2 army groups consisting of two armies each. Each army contains 2 corps of 5 infantry divisions (3xINF+1xSUP), an armored infantry division (2xINF+2xIST), an independent division (2xINF+1xENG+1xSUP), and an armored cavalry division (2xL-Arm+1xMOT+1xT-SUP or M-SUP). The remaining cavalry are part of the Korea Army, and the rest are garrisons. The marines are 2xMAR divisions attached to an SNLF corps. A 2xPAR division will join the SNLF later.
3) In the version of the mod I'm using, there was a bug with capital ship tech dates. This has since been fixed.

One thing I'd like to talk about here is the use of the AI to fight the ground war for me. I mentioned it earlier, but the AI is smarter than people give it credit, but it only shines when you know how to use it. I very well could have won this war a year earlier had I taken manual control of the army, but I find handing over the grunt work to be more realistic, more challenging, and more fun for myself and you guys. I also don't have the patience to micromanage a front line of this scale. Now, having said that, I would never let the AI near my navy and don't trust its invasion timing, hence my house rules on me manually controlling the navy and special forces. I want to have direct control over over the very expensive navy and when to conduct invasions. Overall I'm happy with how the AI performed. Was it perfect? No. Was it competent? I'd say yes.

So, the trick to using the AI to manage your armies is to create a new theater for them, and adjust the theater boundaries as the front advances in order to "steer" the AI-controlled army group to where you want it to go. In this case, I had two theaters at the start, and attached the northern army group to the Dalian/Korea theater and attached the southern group to the Tokyo theater. This kept both army groups focused on their objectives and prevented them from overlapping their troop deployments. I find this to be the key, because had I not used two theaters here then the AI would've sent most of the southern army group's units to the north. That would've been bad, because the entire purpose of the northern AG was to act as a lure so the southern AG could advance quickly with minimal resistance. If I hadn't used the second theater, then the plan would've been ruined and I'd still be fighting far away from Changsha right now.

The second key, in my opinion, is to NOT use theater-level AI control. The theater-level has the advantage of being able to "see" all fronts other than the active one, but that is also a disadvantage because the theater AI will garrison places I don't want it to. Like the Mongolian border. The theater AI also has a very bad habit of using front-line troops to garrison cities far from the front. Now, while it makes sense to protect important areas, it should either use garrisons or non-front line units to do that. I don't want my tank divisions sitting in Taiyuan when I need it near Xi'an. If you give the theater AI some garrison divisions then it'll park them in the right spots, but as you can see I couldn't afford to build that many garrisons.

So, at this point in the game the AI is doing pretty good. Not as well as I or you guys would do, but better than you might expect.

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 16: The Changkufeng Lake Incident / The War Escalates - August 27 to December 2, 1938

Following the collapse of Chiang Kai-shek's government and Wang Jingwei's coup, the IJA's immediate concern was the pacification of the Ma Clique and the other outer provinces of China. To this end, 1 Shinagun continued its push to the northwest while 2 Shinagun moved south to the Guangxi border. Wang Jingwei, the man allowed to govern China under the Emperor's careful guidance, needed time to move the government from Chongqing back to Nanjing as well as reform the NRA with soldiers willing to collaborate and work along with their Japanese partners, and it was estimated that at-best his new government could take over mundane tasks in late November.

Wang Jingwei (left) with Chiang Kai-shek (right, with hat) prior to the outbreak of the war

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

While Wang and the IJA were relocating, the Soviet Union decided to push the Korean border issue. The demarcation of the Korean/Soviet border was disputed, as well as the Mongolian/Manchurian and Soviet/Manchurian borders. Starting in 1932, a constant state of war existed along the entire Soviet border, with up 150 incidents of cross-border gunfire occurring per year in 1935 and 1936 alone. In early August, Soviet troops began fortifying the strategic Changkufeng Heights, which overlooked the Korean port city of Rajin-Sŏnbong. Knowing that the bulk of the IJA was fighting in central China, the commander of Chosengun (Army of Korea) was reluctant to force the Soviets away from the border. Facing pressure from Tokyo, the IJA's Korean garrison attacked the Soviet position on August 28 at 5:00.

