I see. And the Northern Expedition was led by a Kuomintang-Communist Party alliance, right?
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Yes indeed, it was Xu Shichang after all. I think I'm having a mandela effect...
Honestly it is really weird in that Germany forsakes the Guomindang in favor of the pro-Japanese Beiyang government.
Don't expect Kaiserreich to make sense. I mean seriously, you can a civil war in Russia, Romania, USA, India, Spain, China and Brazil in the space of 4 years. Not to mention the whole host of revolutions and wars.
Of course it is very strange and absurd of how damn lucky Germany is
In KR TL, Germany falls out with the republic, especially over issues like the concessions, etc, and in a parallel sort of development, the pro-monarchy faction gained a lot more strength than OTL, which Imperial Germany, which hasn't fallen and become a republic, starts to embrace. Japan in turn got sidelined in China, remember, since they were on "the losing side" technically in the Weltkrieg. But they don't lose all influence, since technically, the Japanese intervened to secure the Fengtian Clique from destruction from the new KMT - possible under the loosey goosey of the civil war, since the German intervention isn't a 'real war'. While they can't save the wider KMT remnant republicans, nor do they want to, but they can save a warlord they've already forged links with.
Again, though, the lore is being revised, slowly. China situation will be radically redone.
Yeah... sometimes I wish they halved the different nations, revised the events and made them spread out more ACROSS the 1940's. Currently, the 1940's are insanely empty, yet the late 30's extremely packed.
yea, also Britain needs to be the one to fight Germany with its massive Empire not the French for a round two.
I think the developers put too many countries and than had to do a LOT of work to make them fun, when they could get the same fun results by lowering the number and creating new events allowing things to happen after the war (WW2 is too short and too piecemeal to fell like a real war).
reminds me of an attempt I made in making a similar scenario, but I got bored of it quickly and decided it was a waste of time
I'd love to do something like that, but I'm terrible at modding, don't have the time and have a short attention span.
Note: I am SO SORRY for the wait, I literally had no desire to work on this. I mean I want to just I guess you could say I work in random spouts of energy, it's a habit that I'll hopefully break by the end of this AAR. I'll make it up to you, no gap in between the months this time, everything in June will be covered in one go. This will probably the longest update before the epilogue.
Chapter XXXVII: No Silence On Any Front
"Now is the most crucial phase of the war, whoever wins this summer wins the entire war." -Kronprinz Wilhelm III, Start of the German Summer Offensive, June 1916
----------------------------------------------
June 1st - June 30th, 1916
German Stormtroopers assault a French Trench after an artillery barrage, Battle of Belfort, June 1916.
Long has this war dragged on, and long shall this war continue. Last month, the Schlieffen Plan succeeded in all of it's objectives, thus nullifying the French State as a fighting force. While the French Army continued to fight hard on in the Alps and Lorraine, it was done for in the north. German Troops forced the French into staying their ground in Alsace-Lorraine, while at the same time, Paris itself was captured. For the second time, German Soldiers marched down the city. The French Flag was torn down and the German Tricolor was hoisted instead. A gigantic V for Viktoria was slapped onto the Eiffel Tower, and the Kaiser enjoyed dinner in the ruined Palace of Versailles. Elsewhere, the sneaky Brits are gearing up for a new thrust into the Middle East, perhaps attacking over the Suez Canal, or perhaps not. In Italy, Salandra's Wall is the only thing seperating the Italians from certain defeat. Should Brescia fall, then so will Milan and thus the rest of Northern Italy. If North Italy fell, then the Italians would surely surrender by the time the Austrians reached Tuscany. The war is entering it's most violent stage, and whoever prevails will win the war.
