A MORE DANGEROUS
HITLER
Part 1
5/25/1940 France
An Alternate History By Michael W Moore
“Maybe I am a
Military Genius”, thought Adolph Hitler out loud.
“Pardon mine Furer”, said an
aide.
“Nothing, go about your
business”, said Hitler turning back to the wall map, still astonished at the
concept that had just occurred to him.
He had been fretting for
days almost overcome with anxiety. The attack against France had gone
better than anyone could have imagined.
How could, what many people had
regarded as the best army in the world, have just crumbled in two weeks?
Boulogne had fallen and
Calais was just holding on. He’d just hours ago agreed to a temporary halt of
his Panzer Army less than 25 km from Dunkirk.
It was almost impossible
to believe what had happened since May 10th. Our Panzers stand ready
to crush the pocket forming around Dunkirk! Dunkirk, the last remaining port
large enough to evacuate the thousands of French Troops and the BEF pinned
against the sea.
Giddy with relief, he
still stared at the wall map of northern France.
Behind him in the Command
Center he could hear the organized tumult of argument and counter
argument.
Still in his mind
was the last conversation with Field Marshall Goring, who begged the honor of
finishing off the French and English with his Luftwaffe, claiming he could
handle it easily.
Some of the General Staff
considered the terrain around the port unsuitable for Panzers and he was sure
to lose many if he attacked Dunkirk with them.
Still concerned with the
French armies to the south, how many Panzers could he afford to lose? What were
the French reserves in the south of France?
Not much sleep for weeks.
He had not been able to keep food down since the May 21st counter
attack at Arras was beaten back. Constantly worried about that long and exposed
Left Flank.
But now, seemingly
mesmerized by the wall map in front of him, his mind raced! Dare he take such a
gamble? What if there are no French Reserves?
It seemed as if
he were alone in the room. All the commotion behind him seemed to fade away. He
started to tick items off in his head.
First- they had obviously
over estimated the French capabilities, their planning and leadership laughingly
inept.
Second- he and the German
General Staff had underestimated their own potential. The German Army’s doctrine
of combined arms, and Guderian’s vision of massed Panzers, had just been proven
to be as wildly successful as it was revolutionary. What the West has been
calling Blitzkrieg (Lighting War).
Third- we have no reliable
intelligence as to how much of the French Army and the BEF we have in the bag
at Dunkirk, and little more as to the possible French reserves in the South of
France.
Fourth- In the North the
British will have moved every man they could to Dunkirk.
Fifth- the British
will move heaven and earth to evacuate the BEF! You cannot afford to
underestimate this nation of seafarers!
Sixth- IF you can
trap the BEF it will be a victory of unprecedented magnitude, possibly knocking
Britain out of the war!
Once more he looked to the
campaign map on the wall.
Exhilarated and terrified,
he weighed the alternatives.
If he were wrong it
could cost them the war, for they would be dangerously exposed to the enemy.
If he was right? A victory
fitting of Napoleon, of Charlemagne, of a Caesar!
This was his moment in
time, his destiny! He will be hailed a Warrior King!
Hitler whirled on the room
startling an aide, who cried, “Actung!”
Hitler said, “Stop what you are doing and gather around”.
His excitement was
obvious! Just as obvious, in place of the nervous and distraught leader of the
past few days, now stood before them a Furer strong, decided, and ready to roll
the dice!
He smashed the wall map
over Dunkirk with his fist, “throw every thing at them, do it now!”
General Von Rundsdetd,
“But what of our flank, what of the French reserve?”
“There is no reserve
(fingers crossed) I can feel it in my bones. Drive them into the sea!”
___________________________________________
…..and so they did.
In hours the German
Panzers crashed into the French and English lines and began inexorably pushing
them back.
The Luffwaffe was
instructed to put every available plane in the air, with instructions to bomb
and strafe the beaches unmercifully, and to interdict any and all shipping
approaching Dunkirk.
Calais fell, and Operation
Dynamo (the evacuation of the BEF from France) was put into effect May 26th.
But there would be no
reprieve for the Allied Force trapped in the Dunkirk pocket. Embarkation had
barely begun on the night of May 26-27 when the first Panzers rolled into sight
of the evacuation beaches.
Monday May 27th
all Britain awoke to the news of the worst military disaster in their history.
Less than 5,000 British
soldiers were taken off Dunkirk.
Over a third of a
million allied soldiers went into captivity.
Virtually all of the BEF
equipment and supplies were captured by the Germans.
More than 150 assorted
vessels had been sunk.
Hitler had
rolled the dice and won. There was no French reserve.
June 18th France
formerly surrendered in the same railway car that had been used in 1918.
French casualties estimated
in excess of 2,000,000.
German casualties less than
150,000.
Hitler danced down the
Champs Elys’ees.
___________________________________________
But he didn’t dance
long.
July 1st 1940 Berlin-
As he had stared at
that campaign map of Northern France in the Command Center, he had been just as
cognoscente of the map on the wall next to it, the map of Europe as a whole,
which included North Africa and Russia.
That very same map now
hung on his wall in Berlin.
Gathered was most of his
General Staff with a few notable exceptions. A group of men now much more wary
of the man many had derided behind his back as that upstart corporal. For there
was no denying his startling steadfast victory in France or his popularity with
the people.
Hitler had been planning
since May 25th what he would say to his generals. (Time to take full
credit for much happy accident).
“Gentlemen it is time.
Time to unveil to you the entire strategy, that I had to keep secrete for so
long (about 30 days anyway), to ensure our Thousand Year Reich.”
“I know some have had
doubts at times. Wondering if there was a Greater War Strategy.”
He strides to the map, and
slaps it sharply in turn with each of his points; (Hitler is nothing if not a
showman).
He barks, “first West, the Rhineland in ’36 to take back our lands
and secure our industry and resources there.”
“Then Southwest, to Spain,
where at somebody else’s expense we get to field test our planes and panzers,
and battle harden our troopers while killing a few communists.”(practiced hard
smile)
“Next, South in ’38, and
Anchloss with Austria, immeasurably strengthening our Reich.”
“Next, South and East, ’38
Munich were I easily manipulated those fools into giving us the Sudentland and
the rest of Czechoslovakia, including the Skoda works, without firing a shot.”
