So, they happily went about their business of enjoying their time while it lasted. Military life in the Imperial Army was harsh, and one didn’t get too many entertaining moments. Tanaka, happy, drunk, and with a couple of girls that were not so shabby, didn’t remember the last time he’d had so much fun.

  CHAPTER 3

  Yamato Battleship

  Oahu, Hawaii, July 6th, 1942

  Grand Admiral Yamamoto had a few minutes before he met with his air commander Minoru Genda and the commander of the carrier strike force (Kido Butai), Admiral Nagumo. He took a little bit of time to ponder on the strategic situation as a whole. Things were seemingly going well everywhere, but some problems arose and did not bode well.

  While the landing and conquest of Darwin in Western Australia had been a complete success, the follow-up advance and conquest were not as easy as they looked on General Hajime’s planning maps back in the Dai Honei HQ meeting the month before. Australia was a rugged, under-developed country, especially in the western part. The cities were spread thinly along the coastline, and there was not much road infrastructure between them. A sort of road was established from a hodgepodge of dirt tracks and forest trails from Perth to Broome, but it was far from sufficient to support a modern army.

  So, the Imperial forces had decided to adapt to the new situation. Instead of advancing overland, they would embark the troops from Darwin and land them at strategic points; The first two landing operations were planned. Their objectives were the city of Derby and Broome, both possessing deepwater ports that would help further supply the Imperial forces. His radio communication and telegrams with Hajime had also stressed that the Australian expeditionary force needed more troops. The General had reluctantly agreed, detaching two more divisions from the Chinese theater (Kwantung Army) and one additional newly raised unit.

  Overall, however, Yamamoto did not think that Japan would succeed in Australia. The place was too large, and the divisions spread too thin everywhere. If the Army had been able to muster, say, twenty-five seasoned units, and the Navy had been able to concentrate the full might of ships on the Australian coast, it could have been done. But with the mere four divisions already in Darwin and three more coming, he didn’t entertain much hope.

  At least, the troops there kept MacArthur busy while he consolidated his gains in the Pacific and elsewhere. He believed he could hold the Americas at bay as long as he kept Hawaii and the main strategic islands in the theater.

  The line of thoughts about Australia brought the grand Admiral to the recent defeat at the Battle of the Coral Sea. It was not like the Navy had lost ships or suffered a tactical loss. Yes, battleship Kirishima and carrier Taiyo were damaged, but the latter would be repaired in Truk by the repair ships they had there while the first was back in Japan. But the battle’s strategic outcome was that the invasion fleet bound for Port Moresby had to turn around and go back to Rabaul. Yamamoto knew that his Coral Sea and Solomon Islands position would be threatened as long as the Allies held Port Moresby. With the vital base, he could also entertain attacks on Australia’s northern coast and land the Darwin troops as far as Cairns, further weakening the Aussie’s position.

  As he was pretty busy with planning his own theater of operation (the war would play itself out in the Hawaiian Islands area after all), he resolved to send some orders (and strong reinforcements) to Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue to prepare a new operation and to Admiral Ishaka’s 1st fleet to transfer most of its battleships to Inoue’s forces.

  At least the super-battleship Musashi had just arrived in Truk and would provide much-needed guns to the 2nd fleet that was without battleships for the moment, with Kirishima and Haruna out of action. Yamamoto needed most of Japan’s carrier units in Pearl Harbor to guard against the U.S. Pacific Fleet that was certain to come and try to wrest the islands from the Empire’s grasp, so he decided that the few light carriers would support Japanese action in the Coral Sea but most notably by the number of battleships spread between 1st and 2nd fleets. He just couldn’t spare more.

  Completely disregarding the Burmese campaign as too much of a side-show for his mind to waste brain-power on, he moved on to the map in front of him, representing tiny Palmyra, where the Americans had successfully retaken the islands from the small Marine forces he’d put there.