On the First of June, 1916, the German High Command ordered a large scale offensive into Lorraine, the German Army would attack the heavily fortified border in order to eliminate the scattered remains of the French Army. Once these forts fell, not a single soldier of France would dare raise his rifle against the German Empire. For two weeks would this offensive occur on it's own. Once that time-frame has passed, the offensive would spread north and into Normandy and the Loire Valley. And so, the German Armies along Lorraine attacked all at the same time in one focused attack. German Forces at Longwy, Metz, and Strasbourg attacked the French once again at Nancy. From the conquered Verdun, Chaumont was assaulted by thirty-two German Divisions. The battle were going as smoothly as they could, which wasn't that much. German Casualties were rising by the thousands each passing hour, Nancy becoming the bloodiest battle the war had seen so far. Funny, that title used to belong to a long-gone battle called Sarny. Nancy's deaths are estimated to be 2 times that of Sarny. While the shortest theater of the war, the Western Front proved to be the bloodiest.
Meanwhile, the Swiss and Austro-Hungarian Armies took the liberty to launch their own offensives. Austria-Hungary once again tried to break Salandra's Wall, and is continuing to do so. Even with sixty-seven Austrian Divisions backed up with three German Siege Divisions, the Italians were so well defended that merely eighteen divisions could hold the line. The Kaiser fears for Austria-Hungary, if she does not break Italy's defenses then Austria will bleed herself white trying. The Swiss were having more success than their neighbors in Vienna. After a disastrous Second Battle of Zurich (for the French), the Swiss Army joined by a German Detachment Army launched an assault once more on French-Occupied Switzerland. Most French Forces retreated out of Switzerland entirely, instead taking up positions in the mountains surrounding the Swiss. The Battle of Neuchatel will be the deciding point in the Alpine War, the Swiss Hour of Liberation is at hand!
Swiss Soldiers escort French and Italian Prisoners away from the frontlines, Battle of Neuchatel, June 3rd, 1916.
With the war in France coming to a close, the Kaiser once again brought up the prospect of an invasion of England to the German Generalstab. Operation Sea Lion wasn't exactly on solid ground since the Battles of the Nile Delta and Heligoland Bay. Nearly 30,000 German Sailors had lost their lives since the war started, the Austrians not fairing much better. However, Germany still had a navy. Not all of Germany's prized battleships were lost, nor the bulk of it's navy. Yes, 47 ships were lying at the bottom of the ocean right now, but Germany still had 68 remaining vessels left. Thus, the Prussian Staff agreed to draft an actual battle plan for an Invasion of the British Isles. The battle plan went a little something like this.
Stage I: Instigate local rebellions in Ireland as seen last month during the Dublin Rising. The German Army will need all the support it can get once it reaches British Shores, a homegrown nationalist rebellion will come in handy.
Stage II: Gather up what remains of the Kaiserliche Marine (as well as purchased ships from Sweden) and assembly it into an armada under the command of Maximilian von Spee. During this time, nine transport ships capable of transferring thousands of men from French-Belgian Ports to the point of invasion.
Stage III: Once the 'German Armada' is assembled, it will sail directly into the English Channel, specifically the Straight of Dover. This will no doubt prompt a British Reaction but the armada should be able to hold out against the Royal Navy until the invasion is finished. Austria will distract the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean if possible. In addition, Germany will use paratroopers and transport planes for the first time in recorded history, they will be deployed to help with the invasion.
Stage IV: The Luftwaffe will cease operations of guarding German Air Space and instead take control of South England's Skies. Britain has a pathetic air force with most of their planes being captured during the Battle of the Sinai a year ago. Aerial Supremacy will allow Germany to bomb British Ships (which they aren't prepared for) and harass British first respondents to the German Invasion.
Stage V: The German Army will land in Dover and quickly secure the surrounding area. Dover is crucial because it is the closest point of Britain to the continent, securing it will ensure Germany will be able to supply it's troops and will permit the Kaiserliche Marine to engage or evade the British with ease. From Dover, the German Army will attack over the Thames River and will march westward to Cornwall.
Stage VI: Assuming London has fallen, the German Army will push north and secure all of the Britain. German Troops will cut off Wales from England in engagements around Birmingham and Manchester, while destroying the British Army in Central England and chasing the remnants in the undependable Scottish Highlands. Once Britain (or a large part of it) is taken, the UK will surely beg for peace, and the German Eagle will not only soar over Europe, but over the British Isles.
