The Sound of Drums - A British Hearts of Iron II AAR

21st July - 24th September, 1937
The Second Sino-Japanese War


Minister Subi had long been planning a visit to China to better assess the situation for Britain. He considered himself an expert of the region, particularly with matters concerning the Mao’s communist faction and their war with the Kuomintang, and by mid-1937 he had presented nine papers regarding the civil war to the Cabinet, which ultimately encouraged the Prime Minister to send him as an official representative of Britain to China. Foreign Minister Rheinmetall was apparently greatly relieved - his workload being horrifically bloated by the Italian fortification of the Libya-Egypt border, and increased demand for his presence to sooth relations there.

The sudden explosion of war between Japan and China - though a long time coming - was simply another reason to send someone to report the situation. Japan had come up regularly in discussions about British threats in the region, and to get an idea of what the “Second Sino-Japanese War” would entail would be of great use to the Cabinet of Doom.

By the time Subi arrived on the 5th August, both Japan and Nationalist China were in the middle of their opening campaigns. From the 24th July, Japan threw all its divisions in Manchuria into Shanxi, clearly hoping to use it as a springboard into northern China. Shanxi had no chance, and suffered greatly by refusing direct military aid from the KMT for the opening weeks of the invasion.


The Japanese invasion of Shanxi, two weeks after the declaration of war

Nationalist China meanwhile, quickly realised they needed all available forces to hold back the Japanese aggressor. To do that, they needed to eradicate an old threat - Mao and his communist faction.

Minister Subi was quite aware that the bulk of what he was shown during his visit was specifically designed to show the KMT at its best in order to boost British support, but there was no need for exaggerating the truth when it came to “Operation: Combined Jewel.” Between the 21st July and 7th August, the KMT launched an offensive into the heartland of the Communist faction, ignoring entirely its gains in Xibei San Ma and effectively strangling the communists by the neck. Facing destruction, Mao accepted a humiliating surrender and was forced into controlling just one province. Minister Subi put it best in his letter to the Council in early August: “Mao knows he is finished, as do China and Japan. The only reason for his factions continued existence is because his forces are easier to contain as an independent, recognised faction in a bound cease-fire, rather than a group of rebel guerrillas troubling the KMT campaigns in the north.”

Responding to the success of this operation, both the United States of America and the Soviet Union offered aid to the KMT - both nations being wary over an expansionist Japan. China rejected Soviet aid out of hand (presumably over their communist agenda), but were quite eager to agree to the U.S. ‘Pitman Act,’ allowing them easier means to purchase military equipment.

It would be needed. Japans invasion of Shanxi was nearly completed by the end of August, leading to the “Taiyuan Accords.” The remaining regions of Shanxi was to be absorbed into Nationalist China, her military and provinces to fall under her control. It was a desperate measure - Japan has already declared a ‘reorganisation of inner Mongolia,’ creating the puppet nation of Mengkukuo to better control the region while the Japanese army could strike south into the KMT heartland.


Nationalist China (red) versus the Imperial Japanese Empire (green). Communist China can be seen as the white province between the two.

When Minister Subi returned from his visit to China at the end of September, he was full of praise for the KMT leadership, though was quick to comment that it did not have the resources to quickly defeat the Japanese invasion. They were not afraid to utilise unorthodox tactics (such as flooding the Yellow River on the 24th September to delay the Japanese) nor to admit they might be in for a long war (Chinese industry was shifted to the interior in mid-August). As far as Subi was concerned, Japan could be written off as a threat for the near future, a war of terrible attrition is all they faced.

The Cabinet of Doom could look closer to home for more apparent threats…

Sucks to be the Communists.
Looks like we're clear to continue that Indian force redeployment.
Are the Italians continueing to reinforce Libya?

Note: "Imperial Japanese Empire" is copyright of the Bureau of Redundancy Department, LLC inc. nonprofit not-for-profit organization, redux.

