|
Updated Sunday 15 May, 2011 12:18 PM |
|
|
Join Writer Development Section Writer Development Member Section
This Day in Alternate History Blog
|
Italy 1936 - An alternate Italian history of World War II Part 27 By Vincent Longobardi
February 20th 1955 Prototype testing begins on the next generation of Italian Strategic Bombers. March 7th 1955 Greek rebels continue harassing attacks against supply convoys and depots of Imperial troops stationed in the country. March 15th 1955 Imperial forces in Greece are put on alert and begin actively seeking out pockets of Greece resistance. Currently 30,000 Italians and 20,000 Colonial troops are in Greece serving to augment the Greek Army. April 5th 1955 Winston Churchill resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. April 7th 1955 Sir Anthony Eden succeeds Churchill as Prime Minister. April 10th 1955 Putting aside his personal feelings against Mussolini and Fascism Prime Minister Eden announces that he will reopen the British Embassy to Rome. "No matter how great our dislike for the Fascist regime in Italy we can not simply ignore it or its clout over southern Europe. This must be done to prevent a future cataclysm brought about by lack of communication." April 25th 1955 It becomes apparent that the Greek rebels are being financed and supplied by foreign factions. The Comando Supremo puts pressure on the Hellenic council to increase patrols throughout the Aegean to intercept these shipments. May 14th 1955 The Warsaw Pact is formed by the USSR and the communist states of Eastern Europe. May 15th 1955 The Austrian State Treaty is signed establishing Austria as a sovereign and neutral state. May 20th 1955 Trying to stem the tide of Soviet smuggling into Greece which seems to be conducted by submarines the sonar grid through the Bosporus is to be expanded and turned into an active grid at it’s entry and exit points. June 9th 1955 The shadow war between ODESSA and the Mossad continues as the death toll on both sides mount. So far no major players for either ODESSA or the Israeli government are killed but it is only a matter of time. June 13th 1955 While sitting in a Manhattan restaurant Amha Selassie collapses to the floor in an apparent seizure and dies before medical assistance can arrive. Amha, the son of the exiled Emperor of Ethiopia was set to speak in front of the U.N. later that day. June 15th 1955 Rather unshockingly the autopsy finds that Amha Selassie was poisoned. The NYPD investigation continues to find the killer or killers. Most news agencies have already reported that it was likely conducted by Italian agents but the NYPD has refused to comment on said allegations. August 10th 1955 Violence intensifies in Greece as Imperial forces assault the mountain strongholds of the Greek Rebels. August 20th 1955 Massive riots rock Algeria as hundreds are killed in the Anti-French protest. August 22nd 1955 France and Israel secretly agree to collaborate on a nuclear program to better defend themselves against the Fascist threat. August 23rd 1955 Hans Synder, a German immigrant by ways of Italy is arrested in connection with the poisoning of Amha Selassie. Synder, a former German soldier fled to Italy in the last days of World War II. There he served in an ethnically German border guard post until travel restrictions with the United States were lifted allowing him and his family to move to New York. August 25th 1955 Construction on the next ship in the Imperator line is extended several months as last minute changes to the plans include the addition of a new experimental angled flight deck. August 27th 1955 Synder reveals he was contacted by Italian agents to conduct the assassination. The agents supplied him with the poison and paid him 3,000 USD. In exchange for immunity or a reduced sentence he offers to reveal the entire Italian spy network within New York and the United States. Prosecutors state they will consider his offer if his leads prove fruitful. August 30th 1955 Egypt and Syria enter into negotiations with Italy to purchase tanks, aircraft and assault rifles to bolster and modernize their forces. September 20th 1955 The P. 120 "Mercury" strategic bomber is officially designated to become Italy’s next strategic bomber. It will enter into production in mid 1956 once the necessary upgrades are made to the Piaggio plant is made to accommodate such a large jet aircraft. 150 are slated for production. October 2nd 1955 After over a month of false leads and dead ends it is concluded that Synder’s knowledge of the Fascist spy network is either exaggerated or very much outdated. The plea bargain is pulled from the table and his trial is set to commence early next year. October 15th 1955 Greek rebels attack and destroy an Italian convoy killing 53 Italian soldiers making it the deadliest day of the war for ethnically Italian soldiers. October 20th 1955 In retaliation for the massacre of Italian soldiers, Imperial forces burn down the village the rebels were operating out of killing over 300 residents. November 12th 1955 The Bugs Bunny cartoon Roman Legion-Hare debuts for the first time. It features Bugs Bunny outsmarting Emperor Nero who bears a striking resemblance to Mussolini and his loyal henchman Yosemite Sam. Those with a quick eye notice that during one of the chase scenes scrawled on a wall is a piece of graffiti that reads: "Death to Mussolini!" December 5th 1955 A Comando Supremo report states that over 70,000 Greeks are now considered active rebels against the Empire with at least another 200,000 supporters. December 7th 1955 The Hellenic Council is strongly "advised" to utilize the Greek army to crush this ongoing revolt as quickly as possible before even further Roman intervention is needed. December 10th 1955 An unenthusiastic Greek army is deployed in force to suppress the revolt and restore order. January 4th 1956 The trial of Hans Snyder begins in New York. January 10th 1956 King Paul I of Greece in a rare break from the line of the Hellenic Council condemns the current situation that exists in Greece to be the fault of the Italians. The statement is quickly suppressed but the damage is already done. January 15th 1956 Greece receives an influx of soldiers from the surrounding territories including all remaining Turkish colonial forces which have not yet been deployed to the theater. January 20th 1956 The Grand Council of Fascists calls for the arrest of King Paul I for being an agent of dissent within the nation. The Hellenic Council is forced to comply following the agreement made last year. January 21st 1956 King Paul I is arrested and stripped of titles and claims. January 22nd 1956 Constantine, the 15 year old son of the dethroned king is crowned king only after being forced to swear loyalty and allegiance to the Emperor of Rome. January 25th 1956 Thousands of monarchists take to the streets of Athens protesting this subversion to Rome. Many of the Greek soldiers sent to put down these protests throw their rifles to the ground and tear off their insignia refusing to take orders from the Italian "masters." End of Part 27.
Please visit my forum for discussion and access to new parts as they become available. http://z11.invisionfree.com/LongVinsWritingDen/index.php?
|
