Shattered World - A Worse World War: Part 33

The matter of Iberia, and the war becomes global

Excerpt from an article in the New York Times, September 16th 1945

"...The first several months of this titanic struggle(that many are beginning to call the Second World War) have been active beyond anything we could have imagined. Look at the case of France. An entire industrial power being crushed in a mere four months? Such would have seemed impossible even a year before. In the Great War of 1914-1918 the great powers fought for four years and no great power was ever totally conquered. We live in a time of total war, of lightning warfare and the strategic bombardment of civilian populations. Indeed, even as we write these words ballistic missiles continue to rain on southern England with disturbing frequency for no other reason that we can see other than to terrorize the British people into submission. The Eurasian War seems to have left us with this legacy of total warfare, and now the western world is learning what the Poles and Ukrainians and Russians have known for half a decade. Total war in this modern era truly is hell..."

"...we can only conclude these worrying words with this solemn question : How long can we who claim to represent freedom and justice in the world sit by and let the rest of world go up on the funeral pyre? Perhaps when missiles are falling on our cities and our people are dying in their thousands we will understand what is happening to the world and begin to take some action..."

September 15th 1945 to Novermber 21st 1945

September 5th 1945

The Italians make excellent initial progress in their attack into Tunisia. Free French border forces simply withdraw rather than letting themselves be surrounded and destroyed. From Algiers De Gaulle is organizing a plan of action. Already the French Foreign Legion, 20,000 French regulars, and a division of colonials are moving south out of Tunis. The Free French want to meet the Italians at a key choke point, Medenine along the coastal approach to Mareth.

September 11th 1945

After another in a frequent series of leftist guerilla raids from chaotic Bolivia into Paraguay president Estigarribia decides that he has had enough. He calls on SAFB forces to aid him in 'restoring order on the Bolivian borders'. Argentina and Peru jump at the chance to flex their new military muscle.

September 12th 1945

After two weeks of rest and reinforcement Rommel is ordered to take his 4th Panzer army into Spain. His panzers, armored cars, and trucks begin crossing into the friendly fascist-controlled territory of Franco's regime in southeastern France.

De Gaulle has ordered all French forces to make their way into Portugal with all possible haste over the strenuous objections of Churchill. British and pro-Alliance Spanish forces begin consolidating their positions south and east of Madrid. However, the British expeditionary forces in Spain don't have very much armor and the pro-Alliance Spanish forces are little more than irregular infantry.

September 14th 1945

After numerous discussions between Hitler, Mussolini, and Franco - Hitler comes to a decision. He orders the general staff to begin drafting plans for the seizure of Gibraltar despite their objections that taking it would be too costly. Mussolini has convinced Hitler and Franco that taking it is worth the cost. Plans for operation 'Demolition' are underway.

September 15th 1945

The extremely cautious advance of the Italians has let the Free French forces fortify their defensive positions in Medenine. De Gaulle has also ordered preparations for a second defensive position at Mareth. Leading elements of the Italian advance run into French forces just south of Medenine and are soundly repulsed with heavy casualties by the French Foreign Legion and French colonial forces. 250,000 Italian troops come to a halt south of the French positions.

September 21st 1945

Having finally reached his jump-off positions after traveling on the poor Spanish road network Rommel is relieved to be able to unleash his forces. From the starting point at Tarragona Rommel sends the bulk of his armor and mechanized infantry directly west towards Madrid. He sends a small force supplemented with much of Franco's remaining army down along the coast to the southwest. Rommel's plan is essentially a massive pincer movement. By taking Madrid he will rip to heart out of the entire Alliance position on the Iberian peninsula - he will be able to threaten Portugal and cut off British forces in northern and southern Spain in one stroke. The attack down along the coast is just a distraction intended to hold down Alliance forces in the area.

September 23rd 1945

In spite of extremely stretched supply lines, and in spite of tenacious resistance from British forces in the area, the panzers of 4th panzer army have ruptured a gash into the heart of Spain. Leading elements are within 50km of the Spanish capital and the only thing holding them in check is the speed at which fuel can be brought forward from Barcelona. The advance down the coast in the south has been slow but this attack was intended as a feint anyway.

British forces in northern Spain are ordered to begin withdrawing west to avoid being trapped when Madrid falls. The Portuguese government begins secretly negotiating with representatives from the Axis Powers.