On the Fourth of June, 1916, the War in the East was finally starting to pay off. Months ago, the Tomsk Republic surrendered Russia to the Central Powers, willing to cede anything for peace. They offered, Germany took what it wanted. The Baltics were reorganized into a Proto-German State, while Poland reemerged after centuries of Russian Rule. To the right of Poland, the nationalist dictatorships of Ukraine and Belarus too joined the German Empire, but they refused to be subject to it. It wasn't the worst situation, but after the war, those two states will most definitely be dealt with. Anyway, with the Western Front becoming to bloody for Germany to fight on it's own, the 'East Army' was created. This army consisted of three divisions, 1 Polish, 1 Ruthenian, and 1 Ukrainian. The army was put under Polish command since their generals had some experience in the former Tsarist Army. They were shipped west by train and should arrive in Brussels by the Ninth of June. It was strange to a few, seeing the Poles in Stahlhelms, but then again, a lot of things were strange in this war.
In the meantime, another section of the Trans-Anatolian Railroad was completed, thus leaving only one more section to be built before sweet black gold in an endless supply could reach Germany. However, the news of the Trans-Anatolian Railroad's near completion had leaked to the Entente. The British were furious, they only attacked the Ottoman Empire because they knew the Turks were standing on a mountain of oil, oil they needed for their war effort. The Royal Navy could not sustain itself in a never-ending blockade of Europe, it just wasn't possible without what the Turks stole. When war broke out in the Middle East, The British Empire was so confident in occupying southern Persia and dragging Kuwait into the war, now all of which was reachable by the Ottomans was occupied. If the Suez Canal had not been made decades prior, Egypt would once again be Ottoman.
Alas, Britain knew it had to act now. Saving France was out of the question, it was too late for that. Britain allocated all Commonwealth personell to the Western Front, along with her Tanks. You know what happened? They failed, failed to protect Paris, and failed to stop the German Advance. No, the only course left for the British was to do what they could in Italy, and destroy the Ottoman Empire. Thus, Operation Israel was put into affect. This was the Invasion of Ottoman Israel, the cutting-off of the entire Ottoman Army, and the subsequent takeover of everyone under Anatolia. This would gain Britain a higher voice in the upcoming peace talks, and perhaps the British would get something out of the war after all. That is, if it succeeds.
Polish Soldiers struggle to move artillery toward the front, Polish Division in Belgium, June 9th, 1916.
Back on the Western Front, two major battles were fought - and won. Let's start with the Swiss and the Alpine Front. Under the command of Swiss General Ulrich Wille, he personally orchestrated the Liberation of Switzerland. On the Eleventh of June, 1916, Swiss and German Soldiers finally won the Battle of Neuchatel. This was a massive boon or the Central Powers. Why you may ask? Well, it's because all of the Swiss Nation was now under the control of the Kaiserbund. From Genf to Lugano, from Zurich to Bern, Switzerland was whole again. The best part of it too, the battle was entirely in Swiss/German Favor. When French forces attacked Zurich, they had no idea the Swiss had prepared for a counter-offensive, and Neuchatel was all the French could fall back to. In total, 22,000 French Soldiers were killed during the battle, along with hundreds of horses and artillery. This not taking into account the 9,000 French-Colonial Soldiers from North Africa, who were covering the main French Army's retreat only to be cut off at the town of Biel. The soldiers didn't take long to surrender, all of them being thrown into Swiss Prisoner Camps at Winterthur. All in all, with Switzerland liberated, the Central Powers can now look into a possible push to Lyon, the Provisional French Capital just a province away.
Now, onto a more...catastrophic battle. The Battle of Nancy, which had been raging on for less time than Sarny, produced more casualties and more strikes for peace than the former. The Battle of Nancy would go on to be the 'Sarny of the West', with similar conditions and the only difference being Germany was fighting France in the baking sun rather than Russia in the freezing cold. Germany took 2/3 of all losses in the battle, the French held out well with what they could muster. In the end though, the French lost this battle, and so, another step was taken in making France surrender. If it's anything, von Hindenburg wrote in his diary that the Battle of Nancy hardened the Kaiserliche Heer to the point where it literally could not be beaten. Of the soldiers who returned from Nancy, some of whom returned also from Sarny, they were an elite killing machine. France has the exact opposite, their days are numbered.
