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But I am not authorized for * I merely wanted to pay a quick homage to the baker. iirc, he mentioned; "The effort was something more folks were doing once upon a time." Anyway, the Grain-silo actually well-represents in my mind, a lot of AAR-material placed inside a single story. iow...a tremendous content-effort. And to think this is one of three for you...is a bit mind-blowing for this silver-beard.
That’s good too, as I’m a ‘traditionalist’ at heart re AARs (ie in the military sense and origin of an AAR - it’s supposed to report action). But seeing other more narrative efforts in AARland influenced where this one has gone.
I think you may enjoy both the Springtime for Hitler and Great Conspiracy story arcs, plus some of Luca’s exploits and the Dark Doings of Darth Kelebek and the S.I.T.H.!
Thanks - always a humbling thing to have people hop into a long work. I hope you enjoy and find some amusement along the way . And if there are any bits you do feel like commenting on or asking about, please feel free. Doesn’t matter to me, or I’m sure other readers, how far back it is.
Chapter 40: Atatürk Declares "The Trains Will Run on Time!" (10 to 31 January 1938)
Railroaded into War
The big redeployment technically began early on 9 Jan 38, when Turkey’s rolling stock was ordered to begin loading Army units scattered across the former Yugoslavian battlefield, in preparation for wherever they may next be sent by the Cabinet. This meant assembling two full corps, who had until the day before been in combat with the enemy, plus all their equipment, to railheads. Once their destination – at the opposite end of the Greater Turkish Republic – was designated (as it was the next day), they would then need to have trains assigned and timetabled, routed through occupied Yugoslavia, via Bulgaria, through Istanbul and Ankara to distant Van, near the border with Persia. A massive undertaking when appreciated in its reality.
Although most of the Turkish leadership were experienced soldiers, cloistered away in Ankara as they were they still had a somewhat idealistic view of what this would look like on the ground, as the 'efficient' Turkish rail and logistics system swung into diligent action, like a well-oiled machine.
The kind of image Atatürk and the Cabinet had in their mind's eye for the great eastward redeployment of the army for Operation Chaldiran.
As you have probably guessed by now, the reality was somewhat different! This was a massive undertaking, had not yet been planned in detail, and would take weeks, not days, to complete. Though as the initial chaos of the embarkation died down, it was replaced by simple slow and delay-plagued disorder.
The reality of what the Turkish soldiers encountered as they received orders for their hasty embarkation in Yugoslavia.
Of course, the common soldiers had not been given any firm ideas of their destination. Their initial hope was for some R&R: but as the trains rolled through Sofiya, then Istanbul and ever onwards, they knew this was not to be. The next rumour (fed by Kaya’s State Disinformation Service) was they were all heading for a massive victory parade in Ankara. But as the days and miles rolled by, from one track-side rationing, watering and refueling stop to another, security increased and their collective mood became more pensive. So this was their reward for winning a gruelling winter campaign in Yugoslavia: weeks cooped up on trains going from one end of the country to the other! A good thing their morale was high and the troops were imbued with the Glorious Legend of Resurgent Turkish Arms (a product of Guildenstern's propaganda writing team - the same one that had earlier helped put together the infamous Operation Minotaur poster for the Crete campaign).
New Units and Commanders
On 10 Jan 38, the first new anti-tank brigade was placed, to begin gearing up in Istanbul. It will one day form part of the new specialist defensive divisions being created to bolster the Calistar Line – the Republic’s last line of defence to prevent a future Axis overrun of the Motherland. As the first of its type in the Turkish Army, its specifications are detailed. This is a very basic unit for now: any equipment improvements would be welcome, but would not yet be cost-effective to pursue, given how few of these weapons we currently have.
On the same day, the first round of appointments of new commanders, who have just graduated from the Turkish War College Class of 1938, are placed. 11 Inf and 3 Cav Divs are finally allocated full-time commanders, the top graduates of the class. 19 Inf Div, still in its Caucasus Front guarding role, is also given a commander. The rest are kept in reserve for now, for future appointments.
Units within 1st and 2nd Corps will for now be left as they are. Any adjustments will be made after they arrive together in Van, the stepping off point for Case Green – Operation Chaldiran, the invasion of Persia. The next AC Brigade is earmarked for 3 Cav Div. 1 Cav Div will receive the new LARM brigade when it becomes available in a few weeks, meaning a cavalry brigade will be available for transfer to 3 Cav Div as well, bringing it up to its full combat strength (in the same configuration that served 1 Cav Div so well during the recent New Balkan War). It is hoped the relatively modest amounts of fuel the two cavalry divisions will require will still be sustainable for the coming Persian campaign. If not, adjustments may need to be made.
Leadership Allocation
In a meeting between Intelligence Head Ögel and Chief of Staff Örlungat on 11 Jan 38, it was agreed that LS devoted to espionage could be reduced to a minimum (seven spare spies are now in waiting for assignment), to keep research topped up to 100% and re-allocate the bulk to officer training. With new units due to come on line soon and officer strength still only around 105%, this is a good time to prepare for the next stage of Turkish military modernisation.
The Great Victory Parade in Ankara
Some detachments of troops were indeed allowed to rest briefly in Ankara, to take part in the obligatory victory parades and to receive new unit battle citations. The battles are richly embroidered on their unit standards and large quantities of new campaign medals are struck, to be presented to their comrades once all were assembled in their new spring quarters in the east. Huzzah!
On 16 January 1938, the War Flag of the Greater Turkish Republic was unfurled at the head of Republic Boulevard in Ankara, to mark the beginning of the parade.
Here, President Atatürk is seen at one of his last major public appearances.As his health worsened during the year, he was seen less and less. But he was determined not to miss this parade, which he (and historians) considered signified the crowning achievement of his life’s work. Having created and securedthe Republic, he had now taken it to the status of a significant regional power in the modern world of the late 1930s. It would be for others to see how much further along the Path to Glory they could take his cherished Turkish Republic.
