Crossfires, a French AAR for HoI2 Doomsday

[Vann the Red]

Up to date doctrines and a decent admiral make an enormous difference. In one of my first games as Brazil, all of the heavy ships in the Italian Navy had been sunk by the Brits. I attempted a landing on Sicily and the 27 light cruisers and destroyer flotillas they had remaining sortied to stop the landings. My small navy was built around a SAG of five CAs and a destroyer screen. But four of the CAs were repairing in port. That lone CA sunk the entire Italian Navy in one three day battle while my landings were completed. Scary.

Vann

 

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Yikes! well gald it wasn't real

 

[4th Dimension]

Strictly map exercises, I'd say. IN RL the French Headquarters ran a series of wargames in 1938 based on the hypothesis of Germany fighting a combined French/Czech/Polish forces. The results of the wargames were that Germany would rapidly defeat the Little Entente armies and then turn to France. This probably weighed heavily in the minds of French generals and politicians at Munich (I think the wargames pre-dated the conference) and comforted the strictly defensive posture.

Here I'm working on the hypothesis that younger, more offensive-oriented officers manage to prove France can actually win a war against Germany, even without British support, if it shifts to a more offensive posture.

I think it's mostly because AI and Player have different plans. If AI were to play from the beginning he would have faired better, because divisions would be in places he needs them, but this way, he hasn't got a clue why you positioned certain division in certain spot.

Also AI probably disregards brigades because he anyways gets them for free.

 

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CHAPTER 39 : ESTADO NOVO



Belo Horizonte, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, in the spring of 1938​

A luxury restaurant in Minas Gerais, Brazil, May the 12th, 1938

"So, senhor Miller" said the middle-aged man, "can I depend on you ?"

The tall American took a sip of his Bourbon to gather his thoughts. He had been sent to Brazil by an elite group of fellow industrialists, and he didn't want to give the game away after a mere dozen drinks. It was serious business he and his friends were conducing, the kind of business that made nations - or ruined them. An ordinary day for Miller and the gang he had associated with dealt with oil futures and precision optic devices, with explosives and spare parts, with airplanes licenses and rare metals. As such, they often had to deal with foreign potentates, and to Miller's group, Getulio Vargas, Presidente of Brazil and executive head of Rio de Janeiro's Estado Novo was nothing more than a disenfranchised Liberian general or a rogue German investor. Considerably less than the latter, in fact.

"Senhor Presidente, you have to understand what the situation looks like in America", Miller said, feeling that it was time to deliver a self-gratifying analysis about world politics. If nothing else, that would make Vargas understand better what the Grand Game, as his partners called it, was all about these days. And, as an added and pleasant bonus, that would impress the beautiful and demure brunette that was sitting to his left, giggling at every half-witty comment he or Vargas made.

Taking a deep sigh, Miller raised his fork, about to use it to underscore every point he was about to make.

"As you may know, senhor Presidente, all European nations have ended last war owing Uncle Sam large sums of money. Or more exactly, owing me and my friends large sums of money. From ammunition to foodstuff to industrial products, we funded their little war, until it became ours. And when it did, it only meant more of our money was at stake, of course. Naturally, once victory and defeat happened to be both around the corner, our debtors tried to wriggle their way out of reimbursement"

Miller chuckled softly, letting his left hand wander up Amelia's thigh under the table. She shot a seductive glance at him, uncrossing her legs to let him feel more comfortable with his caress.

"Since the end of the war, American industrialists basically belong to one of two groups, each group having taken a different path. You could say there's those who took the beaten path - those who, like my friends, realized in 1918 there was more money to make in Germany than in France or England. And there's those who think they should bet on our former allies in the long run, forgetting we had to bail them out last time they tried to swallow a big bite of juicy steak."

