Long Live the Permament Revolution! - a Trotskyist Soviet AAR.

[TheButterflyComposer]

Am I missing something here?

Belgium was instrumental in the early days of nuclear power in terms of studying and supply. Their colonies meant that they were one of the few Allies that could give the US some uranium to work with. In exchange, they got some tech back...for civilian purposes of course.
What this now means (provided they keep their colonies for a bit) is that they are one of the only direct competitors to Trotsky's rule that can go nuclear on their own. Since they are already communist and not easily dismissed or gotten rid of bar another full-scale invasion...they might be a problem later on.

Oh, and throughout the past fifty years (so I've been led to believe) they've had a love-hate relationship with nuclear power to the extent they have several plants but want to destroy/expand all of them.

That's what struck me about this new communist state...but its entirely possible they are referring to something else.

 

[Nikolai]

Tom wrote a rather excellent AAR on Belgium in WW2. It got....explosive.

 

[stnylan]

Tom wrote a rather excellent AAR on Belgium in WW2. It got....explosive.

Bastion of Democracy

It was a most ... illuminating ... read.

 

[Tom D.]

Oh, and throughout the past fifty years (so I've been led to believe) they've had a love-hate relationship with nuclear power to the extent they have several plants but want to destroy/expand all of them.

That's the real life explanation, and you're right about the plants: the current 4 (don't ask) environmental ministers in Belgium decided to hold onto the pact they signed to close all plants before 2025, but the Flemish Nationalists suddenly said they can't promise this and are going to make it one of the topics for the coming regional and federal election in 2019. It's a love/hate relation indeed cause we need them but they're so old (they should've been disabled already due to their age) with constant shutdowns which makes the Dutch and Germans close to the border freak out - see the connection ? And there are still nuclear weapons of the USA stationed in Belgium in Kleine Brogel, which also has a NATO airbase. But the real reason I said it was because of my AAR .

Tom wrote a rather excellent AAR on Belgium in WW2. It got....explosive.

It was a most ... illuminating ... read.

Thanks for calling it excellent, I definitely don't see it like that - probably more like stnylan did .

 

[ThaHoward]

Belgium was instrumental in the early days of nuclear power in terms of studying and supply. Their colonies meant that they were one of the few Allies that could give the US some uranium to work with. In exchange, they got some tech back...for civilian purposes of course.
What this now means (provided they keep their colonies for a bit) is that they are one of the only direct competitors to Trotsky's rule that can go nuclear on their own. Since they are already communist and not easily dismissed or gotten rid of bar another full-scale invasion...they might be a problem later on.

Oh, and throughout the past fifty years (so I've been led to believe) they've had a love-hate relationship with nuclear power to the extent they have several plants but want to destroy/expand all of them.

That's what struck me about this new communist state...but its entirely possible they are referring to something else.

True! Had forgotten that, Belgian Congo was very important for the Uranium. We'll need to keep an extra close eye to them. Either they join their communist brothers and sisters or we'll convince them, with plutonium.

Tom wrote a rather excellent AAR on Belgium in WW2. It got....explosive.

Bastion of Democracy

It was a most ... illuminating ... read.

That's the real life explanation, and you're right about the plants: the current 4 (don't ask) environmental ministers in Belgium decided to hold onto the pact they signed to close all plants before 2025, but the Flemish Nationalists suddenly said they can't promise this and are going to make it one of the topics for the coming regional and federal election in 2019. It's a love/hate relation indeed cause we need them but they're so old (they should've been disabled already due to their age) with constant shutdowns which makes the Dutch and Germans close to the border freak out - see the connection ? And there are still nuclear weapons of the USA stationed in Belgium in Kleine Brogel, which also has a NATO airbase. But the real reason I said it was because of my AAR .



Thanks for calling it excellent, I definitely don't see it like that - probably more like stnylan did .

Ah I see Belgium was the beacon of light it seem

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

That's the real life explanation, and you're right about the plants: the current 4 (don't ask) environmental ministers in Belgium decided to hold onto the pact they signed to close all plants before 2025, but the Flemish Nationalists suddenly said they can't promise this and are going to make it one of the topics for the coming regional and federal election in 2019. It's a love/hate relation indeed cause we need them but they're so old (they should've been disabled already due to their age) with constant shutdowns which makes the Dutch and Germans close to the border freak out - see the connection ? And there are still nuclear weapons of the USA stationed in Belgium in Kleine Brogel, which also has a NATO airbase. But the real reason I said it was because of my AAR .

Thanks for calling it excellent, I definitely don't see it like that - probably more like stnylan did .

Ah yes, I did like that one quite a bit actually. Though in HOI 4 Belgium tends to get huge when the allies invade Europe because that's where they land from.

 

[ThaHoward]

Okay by the looks of it next update may come tommorow, or on the 1st of January

 

[ThaHoward]

Chapter 17: A new year, a new hope.

Spoiler: Music.

Happy new year!

Midnight to the first of January 1942. The sky was filled with explosions and flares of all colors. But it was not the usual fireworks. It was near Magdeburg and all hell was let loose. Thousands of Soviet cannons and rocket systems threw grenades, shells and rockets over the German positions. The very earth quaked and opened up by the explosions, the air was filled with earth, rock, shrapnel and fumes. A Soviet lieutenant wrote in a later book "a carpet of fire rose to the sky, followed by a hefty roar.. We.. looked upon it dazed, astonished, frightened. The tower high, flaming wall of exlosions and death, raging over the German trenches".

I like the blue.

It was new year and the end of the war was nowhere in sight. But despite the destruction in eastern and central Europe the Soviet industry continued to expand. This was especially true in the east of European Russia who had considerable efforts to industrialise these wastelands. Several new dockyards was also created along the Soviet coast, hoping to produce enough war ships to one day rival the Royal Navy.

Who needs bullets when you have men?

Despite the expansion of Soviet industry, it could not keep up with the enormous needs the soldiers on the field and in training required. As a deja vu from the breakout from the war and the Great War most Soviet soldiers was sent out to the war without a rifle. All they did was to join in on a line, a line where they could only hope their comrade would fall so they could pick up his rifle. This again led to grueling losses for the Red Army, simply because so many wasn't properly outfitted for war. It didn't help with the acute shortage of resources. The Soviet merchant fleet had to focus on importing US war materials instead of resources from around the world, and as such the USSR had to pour vast resources into low quantity land based imports.

