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Updated 2005-11-01
1940 in Pete's Alternate Draka Timeline
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1940 (The Second Great War)
^ Up: 1940 in the "era" timeline ^
> Next: 1941 in detail >
January 1940
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[Map uses OTL 1917 boundaries outside Europe, slightly modified 1922 in Europe.] |
- January and February 1940: A few place the beginning of the Second Great War on August 23rd, 1939 with Italy's seizure of Albania, but much of the world outside the Domination is willing to dismiss Albania and Italy as an isolated incident, and still hope for peace. But the various Militarists worldwide expect the storm to break shortly. Ethnic German unrest grows in the regions bordering Germany. Secret high-level meetings between Germany and Russia coordinate their next actions in Poland; Russia is offered the lion's share of this postwar buffer state, although Germany gets the valuable Danzig (Gdansk) Corridor linking with East Prussia. Germany loses strategic surprise as it positions threatening forces on the borders with neighboring states.
- March and April 1940: The first three referenda, called Anschluss Week, occur in early March nearly simultaneously in Belgium, Austria and Poland. With observers from the Assembly of Nations, it is obvious that Poland has rejected the idea, but massive fraud occurs in Belgium to confuse the issue, although some districts were certain to go one way or the other. When the observers refuse to accept the fraudulent results, Germany calls for uprisings of "the oppressed brother Germans," fabricates border incidents in front of convenient cameras, then kicks off offensives on March 15th. However, they miscalculate the readiness of both German forces and their forewarned opponents, and Germany finds itself making little headway in what was supposed to be three blitzkriegs, although it is proceeding best in Poland. The weather is cold but clear, and there is little snow on the ground.
Luckily for Germany, enough provinces of Austria have truly voted for anschluss that the country's frontier defenses are useless and the government is thrown into chaos. Besides Vienna itself, only the southeastern provinces have voted to remain independent of Germany, due to massive Germanic nationalist influence and the local Militarists. A prepared communiqué regretfully announcing the entry of German troops into Austria, "solely to protect Germanic peoples from their hate-filled neighbors" is never used. Instead, most of the German troops facing Austria are soon transferred towards Poland, Belgium and France to provide welcome reinforcements. All Germany has to do is wait, and Austria will hand most of itself over, including the valuable territory flanking Poland, with the weak remainder being "easy pickings" for later. And as the anschluss referendum in Austria was held in conjunction with parliamentary elections, the strong second-place showing by the Austrian Militarist Party has put the Austrian central government in a bind twice over. No viable coalition government can be assembled without including the Militarists, as all the minor parties have conflicting goals between themselves and/or the first-place Christian Democrats. After several days of wrangling, a long-term effort by the Vatican to put the Catholic political parties of Europe under tighter ecclesiastical control suddenly bears fruit; the German and Austrian Christian Democrat parties are ordered to submit to the will of the Church or disband. In Germany with the Militarists firmly in charge, the only effect is to further subdue the opposition. But in Austria, the political system breaks down and the military is forced to decide between a civil war with German invaders on the doorstep (and agitators already inside), or peaceful surrender. On March 26th, they choose surrender, and Austria effectively ceases to exist.
Situated between an infantry-heavy slow-moving Russian military and a fast-moving motorized-intensive German one, the Poles had to decide in the 1930s who to counter the most effectively. Unfortunately, their compromise solution was better suited to Russia: massive minefields at the borders sprinkled with pillboxes housing anticlank guns powerful enough to kill even the Russian monstrosities. But when the attack comes, it is from Germany. The narrow points of penetration at the border, with the German forces fanning out into the rear areas once past the frontier defenses, are the opposite of the broad front advance expected of the Russians. The Polish defenders on the western front are mostly bypassed and ineffective, while the remaining mobile forces are inadequate compared to the latest German clank designs combined with massive tactical aircraft support. Poland's only hope is to strip the eastern border of guns and men (even though they are untrained for mobile warfare) and regroup all remaining forces near the Oder and Vistula Rivers. If they preserve the heart of the country long enough, surely Russia or the other Pact of Paris members will intervene in their favor.