Detachments from all the units that had participated in the New Balkan War marched in their designated order, led (as in combat) by Major General Wehib Pasha, now fully rehabilitated and reconciled with Atatürk and the rest of his colleagues after some differences following the defeat of Greece in 1923 [Ed: A nod here to El Pip’s previous research], with his famed 1 Cav Div.
New battle standards, emblazoned with all the new honours awarded during the New Balkan War, are presented to all units.
Here, Prime Minister and 1st Corps Commander Ismet Inönü presents new colours to the highly decorated 3 Inf Div, led by Major General Karabekir.
At this point, it is worth noting which units have been allocated battle honours across the entire War. It serves as a reminder of the epic battles fought all the way from the beginning of the Bulgarian campaign in March 1937, through to the end of the war in Yugoslavia in January 1938.
HQ 1st Corps: (participated all campaigns, no major battle honours yet)
Here is an illustration of the 1st Infantry Division battle standard (an English script version shown here) as presented at the New Balkan War Victory Parade in Ankara on 16 January 1938. Each unit flag was of standardised design, with only the unit titles and battle honours changing.
During this brief period of peace – both to celebrate modern Turkey and to help mask preparations for the highly-classified Operation Chaldiran – the great Izmir International Trade Fair was staged in February 1938, to hopefully draw all eyes west to Izmir … not east, to an obscure mountain province near the Persian border.
A 12 Kuruş (100 Kuruş to the Lira) stamp issued in January 1938, celebrating the Izmir International Fair that year.
Technological Advance
On 21 January 1938, Calistar reports that Industrial Production has advanced – welcome news indeed. Research effort is now directed into developing Turkey’s first commercial Mechanical Computing Machine: given how little LS we are able to spare for research, improving the efficiency of all current and future research is of critical importance to dragging Turkey out of its largely Great War era state of defence technology.
The Axis Discovers Turkey!
Also on 21 January 1938, for the first time, Security Minister Kaya reports that foreign interests are influencing Turkish public affairs. Not through espionage, but by the spreading of agit-prop and other ‘fake news’ in public, designed to sway the national mood. Strangely enough, this is not being done by the Germans, or even the Hungarians: the Axis is using Japan as the agent provocateur in this case! This is actually smart, letting the Hitlerites plausibly deny they have anything to do with it. But Kaya knows better. He is on the warpath, looking for conspiracies. As far as he is concerned, that is pretty much everything he sees.
There is not much that can be done about this at the moment: such efforts had been anticipated, hence allowing for a conservative estimate of when alignment to the Comintern may become possible. It is expected that such influence will be episodic, as our alignment efforts cost us nothing, while other countries must expend LS to exert influence on us. We will just have to wait it out and stay the course.
Kaya will be especially on the lookout for anyone promoting Axis values, especially any in favour of the Germans. Such band-wagoning will be viewed very dimly. Or in Kaya’s case, very darkly (so dark in fact that said proponents are likely to disappear on a very dark night and never be seen again). A fact of which Ankara’s new theatre promoters – Bialystock and Bloom Productions have moved their operations to Ankara now, as their play goes into casting and rehearsal – seem blithely unaware. Oh dear: the words “sense of humour” are never used in combination with the name Şükrü Kaya. [Ed: this was just a randomly generated game event – how exquisitely timed!]
Şükrü Kaya, Turkey’s Interior Minister, seen here with Atatürk during the victory celebrations in January 1938. He is not amused. He is never amused.
Meanwhile, at Bialystock and Bloom Productions’ new Ankara offices …
As Kaya is contemplating what hideous measures he will employ to stifle any pro-Hitler propaganda he discovers lurking in the dark byways of Turkey’s extreme right-wing underground, Max is happily pushing on with his all-singing, all-dancing interpretation of Franz Liebkind’s “Springtime for Hitler”. At least he is keeping his play under a cloak of secrecy – and it is also the last place Kaya would expect a right-wing conspiracy to be incubating! For now, Max and Leo are safe – but how long will that last?
Max and Leo are casting, with Franz (who is looking very conspicuous in his German helmet). The Director, Roger De Bris, is still on his way from New York. He is currently on the Orient Express, from where he will alight in Istanbul to do additional casting before joining them in Ankara.
Max claps his hands to the milling crowd of auditioning actors and dancers. “Will all the dancing Hitlers please wait in the wings. We're only taking the singing Hitlers.” The dancing Hitlers leave the small stage, while Leo gets the singing Hitlers to line up. All are wearing versions of the famous Hitler moustache – some more convincingly than others.
“OK,” says Leo, reading from his list. “Mehmet, you’re first up. Tell us a little about yourself.”
Mehmet starts speaking in a somewhat strangulated tenor’s voice. “I was the lead tenor of the Diyarbakir Opera Company for two seasons. I just finished a road tour of The Student Prince. And last season I was up for the lead in the Istanbul production of Circus Man.”
Max: “What happened?”
Mehmet: “I didn’t get it.”
Leo: “What are you going to sing for us Mehmet?”
Mehmet: “The soliloquy from Carousel.” The piano plays and he starts singing. “My boy Bill will be strong and as tall as a...”
Max quickly puts this misery to a stop. “Thank you, Mehmet. Next!”
Ali is next. A big, barrel-chested man – with a fake Hitler moustache, of course.
“For the last sixteen years I’ve been touring with ‘Naughty Marietta’”, says Ali, in a very deep basso voice. “I’m going to sing ‘Stout-Hearted Men',” He clears his throat and begins. “Give me some men; Who are stout-hearted men; Who will fight for the right they adore …”
Max: “Thank you, next!”
This continues in the same vein for some time. They hear from a small bald Hitler, an Italian basso one, a delicate Hitler and finally a short-haired female Hitler, who does her own rendition of ‘Stout-Hearted Men'.
“I think that's enough Hitlers for one day. Maybe we'll get lucky tomorrow,” says Leo wearily.
“You'd think out of all those Hitlers you could find just one,” says an exasperated Max.
“It was the same thing in Germany,” ventures Franz. “They looked for years before they found the right Hitler.” This earns him a couple of fishy sideways looks from Max and Leo, but Franz is (as always) oblivious.
