Battle of the Gap

Battle of the Gap
Part of the Asianna and the Pacific Campaign of the Second Europan War
Zanarkian Comet Tank of the 9th Zanarkian Division in Songsinan, Joyonghea
Date 15 Docember 1942 - 2 February 1943 Location Central Joyonghea, North Asianna Result Allied victory Quenminese-Archadian Forces forced back to Mogpo, 20 kms from the Inje Line
Belligerents
Joyonghea United Kingdom Zanarkand New Akiba	Archadia-Archedes Empire of Quenmin with collaborator support Bugpyeong (1937-1945) Hamyong Government (1939-1945)
Commanders and leaders
Namgung Wook-yun Chae Hwa-young Cheon Sang-ji Okita Hanamura Albert Crocker Edward Samegawa Roy Peterson Simmon Denzel Crocker Yuto Takagawa Hikaru Komaki	Hồ Danh Sĩ Quốc Quách Thắng Due Su Eun-gi Hugo Cavallero Marco Aconi
Units involved
1st Zanarkian-Joyonghean Army Group Third Joyonghean Army (Wook-yun) Fifth Zanarkian Imperial Force (Edward) 1st Conglomerate (Hwa-young)	Archadian Joyonghea Army X Blackshirt Corps Il Duce Uno Imperio Corpo V Royal Imperial Corps Joyonghea Imperial Front 7th Field Army 19th Field Army 25th Agile Army
Strength
41 divisions combined both Joyonghean and Commonwealth forces	31 divisions
Casualties and losses
4,785 killed 34 tanks 52 guns	10,475 killed 30,000 captured 115 tanks 72 guns

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 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.

The Battle

Phase 6: The New Year Offensive and Breakout

Main article: Operation Hydroxide