The Battle for Earth

[Personguyfellow]

This AAR takes place in 1.04 with the Yogi's superb New Order events, which I have messed with a bit. I play mostly as a Germany, though I will occasionally save and reload to make certain countries do certain thinks that make sense (and fun). However, the game will be told only partially from the German perspective. I will follow various world leaders and governments, including sometimes minor ones, as they make their decisions. Also note that I will focus on political, not military, action.

I hope I am able to attract a loyal crowd of observers, please post whenever you feel like it.

 

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Hmm...here is one...

 

[Personguyfellow]

January 1, 1936
Rome, Italy
Il Duce strutted pompously around the room. "That fool, that idiot, Selassie, he dares to stand up to my New Roman Legion?! I will avenge the shame of Adowa, I will restore Roman supremacy in Kush and Axum! That- that- SHOW he put on the League, he tried to make me look like a fool! I will punish him, I will destroy his country, I shall make Italy the most glorious nation on Earth and Abyssinia hardly a memory! Guided by the ideals of fascism and the memory of the Caesars, Italy shall rise as it hasn't in a millenia and a half!"

Il Duce, Benito Mussolini

Count Ciano spoke cautiously. "Il Duce, we are fortunate that Baldwin is such a pathetic Prime Minister. He has not even blocked passage of military equipment through the Suez Canal, and his sanctions have hardly been effective. Yet I believe a great deal of thanks should go to our friend and fellow fascist, Fuehrer Adolf Hitler."

Count Galeazzo Ciano

"Bah!" exclaimed Mussolini. "That man is no fascist, he has corrupted my ideals. I am not his puppydog. He is merely useful to us since the French and English fear him. Use him, we will, when necessary. But never trust him. And never, ever serve him! Nazis. Fie on the Nazis! Our true friends are the real fascists in the Little Entente, Chancellor Dolfuss of Austria and Admiral Horthy of Hungary. They will be protected against Hitler when necessary, we can still beat him in war if necessary, and they in turn will stoy loyal, true fascist brethren."

Ciano was no idealogue, but he knew better then to seriously question his father-in-law, Mussolini, on party policy, even when that entered the realm of foreign affairs. "Indeed, Il Duce. Relations between Rome, Vienna, and Budapest have never been stronger. Bt it would not do to alienate the Nazis unnecessarily."

"Well, no matter. I've been fighting those damn Hamites since October 2 of last year. What progress do I have to report? None! We control the same bits of the Horn of Africa we have for decades, Eritrea and most of Somailand, while the Negus sits safe and sound in the Ethiopian interior!"

"That, sir, will change in the near future." Bagdolio was not an idealogue either, but he recognized an overwhelming military advantage when he saw one. I recommend an assault from Somailand into the Ogaden region of Ethiopia, hitting them near Dagabur, just to keep the off their toes. Just when the fronts are stabilizing, we will have load enough men and equipment into Eritrea to begin our main assault."

Field Marshal Pietro Bagdolio

"Excellent. Evviva Italia!" Il Duce pumped his fist in the air.

"Evviva Italia. Evviva Il Duce." chorused the cabinet.

 

[Personguyfellow]

Please note that I agree with none of Hitler's, and his cronies', politics.

January 1, 1936
Berlin, Germany

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Hitler let out a bout of laughter, which was joined by everyone present at the German cabinet meeting. When Hitler laughed, it was- wise- to join in.

Feuhrer Adolf Hitler

"What exactly is so amusing, Mein Feuhrer?" inquired Foreign Minister von Neurath.

"That imbecile, Mussolini, has distracted all of Europe with his idiot colonial ventures. I have always held that the Kaiserreich's colonial expeditions were useless and violated Germany's natural purpose, to unite Europe in a new, Aryan dominated order! Now, we have the freedom to begin to accomplish our own goals, the reunification of Germany and global supremacy! The German Volk will be masters of their own destiny!"

Von Neurath looked worried. "Mein Feuhrer, what exactly are you planning?"

Reichsminister for Foreign Affairs Constantin von Neurath

"Now is the moment to move! Let that Italian fool gain his corner of Africa. Hindenburg's foolish negotiations did have one practical result: France and Belgium have evacuated the Rhineland. For about a decade it has been demilitarize. No longer! The time has come for the Volkisch Wehrmacht to reoccupy the Rhineland!"

