Table of Contents
The Eagle, the Wolf and the Sun:
The History of the Pact of Steel
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LAST UPDATED: 30 NOV 2022
*****
Table of Contents
PROLOGUE, 1919 - 1935
A. The Immediate Post-War and Interbellum Period, 1919 - 1929
B. Icarus and the Sun: The Crash, the Great Depression, and the End of Locarno, 1929 - 1935
C. Forging the Spear: Interbellum Army Developments
D. Anchors Aweigh: Interbellum Naval Developments
E. Where Eagles Soar: Interbellum Air Force Developments
I. THE CALM, 1936
1. Of Doves and Hawks: Foreign and Domestic Politics
2. Death in the Afternoon: The Spanish Civil War
3. Ever Learning, Ever Improving: German Reich Research and Development
4. Plows into Swords: Reich Military Expansion
5. Arming the Legions: Italian Military Expansion, Research and Development
6. Shield or Sword: Wehrmacht versus Abwehr
II. THE SLOW FUSE, 1937
1. Stocking the Powder Keg of Europe: Foreign and Domestic Politics
2. For Whom the Bell Tolls: The Spanish Civil War
3. Advances for the Reich: German Research and Development: the Heer
4. Advances for the Reich: German R&D: the Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe and Industrial Improvements
5. Hardening the Legions: Italian Research and Development
6. Burying the Versailles Treaty: German and Italian Military Expansion
III. VERKLEIDUNG (DISGUISE), 1938
1. The Peace that Almost Was, Part I: Foreign and Domestic Politics, January - April
2. The Peace that Almost Was, Part II: Foreign and Domestic Politics, May - December
3. Left Out In The Rain: The Munich Treaty and the End of Czechoslovakia
4. Tigers and Blüchers, Part I: German Heer Research and Development
5. Tigers and Blüchers, Part II: Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe Research and Development
6. Tigers and Blüchers, Part III: German Industrial Research and Development
7. Paracadutisti and Factories: Italian Research and Development
8. Powder for the Pan: Expansion of the Wehrmacht and Italian Military
9. Bringing the Blüchers to Life: The Premier German Battlecruiser
IV. WAR BY OTHER MEANS, 1939
1. War By Other Means, Part I: Foreign and Domestic Politics, January - April
2. War By Other Means, Part II: Foreign and Domestic Politics, May - August
3. War By Other Means: Part III: Foreign and Domestic Politics, September - December
4. "Now I Have the World in my Pocket": Germany, the Soviet Union and the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
5. Fallschirmjäger and Kreuzerkrieg, Part I: Heer Research and Development
6. Fallschirmjäger and Kreuzerkrieg, Part II: Kriegsmarine Research and Development
7. Fallschirmjäger and Kreuzerkrieg, Part III: Luftwaffe and Civil/Secret Research and Development
8. Training as Bloodless Battles, Part I: Italian Army and Navy Research and Development
9. Training as Bloodless Battles, Part II: Italian Air Force and Civil Research
10. Something Wicked This Way Comes: Axis Military Expansion
11. Right Hand Man: Rise of the Right in Europe and America
V. TWILIGHT OF PEACE, 1940
1. The Eerie Calm: Foreign and Domestic Politics
2. Artillery, Panzers and the Type XXI: German Research and Development
3. But What About the Regia Aeronautica?: Italian Research and Development
4. The Dread Business: Axis Military Expansion
VI. THE LIGHTS GO OUT, 1941
1. Spinning Out Of Control: Foreign and Domestic Politics
2. The Rockets' Red Glare: German Research and Development
3. It Is Good Enough: Italian Research and Development
4. Goering's Dream: Axis Military Expansion
5. Caesar in Hellas: Operation Naxos
VII. THE BREAKING POINT, JAN - FEB 1942
VIII: OPERATION WHITE EAGLE, POLAND, FEB 1942
IX: SITZKRIEG OR 'PHONEY WAR', FEB - AUG 1942
1. Foreign and Domestic Politics
2. German Research and Development
3. Italian Research and Development
4. Axis Military Expansion
X: ALLE MANN AUF GEFECHTSSTATION!
