The Iron Curtain ´36 - DDR

[Xennik]

First of all, hello. After having lurked on the forums for weeks, I finally thought it is time to finally appear "on screen" My plan was to do this by an AAR, and this way it will happen!

This AAR will be played in Cold 1936 Alpha 0.1, the current version of my mod I´m developing. I´m hoping for an interesting game, aswell as for some balancing testing for my mod, as it will be the first major, serious campaign I´ll play in it. As I am still quite new to the game we will see how well I´ll prevail... But enough words about the AAR for now, let the games begin!

The Iron Curtain - Europe Divided

What if Hitler and Stalin never divided Poland between themselves? What if the European powers would have recognized the danger coming from Hitler right at the beginning of his rise to the top, the Machtergreifung 1933? Let us find out...

30. Januar 1933 - Hitler is elected Reichskanzler of Germany. What would now begin was a series of politically motivated persecutions, the elemination of the opposition and the imprisonment of thousands of enemies of the regime. The events peeked in the Reichstags fire on February 27, 1933.



Following this event, the Hitler regime accused the Communists of responsibility. The result was the persecution of communist activists and the Reichstag Fire Decree only one day after the incident itself, which basically allowed the Reichskanzler to mute any opposition, neglect civil rights and install a terror regime. Some voices said that the Nationalsocialists themselves were responsible for the fire, but those daring to voice this opinion quickly were unheart of...

The International Community was in shock. Yet another extremist dictatorship rose in Europe, endangering the continent once again. France and the United Kingdom expected the worst.

Hundreds of miles away from Berlin, but in the other direction, the russian Foreign Minister Molotov and the leader of the Soviet Union, Josef Stalin, had other plans for the German Reich...



On March 14th, Molotov flew to London for a high security meeting with the British Goverment. The relations of the West and the USSR weren´t the best, but they had a common enemy in facism. On the 16th of March,a Non-Aggression Pact was signed with London. But Molotov´s journey to the West wasn´t finished: on the 20th, he met in secrecy with a delegation of French Diplomats in Paris, to decide about the future of Continental Europe and the existance of the Hitler dictatorship.



The French, likewise as the Soviets, feared a once again strong Germany. France was on of the countries pushing for the treaty of Versailles the most, and was one of the fiercest ones willing to use force to enshure the German nation would enshure the treaty. The 2 weeks of negotiations resulted in what we today call the Molotov-Édouard Treaty a secret treaty about the partition of Germany in the case of war.

For 2 years, the world seemed secured. Hitler seemed to be less aggressivily then initially thought, except from the frequent racist-motivated actions in Germany Hitler didn´t seem to be interested in a conflict with other countries.

This changed in April 1935, when Hitler all of a sudden reoccupied the demilitarised Rheinland. The world was in awe, the allies outraged. Later documents would reveal that Hitler actually planned this step for the year 1936, but was pushed to this move by radical wings in the SA leadership, who promised him an easy victory.



The French Cabinet of Ministers immidiatly ordered an Emergency Meeting. It was obvious to most members of the French Goverment, that this wouldn´t be the last step of Hitler. The French Goverment demanded the retreat of the German troops at once. Hitler refused.

On 12th May 1935 the first French troops crossed the Maginot Line in Strassbourg, beginning the war against Facist Germany. On 15th May, the Soviet Union declared war on the German Reich. The Rhine war had begun.

Stalin knew that he would have to somehow reach the German lands to get his part of the territory. The Poles though refused his request for Military access, as they didn´t trust the Communists in the Kremlin. They only agreed on a passage through the Polish easternmost territories into East Prussia, and even that only under the watchfull eyes of thousands of Polish soldiers. Rumours say that the USSR treatened with war should the Poles have refused.

The Red Army steamrolled through Eastern Prussia, taking Königsberg on the 29th of May. The French Army made advances into Northwestern Germany, securing large parts of the Belgian-German Border, but failing to break through the Rhine Defenses in the Ruhrgebiet, the place were most of the German industry was located.

Stalin at the same time was interested in opening yet another front. His choice fell on Romania, from where he could rush through Hungary in the German back. However, in Romania he was denied access too. The Soviet Union accused Romania of cooperation with the facists in Germany. On the first of June, the Soviet tanks rolled through Romania, Bukarest fell three days later. Now the world knew that the goals of the Soviet Union weren´t as noble as Stalin claimed them to be. The West expected the worst.



One of the first states to complain on the Soviet conquest, was Bulgaria. The Bulgarians counted on their guarantee by the Western Countries, and officially demanded the Soviet retreat from the Balkans. Molotov and Stalin didn´t hestiate here aswell, claimed that Bulgaria is part of an "international burgeoise conspiracy against the working class" and invaded the country within 3 weeks. The Western Allies once again stood idle, stunned by the Red Menace.

Meanwhile, the Conquest in Germany had been reduced to two fronts on the Main in the middle of Germany and the Westwall. The rest of Germany had fallen in the weeks before. While the Germans were fighting only the French in the West, they fought a combined force of Soviets and French in the North. However, the Soviets were clearly underrepresented; the majority of the Red Army was stationated in the Balkans. Now the international community knew for shure that the whole war was just waged by Stalin to expand the realms of communism. The acts of Hitler were a good reason to start the war in Stalin´s eyes.