September 26th 1945

German panzergrenadiers occupy Madrid without fighting while the panzer spearheads are driving directly west towards Portugal. French forces are still in the process of being evacuated from Lisbon and a sense of dread falls over the Portuguese city. Portugal begins to mobilize its armed forces while the government continues unofficial talks with the Axis Powers.

By the end of the day Churchill reluctantly authorizes a general retreat from Spain. In order the facilitate the continued evacuation via Lisbon the stretch from the Spanish border to Lisbon must be held at all cost. Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery, placed in command of British forces in Portugal on the previous day, begins to entrench the men of his two infantry divisions in relatively rugged terrain just inside the Portuguese border. Several divisions of Portuguese infantry have begun to join British forces in the area. De Gaulle also commits some forces and places them under Montgommery's command.

September 27th 1945

After two weeks of mobilization the armies of Peru, Paraguay, and Argentina cross into Bolivia without warning. Argentinean and Peruvian aircraft, mostly older German designs purchased before the Alliance - Axis war, bomb Bolivian army bases and bridges. Peru and Argentina have both managed to put together a few armored battalions to participate in the attack, using mostly MkII and MkIII panzers as well as some 1920's era U.S. and British designs. The United States and the Alliance for Democracy strongly condemn the invasion while the Axis Powers congratulate the SAFB on 'fighting communism and anarchy'.

September 28th 1945

Italian frogmen succeed in sinking a Free French Battleship and heavy cruiser at port in Oran. This is a large blow to the still-operational Free French fleet.

October 1st 1945

The last British forces cross back into Portugal with German and fascist Spanish forces on their heels. Several initial probes into Portugal itself are beaten back by Montgomery's forward elements on Portugal's eastern frontier.

October 5th 1945

4th panzer army slams into Montgomery's well entrenched forces around Portalegre and is dealt a bloody nose. American anti-tank rocket 'bazookas' play a major role in the battle and take the Germans by surprise. 4th panzer army loses nearly 40 panzers. Rommel has underestimated the strength and preparedness of Montgomery's main positions and calls the advance to a halt in order to re-supply and rest his exhausted forces.

In Bolivia the weak central government accepts terms for a cessation of hostilities. Bolivia has been unable to mount any coherent defense and the only thing that slowed down the invaders at all was the lack of transportation infrastructure and a few leftist guerilla groups. Peru, Argentina, and Paraguay all get large chunks of territory and Bolivia is forced to accept the presence of 'security forces' from those three nations as well, making Bolivia little more than a puppet.

President Estigarribia announces Paraguay's formal entry into the South American Fascist Block(SAFB). The SAFB now stretches from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast in South America.

October 7th 1945

Portugal's 'president' and defacto dictator has been considering the situation closely for the past couple of weeks. He has always been uncomfortable as a member of the 'Alliance for Democracy'. Staying out from under Hitler's thumb had been useful but putting on a show of Democracy has been downright inconvenient. He'd even had to hold 'elections' and rigging them with Alliance 'observers' present hadn't been easy. Now the legendary Rommel's panzers were on his soil and the damned French and British had virtually taken control of Lisbon in their desperation to evacuate the region and thus abandon him.

And so, at 12:03 PM President Salazar announces on Lisbon's public radio that Portugal has left the Alliance for Democracy and is now 'a neutral nation seeking to avoid the ravages of war.' Portuguese forces are ordered to demobilize and British and French forces are politely asked to leave the country as soon as possible. Salazar has a struck a personal deal with Hitler. Portugal will not be invaded in return for her present neutrality and future membership in the Axis Powers once the Alliance forces have left.

October 8th 1945

Montgomery reacts with understandable anger and frustration. British and French troops seize control of the radio stations and government offices around Lisbon and other cities in Portugal. Salazar had expected an adverse reaction from the Alliance forces but the seizure of his country's government facilities and media outlets comes as a shock. Fearing that he will be arrested by Alliance forces Salazar and his inner circle flee the country by airplane. In Madrid Salazar is greeted by a joyful and grinning Franco.

Franco, for his part, has begun to sweep the Spanish countryside clear of pro-Alliance elements and has initiated a brutal purge of non-fascist politicians and bureaucrats. Franco also has begun a crackdown in the military designed to make it a tool of his fascist party.

