Alternate History, WW2, Part 3
Alt-History…
World War II
Part 3
War in the Pacific
After Pearl Harbor, America for its part rested on her laurels. It was at least a victory for propaganda. Our forces were heroic beyond measure. A tactical victory, one might say, though in actuality, the Pacific fleet suffered a strategic defeat that would take nearly a year to recover from. The loss of oil fields and dry docks was the real disaster. None of this was brought to the attention of the public. The mitigated attack had left the fleet at Pearl more or less intact, but the loss of the Enterprise and the damage done to Lexington was a severe blow. War was declared in the date of infamy, December 7th 1941.
For their part, Japanese military leaders revised their strategies after the debacle. They chose a new target: Midway, and conquered it easily with a small invasion force. The Johnson Atoll fell a few months later. Gradually entrenching their position with flak guns and a sizable force of dive bombers and zeros, the islands became like aircraft carriers that didn’t sink. Nor could they sail.
One by one, every island that could be taken in the Pacific was taken, even a few of the Aleutians in the North. In less than a year Imperial Japan dictated America’s strategic efforts, and those were now decidedly defensive. America’s number one aim was to get the islands back, one by one. The greatest fear being the development of Japanese long range bombers stationed at Midway…
The Pacific Theater
All eyes turned to Australia, the last bastion of Britishness. The allies mutually decided it could not and would not fall; though in actuality, Japanese strategic intentions remained largely inscrutable. A three-pronged approach was quickly developed: defense, supply, and emigration. By and large they were successful and exceeded all expectations.
The first battles were fought for the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea in late 1942. Southern shipping lanes had to remain open at all costs. Gradually, the north Australian coast became the most heavily fortified place on the planet: the Malay Line, though the only major city under direct threat was Darwin. To the west and south, from Perth to Melbourne, and from Brisbane to New Zealand, the populace remained relatively safe from attack.
A mass emigration ensued from existing and former British colonies. Vast convoys sailed virtually unmolested, scrupulously protected by a burgeoning American Navy. Bodies were needed for soldiers and industry, for defense and farming. The Aussie deserts would be transformed, said the propaganda. Most immigrants came via the western ports of Canada, Vancouver and Victoria. And later, from Cape Town in South Africa and even the Indian subcontinent, once the Germans had begun their southern advance.
During this time, the Japanese strategy of harassing the Panama Canal took its toll. The only lane between two vast oceans was choked off by the repeated sinking of numerous ships on their western approaches by a seemingly endless fleet of Japanese midget submarines.
In response, the US signed treaties with Ecuador, Peru and Chile, access to their ports, and as a fly in Imperial Japan’s strategy. The canal might shut down but the Pan-American Highway never did. It was Eisenhower who oversaw the tripling of America’s infrastructure, trains, roads, bridges and highways. War materials could reach either coast in a matter of days.
Note:
An excerpt from Red City, the fifth and final Tractus Fynn Mystery, to be published in May.
World War II
Part 3
War in the Pacific
After Pearl Harbor, America for its part rested on her laurels. It was at least a victory for propaganda. Our forces were heroic beyond measure. A tactical victory, one might say, though in actuality, the Pacific fleet suffered a strategic defeat that would take nearly a year to recover from. The loss of oil fields and dry docks was the real disaster. None of this was brought to the attention of the public. The mitigated attack had left the fleet at Pearl more or less intact, but the loss of the Enterprise and the damage done to Lexington was a severe blow. War was declared in the date of infamy, December 7th 1941.
For their part, Japanese military leaders revised their strategies after the debacle. They chose a new target: Midway, and conquered it easily with a small invasion force. The Johnson Atoll fell a few months later. Gradually entrenching their position with flak guns and a sizable force of dive bombers and zeros, the islands became like aircraft carriers that didn’t sink. Nor could they sail.
One by one, every island that could be taken in the Pacific was taken, even a few of the Aleutians in the North. In less than a year Imperial Japan dictated America’s strategic efforts, and those were now decidedly defensive. America’s number one aim was to get the islands back, one by one. The greatest fear being the development of Japanese long range bombers stationed at Midway…
The Pacific Theater
All eyes turned to Australia, the last bastion of Britishness. The allies mutually decided it could not and would not fall; though in actuality, Japanese strategic intentions remained largely inscrutable. A three-pronged approach was quickly developed: defense, supply, and emigration. By and large they were successful and exceeded all expectations.
The first battles were fought for the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea in late 1942. Southern shipping lanes had to remain open at all costs. Gradually, the north Australian coast became the most heavily fortified place on the planet: the Malay Line, though the only major city under direct threat was Darwin. To the west and south, from Perth to Melbourne, and from Brisbane to New Zealand, the populace remained relatively safe from attack.
A mass emigration ensued from existing and former British colonies. Vast convoys sailed virtually unmolested, scrupulously protected by a burgeoning American Navy. Bodies were needed for soldiers and industry, for defense and farming. The Aussie deserts would be transformed, said the propaganda. Most immigrants came via the western ports of Canada, Vancouver and Victoria. And later, from Cape Town in South Africa and even the Indian subcontinent, once the Germans had begun their southern advance.
During this time, the Japanese strategy of harassing the Panama Canal took its toll. The only lane between two vast oceans was choked off by the repeated sinking of numerous ships on their western approaches by a seemingly endless fleet of Japanese midget submarines.
In response, the US signed treaties with Ecuador, Peru and Chile, access to their ports, and as a fly in Imperial Japan’s strategy. The canal might shut down but the Pan-American Highway never did. It was Eisenhower who oversaw the tripling of America’s infrastructure, trains, roads, bridges and highways. War materials could reach either coast in a matter of days.
Note:
An excerpt from Red City, the fifth and final Tractus Fynn Mystery, to be published in May.
No comments have been added yet.
