Hearts of Iron: The Empire of Japan
May 1st, 1937
Japanese Army Review of Manchukuo Incident--Review and Suggestions based on events.
In the wake of the Manchukuo war in Manchuria a large slice of land was annexed for the Empire of the Sun, significant resources were liberated, mostly from the southern most areas of the country which amount too large stores of coal and steel resources. While these resources are the primary benefit of the annexation of Manchukuo they were not the only benefit. The new provinces acquired grant us a more defensible border with the Soviet Union and eliminate a weak neighbor which a Soviet attack could pass through into Japanese controlled Manchuria. As well countless combat lessons have been learned as a result of the short war.
Most startling of these lesson has been the showing of the power affording by modern motorized infantry divisions and airpower in regards to supporting an attack. Field Marshall Hata commanded the 'elite' attack into the center of the Manchukuo state with his 4 division motorized Korps. The terrain he attacked was ideally suited for the kind of war that was conducted under his command. While regular horse mounted and foot powered infantry slogged slowly into Manchukuo the powerful motorized Korps was able to pierce almost 500 kilometers into the center of Manchukuo capturing the vital cities of Changchun and Harbin with minimal casualties. Thus in the space of a week Field Marshall Hata was able to take his strategic objectives as well as cut off the command & control of all the Manchukuo forces in the southern part of the country. While all of this was done the regular infantry divisions had not been able to reach any of their objectives. The commission believes that this has shown an inherit deficiency in the Japanese army.
The second major finding of the commission is in regard to airpower. Several air flotillas took part in the attacks upon Manchukuo, and worked together with Field Marshall Hata in great depths. Because of this, we believe is why the cities of Changchun and Harbin fell in less than a week. Thus the commission finds that the army and Air Force should gel further in regards to co-support with each other in attack and defense.
As it seems clear that our next enemy will be that of China these lessons will be of grave importance. While much of southern China consists of Jungle, motorized forces will not be able to effectively be used in a Chinese campaign. However the role of aircraft will not be diminished and the commission recommends that the Air Force in Manchuria be tripled by 1939.
A summary of the commission’s recommendations follows
--Construction of at least two more motorized divisions by 1938
--Construction of at least eight more flotilla’s of medium G3M tactical bombers for Manchuria
--Construction of several flotillas of the new 'Zero' long range interceptors for use in Pacific/China
--Doubling of the Manchurian army within a year and a half
--Fortification of the Soviet border
August 3rd, 1937 General Togo's command room
"...however the sapping of our industrial strength that is being used to fortify the Soviet border is mitigating our strength near the Chinese border as well as in our military research divisions. This building of forts even has us unable to recruit and organize more divisions of troops for Manchuria and the Pacific theaters!"
General Togo had been listening to Kanon Kotohito's rant for several minutes now and motioned for his aides to call the meeting to an end. His head hurt and the recent series of events since the capitulation of Manchukuo had not brought good tidings to the nation.
While Manchukuo had fallen easily the now fearful task of expanding into Mainland China was upon Japan. With the industry of the nation now needing to turn back towards consumer goods the nations resources had to be diverted from such things as research and other military needs. Togo saw only one way out of this towards spiral that now threatened the Imperial Army...war with China.
General Togo had already been tossing the idea around in his head since early in the year. However this was before Manchukuo was removed and now Japan had the resources to wage a large land war in Asia. Though the army was still not fully ready Togo had full confidence that a quick 'blitzkrieg' as the Germans called it could quickly take Shanghai and the center of Chinese government, once again winning the war quickly.
Still the plans formented in his head, and he knew that war would come once again to Asia within a year.
December 1st, 1937 Adolf Hitler makes state visit to Japan!
Adolf Hitler today landed in Tokyo. Making this his first state visit to Japan as Chancellor of the greater German Empire. The visit signals a new relationship between the respective nations, once enemies in the first world war, but which now have common goals.
Hitler and General Togo met within hours of the chancellors landing in Japan and they talked for several hours, supposedly on a range of topics that may include thoughts of a formal military alliance.
- Reuters
January 1st, 1938 New York Times Special Edition! Border Conflict in Manchuria!
Tensions on the Chinese-Japanese border in Manchuria have reached a new high today as a large scale border conflagration erupted early in the morning. 1938 in the area was ushered in with the sounds of heavy gunfire as elements of Field Marshall Hata's Hailer Motorized Division traded fire with Chinese units across the border. While most light gunfire has since faded from the morning hail of it there is still heavy shelling in areas all along the border.
Tensions have been rising for several months on the border since the Manchukuo incident. In the past few weeks a sharp rise has been seen in Japanese troop deployments to the border, with nearly 40 divisions bordering the Chinese heartland. Rumors abound that further reinforcements will arrive soon with forces from the Soviet border, now a non-issue to Tokyo after a landmark non-aggression treaty was brokered between the two countries in the last week. The mastermind - Viacheslav Molotov - now giving Moscow a clear go ahead to shift forces from the east to western Russia.
China however has not been able to shift forces to deal with the Japanese buildup with multiple other fronts preoccupying the Chinese leader Chiang Kai-Shek. His unstable Nationalist government is rife with infighting hampered by the Communist Chinese holding onto the areas around Yanan as well as numerous warlords in the Siaking area.
With 1938 dawning, an uneasy peace once again settles over the Chinese-Japanese border. Whether the same will be said in 1939 cannot however be said.
- Reuters
March 8th, 1938 London Times, Special Edition! German-Austrian Anschluss!
In a move that has shocked all of Europe, Germany today united with Austria in an Anschluss. Early this year the Austrian Chancellor - Kurt von Schuschnigg met with Adolf Hitler at Berchtesgarden. The meeting concluded with Hitler demanding concessions to the Austrian Nazi party by the democratically elected and legitimate Austrian government. Schuschnigg was soon forced too resign and was replaced by Arthur Seyss-Inquart the leader of the Austrian Nazi Party.
Yesterday Chancellor Seyss-Inquart officially invited the German Army to occupy Austria and proclaim union with the greater German empire. German troops under the command of General Kietel entered Vienna several hours later and proclaimed Austria the province of Ostmark.
Several hours later former Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg - a devout Austrian Nationalist made a radio address from Switzerland.
"This day has placed us in a tragic and decisive situation. I have to give my Austrian fellow countrymen the details of the events of today.
The German Government today handed to President Miklas an ultimatum, with a time limit, ordering him to nominate as chancellor a person designated by the German Government and to appoint members of a cabinet on the orders of the German Government; otherwise German troops would invade Austria.
I declare before the world that the reports launched in Germany concerning disorders by the workers, the shedding of streams of blood, and the creation of a situation beyond the control of the Austrian Government are lies from A to Z. President Miklas has asked me to tell the people of Austria that we have yielded to force since we are not prepared even in this terrible situation to shed blood. We have decided to order the troops to offer no resistance.
So I take leave of the Austrian people with the German word of farewell uttered from the depth of my heart: God protect Austria."
Last night President Miklas as well resigned and his powers were taken over by the fascist Chancellor. All countries except Italy and Japan have condemned the annexation of Austria. Adolf Hitler himself made a radio address in it citing media reports from Britian and other democratic nations.
"Certain foreign newspapers have said that we fell on Austria with brutal methods. I can only say; even in death they cannot stop lying. I have in the course of my political struggle won much love from my people, but when I crossed the former frontier (into Austria) there met me such a stream of love as I have never experienced. Not as tyrants have we come, but as liberators."