Japan was unchanging. But the world was changed beyond recognition.
It was around 23:40 on March 9, Reiwa Year X. A massive communications failure struck Japan, cutting off all communication with the rest of the world. While everyone was plunged int...
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I have prepared a map of Saipan Island at the time of the landing operation. I hope you will find it useful.
- Kujaku Aoi
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Pacific Ocean: 20 km northwest of Saipan Island
Although they succeeded in exterminating the Marines in the POW camp, the Self-Defense Forces finally suffered casualties. The two casualties were a corporal, who had come of age only two months earlier, and a staff sergeant who had won the Tanzawa Bokka Ekiden tournament. The corporal was shot while leading the escaping POWs, and the staff sergeant was killed by a grenade.
But there was no time to mourn their deaths or dwell on the political ramifications. The 2nd Marine Division began to counterattack. The distance between the two was extremely short, only a little over a kilometer, but the number of troops pressing forward exceeded 10.000. Moreover, the enemy seemed to have sensed something and had stopped the use of their radios. This meant that communication between units was delayed because it had to be done by human communication, but this would not be a problem in an island environment.
"Get the F-35Bs blasted up to maximum capacity."
"Secure the remaining self-propelled grenades on deck and prepare to fire."
"Use everything you can anyway."
The operation room of the command post of the destroyer Izumo became a bustling hub and gathered all the firepower it could muster. This situation was also due to the fact that they could not fight only on purely military rationality. For example, if they had destroyed the division headquarters first, it would have been impossible or extremely difficult for the enemy to plan a counter-offensive. In reality, however, their objective was to create a window of opportunity for negotiations, and if they had refrained from attacking the command structure to do so, all they could do was launch a self-inflicted assault.
"So the III MEF is still on hold?"
"As usual, we're still waiting for a response from home."
"Hmm, is that so..."
At the chief of staff's troubled reply, Lieutenant General Mamiya realized that there was little hope. After the failure of Operation Maker, the USFJ was catatonic. As a result, the USS America, an amphibious assault ship equipped with 20 F-35Bs, two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, and artillery already deployed on Saipan, all of which were extremely powerful units, were silent as scarecrows. The soldiers were all patriots.
"We'll do it ourselves, then. Can it be done?"
"Yes, we can. The artillery units have already identified the starting point of the offensive, and they are still waiting for us to get there."
