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In the history folder is a leader folder. There should be, for example, a Aus.text. These are all the military leaders of Australia. The last one is number 2768. So just make a new one like this -
(The periods in front of the code is just space - check out the text files to see what I mean)
And the Leader portraits is in the portraits folder in the gfx folder. They are the TGA images starting with L. The last one if L10137. So make the new leader L10138.
But, hey you need a image. So go find one and resize it to 36x50. Make sure to switch it to black and white.
Then convert to a tga image. So the name looks like this L10138.TGA
Of course the expansions change some stats of the leaders. For example if I wanted to add a Japanese leader I would go into the history folder under the tfh folder to find the leader folder containing Jap.text.
Umm...we probably should do given that in the future we're probably going to have a massive camapign in germany and italy, and another one cleaning up asia from japan. Need more leaders unless the president is going to do literally everything...
Umm...we probably should do given that in the future we're probably going to have a massive camapign in germany and italy, and another one cleaning up asia from japan. Need more leaders unless the president is going to do literally everything...
True, but I’m reluctant to resile from my pledge of taking the game anomalies and mechanics as human player handicaps ... the in-universe rationalisation is that we don’t have the qualified Turkish generals for that many formations, and don’t really trust other nationalities to command troops yet. It is another human resource I have to carefully manage, most of which have ended up proving scarce.
True, but I’m reluctant to resile from my pledge of taking the game anomalies and mechanics as human player handicaps ... the in-universe rationalisation is that we don’t have the qualified Turkish generals for that many formations, and don’t really trust other nationalities to command troops yet. It is another human resource I have to carefully manage, most of which have ended up proving scarce.
OOC: May I suggest a compromise: You may add a single leader, for story purposes... However, he must start at skill 0 and have a max skill equivalent to the current skill of your highest skilled leader.
This would only be a minor infraction of your pledge, and it would give you more options for the story line...
OOC: May I suggest a compromise: You may add a single leader, for story purposes... However, he must start at skill 0 and have a max skill equivalent to the current skill of your highest skilled leader.
This would only be a minor infraction of your pledge, and it would give you more options for the story line...
I might suggest a slightly different compromise which may be a bit more in the spirit of the AAR. I think Turkey can do fine as it is with the current limits. However, if Rome and Berlin fall and the Comintern victory is not yet assured (per the original AAR goal of a faction victory), it makes sense to promote a few more qualified personnel to MAJGEN to meet the needs of a truly global Turkish war effort (*cough cough* TOKYO OR BUST!! *cough cough). At the very least our good COL Diskoerekto will certainly have earned a star or two by then, I think.
And certainly other readAARs who have been involved could find their way into a leadership role. I for one wouldn't mind seeing the Americans "lend-lease" our good friend GEN Markkur for old times' sake.
I might suggest a slightly different compromise which may be a bit more in the spirit of the AAR. I think Turkey can do fine as it is with the current limits. However, if Rome and Berlin fall and the Comintern victory is not yet assured (per the original AAR goal of a faction victory), it makes sense to promote a few more qualified personnel to MAJGEN to meet the needs of a truly global Turkish war effort (*cough cough* TOKYO OR BUST!! *cough cough). At the very least our good COL Diskoerekto will certainly have earned a star or two by then, I think.
And certainly other readAARs who have been involved could find their way into a leadership role. I for one wouldn't mind seeing the Americans "lend-lease" our good friend GEN Markkur for old times' sake.
I like your thinking! COL @diskoerekto was definitely going to be in line for a promotion. Perhaps I may add a few others along the way. But if I do anything, it will be with one of the annual War College Graduations (ie each 1 Jan when the new leaders become available). There would have to be a strict ration of no more than one extra per year, and dear devoted readAARs will have to understand not all may be represented in command positions . Just in other ways.
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Chapter 177: The Dragon’s Breath (21 to 24 August 1942)
Chapter 177: The Dragon’s Breath (21 to 24 August 1942)
AuthAAR’s Note: A big episode here, but I did not want to split out the two rival Faction Summits from the rest of the action and also wanted to slip in the report on Croatia to this chapter. Plenty happening once again but I hope dividing it into parts again helps its readability. So here it goes, Dear ReadAARs …
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1. The Moscow Conference: 22-24 Aug 42
21 Aug 42
Inönü, accompanied by Foreign Minister Aras, Supreme Commander Field Marshal Fuad Calistar, Commander 1st Corps Lieutenant General Cakmak and supporting staff departed Beograd air base in their Turkish Air Force DC-3 on the evening of 21 August, arriving in Odessa that night.
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22 Aug 42
Early the next morning, they left Odessa for the flight to Moscow, this time on a Soviet copy of the DC-3, a Lisunov Li-2 (a.k.a. PS-84) passenger aircraft, fitted out for carrying VIPs. It flew well east of the battle zone and received a series of fighter escorts along the way, just in case.
An aerial view of Odessa’s central square, taken by one of the Turkish military staff officers from the departing Li-2 transport on the morning of 22 August 1942.
Meanwhile, in Moscow, US representative Averell Harriman received the ‘Most Favoured Partner Treatment’ from Stalin as they met for side-talks. In private, Stalin pressed Harriman hard for a US Second Front in Asia. Or at least a firm commitment and timing for one. But Harriman either could not or would not be pinned down to anything specific, just reiterating the ‘Japan First’ strategy espoused by Roosevelt.
Stalin rolled out the Red Carpet (so to speak) for the senior US representative at the Moscow Meeting, Averell Harriman.
The Turkish delegation, having arrived a few days later than their counterparts due to the delay and rescheduling of travel due to the attack on Inönü, was soon approaching Schelkovo Airport in Moscow. Because of their late arrival, they would have to move straight into meetings and greetings that afternoon.
After one stop along the way, the Li-2 arrived at Schelkovo Airport in Moscow, at around 2pm on 22 August, 1942.
There was a special surprise and honour for President Inönü and the crews of the Lisunov and fighter escort. Stalin himself was at the airport to greet them – and for a photo opportunity!
This photo, taken on Inönü’s arrival in Moscow on 22 August 1942, featured prominently in subsequent Soviet and Turkish – and indeed world – newspaper front pages. Much to the embarrassment of the Nazis.
Stalin and Inönü shared some refreshment and were able to conduct an hour of preparatory discussions in a side-call at the airport, before the Turkish President’s entourage travelled to the recently expanded Turkish Embassy, where he would be staying for the duration of the talks. He had politely declined an invitation to stay in Soviet-provided accommodation. Mainly to ensure his private meetings with staff were not eavesdropped upon. US delegate Averell Harriman took similar precautions, but Churchill did not – much to the amusement of the Comintern partners present, who knew enough not to trust each other to that extent!
After freshening up that evening, Inönü had another side-call, this time with Churchill. Churchill had arrived a few days before and had used the opportunity of the Coalition Meeting to conduct a State Visit.
Churchill greets Inönü outside a special train Stalin had provided for the British PM for a tour of military training facilities and factories outside Moscow, on the evening of 22 August 1942.
The two leaders went inside the lavishly outfitted train for talks. Guessing that part of the fit-out would be some well-placed Soviet listening devices, Inönü was very careful with his words. But the principal point of discussion was about North Africa, Syria and Sicily – most of which the Soviets were, at that stage, not particularly interested in and happy enough to leave to their Turkish ally to represent Comintern interests.
Churchill still wanted landings in North Africa, but advised that Tobruk would most likely be heavily garrisoned by the Italians. The Luftwaffe had aircraft based at its airfield and it therefore may not be an easy target for a naval landing. In any case, he asserted, British forces were already advancing on the key port and he was confident of occupying it in coming days. He was against an intervention in Syria (which he would be, anyway) and did make the valid point that it would bring Vichy France into the war on the Axis side when that was unnecessary and undesirable for the Coalition as a whole. He also pointed out that US support could be asked for but may be unlikely to be received, even if requested by Turkey. Bengasi or even Tripoli might be better targets, he mused.