Let us pause for a while.

As mentioned earlier the losses the Red Army suffered at the hands of the Axis was enormous. Ukraine was a prime and horrible example of this. For months the Red Army had battled their way to liberate their homeland, but at a terrible cost. For many weeks Odessa had suffered under a lengthy siege and terrible urban combat. By the start of January the armies who pushed into the remainder of Ukraine and Bessarabia was ordered to stop their offensive. They had to lick their wounds, even the Soviet high command living in the cult of the offensive realied they couldn't break through the Germans-Bulgarian-Romanian lines. The casualties was too steep. By new year the plains outside of Odessa was littered with corpses of the Uknown Soldier.

Two understrenght divisions caught in a pocket - enough to hold off the might of the USSR.

January was overall quiet. Both sides of the conflict had worn themself out and tore each other out. Yet around the city of Magdeburg the Soviet forces eyed an oppurtunity. They could cut off a well entrenched German unit while opening up the road to Magdeburg. After days of severe fighting the German infantry division retreated to the west and was caught in a pocket. However the Soviets later attacked the two infantry divisions caught in the "kettel" but to no result. The Germans was desperate and well entrenched and repulsed any attack. A Soviet soldier later wrote in his novel about the frustration ""Why won't they just give up? They are beaten, they have nowhere to go, why won't they just return home instead of killing our comrades?" I asked him. He simply replied: "What would you have done if you protected your home?""

The trenches did not hold the best of living standards.

Despite the small advances made around Magdeburg the fronts in Germany, Ukraine and the Far East had come to a stalemate. Soldiers on both sides dug into trenches and neither made any gain. The Soviets had called off their offensives claiming they would continue when an oppurtunity presented itself, or until the long winter ended. Whatever was the case, the soldiers on the ground suffered immensly having to live in unforgiving circumstances. A German soldier recollected "they just came running at us. Screaming their dreadful motto "Urraah! Urraaaah!" over and over again. They kept coming, and we kept shooting".

January saw some.. extreme casualties.

January came to an end, and naturally February came. The Soviet attempts to break the dreadlock in Germany and Ukraine showed its results. When the last year turned into a new one the Red Army had arond one million men at its disposal, ready to fill in the ranks of the fallen. By February this number was down to just under 600.000. In one month 400.000 Soviet men and women fell on the battlefield. They fell as they gained no ground, only losing it in the far east. The Soviet Union had suffered 400.000 casualties alone in January and no hope, no end was in sight.

The Magdeburg gap have been closed, now we need to correct the bulge.

But a small flinche of hope arrived in February. When the Red Army stopped their senseless offensives along the many fronts, the Germans took the chance to re-organize their fronts. Troops was allocated to other spots, deemed more necessary. But this proved to be a fatal error. The Baltic Front under Meretskov took the chance to extend the front just south-west of Magdeburg. This was a first and vital step to claim Magdeburg and pressure Germany from the north. Once the single province was taken the Baltic Front was given the task to strike to the south of Leipzig and Erfurt while the Finnish Army spearheaded into Leipzig from the north-east. But both armies had to prepare, along with the Leningrad Front, to pull off this operation. At the moment the Red Army was in no condition to conduct major operations.

Time has come for Odessa to finally fall.

As with the province just south of Magdeburg, the battlepause made the Germans pull out most of their forces from Odessa. Germany felt the pressure from the advancing Soviet troops and pulled most of them baco to their fatherland. A few selected divisions in the Ukranian Front was then selected to reclaim Odessa. If Odessa fell the situation would drastically shift to the Soviet's. Not only because of its strategic importance, but it would be a huge morale boost as all of the Soviet Union (in the west) would be liberated from the Axis.

Prague falls back into the hands of Germany. Pilsen is out of reach, the Red Army will have to make do with vodka for now.

But it was not only the Soviet Union who took advantage of the little pause that took place during the end of January and start of February. Germany launched an offensive while the Red Army rested and licked her wounds. The effects was devastating. Pilsen and Prague and most of Bohemia-Moravia was reclaimed. However the Red Army was pushed back to the mountains and fortifications of Sudetenland, and the Germans, not being foolish, ended their offensive once they had taken the Czech capital. To take on the mountains of Sudetenland during winter was a fools errand, they had already made massive gains taking Prague.

This has been the worst trade deal in the history of trade deals, maybe ever.

Meanwhile USA had ended their lend lease act with the Soviet Union. Citing the increased hostility from the USSR and the need to outfit their own troops instead, the Red Army no longer recieved the great amounts of small arms, trucks, artillery etc that they had recieved from the USA. While this was a great blow to the USSR it was also, irononically, of a great benefit to them. The Soviet merchant fleet could finally go from transporting US weapons to transport overseas resources. Still the Red Army was in dire need of US made weapons and it was a major bump on the road. Still Trotsky and high ranking Soviet politicians managed to make it look like a western conspiracy. Basically that once the Red Army pushed into Germany the western powers was ready to abondon their allies and instead focus on spreading their own sphere of influences in the region. This helped create an us vs. them mentality, and sowed one of many seeds for a future conflict between the Internationale and the Allies.*

Magdeburg is a poor substitute for Prague.

Back to the war. While Prague fell the Soviet forces aroun Magdeburg took the chance to take the city of Magdeburg. The assault proved to be successfull and the German army was now under serious pressure. With Magdeburg taken it seemed as if the road to Leipzig and Erfurt was open. Where the British failed in their prior estimate about the war ending before Christmas, this time aorund it looked as it would truly end before Christmas - with good margins.

German soldiers brace for impact.

