It was nice knowing you, de Gaulle. Doesn't look like the French Empire has anywhere left to go except straight into the dustbin.
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Ahahahahahaha! Let the Europeans continue to kill each other! I'm sure the Reich will be able to keep the reds bottled up if the need arises...right?
Dakar is indeed only just the beginning.
Peace is on the way.
Yeah... About that.
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New post is in the process of being prepped, I'll try to get something out for May Day as well.
The Heart of Darkness (Part 2)
„...concerning difficulties in life, I am of the persuasion that they can't be escaped from nor can we learn to do so. They come unexpectedly and unknowingly, and we pull more of them onto our shoulders with our incompetence. Even from my primer I remember the phrase - 'Suffering makes the burden lighter!' Isn't it so? If we can get used to our situation, if we can bend to the will of destiny, as it were happening of our own accord or at least feel as so, then we would be much easier, if not better off. Then we could always feel at home. Feeling at home however is something grand, calming and encouraging. My word of advice would be: try to see life as so, try and reach 'home' and you'll say I was right, of this I don't doubt. I have been through quite a bit. Worked on myself quite a lot, which may have not amounted to much, however there has been some success - which makes things easier.“
Excerpt from the letters of Captain Irv, recipient Médaille militaire, in Romania 1916
The revolters requests for help were soon met, as a nearby squadron of CSA destroyers docked in the ports of Dakar. The predominantly African American crew of the new Labourer-class destroyers was eager to join their African brethren in the Liberation. After conferring with his superiors in Norfolk the ships were abandoned, apart from skeleton crews necessary to keep them under guard and afloat, and the sailors reorganized into a regiment. The rapid aid from the Americans proved key in restoring order amongst the garrisons and preparing them for the approaching French regulars ordered to contain the uprising. In addition to the forces in the Southern territories the Grand QG wasted no time in cancelling the planned Sicilian landings in Tunis as well as extracting some divisions from Calabria, much to the chagrin of de Gaulle. Although he tried to argue the importance of taking the assault against the almost broken Italians to a close, he was overruled. The rest of the Grand QG considered maintaining control over the vital Trans-Saharan railway as well as crushing the revolt against the French Empire of greater importance than wasting more resources on the already battered Italians.
Nicknamed the Railway of Chains the Trans-Saharan Railway became highly prominent in propaganda
by the Internationale due to the high use of POWs and slaves in its construction
CSA pilots observing the wreckage of a French plane and the corpse of its pilot
Armoured trains would form the backbone of the French Empire's effort in the fight against Internationale
Recruited exclusively from the Exiles and the former colonists, the Troupes de Marine
formed the elite core of the Imperial French Army
Frontline in West Africa on the arrival date of XIII Corps, the 1st of March
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The Imperials manage to buy a little time. I still don't think that they're going to come out of this with an unequivocal win, but maybe there's a chance they can fight to a stalemate and a new "Peace with Honour." (Not a very high chance, mind you...)
About 3 divisions of 14 thousand strong, plus corps command and corps assets of about 3 thousand. Totalling up to around 45 thousand.
The French are in for a fight of their lives. A Peace with Honour however is not how this will end.
As promised, the May Day post, the actual story will continue soon.
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Shanghai, 1949
The hustle and bustle of Little Tokyo had begun to fade as evening turned into night. Although quieter the streets were still filled with both white- and blue-collar workers returning home from a round of drinks with their colleagues at the local watering holes. Suddenly the quiet hum of the streets was pierced by a chic woman running down the street on high heels. Behind her followed a loudly dressed man yelling at her.
"Oi! Oi, stop Setsuko."
As she turned around to look back her foot slipped. Bracing against the hard pavement, she suddenly found herself in his arms
"Let go of me", she shouted pounding at his chest with her hands.
"Not until you tell me, what's going on." he calmly replied.
Setsuko looked at him with a sad look on her face and turned away - "Can we at least go and sit down somewhere, Kiyoshi?"
"Sure," Kiyoshi said pulling her up into his arms and walking to a nearby bench.
"Now, could you please tell me what's going on."
"... I got a letter from home." Setsuko replied.
