GD1938v3 AAR (SECL)

[cpdeyoung]

Bureau of Logistics
Staff notes

30 May 1938

This office has been asked to document the exterior conditions affecting our operations. These note will deal with the state of military, and civil, affairs which provide context for our actions.

The collapse of Poland has brought about a heightened state of alert. War with the Axis powers is now considered likely and imminent. While no official policy has been enacted, we are to plan for an alliance with France. At this point we are not authorized to significantly alter Imperial trade. Our logistical network is being strained with rearmament beginning, or continuing, in the Commonwealth. There is a priority on sending equipment to the Chinese which has exposed significant bottlenecks. This requirement is in direct competition with Indian defense initiatives. Communications with the Chinese have indicated these difficulties.

The Bureau has also been asked about the possibility of support for the Soviet Union. Relations with between the USSR and His Majesty's Government are cool, but German troops on their border has gotten the Kremlin's attention. No formal plans for cooperation have been formed but this possibility complicates matters. In general this is a hard time for logistics and for the Imperial Military to plan amidst such uncertainty.

[BvB]

again with peaceful western Axis building up defenses while Japan continues it's war of attrition, pocketing a large number of units west of Nanking. The IJN continues to pound Chinese forces along the coast and random harassing air raids to the Chinese rear.

[ernieschwitz]

News from the "Dawn of the revolution".

[ernieschwitz]

This turn (7) started off by showing that there was turmoil in Yugoslavia. Not surprising I guess. Then the Germans asked for an alliance, and then retracted it, which gave rise to the first article in the "paper". Second article came about as I looked at the map of China. Things don't look good, for China.

[cpdeyoung]

Bureau of Logistics
Staff notes

27 June 1938

Logistical problems have prevented the West from sending China anything but supplies. Hanoi and Mandalay both have logistical issues, and the logistical sea train is fully engaged in transferring military supplies. There is simply no shipping available for military equipment for China. Soviet observers have commented on the great need of the Chinese army, but our Asian cupboard is bare. We hear the French, and we know the British, are attempting to improve the infrastructure but the engineers need upgrades to do the task efficiently. Unfortunately this upgrade is very expensive, and the High Command has made it crystal clear it is not in the budget.

We are unofficially engaged in staff discussions with the French. We thus know that they are preparing for possible German actions against the Netherlands and Belgium. France is trying to improve their ground transport pool to facilitate a shift to defending the Belgian border. This primarily involves production of cargo trucks.The French commitment to defending Indochina is being hampered by lack of shipping.

Oil is being pumped into reserves at middle eastern wells as the logistic network there cannot handle the flow.

These are very nervous times, and logistic matters are a good part of the cause.

[ernieschwitz]

Dawn of the Revolution has a bit of news for this month.

[ernieschwitz]

As can be read, Hungary aligned with Germany. This means that the Czechs are actually completely surrounded and can be attacked from all sides by Germany and it's Hungarian allies. I'd worry if I was the Czechs.

Also as reported, Wuhan fell. But that is not all that is going on in that far off corner of the world (viewed from Moscow). A player (Larry) decided to step down, because he was involved in too many games, letting Chuck take over. This now means that Chuck will be playing all the Allied nations (glad it's not me). Of note it is that Japan also aligned with Thailand this turn.

In USSR we patiently wait and see what happens.

[cpdeyoung]

Bureau of Logistics
Staff notes

25 July 1938

First let's see what we can learn from the French situation. France reported some supply shortages affecting even front line troops. France cannot afford to spend a lot on military supplies, and the committment to rearm with semi-automatic rifles is in direct conflict with basic daily needs. There are always tradeoffs, but at this stage they are more obvious.

Great Britain also has logistic issues, fouled up orders that send staff members to an engineering task being part of it. As with the French limited military shipping must serve supply needs and the shifting of troops.Orders have been already drawn up to take up civilian shipping in the case of war.

Looking elsewhere, the USA is beginning to realize the world is a nasty place. Support for China is vocal there.

Things in China look rough. The Japanese have been increasingly successful.

[BvB]

Europe continues at peace, but Axis had some luck with diplomatic cards. China with new leadership seems more aggressive, so I've in turn stepped up my efforts with various harassment raids in the Chinese rear, a drive to Siam, took the Wuhan mine. But had to pull back the navy due to fuel issues.

[ernieschwitz]

As mentioned above, the Wuhan mines were taken by Japan, from China.

[ernieschwitz]

And I am sure that BvB meant Sian (the City), not Siam (as in the country)... Here you can see his advances.

[BvB]

yes, Sian, not Slan as on the map quote. My hands twitch and I hit adjacent keys or double hit some or don't capitalize as I have no control of my pinky fingers. Also if you look elsewhere in China, near Hanoi, Kuming? you'll see a Japanese raid
Aggressive Chuck will likely stomp on my penetrations of his line.

[ernieschwitz]

Ah yes, brave parachutists taking Kunming. Must not forget anything...

Nice move. Prevents stuff coming from the Burma Road and the Hanoi Rail.

[BvB]

that was luck - I bombed 4 cities and it was the only one undefended, otherwise I'd have picked another or none if they all were defended

[ernieschwitz]

Yes, but it takes some foresight to build paratroops and transport planes. Shows you were thinking about exploiting this if you could

[cpdeyoung]

Bureau of Logistics
Staff notes

19 September 1938

All eyes on China where the Japanese paradrop on Kunming present the ultimate logistic disaster : actual enemy troops on the roads interdicting supply. China has rushed forces to the area and the Japanese retreated toward the Burma border, thus still interdicting the transportation lines. China has many problems, but this hurts.

France continues to struggle with supply. Although France has not done a massive rearmament her supply production can barely keep up.

Here in Britain we have enough supply sources, but transport is tight.

[cpdeyoung]

Bureau of Logistics
Staff notes

17 October 1938

A sad lesson in Logistics from China. Until early 1938 China had been holding Japanese forces off pretty well. Then new Japanese leadership began a much more aggressive campaign and the results will be studied for a long time. Japanese war making has shocked the world. There seemed nothing the Chinese did would work. Her ability to counterattack was very limited. Finally in October the Japanese destroyed the supply base at the source. Not only has China lost huge amounts of production, but the remaining road network make communication very difficult.

The Japanese are not interested in peacemaking. The suffering in China will continue.

Great Britain and France continue to prepare for a German strike. German submarines are at sea and will seek to deal a blow to our seaborne traffic. The Germans have liaised with the Japanese, and no lessons from that war have gone unlearned. It is rather late in the year for campaigning, but war could still come before Christmas.

[cpdeyoung]

Bureau of Logistics
Staff notes

14 November 1938

Continuous tension in Europe. The Axis, so active in China, are poised but have not yet attacked. It is now winter. Perhaps they await a Spring campaign.

Looking for logistic lessons in China we note the very difficult terrain, and lack of transportation infrastructure. Just maintaining a continuous line is rough.

[cpdeyoung]

Bureau of Logistics
Staff notes

12 December 1938

Europe continues in a tense peace. France continues to balance upgrading the rifle armed troops with general supply.

China is receiving logistic help from the west.

[ernieschwitz]

The logistic analysis of Chuck leaves some things out. Like the present state of China. I have made three screenshots to illustrate.

First one is of Canton and that area. as can be seen Canton has been taken, and Japanese troops are making their way towards Nanning (but probably slowly, as the terrain and roadsystem is not favorable.