And for Katsumoto to be friends with Churchill means he's either brilliant or insane.
And that he is exposed to second hand smoking.
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And that he is exposed to second hand smoking.
Europe in Flames - Part 5
September 3 1936 , 8:01…
On the German Broadcasting Association …
“Two days ago French forces crossed the Spanish border. Deliberately and remorselessly attacking our sovereign Spanish ally. The Spanish, already embroiled in their civil war were unable to resist the initial crossings as French forces invaded the north of their country, greeted by the Fascist rebels.
“We have demanded that the French withdraw from Spain many times since news has reached our ears. Yet they have not replied. It is now my belief, and the belief of the British Empire that Europe cannot stand for further French tyranny and oppression.
“Over the last decades they have invaded Belgium, funded coups in Yugoslavia and the Czech Republic. They have brought the Turkish regime to power, bringing about their cruel and inhumane behaviour. They have sought to weaken and tire us before this war had even begun. Still they seek to break the peace further.
“Such aggression cannot be stood for and Germany will not allow it. As of this moment, I have ordered our forces to prepare to fight the French in defence of our freedom and democracy. In defence of the freedom and democracy of Europe and indeed the world.
“As many of you listening are aware, Germany is a nation new to Democracy, but still we will die defending it. We have come leaps and bounds since the days of the Kaiser. Our forces are undergoing rearmament and will meet the French wherever they wish to fight.
“We will respond to this warmongering, and we will defeat it. Casting their tyranny and oppression straight back into the black heart of Paris. We shall bring down their Eiffel Tower and will live to see the light of Democracy banish the Fascist oppression in power.
“As such, Germany’s Parliament has agreed that alongside Britain and our allies in Australia, Rumania and Canada to name a few that we must undertake a crusade of great proportions. That we must undertake a task rivalling that of the divine struggle between good and evil for now we are in the heart of that struggle. Today, we are at war with France”
On the BBC …
“Yesterday, we took further steps towards the completion of our defensive preparation. This morning we ordered complete mobilization of the whole of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force. We have also taken a number of other measures, both at home and abroad, which the House will not perhaps expect me to specify in detail. Briefly, they represent the final steps in accordance with pre-arranged plans. These last can be put into force rapidly, and are of such a nature that they can be deferred until war seems inevitable. Steps have also been taken under the powers conferred by the House last week to safeguard the position in regard to stocks of commodities of various kinds.
“The thoughts of many of us must at this moment inevitably be turning back to 1914, and to a comparison of our position now with that which existed then. How do we stand this time? The answer is that all three Services are ready, and that the situation in all directions is far more favorable and reassuring than in 1914, while behind the fighting Services we have built up a vast organization of Civil Defense under our scheme of Air Raid Precautions.
“As regards the immediate manpower requirements, the Royal Navy, the Army and the Air Force are in the fortunate position of having almost as many men as they can conveniently handle at this moment. There are, however, certain categories of service in which men are immediately required, both for Military and Civil Defense. These will be announced in detail through the press and the BBC.
“The main and most satisfactory point to observe is that there is today no need to make an appeal in a general way for recruits such as was issued by Lord Kitchener 25 years ago. That appeal has been anticipated by many months, and the men are already available. So much for the immediate present. Now we must look to the future. It is essential in the face of the tremendous task which confronts us, more especially in view of our past experiences in this matter, to organize our manpower this time upon as methodical, equitable and economical a basis as possible.
“We, therefore, propose immediately to introduce legislation directed to that end. A Bill will be laid before you which for all practical purposes will amount to an expansion of the Military Training Act. Under its operation all fit men between the ages of 18 and 41 will be rendered liable to military service if and when called upon. It is not intended at the outset that any considerable number of men other than those already liable shall be called up, and steps will be taken to ensure that the manpower essentially required by industry shall not be taken away.
“There is one other allusion which I should like to make before I end my speech, and that is to record my satisfaction of His Majesty's Government, that throughout these last days of crisis Signor Mussolini also has been doing his best to reach a solution. It now only remains for us to set our teeth and to enter upon this struggle, which we ourselves earnestly endeavored to avoid, with determination to see it through to the end.