They are just about to leave when a young person in a leather doublet, high leather boots and with very long hair wanders in, distractedly. He carries a guitar.
“And who are you? Tell us a bit about yourself and why you are here in Ankara,” asks Max.
“Lorenzo St. DuBois, but everyone calls me LSD,” he answers vaguely. “Here on 'holiday' from Basel in Switzerland. I used to work for Sandoz Pharmaceutical, but I’d been, ah, experimenting with a few of their new compounds, so I was kicked out and found myself here*. Thought I’d check out the, er, scene here in Turkey. Y’know, man?"
LSD looks around. "So is this the audition for the musical version of The Great Dictator being put on by the Ankara Players? It’s just I saw all these Charlie Chaplin look-alikes walking out …”
“No, Lorenzo, I’m afraid you’ve wandered into ze wrong theatre,” Franz points out coldly.
“Wait!” Max shouts out as LSD begins to wander out. “Yes, this is The Great Dictator audition! Let’s hear him. What have we got to lose? What have you done, LSD?”
“Six months, but I got out early on probation, so it's cool now, baby.”
“I mean in show business," says Max patiently. He is used to dealing with ‘distracted’ show-business types.
“Oh, in show business. Well, let's put it this way, my next job will be my debut.” At least Lorenzo is disarmingly honest.
“What do you do best?” asks Leo.
“Hey, man, I can't do that here, that's what they put me away for!” exclaims LSD.
“Ah, no, we just meant what do you sing best.”
“OK,” says LSD. “Here's a little thing I wrote last night in my sleep. It's a Hindu Zen Folk Throat-singing Ballad."
Away he goes, with phrases such as “I’m the victim of a multi-mystic freak-out,” “connect with the infinite,” and “turn on the world” featuring prominently.
LSD finishes. Max, Leo and Franz are stunned.
Bialystock is the first to recover: “That’s our Hitler!” He is delighted.
“Vaaat!?” Franz howls in despair. Of course, he is unaware of Max’s ulterior motive. “And he has long hair!”
“Don't look at the outside, look at the inside, " says Max. "It's the inner Hitler we're after. The young beautiful Hitler, who danced his way to glory. This is an exciting piece of off-beat casting – just the kind of thing Roger De Bris will love. Franz, trust me. I promise, I won’t let you down.”
“All right, but remember, if you damage the Fuhrer’s reputation …” Franz pauses. “I kill you.”
Leo Bloom, Franz Liebkind and Max Bialystock: each in their habitual emotional state.
Now they are on their way – Springtime awaits!
Now, this LSD reference is in the original screenplay for “The Producers”. As was the earlier reference to Max “going to a Turkish bath” – gold!
The play was originally set much later in OTL. To ensure there would be no obvious anachronism in this adaptation and reinterpretation, I quickly (academically and not exhaustively, mind you!!) researched this topic, to see if it could justifiably be referenced in a 1938 alternate history context. Otherwise, I’d have to change that aspect of the play’s story or just delete it. But I found this reference below, which timed its first discovery to 1938! With serendipitous comedic gold such as that, how could I resist? The plotline, I mean. And the name could even be plausibly passed off as perhaps a Swiss Franco-Italian mix.
To paraphrase Marx (the clever one - Groucho, not Karl), for those who don’t believe me see the introductory quote below from “LSD: A short History” (at this web site for those who want more detail) http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/lsd/a-short-history.html
“Albert Hofmann, a chemist working for Sandoz Pharmaceutical, synthesized LSD for the first time in 1938, in Basel, Switzerland, while looking for a blood stimulant. However, its hallucinogenic effects were unknown until 1943 when Hofmann accidentally consumed some LSD. It was later found that an oral dose of as little as 25 micrograms (equal in weight to a few grains of salt) is capable of producing vivid hallucinations.”
“Harvard psychologist Timothy Leary, who promoted LSD and other mind-bending psychiatric drugs, was arrested and imprisoned for drug-related crimes.”
“Because of its similarity to a chemical present in the brain and its similarity in effects to certain aspects of psychosis, LSD was used in experiments by psychiatrists through the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. While the researchers failed to discover any medical use for the drug, the free samples supplied by Sandoz Pharmaceuticals for the experiments were distributed broadly, leading to wide use of this substance.”
“While the ‘60s counterculture used the drug to escape the problems of society, the Western intelligence community and the military saw it as a potential chemical weapon. In 1951, these organizations began a series of experiments. US researchers noted that LSD ‘is capable of rendering whole groups of people, including military forces, indifferent to their surroundings and situations, interfering with planning and judgment, and even creating apprehension, uncontrollable confusion and terror.’”
This is the limit of my research, but it will do for these purposes. Hence, Lorenzo “accidentally consumed” (yes, I too did a double-take when I read that in the article) some of his master’s compound soon after its discovery. Let’s hope Kaya and Ögel don’t get ahold of this information, as they wouldn’t hesitate to use anything at their disposal as a “Weapon of Mass Distraction”! I couldn't go with a "Rock ballad" (as the script called for) though, so settled on the even more egregious option of throat-singing. Could have been worse: Lorenzo is Swiss in this story - it could have been yodelling!
Disclaimer: nothing in this AAR should be taken as an endorsement or encouragement of illegal drug use in any way. Just don’t do it!
2nd Infantry Division (Support) is formed
The first of the new ‘support’ divisions is formed on 24 Jan 38, with the first Turkish AA brigade joining the first AT brigade in Istanbul. Infantry brigades will be added later. The new 2nd Infantry Division is given one of the ‘new boys’ as a commander.
Sino-Japanese War Update
In East Asia, Japan continues its seemingly inexorable advance. On 28 Jan 38, they knocked Nationalist China’s ally out of the war. Further east, Shanghai has also recently fallen to Japan – another major blow to Chinese strength and prestige.
A map showing the front in China just four days before the conquest and occupation of Shanxi by Japan.
