Time Slip Reiwa Japan

036 - Siberian War of Independence - 9

- 2nd Tank Division

- 1st Infantry Division (Frontier Republic)

- 2nd Infantry Division (Frontier Republic)

Air units are also being assembled. In order to respond to the Soviets' coming in numbers, the US also deploys additional Army Air Forces. This means that the Japanese and American air forces in the Irkutsk area will have more than 400 aircraft. Also, at this point, as a provisional measure for the duration of the war, Japanese-made onboard radios were installed in American planes. This dramatically improved the operational efficiency of the US air force.

. . .

Irkutsk Area, Soviet Union (D-Day+61)

At this point, the Soviet Union was only able to assemble a force of two infantry divisions and over 500 fighter planes in Irkutsk. Through forced reconnaissance by reconnaissance planes, which had a low survivability rate, and information from the Chinese Communist Party in hiding, the Soviet Union realized that the allied forces of Japan and the US were concluding a force of more than 10 divisions, and judged that the defense of Irkutsk was impossible. Therefore, they chose to engage in delaying combat.

In addition, Stalin gave strict orders to use scorched earth tactics to burn down all cities on the road from Irkutsk to Krasnoyarsk, including all supplies and buildings. This angered the local population, which had been living on the edge due to heavy taxation, and now the war would burn them to the ground. Food and houses were burned.

The Siberian Independence Army's reconnaissance unit, which had been gathering information ahead of time, caught wind of this information and reported it to the joint Japanese/American command. The Japanese not only used strategic infrastructure, but also spread propaganda leaflets to the cities, towns and villages. As a result, the Soviet Union was abandoned by the people.

. . .

Chita, Japan/USA (D-Day+61~)

Having caught the Soviet Union's delaying tactics, the Japanese/American Joint Operations Command came up with a plan. The Japanese, equipped with superior mobility and mechanical reliability, would use two of their corps to bypass Lake Baikal in a northward direction, and in one fell swoop, overtake Irkutsk and threaten the Soviet rear. At the same time, the American 1st Siberian Corps was supposed to hit Irkutsk head-on in order to attract the Soviet Union's attention. The operation was called Operation Nutcracker. The Japanese and American troops were to pin the Soviet army between them and crush it at once.

Since the Soviets had concentrated their troops along the Trans-Siberian Railway, they could not grasp Japan's movements. In addition, the Siberian Independence Faction had their hands in the villages along the Japanese route and did not inform the Soviets of their movements. The Soviet Union's aircraft reconnaissance was blocked at all costs by the Japanese.

For this reason, the Soviet Union did not become aware of Japan's bypass breakthrough until the Japanese vanguard was 200 kilometers from Krasnoyarsk. At the same time, at that point, they had sent effective troops on a divisional scale to each of the large cities between Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk. It was a circuitous breakthrough and full deployment.

In a panic, the Soviet troops attempted reconnaissance and raids by air force while fortifying the defenses of Krasnoyarsk. No matter how good Japan's aircraft were, Krasnoyarsk was in the heart of the Soviet Union, and the Soviets thought they could gain air superiority. However, the Japanese F-5 fighters, which had a much longer range than the Soviet aircraft, were able to gain air superiority to Krasnoyarsk even from the vicinity of Lake Baikal. On top of that, there was the air defense capability that the Japanese ground forces possessed. Even the Soviet planes that were fortunate enough not to be intercepted by the F-5s were shot down from one side to the other as they approached the Japanese forces.

There was no way they could resist. As a result, the two divisions of the 1st Red Banner Front that remained in the Irkutsk area, which had lost their air force umbrella and were now bare, were defeated by what could be called a forceful American attack. On top of that, the 1st Red Banner Front, which had no rear to retreat to, surrendered its entire headquarters to the Americans.

In addition, the first clash between American and Soviet tank units occurred in Irkutsk. The Soviet BT tank corps boldly challenged the American M2 tanks, hoping that they would not be defeated if not by the Japanese Type 31 tanks, but the result was a complete defeat. Although the suspension of the American M2 tank was not technically mature, it was far superior to the BT tank in terms of attack power and armor. On top of that, they were being taught advanced tactics by the Republic of Guam's military (USFJ). There was no way they could lose. As a result, the area east of Krasnoyarsk was cut off from the Soviet Union in just over two weeks.

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Notes

*1: Poland had drawn up a border defense plan with a view to a future war with the Soviet Union. If it were to fall back from 500 kilometers, it would collapse. It was only natural that Poland could be repulsed. At the same time, there was the Polish government's desire to ingratiate itself with Japan and the United States, which were at war with the Soviet Union, in order to receive some kind of support. Although this would have antagonized the Soviet Union, it was not considered a particular problem because the Soviet Union had been prepared to be an enemy nation. In fact, in gratitude for Poland's decision, Japan loosened its trade restrictions on Poland, and ODA was implemented.

*2: The food and daily necessities provided as low-interest loans from Japan and the US succeeded in winning the hearts and minds of ordinary Siberian residents. This helped the Siberian independence movement gain a foothold. For ordinary citizens, Soviet or not, life was the first priority. For this reason, Japanese and American companies came in as ODA to help rebuild the transportation infrastructure from a secure location. The Trans-Siberian Railway, in particular, had a direct impact on the war effort, so restoration and double-tracking were given high priority.