While most of the battles aorund the front had stilled, it was a false sense of security. All sides knew battles would soon remain. Some prayed to just live another winter, while most prayed to just live another day. A Soviet political commissary later said "I remember it vividly. In the trenches we had several young, fresh faces. No more than 19 summers. Most not having felt the pleasure of a woman, or having a career of their own. Still I roused them up, turned them into animals. Animals is what they were, they were no longer the potter, the manufacturer, the teacher or the shoemaker anymore. They were bloodthristy animals. And I sent them out of the trenches. Those who did not, got shot. Of course they all died. Then I sent in the next wave, and the next, and the next. I killed hundreds, if not thousands that way. It was just pointless".

It finally happened!

Then it happened. Odess fell after a long siege, after thousands of casualties. Along with Berlin and Vienna it proved to be one of the costliest battles of the war. Every inch, every corner was hard fought. But its liberation was a huge morale boost. One that would prove to later turn the tide.

With Magdeburg taken Saxony is open for the taking. The road to Bavaria open up.

When Magdeburg and Odessa fell the German army made general retreat to southern Germany. This led to the Finnish Army and the Baltic Front to launch their offensives, to reach the mountains south of Leipzig and Erfurt. The Red Army more or less poured down southwards.

Snowball war.

The news about the reclamation of Odessa soon reached to most of the Soviet troops. This led to a morale boost among their ranks and renewed offensives. A few days earlier it all looked hopeless for the USSR as they got to a stillstand. Now new offensives happened on all fronts and with great success.

An early example of a Soviet diversity program.

Meanwhile the nuclear programme was finished. After this focus was shifted toward the rocket industry. The Trotsky Orgels had proven to be capable of devastating effects, and more importantly the scientists who fled Stalin's purges was eager to help the booming rocket industry. Who knew what wonders, or destruction, such technology could open up to.

A final push before winter ends.

The final days of February saw the fall of Leipzig and Erfurt. Nürnberg, in many ways the birthplace of National Socialism, was now threatened from the north by the Soviets, and the west by the allies. If Nuremberg fell it would be a devastating blow to Germany. Not only would a major city fall, but one of great symbolic value and Munich, the provisional capital, would fall to the advancing forces of the Internationale and the Allies. Still the Germans made sure for the invading forces to pay a tall price. They fought in many cases to the very last man and made sure to scorch the earth as they retreated. After all Hitler proclaimed "Germany will either be a world power or will not be at all"

Is this the end?

By the looks of it it would not be at all. When winter turned into spring hundreds of thousands on all sides had perished in Germany proper, Czechoslovakia and wherever the war engulfed the continent. When the snow slowly dissapperead the birds who returned home from warmer places feasted upon the many corpses that revealed itself in Europe. But this didn't dishearten the Germans. All over the countryside "werewolf" guerillas formes and wreaked havoc behind enemy lines. With most of the old German military having fallen at the hands of the Allies and Communists a new order was given that all adults should serve. Women and the elderly joined the ranks of the disabled and those unfit for service in a last ditch, and desperate, defense of their homeland. A German propaganda film even told the German public that a panzerfaust was "so easy to handle and maintain, that even a woman can use one". But the Red Army grew all the more fanatic. Two fronts was going to knock into Czechia from the east and link up with the fronts advancing from central Germany into Munich. Once Czechia had been liberated yet another Front would strike from the north to the south and take on Vienna that had been lost to the well coordinated German counter-assault months earlier.

The Tommies help us out a little bit.

While the Soviet Union, the Commune of France and Spain made gains in Germany the public of Britain became weary that the dictatorship of Hitler and Mussolini might be replaced by one of the proletariat. Churchill soon became a favorite among the British population, and MPs, and while he was not the Prime Minister the policy of Home Isle defense of Lord Halifax (the PM) was replaced in favor of Churchill's more aggressive stance. As a former cavarly officer he believed in the school of offense rather than defense. The British Army and the armies of the Commonwealth would now be engaged in combat all along the Pacific liberating Japanese occupied territories, invade Northern Africa in order to give the exiled French government a new base of operations** and most importantly they would partake in the invasion of Germany. Churchill announced in a radio broadcast "the British Empire strikes back".

Don't worry, we're connected to our main front by a thin red line.

When Odessa fell the Soviet armies in southern Ukraine got a new port to supply their horrifying losses. From there on they spearheaded an assault to the south hoping to envelope the forces in Bessarabia. But this front was unstable to say at the very least and it was only the tiniest margins that connected the advance Soviet fores from the ones staying behind and the front shifted back and forth for everyday. It was uncertain, at very least, to predict the outcome of the Battle of Romania.

The Red Army move out.

The following days in March saw massive coordinated Internationale-Allied mechanised offensives all over the many fronts. Despite being inflicted enormous casualties the Red Army pressed on whereever it went. The years bloody conflict hardened the troops and the Deep Operations doctrines had been perfected. But most importantly the Red Army fully embraced attritional warfare. Millions had already died in the war that started for the tiny strip of Bessarabia, but the Red Army embraced it to the fullest. They knew they could afford to lose men in the millions, their adversaries couldn't.

We get good use of the best political in the entire game. And hopefully we'll beat the Belgians on our race to nuclear power!

Meanwhile the nuclear program, dubbed the "Lenin Project", started in earnest in the research cities. Many captured German nuclear scientists would join the Soviet nuclear scentists (who escaped the purges of Stalin) in the research cities located in void places in Siberia. Other scientists from France also joined (afterall France had started to pursue nuclear technology years earlier) and several Belgian ones was abducted by the NKVD and French agents and relocated to the cities. It was for now unknown what awesome powers this atomic research would unveil, but the world would soon enough learn of it.. Molotov was also deemed "rehabilitated". The former Stalin hardliner was "conviced" of the "true ways of Lenin" in Siberia and was soon returned to the Soviet Union. From here he would not regain his seat as prime minister, as that was occupied by Comrade Trotsky himself, but would rather return as a chastised foreign minister. The actual foreign policies would be formed by Trotsky and his trusted friends, but the organisational talents of Molotov would be put to good use to foster new trade and diplomatic relations.

The Yankees come to take all the glory.

