Vietnam 1962-the Advisors Phase

 

Vietnam 1962-the Advisors Phase

Armed with the reliable .45 cal. M3 Submachine Gun, popularly known as the "Grease Gun," this model of an American Advisor has taken an active part in an Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) patrol. In the last years of the Eisenhower Administration some 700 US military advisors were active in South Vietnam. In 1962, the new Kenedy Administration sent an additional 500 to assist the ARVN. in an effort to prevent a Communist takeover of South Vietnam.
 

With continuing requests for more advisors and support personal from the South Vietnamese Government and US military, the numbers of American forces committed grew steadily, reaching 11,000+ by the end of 1962. To that date 53 US military personnel had be killed in Vietnan. More troops were seen as needed by the American Government to prop up the South Vietnamese government and prevent the success of the dreaded " Domino Theory" that foretold the fall of surrounding countries to Communist take overs once South Vietnam fell.

Within a year the number of American service personnel in Vietnam had reached 16,000 and the next phase of US escalating the war into full combat involvement was on the near horizon.

This is a kit bashed 28mm plastic piece I painted in January '23.

Thailand Buddha

Buddha in the distance belies its size. 

94% of Thailand follows the Theravada school of Buddhism and it is a major aspect in the lives of the people of the nation.

The golden reclining Buddha is a huge statue and very popular among tourists.

Statues of Buddha are everywhere in the country and are beautiful works of religious art.

Imperial Nippon the Colonial Power

After Commodore Perry's fateful trip to Nippon in the 1850's the Nation of Nippon choose to embrace every aspect of the Modern World, including the European concept of Colonialism and overseas empires. Starting in the 1870's with dozens of Pacific islands, by the 1890's Nippon had turned its attention to the dying Qing Dynasty of China. After a swift victorious war, the Imperial Army and Navy annexed Formosa (Taiwan) and Korea (although the Europeans forced the technical return of the latter to the tender care of the Russian Empire).

By 1905, tensions had run their course between the empires of Russia and Nippon. The Imperial Navy used a lightning strike, before declaring war, on the Russian East Asia fleet in Korea. The Surprise attack destroyed Russian Naval power in Korean waters and allowed the unfettered movement of the Imperial Army as they systematically destroyed the Russian forces in Korea. The overwhelming victory of the Imperial Navy over the Russian reinforcement fleet in the Battle of Tushima sealed the Russian defeat and added Korean to the growing Empire of Nippon. By the 1930's, the Imperial Staff had made plans for the dismemberment of China, starting with Manchuria. This path was to directly lead to the final expansion of the Empire with the early conquests of much of East Asia in the opening victories of World War II.

The Japanese entry into World War II began as it had in the Russo-Japanese War, with a surprise attack upon the naval forces of the Japanese enemy, before a declaration of war.

The Empire's massive victory was also its greatest mistake.  The sneak attack on this "Day of Infamy" while the two governments were engaged in peace negotiations, would so enrage the American public that only total destruction of the Empire would satisfy the cry for revenge.

The Empire Nippon had reached its zenith of size and power and yet it had but four years left to live.