Inönü took this on board and indicated he had left orders for an aerial recon of Tobruk by the Turkish Air Force to verify the situation on the ground. The results of that mission would be considered in light of their discussion. He acknowledged concerns about bringing Vichy into the war before it was necessary and at a time when Turkish forces were stretched in the Balkans and assisting Romania in the east of their country and the Soviets in Central Asia. These two ventures had occupied most of Turkey’s strategic reserves – only the marines were left. He undertook to discuss operational matters raised by Churchill that evening with his military advisers.
Churchill noted that he believed Sicily was a suitable mid-term invasion objective, characterising it as the ‘soft underbelly of Europe’. But realistically, it was unlikely either Turkey or the UK would be in a position to invade it before 1943, he thought. Churchill then made his major pitch: he was concerned about Malaya in particular and also Burma, and through it India itself. He asked Inönü if he would intercede with the Americans to call for a naval landing in Bangkok, in an effort to try to knock that country out of the war and at least disrupt Japanese supply lines and rear areas before the key strategic asset and resource hub of Singapore was lost.
Inönü had heard this proposal before and was even less in favour of it than he had been in Teheran. He said that out of respect to Churchill, he would discuss the suggestion with his own staff. But with the imminent fall of Midway (again) and possible operations in the Mediterranean that the US would be asked to support in due course, he did not think it either feasible or desirable to make such a request. The meeting broke up and both men went to try to get some rest after a gruelling couple of days. Inönü in particular was still suffering the effects of the recent ambush, though had largely recovered. The main meeting would be held the following day.
Churchill and Inönü convene for their side-meeting in Churchill’s assigned train in Moscow, on the night of 22 August 1942.
While Inönü then rested and had a quiet dinner with the Ambassador at his residence, LTGEN Cakmak convened the key Turkish military planners who had travelled to Moscow at the Turkish Embassy, in a secure room. After receiving general guidance from Supreme Commander Calistar, who then went off to back-brief his President on developments at the front, they considered some updated reporting.
LTGEN Fevzi Cakmak convenes the Turkish delegation’s planning staff at the Embassy in Moscow, 22 August 1942.
First, the report from the Tobruk recon mission was examined. It appeared up to three Italian divisions (one garrison and two infantry) occupied the port town. There was a full-strength Luftwaffe multi-role fighter wing and possibly two other Axis fighter wings (unidentified) stationed there – which promptly drove off the Turkish Blenheims that had set out from Chania at 4pm on the afternoon of 21 August. The facilities (port, air base and anti-aircraft batteries) were already damaged and the Italian forces to the south-east in Bardia seemed to be retreating into Tobruk as well. It indicated the British had driven them off and may soon be attacking Tobruk itself.
Aerial view of Italian-occupied Tobruk taken from the Turkish 1 TAK ‘recon by force’ of 21 August 1942.
Their conclusion was that an attack on Tobruk was unnecessary and potentially hazardous.
“There is another aspect to this as well, Milli Şef,” reported Cakmak later that night. “If we did take Tobruk and the ground to its south, the British would not be able to move around us under current arrangements, as neither side allows military access to the other. It would mean we would become responsible for operations to the west of Tobruk from there. And at the moment, we don’t believe we have the forces to do it, with all our other commitments in Romania and Central Asia, plus growing Axis resistance and counter-attacks on the main Balkan Front.”
The military recommendation was to discount any near-term amphibious attack on Tobruk. Bengasi may be possible, but might also be left to the British for similar reasons to those for staying out of Tobruk. Or perhaps suggesting it to the Americans, if they proved willing, but that seemed unlikely. Tripoli however could be useful a little later, as it would give Turkey a foothold in western Libya and could be a possible future stepping off point for either Tunisia (if Vichy came or was brought into the war) or for an invasion of Sicily.
The other report they considered had been provided by Harriman’s US advisers – passed that evening by an old acquaintance, Brigadier General B.J. Guildenstern! He may not have many friends left in Turkey these days, but he remained a prominent figure in the US system. As of the night of 21 August, the Japanese had reoccupied Midway Island.
Once briefed on this – and the complete lack of any large US fleet presence in the Central Pacific – Inönü was convinced he could not in all good conscience recommend any ‘hare-brained attack in South East Asia’ to his American partners. Apart from anything else, Stalin would probably be furious at such a ‘pandering to colonialist imperialism’. He was far more interested in a ‘proper Second Front against Japan’ in the Far East. Something that seemed a long way off at the moment, even with the US a member of the Comintern Pact. Churchill would be getting a clear ‘sorry, but no’ for this request.
Of course, Churchill was notorious for such things. With places like Rhodes and Greece already covered and Norway firmly in Allied hands, but Burma and Malaya in clear and present danger, some modified Torch ideas and a somewhat daft and persistently held plan to attack Bangkok seemed within the realm of alternate history plausibility!
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23 Aug 42
Inönü and Harriman met at the Turkish Embassy for an informal breakfast discussion. They found themselves in firm agreement about North Africa and South East Asia. Subsequent requests for assistance in either North Africa or Sicily would be received cordially and considered, but the US could offer no guarantees. They had adopted a general ‘Japan First’ strategy but seemed in no position to act on it yet. They had regained Midway briefly but proven unable to hold it and the Imperial Japanese Navy had not yet been seriously challenged in the Pacific. Stalin’s dream of a Second Front against Japan – on land or even at sea – seemed a long way off at present.
The main meeting kicked off that morning, with leaders’ and staff discussions lasting most of the day, followed by a large and lavish banquet at the Kremlin afterwards, where large quantities of alcohol were imbibed by many present.
Typically, Churchill opened with a grand address to the assembly, declar t the plenary session of the talks:
“...we will continue, hand in hand, whatever our sufferings, whatever our toils, we will continue hand in hand, like comrades and brothers until every vestige of the Nazi régime has been beaten into the ground, until the memory only of it remains as an example and a warning for a future time.”
Always handy with some soaring rhetoric, but a little less able to back it up on the ground, Churchill reported back to London later that the first two hours of the discussions 'were bleak and sombre'. Stalin reported grave problems on the Patriotic and Eastern Fronts and that the Germans were making 'a tremendous effort to get to Leningrad, Odessa and the rest of Ukraine'. The conversation moved on to the possibility of a Second Front in the Far East in 1942, which the Soviets were hoping for. Harriman formally advised that after an 'exhaustive American examination', they did not feel able to launch another major attack against the Japanese in their Pacific holdings in September 1942, let alone a more general offensive against the enemy's Home Islands any time before 1943 at the very earliest.
Harriman added that even by the time a 1943 operation may be ready it was conceivable that the Japanese may be able to field a stronger force to oppose them. At this, the minutes of the meeting noted, 'Stalin's face crumpled into a frown'.
Churchill expressed to Stalin that the Allies at this time could not afford to open a second front on continental Europe due to the fighting in North Africa, Burma and Malaya. Given the paucity of British resources and a perceived ‘limp’ commitment to substantial action in the European theatre, Stalin was hardly surprised, merely waving off this observation.
Inönü received a warm reaction to the briefing, delivered by LTGEN Cakmak, on the continuing Summer Offensive and the recent closing of the Adriatic Pocket. Turkey was confident of squeezing it shut within days rather than weeks, but cautioned against discounting the time it would take to do so or the enemy’s ability to react to the breakthrough.
“The dragon may be wounded, but has fire in its belly and flame in its breath yet,” he said, with a sombre delivery. “And our Turkish-Soviet forces are not as plentiful, nor Turkey’s Air Force as large and modern, as we would like. I fear anything too grand – such as a breakout into northern Italy or a new strike against Hungary – are unlikely to be feasible in the short term. We may have to fight hard to keep what we have won – as happened last year.”
