IJA Secret Intelligence Team at Chofu

[Shinpachi]

Thanks Aaron and Wayne for your reading again.
I think this kind of hidden story many exist in our present business world too...and people say "Forget the past. It is no use crying over the spilt milk. See the future."

It may look correct but what if there was a big mistake...
********************************

....... Then, is their target Osaka or Kobe?
No, it was impossible for us to expect them such a rough air-raid on Osaka-Kobe(*highly defended area) with no escort fighters.


Therefore, one of my senior staff Sergeant-major Fujita was indignant
"I am not necessarily confident with our informaion always correct but what an incredible treatment it is that the General Headquarters has ignored our report without doing their follow-up survey!"

At around 07:09, as 2nd Lt. Hiraoka had been measuring something with a pair of compasses on his map on which the coordinate values were remarked since we had captured the communication by the B-29s 'Sky is clear above the target. Visual attack is possible', I asked him why.

"I presume that one of the B-29s of the leading group who invaded into Setonai-kai(* an inland sea) would have sent the message from somewhere in the inland sea. The place where many military facilities exist in there is 'Hiroshima'. So, I presume the target for the special mission planes must be 'Hiroshima'.

It is impossible for me to think that they send such an information which involves the weather condition to the other planes if they are within a radius of 10 to 20km (* 6.25 to 12.5 miles).

Then, I guess their communication partner will be the US planes flying within 200 to 300km(* 125 to 187.5 miles) radius from Hiroshima. I'm thinking their location would be 'above a coast of the Sea of Japan' where our defence is relatively low. So, being based on this estimated target and the cruise speed of a B-29, I am presuming where they are standing by."

Our Commander Morita reported this to the headquarters.


...... to be continued.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Great stuff, thanks Shinpachi!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Even knowing the outcome it is still suspenseful. Great work Shinpachi.

 

[Shinpachi]

Thanks vB and Aaron.
This story is long enough to know what was going on inside the IJA.
Please enjoy.

********************************

...... Our Commander Morita reported this to the headquarters.


Time was passing minute by minute and it was a few minutes to 08:00 in my memory.

I wondered if they had closed their radio as no frequency was captured since the last but, judging from time progress, I knew that they would be starting their 'bombing run'.

The 08:15 of the fate passed away.
At the moment, Hiroshima became the first city that had been dropped the atomic bomb in history .

Past 09:00, we received the first report from the headquarters that a B-29 dropped a new type bomb on Hiroshima. Details were said under investigation.

Since the US had been taking place training flights not a few times since July, it was remarkable for us that the bomb was not a conventional one. When we heard the first report, we all chagrined deeply but everything was too late.

According to a subsequent report afterwards, the number of planes heading for Hiroshima was 3.
Only one of them reached the sky above Hiroshima to drop the new type bomb and the rest were said flying above the inland sea nearby, about 8 km(* 5 miles) apart from Hiroshima, as 'war-result observation planes' . Judging from this, it was evident that the US was recognising 'The impact of the explosion will extend widely'.

On the next day, August 7, our General Headquarters announced
1. On the last 6th of August, the city of Hiroshima received an attack by a few B-29s. The damage is considerable.
2. The enemy seems used a new type bomb but details are under investigation.

President of Intelligence Agency Hiroshi Shimomura announced his comment
"Our war situation is in the worst state."

Also, Minister of Army Anami gave his instruction to the army
"I believe there is always a chance even in the hopeless situation. All commanders, officers and soldiers must embody the Nanko spirit(* an indomitable spirit presented by General Masashige Kusunoki in the 14th century)."

To hear these announcements, our 2nd Lt. Hiraoka shouted beating the desk with his sword hard
"What are they talking about in their sleep! It was them who were managing their insufficient and stupid system for the information analysis in the General Headquarters to be cheated by the 'fake' formation. How are they going to take their responsibility for the disaster!"

All agreed with him.

Judging from the fact there had been not a few training flights before, we estimated that 2nd and 3rd drops of the new type bomb on the cities somewhere in our islands would be sure to come.

Incidentally, our General Headquarters did not know what the new type bomb was until they captured the news dated August 7 later that President Truman made his official announcemnt about the use of atomic bomb.



/End of Article No. 111

....... this story continues.

 

[magnu]

A fascinating read

 

[Shinpachi]

Thanks for your enjoying, magnu

 

[otftch]

A different point of view.Thank you.
Ed

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Excellent work Shinpachi!!

 

[Shinpachi]

You are welcome, otftch and thanks for reading.

Author would have been happy to hear your words if he had been still alive as almost Japanese pay little attention to the incident nowadays. Almost veterans had passed away without talking about their own experience during the war.

 

[Shinpachi]

Thanks Aaron for your reading too

 

[Shinpachi]

In addition, as far as I recall, the civillians did blame what the US did on Hiroshima and Nagasaki but the veterans except those who were responsible for the war. This is my very private opinion, though.

 

[Wayne Little]

Interesting.....Thanks for these continuing articles Shinpachi!

 

[vikingBerserker]

A different point of view.Thank you.
Ed

I agree, and one that I do not know as well as some of the other nations involved.

 

[Shinpachi]

You are welcome Wayne and thanks for the comment vB.

As said, this story is very long. Article nos. 110-113 covers Hiroshima only.
Nagasaki is covered in nos. 114-115 and a part of 116. From 116 to the rest covers the declation of war by the Soviet Union and toward the end of war. Please look forward to them though it may take a few months to complete.

Thanks.

 

[Wayne Little]

No problem Shinpachi, when time permits....we are a patient lot!!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

With Wayne Shinpachi, we will wait patiently sir.

 

[Shinpachi]

I appreciate for your generosity, Wayne and Aaron. Thanks.
Here it continues.

***********************************************

Article No.112

Anguish on August 6
============
Author: Mr. Teruo Miyoshi


At around 22:00 of August 6 - a day of a nightmare.
We, except the communication soldiers on duty, received order "Gather immediately" from Commander Morita.

Since before the noon on the day, he and 2nd Lt. Hiraoka together had been absent to the headquarters located in Ichigaya(* Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal was to be held here after the war), bringing the record of communication exchanges, to explain how we elucidated the flight route of the B-29s who carried out the attack on Hiroshima with their atomic bomb during the midnight to the early morning of August 6 in details.

2nd Lt. Hiraoka was a graduate of Preliminary Military Academy but originally enlisted when he had been a university student. He had also been an athlete and was a hot-blooded man. So, I felt some anxiety about how he would behave in the headquarters because, to hear the tragedy of Hiroshima, he showed his strong anger to their so optimistic judgment and blame to the General Headquarters with his sword.

Before they left, Commander told Sergeant-major Fujita
"Anticipating our downgrades in the case, we are going to negotiate with the headquarters. You manage the base while we are absent well."

I found a pathetic expression on his face.


...... to be continued.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Thank you again Shinpachi.

 

[B-17engineer]

Wow! Awesome work!

 

[Shinpachi]

Thanks Aaron and Harrison

This is the old headquarters building at Ichigaya.
It was the central nerve of IJA till 1945 and of present JSDF till 1994.
You can see some exit holes on the cliff wall for the underground shelter.