“In ’39 East, first that
murdering communist Stalin is duped into signing a ‘non-aggression pact’, this
ensures we don’t make the mistake our fathers did in fighting on two fronts
simultaneously. We then smash Poland, taking back the land stolen from the
Father Land, and putting a buffer between us and the communist hordes.”
“In ’40 we strike North and
catch everyone off balance! We, in one bold move secure our Northern flank,
Swedish ore, and unlimited access to the North Atlantic.”
He’s really rolling now, for he has convinced himself this had all come
to pass just as he had planned. “Then West, we go through the French and
English like butter. Capturing the wealth of France and putting her on her
knees.”
“Think of how great was
our victory in France!”
“The Alsace-Lorraine once
more ours!”
“The French factories and
farms now serve the Reich, as do the Dutch and Belgium!”
“A million prisoners of
war! The entire French army and BEF!”
“Tens of thousands of tons
of supplies, vehicles, and armaments left on the beaches of Dunkirk!”
“With capturing the coasts
of France we are in a position to control all north Atlantic shipping, and all
Britain is within range of our Lufewaffe!”
“Most importantly we have
now secured our Western flank! Stalin is crapping in his pants (much
laughter), and the English bulldog Churchill barks, but already we receive
peace feelers.”
Softly, “But it’s a
little too soon to let Mr. Churchill off the hook, don’t you think? What with
all their experienced officers and non-coms vacationing in Germany along with
all their equipment. (chuckles)
“General Manstien places
any ability for the British to take any serious offensive action at least 2
years away. Meanwhile we are commencing a major Luffewaffe campaign to convince
them invasion is imminent, code named ‘Sea Kitty’.”
Pointing to the map,
“We’ve done pretty well with this…. shall we say, counterclockwise map
progression haven’t we?”
To general acclaim and
cheers, “Yavol mine Fuher!”
“Well, that would mean
some move in a Southerly direction would seem appropriate wouldn’t you say?”
“Yavol mine Furer!”
“Very well, and I suppose
we have to rule out our gallant Italian allies. (chuckles) Here’s what I
propose gentlemen, oh and by the way, have already put into action.” (restive
wonderings, there have been many rumors, they are in the palm of his hand now)
He goes to the map and
draws a heavy black arrow slashing south through Italy into Africa. “Phase one
gentlemen is, ‘Operation Stepping Stone’.”
He circles Malta on the map.
General Manstien is now
Hitler’s personal favorite on the General Staff when it comes to planning,
creating a new General Staff position and promoting him.
For Manstien had done
a fabulous job of implementing Hitler’s larger strategic ideas for the French
attack. (At least that’s how Hitler remembers it and Manstien has prudently
gone along with that version of events)
The plan and overall
strategy, he is about to outline and take credit for, was suggested by General
Manstein several weeks ago.
In secrete consultation
Hitler had demanded an immediate plan for the invasion of England. He had been
assured, in no uncertain terms by Manstien, that no invasion of England was
practical. They had in no way planned for success on such a massive scale.
By the time they could mount
an invasion England would no longer be prostrate, and he had no answer for the
Royal Navy, outside of achieving complete air supremacy by the Luffewaffe, a
prospect he thought rather dim.
However Manstien had another
idea.
“Malta! Malta gentlemen is
the key to British control of the Mediterranean. It is the choke point! An
unsinkable aircraft carrier smack in the middle.”
“The objective of ‘Operation
Stepping Stone’ is securing for our use the island of Malta, it’s harbor and
airfields, no later than July 15th”.
“This will be accomplished
by airborne and seaward assault. This should be more of an occupation rather
than invasion, as the British have not anticipated our ability to strike here,
the island is basically unfortified.”
“Airborne troops and an air
fleet under command of General Geissler are in route and will be in Sicily
within the week.”
“This will be a joint
exercise with our Italian allies.”
The week before Field
Marshall Goring had flown to Italy to have a visit with Il Duce, and with a
little arm twisting had finally gotten him to agree to joint operations in the
Mediterranean region for certain compensations.
“With Malta in our hands,
and our supply lines secure, we will commence phase two, code named ‘Operation
Suez’,” all eyes dart to Egypt on the map.
“Gentlemen the Italians
already have an army in Libya facing the British in Egypt. This army though
large is very suspect in quality, however I feel they will be adequate as
follow up infantry and garrison forces.”
“We are going to put a
German tip of steel on this Italian noodle!”
“Preparations are underway
as we speak to move two Panzer, and two Motorized Infantry divisions to Libya”.
(the absence of General Rommel had been noted by the men in the room)
“We will also be shifting an
air fleet to this theater of operations that will insure complete air supremacy
for our forces.”
“The British are expecting
to go up against the Italians and have no idea what’s in store for them, and
are in no way prepared for the Blitzkrieg we will unleash on them.” (Hitler had
taken a liking to the term Blitzkrieg)
“The Suez Canal will be in
our hands by fall.”
“The whole of the Middle
East will be there for the taking by Christmas. I will outline ‘Operation
Zagros’ and ‘Operation Torch’ at our next meeting.”
As the meeting is breaking
up General Guderian approaches Adolf Hitler, he asks if there is a role for him
in this coming action. Hitler directs his attention to the wall map of
continental Europe.
“You wont be going south
general. You will be going east in the spring.”
End Part 1
Part 2
AURHORS NOTE: In Part 1 we deviate from OTL during the battle of France
on 5/25.
Hitler is still the same archfiend, but he had correctly gambled that
there was no serious threat in the south of France, and had thrown every thing
he had at the Allied pocket forming around Dunkirk.
There was no evacuation,
no Miracle of Dunkirk.
In fact the Allied defeat,
without a Dunkirk evacuation, was so complete it has seriously altered Hitler’s
whole thought process.
Causing in the subsequent
weeks an epiphany if you will.
Hitler’s Epiphany -
The Whermacht and
Luffewaffa at his command are truly awesome in their capability and striking
power, and he seems to be the only one to fully realize this. His own strategic
genius, along with the German Army’s operational concepts of combined forces
and massed armor, together with superb ‘top to bottom’ tactical know how and
flexibility, have proven to be world-beaters.
WORLD BEATERS!
Up until a few weeks ago
Hitler had basically been Euro centric in his thinking.
He now contemplated strutting on a much larger stage.