Many cabinet ministers, especially the non-Nazis, looked alarmed. Admiral Canaris, head of the Abwehr (military intelligence), spoke up. "This will bring nothing but disaster upon the German people. We are not yet ready to fight the allies, despite your tasteless breaks with Versailles in regards to rearmament and conscription. "

Hitler's lip curled as he shot a piercing gaze at Canaris. "You wish to deprive the Deutsch Volk of their destiny as masters of Europe?! Who will fight us for the Rhineland? The decadent, mongrelized French? They will piss in their pants when they see us coming. The foolish British, who avoid Europe like a plague? Hah! Or perhaps you fear the Americans will stir themselves from beyond the Atlantic to cause trouble? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Canaris shut up. He would have no chance to stop this maniac if he got himself in trouble over an issue like this. Besides, he thought to himself, let this fool have his military parades in Essen. Perhaps it will bring in the French and British to topple his mad regime.

Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, Abwehr leader

Hilter turned to his generals. "Are our men prepared to move when the time comes?" he demanded.

Ludwig Beck paled. "We can march yes, reoccupy the cities, doubtless, but if the French commit even five percent of their army, we are lost."

General Ludwig Beck

Hitler's lip curled again. "You military men, you vons, you know nothing about the true destiny of the German Volk, of National Socialism. You should reread Mein Kampf more carefully."

"I greatly regret that the Luftwaffe is not yet the equal of the French airforce, much less the RAF. Still, they will, unfortunately, not be necessary yet. I, for one, am certain that you will pull the remilitarization off beautifullt, Mein Feuhrer." That, of course, was Goering, the only genuine war hero in the regime, and a dedicated Nazi.

Reichsminister for Air Hermann Goering

"It shall be made into a splendid spectacle, Mein Feuhrer. The people will here you and me on the radio all over the Reich, and their bosoms will swell with pride at being members of the Deutch Volk." Goebbels, on such matters, was always as good as his word.

Reichsminister for Propaganda Joseph Goebbels

Hjalmar Schacht spoke from a corner in the back. "Rearmament continues apace. We are continuing the process of building the best army in the world, far superior in quality to giant peasant armies like the Bolshevik one, or even the relatively more advanced ones of the democracies."

Chief Plenipotentiary for the War Economy Hjalmar Schacht


"Excellent. I have an announcement that may surprise you all. Undesirables, such as Juden, will, as of today, be restored their priviliges as full citizens of the Reich. Tough times are coming, and every German will need to do their part. We will deal with the Jewish problem evntually, but not by killing them all."

Heinrich Himmler and Reynhard Heydrich appeared disappointed. Hitler waved aside their objections. "The Deutsch Reich must be seen as the 'good guy' by the English. That will have benefits later. This meeting is concluded."

SS leader Heinrich Himmler

A chorus of "Heil Hitler"s was followed by the German cabinet exiting the room.

(This is a new world order event I made up, based on the idea that Hitler under your guidance can be more rational when it serves the interest of the state. Less harsh racial policies do the following: Manpower gets a one time bonus of 2000 men, war entry minus 5 for Britain and USA. This number represents SS killers freed up to go fight on the fronts, plus minorities now reaccepted into German society, if anything, the bonus should be higher. Note that I realize that Hitler, cold-blooded killer that he was, would not have done this, but if he can make a puppet Ukraine, he can avoid his foolish racial policies.)

 

[Personguyfellow]

January 1, 1936
Addis Addeba, Abyssinia

Haile Selassi, Emperor of the Ethiopians, Negus, Ras Tafari, Lion of Judah, and numerous other titles, gazed gravely around the palace chamber at the assembled rases, or warlords, of Ethiopia. "The situation is incredibly dangerous now. I don't know how much longer we can hold on.

Haile Selassie, Emperor of the Ethiopians, Negus, Lion of Judah, Ras Tafari, etc., etc., etc.

An old ras turned sorrowfully to his liege lord. "We will not be able to hold out long. If nothing else, they will bury us by sheer numbers."

One young ras stood up proudly. "The habesha (Ethiopian people) will not give in so easily! Did not our fathers under Menelik stand up to these same Italians and defeat their armies? Did not our beloved Negus send out the proclamation which read, 'All who are not blind and have the ability to walk, report to the Imperial army to fend off the invader'? We will triumph over the enemy!"