Invade Antarctica!

send supplies to the communists, they may be able to turn it aroud

Supplies to the Communists!? Why don't we just give Stalin Norfolk while we're at it? (the two are BOUND to be interlinked!)

If I'm not mistaken the communists have been largely dealt with. Mao has no hope of facing nationalist China. As for Japan vs China I believe China will ultimately win a war of attrition with its humungus amount of manpower to draw from. Still to gain China as an ally, though not strictly necessary with the power of our armed forces, could lead to an excellent ally. At the same time if we were to give them resources China could force Japan to quickly sue for peace which would force Japan to search for other targets for material.

Based on these two possibilities I suggest giving China just enough resources to defend themselves adequatly, but not enough to launch a sustained offensive. With Japan dealt with we could continue to look to the real threat to global peace, the Soviet Union.

I agree with rabidveggie.

nodikus said:

Sucks to be the Communists.
Looks like we're clear to continue that Indian force redeployment.
Are the Italians continueing to reinforce Libya?

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Yeah, I'll deal with that next update (hopefully today). The Indian redeployment has been authorised as well.

PrinceScamp said:

Invade Antarctica!

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We have Scotland, if you're after inhospitable environments.

rabidveggie said:

If I'm not mistaken the communists have been largely dealt with. Mao has no hope of facing nationalist China.

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Indeed. I was rather shocked (and mildly amused) that, after a year and a half of rugged fighting, taking territory inch by inch, Mao was simply defeated by a swift week-long campaign by the Nationalists.

rabidveggie said:

As for Japan vs China I believe China will ultimately win a war of attrition with its humungus amount of manpower to draw from. Still to gain China as an ally, though not strictly necessary with the power of our armed forces, could lead to an excellent ally. At the same time if we were to give them resources China could force Japan to quickly sue for peace which would force Japan to search for other targets for material.

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My reason for the last update focusing entirely on Japan-China was to indicate just how difficult a war it will be (war of attrition, as you say), and that we shouldn't have much to fear from Japan in the near-future. Becoming allies with China would defeat this policy. However:

Based on these two possibilities I suggest giving China just enough resources to defend themselves adequatly, but not enough to launch a sustained offensive. With Japan dealt with we could continue to look to the real threat to global peace, the Soviet Union.[/QUOTE]

I agree, and am happy to continue trade with Nationalist China (we used to in order to help them defeat the communists). I presume the Cabinet is happy to let this continue as well.

Kan' Sharuminar said:

We have Scotland, if you're after inhospitable environments.

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Canada also! Plus the center of Australia, the jungles of India and Burma, did I mention the inner stretches of Africa and Egypt? But of course Scotland would be more accessible for the average English tourist..

It is vital in the defence of the Empire to engage in an "undeclared war" of sorts against the Japos, I believe. We will do this by diplomatically isolating them, assisting our Yankee friends in subduing them economically, and by supporting their enemies indirectly. A few more supplies and resources are worth even a single possible casualty in an actual war with them.

Yankee who? If it wasn't for them and their embargoes, the Japanese would be content with what they have.
Though they probably will stop once they get their oil and other necessities the American's denied them.

Without the American embargo they would have had the material to build up a strong fleet and would have attacked our holding with great force eventually. It has starved Japan to the point that they needed to declare war on China.

I'll second that one- the Japanese aren't out there just for resources, they've got delusions of granduer and empire... damned imperialists

Still since they're locked in a war with China, I suggest we just leave them to it- there's some good points to isolationism too, you know

The only reason these radicals got in power was because of the Embargo.*
Hey, they just wanted to live in peace, they were our allies in the Great War, and fought well to, but then out politicians agreed to this "Washington Naval treaty" that made us look weak.
If it weren't for the embargo, and the Yankees forcing us to drop our alliance with them, (causing them to mistrust us) they wouldn't even think of attacking us (I doubt they will though, the Chinese will wear them down with their massive manpower.)

*OOC: Same idea with Hitler and the Versailles treaty.

