Return to Glory: A Germania AAR

Aside from the brief but terribly destructive rebellion in the territory of La Coruna in early February( for more information on acting Gauleiter Heydrich's defeat of the resistance I suggest Prof. Rueters's fine book Heydrich's War), the year of nineteen hundred and thirty-seven was a year of calm in Europe. The eyes of the colonial powers turned away from a resurgent but placid seeming Germany and toward the swath of destruction the Japanese were carving through the Chinese mainland. Their concern for their overseas possessions blinded them, however, to the danger in the the flurry of activity that boiled beneath the surface of the German Reich.

The incredible expansion of the Luftwaffe(especially in the area of bomber wings), the massive buildup of the Kreigsmarine's surface fleet as well as the basing of hundreds of U-boats in Spain were there to see and were duly reported by the various intelligence agencies of the Alliance. Add to that the massive conscription effort and the unveiling (via grand military parade during the Nuremburg Rally of that year) of several new panzer divisions, and the message should have been clear: the seas were calm now, but a storm was on the horizon.

Despite Germany's ominous flexing of it's military might, however, nineteen thirty-seven was a time for millions of Europe's young men to believe in peace.

excerpt from Before the Storm
Prof. Edward Peck Univ. of Chicago





Sept. 10, 1937

"Where's the man of the hour? Tell him to grab his cane and get in here."

"Hey, leave the joking in this family to me. I'm the only one who's any good at it.", said Otto as he entered the kitchen and greeted his brother.

Helmut winked at Elsa as he turned to his brother and replied in a loud voice, "Hello Otto. My name is Helmut, do you remember? I'm here because it's your birthday."

Otto punched his brother in the arm and said, "I'm only a few years older than you, so stuff it."

Helmut turned back to Elsa and said somberly, "It's nice to see him having one of his good days."

As Elsa and Helmut shared a laugh, Otto threw up his hands and began to fix himself a drink. "I wouldn't mind one of those.", said Helmut.

Cupping a hand to his ear, Otto replied as he walked out of the room, "Eh, what's that? Sorry, my hearing is not what it used to be. I'll be resting my bones in yard if you want to talk, just let me find my hearing tube first."

"Oh, he's so very hilarious.", grumbled Helmut as he fixed his own drink. "He and Will should get together and start an act."

"Who's Will? A friend of yours?", asked Elsa.

Not realizing he had spoken the last part aloud, Helmut nervously stammered, "He..um... yeah, a friend. No one important. I'm going to go find Otto."

Helmut beat a hasty retreat and moved out into the back yard where he found his brother speaking to a few guests who had the look of military men about them despite their civilian attire. Walking over to the group he nodded a greeting to the men as Otto placed an arm around his shoulders and said, "Guys, this is my brother Helmut."

As they smiled and nodded in Helmut's direction, Otto continued, "Now this here is Sergeant Hoffman, Hoff for short, and his wife Ingrid is over there with Emma. These two sorry looking fellows are Corporal Hertz and Private Lorenz. And rounding off this sorry group is Corporal Schneider who, as you can see, could not wait for the end of the introductions to grab another drink. These three did not come with anyone as no woman would have them."

"Now, that's not fair sir. I just have high standards is all.", replied Hertz in a hurt tone.

"As for me", began Lorenz, "it's not my fault that every time I go out, I've got Schneider tagging along acting like a jerk."

"Me tag along with you? Ha!", replied Schneider. Leaning in close to Helmut he whispered, "The kid looks up to me, I'm sort of a hero-figure to him."

"I don't know what he's saying to you, but if he's not admitting to being an ass, don't believe a word of it.", shouted Lorenz.

Helmut laughed, clearly seeing that these men cared deeply for each other. It was a camaraderie born of shared experiences that Helmut was beginning to understand from his time training in Brandenburg. Laughing and poking fun were just part of the bond, but woe unto the outsider that said a wrong word about one of your comrades.

The crowd broke up and moved off into different directions as Otto turned to his brother and asked, "So, how's the new line of work going?"

