Riamese Invasion of the Unhak
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| Riamese Invasion of the Unhak | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Second Reunification War of Hoterallia and Era of Civil Wars | |||||||||
.png) Hoterallian troops on bicycles advance out of Kakokaminari City. | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Hoterallia |
 Riamo | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Hiroyasu Ishii Hirohiko Sasaki (WIA) Hosuke Konako Hitoshi Sakata Kentarō Imai |
James Watskin Francis Totten Hatsune Okamara Szame Holte Sophy Forthenhall Andrew Willings George Galls | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
|
'
2nd Naval Landing Force
Home Fleet
|
III Corp | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
1,500 troops active in active combat (90,000 in total)[1] 153 aircraft 510 artillery pieces 110+ anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns[2] 160+ AFVs 15,400+ motor vehicles[2] |
64,000 troops[3] 699 aircraft 71 fortress guns[1][a] 200+ tanks 3,500+ trucks 100+ motorized vehicles 2,600+ motor vehicles | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
817 312 killed or died of wounds[4] 400 wounded 57 captured[4] |
2197 197 killed or died of wounds 1957 (at least) wounded 43 captured[2] 47 tanks destroyed Over 1,000 motorized vehicles stolen or broken | ||||||||
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The Riamese Invasion of the Unhak was a short undeclared military confrontation between Hoterallia and Riamo in the Unhak Islands Chain. It was dominated by land battles between Riamese army units and the Imperial Hoterallian Army, with minor skirmishes at the beginning of the invasion between the Riamese army units and the Hoterallian Northern Expeditionary Army Group.
The Riamese had air and naval supremacy from the opening days of the invasion, allowing for a fruitful logistics network to exist from the first day of the operation, and ultimately giving the Riamese enough momentum to break through heavily fortified local defenses.
The operation is notable for the Hoterallian use of bicycle infantry, which allowed troops to carry more equipment and swiftly move through thick jungle terrain. The Riamese units, equipped with demolition charges, destroyed over a hundred bridges during the retreat, yet this did little to delay the Hoterallian. With swift movements, the Hoterallian 45th Infantry Regiment delayed the Riamese long enough for the 32nd Division to evacuate the island chain.
After the invasion, the Riamese resumed control of their previously owned territories and several islands that the Hoterallian lost during the invasion.
Background
Hoterallia
By 1940, Hoterallia had been on its downfall politically as the Empire was entering into a state of civil war.[4] Due to the political turmoil, the Empire was forced to withdraw all of its troops from outside the mainland to return home and reunify the homeland.[5] One of the forces that got withdrawn was the 32nd Division and its mixed brigades guarding the Unhak Islands Chain.
The island chain had been under the attention of both the Hoterallian and Riamese due to its geographical location and bountiful natural resources.[3] The islands had been under the Hoterallian influences since the late 1800s after the Hoterallian campaign to capture the chain.[3] Shortly after the Great War, the chain was split between the Riamese and Hoterallian but the Riamese was still bitter about the defeat during the Great War so plans to reinvade the chain were made. This troop build-up was noticed by the Hoterallians, so an immediate evacuation was given to the 32nd Division, and plans to stall the invading forces were given to the 45th Infantry Regiment.[5]
As the Riamese started to invade, the Hoterallian had over 100 tanks, many of which were light tanks and tankettes, these tanks were new models, including the Type 2 Kaminari light tank, Type 90 Kinzoku Kiheitai, Type 2 Raifu tankette and Type 2 Kinma light tank. In addition, they had nearly 150 aircraft available. As well as many well-maintained artillery pieces, anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns, and over 15,000 motor vehicles and bicycles.[5]
Riamo
Aftermath
The invasion would allow the Riamese Navy to hold control to the Unhak Sea, as well as the western entrance to the Nostrian, setting the stage for Riamese dominance of the seas for the next 2 decades.
Furthermore, the conflict became the precedent of a generation-long era of anti-riamese sentiment throughout the archipelago, which made it difficult for Riamo to hold effective control over the islands.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kazuhiro, Tanaka; (2001). The Fall of Unhak. Dai-Minato: Fuuka Publishing.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Allen, Louis. Unhak 1940–1945: Revised Edition, Guri: The Modern Library, 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Smith, Colin (2006). Unhak Burning. Dai-Minato: Fuuka Publishing.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Stille, Mark (2016). Unhak 1940: The Fall of Hoterallia's Empire in the East. Bloomsbury Publishing. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 M, Klemen (1999–2000). ""Fracturing of An Empire" The landing on Unhak, on January 12th, 1940". Forgotten Campaign: The Unhak 1940.
