View source for Battle of the Gap

{{Infobox military conflict
| width = 500px
| conflict = Battle of the Gap
| partof = the [[Asianna and the Pacific Campaign]] of the [[Second Europan War]]
| image = [[File:A Comet tank of 11th Armoured Division in the Weser bridgehead, Germany, 7 April 1945. BU3202.jpg|240px]]
| caption = Zanarkian Comet Tank of the 9th Zanarkian Division in Songsinan, Joyonghea
| date = 15 Docember 1942 - 2 February 1943
| place = Central Joyonghea, North Asianna
| result =  Allied victory
* Quenminese-Archadian Forces forced back to Mogpo, 20 kms from the Inje Line
| territory = 
| combatants_header = Belligerents

| combatant1 = '''''
{{flagicon image|JoyongheaFlagOne.png|22px}} [[Joyonghea]] <br/> 
{{flagicon image|Great_Lucis_and_Accordo_-_Tristain.jpg|22px}} [[Great Lucis and Accordo|United Kingdom]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|Commonwealth of Zanarkand and Besaid 3rd Version.jpg|22px}} [[Zanarkand and the Besaid Islands|Zanarkand]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|Realm_of_New_Akiba_3rd_Version.jpg|22px}} [[New Akiba]] <br/>


| combatant2 = '''''
{{flagicon image|Archadia-archedes 931556.jpg |22px}} [[Archadia-Archedes]] <br/>
{{flagicon image|Quen minh 691036.jpg|22px}} [[Empire of Quenmin]] with collaborator support
* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Tuvan People's Republic (1933-1939).svg|22px}} Bugpyeong (1937-1945)
* {{flagicon image|HamyongGovernmentFlag.png|22px}} Hamyong Government (1939-1945)


| commander1 = '''''
{{flagicon image|JoyongheaFlagOne.png|22px}} [[Namgung Wook-yun]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|JoyongheaFlagOne.png|22px}} [[Chae Hwa-young]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|JoyongheaFlagOne.png|22px}} [[Cheon Sang-ji]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|Great_Lucis_and_Accordo_-_Tristain.jpg|22px}} [[Okita Hanamura]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|Great_Lucis_and_Accordo_-_Tristain.jpg|22px}} Albert Crocker<br/>
{{flagicon image|Commonwealth of Zanarkand and Besaid 3rd Version.jpg|22px}} [[Edward Samegawa]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|Commonwealth of Zanarkand and Besaid 3rd Version.jpg|22px}} [[Roy Peterson]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|Commonwealth of Zanarkand and Besaid 3rd Version.jpg|22px}} [[Simmon Denzel Crocker]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|Realm_of_New_Akiba_3rd_Version.jpg|22px}} [[Yuto Takagawa]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|Realm_of_New_Akiba_3rd_Version.jpg|22px}} [[Hikaru Komaki]]<br/>


| commander2 ='''''
{{flagicon image|Quen minh 691036.jpg|22px}} [[Hồ Danh Sĩ Quốc]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|Quen minh 691036.jpg|22px}} [[Quách Thắng Due]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|HamyongGovernmentFlag.png|22px}} Su Eun-gi<br/>
{{flagicon image|Archadia-archedes 931556.jpg |22px}} [[Hugo Cavallero]]<br/>
{{flagicon image|Archadia-archedes 931556.jpg |22px}} [[Marco Aconi]]<br/>

| units1       = {{flagicon image|JoyongheaFlagOne.png|22px}} {{flagicon image|Commonwealth of Zanarkand and Besaid 3rd Version.jpg|22px}} 1st Zanarkian-Joyonghean Army Group <br/> 
* {{flagicon image|JoyongheaFlagOne.png|22px}} Third Joyonghean Army ([[Namgung Wook-yun|Wook-yun]])
* {{flagicon image|Commonwealth of Zanarkand and Besaid 3rd Version.jpg|22px}} Fifth Zanarkian Imperial Force ([[Edward Samegawa|Edward]])
* {{flagicon image|JoyongheaFlagOne.png|22px}}1st Conglomerate ([[Chae Hwa-young|Hwa-young]])
| units2      = {{flagicon image|Archadia-archedes 931556.jpg |22px}} [[Archadian Joyonghea Army]]
* X Blackshirt Corps
* Il Duce Uno Imperio Corpo
* V Royal Imperial Corps<br/>
{{flagicon image|Quen minh 691036.jpg|22px}} [[Joyonghea Imperial Front]]<br/> 
* {{flagicon image|Quen minh 691036.jpg|22px}} 7th Field Army <br/> 
* {{flagicon image|Quen minh 691036.jpg|22px}} 19th Field Army <br/>
* {{flagicon image|Quen minh 691036.jpg|22px}} 25th Agile Army <br/>


