Chương 144: To End all Wars
This is Colonel Kuki Yatou of the 78th Infantry Division. Acting Command Officer of said group under the command of the departed Brigadier General Okada Matsumoto. I address this report to Allied High Command regarding the status of our forces in the frontlines during the moment of this writing, 1500 hours at the 17th day of the eighth month at the year of the wood snake (3:00 PM. August 17, 1545).
The status of the allied army units under General Ayanami Mitsuhide's First Allied Army Group are as follows:
|6th Allied Army Battalion pushed the offensive into Aikastu province. After an intense gunfight with the defenders and conscripted militia alike, the castle fell and the daimyo's family was found in the throne room, having committed seppuku for their loss. The dead from our side numbers 12. The wounded that wouldn't see action until complete recovery numbers 47. |
|18th Strike Platoon entered Mikahara province and proceeded with the river raid before sunrise. They have managed to destroy several key river outposts and the main defensive fortress on the mouth of Megumi river, opening the river to General Himeji's river supply route. There are no casualties incurred in the operation. |
|172nd, 160th, 73rd and 85th Infantry Companies are still holding the trenches and bunkers facing the Great Nine Provinces of the Ichinose clan except for the border area past the Megumi river. With the help of the 4th Heavy Artillery Regiment, they have managed to keep the engagements at a minimum as the enemy soldiers are kept at bay by the howitzer fire. Though it is yet to be completed, Cruisers Kuma and Tenryu are en route to come in range of the Ichinose clan's coast with the intention of locking its ports in a naval siege. |
|The 28th Infantry Division are currently locked in a stakeout operation against the combined army of Shimada and Ushiro clans in the border of the two provinces. The commanding officer is requesting help from the 17th Light Artillery Regiment, requesting the aid of their mortar artilleries if the two armies begin an offensive. General Ishigawa Gojo is said to be on the process of handing over the command of said Light Artillery group to General Ayanami Mitsuhide. |
|The rest of the 370,000-strong force excluding the ones already mentioned in the previous bullet points are disseminated in a myriad of other tasks such as trench construction, patrol and peacekeeping, clean-up on previous battle areas and setting up supply outposts, radio towers and advance scouting. |
The status of the allied army units under General Ishigawa Gojo's First Allied Auxiliary Group are as follows:
|The 17th Light Artillery platoon has successfully conducted on-site trials of the new M32 "Asakujaku" mortar artilleries and its special KS-33 white phosphorous incendiary explosives. Field inspectors state that the KS-33 is a huge improvement over the AJ-4 white phosphorous shells fired from the M3 Sakana cannons used during the battle of Kaji province. General Ishigawa stated that he would be asking for more Asakujaku mortar pieces in the following weeks in the frontlines. |
|The 12th Shock Cavalry Company comprised of Shinka's Southern Riders successfully led a breakthrough into the border of Jinrai province, cutting off the railroad that unites the supply line of the northern and southern provinces of the Central Plains. The 3rd, 8th and 19th Infantry Division, 17th Engineering Battalion and 5th Railway Division was instructed to move forward, reinforce and hold the point until the stalemate in the provinces of the Shimada and Ushiro clans are finished. It is expected that this railway capture will severely damage the ability of the southern provinces in the Central plains to hold out in sieges. |
|Reports from the 8th Expeditionary Brigade, 3rd Scout Cavalry Division and 2nd Air Scout wing state a pattern of abandoned/razed settlements along the Megumi river from Mikahara province on the south up to Osamatsu province on the coastal north. Their reports and the captured photos of the Air Wing are being sent to Military Police for investigation. |
|The rest of the 115,000-strong force of the Auxiliary group are stationed as defense forces in Mikoto province. Most of which are Artillery Regiments and Railway Divisions that are awaiting the Autumn Offensive. There are rumors of soldiers slipping out of their camps at night to drink at Sake houses or gamble at the designated gambling district of the Kanae territory. For this, Marshall Leader Kusanagi Kyoko is being requested by General Ishigawa to send Disciplinary Counsellors and Court Marshalls to the camps immediately. |
The status of the allied army units under General Himeji Kotori's First Combined Group are as follows:
|The 13th and 42nd River Raider Platoon were sent deep into Megumi river to scout out the provinces near the Shogunate Capital. They collected valuable field intel regarding the gathering of most of the Daimyo families in Nuriyama province to discuss undisclosed topics. They suspect that it's related to the North-South invasion of Yamato province later this year. |