When the Soviet Union made moves towards a soon to come invasion of of Czechoslovakia, it was Winston Churchill who finally saw the need to act. In a rousing speech, he demanded the Westen States to finally act.

By now, all the States in the West saw that the danger was clearly Stalin and not Hitler. In a move, which is still heavily discussed, the French signed a truth with the Hitler regime. With their troops now free to focuss on other tasks, the Soviets began to slowly back down. The Invasion of Czechoslovakia was never carried out. Instead, the Soviets fortified the territory they invaded, against the heavy complaints of the United Kingdom and France. In August, the People´s Republic of Bulgaria and the Rumanian Socialist Republic were proclaimed, puppet Goverments of Moscow, only de jure independant.

In Germany however, the situation was clearly different - The German Reich still existed in Southern Germany, while the East was occupied by Soviet troops and the West by French. The French Goverment attempted to reunite the two Occupation Zones into a Neutral German state, which was however refused by the Soviets. In return, the Soviet Goverment proposed in the Treaty of Berlin that troops were to be removed from German soil and that local Governours were to rule the country, set in by the French and Soviets. France agreed on this proposal, and by November, all troops were removed from German soil. This was only what the Soviets waited for though: on 12th November 1936, the Deutsche Demokratische Republik was proclaimed and the Nationale Volksarmee founded, which however was composed mostly by Russians, effectivily ruling the treaty of Berlin void.



In a response, the French proclaimed the Federal Republic of Germany on their territory. Only two weeks later, the Russians withdrew from Germany, to squelch an Uprising in Romania, A civil War, which should last until late December. The Stalinist Marionettes in Berlin took the chance and proclaimed themselves independant from Moscow, as the Russian Occupation was everything but loved with the German People. Stalin went furious, couldn´t do anything though as he formally withdrew from the state and couldn´t risk a war with the Western Allies. Instead, the Soviet Union created the Warsaw Pact together with it´s puppets, which quickly resulted in the creation of the Paris Treaty, a Western Defensive Alliance composed of France, the United Kingdom and their client states, Belgium, Norway and Luxembourg.



The Communist States might be few, but the Influence of Moscow is big. All of the Balkans is threatened to come under Communist rule, and Communist resistance is reported in Hungary and Slovakia. There are also rumours of a soon to come Soviet Attack on the Baltic States...but only the Kremlin knows for shure.

We now write January 1936...an Iron Curtain is partitionating Europe. Hundred Thousands of men under weapons are watching each other closely on the borders, as Communism, Democracy and the Remnants of Facism are ultimatly aiming for the final confrontation...

Chapter 1 - Goodbye Stalin!

• 
  Our Answer!

In November, the DDR declared independence from Stalin in the Kremlin. The new ruler, Walter Ulbricht, immidiatly began building up an army in the German state and an the Socialist-Facist inner German border, work on the "Antifacist Defensive Wall" once again began after he siezed power. Former members of the Wehrmacht had the choice to either join the new Socialist Army or face trial for "Treason against the People". As a result, most soldiers enlisted in the new forces, which were quickly stationated on the Western border bordering the Capitalists and the Southern Border, on which the Facists lay, only "ready to strike" in Ulbricht´s eyes. Soon, changes would occure in Germany. Very soon...but maybe Stalin had plans for the lost puppet aswell...?

[SirCliveWolfe]

WOW!

A really interesting premise... shall be interesting to see it develop...

[lifeless]

wow like SirCliveWolfe said wow! 3 germanys...what of austria?

[Darks63]

Three germanys cool.

[MIG-15]

a communist anchuluss you think

[Michaeru]

What, What?
The breakup of the DDR from the Soviets utterly confuses me.

[Xennik]

They basically ended their puppet relation to the Soviets, like Tito did in RL. As the USSR can´t invade without getting problems, they are leading an "Appeasement Politic" to get Berlin in line again.

[Karl Martell]

Three Germanies?!? And who's in charge in southern Germany? Is that the National Socialist redoubt, or is it actually yet another puppet state?

[Jape]

Very interesting, kind of reminds me of the alt. histroy of C&C Red Alert, if only slightly, ie what if Nazism just never really interuppted the tension between the Capitalists and Communists.

I'll be watching this, keep it up.

[Fatality_]

Mmm.. awesome.

I rarely read such big blocks of text

[Michaeru]

Originally Posted by Xennik

They basically ended their puppet relation to the Soviets, like Tito did in RL. As the USSR can´t invade without getting problems, they are leading an "Appeasement Politic" to get Berlin in line again.

I wasn't confused over what they have done, but why they have done it.

[Earth's Savior]

Awesome idea! I'll be watching.

[Xennik]

Before the next Chapter starts: let me tell you that there are two wrong pictures in two of the events, and obviously the game didn´t accept "wouldn´t" either. Those have been fixed for the next version of my mod. Betatesting already payed off.

