Empire of the Rising Sun

[Patine]

Thanks a lot for those new sounds, Leonidas!

[Leonidas]

I added a bit of an echo to a couple of the battleship sounds so that the sound would carry a bit.

When two battleships battle each other it should sound like qute a battle

Cheers!

[Patine]

A question, if I may. Were the Japanese using the yen by the '40's as their currency, or was some other one in place (a friend of mine believes they were still using the koku, but he's often known to be wrong). I'd like to replace 'gold' with ',000 yen,' or whatever is the appropriate coinage of the day, much as Nemo did ',000 rubles' in Red Front (I really liked that idea).

[Leonidas]

Patine:

Yes, Japan used the Yen.

Example:

TABLE I -- JAPANESE MILITARY BUDGET, 1931-1940

(in millions of yen)

Year / Military Budget / Percent of Total Expenditures

1931 434 29.4
1932 733 37.6
1933 873 39.2
1934 955 44.2
1935 1,032 46.8
1936 1,105 48.4
1937 3.953 71.6
1938 6,097 75.4
1939 6,417 71.7
1940 7,266 65.9

Source: Cohen, Japan's Economy in War and Reconstruction, p. 5.

[Patine]

Thanks, Leonidas! That's what I needed to know.

[Patine]

@Curt: Just wondering how those cities are coming along. I look forward to seeing them if they're anything like the marvels I've been seeing on the Nonunit Graphics Showcase thread!

[Patine]

Alright, with a touched up AA gun, thanks to Chris, here's my latest (and hopefully final, at least for the beta) units.bmp for anyone interested to take a look at. I hope to be done the events (which I'm currently working on) in about a week or so, as it's competing with a few other things for my time. After that, the beta should be ready for playtesting.

[Patine]

I've run into a bit of a problem in my events so far. Looking over my text popups, they certainly seem to come from a distinctly Allied point of view. I planned to change this mistake to more reflect a Japanese viewpoint on the matter, much as Red Front's text popups are scripted to be seen through Soviet eyes. However, I find almost all of my sources on the conflict are from an Allied perspective, with only token referece given to Japanese plans and opinions, even of their High Command. Does anyone know of a website or commonly available book that details the Pacific Theatre from a mostly Japanese standpoint?

[Leonidas]

Try John Toland's "The Rising Sun".

It's about the whole Pacific War from Japanese persepctive. It's available at most libraries...

[Boco]

I can probably dig up something from Coox's "Nomonhan: Japan against Russia 1939". That's about as narrow as it gets. The book focuses on about 3 months of conflict in an area that spans about 9 squares on your map. Just call me Mr. Flexible!

[Patine]

Thanks! I'll check those out right away (as soon as I pay down my library card overdue fines).

So, any comments or criticism on the current set of units.

[AGRICOLA]

In row 5, the destroyer, cruiser, battleship and carrier have near-vertical bows that make them look like pre WWI ships. The Japanese ships in row 8 are much better done.

The US Navy aircraft color schemes look authentic except for the Avenger that still has vestiges of red and white stripes on the tail.

Otherwise, evetything else looks great.

[Leonidas]

Patine:

Here are some good websites that have extensive timelines of the Pacific War.

Perhaps you can find some useful info for events among them:

1) http://www.historyplace.com/unitedst...r/timeline.htm


2) The Pacific Naval War Timeline

(specific years of the Pacific War can be found on the right-hand side of the page in the menu):

http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/asia-and-the-pacific/pacific-naval-war/pacific-naval-war-index.htm

[Leonidas]

Here is some info regarding the controversial and notorious Tanaka Memorandum (a paper that outlined a course of conquest for Japan).

The TANAKA MEMORANDUM

The Tanaka Memorandum was a memorandum written in 1927 by Baron Gi-ishi Tanaka, the Japanese prime minister and foreign minister, which advocated the conquest of Manchuria and Mongolia as a prelude to Japanese domination over the whole of China.

The memorandum also predicted that the operation would result in armed conflict between Japan and Russia.

The memorandum was intercepted by Soviet agents working in the Chinese postal service, and a second copy was stolen from the safe of the Japanese police chief in Seoul by Soviet agent Ano. A copy of the memorandum was later leaked by the INO to the American press to give the impression that it had been obtained by the Americans rather than the Soviets.

Japan's real objectives were set forth in the notorious Tanaka Memorandum, a secret document presented to the Mikado in 1927 by the then Premier, Baron Tanaka:

"... A more dangerous factor is the fact that the people of China might some day wake up... .. We must beware the day when China becomes unified and her industries become prosperous.

"After studying the present conditions and possibilities of our country, our best policy lies in the direction of taking positive steps to secure rights and privileges in Manchuria and Mongolia. These will enable us to develop our trade. This will not only forestall China's own industrial development. . . . This is the best policy possible!"

[Patine]

@AGRICOLA: I suppose I'll need some good generic more authentic WW2 ships, then; I'll have a look on the WW2 Graphics Showcase thread. Thanks for pointing that out!

@Leonidas: I'll browse this information thoroughly, see if I can find that book you mentioned, then set to work redoing my text popups. Thanks for the help!