|The 98th Motorized Supply Battalion has successfully transferred out all of the ammunition and food supply out of Haguro province and into Furuya province. They state that with the stabilization of the railway going through Mizuki province, the pontoon bridge going through the Onnoki gulf can finally be disassembled. |
|The 121st Infantry Division recently started a skirmish in the south with an army from Motoya province. Having been caught off-guard by the sudden assault of the enemy riflemen and old-style cannons, they sustained moderate damage among their ranks until the commanding officer of the force permitted the use of mortars and rifle grenades. 195 soldiers died, with 427 more wounded and pulled out of the fighting. Though one would see this as the worst casualty count of the force to date, it nevertheless showed the impact of losing the supply railway to the southern central plain provinces who are now desperately attempting to break through the defense lines and head northwards. |
|The newly formed Combined Recon Battalion made from detachments of the 6th and 10th Infantry Divisions recently conducted long-range scouting missions towards the Inner Central Plains, bringing back confirmed marching routes of the soldiers meant to mount the siege in Yamato province. |
|The 13th Infantry Division was disseminated along the Hitachi-Kiyori railway supply route to guard the vital supply depots and stations. They have reported no engagements as of now and the only action report given to Hitachi HQ is an instance where they requested for extra supply crates of candies to help build better connections with the kids in Kiyori province. |
|Crow Detachments Gimel, Yod and Daleth who report to General Himeji has recently declassified the findings they have gathered in Yamato province. They have stated that even though the populace has decided to strongly side with the Shogun and are ready to bear arms in the coming invasion, the province outskirts can only hold for two weeks, and the city will be taken by winter. |
|Because of the lack of regular communication with its leader due to her insistence to lead the force's every move, leading her to relegate the regular status reports to her Adjutant, much of the reports about the activities of the force is unaccounted for. However, there are independent reports from the attached Military Police platoons that the force is actively engaging in combat against stubborn pockets of resistance in Alliance controlled provinces of Kiyori, Ranji and Dainichi in the southern part of the Central Plains. There are also unconfirmed reports that the army groups of the force has been present in several areas past the current border along the Megumi river. However, none of this can be confirmed as of the present moment. |
The status of the allied army units under General Shimura Nobisuke's Invasion and Subjugation Combined Arms Group are as follows:
|Naval Detachment 3, consisting of Destroyers Hibiki and Shimakaze, and Cruiser Mogami has been sent on a mission to scour the Adachi strait that according to reports has been used by the Northern Coalition to supply the Central Plains after the Shogunate army destroyed the railways and barred entry of locomotives into and from Yamato province. They are expected to remain there in full-combat readiness until the Autumn offensive. |
|19th and 27th Marine Recon Battalions and 101st Sharpshooter Platoon has recently mounted an attack on a pirate bay suspected to be holding the remnants of the leaked and stolen technology of Kiko from the Arakami pirates months ago. They recovered crudely copied design details of Sakana cannons and Seiryuu rifles. Fortunately, none of the designs seemed usable as they didn't contain any specifications in the vital parts. There are no casualties in our side. |
|The 203rd Marine Force Recon Platoon has just reported that the micro-province of Kawasumi has sent their Pact of Neutrality letter to their outpost. The letter will be included in the transmission of this field report. |
|Naval Detachment 1, containing Destroyer Sagiri and Battleship Kongo, and Naval Detachment 2, containing Destroyers Fubuki and Yugumo, and Cruiser Takao, are currently enroute to go around country through the Kiko Channel to assist in the naval bombardment of the Fortress province of Tateshima. Under the orders of both Chancellor Iwasawa and Marshall Leader Kusanagi, the province is expected to fall as soon as the naval invasion begins. |
|The rest of the 120,000-strong force are predominantly made up of Marines, Naval Strike groups and Fast Interdiction crafts (colloquially known as 'Mosquito boats'). With most of the alliance's casualties coming from them who are the first in every invasion push, they are being pulled back from the frontlines to recuperate their numbers until the Autumn Offensive is set. General Shimura is expected to visit Kiko in the following days in order to watch the final skills and cooperation exam of the Marine recruits and personally pick the ones who would be sent in the offensive. |
This concludes the field report of the entire Allied Forces situated in the frontlines. It is to my pleasure to report that we are only 128 kilometers away from Yamato province and with the coming of the Autumn Offensive, we can finally liberate the isolated seat of power in the state and push onwards to the enemies in the north.
