Against all Odds: The British Empire in World War Two

[unmerged(85800)]

mahatma wont be very happy.

 

[trekaddict]

Well yes, but I think he could be sold on something akin to what I have in mind. I realize that the INC will put up the most resistance aside from maybe South Africa ( ) put politics is compromise, and I still believe I can write it in a believable way. I mean isn't equal citizenship with self governement also pretty good?

 

[unmerged(85800)]

i'd say so yep. considering i had to write about the indian independence movement for my last exams i can remember very little, but some of the main players would have accepted it and others would have rejected anything other than total self rule. some people are never happy.

 

[trekaddict]

i'd say so yep. considering i had to write about the indian independence movement for my last exams i can remember very little, but some of the main players would have accepted it and others would have rejected anything other than total self rule. some people are never happy.

Well, there will probably updates that decipt that.

 

[unmerged(61356)]

RedAAR participation day #2


So where shall we go this time?

a) a plotting Japan
b) an equally plotting Communist America
c) the exploits of our favourite SIS man in Germany?

While a certain morbid curiosity makes me interested in the bastardized version of America that is in existence here, I'll go with choice a.

 

[trekaddict]

I've just been named WritAAR of the week! Yay!

 

[trekaddict]

Also: from my current Britain WC game:

 

[trekaddict]

She has been sent to Britain for refitting and Service with the Homefleet. Maybe I'll use her as a Flagship for 1. Battlecruiser squadron alongside HMS Hood.

 

[ShadowWarrior]

Okey trekaddict, I subscribed to your thread as per your request. Now to catch up on all of the updates.

 

[trekaddict]

Welcome!

 

[unmerged(61356)]

Whoa! Is that from the game that this AAR is based on? A sign of things to come perhaps?

Congrats on WritAAR of the Week.

 

[trekaddict]

Whoa! Is that from the game that this AAR is based on? A sign of things to come perhaps?

Congrats on WritAAR of the Week.

Not, it isn't from the game the AAR is based on, in the AAR Bismarck awaits a much cooler fate, believe me. When it happens you will be as stunned as I was. I could PM it to you, but you'd be sworn to secrecy.

And thanks again.

 

[unmerged(61356)]

Not, it isn't from the game the AAR is based on, in the AAR Bismarck awaits a much cooler fate, believe me. When it happens you will be as stunned as I was. I could PM it to you, but you'd be sworn to secrecy.

And thanks again.

You have certainly piqued my curiosity, but I'll wait to discover Bismark's fate along with everyone else. Though the anticipation will probably start killing me.

 

[trekaddict]

You have certainly piqued my curiosity, but I'll wait to discover Bismark's fate along with everyone else. Though the anticipation will probably start killing me.

Believe me, when I saw that on my screen I almost fell from my chair.

 

[trekaddict]

Chapter 27​

November 20th, 1938

Imperial Japanese Navy Ministry, Tokio

Isoroku Yamamoto was aggravated, but like most Japanese he did not show this openly. He was however tempered. The Plan that this insufferable little General, this Tojo, had brought over was risky, yes, but Yamamoto was confident that the plan could be carried out, but in the best Army mentality most of the fighting and the risks would have to be shouldered by the Navy, as the Army was still bogged down in its adventure in China. He had to conceded that it looked like final Victory was closer every day. Still, it would be Navy ships, pilots and Marines that would have to do most of the fighting, and would take most of the losses in a plan that, for all its chances and possible benefits for the Empire, still carried a lot of risks and whose presumptions were sometimes more wishful thinking than established facts. Still, before he could officially react to this he needed to talk with Genda who was fast getting a reputation as an able planner and strategist. Too many things needed to be considered. The British who were a resurgent power, the Americans who would be ready to look beyond their own borders again in a few years, the Soviets who now had a secure European Flank and the British dependencies in the South Pacific, and the reaction of the Allied Powers to any moves on the other European possessions in the Area. “Ah Genda, come in.” he said when a knock could be heard at his office door. Both men exchanged the formal greetings when Genda was seated Yamamoto pushed over Tojos file folder and said: “Genda, I want you to take a look at this.” The Admiral waited patiently while the Commander looked through the folder and studied the Army Plan. After an hour and three cups of tea Genda spoke again. “Admiral, this is...” he searched for the appropriate words. “ambitious. I need to study it in detail, and I am sure it needs refinement in some areas, but I believe we can do it, given two or three years of preparation.” Vice Admiral Yamamoto gave Genda an encouraging nod. “Take your time Commander. How long will it take?” “Sir, the sheer magnitude... three weeks, no more.” “Report back here when you are ready. And Genda?” “Yes, Sir?” “Do it well, because if we attack the Americans like this I fear all we would do would be to awaken a sleeping Giant.” “Yes, Sir.” and with that Genda left. Yamamoto thought back to his days in America. Communists or not, their industrial might was awesome, and if the British really managed to solve the problems within their Empire... Japan would be hard pressed to prevail against even a diminished, less powerful America and a resurgent British Empire at the same time.

