Red Ice Box

[R011]

The description of its power sound utterly impressive,

 

The most fantastic rumours are afoot about this, the least of which claim the city was utterly destroyed by a single bomb. It seems right out of the pages of one of those American "science-fiction" magazines. If the Japanese are wise, they'll take the hint. Of course, if they were wise, they'd not be in the predicament they're in now.

 

Somehow the piece of Poland the Bolshevists invaded while the Nazis came the other way will remain Soviet,

 

 

It's only fair. This land was rightfully Russian before the Poles took it off those bungling Bolsheviks. Even the West agreed it should be ours at Versailles. Mind you, the Poles were far kinder overlords than the Reds will ever be.

 

As for the Germans, after what they did to the Motherland, the Jews, and their other victims, I would understand completely if the whole country was wiped clean off the map by the "Big Three". I suppose one of the burdens of not being vicious beasts like Hitler's and Stalin's gangs is that we must not sink to their level.

 

I believe there have been a lot of Balts, Finnish, Poles and Romanians emerging

 

And many of them, by sheer coincidence of course, just happen to speak very good Russian so they'll fit it easily at home. I am sure we are doing all we can to facilitate the identification of these non-Russian friends amongst those being forced assisted to return to the clutches loving care of those stinking bolshevik swine their comrades in the Motherland.

Edited October 29, 2013 by R011

[GPMG]

Any of them suddenly remembered that they were actually born in Russian America?

[swerve]

Back to the war that's still going on, for the moment. If this new American weapon is as fearsome as they claim, & they have more of them, it may, finally, give the Japanese an excuse for surrendering without feeling dishonoured, which as far as I can gather, is the only thing keeping them still fighting.

 

Just in case, I think we should be prepared to land occupation forces at very short notice. I have, on my own initiative, ordered the preparation of leaflets to be dropped ahead of any landings (text attached - I expect revisions), & propose that we stand by to contact Japanese forces in the Kuriles by radio, hailing on their frequencies with native Japanese speakers - of which we have a few.

 

We could use the threat of Soviet occupation as a stick, & a kinder occupation by us as a carrot. Perhaps allow civilians to remain, with appropriate conditions. Surrendered garrisons might even be induced to resist Bolshevist invasion with our help.

[BansheeOne]

Berlin, 7 August 1945

 

We have been thinking about that carrot-and-stick approach over the last week here, too. The problem we see is that it will probably not have the same basis with Japanese troops as it had with Germans who would stampede to the west in the last weeks of battle to escape the Bolshevists. The war in Europe was by all accounts lead very differently on the Eastern and Western Front, all parties largely sticking to the rules of warfare on the latter, but fighting with utmost ideologically-motivated brutality on the former.

 

In the Pacific, fighting has had quite unmistakeable racial undertones on both sides too, with the Japanese exhibiting fanatical and atrocious behavior, neither expecting nor trying to get quarter. I would like to think our side has largely stuck to the rules, but even it that should be true overall - and most of us have enough experience with rolling-in-the-dirt-with-knifes-type fighting from the Civil War to be at least cautious about that assumption - the fact is there have just not been many living prisoners to treat properly, hence not much examples of decent conditions they could expect after surrender. The Bolshevists having remained neutral so far, the Japanese have little recent base for comparisons; at best they might consider us both equally merciless - though by all reports we would come out well ahead of the Chinese.

 

There have been some indications of weakening enemy moral lately, like the higher relative numbers of individual surrender during FENCEGATE, but no evidence of an impending breakdown. Use of the atomic bomb may change that though, and I agree that we should be prepared to make use of it if it should manifest. An idea I have entertained is simply handing over a large number of POWs with a suggestion of surrender to various Japanese garrisons - "large" being a relative term with the total number we have. I don't have the details here, but believe there are less than 1,000. That will probably not make much of a difference if we had to fight them again, but it might if their comrades saw them returning better-fed and -clothed than themselves, based upon what we have seen on Onekotan and Shiashkotan ...

 

Here is the current status of ground forces assigned to KEYCHAIN:

 

I Corps is stepping on each other's feet on Onekotan and Shiashkotan, still preparing to move onto Shumshu and Paramushir under DOORMAT/MAILBOX at 48 hours' notice.

 

1st Marine Division just completed relocation to Beringa yesterday, with one regimental group also forward-deployed to Onekotan. The other units have been undergoing reequipment with small arms after losing their British issue from Europe, but are largely finished now and currently preparing for the landing on Matua under STAIRCASE, planned to occur between one and three weeks from now if given the green light.

 

1st Airborne Brigade is in garrison at Stoyanka; reorganization of 3rd Commando Battalion into 3rd Parachute Battalion will last another three weeks, though its other units are available for deployment at short notice. They have mostly trained for reinforcement of DOORMAT/MAILBOX with a contingency for Urup under BASEMENT.

 

1st Yeger Regiment is on Shiashkotan and the adjacent smaller islands with two battalions which are planned to keep the FENCEGATE objectives garrisoned when I Corps moves onto Shumshu and Paramushir.

 

There is transport to move two full divisions and three light battalions by sea at once, plus airlift for another two battalions. We have however not made much plans for the case that Japanese garrisons should suddently start to surrender all over the Kuriles, due to prior experience in the Aleutians and Komandorskis. Offhand I would say that we could execute unopposed variations of two, possibly three of DOORMAT, MAILBOX, BASEMENT, STAIRCASE and FIREPLACE on Shimushir simultaneously; definitely just two of DOORMAT, MAILBOX and FIREPLACE. However, we have the forces to do it all in turn.

 

Meanwhile, we are hearing from Potsdam that the negotiations with the Bolshevists are down to the Kurile question. The British-American stance remains that they are amply rewarded with all else they will get, and while there is talk about them occupying, but not annexing the islands south of the 1855 line, the enthusiasm for that on the Western side seems not great after recent experiences with Eastern Europe.

 

We think we are approaching a tangible result with the Americans and Canadians for our memorandum of understanding on post-war cooperation. Our participation in the PJBD is already agreed upon, and while there is still some internal discussion on our friends' side, we are expecting a guarantee for the integrity of our territory in return for a commitment to hold peace with the Bolshevists - which we are ourselves discussing internally with Junograd.

 

We are also working on the question of basing rights; we are foreseeing at least one US base on Shemya and Beringa each coupled with the requirement to care for their air and ground defenses themselves, which seems uncontroversial. In addition we want them to have another base in the Northern Kuriles, for which there is at least interest on the other side, though discussions are also going on. The Canadians apparently can imagine keeping some troops in Ketchikan or elsewhere in the Panhandle, which is just across the road for them anyway and satisfies our basic request of involvement.

 

Regarding the sudden rise of non-Russian nationalities among our DPs, I have a vague idea what Signals has put some those thousands of people they skimmed off BATTLEAXE to work on ...

[BansheeOne]

Berlin, 8 August 1945

 

Well, for once the Bolshevists have turned out to be meticulously dependable. Shortly past 1500 hours local time here it was announced they had declared war on Japan effective tomorrow. Since that was just prior to midnight Trans-Baikal Time, reports of Soviet operations against the Japanese in Manchuria and on Sakhalin came in a mere hour later. We have no clear picture of what is happening over here, but are being told this involves all of their 1st and 2nd Far Eastern as well as Trans-Baikal Front. I have not heard of any movements from Kamchatka though, so the Kuriles do not currently seem to be an immediate target.

 

So far neither this nor the bombing of Hiroshima seem to have enticed the Japanese to sue for peace, though both occurences are of course still very fresh and may have yet to unfold their full impact. It is widely expected that the Americans will soon drop another atomic bomb since Truman hinted as much in his statement of two days ago, so maybe that will speed up things. However, the British are still following the plans for a Commonwealth Corps to participate in Operation DOWNFALL. It is planned to be formed in the US along American lines with American equipment and train for six months before deployment, so people are obviously expecting the war to carry on into next year.