It was agreed that Vichy France should be left neutral for now and that any Turkish-American plans for an attack on Sicily would remain a mid-term option, unlikely to be considered before 1943. If they were to be used, Turkey’s marine force might be deployed in central or western Libya if the circumstances were right; or elsewhere if a target of opportunity arose. Inönü pointed out that with Turkey’s original strategic reserve committed to Central Asia and the reconstituted reserve more recently to eastern Romania, the marines were all they had left to deal with any emergency or unexpected contingency.
In essence, the various Coalition Partners would continue in their current areas of operations, with the main combined effort being between the Soviet Union, Turkey and Romania on the Patriotic Front first, and Eastern Front second. Stabilisation of both was the immediate objective, with major offensive operations more likely from early 1943. The US was essentially the Coalition’s ‘strategic reserve’ of which much was hoped, but relatively little expected in the near future.
The ‘Big Three Plus One’ share a joke about 'news of Inönü's death being greatly exaggerated' in the Moscow Meeting photo opportunity shot, 23 August 1942. The photo was widely disseminated around the world, to compound Hitler’s embarrassment at having claimed Inönü’s demise. German conspiracy theorists insisted the photo had been doctored to include the Turkish President, but we all know that is just rubbish.
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24 Aug 42
The various delegations bade their Soviet hosts farewell and returned to their respective countries, Churchill south via Baghdad and then Alexandria; Harriman through Tehran and Inönü back the way he had come, to HQ 1st Army in its newly established (and intensely guarded) base in Užice, via Odessa and Beograd.
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2. The Vienna Meeting: 23 Aug 42
The Axis partners in Europe had their own meeting on 23 August in Vienna, but it was a markedly different affair. Some christened it the ‘Big One Plus Three’ meeting. It was mainly a chance for Hitler to berate and blame Mussolini and his other two junior Axis allies (less so) for everything that had gone wrong in the Balkans. He was ‘sick and tired of their moral and material weakness’ and of Germany having to 'constantly bail them out of their messes’. Other than Germany, ‘only the Japanese have shown their ability to do great deeds on the battlefield in this war, and they are not even European, let alone Aryan!’
But, in a pallid imitation of their anti-Fascist opponents, they tried to put on an outward show of Fascist solidarity for propaganda purposes.
Hitler greets President of the Slovak Republic Jozef Tiso, also known as the Vodca (Leader) in Vienna after Tiso’s train trip from Bratislava, 23 August 1942. This greeting was quite a warm one, as Slovakian troops had fought hard on the Balkan Front and were among those trapped in the Adriatic Pocket. And Slovakia (small and essentially insignificant as it was) could hardly be blamed for any of the perceived failings during the Turkish Summer Offensive of 1942.
The current Slovakian Ministry.
Admiral Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya, formally the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary but effectively its supreme leader, is greeted by Hitler in Vienna on 23 August 1942. At this stage of the war, the relationship between the two remained cordial. Hungary had taken on a very large part of the burden of fighting for the Axis in Balkans – more perhaps than might have been expected of a moderately sized Axis minor power.
The current Hungarian Ministry.
But the main purpose of the meeting, held separately between Mussolini and Hitler, was to discuss the situation in the western Balkan theatre, especially the ‘Adriatic Pocket’ and what was to be done about it. After a self-excusing diatribe by Hitler, including his customary insistence that there be ‘no retreats or surrenders … all soldiers must fight to the death’, Mussolini – having found his silly hat had failed to placate the German Führer, who had neglected to don lederhosen, either – made his play.
“Führer, we have here our field intelligence operatives notes concerning the recent assassination attempt on Inönü,” said the Duce, playing this with unaccustomed forbearance and diplomacy. He knew a bigger and more deranged bully when he met one. “There was no confirmation of the mangy cur’s death.”
Hitler’s face reportedly went blank at this.
“And here – Ciano, pass it over – is a report we have just received from Moscow. As we speak here, Inönü has appeared in person at the enemy’s four-power meeting. It is going to be all over the news wires soon. And his sighting there, alive, has been independently confirmed.”
Hitler actually began to look sheepish at this point. It seemed he had already been hastily briefed this may be the case by his own staff before the meeting. This confirmed it.
Hitler is confronted with the evidence contradicting his own rash claims and clumsy propaganda by Mussolini (left) and Count Ciano (right), Vienna, 23 August 1942. Despite Hitler’s increasingly tenuous grip on reality, on this occasion he looked more like a guilty schoolboy shown proof of his own misbehaviour. No doubt he would take it out on someone else when he got back to Berlin.
Having somewhat disarmed Hitler's proposed blame game and given the forces cut off in and around Split could not be feasibly rescued now, it was agreed they would have to suffer whatever fate the Turks and Soviets had in store for them. It was decided by all four leaders (basically at Hitler’s insistence) that every effort be made to reassert Axis primacy in the western Balkans sector and that the ‘upstart Inönü and his ramshackle so-called union of mongrel countries’ should once again be taught a severe lesson, as had been done the year before after his previous ‘pathetic and doomed attack’.
Hitler proclaimed the Axis would win because it must win. There was no alternative or other possible outcome. Such deranged solipsism was by now mantra among the Fascist leadership – especially as the war dragged on towards the beginning of its fourth year on 1 September.
All this was eventually reported back to Ankara, and from there to the other Comintern partners, by Turkish spies in Rome, who by then had thoroughly penetrated the Italian Foreign Ministry with their own agents.
An abashed Propaganda Minister Goebbels (centre) is briefed by Hitler on the conversation with Mussolini and the need to manage the consequences of their premature claim on Inönü’s death. Some denial, suppression of information and an absurd cover story would eventually be deployed. Deputy Buffoon (Führer) Rudolf Hess looks on, trying to do his best impression of appearing serious. Vienna, evening of 23 August 1942.
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3. The Sava Sector: 21-24 Aug 42
21 Aug 42
On his return to HQ 1st Army at Užice late on 24 August, Inönü was updated by General Yamut on operational developments since 1600 hr on 21 August, starting with the Sava Sector.
As the existing attacks on Doboj and Bosanski Petrovac continued, the enemy had also assaulted Gradiska at 5pm. Both of the attacking enemy formations were either partly or almost fully disorganised, though it remained a substantive attack.
Air Report. The evening air raid by 1 BG on Semska Mitrovica had killed 107 Axis soldiers. An evening ground attack by Italian bombers on 1 Inf Div at Bosanski Petrovac killed 42 Turkish troops.
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22 Aug 42
With Sabac lost, the ground attack mission by 1 BG on Semska Mitrovica had been called off at 8am. Organisation in the newer 3 TAK, which had never worked up to full operational readiness before being deployed, was at about 60% organisation, though almost full strength.
Just an hour later, the Luftwaffe started bombing Gradiska in support of their attack there. But at midday, 15 Inf Div reported they had defeated the attack on Gradiska, inflicting moderately heavy casualties on the enemy.
At the same time, the enemy attack on Doboj showed no sign of flagging. The problem there was that the enemy had the numbers and all three divisions were German, while the defenders consisted of a lighter (than the Turkish equivalent) Soviet rifle division and a corps HQ that only had two brigades attached, one of them militia.
With concerns beginning to increase about Doboj, 1 BG were ordered to launch ground attacks on the enemy attacking it from Brcko. But, due to a miscommunication [ie a mis-click by me] their escort from the Beograd CAP (two fighter wings at that point) was not put on standby to provide intercept cover. But as no enemy fighters rose to challenge them that day, this oversight was not discovered.
The recon report from the bombing of Brcko revealed a total of fourteen full-strength and fully organised brigades in location there, estimated to belong to two Italian divisions (one cavalry/motorised and one infantry) and two German infantry divisions.