The Battle of Changkufeng Lake began on August 28 at 5:00

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Almost immediately fighting broke out along the entire length of the border, as news of the Japanese attack spread. Many in Tokyo suspected that the Soviets were deliberately provoking Japan into a full-scale war in order to take advantage of the situation in China. Knowing that Japan could not fight a two-front war, the Emperor summoned Soviet Ambassador Constantine Yourenoff¹. Shortly after the cabinet's efforts to come to a diplomatic solution started, an incident kept top-secret until recently was reported to the Emperor: Soviet bombers had attempted to attack the carriers stationed in Hiroshima, only to be chased away by the carriers' aircraft before reaching the city. The attack would foreshadow things to come, but came as a complete shock to the Japanese leadership. Japan was only able to field a single wing of interceptor aircraft in Japan itself, and those planes were stationed in Tokyo. No one thought that the USSR had aircraft with the range to fly from Vladivostock to Japan's southern areas, and if it weren't for a scheduled training flight then the bombers would have reached their target unmolested.

Fedor Falaleev's failed attack on Hiroshima dealt a major psychological blow to Japan's leadership

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The fighting would continue until 14:00, when the IJA pushed the Soviets away from the Changkufeng Heights. At 15:00, both Tokyo and the Soviet embassy radioed their respective forces to stand down. The Changkufeng Lake Incident was over with a decisive Japanese victory on the ground. Neither side wished to escalate the war. Japan was too involved in China to escalate, while the Red Army was woefully unprepared for a major engagement.

The Changkufeng Incident ends after 10 hours of fighting²

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://[IMG]http://i767.photobucket.....png[/IMG]

The first action the Emperor took in the aftermath of the Incident was to order 10 Asashio-class destroyers. These destroyers were Japan's first to be equipped with Sonar and anti-submarine weapons, and they carried a large number of large anti-aircraft guns. While Japan's air defenses needed to be strengthened, the IJN knew that Japan's merchant marine was vulnerable to the large force of Soviet submarines stationed in Vladivostock. In the event of a full-scale war, the IJN's CAGs would be used to protect Japan itself while these new destroyers would hunt and destroy the Soviet submarines. In effect, the destroyers were a solution to a problem that would arrive later. Their launching was scheduled to coincide with the commissioning of the IJN Zuiho and Shoho

The Asashio-class destroyers were launched on Sept. 2, 1938

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The Incident's other immediate result was the acceleration of the creation of Wang's puppet state. The IJA needed to relocate to Manchuria and prepare to defend against any future Soviet attack, and to do so required that Wang take control over China's day-to-day governance and defense. Wang resisted as best he could in order to gain a better foothold on power, but finally relented under extreme pressure and declared himself the new President of the Republic of China on September 19, 1938. Due to the lack of time to prepare the necessary groundwork and recruit enough personnel to manage the task of creating a new government that would be credible, Wang's power base and area of popular support was restricted to the areas Japan had occupied the longest, limiting his effectiveness to the North China Plain. The NRA was unable to be reformed with reliable soldiers, and upon the creation of his puppet state Wang only had 1 division of infantry to protect his interests. The division was initially stationed in Nanjing and acted as the city's garrison as well as police force.

A map showing the areas of China where Wang Jingwei has full control

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A map showing the locations of the two IJA army groups when Wang took office

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The month of October was relatively quiet, as 2 Shinagun surrounded the province of Guangxi and 1 Shinagun was slowed by the hills of south-eastern Gansu and the Qilian Mountains. However, on November 2, Tibetan forces marched into eastern Xikang. The following day, the Ma Clique surrendered and the governor's of China's outer provinces moved in to fill the power vacuum. Mao Zedong and his communist rebels invaded the countryside surrounding their mountain fortresses as well.