With this incredibly
efficient tool completely at his disposal it has caused him to think, in
contemporary terms, much more outside the box. He rather likes the idea of
being the grand strategist delegating the details to others.
Also while he is impressed
with their competence, he’s not about to let them know it, and intends to keep
his Generals firmly under his thumb….
…. but lightly under that thumb. For he
realizes that for him to take full advantage of their competence, that once he
gives them direction, his interests would be best served with less meddling in
the planning and operational conduct of the campaigns.
He makes a vow to himself to
point them, with proper Olympian detachment, in the proper direction and then
get out of the way. (as much as it’s possible for a megalomaniac nut job and
control freak to do so)
Everything else is pretty
much the same in this time line.
__________________________________________________________
7/14/1940
‘Operation Stepping Stone’, the Axis attack on Malta was conducted
with all objectives met in less than 6 hrs.
The combination of German
airborne assault troops and a surprisingly effective Italian seaborn marine
attack, proved too much for the island’s under strength and totally surprised
defense.
All airfield and harbor
facilities were captured with little damage.
_________________________________________________________________
Immediately ‘Operation Suez’
is put in motion with the objective of taking the Suez Canal into Axis hands by
the end of September.
The combined Axis forces are
nominally under the command of Italian Marshall Graziani but in reality all
front line control resides with the German General Irwin Rommel.
At General Rommel’s disposal
are 3 Italian corps comprised of a dozen divisions. While there are a few good
divisions, the bulk are poorly trained and equipped.
The Italian mechanized
forces contain mostly obsolete or obsolescent armor.
More importantly he has 4
well-equipped German divisions- 2 Panzer and 2 Motorized Infantry. The Panzer
Divisions contain many of the newer Mk III and Mk IV tanks. This is Hitler’s
‘German tip of steel on the Italian noodle’.
In all he has about 450 German tanks and about 300 inferior
Italian ones.
He also has enough air
support to ensure complete air superiority on the battlefield.
Facing him are 27,000
British troops and a little over 200 tanks. The British General O’Connor has
had a third of his forces siphoned off in the last 60 days, sent back to
Britain for home island defense,
‘Operation Suez’ commenced
on September 3rd, and Axis forces crossed into Egypt.
The British fought bravely,
they new the stakes were high, but they were simply over matched.
The Germans were simply too
mobile and well equipped, while being much more confident and experienced than
their British counterparts.
The Luffewaffa enjoyed a 3
to 1 advantage in numbers of aircraft and had much more experienced pilots. Air
superiority immediately proved decisive, the numerous Stukas ranged freely
taking out many British vehicles.
The British commander
O’Connor was able and keen proponent of mobile armored forces. A dashing leader
like Rommel he liked to lead from the front, which soon proved his undoing.
During the second week of
the campaign he was suckered into a counter attack near El Alamein and ran into
a line of 88mm flak guns pressed into an anti tank role. In minutes 18 British
tanks were flaming wrecks and O’Connor himself taken prisoner.
By the 24th of
September Rommel has bridgeheads over the Canal and the British are in full
retreat to Southern Egypt and across the Sinai.
The German army celebrated
Oktoberfest in Egypt that year. Hitler had tons of bratwurst, beer, and
sauerkraut flown to the front.
__________________________________________________
The loss of Malta, along
with the Canal, rocked the British government. Churchill vowed that Britain
would fight on but his voice was becoming lonelier.
The success of ‘Operation Suez’, immediately kicked off
‘Operation Zagros’ and “Operation Torch’, as conceived by General Manstein and
outlined by Adolf Hitler in a General Staff meeting in Berlin the first week of
July.
Objectives to be achieved by Christmas 1940, by order of the
Furer.
‘OPERATION ZAGROS’
Objective 1- Elimination of
all British armed forces in the Middle East as far
as the Zagros
Mountains in Iran, area to include entirety of Arabian Peninsula.
Objective 2- Seizure of all
oil wells and refineries in Persian Gulf Region.
Objective 3- Elimination of
all British armed forces in Northern and Southern
Egypt, and the Sudan.
Objective 4- Establishment
of Italian/German line on border of British Kenya.
‘OPERATION TORCH’
Objective 1- The establishment of 10 coastal air stations in
French North
and French Eastern Africa stretching from Tunisia to
Dakar.
(Authors note: The Vichy French had agreed to this in
a secrete
amendment to the armistice agreement)
Objective 2- The establishment of a permanent naval air
station in the port
of Dakar. This facility should be of sufficient size
and strength to allow
German and Italian navel forces to conduct offensive
operations
throughout the mid and south Atlantic regions.
___________________________________________
Rommel’s drive across
Egypt hugged the coast until taking the port of Alexandria, and then by passed
Cairo to leap for the canal.
At the Nile near
Ismialia he divided his forces to pursue the British retreat in two directions.
Army Group A- was comprised
of 2 German Panzer and 1 Motorized Infantry Divisions, + the best 2 Italian
divisions. They refitted for two days at the Canal taking the largest share of
fresh supply then charged across the Sinai after the bulk of the retreating
British.
Army Group B- had 1 German
Motorized Infantry Division, and 2 Italian Divisions. After a quick detour to
Port Said, Army Group B drove first to Cairo then south through the Nile river
valley and south along the Red Sea coast.
Cairo was in chaos with
rioting and looting in the streets.
Both German Army Groups and
the retreating British are stalled by hoards of refugee traffic. To add to the
British woes they are constantly strafed by German aircraft.
The Egyptian Army revolts
and declares themselves Axis allies; Abdul Nasser and Anwar Sadat are among the
leaders.
As soon as the Canal was
seriously threatened the British pushed all remaining RN ships through to the
Red Sea leaving the Axis in complete control of the Eastern Mediterranean and
stranding forces on Crete and Cyprus.
With total German air
supremacy over the Sinai none of the Red Sea ports can be used for evacuation.
The main British force retreating across the Sinai has no option but to make
for the British garrison in Palestine.
_____________________________________________________
But there was more to
Manstien’s ‘Operation Zagros’.
Vichy France had signed over
the rights to Syria and Lebanon to Germany as a secrete amendment to the
armistice agreement.
The French Garrison in
Tripoli was informed of this development October 3rd by a large
portion of the Italian Navy, which was standing offshore at the time. This
phase of the operation had been waiting until the RN was forced from the area.
