Stuart Slade: A Mighty Endeavor

“We have the Australians of course; they had nothing in 1940 other than long-obsolete biplanes from the 1920s. Now, nine squadrons of fighters, including five of Tomahawks. Six squadrons of bombers with Beaufort torpedo bombers and Hudsons. Three maritime squadrons with Catalinas and Sunderlands. Two of the Tomahawk squadrons are in Singapore. There is an Australian Army division in Malaya, reinforcing two Indian and a British division.”

Takeda finished adding the circles for the Australian forces to the blue swathe that now dominated the southern half of the map. “In total, over the last year, more than a thousand modern aircraft have arrived in the area we wish to claim as our southern resources area. Most of them were ordered by the British and French but were delivered to the Commonwealth countries. The opposition is immensely stronger than it was a year ago. It has been reinforced by the purchasing power of two European nations redirected into the area the Navy plans to attack. I wonder if they have fully considered the implications of this change?”

Katsuyori pushed his lower lip out in an eloquent expression of doubt. “That would require a degree of independent thought and strategic consideration quite beyond them. One wonders also if the Army have actually been consulted about how their troops are to be used. Or, even if they are still available, after the recent debacle.”

“The forces assigned to occupy Thailand are ridiculous.” General Nakamura’s voice was hoarse and strained from the burns he had received. The searing heat of the flamethrower had damaged his throat and lungs. Speaking was a grave hardship for him. In Takeda’s eyes, that gave him the privilege of speaking while the Tokubetsu Kempeitai held the floor. “They have maintained their Army at wartime levels. They have four infantry divisions and a cavalry division along the Mekong and three infantry divisions and a cavalry division in the south. They are forming an armored division as a strategic reserve in Bangkok. They also have reequipped their air force since the fighting in January. We will need at least nine divisions for the northern operation and the southern operation will need at least five.”

“It appears the Navy have not consulted the Army.” Takeda looked at Katsuyori and shook his head in disbelief. “Why they have not done so is a grave oversight on their part. I sometimes wonder if they are both serving our Emperor, as their duty demands, or whether they merely cater to their own factional interests. We must contemplate that possibility.”

“And that is before we invade Burma and Malaya.” Nakamura stopped speaking, his reserve of strength gone, but his words had slashed deep into the heart of the meeting.

“The spirit of the Japanese soldier… ” Masanobu Tsuji’s fanatical voice cut across the crippled general.

“And how many battles against a modern enemy have you fought, Colonel?” Nakamura made one last final effort before his strength was exhausted. After a pause he looked disdainfully at the Colonel. “I thought not.”

“The Philippines also presents problems.” Katsuyori spoke slowly and carefully, apparently completely unaware that the interruption from Tsuji had ever happened. “The Americans have reinforced there as well.”

“Indeed they have, yet the Navy appears not to have noticed. The Americans have sent many more bombers, many more fighters. Above all, they have dispersed them all over the Islands. Once, they were concentrated at Davao and Manila. Now, they are on many airbases, some of which we have yet to find.

“McArthur may be an egotistical fool, but the Philippine Army and the American forces grow stronger every day. It is the same in Hawaii. Twice as many troops, three times as many fighters, twice as many bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Our Embassy there reports that the Americans are flying around-the-clock reconnaissance patrols now and our passenger liners north of the islands report seeing Catalinas and B-17s patrolling the area.”

That caused a stir, even in the Navy ranks. The whole basis of the Navy plan was to attack from the north, where there was supposed to be no opposition and patrol aircraft were absent.

Katsuyori shook his head in disbelief. “If the defenses have grown so much in a year, what will they be like in a other six months? Has the Navy even considered how the situation might further change by the end of the year?”

“Who can say? We do know that Australia and India are both starting to build their own fighter aircraft. Not the best in the world, perhaps; but more opposition still. The American production lines continue to accelerate and their new aircraft are much more formidable than the old.” Takeda pinned up a picture of a new American fighter, the P-38. For some reason, the sight of the twin-engined fighter sent a chill down Yamamoto’s spine. “Their current aircraft may be no match for our A6M and Ki-43 now but in a year’s time? Or six months?”

“We have no choice!” Yamaguchi’s bellow cut across Takeda’s comments.

Katsuyori stared at him coldly, smelling the waves of used sake on his breath from across the room. Once again, his words were directed to Takeda, not Yamaguchi. “Have you ever despaired at the lack of moral character in so many of our officers?”

“We do not despair in the Tokubetsu Kempeitai . We accept that we must work with what we have, however apparently inadequate it is. Despite its shortcomings. In this case, the shortcomings are so deep-rooted that they have almost become virtues.” To Takeda’s amusement, Yamaguchi was having great problems working out whether the remarks addressed to

Katsuyori were an insult or not. “General Nakamura believes the forces assigned to the occupation of Thailand are inadequate, even before the followon operations are considered. He has much experience and from experience comes wisdom. The Army should heed his words.”

Count Hisaichi Terauchi shook his head. “There are insufficient troops to allocate any more to that operation. If it cannot be concluded with the troops assigned, then it should not be attempted at all. That prevents the followon operations aimed at Burma and Malaya. It means we will not be able to secure Singapore. We can use the troops freed up to reinforce the attacks on the Dutch East Indies, of course. But, without Malaya, Burma and Singapore, the security of the Southern Resource Area is greatly imperilled. But, the Admiral was right. We have no choice.”

“This may not be entirely true.” The speaker was one of the two civilians in the room. He actually represented the Inperiaru Zaimush S bisu , the Imperial Treasury Service, the empire’s tax collectors. Incorruptible and answering only to the Emperor himself, the Inperiaru Zaimush S bisu was a body even the Tokubetsu Kempeitai respected. “There is a choice.”

“This should be interesting.” Katsuyori’s aside to Takeda was, for once, actually intended for his ears alone. “Perhaps we will tax our enemies to death.”

Takeda glanced around the room. Once again, the posturing truculence of the Spirit Warriors who dominated the armed forces disgusted him. “Foreigners are the opposition. Our enemies are here in this room and, yes, taxing them to death might well be an option worth considering. It would be less cruel than some of the others we might consider appropriate.”

Takeda had spoken for Katsuyori’s ears alone, but the man from the Inperiaru Zaimush S bisu had heard the remark and was nodding thoughtfully. He produced a series of papers from as briefcase and looked owlishly around the room.

“To take the raw materials we need, and secure the access routes to them, is possible, of course. But, would it not be simpler just to buy them?”