This is played in DH 1.05.1 with the most recent version of the Democratic/Communist Germany mod, on Normal difficulty. Of course, it will start at the March 4, 1933 "Day of Decision" bookmark.
The German Republic is in a sorry state. The past decade and a half has seen it repeatedly humiliated on the world stage, suffer from escalating political violence from extremists on both sides of the political spectrum, and finally, throughout the past four years, descend deeper and deeper into economic disaster. Adolf Hitler, leader of the NDSAP, has maneuvered himself into being appointed Chancellor, and with the government cracking down on left-wing parties and Hitler’s Sturmabteilung thugs running wild in the streets, intimidating and assaulting voters, few seriously think that today’s Reichstag elections will be anything more than the death knell of German democracy. But sometimes, things can surprise you…
The results are clear: The Nazis have barely clung onto their spot as the largest party, but with nowhere near the amount that would be necessary to form a majority, even with the support of their current partners the DNVP. In fact, the Nazi-DNVP coalition would control fewer seats than an SDP-Zentrum coalition, even without the addition of minor democratic parties. However, neither group seems capable of creating a majority coalition, so further negotiations will be necessary.
The events of today have come as a shocking surprise even to the leadership of Germany’s democratic parties, who are caught totally off guard by their success. Several members of party leadership need to be hurriedly woken up, haven gone to sleep to wait for the seemingly inevitable results in the morning. Negotiations immediately begin via telephone between the democratic parties. This may be a final opportunity to save the Republic, and it will not be wasted. No one may ever know all the details of what happened this day, but one thing cannot be denied: A message has been sent in support of republicanism and against the politics of violence. But violence is coming nonetheless.
Within hours of the results being announced, riots and violence among the SA erupt, morphing rapidly into a full-blown insurrection. Throughout the nation, about 100,000 armed and organized fascists rise up in revolt, intending to tear down the Republic by force, and hundreds of thousands more assist them, actively or passively. In response, those elements of the Reichswehr that can be trusted to place the interests of the Reich above that of the army are mobilized in defense. Commander-in-chief Paul von Hindenburg may be no great supporter of democracy, but neither is he willing to allow Germany to collapse into civil war. In addition, the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold, the paramilitary wing of the democratic parties of Germany, is raised and incorporated into the army. In Berlin, Hitler approaches the situation with uncharacteristic calm. His well-laid plans have collapsed utterly, and he knows that the actions he takes could lead anywhere from unchallenged rulership of Germany to being put against the wall.
It begins...
March 5, 1933
The German Republic is in a sorry state. The past decade and a half has seen it repeatedly humiliated on the world stage, suffer from escalating political violence from extremists on both sides of the political spectrum, and finally, throughout the past four years, descend deeper and deeper into economic disaster. Adolf Hitler, leader of the NDSAP, has maneuvered himself into being appointed Chancellor, and with the government cracking down on left-wing parties and Hitler’s Sturmabteilung thugs running wild in the streets, intimidating and assaulting voters, few seriously think that today’s Reichstag elections will be anything more than the death knell of German democracy. But sometimes, things can surprise you…
Within hours of the results being announced, riots and violence among the SA erupt, morphing rapidly into a full-blown insurrection. Throughout the nation, about 100,000 armed and organized fascists rise up in revolt, intending to tear down the Republic by force, and hundreds of thousands more assist them, actively or passively. In response, those elements of the Reichswehr that can be trusted to place the interests of the Reich above that of the army are mobilized in defense. Commander-in-chief Paul von Hindenburg may be no great supporter of democracy, but neither is he willing to allow Germany to collapse into civil war. In addition, the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold, the paramilitary wing of the democratic parties of Germany, is raised and incorporated into the army. In Berlin, Hitler approaches the situation with uncharacteristic calm. His well-laid plans have collapsed utterly, and he knows that the actions he takes could lead anywhere from unchallenged rulership of Germany to being put against the wall.
It begins...
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