The Italian Admiral informed
the French Commander that their ‘relief’ had arrived and offered them a ride
home on his return voyage.
With a Gallic shrug the
French Commander, along with the majority of his troops, departed for home five
days later.
Their ‘relief’ consisted of
2 German Divisions-1 Panzer and 1 Motorized Infantry, along with 2 Italian
Infantry Divisions.
One Italian Division
garrisoned Tripoli.
The other 3 divisions
designated Army Group C, drove south two days later and reached Sidon on Oct. 5th.
By the same date the main
force of Army Group B had driven 200 km south down the Nile. Other elements
advancing from Suez had reached Jamsa on the Red Sea coast. Starved for supply
Army Group B will stop there while Rommel chases the bulk of the fleeing
British Army.
Army Group A with Rommel in
command has driven the retreating British forces out of the Sinai. He now has
severe supply problems, as his line of supply stretches all the way back to
Port Said and Alexandria, he has been stalled at Gaza for two days.
The remnants of the
desperate British Egyptian Army having just reached Palestine, and are in even
worse shape. Very little supplies can be flown in, and their land supply route
stretches all the way back to Basra through country without real roads.
Constantly harassed from
the air they will retreat back through Iraq as fast as they can, if they can.
Iraq is once more in open
revolt.
If Egypt was chaotic,
Palestine is a mad house.
Jews that are not trying
to flee are fighting Arabs.
Arabs have risen in revolt
and are fighting Jews, Brits, and each other.
The entire theater of
operations is under Rommel’s command.
Oct. 6th he
orders Army Group C to strike inland directly to Amman.
By Oct. 6th he
is partially re-supplied. He swings wide himself for Amman with one Panzer and
one Motorized Division.
The Amman pocket is closed
Oct.8th, and 7,000 more British & Colonial troops go into the
bag.
With the Germans again
short on supply, the remnants of the British Army limp for Basra. Most are
evacuated.
Churchill remains in
power.
The British public lays the
blame for their terrible losses at the feet of the former Government. They
remember Churchill’s voice crying out against appeasement and accommodation
with Hitler.
However they are dismayed and demoralized by failure.
The British public is weary of evacuations and lost battles.
Britain sues for peace but Hitler is not ready to let them off the
hook yet.
Rommel rolls into Abadan
Oct.15th, at least what’s left of it, all oil refinery and storage
facilities are wrecked.
With all areas of oil
production firmly in German hands, Britain gives up any pretense of holding on
to anything else in the Persian Gulf.
They have nothing to hold it with.
They evacuate the entire gulf area.
Long before Christmas
Rommel can report to the Furer, all objectives of ‘Operation Zagros’ have been
met. He returns home to much acclaim and to a Field Marshall’s baton.
_______________________________________________
Hitler has given Egypt
west of the Suez Canal and the Sudan to Mussolini.
Operation of the Canal is
to be in the Italian’s hands, and they began immediately to clear it. Defenses
of the Canal are to be joint. Egypt will be an independent country and Axis
ally under Italian supervision.
As further compensation
Mussolini was also awarded Syria, Lebanon, and the Sudan.
In early December Crete
and Cyprus are taken. Crete goes to Italy and Hitler keeps Cyprus along with
Malta.
Hitler keeps every thing
else East of the Canal to the Zagros Mountains and the Straits of Hormuz, along
with the Arabian Peninsula and French Djibouti in Africa.
The Balkans, with the
British pushed out of the Eastern Mediterranean, fall into line much easier for
the Axis than in OTL.
In late fall ’40, joint
German-Italian forces quickly crush any opposition, then occupy and divvy up
the area.
Hitler throws a few scraps
of Yugoslavia to Hungary and Romania.
Bulgaria gets Macedonia
and a large part of Eastern Greece.
Italy assumes control of
Serbia, Montenegro, and Greece.
Germany forms
protectorates in new Axis allies Slovenia and Croatia.
_____________________________________
‘Operation Torch’ kicks
off on 9/28 and is barley noticed, as it was conducted quietly and
simultaneously with the much bigger ‘Operation Zagros’.
The Vichy French are more
inclined to cooperate with Hitler in this time line. The Vichy government has
agreed to allow the Germans to operate out of 10 French airfields and 2 ports
on the north and east coast of their African possessions.
Much more than in OTL
Hitler is attuned to using surrogates to achieve his larger ambitions, and
hopes for much cooperation from Vichy. German and Vichy propaganda have played
up the ‘British stab in the back’ big time. The ‘stab’ being the British
attacks on the French Navy after the fall of France, to keep French ships from
falling into German hands.
In return the Germans have
agreed to loosen various restrictions imposed on the French.
The Germans have agreed to
station a minimal amount of troops at each airfield for base security purposes
only. French forces will provide additional security.
The politically small
German forces play leapfrog along the Mediterranean coast to each airfield and
quickly fly in planes and personal.
Tunis, Algiers, and Oran
present no problem and bases are set up smoothly.
After some tense
negotiation at Tangier the Germans are allowed to set up house there
10/05.
Then down the Atlantic
coast Casablanca is next, and here the Germans also will have limited use of
the port facilities.
Then Agadir, El Aaiun, and
Dakhia. Franco has also ‘graciously’ given permission for the Germans to use
Spanish territory.
Nouakchott is next.
Then the big prize Dakar,
from which the German planes and subs can begin to dominate the mid and
southern Atlantic sea lanes.
Negotiations had been
going on with the French Admirals at Dakar since August.
They have been highly
resistant to the idea of sharing their facilities with their recent enemies.
But many in the French navy
hate the British, having suffered more at their hands than they did from the
Germans.
Finally after all their
requirements had been agreed to, and shortly after they see the Suez Canal
fall, the Admirals gave their approval.
On 10/16 the first German
and Italians arrive.
‘Operation Torch’ is an
unqualified success. Without firing a shot.
______________________________________
OK, lets compare Xmas
1940 this time line, with OTL.
First, lets look at
Britain’s strategic position.
The greatly enhanced German
victory in France has decidedly tilted the balance in Germany’s favor vs.
Britain and her allies.
With no Dunkirk evacuation
Britain has lost virtually the whole of the BEF.
The heart of her Army is
gone, as most of her experienced non-coms and officers are now in German POW
camps.
