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Jackal111

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Germany in WW2: A Definitive History
The first AAR of Jackal111

*This being my first post and my first AAR, I'd appreciate any and all feedback from everyone. Anything from writing tips, gameplay issues, etc will be appreciated! I know there already exists a few German AARs, but I am really going for something realistic, well written and interesting... Also, look for minor historical variations… :) So hopefully, with all this in mind you all dismiss the fact that it's one of several. Now, on to the AAR:
 
Chapter 1

Chapter 1

January 3rd, 1936
Berlin, Germany

The gleaming black staff car began to slow as it turned down Voss Strasse, in front of the massive Reich Chancellery. As the car came to a halt in front of the entrance, a suited man exited the car and began to head quickly up to the building. Hjalmar Schacht looked at his watch as he began walking up the steps, mindful of the time. He knew the Fuhrer would start today’s meeting precisely on time, and he didn’t want to be late. This particular meeting would be extremely important for the minister of armaments. Hitler had called for a special meeting to occur on this day, in which the major heads of state and armed forces would be in attendance.

“Through here, Herr Schacht. The Fuhrer is expecting you.” The secretary made a robotic motion to a large reception room as she fumbled to take dictation by phone. As Schacht walked through a doorway guarded by two SS sentries, he noticed several figures talking as they waited for the meeting to begin. First to greet Schacht was commander of the navy, Erich Raeder. “Good morning, Herr Schacht. The cold hasn’t chilled you too deep, I hope?” “Not on this morning… My preparations for this meeting lasted well into the evening. Even the cold had difficulty in waking me“. Raeder gave a short grin and nodded as he turned to continue speaking with Ludwig Beck, the general serving as OKW chief of staff.

Schacht turned to a small table containing glasses and a coffee pot, to which he promptly walked to and began to prepare a cup for himself. Something in him sensed he was being watched, pierced by someone’s eyes. It was Wilhelm Frick, head of internal security. Frick was speaking with de-facto Chief of Staff of the Luftwaffe Walter Wever, who accompanied Herman Goering to the meeting this morning. Schacht ignored Frick and continued.

“The Fuhrer is ready to receive you, gentlemen!” The adjutant cried out as he opened the oversized double doors to Hitler’s meeting chambers. The men all ceased talking amongst themselves and began filing in to their pre-arranged seats.

Adolf Hitler sat with his back to the remainder of the individuals in the room, gazing intently at a huge map on the wall. Goering took his place at Hitler’s right, with Frick at his left. The remaining civil servants and soldiers also took their respective places. All sat silently, looking intently at their leader, waiting for him to open the meeting. Hitler didn’t move at all. “Germany must rise”. The Fuhrer slowly spoke, as is speaking to a crowd of millions. “She must rise up and take her rightful place as master of Europe”. The men all listened now with great attention as Hitler turned his chair to face them. His face was like granite, locked and serious. “Yet as of now, we still remain restrained by the pitiful terms of the treaty. You all know why I have called you here today. I have told you to expect war soon, and to begin proposals for how you will prepare your respective areas for the coming war.”

“My Fuhrer… My Luftwaffe will be ready within a short time to strike at our enemies at your will!” Goering was quite jovial this morning, yet all in the room knew his boasts were quite unrealistic. “My Fuhrer, if I may…” Schacht asked quietly. “I believe that at this point, we must concentrate on expanding the industrial base if we are to reach realistic war capacity within a reasonable time”. The Fuhrer nodded. “Of course research must continue, but we must be realistic about our production capacity”. “We must agree.” Admiral Raeder interjected. “Without the proper industrial base dedicated to ship production, the German fleet will be unable to challenge the Royal Navy for supremacy”. “We can do that without the Navy, my Fuhrer. My air fleets can pummel the British into submission on their own!” Again, Goering continued with his bombastic statements. “It will take a stronger army, however, if we are to challenge France or Russia. This is a task that the Luftwaffe alone cannot tackle”. The army chief interrupted.

Hitler began to become irate, knowing that the meeting was quickly going nowhere. “What I must know is what preparations are being taken to prepare Germany”. All looked again at the Fuhrer, and General Wever began to speak. “I have prioritized within the Luftwaffe the development of a strategic arm as paramount, that we may strike our enemies’ means of production. The RLM is also working with several manufacturers to develop a modern monoplane fighter to replace our obsolete He-51s, and the groundwork is being laid for the development of the new airborne forces to aid the army with lightning strikes from the air, in conjunction with modern dive bombers”. “Likewise, the army is continuing development of better combat equipment for our troops, and the development of modern tanks proceeds steadily at your request.” The army chief announced.

“And the Navy?” Hitler queried. “My Fuhrer, we are developing a plan for a surface force that will rival all others, but this will take some time”. Admiral Raeder was confident in his assessment. “However, the production capacity allotted us is completely insufficient for development of a sizeable surface force”. “Then we must look to other methods to deal with the British”. Hitler said. “They only serve as a nuisance to our progress in continental Europe and cannot be decisive with their Navy alone, for when we become self sufficient and no longer depend on others for resources, their navy will be of no consequence to us”. “We must build more U-Boats to contain the British, as we did during the Great War. That is the solution”. Raedar could say nothing to this, and simply nodded in agreement. “And our strategic bombers could aid the U-Boats in doing this even from Germany, my Fuhrer. This also gives us a flexibility in the east, should the need arise”, Wever added.

