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“Traitors! Deceivers! Traitors, all of them!”
-Nikita Khrushchev on Internationale
“And so, the English, the Welsh and the Scottish, all held their breathes as the Union of Britain may plunge itself into another destructive war against Germany.”
-Chairman Tom Mann on France's ultimatum
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Nikita's Tragedy
In the month of June, More innovation streams towards Russia. New computing machines were installed on several commissariats. The idea of these Rear Area Vehicle Shops where military vehicles can easily retreat back and quickly have it fixed was finally been implemented by the People's Commissariat for Defence. The NKTP (Trade and Industry) have also installed new machine tools for the factories to increase their efficiency. And new model of bomber aircraft was presented by the NKPV (Armament).
The NKTP then continue spending to install yet more machines to tune up the Soviet industry. Ilyushin Design Bureau backed by the NKPV are now designing these new types of planes which could be used for transport purposes. Another one from NKPV was these new experimental pieces that are propelled by a continuous burst of gasses. With the project headed by Tupolev Design Bureau, they will find some ways to exploit these things called “rockets”. Three projects have their papers written on with the chairman's signature. He then moved on to the last one. He read for a minute and then stopped. For years, Bukharin have reviewed and signed assorted collection of state-level projects all from military weapons to farming equipments. This project that was passed to him made him oddly interested. It was from the People's Commissariat for Technology and it propose to create a specialised research team about this Atom Shmatom thing. He read further and it said that the project could find ways to harness its potential power. He was unsure about this project but after a moment, he shrugged, picked up his pen and signed the paper.
On Soviet economy, the People's Commissariat for Trade and Industry have initiated the “Bukharin's Five Year Plan”. The plan was to develop various Soviet industry with each section having a target that must be achieved after 5 years. Primarily, the plan was to turn Soviet Russia's mediocre industry into the largest in the world, in terms of volume of the industry and actual output it produces. (Note: basically, largest base and available IC.) The People's Commissariat for Finance have already poured its budget towards building factories throughout Russia.
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In May 26, France, for the first times, have made it's first move on her national ambitions. Paris sent an ultimatum to the Swiss Confederation to cede the French speaking province of Geneva to the Commune. Bern wanted to resist but was unsure whether Germany would intervene or not. The Swiss, without the confidence that Germany will help them, caved in to the Communards.
With the current economical slump, Germany is being outstretched and her military grip on her Indochina colonies is starting to decay. Comrade Ho Chi Minh took this golden opportunity and rallied the whole colony into war. Bengal aided the Vietnamese rebels by smuggling weapons to them.
At the other side of the world, another war broke out. Russia declared war to Ukraine in the 3rd of July 1938. 4 days later, an extra continent joins the flames of conflict with Brazil seeking revenge against her southern neighbour and nemesis, La Plata. The next dawn, Germany declared war, supporting La Plata, against Brazil. GRU's prediction that Germany, with her outstretched resources, won't be a huge threat to the only South American socialist country.
As the declaration of war was convey to Kiev, People's Commissar Tukhachevsky authorised Operation Pluto. In this operation, there will be two advances. One is to advance and capture the capital city of Kiev, encircle the troops at the North-West and will continue onwards to Odessa. The other advance will advance and capture the strategic city of Kharkov and into Rostov. A secondary plan will be formulated later on, with the objective of taking the vital major port of Sevastopol, Russia's gateway to the Black Sea.
Ukraine protested to the Internationale, escepially to Paris and London, for the aggressive behaviour of her neighbour. How can a socialist nation committing aggression against a fellow socialist nation? However, the Internationale was silent to the whole matter as days have passed after the Red Army crossed the border, no response was still given. Khrushchev then accused the Internationale of cowardice and treachery for selling Ukraine to Russia. Germany was also silent too as she doesn't want to side with either of these two Red countries.
The conflict started with the two spearheads have successfully punch through the border defences in Konotop and Kursk with ease. The troops at the west have manage to push back the Ukrainians out of Chernigov too. The Soviets in Orel were less fortunate though as they were push as stopped by the forces in Ostrogozhsk.
By July 10, the Soviet tank division, nicknamed “Konev's Cavalry”, have reached the city of Kharkov, the second largest in Ukraine. The western advance have also reached the Dnieper River and over the body of water was Kiev. The lone cavalry division was pushed back by a counter attack from the capital. The bulk of the advance was on it's way to regain control of Priluki.
Frontline as of 10th of July 1938
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In the Mitteleuropa-Begrade Pact War, The lone belligerent of the Belgrade Pact suffers more drawback after the fall of Istanbul with the Kurdish rose up against their Turkish overlords and declared the creation of the Republic of Kurdistan. Germany and her cohorts, obviously recognized the provisional government. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. On the other hand, the NKO (Defence) reports were pessimistic, the GRU weighted the Kurdish army and told that they won't stand a chance against the Turks. SOVNARKOM have decided not to intervene in this matter.
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After suffering a minor drawback about an overextended cavalry division who got far away form the main army, the small defeat in Priluki was quickly ignored after the capture of Kiev. The Ukrainian counter attack was stopped by the main advance when they arrived in Priluki. The troops in Chenigov moved into Vyshgorod kicking out the Ukrainians out of the town. In July 12, the advance continue on to Kiev, hastily defeated the 5 divisions defending the capital. Soon, Kiev was taken. The troops wasted no time, packed up and marched into Odessa.