  Tactically they’d scored some good hits on the enemy ships with Shokaku’s planes, but the net strategic result was that the small atoll was back into America's hands. Their presence there meant that they would soon finish building the airfield that was already under construction by the Imperial engineers. Once that was a reality and the U.S. Navy dropped planes there, it would be a lot harder to retake and would represent a danger for his won flank in Hawaii, but also for the Marshall Islands and Johnson Island, his fallback position if he lost Pearl Harbor.

  He put his finger on the map and started to count the number of nautical miles he would need to cover to send a naval force to the area when a knock on his cabin door was heard. “Enter.” The two officers he’d been waiting for made their entrance into the room.

  Minoru Genda and Admiral Chuichi Nagumo made their respective bowing gestures to salute their superior, and he gave them the same in return. “Welcome, gentlemen. Thank you for coming to my humble ship for the meeting,” he added with a friendly smile. Humble was an incredible understatement for what the Yamato super-battleship represented. “Thank you, admiral,” responded Nagumo, quickly followed by Genda: “We are here to serve, Admiral.”

  Yamamoto gestured them to the table he was standing over, that sported a map representing the Pacific theater portion that concerned the two men, namely the Hawaiian Islands, the U.S. West Coast, and the series of small islands ringing the area (Midway, Palmyra, Chritsmas, Johnson, and the Marshalls).

  They both removed their military cap, put them under their arms, and approached. “At ease, gentlemen,” said Isoroku. The two men sensibly relaxed. The Japanese Imperial Navy was very formal, and it was good to remind the men and officers that they could relax a little once in a while. He needed their minds focused on the problem at hand, not on being formal and distant.

  “As our big operation against the US Mainland nears, I would like to discuss the detail of the attack, as well as other theater concerns I have, like Palmyra.” The Grand Admiral emphasized his words by putting his finger right on the spot representing the island on the map. The two other men nodded, awaiting what Yamamoto had to say next.

  “So, gentlemen, we need to retake the island, for it represents a danger to our strategic position.” The Grand Admiral didn’t have to do a lot of explaining, as the two men knew their business and understood that having an atoll with an airfield occupied by the enemy represented a significant problem for their strategy of keeping the American out of the Pacific entirely. Once they set foot somewhere, they could build up an offensive from there.

  “Admiral, I agree with you. From Palmyra, they can base B-17 bombers and attack us directly in Hawaii. They can also set up a submarine base, have flying boats to help with the recon to detect our fleets.” He looked at Isoroku in the eyes. “It cannot be tolerated.”

  Nagumo didn’t seem to want to argue the plain facts but more to talk about what his carriers would have to do about it. “Admiral, with the coming operation against San Diego, we have some time we could use to send a powerful strike force to smash the island’s defense. I have all six carriers operational and ready whenever you give the order.” “Thank you,” Admiral Nagumo answered Yamamoto, who walked a few feet to the wall where legendary naval commander Togo’s painting was hung. He put his hands behind his back. “I agree. We can strike in Palmyra and still meet our operational deadline for the attack on the U.S. mainland.”

  And with these words, the Grand Admiral walked back to the table, putting his right hand under his chin for concentration. “Okay, gentlemen. Let’s do this.”

  And the three men talked, planned, and discussed how they would smash the impudent Americans that had dared set foot on one of their newly conquered islands.

  Meanwhile on Palmyra

  Northern Line Islands, July 6th, 1942

  The Line Islands were a chain of 11 atolls (with partially or fully enclosed lagoons) and coral islands (with a surrounding reef) in the central Pacific Ocean, south of the Hawaiian Islands. The island chain stretches northwest to southeast across 2,350 kilometers, making it one of the longest island chains in the world.

  The area used to be controlled by the Japanese through their occupation of Palmyra in the northern part of the archipelago. After a quick and successful attack at the end of June, American forces had reclaimed the area with a landing of the 4th Marine Regiment. A naval battle was also fought with substantial losses on the Allied side.