The Chinese governors who failed to support Chiang now declare war on Wang³

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Unfortunately for Mao and the communists, his declaration of war was overly hasty. The PLA was only at half-strength when the fighting began, and on November 28 the communist stronghold of Yan'an was assaulted and the First Battle of Yan'an began. Historians aren't entirely sure why Mao declared war, as no solid evidence was recovered, so at this time we can only speculate. The other warlords declared war to refute Nanjing's claims over their provinces, but Mao did not need to do such a thing. Some theorize that Mao could not survive politically unless he took a stand against the Chinese collaborators serving Wang Jingwei. Others believe that Mao was gambling on Soviet intervention, which may have been possible had Mao managed to move east into undefended territory and capture Beijing. Still another group cites anecdotal evidence claiming that Mao wished to strike first, as it was inevitable that the IJA would come for him, and perhaps he felt his best chance to claim Chinese territory was when the IJA was occupied with the western provinces. Regardless, the IJA always knew that the PLA was a major threat, and after the escalation of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War, 1 Shinagun immediately moved its forces east to Yan'an following the defeat of the Ma Clique.

The Fist Battle of Yan'an began on November 28.

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The state of the war on December 2, 1938

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1) His name is mentioned in the last paragraph of the article titled Fascists Move to Seize Japan.
2) The true power of those annoying vanilla battle events, this event is a far-cry from the vanilla version that just removes some supplies. The same event type that lets you know that you lost the Bombing of London because your V2s crashed into the city lets us end a war after a battle with a certain number of casualties takes place. In this case a battle meeting the conditions happened after 10 hours, so the actual shooting war only lasted 10 hours. HOI3 can model small-scale wars and skirmishes, but they have to be scripted well in order to work like this.
3) I was expecting this to happen much sooner, but completely forgot what the triggers were. Turns out that the trigger is for Wang's country to border any one of the warlords. I didn't know about this, but it's definitely an exploit that will get fixed

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 17: The Battles of Yan'an - December 3, 1938 to June 2, 1939

While the First Battle of Yan'an was being fought, a fierce battle was raging in Wuqi County to the west of the city. The sparsely populated area was the main manufacturing center for the communists and supplied weapons and clothing for the People's Liberation Army¹. The mountainous county was blessing to the communist guerrilla fighters, but in the end the PLA militia would be pushed out of their defensive positions by the veterans of 1 Shinagun on December 6, 1938. Despite their terrain advantage, the PLA's soldiers were too poorly equipped to truly resist the IJA, but managed to keep apace with the IJA in terms of casualties inflicted. The IJA lost 3,678 men while 3,594 PLA soldiers were killed during the battle.

The Battle of Wuqi was a tough-fought but crucial victory against Mao's army

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On December 9, 3 days after the conclusion of the Battle of Wuqi, the First Battle of Yan'an was concluded with a decisive Japanese loss. The heavily fortified city was defended by two PLA garrison divisions specially trained to defend urban settlements. Even at half mobilization Yan'an's defenders were able to soundly defeat the two Japanese divisions attacking the city, killing 2,805 Japanese soldiers while only losing 573 of their own. For the time being, the IJA had to stop and lick its wounds before trying to attack the city again. The eventual occupation of Wuqi county would later provide for another axis of attack and even the odds against the city's defenses.

The First Battle of Yan'an was a stinging defeat for 1 Shinagun

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Meanwhile, events in Guangxi took a dramatic turn when 14 Guangxi divisions were trapped in the city of Laibin. Their loss lowered the defenses of Baise to the west, which was captured on December 20 with the loss of 1,232 IJA and 2,235 Guangxi soldiers. The Guangxi Clique capitulated on December 21 and was placed under Wang Jingwei's control.

The Battle of Baise crushed the Guangxi Clique's resistance

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After the fall of Guangxi, the forces of 2 Shinagun moved west to pacify Yunnan. To the north, on December 22 the men of 1 Shinagun were ready to seek revenge and take the city of Yan'an. During the 10 days between the end of the first battle and the start of the second, the medium bombers attached to 1 Shinagun raged a relentless bombing campaign against the city. The bombardment was so fierce that one of the city's two garrison divisions was so unorganized when the fighting began that it retreated after only 2 hours of combat. The Second Battle of Yan'an would last 41 hours and see the deaths of 752 IJA servicemen and 265 communist rebels. By December 29, the entire city was occupied and the PLA disbanded and fled into the surrounding countryside. Despite the loss of their power base, the communists weren't truly beaten and would continue to resist on a much smaller scale².

