Chaos in the Streets, a German Alternate History AAR

[SovietAmerika]

Do something damnit! You cant leave my country to the Communists! Or the brownshirts for that matter.

Mind if we switch countries then, assuming the Commies win?

BTW Beautiful AAR, I love Alternate History.

[Milites]

A wonderfully written AAR which, despite the few odd grammatical errors here and there, reminds surprisingly much of the writings of Philip Kerr.

I can't wait to see how this battle galore between the Kozis, Social Democrats, Conservatives and the fingernail inspecting Nazis turns out. Although it worries me somewhat that the latter has been awfully quiet since the proclamation of the Communist Revolution.

[NicLovin]

this aar has captured my attention and i shall keep up the good work

down with the reds! crush those commies!

[Leviathan07]

Interesting premise here. I love alternate histories about the Weimar republic and its last years.

Although Schleicher bringing back Ludendorff might not come across as a move to save the nation... Ludendorff was the guy who tried to coup the government together with Hitler in 1923 and people remember that. Ludendorff was also a vile person and dumb as a rock... a good organizer but totally devoid of common sense. When he and Hindenburg ran the war effort during the Great War it were underlings like Kühlmann who did the thinking. Hindenburg and Ludendorff were the front-men who could yell at the Kaiser and bully him into submission.

[Der_Leprechaun]

Tommy4ever: It still remains to be seen what the government will do, but you are very right. The center has pretty much lost all power.

trekaddict: Oh, something is indeed in the works.

Do something damnit! You cant leave my country to the Communists! Or the brownshirts for that matter.
Mind if we switch countries then, assuming the Commies win?

Never assume, my friend

Milites Odd grammatical errors? How dare you question my writing. von Schleicher will come after you when he is finished with the Communists!!!

NicLovin: thank you for the compliment

Ludendorff was also a vile person and dumb as a rock... a good organizer but totally devoid of common sense. When he and Hindenburg ran the war effort during the Great War it were underlings like Kühlmann who did the thinking. Hindenburg and Ludendorff were the front-men who could yell at the Kaiser and bully him into submission.

It's quite possible that another figurehead is all Germany needs though... We already have a behind-the-scenes schemer


Anyway, just a quick progress update. I have an update almost ready, although these few weeks in mid-october are insane for me school-wise. Hopefully I'll have it ready tonight or early tomorrow morning.

[Der_Leprechaun]

delays, delays, delays. These next few weeks I have paper after paper to write for school, and them midterm week. I've been at this school crap for 15 years, enough is enough!

Anyway, I did have time to write an update, so here you go.

**********

November 12, 1930
Berlin

As the defiant Communist representatives exited the Reichstag, they were greeted by an enormous crowd which had formed out front of the building. Just like the day before, they carried red banners and called for the downfall of the government and of capitalism. The representatives waved to the crowd, and a few held up their remaining shoes to the crowd in a triumphant display. At the edges of the crowd hovered large contingents of Sturmabteilung brownshirts, kept at bay by the equally large force of Communist Rot Front fighters. It was here, in this atmosphere, that the first shots of the revolution were fired.

The Communist Party headquarters in Berlin, with a large assembly out front. Note the SA in the foreground assembled in a counterprotest.

As the Communist crowd grew increasingly rowdy, the rumble of engines could be heard. A column of armored cars and trucks filled with infantrymen converged on the Reichstag’s green. At long last, the German state itself had intervened in the street violence by sending in the Reichswehr. A captain poked his head up from the hatch of the leading armored car and, emerging, addressed the crowd.

“Attention! You are to disperse immediately! This is an unlawful gathering! Return home immediately! Any act of violence against the troops assembled here will be considered violence against the German state itself, and you will be arrested and tried for treason!”

“Treason against your capitalist empire is no different than fighting for our Revolution!”, came a reply from the crowd.

The crowd jeered and seethed, furiously waving their red banners. A line of Rot Front fighters formed in front of the crowd, facing the trucks and armored cars of the Reichswehr. The standoff continued for several minutes while the captain stood, arms folded, looking at the crowd. Suddenly, a shot rang out. The captain gripped his left arm and, doubling over, tumbled back into the hatch of the armored car. Shouts were heard as the men of the Army realized what had just happened. And then, all at once, the entire column opened fire on the crowd.

The chaos that ensued could hardly be described. The armored cars, not wanting to gun down civilians, fired over the heads of the crowd, but the point was clear and the crowd stampeded away from the armored cars—right towards the line of SA men. The Nazis had been just as surprised as the Communists at the army’s arrival, and now their leader ordered them to break ranks and scatter. It was his (probably correct) opinion that the machine gunners of the army wouldn’t have distinguished between a Communist Rot Front fighter and a National Socialist SA member.

Now, as the crowd ran in all directions, only the Rot Front fighters remained in the green, and these had taken cover behind anything they could find, determined not to run away in panic. As they peered out from behind their cover, hundreds of troops of the Reichswehr jumped off the trucks and charged into the green. Knowing that the armored cars would soon be unable to fire for fear of hitting their own men, the Rot Front counter-charged.

