The following events took place on June 28, 1941, Casablanca, Morocco (Vichy France)
Field Marshall and Gruppefuhrer of the Afrika korps Erwin Rommel was the first German in years to set foot on African soil. The warm arid sun reflected off the swarm of transports landing on the beaches of Casablanca, working fast to unload troops and equipment for the Africa Campaign. Their mission was to strip the Allies of their ME ports, to clear out the way for the Kriegsmarine for further interventions.
Later on they were tasked to simply annihilate all Allied forces on the continent. Easy enough. Rommel grabbed some desert sand and let it seep through his fingers. He had great plans for the Afrika Korps…
After landing in the Vichy port of Casablanca virtually unopposed, the first weeks of Operation Greysand quickly culminated in a boring drive along the Sahara. The second half of July, however, resistance became increasingly more fierce as Allied forces set up a massive defensive line stretching all the way from Tunisia to Central-Africa.
Vichy France, with it’s capital in Corsica, could not allow the African coast to fall into enemy hands and isolate their most important strategic location.
It was in the heavy fighting for the mountainous forts ofCajèz that Rommel gained the prestigious nickname of Desert Fox. Using the unknown terrain to his own advantage, Rommel’s outnumbered Africa Korps managed to gain victory over victory, eventually smashing the La Peza-line and driving Vichy forces deep into Tunis.
In the final Battle for Tunis the encircled Vichy Expeditionary Forces and the Foreign Legion were smashed into oblivion. The Allies, having sustained dire losses, were forced to retreat back to Central-Africa to escape the advancing Africa Corps. Here, Vichy Head of State and Field Marshall Phillippe Pétain was captured after a fierce firefight with remaining defenders in the city hall of Tunis.
The following events took place on August 3, 1941, Tunis, Tunisia (Vichy)
Pétain pointed his rifle at the door, shaking heavily. The sound of gunfire and screams downstairs probably meant that the bottom floor had fallen. He was alone. Nevermind. He would defend even the last meter of French soil with his life. Suddenly the door knob started moving, as he could hear German screams behind it.
When the locked door didn’t respond, he could hear a faint thump and footsteps quickly running away. Petain moved closer to the door, attempting to take a peek and take out a few bastards before he died.
The grenade exploded almost simultaneously as he touched the door. The large blast flung Pétain through the room, slamming his head into a wooden table. The last thing he saw were fives Germans entering the room, and the stock of a rifle. Then, darkness.
The following events took place on August 16, 1941, Berlin, Germany
Petain opened his eyes, his vision still blurry. He was lying in the center of what appeared to be a large market area, crowded with cheering people and with Reichsbanners hanging from every window.
He was trying to make out a face in the crowd, a large impressive man wearing what seemed to be a Royal Navy beret, when a solid steel-tipped boot in the side kicked him on his back.
The person standing over him couldn’t have been more familiar. In a thousand years, Pétain would never forget that scar and those dead pale blue eyes. He grinned and coughed up some blood.
“It’s always a pleasure to meet you, Field Marshall Van Geyte”
“Shove it, Pétain.”
A second boot in the stomach threw Pétain off with amazing force. He sat up on his knees, leaning heavily as Laurence approached. He grabbed a pistol and aimed it at Pétain
“Twenty-five years ago I swore to God this day would come.” He loaded his weapon “Look around you, Pétain. Hear them cheering. They know. We are winning. Against all odds. Germany is winning”
“You are a fool Laurence. The Kriegsmarine will never *cough* be able to oppose our fleet”
“Don’t worry. We’ve got that all settled. Soon we will invoke the Eight Act. You and your pathetic alliance are counting their final hours.”
“What? But, how…”
“When you arrive up there, be sure to say hi to the thousands you sent to their graves at Verdun. Farewell, Field Marshall Pétain”
“Wait! No!”
Two dull thuds, and the rest was silence. Laurence holstered his weapon and turned towards the cheering crowd.
“Let it be known! For this is the fate of all those who oppose our nation! Germania! Germania! Rule the lands!”. The crowd cheered ecstatically.
