The Whale Has Wings Vol 3 - Holding the Barrier

by Row, David

  25th March

  The Japanese submarine HIJMS I-9 launches a Yokosuka E14Y1 Reconnaissance Seaplane to reconnoitre Kiska and Amchitka Islands.

  The Allied counterattack and envelopment starts in northern Malaya, aided by every available RAF and RAAF aircraft. The plan is simple; the Japanese have pushed south to form a pocket, but that pocket is contained by the 8th Indian Division, supported by part of the 1st Armoured. The 'neck' of the pocket is now attacked by the Australian 7th and 9th Divisions, again supplemented by tanks. The Japanese have no weapon capable of countering the British infantry tanks, and the counterattack is supported by all available artillery. Attempts by the Japanese to counter with fresh troops were frustrated by the Allied air support and artillery. By the evening, the Australians had nearly closed the neck of the pocket. Yamashita is in a quandary. His instinct is to pull as many as possible of his troops out of the trap, but his orders are to push south as hard as possible. Unable to manage these two conflicting ideas, he compromises - fatally, as it turns out. He orders the troops at the neck of the pocket to hold and counterattack while he tries to reinforce them, but the British armour keeps forcing them back with very heavy casualties. The main problem the British armour has is running out of machine gun ammunition, although a number of tanks are overrun when they break down. Meanwhile Slim is pushing a Brigade group south along the coast, hoping to catch the Japanese while they are preoccupied with the Australians, and Ghurkha units are moving east through Three Pagoda pass.

  26th March

  At a meeting with the Australian Advisory War Council, General MacArthur gives his views on the situation in Southeast Asia and the southwest Pacific. He doubts that the Japanese are able to undertake an invasion of Australia, and believes that it would be a great blunder on their part if they attempted it. He suggests that the main danger is from isolated raids and attempts to secure air bases in the country and therefore, the first step is to make Australia secure. The War Council listen politely, but after the reports they have received from Blamey, Alexander and Somerville think MacArthur's ideas of Japanese expansion have been coloured by his experiences in the Philippines.

  General MacArthur receives the citation for his Medal of Honour at a formal dinner in Melbourne, Victoria. He tells the audience, "I have come as a soldier in a great crusade of personal liberty as opposed to perpetual slavery. My faith in our ultimate victory is invincible, and I bring you tonight the unbreakable spirit of the free man's military code in support of our joint cause." The Australians non-military men in the audience are impressed; the military and ex-military less so. MacArthur continues, that the medal is not "intended so much for me personally as it is a recognition of the indomitable courage of the gallant army which it was my honour to command".

  That night three B-17's based at Townsville, Queensland, evacuate Philippine President Manual Quezon and his family to Australia. This extraction is seen as politically necessary by the USA.

  Admiral King relieves Admiral Stark as Chief of Naval Operations and thus becomes Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations; Vice Admiral Horne (Vice Chief of Naval Operations) and Vice Admiral Wilson (COMINCH Chief of Staff) are his principal assistants. There has been considerable controversy over King's appointment after the fiasco of the US coastal convoys and anti-submarine operations, and the administration intends to keep him on a short least for the moment.

  Rear Admiral Wilcox commanding Task Force 39 with the battleship USS Washington (BB-56), the aircraft carrier USS Wasp, the heavy cruisers USS Wichita and Tuscaloosa and six destroyers, sails from Portland, Maine, for Gibraltar. It is intended to include them in the Allied naval force starting to build up to support amphibious operations. Originally they had been tasked for the Pacific, but Roosevelt wants to have ships in place as part of the Allied fleet. It is intended to replace the Washington with one of the older, slower battleships as soon as one can be sent to the Mediterranean.

  27th March

  General Sir Thomas Blamey is named Commander-in-Chief of Australian Military Forces, and given command of what is currently being called the central Malay barrier (including Australia). He will take command once he is satisfied as to the progress of his counterattack in Malaya. This is a blow to General MacArthur who had hoped that he would have been given the job.