It was a brave move, but terribly stupid. The men of the Reichswehr were far better trained than the paramilitary forces the Communists usually fought. As Chief of Staff, von Schleicher had continued the policies of General Hans von Seeckt. The 100,000 man Reichswehr was small, but it only allowed the most skilled men to join, and these men were better trained than any other military force at the time. In addition, the soldiers were paid six times that of the soldiers of the Western Powers, so von Schleicher had at his disposal men who were fiercely loyal and whose power was far greater than their numbers would lead one to believe.

Now, as the two sides crashed together, the superiority of the Reichswehr troops became clear. Only some of the Communists carried firearms; the rest charged with their usual swords, clubs and other crude weapons. These proved to be no match to the rifles and bayonets of the Army Regulars. The Reichswehr was intent on not making martyrs out of the Reds, so they tried to take as many prisoners as possible and kill only as a last resort. Still, the soldiers showed themselves unafraid to fire in anger. After seeing those who refused to surrender shot down, some of the Reds came to their senses and gave in, but others charged on, determined to die a proud revolutionary.

When the smoke finally cleared, thirty-five Rot Front fighters and two soldiers had been killed. It was one of the bloodiest days since the German Revolution of late 1918. Many, though, feared that it was just the beginning.

[Raaritsgozilla]

Holy hell, a slight wee riot then?

Reminded me a little of Bloody Sunday to be honest, good writing!

[Kurt_Steiner]

SA doesn't seem to be eager to give marthyrs to the Reich...

[Ciryandor]

The SA are just waiting to jump into the fray... they'll try to co-opt the government in the process.

[trekaddict]

How should they coopt the Government after said Government has shot at them? Trust me, next time something goes wrong the SA might/should be the one. Here's for hoping that the state is reasserting it's power.

[El Pip]

I think sending armoured cars into the heart of Berlin is a pretty good way for the state to assert itself!

[SouthCarolinian]

and so it begins! will the right paramilitary forces join up with the government to fight the reds, or will we see a 3 way fight for supremacy

[Kurt_Steiner]

I think sending armoured cars into the heart of Berlin is a pretty good way for the state to assert itself!

Or to introduce a new kind of taxi service, methinks.

[great_chairman]

I think sending armoured cars into the heart of Berlin is a pretty good way for the state to assert itself!

Brandenburg Gate instead of Gate of Heavenly Peace?

[OutsiderSubtype]

The Freikorps put a stop to one attempted revolution in 1921, but who knows what will happen this time? Schleicher's scheming seems too little too late; I don't think the people will stand for "H&L" again.

[Der_Leprechaun]

Raaritsgozilla: Now that you mention it, it is quite a bit like bloody sunday. I wasn't even intending that. As an Irish-American though, I'm offended you'd consider my ancestors equal to Communists...

Kurt_Steiner: Their time will come...

trekaddict & El Pip: This next update will show more of the Republic "evolving" and reasserting its power.

OutsiderSubtype: As Mao once said, "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." And right now, von Schleicher has a large advantage in that area over the Communists.

Anyway, time for some more updates.

**********

November 14, 1930
Berlin

“You must be a man and face the truth, Herr Brüning. Your days as Chancellor are over.”

Paul von Hindenburg’s scowl was even more pronounced than usual as he stared at the dejected Chancellor standing before him. Brüning seemed completely lost for words. At last, he managed to speak.

“Herr President, if only I could have more time to try and—“

“You fool!” thundered Hindenburg. “Your entire term as Chancellor, you have solved nothing! Now things are even worse than when the Depression hit! And look at what’s happened to the ‘Grand Coalition’ you hoped to create! The Communists are no longer part of the government, the Social Democrats are holding an emergency convention in two weeks’ time and aren’t participating in the Reichstag, and the parties of the Right are calling for a Vote of No Confidence in you. You are only left with the Centre, which continues to stupidly support you.”

Brüning hung his head, not daring to look into the eyes of the furious old General.

“I’ve already received the support of the right-wing parties for a motion to dissolve the Reichstag and rule by decree until the mess you helped create is sorted out. For twelve years I’ve watched this nonsense. No more! It ends now!”

Brüning was speechless. The stable democracy he had dreamed of for so long seemed to be all but dead. Still, he could come up with no response to Hindenburg.

“I’ve taken the liberty of writing your resignation letter for you, Herr Brüning,” continued Hindenburg. “I expect you to sign it this very moment. I will not tolerate another hour of your rule.”

Numbly, Brüning bent over and signed the letter. Before his resignation, the letter made one last motion to the Reichstag in his name: its immediate dissolving and the President’s rule by decree. He stood up and left the office without a word, still not meeting eyes with Hindenburg. As the door to the President’s office closed behind him and he walked down the long hallway to leave, a single tear rolled down his cheek. He had destroyed his dream with his own signature.