"Hmmm... From your mother?"
"Yes, she said she's been in an accident and needs me to come home as soon as possible."
"Is there more?"
"No... but... I don't want to leave you Kiyoshi," the girl replied with tears in her eyes.
"Don't cry my sweet, look up at the sky. The moon is crimson, just like on the night we met."
"Huh, you're right. This street... It's Sumaro isn't it."
"That's right, the street we met on. Do you remember when we met, the lilacs were just in bloom?"
"I do, I do."
"And now that we're parting, they're falling."
"I don't want to leave you behind, Kiyoshi."
"Go and take care of your dear mother Setsuko. I'm going to cut my ties with the family tomorrow, I don't want you around for that."
"But..."
"No buts, there's no telling what they might do to you. I got us a place of our own and work in Hokkaido, when I get there, I'll send you a letter."
"Oh, Kiyoshi." - Setsuko said falling into his arms.
"Setsuko" - he said, hugging her back.
"Now, let's not linger. The boat back to the Home Islands will be leaving soon. Let me at least send you to the pier," Kiyoshi calmly said.
[...]
Kiyoshi woke up from his stupor and stumbled out of the bar he had been in. The cool morning breeze of the city blew some life into him. Passing the street corner, he stopped to look at the paperboy.
"Extra, extra. Read all about it, bomb sinks Taiyou-maru. Perpetrators holed up in the International Settlement."
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Nothing like a little direct action on a May Day.
The situation in the Legation Cities has always been delicate, one hair's breadth away from some power or another simply deciding to step in and nationalize the whole thing (and most serious efforts to do so being stopped only by all the different members of the Legation Council ganging up on the one who tries it). I think someone has just given Japan the excuse it needs to do exactly that...
The situation in the Legation Cities has always been delicate, one hair's breadth away from some power or another simply deciding to step in and nationalize the whole thing (and most serious efforts to do so being stopped only by all the different members of the Legation Council ganging up on the one who tries it). I think someone has just given Japan the excuse it needs to do exactly that...
The Heart of Darkness (Part 3)
The arrival of the first American forces in Dakar did little to change the balance of the war itself, however it marked the start for a change of pace in the conflict. French troops, who had expected little more than a repeat of the crushing of the Tuareg insurrection just a scant decade earlier, now found themselves facing well trained regulars on all fronts. The going was especially hard for the Armoured Train Division and the Troupes de Marine, who found themselves facing the bulk of XIII Corps. The tried and true methods of railway assault proved useless against such numbers and although it remained used for probing assaults the French began to dig in order to tie up the American forces. The situation in the South however remained much more fluid, although the drive to Dakar had failed to fulfil its last objectives, it had secured the supply routes for much needed reinforcements from North Africa. The pitched battles had also begun to do a number on the regular troops of the Dakar Commune, which saw increasing levels of militiafication within its already highly militia dependent forces. This allowed the French forces to retake the initiative and to push into Dakarite lines. The assault, lead by the Foreign Legion, was only stopped when 35th Infantry Division was redeployed from the northern front to stabilize the line and avoid a collapse.
Revolutionary militia that had started the Liberation were becoming increasingly out of place on the battlefield
French commanders during the siege of Naples.
The increasing rate of militiafication amongst the Dakarite Liberation Army had also become an issue for the Americans, who found that their allies were becoming more of a burden as the conflict went on as more of their was spent on internal squabbling rather than fighting the Imperials. In early June the lines were reshuffled and most local units sent back to Dakar, where they were subsequently disarmed by the newly arrived VI Corps and subjected to retraining and reorganization. The local militias were abolished with men that were deemed unfit for service sent back to their homes. The remaining troops were then reorganized under an American control structure and subjugated to VI Corps as the 201st "Afrique" Infantry Division, returning to the front lines in early September after their training ended.