October 9th 1945

After 12 straight hours of hasty consultations President Salazar issues a declaration from his exile in Madrid. He proclaims the 'Portuguese government-in-exile' and calls on his forces in Portugal to resist the present occupiers. Rommel receives strict orders from Hitler - Hold your present position and await further orders. Hitler, it seems, is content for the moment to let the sparks fly in Portugal.

October 10th 1945

Fighting erupts in Lisbon, Porto, and other Portuguese cities as much of the Portuguese army takes up the banner of the government-in-exile. The fighting is heaviest in Lisbon where harsh British and French tactics begin to illicit public outrage. By the end of the day the military revolt has erupted into a full-scale anti-Alliance uprising of the general population.

October 12th 1945

Portuguese forces have seized parts of the territory between Lisbon and Montgommery's main defensive positions at Portalegre. In the south of Portugal the few British forces in the area have been surrounded by Portuguese army forces and mobs of angry civilians.

October 14th 1945

Emboldened by his easy success in Bolivia and the stunning gains of the Axis Powers in Europe, Argentinean dictator Pedro P. Ramírez signs a secret pact with Germany whereby German submarines will be allowed to take on fuel and supplies(with the exception of ammunition) in Argentinean ports in return for free German aid in manufacturing older German weapons designs on license.

The German submarine squadron which had been training with the Argentinean navy left Buenos Aires when hostilities broke out with the Alliance for Democracy, at the request of Argentina.

October 17th 1945

In Lisbon Alliance forces kill some 22 civilians during a riot near the British consulate. Hitler, who had been waiting for such an opportunity, renounces the 'inhuman tactics of the so-called Alliance for Democracy' and resolves to 'aid the people of Portugal'. Rommel receives orders to resume his offensive.

October 19th 1945

4th Panzer army has been reinforced with extra panzers and Rommel now has plenty of fuel. The German offensive towards Lisbon begins. Rommel has divided his armored forces for an envelopment of Portalegre and Montgommery's largely static positions there. Montgommery had been expecting such a move and is ready for it. RAF planes are able to keep the Germans from gaining total air superiority and Montgommery has supplemented his strong defensive lines with special anti-tank platoons trained specifically to kill panzers with the new American rockets. The result is a sluggish advance for the Germans and heavy panzer losses. However, Rommel has plenty of panzers to spare and has the advantage of greater tactical mobility.

October 21st 1945

German panzers have managed to bypass the strongest parts of Montgommery's lines and are striking southwest into the British rear. Portuguese forces in the center of the country have stepped up their efforts to block the flow of British supplies. Montgommery can see what is happening and knows he doesn't have the kinds of mobile forces he would need to counter it. He orders his Portuguese Expeditionary Force to begin withdrawing towards Lisbon.

October 22nd 1945

U.S. human intelligence in Buenos Aires spots a German submarine taking on fuel and supplies. Dewey decides to keep this information secret in an effort to avoid conflict in the western hemisphere - but he is too late. British intelligence has managed to intercept this information. In London Winston Churchill flies into a rage. He and president Dewey have a 'spirited discussion' by phone that evening.

October 23rd 1945

The Alliance for Democracy issues a joint statement with an ultimatum for Argentina - discontinue the practice of providing safe harbor to the Axis Powers within 24 hours or face war with the Alliance for Democracy.

Pedro P. Ramírez, dictator of Argentina, scoffs at the Alliance threat. The 'Alliance for Democracy' seems to have shrunk to include only Britain and a few of her puppet states. With the British Isles under direct threat how could they possibly attack him across all that Ocean? The Royal Navy remains a potent force but they seem busy escorting convoys from Canada, America, and Brazil as well as protecting Britain itself, not to mention the vast spaces of the Pacific Ocean where Japan is an ever-present threat. No, the Alliance statement is a hollow threat, of this Pedro P. Ramírez is certain. Argentina is the most powerful economically and militarily of the four SAFB nations and the other three members quickly decide to follow Ramírez's lead on the matter.