Air Report. The last two Turkish morning raids on Semska Mitrovica had killed 207 enemy there, while two that afternoon and night on Brcko killed another 136. The Luftwaffe tactical bombers again showed their superiority, with two raids (two wings each time) that day on Gradiska killing 599 men from 15 Inf Div. A reminder of the problems suffered in 1941.
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23 Aug 42
Following the loss of Sabac, 97 SD ‘Shar’ (badly mauled) and 2 Inf Div (untouched) had been retreating south. They both arrived in Visegrad that morning to begin shaking themselves out again and establishing a new defensive position.
That night, 1 BG was conducted another raid on Brcko when it was jumped by a group of three Hungarian fighter wings, with 2 TAK taking the brunt of the organisational disruption. It was then that the failure of the orders for air escort were discovered and soon rectified. 1 BG went up again, this time with 2 AF (I-16s) and 6 AF (Wildcats) in support.
Hungary is still operating the Fiat CR.32 Freccia as its standard interceptor.
The fighters largely succeeded in protecting the bombers and damaging the Hungarian fighters, but their own organisation suffered. And the small casualty estimates for the raids were deemed not worth the attrition suffered. The Brcko mission was called off on their return to Beograd at 3am on the 24th.
Air Report. No Axis raids were reported that day. The four Turkish raids on Brcko had killed a total of 354 Axis troops, though not all of them would have been participating in the attack on Doboj.
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24 Aug 42
The German attack on Doboj was slowly picking up momentum early that morning and fighting would continue there for the rest of the day. Even before the Adriatic Pocket was closed (more on that in the following section), 97 SD ‘Shev’, which had been recovering in reserve during the fighting there, was ordered aboard trucks and sent north, to begin shoring up the faltering line along the Sava River.
Air Report. The last Turkish early morning raid on Brcko caused just 37 Axis casualties.
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4. The Adriatic Sector: 21-24 Aug 42
21 Aug 42
As the three-pronged attack on Split continued from the north, at 4pm 1 Mtn Div was ordered to attack the single Hungarian division in Makarska. Simultaneously 7, 12 and 17 Inf Divs attacked the fleeing German division in Mostar from three directions. The three Comintern formations (6 Inf Div and two Soviet EFs) in Korcula remained in reserve. The two new assaults hit the enemy at 5pm. The Hungarians in Makarska were in open country and already worn down, though were dug in. The attack [at 82%] looked likely to succeed reasonably quickly. But despite being caught out of their trenches and attacked from three directions, the German 62nd Division in Mostar would be no pushover [54% odds]and did have favourable terrain to defend.
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22 Aug 42
The Axis defence of Split collapsed at 3am. Three of the five attacking divisions were pulled out of the advance, while 1 Armd and 11 Inf Divs continued on to secure the town. It was hoped all the trapped Axis formations could be forced to retreat and surrender as a result of the coordinated attacks.
That afternoon, the Hungarian defence of Makarska also failed – they retreated towards Split. A quick shutting down of the pocket was now anticipated, but the ‘ring of steel’ was kept intact until that had been achieved.
By 10pm that night, good progress was also being made in Mostar, which still resisted – but the Germans were being pinned in place by the attack. 6 Inf Div was ordered into Makarska to help deal with any units retreating from Split, in case they made it there before 1 Mtn Div did.
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23 Aug 42
After a tough and bloody two-day fight, the Germans broke in Mostar at 4pm: all Axis units within the Pocket were now retreating in one direction or the other.
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24 Aug 42
A 9am, after a long ‘spoiling’ battle [for which alas there was no report], the German 233rd Pz Gren Division finally halted its attack on 1 Inf Div in Bosanski Petrovac. The latter was now very nearly able to secure Ubdina, where a German division had been spotted to its north. But this would widen the gap in the north of the salient over to 2 Mot Div in Prnjavor on the Sava River.
As a result, rather than stopping 1 Inf Div when they were almost at their objective, 11 Inf Div was ordered up to replace them in Bosanski Petrovac. This however was a mistake in orders, as 2 Mtn Div (at that stage sitting in reserve in Knin) was meant to go, while 11 Inf Div had been close to securing Split[another mis-click, with three different units in Knin. Oops – the fog of war! ].
As soon as the error had been realised, 2 Mtn Div was ordered to secure the key city instead (1 Armd Div having been pulled out of the attack also some time previously to refit and repair). They set off immediately and soon struck the Hungarian 3rd Division, which had been retreated from Makarska: the Hungarians were soon sent packing again, but 2 Mtn Div still had a long approach before they could secure Split.
Later that evening, 1 Inf Div secured Ubdina, anchoring the left flank of the salient on the Adriatic. But the gap from Bosanski Petrovac through to Travnik was a concern. Ideally, a new line from Ubdina up to the Sava bridgehead held by 15 Inf Div at Gradiska could be secured. But that would take some marching and fighting to achieve: it was a race for both sides to secure the space left by the Turkish push to seal and destroy the pocket (where destroying enemy troops rather than securing territory had always been the principle objective). This time 12 SD, its work done at Mostar and needing time to recover from previous battle disorganisation, became the next southern unit to be redirected north.
An hour later, the Slovakian 2nd Division slipped into Makarska before 1 Mtn Div could occupy it and prepared to put up another stubborn fight. This time however the odds had been improved with the precautionary ordering of 6 Inf Div to join the advance, meaning they could commit to the battle straight away, without having to wait to reinforce.
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5. Other Reports: 21-24 Aug 42
21 Aug 42
As reported at the Moscow Conference, the aerial recon of Tobruk was completed (at some cost to 1 TAK) and the second fall of Midway Island to Japan was confirmed.
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22 Aug 42
At 7am HQ 1st Army pulled into its new location at Užice, closer to the front line. The HQ Security Officer set up a strict perimeter and instituted an extra layer of sentries and security procedures.
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23 Aug 42
OTL Event: Russia. The Luftwaffe conducted the first major bombing raid on Stalingrad. A rain of incendiary and explosive bombs killed more than 40,000 civilians and reduced most of the city to rubble. [Comment: Which actually made it easier for the Soviets to defend later.]The German 16th Panzer Division came within striking distance of the Stalingrad Tractor Factory, the Soviet Union's largest producer of T-34 tanks.
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24 Aug 42
German air raids resumed on Chisinau at 8am, at the top of the Turkish screen in eastern Romania, with two wings of Luftwaffe tactical bombers striking unopposed and doing heavy damage to the Comintern forces (Turkish, Romanian and Soviet) located there.
At 7pm, General Arikan’s HQ 1st Army Group reoccupied their old quarters in Sofiyah (recently left by HQ 1st Army), marking the completion of the recent command restructure and redeployment.
OTL Event: Russia. The German 6th Army attacked into the northern suburbs of Stalingrad.
OTL Event: The Pacific. The Battle of the Eastern Solomons began. The Japanese aircraft carrier Ryūjō was sunk by aircraft from USS Saratoga.[Comment: come on, US AI. Get to it! ]
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6. Special Report - Croatia
Ögel’s foreign intelligence directorate provided a general report on the Croatian puppet state following their implication in the assassination attempt on President Inönü at Novi Pazar on 20 August.
Establishment
The Independent State of Croatia (Serbo-Croatian: Nezavisna Država Hrvatska, NDH; German: Unabhängiger Staat Kroatien; Italian: Stato indipendente di Croazia) is a Fascist puppet state of Germany and Italy. It was established in parts of occupied Yugoslavia from 18 June 1940, after the invasion by the Axis powers at the start of the Great Patriotic War, when Turkey (UGNR) and the Soviet Union declared war on the Axis on 1 June 1940. Its capital was established in Zagreb. The Government of the Croatian GNR went into exile and currently resides in Istanbul (not feeling comfortable staying in any of the other GNRs formed from the former Yugoslavia).