At the least, this
drastically slows and affects the quality of the Army’s future training. This
will seriously affect any ability to project significant force in the near
future, possibly for years, as these men’s experience level will be impossible
to replace.
The threat of invasion
from the continent will, because of the loss of these men, be perceived as all
the greater. In OTL the evacuated BEF just had to be re-supplied and
re-equipped to compromise a very effective fighting force.
In this time line the
British will be paralyzed by the threat of invasion. Not only can they not send
any troops or elements of the Royal Navy to reinforce other places, probably
in the short term, they strip away defenders from anywhere they can to bring
them home. This weakens Commonwealth defenses everywhere.
The battle of Britain did
take place though on a smaller scale, as this was essentially a diversion by
the Germans. The resulting loss of aircraft by both sides was about half of
what they experienced OTL, with the RAF making out slightly better than the
Lufewaffa. The Brits therefore have a few hundred extra planes they wouldn’t
have had, but so do the Germans.
The loss of Malta, the
Suez Canal, and the Middle East has been a military catastrophe for the British
eclipsed only by Dunkirk.
This has resulted in a huge
loss of prestige for Britain.
Britain has had to cede
control of everything east of Malta to the straits of Hormuz. This nation of
seafarers has lost control of the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the Easter
Mediterranean in a matter of months.
The biggest prize of
course is the oil reserves of Iraq and Iran.
This is a huge departure
from OTL.
Instead of being
chronically short of fuel, Hitler’s war machine has the eventual potential to
move much farther and faster now. It’s much more dangerous.
Repairs to the fields and
refinery facilities began immediately. Pipelines are repaired and replaced with
a top priority. New pipelines will be laid ASAP from Iraq and Iran to the
Mediterranean. Hitler’s top oil specialists expect to have 70% of the Middle
East’s former production on line and reaching the Reich within two years.
Construction has begun on
new refinery and storage facilities on the coast of Slovenia. Pipelines from
there will extend into Austria and Northern Italy.
As soon as plans for
‘Operation Zagros’ were finalized, Hitler has ordered the construction of 300
small coastal freighters and oilers to begin immediately, many to be built in
Italian shipyards under contract.
The first of these vessels
were projected to be launched in the fall of ‘41.
Just as important as the
German boon in oil, is the huge loss to the British in exchange. These oil
fields were Britain’s primary source of oil. Replacing their production will be
problematic to say the least. This will also limit her ability for offensive
action for some time.
Hitler now threatens
Britain on three fronts.
1)
The British Isles
2)
British Kenya
3)
India
Churchill cannot possibly
defend all three, hard choices will have to be made.
With the Vichy French allowing the Germans the use of their
African ports and airfields, it makes much easier for German subs to roam the
Atlantic and sink British shipping.
With Axis forces moving in their direction, Britain’s
Commonwealth partners are beginning to scream for help. With their own
territory looking vulnerable in the future, many are rethinking their
commitments to Britain.
Long run, one of
the biggest problems Churchill has is that Britain is going broke.
The First World
War seriously weakened her financial structure; in no way can she pay for what
she has to do now.
Roosevelt will
help as much as he can, but Britain’s position being that much weaker won’t
help him. Without U.S. aid in the near future, how long can Britain stay in the
war?
Second, Germany’s strategic
position.
Hitler’s position in almost every way is stronger than
OTL.
His personal stature is greatly augmented.
Germany has potentially much more oil, although that will
take time to come on line.
Potentially a much better financial position is available
because of foreign earnings from the oil fields.
Hitler’s bigger plans have also caused him to stimulate production much
sooner than in OTL.
Because of having a bigger appetite this time line, Hitler
sees more uses for, and is making better use of his Axis Allies. Italian,
Hungarian, Romanian forces etc. are used whenever possible as occupation forces
and second line troops. His allies are much better attuned to this with
Germany’s greater success. They are more cowed, along with being motivated by
wanting a piece of Hitler’s pie.
Italy has been particularly helpful in this regard.
Without their (OTL) 1940
North African fiascos, the Italian morale is much greater and Italian public
opinion of Mussolini much higher.
By
fighting successfully as partners, albeit very junior partners, with the
Whermacht they have
gained confidence and operational skill.
Hitler wanting to improve the operational capability of the
Italians for his own purposes has 200 German advisors working with the Italian
forces.
In order to beef up the Italian armored divisions Hitler has
licensed to the Italians production of the Mk IV Panzer. Production is
scheduled to begin in fall 1941.
Mussolini though originally quite miffed at Goering’s
arm-twisting, had reluctantly agreed to joint operations with Germany in Africa
and the Middle East.
The results have been nothing short of stupendous.
He has massively increased the size of his Empire with very
little cost to himself. While Germany’s casualties were relatively light, his
own were almost non-existent. He’s wildly enthusiastic about future complicity
with Germany.
He gets all the credit at home while Hitler does all
the heavy lifting!
Also in the future Middle East oil will drastically
help Italy’s financial, industrial, and military situations as it comes on
line.
In fact Mussolini is one happy camper these days.
From Hitler’s point of view by giving Mussolini large, though
less important, pieces of the pie he has made him a very willing accomplice,
eager for future adventures.
_______________________________
Lets see what’s going on
with some of the other players.
The Jews- Tragically the
war in Africa and the Middle East has had disastrous consequences for Jews in
the area that couldn’t escape. Arabs or Germans kill many and the rest are
shipped back to Europe to be used as slave labor in the camps.
The dream that was Israel is dead.
Spain is being
pressured by Hitler to come into the war on his side, plus he wants Franco’s
help in eliminating Gibraltar.
Unknown to Vichy
France he’s offering up French Morocco as bait.
Franco is still sitting on the fence, but in this time line
he is listening to Hitler much more favorably, weighing his options he waits.
Russia scares the
heck out of the Turks, but the carrots offered are
enticing. Control of
parts of northern Syria and Iraq, several of the Greek
controlled islands off it’s coast, and part of Cyprus.
Japan seeing how
much weaker Britain’s position is in this time line, readied it
self to move south
immediately after the fall of France.
When the Axis
forces took the Suez Canal, they figured the time was right and they occupied
French Indochina and the Dutch East Indies.
They did so with the agreement of the French Vichy and puppet Dutch
governments.
Britain of course
was way too occupied to do anything but make a feeble
protest.