October 24th 1945

Luftwaffe aircraft operating from recently recaptured airfields on the coast of northwestern Spain attack French and British ships at port in Lisbon. Half a dozen troop transports are sunk as well as a cruiser and two destroyers. This effectively marks the end of the great French evacuation to northwest Africa. Roughly 350,000 French soldiers have been evacuated to French Northwest Africa.

October 25th 1945

After two days of official silence from Buenos Aires the Alliance for Democracy declares war on Argentina. Honoring their treaty obligations all the nations of the SAFB declare war in return on all the nations of the Alliance for Democracy. Hitler offers the SAFB nations entry into the Axis Powers but the SAFB turns this down for the moment, hoping to avoid U.S. entry into their new war.

October 28th 1945

German spearheads link up to the east of Lisbon surrounding Montgommery and the 35,000 British and French soldiers of the Portuguese Expeditionary Force.

October 31st 1945

With all avenues of escape blocked and his supplies and fuel critically low Montgommery surrenders his forces to Rommel. In a soon-to-be famous photograph Rommel and Montgommery are seen saluting each other(in obvious respect) in Rommel's headquarters tent in Portalegre. Montgommery has bought just enough time to allow most of the remaining British and French forces to evacuate the country.

November 2nd 1945

Washington D.C. is in turmoil. In the span of one week the war that had been contained to Europe and North Africa has now spread to the Americas. After hours of tense national security meetings Dewey and his closest advisors decide on a policy. The U.S. will maintain strict neutrality and will strongly pressure its allies in South America to also remain neutral. Both the Alliance for Democracy and the Axis Powers are to be warned in the strongest possible terms that the war must not spread beyond its current scope. Vast regions off the U.S. coast are declared 'Strict Neutrality Zones' with harsh reprisals from the U.S. navy against any violators of these zones. Also, the U.S. defenses around the Panama Canal, and the Caribbean in general, are about to get a boost. Dewey's thinking is that the war in the western hemisphere will remain 'an affair of signed declarations and zero action'.

November 3rd 1945

With Lisbon firmly in German hands President Salazar returns to give a speech hailing the Axis Powers as 'the savior of Portugal!'. By the end of the day Portugal is a member of the Axis Powers and is formally at war with the Alliance for Democracy. Germany will leave behind a 'small garrison' to 'ensure that the Alliance does not try any adventures in the area again'.

November 4th 1945

Over a month after being handled roughly south of Medenine the Italians are ready at last to resume their advance into French Tunisia. The Italian forces, now numbering over 300,000, begin a slow but methodical advance into the well prepared French defenses around Medenine. The French now have about 45,000 men manning the defenses in southern Tunisia and hundreds of thousands of new arrivals from Europe far to the west waiting to help fight for a Free France. Getting them to the front in Tunisia is not going to be easy. De Gaulle is already requesting massive aid from Britain and the U.S. for improvements to the infrastructure of French Northern Africa.

November 8th 1945

Germany unleashes operation 'Demolition'. 5000 German paratroopers, most of the strength of German paratrooper forces, drop into Gibraltar as combined Spanish, German, and Italian infantry forces begin moving against the legendary British defenses of 'The Rock of Gibraltar'. German Ural heavy bombers hammer British defenses as well as supply, ammunition, and fuel dumps while Italian dive-bombers, torpedo bombers, and medium level-bombers attack the British fleet in port.

The first day of the battle is a chaotic nightmare for both sides. The air drop has been a total disaster for the Germans. Almost half of the paratroopers drowned at sea due to inaccurate drops. Those who managed to drop on land are largely slaughtered by intense British anti-aircraft fire. Only about 1500 paratroopers manage to survive the drop and these are scattered in several small groups. Only one of these groups, about 250 paratroopers, managed to actually drop onto Gibraltar's airfield, the main target of the air drop in the first place. They are unable to secure the airfield in the early hours of the attack but they do manage to disrupt the airfield enough to prevent the British from making any use of it.

The attack overland hasn't gone much better. British defenses are virtually impregnable and two thousand Axis soldiers die in the first two hours of the attack, cut down by British machine gun and mortar fire. By noon the Axis have suffered some 9,000 total casualties and the commanders on the scene finally call a halt to the attack. The British ground defenses have utterly repulsed the Axis overland attack.