 

General Brooke of the Imperial General Staff reportedly proposed today that the corps would include one British division - possibly 3rd Infantry - as well as an Australian and Canadian one each, likely to be stood up specifically for this, plus two New Zealand brigades; Lieutenant General Keightley of UK V Corps in Austria has been named as possible commander. I'm not so sure about that myself since he has more experience in handing over Cossacks to the Bolshevists than fighting the Japanese ...

 

We were also told to expect the signing of agreements at Potsdam tomorrow. I hope we are prepared for the impact on VARYAG as well as possible; for the past ten days, the direct trans-atlantic link has worked with additional capacity exclusively dedicated to the LONGBOAT part, flying an extra 1,500 DPs given priority for various reasons to Russian America. Shipping passages to the Carribean and South America have been found for some others to make room in the transit camps for new arrivals before the door closes, though their number is similiarly low since commercial lines are only just beginning to resume service.

 

Overall I think by tomorrow we will have another 10,000 over the last LONGBOAT report safe. I also hear Signals has produced about a thousand immaculate Baltic and other non-Russian speakers to help their compatriots in the German camps prove their definitely non-Soviet nationality, like they knew there would soon be a need for this or something ...

 

On the BATTLEAXE side, we are moving the recent recruits from Italy into France just to be sure; there is capacity to accomodate them since 5th Division has just begun shipping home via Canada. The bulk of 4th Division is still in Czechoslovakia where we consider them largely safe; 1st Guards Brigade is in Austria, 9th Infantry Brigade has gone on to France from there, and the rest is still mostly hidden in 1st Czechoslovakian Armoured Division Group which I understand is undergoing its own post-war reorganization, thus creating maximum confusion.

 

I remain decided to make another inspection of our troops and operations in Europe after my business here concludes. We have largely finished work on the MoU with the Americans and Canadians, currently waiting for approval of some points by higher levels, but planning signature tomorrow along with the Big Three agreements.

[BansheeOne]

Berlin, 9 August 1945

 

The day started off with news of another atomic bombing, this time of the city of Nagasaki. That certainly served to set the stage for the signing of the agreements at Potsdam, accompanied by renewed calls upon Japan to surrender, now shared by Attlee and Stalin. Reportedly Truman had wanted the latter to sign onto the declaration of 26 July, but the disagreements about the Kurile question carried over to the affirmation of the Cairo Declaration that entails. In the main agreement, shades of this are found in the first chapters dealing with the future United Nations Organization and related issues:

 

The Berlin Conference of the Three Heads of Government of the U. S. S. R., U. S. A., and U. K., which took place from July 17 to August 9, 1945, came to the following conclusions:

 

 

I. WORLD ORGANIZATION

 

It was decided:

 

A. That a United Nations conference on the proposed world organization should be summoned for Wednesday, 17 October, 1945, and should be held in the United States of America.

 

B. The nations to be invited to this conference should be:

 

(1) the United Nations as they existed on 8 May, 1945; and

(2) when the conference on world organization is held, the delegates of the United Kingdom and United States of America will support a proposal to admit to original membership three Soviet Socialist Republics, i.e., the Ukraine, White Russia and Georgia.

 

C. That the United States Government, on behalf of the three powers, should consult the Government of China and the French Provisional Government in regard to decisions taken at the present conference concerning the proposed world organization.

 

D. That the text of the invitation to be issued to all the nations which would take part in the United Nations conference should be as follows:

 

"The Government of the United States of America, on behalf of itself and of the Governments of the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialistic Republics and the Republic of China and of the Provisional Government of the French Republic invite the Government of -------- to send representatives to a conference to be held on 17 October, 1945, or soon thereafter, at San Francisco, in the United States of America, to prepare a charter for a general international organization for the maintenance of international peace and security.

"The above-named Governments suggest that the conference consider as affording a basis for such a Charter the proposals for the establishment of a general international organization which were made public last October as a result of the Dumbarton Oaks conference and which have now been supplemented by the following provisions for Section C of Chapter VI:

C. Voting

"1. Each member of the Security Council should have one vote.

"2. Decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters should be made by an affirmative vote of seven members.

"3. Decisions of the Security Council on all matters should be made by an affirmative vote of seven members, including the concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that, in decisions under Chapter VIII, Section A and under the second sentence of Paragraph 1 of Chapter VIII, Section C, a party to a dispute should abstain from voting.'

"Further information as to arrangements will be transmitted subsequently.

"In the event that the Government of -------- desires in advance of the conference to present views or comments concerning the proposals, the Government of the United States of America will be pleased to transmit such views and comments to the other participating Governments."

 

II. ESTABLISHMENT OF A COUNCIL OF FOREIGN MINISTERS

 

A. The Conference reached the following agreement for the establishment of a Council of Foreign Ministers to do the necessary preparatory work for the peace settlements:

 

"(1) There shall be established a Council composed of the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, China, France, and the United States.

"(2)(i) The Council shall normally meet in London which shall be the permanent seat of the joint Secretariat which the Council will form. Each of the Foreign Ministers will be accompanied by a high-ranking Deputy, duly authorized to carry on the work of the Council in the absence of his Foreign Ministers, and by a small staff of technical advisers.

"(ii) The first meeting of the Council shall be held in London not later than September 1st 1945. Meetings may be held by common agreement in other capitals as may be agreed from time to time.

"(3)(i) As its immediate important task, the Council shall be authorized to draw up, with a view to their submission to the United Nations, treaties of peace with Italy, Rumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland, and to propose settlements of territorial questions outstanding on the termination of the war in Europe. The Council shall be utilized for the preparation of a peace settlement for Germany to be accepted by the Government of Germany when a government adequate for the purpose is established. "

(ii) For the discharge of each of these tasks the Council will be composed of the Members representing those States which were signatory to the terms of surrender imposed upon the enemy State concerned. For the purposes of the peace settlement for Italy, France shall be regarded as a signatory to the terms of surrender for Italy. Other Members will be invited to participate when matters directly concerning them are under discussion.

"(iii) Other matters may from time to time be referred to the Council by agreement between the Member Governments.

"(4)(i) Whenever the Council is considering a question of direct interest to a State not represented thereon, such State should be invited to send representatives to participate in the discussion and study of that question.

"(ii) The Council may adapt its procedure to the particular problems under consideration. In some cases it may hold its own preliminary discussions prior to the participation of other interested States. In other cases, the Council may convoke a formal conference of the State chiefly interested in seeking a solution of the particular problem."

 

B. It was agreed that the three Governments should each address an identical invitation to the Governments of China and France to adopt this text and to join in establishing the Council. The text of the approved invitation was as follows:

 

Council of Foreign Ministers Draft for identical invitation to be sent separately by each of the Three Governments to the Governments of China and France.

"The Governments of the United Kingdom, the United States and the U. S. S. R. consider it necessary to begin without delay the essential preparatory work upon the peace settlements in Europe. To this end they are agreed that there should be established a Council of the Foreign Ministers of the Five Great Powers to prepare treaties of peace with the European enemy States, for submission to the United Nations. The Council would also be empowered to propose settlements of outstanding territorial questions in Europe and to consider such other matters as member Governments might agree to refer to it.

"The text adopted by the Three Governments is as follows:

"In agreement with the Governments of the United States and U. S. S. R., His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and U. S. S. R., the United States Government, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Government extend a cordial invitation to the Government of China (France) to adopt the text quoted above and to join in setting up the Council. His Majesty's Government, The United States Government, The Soviet Government attach much importance to the participation of the Chinese Government (French Government) in the proposed arrangements and they hope to receive an early and favorable reply to this invitation."

 

C. It was understood that the establishment of the Council of Foreign Ministers for the specific purposes named in the text would be without prejudice to the agreement of the Crimea Conference that there should be periodical consultation between the Foreign Secretaries of the United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Kingdom.