German Solders of the 5. Alpen Infanterie-Division prepare to fire upon enemy French Soldiers, Battle of Neuchatel, June 11th, 1916.
Going on from the Battles of Nancy and Neuchatel, and emboldened by their outcomes, the German Armies that took Paris were ordered strike across France. In turn, on the morning of June 13th, 1916, thousands upon thousands of aritllery shells crashed onto Entente Lines just over the River Seine. The Portuguese Army was forced to spread their forces thin in order to cover the entire front, and with French adventures in the Alps, there was no help coming. The only reinforcements the Entente could rely on was the Seven Division strong Canadian Expeditionary Force, along with four French-Colonial Divisions. It was cruel, barely any French were able to defend their homeland where it mattered, and many more instead died somewhere in Italy, Switzerland, or Alsace-Lorraine. Anyway, the German Army opted to advance all across the front as there was no viable force in Northern France that could stop the German Army. Normandy and Orleans were stormed after the artillery barrage that was heard all the way from Brest, the opposition was weak at best.
However, the German High Command was extremely alarmed when on the Fourteenth of June, 1916, a single Belgian Division (which was evacuated to Britain before the Battle of Calais) landed in the Port City of Bruges and captured it from German Authorities. This was not only surprising, but dangerous. Should this Belgian Incursion not be dealt with soon, the Generalstab would not be surprised if the British Arachnid sunk its poison behind German Lines. The Belgians had to be dealt with now or else this would hit the Fatherland on the head sooner or later. Consequently, the East Army now had a mission, and an enemy to fight. Polish, Ukrainian, and Ruthenian Soldiers were immediately restationed to Brussels, Antwerpen, and Lille. An upcoming Second Battle of Bruges is on it's way, the only battle on the Western Front not fought by the German Army.
Shell-Shocked Canadian POW standing alone after being captured during the Battle of Orleans, June 17th, 1916 (Left) Belgian Soldiers take up defensive positions on a road, anticipating a violent response, June 20th, 1916 (Right)
With the German Summer Offensive springing into action, now each war point against the Entente, with the exception of the Middle East (for now), it might be better to take a grander look on the scale of things. Starting with the Alpine Front, there two major battles going on. While the Third Battle of Brescia has ended, that does not mean the Italians and French have had enough bloodletting. On the Twenty-First of June, 1916, the Battle of Turin began. This offensive into Western North Italy, initiated by the Austrian Army, followed by the German and Swiss Armies, wasn't meant to gain land but to further distract Entente Troops from a much more important battle on the Alpine Front, the Second Battle of Geneva Lakes. The First Battle of Geneva Lakes, occurring just last month, ended in utter defeat for the German and Swiss Armies. The Swiss were so close to liberating their country that time, but now, the French attack again. Twenty-Two German and Swiss Divisions are spread across the entire Western Swiss Border. The brunt of the attack however as you can imagine came from the south. Fifteen French Divisions attacked Genf and brutal fighting broke out once again over the lake. Whoever won the Second Battle of Geneva Lakes would win the Swiss portion of the Alpine Front. The battle going in the favor of the Central Power only solidified the defender's will to fight, weakening the attacker's.
On the Western Front, there three major battles going on, two of them close to ending. They were the Battle of Caen, the Battle of Chaumont, and the deadly Battle of Belfort. Shortly after the German Capture of Nancy, and the catastrophic retreat that ensued for the French, the German Army stationed in Colmar and Nancy perused the Entente into Belfort. This was because the French Army needed to be constantly under attack, this way they could never form a real frontline against Germany, nor give their army a break. As a result, Belfort was subject to the same harsh fighting that Nancy suffered under, and it was only days after that battle ended. At Chaumont, the attacks from Troyes and Verdun were beginning to dislodge the two French Divisions from the heavily fortified Chaumont. There wasn't much to speak of Chaumont, the same could actually be said for Caen. Winning the Battle of Caen would mean that Germany would have access to all of Normandy, it would also stretch out Entente Lines so far that they could realistically not defend Northern France. Such was the fate of the Entente Armies.
