Semarang, one of the major cities in eastern Java Island, had once been a prosperous economic hub. But after the war began, the city had become utterly desolate. Especially after the German military began massing in the South Seas and Australia, nearly everyone living in the city had fled.
The headquarters of the Island Nation's Army 5th Area Army was located in Semarang. The entire area army commanded five Island Nation's Army divisions and two independent mixed brigades, with a total strength of more than one hundred thousand men.
Since Java Island was not particularly large to begin with, although the Island Nation's Army had deployed two area armies and two corps on the island, the actual establishments of those two area armies and two corps were not large. Compared to the two area armies and two corps of the Island Nation's Army stationed on Sumatra Island, their troop strength was far lower.
At nine in the morning, the 6th Marine Division of the German Marine Corps had already secured a foothold on the beaches roughly five kilometers northeast of Semarang. The Island Nation's Army 42nd Division stationed there had been routed. The German Army 12th Army Corps was now landing there.
"Commander, the 42nd Division has suffered losses exceeding two-thirds, and all coastal positions have been lost. The Germans are landing in force," reported Lieutenant General Hagi Saburo, chief of staff of the 5th Area Army.
Lieutenant General Higuchi Kiichiro, commander of the 5th Area Army, wore an extremely grim expression. His forces' defensive sector appeared to have become the main target of the German military's offensive. This had inflicted enormous losses on the 5th Area Army during the fighting.
"Bastards! The 42nd Division collapsed before it had even held out for two hours? How are we supposed to