The War at Sea, FEB - JUL 1942
1. Opening Salvoes: Operation White Eagle and Operation Catherine, Feb 1942
2. Operation Catherine Continues: Good Money Chasing Bad, Feb 1942
3. Operation Catherine: The End of Bloody February, 22 February - March 1942
4. Uboote Heraus! Unrestricted Submarine Warfare February - July 1942
5. Jutland, Revisited: April - May 1942
6. To Our Last Night Ashore: June - July 1942
XI: THE SUN ALSO RISES: WAR IN THE PACIFIC, JUL 1942 - JAN 1943
1. Operation Bauhinia: The Invasion of Hong Kong, 11 - 14 July 1942
2. Operations Malay Tiger, RY: The Malaysian Peninsula, British Borneo, and the Ocean Islands, July - September 1942
3. The Pacific Adventures of the Royal Navy
4. Operations Straya Kiwi: The Elimination of the ANZAC
XII: THE HEART OF DARKNESS: THE WAR IN AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST, AUG 1942 - JAN 1943
XIII: ALBION DESECRATED: OPERATION ORKNEY BULLDOG, OCT 1942 - JAN 1943
XIV: BEWARE THE COMMUNIST MENACE!
Causes of the Soviet War Declaration
XV: WAR IN THE EAST: PHASE 1: STRIKE THE BELL! JAN 1943
XVI: WAR IN THE EAST: PHASE 1.5: OPERATION NORTHERN LIGHTS AND THE END OF THE SOVIET NAVY JAN - APR 1943
XVII: OPERATION CHARAX: ITALY IN RUSSIA
Crimea, Caucus and the Failure of the Italian Army
XVIII: WAR IN THE EAST: PHASE 2: THE JABLONOW POCKET
The Early Envelopments
XIX: WAR IN THE EAST: PHASE 4: OPERATION MARSH MADNESS (NP)
The Pripyet Marshes Offensive
XX: WAR IN THE EAST: PHASE 5: STAND AND BE DESTROYED (NP)
The Baltic Offensive
(NP)
XXI: COLLAPSE OF THE ENTENTE ALLEMANDE (NP)
XXII: OPERATION ARABIAN NIGHTS (NP)
Italy in Arabia
XXIII: ARISE, FAIR ALBION!
Reemergence of the Allies (NP)
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Appendices
A. The Links That Bind: German Command System and Order of Battle, 1936
B. Mussolini's Legions: Italian Command System and Order of Battle, 1936
C. Wehrmacht Strength Report and Division TO&E, 1937
D. Italian Military Strength Report and Division TO&E, 1937
E. Axis Governments and Laws, 1936 - 1950
F. Wehrmacht Strength Report, Order of Battle, and Division TO&E, 1938
G. Italian Military Strength Report, Order of Battle, and Division TO&E, 1938
H. Axis Military Equipment, 1936 - 1950
I. Major Nation Industrial Capacity and Manpower, 1936 - 1950
J. Major Nation Army Strength Comparisons, 1936 - 1950
K. Major Nation Naval Strength Comparisons, 1936 - 1950
L. Major Nation Air Forces Strength Comparisons, 1936 - 1950
M. Major Nation Technology Comparisons, 1936 - 1950
N. Axis Armies Order of Battle and Division TO&E, FEB 1942
O. Luftwaffe Combat-Coded Aircraft Strength, FEB 1942
*****
Author's Note:
*****
Table of Contents
PROLOGUE, 1919 - 1935
A. The Immediate Post-War and Interbellum Period, 1919 - 1929
B. Icarus and the Sun: The Crash, the Great Depression, and the End of Locarno, 1929 - 1935
C. Forging the Spear: Interbellum Army Developments
D. Anchors Aweigh: Interbellum Naval Developments
E. Where Eagles Soar: Interbellum Air Force Developments
I. THE CALM, 1936
1. Of Doves and Hawks: Foreign and Domestic Politics
2. Death in the Afternoon: The Spanish Civil War
3. Ever Learning, Ever Improving: German Reich Research and Development
4. Plows into Swords: Reich Military Expansion
5. Arming the Legions: Italian Military Expansion, Research and Development
6. Shield or Sword: Wehrmacht versus Abwehr
II. THE SLOW FUSE, 1937
1. Stocking the Powder Keg of Europe: Foreign and Domestic Politics
2. For Whom the Bell Tolls: The Spanish Civil War
3. Advances for the Reich: German Research and Development: the Heer
4. Advances for the Reich: German R&D: the Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe and Industrial Improvements
5. Hardening the Legions: Italian Research and Development
6. Burying the Versailles Treaty: German and Italian Military Expansion
III. VERKLEIDUNG (DISGUISE), 1938
1. The Peace that Almost Was, Part I: Foreign and Domestic Politics, January - April
2. The Peace that Almost Was, Part II: Foreign and Domestic Politics, May - December