| strength1 ='''''
41 divisions combined both Joyonghean and Commonwealth forces

| strength2 ='''''
31 divisions

| casualties1 ='''''
4,785 killed<br/> 34 tanks<br/> 52 guns<br/>
| casualties2 ='''''
10,475 killed<br/> 30,000 captured<br/> 115 tanks<br/> 72 guns<br/>
}}

{{Campaignbox Third Joyonghean-Quenminese War}}

The '''Battle of the Gap''' was a military action around the town of Songsinan, which was a vital key road to Mogpo. This military action was named as '''"Operazione La Polizia il Piano"''' (lit. '''Operation Sweeping Floor'''), which was a vital operation planned by Archadian Marshal of Archadian Asianna, [[Hugo Cavallero]] was a way to effectively take the Zanarkian and New Akibander Forces out of the war. The resulting attack would have the Quenminese under [[Hồ Danh Sĩ Quốc]] to effectively force the Joyongheans and Lucians to fall back to Southern Joyonghea. The Archadians threw a massive attack against the Commonwealth line, forcing Major General [[Okita Hanamura]]'s Lucian Forces to fall back and left Major General [[Edward Samegawa]]'s Zanarkian-New Akibander [[Fifth Zanarkian Imperial Force|5th ZIF]] on the defense at Songsinan and cut off from the main allied lines. Instead of retreating, Samegawa organized a defensive line supported by a force of Joyonghean forces led by Colonel (later, Brigadier General) [[Rang Seong-hun]].

Predominantly an Archadian operation, Hồ decided to lend Quenminese reserves as he attempted to deal with both the Joyongheans and the Lucians, who were separated from Samegawa's Force, which many considered to be one of the most effective fighting formations in Joyonghea. As planned, after the Joyongheans and Lucians had retreated from the initial defensive line near Songsinan, the Quenminese threw a massive attack on the Joyonghean-Lucian lines . Under the command of Lucian General [[Okita Hanamura]] along with Joyonghean Generals [[Namgung Wook-yun]] and [[Chae Hwa-young]], they were able to carry the fight on despite the absence of Samegawa's larger force. 

By Christmas Day, the Archadians had effectively surrounded Samegawa's force. But Cavallero's refusal to attack at the soonest possible time caused Samegawa to prepare and navigate the weakest part of the Archadian encirclement, launching a counteroffensive to the south of the encirclement, leading to [[Operation Hydroxide]]. The operation took the Archadians by surprise, forcing them to break the encirclement and instead, attempt to reunite with Hồ's Quenminese Force engaging with the Joyongheans and Lucians but the attempt was negated by Edward's co-commander, Brigadier [[Simmon Denzel Crocker]] and instead, Cavallero was forced to retreat. 

By 20 January, Samegawa engaged with Hồ's rear, causing the Quenminese to break off the attack, thereby saving the Joyongheans and Lucians positioned around Samseong-dong. By February 2, the Allied line was reestablished at Songsinan and the advance to the west and north resumed.

==Background==

==Order of Battle==

==Planning==

==The Battle==

===Phase 1: Cavallero and Hồ stage a massive attack===

===Phase 2: Encirclement at Songsinan===

===Phase 3: Wook-yun and Okita retreats===

===Phase 4: The Quenminese Overrun===

===Phase 5: Joyonghean and Lucian Forces hold their ground===

===Phase 5: Cavallero's Mistake===

===Phase 6: The New Year Offensive and Breakout===
{{Main|Operation Hydroxide}}

===Phase 7: Denzel's Chase, Cavallero's Link-up, Samegawa's relief===

===Phase 8: Hồ and Cavallero retreats===

==Aftermath==