Helmut shrugged, "Not as bad as I'd feared. Some of the training is actually quite fun. I tell you, when you go through that kind of training you find out some things about yourself."

"Oh, yeah? Such as?"

Helmut smiled, "Such as, after a few days wandering around in a forest you'll eat almost anything."

Otto grimaced, "What kind of training are you going through exactly?"

"I'm not sure how much I can divulge. Suffice to say that stealth and infiltration are big parts as well as managing all sorts of weapons.", replied Helmut.

Otto smiled, "Well, sounds like they're turning you into a real soldier."

Helmut nodded, "Yeah, and you know something? I think I find the idea of that a little more rewarding than what I was doing before. I mean, when the time comes to exterminate Bolshevism I want to be there on the front lines, not stuck in an office somewhere."

Otto frowned, "I'm afraid I don't share your enthusiasm for any future conflict. Every soldier loses that enthusiasm after some time at the front."

"God Otto, why do you always have to be so negative?"

"It's not negativity, it's realism.", replied Otto.

"You sure it's not just crankiness in your old age?", asked Helmut.

Otto glared at his brother for a moment before laughing and putting an arm around him. Steering him toward the house he said, "Come on, I'll get you another drink and we'll leave talk of war for another day."

Helmut smiled, "You have yourself a deal, lead on."

stnylan said:

And again, the difference between the idealist and the realist.

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Indeed, though when the bullets start to fly perhaps Helmut will change his tune.

HKslan said:

How old is he? And how old is Elsa for that matter? They ever going to have children of their own? Paternity was very much expected and encouraged of married couples in the Reich, after all.

And hundreds of U-boats? Really? I'm surprised to hear of someone with the patience to manage that many.

Anschluss in 6 months, and Treaty of Munich 6 months after that. Helmut must be getting familiar with a lot of Austrian and Sudeten Volksdeutsche.

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I picture Otto and Elsa as being in their late twenties so children of their own would not be out of the question. It's something I've been thinking about as well, but being as Emma and Eric are on the scene, I just don't know how many kids I want to be writing about.

When I say hundreds I'm referring to the fact that U-boat units are represented as full flotillas in game. By late 1937 I had eight flotillas in Spain with more on the way. Much more.

Helmut and the Bradenburgers are indeed prepping for action in Austria and the Sudetenland on the off chance that the governments of Austria and Czechoslovakia are unwilling to see reason.

Kurt_Steiner said:

I know that little Otto is going to appear. I bet my shorts... It's fated to happen. About the penal battalion... we agree... somehow... :rofl:

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Sorry I missed the comment you put up while I was posting. I admit it, Skorzeny will appear. He would have already if I wasn't trying to hold on to historical accuracy as much as possible. As an Austrian, Skorzeny can't join team Reich until after the Anschluss.

HKslan said:

Several. Think of it as a means of justifying Germany's excessive manpower situation.


Really?
..
I've been playing this game for a year and I've always thought each SS you choose to build represents one submarine. I feel a bit dumb. :rofl: Even so, that's a lot of U-boats. You don't feel that they're useless? I've heard people say they were a lot more potent in HoI2, but I've never played.


I'd be really surprised to see the game have it in for you so much as to let you lose the nationalists despite direct intervention and have either ( or both ) resist.

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Well, it is the duty of every citizen of the Reich to produce future soldiers as you said. Something for me to consider I suppose.

I don't really know how effective a U-boat campaign is in game, but I like using them as they lend an authentic feel to the game when you play Germany.

All resistance will be crushed without mercy! Those lands are mine by right! Never mind that they have their own flags, armed forces, government institutions, and cultural identity. MINE!!!!

slokiller said:

Excellent post. Can't wait for Helmut adventures in austria, hopefully he doesn't screw that up.

submarines are the best as Germany, I always use them to completly cut off that home island from the rest of the empire slowly straving the troops.

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Ye of little faith! Of course, Helmut won't have to do much at all if the Austrians give up their country without a fight. Which they will do if they know what's good for them.