Ethiopian tapestry depicting Emperor Menelik and his warriors

Haile Selassie shook his head sorrowfully. "It was a different era, my friend. A time for heroes."

The young ras spoke again. "You are a hero, too, my Negus. You went to the League of the Japhethites (white men) and you told them that we were a victim of brutality, like Manchuria, like so many to come in these dark days. And now, like Menelik, you will come in person to battle the crazy Italians and drive them from our Ethiopia forever. Even Eritrea will be reunited with the empire, even into Mogadishu will our brave armies march."

Haile Selassie addresses the League of Nations

"I thank you for you kind words, my brave friend, but I fear it is too late for our people. Still, we will fight with all that we can muster, and if we go down, go down with honor and dignity and the pride of the habesha and Ethiopia!"

A young soldier game in to speak with the old ras. He turned gravely to Haile Selassie and the council of the rases. "I have reveived word that Italian armies from Somailand are on the move towards the plains of Ogaden, even as their mighty armies continue to group in Asmara to the north."

Haile Selassie turned to look out the window at his Empire, at it's last days of freedom. "It has truly begun, then. Let us get to the hills and fight to stave off the murdering Italians. If we fall, let it be remembered that here brave men stood and battled to remain free. If we fall, Let the world remember us in our agony and act against the killers, if not now then soon. But let us not fall. We still have a desperate hope. Let us stand as Menelik did in the face of terrible odds and triumph over the Japhethite colonizers, the fascists. Let all the world look upon us, win or lose, and marvel at courage and honor and truth as not seen in our days."

Haile in military regalia

Determination was evident in the face of every ras. The wise old rasand the brave young ras embraced Haile, and the council adjurned, scattered, and headed north and south, for the last stand of the habesha.

 

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I will observe.

 

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me too.

 

[gzav]

this looks good, when's the next update?

 

[Personguyfellow]

March 12, 1936
Rome, Italy

"At llast, the Italian people have wiped out the shame of Adowa forever! Ethiopia is no more. I have decided to link it with Eritrea and Somailand into one great colony, Italian East Africa!" Il Duce shouted triumphantly.

Field Marshal Bagdolio nodded. "Their troops were generally found using no more than rocks and spears, while we had planes and tanks. Also, we had an incredible numeric advantage. The only factors in their favor were the size and difficulty of the terrain. Still, our campaign was pulled off beautifully, as the commander of the expedition, General Graziani, will inform you."

Map of the Abyssinia region

Graziani stood. "As you can see from these maps, our Ogaden offensive caught them completely off guard. We struck them near Dagabur, where, for once in that awful country, the terrain was in our favor. When they broke, we sent a cavalry expedition across the Juba river, seizing Magalo, while the main army marched north and again defeated the natives at Harare. By then it was early February, and our army in Eritrea had reached a level of sufficient strenth to hit the ancient imperial city of Gondar, the old capital of Abyssinia. Most of our Eritrean troops struck there, while our Somali commanders attacked in the vicinity of Makale, attempting to link up with Eritrea. The troops remaining in Eritrea marched to Makale too, and by the beginning of this month, we had Ethiopia, but for Addis Adeba and the western desert. A huge Italian army seized the capital, against determined but ineffectual resistance, and the nation was ours."

General Rodolfo Graziani

"Excellent!" Mussolini struck a vaguely comical pose which he, and some others, found inspiring, and began to gesticulate wildly with his arms. "The building of our New Roman Empire has truly begun! Tell me, what did you do with the native government? Terminated them, I presume."

Mussolini strikes comical pose

Count Ciano looked pale. "Your Excelllency, the Negus escaped through British Egypt. After a short stay in Jerusalem, (you will remember he is called the Lion of Judah), he has fled to exile in London. The rases, on the other hand, were captured, and they were- eliminated, to a man."

"All of Europe watches Italy today, in our moment of glory!" exclaimed Il Duce.

"Unfortunately, Your Excellency, that is not quite accurate. Europe's eyes are considerably to the north of us today, fixed on Herr Hitler...."

(The next post will, of course, be a dramatization of the reoccupation of the Rhineland. Note that this is my style I will be using throughout the AAR, switching from country to country. Also, as warned, I will focus on politics, not military, so something like Grazianis's paragraph is about the most you can expect on such affairs. How do people feel about my style? Also, feel free to comment on the story whenever you feel like it.)