As the war began to heat up once more on the ground and on the high seas, so too did they (for the first time) in the skies above. Germany for the longest time had been neglecting the war in the air, the Luftwaffe basically only just bombing enemy troops as much as they could. Now however, something new was brought to the skies, the first ever fighter planes. These planes were designed by Anthony Fokker, truly a Flying Dutchman. While not a ship, the man was Germany's secret to the skies, his designs would serve the Reich well in the Weltkrieg. Over Chartres, Four German Fighter Squadrons engaged three French Bomber Squadrons. From soldiers observing from below, they tell of flying steel clashing with flying rubber duckies. What actually happened well, it was actually just that. The French were absolutely obliterated by the Luftwaffe, and now, the French had lost control of the skies to the Central Powers.
Control of the skies in turn helped the Second Battle of Geneva Lakes and Chaumont, in one way or another. The French assault into Southern Switzerland was one of sheer brutality. Despite being outnumbered, the French were not out of the fight, at least on the Alpine Front. That was until the French attack lost their steam and willpower to continue advancing against an endless amount of Swiss Defenses and newly raised Swiss Militia. In the end, without the sufficient morale needed coupled with more plentiful foe, the French could retake Western Switzerland. For the first time since 1915, the Swiss Nation was made whole once again, this time secured against the vile Entente. Chaumont provided a much more simpler story. German Forces weeded out the few thousand men defending the vital defensive point in Lorraine, however, the trek to actually capture the province is long, and perhaps the French will sneak reinforcements before the German Flag waves above the town.
An Artist's interpretation of a dogfight over French town of Chartres, Aerial Battle of Chartres, June 24th, 1916.
The final event for the month of June, 1916, was the commencement of Operation Israel by the British Empire - the Invasion and Destruction of the Ottoman Empire. As stated previously, the plan of action was to land in Israel and secure the Holy Land, thus cutting the bulk of the Ottoman Army off in the Sinai, from which the British Army could wipe them out in one foul swoop. What the British did not expect however was the rapid response pulled off after they landed in Tel Aviv. The British secured coastal area outside Israel and landed two British Divisions deep behind enemy lines. From Tel Aviv, the British quickly captured Jerusalem with ease while moving toward Eilat and Haifa. However, they were not expecting the Ottoman Turks to launch an attack on their rear from Gaza. If the Turks beat the British out of Tel Aviv, then the entire M.E.E.F. (Middle Eastern Expeditionary Force) would be destroyed before it even completed it's objectives.
Ottoman Soldiers descended upon British positions on the Thirtieth of June, 1916, in the middle of the night. The British are putting up an impressive fight against the Ottomans, judging how they were caught off guard with less organization than the attacking Turks. However, if there was one thing that came from the British Invasion of the Ottoman Empire, other than more bloodshed, was the reigniting of the war in the Middle East. For about a year now it has remained dormant, but now, the drums of war refuse to stop beating. From the Western Front to the Middle Eastern Front, all men of each nation embroiled in this great war are now fighting one and another. The German and French, the Austrian and Italian, the Turk and Briton, all of it at the most crucial of times. Speaking of the times, these are very barbaric times we are cursed to live in. However, all the pain, all the suffering, all the death, it has made the German Nation stronger. To go on for those who gave their only life is one thing, but to do so in addition to achieve peace is another. Germany no longer fights for itself, but for the few men who might return home.
Ottoman Soldiers fire upon the fleeing Brits, Battle of Tel Aviv, Start of the Israel Campaign, June 30th, 1916.
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End of Chapter XXXVII: No Silence On Any Front
Whelp, there goes the month of June. I have to say, Sea Lion won't be happening for a while (obviously), but I decided to include it in because that's when I started production. Anyway, as you all can tell, I kinda went from putting out updates every two seconds to none at all. Well, its only been two or three weeks since the last update, but I think that's a bit much. I'll try to get out updates at least once a week, probably on Sunday or Saturday. Also, the whole Ottoman situation was my fault, I was focused on destroying the French and then I glanced at the Ottomans and I went wide-eyed. No worries though, we'll get the British. That's all I have to say, see you later, and have a nice day. Goodbye!!
