Prologue.
The Cold War had been kind to North America so far. Much of the conflict between Japan and Germany had been directed into theatres much removed from it. Most of the manoeuvring of the Cold War had so far taken place in South America (Expressed through conflicts such as the Chilean-Argentine war of 1951.) and South Asia, where Japan supposedly funded Indian guerrillas everywhere from the Punjab to Bengal. Germany, however, seemed in the ascendancy. Germany, together with her puppets and allies, controlled Europe, and through Europe, much of the Middle East and Africa, directly or indirectly. And, of course, North America.
That would change in a few short years – faster than anyone could possibly imagine. It would not take generations for Germany’s hold over much of its conquests to crumble, but less than a decade. Just as one man had so mercilessly pushed Germany into a global conflict from which it had emerged in greater triumph than anyone had ever dreamed of, so to, a handful of men would once again turn the fate of Germany and the world around.
Mexico had so far been largely ignored by the world ever since the great Erwin Rommel rode at the head of his column of panzers into Mexico City and effectively terminated organised resistance to Germany in North America. With that act, the hostilities, which had gripped the world for the better part of a decade, were over.
Rommel himself settled down to a life as Governor-General of Mexico – his first effective taste of political power. Rommel’s provisional regime ruled Mexico effectively, under the circumstances. Rommel eventually departed, and the cloak of obscurity once again faded over Mexico.
By the mid fifties, Mexico was showing the strain. In contrast to the PR, the economy had faltered ever since the country had been conquered. Invasion followed by instability had not done Mexico any favours. The government had invested heavily in arms, to the extent where the burden of loans was intense. The problems came to a head in early 1957, when food shortages combined with economic failure presided over by a corrupt and unpopular government pushed Mexico’s population over the edge.
Events moved faster than anyone could have predicted. Within a week the government had effectively lost the will to resist the mass rioting and violence, which rocked the country. Mexico was beginning to vent it’s fury after years of unhappiness and frustration, surely not helped by the knowledge that their ‘brothers’ over the border in Baja California were enjoying unprecedented good fortune, even if as cheap labour in upper California. A huge mob, numbering tens of thousands sacked the offices of the Popular Nationalists, the ruling party in Mexico. Mexico City was in flames. As one
Times journalist wrote, “The passion and fervour of the mob is absolute and simply indescribable. Much of the power and authority of the state has effectively been demolished in so short a period, and we are witnessing a state of advanced anarchy.”
Naturally, this did not sit well with the government of the
Reich. The Final Straw came when a hastily-established liberal provisional government of national unity requested that “All friendly nations should lend their utmost support to Mexico in this, it’s hour of greatest need.” – code, it was supposed, for the establishment of ‘Eastern Relations’, and the Abwehr and SD jumped on the opportunity to link the whole series of events with a larger policy by Japan designed to make inroads into Central America. (Although the actual evidence for the present situation in Mexico being a part of this remained sketchy to non-existent.)
Heydrich, now fancying himself as an expert on North America and hoping to gain a foothold in foreign policy more generally, was the most vocal in the support for the idea of a military intervention to ‘restore order’. Goering needed little goading, although the army in was reluctant to become involved in an obvious quagmire situation.
Accordingly, on the 26th of February, 1957, Goering announced to the Reichstag that Germany was mobilising a military “expedition”, which, in co-operation with Confederate allies, would be tasked with the restoration of order to Mexico.
Germany would be invading Mexico for a second time. And it was highly doubtful that this time anyone would be riding with ease at the head of a panzer column into Mexico City.
Coming soon – The Grey Storm by The Yogi.