By mid march the US Army also joined in on the battle of Germany. Now Soviets would fight alongside American soldiers, appereantly oblivious to the failed American intervention during the civil war. When the American troops was introduced in Europe they brough with them immense firepower and a formidable war machine. Germany now faced the combined strength of the USSR, USA, UK, France and Spain. But the German eagle refused to be swollen whole and would be fighting to the very end. Even in the Führerbunker beneath Munich Hitler believed that Germany would prevail. Despite the overwhelming price the Nazis refused to give up, and it was the population of Germany who would pay the price for their arrogance alongside the invading armies.

Khan Roman Ungern von Sternberg turns in his grave.

But on the far eastern front things was as ever very different. While the warlord of Sinkiang had regained some lost lands Japan managed to overwhelm Mongolia. Following the capitulation of Sinkiang the Turkestan Front (the Soviet forces in the area) confined themself to protect the tiny border strip with Japan in the region as most the area was impassible due to the mountains in the region. The Japanese didn't manage to penetrate said lines, instead the focused on Mongolia. The Soviet gambit of leaving Mongolia to itself failed. Japan controlled Mongolia and now threatened the tiny nation of Tannu-Tuva. If Tannu Tuva fell the Soviet underbelly would be exposed. The USSR relied on the British forces in India to not lose complete control of the region.

Will we make a pocket out of entire Romania?

However in the Balkans things changed drastically. The Romanian troops who protected the German flanks surrendered en mass as they lacked in weapons and morale. Soviet forces made a radical and bold move to spearhead down the entire Romanian coast and to reach into Bulgaria. This left the Axis forces with a massively extended frontline in Romania and at a loss. Would the Red Army thrust toward the west and take on Romania proper, or continue their drive to the south and take on Bulgaria?

Our Hungarian brothers are liberated.

But the Soviets also made huge gains in Hungary. After almost five months of Axis occupation most of Hungary was liberated by the armies under Marshal Tukhachevsky. Now the German high command was put at another test, should they reinforce the Austrian-Hungarian border to prevent an invasion of Germany, or should they reinforce the Carpathian mountains to prevent the Red Army to create a huge pincer manuever that would isolate all of Romania? Meanwhile the Soviet armies didn't reveal their plans as several diversionary attacks was made and contradictionary reports on where to attack fell into German hands.

Vienna is ours yet again.

But then the armies under Rokossovksy, the hero of the Spanish Civil War, drove southward and punched into the German lines. Vienna fell for the third time and the once beautiful city was completely destroyed after months of severe fighting.

And Prague is ours yet again. Soon the Red Army will bathe in beer.

The Allied and Soviet troops took advantage of the situation. Prague fell on the 30th of March. As with Vienna this culturally rich city was completely ravaged by the war. And while the Germans consolidated in Pilsen and the surrounding forests they had a huge problem. To the east of Prague no less than 27 infantry divisions and one panzer division was in a tiny gap. If the Soviet or British forces managed to close this gap the vast majority of the German war machine in the region would be trapped in a horrible pocket. But for now the Germans managed to hold the gap open despite several Soviet divisions assaulting the positions. Would this be the downfall of the German army or would the Red Army fail to take advantage of the developing situation?

Well, we've four more million men to go at the very least.

It was now April and the months of January, February and March had arguably been the bloodiest chapter, thus far, in the Second World War. Through those three months alone the Soviet Union lost around 762 000 men. The death ration between the Soviet Union and Germany was over 4:1. The Soviet Union and Germany redifined sacrifice and the extreme amount of death and destruction had never before been witnessed in the history of mankind. One could then only ask themself: How much longer could this be going on? Would the USSR afford to keep up their massive casualties or would they soon stop the mass slaughter in the light of the extreme situation, and would Germany relaize the same and their folly?

-----

*USA no longer lend lease to us. But that mean that we will have transports back which we can use to make much better trade deals.

**The Commonwealth are currently engaged in battle in northern africa in former French colonies. We'll see if perhaps there will be two Frances. One communist in France proper and one democratic in the French colonies. Remind me of a certain mod...

 

[stnylan]

Surely it cannot be long before the Reich collapses ...

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

Well this promises several interesting borders should everyone get what they want after the peace is declared...

 

[ThaHoward]

Surely it cannot be long before the Reich collapses ...

And after that it is "just" Italy and Japan (and China) left..

Well this promises several interesting borders should everyone get what they want after the peace is declared...

Yeah it will be interesting especially now as the Yalta Conference was rejected. I'm also toying with the idea to have a mod that make the player do the decision for their allies.. we'll see.

 

[ThaHoward]

Communist Revolutions: För brödrafolkens väl.

Spoiler: Music.

Scandinavia is a true mess these days.

Looking back to September of '41 there was a - Soviet sponsored - communist coup in southern Sweden. The Communist Party of Sweden (SKP) instigated revolts and outright hostile takeovers in the major urban centers of Sweden. Despite taking the major cities of the south they failed to claim the capital; Stockholm. Despite days of streetfighting in the medieval capital it ended in a bloodbath for the Communists. But this was only to be a minor taste of what was to come. Sweden was now for the first time in over a hundred years at war.

Men in suits gather to help blue collared men.

However before the civil war are described in depth, some small steps will be taken back into time to the creation of the SKP - or rather the Swedish Social Democratic Left Party (SSV). When the Bolsheviks took power in 1917 revolutionary fervour spread across all of Europe then as following the return of Trotsky. In 1917 riots took place in several cities, workers's councils took control in other cities and soldiers marched with the working class during the May Day Parade. While the left wing armed for revolution so did the conservatives and democrats. But it didn't result in a civil war as it did in Russia. Despite this it led to a lasting split within the Swedish Social Democratic Party (SAP). A schism occured where those who wanted a revolution split into the SSV. In 1921 the SSV saw internal purges and schism as the party changed its name to the Communist Party of Sweden (SKP) following the directives of the Comitern. Liberal and non-revolutionary elements was purged and later joined forces with the SAP. The SKP was now a purist communist party loyal to Moscow and continued through the 20s and 30s to agitate for revolution. This was especially true during the Ådalen shootings of '31 where several unarmed laborers was shot dead, this naturally led to increased militancy on the left. During the Spanish Civil War the SKP sent several soldiers to fight in the International Brigades. These would in turn come in contact with the Trotskyist loyal Soviet soldiers and NKVD agents posted there, returning home agitating for a social revolution.