 

D. The Conference also considered the position of the European Advisory Commission in the light of the Agreement to establish the Council of Foreign Ministers. It was noted with satisfaction that the Commission had ably discharged its principal tasks by the recommendations that it had furnished for the terms of surrender for Germany, for the zones of occupation in Germany and Austria and for the inter-Allied control machinery in those countries. It was felt that further work of a detailed character for the coordination of Allied policy for the control of Germany and Austria would in future fall within the competence of the Control Council at Berlin and the Allied Commission at Vienna. Accordingly it was agreed to recommend that the European Advisory Commission be dissolved.

 

 

III. TERRITORIAL TRUSTEESHIP

 

A. It was agreed that the five nations which will have permanent seats on the Security Council should consult each other prior to the United Nations conference on the question of territorial trusteeship.

 

The acceptance of this recommendation is subject to its being made clear that territorial trusteeship will only apply to

(1) existing mandates of the League of Nations;

(2) territories detached from the enemy as a result of the present war;

(3) any other territory which might voluntarily be placed under trusteeship; and

(4) no discussion of actual territories is contemplated at the forthcoming United Nations conference or in the preliminary consultations, and it will be a matter for subsequent agreement which territories within the above categories will be place under trusteeship.

B. The Conference examined a proposal by the Soviet Government on the question of trusteeship territories. After an exchange of views on this question it was decided that the disposition of any former Italian colonial territories was one to be decided in connection with the preparation of a peace treaty for Italy and that the question of Italian colonial territory would be considered by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs. The same was understood to apply to any territories detached from Japan as a result of her impending defeat at such time a peace treaty is prepared, not including

 

(1) The territories to be restored to the Republic of China as defined by the Cairo Conference;

(2) The southern part of Sakhalin as well as the islands adjacent to it, which shall be handed over to the U. S. S. R.

 

C. It was agreed that

(1) The commercial port of Dairen shall be internationalized, the pre-eminent interests of the U.S.S.R. in this port being safeguarded, and the lease of Port Arthur as a naval base restored to the Soviet Government;

(2) The Chinese-Eastern Railroad and the South Manchurian Railroad, which provide an outlet to Dairen, shall be jointly operated by the establishment of a joint Soviet-Chinese company, it being understood that the pre-eminent interests of the Soviet Union shall be safeguarded and that China shall retain sovereignty in Manchuria.

 

[...]

 

As mentioned earlier, the POW/DP question was settled in separate bilateral agreements, identical for the British and American side:

 

The Government of the United States of America on the one hand and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the other hand, wishing to make arrangements for the care and repatriation of United States citizens freed by forces operating under Soviet command and for Soviet citizens freed by forces operating under United States command, have agreed as follows:

 

Article 1

 

All Soviet citizens liberated by the forces operating under United States command and all United States citizens liberated by the forces operating under Soviet command will without delay be handed over to the Soviet or United States authorities, as the case may be, at places agreed upon between those authorities.

 

United States and Soviet military authorities will respectively take the necessary measures for protection of camps and points of concentration.

 

Article 2

 

The contracting parties shall ensure that their military authorities shall without delay inform the competent authorities of the other party regarding citizens of the other contracting party found by them, and will at the same time take the necessary steps to implement the provisions of this agreement. Soviet and United States repatriation representatives will have the right of immediate access into the camps and points of concentration where their citizens are located and they will have the right to appoint the internal administration and set up the internal discipline and management in accordance with the military procedure and laws of their country.

 

Facilities will be given for the despatch or transfer of officers of their own nationality to camps or points of concentration where liberated members of the respective forces are located and there are insufficient officers. The outside protection of and access to and from the camps or points of concentration will be established in accordance with the instructions of the military commander in whose zone they are located, and the military commander shall also appoint a commandant, who shall have the final responsibility for the overall administration and discipline of the camp or point concerned.

 

The removal of camps as well as the transfer from one camp to another of liberated citizens will be effected by agreement with the competent Soviet or United States authorities. The removal of camps and transfer of liberated citizens may, in exceptional circumstances, also be effected without preliminary agreement provided the competent authorities are immediately notified of such removal or transfer with a statement of the reasons. Hostile propaganda directed against the contracting parties or against any of the United Nations will not be permitted.

 

Article 3

 

The competent United States and Soviet authorities will supply liberated citizens with adequate food, clothing, housing and medical attention both in camps or at points of concentration and en route, and with transport until they are handed over to the Soviet or United States authorities at places agreed upon between those authorities. The standards of such food, clothing, housing and medical attention shall, subject to the provisions of Article 8, be fixed on a basis for privates, non-commissioned officers and officers. The basis fixed for civilians shall as far as possible be the same as that fixed for privates.

 

The contracting parties will not demand compensation for these or other similar services which their authorities may supply respectively to liberated citizens of the other contracting party.

 

Article 4

 

Each of the contracting parties shall be at liberty to use in agreement with the other party such of its own means of transport as may be available for the repatriation of its citizens held by the other contracting party. Similarly each of the contracting parties shall be at liberty to use in agreement with the other party its own facilities for the delivery of supplies to its citizens held by the other contracting party.

 

Article 5

 

Soviet and United States military authorities shall make such advances on behalf of their respective governments to liberated citizens of the other contracting party as the competent Soviet and United States authorities shall agree upon beforehand.

 

Advances made in currency of any enemy territory or in currency of their occupation authorities shall not be liable to compensation.

 

In the case of advances made in currency of liberated non-enemy territory, the Soviet and United States Governments will effect, each for advances made to their citizens necessary settlements with the Governments of the territory concerned, who will be informed of the amount of their currency paid out for this purpose.

 

Article 6

 

Ex-prisoners of war and civilians of each of the contracting parties may, until their repatriation, be employed in the management, maintenance and administration of the camps or billets in which they are situated. They may also be employed on a voluntary basis on other work in the vicinity of their camps in furtherance of the common war effort in accordance with agreements to be reached between the competent Soviet and United States authorities. The question of payment and conditions of labour shall be determined by agreement between these authorities. It is understood that liberated members of the respective forces will be employed in accordance with military standards and procedure and under the supervision of their own officers.

 

Article 7

 

The contracting parties shall, wherever necessary, use all practicable means to transport liberated citizens to places to be agreed upon where they can be handed over to the Soviet or United States authorities respectively. The handing over of these liberated citizens shall in no way be delayed or impeded by the requirements of their temporary employment.

 

Article 8

 

The contracting parties will give the fullest possible effect to the foregoing provisions of this Agreement, subject only to the limitations in detail and from time to time of operational, supply and transport conditions in the several theatres.

 

Article 9

 

This Agreement shall come into force on signature.

 

Done at Potsdam in duplicate and in the English and Russian languages, both being equally authentic, this ninth day of August, 1945.

 

For the Government of the United States of America: John R. Deane, Major General, U.S.A.

 

For the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: Lieutenant General Gryzlov

 

I should stress that as of now, there is no such agreement with the French though the Bolshevists have opened negotiations with them as well as the Dutch, Belgians, Finnish, Norwegians and Czechoslovakians, and even the governments of Sweden and Switzerland where some Osttruppen have fled. Needless to say, we are making counterrepresentations with all of the above, and for now the French zones of occupation seem still safe. Unfortunately for our purposes, the new communist puppet governments of Eastern Europe also demand return of their citizens, which might present problems for any "Poles" and "Romanians" in our care.

