The Red Menace: The Story of World War III

[sunnn]

After reading countless HoI3 AARs and playing for about 6 months, I feel that my skill at this game has progressed far enough for me to attempt to write an AAR and not have it end in complete disaster. This being my first AAR, any help you guys can give me will be greatly appreciated. I'm sure that I do many things wrong so feel free to point out any mistakes that I make in as brutal a manner as you please.

Depending on how interested people are I'll try to put out an update every other day or so. So here we go:

Table of Contents

• Introduction
  
• I: War in the East
  
• II: The Sun Sets
  
• III: A New Era
  
• IV: The Naval Buildup
  
• V: Red Dawn
  
• VI: The World at War, Again
  
• VII: War at Sea

________________



This will be an AAR about a post-WWII war between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies. I've always been interested in the Cold War and I haven't seen a huge number of AARs covering this period. I've also changed the end date to give me as much time as I need (this is the only modification/edit I've made).

I'm starting the AAR in late 1944, though I started this game at the 1936 scenario. The situation as of now is that the Germans have surrendered and the Japanese are on the way out. Germany, Italy, and the Balkans have been transformed in to Soviet puppet states along with Persia and Turkey. The Western Allies managed to liberate France, the Netherlands, and Belgium before the Soviet steamroller could get there so I won't have the continent all to myself.




Here's the situation in the Far East:





My goals for this game are as follows:

Short term:
-Enter the war against Japan at the last possible moment and grab as much land as I can (preferably Indochina and maybe Korea)
-Complete a few IC runs. I lost a good deal of IC when I released Poland (for roleplay reasons)

Mid term:
-Construct a large and modern fleet to rival the British at least, if not the Americans

Long term:
-Conquer the UK and America and spread the glorious People's Revolution to all the corners of the world!

[loki100]

looks an interesting start - so you're dominant in Europe but an allied France means the possibility of a clash with the US in Europe. Maybe to your advantage to cull their strength in Europe rather than see them swamping your landings in N America

[sunnn]

looks an interesting start - so you're dominant in Europe but an allied France means the possibility of a clash with the US in Europe. Maybe to your advantage to cull their strength in Europe rather than see them swamping your landings in N America

Yeah I agree. They aren't going to be able to hold the line in Europe. I just have too much armor for them to handle. Honestly I think the main theater is going to be Asia

[Soulstrider]

Interesting, how are you planning to represent the west and east German divide?

[sunnn]

Interesting, how are you planning to represent the west and east German divide?

There is no divide. The Soviets control the whole country.

[sunnn]

War in the East

It had become increasingly obvious that the Japanese Empire was dying. Most of her island possessions were taken, her convoys were sunk, and her only remaining ally was defeated. Worst of all an American army had landed on the home island of Kyushu several months before. Try as they might the Japanese Army had been unable to expel them. While the Japanese had succeeded in taking India, they were unable to make use of it's vast resources due to the critical shortage of convoys.


This was the situation that greeted the Soviet High Command as they decided on their next move. It would be a massive strategic blunder to allow the Allies total control in Asia, that much was clear. On the other hand it would take many months to transfer the huge Red Army from Europe to Asia, and by then it would be too late. Therefore the generals decided on a limited approach: a relatively small number of crack troops would be sent to Siberia by sea and would then poach as much of Japan's crumbling empire as possible.

It was decided that they would send the Ninth Rifle Army and Fourth Armor Corps, along with a small number of specialized airborne and marine landing troops, on a fleet of 10 transport flotillas. The force set out on New Year's Day 1945.

For the next several months they congregated around Vladivostock and prepared for the invasion of Manchuria. On March 12 they received word that the Japanese had counterattacked the Americans on Kyushu and were driving them back.


By the 20th the situation had grown so critical that the Red Air Force removed the planes it had stationed in American airfields on Kyushu in preparation for the invasion. However the Americans refused to be beaten. By the 26th they had halted the Japanese advance, and several weeks later retook the island completely.


The time had come to strike. At 0200 hours on April 15, 1945, Operation April Storm was launched. Soviet infantry and armor rolled almost unopposed across the Manchurian border, and elite naval infantry landed at the port of Hamhung in Korea.


The Japanese were caught totally by surprise. Their 3 garrison divisions guarding the frontier were quickly brushed aside and by the 22nd of April Hamhung was in Soviet hands.


Further north the advance was slower. Instead of fighting the Japanese, the Red Army found itself battling the terrain. Tanks constantly bogged down in forests and mountains and it was several weeks before the Manchurian capital of Xinjing was within reach. Airborne troops were dropped around the city on the 7th of May, and it finally fell on the 13th.