Chapter XXXVII: No Silence On Any Front
"Now is the most crucial phase of the war, whoever wins this summer wins the entire war." -Kronprinz Wilhelm III, Start of the German Summer Offensive, June 1916
----------------------------------------------
June 1st - June 30th, 1916
German Stormtroopers assault a French Trench after an artillery barrage, Battle of Belfort, June 1916.
On the First of June, 1916, the German High Command ordered a large scale offensive into Lorraine, the German Army would attack the heavily fortified border in order to eliminate the scattered remains of the French Army. Once these forts fell, not a single soldier of France would dare raise his rifle against the German Empire. For two weeks would this offensive occur on it's own. Once that time-frame has passed, the offensive would spread north and into Normandy and the Loire Valley. And so, the German Armies along Lorraine attacked all at the same time in one focused attack. German Forces at Longwy, Metz, and Strasbourg attacked the French once again at Nancy. From the conquered Verdun, Chaumont was assaulted by thirty-two German Divisions. The battle were going as smoothly as they could, which wasn't that much. German Casualties were rising by the thousands each passing hour, Nancy becoming the bloodiest battle the war had seen so far. Funny, that title used to belong to a long-gone battle called Sarny. Nancy's deaths are estimated to be 2 times that of Sarny. While the shortest theater of the war, the Western Front proved to be the bloodiest.
Meanwhile, the Swiss and Austro-Hungarian Armies took the liberty to launch their own offensives. Austria-Hungary once again tried to break Salandra's Wall, and is continuing to do so. Even with sixty-seven Austrian Divisions backed up with three German Siege Divisions, the Italians were so well defended that merely eighteen divisions could hold the line. The Kaiser fears for Austria-Hungary, if she does not break Italy's defenses then Austria will bleed herself white trying. The Swiss were having more success than their neighbors in Vienna. After a disastrous Second Battle of Zurich (for the French), the Swiss Army joined by a German Detachment Army launched an assault once more on French-Occupied Switzerland. Most French Forces retreated out of Switzerland entirely, instead taking up positions in the mountains surrounding the Swiss. The Battle of Neuchatel will be the deciding point in the Alpine War, the Swiss Hour of Liberation is at hand!
Swiss Soldiers escort French and Italian Prisoners away from the frontlines, Battle of Neuchatel, June 3rd, 1916.
Unternehmen Seelöwe
Stage I: Instigate local rebellions in Ireland as seen last month during the Dublin Rising. The German Army will need all the support it can get once it reaches British Shores, a homegrown nationalist rebellion will come in handy.
Stage II: Gather up what remains of the Kaiserliche Marine (as well as purchased ships from Sweden) and assembly it into an armada under the command of Maximilian von Spee. During this time, nine transport ships capable of transferring thousands of men from French-Belgian Ports to the point of invasion.
Stage III: Once the 'German Armada' is assembled, it will sail directly into the English Channel, specifically the Straight of Dover. This will no doubt prompt a British Reaction but the armada should be able to hold out against the Royal Navy until the invasion is finished. Austria will distract the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean if possible. In addition, Germany will use paratroopers and transport planes for the first time in recorded history, they will be deployed to help with the invasion.
Stage IV: The Luftwaffe will cease operations of guarding German Air Space and instead take control of South England's Skies. Britain has a pathetic air force with most of their planes being captured during the Battle of the Sinai a year ago. Aerial Supremacy will allow Germany to bomb British Ships (which they aren't prepared for) and harass British first respondents to the German Invasion.
Stage V: The German Army will land in Dover and quickly secure the surrounding area. Dover is crucial because it is the closest point of Britain to the continent, securing it will ensure Germany will be able to supply it's troops and will permit the Kaiserliche Marine to engage or evade the British with ease. From Dover, the German Army will attack over the Thames River and will march westward to Cornwall.
Stage VI: Assuming London has fallen, the German Army will push north and secure all of the Britain. German Troops will cut off Wales from England in engagements around Birmingham and Manchester, while destroying the British Army in Central England and chasing the remnants in the undependable Scottish Highlands. Once Britain (or a large part of it) is taken, the UK will surely beg for peace, and the German Eagle will not only soar over Europe, but over the British Isles.