 

On the plus side, we signed the MoU with the Americans and Canadians on the side of today, too:

 

The Governments of the United States of America, Canada and Russian America, in the interest of safeguarding peace and prosperity on the North American continent as well as integrity of their territories against any powers that would threaten it, hereby express their intention to deepen mutual relations in the spirit of friendship and joint security by

 

1. Continueing to develop lines of communication and commerce between them;

 

2. Pledging mutual support in the case of an armed attack on any of them;

 

3. Admitting Russian America to the Permanent Joint Board of Defense for North America as a full member to facilitate cooperation in procurement and operations of their armed forces;

 

4. Planning for the joint defense of their common seaboard, including by basing troops on the territory of each other under unified commands within the framework of appropriate agreements concerning the status of those forces; in particular

 

a) for Canada and Russian America, concerning the area south of the border of the Yukon Territory, extending from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Icy Bay;

for the United States, concerning bases including but not limited to those established under the 1942 U.S.-Russian American Basing Agreement, understanding that they will provide for the defense of at least one in the Aleutian, Komandorski and Northern Kurile Islands each.

 

The Governments resolve to enter into a binding agreement about these aims during the United Nations conference at San Francisco in October this year.

 

Berlin, August 9, 1945.

 

There, now the Foreign Ministry drones can add all sorts of diplomatic flowers and thorns. I hope to God this works out, it's the first time I have put my signature under an international agreement ...

Edited October 31, 2013 by BansheeOne

[swerve]

Another atom bomb! Even the Japanese must see now that the game is up.

 

Kravchuk is ready to support any move our ground forces make, whether to Paramushir & Shumshu, or south. We've moved more ground crew to Onekotan, to support additional fighters & transports, if required, & we've taken advantage of the pause in operations to build up stocks of fuel & munitions at the airfield. The engineers have done a satisfactory job. Kravchuk's inspected it in person, & has no serious complaints.

[BansheeOne]

Berlin, 10 August 1945

 

We are packing up as everybody else is doing today. Tomorrow we'll fly back to Frankfurt on an American plane, from where I'll go on my inspection tour overland; II Corps is organizing transport and escort from 1st European Theater Support Brigade. I intend to retrace the advance of 1st Guards Cavalry Brigade out of pure interest for the battlefields and likely arrive in Prague on the 12th. From there on to Austria to take a personal look at how the Cossack situation is developing, then to France and a look at the rest of VARYAG. I'll forego North Africa though as I want to leave for Junograd a week from now as events in the Pacific keep unfolding.

 

I asked one of our American contacts whether he tought the Japanese would surrender soon with atomic bombs dropping onto them at the interval of a few days, and he replied "Well if they don't, I understand we can keep this up for the rest of the year until nothing is left of them". He was of the opinion that any invasion now would be done to either accept their capitulation or take possession of a pile of rubble. However, another pointed out that latest intelligence estimates still assumed as much as 600,000 Japanese troops on Kyushu alone and up to 6,000 combat aircraft which might be used in kamikaze attacks along with various other suicidal means, and said the new bombs might rather be needed to blast a trail for the landing forces across the islands due to the way the enemy was seeking death in battle.

 

I'm under the overall impression the Americans are quickly coming to rely on their atomic weapons to win the war one way or other. Which doesn't help us much in the Kuriles as we don't want to take possession of scorched earth, and I also understand their use is connected with some unhealthy radiation that may linger for some time. Obviously if the Japanese should surrender soon, we should not waste the lifes of our troops in battle unnecessarily, but there is still no indication of that. I'm of a mind to try the approach of enticing local garrisons to capitulate on their own by sending them some POWs, which could now also tell them of the havoc wreaked on their country they may not have heard of in the Northern Kuriles.

 

So far there is no sign the Bolshevist might move against Shumshu and Paramushir, so we probably have some room to test this. The planned window for STAIRCASE on Matua is three weeks, after which all troops including 1st Marine Division and 1st Airborne Brigade will be fully available in theater. Of course after that campaign season is coming rapidly to a close and we will have to move if we want to effect anything else this year, but it might be worth the attempt to wait until then.

 

We have no details of the Bolshevist offensive further south here, though they seem to execute a strategic pincer movement against the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo with 1st Far Eastern Front pushing west from the Vladivostok area - probably cutting off enemy forces in Korea in the process - and Trans-Baikal Front pushing east from the Mongolian border; 2nd Far Eastern Front is coming from the north across the Amur. Most of our information comes from the Chinese who are aiding operations along with Mongolian troops.

 

We have a better grip on events on Sakhalin through direct signals intelligence and other sources; 56th Rifle Corps of Sixteenth Soviet Army with 79th Rifle Division, 2nd and 5th Rifle Brigade plus 214th Armored Brigade is fighting Japanese 88th Division, but seems to have a hard time despite numerical superiority - possibly because the operation was rushed forward in response to our own operations in the Kuriles. We do know that 87th Rifle Corps, previously stated in intelligence reports as earmarked for landings against Japanese territory, has been brought out from 1st Far Eastern Front reserve in the Ussuri Krai on the Chinese border north of Vladivostok and may support operations along with 13th Naval Infantry Brigade from Vladivostok and Sixteenth Army's 113th Independent Rifle Brigade at Sovetskaya Gavan, mentioned under the same circumstances.

[BansheeOne]

Prague, 13 August 1945

 

Those were not two happy days. Went from Frankfurt first to Nürnberg to get some first-hand information on preparations for the Nazi war crimes trials planned to start in November, and also take a look at the notorious Nazi party rally grounds. One of the DP collection points run by 3rd European Theater Support Brigade is also in the city, and the fear and anguish among those who wanted to come to Russian America was hard to take. No repatriations to the USSR have taken place so far, but Bolshevist liaison officers have already begun prowling the camps with representatives from the American Military Government. We are trying to make sure that our own liaison officers are breathing down their necks at any time.

 

I was also able to have some very carefully straight-faced talks with recently arrived Baltic nationals who, as good luck would have it, have found copious amounts of long-lost family at Nürnberg. Down there in Bavaria we are resonably sure of the sympathy of General Patton as the military governor, but I'm told we're already being denied moving DPs west unless cleared by the Americans. We are putting some hope in UNRAA which has largely taken over supply of the camps and is opposed to the use of force in repatriations.

 

With the briefing of allied legal and intelligence personnel in Nürnberg about Nazi atrocities in mind that went far beyond anything I had heard previously, I had to visit the Flossenbürg concentration camp site our troops liberated on the way to Czechoslovakia. What an utterly horrible place. The surviving prisoners are long gone of course, though the SS guards apprehended there and at other places in the area are still being held there; apparently these types of camps had numerous satellites dotting the countryside, about 100 for Flossenbürg alone. It is really, really hard to imagine that the German population would have known nothing of what was going on here.

 

After touring the camp, I can only puzzle that the captured guards were even left alive to be held in captivity. At the crematorium I nearly lost it in a way I haven't since I was 17 in the Civil War. Some of my girls lost it completely. I may have imagined the stench after three months, but there were still bits of bone fragments and ashes in and around the ovens though they had obviously been tried to clean out. Near the building was a sort of cistern, maybe six or eight feet across, filled almost to the brim with small bones which hadn't been cleared out so far for possible use of evidence in trials.

 

There were mass graves where allied troops had buried several hundred undisposed bodies and later losses among the liberated inmates; the American personnel who have taken over the site told me the survivors kept dying at the rate of several dozen per day for weeks despite their best efforts, and they had to continue incinerating some to dispose of them. I'm not a religious person at all, but I think I saw Evil that day.

 

My group therefore traveled on to Prague in a rather subdued mood. We were rather annoyed when there was a hangup on the outskirts before a roadblock by some troops in Czechoslovakian uniforms. The annoyance became even greater when they opened machinegun fire on our little convoy and killed the MPs in the lead jeep directly. Killed the driver of my staff car and the girl riding in the front passenger seat when they charged us, too. Somebody had driven a truck across the road behind us, so we had to fight it out; another personal first since the Civil War for me.

