The greatest gamble - A German AAR

[King]

All or Nothing - The Ultimate Gamble - A German AAR

The Date is 1st January 1936 and the place is Berlin. In a room sit the men who make the decisions in the German state. Sitting around the table are the following men:

Adolf Hitler - Head of State
Constantin von Neurath - Foreign Minister
Hjalmar Schacht - Minister of Armament
Whilhelm Frick - Minister of Security
Wilhelm Canaris - Head of Military Intelligence
Ludwig Beck - The Chief of Staff
Werber von Fritsch - Chief of the Army
Erich Raeder - Chief of the Navy
Herman Goring -Chief of the Airforce

They gathered to make decisions on the furture of Germany.

Htiler rose first and spoke, "The world is divded into haves and have nots, those who have the resources they need and those who don't. Look to the west we see Britain and France, sitting pretty with their huge overseas empires, empires that give them power and strength, the power to decide our future and the strength to carry out. To east we see the USSR, with huge empire and it is not satisifed. It seeks to expand ever further west. We need to change this, we need to accquire the land that will give us the resources so we can take our place amoungst the haves and decide out own fate. Our only hope is WAR"

The men sitting round the table looked to each other, they all knew the issues, the all knew the situation. However not many around the room were ready for war.

Canaris rose next, "The military situation does not favour us, even though we have been expanding our armed forces for several years now, we started from a pitifully low base. Even now the French probably have the armies to destroy us, and if Britain decides to support them we have no chance. Germany cannot win a war."

There were nods around the table from the military men, they all knew the odds and didn't like what they see. There was a silience for a few minutes no one wanted to speak next.

The the silience was broken, von Neurath looked around the table and said " Perhaps we don't need a war." There was upraor round the table, everyone were talking all at once. "Let me explian", von Neurath continued as the assmebled men calmed down. "There are opportunities around us to expand without war. To the South of us lies Austria, a German country, a country we may be able to persuade to join us with us firing a shot. To the South East lies Czechoslovakia, with its Sudentanland, if we play our cards right we could accquire that without firing a shot. Once we have the Sudentanland the Czechs state's defences will be compromised and we will be in position to decide it's fate. To east lies Poland, many would see the justice in reacquiring West Prussia. We could gain much just by playing the national self determination card. The Western powers would be helpless."

Many nodded but Hitler spoke next, "This land is still not enough, we need more. We will play the diplomacy card for a few years but this is only to buy time to prepare for war. Schacht what is the economic situation?"

Schacht picked up some paper and began to read, "Our economy is held back by two key bottle necks, we lack rubber and oil. Right now we can produce limited ammounts of synthetic materials, but if we are to bring our eocnomy up to full thortle we need more of both. We could invest money in improving our synthetic manufacturing techniques or we could trade for more on the world market. I suggest trade as the way forward."

Hitler reply was final, "NO, we will not put ourselves at the mercy of other powers, invest what you need."

Goring stood up next, "only if it does not interfere in the build up my airforce."

"Goring don't be an idiot why build lots of obsolete planes now, we have a few years, why not wait for more modern planes to be developed?", was von Fritsch response.

"Yes," continued Beck, "We would like some resources diverted into military research and development, if we cannot have quantative advantage then we must have a qualitive one."

"That depends on if we want a fleet or not." was Raeder's response, "If we wish to have a fleet we must really start building now."

"We will never be able to match the British fleet, we tried that before" Beck replied

"Who says anything about matching them? I am thinking of having a few Battleships a couple of Aircraft carriers and a few destoryers, nothing much. It will give us flexibilty."

Hitler stood spoke next, "Ok Raeder, I think you are right. Here is our prioirty for spending, our synthetic material production is number one on the list, then our fleet construcion programme let's call it the Z plan, anything spare will invested in imporivng our military technology. Frick you haven't said anything, do you wish to add anything to this discussion?"

The feared minister of security rose and said "There are no major problems on the home front but the people are not yet ready for war"

Hitler nodded, "Then we need a triumph to show them how weak our opposition is, Beck remilitarise the Rhineland." and with that Hitler got up and left, the meeting was over.

 

[King]

7th January 1936

At a ship year in Kiel, a huge Battleship was being constructed. It was one of the most modern in existance, with massive 350mm guns, it was known as the Bismarck. In other yards 3 other Battleships of this class were being constructed, Tirpitz, Gneisenau and Scharnhorst. These were to be the pride of the new Navy. Additionally 6 new Destoryer Divisions were beign built. With its existing numbers of old Cruiser it would be a potent force.

Three men watched this construction efforts, they were Hermann Boehm, commander of the Kriegsmarine, Karl Donitz, commander of the U-boats, and Erich Raeder Chief of the Navy. They looked at the new Bismarck as construction progressed. Completion was schedualed for the begining of 1938, then new Navy would of arrived. Dontiz and Boehm both had questions for Raeder, Boehm asked first.

