Earthquakes and tidal waves are common.
“The climate is severe, usually long, cold, and snowy winters followed by cool, foggy, and wet summers. Vegetation ranges from tundra in the north to dense forests on the large southern islands. Crab fishing is virtually the only occupation. Some vegetables can be grown on the southern islands.
“The main town is Golovnino on the southernmost island of Kunashir.
“This island chain was part of Japan for centuries. In 1945 the chain was ceded to Russia as reparations for damage done to Russia by the Japanese during World War II. All of the Japanese on the island chain were taken back to Japan, and Russians were brought in to replace them.”
Murdock looked around. “Kind of like if we gave Florida to Cuba because of the Bay of Pigs invasion. The Japanese are ancestor worshipers. Family lines and family graves are of major importance.
Thousands of Japanese lost their family graves when they were forced away from their long-time homes in the Kuril Islands. “As I said, a Japanese general in the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force invaded the closest island, and one of the largest, named Kunashir, with an estimated two hundred men, and now controls the island.
“Russia is really pissed, and is sending a big carrier force north.
Our carrier battle group is steaming up that way, and should beat them to the island by something like ten hours. Aircraft from both sides soon will be buzzing over the island.
Things could get nasty.
“So to repeat my question: If Japan says we need to go in and solve the problem, just what the hell do we do, and how do we do it?”
Jaybird cleared his throat. “Skipper, we’ve been working on it.
Have to be a surprise move at night, and silent in the IBS. We go in with all weapons with silencers and try to nail down this Jap general.
When we get his ass, his people will fold in a minute.”
“Yeah, might work,” Horse Ronson said. “But why not just drop in a few cruise missiles, blow them all to Hell, and then go in with our platoon and mop up. Fucking lot quicker and easier.”
“You’re forgetting what I told you earlier,” Murdock said. “So far the Japanese government does not consider these men as enemies. They don’t want to simply blow them away and let Russia move back in. They don’t want to lose the troops, or kill off a few hundred Russian civilians who are bound to get in the way.”
Doc Ellsworth groaned. “So what do we do, arm wrestle these guys while they’re shooting at us? How in hell can we do that?”
“Hey, if it was easy, they’d let the Marines do it,” Ed Dewitt said. That brought a round of cheers.
“Now, we get down to business,” Murdock said. “We have to go in silently. The IBS sounds the best for that. We’ll need to know exactly where the military HQ is on the island. They’re probably using the one the Russians built. But where is it? Will the Ground Self Defense Force troops have sentries and men on guard? We’ve got to know a lot more before we can do much more detailed planning.”
12
General Raiden Nishikawa hovered over his best radio operator in the communications room of the concrete-block building that had housed the Russian military command on the island. It now served as his headquarters. He had broadcast his demands hours ago, and waited for responses.
Twice already he had seen American jet fighters sweep over the island. He had given strict instructions not to fire at any aircraft unless it fired first. The two twin-tailed planes had made three low-level runs, then climbed high, evidently on a continuing surveillance.
He had no objection to that. He had received another set of orders from his former commanding officer on Hokkaido. They were terse and angry. They told him to cease his aggression against Russia, to disarm his men, free the Russian prisoners, and return to Japanese soil within four hours.
General Nishikawa had not even acknowledged receiving the message.
His proclamation of independence had gone out on the radio more than ten hours ago. He had broadcast it on military frequencies in English, Japanese, and Russian. He was sure that the whole world now knew of his victory in liberating his home island of Kunashir. Already he had found the site of the graves of his grandparents and great-grandparents. The graves themselves had been obliterated, and a school now stood over the spot. He had prayed for an hour over the hallowed ground three times already. He would go again soon.
Others in his command had found the sites of the graves of their ancestors, and had paid their respects as well. More than half of his men here had ancestors in graves on the island.
Capturing the island had been simple. General Nishikawa had planned it carefully. He’d known there would be a U.S. carrier battle group in the Honshu area. He’d also checked the Russian calendar, and had selected a two-day Russian holiday. Three quarters of the Russian military would be on leave; those on duty would be on a traditional two-day drunk. It had looked remarkably simple on paper.
He had landed his two hundred troops on the pier at the island’s largest town, Golonido. The only two military sentries on duty had been so drunk they couldn’t stand. He had tied them up, and left them there.
He and a hundred men had simply walked into the military command post, and found only a dozen Russian soldiers there, none of them with a weapon. The officer in command had been a new lieutenant, and half drunk. Two shots had been fired in the whole invasion. One by an invader not familiar with his weapon and one by a Russian sentry who wasn’t quite as drunk as he seemed. No one had been wounded by either round.
Now General Nishikawa ordered the commo sergeant to bring him a typed report on all radio transmissions they’d received. He marched back to his office, cold and spartan in furnishings. Not at all like his large, comfortable office in Hokkaido. He sat at his desk, looking at the results of his men’s sweeps of the outlying posts. The island was more than 160 kilometers long but never more than fifteen kilometers wide.
Most of it was heavily forested on one side, with little room for any agriculture. There were two military posts, about fifty kilometers apart, but both had been captured by us troops, with only two dead Russian soldiers. He was secure. Until the big powers decided what to do. He was convinced that Japan would not send any force against him.
Many in the government had spoken out about Russia returning the Kuril Islands to their rightful place as part of the Japanese homeland.
What Russia, and even the United States, might do was the problem.
He hoped that the U.S. would steam the battle group northward, and serve as a block against the Russian force. If it came down to an attack by any of the three powers, his small force would be smashed within minutes. He didn’t think that would happen.
There would be a diplomatic settlement. Perhaps Japan would win the southern half of the island chain, perhaps even just take back Kunashir, and let Russia keep the northern, mostly unpopulated, and smaller islands. That seemed reasonable.
All he wanted was to be able to worship at the graves of his ancestors. He was here now, but wondered how long he could stay.
Nishikawa was an inch under six feet tall. The Japanese on Hokkaido had been known for being the tallest Japanese since the start of the century. He knew Ainu blood flowed in his veins, but most of the Ainu characteristics had been lost through intermarriage.
The Ainu were the earliest residents of Hokkaido, the Kuril Islands, and the large Russian Sakhalin Island, and they were not related to the Mongoloid native people of the other Japanese islands.
But none of that mattered now. Now his ancestors were far more important. That, and what the Russians would do when they arrived. He knew they would be coming. A knock sounded on his door, and the communications sergeant came through.