May the Heavens bless our forces. May they watch over our rightful cause.
For the Peace of Kiko and the Alliance, I pray and fight fervently.
-Colonel Kuki Yatou.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
One wouldn't need to wait for long in order to hear about the invasion of the Central plains. For in the day when both their people and their enemies least expected it…
"Yuu-kun! Space Ranger Jugem is about to play in the radio now! Clean up your hands and come to the living room with your playmates!"
"Waaah! Guys, come on! Jugem is about to begin!"
"Space Ranger!"
"The episode will be good today!"
Only two months after the penning of that report by the Army Colonel…
"I'll be preparing snacks for you kids, alright? Don't be too noisy while Jugem is in his adventure."
"Yes, mommy!"
"Snacks!"
"Will Jugem find Princess Adellia now?"
"I can't wait!"
{"We apologize to the audience of the ongoing show, but we interrupt this broadcast under the order of the Office of the Kiko Lordship."}
"""EEEHHH?!?!?!"""
"How about Jugem?!"
"Shh! Kids, I'm sorry about this, but please don't make a noise for now."
The regular radio shows of the day were abruptly cut to give way for the voices of the alliance leaders who announced something that caught both their side and the enemy's side in total surprise.
"Everyone! The leaders are speaking in the radio! Mom said to call everyone to our house!"
"What? Hey, let's go to Sango's house!"
"The radio, huh? Good thing we have someone in our village who has one."
"What could Iwasawa-sama and the other leaders be announcing today out of the blue?"
All around the house of the only family in the village that has a commercial radio set, almost every villager stood by the windows and doorway to hear the words of their leaders who are about to announce something.
{"To our people, we wish to borrow a piece of your time and attention to announce that today is the day for our great and honorable fight."}
"That's Iwasawa-sama…"
"So, he's the one in the introduction this time."
{"For the past seven months, we have endured the great onslaught of battle and prayed fervently for the safety and victory of our loved ones who have offered themselves to the duty of defeating our nations' enemies."}
"Is it a regular war report if Kusanagi-sama is included?"
{"But we are yet to reach for the places where our enemies are seated. We are yet to bring to them our immovable and indestructible will of bringing justice to our people who have suffered from their actions."}
"Is that…?"
"Yeah. I think that's the young lord of Fuku. He sounds more of a man now than before."
{"Thousands of our countrymen have fallen victim to the people that betrayed us or attacked us with no provocation. Another thousand has fallen in the line of duty, bearing a wish in their heart and mind that they want to preserve our way of life that values law and order, respect of all life, right of liberty and of course, the value of the family."}
"That's the elder Ayanami sister, right?"
"Yeah, Ayanami Mitsuha… Why does every leader seem to be speaking today?"
{"Our people… As your leaders whom you have entrusted with your futures, we five leaders of the Alliance keep in our minds and hearts that each and every decision that we make shall be to your comfort and good. And yet, our enemies have come, and always shall come to bring ill and pain to us lest we banish them from the face of the earth."}
"That's the princess of the island on our north… Mizuki Rin, right?"
"The fiancé of General Shimura too."
With the five leaders of the alliance speaking, the people held their breath as they knew that only the most important of announcements would warrant the need for all of them to be speaking together.