Vargas was looking at him from above his drink, his eyes twinkling with something that Miller couldn't identify. Possibly it was the mere pleasure to chat with a like-minded norteamericano, or whatever they called it in Brazilian Portuguese. Miller had dealt with a lot of Latin American generals and politicians over the past ten years, and while Vargas definitely was a better, more astute and above all more powerful kind of coronel, he was nothing but an upstart spic.

I'll have to think of an appropriate terms for Brazilians, thought Miller, who as one of the few men of his group aware of the incongruity of calling a Brazilian a spic had been promoted as their expert for the subcontinent on the spot.

"My friends and associates believe money is still where it was in 1918, in Germany, and of course in foreign countries ready to invest in Germany, regardless of the political regime. You have to understand we care little about our partners' political affiliation, as long as they have credit and are not Communist."

"In this respect, senhor Miller, I dare say you'll find Estadonovista Brazil is a place with a future for foreign investors" added Vargas, flashing a smile at Amelia while squeezing Karin's hand. Whether it was her luscious eyes or scuptural body, the White Russian girl always had something about her that made him feel on fire.

"Quite" said Miller. "Anyway, my friends have more or less blazed the new ground America has tread on over the last decade. We have resisted our competitors' attempts to have France and England's war debts written off, while securing large access to the German market for ourselves. And while our competitors enjoy their little French honeymoon so far, the change of regime in Berlin has only made our own investment more profitable, to the point we're ready to comfort our German partners' position in Latin America. Speaking of which, I understand you have approached them to build a steel mill in Brazil, in exchange for mining rights here in Minas Gerais"

Vargas nodded, feeling unconcerned and vaguely annoyed by Miller's explanations. It was always like that with politically-minded envoys such as this smug American industrialist. To Vargas, ideologies meant nothing and served no purpose except to clog the political process. He half-thought about opening his guests' eyes as to the complete vacuity of political ideals, but decided against it. While humbling his insufferable guest would be immensely satisfying, it would not serve Vargas' purposes, which were to secure American investment for his country.

Vargas had been elected in 1934 after a decade of political turmoil between right-wing Integralistas and local Communists. Inspired by Mussolini's success in keeping social unrest under control by instating governmental negociations - to be fair democracies had been using the same trick a few years later - he had transformed his initially bourgeois democratical reform program into a more authoritarian Fascist-inspired regime, the Estado Novo. Since then, the Estado Novo had been the perfect weathercock of the mid-1930s. As strong, militaristic regimes had taken hold almost everywhere in Europe, Brazil had drifted to the Far Right with abandon. Vargas kept going with the flow, and now that the democracies were baring their teeth - and using them like in Spain the previous year - he thought about reaching another kind of political balance. But in the end, it was the United States' position that really mattered to him - as long as his decrees would enjoy Washington's imprimatur, Brazil would be safe. And men like Miller, for all their irritating tendency to think the world was wrapped around their little finger, made sure Vargas' credit remained high in the America that actually mattered.

Getulio Vargas, the ever flexible inflexible dictator​

"What about your old alliance with France ? What about your alliance with England ?" asked Vargas, willing to berate his guest a little.

"Bah" said Miller. "They're beggars - or they would be, if it hadn't been for our soldiers, matériel and money. Their 1918 victory, which they so easily squandered away, was paid by Uncle Sam. We own them, and in all justice we should call the shots in Europe. Actually my friends and I think we will, in due time. We have many contacts over there, who tell us England and France are nothing but spent forces. They recognized Germany is on the rise long ago, senhor Presidente, and they sent Hitler a congratulations telegram in 1933. That is the future, senhor Vargas. A German-American partnership. That is the future"

No more 'senhor Presidente', eh, you smug little bastard ? thought Vargas, who half-wondered if he could arrange for some thugs to beat Miller up in a plausibly deniable way.

Instead, Vargas put his spectacles off, taking a few seconds to wipe them clean with the tablecloth, while flashing a knowing smile at Karin as if to ask her to bear witness how many unplesant burdens he had to put up with. Facing him, Amelia seemed to be a little put off too, or maybe she wasn't at ease with the sudden tension between the two men she had been hired to please. That didn't worry Vargas much. As he well knew from sweet experience, Amelia would do her best later tonight for Miller to feel admired and appreciated. He waved away the thought and focused on his own little speech.