America
was decidedly unhappy but unwilling to go to war to protect
European colonial
interests. They did boycott oil and other raw materials to
Japan, although this
had less impact than it did in OTL as they already had the oil
fields of the Dutch
East Indies in their possession.
The Japanese began
to exploit their new resources immediately and
eagerly await future
developments.
The Philippines are looking pretty surrounded now on
the map. In Nov.
the USA, Canada, Australia,
New Zealand, and Britain sign the Pacific Defense
Pact (PDP). They agree to
come to each other’s aid in the event of war in the
Pacific. This is strictly a
Defensive Pact for the Pacific area, Roosevelt had finally
found a line in the sand
that Congress would draw.
Joint ‘maneuvers’
begin immediately in the Southwestern Pacific and East Indian Oceans.
Japan was greatly angered by the PDP, as it was obviously
directed at
them.
In Russia Stalin is
very nervous. He was appalled at the quick fall of France and
the destruction of
the BEF.
To make matters
much worse, Hitler’s victories in North Africa and the
Middle East have
greatly strengthened him and brought the Germans very close
to the Soviet southern
border. A border Stalin will now have to commit
forces to defend.
Worse still the
oil fields of Baku are now within air range of German bombers operating from
northern Iraq.
Stalin has made
up his mind, he must attack Hitler, for he is certain that his turn will come
soon. After all it’s what he would do in Hitler’s place.
This must be done
ASAP in an effort to take pressure off Britain and keep it in the war. He has
opened secrete communication with Churchill.
Stalin’s Generals
tell him that mid summer next year is as soon as they can be ready.
British
Commonwealth – A great deal of anguish and nervousness as you can
Imagine.
Canada is in it to
the end and is insulated by the Atlantic Ocean and the
USA..
South Africa, India,
Australia, and New Zealand are feeling much more
exposed.
With
their own territory increasingly looking vulnerable to the Axis
forces, they are
weighing their commitments to Britain vs. their own security.
They are gearing
up their own smaller munitions production and buying
every thing they can
from the USA (which is greatly aiding the USA economy).
All are cozying up
to the USA as much as possible.
USA- Arms
production and training are slightly ahead of OTL at this point, but
many in USA are
getting more concerned and it will soon accelerate.
END PART 2
Part 3
Hitler stuns the
world and lets Britain off the hook. He had always admired the British their
Empire and had no desire to see it end.
His main objective had
always been East and Lebensraum for the German people.
(Signed Dec. 5, 1940
in Brussels)
1)- All hostilities to
cease immediately.
2)- One year cooling off
period and status quo at present situation. During which time German and
Italian forces will be drawn down to 50% or less than present levels of troop
size in occupied areas at signing. Draw down to be completed by Dec. 5th 1941.
Civilian/police control will be turned over at that time.
3)- All boundaries and
borders between Germany and Russia will be drawn solely at the discretion those
two countries, all will recognize these boundaries.
4)- All boundaries and
borders in the former Yugoslavia and Greece will be drawn at the discretion of
Germany and Italy, all will likewise recognize them.
5)- Beginning one year
from the signing the Accord German and Italian forces will be drawn down to
force levels at 10% or less than present levels in all occupied European
countries by 12/5/42, and British and French colonies (exceptions noted below),
to be completed by 12/5/1942. At which time all Axis forces will vacate said
countries and colonies.
*Germany will retain or
gain permanent control of the Alsace-Lorraine, and
Djibouti, French Congo, Belgium Congo, and Walvis Bay.
*Germany will maintain a
permanent naval/air station at Trondhiem in Norway.
*Germany will maintain
permanent naval/air stations at Dakar and Casablanca
in Fr. N. Africa.
*Italy will be awarded the
former French colonies of Syria and Lebanon, and
former British
possessions of Egypt and Sudan, along with the Greek islands off
the Turkish coast.
*Germany will be awarded
all other areas east of the Suez to border of Iran
including the
entirety of the Arabian Peninsula, excepting former British
protectorates in
area, Kuwait, Oman Etc.
*Suez Canal is to be owned
jointly by Germany and Italy and operated by the
Italians.
6)- Former German African
colonies will be returned to full German
civilian/police control 12/5/1941. Brits & French agree where
applicable to draw down forces in colonies by this time to minimal amount. Full
return of control to Germany 12/5/1942. Germany agrees to station no troops in
S W Africa other than 1,000 needed to police the area.
7)- Any British forces
must evacuate Iran within 30 days of signing. Britain will recognize an independent
Iran. (A new Axis ally)
8)- Prisoners of war will
be repatriated beginning one year (12/5/41), from signing of the Accord. All
prisoners will be returned within one year, by (12/5/42), with no less than 40%
having been returned by 6/5/42.
9)- All will formerly
recognize new Southeast Asian expansion of the Japanese Empire into French
Indochina and Dutch East Indies.
10)- Britain agrees
that Walvis Bay will be sold to Germany 12/5/1942 for the sum of Two Million
Pounds, at which time civilian/police control will pass to Germany. Germany
will take full possession 12/5/42.
Churchill, with a bit of
haggling and a great deal of mistrust, accepts the entire Accord. He does not
trust Hitler one little bit but can’t see how Britain can lose.
If Hitler follows through
with the terms of the Accord, Britain will have escaped the war with her
prestige in taters but no loss of territory not gained in the last one,
excepting Egypt, Sudan, Malta, Cyprus, and Walvis Bay. And Walvis Bay she will
be getting compensated for.
Britain gains much needed time to rearm and build her defenses,
even if Hitler later reneges on the agreement.
The Army desperately wants
to get its prisoners back.
Besides he has already taken
by force most of what he now wants to legitimize.
Britain agreed to provide
transportation, at fair cost, for all manner of supplies to Gr., oil, rubber,
etc.
They also agreed to sell on
very generous terms (Speer’s idea) 50k heavy trucks a year for 3 years, along
with spare parts, to Gr. Beginning at with 1k in April 41, 3k in May, and 4k in
June.
The Accord has strained relations terribly with Smutts in S. Africa, who screamed bloody murder when he found out about
points 6 & 10 in the Accord. It took some serious arm-twisting and formal
guarantees from Britain before he would agree to the return of South West
Africa to German control; in the end he has no choice.
