nycdaug Chapter 232 Unstoppable
Chapter 232 Unstoppable
The annihilation of the Japanese 16th Division marked the complete capture of Leyte by the Sino-American Allied Forces. On Samar Island, Liao Yaoxiang's troops quickly broke through Japanese interceptions and advanced northward, capturing the important town of Kabalogan. The Japanese 1st Division was forced to retreat northward. Suzuki Sosaku, believing that Samar was unsustainable, ordered the 1st Division to evacuate Samar at night. Three days later, the Sino-American Allied Forces completely occupied Samar Island.
Nimitz accepted Yang Hong's advice and decided to postpone the next offensive. The first phase of the Philippine Campaign concluded. In reality, due to MacArthur's mistakes, the US military suffered heavy losses in the first phase, particularly in the Leyte Island landings and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The US lost three heavy aircraft carriers, six escort carriers, and 3 major surface vessels, including battleships. The Navy alone suffered over 6 casualties, the heaviest loss in the US Navy's history. Of course, the Army and Marine Corps also suffered heavy losses, with nearly 37 casualties.
Nimitz had to consider the rest and reorganization of the fleet. Washington also officially ordered the reorganization of the Western Pacific Theater. MacArthur ultimately failed to retain his command and retired to retirement. Spruance was appointed commander of the Western Pacific Theater. His appointment also ended the existence of the United States as an independent military branch in a different time and space, and the United States Marine Corps was officially transferred to the Navy.
The first appointment Spruance made after taking office was to appoint former Chief of Staff Sutherland as commander of the ground combat group. The ground combat will be divided into three routes. The first route will be led by Walter Krueger, commander of the US 6th Army, under the command of the US 6th Army and the 165th, 166th, 205th and 206th Divisions of the Chinese Expeditionary Force, with the target of Luzon Island; the second route will be led by Liao Yaoxiang, commander of the Chinese 3rd Army, under the command of China's 22nd, 50th and 113th Divisions, as well as the 5th Army of the US 24th Army, responsible for sweeping other islands in the Philippines; the third route will be led by Yang Hong, commander of the Chinese 1st Army, under the command of China's 47th, 112th and 201st Divisions, as well as the 5th Army of the US 10th Army, responsible for going south to seize Kalimantan Island and completely cut off the sea route of the Japanese Southern Front.
Half a month later, Liao Yaoxiang led the second route westward, sweeping across Bohol, Tañon, Negros, Panay and other central Philippine islands; Walter Kruger led the first route north from Samar Island and set foot on Luzon Island, successively capturing important places such as Sorsogon, Legazpi, Iriga, and Busi, and was heading north along the Bondoc Peninsula; Yang Hong led the third route southward, attacking Mindanao, and after occupying the forward base, assisted by the 3rd Fleet, heading towards Kalimantan Island.
The Japanese army also used this month to strengthen the defense of the Philippine main island (Luzon Island) and withdraw troops from some unimportant islands. Yamashita Tomoyuki reorganized the 28.7 Japanese troops stationed on Luzon Island into three groups, stationed in the northern and central-southern mountainous areas respectively, in an attempt to launch a decisive battle with the Sino-US coalition forces.
Ten days later, the Second Army launched a surprise attack on Mindoro Island, southwest of Luzon, completely capturing it within three days and posing a fatal threat to the crucial Philippine port city of Batangas. The US Navy's Third Fleet, taking advantage of the situation, moved north, virtually blocking off the entire waters of Manila Bay. The Fifth Fleet, secretly accompanied by the Eighth Army from mainland China, suddenly appeared in Lingayen Gulf on Luzon's west coast and carried out a large-scale landing operation. Meanwhile, Liao Yaoxiang commanded the Second Army, crossing the sea from Galera and Calapan to capture Lobo. Splitting into two groups, one advancing directly towards Batangas and the other towards Lipa, a key city in southern Luzon. Kruger's First Army captured Naga and, after advancing towards Lopez, virtually occupied the entire Bondoc Peninsula. A week later, they reunited with Liao Yaoxiang's Second Army at Lucena.
The Japanese Army assembled the 1st, 14th, 58th, and 116th Divisions and engaged in a decisive battle along the San Pablo line against the Chinese and American Allied Forces to the south. After two days and two nights of decisive fighting, the Chinese Army's main forces, the 22nd and 113th Divisions, broke through the Japanese defenses, capturing Calamba and Santa Cruz, respectively, completely encircling the Japanese southern group within the narrow San Pablo area.
On the northern front, the US Eighth Army's 8st Corps, after landing at Lingayen Gulf, advanced northward to capture Cradelida. Meanwhile, the 1th Corps advanced toward Manila. Given the importance and political influence of Manila, and to prevent a rapid advance from the south, potentially allowing the Chinese to capture Manila first, the US Army withdrew troops from the 14st Corps and transferred the 1th Corps from the third route northward. These forces landed at San Antonio, northwest of Subic Bay, and Nasugbu, south of Manila Bay. These forces simultaneously advanced toward Manila.
At this time, the Japanese army had been completely divided. The main forces defending Manila were the 10th Division, the remnants of the 26th Division, the 68th Brigade, and Iwabuchi's naval forces, with a total strength of about 5. They were commanded personally by Suzuki Sosaku. After more than three months of preparation, he had transformed the city of Manila into a fortress, attempting to delay the US military with urban street fighting and inflict heavy casualties on the US military.
The US 14th Army, based in the north, spearheaded the attack and reached the outskirts of Manila, immediately engaging the 68th Brigade defending the city. By this time, the fully mechanized 14th Army, with its powerful tanks and armored formations, supported by numerous artillery fire, launched a fierce attack on the 58th Brigade. For a moment, the area north of Manila was filled with the rumble of artillery fire and thick smoke. The smoke from the explosions, carried by the wind, engulfed half of the city.
The Japanese 68th Brigade used strong bunkers and secret passages to desperately block the enemy during the day and launched a frantic counterattack at night, stubbornly delaying the pace of the US 14th Army. As a result, the US military did not make any progress on the northern front for a week.
Soon after, the 24th Army on the western front arrived outside Manila. Upon seeing the Japanese defensive formation, Franklin Seibert was immediately overwhelmed. Under Yang Hong's command, they had easily captured Mindanao and were preparing to advance southward to attack Kalimantan when Admiral Spruance issued an order, forcing the 24th Army into the fray of Manila. Seibert knew full well that the US military brass would never allow the Chinese to seize Manila; this battle had to be fought entirely by the Americans.
Opposing him were Iwabuchi Mitsugu's Marines. Iwabuchi Mitsugu was ruthless, dismantling old artillery pieces, destroyers, and cruisers' main guns and deploying them along this line. For the 24th Army, every advance meant a massive pile of blood and flesh. In just one day of fighting, the 24th Army lost over 2000 men, nearly double the casualties suffered during Yang Hong's two-week offensive against Mindanao.