Tanks come to Turkey
In the third major military development milestone of the month, Turkey’s first Light Armoured brigade, a license-built unit of admittedly small and primitive CV-33 tanks, is commissioned on 31 Jan 38. These light armoured fighting vehicles are only intended for use with 1 Cav Div, more in an armed reconnaissance and advanced guard role. Whether future AFVs will be built from Turkish designs or license-built from overseas designs, this represents an early start on a combat arm that may hopefully come into its own in later years. The unit is raised in Van, where it will train until it is joined by 1 Cav Div, currently entrained and on its way from Yugoslavia. Humble beginnings, but an exciting start for the Turkish Armoured Corps, which until now has consisted of a single AC brigade.
The earlier raising of the AA brigade and now the LARM brigade left room on the production line for new units. The emphasis will go back for now to conventional units to help raise a second mountain division and to start bolstering the new 2nd Division that will help man the Calistar Line.
A slow train to Persia
And by the end of January, the bulk of the army is past Ankara and on its way to Van. The picture below shows lead elements of 1 Mtn Div on board the Baghdad Express, steadily heading east.
Of course, the majority of the senior officers are back in Ankara: they will not leave until the last minute. Apart from anything else, they have tickets to the new play everyone is talking about. It is even rumoured that the war with Persia may be delayed a few weeks if necessary so the leading lights of the Republic can take it in. A frivolous thought of course, but still …
Coming Up: Luca Brasi has now disappeared from view – rumours abound as to where he might be. Some say he has gone to Persia, others back to Romania. The boldest wonder whether he might have met his match and could now be wearing ‘concrete boots’, perhaps the victim of an old Sicilian feud. Only Ögel knows for sure and, as we know, he knows how to keep a secret. What could it all mean?
Braanszon Guildenstern is starting to worry about the funds he has misappropriated from the Propaganda Department’s advertising budget to invest in the play: he should be safe, but his plan is to use the expected windfall from Bialystock’s play to replace the funds before anyone notices, pocketing the rest with Persephonee for a tidy 'killing'. Though he winces a little to himself as he thinks of that expression. Given everything he has heard, the play should be a great success, but he can’t help thinking he may have got a bit carried away. Still, greed is good, so he will persist with the enterprise. What’s the worst that could happen?
Hahaha this chapter made guffaw loudly. From the slapstick auditions to the disclaimer on drug use. Love it! Very different from the usual style but no less effective for being farcical. Good job
Hahaha this chapter made guffaw loudly. From the slapstick auditions to the disclaimer on drug use. Love it! Very different from the usual style but no less effective for being farcical. Good job
I'm glad you liked it - it was one of my most enjoyable to write so far! As I mentioned before, Book 2 is far more story/narrative focused, though there is of course plenty of gameplay and wars reported.
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Chapter 96: An Ominous October (1 to 14 October 1940)
Chapter 96: An Ominous October (1 to 14 October 1940)
Edit: Dear readers can also consider this post (give or take time zone differences) as the Anniversary Edition (given this AAR started on 24 January 2017).
Prologue – A Hospital, Zurich
Flashback: Cennet is at the Zurich hospital where Ambassador Vatan ‘Vito’ Ceylan remains in a critical condition. He is yet to regain consciousness. It is two days after the attempt on his life.
Cennet, seemingly just another visitor in a nearby waiting room, keeps a regular eye on Ceylan’s private suite, where a Swiss uniformed police officer stands guard, on rotation. Late that night, she returns from a quick trip to the rest room to find the nurse’s station empty and the guard absent. She dashes down the corridor to Ceylan’s room and hesitates before opening the door. The room is only dimly lit. He lies in the bed and it is not clear whether he is still alive. She walks up to check on him …
As she does so, a nurse walks into the room. “What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here now!” she says.
“I’m from the Turkish Embassy. This is my Ambassador.” After a short pause, Cennet continues: "There's nobody here. What happened to the guard?”
“His Excellency just had too many visitors. They interfered with hospital service. The police guard got orders to leave about ten minutes ago.” After checking Ceylan’s pulse, the nurse begins to leave.
“Nurse, wait a minute. Stay here.”
“I’m sorry, but you will have to leave, Fräulein.”
“You and I are going to move the Ambassador to another room. Now can you disconnect those tubes so we can move the bed out?”
“That's out of the question!”
“You know the Ambassador and what happened to him? Men are coming here to kill him. You understand? Now help me.”
Cennet’s quick thinking foiled a second attempt on Vito Ceylan’s life. The Tattaglias had apparently paid off a mid-level Swiss police officer to briefly call the guard away, long enough for an assassin to finish the work they had begun. Their assassin arrived to find the room empty and additional security from the Embassy soon came to secure their Ambassador, while they waited for the police guard to be reinstated - and increased. The Swiss were now very embarrassed by this breach, meaning the Turks had more latitude. That and the fact they were combatting Mafia figures.
---xxx---
The Next Day: Ceylan is slowly recuperating – he may pull through. The Foreign Ministry in Ankara has cabled Zurich, giving instructions to lower the temperature of events, avoid antagonising the Swiss now that it looks like Ceylan will survive and await further orders. But the orders Sonny Ceylan and the other S.I.T.H. agents in Zurich have received from Ögel and their HQ are more ‘forward-leaning’. They have been asked to prepare plans for ‘retaliation’, but to await further orders before putting things in motion. Kelebek has been recalled from his ‘holiday’ at Mt Etna and told to position himself near the Tattaglias' compound in Sicily.
Polat Cumali arrives at the Embassy, accompanied by (fellow S.I.T.H. operative) Cennet and Tom Heygan (First Counsellor - or ‘Consiglieri’, as Cumali likes to calls him). As they enter the compound, they notice there are armed men all over the place.
Cumali greets the deputy chief of security at the Embassy: “Hey, Mustafa, what's with all the new faces?”
“We need 'em now,” says Mustafa. “You know after the hospital thing, Sonny got mad. Well, Kelebek hit Bruno Tattaglia on his orders at four o'clock this morning.”
“Jesus Christ!” Cumali turns to Tom. “It looks like a fortress around here...”