In the meantime, another section of the Trans-Anatolian Railroad was completed, thus leaving only one more section to be built before sweet black gold in an endless supply could reach Germany. However, the news of the Trans-Anatolian Railroad's near completion had leaked to the Entente. The British were furious, they only attacked the Ottoman Empire because they knew the Turks were standing on a mountain of oil, oil they needed for their war effort. The Royal Navy could not sustain itself in a never-ending blockade of Europe, it just wasn't possible without what the Turks stole. When war broke out in the Middle East, The British Empire was so confident in occupying southern Persia and dragging Kuwait into the war, now all of which was reachable by the Ottomans was occupied. If the Suez Canal had not been made decades prior, Egypt would once again be Ottoman.
Alas, Britain knew it had to act now. Saving France was out of the question, it was too late for that. Britain allocated all Commonwealth personell to the Western Front, along with her Tanks. You know what happened? They failed, failed to protect Paris, and failed to stop the German Advance. No, the only course left for the British was to do what they could in Italy, and destroy the Ottoman Empire. Thus, Operation Israel was put into affect. This was the Invasion of Ottoman Israel, the cutting-off of the entire Ottoman Army, and the subsequent takeover of everyone under Anatolia. This would gain Britain a higher voice in the upcoming peace talks, and perhaps the British would get something out of the war after all. That is, if it succeeds.
Polish Soldiers struggle to move artillery toward the front, Polish Division in Belgium, June 9th, 1916.
Now, onto a more...catastrophic battle. The Battle of Nancy, which had been raging on for less time than Sarny, produced more casualties and more strikes for peace than the former. The Battle of Nancy would go on to be the 'Sarny of the West', with similar conditions and the only difference being Germany was fighting France in the baking sun rather than Russia in the freezing cold. Germany took 2/3 of all losses in the battle, the French held out well with what they could muster. In the end though, the French lost this battle, and so, another step was taken in making France surrender. If it's anything, von Hindenburg wrote in his diary that the Battle of Nancy hardened the Kaiserliche Heer to the point where it literally could not be beaten. Of the soldiers who returned from Nancy, some of whom returned also from Sarny, they were an elite killing machine. France has the exact opposite, their days are numbered.
German Solders of the 5. Alpen Infanterie-Division prepare to fire upon enemy French Soldiers, Battle of Neuchatel, June 11th, 1916.
However, the German High Command was extremely alarmed when on the Fourteenth of June, 1916, a single Belgian Division (which was evacuated to Britain before the Battle of Calais) landed in the Port City of Bruges and captured it from German Authorities. This was not only surprising, but dangerous. Should this Belgian Incursion not be dealt with soon, the Generalstab would not be surprised if the British Arachnid sunk its poison behind German Lines. The Belgians had to be dealt with now or else this would hit the Fatherland on the head sooner or later. Consequently, the East Army now had a mission, and an enemy to fight. Polish, Ukrainian, and Ruthenian Soldiers were immediately restationed to Brussels, Antwerpen, and Lille. An upcoming Second Battle of Bruges is on it's way, the only battle on the Western Front not fought by the German Army.
Shell-Shocked Canadian POW standing alone after being captured during the Battle of Orleans, June 17th, 1916 (Left) Belgian Soldiers take up defensive positions on a road, anticipating a violent response, June 20th, 1916 (Right)
On the Western Front, there three major battles going on, two of them close to ending. They were the Battle of Caen, the Battle of Chaumont, and the deadly Battle of Belfort. Shortly after the German Capture of Nancy, and the catastrophic retreat that ensued for the French, the German Army stationed in Colmar and Nancy perused the Entente into Belfort. This was because the French Army needed to be constantly under attack, this way they could never form a real frontline against Germany, nor give their army a break. As a result, Belfort was subject to the same harsh fighting that Nancy suffered under, and it was only days after that battle ended. At Chaumont, the attacks from Troyes and Verdun were beginning to dislodge the two French Divisions from the heavily fortified Chaumont. There wasn't much to speak of Chaumont, the same could actually be said for Caen. Winning the Battle of Caen would mean that Germany would have access to all of Normandy, it would also stretch out Entente Lines so far that they could realistically not defend Northern France. Such was the fate of the Entente Armies.