"Brazil is also part of this future, senhor Miller, regardless of what your President Landon may think" he replied, keeping a poker face and an even voice. "Estado Novo has more to do with strong, anti-Communist regimes than with weak, left-leaning democracies. We want strong ties with the United States, and we want strong ties with Germany, as we see both nations as essential in the Holy fight against Communism. I want Brazil to stand by these nations in that fight, and for that, you'll understand, I need technical expertise. Germany is ready to invest in a steel mill but having Brazilian factories will always mean more to me than welcoming foreign ones. What I want is to develop our own industrial sector. Tell your friends the Estado Novo doesn't plan to set up protectionnist bareers. But tell them also we'll need to build our industry up so we can contribute more to world economy, at the same time shifting our demands from basic products to high-value, high-technology equipments only a few firms in the world can actually produce. These factories will also increase our ability to help your friends provide German firms with certain products, and even raw material that might come in handy should industrialized countries such as the United States declare an embargo. So with Brazilian help, your friends could circumvent your own country's laws, like they skillfully did in Spain and Italy until very recently, or so I heard. It's what you call a win-win situation, I think. Have I summed eet up correctly, senhor Meeler ?" concluded Vargas, deliberately thickening his accent.

Miller straightened up and blushed, catching the Brazilian President's drift perfectly. He turned to Amelia to gain time and regain composure, and brought her hand to his mouth for an old-fashioned baisemain. His thoughts gathered, his sharp mind focused, he turned to face Vargas and tried to look beyond the Brazilian's amused eyes.

Yes, he fully understands it. No need to pussyfoot anymore thought Miller grudgingly. He felt bizarrely offended that Vargas has put his offer under such a crude light. At least the Dominican and Honduran generals he usually dealth with had the good taste of being complete idiots.

"Senhor Presidente, you have summed it up concisely and precisely. My friends thing Landon's foolish administration in Washington are misjudging the world situation regarding Communism - and Germany. They feel they have a higher duty to the American people, and of course to their shareholders. And they feel strict implementation of American trade regulations might prove a hindrance in the accomplishment of this duty. So...will Brazil help us fight the good fight, senhor Presidente ?"

Not so smug when it comes to call a spade a spade, Mr Miller ? thought vargas, smirking.

"Yes, my dear friend. You can tell your business associates that as long as they keep their end of the bargain with Estado Novo, Estado Novo will keep its. Please tell them also how strongly I believe in reciprocity, senhor Miller. Now" he said, looking at his gold watch, "we should hurry if we want to visit that manganese mine you were so eager to get a look at."

Delicately wiping his mouth with a silk handkerchief, he rose to his feet, flashing an apologetic smile to Karin. At the next table, the bodyguards immediately pushed away their cups of coffee and adjusted their jackets over their shoulder holsters. Florimonte, the head of Vargas' security detail, quickly sent two men outside to check the surroundings. He felt no particular reason to be worried, though - he had six men here, and two armed drivers were watching over the cars. On the whole, Minas Gerais was considered safe ground anyway, since the miners' strikes had ended two years before, their trade unions pledging allegiance to the Estado Novo.

"If my driver steps on it, we should be back in four hours. Just in time to save these beautiful ladies from loneliness - young beauties should never be left alone for too long" added Vargas with a good-natured wink at Amelia, who dutifully giggled as she stood up and headed for the restroom.

Five minutes later, as the presidential motorcade sped on to leave Belo Horizonte, Karin went down the stairs that led to the restroom. She was a little surprised to see Amelia leaning against the wall in one of the phone booths, and the two grils raised their eyebrows in mock tribute to the ego of the two men they'd have to "entertain" later on.