On12/30/40- Norway,
Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Luxemburg, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia,
Czech. Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro,
Greece, Italy, and Germany announce the formation of the (ECDU)-European Customs
and Defense Union.
The ECDU extends invitations
to join the Union to Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Portugal,
Ireland, and Britain. Finland and Spain accept. Sweden, Switzerland, and
Portugal decline politely citing neutrality. Britain, Russia, and Ireland
simply decline.
In ATL the Bismarck did not sail on her fated journey in 1941. Work on her sister ship Tripiz, the 1st two German carriers the Graf Zeppelin
and Peter Strasser, and the
first Z-Plan super battleship H44 continue apace. Hitler has also
ordered Donets dream of 300 U-boats completed by 1/1/43.
With Britain at least
temporarily out of the war all energies can be directed to the east and
lebensraum. But this time line
Hitler has a much bigger appetite. He envisions a Greater Reich stretching
from the North Sea to the Pacific Ocean, the greatest empire in history. He
feels that the way the Accord is structured it will keep Britain quiet at least
long enough for him to finish off Russia and then it wont matter.
Operation Barbarossa in set for spring. Hitler asks for a bold plan and he gets one. Barbarossa’s three main objectives to be met prior to the fall rainy season:
: Leningrad in the north.
: Moscow/Gorky space in the
center.
:
Stalingrad in the south.
With trepidation he Okays an
ambitious operational plan for Army Group Center. A massive envelopment all way
to Somlensk in one gigantic leap. Followed immediately by a
second leap to the Moscow/Gorky space to be completed by the end of August. A
bold plan indeed recommended by General Guderian. Both the risk
and reward for this bold a plan is enormous. But Hitler has almost convinced
himself, that given his strategic leadership, there is no task his army cannot
accomplish and he Okays the plan.
The German plan in truly
audacious. With bigger goals and a longer campaign, this ATL, much more
emphasis will be placed on long-term organization and logistics.
June of ‘40 Albert Speer had been placed in charge of production
and procurement for Operation Barbarossa, with the highest priorities in all
areas civilian and military, he will coordinate this effort with General Guderian.
Hitler has ordered a
doubling of Panzer divisions to 20.
On Guderian’s recommendation
he has also ordered the number of Motorized Infantry divisions also upped to
20, and ordered the PzMk III up-gunned to a 5cmL/42 gun.
Speer has preformed miracles
of organization and the German factories have produced 2,900 more AFV’s, and 12,000
trucks and halftracks that were not available in OTL. With this production,
along with British and Italian vehicles, the Panzer and Motorized Infantry
divisions are reasonably well equipped, though a potential logistics nightmare.
As the majority of the additional tanks are the newer Mk IVs, StugsIII’s, or
up-gunned Mk IIIs, the Panzer formations are much deadlier.
(Note: some 10% of the
crewmen staffing the expanded Panzer divisions are experienced French
‘volunteers’, who under went crash language programs.)
For Stalin it just gets
worse and worse. He had been appalled by the quick collapse of France and
Dunkirk. And further horrified by the subsequent British debacle in the
Mediterranean, North Africa and Middle East. He had to be hospitalized after
the Accord was announced. He feels his only hope is to attack Hitler as soon as
possible. His Generals say they can be in position and ready shortly after the
spring rains, sometime in mid June.
ATL Stalin knows for sure
the blow is coming and is preparing to attack Germany. He’s trying to beat
Hitler to the gun and scared to death he can’t do so. Simultaneous and
contradictory orders to ready for both the coming offensive and to
maximize the defense, are leaving his officers confused, sometimes disorganized
and dangerously exposed in forward positions if attacked first.
Unfortunately for the
Russians they are facing a different, deadlier Whermacht. The augmented
German forces are disposed similar to OTL with the same commanders. The
exception is Army Group North where Field Marshall Rommel,
is in command of Panzer Group IV, fresh off his African triumphs.
Hitler beat Stalin to the
gun and Barbarossa jumped off June 12th with 3.3+ million men on the
front, over 6,000 tanks, and 4,500 aircraft. This was the biggest invasion ever
seen, the world indeed held it’s breath.
ORDER OF BATTLE
ARMY GROUP NORTH- ‘LEEB’
Panzer Group IV- Rommel
30 Divisions-
Including 3 Panzer & 3 Motorized Inf.
ARMY GROUP CENTER- ‘BOCK’
Panzer Group III- Hoth
Panzer Group II - Guderian
54 Divisions-
Including 11 Panzer & 11 Motorized Inf.
ARMY GROUP SOUTH-
‘RUNDSTEDT’
Panzer Group I - Kleist
45 Divisions-
Including 5 Panzer & 5 Motorized Inf.
Reserve Group Center-10
Divisions- Including 1 Panzer & 1 Motorized Inf. (Note ATL: That many 2nd
& 3rd rate infantry Divisions are partially or completely made
up of non-German Axis forces)
There was also marshaled
in northern Iraq a 500,000 man Axis force. Mostly made up of Italians it was
designated Army Group Iraq. This force’s job was to protect the Mideast from
any Russian advance and to tie down Russian forces with a feint toward the
Caucasus from the South at the outset of Barbarossa.
German progress in the North
Rommell takes advantage
(6/16) of the seizing of an intact bridge over the Divina at Dvinsk and speeds
to Leningrad. Four days later he’s at Pskov and the speed of his advance has
completely broken down Soviet command and control and cut off the Soviet forces
southwest of Pskov. By 7/7 he’s attacking Leningrad from the south as the Fins
hit from the North. By 7/11 the fighting is house to house and Rommel’s 3
Panzer divisions along with the 3 Motorized Infantry divisions are ordered
south.
Rommel, w/staff, heads
south ahead of his Panzer Group and takes command of the Reserve Group Center.
He attacks and takes Roslavl on 7/18.
By 7/29 Panzer Group IV has
moved south and joined Rommel’s command. Re-named Army Group Rommel, he now has 16 divisions- 4 Panzer, 4 Motorized Inf., and 8 Inf. under
his command. He hits and takes Gomel 8/2.
Army Group Rommel participates in a joint attack with Army Group South in Aug. on the
Kiev pocket, then drives east between armies Center & South and takes Karkov on Sept 8th. He
takes rest of Sept. to reduce area and re-supply.