The loss of Yan'an crippled, but didn't destroy the Chinese Communist Party

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With the surrender of Guangxi and the communist rebellion crushed, 2 Shinagun was ordered to move east into Manchuria to guard the border with the Soviet Union after it had finished pacifying Yunnan and 1 Shinagun was to move west into the Tarim Basin. At the time of Yan'an's capture, 2 Shinagun was moving into Yunnan province and 1 Shinagun was deemed more than adequate to consolidate Jingwei's hold over China's western territories. Territory that Japan had no desire to garrison.

The beginning of 1939 was mostly quiet in Asia despite the war, as the remaining Chinese and Tibetan actors were far too weak to offer anything other than token resistance, while the harsh terrain and weather kept 1 Shinagun's advance proceeding at a snail's pace. However, the outbreak of war in Europe on February 2 forced the IJN to accelerate plans to expand its force of capital ships, and the battleship Musashi was launched on February 5 in response to France's declaration of war against Germany and Italy after Germany's annexation of Czechoslovakia³. It was apparent that Emperor Hirohito's refusal to join the Axis Powers until the situation favored Japan was the correct course of action, because if Japan had joined the alliance then it too would be at war with France and the British Empire. For now, Japan would allow the Europeans to weaken each other until the point where Japan felt the situation would be advantageous to declare war on the United Kingdom and liberate the people and resources of Asia from the western Imperialists.

While war was raging in Europe, Yunnan's surrender on March 9 was just a blip on the radar for the western nations.

The mighty battleship Musashi was launched on February 2, 1939⁴

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Yunnan's surrender was overlooked by the West, as their attention was focused on the war in Europe

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The political situation in East Asia on June 2, 1939⁵

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1) This isn't reflected in the mod. The communists' IC is in Yan'an instead, because I didn't know this about Wuqi until I wrote this post.
2) The Jingwei nation doesn't have cores here, so it will suffer from a nasty 10% revolt risk penalty for a long time. Partisan uprisings will be common here later on.
3) Please note that I'm not going to give a lot of details about this right now. I'm going to focus on Japan and Asia first then write about what was going on in Europe during the same time period later (look at the index post to see how I'm going to organize the AAR). When I write those chapters about Europe I'm going to include links in those posts and in the Japan-related posts so you readers can flip back and forth between the two topics and not get lost in regards to the timeline. For now I'm going to focus on Asia until the point where I join the war, then talk about what went on in Europe. After I go over what happened in Europe prior to me joining the war I'll pick up right where I left off, so all of the WW2 action will be grouped together. Don't worry, I have a LOT of screenshots of Europe during the pre-war years and those posts will contain the same level of detail. By grouping the action this way I can keep every chapter focused and interesting rather than bouncing forth between different parts of the world, which can be confusing.
4) The picture is wrong in this version of the mod, but has been fixed in the current release.
5) Yes, Xinjiang is part of the Comintern. I'll mod them out later.

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 18: The Xinjiang Campaign - June 3, 1939 to August 1, 1939

The western regions of China are dominated by the Tibetan Highlands in the south and the Tarim Basin to the north.¹ The IJA's biggest opponent in the depths of the Chinese interior weren't the Tibetans, Uighurs, or Chinese, but rather the land itself. As a result of the geography of the region, the men of 1 Shinagun relatively quickly managed to push into the Tarim Basin, while the units tasked with the invasion of Tibet fought a very slow, low-intensity campaign. The Battle of Baingoin County was typical of the battles fought in Tibet: very low-intensity with high Tibetan and low Japanese casualties. In this case, the battle began on July 8, 2 days after the commissioning of the 10 Asashio-class destroyers (see chapter 16 for more details on these ships), and ended on July 20 with 68 Japanese and 272 Tibetan KIA.

