The Beginning of the End (March 1945)

Lieutenant Suzuki Yuuki

5th Division HQ, Hiroshima

28th March 1945

The loss of Iwo Jima was a particularly devastating setback for us. We did not expect to ever lose to the Allies on our home soil. Though we have lost much of what we have gained in Southeast Asia, we were determined to exact a such a heavy cost in Allied lives as they start attacking our homeland. At the very least we would be able to get achieve a negotiated peace as a substitute for unconditional surrender and probably salvage part of our empire rather than losing it all totally. Iwo Jima is just 750 miles south of Tokyo. We have transformed it into a sophisticated observation platform and even erected more than one radar installation which would have made it a perfect base for forward fighters to interdict Allied air strikes on our other islands. Its defence was superior bar none, as it continued to stand even after heavy bombardment by the Allies. Now that we have lost it to them, the tide has turned against us. They are definitely going to use the island’s three airfields to aid in their progress up north towards Tokyo.

But we would not let that happen at any cost. We still have control over Okinawa, the final key island in the Ryukyu chain before mainland Japan proper. We have to defend it at all cost. But our chances look slimmer by the day. Word has it that the British are sending their most superior warships clad in super strong steel to participate in their first Pacific campaign together with the Americans. Once they establish control over the seas, it would be difficult to receive reinforcements and supplies. We have to trust the kamikaze fighters to neutralise those warships before they come any closer. Without supplies we our efforts would be hampered greatly as the Allies try to surround and cut us off from the mainland to strangle us.