The communists wnat an end to Swedish exports to Germany and transport for German troops. That should be reserved for the USSR.

But the SKP found its greatest support in being the sole party critical in the government's neutrality policy in the war. Where the other Swedish parties wanted neutrality, the SKP wanted Sweden to join into the war and to liberate their Scandinavian cousins of Norway and Denmark. This led to some strange way of internationalist-nationalism and the SKP started to use the slogan of "för brödrafolkens väl" basically meaning "for the welfare of the brother peoples". This resonated well with Swedish conservatives and nationalists as it had been the slogan of an earlier king to unite Scandinavia under Swedish leadership. Meanwhile it resonated well with the left as it was looked upon as an internationalist and solidarian cause. But the most controversial of war time policies by the government was that it allowed German troops to transit through Sweden to Norway and that it exported large quantities of iron ore to Germany, laying the foundation for their war industry. The SKP was the only party that dared to question these policies. The SKP quickly established themself as a pro-democratic and anti-nazi party rather than a pro-Soviet communist party.

Per Albin Hansson, the last social democratic, and democratic, prime minister of Sweden.

But who was in charge during all of this? That was Per Albin Hansson and the SAP. Their choice of neutrality was ironically in order to prevent a civil war. However under his leadership the doctrine of "Folkhemmet" or "the people's home" was also introduced. Hansson felt that society should be as a "good home" based upon equality and mutual understanding and not a class based society. This led to another great irony, the Swedish communist state would call themself for "Folkhemmet". Despite his best intentions Hansson failed to prevent civil war. Following the Soviet expansion in the Baltics and Finland the communists stepped up their game in the Nordic countries - backed up by the NKVD. The people was radicalised even further when civil war broke out in Finland. Hansson was critisized by the right for not intervening and stomping out the red menace right next to their border. Meanwhile the Swedish left was worried that White Finland had taken a sharp right turn, electing a well known SS member as their king. The Swedish government was unable to act as society lost all sense of control and liberal policies and centrism was abandoned in favor of radical rightists and leftists.

Swedish workers taking it to the streets in Gothenburg.

Then things spiraled out of control. The 15th of September demonstrations was held in all major cities of Sweden. These demonstrations was organised by the SKP and splinter factions of the SAP. Two days following this a general strike was ordered. The SAP government responded by setting in police and military forces. Things escalated quickly from no on. It depend on what sources one read as some say it was armed workers who fired first whilst others say it was the police forces. But what is clear is that the strike in Stockholm developed into armed battle on the 18th. After hours of fighting three police officers were dead and seven strikers, many more wounded. Things got somewhat under control as Army soldiers established order and dispersed the crowd. Still on the next day the demonstrators of Stockholm took it to the streets once again, marching all the way to the parliament. There they demanded the government to condemn the violence. The government did not. A lone young student then broke through the lines of the security forces, stabbing another young conscripted soldier. He was then stabbed to death by numerous bayonets. In normal circumstances the soldiers might have gotten the sympathies, but this was in a time of great militancy, and the soldiers next action sealed the fate of Sweden forever. Instead of standing down they marched forward and took it on the demonstrators undiscriminate. Both sides was shocked by the events. The next MPs of the SAP in the parliament demanded that the government was to condemn the action. But large portions of the SAP and the other parties resisted, refusing to give into "a Soviet led coup". The SAP then broke down into two splinter factions, the continuation of the SAP under Hansson and the left wingers who formed, once more, the SSV. The SSV was officially in favor of democratic socialism, but they had been groomed by NKVD agents for a time. In Stockholm a revolution was called. Workers, policemen, soldiers, politicians and all battled eachother. It failed however. But despite this in the south of Sweden the SKP took control of all the major cities and the army units defected to them. Even all of the SAP converted to the SSV there and allied themself with the SKP. Gothenburg was made the provisional capital and the nation was split in two.

The Swedish communists strike from the south and the Soviet ones from the north. That should end the false Swedish state.

The nation of Sweden had been in a state of civil war since September the 22nd. But neither side managed to make any significant gains, and along the western northern front the communist Swedes was slowly pushed back by the loyalist troops. The "People's Home" then allied themself officially with Finland, but in reality with the Soviet Union and Trotsky. The Finnish People's Army halted their offensive into Norway, giving the Germans a chance to consolidate their positions aorund Oslo and Bergen, and instead stroke from the Norwegian border into the direction of Sweden. This was the defining decision during the war. The Kingdom of Sweden now had to fight in two fronts and give up their successfull offensive in western Sweden. The Soviet/Finnish advance endagered the entire White Swedish front from being encircled.

The Royal Swedish Navy is sunk to the bottom, Swedish democracy will follow.

This led to Stockholm losing most of their defensive forces. The Swedish Kingdom misread the situation and sent the bulk of their forces to the west to face the Finnish People's Army. This lead, however, to the situation of where Folkhemmet divisions reaching Stockholm on the 12th of February. Moreoever on this day the majority of the Swedish Royal Navy, except for one armored ship, was sunk by the Red Swedish navy and Soviet submarines. Despite the Reds taking major casualties this was a majorly strategic victory for Folkhemmet and in turn the USSR. This prevented more formations of US volunteers to enter Sweden and Britain from fielding an expeditionary force. Britain had already showed signs of beng interested in Scandinavian intervention, but without methods to get to Sweden by sea this idea quickly disapperead, and the fact that they didn't want to risk an open conflict with their war time ally USSR. Despite reaching Stockholm on the 12th the loyalist Swedish and American forces put up a good fight. Meanwhile upper and middleclass members in Stockholm established militias of their own to protect their well off neighbourhoods from the lower class union led militas that sprung up in the poorer districts.

Stockholm is now but a ruined city.


