WIELKOPOLSKA - Phase 3 - Looking South
May 1940 - It's Complicated...:
While Italy has remained a relatively calm and non-interfering neighbor, my intelligence reports begin to pick up rumblings of trouble. Mussolini harbors grand notions of domination of the Mediterranean as a sort of resurrection of the Roman Empire. Secret negotiations have been taking place between Bulagarian King Boris III and Il Duce with plans of dividing a conquered Yugoslavia and Greece. Hungary too has interests in Yugoslavia. Already, Italy has overwhelmed Albania further intensifying concerns. Before this situation begins to spin out of control, I'll make a 2 pronged effort:
DIPLOMATICALLY: Overtures will be made to Hungary and Romania to prevent Italian influence there and with the hope of luring these countries into an alliance with Poland. This will be complicated by their mutual mistrust and dispute over Ruthnia and Transylvania, but perhaps compromises can be found elsewhere...
MILITARILY: To thwart Italian domination of the Mediterranean, Poland will need a Mediterranean port. Yugloslavia, led by a young and naive King Pavle, will be sacrificed on the altar of Slavic unity. Aggression is not pretty, but if there is any hope of success against our ultimate adversary, the Soviet Union, moral compromises must be made.
May 16, 1940 - 0:00 - IC Status:
Recent conquests have vastly improved my IC Status. I will continue to increase my IC not only for an anticipated building program of mechanized forces, but also to create a TC infranstructure capable of supporting them. My biggest contraint at the moment is manpower. My current builds will expend 351 manpower. At my current manpower growth rate, it will take me far too long to cover that expenditure. Poland will have to expand to tkae on the USSR.
May 1940 - Manpower Growth Options:
A pre-emptive invasion of Yugloslavia may provoke war with Italy which in itself may present an opportunity to further expand my manpower growth. At he very least, a conquest of Yugoslavia will add .13 manpower per day to my current growth rate of .83 per day. I consider this a bare minimum necessary to alleviate my manpower concerns.
May 18, 1940 - 5:00 - Moving South:
I'm shifting the bulk of my army southwards in anticipation of southward expansion. I'm not feeling particularly rushed at the moment. It will be important to knock down my current dissent levels before I get embroiled in what could become a protracted war with Italy. Each DOW carries dissent consequences so I'll need to manage the timing of attacks carefully.
May 19, 1940 - 0:00 - Cavalry Upgrade:
Steadily, I'm not only expanding my cavalry forces, but I'm upgrading them to semi-motorized formations. These will become key elements in a projected mechanized force...completely necessary for future combat with the Soviet Union.
May 22 - June 1 1940 - IDeployment of New Units:
The arrival of new units only serves to underscore my manpower shortage threatening the gearing of unit builds and the ability to achieve a force capable of a credible attack on the Soviet Union. I must gain more manpower.
May 16 - June 2 1940 - Diplomatic Update:
Józef Beck presses on multiple fronts:
- placate the western allies to keep them off my back while I look southwards and eastwards
- warm up to the United States as a source of trade
- strive for improved relations with Romania and Hungary as a means of luring them into an alliance
- placate the Russians for as long as possible until I'm ready to confront them
On June 2, my worst fears are realized when the Soviets move to occupy Latvia as had been agreed with the Germans prior to the war. Our intelligence operatives had calculated that Stalin would back down after our crushing defeat of the Germans, however Stalin seem to have other plans.