But he was already sure that whatever his misgivings about the plan might be it would go forward. The Army had the ear of the Emporer despite its failings in China and Yamamoto saw the reasoning behind the plan and truth to be told he mostly agreed with it. The plan called for attacks carried out in 1939, but the Navy would not have sufficient strength before autumn 1940, and Yamamoto would like to wait until 1941 to be sure. The hotheads in the Army however would be difficult to persuade. Patience had its merits, something the Admiral had learned from playing poker, and unlike the Army he did not belief that the British were bluffing with their talk about reforming the Empire. If they did that then they would be able to create an awesome warmachine, and Japan would eventually have to fight it too. Japan's only chance was to force a peace with America before the British awoke from their slumber. Yamamoto was even a bit amused by this situation. Yesterday morning he would have laughed in the face of everyone who told him that the British would soon be a bigger threat then the Americans, and he would have been right. But yesterday the British Prime Minister and their King had made a rousing speech in front of their Parliament, broadcasted live by the BBC for the whole world to hear. They had painted a bleak picture, and had talked about reforming Britain's crumbling Empire, spreading the cost and making it fit to survive the 20th Century and beyond. Yamamoto doubted that the plan, whatever it was in detail would be ratified by all the colonies, especially in Asia, but despite the trouble that would certainly follow in the wake of its disclosure the British would free up resources for the Royal Navy and their other services. No, speed was Japan's best chance.

Three hours later Yamamoto was busy going over reports and ships of all sorts. The Yamato-Class Battleships were on schedule for once, the Carrier construction program wasn't and the Army was yelling for more Divisions that took valuable manpower away from the Navy. Once more he was interrupted by a knock on his door. “Admiral Yamamoto, Sir, there is a General Tojo outside waiting for you.” “Send him in then.” Yamamoto and Tojo despised each other ever since Tojo had tried to get the Emporer to put the IJN's land based bombers under the control of the Army, but both mean also recognized each others professional capabilities. “General.” “Admiral.” Once both were seated again Tojo was the first to speak in a clear and intended breach of naval protocol. “Admiral, have you had chance to review plan Nitaka?” Yamamoto nodded. “Yes, I have, General. Firstly, let me say that this is a good plan, and it has high chances of success if executed carefully. At this moment Genda, my best strategist is looking it over to spot anything your people might have missed. Unlikely but it does not hurt, because your planners are not experienced in Naval warfare. Secondly, to carry it out the Navy needs more Carriers and these take at least two more years to build.” Yamamoto knew Tojo good enough to be able to tell that the little General was not satiesfied with the answer. Before Tojo coul desecrate the Navy's honour any more Yamamoto said: “General, be reminded that the men in the shipyards are working as fast as they can, and if we speed things up any more we might get manufacturing faults that will endanger operations, and what is a year of waiting if we can apply overwhelming force? The British will be pre-occupied in Europe, a war there will start sooner rather than later and the Americans have enough domestic troubles. Still, if they really push themselves they still can field combined forces that outnumber us by a fair margin, and to counter that we need more ships, and this will be the official reaction I will forward to his Majesty the Emporer.”