Then by the 25th Stockholm was conquered or liberated depending on who you ask. The Swedish royal family, tracing their lineage back to King Charles Johan the general of Napoleon, was captured and suffered the same and horrible fate as the Tsar family of Russia. The civil war ended officially on the 27th of October, but the horrors didn't end here. The SKP-SSV coalition began an internal civil war, where all non Trotsky and Soviet loyal elements was purges. Then a purge of society as a whole, reminscent of the ones in the USSR, took place. Workers militas also came into open conflict with the upper class militias and the wrath of the workers eradicated the former upper classes of Sweden. Sweden was now a ruined state by the end of October, but the workers had taken control of the country. Much rebuilding had to be done, but that was secondary to the SKP aims of taking the war to Norway and Denmark, to both liberate their brothers and to spread their ideology. The rest is history.

 

[stnylan]

And then the universe ended due to the paradox of there being no Paradox

 

[ThaHoward]

And then the universe ended due to the paradox of there being no Paradox

Haha! Communism is the end of the world then! but as nAARator perhaps I'll decide the next five year plan will focus on game industry

And the next update will come tommorow, Monday or Tuesday.

 

[ThaHoward]

Chapter 18: Heil dir im Siegerkranz.

Spoiler: Music.

With all these arrows around Europe we're ready for victory.

By April one could be fooled if one looked upon the map of Europe. The German war machine who had subjucated all of Europe was now pushed all the way back to a small enclave in parts Bavaria and Austria. Where Stukas would once strike terror in the hearts of the bravest of men with their "horrifying screams" the skies was now dominated by Spitfires and other allied planes. The once formidable German panzerwaffen fell victim to the mechanized forces of the Red and US Army alike. But this was no April's fool. The German Armed Forces had slowly, but surely, been pushed back to the core areas of Nazism. The Red Army had exhausted herself since January almost being completely depleted of reserves, but in her place the United States Army and British Army rolled on with their offensive. The shattered and battered German army was taken ablast by the Anglo-American combined offensive. The restored Hungarian Red Army also helped on with the offensives into the Balkans. Despite their fanatical defense of their homeland and their prowess in conquering Europe, the tide had turned against Germany. Their day of reckoning was coming.

The battle of Munich begins.

By the first of April American and British forces reached Munich. The same forces that had once taken Nuremberg, blowing up the many Nazi symbols, were now by the outskirts of Munich, the last stronghold of the Thousand Year Reich. Eisenhower and Montgomery flirted with the idea to let the Soviet Union do the hard work to take the city who afterall was believed to be well entrenched with Volksturm and SS units. But it was believed that following Trotsky's inability to compromise, which was proven during the breakdown of the Yalta Conference, the Western Allies needed every victory they could get. After intense bombardement from air and land American and British infantry and armored formations entered the outskirts of Munich, getting bogged down in brutal close quarter combat. Before the conventional allied forces entered the combat area the First Allied Airborne Army took several drops during night to secure key crossroads, bridges, airports and even into the city itself. It was a great gamble, but it paid off. By the time conventional forces reached the suburbs of Munich the German defenders was in confusion over the airborne assault and lost many key areas and communication lines was cut off. This alleviated the allied assault on the Bavarian capital, still a costly battle was to come.

The Far East go back and forth between Japan and Russia.

Yet in the Far East a completely different war was being fought, then as now. While the Red Army managed weeks earlier to reclaim Vladivostok and secure continious coastal strip, the Japanese was again on the offensive taking great chucks of lands, threatening to take the two airfields north of Vladivostok and splitting the defenders in half - again. Meanwhile around Mongolia the Japanese and Chinese Armies threatened with a full blown invasion of Soviet Central Asia. The only hope for the Soviet armies in the Far East was a quick end to the war in Europe and immediate reinforcements. But here as in Germany there was a long way to go. A Kazakh soldier noted "the Japanese soldier are fanatic. He choose death over military necessities. Where we require full meals and vodka, he only need a few pinches of grain. And not to speak of the Chinese, their numbers total in millions".

The east meets west and proved to not be that different from eachother - both like cigarettes.

Despite the worsened relations between the liberal democracies and the socialist states in propaganda films the two opposing world views was united as one force against fascism and dictatorship. While Soviet and Allied troops had met weeks earlier, it was not until the last push for Bavaria and Austria that films and footages was released detailing Soviet and American troops shaking hands, sharing cigarettes and so on. Trotsky was even called by US and British propaganda films as "Uncle Leo" detailing him as a trustworthy ally. In truth the two sides was only united by a common enemy and their cordial relations hanged on a knife's edge. Churchill had aired the possibility to "do the unthinkable" now as the USSR was occupied, but it was naturally declined by Lord Halifax and Roosevelt. And the Soviet Union had started their war with Germany, after all, as an "Icebreaker" to spread the revolution to all of Europe as it was broken by economic depression and a world war. Still the troops on the ground had to rely on eachother, let it be a Communard French, an American or a Soviet. They were far removed from geopolitics (despite being in the middle of it) as their concern was one thing: to survive.

Soviet soldiers race through Germany.

The war continued on. The massive assault by the Allies had opened up new opportunities for the war torn nations of the Internationale. Following the occupation of northern Romania and liberation of Hungary the German forces was ordered on a general retreat to their homeland. To make a final stand against the "mongol hordes of the east" and abandon their eastern allies to their own fate. But most of these German troops instead chose to simply lay down their arms. "My prime focus was to survive. But it was different now. I had participated in the invasion of Ukraine, there I survived by digging trenches. Covering my head when we got hit by Trotsky Orgels. Covering my brothers as they advanced forward so they could cover me. There I survived by fighting. But that day was far gone. We were low of manpower, food and munitions. My home had been taken by the invaders. I was now more concerned about getting home, getting home to my family as the carpenter that I really am, as a civilian. Not in a uniform, nor with a gun. Not in a casket. The battle was lost, the Soviets and their allies poured in everywhere, that's why I laid down my weapons and changed my uniform with that of a civilian. I fled to the west hoping to be taken by the Americans or British, and not these communists" was the testimony of a German soldier as he were interrogated for desertion. He would later be found hanging. But it described the futility of the situation for the Germans. Loss after loss the ordinary German soldier lost faith and merely wanted to go home, meanwhile nations all over the globe was knocking at their doorstep ready to take Munich.

The battle for Munich intensifies.

