Opening Moves

Moving such a large quantity of tanks, vehicles, weapons and munitions would normally attract much attention but the few Allied spies who were in a position to observe the narrow gauge trains running to the Far East solely reported numbers of tanks and carriages, not knowing that concealed under tarpaulins were German Tanks not Russian ones. It also suited the Soviet love of Maskirova that the clandestine switch of captured axis equipment could be covered easily as the intended move of the Russian Armies slated for the non-existent Manchurian Offensive.

A subsequent hand-written submission from an NKVD General indicated that the Tiger II B’s, the so-called King Tigers, proved impossible to transport clandestinely and so they were retained in Europe.

Operation Diaspora, the military plan for the Far East, was simple in its conception and beautifully crafted.

Initially no Soviet ground forces would be employed. Sufficient training had been given to the eager Japanese to allow them to fight with their new acquisitions, although most of the vehicles required field modification for no other reason than the difference in size of your average German and your average Japanese.

Whilst the training was rudimentary, it was felt enough to overcome the light vehicles in the possession of the Chinese Nationalist Army under Chiang-Kai-Shek. Battles would increase efficiency and by the time anything substantial from the American arsenal came their way it was expected that the new tankers would be able to cope well enough. Some Soviet ‘observers’ went with Japanese ground units just to provide some guidance on capabilities and use until it was felt they could cope alone.

Vast tonnages of German ammunition had been captured during the four years of the Great Patriotic War and the Russians, being the Russians, had never thrown any of it away. Now most of it was here, stockpiled ready for the attack in China. Large numbers of German weapons were similarly handed over, increasing the firepower of Japanese infantry units tenfold. Sub-machine guns were a rarity in the Emperor’s Army but now they were numerous enough for every senior NCO and many officers to carry one. Tired and cumbersome Nambu machine guns were mainly replaced with tried and trusted MG34’s and 42’s and many riflemen were able to swap their modest Arisaka rifles for the efficient killing machine that was the Kar98K rifle.

A few hundred panzerfausts had made the long journey from Europe but most were retained in Soviet hands, as they were a proven and effective anti-tank weapon.

Japanese artillery was limited but now brimmed with guns from 75mm through to 150mm, all healthily supplied with ammunition.

Everything from the German arsenal seemed to have made its way east in varying numbers, and the Chinese Army would struggle to cope and undoubtedly fail when it rolled into the attack.

Diaspora also harnessed the Japanese willingness to die gloriously, as well as abused the trust between allies that tenuously existed in mid-1945.

Soviet freighters and warships did indeed transport large numbers of Japanese who sweltered below decks in hot weather to avoid detection, only emerging at nights.

Such tactics enabled the attacks on Saipan, Okinawa, Eniwetok, and Ulithi to get close and use surprise to be disproportionately successful. At Okinawa, Eniwetok and Ulithi the Soviet ships had transported Kaiten Human Torpedoes and it was these that had gutted the naval forces.

At Eniwetok the light carrier USS Cabot CVL28 had rolled over and sunk, taking most of her hands down with her and the fleet carrier USS Wasp CV18 had also been badly damaged, having stopped off en route for Okinawa from the States after extensive repairs to kamikaze damage. Naval base personnel and supply facilities, especially fuel oils, had been badly handled. One light cruiser and a number of fleet support vessels were at the bottom of the harbour, each with heavy loss of life.

At Ulithi another light carrier, the USS Langley CVL27, received two Kaiten hits and became an instant furnace, incinerating many of her crew and flight personnel before the fires were controlled. She was not lost but would never fight again.

At Okinawa the old battleship, USS Pennsylvania BB38 took a hit in her stern and flooded badly but the old lady survived, being dragged to shallow waters and successfully beached. However, fleet Carrier USS Bennington CV20 and light carrier USS Belleau Wood CVL24 both lacked Pennsylvania’s resilience and were sunk at their moorings, although fortunately in both cases few lives were lost. USS Monterey CVL26 took a direct hit from a Kaiten, which did no more than stove in a plate, as the warhead did not explode. In all cases, the freighters involved also disgorged Japanese naval marines to do grisly work ashore, with orders to kill and destroy until death overtook them, orders that they discharged extremely successfully.

1201 hrs Tuesday 7th August 1945, Heiligenthal, South-West of Lüneberg, Germany.