{"Ever since the declaration of war against all who stands against us, there has been one and only goal that all of us five shared throughout this time. And that is the goal of finally bringing lasting peace and stability in our nation that is still devastated with unending war, fractured by differences in religion, political beliefs and ambition of leaders that no common man desires to be a cause of conflict and loss."}
{"We ourselves were once like this. We are not callous enough to hide the fact that we once lived in the old ways of only going after what we personally wanted and never caring about how this would affect our people, so long as we fulfill our personal ambitions."}
{"And yet, we awakened from this cruel belief and wished to turn a new leaf. We wanted to care more about our people… and saw little to no gain in having to push our ambitions to you who only wish to live a peaceful and bountiful life."}
{"Still, our awakening does not mean that those around us has done the same. There are still those who preserved their wish to conquer and slaughter, though they pretended to share our wish to no longer be cruel conquerors. There are those who only saw the advancements of military technology that we pursued to protect our borders and none of the added responsibilities that it brings. And then, there are those who wish for our destruction. People who absolutely abhor our wish to live in peace and pursue our goals in life. To live in the loving caress of our loved ones and have a fulfilling life."}
{"We have fallen victim to them again and again. Thousands of our loved ones have lost their lives because of them. And though only the Heavens know what will come of tomorrow, we can assure all of you that if before, we always come to fear when our enemies would come for us, such wouldn't be true after today."}
The lines given by their leaders sent shivers to their people who finally had a hint of what will be spoken next.
{"Seven months ago, I have declared total war against all that stand against our united front. Today, all of us five and the million-strong allied armed forces shall fulfill that promise. Today, we shall push forward, tomorrow we shall fight and in the near future, we shall triumph over our enemies!"}
{"To our people, we send our request for prayers of guidance and safety."}
{"To our men in the battlefield, we give encouragement to bear in your hearts.}
{"To the people of Yamato province, we are coming to your aid. Just hold fast."}
{"To Shogun Amanogawa Sora, we have kept our promise to aid you."}
Lastly, in the line that finished the announcement, all five leaders spoke a stark warning to their enemies. One that is enough to shake their will to fight just before the roar of men and metal beasts echoed in the battlefields.
{"""""And to our enemies, we will decimate you till the last man. And once you open your eyes, it will be in the afterlife."""""}
After this speech, the radio news caster spoke several reports that from his own words, was sent by the Centralized Communications Command of the allied forces and was kept in a sealed folder until the end of the leaders' address.
{"According to the now unsealed reports by the military communications office, several mechanized infantry battalions and about seventy armored divisions have broken through the defenses of the provinces owned by the Ichinose clan in the central plains. The armored divisions are said to be vehicles made of steel and armed with a myriad of weapons, specifically designed to punch through the static defenses of the provinces known for their ingenious fortress defenses… Oh! According to our reporter in the field, it seems like in the hours after this was sent to us, the force has already swept through and conquered the nine provinces of the Ichinose clan. We have on the line right now is reporter Hana. Hana, has the force really managed to conquer the land in a span of only a few hours?"}
{"You are right, Kuribayashi-san. The 15th and 29th Mechanized Infantry battalions and the 2nd Armored Division has managed to perform a quick victory in the nine provinces of the Ichinose clan whom they have been besieging for months. According to General Ayanami Mitsuhide who led this offensive to open up the northern part of the Central Plains for the main invasion force, the "lightning war" doctrine that they have adopted with the arrival of the Armored vehicles has helped greatly to quickly topple down and take over the enemy's defenses and force their surrender has been greatly effective. It is also said that-"}
{"Alright, I apologize Reporter Hana, but I will be cutting your report short as we get the latest news from the frontlines that is currently moving! Yes everyone! Moving! Our news team that is attached to the current spearhead of General Shimura's Invasion and Subjugation Combined Arms Group. Reporter Yue, what are the latest happenings in the frontmost lines of the battle?"}
{"The fighting is intense even right here in the artillery nest of the frontlines, twelve kilometers away from the moving front! If you can hear from behind me, the self-propelled artilleries of the army have been ceaselessly sending over high-caliber shells onto our enemies!"}
{"We sure can hear them, Reporter Yue… Wait, what are those roaring noises that we can hear from around you?"}
{"Oh! Those are the 5th and 7th Armored Divisions! From what the commander on the ground can disclose, they are being sent to the front to relieve the 3rd and 6th Armored Divisions that has been pushing the offense since it started!"}
{"I apologize if this might get us weird stares from the army, but these new Armored Divisions really are pushing our attack, don't they?"}
{"They definitely do, Kuribayashi-san. They are being called the spearhead of the army right now after their appearance sent every intercepting enemy army running for their lives or losing their courage. After all, what can you do against a beast of steel that is charging straight into your lines?"}
{"That's a wonderful way to put it!"}
"In a few hours… That sounds like a total lie."