 

[Personguyfellow]

March 12, 1936
Cologne, Germany

Hitler concluded his defiant speech with passion and a flourish, and the crowd below cheered wildly. The Wehrmacht parade surged past the square, pumping their fists in the air. Goebbels' propaganda network was even now beaming Hitler's rant across the Reich. Hitler, however, had other matters to attend to.

Reichsminister for propaganda Joseph Goebbels making a speech

"Mayor Adenauer. I trust you feel safer having the Wehrmacht patrolling your city again?"

Konrad Adenauer gazed at the Feuhrer with something dangerously close to disgust. "I fear it, Mein Feuhrer. We have broken another agreement of the Versailles treaty. If this does not start a war, I beg you to stop hear and live in peace with the world. You are once more bringing Europe to the brink of destruction."

Anti-Nazi Christian Democrat and Mayor of Cologne, Konrad Adenauer

"Versailles! Versailles is our prison, our curse! It violates the national destiny of the Deutsch Volk! Versailles must be trampled into the mud. Germany must achieve her destiny as master of Europe! If you cannot see that, Mayor Adenauer, perhaps it is time you found some other employment."

"Perhaps it is. Indeed, perhaps it is. I hardly recognize my dear Germany anymore. You Nazis are destroying all there was to love about this land." With that, the mayor of Cologne turned his back on Hitler and left the area.

Hitler was so furious that for a moment he did not see the man begging for his attention. "Oh good, Mein Feuhrer, so good to see you again." Seeing the lack of recognition in Hitler's eyes, he continued, "I am Ernst von Krupp, of Krupp Steelworks, in Essen."

"Ah, Herr von Krupp. Such a pleasure to see you again." The Krupp family was one of the families of prominent industrialists to back the NSDAP (Nazi party). Krupp Steelworks played a prominent role in German rearmement.

Industrialists who supported the Nazis

"Mein Feuhrer, are you quite positive we are not risking war on this issue? Not that my heart does not swell to see German soldiers defending the Vaterland again, but..."

"Fear not, Herr Von Krupp. That fool Baldwin would not move against even Luxembourg, if his life depended on it. For him, Europe is a boor. Someday, though, we may have to worry about England and France. When that day comes, though, I assure you, we will be ready."

Hitler solemnly watched the marching soldiers and the cheering crowds. Tough days were ahead. *Morgen- ze verld.

A Nazi parade

*Tomorrow the world, from a Nazi campaign slogan, "Today Germany, tomorrow the world."

 

[Personguyfellow]

March 12, 1936
London, England

Prome Minister Baldwin was feeling quite put out. Not at Mussolini or Hitler, but at a member of his own cabinet.

"Listen, Anthony, the Germans are only remilitarizing their own backyard, a part of their own country, for Pete's sake. And we've already dealt with the Italian issue, we'll have to recognize their annexation of Abyssinia and lift sanctions. Just be glad its over and done with, eh?"

Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin

Anthony Eden was not convinced. "Look, Stanley, if we let them get away with this today, what will the fascists do tomorrow? Invade more neutral countries, I suppose- make a mockery of Versailles, of the League, of all our young men won in blood and sweat and tears in the last war! And then, I fear, they will start a new Great War, more terrible then the last."

Foreign Minister Anthony Eden

Neville Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Exchequer, scoffed at this. "Oh, come now, Anthony. The Germans don't want a war. They just want to rectify the injustices of the overly harsh Treaty of Versailles. We can work with them, they're sporting chaps. Its the good old Junkers still runing things behind the scenes, you know, the vons, the generals. Mussolini's a decent fellow, too, of course."

Chancellor of the Exchequer Neville Chamberlain

"Neville's right, Anthony. For God's sake, you sound like Churchill!" Baldwin was truly upset.

"Churchill's a decent man, and if you knew what was good for you, you'd listen to him with an open mind occasionally. So he switched his party- he loves his country over all! So the Dardanelles operation was a fiasco. That wasn't his fault, and if it had been carried off correctly, the war wouuld have been won three years early, and we woulgn't be in this situation today!"

Unpopular rogue politician Winston S. Churchill

"Calm down, Anthony. The Great War has been rehashed too many times over the years. What's done is gone. Like the Ethiopian war. Like the Rhineland crisis. It's over, Anthony. Give us some useful news, will you? What are the French saying about all this?"