Sheepguard said:

I say we fight Given the fact that the spaniards managed to beat off the Germans...

Of course historically this would have been slaughter...

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I don't know if the AI takes things like that into account. Now if it was me being faced by a German Army that had been routed by Spanish militia, I believe my response would be, "Bring it on."

Austria's mountain ranges could certainly cause some trouble if they decide to fight, so I'm hoping they won't.

March 23, 1938
Vienna, Austria

Helmut Wolf leaned back in his chair and nonchalantly checked for the sidearm hidden beneath his jacket with one hand while bringing a cup of coffee to his lips with the other. He was seated in an outdoor cafe in the government district of Vienna with several of his comrades from what the Army called Battalion Ebbinghaus. They simply called themselves Brandenburgers, after the location at which their training had been conducted. Helmut and the men seated with him were some of the very few members of the battalion who were not Volksdeutsche, a majority of the men having been recruited into the battalion were from the Sudetenland or areas of Poland lost to Germany after the Great War and were, therefore, fully capable of blending into the population of said areas. For what Berlin had planned here though, native Germans were more than capable.

As Helmut ran his eyes around the square his hand began to drift back toward the weapon concealed on his person. Before he could once again feel the reassuring form of the weapon a hand fell on his arm and pushed it down. Helmut turned to find Captain von Hippel staring at him. The Captain made a tsking sound and said, "Cut that out Helmut, you're making me nervous. Your weapon is still there, trust me. I've been a soldier for a long time and I've never once seen a weapon of any kind get up and walk away."

Helmut smiled sheepishly and nodded his head. Inside though, he was cursing himself, Here's your chance to show these guys that you're not some soft SS bureaucrat, and you go and embarrass yourself by acting like a teenager on his first date. Well done Helmut, good show.

As if reading his mind von Hippel smiled and said, "Don't worry son, everyone gets a little bit of the jitters right before an action. It's how you handle those jitters when the lead starts flying that matters."

Helmut nodded and immediately felt better. Looking to his comrades he saw the signs in them now. The way that Manfred couldn't quite sit still or the tune that Max couldn't stop whistling. The only one who didn't appear nervous was the Captain. Perhaps part of being a good leader is finding a way to mask your fear in front of the men, Helmut thought. He had clenched both hands around the coffee cup so as not to betray any further anxiety and was taking another sip when a man seated himself at the table. He was known to them as Leopold, though Helmut doubted very much that it was his real name, and he was their contact with the Austrian National Socialist Party.

"Leopold" was wearing a huge grin as he said, "It's just come over the radio, Schuschnigg has resigned as Chancellor and has accepted the fact that power must be turned over to the Party."

At this von Hippel leaned forward and asked, "So that's it then? It's done?"

Their guest's smile slipped a little, but returned as he replied, "Not exactly. President Miklas is refusing to turn control over to the Party, and is apparently determined to resist us. I would not doubt that he also intends to go ahead with the referendum set two days from now."

Von Hippel rose and said, "Alright men, that's our cue then. Make ready." Turning to their contact he asked, "Are your people prepared?"

Leopold nodded as he replied, "Yes, when you begin to move we will follow. From here we will branch out to the other government centers."

As von Hippel led his small group across the square, his thoughts turned to the rest of the men in his battalion spread out across Austria. Already they would be moving into position, ready to blow up supply depots or destroy Austria's rail system in the event of an Austrian armed resistance. Still others would be donning Austrian uniforms and preparing to sew confusion among the enemy ranks. His thoughts swung back to the here and now as his men, several Austrian Nazis, and himself burst through the precinct door and found themselves staring at a large contingent of Vienna Police.

Leopold stepped forward and began to address the policemen, "You have by now heard that the Chancellor has resigned and agreed to turn over power to the National Socialist Party. However, President Miklas has refused to appoint Seyss-Inquart as the new Chancellor and he and his party are even as we speak attempting to illegally hold onto power. Their course is the way of bloodshed, we beseech you to uphold the law and serve the community by placing Miklas and his lackeys under arrest."