"But with what they said about those "armored" divisions… I don't think it's really impossible."
"So, we are finally advancing, huh?"
"I wonder if father is among those in the front lines."
"My brother too. He's a Marine after all."
Everyone who heard the news coverage in the radio was either astonished with the news of the sudden offensive advance or wondering if their loved ones who is on the battlefield is fighting right now.
"Everyone. Let's go home for today and pray for our children, parents or siblings who are in the war… More than our worried thoughts, what they need the most right now is our prayers for their safe return."
"The elder is right. Let's go home for today and pray for them…"
"Right. Thank you for letting us hear from your radio, Sango!"
"You're welcome. Just sharing what we have to everyone."
While their loved ones back in their homelands are wishing for their safety, the valiant warriors in the forefront of the battle are doing their utmost to push forward and press their enemies into the breaking point of surrender or annihilation.
"Give me some HEs, gunner! We need that watchtower toppled immediately!"
"Roger that, sir! Loaded the shell!"
"Fire!"
The Armored Divisions swept through the land, toppling fortresses, camps and castles as they go. With the roar of their engines and the firing of their cannons, any enemy they faced has ran away in terror of them.
"Sir! Fire mission from the 125th! Coordinates are being dialed-in!"
"Got it! 9th Heavy Artillery! Let's move out!"
"Captain! We can't scoot and shoot around this area! Slow down a bit!"
"Not an option, sonny! Our front's moving and so are we!"
The self-propelled artillery groups, howitzers that are attached to the back of heavy-duty trucks, are also moving forward just behind their allies on the front. Their cannons are responsible for decimating any stubborn defenses their comrades are facing up on the front.
"Spread out! Spread out!"
"Save the women and children! Bring them by the courtyard!"
"If you see any surrendering castle guard, disarm him and bring him to the rear yard!"
"Find the Daimyo! We can't have him ordering a hare-brained suicide attack now!"
And in every castle that they go to, the infantry all had the same procedures to do. They sweep through the initial defenses and advance further into the castles, they save the servants and if caught before committing ritual suicide, the nobles of the castle, and finally, arresting the ruling lord of the land.
"This is Postman 2, I repeat, this is Postman 2. Am I clear, over?"
{"Loud and clear, Postman 2. Are you over Point Zulu now?"}
"Positive. The 17th Paratroopers are preparing for aerial insertion right now."
{"Copy that, Postman 2. Godspeed and calm skies for you and 17th, over."}
There is also the Air Corps that are responsible for the aerial insertion of several paratrooper regiments who will be performing invasions on the mountain castles where the mechanized infantry and armored divisions aren't good at.
"Pray for our success, airmen!"
"We will, captain! Bring back good news to us, alright?"
"Will do!"
The Paratrooper regiments all exited the airships that the Air Corps flew them out with and at the designated altitude, all opened their parachutes to gracefully and safely land on the points where they have practiced ceaselessly to land their feet on.
"E-Enemies!"
"What on earth-?! How are they coming from the sky?!"
"Shoot them down! Use your rifles!"
The enemy defenders who finally noticed the white semi-circular cloths that are floating down to their castle hurriedly picked their guns to fire en masse on the presently defenseless paratroopers.