“We shall enter it with a clear conscience, with the support of the Dominions and Germany and the British Empire, and the moral approval of the greater part of the world.
“We have no quarrel with the French people, except that they allow themselves to be governed by a Fascist Government. As long as that Government exists and pursues the methods it has so persistently followed during the last two decades, there will be no peace in Europe. We shall merely pass from one crisis to another, and see one country after another attacked by methods which have now become familiar to us in their sickening technique.
“We are resolved that these methods must come to an end. If out of the struggle we again re-establish in the world the rules of good faith and the renunciation of force, why, then even the sacrifices that will be entailed upon us will find their fullest justification.”
I always wondered why some poeple waste so many words to say the simple thing that is "we are the goodies, they are the baddies and we are going to kick their asses while making them run from Paris to the Pole South, so this is it."
Ok, perhaps this doesn't sound too good to be written on the pages of history, I guess...
Ok, perhaps this doesn't sound too good to be written on the pages of history, I guess...
Wait until the French have most of Spain.
Will do.
Where did you here Sean Bean ?
One can only hope.
Chamberlain? Well, we shall see.
Peace in Our Time... War in the Next One?
Yes ! Chamberlain ! The Great Appeaser. The give away all your cards diplomat. He mucks things up a bit.
And forget Peace in our Time for right now. This war is pretty long.
Churchill and Chamberlain in the same cabinet? This will get nasty I guess.
And for Katsumoto to be friends with Churchill means he's either brilliant or insane
Indeed, the British Cabinet does get some hard times. Especially in 1937. You'll realize why in a bit.
And that he is exposed to second hand smoking.
1936 ... Second Hand Smoking .... didn't exist back then
.If only that warning was to those with heart conditions that this AAR might cause them to have a heart attack ... sadly it is not.
Well ... if after Pearl Harbour, President Roosevelt had said 'Damn Japs ! We are going to kick their ass and drag them to hell' I don't think he would be remembered as the good statesman and speech giver that he was.
So yes, its all for history.
Europe in Flames - Part 6
September 4 1936 …
In the opening hours of September 4 1936, Stuttgart was subjected to a brutal bombing campaign by the French Air Force. Designed to weaken the city for French troops before any attack was made, it succeeded in destroying industrial areas and defences, but left the city a fortress of rubble.
Gisbert Kreps sprinted for the nearest piece of cover. The New War had only been declared yesterday and already he and his men were running through Stuttgart. The city and the military defences were receiving massive bombardment from the air …The Luftwaffe and the Royal Air force were proving inadequate to deal with the French Air Force. At almost twice the size of any other air force, the French had practically guaranteed aerial superiority.
He jumped into the doorway as a bomb exploded out in the streets. The sound of the French bombers was the only thing he could hear. It was the only thing which superseded the buzz in his ear. He reached back and grabbed his Erma EMP-35 submachine gun. He had to keep moving.
“Carsten ! Carsten where are you ?” yelled Gisbert. He needed his friend. They had signed up together. He didn’t want some damn French bugger in a plane to have killed him.
“Gisbert ? Is that you ?”
“Carsten ! Fucking good to hear from you !”
“Jesus man don’t tell me that were actually under attack from the French”
“Looks like it. Last I heard, they had 140 000 advancing on us. We need to get outside the city. If we can get out then we can link up”
“How the hell can we get out when the French are bombing us to dust ?”
“We’ll have to go from house to house”
“We better get a move on-” Another explosion went off nearby as the French continued their bombing of the city.
“Come on !” Carsten yelled as he pulled Gisbert onto his feet and the two ran out the back door of the house, moving towards the outskirts of the city.
September 5 1936 …
“They’re advancing !” yelled Carsten as the men in the unit looked over the trench and opened fire on an advancing French unit. Several of the men dropped before a nearby machine gun emplacement mowed down the rest.
“Artillery !” yelled Gisbert as the unmistakable screech roared into the ground, sending a mass of dirt and sod into the air. A Karabiner 98 flew through the air and struck the ground. Someone in the platoon had got hit.
“More frogs !?!?” yelled Gisbert as a mass of French soldiers charged towards their positions.
