Published at 13th of February 2023 06:46:47 AM

Semarang, one of the main cities in the east of Java Island, was once a place of economic prosperity. However, after the war started, the city has become very depressed. Especially after the German army began to gather in Southeast Asia and Australia, the people living in the city almost fled.

The headquarters of the 5th Front of the Island Army is located in Semarang. The entire front army has 5 divisions and two independent mixed brigades under the jurisdiction of the island army, with a total strength of more than 100,000.

In view of the small size of Java Island, although the army of the island country also deployed two front armies and two armies on Java Island. But in fact, the establishment of the two front armies and the two armies is not large. Compared with the two front armies and two armies of the island army deployed on Sumatra Island, the strength is much smaller.

At 9 o'clock in the morning, the 6th Division of the German Marine Corps had established a firm foothold on the beach about five kilometers northeast of Semarang. The 42nd Division of the Japanese Army stationed here was defeated. Now, the 12th Army of the German Army is landing here.

"Your Excellency, Commander, the 42nd Division has lost more than two-thirds, and all coastal positions have been lost. The Germans are landing in large numbers." Lieutenant General Hagi Saburo, Chief of Staff of the 5th Front, reported.

Lieutenant General Jiichiro Higuchi, the commander of the 5th Front Army, looked very ugly. The defense zone of his troops seemed to be the focus of the German attack. This caused the 5th Front Army to suffer very large losses during the battle.

"Bastard! Did the 42nd Division collapse after holding on for less than two hours? How can this battle continue? Tell Lieutenant General Sano Torata to launch a counterattack immediately, and drive the Germans into the sea no matter what! " Lieutenant General Higuchi Kiichiro ordered.

"Yes, Your Excellency Commander!" Lieutenant General Hagi Saburo replied.

Although, at this moment, the 42nd Division of the Japanese Army has suffered heavy losses, with more than two-thirds of the people killed in battle. Letting them launch a counterattack at this time will only kill them all. However, after receiving the order, Lieutenant General Sano Torata, head of the 42nd Division of the Japanese Army, had no choice but to carry out the order and lead the remaining defeated soldiers to attack until they all died in battle.

Lieutenant General Higuchi Kiichiro has no choice but to defend the lines of Cirebon, Pekalongan and Semarang with his troops. In each of these three major cities, a division was deployed. Without exception, the three divisions stationed on the front line have all suffered devastating blows. It can be said that the entire 5th Front Army of the Japanese Army has been severely damaged. If it goes on like this, I'm afraid it won't last long.

Kiichiro Higuchi also sent a telegram to Batavia asking for help, hoping to get reinforcements. Judging from the current situation, the defense zone of the 5th Front Army has become the key breakthrough target of the German army. If no more reinforcements are received, the 5th Front will soon be completely lost. At that time, the Germans will easily land from here.

After learning of the plight of the 5th Front Army, General Toshida Terauchi has ordered the 38th Army to rush to help. But whether it can withstand the German attack is undoubtedly very difficult to say.

Sumatra Island, along the Strait of Malacca, the fighting was very fierce.

The German Army and Marine Corps that had landed began to attack the coastal cities of the Strait of Malacca.

Two regiments of the 21st Infantry Division under the German 3rd Army and a regiment of the 1st Marine Division launched a fierce attack on Banda Aceh. Stationed here is the 16th Army of the Japanese Army. This army has the 48th Infantry Division, the independent mixed 27th brigade and the independent mixed 28th brigade, as well as the 4th Tank Wing and the 12th Field Heavy Artillery Brigade directly under the army.

During the landing operations of the 1st Division of the German Marine Corps, the 48th Division of the Japanese Army was almost disabled. The troops of the two regiments died on the beach, and the remaining 47th infantry regiment withdrew to Banda Aceh.

But at this moment, the army of the island country in Banda Aceh has not many troops, and the front-line combat troops only have more than 20,000 people. Facing the attack of the three regiments of the German army, they are completely at a disadvantage.

"Your Excellency, the German offensive is too fierce, and the 48th Infantry Division is almost finished." Major General Shigeichiro Yamamoto, chief of staff of the 16th Army, reported.

Lieutenant General Yuichiro Nagano, commander of the 16th Army of the Island Army, looked very ugly. Although he has long known that the German army's combat effectiveness is very strong. It is almost impossible for the island army to compete head-on with the German army. However, now that he has fought against each other, he really knows how strong the German army is. In terms of firepower alone, the German army does not know how many streets the Japanese army has thrown away.

During the firepower preparations before the German landing operations, the German 16th Army suffered a lot of losses. Not only the painstakingly built fortifications were almost destroyed, but the carefully camouflaged artillery positions were also found by the Luftwaffe. This made the 12th Field Heavy Artillery Brigade under the 16th Army and the 48th Mountain Artillery Regiment under the 48th Division almost completely wiped out. The artillery of the two independent mixed brigades did not suffer much loss. But obviously, in the face of the strong fire support of the German army, such a little artillery would be useless at all. Even if it is exposed, it will definitely be attacked by the Luftwaffe. Therefore, Nagano Yuichiro does not intend to use these two artillery units immediately.

"Order the 4th Tank Wing to independently form the 27th Brigade and launch a counterattack. The Germans must be driven into the sea!" Lieutenant General Yuichiro Nagano ordered.

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander." Major General Shigeichiro Yamamoto replied.

Ten minutes later, the 4th Wing of the Japanese Army Tank and the Independent Mixed Brigade launched a counterattack.

The 4th Wing of the Island Army is equipped with hundreds of tanks. The island nation calls it a chariot, though. They are Type 97 Medium Tank and Type 95 Light Tank. The former weighed 15 tons and was armed with a 57mm short-barreled tank gun and two 7.7mm machine guns. The latter weighs 7.4 tons and is armed with a 37mm tank gun and two 7.7mm machine guns.

It's just that the 4th Wing of the Japanese Army Tank was discovered by the German army as soon as it appeared on the tank.

More than a dozen armed helicopters launched attacks on these island tanks.

The front armor of the Type 97 medium tank is only 25 mm, and the front armor of the Type 95 light tank is only 12 mm. This kind of defense is not even as good as the armored vehicles of the German army.

Under the attack of the German armed helicopters, these tanks were destroyed one after another. Even a large-caliber aviation machine gun can easily penetrate the side armor of the Type 95 light tank.

From entering the battlefield to the annihilation of the entire army, less than 20 minutes before and after, all the tanks of the 4th Wing of the Island Army Battlefield were wiped out. The 27th Brigade, an independent and mixed group of the Japanese army, also collapsed subsequently.