 

Another MP got killed and several of the group wounded in the process, after which the rest of the girls proceeded to make a sieve of everybody on the other side rather thoroughly. Note for the small arms department: Those M2 carbines are great in a car ambush. Note to self: Reload issue Browning if both it and pickup carbine are empty rather than going for private backup Walther PP, as .380 won't even reliably penetrate car windshields. Only caught some shrapnell in the back of my neck near my old duel wound myself when a bullet impacted the car behind me, so that makes seven KIA and six WIA out of a force of 20.

 

We killed about eleven attackers; can't be quite sure because the guys in the truck behind us wore civilian clothes, but at least some of them were firing at us and we roundly attributed them to the enemy side. The Czechs are saying the folks in uniform weren't actually theirs, and I have a pretty good suspicion where they really came from. Our people are cooperating with theirs in the investigation. Overall, I've about had it with this trip.

Edited November 6, 2013 by BansheeOne

[Marek Tucan]

Prague, 14 August 1945

 

Damn it to Hell. Why were we not informed about the schedule? I mean I get your penchant for surprise inspection, sir, but this is not the time or the place. Cossacks were ready to provide escort but when you just sneaked in, they had to play catch up. We raised all kinds of alerts and tried to get you on the way, but still we arrived too late. This entire affair would go much smoother with some Cossacks around. If we did not get word (delayed) from Flossenbürg that you are on your way, we would know nothing. According to initial schedule we received you were supposed to come by air. How come bolshevists had better knowledge of it than we did? I hope Gospodin Tanski will get the source of the information and do something uncomfortable to it.

 

It would also seem that the road signs were tampered with. At least our local contacts said so immediately and comparing the pointers with the map seems to confirm this. Our last hope was a hastily established escort placed on the main road to Prague from your direction - and let me tell you the guys took extreme risk if caught by bolshies, over half of this platoon was from Vlasov's troops. Alas the road signs took you out of their immediate reach and we did not have

enough men to cover all approaches to Prague.

 

I have to highly praise Cossack staff though. While their commanding officer and myself were out of immediate reach - attending ceremony welcoming 312th Fighter Squadron (Czechoslovakian) to Prague, the staff tried all they could to contact various dispersed RusAm units once it was clear you slipped our net. They even got one of captured German Fieslers into the air for aerial search - knowing full well how the unauthorised flight may end.

 

Given the circumstances, at least the Czechs provided additional security to your lodgings and allowed us to bring a Cossack company directly to Prague. However we have to be careful - while officially this is a major embarassment, we had some private conversations and it would seem that NKVD operation of this scope would have to have some cooperation pretty high up in the government. Thanks God it failed. We expect nothing more will happen as now you will be surrounded by a strong escort, still we could not dismiss possibility of snipers.

 

We at least may have some leads. If you recall the earlier incident in Pilsen... We now know with reasonable degree of certainty that some of the group indeed were NKVD. Some appear to be genuine Czechoslovakians though. All known bolshevist sympatisers apparently.

 

To be sure, we have arranged the return journey by air. Our sector of Prague airport has reinforced guards now and we have been assured that for outbound flight you will have adequate fighter escort - thanks to the newly arrived RAF squadrons. Still it may be wise to bring in few Mosquitoes. Escort over Germany will be provided by USAAF.

 

Tuczek out.

[BansheeOne]

Prague, 15 August 1945

 

I'll admit to seriously underestimating the threat in Czechoslovakia; we were expecting at most random attacks by the Werewolf organization in Germany - though they really have failed to materialize in a notable way so far - but rather more subtle approaches on the other side of the border, if any; western Czechoslovakia still has a heavy US-Russian American presence after all, though an agreement to withdraw all allied troops from the country until the end of the year is in the works. Those deaths among my escort are probably as much on my head as on the attackers.

 

Already got slapped in the face on the scene by one of the girls, though that was after walking into their line of fire for the second time - turns out the bullet that fragmented into my neck was one of theirs when I barged out of the car like a fool and somebody had to walk a burst away from me quickly, then after spraying a pistol and carbine magazine successively into the general direction of the attackers marched up to one of the blocking cars with my backup popgun like an even bigger fool. I don't even know if I hit somebody myself; there is probably a reason I usually command a desk.

 

I have been replaying the incident damn near every waking minute, and what might have saved us all was that the MPs in the trailing jeep got a hunch when that truck turned across the road behind them ahead of the roadblock, so they were ready when their comrades in front were torn up - else we would probably have been chewed down from either side. The thing that really gets me is the insider aspect though; not only that they were waiting for us, but that my intention to travel overland was stated by communication from 10 August, so I have absolutely no idea how Prague could get the impression I would arrive by air.

 

After this I was going to cancel the leg to Austria anyway, as I'm not currently in a particularly diplomatic mood conductive to avoiding inter-allied incidents over the question of the Domanov Cossacks; but this morning I also got a telegram from the Ministry basically saying "Japanese emperor has announced intention to surrender. Stop getting shot at, return home". I'll embark for the trans-atlantic link directly from Prague this afternoon; we have no more air combat units in Europe, so I'll just have to trust our allies with an escort.

 

Meanwhile I'm looking over reports from the situation in the Pacific. The emperor's radio speech actually appears a little circumspect on how and when Japan should surrender, and a note accompanying my translation states that low quality of the record and use of court language made it difficult to interpret, but the acceptance of the 26 July Potsdam Declaration seems clear. This should help in securing quick capitulations of garrisons in the Kuriles, though I'm told we have hit a rather ironic problem for my plan to use POWs: many straight don't want to go back.

 

I should have seen that coming after fighting the Bolshevists over VARYAG for so long, but apparently we could still muster about 400 to be transported to the Kuriles within a week. We might want to move quickly as the Bolshevists seem to make progress with their operations on Kamchatka by now; reportedly they conducted an amphibious landing by 113th Independent Rifle Brigade and naval infantry units at Toro on the west coast yesterday, which are now cutting across the island to meet 56th Rifle Corps.

[swerve]

Leaflet drop has already gone ahead, with revised leaflets to follow as soon as they get to our bases from the mainland, radio broadcasts using PoWs are underway, as are attempts to hail the garrisons on their own frequencies, & I've heard that Signals has found one or two POWs brave or foolhardy enough to return. At least one is missing a leg & another was captured unconscious & his head wound is still visible, so perhaps they think they won't be blamed for being captured. Or maybe they expect to be shot on sight.

 

Radio intercepts report more activity than usual, much of it in plain language, demanding clarification from HQ. One garrison commander has asked for orders on what to do if enemies land - in plain language! Bergmann says it's logical, in the circumstances. HQ is probably overwhelmed with decrypts at the moment. No sign of clear replies to the requests. IJA & IJN HQs seem to be in confusion.

 

One army officer, who I will not name for now, has asked if we can airdrop some of his men tomorrow, with or without orders. He expressed concern that "the *** (swearing deleted) Bolshevists would get there first". He says he has volunteers lined up to accept the surrender of Japanese garrisons, & willing to take the risk that they'll fight.

 

I've just heard from a friend in the navy that they've received at least one similar request.

 

I would say that the response of Japanese garrisons to landings is now unpredictable. We are refraining from any hostile action for the time being. Kravchuk has issued orders to our aircraft to shoot only in defence of themselves or other allied forces, until further notice.

Edited November 4, 2013 by swerve

[BansheeOne]

Junograd, 17 August 1945

 

Back at my desk. Situation at hand is very fluid; the Bolshevists seem to make quick progress on Sakhalin after the amphibious landings at Toro and Esutoru on the 14th and 15th, having finally penetrated the Japanese main defensive belt in the Koton fortified region along the Poronai River, about the only real axis available. Yesterday elements of the 79th Rifle Division and 113th Independent Rifle Brigade linked up in the Nairo area on the southeastern coast, probably aided by enemy demoralization after the imperial announcement of surrender.

 

Another landing was reported today at Maoka on the southwestern coast, close to the Japanese provincial capital of Toyohara, possibly by the 13th Naval Infantry Brigade from Vladivostok. We assess that Soviet forces may secure southern Sakhalin within the next days, which would give them a a basis for air operations in support of attacks on Japanese territory further south and east.