Government
The NDH is governed as a one-party state by the fascist Ustaša organization. The Ustaše is led by the ‘Poglavnik’, Ante Pavelić. Earlier this year, Germany suggested Italy take military control of all of Croatia out of a desire to redirect German troops from Croatia to the Eastern Front. Italy however rejected the offer as it did not believe that it could handle the unstable situation in the Balkans alone. [Comment: This was an OTL political event that also seemed very appropriate in TTL.]
Poglavnik Ante Pavelic (left) with Italy's Duce Benito Mussolini (right) in Rome, Italy on 18 June 1940, during the ceremony of Italy's recognition of Croatia as a sovereign state under official Italian protection, and to agree upon Croatia's borders with Italy. He shows the traditional dictator’s penchant for military uniforms, strutting and raised-hand salutes, plus adopting a localised title of ‘Leader’.
Economic Policies
The NDH has adopted a strange hybrid economic credo entitled ‘Croatian Socialism’. The main characteristics of this system, which follows that of Nazi Germany, are the principles of a planned economy, with high levels of state involvement in economic life. The state supposedly aims to place the means of production in the hands of the peasants and create a ‘psychic unity’ among all classes and estates to work for the greater good of the national community, which is seen as more important than individual rights. Croatian socialism contends that work is not a private matter, but the source of all economic worth and the property of the community.
NDH Propaganda poster against capitalism. "This is their social justice!; Strikes; Unemployment; Hunger and misery."
Of course, to the non-Communist but Comintern-aligned UGNR, this system is a perversion of true socialism. Which, in private, the Turkish Government is not very keen on either. Some of the other pursuits of the NDH regime [in OTL], especially at the behest of the Nazis, are simply too despicable to relate here.
In the NDH most, if not all, industrial and economic activity is either monopolised, or given a high priority for exploitation, by Germany. Agreements between the two governments in late 1940 regulated foreign trade and payments and the export of Croatian labour to Germany. Germany already controlled a large number of industrial and mining enterprises in Croatia that were owned in part or in full by German citizens or citizens of German-occupied countries. Many other enterprises in Croatia, especially in the bauxite mining and timber industries, were leased to the Germans for the duration of the war.
The Recent Plot
Even though Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler has (according to partner reporting) characterised the Independent State of Croatia as "ridiculous", he is not above using them for his purposes:
Germany's Führer Adolf Hitler (left) with Poglavnik Ante Pavelić (right) at the Berghof, outside the Berchtesgaden, Germany, 10 August 1941. Turkish intelligence believes it was during this visit that Pavelić’s services were enlisted by the Germans, through Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, to assist the assassination attempt on Turkish President Inönü, Milli Şef of the UGNR.
Agent Cennet Kavgaci has recently arrived at the Croatian puppet-state’s capital, Zagreb. She will attempt to confirm Croatian complicity in the German-led murder plot against the Milli Şef and assemble a target list of Fascists and collaborators for ‘executive action’ by S.I.T.H. in the near term and for Interior Ministry attention after the liberation of Zagreb and the re-establishment of the rightful government of the Croatian GNR.
Cennet reports that Zagreb is currently a hotbed of German, Italian and Croatian Fascist military activity. In this photo, troops of the Croatian puppet state can be seen parading in Zagreb on 24 August 1942. They appear to be trying to instil order and a sense of security given rumours of the approaching Turkish advance, the attempt to kill President Inönü and the alleged involvement of the Croatian Fascists in its failed execution.
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Coming Up: An initial report on recent developments and Lord Kelebek’s expedition to Slovakia will be provided by S.I.T.H., via Ögel’s Foreign Intelligence Directorate. Combat on the Balkan Front will continue to remain heated as Hitler attempts to apply ‘the dragon’s breath’ along the Sava Sector to avenge the trapping of his soldiers (along with other Axis troops) in the Adriatic Pocket, which the Axis has acknowledged internally it can do little now to relieve. Reporting on events there within the Axis countries has become heavily censored, to fight ‘defeatism’ (ie any statement of the true situation).
How quickly can the Comintern grind down the pocket? Will the Axis be able to further exploit the weakened line along the Sava before troops freed from the fight for the pocket can reinforce it? And will the yawning gap in the line between the Adriatic and the Sava be closed before Axis forces counter-attack through it?
Further afield, will the Patriotic and Eastern Fronts continue to stabilise? After a brief resurgence, is the defence of Romania now in trouble again? Do the German air attacks on Chisinau presage a ground battle there, or is it another feint? Can the British take Tobruk and will Turkey attempt to invade either Bengasi or Tripoli by sea any time soon? Are Singapore and Rangoon doomed to Japanese occupation with the Comintern refusing to aid the British defence of South East Asia? Will the US take any measures to more seriously contest the Japanese domination of the Pacific with the second loss of Midway?
An excellent post all-around. I must confess, I had hoped for more excitement and decisiveness from the Moscow meetings, but it seems that we have come out of this more or less status quo all around. Which is to say, no one is interested in doing anything to help anyone else, as usual. Which I suppose suits Turkey just fine, as this can only mean more glory to be had for the Glorious Union!
The Axis partners in Europe had their own meeting on 23 August in Vienna, but it was a markedly different affair. Some christened it the ‘Big One Plus Three’ meeting.
I'm very confused, here. Why are enemy cabinets presented without a hilarious narrative lambasting the historical inaccuracy of their compositions? This simply will not do!
Hitler is confronted with the evidence contradicting his own rash claims and clumsy propaganda by Mussolini (left) and Count Ciano (right), Vienna, 23 August 1942. Despite Hitler’s increasingly tenuous grip on reality, on this occasion he looked more like a guilty schoolboy shown proof of his own misbehaviour. No doubt he would take it out on someone else when he got back to Berlin.
Agent Cennet Kavgaci has recently arrived at the Croatian puppet-state’s capital, Zagreb. She will attempt to confirm Croatian complicity in the German-led murder plot against the Milli Şef and assemble a target list of Fascists and collaborators for ‘executive action’ by S.I.T.H. in the near term and for Interior Ministry attention after the liberation of Zagreb and the re-establishment of the rightful government of the Croatian GNR.
Combat on the Balkan Front will continue to remain heated as Hitler attempts to apply ‘the dragon’s breath’ along the Sava Sector to avenge the trapping of his soldiers (along with other Axis troops) in the Adriatic Pocket, which the Axis has acknowledged internally it can do little now to relieve.
I'd love to see just how Mr. Hitler thinks he's going to find any "dragon's breath" to apply, seeing that he and his allies are about to lose several valuable divisions on a front that already lacks the man and fire power to hold back an offensive conducted by a power which, while certainly no slouch militarily, is known to be lacking in certain areas of military professionalism. I feel confident that these fighting words are all bark, no bite, to imply a rather less than flattering comparison!
Meanwhile, in Moscow, US representative Averell Harriman was received the ‘Most Favoured Partner Treatment’ from Stalin as they met for side-talks. In private, Stalin pressed Harriman hard for a US Second Front in Asia. Or at least a firm commitment and timing for one. But Harriman either could not or would not be pinned down to anything specific, just reiterating the ‘Japan First’ strategy espoused by Roosevelt.
Tying of the historical flavor and the photos to the storyline of the AAR is just tasteful, my manager shall expect little to no work to be done this Friday morning
Is there anything that is not done on the American AI AAR due to self imposed limitations of the AAR but we can try here as in adding specifically triggering objectives somehow? I don't have anything in mind because I don't know much about the mechanics but isn't there anything? Is it possible to put an objective to an ocean tile?
At the same time, the enemy attack on Doboj showed no sign of flagging. The problem there was that the enemy had the numbers and all three divisions were German, while the defenders consisted of a lighter (than the Turkish equivalent) Soviet rifle division and a corps HQ that only had two brigades attached, one of them militia.
I don't know how much 2 Mot is recovered but 15. Piyade is already healthy and on the other side of Sava, isn't an attack on Bosanski Brod from Prnjavor supported by 15. Piyade spoil their attack and give us another bridgehead?