As the war began to heat up once more on the ground and on the high seas, so too did they (for the first time) in the skies above. Germany for the longest time had been neglecting the war in the air, the Luftwaffe basically only just bombing enemy troops as much as they could. Now however, something new was brought to the skies, the first ever fighter planes. These planes were designed by Anthony Fokker, truly a Flying Dutchman. While not a ship, the man was Germany's secret to the skies, his designs would serve the Reich well in the Weltkrieg. Over Chartres, Four German Fighter Squadrons engaged three French Bomber Squadrons. From soldiers observing from below, they tell of flying steel clashing with flying rubber duckies. What actually happened well, it was actually just that. The French were absolutely obliterated by the Luftwaffe, and now, the French had lost control of the skies to the Central Powers.
Control of the skies in turn helped the Second Battle of Geneva Lakes and Chaumont, in one way or another. The French assault into Southern Switzerland was one of sheer brutality. Despite being outnumbered, the French were not out of the fight, at least on the Alpine Front. That was until the French attack lost their steam and willpower to continue advancing against an endless amount of Swiss Defenses and newly raised Swiss Militia. In the end, without the sufficient morale needed coupled with more plentiful foe, the French could retake Western Switzerland. For the first time since 1915, the Swiss Nation was made whole once again, this time secured against the vile Entente. Chaumont provided a much more simpler story. German Forces weeded out the few thousand men defending the vital defensive point in Lorraine, however, the trek to actually capture the province is long, and perhaps the French will sneak reinforcements before the German Flag waves above the town.
An Artist's interpretation of a dogfight over French town of Chartres, Aerial Battle of Chartres, June 24th, 1916.
Ottoman Soldiers descended upon British positions on the Thirtieth of June, 1916, in the middle of the night. The British are putting up an impressive fight against the Ottomans, judging how they were caught off guard with less organization than the attacking Turks. However, if there was one thing that came from the British Invasion of the Ottoman Empire, other than more bloodshed, was the reigniting of the war in the Middle East. For about a year now it has remained dormant, but now, the drums of war refuse to stop beating. From the Western Front to the Middle Eastern Front, all men of each nation embroiled in this great war are now fighting one and another. The German and French, the Austrian and Italian, the Turk and Briton, all of it at the most crucial of times. Speaking of the times, these are very barbaric times we are cursed to live in. However, all the pain, all the suffering, all the death, it has made the German Nation stronger. To go on for those who gave their only life is one thing, but to do so in addition to achieve peace is another. Germany no longer fights for itself, but for the few men who might return home.
Ottoman Soldiers fire upon the fleeing Brits, Battle of Tel Aviv, Start of the Israel Campaign, June 30th, 1916.
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End of Chapter XXXVII: No Silence On Any Front
>AI sended 1 divisions in a Turkish rear with over 60 divisions just to damage infrastructure for some provinces
>1 DIVISION
>IN A REAR WITH OVER 60 ENEMY DIVISIONS
Its my favorite thing in a logic of DH AI
>1 DIVISION
>IN A REAR WITH OVER 60 ENEMY DIVISIONS
Its my favorite thing in a logic of DH AI
@LoneStar Prussian Great job, I assume you will be modding the peace event to give the Ottomans Egypt and Sudan as it makes no sense for Britain to still own them. But, I would like to see how the post War era looks once you have it fleshed out after all of the Treaties are signed. I wish you best of luck modding the sequel.
@LoneStar Prussian
Alright, this is getting ridiculous. Suez has to fall or else this nonsense will never end! Of course, you could blockade Egypt with a sub fleet.
Alright, this is getting ridiculous. Suez has to fall or else this nonsense will never end! Of course, you could blockade Egypt with a sub fleet.
Is there are reason you are not moving troops from Belfort and Chaumont to the North to try and pocket them?
Surely you could hold those Frenchies in place with less men?
Surely you could hold those Frenchies in place with less men?