 

In light of this development and that the Japanese garrisons in the Northern Kuriles have not responded to our calls for capitulation by radio and leaflet drops so far, forces in the theater are authorized to conduct attempts to make personal contact to suggest surrender negotiations if there are volunteers who will take the risk, either by airdrop or by landing from the sea under a flag of truce after appropriate announcement through the previous channels.

Edited November 6, 2013 by BansheeOne

[swerve]

Kamchatka? Surely you mean Sakhalin?

 

The army has a few Japanese speakers lined up to land, with armed escorts. The navy will land them (motoring ashore in a boat under a white flag is seen as less likely to provoke firing than parachuting), but they will be given air cover, & if attacked, can call in the wrath of Kravchuk on their attackers. The navy will also provide fire support, if needed, & there will be larger landing forces offshore to rescue the initial group, or land & occupy, as appropriate.

 

I have been informed that Signals is making its own arrangements. The navy has passed on its landing locations, & I understand has not been told of any clashes,

 

Operations are being co-ordinated locally. I have merely given authorisation for the air support. It seems that they were already at sea when that was requested. I am awaiting reports of progress, but I expect that the army or navy will have first news.

[BansheeOne]

Of course it's Sakhalin. I'm still ill-adapted to local time. Correction notice sent.

 

But on that note, Kamchatka is suspiciously quiet. None of the usual trawlers have been reported snooping around the First Kurile Strait for some time, and the American air patrols are encountering much less Soviet activity now.

[BansheeOne]

Junograd, 18 August 1945

 

Well, nobody got killed, which is encouraging. The main worry of the truce delegation was the typical dense fog of the day which made it difficult for both sides to recognize anything under any flag, white or not; they crept in on an unarmed cutter with siren wailing and firing flares every minute as previously announced by radio, hoping to hit the harbor of Kataoka rather than some unnotified beach defense position. As it turned out, they were only a little off and rather encouraged when directed to the correct place by flares fired from ashore in reply.

 

They were properly received by a Japanese detail and taken to 91st Division commander Lieutenant General Tsutsumi, to whom they repeated the proposal of a honorable capitulation in the current circumstances in person, somewhat aided by the latest reports that there has been contact between the highest Japanese and American levels and a Japanese delegation is expected to leave for Manila tomorrow to meet General MacArthur.

 

General Tsutsumi turned out to have been in receipt of the imperial surrender announcement of 15 August himself, which removed the worry that command of the isolated garrison may have been in complete ignorance of developments and disregarded our broadcasting of same as just propaganda. He inquired about some details of our proposal, such as his forces not being referred to as prisoners and the officers being allowed to keep their sidearms and live with their families if on post, then asked to be given 48 hours to check back with his higher command and decide.

 

In light of quick developments elsewhere, eventually 24 hours were agreed, and our delegation will return tomorrow. They were quite confident though that Tsutsumi would accept from his bearing and the fact that they were received by him personally in the first place; though they saw little of other Japanese troops, they did not get the impression of a garrison cheerfully waiting to repel an enemy attack either, and thought that our blockading operations must have had a substantial impact on enemy moral and overall preparedness. Everybody looked a bit drawn-out and shabby.

 

Meanwhile, there is still no sign of a Soviet move onto the Kuriles, though they keep making rapid progress on Sakhalin now. Moving from Maoka along the railroad towards Toyohara and the southern port of Odomari, they captured the towns of Tomamai and Otakai today and advanced to Futomata, cutting off the southwestern tip of the island while 56th Rifle Corps is still moving down its length from the north. There was also a report of an air assault onto an airfield at Konotoro somewhat up north on the western coast, which is interesting and a bit disconcerting since we didn't know there were any airborne units available for the operation.

Edited November 9, 2013 by BansheeOne

[Marek Tucan]

Given Bolshevit pre-war practice we heard about, it would not be surprising if the air assault were quickly "trained" "volunteers". Though there should be some cadre from the ill-fated airborne ops during the war we were briefed about.

 

i hope we do broadcast the advance of Soviet troops to the Japanese garrisons with clear message "do you really want to wait for them?" Was there any reply from southern part of the island chain?

 

Investigation update: Despite promises of cooperation, it ran into blind alley. Some of the attackers were identified, but ca. 2/3 still not identified. And probably will not be. Not surprisingly, Bolshevists are not cooperating at all and it seems that at some level in the Czechoslovakian command, someone actively works on obstructing all leads. This, though, confirms rather neatly who is behind it. Though we were pretty sure from the beginning.

[BansheeOne]

Junograd, 19 August 1945

 

General Tsutsumi accepted our terms this morning, and the surrender of all Japanese forces on Paramushir and Shumshu will take effect at midnight. Beginning tomorrow, we will move 1st Division to the latter and 2nd Division to the former to secure the islands and disarm enemy troops.

 

At the same time, 3rd Marine Regimental Group (minus amtrac battalion) will embark on APDs and sail for Matua, escorted by battleship/cruiser TG 90.1; carrier TG 90.3 is already on the way to meet there tomorrow. They are to attempt the same approach with 41st Independent Mixed Regiment there, citing Tsutsumi's example. In case of success, 1st Airborne Brigade and Eleventh US Air Force have received warning orders to fly into the local airfield, first to be secured by the Marines after landing, with available units to reinforce the occupation force and prepare for further movement south.

 

3rd Division and the rest of 1st Marine Division have received orders for Shimushir (42nd Division) and Urup (129th Independent Mixed Brigade) respectively, expected to arrive between the 22nd and 29th as the bulk of the Marines needs to be transported from Beringa. If Urup should look in need to be expedited due to a Bolshevist threat from Sakhalin, a capitulation of the garrison could be proposed by a naval force and implemented by an air landing from Matua.

 

Speaking of Sakhalin, another Soviet landing by naval infantry at the southern port of Odomari was reported today while elements of 13th Naval Infantry Brigade were moving on nearby Rudaka overland from the direction of Maoka, and others continueing towards the provincial seat of Toyohara; 56th Rifle Corps, including 113th Independent Rifle Brigade, is still moving down from the north and was last reported as advancing on the Japanese airbase at Ochiai.

 

355th Rifle Division of 87th Rifle Corps was also mentioned in signals as having arrived on the island and taken the port of Honto on the southwestern tip now nearly isolated by 13th Naval Infantry Brigade's move east; that makes formations from both 1st and 2nd Far Eastern Front engaged on Sakhalin. We assess that it will now only take a few days for the Bolshevists to secure the island completely, if the Japanese don't even surrender to them before like they did to us. That would allow them to move onto the Kuriles from there, so securing the surrender of as many garrisons as possible to us is now paramount.

Edited November 9, 2013 by BansheeOne

[swerve]

Air patrols are now concentrated on watching for Soviet movements, though we're still providing top cover for the occupying forces, just in case. Long-range aircraft (RAAF B-24s, navy flying boats) are patrolling west of the Kuriles, south as far as Hokkaido, plus some Mosquitos from Onekotan, & Mosquitos & P-38s off the coast of Kamchatka. Strict orders have been given not to risk intruding into what the Bolshevists consider their air space.

 

We received a report of a flying boat being intercepted by Japanese fighters, but they merely had a look, then flew away. We presume they were just checking on who is moving.

 

Engineers are being sent to Matua, because we fear the runway may not be immediately usable. If repairs are needed, they will attempt to enlist the aid of the Japanese garrison.

 

Airfields on the islands to the south should all be fit for use.

Edited November 8, 2013 by swerve

[BansheeOne]

Junograd, 20 August 1945

 

First troops have landed on Paramushir and Shumshu with no problems encountered. Japanese units at Kataoka and Kasibavara are surrendering in an orderly fashion. There seem to be some individual cases of suicide by leaders and men who can't take the dishonor of defeat, but overall the enemy is cooperating without incident according to the stipulations of the surrender agreement. Which appears to be rather lucky given developments of the last week.