Soon it's going to be the dying flatulence of fascism instead
I like that we're already redirecting divisions north, even though at some places we seem like under pressure in fact we'll have supremacy in that sector as well. I think it's not going to stay the Sava sector for long, in a short while we can call it the Danube sector and then it's holding the Carpathians while racing the plains of Hungary soon.
Thanks a lot for the long and fun chapter, as always it's been a delight to enjoy!
This photo, taken on Inönü’s arrival in Moscow on 22 August 1942, featured prominently in subsequent Soviet and Turkish – and indeed world – newspaper front pages. Much to the embarrassment of the Nazis.
This is just sublime. From what I know, Stalin insisted on picking up Inonu at the airport and having a photo opportunity then and there. He just couldn't wait to stick it to the German propaganda machine.
He had politely declined an invitation to stay in Soviet-provided accommodation. Mainly to ensure his private meetings with staff were not eavesdropped upon.
How naive. Just because you make your own arrangements for accommodations doesn't mean you aren't being eavesdropped upon. The NKVD has it's ears everywhere in the Soviet Union, and I would be surprised if they weren't up and running with a surveillance operation on the chosen location, within an hour. Also, the Turkish embassy is probably the worst place to stay if you don't want the NKVD to record what you're saying. I can neither confirm nor deny that there is an extensive NKVD operation specifically designed to listen in on what happens in the foreign embassies in Moscow. Of course this operation does not exist in any official capacity, as that would clearly be a breach of diplomatic protocol, but if it were to exist, rest assured that it's only there for the security of the Soviet State, and that of the Comintern.
It does seem Tobruch is out of the question, but Turkey would definitely benefit from a base, or 2 on the Libyan coast.
Of course, Churchill was notorious for such things. With places like Rhodes and Greece already covered and Norway firmly in Allied hands, but Burma and Malaya in clear and present danger, some modified Torch ideas and a somewhat daft and persistently held plan to attack Bangkok seemed within the realm of alternate history plausibility!
This is always very bad news for whomever he is frowning upon. The American representative is lucky he has 'diplomatic immunity', or this could have ended very badly.
Seems about right. From this, it is clear that the top brass in Moscow, including Comrade Stalin, still favour Turkey over the US, seeing the US as incompetent, and Turkey as punching above it's weight.
Too bad, I so wanted to see the Fuhrer in lederhosen...
The Sava front is slowly collapsing, but despite small mistakes by the Turkish high command (mis-clicks), the troops in the Adriatic pocket are doomed. That said, stabilising the front to the north is becoming rather urgent, so no further time should be wasted in taking prisoners and moving them far behind your lines so that they stay out of the war.
I'm glad to hear that Cennet is on the case in Zagreb, nothing but the best for this operation. I do hope she doesn't get found out, Zagreb being a hive of Axis activity, overt and covert.
Turkey has done well, risking a safe defensive line to prosecute a bold offensive that was bound to draw Axis attention from elsewhere, the Soviet Union will not forget Turkey's efforts and sacrifices for the good of the Comintern as a whole.
Looks like the chance for a SMELT operation has passed. I wouldn't want to stretch too far to Benghasi or Tripoli without significant development of naval and air assets that could support the landings, and now with our forces securing Split, then the Italians might try to sneak into our rear with their penchant for odd amphibious operations, especially one they can assault rapidly without much in the way of notice from across the Adriatic, which would be difficult to counter given their air support from Italy.
Guess those US Marines won't be going back "To the Shores of Tripoli" anytime soon...
The various members of the secret 'ensure turkey gains many clay' club awoke with much groaning and confusion. The basement of Kelebek's Pleasure Palace for orphaned kittens and battered fish (well, one of them) had been a scene of much drunken debauchery last night due to the imminent moscow conference. At last, they would push forward the agenda of turkish dominion over north africa and italy.
Mr Disko frowned, when he finally regained control of his facial muscles. "Er, chaps? Why are we tied up?"
The various men of the Clay Club squirmed in their various positions. For some reason, some or all of them decided to tie up everyone last night. And locked the doors.
And left a note saying: 'Gone to Moscow on Private Yacht. Don't wait up. -K'
Inönü, accompanied by Foreign Minister Aras, Supreme Commander Field Marshal Calistar, Commander 1st Corps Lieutenant General Fuad Calistar and supporting staff departed Beograd air base in their Turkish Air Force DC-3 on the evening of 21 August, arriving in Odessa that night.
In private, Stalin pressed Harriman hard for a US Second Front in Asia. Or at least a firm commitment and timing for one. But Harriman either could not or would not be pinned down to anything specific, just reiterating the ‘Japan First’ strategy espoused by Roosevelt.
US delegate Averell Harriman took similar precautions, but Churchill did not – much to the amusement of the Comintern partners present, who knew enough not to trust each other to that extent!
Kelebek had made the effort to wander through the NKVD a few times before now, and various clubs in London, so knew and had a little laugh about the russians obviously spying on everyone twice as hard in 'private' places as well as how they had no intention of spying on Churchill ever again. The man was just weird.
Churchill still wanted landings in North Africa, but advised that Tobruk would most likely be heavily garrisoned by the Italians. The Luftwaffe had aircraft based at its airfield and it therefore may not be an easy target for a naval landing. In any case, he asserted, British forces were already advancing on the key port and he was confident of occupying it in coming days.
...Maybe we should intervene here just to punish the brits for stealing africa just as we were about to steal it? Now they'll have to fight the vichys by themsevles pretty much. Yes...
He asked Inönü if he would intercede with the Americans to call for a naval landing in Bangkok, in an effort to try to knock that country out of the war and at least disrupt Japanese supply lines and rear areas before the key strategic asset and resource hub of Singapore was lost.
The facilities (port, air base and anti-aircraft batteries) were already damaged and the Italian forces to the south-east in Bardia seemed to be retreating into Tobruk as well. It indicated the British had driven them off and may soon be attacking Tobruk itself.
Stalin reported grave problems on the Patriotic and Eastern Fronts and that the Germans were making 'a tremendous effort to get to Leningrad, Odessa and the rest of Ukraine'.
Not worried about Leningrad but if they take anymore of Ukraine or romanian then we're in trouble. They'll have the oil to keep going and have outflanked romania...
Churchill expressed to Stalin that the Allies at this time could not afford to open a second front on continental Europe due to the fighting in North Africa, Burma and Malaya. Given the paucity of British resources and a perceived ‘limp’ commitment to substantial action in the European theatre, Stalin was hardly surprised, merely waving off this observation.
It was agreed that Vichy France should be left neutral for now and that any Turkish-American plans for an attack on Sicily would remain a mid-term option, unlikely to be considered before 1943. If they were to be used, Turkey’s marine force might be deployed in central or western Libya if the circumstances were right; or elsewhere if a target of opportunity arose. Inönü pointed out that with Turkey’s original strategic reserve committed to Central Asia and the reconstituted reserve more recently to eastern Romania, the marines were all they had left to deal with any emergency or unexpected contingency.
Mmm...again maybe we should upset the vichys just to punish Britian. If we take syria, the only people they can attack are the british in north africa, and we want there to be a big struggle there for the rest of the war really.
‘upstart Inönü and his ramshackle so-called union of mongrel countries’ should once again be taught a severe lesson, as had been done the year before after his previous ‘pathetic and doomed attack’.
I must confess, I had hoped for more excitement and decisiveness from the Moscow meetings, but it seems that we have come out of this more or less status quo all around.
I can neither confirm nor deny that there is an extensive NKVD operation specifically designed to listen in on what happens in the foreign embassies in Moscow.
Depends. The british are only relevant now because of their fight in asia. They've sunk the axis fleets in europe which makes everything they do in africa pointless. Unless they invade Normandy or the Japanese invade india, they're no longer important.