Although armed largely with British equipment the 201st Division would become a
guideline for American attempts at professionalization of the Dakarite Liberation Army
Preparations for the operation however soon hit a few setbacks, which delayed the start of the operation by a two weeks. Inadvertently this had the added benefit of allowing the arrival of the XVI Corps, the 9th corps of infantry, which freed more men for the operation. Using the night as their cover American battalions would begin their infiltration across the Southern Sahara to the French rear. Despite the loss of some units the Americans soon had entire brigades in the designated rendezvous point ready to commence with Thunder. Finally on the night of the 30th of November the American assault began with a three massive and nigh simultaneous air strikes as well as bombardment by artillery. The defending French forces often barely had enough time to recover from this initial mass barrage, when they where washed over by a wave of American infantry and armoured vehicles.
Captured French soldiers following Operation Quiet Thunder
Nearby Benikongo offered refuge to many retreating French troops that found
themselves cut off by the advance of the American Workers Army
I'll just hint that this goes much further than just the Legations.
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The slow collapse of Imperial France continues. The diehards may fight on to the bitter end, but they're long past the point where they could have turned the tide of this struggle.
That said, I do have to wonder just what effect the resurgence of the Internationale's fortunes -- and, in particular, a new major presence in Africa right next door to their colonies -- is going to have in Berlin.
That said, I do have to wonder just what effect the resurgence of the Internationale's fortunes -- and, in particular, a new major presence in Africa right next door to their colonies -- is going to have in Berlin.
A degree of panic perhaps, but they do face a somewhat weaker foe this time to be perfectly honest. The threat of Syndicalism spreading to the Kaiserbunded Mittelafrika is however rather plausible, but Germany currently has bigger fish to fry as a result of the economic crisis.
Yes.
New update coming soon-ish... Potentially today.
The Heart of Darkness (Part 4)
There are many theories as to where the term Pied-Noir, Black Feet, arose. Some attribute it to the tone of the feet of the workers shovelling coal on steamers in the Mediterranean. Others attributed it to the footwear of French soldiers in North Africa, compared to their barefoot native counterparts. However following the collapse of the Third French Empire the term began to signify the French fleeing from North Africa back to the Metropole in fear of repressions. Although the Hannoverite Kingdom of France was dominated by the "hated Bosche" many saw it as the better alternative to the revolutionary chaos of the Anglo-American Internationale.
The end of the war in North Africa and the resulting chaos ensuing from it provided cover for a mass exodus of more than 1.5 million of the estimated 2 million Pied-Noir. The return of the Pied-Noir came often through Bourbonist Spain with whom the Third French Empire had shared warm relations and was cautiously approved by the economically struggling Kaiserreich. Although many still bore old grudges against the Germans the following decades would see the Pied-Noir be characterized by virulent anti-Syndicalism, which they had begun to see as the greater threat and would often see them clash with die-hard Continental Syndicalists.
- Excerpt from For God, King and Country: The Story of Exiles from 1921 to 1951
Although the wet season had largely put a halt to operations in West Africa, the pause meant anything but rest for the battered forces of the French Empire. Bombing raids from the island fortress of Sicily became an almost daily occurrence as the forces of the Internationale attempted to bomb the French Empire into submission by any means necessary. The damage of these bombing runs and the cost of countering them soon began to ripple across the French forces, which found themselves more and more strapped for resources. Nowhere else was this harder felt than in Italy. After the Internationale established control over most of the shipping lanes in the Mediterranean the French Expeditionary Force in Italy found itself already short on supply. However as Anglo-American efforts to target French shipping intensified these problems only kept getting worse and worse. Soon French forces also found themselves outgunned, as more and more British troops kept pouring into the peninsula, what however didn't arrive was an offensive. Having learned from their colleagues in West Africa, the French commanders on the ground had expected an all out assault to pierce through the lines and had prepared accordingly. However autumn and winter passed in Italy without even the slightest hint of such a plan. As spring rolled around the supply issues had really begun to show for the French, which marked the beginning of the British offensive.
The decade of war had turned the Western Mediterranean into a dangerous place for shipping,
as such many heralded the arrival of the Anglo-American navies due to the restoration of law and order
Although a lot of the Tommies sent to Italy were serving in penal units their morale was unquestionably high.
