The Battle of Hainan Island - The Matrix Games version of Rising Sun

February 11, 1939
Sanya, Hainan Island, off southern China: [H2H] [HISB] [GB]: The Second Sino-Japanese War (July 7, 1937 - September 2, 1945) was the result of a Japanese imperialist policy to dominate China and secure its economic resources - especially food and labor. Initially, the Japanese armies scored major victories in Shanghai and by the end of 1937 captured the Chinese capital of Nanking. The Japanese navy initiated a blockade of the Chinese coast, in an effort to stop the flow of supplies and munitions from reaching Chaing Kai-Shek's Nationalist Chinese (KMT) forces that were battling the Japanese for control of the Chinese interior. In early 1939, the Japanese looked to close one of the remaining gaps in their blockade of China. The island of Hainan, is located off southern China. Japanese occupation of Hainan would cause the Chinese to lose all capabilities to import supplies by sea via any southern ports still under Chinese control. The island had a population of over 2 million and was guarded by a small force, 5th Security Brigade of the Chinese 152nd Division, Xiuying Battery, and a few battalions of poorly trained militia. As night decended on 9 February, 1939, Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondo's Japanese 5th Fleet, arrived off Qinghai Bay, Hainan. At 1200 hours on 10 February, Special Naval Landing Forces troops were disembarked at the city of Haikou, on the northern coast of Hainan. On 11 February, Japanese SNLF troops landed at the city of Sanya on the southern coast, with plans to capture the city and move insland to secure key objectives within the island interior. Air close support missions were flown by carrier aircraft from the Akagi and Chiyoda. Naval support fire was provided by the crusiers Nagara and Natori. The defending Chinese 5th Brigade, was caught off guard by the sight of Japanese troop barges, churning through the waters of the South China Sea, toward landing beaches near Sanya, But, the Chinese recovered quickly and rushed troops to the threatened sectors. By the end of the day, the fate of Sanya would be decided. [All] [No EA] [No VV] [Special rule - no Banzai]