By the second of April large portions of Munich had been taken by the British-American force at the cost of severe casualties. German troops counterattacked their positions with a formidable force throwing everything they had on their enemies. From small amrs, to howitzers, panzerfausts and even rocks. The British and American forces pulled out in the last minute as the French and Spanish Foreign Legions came to take over their positions. They were closely followed up by Belgian Workers's Militias who were used by the French and Spanish forces as cannon fodders. Still several paratroopers was scattered all over and around the city with members of the 101st Airborne taking on the city hall in search of Hitler. All around Munich hard fights ensued, with four infantry divisions and one armored division holding the eastern flank despite the well cordinated British attack. On the west, however, British and French troops was gaining grounds in the dense forest west of Munich, and west of that again the Germans was in general retreat. Near the Swiss border Allied troops was taking on the alps, endagering the Austrian lake town of Innsbruck and threatening to envelope Munich. A well known Austrian sniper wrote about it in his autobiography "It felt as if I was alone in the mighty alps. All alone. Most of my friends were gone, only a few of the Volkdeutsche soldiers was left. All others was new recruits. We had held off the British advance into our homeland for hours. They were foolish enough to bring in armor to the mountains, and we were too high up for their planes to be effective. The British troops wasn't trained for fighting and climbing in the mountains as we were. We could hear them long before we got visual on them. I then entrusted got into position and let the rifle be an extended part of myself, before I fired upon two or three of them before I disappear again as a ghost, to get to a new position. They would fire with their much heavier weaponary on my former position, but I was already gone in a new position taking out yet another British soldier. The plan was for me to stall them long enough for the rest of my unit to ambush the British. But I was careless and managed to silhouette myself. Hell opened up on me then, still to this date I do not know what they fired upon me, only that it was massive. I don't know how long it lasted, but after a while the British got to me. They carried me down, at the moment I was not able to see or feel and my mouth was full of stones and gravel. I passed out from a great pain that came when I was taken on the back of a truck full of wounded who did not care about the many bumps it hit, many died in the back of that truck. German and British men side by side. The next day I woke up to the news that I had lost my left arm. But I took that as the overly confident soldier I was. But when I heard my unit had been wiped out fighting to the last man I burst out in tears. My world was shattered, torn apart".*

American soldiers taking a well deserved rest.

On the second day of April most of the German countryside had been pacified by soldiers from the Allies and the Internationale. German soldiers and civilians was surrendering in the thousands. But the battle for Munich raged on into the late hours. As with the other cities of Europe, major or small, cultural capitals or insignificant huts, it was ruined by the war. Ruined by allied bombing, the fighting in the streets and even Nazi henchmen who blew up everything in their path following the deranged orders of Hitler. The battle for Munich had just started, and by now it was uncertain for how long the Germans would hold the city. And this led to some concern for the allies. While the Germans had left the Balkans to fight in their homeland, major contigents of Italian troops was left in the Balkans. But if Austria fell to the allied forces Italy herself would be at risk for an invasion. Italy realised this, but so did the allies. On that ground it was imperative that Germany had to fall before they could be relieved by their Italian allies. That again could result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands more, or even a German resurrection. Meanwhile in the bunker beneath Munich, which American and British paratroopers searched for, Hitler was surrounded by sycophants and he ordered made up units to make pincer attacks on the troops surrounding Munich and Prague. He also ordered for Himmler to return to Munich...

German paratroopers do a daring raid to resuce their beloved Reichsführer.

Following the fall of Berlin Göring was taken by the British Commandos. This left Heinrich Himmler as the heir appereant to Adolf Hitler. But Himmler had been taken by Soviet troops in the Sudetenlands. This was a huge emberassment for Nazi Germany, and Hitler wanted Himmler his "most loyal servant" back by to his side in Munich. Meanwhile Himmler was held up in a castle in the mountains outside of Pilsen. It was here the Germans conducted their last airborne offensive, or offensive at all. The raid was ordered by Hitler himself and executed by Kurt Student. It involved a total of 82 German Fallschirmjägers and 26 SS Commandos. Their mission was simple: land the commandos and paratroopers with gliders among the Soviet captors, take Himmler back and fly back. This raid was seen by many of the German officers as yet another of Hitler's delusions, but despite that the German raiders succeeded. On the night to the third Himmler was retracted and was no longer a prisoner of the USSR. This was a huge blow to Trotsky who was on his way to personally meet up with Himmler and release footage of Himmler capitulating to Trotsky in person. Instead the Germans managed to reclaim the Reichsführer of the SS, boosting German morale.**

The Germans appear to have lost the will to fight.

By the Germans it was hoped this would spark a renewed will to fight, and it was equally feared by the Soviets. But during early morning of the 3rd of April the realism of war re-appeared. Allied and Communist forces advanced on through all of Germany, continuing would only delay the inevitable defeat. Take Czechia. Here Germany had a major troop concentration of over 30 divisions that could have managed to break through Soviet lines or reinforce their brothers in Bavaria and Austria. Instead they did nothing. Not wishing to take part in the pointless bloodshed. And this might have been true. The attack on Munich had not stopped, it had just increased in volume and sheer violence, to the benefit of the Allies and the Internationale.

"Germany will either be a world power, or nothing at all".

Back to Munich the city was now nothing more than a ruin. In the dreadful situation that came along young boys was given a rifle in their hand and ordered to fight for their homeland. In one of his last moments Hitler was given medals to young boys who had fought for their homeland, this picture would later on become forever captured. But the situation grew worse and worse for everyday as American, British, Belgian, Spanish and French troops alike took block after block, house after house - at a terrible cost of course. On April the 3rd General Theodor Tolsdorff surrendered to American forces saying to his men: "Men, it’s been a long war, it’s been a tough war. You’ve fought bravely, proudly for your country. You’re a special group. You’ve found in one another a bond that exists only in combat, among brothers. You’ve shared foxholes, held each other in dire moments. You’ve seen death and suffered together. I’m proud to have served with each and every one of you. You all deserve long and happy lives in peace".

The British take Himmler back again.

Despite the daring rescue of Himmler he managed to slip away from his rescuers as the planes were under heavy fire and had to be grounded. From there he posed as a German conscripted soldier and hoped to be taken prisoner by the British or Americans or disappear entirley. But he was soon exposed by the soldiers of the British Second Army and again he was a captive. This time he committed suicide. Himmler was no more.