 

General Tsutsumi has related that the situation was very unclear following the imperial radio announcement of surrender (to which he was alerted the evening before by cable), since the Imperial General Headquarter issued an order "to continue current tasks until further ordered but stop offensive operations" on the same day as the broadcast. It was only on the 18th after our delegation had met with him that this was clarified to suspending all operational tasks and stopping all hostlities, concurrent with the US-Japanese contacts that have now resulted in the Japanese delegation to Manila.

 

By first reports, while our blockading operations were efficient, they had not put a dent into actual enemy combat readiness, since they started out with 90 days of stocks; obviously a lesson learnt from the Southwest Pacific were allied operations pretty much shut down supply of garrisons. They are low on rations at this point though, and we will need to bring in considerable supplies of our own to feed surrendered troops.

 

According to Tsutsumi, the full garrison of Paramushir and Shumshu was 23,000 before our attack, of which we have mostly destroyed the two battalions detached to Onekotan and Shiaskotan and almost all of the air units; he says he has just about a dozen aircraft left, most only because they are inoperable. Air Force Forward Observer/Security personnel are among the first to go over the islands, but have found nothing special so far, mostly individual examples of Zeros and Kates, conforming with Tsutsumi's statements.

 

Otherwise, his troops were surprisingly untouched despite all our efforts of aerial and naval bombardment. Obviously they had a lot more time there to build fortifications than in the Aleutians and Komandorskis, and we have already found some very impressive underground installations completely hidden from view which we never knew of. Curiously they seem to have laid no sea mines of their own, and only very little land mines, though there is a proper maze of real and fake coastal defense positions interconnected by trenches and tunnels with dispersed supply dumps, with a secondary defensive line reported inland on Paramushir we never really saw on overhead images.

 

Conversely, our intelligence about troops seems to have been roughly correct; there are two mortar battalions we didn't know about, and an anti-aircraft regiment we couldn't pin down. The two unknown artillery units have turned out to be detachments from the Kuril Fortress Regiment, not identical to 91st Division's own artillery. We have not accessed some units based in the north and center of Shumshu, but the bulk was based around Kataoka and Kasibavara. Overall, it's a good thing we didn't have to go up against all this in opposed landings.

 

The political development in the background was very noticeable for the Matua force who received a prompt reply to a radio message after they arrived, unlike our initial fruitless attempts at Paramushir and Shumshu; they had a party ashore to meet with Colonel Ueda of the 41st Independent Mixed Regiment by noon and began landing troops by evening. As per plans, they first occupied the airfield, though it is in fact pretty unusable from our bombing attacks; if we want to have paratroops in there quickly, they will have to jump, but as with 91st Division, there are no problems reported with Japanese troops, so it may not matter. Repairs will start as soon as the whole island is secured and all enemy forces accounted for.

 

Ships returning from running 1st and 2nd Division to Paramushir and Shumshu will start embarking 3rd Division at Onekotan tomorrow, and their first elements are expected off Shimushir the day after that. Others are going on directly to Beringa to pick up the rest of 1st Marine Division there on the 23rd, currently planned to arrive at Urup on the 27th. Further shuttling between Onekotan, Paramushir and Shumshu will be mostly left to small landing craft.

 

On operations further south and west, it will be recalled that the Kuriles are the operations area of Allied Forces North Pacific Area per inter-allied agreements confirmed at Potsdam, while the Sea of Okhotsk is a joint operations area with Soviet forces, so exert all due caution. Unfortunately what goes for Japanese capitulations to us also goes for the Bolshevists, and reportedly surrender negotiations are now also underway on Sakhalin though fighting continues. The town and airfield of Ochiai were apparently seized by another air assault last night while the port of Odomari was still being fought over today.

 

In Manchuria, the Bolshevist pincer has by now largely closed as troops have reached Mukden, Changchun and Qiquihar. After the amphibious landings on the Korean coast two days ago, they can now be expected to turn south if their supply lines hold up.

Edited November 9, 2013 by BansheeOne

[BansheeOne]

21 August 1945

 

Two more Soviet air assaults today, one on the provincial seat of Toyohara, the other on the port of Rumoi. I went all over the map of southern Sakhalin to find the latter, until the staffer who had rushed in with the reports pointed out that it is on the western coast of Hokkaido - in the Japanese Home Islands. After which I spent several minutes saying "What? What?" like a broken record to the explanations given, then had myself filled in on US-Soviet quarreling over post-war occupation zones that has been going on while I was getting shot at and returning from Czechoslovakia.

 

It seems the Americans were suspicious about Bolshevist intentions for Manchuria and Korea - we certainly told them to at Potsdam -, and while the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued General Order Number 1 on the 15th stipulating that Japanese troops in Korea should surrender to US forces south of the 38th parallel, to Soviet forces north of it, at the same time Truman informed Stalin, Attlee and Chiang Kai-shek that the United States intended to "use its naval and air power to expedite the surrender of Japanese forces in the coastal area of the Asiatic mainland in order to discourage continuation of local hostilities" regardless of boundaries; I hear now that he issued a directive to the US Navy to make advance arrangements to occupy Dairen and a port in Korea immediately following the surrender of Japan "if the port should not at that time have been taken over by the forces of the Soviet government" immediately after returning from Potsdam on the 11th.

 

Stalin replied that he generally agreed with General Order Number 1, but promptly came back with the old Bolshevist demand for a Soviet occupation zone in Japan proper - rejected by the Americans before - whereby all enemy forces on Japanese soil north of a line from Rumoi to Kushiro on the east coast of Hokkaido should surrender to his forces, plus a Soviet sector of Tokyo; he said national public opinion would be seriously offended if the USSR failed to occupy some part of the enemy homeland after the history of 1904-1922. I note the geography is a little vague as it could mean to include all of the Kuriles, but certainly the islands south of the 1855 line.

 

Truman flat-out told him off, saying that arrangements had already been made for the surrender of all forces on all islands of Japan proper to MacArthur and citing decisions at Potsdam, including our MoU with the US and Canada that includes the intention of American bases in the Kuriles. However, in the interest of not making Stalin repudiate the General Order overall, he agreed to making the Liaotung Peninsula part of the Soviet mainland occupation zone; apparently by the 18th the Americans had concluded that while they could put some ships into Dairen anytime, they were never going to beat the Soviets to seizing the area anyway.

 

Yesterday Stalin sent an offended telegram complaining that he did not expect such an answer to a good ally, humiliating to the USSR; if the Americans should get bases in the Kuriles, certainly the Soviets should get some piece of Japan to regain access to the Pacific. He repeated his demand for northern Hokkaido, though there was no mention of Tokyo anymore. At the same time, a US naval liaison officer in Vladivostok warned Washington that a reliable source had indicated the Bolshevists were preparing to land forces on Hokkaido. Apparently the Americans were preparing a strongly-worded reply when the news hit today.

 

I just had the available information on enemy disposition on Hokkaido dumped on my desk, which we had compiled for the basic planning of a potential landing with the Commonwealth Corps there next year. Unfortunately it looks like the Bolshevists have an actual chance of pulling this off if they follow through; by our best intelligence, there are at least two, maybe three Japanese divisions plus at least one independent mixed regiment or brigade, some coastal defenses and various militia-type units based there under Northern District Army.

 

There is supposedly an air division too, but forces in the Northern District are concurrent with Fifth Area Army which is also responsible for the Kuriles and southern Sakhalinsk, and only a handful of squadrons may actually be on Hokkaido. The island is weakly garrisoned as the vast majority of forces has been concentrated on Honshu and Kyushu in expectation of allied landings from the south, and even what troops are there appear mostly oriented towards the Pacific. If this airdrop is more than a demonstration, the Bolshevists could bring in superior forces now that Sakhalin seems largely secured; even if they don't have sealift for more than a division, the Japanese are no better off to counter them.

