A Time for Peace (I swear its not too late)
July 10. 1942
Over Niagra Falls, US/Canada Border
Field Marshall Rommel
The last week had seen the fighting in the Americas come to an end for the most part. In some of the more remote regions commanders still pushed their recon units out to scout the enemy lines in preparation for an attack they all hoped would not have to come. Few recon units from either side, returned back to their own lines unscathed, but nowhere did it provoke a general attack either. The fighting continued to rage in the Pacific Theater against the Japanese, but remained a theater that the new German Empire had to date completely ignored.
Peace. A real chance at peace. Rommel thought as he looked over the briefings his staff had assembled for him. George Marshall, born 31 Dec, 1880. Graduate of VMI. Fought in the Philippine-American war. Aid to General Pershing on the Western Front. Coordinated the battle plans for the Maas-Argonne Offensive. Widowed with no children and married again. Three stepsons. He closes the folder, and leans back in his seat as the helicopter begins to set down on the north side of the falls. Stepping out of the helicopter spray from the falls begins to wet his uniform coat, but it is no matter for his counterpart is also soaked.
“General Marshal, I presume?” Rommel says in passable English.
Marshall nods, “Field Marshall Rommel, I have asked you to come here this day in order that we may end this war now, rather than continue to spill blood to only prolong the inevitable. Do not misunderstand me, we still have the power to resist your forces and make this whole affair a much sadder one for the mothers, wives, and children of our young men under arms. Already we have agreed to a cease-fire, which has been kept. I ask you, what are the demands of your government?”
“The demands of my government are as follows. Firstly, the person or persons responsible for the attack upon the Kaiser and his family are to be incarcerated until such a time as the German government and whatever proviso government the United States or its successor is under can come to an agreement as to their crimes and they are tried. There is more to that, but let us leave that up to the politicians. Secondly, we ask that the non-German controlled portions of the United States be broken into smaller entities along the existing state boundaries with a German governor overseeing the state, its reconstruction etcetera of a period of about 50 years. Thirdly, all US territory under German control will also be broken up along the existing state lines and a German governor will oversee the state, its reconstruction, and so on. After this period has passed control will revert back to the individual states however, Germany will retain all transit and basing rights for both ships and aircraft within any state even after that time. It is similar in many respects to the agreements when the United Kingdom was annexed by Germany last year. Perhaps most importantly, American citizens now have full citizenship within Germany, minus some voting and representation rights. They will get that in 50 years or so, and at that time along with the citizens living on the British Isles have the choice to fully integrate each state into the Greater German Empire, or retain a status similar to that of what Puerto Rico is to the United States right now.”
“You said simple?”
“No, I never said the terms would be simple, but you would not believe what they tried to give me.” Rommel looks away at the majestic beauty of the falls. “So, we are agreed?”
“Yes.”
Marshall sticks out his hand, Rommel shakes it.
Seeing the shaking of hands the German aide says “Thank God.”
His counterpart responds “Ja.”
“You know Field Marshall, this isn’t completely over yet.”
“It might as well be though. Japan is pushing all of your allies very hard and once the United States is gone, it is but a matter of time for them to win I should think. I do know though that Ribbentrop will not let that stand and will be in the next few days be calling for a general worldwide cease-fire. We will not lose this peace the way that the Entende did after the Great War. Our terms are difficult, yes, but not impossibly harsh and I think at least if we are offering our greatest foe a hand up after being knocked down, it might just be possible for us to win that peace.”
fin