"Sorry, mama, the line is bad" said Amelia into the phone. "Anyway I'll try to come the day after tomorrow, by the 3 o'clock bus. I love you, mama"

"She's till giving you trouble over your job ?" asked an amused Karin. Amelia was like her younger sister, and Karin always made sure she was fine.

"Like you wouldn't believe." said Amelia, visibly upset

"You should have told her you had become a nun !" chuckled Karin, nudging her friend.

************​

In a flat near Minas Gerais, "Mama" hung up and turned to the group of men that had been tensely listening to the conversation with the call-girl.

"What did she say ?" asked their leader, a tall and melancholic man who was looking by the window, sipping water.

"Road number three, one sedan, two escort cars. He has a foreign guest with him" answered the burly man who had taken the call.

"Hmmh" thought the first one. He didn't care too much about what happened to Vargas' guests as long as they were Brazilian, but a foreigner might cause some unexpected problems. Still, they had worked two full weeks, day and night to arrange for this operation, and he knew they would not benefit from circumstances this favorable before months - if ever again. And of course there was Olga, his wife. A few weeks before, in his efforts to make nice with the German Nazis and with the Integralistas hardliners, Vargas had deported his pretty, clever, and pregnant Olga to Germany, on account of her being half-Jewish. The mere thought of her was enough to make any scruple wither.

"To hell with the American" said Luis Carlos Prestes, former Lieutenant in the Brazilian army and leader of the clandestine Communist Party. "Contact our people, and tell them to go along with the plan, as decided. No need to show any kind of mercy to anyone"

Luis Carlos Prestes, Komintern agent.​

Turning back to the window, Prestes wondered what kind of landscape Olga was able to see, if any.

No good deed ever goes unpunished, Getulio. Not one. And no bad deed either.

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[Game effects : None....yet !

Sadly enough, in RL there was a convent of leading US industrialists in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, which gathered to celebrate the German troop's entry into Paris, and this group really did send a congratulations telegram to the Reich Chancellery.

The RL Getulio Vargas was very much a political shapeshifter. Liberal reformist turned Italian-style Fascist, he also flirted with his local Nazis, the Integralistas (and as a sop to them he did deport Prestes' pregnant wife to Nazi Germany, where she gave birth and died in a camp), and let Germany and the US court him with offers of investment and war matériel. In 1942, after Stalingrad, he decided Germany was a lost cause and sided with the US, sending Brazilian troops to fight the regimes he had first wanted to emulate. As often when brave soldiers come back from a foreign war, they carried with them desires of social reforms, and Vargas once again changed his tune.

In RL, he was even astute enough to enlist Prestes' help in democratizing the country. Prestes justified it by saying the good of many should always trump the grief of one. In this AAR of course, Prestes is encouraged to exact revenge by the Komintern's desire to seize the initiative in Latin America]

 

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Up to date doctrines and a decent admiral make an enormous difference. In one of my first games as Brazil, all of the heavy ships in the Italian Navy had been sunk by the Brits. I attempted a landing on Sicily and the 27 light cruisers and destroyer flotillas they had remaining sortied to stop the landings. My small navy was built around a SAG of five CAs and a destroyer screen. But four of the CAs were repairing in port. That lone CA sunk the entire Italian Navy in one three day battle while my landings were completed. Scary.

Vann

Coffee- and pepper-fueled Brazilian furore !

 

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Interesting bit of South American intrigue

Some of what the Yank says is true. England and France did borrow heavily from the USA and they did try to get those debts canceled after the war. Those debts were a large part of the real reason the USA got into WWI... you protect your investments.





.

 

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Interesting bit of South American intrigue

Some of what the Yank says is true. England and France did borrow heavily from the USA and they did try to get those debts canceled after the war. Those debts were a large part of the real reason the USA got into WWI... you protect your investments.

