Sorry for the long dlay for evyrone who follows my AAR but i was on vacation for a week and forgot to mention it.
Big update here and now:
-----------
The next logical step for Hitler was Belgium and then France. But first there was news of the Soviets declaring war upon Finland. Hitler was very curious to see what the Red army would make of the finnish. The swedish helped Finland by sendng supplies. This angered Hiter as he wanted to see the Finnish fight the Red army with what they have, his top spies had given him detailed information about its strength and made assesments on how the red army would deal with it. With these new devolopments however his spies where useless and he could only find out how and what happened afer the war against finland was over and his spies told him what went on.
In any way there is no time to focus on the Soviets right now as there is enough trouble in the west. New transports have been made to invade Norway later on and Admiral Raeder is doing well holding off the english fleet from the coasts.
On December 18th Hitler declared war upon Belgium and an enormous amount of German troops entered the country from the north. Almost 20 Panzer divisions stood ready in Aachen and Cologne to enter belgium and rapidly approach the French border. The battle for the Ardennes had begun.
Troops at the Maginot line where stuck, couldn't go through it and thus stationed there to prevent France from attacking them. The panzer divisions from Aachen took long to pass through the Ardennes in the winter and met with some heavy resistance in the beginning. Lots of French divisions and even some remaining dutch divisions held their ground at Bastogne. The German troops had not interpreted this stand-off and lacked the artillery support that would crush the French-Belgian-Dutch defenses.
In the north it went a lot better and Antwerp fell to the german forces. Ghent was taken next and the French-Belgian-Dutch defenses where about to be attacked on 2 fronts at the same time.
The panzer divisions of Aachen split up and went towards Liege, Namur and Arlon first and then flanked Bastogne on 3 sides supported by the troops that where dispatched from antwerp causing the Dutch and Belgian forces to surrender at Bastogne. The french troops retreated into France.
A large Panzer division broke off from the main group and stormed into Brussels, capturing the Belgian royal family. The government escaped to england.
After Mons was taken only the French border was in front of them. The Panzer divisions that got delayed in Bastogne hooked up with the main assault force and they entered France on the 25th of december near lille.
The invasion of France was long and harsh. The winter really kicked in those weeks and German forces had to cope with the cold for a long time as the blitzkrieg didn't allow them to rest.
Advances where definitly made though and by december 30th Dunkerque, Lille and Valenciennes had fallen.
At sea a large and important battle started on december 30th 1939 between English and German fleets. At 4 o'clock in the morning Admiral Raeder had spotted the English fleet. Thinking it was the HMS furious and escorts he turned to face them, as they did. However, when the fleets got closer to eachother Admiral Raeder saw to his great fear that this fleet was much larger then the ones they had encountered every so often during these last months.Admiral Raeders fleet consisted of 1 Battleship(the Bismarck), 7 cruisers and 5 destroyers. The english fleet they encountered had 2 carriers(Furious and Glorious), 6 battleships(Royal Oak, Royal sovereign, Nelson, Ramilles, Rodney and Resolution), 2 battlecruisers(hood and renown), 10 heavy cruisers and 15 light cruisers.
AT 9 o'clock AM they opened fire upon the German fleet. The germans fought well, many light cruisers in the beginning of battle where damaged. The fire was heavy and a shot from the BB HMS Nelson sunk the CA KMS Graf Spee and the CA Leipzig soon followed. At the moment the english where not paying attention however Raeder ordered the Bismarck to flanking position and from an almost impossible range started firing upon the carrier Furious. The planes from the 2 carriers where not launched however. Perhaps they where out of feul or ammo. Instead the 2 carriers left the battlefield, undamaged. The Bismarck pursued but was stopped as it was surrounded by 4 battleships. From a distance Raeder could see the KMS Admiral scheer and KMS Emden on fire, so he ordered ramming speed on the nearest Battleship. The Bismarck was heavily damaged but it got enough speed to outmaneuver the much less advanced battleship HMS Resolution and rammed it. Both the Bismarck and the Resolution sunk to the bottom of the sea. After seeing the Bismarck dive under the English fleet broke pursuit of the remaining Destroyers and headed home. One destroyers went back and picked up Admiral Raeders body from the rubble and sailed home. It will take long before the germans will face the british at sea again.
Luckily for germany there was a large fleet being build and after these new ships will be done they would continue their navy building. The first batch would be ready in less then 2 years and admiral Dönitz would take control.
A week into the fighing in France caused the French heavy losses, but advances where slow. Slowely but steadily German forces pushed their way towards Paris, flanking the Maginot line.
On January 13th Arlon and Calais where taken, a group of french divisions surrendered and the pressure on the germans was loosened in the west of the country.
The large french armies that where stationed in the maginot line however retreated back towards paris and fortified it and it neighbouring provinces.
Germans and French dug in again as they did in the First world war and they where unable to break eachothers defenses. More and more towns of France surrendered though, Dieppe gave in on January 25th and Le Havre was entered on February 1st.
Back and fort went the german and french forces in compiégne but it was fully taken on Febraury 20th. The french became more desperate with each town lost.
From Compiégne the Germans launched an all out attack on Paris on March 5th, at the moment the least divisions where present. But the attack failed and they had to regroup and wait for a new attack.
New Panzer divisions where diverted to Paris from Rotterdam and where due to arrive in a week or 2.
In the mean time Hitler declared war upon Norway, and Norway entered the military alliance of England & co.
Hitler wanted Norway to become a puppet state and send 6 Divisions with transports to make sure they did become that. The landed in Oslo and defeated the Norwegian armies with ease. They chased them northwards, towards narvik and wanted to end the battles there. German subs and few cruisers made sure no English forces would land in the country, and none did.
Meanwhile more planes where send to Airfields near paris and where ordered to bomb the shit out of them, destroy as much as they can. The Eiffeltower, Arc de Triomph, Notre Dam. All where destroyed to break the French Divisons organization, communiaction and supplies.
On march 24th 1940 a second attack was made against paris, this time with fresh Panzer divisions and many planes that helped destroy the defenses. Finally the attack worked and German forces entered the Batte-torn Paris. From then on the german army's spread was unstoppable and they went eastward to close in the French army in Brittany.
On April 2nd the Finnish winter war was over, and the Soviet Union had not gained anything. But, the soviet forces where building up in any case and the few Officers that where left in the red army had gained some experience. Hitler decided not to engage the Soviets, not untill England was beaten at least.
On April 23rd when Brittanny was secured and the German forces entered the city of Vichy the French surrendered. A man named Phillipe Petain wanted to set up a new neutral government in Southern France that would sympathize with any conditions from the nazi's. Hitler accepted this and Vichy France was born.
Hitler declared war on luxembourg and its little garrison was overrun in 2 days time. Luxembourg was annexed and the Government and Royal family executed.
Japan demanded the Harbors in Vietnam and Vichy France accepted.
-----------
So, thats that. Next the battle of britain and WWII will take a turn nobody could ever imagine.