  In Malaya, the two Australian divisions finally make contact. The bag is not completely closed; the terrain and jungle make it possible for small groups of Japanese to escape north, however to the surprise of the Allies few attempt to do so. Casualties have been heavy for the Allies - some 6,000 men killed and wounded, but far heavier for the Japanese.

  The U.S. Army’s War Plans Division issues “Plan for Operations in Northwest Europe,” in which a tentative timetable for an invasion of France is offered. The plan calls for (1) a limited cross-Channel attack in the autumn of 1942 (Operation SLEDGEHAMMER) as an emergency measure if Soviet forces show signs of collapsing or (2) the main Anglo-American invasion (Operation ROUNDUP) in the spring of 1943 if SLEDGEHAMMER is not required. The build-up of U.S. forces and supplies in the U.K. for the major cross-Channel attack is coded Operation BOLERO. The Imperial Chiefs of Staff view SLEDGEHAMMER in particular as a fantasy, the shipping and landing craft simply are not available, and even an attack in 1943 seems far beyond Allied capabilities, especially as hardly any US troops are yet in Europe.

  The Imperial Staff in Tokyo commences an evaluation of the status of the war so far, in particular the need to modify some of the objectives and forces provided in view of some of the problems encountered, in particular the lack of oil fields captured. This debate will go on for some time.

  28th March

  The Japanese, moving into position for all-out offensive against Bataan, feint against I Corps and push in the outpost line of Sector D on the II Corps front. Increasingly heavy air and artillery bombardment of Bataan is lowering the efficiency of the defence force as well as destroying badly needed materiel. Efforts to run the blockade and supply the garrison with necessary items have failed, and the supply situation is growing steadily worse.

  U. S. Navy code breakers at Pearl Harbor decipher a message that reveals the Japanese plan a major offensive north of Australia in early May. The conclusion is drawn that the IJN expects to have finished repairs to its damaged carriers by then.

  German Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop asks the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Count Oshima, to secure a Japanese attack on Russia simultaneously with Germany's "crushing blow." The Japanese would attack at Vladivostok and Lake Baikal. The Ambassador listens politely but without comment.

  The Imperial General Staff publish their plans for containment and offensive operations against the Japanese. These are considered general aims at present, as some are dependent on others, and the Monsoon is due to start soon in Southeast Asia. The planned operations are as follows.

  (1) Alexander is to push the Japanese out of Malaya, and establish a front far enough north to link up with Burma and to stop the Japanese attacking Burma from the south.

  (2) Following on, the Japanese are to be driven out of Thailand; the status of Thailand will be determined afterwards. This will secure Burma and Malaya, as well as the overland supply routes to China.

  (3) When practical the Japanese are to be pushed back north through French Indo-China, in cooperation with a Chinese offensive. This will allow easier Allied supply by sea, and make Singapore, Malaya and Burma secure.

  (4) The Allied forces under Blamey will reduce the Japanese forces in the DEI. The priority will be the Dutch East Indies, Borneo and the Celebes (as well as New Guinea). It is hoped that the USA will provide some ground troops.

  (5) Once the DEI and Celebes are secure, an invasion force to retake the PI will be built up. This is expected to consist of mainly US troops.

  (6) The RN and associated Imperial naval forces will secure the Malay Peninsula and the DEI as far east as New Guinea. Operations will be coordinated with the USN, especiall
y operations in the eastern part of the area. It is expected that the IJN will intervene, and the opportunity will be taken to weaken it further.

  (7) In cooperation with the USAAF, the attacks in the DEI/Celebes will be uses to draw in and destroy the Japanese air force. It is considered that the Japanese cannot stand an attritional campaign, which the Allies huge industrial base makes possible.