---xxx---
Inside, Sonny Ceylan is excited and hyperactive. “Hey, Tom-Tom, I got twenty guys on the street. That Carlo Rizzi shows one hair on his ass, he’s dead!”
“Sonny, you’ve got to be careful. We have a bit of slack now, but the Swiss will crack down on us and we don’t know how long the border with France will remain open.” Tom is worried. “And you’ve done this without approval from Ankara - or your father.”
“Fougeddaboudit, I can read between the lines Tom. I know what Ögel really wanted. And listen to this, Rizzi wants to talk. Imagine the nerve of the sonofabitch, eh? Craps out last night, and wants a meetin' today.”
“What did he say?”
“What did he say? Badda-beep, badda-bap, badda-boop, badda-beep! He wants us to send you to talk. And the promise is, that the deal is so good, that we can't refuse. Eh...”
“What about Bruno Tattaglia?”
“That's part of the deal. Bruno cancels out what they did to my father.”
“Sonny, we ought to hear what they have to say...”
“No, no, no! No more! Not this time, consiglieri.” Sonny is agitated by now. He moves to stand in front of Heygan. “No more meetings, no more discussions, no more Rizzi tricks. It's all-out war - we ‘go to the mattresses’ as those mobsters like to say.”
“The Swiss won’t sit still for all-out war!”
“Then they hand me Rizzi!”
“Your father wouldn't want to hear this! This is business, not personal, Sonny!”
---xxx---
1. Turkey
The latest battle in Senta started with a strong attack by four Axis divisions on 28 September. It finishes on the morning of 1 October, with heavy casualties on both sides. In addition, enemy air raids kill another 221 defenders on that day. Added to those from 28-30 September, a total of 1,447 defenders are killed, on top of the land battle casualties.
After sounding out the British Ambassador in Ankara and hearing a request may be well received, Aras authorises the expenditure of diplomatic effort [ie the three dip points] to seek lend-lease support from the UK. The answer is received by return cable just an hour later!
This shows how support ramped up over the following week to a reasonably steady state:
Definitely better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick!
On 2 October, a new INF brigade is added to 2 Inf Div, which will now lose the ‘Light’ designation.
And, out of the blue, a favourable trade deal for metals, the one resource running at a deficit in Turkey, was offered by our good friends [!?] in Chile. Given we’d been unable to do a ‘Comintern free trade’ for it, we take it. Turkey will run the risk of the convoy, hoping the recent attrition on Axis naval raiders is sufficient for us to be able to sustain it.
On 3 October, the battered 9 Inf Div is rotated out of Senta south to Ada to recuperate, with 10 Inf Div having come from there at the end of September to bolster the line. On 4 October industrial efficiency is improved and efforts are directed next to developing Turkish artillery equipment, which still lags behind modern standards.
A lone air raid on Sânnicolau Mare causes 161 casualties on 5 October, but the feared renewed attack does not eventuate. By 7 October, with British lend-lease support fully kicking in, the production queue is fully serviced again and a new militia brigade is started – the first new build initiated in quite some time. On 9 October, the Germans attack Sânnicolau Mare with a single division and air attacks resume later that morning.
That battle is soon broken off [strangely, no results screen was seen – or not that I recorded, anyway], but the attack is soon resumed by the dreaded MAJGEN Busch and his 23rd Inf Div on 10 October. As always, he attacks with vigour and superior tactics!
With the Romanian 1st Cav Div withdrawing and the Turkish 1 Inf Div coming under pressure, Wehib Pasha’s elite 1 Cav Div is ordered to reinforce the defence of Sânnicolau Mare on the morning of 11 October.
By that night, victory is reported. In addition to these battle casualties, a further 1,110 defenders were killed by enemy air strikes from 9 to 11 October.
Within an hour of this, a new German attack is launched on the tired defenders of Sânnicolau Mare, at the same time as an a Hungarian assault on Senta. Both these attacks are seen off with relatively light Turkish casualties on 12 October. Axis air attacks switched to Senta that day, causing another 439 casualties there.
After being delayed by the spoiling attack on Senta, 1 Cav Div arrives in Sânnicolau Mare on the morning of 13 October, in anticipation of further likely Axis attacks there.
Air attacks resume on Sânnicolau Mare on 14 October, though only killing 239 in three attacks that day, but no ground attack has been launched by the end of the day. In summary, no ground has changed hands on the Turkish sector in the past two weeks, with air raids causing a good deal more Turkish casualties than ground battles.
---xxx---
2. Eastern Front – Romanian and Soviet Sectors
On 2 October, Soviet liaison reports that an SS division has retaken the key Prussian border town of Memel, though a counter-attack is planned. The counter-attack succeeds, with the SS driven out and Memel retaken by late on 7 October. By midnight that day, in a worrying development, Axis forces (German units under Hungarian command) have seized a three-province strip along the Romanian border.
By midnight on 14 October, Romanian armour has retaken the southernmost of these (Arad), but the rest remain in Axis hands. Further north, Humenne was lost in the first week, but the Soviets advanced to its south.
Dashed arrows are ground previously taken in the first week, solid arrows in the second.
In the north of the Soviet sector, Memel remains in Soviet hands by 14 October; the Germans have advanced to its south and the Soviets to the south of that. As has been the case for the last few months, each side here swaps territory on roughly even terms.
The first report is sent by our senior military intelligence representative in Moscow – known only by his code name Boğafiltresi. He has been permitted to view some recently captured German equipment at a secret military warehouse on the outskirts of Moscow. While no major German panzer formations have been fielded so far on the Eastern Front, the French have apparently shipped an example of the German Panzerkampfwagen IV to the Soviets for technical examination. They in turn have permitted Turkish technicians to share in this inspection. Boğafiltresi has begun sending some of his photos back to Ankara, along with analysis reports on specifications. If France falls, we may be seeing these in large quantities on the Eastern Front! We must be prepared.
