I have been playing rather a lot of PteAP mod in recent months, so I have decided to do a history-book based AAR, following Germany between the years 1936 and... whenever the game becomes 1) unplayable 2) boring 3) I can't be bothered. I'm aiming to go up until at least 1945, after that it's fairly open to what I think I can do.
The history book, will be based on a British A-Level standard textbook from about the late 1990s
Part 1: The Eagle's Ascent
Chapter 1: From Fredrich to the Battle of Jena
Many trace the start of Germany's ascent to a major world, as to the campaigns by King Fredrich of Prussia against Sweden, France, Austria and Russia. This cemented Prussia's dominance of northern Germany, while beggining the long decline of France from the position as Europe pre-eminent power.
Fredrich's victories, were a reflection of many themes that had run and would coutinue to run through German history. The first, was his triumph against a much larger and more powerful foe or set of foes, the decisiveness of Germany's large and powerful army and finally, the necessity of having a strong ally to balance it's enemies. The value of this lesson, particuarly the second, was to be hammered home in the years of the Napelonic Wars.
The revolutions in France in the early 1790s, which overthrow and eventually murdered King Louis XVI, prompted Prussia to initiate another war against it's most dangerous rival. However, the general peace that Europe had enjoyed since the 1760s, meant that Prussia's army was allowed to slowly degrade in quality. Despite being enermously outnumbered, Revolutionary France managed to smash it's encroaching opponents and knock them out of the fight one by one. The destruction of the First Coaliton, was significant, as it made the task of builidng an anti-France coalition of all the great powers very difficult.
The situation worsened, when the brilliant Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in France and in 1804, had himself crowned Emperor of France. This was followed by the massacre of the Russians and Austrians at Austerlitz and was then followed up in 1806 by the virtual destruction of Prussia as an independent state at Jena. Berlin was occupied and the Prussian armed forces were punitively reduced, to sto pthem becoming a threat to Napoleon's power. Prussia's humilation and status as a third-rate power, was apperantly complete.
The history book, will be based on a British A-Level standard textbook from about the late 1990s
Second Reich Triumphant: Germany from 1870 to 1945
Part 1: The Eagle's Ascent
Chapter 1: From Fredrich to the Battle of Jena
Many trace the start of Germany's ascent to a major world, as to the campaigns by King Fredrich of Prussia against Sweden, France, Austria and Russia. This cemented Prussia's dominance of northern Germany, while beggining the long decline of France from the position as Europe pre-eminent power.
Fredrich's victories, were a reflection of many themes that had run and would coutinue to run through German history. The first, was his triumph against a much larger and more powerful foe or set of foes, the decisiveness of Germany's large and powerful army and finally, the necessity of having a strong ally to balance it's enemies. The value of this lesson, particuarly the second, was to be hammered home in the years of the Napelonic Wars.
The revolutions in France in the early 1790s, which overthrow and eventually murdered King Louis XVI, prompted Prussia to initiate another war against it's most dangerous rival. However, the general peace that Europe had enjoyed since the 1760s, meant that Prussia's army was allowed to slowly degrade in quality. Despite being enermously outnumbered, Revolutionary France managed to smash it's encroaching opponents and knock them out of the fight one by one. The destruction of the First Coaliton, was significant, as it made the task of builidng an anti-France coalition of all the great powers very difficult.
The situation worsened, when the brilliant Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in France and in 1804, had himself crowned Emperor of France. This was followed by the massacre of the Russians and Austrians at Austerlitz and was then followed up in 1806 by the virtual destruction of Prussia as an independent state at Jena. Berlin was occupied and the Prussian armed forces were punitively reduced, to sto pthem becoming a threat to Napoleon's power. Prussia's humilation and status as a third-rate power, was apperantly complete.
