Japanese occupy Changsha!

ACTION SUMMARY: The Japanese General Staff expressed widespread dismay today despite his successes. Two Japanese divisions marched through empty streets today where the Kwantung Army was expecting a tough fight for Changsha. Fighting, however continued both NW and SE of the city as Nationalist forces fought rearguard actions to cover their withdrawal. Meanwhile, Imperial Chief of Staff Sir Alan Brooke approved the transfer of the already legendary "Flying Tiger" corps of 60+ Warhawk fighters flying under Nationalist Chinese colors. Stationed in Burma where they were earning no kills, they were transferred to Chungking and are ready to bring the fight back to the Japanese Army Air Forces. Already the air war in China is heating up at Japanese Army bombers struck the Chinese airfield at Hengchow just as Chinese bombers sortied against the enemy's marching columns.



In the Phillipines, the frustrated Japanese navy deployed almost a dozen destroyers on an ASW sweep of the coastal waters. The already famous Dutch submarine KXIV, who in two days sank three Jap transports off southern Luzon, was depth charged and lost with all hands. The Japanese Navy's successes were not shared by the Imperial Army as the 56th Phillipino Division, which was almost cut off from Manila, slipped through the Japanese vise in Southern Luzon to arrive in Manila. The division will continue its long march to the Redoubt theatre at Bataan. As it were, the supply flow into Bataan is nearly shut as two massive airstrikes by Betty and Kate torpedo bombers sank three more transports. Only Catalina seaplanes continue to ferry supplies to Bataan. Meanwhile, intelligence reports that the Japanese Army is finally on the move in Northern and Southern Luzon. Nearly 80,000 Phillipino and Americans are dug into plains around Clark AFB to meet the assault.



Operation Fullback suffered a major setback when a Japanese wave of almost 40 bombers swept over the Malay jungles at 3,000 feet to slam torpedoes into the transports anchored offshore. Two AK's were sunk, two seriously damaged. They are limping to Java with what cargo they have aboard, which includes several Bleinhem bombers. The Japanese General Staff is becoming increasingly aware of my strategy, which is to concentrate my forces at various strongpoints rather than leave them scattered as they were December 7th. Up to now has his caution (particularly in Luzon) allowed me to concentrate as much forces as I have already in addition to evacuating immense stores of supplies (via Keystone). But now I am seeing Japanese bombers striking transports thought to be engaged in these "strongpoint" operations.

No other activity today. Japanese planes from Indochina struck a British destroyer off Borneo, a refugee of the British China Squadron that was stationed off Hong Kong before transferring to the Phillipines. The Central Pacific is quiet. The Enterprise slipped away unscathed following her Congo raid against the Marshalls.

Here's the warroom... today it shows the limits of the Japanese advance, the pressure points of his advance, and the defensive "strongpoints" I am hardening.