21st July - 24th September, 1937


In the Cabinet of Doom, there was very little opposition to the “Maharashtra Act,” which was to redeploy three Indian divisions to Egypt and the Palestine Region. Indeed, many of the more ‘hawkish’ members of Parliament - as well as the Imperial Defence Council - welcomed the move as necessary to curbing the increasing Italian threat in Libya. The Indian divisions (the 5th, 7th and 10th Infantry) were to arrive in early September, and would relieve British forces garrisoning Alexandria and Jerusalem. They in turn would join the increasing military presence in western Egypt.

Remarkably, there was little dissent in Britain about the increased military spending. It was presumed that the Imperial Defence Council was to thank for this, what with its vocal ‘anti-appeasement’ leader, Mr. Monzarc happily warning the government and general public of the outside threats to Britain. Indeed, most were pleased that six permanent infantry divisions were now defending the Egpytian border, with two more on the way. Volunteer stations reported massive signups throughout 1938, to the extent it was calculated that - if Britain had the equipment and resources available - several dozen more infantry divisions could be activated. For the moment, the Prime Minister was happy to extend the infantry training scheme begun in 1936 to another year.


The Egypt-Libya border, September 1936

Despite the increased tensions between Britain and Italy, it was still safely assumed that there would be no war between the powers. IronMan - Head of British Intelligence - reported that Italy had effectively emptied her forces from Ethiopia in order to militarise Libya. Effectively that meant it would be simple for Britain, who had the region surrounded by militia divisions, to neutralise any threat from Ethiopia and reinforce PrinceScamp’s army in the north. And of course, Italy would have to deal with France on her far borders. Without allies, Mussolini could threaten all he wished, but was powerless to follow up on it.

Further boosting Britain’s situation was the completion of the Ark Royal and Invincible on the 23rd August. The most advanced aircraft carriers in the Royal Navy, and the pride of Darth Pugwash’s new carrier-based programs, they were proudly shown off to the public as they redeployed to Scapa Flow.


The HMS Ark Royal and swordfish-class bomber

What was not made public was the debate as to where the two new carriers should be deployed. It would be ideal if they could be the basis of a new group of ships - the Third Fleet - to reinforce either the Home Isles or the Mediterranean, but it was quickly pointed out that it could take another two years to construct the necessary support vessels to form such a fleet. There was the possibility of merging existing fleets together, but that would require a strict acknowledgement of where Britains threats were to focus the Royal Navy in, while leaving some territories open.

It should be noted that Grand Admiral Cleric argued that the new carriers should be added to his Grand Armada as the basis of what he called the “First Super-Armada.” Given that his fleet was already designed and created with the purpose of defending Britain and fending off a possible resurgent Germany with minimal assistance, he was ignored.

For now, Ark Royal and Invincible would remain in Scapa Flow, and over the next year they were expected to be joined by battleships and cruisers. For the moment, there was no need to decide their fate, not while Britain continued to claim control over world events…

Excellent progress all round methinks!

Regarding the carriers can't we just steam them up and down the Kiel Canal afew times for, um, training?

We shoul have a carrier based in India, that way it can quickly be sent to either Egypt or Singapore as needed.

PrinceScamp said:

We shoul have a carrier based in India, that way it can quickly be sent to either Egypt or Singapore as needed.

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I quite like this idea- plus if trouble does brew, at least out fleets will, initially, be a fair distance away- far away enough from the enemy's naval bombers, and I suppose that's what's important.

What (significant) Naval bases are there in India (I've never really checked before)

India has the First Fleet, which contains 1 carrier, 2 battleships, 2 heavy cruisers, 6 light cruisers and 6 destroyers. It's based in Singapore.

Edit: The Mediterranean has the Second Fleet (same set-up as above), as well as the First Armada (2CV, 4BB, 1BC, 4CC, 6CL, 8DD). I don't think it needs to worry about reinforcements for the time being