I think that's the case. IIRC it ended up in Ceylon with possibly some elements in Sydney. There may also have been a signals interception unit in Hong Kong, I'd have to check.
Munich Shuffle: 1938-1942
- Thread starter Garrison
- Start date
The Hong Kong unit was moved to Singapore in 1939 OTL. ITTL with Singapore holding then the codebreakers might stay rather than be moved to Columbo. Having traffic analysis and code breaking continue in Singapore through early 1941 ITTL could well be decisive in helping the allies to thwart the Japanese invasions and advances.
Garrison
Donor
Yeah that makes perfect sense, not to mention that with ongoing combat there are far more opportunities to capture codebooks, and of course spies operating behind the lines.
nbcman
Donor
Great pair of updates! After the IJN gets effectively defanged with the two losses and without the significant IJA advances of OTL in Burma, Malaya, DEI, and in the South Pacific described in previous updates, there's no Japanese Victory Disease here which could lead to a negotiated end to the war in the Pacific. Of course, this conjecture is getting way ahead of the story.
Garrison
Donor
That's asking a lot of the Japanese leadership. For the time being the plan will be to dig in and shore up their perimeter, which is easier said than done.
After Pearl Harbour, no way of getting a negotiated end except on similar terms to OTL, the US just would not go for it.
Garrison
Donor
The Japanese have burnt their bridges, of course a faster Allied advance in the Pacific means no A-bomb when they reach the Home islands.
Now what is in Japanese plans now?
Re invasion of Sumatra ?Invasion of Solomons?
Invasion of New Guinea? Invasion of Fiji? What?
Garrison
Donor
In effect the intiative has passed to the Allies for the time being. The next time we visit SEA it will be for an Allied offensive.
Has anyone out of Solomons and New Guinea and Sumatra and Fiji been invaded? If not, Why?
Garrison
Donor
Basically no troops available, so attacks on New Guinea for example was postponed while resources were diverted to Malaya and Operation Yari.
nbcman
Donor
Regarding the Solomons / New Guinea / Fiji route, the Japanese forces that started the invasion of Rabual, the South Seas Detachment, was tasked to invade Guam and then Wake. Since Wake never fell ITTL, there's no forces available to go south from the Carolines.
Sources:
Battle of Rabaul (1942) - Wikipedia
South Seas Detachment - Wikipedia
Garrison
Donor
One of the major reasons for moving the carrier battle to Wake was that an invasion of New Guinea didn't make sense ITTL, which is good news for the Australian troops who fought on the Kokoda Trail, who would regardless have been that bit better equipped and trained than OTL.Regarding the Solomons / New Guinea / Fiji route, the Japanese forces that started the invasion of Rabual, the South Seas Detachment, was tasked to invade Guam and then Wake. Since Wake never fell ITTL, there's no forces available to go south from the Carolines.
Sources:
Battle of Rabaul (1942) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
South Seas Detachment - Wikipedia