Helmut licked his lips nervously, this was the moment of truth. The Vienna Police would have to choose sides right now. If they chose the Nazis, all well and good. If not...well, they hadn't brought these weapons along just for show. The first of many lives would be taken on this spot. As a tense silence stretched, a Police Captain stepped forward and planted himself in front of the group. Turning to Leopold he said, "We are at your service and await orders."

It seemed as his everyone on the room let out a breath simultaneously as Leopold handed over a list saying, "These men and these buildings will need to be secured in order to bring about a peaceful change of government. If there is one thing we do not wish, it is violence and bloodshed."

As the Police Captain turned and began to issue orders to his men Helmut looked to von Hippel and said, "Jesus, that was rather anti-climatic."

Max nodded and whispered, "Yeah, we spend all this time getting ready for trouble and... nothing. Bit of a disappointment if you ask me."

Von Hippel smiled and responded, "Alright stow it you guys. We still have a lot of work to do tonight, so who knows? Maybe we'll find some trouble yet."

"Here's hoping." grumbled Manfred as they walked back into the night and set off with the police to secure the major government offices of Austria's capital.



March 25, 1938
Vienna, Austria

After a very long couple of days, Helmut and his comrades sat drinking coffee at the same cafe they had waited anxiously at nearly two days before. As arrest after arrest was made and government office after government office was secured, President Miklas has seen the way the wind was blowing and had appointed Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Chancellor at midnight on the tweny-fourth. Not a shot had been fired.

Now, troops of the Whermacht were marching into Vienna to the cheers of a jubilant crowd. As flowers rained down on the soldiers, as well as the affections of some attractive young women, Max muttered, "Well, there they are boys. The liberators of Austria."

Manfred scowled and said, "We did their jobs for them and that's the damn truth. Not even a thank you or a flower tossed our way."

"Don't let it bother you. At the end of the day, we know what we did and that's what matters.", replied Helmut.

The two men turned raised eyebrows toward Helmut and slowly began to nod. As Helmut turned to von Hippel, he found him nodding in approval as he said, "We performed our assigned task without flaw, that's all we need concern ourselves with."

Max nodded, "That's right Captain, let them keep their parade. I don't want to associate with those that take false credit anyway."

The four men raised their coffee mugs and brought them together in a toast to their success.


Austria joins with Germany as Hitler proclaims the forming of the Greater German Reich


Just a little something for people who like screenshots. I figured I'd toss one up as I haven't thus far.

HKslan said:

Wow, 6 months. But great, Anschluss without a hitch -- at least, well, mostly. Hopefully the Czechs and Lithuanians are just as docile, especially for Helmut and co.'s sake.

You going to keep Austria's army? Also, have you been building up your IC any?

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I kind of hit the fast forward button there as nothing of any real interest happens from 1937 to early 1938. Also, I wanted to move things along a little as I don't know how much updating I'm going to be doing after this week. I've accepted a new job opportunity and I'll be away from home most of the time so this AAR will probably start to slow down.

Well docile Czechs and Lithuanians won't make for exciting events will they?

Austria's army will be kept and integrated into other Whermacht formations. I might keep a large group of them together and form an all Austrian unit though as I like the idea of that.

I expanded my IC big time. When the game started I poured all of my production points into factories and didn't build a single unit in the whole year of 1936 (which is why the Austrian troops are a welcome addition to my forces). I also have a couple of ministers who beef up my IC as well and have heavily researched industrial techs. There has also been a few random events that have boosted my IC by a perentage point here and there. So, I am flexing some big time industrial muscles at this stage. My only concern is that my armed forces (especially in the area of fighter wings) are a little understrength due to all the factory building with a war with the Allies on the horizon.

Thanks for continuing to read and comment!

Kurt_Steiner said:

Congrats with your new job!

It seems that good old Helmuth is improving a bit... good...

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Thanks for the well wishes.

I will agree that Helmut's time spent away from the SS environment is doing him some good.