**********

November 17, 1930
Berlin

The two gray-uniformed men stepped out of the black staff car and walked briskly up the stairs and through the doors of the OKH (Oberkommando des Heeres) Headquarters. Guards and junior officers snapped to attention and saluted as they marched by, with the senior off the two nodding curtly in response and the younger waving them at ease with an almost guilty half-smile. After walking through the twisting hallways of the building, they finally came to the main conference room, where they entered.

Waiting in the room were a group of the Reichswehr’s most senior Generals. General Werner von Blomberg, General Werner von Frisch and Generalleutnant Ludwig Beck talked quietly, while Generalleutnant Gerd von Rundstedt sat nearby, pouring over a map and a report he had brought with him. General von Schleicher, Generalleutnant Gunther von Kluge and Generalleutnant Fedor von Bock stood looking at a large map of Germany dotted with red stars, symbolizing Communist revolts, as well as Iron Crosses, symbolizing the whereabouts of the national forces. At the door’s opening, they all turned to look.

“Ah, Generalleutnant von Kleist, good to see you,” said von Schleicher. “We can now begin. And I see you’ve brought along a guest?”

“Yes, I hope you don’t mind. This, gentlemen, is Oberstleutnant Heinz Guderian.” Guderian came to attention and saluted the room full of generals. Based on the number of smiles and scowls that appeared on the Generals’ faces, it was clear that he was already known. “I’ve read a number of his writings,” continued Kleist, “and I find his theories very interesting. In fact, a modified version of his doctrine was used to disperse the rioters at the Reichstag. Speed, mobility, superior firepower, and intimidation. I feel that his input would be useful in formulating our response to the Reds.”

“Very good.” said von Schleicher. “Have a seat, then, and we shall begin.”

“Now, I don’t need to tell you that our nation is in the midst of the greatest crisis we’ve faced since the time of the Armistice twelve years ago. However, I still have a great deal of confidence that we will be able to successfully defeat the Reds. I’ve already come into contact with the Stahlhelm, many of whom were former army personnel during the War, and they are willing to cooperate very closely with us. Right now, we need to focus on crushing the uprisings within the cities and apprehending the leaders of the Communist Party. I’m convinced that if the situation begins to improve and their leaders are eliminated, many of the Communist party members will adopt more suitable views.”

“If the situation improves, Kurt,” said Blomberg. “How do we have the capability to improve this disaster?”

“I believe that we might have the tools to help the economy. President Hindenburg has already laid out plans to create a new Reichsmark to steady our currency from inflation, and I believe he will be open to the idea of public works projects and rearmament, which will employ many, many workers, some of them Communists. If they have to work from 9 to 5, they have no time to rebel.” von Schleicher smiled broadly at his generals as he elaborated another one of his plans.

“Rearmament!” said von Fritsch, shocked. “We’ve been pushing that for years! How will that be acceptable now? The outside world will never stand for it!”

“Remember, General, the fact that the Reds are revolting here, not to mention the events throughout the rest of Europe. For once, the spotlight is off of the German government and military.” With a wry smile again creeping across his face again, von Schleicher continued. “You must think more positively, General von Fritsch. One man’s crisis is another man’s opportunity.”

“The only thing that remains, then,” he continued, “is our strategy for dealing with the rebels.”

“We might as well march columns out of all our bases into the cities, occupy their Party headquarters, take their leaders, and end the whole thing!” boomed von Bock.

“With all due respect, General, I disagree.” The whole table turned to stare at Guderian. “We need to keep strong garrisons at our depots. Experience shows that as long as the Reds are not able to take the guns and ammunition we have stockpiled at our facilities, they are doomed. It seems logical to me that we should keep most of our infantry defending these bases, while assembling every armored car we have to go out on raids against wherever their leaders are hiding. The Stahlhelm and SA are already fighting them on the streets. We need only look for a weak point and learn Thälmann’s whereabouts, and hit him with everything we have.”

Von Bock scowled, but several other generals, including Beck, von Rundstedt, von Kleist, and von Kluge nodded in agreement. Von Schleicher simply smiled again.

“A very good proposal, Colonel. I was thinking along similar lines, but I like the specifics of your recommendation even better. I will call all army districts and give them those exact orders. Without ammunition, the Reds will collapse in no time. They are still a party of no more than one-sixth of the vote, so we must remember that they are relying on surprise and speed to win control. If we can deny them that, we will have won half of this ‘revolution’.”

Guderian nodded in satisfaction. General von Kleist smiled at him and nodded his approval. For once, they seem to be accepting of new ideas, the colonel thought to himself. If only they could hear everything I’ve been planning.

[SouthCarolinian]

huzzah! Guderian, savior of Germany.

[Raaritsgozilla]

Imagine what a meeting with Rommel, Guderian and Manstein would cook up! The ideas!!

[El Pip]

Imagine what a meeting with Rommel, Guderian and Manstein would cook up! The ideas!!

The three of them together, all agreeing on stealing other people's ideas and pretending to have thought of them. It would plagiarism-tastic, the meeting that would be the inspiration for the German photocopier industry!

[Ciryandor]

Too bad marketing is EVERYTHING. You package it as containing even only .5% new stuff, if you do it right, it will still sell.