Boğafiltresi’s Comment: Stalin’s presence can be felt everywhere: this portrait was at the entrance to the facility. Perhaps we should consider following this example in Turkey, with more extensive use our Glorious Milli Şef’s image.
Boğafiltresi’s Comment: Front and side profile of the Panzer IV. Technical specifications enclosed, for our AT specialists’ analysis.
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3. France
By 2 October, reports are received from French liaison that two provinces near Paris (Neufchatel en Bray and Meaux), have been taken by Germany. On 4 October, even more concerning information is received from France – so much so that more detailed reports than usual are requested from our French partners. The southern remnant of the Maginot Line has been outflanked and now looks unsustainable. Indeed, all the troops there are in danger of being pocketed and destroyed.
While near Paris, the Germans continue to grind forward – and the garrison in the capital does not look as strong as it should be. And there is a dangerous gap in the French line to the south-east, in Auxerre. The Turkish Supreme Command is worried the French may not last the month!
By 7 October, the Germans have made significant (for this war) advances in the west, centre and east of the front. But Paris still holds.
A week later, by 14 October the river lines near Paris seem to be holding, but as feared the Maginot Line has been cut off and the Germans push forward to the south of Paris and on a broad front in the centre. Inönü sends a message back to Calistar at Supreme HQ in Ankara: “Ensure the Calistar and Iskandar Lines are ready for occupation and rolling stock is available for the movement of troops, just in case.”
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4. Far East
Grim news for the East too: the Soviets report that by midnight on 7 October, their main force in the Far East, which has been retreating from the Vladivostok front since the beginning of June, has now been cut off by the Japanese (see inset below). It is not clear how long they will be able to carry on before losing supply and thus, whether they have any chance of fighting their way out. And many hundreds of kilometres to the north-west, a second Japanese cut-off (circled) looks like it is imminent.
By 14 October, there is now a northern and a southern pocket.
The dotted yellow line represents the front as it was on 1 October 1940.
The Japanese advance has pocketed a substantial Soviet force in the north.
While an even greater force appears doomed in the south.
This is a major disaster for the Soviets in the Far East and will be a distraction to their war effort, though Boğafiltresi’s assessment, based on STAVKA’s advice (even if their optimism should be taken with a grain of salt) is that it should still not be fatal for the Soviets’ overall war effort, which will stand or fall on the German Front.
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5. North Africa
Eastern Libya remains a bright spot, where we presume the Iraqis are still doing the UK's fighting. Bengasi has been taken and their advance continues.
In Tunisia, the Italians have made minor advances in the last two weeks: we believe the French are staying in Tunis. There has been no change in Sardinia.
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6. General
13 Oct 40
News Report, London, UK. 14-year old Princess Elizabeth makes her first public speech, a radio address to the children of the British Commonwealth. Her ten-year-old sister Princess Margaret joins in at the end.
The Princess’s Speech, 13 October 1940.
14 Oct 40
News Report, Broadcast, US. With the United States Presidential election three weeks away, Charles Lindbergh makes a radio speech attacking the Roosevelt Administration's record and appealing for the election of leaders “whose promises we can trust, who know where they are taking us, and who tell us where we are going.” Lindbergh does not directly endorse Wendell Willkie or even mention him by name, but his position is unmistakable.
The overall picture in Europe by midnight on 14 October is summarised below. As can been seen, the situation has uniformly deteriorated in France. Their very survival is now hanging by a thread, despite the Comintern’s efforts in the East – and in the continued absence of any ground support from the British in France itself. The British Army appears to have gone missing - out of action.
In terms of the Comintern’s criteria for victory in the Great Liberation War, Boğafiltresi has passed on this Top Secret report of Stalin’s fifteen objectives for victory. Of the four so far achieved, three have been brought to the table by Turkey! This has increased our prestige and bargaining power in Moscow. Boğafiltresi hopes for an audience with Stalin at some point, but it is (not surprisingly) proving hard to achieve.
Naval Report. In the two weeks to 14 October, all the additional losses have been recorded by Italy – and these are considerable. In minor vessels, they have lost another sub flotilla (bringing the total to seven); a destroyer flotilla (now six lost) and two more troop transports (now seven sunk all up). Four cruisers were also sunk (more details below). All of these losses have been inflicted by the British Royal Navy. This is very reassuring for Turkey and its small, outdated navy. It may make island landings – for example on Rhodes – more attractive as time wears on.
The RM Alberto da Giussano was an Italian Condottieri-class (Giussano sub-class) light cruiser. She was launched on 27 April 1930 and commissioned on 1 January 1931. Displacement: 6,571 tonnes (standard). Main armament: 8 × 152 mm (6 in) guns in twin mountings. Sunk by HMS Barham (BB) in October 1940.
The light cruiser RM Bari was originally ordered by the Imperial Russian navy from Germany in 1913 and launched in April 1914. Following the outbreak of Great War I, the ship was confiscated and renamed SMS Pillau. Pillau was then ceded to Italy as a war prize in 1920. Renamed Bari, she was commissioned in the Regia Marina in January 1924. She was modified and rebuilt several times over the next two decades. Displacement: 4,390 tonnes (standard). Main armament: 8 × 15 cm guns. Sunk by HMS Furious (CV) in October 1940.
The RM Bolzano was a unique heavy cruiser, sometimes considered to be a member of the Trento class, the last vessel of the type to be built by Italy. A modified version of the earlier Trento class, she had a heavier displacement, slightly shorter length, a newer model of 203 mm (8 in) gun and a more powerful propulsion system. Launched on 31 August 1932 and commissioned on 19 August 1933. Displacement: 11,060 tonnes (standard). Main armament: 8 x 203 mm (8 in) guns in four turrets. Sunk by HMS Hood (BC) October 1940.
The RM Fiume was second of four Zara-class heavy cruisers of the Italian Regia Marina. She was launched on 27 April 1930 and commissioned on 23 November 1931. Displacement: 11,508 tonnes (standard). Main armament: 8 × 203 mm (8 in) guns in four turrets. Sunk by the HMS Devonshire (CA) in October 1940.
