This AAR was created using the Road to War scenario with the 1.06c patch. Any comments, suggestions, questions, etc are welcome. Also, if you would like to be included in the AAR, let me know what position you would like to fill, and I'll see what I can do for you. All positions are open, I don't mind any cabinet member having an 'unfortunate accident' to clear the path. Enjoy...
- 19:00 December 31, 1935 -
It was an especially cold, snowy New Year's Eve in Belgrade. In an excessively large, dimly lit office, Yugoslav Prime Minister Boguljub Jevtic sat signing papers. Suddenly he heard a knock on his door. This surprised him; he was under the impression that everyone else in the building had left the building for the night. Before he had time to think about it any further, the Chief of Staff, Danilo Kalafatovic and the Head of Military Intelligence, Borivoje Josimovic stepped into his office.
"Mr. Prime Minister, may we have a word with you?" Josimovic asked.
"Make it quick, I promised to take my wife out for New Year's. She's really been on my case to spend more time with her lately." Jevtic said absentmindedly, still signing through a stack of paperwork.
"Sir, as you know, every country along our southern border wants to get their hands on Macedonia. They'll come after it before too long. And with the Fascists in power in Italy, Germany and Hungary, we believe it is only a matter of time before they try to expand. General Kalafatovic and I have a plan to neutralize the threat from Albania, Bulgaria, and Greece before we are forced into a two front war."
Jevtic put down his pen and looked up at the two men. "You have nothing to worry about. Italy has its hands tied up in the east African campaign. We are on reasonably friendly terms with the Austrians, they wouldn't allow Germany to use their country as a staging ground to invade us, and Hungary wouldn't dare make a move against us on their own. We can't afford to stir up international sentiment against us by conducting a series of pre-emptive invasions against countries which have shown no previous aggression toward us."
Kalafatovic stepped forward and pulled a folder out from under his arm. "That is where you're wrong, Mr. Prime Minister. Our informer in the Bulgarian High Command sent this today." He handed the folder to Jevtic. As he looked through it, his eyes opened wide, there were detailed maps, photographs, troop placements, projected casualty reports, even a list of government ministers to be executed when the capital was taken. All three men were on the list. There was no denying it; Bulgaria and Greece were planning a joint invasion on February 1st! Albania for its part, would commit no troops, but would covertly provide logistic and material support. It was all there in black and white.
"Does Stojadinovic (the Foreign Minister) know about this?" Jevtic asked.
"Yes, he has gone to Sofia to try and negotiate with the Bulgarians." Josimovic said.
Kalafatovic looked confused and started to speak when he was silenced with a glare from Josimovic. Jevtic was too shaken to notice.
"I still can't believe they would try something like this." Jevtic mumbled nervously.
Jevtic was shaking so hard he was on the verge of collapse, but he managed to light a cigarette and take a series of short drags from it before responding. He slowly stood up and turned his back to them. "I need to think about this." he dismissed the two men with a wave of his hand.
"Sir?" Kalafatovic asked.
Jevtic looked over his shoulder with such an immense sadness in his eyes that Josimovic and Kalafatovic left the room without another word. Jevtic picked up the phone and called his wife.
"Hello?"
"Darling..."
"Boguljub, is that you?"
"..."
"Hurry up and get home, Djuro and Mira Dragicevic are waiting for us at the ballet."
"Not tonight..."
"But you promis..."
"Not tonight..."
With that, he hung up the phone. He poured a glass of plum brandy and walked over to the window. Just then, the telephone rang. Jevtic looked over his shoulder at the phone then turned away and continued staring out into the darkness.
Meanwhile, Josimovic and Kalafatovic had made their way out of the government office, and were standing in front of Josimovic's car. Kalafatovic asked, "Why did you tell the Prime Minister that Stojadinovic knew about the plan? Obviously he'll ask about it in the morning. You've ruined us!" Josimovic rebuked him. "Shut up, Danilo! Remember, this was my plan, not yours. I have everything under control. Just leave the Foreign Minister to me. He still has a very important part to play." Josimovic snickered and stepped into his car. Kalafatovic asked, "Do you think Jevtic will fall for it?" Josimovic looked at him and said, "He has to, or we are both dead men." He tapped his driver on the shoulder and the car sped into the snow-filled night.