"They're so scared they're acting like little lost children, Stanley. They just don't know what to do. Laval suggested we stare Hitler down, then he recommended we only do so if the Americans will commit troops- and that's a no if I ever heard one! He says we can't risk a new Great War, he wants to hide behind the Maginot line and ignore the Germans, hope the problem will vanish. And the French people seem to back him to the hilt. When Leon Blum suggested increased military spending to scare Hitler, they started saying, 'better Hitler than Blum'! I fear they may get their wish!"

Anti-Hitler French Jewish Socialist Leon Blum

Chamberlain chuckled. "Well, it isn't every day you back a Socialist like Blum, is it, mister Eden? Anyway, ignore that crazy Jew, and ignore that warmonger Churchill, and follow the advice of every right thinking man in Britain and France. There will not be another war. We can work with the Germans and the Italians. There are more important matters to deal with, like India, an issue on which your friend Winnie is completely clueless."

"Listen, Stanley, Neville, if we don't confront this problem now, we will have to later, and the cost will be higher. Dangerously higher. I can't sway you if you just won't be swayed. But that Hitler is a danger to the world. And if only myself and Winston have to lead Britain against him, we will do so. Let's get on to other business now, if we must. But I warn you- We haven't heard the last of Mr. Hitler."

 

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lest you spruce it up with visuals, dont count on my frequent visits

 

[Personguyfellow]

Here come the pictures.

 

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Good stuff. The pictures are good. Best of all I like the writing style coupled with your angle on political/economic.

Please keep this going!



More on Italian events! Fratelli d'Italia, L'Italia se.....

ED: Almost forgot,not sure what lengths the MODs will let you mention the holocaust and stuff so I suggest you stay away from it!

 

[Personguyfellow]

The only reason I'm mentioning the "Jewish problem" at all is that the Holocaust won't happen- at least not in any form like what really happened. The event I made up provides a very useful early manpower boost, and may keep America out of the war a bit longer. I am not going to do much more with the issue, though I do have one more event that touches on it slightly.

Some of my characters, especially Hitler and some Japanese, will say some truly horrible racial insults and propaganda, but that is only to make it realistic, they do not at all express my views.

 

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This is excellent, one of the best I have ever read. The focus on politics instead of militant things make it even more intriguing.
Update fast, soon, and often (not at the price of quality though).

 

[Personguyfellow]

March 18, 1936
Northeast of Peking, China

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek scanned the de facto Japanese frontier. Officialy it was a demilitarized buffer zone between China and Japanese-occupied Manchuria. But of course, everyone knew differently. Japanese crack troops and their Manchu mercenaries, paraded across this vital frontier.

Japanese troops parade across the Manchu frontier

"What insolence of that Manchu brat to side with the enemy." Chiang leaned forward intently from his position in with the troops along the border. Pu Yi, last holder of the Dragon Throne and last of the Qing line, was currently the "Emperor of Manchuria", and a Japanese puppet.

Pu Yi, last of the Qing line, object of Japanese occupation

Marshal Chiang Kai-Shek, Generalissimo of China

"Marshal, I must urge you one last time to set aside your differences with our fellow Chinese against the threat of the Chrysanthemum throne." General Chang Hsueh-Liang hated the Japanese with a passion, and he was willing to ally with the communists against them.

Chang Hsueh-Liang, whose hatred of Japan was deep and personal

"I will never surrender an inch to those revolutionaries. They would destroy all the guomindang has woorked for. There will be no peace with Mao!"

Chairman Mao Tse-tung, leader of the chinese communist party and Chiang's nemesis

"Then, marshal, you leave me with no choice." Chang pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Chiang's head. Several soldiers swirled around and aimed their rifles at Chiang. "These soldiers are completely loyal to me. You will accept alliance with Mao against the Rising Sun."

Chiang gasped as he realized fully his situation. "What arrogance! Have you no respect for *san min chu I?"

"Sun Yat Sen's code has even less meaning to me than it does to you, who have never honored it. What matters is that we hold off those pigs from the east. By any means necessary."

Sun Yat Sen, deceased founder of the guomindang, and formerly leading ideologue for democracy in China

Chiang sat quietly for a few moments. Then, "very well. what are your terms?"

*san min chu I: Dr. Sun Yat Sen's code of government of the people, by the people, and for the people.