Good old days when I didn't feel any guilt after drinking enough to temporarily paralyze my face. Now there's much wailing and gnashing of teeth the morning after I have a few drinks
So, because there was lots of action in the last session, plus all the extra narrative stuff and the end-of-month reports to come, it will take two (slightly shorter than usual - which for me means only reasonably long) chapters to finish off. I'm going to go with another TT update before I switch back to Rome next (for those who follow that one). Gotta try to get this Great War Two finished at some point! The Summer Offensive has upped the ante on battlefield and its reporting, therefore I must try to crack on!
An excellent post all-around. I must confess, I had hoped for more excitement and decisiveness from the Moscow meetings, but it seems that we have come out of this more or less status quo all around. Which is to say, no one is interested in doing anything to help anyone else, as usual. Which I suppose suits Turkey just fine, as this can only mean more glory to be had for the Glorious Union!
Thank you! For these big Coalition conferences, there are three main drivers for them turning out as they do:
1. Practically, as the only human player with AI allies, I simply can't get them to really agree to anything in advance. Here, the Soviets have their work cut out for them already, so other than waiting for the Steamroller to get out of first gear (they're still only finishing infra, industry etc even after more than two years of the 'GLW') and start smashing stuff, not much I can squeeze out of them. The UK has been even more passive than usual and the'ye not allies, so I can't even set them objectives to ignore. And the US? Well, the dastardly @Eurasia has been letting his US AI keep subverting mine, and with Midway lost again, anything useful from them remains a ways off, I think. Other than stuff Turkey can do, nothing can be promised, and at the moment there are limits to what I can bother suggesting to the US. The UK is the one that keeps asking for things - most of which are either a bit silly or too obviously in their imperial interests, which as a rival faction I'm pretty wary of doing too much to help.
2. It's actually pretty realistic compared to OTL! If you follow the accounts of these meetings, there was lots of prevaricating and fobbing off (Second Fronts pushed from 1942 to 1944, etc) and the promises that were made early (mainly by the Allies to Stalin) were either foolishly unrealistic or deliberately duplicitous to keep them in the war. And Stalin wasn't going to give them anything except the rough end of the pineapple, if he could help it! Then the US and UK themselves were riven by tensions, suspicions and rival strategic approaches, between and within each other.
3. Again, quite realistically, they are as much or more about the theatre and propaganda than about strategic consensus across three wildly differing perspectives (four in this ATL). I approach them in the same way - much of the content is taken from actual outcomes or reports of the equivalent OTL conferences, adapted to the story here and with new bits added in. The Fascist meeting was just invented, but I think reasonably true to the way Hitler approached things and the power relationships with his European toadies. And a chance to deride, mock and poke fun at them. Which was a deliberate strategy - almost an industry - during WW2 for the Allies certainly. The Soviets - well, I think their approach was a little more stark and brutal, for good reason.
I'm very confused, here. Why are enemy cabinets presented without a hilarious narrative lambasting the historical inaccuracy of their compositions? This simply will not do!
Haha! I leave that to the experts. With very occasional exceptions, I pass over such Paradoxian things and wave the magic alt-history wand over it all. So people who may have died in OTL survive by some sliding-door mechanism in the ATL; poets have different formative experiences and become generals/ministers instead; etc. I try to love the game rather than hate it and (story-wise) take everything in it pretty much as perfectly realistic and logical outcomes of my having slid the door on Turkey in 1936. My narrative challenge is to try to make it all as plausible as possible (including the effect of non-game stuff-ups or computre glitches).
I do enjoy the photo-searching for these things: sometimes I find what I'm specifically looking for, other times I find something that just demands to be written up. This was one of them.
I'd love to see just how Mr. Hitler thinks he's going to find any "dragon's breath" to apply, seeing that he and his allies are about to lose several valuable divisions on a front that already lacks the man and fire power to hold back an offensive conducted by a power which, while certainly no slouch militarily, is known to be lacking in certain areas of military professionalism. I feel confident that these fighting words are all bark, no bite, to imply a rather less than flattering comparison!
Tying of the historical flavor and the photos to the storyline of the AAR is just tasteful, my manager shall expect little to no work to be done this Friday morning
Per above, I really enjoy that aspect. The more narrative chapters give me a chance to bring a few more of these 'flavour' illustrations in, often becoming the catalyst for a bit of a story in itself. I just sometimes go where the image takes me.
Is there anything that is not done on the American AI AAR due to self imposed limitations of the AAR but we can try here as in adding specifically triggering objectives somehow? I don't have anything in mind because I don't know much about the mechanics but isn't there anything? Is it possible to put an objective to an ocean tile?
Nothing really I think - you will see from @Eurasia and his American AAR that it's hard to get it to do that kind of thing even when you are directly giving the AI its objectives, let alone as an ally making general objective suggestions. I could try putting objectives on the Japanese home islands I suppose, but given they can't even hold Midway yet, I think that could be a bit premature! There will be a little more on the US - fleet movements and production - in the coming chapter or two (maybe the end of month one).
I don't know how much 2 Mot is recovered but 15. Piyade is already healthy and on the other side of Sava, isn't an attack on Bosanski Brod from Prnjavor supported by 15. Piyade spoil their attack and give us another bridgehead?
The problem there is 15 Inf Div is stuck out on a limb, with a big concentration of Axis forces around them and the enemy starting to encroach behind them in that gap between them and the Adriatic. They also don't have the benefit of the river to defend behind (having taken the bridgehead). I want them to dig in and hold on for now. I did cons9ider trying with 2 Mot Div, but they are also by themselves, on the same limb though no so far out as 15 Inf Div, and still quite disorganised after their own gruelling attack on Gradiska. And their spoiling attack would be over a river again, which they are (as we've seen) poorly equipped to do. With both, I ended up deciding I'd rather they both recovered and dug in (with the Italian Air Force and Luftwaffe also active in the area). If the enemy do get across to Doboj, as with Sabac, they should be exposed and easy enough to really hammer once I can get the bulk of the Adriatic forces back north again.
I like that we're already redirecting divisions north, even though at some places we seem like under pressure in fact we'll have supremacy in that sector as well. I think it's not going to stay the Sava sector for long, in a short while we can call it the Danube sector and then it's holding the Carpathians while racing the plains of Hungary soon.
More of that in the coming updates too - and you'll see why. I always like to get them moving to new threats or opportunities early, rather than using to sledgehammers to crack one nut.
This is just sublime. From what I know, Stalin insisted on picking up Inonu at the airport and having a photo opportunity then and there. He just couldn't wait to stick it to the German propaganda machine.
How naive. Just because you make your own arrangements for accommodations doesn't mean you aren't being eavesdropped upon. The NKVD has it's ears everywhere in the Soviet Union, and I would be surprised if they weren't up and running with a surveillance operation on the chosen location, within an hour. Also, the Turkish embassy is probably the worst place to stay if you don't want the NKVD to record what you're saying. I can neither confirm nor deny that there is an extensive NKVD operation specifically designed to listen in on what happens in the foreign embassies in Moscow. Of course this operation does not exist in any official capacity, as that would clearly be a breach of diplomatic protocol, but if it were to exist, rest assured that it's only there for the security of the Soviet State, and that of the Comintern.
It does seem Tobruch is out of the question, but Turkey would definitely benefit from a base, or 2 on the Libyan coast.
And this was based on the actual conduct of the OTL meeting. Churchill & co naively spoke of confidential matters in quarters provided by Stalin! <facepalm emoji>. At least in the Embassy the Turks can try to screen for bugs, and they would maintain at least one 'secure room' for those conversations. Not that they really have too much to hide from the Soviets in this instance, so it's not too much of a problem for them. The Soviets have plenty to hide though (from their partners and between rival arms of their own intelligence community and even within those arms) - some of which we'll read of in the next chapters. The Turks aren't the only ones with internal rivalries, as Agent SkitalecS3 would be only too aware.