  The Australian troops, having closed the pocket, now give way to a second Indian division moved up from the south. The fresh troops allow the pressure on the pocket to continue, while the Australians and the armour reform to thrust north. The strike down the east coast of Thailand has made good progress - the troops initially tasked to defend this area have been pulled eastwards in an attempt to force a way through to the trapped troops. As the situation in the DEI looks to be contained (the only Japanese left are around 3,000 men on Bali, which he feels the Dutch can handle, and the IJN seems to be unable to form up a convoy and escorts) Alexander releases some of his reserve force to reinforce the attack. An additional Brigade from each of 18th British Division and 8th Australian Division will soon be heading north up the peninsula. Somerville has recalled all his U-class boats to blockade the coast of Thailand in case Yamashita attempts to reinforce or evacuate by sea.

  29th March

  In Britain, Bomber Command has been building up its aircraft for a major offensive against the Ruhr and the coastal industrial cities building U-boats. This offensive will include new aircraft - the first full use of the high-altitude Coventry bombers, as well as new navigation aids. The Mosquito-equipped Pathfinder crews are now fully trained in these. Bomber command expects the offensive to last at least three months, depending on the weather and the casualty rate. The intention is to cripple the industrial heart of the Ruhr and the main U-boat construction yards. There has been internal controversy about the use of the heavy bombers for this aim rather than in support of the Army, but in reply it has been pointed out that the force is not trained for Army cooperation, and something needs to be done about the steadily increasing war production coming out of the Ruhr.

  30th March

  Admiral Chester Nimitz is put forward by the USA as Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Area (CINCPOA). The Allies have no objections to this; the Royal Navy is already fully committed without any diversions into the Pacific. It is agreed that the local subordinate commanders will consult about operations on the Pacific/Malay Barrier area.

  The Japanese pocket in northern Malaya is slowly being closed as the Imperial forces hammer it with artillery and airpower. The Japanese have little heavy equipment, and have started to resort to suicidal infantry charges. Some of these have succeeded (at great cost), allowing some Japanese to break free and head north, but in no condition to do more than annoy the Imperial forces. With two Indian divisions containing the Japanese, the Australian troops start their move north, led by a brigade of the 1st Armoured. Alexander is preparing backup troops to be available, either for the pocket (in case the Japanese look like breaking out) or, more likely, to support the advance north.

  In Burma, Slim's forces have now reached the lower part of the Kra peninsula and have started to meet opposition from the Japanese. Slim has requested armour support, which will be sent by sea to the closest port able to land the tanks. In the meantime he has established positions just inside Thailand, securing the passes into Burma. At present the Thai army is an unknown quantity. It has not yet intervened in the war, and it is believed there is considerable political argument in the Thai government about what to do. The hardliners who supported the Japanese wish to attack the Imperial forces; the other factions are pointing to the lack of success of the Japanese and the fact that they will be facing a thoroughly annoyed British Empire, quite possibly without any Japanese help at all. The hardliners have not been helped by the way the Japanese have acted while in Thailand; they have behaved more like an army of conquest than as Allies, and their treatment of the local inhabitants has caused considerable enmity. The general consensus seems to be to wait and see which of the forces gains an ascendency over the other, then hopefully join the winning side.

  Chapter 17 - Bataan Falls

  31st March

  Long-range reconnaissance planes indicate that the Japanese have started to improve the airbases captured in the Celebes. The indications are that this will allow more air support both of convoys and of army operations in the area. The RAF and RAAF are mainly engaged in Malaya; the USAAF is asked if it can start building up a force in the DEI and Malay barrier to help counter the projected Japanese air force. The main problem is the time this will need - supply lines are immensely long, and it takes time to build up the necessary infrastructure and supply dumps.

  General Yamashita sends a report to Tokyo requesting permission to pull back from western Thailand and the Kra peninsula to concentrate his forces in the east. The appearance of additional Imperial troops in Kra means that if the attack through his centre continues then the troops to the west will be cut off, rolled up and lost. He reports that help or intervention by the Thai army is unlikely, as the government appears to be in political and military paralysis.