The Battle of Baingoin was typical of fighting in western China

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In contrast to the mountains of Tibet, the bulk of Xinjiang's population lived along the edge of the flat Tarim basin, with Dihua (now known as Ürümqi) being the provincial seat of government and governor Sheng Shicai's power base. The capture of Dihua would end all organized resistance in Xinjiang, and the first step toward that goal was the capture of Korla to the east on July 18, 1939. Dihua itself would be attacked on July 20, with major hostilities ending on the 22. The poor terrain would delay the occupation of the city by 2 weeks.

The Battle of Ürümqi was the last major engagement in Xinjiang

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Sheng Shicai surrenders on August 1, 1939

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To the east, in the areas of China controlled by the Japanese puppet ruler Wang Jingwei, the situation was much more violent. Because the bulk of the IJA was either stationed along the Soviet/Manchurian border or fighting in the remote western reaches of the nation, Jingwei's control over the densely-populated eastern areas of China was steadily getting worse in the absence of IJA troops. Jingwei was actively attempting to raise troops and police to keep order in the regions outside of his power base, but the Emperor Hirohito's hasty decision to force Jingwei to assume full control over China in order to lower international tensions meant that Jingwei did not have the resources he needed to adequately perform his role. In addition to Jingwei's lack of preparations, Mao Zedong and the other PLA commanders had managed to escape Yan'an and were reorganizing their resistance. While the communists would never manage to secure an operational base on the scale of what they recently lost, on July 10 a large group of roughly 6,000 PLA guerrillas managed to take control over large swaths of the southern Shaanxi countryside, threatening the cities of Xi'an and Yan'an. By July 15, other uprisings of discontent peasants occurred in the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian, which would not be put down until early August.

Medium-scale rebellions were common in the early years of Wang's presidency

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On the domestic and international fronts, the Soviet Union mobilized their armed forces on July 24, 2 days after fighting in Dihua ended. At first, Tokyo thought that the USSR was responding to the war raging in Europe, but that interpretation changed on July 27 when Romania mobilized its army as well. Within hours of the Romanian mobilization, the Soviet Union issued a trade embargo on the Empire of Japan, making its true intentions painfully clear: Stalin wanted revenge for the defeat of his Red Army during the Changkufeng Lake Incident. However, Stalin's aggressive actions toward Japan came as no surprise to the Emperor. Indeed, Hirohito had foreseen a conflict larger in scale than Changkufeng Lake in the making, and the commissioning of the Asashio-class destroyers, the repositioning of 2 Shinagun to Manchuria, and the training of 2 brigades of paratroopers for the SNLF were all steps toward preparing Japan for a wide-scale conflict with the Soviet Union. The situation in the Far East was explosive, and all it would take to trigger a war was a small spark. A spark that would appear shortly...

SNLF Paratroopers completed their training on July 28

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In order to carry the IJA's paratrooper division currently being trained, more transport aircraft needed to be built

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1) To get a better idea of where I'm fighting and have been fighting, check out this topography map. It's looking into China from the east, so you can see the contrast between the eastern plains where the majority of Chinese live and the Chinese interior. You can see why IRL Japan had little desire to advance past the green lowland areas shown on the map. Be warned that the map is a massive file and can take a while to load.

[TheBromgrev]

Chapter 19: The Battles of Khalkhin Gol - August 2 to September 15, 1939

After the fall of Xinjiang, IJA soldiers slowly entered the Tibetan Plateau, where the weather was a more fearsome opponent than the Tibetan army. While the IJA climbed toward Lhasa, tensions along the Manchukuo/Soviet border were rising once again. The Soviet Union was poising to strike once again, and border altercations were becoming more common and increasing in both intensity and frequency. With half of the IJA occupied in China putting down revolts and the other half in Tibet and western Europe at war with each other, Stalin felt confident that if the Korean and Manchukuo armies were provoked, his strengthened eastern front could force and end to the border demarcation and Sakhalin Island disputes on grounds favorable to the USSR. Stalin got his wish on August 26, 1939, when provoked Manchukuo soldiers returned fire and crossed into Mongolia. The incident would spark the Battles of Khalkhin Gol.