By the end of May the Japanese forces in Manchuria were exhausted and nearly out of supplies. Chinese forces advancing from Shanxi took the city of Mukden, one of Manchuria's two VPs. A few days later Soviet forces took the other, Harbin. The puppet government of Manchukuo had had enough. On June 7 they surrendered and most of their territory was annexed by Nationalist China, much to the Soviets' consternation.


To the south in Korea, things were going better. Soviet forces had almost reached Pusan. Pusan was the true prize in Korea. If it could be taken, Soviet strategic bombers and escort fighters could hammer Japan at will. The remaining 30,000 Japanese troops in Korea hunkered down in the city and prepared to make their last stand.

[Hearth]

I love post-Germany USSR AARs. Subbed.

[misterbean]

never read anything like it. will be following.

[TheCheeseMaster]

Looks interesting

[MajorMayhem]

What is the African situation? Persia can prove a key nation in this respect, giving your tanks a way into India without the dangers of naval transport.

I would also be interested in the composition of your navy. Any carriers yet?

[sunnn]

Thanks for the support guys. Much appreciated

What is the African situation? Persia can prove a key nation in this respect, giving your tanks a way into India without the dangers of naval transport.

I would also be interested in the composition of your navy. Any carriers yet?

Africa is pretty much owned by the UK already so I'm kinda locked out there. And I'm going to touch on the Navy in the next update or two, but at the moment its in very sorry shape

[Mythos1978]

Nice start, i love Soviet AAR. Am follow u m8

[Kiki023]

Me gusta.

[sunnn]

The Sun Sets

On June 3 the Red Army closed the ring around Pusan. The Japanese garrison, having been engaged constantly for months, was short on ammunition and exhausted. The Soviets managed to take the city in a bloody four-day battle, at times overcoming fanatical resistance. However many of the Japanese troops were not as willing to die for their Emperor, having long since realized that the war was lost. Over 30,000 gave themselves up.




For the next few months the Red Air Force unleashed it's full fury on the Japanese Home Islands. From Pusan and other bases in Korea, Soviet planes bombed Japanese cities day and night.


The huge new Tupolev Tu-4 (who's design was so generously "donated" by the Americans) was nearly impervious to Japan's greatly reduced air defense network.


Any remaining Japanese fighters were swiftly dealt with by the pride of the Soviet Fighter Arm, the jet-powered Yakovlev Yak-15:


Stavka was strongly considering an invasion of Japan to secure a Japanese surrender before the Americans, but they were forced to abandon the idea on June 18. American forces broke out of Kyushu and began advancing across Shikoku. A week later they secured a foothold on Honshu, and landed a new force at Kanazawa. The Soviets could do little more than watch and wait for the end.


Finally on September 3, after a month of the bloodiest fighting of the Pacific War, American troops entered Tokyo, forcing the Japanese government to surrender.


Shortly afterward the Americans, not wishing to hold on to so much foreign territory, created puppet governments in Japan, Indochina, and Siam. The Soviets did the same by dividing Korea into two nations, both with Soviet-allied Communist governments.


With the fall of the last Axis nation, peace had at last been restored to the world. However new alliances and rivalries had been formed. The Soviets, with their large and battle-hardened Army, were dominant in Europe while the Allies had used their vast naval power to secure most of Asia for themselves.



The Soviet bloc at the end of the Great Patriotic War

While the citizens of the world looked forward to returning to a life of peace, the leaders of the great powers were concerned. With relations between East and West growing more icy by the day, and the advent of new technologies like atomic weapons and jet aircraft, how long could this new peace be kept?



Note- In the interest of keeping this at least somewhat plausible, I had to reload as the US to release Japan, Siam, and Indochina. It would get really bizarre down the line if all that land had just been kept as part of America.

[Hearth]

I am enjoying the setup. NOW FOR THE WAR!!!

[misterbean]

what about nukes? do you know if the US has any?

[Midge]

Splitting Korea would make no sense in this timeline.

[sunnn]

I am enjoying the setup. NOW FOR THE WAR!!!

Glad you like it. We still have a ways to go though

what about nukes? do you know if the US has any?

I can't see any reactors in the US so I don't think they do. and I'm just a few months away from getting them

Splitting Korea would make no sense in this timeline.

Yeah thats true, but it wouldn't let me release Korea as one nation. The north was only North Korea cores and the south was only South Korea cores

[TheCheeseMaster]

I say, invade every free nation left standing! Persia Afghanistan, Sinkiang, Tibet! All must fall!

[Hearth]

I say, invade every free nation left standing! Persia Afghanistan, Sinkiang, Tibet! All must fall!

As long as they aren't guaranteed by the Allies.