The nearly a decade of French rule had done a number on Southern Italy, where the mafia had massively
grown in power further aggravating the problems the Socialist Republic of Italy faced during Reconstruction
American forces during downtime in Northern Africa
Republican Marine Commandos storming the beaches of Tunisia
After evading Syndicalist assassins in Spain the former Emperor would live out the rest of his life in Switzerland
Following the collapse of the French Empire 1950 was declared by the Internationale to be the Year of Africa,
even though they continued to occupy the territory ostensibly under the goal of fostering Syndicalism
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And with that the would-be French Empire is no more. I can't imagine life is going to be very pleasant for those pieds-noir who haven't managed to flee.
I liked that exerpt form fictional book, it was realistic.
Well, that was predictable. I was only surprised that De Gaulle surrendered instead of making a heroic final stand.
The final entente remnant - Australasia - and the Reds will sign a peace treaty/ceasefire now?
Well, that was predictable. I was only surprised that De Gaulle surrendered instead of making a heroic final stand.
The final entente remnant - Australasia - and the Reds will sign a peace treaty/ceasefire now?
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At least for those important enough to be notable, but unimportant enough to not manage to flee. Anyway the Internationale might be glad to get rid of them in the end.
Thanks.
Well, de Gaulle did get thrown into the thick of it with increasingly rapidly decreasing resources. Also, it's not like history would remember him kindly regardless, who won as such he and his men might end up being better off.
About that...
New post in the pipeline.
Southern Cross (Part 1)
"You're late," Fritz said in a cold demeanour.
"Sorry, the meeting ran long, Fritz Hansovich. That damn business in the Balkans seems to have finally come to an end," Vanya said apologetically.
"No matter, Catherinenthal is beautiful enough that I can forgive a fifteen minute wait. So what do you have for me?"
Vanya looked around as if to check that nobody was listening on them. However he saw nothing out of the ordinary – servants watching over children as they ran amock and teasing swans and a few couples of young nobles apparently attempting to keep alive old traditions of courting. Confident that nobody was listening he continued.
"My sources in the Far East claim that the recent rumblings in the region seem to be serious, the Japanese appear to be on the move."
"Do you have any idea to where?" Fritz asked.
"Not exactly, however based on what they've told me I doubt it is your precious Fatherland, Fritz Hansovich. I doubt they'd attack the Philippines or the Indochinese either though. So that leaves the Australasians. Apparently the incident in Shanghai was the last straw."
"Verdammt... Well better them than the Internationale in the Pacific."
"There's more. Our government seems to be displeased with the continuing chaos in the Middle-East and are considering intervention."
"The same one they considered before shelving, when the Bolshies pulled a fast one on you?"
"Quite possibly, however recently the Shah has been looking like a better than the Arabs to the Stavka."
"Fascinating, anything more?"
"Nothing more, but I would like to know something from you. We appear to have lost track of the Yudenichi. Do you have any recent intel?"
"Last I heard they went underground. Their recent attempts to curry favour amongst the Balts seems to have blown up in their face. The native 'organizations' were less than pleased with them trying to muscle in on their turf. I do actually have some useful intel for you Vanya."
"Oh?"
"Indeed, the Finns pulled out a craft near Viipuri with an interesting crew. It appears your guess was correct."
"Interesting, did they manage to get something out of them?"
[...]
The end of the 40s marked a low point for the already cold relations between the Japanese Empire and the Australasian Confederation. Although the Japanese had tried to foster warm relations with the British, even after the revolution of 1925, the tensions between the Japanese and the British in the South-Pacific had continually grown as the years went on. Australasian meddling within what the Japanese perceived as their sphere of influence and their rather brazen support for the revolt in Indonesia, as well as the continued guerilla fighting, was just one of the latest in a growing list of grievances that the Japanese government held towards their erstwhile allies. The White Australasia Policy, which had formed the crux of the issue the Japanese Empire had with Australasia, as it saw the policy as a stain on its prestige, had continued to plague the relations between the two. The Empire was less than pleased when the policy was first strengthened under the late John Curtin, GBE, and then further reinforced when Herbert Evatt emerged victorious from the leadership race in February of 1949.
The death of Curtin left big boots to fill for his former Foreign Minister and an even bigger crisis.
