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 for the Anchorage area for the landing operation in Alaska. I hope you will find it useful.
- Kujaku Aoi
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Alaska: State Highway 1
The artillery fire from Japanese units stationed at the northern tip of the Kenai Peninsula was modest in terms of intensity, but infinitely more accurate. When their chain of command was torn to shreds, the US Army troops positioned on the south coast of Anchorage had a small unmanned helicopter with a remotely piloted observation system hovered above their heads. Its visible and infrared eyes were capable of spotting even a single infantryman, and the Type 19 armored wheeled self-propelled 155 mm howitzers that received the coordinates from company headquarters to the individual spider holes turned them into graves.
Therefore, when the Type 23 amphibious vehicles of the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade landed on the beach, they met with little resistance. After that, only a few mortar shells continued to fly in, and they even gouged out the side of the railroad line running along the state highway. The LCACs were busy shuttling back and forth between the landing ship at sea and the beach they had captured, unloading ferocious Type 10 tanks, Type 16 maneuver combat vehicles, and various equipment and fuel supplies.
"Ooh, tanks coming through!" someone yelled a few moments later.
As it turned out, two platoons of Type 10 tanks arrived, emitting the rumbling sound of their diesel engines. The captain of the ARDB, Mizukami, was infinitely encouraged by the heroic sight and felt a slight haze of emotion.
"Do we have to go with them?" The sergeant, who was on guard with his gun at the ready, grumbled. "The infantrymen don't seem to be accompanying us."
"No orders have been issued."
Mizukami craned his head slightly and looked at the front where shrapnel was raining down. They were told to prepare for enemy attack, but if there were to be such a thing, the artillery and attack helicopters would probably gather around and grind them first.
"Well, weapons of this era cannot destroy a Type 10 unless it's a battleship's main gun... I guess they've decided that they can do without infantry. And there are attack helicopters flying in the air."
"Is that how it is?"
"I guess so."
The sergeant, having obtained a certain satisfaction, did not ask any more questions. The Type 10 tanks were heading toward the key city of Anchorage, trampling on the roads ravaged by artillery fire with their crawler tracks. The small city, with a population of about 6.000, had been hit by thermobaric bombs and rockets from fire support ships and was little better than burnt-out ruins.
"Hm? What's that?" someone yelled again, this time in an incredulous voice.
This time, even Mizukami had no idea. Along with a remotely piloted armored vehicle from the engineering unit came an open-air armed off-road vehicle that appeared to be an escort vehicle, but there was something on the seat that looked out of place.