  1st April

  The Japanese Army resumes a series of major attacks against the US and Filipino forces on Bataan. The 24,000 men there are on 1/4 rations and ill from food shortages and tropical diseases.

  The aircraft carrier USS Hornet and her escorting vessels sail from San Francisco, California, with 16 USAAF B-25 Mitchell bombers of the Doolittle attack group on her deck; Hornet’s aircraft are in the hanger deck. That afternoon, Captain Mitscher informs his men of their mission: a bombing raid on Japan.

  Yamashita receives a response to his request to withdraw. It is denied. He is ordered to hold and defeat the Imperial troops. The 'or else' is strongly implied in the communiqué. The Japanese government will pressure the Thai government to do what is expected of them, and an additional infantry division will be sent from the Home Islands to strengthen him. The missive leaves Yamashita depressed.

  In Malaya, the Australians are still engaged with the Japanese troops trying to hold their defensive lines. The fighting is reported as very intense. Alexander and Blamey have expected this, based on the way the Japanese have fought so far. The aim is to overextend them in counterattacks while punishing them with artillery and from the air. Once this is done, they expect an armoured attack to break through the Japanese lines and allow them to be rolled up (at least in the west).

  2nd April

  After long and increasingly acrimonious discussions between the army and navy, the Japanese have finally decided on an amendment to their strategy. It has been agreed that the most vital resource needed is oil. While there is some in the Celebes, the main sources available to them are in the DEI, Borneo and Burma. In order to capture and hold this vital resource, the following strategy has been decided upon.

  (1) The air bases in the Celebes will be improved to allow land based aircraft to escort the invasion convoys and attack Allied warships. Aircraft will be flown to the bases as soon as they are complete. The imminent capture of the Philippines will aid in this.

  (2) General Yamashita has shown a lack of the spirit of Bushido in allowing himself to be driven back by the British. He is to be relieved, and reinforcements made available to the army from the Home Islands and China to allow the attack into Malay to recommence - successfully this time. It is accepted this will be slowed by the monsoon, but it is expected this will hamper the enemy, and in particular his armour, even more. The air force will be reinforced to allow them to destroy the RAF in Malaya as part of the advance. Once the northern part of Malaya is secure, attacks into Burma will be made to capture the large oil fields there.

  (3) In order to prevent the Royal Navy interfering with the invasion and supply convoys in the South China and Java Seas, it will have to be eliminated or driven off. This will be the task of the IJN, aided by aircraft based in the Celebes and later on Borneo and the Dutch East Indies. It is estim
ated that the British have two fleet and one or two light carriers available. In order to attain local superiority, the five fleet carriers, as well as a sizeable force of battleships with their own carrier escort will be committed. Since the USN cannot be ignored, once this force has destroyed the British Far Eastern Fleet it will be moved east to do the same to the USN. While the operations are underway against the Royal Navy, the IJN's submarine fleet will cordon off the area to stop any American involvement.

  (4) As soon as the IJN has cleared the RN out of the area, fresh convoys will land troops on Timor, Java and Borneo to crush the local defenders in detail. The carriers and land-based air will eliminate the Allied air power in the DEI. Additional diversionary attacks will be made on Darwin to force the Australians to concentrate on reinforcement of their homeland defences.

  (5) The Carrier and Battle group will replenish and then attack the US island of Midway. It has been calculated that this will force the Americans to engage them, where they can be defeated and forced back to Hawaii and the West Coast.

  In Java, the defenders are getting ready to retake the island of Bali. The Japanese are estimated at fewer than 3,000 troops, and there are still Allied forces on the island (although not engaging the invaders at present). It is intended to use about 6,000 men - split between Australians, British Commandos and Dutch - with air and sea support. There are still Japanese aircraft in the area, and Somerville insists on fighter cover before committing a surface force in support. The attack will take place in a few days once suitable shipping has been assembled.