Tojo had come with a whole list of complaints about the sloppyness and slow movements of the Navy, but Yamamoto had probably anticipated this and had shot down every argument the General could have thought of in his first sentence. “Very well then, Admiral.” he said while standing up. “I will go back to the Headquarters and wait for Genda to finish his work.”
He had to respect Yamamoto's cunning behaviour. With giving the plan to a renowned strategist and out of his own hands he avoided committing himself early on. Tojo, while having to hate it for the Army's sake appreciated it privately. Cunning was something they would need in the coming war, and the Bushido was not against cunning warfare as long as it helped achieve the inevitable victory. For now Yamamoto was too important, but his time would come and then one would see who had the last word.


[Game Effects: Nothing much, but from taking a quick reload as japan-peek I know that they are building ships like crazy. The Situation in China is good for them, and their victory there is only a matter of time now, no more than a few months.]

 

[Doge Robert]

Phew.. Finally caught up..

Excellent story so far and as almost everybody have already exclaimed, scary looking to say the least..

I am deeply intrigued and will of course be following the exploits of the beleagered United Kingdom in it's effort to ward off the coming storm..

On a note, I will be paying special attention to your writing, as I consider it of excellent quality.. My newly started (first) AAR could use with a grand dose of quality and one must gather clues, where one finds them..

Incidentally and yes, you may take this as a compliment to your skill, if you find the time and energy for it, I would be grateful in the extreme, if you would read it or parts of it and give me any advice you may have.. However, understanding the rigors of RL, I will understand perfectly, if you do not..

Keep up the excellent work..

- Rob

PS. On the note of football, some Scandinavian historians claim it was invented by the vikings, who played it with a sown together, air-filled pigs-bladder. Others say they started by using the heads of fallen enemies..
As a Dane, I am of course a stern believer in said historians..
It sounds reasonable though, as the vikings in their time, were very crafty fellows. Their inheritants, however... *looks at himself in a mirror* seem lacking, when compared..

 

[trekaddict]

Phew.. Finally caught up..

Excellent story so far and as almost everybody have already exclaimed, scary looking to say the least..

I am deeply intrigued and will of course be following the exploits of the beleagered United Kingdom in it's effort to ward off the coming storm..

On a note, I will be paying special attention to your writing, as I consider it of excellent quality.. My newly started (first) AAR could use with a grand dose of quality and one must gather clues, where one finds them..

Incidentally and yes, you may take this as a compliment to your skill, if you find the time and energy for it, I would be grateful in the extreme, if you would read it or parts of it and give me any advice you may have.. However, understanding the rigors of RL, I will understand perfectly, if you do not..

Keep up the excellent work..

- Rob

PS. On the note of football, some Scandinavian historians claim it was invented by the vikings, who played it with a sown together, air-filled pigs-bladder. Others say they started by using the heads of fallen enemies..
As a Dane, I am of course a stern believer in said historians..
It sounds reasonable though, as the vikings in their time, were very crafty fellows. Their inheritants, however... *looks at himself in a mirror* seem lacking, when compared..

Glad to have you aboard and that you like it. I will PM you my e-mail and read what you have. The trouble is though that English isn't my native tounge. I learned it through school ( I must admit that my first few English teachers were good ) and countless books/films/computer games.


As for Football: I don't care who invented our form of football as long as we ( the Germans ) are better then the English, Dutch and Italians.

 

[unmerged(85800)]

ummm... i dont think you're better than the italians. sorry.

 

[trekaddict]

ummm... i dont think you're better than the italians. sorry.

Ehem.. just tell me, who didn't even qualify for the last Eurocup and who on the other hand almost won the final?

 

[unmerged(61296)]

ummm... i dont think you're better than the italians. sorry.

Have Tojo play goalkeeper ! :wacko: