FUORI DELLA STORIA L’UOMO È NULLA
May 3rd 1938 – July 31st 1939
NEW POST JULY 1st
NORTH AMERICA SERIES GAME #4
Players (11/11): AXIS (Germany, Italy, Japan & Romania), ALLIES (UK, USA, France, Canada & Australia), KOMINTERN (USSR), CHINA
IL FASCI ITALIANI DI COMBATTIMENTO
Annessione dell'Albania
Agenzia Stefani
January 1939
On January 1
st, 1939, our Beloved Leader, Benito Mussolini, Il Duce, delivered Tiranë an ultimatum, demanding that it accede to Italy's occupation of all Albania. Count Galeazzo Ciano, minister of Foreign Affairs, made the trip to Tiranë, on the Giulio Cesare, to bring the ultimatum to King Zog in the name of Italy.
This gesture of Italy, offering Albania the unique opportunity to reach a greater destiny, was rejected by King Zog with disdain. How foolish a King can be is beyond imagination.
On January 23
rd, the 3. Aeria divisione Gennaio, was dropped on Tiranë, to secure the capital and bring to Italy what King Zog tried to refuse her. Italian troops made short shrift of the Albanians and, as of January 25
th, whole Albania surrendered to its new master. Our Beloved Leader, Benito Mussolini, Il Duce, proud warrior, congratulated – himself – our elite soldiers on the Skanderbeg Square, in Tiranë.
On January 27
th, the Albanian parliament voted to unite the country with Italy. Victor Emmanuel III, King of Italy, took the Albanian crown, and a fascist government was immediately setup under the rule of Shefqet Verlaci, strong supporter of the Italian dream.
King Zog, who refused the Italian takeover of Albania, fled to Greece with his wife, Queen Geraldine Apponyi, and their infant son Skander. Count Galeazzo Ciano, minister of Foreign Affairs, asked Greece to refuse asylum to those traitors to the Italian nation. Rumors say Greece government is debating on whether or not King Zog should be asked to leave the country in order to preserve relations with Italy.
Il Duce a Tiranë
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(1) Click to enlarge the picture.
La Marcia verso la Guerra
Agenzia Stefani
April 1939
On April 6
th, our Beloved Leader, Benito Mussolini, Il Duce, made an important speech to underline 15 years of fascist governance. 15 years of dignity and pride. Here are some extract of that historic speech.
“Italians! Italians! The end is near. When the Partito Nazionale Fascista won the 1924 elections, we put an end to more than thousand years of mediocrity. 15 years ago, we chose to put an end to a shameful existence. “No more”, did we say. Soon, we, Italy, the Partito Nazionale Fascista, shall have a new opportunity of greatness. Soon, Italians shall raise, as immaculate warriors, to avenge their glorious past and reinstall order and peace in the Mediterranean Sea. For too long Greeks and Yugoslavians laugh at our demands to unify all Italians. For too long England and France refused to giveaway what is legitimately Italy’s share of the World.
But this Era of darkness is coming to an end.
Soon, all those who share a common understanding of the future will unite and lay down the first brick of the foundation of a new Europe.
Hope is now allowed.
Greatness will be ours, as it was Italy that created Europe, more than a thousand years ago. And today, again, Italy is asked to shape Europe.
Europe shall be ours again!
Viva il Partito Nazionale Fascista!
Viva Italia!”
And the crowd, who understood the profound meaning of that speech, answered with enthusiasm to its leader’s call:
“A noi!”
“A noi!”
“A noi!”
IT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY
Bulgarian mischiefs
Bucharest’s Rag
Spring 1939
The unrest in the regions of Craiova and Calafat continued throughout 1938-1939, as Bulgarians thieves kept on raiding small farms and pillaging honest Romanians. Skirmishes are frequently reported along the border and some bands of criminals were even spotted and attacked by the Inferno squadron.
The situation is intolerable. The relations between Budapest and Bucharest are now non-existent as the Romanian Ambassador in Budapest was recalled, for assessment on the crisis. According to some rumors, Bulgaria would be seeking the help of a major power, probably the USSR. But no one knows if this is true.
No one can predict when this will erupt and turn into something more dreadful. The only certainty we have, is that we are rolling down a steep slope.
The Empire will strike back!
BBC News Report
Summer 1939
Only a fool could not see that Adolf Hitler’s demands are gradually taking the modern world on a path that can only bring harm and sorrow. Last summer, he asked for Austria and the World was stunned by his actions that brought what is now known as the Anschluss: the annexation of what was a rightful country.
The ink on that treaty was not even dry that he was out asking for more. Czechoslovakia should be dismembered, disarmed and fully absorbed, he said, in the name of what they call the Lebensraum. Our Premier fail to stand his ground and had to accept this shameful agreement in the name of peace. Peace. Something we all want. But its cost is raising and soon, we will run dry on our reserve of shame.
In fact, we might have run dry sooner than Hitler thought we would, as his latest demand, the opening of the Danzig corridor met a rather strong opposition. Britain, our mighty old Britain, said “no” and did it not only make its refusal crystal clear, it also announced that it would protect the feeble and the weak. Would Germany want to annex or invade Poland, Britain and its allies, Australia and Canada among others, should raise their sword and strike the unholy.
May God save the King.
2nd Sino-Japanese War
Hong-Kong Daily
Winter 1939
From May 1938 to July 1939, the Japanese advance in China has been nothing less than unstoppable. Major cities, like Ya’an, Shengzhou, Taiyuan and Nijan were all lost to the Nippon invader. The Yellow River, once believed to be an impassable natural defense, proved wrong every fool naïve enough to believe the Chinese propaganda. This was not the Maginot line, to paraphrase our French colleagues.
This war is primarily, of course, a war of attrition. Thousands of casualties are reported from both sides as conscripts from Japan and enlisted men in China are sent to their death with no remorse, nor pity. Air raiding are now part of the daily routine. You hear the planes coming, you jump in a hole or in the river bed along the roads, once they’re gone, you stand up and go back to what you were doing. And this routine goes on and on, as the day passes by and the night comes, as a well-deserved safe haven.
Combats for Ya’an lasted 9 months. The initial Chinese offensive (May 1938) brought them to the doors of Taiyuan in June 1938, where they raided and killed the Japanese garrisons. Then, the Japanese tried to encircle them, before getting themselves encircled in July 1938, just South of the Yellow River. The battle to clear/free the pocket, depending on which side you were, was described as intense and fierce. Bloody, could you say. 3 months of pure hell. In the end, nearly 2 Japanese divisions were lost.
Then, during the Fall of 1938, the Japanese launched a new offensive in Center China. Chinese retreated in order, slowly but steadily. No pockets were reported, nor massive losses, from both sides. Both were cautiously moving their troops, trying to avoid their opponents’ traps.
Spring and early summer of 1939 delivered what could be called the fiercest battles of the whole war. The battle for Nanjing began with massive assaults by the Japanese on the city itself and its surroundings. Half a million of Chinese and probably comparable amount of Japanese men and machines participated in that clash. The region near Nanjing was torn down for 6 months by artillery shells, air bombing and trenches digging. From the city, when he looks North, a man can only see devastation and death. No more trees. No more grass. Only tortured Earth and dead bodies. Up to the horizon: an open-air cemetery.
Many times did the Chinese leaders were on the verge of calling the retreat or the loss of the capital. Every time, either due to the brilliant work of Von Faulkensen and Chiang Kai-shek, courageous behavior by the grunts or simple luck, the Japanese were repelled. But, as most will admit, the clock is ticking. The pressure is increasing and a giant pocket could be created by the Japanese army if they breakthrough in the center and move East to close the pocket and completely encircle the Chinese main army in Nanjing. This fate is looming and clearly the Chinese Giant could tremble and fall.
The Frontlines in 1938-1939
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(1) Click to enlarge the picture.