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7. Epilogue - The Glorious Truth
Tom Rosencrantz is getting well settled into his new role as Editor-in-Chief of The Glorious Truth, the UGNR’s new Pravda-style tabloid propaganda sheet. The first edition will go out on Turkish Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı) on 29 October. With two weeks to go, he has decided to model it on Stalin’s Great Liberation War Pravda edition. Rousing words, a flattering picture of Inönü, praise for the war effort and Kemalism-Inönüism – the usual fodder.
Meanwhile, Perse’s stocks have risen further in the eyes of her employers. Not only has she come up with a new editor (and an acceptable title) for the Glorious Truth, she has kept all her other propaganda work going along. And the recent support of Britain through it’s lend-lease program has dramatically increased the stock of her home country in their eyes, thus making inherent biases less pointed than they had sometimes been in the past. She keeps working diligently – she is nothing if not loyal to her employers and feels she is doing her bit for the common war effort!
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Coming Up: Both the Western and Far Eastern Fronts appear to be in disarray and in danger of imminent collapse. Will France fall? If so, what will the implications be for Turkey and their Comintern allies? The next key milestone is for France to survive long enough to at least delay the mass reinforcement of German panzers and air power on the Eastern Front before the effects of Hitler’s ‘Destiny’ proclamation wear off (in early December). The Turks wonder whether they will have to start building forts and provincial AA defences again, to prepare for a long defence should the influx of reinforcements following any collapse of France break the line in the East and force the Soviets into a general retreat – which Romania would be very unlikely to survive. And what will be the consequences of Sonny's explosive actions - will it be war or negotiation with the Tattaglias? And will the Italian secret service intervene?
After sounding out the British Ambassador in Ankara and hearing a request may be well received, Aras authorises the expenditure of diplomatic effort [ie the three dip points] to seek lend-lease support from the UK. The answer is received by return cable just an hour later!
By 2 October, reports are received from French liaison that two provinces near Paris (Neufchatel en Bray and Meaux), have been taken by Germany. On 4 October, even more concerning information is received from France – so much so that more detailed reports than usual are requested from our French partners. The southern remnant of the Maginot Line has been outflanked and now looks unsustainable. Indeed, all the troops there are in danger of being pocketed and destroyed.
A week later, by 14 October the river lines near Paris seem to be holding, but as feared the Maginot Line has been cut off and the Germans push forward to the south of Paris and on a broad front in the centre. Inönü sends a message back to Calistar at Supreme HQ in Ankara: “Ensure the Calistar and Iskandar Lines are ready for occupation and rolling stock is available for the movement of troops, just in case.”
The overall picture in Europe by midnight on 14 October is summarised below. As can been seen, the situation has uniformly deteriorated in France. Their very survival is now hanging by a thread, despite the Comintern’s efforts in the East – and in the continued absence of any ground support from the British in France itself. The British Army appears to have gone missing - out of action.
Honestly, they'd held out for longer than expected, did very well for a time and having received little to know support from anyone bar Belgium, I think France did pretty well. I think the UK has performed abominably in terms of allies, morality and ethics and will probably not live this down for a long time. If France ends up going communist, this will be a big reason as to why. It's debatable whether it was a sound military decision to not support the French line with British troops but after the eastern front opened, reinformcents should have arrived. As It stands, I think the war has probably been extended by at least a year by these actions, or inactions. Perhaps UK troops will come in now but it's too little too late.
If France is going to fall (and it looks like Germany will get most since Italy has been stopped completely from getting int France), that means the Germans can turn around and smack as much as they can into the eastern front whilst also allowing the Italians to make a serious go of reinforcing and taking the Med, through Africa and the islands. This means that Rhodes will probably get reinforced to a degree some point in the future...so you might want to bear that in mind.
Overall, especially with news of the two big pockets in Asia, the war that seemed on a track to victory has just been derailed again.
Powerful movements on the fronts now. It does look like the battle for Europe will be an alt-version of the Soviet-push of late-43 and Turkey holding the Left. Interested to see what happens when German armor head-east.
Dang...the enemy bombers are brutal = MP=status? How about a pic that has the Top-info for Turkey.
Btw, your Alt-Turkey definitely tripped me; you wrote Elite-Cavalry "coming to the rescue" and I saw horsesand low and behind, it is a strong x2ARM-division with MOT&TD support. Elite-indeed, for any army in 1940.
Honestly, they'd held out for longer than expected, did very well for a time and having received little to know support from anyone bar Belgium, I think France did pretty well. I think the UK has performed abominably in terms of allies, morality and ethics and will probably not live this down for a long time. If France ends up going communist, this will be a big reason as to why. It's debatable whether it was a sound military decision to not support the French line with British troops but after the eastern front opened, reinformcents should have arrived. As It stands, I think the war has probably been extended by at least a year by these actions, or inactions. Perhaps UK troops will come in now but it's too little too late.
If France is going to fall (and it looks like Germany will get most since Italy has been stopped completely from getting int France), that means the Germans can turn around and smack as much as they can into the eastern front whilst also allowing the Italians to make a serious go of reinforcing and taking the Med, through Africa and the islands. This means that Rhodes will probably get reinforced to a degree some point in the future...so you might want to bear that in mind.
Overall, especially with news of the two big pockets in Asia, the war that seemed on a track to victory has just been derailed again.
With the UK, my suspicion is the French AI is too dumb to set an objective in a port to request British EFs and the UK AI is too dumb to send them of their own accord. What a sorry mess! Still, the whole shemozzle keeps the game interesting and ensures it won’t be quite the rapid Axis take-down it had started to shape up as! C’est la Guerre!
Powerful movements on the fronts now. It does look like the battle for Europe will be an alt-version of the Soviet-push of late-43 and Turkey holding the Left. Interested to see what happens when German armor head-east.
Dang...the enemy bombers are brutal = MP=status? How about a pic that has the Top-info for Turkey.
Btw, your Alt-Turkey definitely tripped me; you wrote Elite-Cavalry "coming to the rescue" and I saw horsesand low and behind, it is a strong x2ARM-division with MOT&TD support. Elite-indeed, for any army in 1940.