As for North Africa: it is still simmering on the back-burner, but you will see that the decision to hold back for now may have been the prudent one ...
This is always very bad news for whomever he is frowning upon. The American representative is lucky he has 'diplomatic immunity', or this could have ended very badly.
Again, that was a quote direct from the OTL record when the Allies announced the delay of the Second (European) Front. Which had been foolishly 'promised' previously and which Roosevelt unrealistically thought could be done earlier than it could. And which Chirchill kept trying to put off beyond when it should have been.
Seems about right. From this, it is clear that the top brass in Moscow, including Comrade Stalin, still favour Turkey over the US, seeing the US as incompetent, and Turkey as punching above it's weight.
Yes, it's taking a while for the giant to awaken. If they ever will! I'm hoping so - though perhaps I've been spoiled by the UK and US AIs in my France game, who actually did help materially and with troops on the ground in that game.
The US: it was based off who they sent (three heads of government and one senior but lesser status rep). It's all about the egos of the principals with these things, not so much the number of battalions (though Stalin would be sure to remind them of those too, when the time came). Otherwise, the main propaganda purposes of the meeting were well served. Especially when compared to the embarrassing and flaccid Axis equivalent coincidentally held in Vienna at the same time.
The Sava front is slowly collapsing, but despite small mistakes by the Turkish high command (mis-clicks), the troops in the Adriatic pocket are doomed. That said, stabilising the front to the north is becoming rather urgent, so no further time should be wasted in taking prisoners and moving them far behind your lines so that they stay out of the war.
Yes, not much hope for the pocketed Axis units now (where there's a representative sample from all four of the European Axis participants trapped). You will see from the (already played through) follow-up events that the Turks are very keen to get as many troops as they can up north as quickly as possible. Even if it delays some of the mopping up a little.
I'm glad to hear that Cennet is on the case in Zagreb, nothing but the best for this operation. I do hope she doesn't get found out, Zagreb being a hive of Axis activity, overt and covert.
She will need to keep her eyes wide open. Zagreb was at one stage looking like it could be retaken soon, but cleaning up the pocket and Axis pressure has seen it spared the vengeful reoccupation that is coming - one day. But it could become a war zone in coming weeks or months. Cennet will need to either get out or hunker down if that happens.
Turkey has done well, risking a safe defensive line to prosecute a bold offensive that was bound to draw Axis attention from elsewhere, the Soviet Union will not forget Turkey's efforts and sacrifices for the good of the Comintern as a whole.
And the end of month summaries will show what is going on elsewhere. As is often the case in this conflict, it's 'snakes and ladders'. But whatever happens further afield, this action must surely have drawn Axis effort and blood and should continue to for a while.
That's a good idea re our old friend markkur. I'm afraid we won't be seeing him (or his like) again on the forum. A very right about pocketing dangers to the north: 15 Inf and 2 Mot Divs (two of our finest) are quite exposed right now and the Axis is encroaching further around them. Must suffer from any 'no retreat' Hitler Hubris if it comes to it.
Looks like the chance for a SMELT operation has passed. I wouldn't want to stretch too far to Benghasi or Tripoli without significant development of naval and air assets that could support the landings, and now with our forces securing Split, then the Italians might try to sneak into our rear with their penchant for odd amphibious operations, especially one they can assault rapidly without much in the way of notice from across the Adriatic, which would be difficult to counter given their air support from Italy.
Guess those US Marines won't be going back "To the Shores of Tripoli" anytime soon...
Bengasi and Tripoli are still on the planning boards, but the main game in the Balkans is getting down to a real tipping point (in different directions in different places) and in the end, I wanted those marines handy there just in case. As the next week panned out, I didn't regret holding them back. Hopefully the opportunity for a SMELT 2 will arise.
The various members of the secret 'ensure turkey gains many clay' club awoke with much groaning and confusion. The basement of Kelebek's Pleasure Palace for orphaned kittens and battered fish (well, one of them) had been a scene of much drunken debauchery last night due to the imminent moscow conference. At last, they would push forward the agenda of turkish dominion over north africa and italy.
Mr Disko frowned, when he finally regained control of his facial muscles. "Er, chaps? Why are we tied up?"
The various men of the Clay Club squirmed in their various positions. For some reason, some or all of them decided to tie up everyone last night. And locked the doors.
And left a note saying: 'Gone to Moscow on Private Yacht. Don't wait up. -K'
Kelebek had made the effort to wander through the NKVD a few times before now, and various clubs in London, so knew and had a little laugh about the russians obviously spying on everyone twice as hard in 'private' places as well as how they had no intention of spying on Churchill ever again. The man was just weird.
Yes, for now. You never know later. And if we really want North Africa later (I mean Egypt as well), then maybe we will take it after Germany (at least) has been defeated. The US and the Soviets would support us if we engineered a little Suez Crisis of our own, I'm sure!
...Maybe we should intervene here just to punish the brits for stealing africa just as we were about to steal it? Now they'll have to fight the vichys by themsevles pretty much. Yes...
In due course, I suspect so. I'd be surprised if the UK goes for it off their own bat, given their performance to date, though I suppose you never know.
As above. And yes, wouldn't want to risk a severe setback in the Balkans (and not just our immediate slice of it - Eastern Romania is still a worry too, not to mention central Romania and Bucharest/Ploiesti). The marines may be needed for non-amphibious work first in an emergency.
Maybe they will both just keep swapping it back and forth. Japan finds in easier to do it when the US won't concentrate their main fleet against the IJN invasion force. Still, they do at least have a number of sub groups roaming around, which went pretty well in OTL as the war progressed.
Not worried about Leningrad but if they take anymore of Ukraine or romanian then we're in trouble. They'll have the oil to keep going and have outflanked romania...
I'd be a bit worried about Leningrad, as it's quite an important hub and centre. But mainly if it opened up that flank - and maybe then drew an opportunistic Finland into the war. But yes, most immediately Ukraine and Romania are the near and present dangers for Turkey.
Mmm...again maybe we should upset the vichys just to punish Britian. If we take syria, the only people they can attack are the british in north africa, and we want there to be a big struggle there for the rest of the war really.
As above, the Tripoli option may be on the back-burner, but is still on simmer. I'll definitely grab Syria at some point (uncomfortable parallels to current events, but: Official Disclaimer to General ReadAARs: This is a work of fiction, set 75+ years ago, in an alt-history universe. It voices no actual opinions in relation to real events, historical or current. Any such reference is a coincidence.
Said it all above in response to @nuclearslurpee 's comment. I agreed and though all this myself when writing it, but had to go with both the historically feasible parallels of OTL and what the game permits. These conferences are all about big egos bouncing off each other and each telling themselves they have their counterparts charmed, hoodwinked or browbeaten into doing what's in their own best interest.
Such things should always be assumed as a matter of course. The time for that briefing is before you leave. Memo to Churchill: next time get a Foreign Intelligence Services pre-brief before you attend one of these shindigs!
Depends. The british are only relevant now because of their fight in asia. They've sunk the axis fleets in europe which makes everything they do in africa pointless. Unless they invade Normandy or the Japanese invade india, they're no longer important.
Good old days when I didn't feel any guilt after drinking enough to temporarily paralyze my face. Now there's much wailing and gnashing of teeth the morning after I have a few drinks
Thanks everyone for a brilliant round of comments and to everyone else reading for your continued readership. I'll see if I can get another episode up in the next day or two.
Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha! Ahem...I mean I am doing no such thing. Nobody is sending the IJN tips or hints. NOR is anybody passing on information to the Japanese about American positions, strengthens, and shipping routes.
I do enjoy the photo-searching for these things: sometimes I find what I'm specifically looking for, other times I find something that just demands to be written up. This was one of them.
