July, 1916

IIN Sails Forth! - Indochinese Times

The mighty Independent Indochinese Navy sails out of Siagon today!  Indochina, after barely 6 months of independence from Glorious France has reorganized its Military forces.  The new Independent Indochinese Navy (IIN) declared itself ready to defend Indochinese interests from external exploitation.

The IIN has organized itself into two patrol groups, each consisting of three ships.  The Eastern Patrol Group consists of the Protected Cruiser Davout, Sloop Bà Ra and Sloop Bàu Chính.  While the Western Patrol Group consists of the Protected Cruiser Chasseloup, Sloops Bàu Lâm and Bình Ba.

The Patrol groups are tasked with protecting the Indochinese Exclusive Economic Zone (IEEC) including fishing grounds and untapped undersea resources (Oil, Gas, etc).

The IIN has decided to retire the 5 Conde class Armored Cruisers gifted to it.  The IIN Strategic Planning Bureau is of the opinion that the Conde's are out of date in any modern conflict.  They are to slow and the two 12 inch guns will not provide sufficient battery fire to properly bracket a target in a long range engagement.  There was some call to keep two for Shore Bombardment purposes, but it was decided that the cost for specialized shore bombardment ships could not be justified.  Instead the Primary 12 Inch guns and Secondary 5.51 inch guns are being stripped and used for shore emplacements, guarding Siagon and other developing ports.

The IIN still has an additional sloop and 3 protected cruisers to compliment the Eastern and Western patrol groups for larger operations.  The Indochinese Times has heard reports of a IIN submarine force, but the navy has not answered any questions regarding this.

The IIN Strategic Planning Bureau is looking at plans for the expansion of the IIN, and we here at the Indochinese Times are waiting excitedly to see some home built designs rolling down the slipways.

December 15, 1916

WAR! - Indochinese Times

In a shock move by the Independent Indochinese Government, Indochina is at war!  While the recent mobilization of the Indochinese Army and navy has been impossible to miss, it was thought to be only for defensive measures against a possible 'spill over' of the close by Dutch/Siamese War.

Many Indochinese have been angry that their government said nothing on the issue.  Ties between Indochina and Siam are close, with Siam offering aid to Indochina (Then a French Protectorate) early in the 20th century.  It seams instead of saying something, the Indochinese Goverment was doing something.  Indochinese troops are rushing to the aid of their brothers in Nord Indokina and Siam.

The Goverment released the following statement -

Quote
December 14, 1916

His Most Glorious President Sarrault, by the Grace of God, Leader of Independent Indochina;

SENTS TO President Chiang Kai-Shek of the Reformist Republic of China AND Her Majesty Wilhelmina der Nederlanden (Pending finding out who the leader is), Queen of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and her other realms and dominions across the seas, GREETINGS, AND,

DOES HEREBY DECLARE that all RRC and Dutch propaganda be FALSE AND MISLEADING IN INTENT.

WE FURTHER DECLARE that claims of freeing the Asian peoples from European tyranny be NULL AND VOID AND FURTHERMORE simply be a unlawful land grab.

WE ADDITIONALLY FURTHER DECLARE that a STATE OF WAR exists between Independent Indochina and the Kingdom of the Netherlands AND ALSO the Reformist Republic of China.

WE COMMAND BY OUR MERE MOTION & FACULTY OF WILL that our fleet, armies, air forces, ports, and peoples do rise up and RALLY to defend their Asian brothers and allies.

BE AWARE that we will not tolerate further conquest and the unlawful seizure of lands from our allies the Kingdom of Siam and Deutscher Kaiserreich Brandenburg.

WE DEMAND that both the Reformist Republic of China and Kingdom of the Netherlands lay down your arms, and return to pre war positions.
Until such event FORCE OF ARMS, terrible and bloody, will be your doom.

President Sarrault

By Diplomatic Packet

December 16, 1916

Battle for Cat Ba Island - Indochinese Times

Reports have filtered in from unnamed government sources that a large sea battle took place on December 13 in which DKB and Indochinese Naval Forces engaged an RRC fleet landing troops on Cat Ba Island.  Specifics are vague as even our talkative source was unwilling to provide details that may harm the war effort.  However we can confirm that a DKB Armored Cruiser baited the screening forces, allowing a force of IIN Cruisers and Sloops to attack the landing ships.  2 RRC Battleships where sunk, while another two where heavily damaged.  A single light unit managed to escape the wrath of the Independent Indochinese Navy.  However, the RRC screening forces returned after a running battle with the DKB owned Blucher, and sunk the IIS Cassard.