"What about aircraft carriers?"

" At the moment our aircraft carrier desgins are just not good enough, I have asked Schacht for resources to look into the design problem. Our warship designers are confident that properly supported they can have a better design ready in 6 months. I am hopefull that they will succeed. The we will commission two Aircraft Carriers to support our new battle fleet." was Raeder reply.

"What about U-Boats?" was the inevatable question for Donitz

Raeder had his answer ready, "At this moment in time it is not worth our while building out of date U-Boats. Our current Boats are no better than they ones we ended World War I with. I have put another request to Schacht for resources to develope better U-Boats. When we have better ones available these will be put into production."

 

[King]

13th January 1936

At Airforce headquarters Goring was not a happy man. He was supposed to be discuusing air policy with his senior officers, but he still angry at his treatment by Fritsch at Berlin conference last month. He would have his revenge sooner or later, a shout from the table brought Groing back to the discussion

" ... we must have better dive bombers to support our troops."

"Wolfram calm yourself, you know as well as I do that dive bombers are usless without fighter cover, we need better fighters first" Sperrle soothingly replied.

Von Richthofen looked at Sperrle his voice still raised, "you may have a point there but what kind of fighters do we develop, long range escort fighters, short range interceptors, or mid range multi-role fighters? You just don't know, why divide our resources needlessly? We develop our dive bombers and bomb the enemy planes on the ground. Dive bombers are the key to victory."

"Not according to the British." Everyone looked at Kesselring as he continued, "The British believe that the strategic bomber is king. If we are to counter that threat then we must have good short range fighters read to shoot them down."

"Are you saying we should abandon offensive docterine, Albert?", Keller asked

"No, of course not but we must also be prepared to defend Germany, a proportion of our new squadrons must be short range fighters for home defence."

There were nods aorund the table at this. Goring was next to speak "Finally we have a clear cut decision. We need high quality short range fighter quadrons to counter the threat of British strategic bombers. Do we have any other conclusions from this seemling pointless conference."

Sperrle was the next man to speak, "We have agreed that the prime role of the airforce is to be tactical support of the Army. To this end we need dive bomber squdrons for short range support and tacitical bomber squadrons for long range missions. Both require escorts, unlike Von Richthofen the rest of us agree that air strikes alone will not clear the skies of enemy air power, thus we will need medium range fighters for the Dive bombers and longer range fighters for the tactical bombers. This must be our main focus. Additionally the navay will require some aircraft for thier new carrier and costal defence, we believe a few groups of torpedo bombers and Naval bombers will come in useful for them. They will also require fighter escorts, again we are postulating that longrange fighters will be their prime requirement. On the use of airpower as a strategic weapon we have yet to reach a consensus."

Kesselring was next to speak, "The strategic possibilities of airpower are not something that has been properly studied, in an ideal world we would like a strategic arm to add another string to our bow if you see what I mean. However if our resources are to be limited them we must focus on the tactical arm. How much and how many will be deterined by and large by the army requirements."

"Those fools in the army have yet to decide how they are going to fight the war, so how the hell are we supposed to support them?" Von Richthofen shouted.

"Why bother waiting? Why not raise our own airborne forces for lighting stirkes?", was Student's response.

Goring smiled at Student's suggestion, "My own army eh? I like it, I will convince Hitler at the next meeting of the benefits of this, in the mean time my request to Schacht for resources to develope all types of planes has been approved. Once we have a clearer idea of what those fools in the Army are doing we will look to develop docterines to carry out our mission. With that this meeting is over."

As he was leaving Goring was thinking about Student's idea. With his own army he would score a small victory against Fritsch and have the first installment of his revenge.

 

[Maximilian I]

way to go, Mr. Meier

 

[King]

15th Febuary 1936

Foreign minister office Berlin. Foreign Minister Constantin von Neurath is on the phone to Adolf Hitler.

"Yes"

"No"

"I agree"

"Yes your right, but we must focus our efforts."

"No I mean that we must pick and choose out countries carefully. I agree the bringing Belgium into an alliance with us would be a major coup and put France in a really weak posisition, but there are other countries we can woo. The Balkins is a ready made for German influence and half the governments there are idelogically similar to us anyway. France and Britain are not interested in what is happening there. We can set up a system of alliances which will secure our southern flank with that taken care of we can look for opertunities elsewhere."

"Very good I'll get right on to it."

Von Neurath put down the phone and began to draft orders to ambassidors to Yugoslavia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece. The orders were clear maximise German infleunce in these countries in preperation for them joining a German alliance. Von Neurath finished and looked around his office and thought struck him there might be some favours that Germany could call in else where. He began to draft a telegram to Tokyo, now there was one of Hitler's have not countries who may be interested in changing the way things stood.