The Russians with the fall of Leningrad, Moscow, and with most of the Ukrain over run, are now a disorganized rabble just trying
to escape to the east. They fight only when cornered or just give up. They’re
severely short on everything and there is no command or control.
Rommel in Oct. &
Nov. begs as much supply as he can. He moves to Voronezh and picks up the
Panzer and Motorized Inf. that Guderian left there. Army
Group Rommel now has 5 Panzer & 5 Motorized Inf. Divisions. He can
adequately supply only two of each, but it’s enough against the desperate
Russians. He attacks to Saratov & Kazan then closes the
wings at Ulyanovsk to form the Volga Pocket in mid Dec. After the
pocket is reduced another 140,000 Russians go into the bag. Out of supply and
exhausted he’ll winter here on the Volga Line.
German progress Army Group Center
A vast pocket is formed at Somelensk 6/22 as Guderian and Hoth’s panzer armies
link. As in OTL Stalin is a wreck;
Soviet communications and central command structure have completely broken
down. The Somelensk pocket is reduced by 7/1. This opening battle of
Operation Barbarossa takes a staggering 680,000 prisoners, over 6,000
tanks, and 5,000 guns.
On July 2nd
Hitler receives a decoded Turkish report that quotes Stalin as having already
written off Leningrad, Minsk, Kiev, and Moscow.
On 7/3 Hoth and Guderian jump for the Moscow/Gorki space. By the 20th
of July the Moscow/Gorky pocket has been formed and is reduced by the end of
the month.
By the end of July Army Group Center has (killed, wounded, or
captured) over 1,435,000 Russian soldiers, whereas German losses were only
89,456.
Tens of thousands of
Russians stream through the porous German lines. Stalin was captured trying to
escape from Moscow and was shot 7/22.
By the end of July- Finland,
Slovakia, Vichy France, and Hungary have all decaled war on Soviet Russia.
The Russian army is
disintegrating. Zukov has taken control and he is the only thing
holding it together. Any counter offensive is impossible in the chaos and lack
of communication. With the loss of Moscow, Russia’s transportation hub,
effective supply and troop movement is impossible. The only hope for the
Russian Army to survive is to fall back to the Urals and try and form a
defensive line there over the winter.
Aug.-Sept.- Hoth’s army will
slowly refit as most of the fresh supply is going
south. Sept., Nov., Dec. he will pacify Moscow/Gorki space and raid and
bomb to the Urals.
Guderian’s Panzer Group II
will get the bulk of supply and heads south on the west side of the Don to
Orel, Kursk, and Voronezh, forming a pocket that nets an additional 180,000
fleeing Russians. He detaches 1 Panzer Division and 1 Motorized Inf. Div. at
Voronezh to block west Aug10th.
By Aug. 22nd a reprovisioned Guderian attacks south
along the Volga to Stalingrad. He hits, takes, and pacifies it in October.
During Nov. & Dec. he raids south to Askrakhan and Grozney, and re-fits
rest of winter.
Army Group South makes good
progress against the numerically superior Russian forces and has captured much
of area west of the Dniepr in July and participates in the successful
attack on Kiev with Army Group Rommel in Aug.
General Rundstedt continues east in Sept. and has control of the Donnets Basin by the end
of the month.
Short of supply and with
increasingly wet weather, he is stalled in Oct.
In Nov. he pushes into the
Crimea and captures Rostov.
By Dec. he has control of
the Don Basin and has linked up with Guderian’s army.
Meanwhile forward elements raid south to the Maikop oil fields and
take Kras, which seals the Crimea.
Army Group Iraq made their feint
to the Cacusus as planed. With light engagements they pin down a sizable
Russian army while the Germans slam the back door in the north. German bombers
conduct raids on Baku for a few months, and then stop when the capture of
Stalingrad looks imminent.
In Dec. Zukov asks for peace
terms and is rebuffed.
In the Far East Hitler had
expected the Japanese to attack Russia with the advent of Barbarossa and they had not. This has soured him on his Axis Ally.
With no Pearl Harbor there
is no American entry into the war.
Without Pearl Harbor, the
nut job, Hitler avoids the colossal blunder of a gratuitous declaration of war
on the USA.
Without Japan’s entry into
the war Russia can now be supplied cash and carry through Vladivostok. Japan objects
to this but is not inclined to take on the combined navies of the Pacific
Defense Pact countries.
ATL in America the A-bomb
project will proceed much slower with no entry into the war, as will general
war preparation and production.
Soviet spy papers were found
in Moscow in Sept. concerning the American A-bomb project. This will cause
Hitler to place an emphasis on his own A-bomb that was lacking at this stage in
OTL. The information contained in the papers will prove valuable to the German
scientists, as the American project is much further along than theirs. Also
Hitler’s resources are much greater than OTL.
Axis casualties for
Operation Barbarossa are right at 500,000, with about 95% of that being
German.
The Germans could only
estimate Russian Military Casualties at over 3,000,000.
The scope of civilian
casualties was not even contemplated.
Hundreds of thousands of
Russians were conscripted as slave labor and will be sent all over Hitler’s
empire.
Hitler was all for letting
them die of exposure, disease, and malnutrition along with the Jews and other
undesirables. But Speer notes that trains moving west are half empty and this
offends this man of efficiency. He convinces Hitler to think of them as a
resource. Shipped west in boxcars with no food and watered like cattle, many
die in transit. Those that survive will be worked to death.
The only Russians treated
halfway decently are blue eyed and blond haired, as Hitler thinks of them as
racially acceptable.
What was Russia must be
cleansed of the Slav race.
What else?
Well Churchill has been
frantically arming and is of course worried that Hitler won’t keep his word. He
has been in back channel contact with Zukov telling him, that if he can hold out
until the Accord provisions are met, that Britain intends to come back into the
war. Zukov is suspicious, in the extreme, of Churchill’s intentions.
The Soviets have been moving
factories east frantically since the start of Barbarossa, but due to the greater
speed of advance this has been nowhere as successful as in OTL. With virtually
all food and supply going to the Army and the effort, millions of Russians will
die this winter.
The T-34 was the same nasty
surprise and the Mk IV is up-gunned and the Panther conceived.
Hitler has been trying to
decide what he wants to change the names of Moscow, Lenningrad, and Stalingrad
to. Oh and what about Vladivostok?
End Part 3
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