The German and Italian air attacks are the only bright spot in the first day of the operation. The German paratroopers that were scattered all over the 'The Rock' have been unable to secure the airfield but they have been able to severely disrupt British anti-aircraft positions with light mortar attacks and direct assaults. Because of this the German heavy bombers encounter only light flak and are able to carpet bomb key sites across Gibraltar. Administrative and communication points are hammered, as are several fuel, supply, and ammunition depots.

The Italian attack on the British fleet is also a success. The port itself is severely damaged and most of the British ships at anchor are sunk before they can flee. With the airfield disrupted the British haven?t been able to get many aircraft in the air and those few on patrol were quickly downed or driven away by German Bf-109's which were escorting the Ural heavy bombers.

This disastrous air drop combined with memories of the costly air assaults in Sweden have convinced Hitler that air drops are simply too costly. He will strongly oppose their use for as long as he is Führer of the Third Reich.

November 10th 1945

After a week of frantic diplomatic activity the first ever meeting of the 'Organization of Democratic American States', or ODAS, is formed. The United States, Mexico, Cuba, all of the small central American and Caribbean states, Brazil, Ecuador, and Chile sign the new organization's charter that calls for strict neutrality in the current conflict between the SAFB and the Alliance for Democracy as well as greatly increased military and economic cooperation. This is the cornerstone in Dewey's plan to contain the war in the Americas. Canada, though close with the U.S., cannot join the ODAS due to its committments in the Alliance for Democracy.

In Gibraltar the Axis launch another frontal attack on the British defenses in Gibraltar. The attack is proceeded by carpet bombing from German heavy and medium bombers. The British defenses are heavily damaged but the British defenders will soon find that rubble can make a great defense in its own right. The new Axis attack succeeds in killing and wounding another 5,000 soldiers but it fails to make any real progress against the British defenses. It is beginning to look like a siege is in the works. German paratroopers in Gibraltar itself have been forced into several small pockets and are rapidly running out of food, water, and ammunition. However, they are still able to harass the British with light mortar attacks on the airfield and anti-aircraft positions. This can't last much longer though.

November 16th 1945

In Tokyo the military leadership of Japan has come to a fateful decision. The time for Japan to sit out of the war is at an end. The new territory in Siberia is simply not enough to satisfy the need of their industry for raw materials, and oil shortages are again becoming critical since no oil is arriving from her fellow Axis Powers members due to Alliance blockades. Japan needs to move south and that means confronting both the Alliance for Democracy and the Americans.

Admiral Yamamoto, the planner of the raid that destroyed the Soviet Pacific fleet at Vladivostok, has presented the members with a bold plan. On a large map of the Pacific basin the brilliant and popular admiral points to an island chain in the mid-Pacific and begins explaining his idea...

In Gibraltar, the last grouping of German paratroopers have been forced to surrender. The situation in Gibraltar has become a stalemate. Axis air power and artillery can prevent the British from making use of the airfield and port but they cannot, for the moment, take 'The Rock' from the 30,000 strong British garrison.

The British have taken to the old 'siege tunnels' and are burrowing even further into the rock for living and storage space that is safe from air and artillery attack.

They have enough water, food, and ammunition to last a long time.

November 17th 1945

With the aid of sheer numbers the Italians have been able to flank the French defenses in Medenine to the west. This, along with pressure from costly but constant Italian frontal attacks, has forced the French to abandon their positions in favor of the 'Mareth Line' just to the north. The Italians are slowly grinding their way into Tunisia while the French begin marshalling their forces far to the west.

November 18th 1945

Germany begins constructing a series of radar installations and hardened anti-aircraft positions along the channel coast and along the coast of the Low Countries. A-2b missiles are already being lofted into Britain from mobile launchers in Calais but Goering is in the process of constructing hardened launch complexes around Calais and northern France.

These are months away from completion.

November 20th 1945

Some 400 RAF Lancaster bombers, as well as B-17's and B-24's purchased from the U.S., hit airfields around northern France and the Low Countries in several separate but simultaneous attacks. The bombers are escorted by an additional 200 fighters including Hurricanes, Spitfires, and American-built P-51 Mustangs. The Germans lack radar coverage in northern France which allows the attacks there to achieve surprise. Few Luftwaffe fighters are able to respond and those that do are overwhelmed by numbers. Dozens of Luftwaffe aircraft are destroyed in the air and on the ground and many airfields are heavily damaged. The attacks in northern France mark the first relatively successful RAF bombing raids of the war. This attack is the first in a new RAF campaign to suppress Luftwaffe activity in northern France.

