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Just take away picture 3, and you should be fine.

In the context of the post, picture 3 is just of converging rail lines in the Krakow area demonstrating that Krakow was an important transportation hub. That was the only reason why it was included. I cannot control what other context other readers might bring to an image. If that is too "cute", I can change the picture.
 
In the context of the post, picture 3 is just of converging rail lines in the Krakow area demonstrating that Krakow was an important transportation hub. That was the only reason why it was included. I cannot control what other context other readers might bring to an image. If that is too "cute", I can change the picture.

dude. It's Auschwitz. The epitome of the holocaust to put it that way.
edit: it's not what OTHER context, its what it actually is. It is something that is 100% related to the holocaust. The stuff over the railways should punctuate that.
You know the forum rules, and it's easy enough to remove.
 
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The Battle of Krakow, though lost, may prove to be a turning point for the war.

(Also, please remove the image, I don't want to see you get banned and this AAR prematurely stopped :( )
 
Everyone, let's just calm down and focus on the badass stand those Italians just made!
 
Great AAR. Makes me cry a bit to see the AI throw the HARMs into an Urban fight, crossing river (for like 90% penalty?). I guess their leader really is crazy.

I guess the smart thing to do would have been to drive those armored units into that undefended gap and encircle Krakow, but I don't think Hitler plays much Hoi3.
 
Chapter Thirty Two: The Reckoning In Germany (4/16/42 - 5/17/42)



Krakow was lost, but what ordinary Italian citizen soldiers accomplished there would never be forgotten. Mussolini immediately recognized the significance of their achievement and sacrifice, and wanted it to be a unifying theme for the entire Empire. The remains of a single selected fallen hero of Krakow were returned to Rome on an expedited basis and Mussolini called for an elaborate state funeral to be held for this simple soldato.

benitoatfuneral.jpg

The speeches were many and the rhetoric was soaring, but what was often forgotten were the details of the young man whose remains lay in that coffin. He was named Sebastiano Di Giorgis, no relation to his commanding officer, Gen. Giorgis; but that was a detail that would be lost in the history books -- a beloved nephew, as the popular story goes. In reality, he was just a 19 year old boy from Cerami, a remote hilltop village in the interior of Sicily on the far side of Mt. Etna. He was a simple farmer’s son raising pistachios in the rich volcanic soil. He did not volunteer, but was drafted. However, when he and his fellow soldiers found themselves assaulted by a Tiger tank, this simple unwilling soldier found the courage somewhere most unexpected to stand his ground. His well placed grenade took out the Tiger’s tracks and running gear, but he was machine gunned while retreating for cover.

monumentkq.jpg

His memory would be more poignantly commemorated in the simple monument found in the center square of his hilltop hometown.

_______________________________________________​


Though Krakow was lost, the sacrifices made there had not been in vain. For the entire month that Germany’s heavy divisions were tied up in southern Poland assaulting Krakow, Italy’s armies were steadily advancing into Germany itself.

42munich.jpg

On April 16, 1942, elements of Messe’s old Celere corps and Roatta’s mixed mountaineer corps entered Munich.

42carboniexploit.jpg

At the same time, three divisions from Carboni’s mechanized Ariete corps had advanced unopposed into central Czechoslovakia, and Gen. Arena’s division had even taken Prague. The question was, what to do now. The lessons from Carcassone and Krakow were than Germany could materialize in great force at any moment. A deeper penetration, though tempting, risked encirclement and destruction. So, that was ruled out. Instead, these powerful mechanized combined arms divisions were ordered to fall upon the flank and rear of the improvised German lines drawn up in the fortifications on the old Czech border. Meanwhile, two auxiliary tank killer divisions were sent by train into Prague to defend the newly acquired city deep in enemy territory.

42eastonemonth.jpg

By April 25, 1942, the war had been raging for one month and the battle of Krakow was into its eighth day. Slovakia, Austria and most of German annexed Czechoslovakia had been occupied as well as some inroads into southern Germany.

bersagmarch.jpg

Mannerini’s corp had arrived in southern Poland to help fill the gap that had developed there, and Carboni’s mechanized divisions had rolled up the German flank and driven them out of the Czech forts.

42franceonemonth.jpg

In France, on April 25, 1942, after one month of war. The Germans had won at Carcassone and had penetrated into the Pyrenees at Perpignan, but Mancinelli’s HQ had been reinforced and had stopped the German southern advance. While in southern France, the pocket of encircled German divisions were being mopped up. It was time to turn the tide on the Spanish front.

42carcassone.jpg

By May 3, 1942, Mancinelli’s mountaineers had rallied and returned to the scene of the crime. They retook the ruins of Carcassone in an unexpected assault. The Germans would launch a fierce counter-attack, but this time the mountaineers held.

42carcassone.jpg

On May 10, 1942, the Germans called off their counter-attack and left 2,302 of their dead on the field of battle. The Germans would never see Carcassone again, except maybe on a quaint board game.

42americansinfrance.jpg

Meanwhile, the Americans were sunning themselves on the beaches of Bayonne in southern Aquitaine.

42sovietcooperation.jpg

However, the Russians were finally beginning their spring offensive and were even demonstrating some cooperation with Italian forces. Two Italian divisions under Gens. Naverini and de Casti advanced into Moldova to cut off the retreat of a division of motorized infantry encircled by the Soviets. Together, the Soviets and Italians managed to destroy this division.

42praha.jpg

On May 8, 1942, One of the few heavy armor divisions to slip past Krakow assaulted Prague along with two German infantry divisions. However, much to the tank commanders’ chagrin, Prague was stoutly defended by Gen. Guy and two tank killer divisions. The assault was beaten back with great lost in German tanks.

But most significantly, the Krakow bottleneck allowed the Italians to advance into Germany itself.

42stuttgard.jpg

On May 8, 1942, Stuttgart was occupied by Gen. Balisti.

42centralgermany.jpg

By May 15, 1942, the Italian armies had made deep penetrations into southern German and started seizing major industrial centers.

42frankfurt.jpg

On May 17, 1942, the same day that Krakow finally fell to the Germans, so did Frankfurt to the Italians.

42unitedempire.jpg

And in France, also on that same day, the two fronts were finally joined. The Empire now enjoyed a contiguous link from the Atlantic shore to the Persian border. Then, the united front in southern France commenced its irresistible march on Vichy.

Indeed, Sabby di Giorgis had not died in vain.

sabbyy.jpg
 
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Wow, when reading this, one might almost think the war to be over during the next two weeks.

Vichy France nearing the collapse, a Russian spring offense, Italians seizing control over Frankfurt am Main...
Hopefully you're not in for some nasty surprise.
 
Whoo!! For the Empire!
 
If you ask me, Mussolini is kicking pure ass here. Soviet and Italian co-operation? Sounds strange, but it's a blessing. Good work here.
 
And in France, also on that same day, the two fronts were finally joined. The Empire now enjoyed a contiguous link from the Atlantic shore to the Persian border. Then, the united front in southern France commenced its irresistible march on Vichy.

This might have a small negative affect on your forces at first, since the troops now have to establish new supply lines from Rome instead of getting their supply from the Spanish ports.