“Open up !” yelled Carsten as every gun along the line opened fire. The rounds tore into the oncoming French horde but more troops followed and in the distance, the Germans could see the weapon that was changing the war.
“Tanks !”
“Where is the Mauser Gewehr ? Get it up here !” yelled one of the Privates.
“I got it ! “ screamed Gisbert as he wrenched the beast of a rifle off of the ground and mounted it on the trench. With a terrible burst of fire the rifle let loose. Cutting through the French soldiers and striking the French tanks. After several seconds, the gun ran empty.
“ Shit ! Ammo !” yelled Gisbert
“Get some ammo over here !” yelled Carsten.
“Oh Jesus …” said one of the German soldiers as the French tanks aimed their weapons. There was silence for a second before a familiar sound was heard.
“Is that …” said Carsten
“THE LUFTWAFFE !” yelled Gisbert in joy. The screech of the Stuka Dive Bomber echoed along the trenches as bombs fell across the front line. French soldiers were engulfed in explosions and the French tanks along the line were engulfed as they fired. Their shells spewed forth and struck the ground in front of the trenches. One of the shells erupted into a ball of fire and engulfed several of the men.
Gisbert fell back in pain, the hot flames licking his uniform and shrapnel ripping into his chest. He lay there, gasping for air before drifting into death.
Carsten stood with some of the other men and cheered, completely unaware of the death of his life long friend.
The first attack on the Kaiser Line had ended in German victory.
** And so it begins with the French on the Offensive against Germany and in Spain. In order to make sure that France acted as I wanted it to for the AAR - I took the role of playing France until December of 1936. I can guarantee that this is the only time that this will occur throughout the AAR, as I couldn't leave it to the AI after I had play tested my modded files a few times which all resulted in the eventual German destruction of France with the establishment of Vichy and an absent Barbarossa. That should answer some of your questions. This is not a German-Britain-Japan World Conquest AAR. This is an Allied Survival and eventual defeat of a European Juggernaut AAR - hopefully. **
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Reassuring that the enemy will be presenting a decent challenge, I do prefer an AAR with real tension so any steps necessary to attain that (like playing as the enemy) are fine by me
This reminds me of the time I played France with mod34. In 1935 Hitler sent his troops to the Rhine, and I chose the war option. Yeah, I took the 30 dissent hit, no big deal, since in the end I raped them and annex the whole of Germany in a few month, mwahahahaha.
My! Talk about a preemptive strike!
1926 ... I'll need to fix that ... :rofl:
Europe in Flames - Part 7
September 14 1936 …
Stuttgart, Germany …
The German Plan for an eventual war with the French Bloc was to hold the French at the border while forces in the east eliminated the Czech and Polish, before the entire German Army launched an attack on the French.
Feldwebel Carsten stood at the tree line. He and his men had been waiting for the order to charge for the last hour. Either the air battle wasn’t going to plan or someone at the High Command was postponing Operation Steel Heart. He sat their underneath one of the pine trees staring down at the French lines for longer than he cared to know. It might have been an hour. Might have been five minutes, but before a battle time seemed to drag itself out.
As he and his unit waited, his radio man came up on his left and took a seat. “ I don’t know when they’re going to give the order. We’ve been waiting here for … god knows how long and we haven’t heard from them.”
“Do you think they got hit ? I heard Berlin was bombed terribly” one of the other men piped up.
“Be quiet. We can’t miss the call” said Carsten.
“ Sir, I honestly don’t know when that is going to be. Surely, they must be having second thoughts. Even high command isn’t dumb enough to send 80 000 men to attack the Maginot Line. It would be like sending Ants to attack a wall of water” reasoned the Radio Operator.
“This is war. There doesn’t have to be a reason” said Carsten, all too reminded of his friend Gisbert. The friend he lost. The friend he didn’t know was dead until an hour after he was.
“This is General Beck to 3rd Army. Commence Operation Steel Heart. I repeat, commence Steel Heart”
The line of German guns opened up on the French line. Grenades were tossed into the French trenches as the Germans provided covering fire for the few men advancing into the trenches. After a few seconds, the guns on the Maginot line erupted. The sky seemed to be shrouded in smoke from their barrels and then, hell rained upon the Earth.
