My own war game

Chapter 254 Fisherman on the Seashore

It rained heavily on the night of August 1942, 8.

As soon as Colonel Kawaguchi got off the boat, something hit his foot hard, causing him to walk with a limp. Captain Kawaguchi, whose mood had been getting worse and worse over the past few days, burst out with Japanese national curses.

"Baka! The navy's octopus came up with such an idiotic idea!"

The colonel did have reason to complain, because the landing plan was really bad for his troops.

Considering that the US military had at least 10,000 troops stationed on the island and had the support of the air force at the airport, the Navy believed that a large-scale daytime landing would inevitably suffer heavy losses when evaluating the landing plan, so the landing time was chosen at night.

Of course, this method did ensure the safety of the landing site to a certain extent. Considering the concerns about night battles, the US military did not send out large-scale troops to block the attack.

However, it should be noted that the night environment was also not friendly to the Japanese army. After long-term turbulence on the sea, the soldiers' physical condition was already very poor. After the heavy rain, sea breeze, and low temperature sea water at night, non-combat casualties were almost foreseeable.

The army could have overcome this problem alone, but since the navy ships responsible for the transportation were all lightweight destroyers and were not equipped with large lifting equipment, except for the smallest Type 92 infantry gun, all larger guns had to be disassembled into parts and then sent to the shore by small boats.

This made the landing site even more chaotic. Looking at the chaotic beach and the gray figures of destroyers on the sea, Colonel Kawaguchi cursed
"Baga! This transportation is just like a rat moving house!"

But the adjutant, Captain Yanagida Toshio, who was standing beside him, obviously didn't have the good sense to understand his superior's mood. He trotted over and whispered in the colonel's ear, "Sir, something happened to the commando team in the west!"

"Nani?! What happened to Oka-kun?!"

"Sir, Oka Akinosuke's commando team encountered extremely strong winds and waves while riding in small boats. A large number of boats capsized and many people were lost." The news told by Yanagida Toshio made Colonel Kawaguchi's gums begin to ache.

The Japanese landing plan this time was "attack from the east and the west, and attack from the center." The main force of the detachment, led by Colonel Kawaguchi, with more than 4000 people, landed on the east coast of Guadalcanal on destroyers. At the same time, in order to achieve the effect of advancing from the east and the west, a commando team of people was arranged in the western part of Guadalcanal, commanded by Major Oka Akinosuke.

But he seems to be particularly unlucky tonight...

In the jungle twenty kilometers away, Colonel Edson was following He Chi, walking through the forest with one foot deep and one foot shallow. Behind him, about a dozen soldiers of the New Japanese National Army were following them, holding some unknown instruments.

"He, are we going in the wrong direction? The Japanese landing site is in the east." Colonel Edson, holding up the rainproof tarpaulin, shouted loudly in the sea breeze. He was afraid that He Chi could not hear him because his voice was too soft.

"The Japanese have control of the sea, naval guns and airplanes over there. If you feel that our troops are sufficient, just take your men there." He Chi said casually, not afraid that the colonel would get angry. After the recent fighting, the relationship between the two sides has become very good.

"Then you asked me to lead two companies of people into the woods in this weather. At least give me an explanation, right?"

"Do you believe me when I say I'll take you to the beach to pick up seafood?" He Chi smiled mysteriously and then stopped talking.

"Damn it, you Orientals always talk like this..."

"Shh, here we are..."

He Chi signaled Edson to lower his voice, then pointed ahead. In the woods in the distance, there was something that could probably be called a tent made of tattered clothes, waterproof cloth and branches. Seven or eight ragged Japanese soldiers were shivering in the sea breeze, huddled inside like quails.

"This is a small team of Japanese remnants on the island discovered by the reconnaissance team. Our people have been keeping an eye on them for several days." He Chi said in a low voice.

"There are only two or three of them, and you want me to bring two companies?!" the colonel complained.

"I didn't ask you to lead the troops to kill them. I'll explain it to you later." He Chi said, waving to the people around him, "Go! Try not to shoot!" After a while, shouts came from the other side, "Who is it?! Daleiga... Woo!"

Five minutes later, all the people in front were dealt with, and the soldiers of the New Japan National Army dragged the bodies of their former compatriots away swiftly, even washing away the bloodstains on the ground.

Ever since they had fought face to face with bayonets, these surrendered Japanese soldiers had become more and more adept at using the weapon.

"Hurry up! Clean up! Put things up!" He Chi directed the soldiers of the New Japan National Construction Army to deal with the scene.

Several larger rainproof sheets were opened, and tents that could accommodate dozens of people were built. Two camping pots were set up and stuffed underneath after being ignited with wood soaked in fuel.

Dozens of cans were pried open and thrown into the pot. Half-cooked rice mixed with butter was re-mixed in. Someone added water and kept stir-frying with a large iron shovel. Soon the fragrance drifted out with the sea breeze.

The colonel sniffed, feeling that eating only a sandwich for dinner seemed a little too little. He turned around and asked, "He, you are not planning to treat me to a meal here, are you?"

"Eat? Of course not. Didn't I bring you here to pick up seafood? This is bait." The Oriental man pointed at the pot mysteriously.

"Is there seafood on the beach in this kind of weather?" The colonel pointed to the sky where even the moonlight was not clear.

"Of course, and we came here by a small boat. Do you want to bet fifty dollars?" He Chi looked at the colonel beside him.

"Fuck! I don't believe you can win every time!"

Soon, several shattered boats appeared on the beach, and Japanese soldiers jumped out of them like drowned rats. He Chi stretched out his hand to the colonel, who reluctantly took out a banknote and slapped it on the Oriental man's hand.

"Don't do anything with your men. We are going to catch the biggest culprit this time." He Chi put the money into his pocket and then gave instructions.
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Major Oka Akinosuke was in a very sorry state now. The 48 small boats he led encountered strong winds and waves at sea. When he reached the shore, he found that there were less than a hundred soldiers around him, and some of them had lost their weapons. He, who had been full of confidence in launching a surprise attack to establish his military honor, now even had one of his boots missing.

"Lieutenant, where are we now?" Major Akinosuke asked his assistant.

"Sir, our location is about two kilometers away from the scheduled location, but we are still roughly near the landing point. The weather is very bad now. Can you lead everyone to take shelter for a while..."

"Yes, quickly find a place to shelter from the rain and let the soldiers eat something to restore their strength." After giving the order, the major walked towards the woods by the sea, one step deep and one step shallow.

When they reached the woods, the major discovered that the supply ship was also lost on the sea, and his soldiers now had no food to eat.

"Sir, please use this." The adjutant handed over a slightly deformed rice ball, which was still a little warm to the touch. It seemed that he had been holding it in his arms.

Major Oka Akinosuke took the rice ball and cut it in half, then handed the other half to his adjutant. "Mr. Aoki, you should also eat something to restore your strength. When daybreak comes, we will gather our people and continue the mission."

"Ha!" Lieutenant Aoki took the rice ball and swallowed it in small sips.

Just as these hungry soldiers were hiding from the wind and rain, bursts of singing accompanied by the smell of meat wafted in the wind.

"Sakura~Sakura~"

(End of this chapter)