Indeed some of what the good Mr Miller say is the absolute truth - the whole 'war debts/war reparations' issue continued to fester until the mid-1930s in RL, but of course for industrialists of every nation the issue probably stayed a hot topic for longer than that. One could bet the group Miller represents has been heavily involved in the Dawes Plan that enabled Germany to pay only a fraction of war reparations - and with foreign money to boot. In this alternate timeline, both groups Miller refers to probably petitioned the Us government to write off some debts on behalf of their "favourite" European power, reasoning there would be more money to make in getting investment dividends than in collecting debts.

Actually, I'm thinking about keeping that Miller dude around. I initially thought he would only be a temporary medium through which I could hint at what was going on in the US in 1938, but the more I think about him, the more he seems an interesting son of a bitch, with great storytelling potential.

 

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Indeed some of what the good Mr Miller say is the absolute truth - the whole 'war debts/war reparations' issue continued to fester until the mid-1930s in RL, but of course for industrialists of every nation the issue probably stayed a hot topic for longer than that. One could bet the group Miller represents has been heavily involved in the Dawes Plan that enabled Germany to pay only a fraction of war reparations - and with foreign money to boot. In this alternate timeline, both groups Miller refers to probably petitioned the Us government to write off some debts on behalf of their "favourite" European power, reasoning there would be more money to make in getting investment dividends than in collecting debts.

Actually, I'm thinking about keeping that Miller dude around. I initially thought he would only be a temporary medium through which I could hint at what was going on in the US in 1938, but the more I think about him, the more he seems an interesting son of a bitch, with great storytelling potential.

Don't forget this lead to a series of US laws in the late 20's that tied FDR's hands as far as suporting England and France... untill he came up with Lend/Lease. All Arms purches form US companies had to be paid cash on delivery, no loans! Very furstratig to the buisness comunity and to FDR.

 

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Don't forget this lead to a series of US laws in the late 20's that tied FDR's hands as far as suporting England and France... untill he came up with Lend/Lease. All Arms purches form US companies had to be paid cash on delivery, no loans! Very furstratig to the buisness comunity and to FDR.

You're right, I have to factor Isolationnism in somehow - although one could say the USA are doing a good job of disdaining foreign involvement as long as it implies signing an alliance with my Market-Liberal France !

Right now it's a Landon administration that is in power, and I have to read more about Landon's take on foreign policies.

 

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You're right, I have to factor Isolationnism in somehow - although one could say the USA are doing a good job of disdaining foreign involvement as long as it implies signing an alliance with my Market-Liberal France !

Right now it's a Landon administration that is in power, and I have to read more about Landon's take on foreign policies.

Landon! Landon!

 

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Landon! Landon!

Yes, FDR has been sent into early retirement, or so it seems. Republicans are firmly in control !

 

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Landon! Landon!

Great info you sent me. So it seems Landon was rather opposed to strict isolationnism, and also that he was in favor of less legal restrictions on trade...

These two traits of character should make Alfred Landon the future French President's best friend !

 

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Great info you sent me. So it seems Landon was rather opposed to strict isolationnism, and also that he was in favor of less legal restrictions on trade...

These two traits of character should make Alfred Landon the future French President's best friend !

Your most welcome.

 

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All right, people, we have reached the 10,000 views threshold. As promised, the first historical character (or one of my unhistorical ones) which gets 5 votes will star in the next update, so it's time to make your coming out as pledge your support to your favorite hero or villain.

 

[aussieboy]

I vote Manuel Quezon.

 

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As a long standing tradition in AARland I vote for Otto Skorzeny!!!!

 

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Both VERY interesting characters I must say. One vote for each, people !

 

[4th Dimension]

That NKVD fellow, just out of gulag.

 

[oddman]

Buenaventura Durruti.

C'mon, you know you want anarchists!

(In case he died, as he did historically, chalk one up for the KGB-fellow just out of the gulag.)

 

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Buenaventura Durruti.

C'mon, you know you want anarchists!

(In case he died, as he did historically, chalk one up for the KGB-fellow just out of the gulag.)

MORE interesting characters ! It's going to be a tough choice if I have to draw lots for them !