“What the hell are we doing here ?” yelled one of the Privates as explosions tore up Earth and tossed men into the air as if they were weightless. The gore erupting from the earth as artillery pounded it, buried some men alive who had crawled into craters.
“Keep up the fire !” yelled Feldwebel Carsten. The men in his unit and all along the line reloaded and opened fire with everything they had. Ammo was spent, much of it hammering into dirt. The French were reacting better now. They were manning their Machine Gun turrets.
In his heart, Carsten knew that Operation Steel Heart had been doomed to fail. No army could attack the Maginot Line and survive. Regardless of how long the offensive relieved the pressure on them defensively, it only pressured the French while German forces in the East advanced on the Polish. Operation Steel Heart was a trade. German High Command was hoping to trade lives for time. In essence that is what war is. Time and Blood.
How much of one could be spent before the other ran out ?
Madrid, Spain …
Jose Miaja paced the balcony of one of the more high end homes of Madrid. He had been contemplating the defence of Madrid for some time now. It was obvious that the French and the Spanish Rebels would come for the prize. Ever since the French declaration of war, Republican troops had deserted to the Nationalists. Such fickle men.
Under his command he had 40 000 troops. 30 000 were Spanish and 10 000 were made up from Volunteer Brigades from various countries. A lot of them were French exiles or American democrats. He didn’t know how much he could count on them. Even if they were loyal, he could not guarantee that they would not betray him for their own lives.
If Miaja was correct then a Nationalist assualt would strike at the Casa de Campo or to use University City as a bridgehead across the river that separated the city. They needed one or the other to escape street fighting. He had to get them into street fighting if he wanted any chance at victory. Even if he did win the battle, things looked grim. The Allies weren’t sending him reinforcements.
Spain was on it’s own. Spain wouldn’t last.
All it was, was a question of time.
Nice speeches, hope they will rally the world against the French
As do I.
Reassuring that the enemy will be presenting a decent challenge, I do prefer an AAR with real tension so any steps necessary to attain that (like playing as the enemy) are fine by me
I enjoy that as well. It gives you the uncertainty of the future that some AARs lack.
This reminds me of the time I played France with mod34. In 1935 Hitler sent his troops to the Rhine, and I chose the war option. Yeah, I took the 30 dissent hit, no big deal, since in the end I raped them and annex the whole of Germany in a few month, mwahahahaha.
I remember I tried to download mod34 once but it wasn't working for me. So I turned to modding my own files numerous times simply to make this AAR. That mildly annoyed me about MDS .... no ability to mod it with an editor ....
Good enough for me, well choosen.
Thanks. A lot of the turn out of the game will rely on whether the Soviet Union or the United States declares war on me. That would be really, really bad considering what happens with the French later on.
Oh sweet! Finally a chance to root for the poor sods that flew the Stukas!
Indeed. If the Royal Air force and the Luftwaffe hadn't sat on their ass since the last war, there would be more updates including them. As it is, the AI puts little attention on them - as do the Samurai.
Would you take 'Hope springs Eternal' ?
I could easily give another reason but I think our French readers wouldn't appreciate it .**Expect an Update later Today.**
Now is when the Frenchies begin to suffer the Spanish guerrilla and tortilla...:rofl:
Europe in Flames - Part 8
September 16 1936 …
Oslo, Norway …
Katsumoto disembarked from the aircraft as the flight attendant opened the door. He had been rather unaccustomed to Western Dress when he came to Britain in 1933. Now he couldn’t imagine wearing the dress of the Samurai daily. He still wore it on occasion for Special evenings or Diplomatic events but he hadn’t for some time. Regardless, he had yet to change to proper clothing. In order to garner passage through the neutral Scandinavian Alliance, he needed to pay a good will visit to the Scandinavian Royalty.
That meant a visit to the Danish Queen and the Swedish King. It also meant a need to change into his Samurai dress. He was looking forward to it. If Hirohito hadn’t messed up Japan too much since he had left, then Japan would be ready for war. A simultaneous war with the Chinese Warlords, Siam and the French was not something that Japan had prepared for. Even so, Japan had to be prepared.