Seemingly oblivious to the threat presented by the Internationale, Evatt seemingly embarked
on a crusade against the Yellow Peril presented by the continued rise of the Empire of Japan.
Asama-maru, sister ship of the Taiyou-maru in 1931
Huang Jinrong, Zhang Xiaolin and Du Yuesheng the Three Tycoons of Shanghai, although getting on in years
the three men remained at the top of the criminal underworld in the Legations and subsequently all of China
Crown Prince Hirohito and Edward, Prince of Wales in 1921
The British Revolution had brought about a massive improvement of relations between the two houses,
which made gaining Imperial approval for the "Australasian intervention" a difficult sell
Special Navy Landing Forces officers during wargames in in the Lesser Sunda Isles, december of 1949
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Australian government will pay the price for angering the Empire! Let's hope, that Japanese will be faster than the reds.
Australasia has sealed its own fate here; much as with Imperial France I don't really see any way out for them short of giving in to Japanese demands (which they'll never do on their own initiative).
A quick advance is the Japanese speciality.
The fate of the Entente was indeed sealed for the most part following the intervention of the Americans. Mind you, I didn't really rig the game against the Entente.
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Southern Cross (Part 2)
Thus the earnest hope of the Japanese Government to adjust Japanese-Australasian relations and to preserve and promote the peace of the South-Pacific through cooperation with the Australasian Government has finally been lost.
The Japanese Government regrets to have to notify hereby the Australasian Government that in view of the attitude of the Australasian Government it cannot but consider that it is impossible to continue relations with the current Government and hear-by announces a severing of all diplomatic ties. Furthermore the Japanese Government regrets to have to notify the Australasian Government of the state of war that now exists between the two countries.
12-Part Message, delivered to the Australasian Government on the eve of war at 11PM on the 23rd of June 1950 by Japanese ambassador to the Australasian Confederation Nishi Haruhiko.
The Japanese invasion of Australasia or, as it would become known in the Japanese Empire, the Australasian intervention was marred by controversy right from the start of the conflict. Three months prior to the declaration of war the Japanese approached Australasia claiming to wish to solve the issues between the two states in a diplomatic manner, hailed as a victory for the doves in the Ashida cabinet and by other governments with vested interests in the Pacific. Following the Japanese declaration of war, however the Australians revealed that the negotiations had been nothing but a Japanese deception to lull Australasia into a false sense of security. Prime Minister Evatt also lambasted the Japanese raid on Darwin as treacherous and sneaky, claiming that the Australasian government hadn't received a proper declaration of war. Despite these efforts the Australasian diplomatic campaign was doomed to fail as neither the Russians nor Germans had any interest in interceding on their behalf. Japanese landing craft containing the II and III Marine Corps storming the beaches around the city following, as soon as the first assault returned to their carriers to refuel and rearm. Darwin was defended by little more than a division of the Royal Australasian Marines and the local territorial defence brigade. The city and its surroundings fell on the 28th of June after brief resistance establishing a Japanese beachhead on Australia proper. The collapse of the Australasian defence is largely attributed to the death of General John E. Duigan as well as much of his staff during the raid at the start of the conflict, according to eyewitness reports the building they were in was hit with bombs by a squadron of Yokosuka D4Y dive bombers.
The rapid establishment of the beachhead at Darwin was vital for the rapid prosecution of the war against Australasia
IJA troops had little precious experience or training for fighting in jungles, which lead to a rather high casualty rate.
Fighting in New Guinea did however prove vital in changing strategic thinking towards extreme terrain.
Although the battles against the Australasians convinced even the most diehard of battleship proponents in the
IJN that the future lied in naval aviation. Nobody could however deny the use of battleships in landing operations
Royal Australasian Army soldiers digging slit trenches around Townsville, spring 1950
The Melbourne hotel also hosted the temporary headquarters of the
19th Army in Perth until a more permanent solution was completed in 1953.
Although some in the cabinet had argued that the atomic weapons be used in conjuction with the surprise attack
to completely sap the morale of the Australasians, most doubted whether it would not result in the opposite reaction
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