Good riddance.

The news of Himmlers desertion and later suicide deeply shook Hitler. He was now pushed over the edge and made the life changing decision to marry. To marry and then to end his life. Not wanting to be paraded by Allied or Soviet officials he chose to end it. Meanwhile what was left of the German military and people was ordered to fight to the very end, to follow their leader into the grave.

Munich the current capital of the thousand year reich and Bavaria have seen better days.

But it was difficult for the German forces to hold back the massed onslaught by the Allied forces. Despite their best efforts Munich was reduced to rubble. On the third Pilsen fell, along with Innsbruck and Salzburg by an American airborne assault. When news of Hitler being dead reached the German troops stationed n Czechia during the evening of the 3rd the 30+ German divisions based in in the Bohemian-Austrian region capitaluted to the Soviets. Those who did not fled westward hoping to be taken by the Allies instead. The city of Munich was on itself.***

Dönitz the new Führer of Germany, vows to fight to the bitter end as his predecessor.

The man who was appointed the next Führer was no other than Admiral Karl Dönitz who played a significant role in developing the German Uboat fleet. The proud Admiral vowed that he was to continue the fight, but the situation was simply put againt him. Most of Germany was taken, Munich was soon to be taken over and Hitler was dead. How much longer would he be able to hold out, or was he the needed miracle man?

Soviet soldiers taking a Bohemian village.

Miracles or not the USSR continued on their assault into Austria, Czechia, Hungary and Romania. But it was hard fought. Thousands died during the first four days of April alone. But Trotsky announced to his soldiers over the radio "Comrades! Stay true, stay firm. Our trial are soon to be over, and the world will know that it was the Soviet Man who liberated the world from tyranny".

Great news indeed!

Hours later it happened. When all of Munich was taken Dönitz emerged with the white flag from the underground bunker as a submarine emerge from the seas. He agreed to an unconditional surrender. What was meant to be a Reich lasting for a thousand years wouldn't even last for a decennium. After four years of war the German Reich crumbled and surrendered. For this part of Europe the bloodshed and barbarism had come to an end.

The Nazis give up, but Italy and Japan do not.

All of the world (except for the Axis, for obvious reasons) broke into sudden celebration. Peace had at last come to central Europe. Despite this there was a sense of anxiety among the people of the world. In Europe Italy was still around, having great fortifications along their borders and massive troops contigents in the Balkans. Speaking of the Balkans the Axis nations of Bulgaria and the German puppets of Romania, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro was still at play holding the Soviet and Hungarian troops at bay. And further to the east the Soviet Union, who had defeated the Germans, suffered defeat after defeat at the hands of Japan and her numerous client states in China, and the Kingdom of Siam was advancing into British India. The fall of Germany didn't mark the end of the war, but as Churchill remarked "the beginning of the end". Hope had returned.

The occupation zones of Germany, we'll see how long they'll last...

Despite the Yalta Confererence breaking apart the great powers partioned Germany - tempoairly - into different occupation zones. France would again get Alsace-Lorraine, the Moselland, Saarland and Rheinland and a tiny bit of western Austria. Meanwhile USA occupied most of central Austria, all of south Germany and Hessen. Britain had the north-western coast of Germany, along with Mecklenburg and Brandenburg and southern Austria. The Soviet Union occupied East Prussia, Pommeria, Silesia, Bohemia-Moravia and eastern Austria. Vienna and Berlin were split into four occupation zones aswell.****

A terrible prize.

The war in Germany was now over, but the horrors of war was far from over. With the Soviet Union having suffered enormous casualties, and almost depleted of manpower, a question arose: "would the Red Army be capable of partaking in the war for much longer?" Meanwhile while the Nazi Empire crumbled, in the east the Japanese Empire engulfed the far east as the sun rose. Millions, on all sides, had already perished. The question was not if any more would die, but how many more millions would perish.

Germany can finally have some peace.

-------

*I took some liberties detailing the fall of München. I thought it was better that way other than "some Spanish troops walked into Munich". But USA and UK decided to at last make a major offensive into Germany, this sped up the war exceptionally, so I felt it was in line with what happened in game.

**This is nothing but fanrtasy, but is based upon the IRL raid to rescue Mussolini.

***In reality the situation was as it was on the preceding printscreen of gameplay. I again wanted to make a more compelling history, especially in regards to why large amount of German divisions was just sitting their waiting for the war to end.

****I loosely based this upon the allied occupation zones. I did some console sheninigans and did so as it really dont make sense for Belgium to occupy most of Germany, and to get less of a border gore. Now the Allies will likely change stuff around in the future.

Now this update had a much shorter timeframe than usual (1st-4th of April) but that was to give a more fleshed out story for the final days of Germany. Next update will follow through rest of April and to the end of June, it should come out tommorow or on Tuesday.

Also extra points for those who get why I chose that Beethoven composition

 

[stnylan]

But with the Yalta debacle how long before the shooting begins anew?

 

[ThaHoward]

But with the Yalta debacle how long before the shooting begins anew?

And who are the worst class based societies but USA and UK? But we'll see actually, Im dangerously close to 0 manpower on extensive conscription, but my industry is becoming really great now. UK also have service by requirement and between 300-500k in manpower, while the US has only limited conscription with 500k to 1million in manpower. But to create a good omelette you have to crack a few eggs right? (I also heard nukes may be helpful).

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

At least there can't be an iron curtain in this new Europe. The allies are surrounded on all sides. The only way they could hope to have any presence in Europe at all is if they take Italya nd the Balkans back by themselves. And even then, they'll be surrounded. It's a funny turn of position isn't it?

 

[stnylan]

At least there can't be an iron curtain in this new Europe. The allies are surrounded on all sides. The only way they could hope to have any presence in Europe at all is if they take Italya nd the Balkans back by themselves. And even then, they'll be surrounded. It's a funny turn of position isn't it?

But they could have an Iron Circumvallation!

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

But they could have an Iron Circumvallation!

Or a tin shed, because it'll hold up about as well as you'd expect.