In the Low Countries German radar coverage is much better and they have many more jet aircraft in the region. Many RAF bombers and fighters are lost as a result. The German jets far outclass the Spitfires and P-51's that they are facing and they have older but still excellent prop fighters supporting them. As a result of the high losses in the Low Countries the RAF command will concentrate more on northern France in its coming operations.

The British Meteor jets lack the range to participate in these attacks.

November 21st 1945

In the first combat action in the western hemisphere an Argentinean destroyer sinks a British merchant vessel near the Falklands islands. Ram?rez has plans for the Falklands, Argentina has long desired those tiny islands off her coast.

In the waters near Britain two carriers(all that the Royal Navy can spare) and numerous surface escorts, troop transports, and supply vessels begin steaming south and west into the deep blue waters of the Atlantic. Also, A squadron of British cruisers and destroyers has already begun steaming south from bases in the Caribbean.

The Kriegsmarine has been keeping its submarines out of the western hemisphere up until this point to avoid angering the United States. But the offer of supply points in Argentina is too good to resist since it will allow submarines to begin seriously attacking British convoys in the South Atlantic. Though the South Atlantic is now becoming a war zone the Germans are still going to avoid the western half of the North Atlantic and the huge convoys there.

How the hell could it be this hot in November? Captain Dan Clark wiped at the sweat beading on his brow and silently cursed the heat. Not that he hadn't expected the sweltering heat that he was now suffering. This was a desert afterall.

Knowing something and accepting it were two totally different issues. Couldn't the army afford a damn air conditioner in here? Or even a fan for the love of God? He might have to buy one on his own. His only consolation was that it always cooled down at night.

He forced his attention back to the radar screen in front of him. Right now it didn't show much. A few specks that might have been a flock of birds or insects or rain or even glitches in the delicate electronics that made up the 'brain' of the radar equipment. What was most important was that it didn't show any sign of aircraft. Not that he had expected any. The Army had warned away any civilian flyers long ago and no country in the world had a plane that could reach White Sands army air force base in New Mexico.

The black phone next to his desk jingled to grab his attention.

"Radar monitoring" Dan said casually.

"We're launching in, call it three minutes. Your equipment working Clark?"

"Yes sir, everything is operating within acceptable norms colonel"

"Carry on then captain"

"Yes sir". Dan hung up the phone and grabbed his notepad and pencil to take notes. The newfangled computer equipment was supposed to record the radar readings but he wasn't going to take any chances. His brain was a computer to wasn't it? Dan looked at his wrist watch. About another minute till she launched by his reckoning. He started counting down from thirty seconds and a solid blip appeared when he reached about fifteen. Dear Christ she's moving fast he thought. The missile was up past ten thousand feet, then fifteen, twenty, thirty thousand, fifty thousand, seventy thousand. She was getting faster all along. The radar he was monitoring was a powerful unit and he would be able to see the missile in flight for most of its path. He was carefully making notes of its altitude and speed versus elapsed time as measured by his watch. She peaked out at close to a hundred miles up and going along at an ungodly speed. He lost her at about 5000 feet up and descending like a meteorite. Not long after he got another call.

"Yes sir, I tracked her all the way through landing, looks like she made it all the way sir"

"Right sir, she was mighty high and mighty fast there, wish I could have seen her launch, must have been quite a site."

"Yes sir, thank you sir". He hung up the phone with a grin on his face. The colonel has just promised him a front row seat for one of the upcoming launches. Dan sat back in his chair with a fierce grain that didn't want to go away.

The United States had just launched a missile to rival the A2b that the Germans so liked to brag about. The prototype for the upcoming 'Goddard' BM-2(or Ballistic Missile model 2 with the added nickname of its original designer) had hit within about a mile of its target several hundred miles up range to the north. The British are going to be interested in this he thought with a mental picture of missiles screaming towards Hitler forming a pleasant picture in his mind. He had a Jewish friend and what the Germans had done to people of their kind...was terrible to put it mildly.

"We're going to need this technology before too long" he said to no one in particular.

To Be Continued...