The second major Soviet - Japanese border war began on August 26¹

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With fighting occurring along the entire border mirroring the conflict from the prior year, Tokyo felt that the battle would be a repeat of the earlier Changkufeng Lake Incident and be over in a matter of hours. Unfortunately, Soviet ambassador Constantine Yourenoff was not given orders to negotiate a cease-fire, which threatened to escalate the fighting to an all-out war. A week later on September 2, 1939 Poland mobilized its armed forces as news of the fighting spread around the world. It wasn't until September 3 that Tokyo fully understood the scope of the situation Japan found itself in. At 1:00 an IJN supply ship on its way to Satawan Atoll was torpedoed and sunk by a Red Navy submarine in the Central Northern Mariana Trench sea zone. The IJN was in shock, as the intelligence they had available said nothing of Soviet submarines that could reach such a distance from Vladivostok. Both CTFs were deployed to strike the Soviet port and destroyer patrols were created to protect the supply ships. Within hours of learning about the sinking, the Chosengun (Army of Korea) was ordered to take Vladivostok, and the attack on the city began at dawn on September 3.

The sinking of the supply ship so far away from Vladivostok showed that the USSR was investing heavily into the Red Navy

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In retaliation of the sinking, elements of Chosengun attack the USSR's eastern port

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Three days later aircraft from the 2nd CTF spotted and engaged a group of roughly 15 Red Navy submarines passing through the Seto Naikai and their way north. All of the subs would later return to Vladivostok. While it wasn't clear whether these were the same boats returning from the Pacific raid or if they were a separate group, one thing was certain: their presence was an insult to Japan's pride and was the result of severely underestimating the enemy and gross negligence on the navy's part. The ships would not be allowed to survive the conflict.

Soviet submarines hunting in Japan's central sea

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Two days later, Admiral Yamamoto's second carrier force reached Vladivostok and began operations to destroy all Red Navy ships hiding in the port, which upon his arrival consisted of a destroyer flotilla and the submarines from earlier. Immediately, Yamamoto sent aircraft to engage Soviet fighters, while his other planes scouted the nearby sea looking for more Soviet ships. In the meantime, both wings of IJN land-based naval bombers began to bomb the port and the ships stationed there. By the end of the day, Yamamoto's fleet came into contact with 3 Red Navy destroyer flotillas, who attempted a surprise attack on the carriers. The battle was brief; the IJN Suzuya sunk 5 Soviet destroyers while taking minimal damage, causing the rest to fleet back to port. The ships would eventually be sunk by IJN land-based naval bombers.

The only surface engagement of the conflict ended in a decisive Soviet defeat

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IJN bombers destroy the Pacific Fleet

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On September 14, the Soviet Union finally decided they had had enough. A decisive victory was won by the army of Manchukuo, and with their only sizeable port in the region under attack and the navy gone, Stalin decided that his experiment had failed. Peace was negotiated and the guns fell silent at 3:00. A non-aggression pact was signed as well, with both sides pledging to stop the border provocations. At this point, Stalin had begun to eye the weak nation of Finland, and the IJN leadership advised that the administration adopt their Nanshin-ron strategy of "liberating" the European colonies of Southeast Asia. This upset the IJA's generals, who had been advocating a North Strike strategy of conquering Siberia and Mongolia, but their position was weak due to the ongoing rebellions in China and their slow progress in Tibet. The IJA couldn't credibly fight the Red Army with only Manchurian troops and the soldiers stationed in Korea, and the war in Europe offered a unique opportunity to expand at the expense of the Imperialists who had routinely and methodically prevented Japan from rising to power.

The fighting ends on September 14

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A look at the ships sunk between 1936 and the end of the Battles of Khalkhin Gol.
Note the losses that the United Kingdom has taken so far including a light carrier killed by a heavy cruiser
What isn't shown here, but will be in a later chapter, is that Italy's navy has taken a real beating.

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1) The threat reduction is there for balance reasons

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Phew, finally moved everything over. I'll probably post my first new chapter on Sunday. In the meantime, feel free to ask questions about the game in general, the mod, history, how the story is unfolding, etc. A lot of forum discussion between chapters was lost due to the move, but for now I'll keep the links to the old ParadoxPlaza posts intact in case anyone here wants to see the discussion that went on there.