The advance in the east was solid as well. The main army is now poised to step into Rostov, cutting out the troops in the Ukrainian-Cossack border. And another advance was created, to Zaporozhye, hoping to encircle the enemy forces in the centre. The lone cavalry division was defeated with ease.
Frontline. 18th of July 1938
After 10 days of relentless fighting by the lionhearted Red Army, Rostov was captured and they are now proceeding on crushing the doomed Ukrainian divisions by the Cossack border. In the west, at least 7 divisions were cut off and the Soviets are planning to tighten the pocket and shove the Ukrainians into Zhitomir. The central sector was successfully secured and now eliminating hostile elements remaining in the pocket. The advance to the south looks unstoppable.
Frontline. 28th of July 1938
In the same day, July 28, the Red Army assaulted Odessa. 9 Red Army divisions against 6 Ukrainian divisions. The assault was unfortunately pulled out due to the tired soldiers.
Khrushchev have begged for asylum to the Internationale but the whole gang didn't respond. The Ukrainian Chairman then signed himself off from the Internationale as an act of protest. The war wasn't over yet but the military have already concluded Operation Pluto is an outstanding success. In addition, this is also the first war were the Soviet Air Force had its first action since it's conception.
I-16 planes were baptised with burning lead over the skies of Ukraine and achieve air superiority. Comrade Sergey Gritsevets become the first Soviet ace in history, credited for shooting down 11 Ukrainian planes.
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The Netherlands, since the Black Monday, was terribly unstable and constantly plagued with labour strikes and in August 3, the largest labour strike hit Netherlands its hardest so far and evolved into riots. A perfect situation for a worker's revolution. Unfortunately, Paris declined the suggestion of aiding the Dutch revolutionaries, giving Kremlin a piece of agony and confusion. Relations went down when Bukharin accused her Western allies of cowardice, saying that “You have denied the Dutch the opportunity to free themselves from the ruling class. The Dutch are suffering and struggling against the oppressive monarch and the bourgeois while you turn the other way and bask on your freedom at home. Enjoy your Geneva!”
In the Far East Asia, the ambitious and boastful emperor Pu Yi declared that Qing will rebuild itself to its former glory. The first step in this rebuilding was that Pu Yi demanded AlgOstAsien GmbH to give up its lands. The German company declined, of course, but Pu Yi wouldn't stand humiliation and threatens AOG with war. AlgOstAsien GmbH agrees to go to the tables and the two sides which will be known as the Treaty of Guangzhou. The conditions were to give the company lands to Qing administration which means the company doesn't have to burden itself managing Southern China and AOG will remain in China plus access to the Qing markets at the north but the company will be put under the emperor's control instead of being Germany's colony, AOG was hesitant because of the last detail. The Qing made the downside inviting but bestowing a lower tax to the company compare to Berlin's. The two sides finally produced a mutual agreement and with the investors' approval, Governor-General Von Falkenhausen to sign the treaty.
Germany and other great powers looked with horror.
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By August 8, the Red Army initiated the final offensive against Ukraine. 14 divisions trapped in Kashary in the east and 8 divisions in Zhitomir in the west were being attacked from multiple sides. They all surrendered the same day.
While the forces in the East and West were assaulting the besieged forces, the Soviets in the South were tightening the Odessa pocket by attacking Kherson. 4 Soviet divisions inclding 'Konev's Cavalry' were entering Sevastopol encountering minimal resistance. Soon Mother Russia will touch the Black Sea for the first time since two decades.
Frontline. 8th of August 1938
An island in the North Sea had obtained its independence from Denmark in August 11. The new country named itself Iceland from its geographical location.
That afternoon of the same day, The Soviets have attacked the hopeless besieged city of Odessa. With 12 Soviet divisions putting the final nail in the coffin, the 6 enemy divisions were desperately trying to change the inevitable. After two day of fierce fighting, the victorious Red Army cleared the city and stormed the city hall where Khrushchev was holed up. Fortunately, our fighter planes have strafed their escape ships and damaging them significantly. Victory is now complete.
Khrushchev was sent to Moscow and stood before the People's Commissariat for Justice. He already felt the gun at the back of his head, the hand ready to pull the trigger and drive a bullet into his brain. But to his surprise, he was given a lenient sentence. The charge was crime against the Motherland for resisting but since he liberated the Proletariat of Ukraine and he received a lot of popularity in Russia for doing so. The Commissars gave him a sentence of house arrest in a residential house at the outskirts of Moscow, under surveillance, with no privilege of communication like post or telegram and can travel only with strict permission. Bukharin approved the sentence the next day.
In September, fast forward a month later into the future, while the Red Army are closer on winning yet another war, the GRU have sent reports back to Kremlin that many missing Ukrainian figures have been found alive and well in Georgia. It appears that the wretched Beria has given them asylum into his lands. Russia wasn't amused. But it's not just that diplomatic insult will be uncovered, Kremlin will also discover a stinking plot that dated back to the Second Proletarian Revolution, 21 years ago.
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