 

[Smiffus]

good work

 

[King]

3rd March 1936

The Ministry of Armaments Berlin

Hjalmar Schacht looks through his papers and remembered Hitlers orders from the 1st of January conferece. Prioirties being Industrial research, naval construction and then other military R & D. It all looked so simple at the time unfortuantly the realities of the situation prevernted this from happening. A full 30% of production needed to be diverted to the civil economy, Frick was quite insistant on this. A further ammount of production needed to be diverted to mainting the current armed forces. Of the rest roughly half was required for the Naval construction program. Leaving less than 40% of the starting total available for R & D. Industral research was easiest, with no clear breakthroughs in site a small ammounted was needed to further theortecal aresearch. That left the rest to meet the requests form the ministries.

The Naval ministry requests were first to be considered. They wished resources to be looked into propulsion and hull construction of aircraft carriers, and some resources to start experimenting with naval avaition. All this was to help design better carriers. Tha Navy also wanted to look at ways of building better U-boats. Schacht looked at these and agreed with the carrier research this was a nice easy targetted research and the navy got all the resources it asked for. On the U-boat front the request was less clear, so Schacht orders some resources devoted to trials of new equipment and weapons. This should allow the Navy to give a much clearer picture of what they really wanted. He also recieved a seperate request from Donitz for resources to experiment with submarine tactics in the Baltic. This too was agreeed.

Next came the airforce's requests. Goring request was short and too point, he had never been one for report writing. The airforce has no clear mission so they required resources to pursue the development of all types of aircraft untill the airforces mission is clarified, additionally the airforce asked for resources to look into methods for airborne warfare. The request concerning aircraf made sense to Schacht so the it was approaved, but what was Goring interest in airborne warfare for? Schacht decided that this would be worth watching and agreed to give Goring all the resources he required.

The amry request really left Schacht very curious, what were they up to?. On the face of it is was clear. The arny's wish list had artillery at the top, then infantry and then right at the bottom tanks. It was very interesting indeed, he had heard much of the new Panzer forces, which were going to avoid the costly stalemates of World War I through lightning strikes using combined arms. So why aren't the army doing much about it? Schacht had read Achtung Panzer and found its arguemnets most convincing, some creative obedience was required here. As part of the artillery budget, not only were field and infantry guns developed, but also tank, anti-tank and flak guns as well. Surly Germany is not the only state looking at combined arms? Especailly when some bright spark released the blue print for it in a book which anyone can read.

However even after all of this there was still some resources to spare, off his own back he put the rest into the field of electronics. An nice machine encryption device should give Germany nice secure communications. Just what they needed if they were really going to start a war. However they would be no war, it's all show, isn't it?

 

[King]

16th March 1936

Cologne, the Rhineland.

Hitler met with he two army leader Beck and von Fritsch after the sucessful Germna reoccupation of the Rhineland. Hitler was not pleased.

"I order you to reoccupy the Rhineland two months ago. What was the delay."

"Well we had to reorganise the army command structure, we need to replace the old gaurd with younger, more virgours commanders, people who will make the German military machine famous, like Manstien, Guderian and Model." Beck explained.

"And this took you 2 1/2 months?" Was Hitler's reply

"Well no, but the promotion of these younger men sparked off a dispute in the amry on the proper use of tanks, you know that crazy book by Hienz Guderian, Achtung Panzer?" von Fritsch continued

"Yes I quite liked it, it was interesting reading. This is what Germany needs, modern tank forces to ensure that there is repeat of 1914. We need to strike hard and fast because our opponents are so much stronger than we are. We need to sieze the initiative and not give it up. It is Germany's only hope for triumph. Otherwise we are dommed, yes I must have these tank forces this is how Germany will triumph." Hitler was getting quite animated now.

"Oh", was Becks reply "you see a military study showed that Guderians concept of armoured units with 3 tank and 3 Mechinised Divisions just wouldn't work. So we decided to get back Ludendorf's tactics of 1918. We didn't need tanks then and we don't need tanks now."

"Ludendorf lost" was Hitler simple statement of the obvious.

"Eh well, but we have done various wargames to show that if we where to start with such tactics there is no way France could stop us, Ludendorf tactics came too late, that's all. They are still technically sound." von Fritsch felt the need to help his boss out.

"No is the answer, I want a mixed force of tank and mechinised divisions and I want them ready for 1939. Time is not on our side here. We must be ready to strike and strike hard when the time comes. No loosing 1,000,000 men to gain part of France that wont win us the war. Have I made myself clear." Was Hitler's last word on the issue.

"Yes sir" Beck and von Fritsch replied together and walked away.

Both me were troubled by the order, but they knew they had done enough to delay the introduction of the tank forces. Once they had the new big guns to show Hitler, he would change his mind they were sure about that. Tanks with punny 20mm guns would be no match for huge 150mm artillery pieces.