3. Left Out In The Rain: The Munich Treaty and the End of Czechoslovakia
4. Tigers and Blüchers, Part I: German Heer Research and Development
5. Tigers and Blüchers, Part II: Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe Research and Development
6. Tigers and Blüchers, Part III: German Industrial Research and Development
7. Paracadutisti and Factories: Italian Research and Development
8. Powder for the Pan: Expansion of the Wehrmacht and Italian Military
9. Bringing the Blüchers to Life: The Premier German Battlecruiser
IV. WAR BY OTHER MEANS, 1939
1. War By Other Means, Part I: Foreign and Domestic Politics, January - April
2. War By Other Means, Part II: Foreign and Domestic Politics, May - August
3. War By Other Means: Part III: Foreign and Domestic Politics, September - December
4. "Now I Have the World in my Pocket": Germany, the Soviet Union and the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
5. Fallschirmjäger and Kreuzerkrieg, Part I: Heer Research and Development
6. Fallschirmjäger and Kreuzerkrieg, Part II: Kriegsmarine Research and Development
7. Fallschirmjäger and Kreuzerkrieg, Part III: Luftwaffe and Civil/Secret Research and Development
8. Training as Bloodless Battles, Part I: Italian Army and Navy Research and Development
9. Training as Bloodless Battles, Part II: Italian Air Force and Civil Research
10. Something Wicked This Way Comes: Axis Military Expansion
11. Right Hand Man: Rise of the Right in Europe and America
V. TWILIGHT OF PEACE, 1940
1. The Eerie Calm: Foreign and Domestic Politics
2. Artillery, Panzers and the Type XXI: German Research and Development
3. But What About the Regia Aeronautica?: Italian Research and Development
4. The Dread Business: Axis Military Expansion
VI. THE LIGHTS GO OUT, 1941
1. Spinning Out Of Control: Foreign and Domestic Politics
2. The Rockets' Red Glare: German Research and Development
3. It Is Good Enough: Italian Research and Development
4. Goering's Dream: Axis Military Expansion
5. Caesar in Hellas: Operation Naxos
VII. THE BREAKING POINT, JAN - FEB 1942
VIII: OPERATION WHITE EAGLE, POLAND, FEB 1942
IX: SITZKRIEG OR 'PHONEY WAR', FEB - AUG 1942
1. Foreign and Domestic Politics
2. German Research and Development
3. Italian Research and Development
4. Axis Military Expansion
X: ALLE MANN AUF GEFECHTSSTATION!
The War at Sea, FEB - JUL 1942
1. Opening Salvoes: Operation White Eagle and Operation Catherine, Feb 1942
2. Operation Catherine Continues: Good Money Chasing Bad, Feb 1942
3. Operation Catherine: The End of Bloody February, 22 February - March 1942
4. Uboote Heraus! Unrestricted Submarine Warfare February - July 1942
5. Jutland, Revisited: April - May 1942
6. To Our Last Night Ashore: June - July 1942
XI: THE SUN ALSO RISES: WAR IN THE PACIFIC, JUL 1942 - JAN 1943
1. Operation Bauhinia: The Invasion of Hong Kong, 11 - 14 July 1942
2. Operations Malay Tiger, RY: The Malaysian Peninsula, British Borneo, and the Ocean Islands, July - September 1942
3. The Pacific Adventures of the Royal Navy
4. Operations Straya Kiwi: The Elimination of the ANZAC
XII: THE HEART OF DARKNESS: THE WAR IN AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST, AUG 1942 - JAN 1943
XIII: ALBION DESECRATED: OPERATION ORKNEY BULLDOG, OCT 1942 - JAN 1943
XIV: BEWARE THE COMMUNIST MENACE!
Causes of the Soviet War Declaration
XV: WAR IN THE EAST: PHASE 1: STRIKE THE BELL! JAN 1943
XVI: WAR IN THE EAST: PHASE 1.5: OPERATION NORTHERN LIGHTS AND THE END OF THE SOVIET NAVY JAN - APR 1943
XVII: OPERATION CHARAX: ITALY IN RUSSIA
Crimea, Caucus and the Failure of the Italian Army
XVIII: WAR IN THE EAST: PHASE 2: THE JABLONOW POCKET
The Early Envelopments
XIX: WAR IN THE EAST: PHASE 4: OPERATION MARSH MADNESS (NP)
The Pripyet Marshes Offensive
XX: WAR IN THE EAST: PHASE 5: STAND AND BE DESTROYED (NP)
The Baltic Offensive
(NP)
XXI: COLLAPSE OF THE ENTENTE ALLEMANDE (NP)
XXII: OPERATION ARABIAN NIGHTS (NP)
Italy in Arabia
XXIII: ARISE, FAIR ALBION!