Chapter 2 - Workers of the North, Unite!

After Ulbricht had finished his inner political changes and eleminated any opposition, soon his focus went to his own party. Within it´s ranks, some desired to take Ulbricht´s position, never daring to directly confront him though. One of these men was Karl Steinhoff, one of Ulbricht´s major enemies and the Minister of State Security. Steinhoff was one of the men, that didn´t want to break with Moscow and desired to restore a complete puppet relation as soon as possible.


The Cabinet on January 1th

As Steinhoff could possibily endanger the position of Ulbricht in the hierachy of the party, Steinhoff was replaced by Ulbricht and send to France as an ambassador. Once this political enemy was history, Ulbricht soon found a worthy replacement for Steinhoff in Willhelm Kütz, a man, who was efficient in keeping the masses "in line". Under his terror reign, hundreds of political enemies were captured and removed from the political and cultural life of the DDR.

Of course these didn´t happen without the International Community and the People of the DDR noticing, and soon everyon knew that the regime had become a lot more authoritan then it used to be even under Stalin´s direct rule.


Kütz has a clear effect on public opinion

At the same time, the NVA requested new material. After the occupation by Soviet forces, large amounts of material were lost. As a result, Ulbricht ordered the buildup of new armoured divisions, fighter squadrons and infantry divisions, to effectivly protect against the madman Adolf Hitler, who still sat in the south, only waiting for his chance to regain rule over all of Germany once again.


Ulbricht begins to construct an armed force

At the same time, the nationalised industry was ordered to research new means of warfare, aswell as means to improve the means of industrial production and the mass production of food.



All this payed a price. Soon, the resources went try. When Ulbricht turned to Moscow to request help, he at first received it. When, however, the production already was in full run, Moscow suddenly broke the trade agreement. Ulbricht and his plans were in danger. When the DDR began dealing with Switzerland and other countries, Moscow suddenly found an interest in dealing with Ulbricht again - on a limited basis. There was a surplus in the national ressources now, but it wouldn´t be enough to maintain larger increases of production in the future. At about the same time, other nations like Japan began to develope interest in diplomatic relations with the DDR aswell.

Ulbricht and the Politburo knew that they wouldn´t be able to satisfy the German industry for too long. The Ruhr territories of the German Federal Republic were seducing...and it didn´t join the Paris treaty. However, it´s existance was guaranteed by the French Republic. Would the French risk a war with the Soviet Union, which still, despite some political disagreements, guaranteed the independance of the German Democratic Republic? Ulbricht wasn´t able to think for too long about the facts, as some industries like the Eisenbacher Motorwerke already announced that they wouldn´t be able to increase their production in 2 weeks anymore, should no more ressources become avaiable. Should this however not happen, the madman Hitler would easily be able to outproduce the DDR and eventually attack it. Midnight 14th January 1936, Ulbricht made his decision.



In the first morning hours of the 15th, NVA troops crossed the border to Democratic Germany, crushing the totally illprepared troops of the Bundeswehr, taking large amounts of territory on the run. At 8:00 AM, Ulbricht announced to the press that the "Bundeswehr had illegally trespassed our border in the Rostock sector, and it is the duty of the NVA to respond for the national defence of the Worker and Peasant State."


The Front after 1 day

The advance was only stopped once in Willhelmshafen, where now prepared Democratic troops hold out against NVA infantrymen without armored support. The date was now approaching late January, and still the Western powers didn´t help the FRG - slowly, but steadily, the Government of the FRG became nervous.

On January 30th, Dortmund, the capital of the FRG, was taken. As an result, the FRG begged for peace, which was denied by Ulbricht. He said "we won´t cooperate with the enemy of the people, which has so shamelessly betrayed their own people and the people of the German Democratic Republic."

Instead, Ulbricht gave his own proposal to the German People:



After a few hours, the Democrats responded the following, under the condition, that no German citizen were to be harmed for their political point of view. Adenauer, as the first and last chancellor of the FRG, steped down on 00:00 AM February 2th.




Now, the North of Germany was united, and a new enemy dawned for the DDR - the Paris treaty. Ulbricht was fully aware of this fact, and began to stationate troops all around the southern border. He, and many other leaders knew, that this would not be the last conflict that was to be started from the DDR, with it´s ever increasing desire for more manpower and ressources...


To be Continued.

[lifeless]

hmm. you would think the french/soviets would take hitler out of power...how much does south germany have compared to you?

[Xennik]

They hold about 1/5th of Germany..but hey, the campaign didn´t end yet, and maybe the French will refer to finishing Hitler off sooner or later...

[MIG-15]

why are 19 divisions in hannover it's going to take a bit for you to attack the southern providences

[Xennik]

Originally Posted by MIG-15

why are 19 divisions in hannover it's going to take a bit for you to attack the southern providences

Well, the 13 divisions from the North and the 2x3 divisions from the Middle joined up.

I am currently not planning to attack Hitler, not yet interested in a full-blown war

[lifeless]

oh i meant army size...

[Darks63]

now to destroy hitler

[Spitfire_Pilot]

lets see if the DDR can defeat hitler...