The next day, coast watches reported RRC vessels shooting into the water, killing those IIS sailors that survived.

Despite the RRC atrocities, it was a great victory for Indochina, sinking 2 and disabling another 2 Chinese Battleships, for the loss of one light cruiser.  However, the fight has only just begun.  This newspaper implores Every Indochinese to do his or her part for the war effort!

DATE: January 10, 1917
TO: The Romanian Embassy
FROM: Indochinese Diplomatic Corps
CC: Glorious France, DKB, Siam, Habsburger Kaiserreich, RRC

At this time Indochina does not accept any help from Romanian Forces.  While we are grateful for the offer of assistance, we reject it.  Previous Romanian/RRC dealings have called into question Romanians true motives.

As such, Romanian vessels, troops, aircraft, both civilian and military are bared from Indochinese waters, lands, and ports.

Indochina will enforce the ban on Romanian units with force if necessary.

We are happy to work with Romanian forces outside of Indochina, on the request of the parent country.

END MESSAGE

HORROR! - Indochinese Times
By Nguy?n Thi Soon

It is with great sadness that I bring you this report.  I must start by explaining.  The Indochinese Government approached me, asking me if I wished to get scoop of a story.  I wish I had turned them down.

I proceeded into Nord Indokina with the 2nd Infantry corps.  I read the reports of "Indochina invading" and laughed.  Independent Indochinese troops where rushing northward though the DKB Colony of Nord Indokina, not to invade, but to repel an expected invasion.

It turns out the Indochinese Intelligence Agency (IIA) had heard of plans by the RRC to invade Nord Indokina.  In response, the Indochinese Goverment worked with the Siamese governments and DKB governments to help.  We were too late.

Indochinese troops rushed northward, marching 12 hours a day, from sun up to sun down.  But we could not make it time.  The well prepared RRC attacked, and its from the front lines that I bring my story to you.

It smelt of burning meat, a little bit like pig...but once we got closer, we could tell it wasn't.  The corpses were blackened.  You could easily tell it was an RRC rocket attack.  Their so called "precision weapons" had hit a village.  As the rockets splashed down, the native huts had provided no protection.
There was a post office in the centre of the village, it was built from brick and mortar, and it had withstood the "accurate" bombardment fairly well, only the tile roof destroyed.  It had been run by a French family, with their home behind the office.  The family had been dragged from the basement, tied up.  The males killed, used for bayonet practice.  The females had been raped, according to the few surviving villagers, then mutilated.
It was hard to tell what had been done, I didn't even realise they where bodies until the thousands of fly's where disturbed by my footsteps...I vomited.  I cried.

It wasn't just the white, European families that where so treated, any native Indochinese that where thought to be 'collaborating' faced a similar punishment.  The small village of Ba To was the worst we came across.  There was a mass grave just outside the village, more of a pile of dead men than a grave.  Inside, the bodies of women had been scattered, pulled apart, mutilated, burnt.  The cowardly RRC "Jungle Corps" had been camping there, they fled the instant the Indochinese Troops turned up.

This is a plea, to the RRC, stop the horror, please.  Why are you letting your men do this?  Why are you invading a peaceful country?

This is a plea, to all the governments of the world, please, help.  Not us, help those we are trying to help, protect the innocent.

All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing

Please, don't let this evil succeed.

Sounds to me like Mr. Soon needs to come over to Japan to make a statement regarding what has happened. :)

... and I thought only the Swiss were evil :D

OOC: I'm regarding this as propaganda since this wouldn't happen under my watch.

I'll get a response up later.

Quote from: Walter on September 21, 2009, 03:30:25 PM
Sounds to me like Mr. Soon needs to come over to Japan to make a statement regarding what has happened. :)

... and I thought only the Swiss were evil :D

OOC:

Miss Soon actually.  A Government statement will be released shortly.

DATE: January 12, 1917
FROM: Indochinese Diplomatic Corps
TO: The World

Independent Indochina requests immediate medical aid and observers to the RRC aggression in Nord Indokina and Northern Siam.  We fear, not for the lives of Indochinese Troops, but for the citizens, both Asian and European, of our neighbor countries.

