A short ”Before Action Report” on the British Road to War.
War works in mysterious ways, here is my first clash with world politics and the strange path to war it guided me along, as I play the United Kingdom.
1936 Was fairly uneventful in the civilised world, although the Spanish decided to kill each other from the early month of January. The three brigades of British volunteers that came to the rescue of Republican Spain, proved to be too little to change the outcome of a very short civil war. The fragile republic shattered in early spring.
In the end of the year, Germany marched into the industrial heartland along the Rhine, and Japan decided to declare war against China.
1937 Was completely uneventful on the international scene, so looking for something to do, Anthony Eden came to the conclusion that Nationalist China was a democratic sprout that might blossom if it received the right nourishment. And with the right influence, it might win the Empire another 1000 years lease of Hong Kong.
On the home front, Stanley Baldwin successfully used the wit of the intelligence service, to convince the public that the Japanese might pose a threat to the United Kingdom, and the Empire should prepare to defend herself and her colonies. The advocators of neutrality suffered continuous blows.
1938 An urgent message from Anthony Eden, of the Communist Chinese annexation of Manchukuo, awoke the interest in following the War in the Far East. Although the proud Army and Navy of the British Empire never really considered Japan a serious threat, everyone was surprised to see that the Japanese Empire had overestimated their balance of power with China so fatally. The Japanese retreated to the Korean border, and established a defensive perimeter, that even the most experienced military advisors were convinced would hold forever – the Chinese, however, were not, and after a few months of fighting along the border, the perimeter burst under the weight of Nationalist and Communist corporation. By the end of September, the Japanese no longer had any possessions on the continent.
With the Japanese Army soundly beaten, Anthony Eden took the opportunity to advance relations with Nationalist China even further, and asked them to join the defenders of democracy. This was judged as a fairly safe move, although Germany and Italy had formally declared an alliance with Japan, they had not made any moved to support Japan in the war against China. Thus the alliance was judged to be merely symbolic, and Anthony Eden expected that a similar relationship with China was possible – which it was – for some time.
By the beginning of October, Austria suffered a political crisis, and Germany seized the moment immediately, to add the realm of Austria to the Reich. A few days later, the Japan Emperor realised he was fighting a lost war, and called his alliance partners to arms, who agreed on war against China. Chiang Kai-Shek, unsure of what support Japan would receive, also called her newfound allies to arms, and the English and French Empires along with Australia answered the call.
War was now upon Africa and the combined Continent of Eurasia in October 1938. Although the Empire was not quite prepared for War with Italy in the desert, neither was Italy, and progress is good. The war against Germany proves to be a repeat of the Great War, both sides are stuck in their trenches, and no great penetration seems imminent – America is gearing up for war!
However, in response to the development, Mao Zedong looking for new allies against the three Axis countries was accepted into the Commitern – another time bomb on Germany’s security has been set.
Considering, that by this time the War Economy of United Kingdom is already stronger than that of the Third Reich, and the Armies of the Allies (although mostly French) outnumber the Wehrmacht, and the fact that China wiped out the Japanese Army in just over half-a-year, I believe the Axis have bitten of more than they can chew for this game.
Slightly dissapointing for the first game of World War II.
War works in mysterious ways, here is my first clash with world politics and the strange path to war it guided me along, as I play the United Kingdom.
1936 Was fairly uneventful in the civilised world, although the Spanish decided to kill each other from the early month of January. The three brigades of British volunteers that came to the rescue of Republican Spain, proved to be too little to change the outcome of a very short civil war. The fragile republic shattered in early spring.
In the end of the year, Germany marched into the industrial heartland along the Rhine, and Japan decided to declare war against China.
1937 Was completely uneventful on the international scene, so looking for something to do, Anthony Eden came to the conclusion that Nationalist China was a democratic sprout that might blossom if it received the right nourishment. And with the right influence, it might win the Empire another 1000 years lease of Hong Kong.
On the home front, Stanley Baldwin successfully used the wit of the intelligence service, to convince the public that the Japanese might pose a threat to the United Kingdom, and the Empire should prepare to defend herself and her colonies. The advocators of neutrality suffered continuous blows.
1938 An urgent message from Anthony Eden, of the Communist Chinese annexation of Manchukuo, awoke the interest in following the War in the Far East. Although the proud Army and Navy of the British Empire never really considered Japan a serious threat, everyone was surprised to see that the Japanese Empire had overestimated their balance of power with China so fatally. The Japanese retreated to the Korean border, and established a defensive perimeter, that even the most experienced military advisors were convinced would hold forever – the Chinese, however, were not, and after a few months of fighting along the border, the perimeter burst under the weight of Nationalist and Communist corporation. By the end of September, the Japanese no longer had any possessions on the continent.
With the Japanese Army soundly beaten, Anthony Eden took the opportunity to advance relations with Nationalist China even further, and asked them to join the defenders of democracy. This was judged as a fairly safe move, although Germany and Italy had formally declared an alliance with Japan, they had not made any moved to support Japan in the war against China. Thus the alliance was judged to be merely symbolic, and Anthony Eden expected that a similar relationship with China was possible – which it was – for some time.
By the beginning of October, Austria suffered a political crisis, and Germany seized the moment immediately, to add the realm of Austria to the Reich. A few days later, the Japan Emperor realised he was fighting a lost war, and called his alliance partners to arms, who agreed on war against China. Chiang Kai-Shek, unsure of what support Japan would receive, also called her newfound allies to arms, and the English and French Empires along with Australia answered the call.
War was now upon Africa and the combined Continent of Eurasia in October 1938. Although the Empire was not quite prepared for War with Italy in the desert, neither was Italy, and progress is good. The war against Germany proves to be a repeat of the Great War, both sides are stuck in their trenches, and no great penetration seems imminent – America is gearing up for war!
However, in response to the development, Mao Zedong looking for new allies against the three Axis countries was accepted into the Commitern – another time bomb on Germany’s security has been set.
Considering, that by this time the War Economy of United Kingdom is already stronger than that of the Third Reich, and the Armies of the Allies (although mostly French) outnumber the Wehrmacht, and the fact that China wiped out the Japanese Army in just over half-a-year, I believe the Axis have bitten of more than they can chew for this game.
Slightly dissapointing for the first game of World War II.