 

There is no detail on fighting at Rumoi so far. This has had no impact on our operations in the Kuriles at this point, but needless to say the Americans are livid. In fact the only good thing that may come off it is that we might have the chance of MacArthur suffering a stroke.

[Marek Tucan]

 

I just had the available information on enemy disposition on Hokkaido dumped on my desk,

Given the news, one has to restrain very hard from asking "which of the enemies".

 

This is certainly an unexpected development. We have to see how it evolves, if the Bolshevists manage to hold the entire island it would be rather... Unfortunate. Can they get in enough forces in time? Can the US get in enough troops to enact surrender of the Japanese to limit Bolshevist advance?

 

One of the members of US military staff here in Prague grumbled in the bar something about "giving him ship's companies, a battalion of Marines and 8-inch naval gunfire support to kick the Commies out" - but he was well in his cups by then. He was also raving about some airborne tanks made of aluminium. However it can be concluded that the Yankees are not happy about the development.

[BansheeOne]

Junograd, 22 August 1945

 

The Bolshevists really seem to be serious about the Hokkaido operation. This morning it was reported the paratroops at Rumoi were reinforced by troops we believe to be of 264th Rifle Division, 87th Rifle Corps, transported by a convoy escorted by cruisers Kalinin and Kaganovich out of Vladivostok. There are now also reports of a second landing at Wakkanai on the northern tip of Hokkaido, possibly by the same corps' 355th Rifle Division, mentioned to be on Sakhalin earlier, supported by aircraft from captured Japanese bases there.

 

The paratroop force may be the 3rd Airborne Rifle Regiment from 1st Guards Airborne Division of the Trans-Baikal Front, but we are not sure; we now believe the earlier airdrops on Sakhalin were actually performed by small parachute-trained naval infantry units of no more than battalion size. However, there is still no intelligence on actual fighting, or whether the Japanese are just surrendering across the board now; a capitulation of the Japanese forces on Sakhalin apparently went into effect today.

 

The political fallout is considerable. There has been no official American reply yet, but all sorts of reactions are being discussed; the most likely is to land in Korea quickly and prevent the Bolshevists from taking all of it. A US advance detail may also go to Tokyo within the next days to make preparations for an expedited deployment of occupation forces; US 11th Airborne Division was recently transported to Okinawa to be ready for this, and might be available to drop onto Hokkaido and stop the Bolshevists. US 1st Cavalry Division is also currently preparing to ship out from Luzon, and more forces could possibly sent from Okinawa and the Philippines, but would take time to arrive even in southern Japan which will still have to be occupied, too.

 

Unfortunately the closest allied troops to Hokkaido itself are the elements of our 3rd Division which received a prompt surrender by Japanese 42nd Division on Shimushir today and started landing troops directly. 1st Marine Division will only start embarking for Urup tomorrow, but could possibly be redirected to Hokkaido if there was a decision to counter the Bolshevist move; 1st Airborne Brigade will conclude its reorganization at the end of next week, but could rush deployment if necessary.

[swerve]

I have ordered all non-essential air transport to cease & transport & liaison aircraft to be moved so that they are available for parachute drops or flying in to Japanese airfields. Bombers could also be used for transport of small numbers of men.

 

Kravchuk tells me that he believes we could now fly straight in to some airfields where contact has been made with the local Japanese commands.

[BansheeOne]

Junograd, 23 August 1945

 

Violent storm conditions in the Tartar and Perouse Strait today are likely to hamper further Bolshevist sea and air operations; conditions on the political level are no less stormy. Truman has told Stalin rather stiffly that surely there has been a misunderstanding because nobody would like it if inter-allied agreements unraveled; he repeated that all of the Japanese Home Islands were to be occupied by US troops, and any territorial questions were a matter for proper peace treaty negotiations with Japan.

 

MacArthur allgedly demanded of his Japanese contacts that their forces should only surrender to Americans, which put them in a terrible bind as they pointed out they had already ordered all troops to cease any kind of operations and surrender to "allied forces", and whether those orders should really be rescinded. Once more it turns out that the Western allies do not enjoy the huge advantage in trust over the Bolshevists they did in Europe; if reports from Okinawa are any indication, Japanese propaganda painted a rather similiar picture of the former to the latter, telling troops and civilians alike that the Americans would torture, rape and kill indiscriminately if you had the misfortune of falling into their hands alive.

 

Regardless, preparations for deployment of troops to previously Japanese-held territories are being accelerated to beat the Bolshevists to the punch wherever possible. Outside the Home Islands this mostly concerns Tenth US Army, where III Amphibious Corps has received warning orders for northern China with 1st, 4th and 6th Marine Division (less 4th Marine Regiment, already embarked with TF 38.4 to sail into Tokyo Bay within the next 48 hours and secure the port of Yokosuka) and XXIV Corps for southern Korea with 7th, 77th and 96th Infantry Division. MacArthur wants to go to Tokyo the day after the arrival of TG 38.4, probably on the 26th.

 

11th Airborne Division will begin to fly to Yokohama tomorrow, where it is initially ordered to secure the airfield where it will land and a perimeter around it; based upon their recent airlift from Luzon to Okinawa which involved 600 aircraft, it is estimated it will take a week to get all of them there, but it is hoped a regimental group can be sent on to the air base of Chitose on Hokkaido on the 26th to receive the surrender of 5th Area Army command at nearby Sapporo as the first important step of containing the Bolshevists. The rest of the division will be moved in over the following week as the situation allows, to be relieved at Yokohama by 27th Infantry Division, also airlifted from Okinawa.

 

Task Groups 38.3 (CVs USS Ticonderoga and Randolph, CVLs Monterey and Bataan, BBs South Dakota and North Carolina) and 38.5 (HMS Indefatigable and King George) have also been ordered to Hokkaido and are supposed to land a shore detachment at Kushiro, the counterpoint of the demarcation line the Bolshevists have proposed. They may arrive concurrently with the 11th Airborne lead element at Chitose unless either run into the same weather currently impeding the Bolshevists, but will need reinforcements ashore if the situation cannot be resolved politically.

 

We have now officially been asked to help the Hokkaido operation with any quickly available troops, which is probably killing MacArthur. The Matua airfield is expected to be operable by tomorrow, the day after that at the latest; 1st Airborne Brigade has received orders and will fly 1st and 2nd Parachute Battalion plus 4th Airborne Support Battalion to Amchitka tomorrow, Matua on the 25th and hopefully Kushiro on the 26th. 3rd Parachute Battalion is intended to follow until the 31st, but 1st Commando Battalion of I Corps and two flights of 1st Air Force Forward Observer/Security Squadron will fly out separately from Paramushir to arrive with the brigade's first wave, in flying boats if necessary. They are taking some personnel from the local US contingent with them to establish liaison with allied forces at Hokkaido.

 

We have further ordered 3rd Division at Shimushir to not disembark or, if already done, re-embark most of 9th Mechanized Brigade, 6th Stoyanka Cavalry Regiment and the self-propelled battalion of 3rd Artillery Brigade with detachments of support troops; we have experienced absolutely no problems with the surrendered Japanese garrisons so far, but everybody thinks some armor will urgently be needed if push comes to shove on Hokkaido. If they sail tomorrow, they can also be at Kushiro on the 26th. Unfortunately once our troops are ashore they will transfer from Pacific Ocean Areas to Southwest Pacific Area command and report to Major General Joseph Swing of 11th Airborne Division.

 

1st Marine Division is embarking at Beringa today and still planned to arrive at Urup on the 27th, but has been warned they may go on from there or not even stop. However, securing the lower Kuriles against the Bolshevists is still essential, probably even more so now.

Edited November 14, 2013 by BansheeOne