Hitler was becoming visibly satisfied. “Very well then. Proceed with these plans and continue with your expansion. We will meet again at a later date to discuss progress”. With that, the Fuhrer rose from his chair and faced the map once again as a sign that the meeting had ended. With an eerie silence, the men left the room. Yet as the foreign minister left the room and passed the secretary’s desk, she abruptly stopped him. “Wait Herr von Neurath. The Fuhrer wishes to speak with you personally”. Constantine von Neurath turned back to the hall and walked back in, the doors closing quietly behind him.
 
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Pretty good, but I thought the name was "Hermann Goering?"
 
The extra e is to make up for the two dotts over the o that the english alphabet doesnt have.
 
You mean Ö? :D Nice AAR by the way!
 
He had an umlaut in his surname? Did not know that.

Regardless, it was still a good AAR, wonder why there haven't been any updates.
 
Chapter 2

July 19th, 1936
Leipzig, Germany
At Headquarters, 3rd Panzergruppe

It was a gruesome day on the parade grounds. Panzer troops, in their signature black panzer uniforms with their special branch berets lined up by their vehicles for inspection. Many of the men were near soaked with sweat, yet they kept their bearing in anticipation for the Chief of Staff of the entire Wehrmacht to review them.

The entourage of staff cars passed slowly by the endless seas of Panzer Is and other combat vehicles, and the men could barely make out the figures of their commander, General Erich von Manstein, and the Wehrmacht chief General Beck with him. Beck was pleased at the progress of the panzer divisions’ formation, and he was likewise sure the Fuhrer would be equally excited. “General von Manstein, I must say your troops are in the finest of conditions.” “Danke, Herr General… Although we only have two divisions under our control at the moment, we are confident that our training is superior. Once we reach our established strength, I feel our eight divisions should account for themselves quite well in combat.” Manstein replied confidently.

Manstein was seen throughout the Wehrmacht as a man of great ability and talent, and the ideal man to command a formation in the fledgling army’s new tank arm. No doubt, he would probably become the Army’s next chief of staff. Yet for now, Manstein was realizing a personal dream. Command of a Panzerkorps would have been enough, but a Panzergruppe! He was sure that when given the chance, his troops would sweep all before them. As the limousines came to a halt, Manstein began to hear the deep sound of hundreds of droning aircraft engines above him. As he and General Beck exited the car, both men looked to the sky to see a training flight of Ju-89s, heading to the northeast. Both men looked at each other and smiled before walking into the headquarters building.

It was obvious to anyone there that day that Germany had been born again. It’s baptism of fire would come soon, as the Fuhrer had promised General Franco support within a day of learning of the civil war being fought there. The winds of war were beginning to blow yet again.
 
Sorry about the wait, but my Guard weekend kept me from updating for a few days... This game is getting interesting though, so stay tuned.
 
Chapter 3

December 5th, 1936
Berlin, Germany

“Another early morning meeting with the minister…” The exhausted foreign minister thought to himself almost repetitively, as he walked up the snow covered steps leading into the propaganda ministry building. Today he would meet yet again with Joseph Goebbels, this time to discuss his recent and successful diplomatic mission to Austria. Constantine von Neurath had good reason to be tired to the point of exhaustion. On the Fuhrer’s orders, the foreign minister had just completed a whirlwind tour of several European countries. The focus of the mission was Austria, but the minister would manage in visits to Hungary, Rumania, Yugoslavia and Italy during his time away from Germany.

Once the Fuhrer was informed of the minister’s diplomatic success with the Austrians upon von Neurath’s return, he ordered that the propaganda minister be informed immediately. “The ministry of propaganda must make full use of this, and we can begin to ready German people for the return of our southern brethren to the Reich proper.” Hitler stated to him.

“Good morning, Herr von Neurath!” With a huge smile on his face and a friendly demeanor, Goebbels outstretched his arm to shake the foreign minister’s hand. “The Fuhrer informs me that your trip was quite successful. Please, join me.”
“Of course” The foreign minister followed the small framed man who acted as the German peoples’ eyes and ears on the world to a beautiful large office. The two men sat down and quickly began talking about events. After touching on less important matters, Goebbels was informed of the results the foreign minister obtained while meeting with some of the Austrian government’s higher level politicians. Apparently, some within the government were willing to play by Hitler’s rules, and saw the silver lining for their country should the Austrians see the German point of view.

The propaganda minister became engrossed in the foreign minister’s report, knowing that with every further word von Neurath spoke, Goebbels had more to work with. He would use every bit he could to energize the nation. More importantly though, he would help to further cement Germany’s political position in Europe and ensure that Hitler’s regime profited from the political situation. Minister Goebbels lost his smile however as the Czech situation was discussed, but quickly brushed aside the notion of their defiance.

“No matter with them. The Fuhrer will deal with the situation there in due time, I’m quite sure.” Goebbels snapped out.

The foreign minister dropped his head slightly, almost in disapproval. He knew his successes were minor coups, and that Germany was quickly losing political space in which to maneuver. The great powers might be war-weary, but the spectre of French and British intervention at any time remained.

Soon the guns would have to speak, but Germany’s were still unready. The foreign minister left shaken, knowing that the most important work was yet to be done.