Part 71: The Road to Downfall?
With the end of the war in sight in Europe, the allies are shifting resources,
particularly transport, eastward to begin the final campaigns against the Empire
of Japan.
By the end of March, the US Eighth Army has taken Taiwan and operations are underway
to expand the infrastructure, particularly in terms of airfields in order to provide air cover
for the China Convoys.
With the Support of Task Force 26 under Vice Admiral Collins, US Army and Marine Corps
begin their campiagns aginst Iwo Jima and Okinawa in Deceber 1944. By March of the following
year the Islands are secure and preparations underway for basing Tiger Force, the Commonwealth
heavy bomber force for the Far East.
March 1945 also sees the final push in Malaya with the 12th Army siezing Port Swettenham with an airborne
assault from 50th Indian Parachute Brigade followed by an amphibious assault. By mid April Japanese
forces in Malaya are effectively pocketed. Slim's Armies continue to push southward, while the 12 Army
turns North to Kualalumpur, hoping to decapitate the Japanese command structure in Malaya before
turning south to Singapore.
Chinese forces have consolidated along the Yangtzee river to lay siege to Shanghai and to push northward.
The Soviet Union has declared war on Japan in April and are staging an army for the invasion of the Japanese
puppet territory of Manchuria.
Plans have also been drawn up for the invasion of Japan. Scheduled for September 1945, Operation Downfall
will be under US overall command with the assignments allocate to the First, Sixth and Tenth Armies.
The Commonwealth ground contribution consists of a Division each from India, Britain, Canada and Australia,
to be expanded into Corps level formations in due course.
However, the death of President Roosevelt the day after the opening of the United Nations Conference in April 1945 heralds
a drastic change in US leadership and strategy.
With the end of the war in sight in Europe, the allies are shifting resources,
particularly transport, eastward to begin the final campaigns against the Empire
of Japan.
By the end of March, the US Eighth Army has taken Taiwan and operations are underway
to expand the infrastructure, particularly in terms of airfields in order to provide air cover
for the China Convoys.
With the Support of Task Force 26 under Vice Admiral Collins, US Army and Marine Corps
begin their campiagns aginst Iwo Jima and Okinawa in Deceber 1944. By March of the following
year the Islands are secure and preparations underway for basing Tiger Force, the Commonwealth
heavy bomber force for the Far East.
March 1945 also sees the final push in Malaya with the 12th Army siezing Port Swettenham with an airborne
assault from 50th Indian Parachute Brigade followed by an amphibious assault. By mid April Japanese
forces in Malaya are effectively pocketed. Slim's Armies continue to push southward, while the 12 Army
turns North to Kualalumpur, hoping to decapitate the Japanese command structure in Malaya before
turning south to Singapore.
Chinese forces have consolidated along the Yangtzee river to lay siege to Shanghai and to push northward.
The Soviet Union has declared war on Japan in April and are staging an army for the invasion of the Japanese
puppet territory of Manchuria.
Plans have also been drawn up for the invasion of Japan. Scheduled for September 1945, Operation Downfall
will be under US overall command with the assignments allocate to the First, Sixth and Tenth Armies.
The Commonwealth ground contribution consists of a Division each from India, Britain, Canada and Australia,
to be expanded into Corps level formations in due course.
However, the death of President Roosevelt the day after the opening of the United Nations Conference in April 1945 heralds
a drastic change in US leadership and strategy.
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