Operation Staging Point
"As you can see, General, we'll have to launch several, possibly simultaneous invasions in order to secure the remainder of Europe under Entente rule. Ireland must be taken to facilitate an invasion of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Spain must fall in order to allow us to effectively invade France, and, of course, we must do all this whilst retaining our lines in Spain, and our position in Holland."
"I see, sir. Mr. Ramsay... I have a proposal."
"Yes?"
"We evacuate our army out of the Netherlands. I know we're planning to set up a puppet government there, so we can afford to let the partisans rest easy there."
"..that, however, leaves Holland open to attack by all and sundry. Should the Germanys decide to incorporate it into their defensive line, or should the French break through the German lines, we will lose Holland."
"With all due respect, sir, it doesn't matter. Holland is unfortified, and, frankly, we can't hold it in any case. If we try and invade from there, we face the entire French or German army, and defending it for the pitiful few resources and factories it yields is madness. Furthermore, the fortresses are
around Holland - neither side could hold it effectively, it would only weaken them. No, we could use those men elsewhere."
"General, your proposal.. seems good. Besides, you're on the ground there, you know what you're talking about. However.. if Holland falls, you'll be out of the Army and into a court-martial quicker than you can say 'shit'. Do you understand me?"
"Yessir. I take the responsibility, you get the glory."
"I didn't say that. You'll get your due. What it
is, however, depends on whether you fail or succeed.."
The first thing to do, of course, was to ship troops over, from the Americas, from Delhi. It would leave those places undefended, yes, but it would also give them the force they needed to carry out their invasions..
- - - -
The Battle of Cadiz
"Hard to port! Ships are firing to starboard!"
"I see 'em. They're English, sir!"
"So, they must be fighting the Germans.."
The fleet moved out from its position at Cadiz, making sure it did not get entangled in the battle. But they watched. And, despite German complaints of interference, they did not interfere. Rather, they watched. Six British carriers, and ten or so light cruisers, versus twelve German battleships, and an equal force of heavy cruisers, and an excess of destroyers. There were other ships, as well, but they were the main of it.
Now, it seemed, was the moment of truth. Were carriers useful? Had the Australasian Navy wasted their money on the construction of the five carriers it now owned? And the twelve light carriers? If the carrier turned out to be truly the king of the sea, then they were unassailable. It was peculiar - the Germans, they were hoping, would win at sea, allowing an invasion of Britain. But now, they were hoping against hope that the Germans would lose, utterly and shamefully.
One. Two. Three. Six. Eight! The Germany toll mounted higher, and the Australasian ships radioed in a request to be allowed to pick up survivors. The Germans and the French agreed - and so the Australasian sent out motor launches, smaller ships, rescuing drowning sailors where they could. Both sides would appreciate this, the repatriation of the soldiers, and it would, perhaps, give the Confederation a little more credibility in international diplomacy.
The German fleet disengaged, burning hulks surrounding their ships. Two British carriers had been lost - and four cruisers. But the Germans had lost eight cruisers, and six battleships. And the Germans had started with the numerical advantage. Yes, the carrier was the queen of the sea.
Aboard the HMAS
Vengeance, the captain toasted the carrier, with whisky all round for the crew. Men had died, yes. The hated Syndicate had won a devastating victory. But the Australian Navy possessed not a single battleship, and, had the Germans won, the consequences for morale, as well as the navy, would've been even more devastating.
So they celebrated. With the Entente in possession of the largest carrier force in the world - thirteen carriers proper, and twelve light, as opposed to the Brits, who only had eight - six, now, they had a navy that none could challenge. The Japanese had two, the Germans one. The Germans, admittedly, still had thirty battleships, despite their loss of eight. They would prove a true adversary, but, with the losses they would incur, the Entente would once again rule the ocean..
- - - -
"The French are in position?"
"Yes, Prime Minister. The French are prepared to seize all Spanish African mainland holdings as soon as we attack. We have thirty divisions on the peninsula, and now our transports are back from the American mainland, we'll be sending them to Sydney to pick up our.. weapon."
"Weapon?"
"Six divisions of armor, sir. Almost as many as the Syndicate French or Germans have. With those, we can sweep through France before the Frenchies can react at all. Followed up by our superior infantry.. I'd say this war might as well be over, don't you?"
"No, I don't. The French may be engaged otherwise, but they'll still have a firm 3-2 advantage, even if we ship the bloody Nepalese over here! We need to move decisively, quickly, and wring concessions from them before they can react at all."
- - - -
"And so, Your Majesty, I must regretfully inform you, due to the oppression your monarchy brings, the blatant hostility towards our interests in Europe, and your toleration of Sydicalists within your borders, a state of war now exists between the Australasian Confederation and the Kingdom of Spain. Good day, sir."
The King of Spain stood there, shocked. The Confederation had been on the closest of terms with him! They'd even discussed an
alliance. He'd been somewhat amenable, to tell the truth. Of course, there were few who listened to him in the Spanish government. But now.. it seemed Spain would fall. He knew that. Nine divisions on the mainland, drafted men from Spain who had never fought before, versus thirty battle-hardened Australasian divisions, who had equipment five years ahead of his own.
And if the three-to-one factor wasn't bad enough, then there were the planes..
- - -
It took only three weeks for Spain to fall. Three short weeks. The Spanish army in constant retreat, not a single counter-attack made. It was hardly worth the name 'campaign'. Indeed, the greatest casualties were the bomber pilots, who took massive losses at an ill-planned raid at Madrid, early in the war.
Now, though, Spain was pacified. And it was just as well. France was weakening - the men on her border had fallen back, from Austria to Metz, the French were losing the war. Oh, the Syndicate was winning the war at sea, but on the ground, the French had lost all of their gains. It seemed as if the Syndicate's ill-timed war would finally give the Germans total victory. And so, Durant thought, they had to move their troops up to the border quickly. And, of course, to move the Australian and Canadian Navies to Spain, where they could sink the British Navy, should it choose to interfere in the movement of troops. Once it was all done, France would fall from both sides..