He walked down the ramp and got into a waiting Limousine. An Aid put his luggage in the trunk and the car began to pull away. The meeting with royalty was in a few hours and he needed to look his best. Perhaps one day these people would be his allies against France. Even if they would not, it helped to have friends.
Edessa, Greece …
The Greek Campaign in the opening stages of World War Two was largely compared to a Meat Grinder with ill equipped Yugoslavian troops and Bulgarian Troops using equipment from the First World War, charging well equipped and dug in Greek Defences. Greek defenders often found that a weather in the mountains was more dangerous than their enemies.
“Private Konstantin ! Get over here you waste of a Greek !” yelled Sergeant Elias.
“Yes Sir !” yelled the Private as he ran forward. Bullets whizzed around them, striking rocks and dirt within spitting distance. Konstantin ducked behind one of the larger boulders as the Sergeant peered over a pile of rubble.
“6 … no 9 Slavs. You ready ?”
“ I-”
“Shut up” yelled the Sergeant as he poked his rifle out of cover. Konstantin stumbled to his feet and the two fired in unison. Catching the Yugoslav soldiers off guard, one was struck in the chest and yelled as he fell over. Another caught a round in the head, snapping back the neck before they collapsed. The two Greeks continued to empty out rounds and after a few seconds, the Slavs were dead or in retreat.
“What the hell was that Konstantin ? If you had been any less prepared they all would have got away. Now lets get a move on. We need to get back to the front. It’s bad enough that they bombed our convoy but if they’re breaking through our lines … Get off your ass, we’re moving” yelled the Sergeant.
The Private stood where he was, almost in shock from the man’s seemingly endless energy. Konstantin himself would have much rather waited for another Convoy to pass and then take a ride. This man seemed intent on running the way.
“Sergeant ? Can I ask why we are running to the front ?”
“Because you maggot, firstly we are Greeks. Secondly, it’s just over that ridge” Now the Private understood. They had been closer than he guessed. A ten minute run and they’d be at the front. “What the hell are you waiting for ? Come on !” yelled the Sergeant.
Reluctantly, the Private started up the rocky road.
As predicted, the men arrived at the front after ten minutes. The scene was hell.
“Jesus …”
“Well I’ll be damned …”
“Sir, it’s like one of the stories of World War I. The bodies and the fires and smoke”
“Yes it is …”
The Zeus Line was holding. Edessa seemed to have taken the brunt of the Bloc offensive. Bodies were strewn across battlefield before the line. The sky was black with smoke and ash and fires raged amongst the retreating Bloc forces. Bulgarians and Slavs alike were in full retreat. Their backs broken by the Greek defences. Better than Thermopylae, Edessa and the Zeus Line was a place of hope. One of the few victories available to Allied Commanders.
As the two men stood surveying their surroundings, a firefight erupted between a group of the Greek soldiers and a few trapped Bulgarians and Slavs.
“There !” yelled the Sergeant. The two men, inspired by the scene of victory ran towards the fighting. Sergeant Elias halted for a second and tossed a grenade into the enemy while Konstantin charged forward. Before Konstantin’s arrival, a group of the enemy were engulfed in the fires of Elias’ grenade. Konstantin didn’t have time to think before he jabbed one of the Slavs with his bayonet and withdrew it to stab another. As the second man keeled over, Elias opened fire and caught one of the men in the head.
Both men continued stabbing and firing for several seconds before the call came out.
“Stop !”
Konstantin turned to see the Sergeant nodding towards the enemy soldiers. Their hands raised in the air, the group of 3 enemy survivors had surrendered.
“Konstantin … you might prove to be something worth more than the lint in my pockets”
“Thank you, Sir”
Katsumoto might have aides (as in aides-de-camp etc) an aid is a device or tool. :S Otherwise very good. I love how the greeks are running to the front 'because we're greeks damnit' That's some badass morale building!
Fine shouting bastardry from the Greek sergeant there, though I must confess I read a great deal of hist dialogue in a '300' style mad shout. While I thing it improved the scene it probably wasn't what you intended.