Reemergence of the Allies (NP)
*****
Appendices
A. The Links That Bind: German Command System and Order of Battle, 1936
B. Mussolini's Legions: Italian Command System and Order of Battle, 1936
C. Wehrmacht Strength Report and Division TO&E, 1937
D. Italian Military Strength Report and Division TO&E, 1937
E. Axis Governments and Laws, 1936 - 1950
F. Wehrmacht Strength Report, Order of Battle, and Division TO&E, 1938
G. Italian Military Strength Report, Order of Battle, and Division TO&E, 1938
H. Axis Military Equipment, 1936 - 1950
I. Major Nation Industrial Capacity and Manpower, 1936 - 1950
J. Major Nation Army Strength Comparisons, 1936 - 1950
K. Major Nation Naval Strength Comparisons, 1936 - 1950
L. Major Nation Air Forces Strength Comparisons, 1936 - 1950
M. Major Nation Technology Comparisons, 1936 - 1950
N. Axis Armies Order of Battle and Division TO&E, FEB 1942
O. Luftwaffe Combat-Coded Aircraft Strength, FEB 1942
*****
Author's Note:
This is going to be a mixed "Gameplay/Roleplay" Historical AAR. I, as the player, will not be doing (much) gamey stuff; I find it rather repugnant to min/max divisions or anything like that, but I do recognize the limits of the game. Since this is my third attempt at a real AAR, do please go easy on me! I will be avoiding talking directly about what my actual in-game choices are as far as diplomacy, technology and intelligence are when I make them because technically these sorts of events would not actually cause an effect until later (for instance, when a technology pops, or influencing public opinion overseas). Hopefully, I can keep people entertained and intrigued!
Basic Game Info: HoI3:TFH 4.02 Normal/Normal, playing as Germany, Italy and (though not until 1941) Japan.
Mods: I am indebted to CaptRabius for his Historical Flags mod. I created for myself an APP-6a mod, to replace and clarify some of the original counters that were in the game. Finally, I have modified this game to reflect a sort of Butterfly effect start, but with no more changes than could be executed via a "light" CGM start for GER and ITA, and with no removal of any of the starting units (though a custom OOB and deployment has been arranged). Other slight efforts have been to reduce the cost (to all nations) for diplomacy and to move the garrison techs to the Infantry techs.
Some of you may (if you were around seven years ago) have read some of my first attempts to do something similar: Das Morgengrauen or Der Aufstieg. They failed through my computer dying or my own mental health declining. I am pleased to say that this time I've already played through 1943, and have at least started writing through 1940. My update goal is at least once every two weeks, but at worst every three weeks--I'm in the middle of starting a new job and trying to get hired on permanently, and so that's cut quite deeply into playtime... don't worry, according to my status page, I have over 27000 words on 64 pages... and that's without pictures or any charts (of which I have two, so far).
Finally, for a few of the guys that I left hanging, most especially @loki100, @KLorberau, @Axe99 and so many others: I have returned!
Basic Game Info: HoI3:TFH 4.02 Normal/Normal, playing as Germany, Italy and (though not until 1941) Japan.
Mods: I am indebted to CaptRabius for his Historical Flags mod. I created for myself an APP-6a mod, to replace and clarify some of the original counters that were in the game. Finally, I have modified this game to reflect a sort of Butterfly effect start, but with no more changes than could be executed via a "light" CGM start for GER and ITA, and with no removal of any of the starting units (though a custom OOB and deployment has been arranged). Other slight efforts have been to reduce the cost (to all nations) for diplomacy and to move the garrison techs to the Infantry techs.
Some of you may (if you were around seven years ago) have read some of my first attempts to do something similar: Das Morgengrauen or Der Aufstieg. They failed through my computer dying or my own mental health declining. I am pleased to say that this time I've already played through 1943, and have at least started writing through 1940. My update goal is at least once every two weeks, but at worst every three weeks--I'm in the middle of starting a new job and trying to get hired on permanently, and so that's cut quite deeply into playtime... don't worry, according to my status page, I have over 27000 words on 64 pages... and that's without pictures or any charts (of which I have two, so far).
Finally, for a few of the guys that I left hanging, most especially @loki100, @KLorberau, @Axe99 and so many others: I have returned!
A DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Furthermore, all images, charts, artwork or other digital media are employed under a Fair Use for comment and remain the property of their respective owners.
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