So, for now Inonu is assuming France will fall, on the basis of catering for the worst, because that last fortnight (from a distance anyway and without all the details) had “final throes” written all over it. It would be a real long-shot for them to stabilise now.
MP is holding up, as there have been so few battles (comparatively) over the last months, and before that nothing serious since the end of the war with Yugoslavia in Jan 1938. But I’ve always had the prospect of of heavy casualties in mind for this phase, so have kept a healthy reserve. Also, the Romanians have shared a few of the air raid casualties along the way.
And with 1 Cav Div, I just didn’t want to change their name, even though there are now all converted (all they need now is the five brigade division and some SP ARTY.
I worry about the French and the Soviets. The Germans are starting to break the French lines and the Japanese are going to wipe out those pockets with ease.
It is a toss up as to who was the second stupidist in that update. The British in wasting IC on Turkey or the Swiss in not expelling the Turkish embassy. (The obvious most stupid is the Turkish Embassy for trying to start a mob war in a foreign country which doesn't have police as corrupt as the 1920s New York PD).
As the British AI also managed to sink a lot of the enemy and is doing a decent job in North Africa, I think the Swiss take it for just being thick as mince and frankly being partly culpable here. The Turkish embassy has been violating the Havanna Convention from day one, they should have been expelled months ago.
It is a toss up as to who was the second stupidist in that update. The British in wasting IC on Turkey or the Swiss in not expelling the Turkish embassy. (The obvious most stupid is the Turkish Embassy for trying to start a mob war in a foreign country which doesn't have police as corrupt as the 1920s New York PD).
I thought I’d ask - and they said yes! Perhaps (as TBC said) it’s guilt money for not doing anything on land. As always, I’ll make better use of the dough than that feckless UK AI! As for Sonny - we’ll, it’s Sonny! He has over-read his orders, but hasn’t yet actually declared the war on the streets yet - will have to wait and see what happens. The hit on Bruno Tattaglia was at least in Sicily, where those are a dime a dozen.
As the British AI also managed to sink a lot of the enemy and is doing a decent job in North Africa, I think the Swiss take it for just being thick as mince and frankly being partly culpable here. The Turkish embassy has been violating the Havanna Convention from day one, they should have been expelled months ago.
Remember all that money the Gnomes are getting from Immobiliare, and there hasn’t actually been much Turkish violence on the streets, apart from one beating up of Carlo Rizzi. Turkey has more influence in this universe and in Switzerland than in OTL.
The Mafia are the ones gunning people down on Swiss streets, sending assassins to hospitals and suborning policemen to get security called off from a senior diplomat who has been shot on their beat. Naughty boys! He Turks are Snow White by comparison. Well that’s their story and they’re sticking to it! But if Sonny does actually run amok in Zurich against Ankara‘s orders, then there could well be consequences.
It would of course be hard to think of anywhere with police more corrupt than 1920s New York
I have been absent from my office due to some business that didn't actually take place in a country I never went to, but what's the point, I don't even exist...
I'm glad 'vito', your Swiss ambassador made it, and am now more than ever looking forward to Kelebek's revenge plans.
Let's all cheer for France and the fact that they still exist, and then follow that up with a wish for them to hold on even longer until the Comintern manages to really get it together.
Boğa Filtresi sounds really quite familiar... I'm not sure he will get to meet Stalin, but asking for a meeting sure got him some serious attention. He should be happy that he got to see that Panzer IV. Then again, I'll see what I can do, if a meeting with Comrade Secretary General is really that important to him, it might help bilateral relations and Stalin's opinion on Turkey. Of course we definitely won't meet face to face, because of my objective non-existence.
I am deeply saddened by the large amount of Soviet Riflemen who are now cut off in Eastern Siberia. I am amazed that the Red Army managed to stave of this outcome for so long, but it wasn't long enough... Let's hope some breakthrough is possible, especially towards the Northern pocket. The cynic in me thinks it's unlikely, but maybe, with some Romanian reinforcements, we can save some more units from imprisonment.
Congratulations on getting lend-lease equipment from our capitalist enemy of our enemy, I'm sure the Turkish government will put the extra capacity to good use.
I think other important comments were already made so I won't reiterate them.
I'm looking forward to Turkey taking a more active role in the conflict in a couple of months, once you have a sufficient mobile force.
Hmm...this might be true but it's just begging for a flame war about modern policing in various nations (though they tend to be more absent and rubbish or overzealous in extremis these days. It's something of an unusual occurrence to see a police person in the North West, except in Manchester of course).
Hmm...well it's Switzerland so maybe we could fashion some sort of bullet resistant golem to do our dirty work for us? And make him look like a German to avoid suspicion. Shame the ambassador survived really, we could have used his corpse, for extra ironic justice.
I am deeply saddened by the large amount of Soviet Riflemen who are now cut off in Eastern Siberia. I am amazed that the Red Army managed to stave of this outcome for so long, but it wasn't long enough... Let's hope some breakthrough is possible, especially towards the Northern pocket. The cynic in me thinks it's unlikely, but maybe, with some Romanian reinforcements, we can save some more units from imprisonment.
Oh I expect they'll all die now. In fact, it's more a toss up of whether the Japanese let's them surrender or not (and even then...), and I don't know the numbers but that must be at least a few good tens of thousands of people dead right there. Russia's going to have a bloody war TTL.
And with 1 Cav Div, I just didn’t want to change their name, even though there are now all converted (all they need now is the five brigade division and some SP ARTY.
I served in our 2nd Cav Regt (eg armoured recon) and we still use the designation- I think a few US units may as well, at least in part). Re the SpART: I can’t build it at the moment and will need to check (am replying on the phone at the moment) but I don’t think the Russians were offering it for licensing yet either - still only 1940). One of the reasons I’m still reasearching Cav techs: would like to be able to build MOT and SPART of my own!
iow...a tremendous content-effort. And to think this is one of three for you...is a bit mind-blowing for this silver-beard.