  The American forces took control of the atoll and its airfield under construction after a fierce battle with the Sasebo Imperial Marines SNLF half-battalion defending it. The fight had been short but fierce, as there was no cover on the island, apart from some vegetation, and the fighting quickly destroyed that.

  Within the atoll’s protective lagoon, a Japanese seaplane tender, the Chitose, was also captured by the U.S. Marines once they killed the last Imperial soldier (none of them surrendered).

  By July 6th, the Americans finished working on the airfield that Imperial engineers had started. They’d also re-purposed the Chitose for their own use (so they could use the fling boats for their own recon flights) since they were even able to repair it.

  The American Marines looked nervously at the plane on approach, as it was the first time an aircraft would try to land on their makeshift airbase. They’d brought some construction workers with them, but most of the soldiers didn’t know anything about airfield construction, so they’d improvised for the most part. They picked up the Jap machines and used them to finish the work. Half of the force also toiled on getting the defenses ready (the Japs had built bunkers and trenches where they could) because everyone was convinced the japs would be back

  The plane that was about to land was a big four-engine B-17 bomber, and according to the news from the higher-ups in the Regiment, it was laden with supplies. Behind the first one, they could see a long line of other Flying Fortresses also approaching Palmyra. The runway was pretty long, as Palmyra had a length of 4.7 kilometers.

  They marveled at the size of the B-17 and the nice, droning rumble it made as it approached the dirt of the airfield. It eventually touched the ground, lifting dust in the air. They cheered loudly as it finished its landing and started rolling toward the end of the runway. Apparently also happy at being on the atoll, the pilots and gunners opened their doors and hatches to wave at the Marines.

  The big bombers had just enough range to reach Palmyra (5900 kilometers) from San Diego. And so, they arrived in Palmyra to supply the brave men that had the distinction of having brought about the first land victory against the damned Japs in this war. Some had guns, some had more petrol, some ammo, and most importantly, several had food and water, which was in short supply on the tiny place lost in the middle of the Pacific.

  Some B-17s would go back, some would stay on the island, as they would be used for operational purposes and defenses. The U.S. Navy was also planning to drop fighters and shorter-range aircraft with their carriers at some point. But not in the short term as they were all concentrating on the upcoming battle with the Combined Fleet.

  Like the Americans, sailors, pilots, and Marines alike got busy preparing their hard-won atoll for the expected Japanese counter-attack; they remained confident of holding the place if they stayed.

  Kwantung Army

  Near Outer Mongolia, July 6th, 1942

  Kwantung Army on maneuvers, near Outer Mongolia, 1939

  The Kwantung Army was formed in 1906 as a security force for the Kwantung Leased Territory and South Manchurian Railway Zone after the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905 and expanded into an army group during the Interwar period to support Japanese interests in China, Manchuria, and Mongolia. The Kwantung Army became the most prestigious command in the Imperial Japanese Army. Many of its personnel were promoted to high positions in the Japanese military and civil government, including Hideki Tōjō, the general who became Prime Minister of Japan and de facto ruler of the Empire.

  The Kwantung Army was also involved in forming the Manchukuo puppet state and subsequent conquest of Manchuria in the early 1930s. When full war with China broke out in 1937 (after the infamous Marco Polo bridge incident), it fought against the Nationalist forces in the Pekin area. By 1940 it had grown to a little over 800 000 and contained some of the Imperial Army’s best divisions.

  With the outbreak of the Pacific War, Manchukuo was essentially a backwater to the conflict. However, as the war needs increased for the Imperial Japanese Army on all fronts, the large, well-trained, and well-equipped Kwantung Army could no longer be held in strategic reserve. By mid-1942, many of its frontline units had been and still were systematically moved away, which were sent south to fight in the Pacific War against the forces of the United States in the Pacific Islands or the Philippines. And then other plans talked of sending them to China to finish the Nationalist forces.

  And thus, General Yamada, the commander-in-chief of the Kwantung Army, was unhappy once more with the order that had just landed on his desk. Another two divisions were to be transferred to a Pacific command.