We have clear evidence of Atrocities, Crimes against humanity, by the RRC's so called "guerrilla" troops.  You need not believe us, instead go to the front, see for yourselves what the RRC invaders are doing.  We entered this war on the request of Siam and the DKB to save lives, protect property.  RRC has entered this war to paint the world with their so called "democracy", otherwise know as ethnic cleansing and oppression.

Their past actions in Siam have show our words to be true.  Please, help the people of Nord Indokina and Siam.

END MESSAGE

QuoteMiss Soon actually.

"I'm sorry, I have a cold." :D

Will think of a proper reply (if any) to the Government note after work.

OOC: I have a few objections to that story before I begin. War-field reporters (government approved) did not appear at this time. In this time period the reporters wrote the history usually after the war had been fought or never visited the site themselves.

I find it baffling how you could possible slip behind my lines to make a report about something whether or not it exists.

January 14, 1917
From: The Republic
To: The World

We will begin this message be asserting that we have NOT committed such an atrocity in Indochina. Why would we, would pledged not harm the indigenous populations do such a thing? We ask you to consider the facts with their statement.

They say that they heard us make plans to invade Indochina. We made no plans, but for the sake of argument assume we did. How would they hear about it?

They say they collaborated with the Siamese and DKB government to prevent an advance and "marched their troops 12 hours a day." It is well known a proper soldier can make twenty miles in a full day of marching. By maps we should all have, the distance from their border to ours is a hundred miles. They could not have experienced resistance for they claimed that they collaborated with DKB and Siamese. That makes five days of marching under they reach our borders.

Now recall the dates at which movements were reported. Indochina reported its actions of movement at December 3. We declared war on December 10th. That is a week of time before our troops even left their houses. Then you see they had two days of movement left over. What did they do in this time?

Let us consider a scenario. They have two days before our invasion, the natives look well enough Chinese. They stage a village to be massacred and prepare to send a reporter to the scene. This occurs and the reporter reports that we have committed such an atrocious act. How convent when the Indochinese are fighting us! How funny that it was the government that approached the reporter, meaning the reporter had no intention of "getting the scoop" of such a shameful scene!

It is nothing new to the Republic that such attempts of sabotage have occurred. In fact our skirmish with Burma was based upon the plotting of some unknown third party. We have yet to discover who will try to instill such hatred between two nations. Now we find such a scene conveniently also in war. Perhaps we have found the third-party, which was right below our noses. How shameful that they not only force us to war and then betray us, but they also try to frame us! Luckily for us, and the whole world, the Indochinese have not covered up their trails well enough.

Our people feel for the victims of this cruel Indochinese propaganda attempt. But make no mistake, it only makes the rage in our people burn stronger. One shameful deed after another, it seems the Indochinese are willing to scoop to any level.

As the Indochinese have said, we are a democracy! Our people would never let such an act occur to fellow humans. We fight wars because we must, not because we wish to. What benefit is there to us to massacre a village? What usage would this serve? Why would we seek to create dissent in our own country and enrage the world? Why?

The answer is that we have not done such an act. We believe that even in war, fellow humans should be treated with respect. We send PoW's letters to their family whenever they write. We give them the rights of a first-class citizen. We know war is terrible and have no intention to make it any worse.

Quote from: Logi on September 23, 2009, 03:39:35 PM
OOC: I have a few objections to that story before I begin. War-field reporters (government approved) did not appear at this time. In this time period the reporters wrote the history usually after the war had been fought or never visited the site themselves.

I find it baffling how you could possible slip behind my lines to make a report about something whether or not it exists.

OOC:  You are correct re: War-Field reporters of this time.  However, their is no technological nor game mechanic reason for them not to exist at this time.

Quote from: hooper82 on September 23, 2009, 04:56:16 PM

Quote from: Logi on September 23, 2009, 03:39:35 PM
OOC: I have a few objections to that story before I begin. War-field reporters (government approved) did not appear at this time. In this time period the reporters wrote the history usually after the war had been fought or never visited the site themselves.

I find it baffling how you could possible slip behind my lines to make a report about something whether or not it exists.

OOC:  You are correct re: War-Field reporters of this time.  However, their is no technological nor game mechanic reason for them not to exist at this time.

Actualy there have always been reporters at or near the front, and geting through someones lines isnt all that tough.

OOC: But not a case where the government asks for them.

Who says there even was a reporter? The village might not even exists. You know there is this thing called propaganda?  ;)

Those that want to belive it will, those that don't won't. The only canon is what the mods say in the OOC battle reports. Everything else...