---Just a taste of things to come---
- 19:00 December 31, 1935 -
It was an especially cold, snowy New Year's Eve in Belgrade. In an excessively large, dimly lit office, Yugoslav Prime Minister Boguljub Jevtic sat signing papers. Suddenly he heard a knock on his door. This surprised him; he was under the impression that everyone else in the building had left the building for the night. Before he had time to think about it any further, the Chief of Staff, Danilo Kalafatovic and the Head of Military Intelligence, Borivoje Josimovic stepped into his office.
"Mr. Prime Minister, may we have a word with you?" Josimovic asked.
"Make it quick, I promised to take my wife out for New Year's. She's really been on my case to spend more time with her lately." Jevtic said absentmindedly, still signing through a stack of paperwork.
"Sir, as you know, every country along our southern border wants to get their hands on Macedonia. They'll come after it before too long. And with the Fascists in power in Italy, Germany and Hungary, we believe it is only a matter of time before they try to expand. General Kalafatovic and I have a plan to neutralize the threat from Albania, Bulgaria, and Greece before we are forced into a two front war."
Jevtic put down his pen and looked up at the two men. "You have nothing to worry about. Italy has its hands tied up in the east African campaign. We are on reasonably friendly terms with the Austrians, they wouldn't allow Germany to use their country as a staging ground to invade us, and Hungary wouldn't dare make a move against us on their own. We can't afford to stir up international sentiment against us by conducting a series of pre-emptive invasions against countries which have shown no previous aggression toward us."
Kalafatovic stepped forward and pulled a folder out from under his arm. "That is where you're wrong, Mr. Prime Minister. Our informer in the Bulgarian High Command sent this today." He handed the folder to Jevtic. As he looked through it, his eyes opened wide, there were detailed maps, photographs, troop placements, projected casualty reports, even a list of government ministers to be executed when the capital was taken. All three men were on the list. There was no denying it; Bulgaria and Greece were planning a joint invasion on February 1st! Albania for its part, would commit no troops, but would covertly provide logistic and material support. It was all there in black and white.
"Does Stojadinovic (the Foreign Minister) know about this?" Jevtic asked.
"Yes, he has gone to Sofia to try and negotiate with the Bulgarians." Josimovic said.
Kalafatovic looked confused and started to speak when he was silenced with a glare from Josimovic. Jevtic was too shaken to notice.
"I still can't believe they would try something like this." Jevtic mumbled nervously.
Jevtic was shaking so hard he was on the verge of collapse, but he managed to light a cigarette and take a series of short drags from it before responding. He slowly stood up and turned his back to them. "I need to think about this." he dismissed the two men with a wave of his hand.
"Sir?" Kalafatovic asked.
Jevtic looked over his shoulder with such an immense sadness in his eyes that Josimovic and Kalafatovic left the room without another word. Jevtic picked up the phone and called his wife.
"Hello?"
"Darling..."
"Boguljub, is that you?"
"..."
"Hurry up and get home, Djuro and Mira Dragicevic are waiting for us at the ballet."
"Not tonight..."
"But you promis..."
"Not tonight..."
With that, he hung up the phone. He poured a glass of plum brandy and walked over to the window. Just then, the telephone rang. Jevtic looked over his shoulder at the phone then turned away and continued staring out into the darkness.
Meanwhile, Josimovic and Kalafatovic had made their way out of the government office, and were standing in front of Josimovic's car. Kalafatovic asked, "Why did you tell the Prime Minister that Stojadinovic knew about the plan? Obviously he'll ask about it in the morning. You've ruined us!" Josimovic rebuked him. "Shut up, Danilo! Remember, this was my plan, not yours. I have everything under control. Just leave the Foreign Minister to me. He still has a very important part to play." Josimovic snickered and stepped into his car. Kalafatovic asked, "Do you think Jevtic will fall for it?" Josimovic looked at him and said, "He has to, or we are both dead men." He tapped his driver on the shoulder and the car sped into the snow-filled night.
---Just a taste of things to come---
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