  He wondered how he could keep watch on the powerful Soviet forces just over the border that only awaited a sign of weakness from the Japanese Army. And the Tokyo government was doing just that. Damn stupid Yamamoto and his Pacific strategy! He could not believe that General Hajime had gone ahead with the Grand Admiral’s plan. Japan was now stuck with a war on a gigantic front, while her enemies were at the gates just over the border with the Soviet Union and Japanese-occupied China. So much work was left and so many enemies to kill on the Asian continent that Yamada could not understand the high command's current course. Hell, it didn’t take a genius to see that the Empire was over-extending itself while fighting some of the most powerful countries on earth.

  Yamada was a firm believer in Hokushin-ron or the "Northern Expansion Doctrine," a Japanese Pre-World War II political doctrine that stated that Manchuria and Siberia were Japan's sphere of interest and the potential value to Japan for economic and territorial expansion in those areas was greater than elsewhere. Its supporters (with Yamada as one of their main leaders) were sometimes called the Strike North Group. It enjoyed wide support within the Imperial Japanese Army during the interwar period. Still, it was abandoned in 1939 after military defeat against the USSR on the Mongolian front at the Battles of Khalkhin Gol (known in Japan as the Nomonhan incident) and the signing of Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact in 1941. It was superseded by the diametrically-opposite rival policy, Nanshin-ron or "Southern Expansion Doctrine." It regarded Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands as Japan's political and economic sphere of influence. Consequently, it aimed to acquire the resources of European colonies while neutralizing the threat of Western military forces in the Pacific.

  He walked out of the large campaign tent he’d been sitting on, signing papers and going through the damned paperwork that always seemed to never end for an army commander. He stepped out to a scene of endless greenery and troops marching in a long file that saluted him the moment he exited his tent. A strong warm wind blew in his face, almost toppling the officer’s cap he always wore on his head. The Kwantung Army was on its traditional summer maneuvers in Outer Mongolia. He took a moment to bask in the ancient glory of it all. He sat in these ancestral plains like the ancient Mongols with a powerful army. But contrary to the great Khans of old, it was doing nothing. “Being kept as a strategic reserve” was the official line about the army’s predicament.

  With everything being stripped of his beloved forces, he could no longer contemplate an invasion of Siberia. He could only stay in command of a backwater and await the next transfer order. He’d even started to wonder if he would ever get any action at all in this world war.

  He would get his moment, but that story was for another time, five years in his future.

  Western Coast of Australia

  Japanese landings in Broome and Derby July 10th, 1942

  Although Broome was a small pearling port at the time, it was also a refueling station for aircraft on the route between the Netherlands East Indies and major Australian cities. As a result, Broome was on a line of flight for Dutch and other refugees following the Japanese invasion of Java and had become a significant Allied military base.

  Derby, another small town, had grown in importance during the Japanese conquest campaign in the Dutch East Indies. An airfield was built north of the small city, and its harbor was also useable for warships, so several used the area for refueling.

  Both cities got some defenses organized, with the raising of the local militia (about 3000 men) and an Australian Army regiment, making for approximately 6000 defenders for the area. A few coastal guns emplacement was also built in Broome if the Japanese fleet made an appearance.

  General MacArthur did not entertain much hope for such a position to hold the Japanese tide. Still, he’d resolved to defend the place with what was available and not let any city or harbor fall to the Japanese unopposed. His rationale was simple. As shown by his bold actions and strategic victories in the Port Moresby areas, the Japanese Empire was over-extending itself. With determined resistance, the Allies could blunt the Nipponese advance.

  “The point of the spear is brittle” was one of the famous American General’s saying in 1942. By that, he meant that the Japanese military was at the end of a long supply line and thus didn’t have everything necessary to win decisively. It was peculiar how it seemingly had the power with the tough divisions, planes, and battleships at the front, but it lacked depth and often didn’t have any reinforcements to push for victory. There just wasn’t anything after the frontline.