April 20, 1938
Berlin, Germany

"Come on in there, do you want to miss the big day?", called Elsa Wolf into Eric's room.

"No, I'm ready!.", answered Eric as he stepped from his room wearing his Deutsches Jungvolk uniform. He impatiently waited for Elsa to make some adjustments to his unifom and hair before running to join Otto and Emma who were already outside talking with Helmut.

As Eric ran up the group Helmut ruffled his hair and smiled as he said, "There he is. Ready for your big day?"

Before Eric could respond, he was turned around by Elsa who was favoring Helmut with an exasperated look as she said, "Look at his hair Helmut, what were you thinking? You want him to meet the Fuhrer looking like that?" She clarified the question as rhetorical by turning away from Helmut and setting to fixing Eric's hair for the second time, grumbling not quite under her breath as she did so.

Helmut thought about responding anyway, but a warning shake of the head by Otto led him to decide against it. Instead, he took Emma by the hand and led her to the car. Within moments the rest of the family had piled in and they were off for the celebration honoring the day of the Fuhrer's birth. Part of the festivities was to be an inspection of Hitler-Jugend and Deutsches Jungvolk formations by the Fuhrer himself, and Eric was practically bouncing up and down in his seat in anticipation as his section had been selected to represent the local chapter of the Jungvolk. Being the section leader, he would actually meet and speak to the Fuhrer! It was all he had been able to think about for days.

Several hours later, Eric stood at rigid attention along the side of the parade ground as a detatchment of the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler marched past. He watched, wide-eyed as the grim-faced men filed past in their black uniforms and gleaming boots. Coming to a halt, the formation executed a smart right face and came to present arms opposite the formations of the Jungvolk and Hitler-Jugend. Since his talk with Helmut over a year ago, Eric had been considering the differnt paths he could take once he graduated from the Jungvolk and entered the Hitler-Jugend. Now, looking at the tall men in their impeccable uniforms across from him, he knew what he wanted his future to hold. He decided right there to join the SS when he came of age and serve the Fuhrer and began to daydream about what he would look like in that wonderful black uniform.

A tramping of boots interrupted his thoughts and Eric slid his eyes to the right to determine the source. The Fuhrer and his entourage were walking down the corridor made by the young men on one side and the Liebstandarte on the other. Within moments, although it seemed like hours to Eric, the Fuhrer came to stop in front of him. Eric snapped his arm forward in salute and called out, "Heil Hitler."

Hitler smiled down at Eric and returned the salute saying, "It looks like you're leading a fine group of young men."

Eric puffed out his chest as he replied, "Thank you sir!"

The Fuhrer patted him on the shoulder and said as he moved off, "I'm sure you'll all grow into fine soldiers for the Fatherland."

He had spoken only two sentences which were probably the same two sentences he had spoken to everyone else, but Eric found himself profoundly moved both by his words and his presence. After they were dismissed, he felt as if he were walking on air as he moved to rejoin his family.

Helmut smiled at him and asked, "Well, what was it like meeting the man himself?"

"It was the greatest thing that's ever happened.", came the enthusiastic reply. "Haven't you ever met him Uncle Hans?"

Helmut shook his head, "No, I haven't. Iv'e seen him of course, but never actually met him. I have met Reichsfuhrer Himmler though."

"Oh, that's nice I guess.", replied Eric.

Helmut laughed, "Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction to it as well."

"Well, what does everyone say we start fighting our way out of this crowd and head home for dinner?", asked Otto.

Helmut shook his head, "You four go ahead. I think I'll go and introduce myself to some of those Bund girls over there."

As Elsa turned a disapproving frown on him Otto asked, "You sure?"

Helmut nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure. I promised the guys that I would meet up with them later anyway. Besides, you and Elsa are always saying I should meet a nice girl. Well, there's a whole bunch of them right over there."

As Otto lead his family away, Helmut turned toward a group of young women standing nearby. He straightened his uniform and put on his best smile as he walked over and said, "Excuse me ladies, may I speak with you a moment?"