 

[unmerged(6838)]

These AARs will just get bloated, won't they? Fantastic work, King.

 

[King]

Originally posted by AmericanScipio
These AARs will just get bloated, won't they? Fantastic work, King.

Yeh, these AAR are epic work, but if can't be bothered finishing use the Johan released a new pacth so I had to start again excuse. Also the title of mine sucks, anyone got a better suggestion?

 

[Syt]

Why don't you like the title? I think it's great and befitting.

 

[King]

Originally posted by Sytass
Why don't you like the title? I think it's great and befitting.

I just don't know it doesn't seem right. The concept might be ok, but the words just aren't right.

 

[Syt]

Hm, you could of course use the gamble image throughout the AAR - "raising the stakes", "rolling the dice", "flipping a coin", "dealing new cards" are images I'd immediatley have that would lend themselves for employment in an AAR with that title.

Other titles from the top of my head along these lines:

Dice have fallen (Alea Iacta Est)
Gambling at High Stakes
All or Nothing - The Ultimate Gamble

 

[King]

Originally posted by Sytass
Hm, you could of course use the gamble image throughout the AAR - "raising the stakes", "rolling the dice", "flipping a coin", "dealing new cards" are images I'd immediatley have that would lend themselves for employment in an AAR with that title.

Other titles from the top of my head along these lines:

Dice have fallen (Alea Iacta Est)
Gambling at High Stakes
All or Nothing - The Ultimate Gamble

I like the all or nothing title. If this every goes to public consumption I think I'll use that. It has the feel I want. As for the gamble image in the AAR, its not what I want, not yet anyway. My Hitler charactor is certain about what he wants, it depends how wrong things go depends on how much of a gambler he becomes.

 

[unmerged(6838)]

How about Germany- My Way?

 

[Smiffus]

Originally posted by AmericanScipio
How about Germany- My Way?

'Germany: we do it my way or we do it my way'

edit: can't spell

 

[Paradox Interactive]

I'm about to move this into the public section...


P

 

[King]

COuld you do me a favour, change the titile for us then?

 

[King]

15 June 1936

1st Panzer Division HQ, just outside Berlin

Three senior Military officers sat round a table all were unhappy. Heinz Guderian, Erwin Rommel and Eric von Manstien were the new breed of army commander, commanders who could see the potiential for tanks.

"Why will they not listen?", was Guderian question, "The potential for tanks was shown at Cambria."

"Because they are trapped in the past." Manstien replied.

"However Hitler backs us and Schacht has been helping us." Rommel added.

Guderian got up and walked around the table, "That is not enough, we need to totally overhaul the army. We need highly moble tank formation supported by Motorised, although I would prefer Mechinsed, Infantry. Otherwise we just get a high tech version of the last war. It is just madness."

"I agree", was Manstien response,"but we have time, von Neurath has bought us time, we still have a few years to win the case. I have heard that the army will not be seriously expanded for a few years yet. In that time we can win other officers to our case. If we have enough officers on our side, Beck will have to agree with us."

"You are right Eric, we need to win others to our cause, we are right and it should not be hard to win others to our cause. I just hope we can win enough. The 6 division army corps, 3 tank and 3 mechanised, supported by tactical airpower is the key victory.", with that Guderian sat down.

WIth that the conversation moved to other matters.

 

[King]

10th September 1936

Naval Ministry Headquarters

Karl Donitz and Eric Raeder were deep in discussion.

"I never thought we would get this far. The aircraft carriers Graf Zepplen and Peeter Strasser have been laid down. By the end of 1938 we will have a surface fleet to be proud of. That's if we can convince those idoits in the airforce to give us the planes to support it.", Raeder was in a good mood.

"Do we have problems there?" Donitz asked.

"Not exactly, Goring is generally supportive of our case, but there is a small minority that shouts loudly for the main focus of the airforce to be dive bombers. As long as they remian the minority there should be no problem, Goring's main interest is having his own army, once he has that though who knows what he'll do next. Let's hope we get our planes before Goring decides to listen the dive bomber lobby." Raeder replied.

"What about my submarines?"

Raeder was surprise Donitz waited so long to ask but he had is reply ready, he hoped Donitz would take it ok, "Schacht has decided that submarine development is too expensive at this time. Once our production of synthetic materials picks up there will be more resources avaible and submarine development can comence."

"It might be too late then, we need to ave a massive submarine fleet ready for the start of war. If we can hit them early enough we can cut them off for their colonies and leave them powerless." Donitz hoped he didn't have to spell out who they were.

"I agree a strong submarine force will be usefull in supporting the surface fleet."

Donitz knew in his heart that Raeder would never understand that the surface should be there to support submarines, becuase unlike the surface fleet Submarines could win the war, the surface fleet couldn't. Raeder could think what he liked as long as he got his submarines. The problem was, it wasn't looking likely at the moment.