"Captain! Our boys are in danger!"
"Wow… did they have prior formation knowledge or is this just a coincidence…? That's definitely an anti-air infantry formation."
"Captain! We have to protect them! Give us orders!"
"Calm down, son. Here's your orders. Contact our machine gunners and tell them to rain lead on those massed infantry."
"Copy that, sir!"
Unlike before when it was just hot air balloons, the Air Corps are now operating blimps and airships (T/N: If this will help, they are also called Zeppelins or infamously, Hindenburg). Because of that, they are not just paratrooper platforms for aerial insertions but also flying air support vehicles.
"Sustain your fire! We'll have to aid our boys on the ground!"
"Yes, sir!"
If before, machine gunners dreaded the thought of raising their heads just to fire, the altitude of their airship and the movement of their ball turrets all aided to give them the best time as gunners.
"The beach is secure. Let's send the third wave now, sir."
"Alright. Give the order."
"Third landing wave! Move out!!!"
Meanwhile, the amphibious assault on the beaches of Kiyomami province, the coast side province that is the nearest entry point to the landlocked Shogunate capital, is headed by General Shimura who has been tasked with curbing the enemy's ability to encircle and hold the entire province hostage once the main invasion roup has forced them to use every possible tactic just to win.
"Radar's picking several boarding fleets on our four o'clock. Permission to engage, sir?"
"Boarding fleets, huh? Alright, sink them down to the sea!"
"Roger that!"
At the sea, the enemy's navy has been scouring the blue expanse, thinking that they are the hunters. However, the fast interdiction crafts have detected them in their radars and with the order of their captain, pointed their wired missiles towards them.
"Firing on two!"
*FWOOOSH! FWOOOSH!*
With their superior firepower and orders to not let any enemy vessel to interrupt the trail of incoming marines into the landing beaches, it only took a few hours before they have secured the borders of the enemy provinces, assuring that they can never come close to Yamato province to besiege and use it as a bargaining chip.
"Thank you for your help, mayor."
"I have done nothing great to warrant such praise, sir. We simply do not wish to fight against the allies of the Shogun."
"Right. We owe the Shogun our peaceful lives that has been broken by our treacherous Daimyos. We are just doing our little part to bring back our way of life."
"Well… if that is how you wish to consider it, we understand."
Of course, as the allied force expected, they are not the only ones who are responsible for this achievement. There is also the great help given by the civilians whom the Shogun has wrote about before to their leaders.
"If I may ask, soldier."
"What is it, old sir?"
"Will you be pushing to the Shogunate capital? Will you be coming to the aid the Shogun?"
"We will sir. In truth, it is our objective to reach the Shogunate capital before the week ends."
It wasn't really a surprise. After all, even if he didn't secure the loyalty of the leaders of these provinces, he has won over the hearts of its people. That was the Shogun's counter plan against the opportunistic leaders of the country.
"We are ready, esteemed leaders!"
"This will be your first flight!"
"I'm… still nervous about this."
"Me too… no matter how much Nayoko-san explained it to me, I still can't can my jitters."
"D-Do we really have to ride this iron bird, Iwasawa?"
"Oh, come on! You three are such scaredy-cats!"
While Kyoko, Koshiro and Mitsuha is still nervous about riding the new air vehicle that will be bringing them to Yamato province, it was Rin who pushed them lightly inside with Hiroshi boarding last before the vehicle took off.
"Why are we flying towards there again?"
"Railways are still busted, and a ship would take too long. Going on the ground is impossible too since the battle is still raging… We can only fly above the clouds and land on a plain in Yamato province if we want to get there in time."
In time… all the other leaders were puzzled when he said that those words in the Shogun's letter bears another meaning. The deadline of autumn wasn't just about the invasion, it was something personal too.
"I believe he learned something after he returned to Yamato. Something that we all five need to hear personally from him."
As the war raged on the ground, sea and air, the five people riding an aircraft to the land of the country's Shogun are on another task.
"I don't think this will end once we arrive in Yamato… there will undoubtedly be another battle to start once we get there."
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