Russia waits for several days while the German blitzkrieg develops, then offers military assistance to Poland as if the Pact of Paris included Poland already. However, Russia doesn't declare war on Germany. Before the Poles can figure out the contradiction, Russia is pouring forces over the border. The denuded Polish forces in the East fold quickly (although they are briefly rather effective where enough guns remain). The remaining Polish forces manage to hold firm for several weeks between the Oder and Vistula rivers against both Germany and Russia in a vain hope that Britain and France will somehow come to their aid. The Russians and Germans meet at the agreed partition line, and then halt without significant combat, to the bafflement of those not privy to the non-aggression pact.
Belgium quickly invokes the Pact of Paris; Britain and France declare war on Germany as it requires, but Russia still refuses to declare war on Germany as the pact demands. A British Expeditionary Force (BEF) is dispatched from England and lands in France to take a place in the line with Belgian and French troops. German advances in Belgium are soon halted with French and (minimal) British intervention.
[While obviously modeled on the beginning of World War II in OTL, this war isn't as easy for Germany in the early stages. The meltdown in Austria is simultaneous with actual fighting in Poland, and Belgium almost becomes a dagger pointed at Germany's heart. Luckily for Germany, nobody is very experienced at mechanized warfare this early, and the quick fall of France that will occur is due to Germany learning before France does. Pre-war German staff work and a very good internal transportation system make it happen, even without a "Phony War". An alternate WW2 (of sorts) where Poland manages to hold on in 1939 is found at Dale Cozort's World War II What-If for February 1998.]
- April and May 1940: Confidence that the Pact of Paris will contain German aggression is misplaced, as Russia announces it is withdrawing from the Pact and annexing the portion of Poland it controls, turning on the Poles. Germany withdraws from Belgium to prepared defenses on the German border, where the British and French halt. Germany completes the conquest of their portion of Poland, then leaves behind a minimal garrison as it quickly transfers troops to the Belgian and French borders. In Austria, German troops merely move in and displace the Austrian ones to occupy the former nation relatively peacefully. British and French forces dither on the Belgian border waiting for London and Paris to agree on the next move, now that the relied-upon threat of Russia squeezing Germany from the east isn't materializing. The clear weather ends in mid-April, alternating rain and cloudy days that turn European terrain into cold mud. Luckily, there is no serious fighting until the mud has dried in early May.
While they can directly retrieve Austria and Poland only by invading Germany, France still wants to break Germany on the Surlot Line, and Russia is apparently no longer a threat to Germany's other side. Italy is approached as a replacement for Russia in the Pact of Paris, but refuses when Britain can't allow Italian aggression to continue in the Balkans. The Domination and Japan are quiet, and America is disgusted with the entire scene. Britain and France reluctantly issue an ultimatum for Germany to withdraw from Austria and Poland, and call upon Russia to withdraw from Poland as well. When the deadlines expire on April 30th with no response, a combination of Belgian, British and French forces attempt to enter Germany along the Belgian border, and French troops alone at several points along the French border. The weather is sunny and dry for several weeks, but the offensives start off into mud. The French army is not designed for offensive operations, but the German one is; swift German armored counterattacks succeed in throwing the French back to their vaunted Surlot Line. The combined British, Belgian and French forces have more luck, but find they have been outmaneuvered as the Germans counter-thrust around their flanks and trap them against a deep defensive belt in northwest Germany. Fighting their way out of the trap, the combined forces are pursued back into Belgium and eventually cut off at the coast near Zeebrugge and evacuated to either England or France, or destroyed in rear-guard action. The remaining Germans proceed a short way down the coast, taking advantage of the Surlot Line extending to only the southern tip of the Belgian border with France. With the French mobile forces either trapped or destroyed in Belgium, or being extracted from the Surlot Line, the German columns make a wide sweep behind the Line and fall upon the fortresses from the rear. A second BEF, including some evacuated units from the first, is hurriedly sent to France but makes a fighting withdrawal through Caen, as some of their equipment doesn't arrive before the Germans do. The occupation of Paris and capitulation of France take only three weeks longer. The French fleet in the Mediterranean is scuttled or sailed to Gibraltar to keep it out of German hands.
Russia suddenly begins crushing the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) with no warning, and starts demanding disputed territories from Finland. The pretext in these actions is usually that oppressed Socialists were crying out for support, although none of the conquered areas had a significant Socialist movement. The Russian Tsar gives tacit approval, as he wishes to see Russia continue expansion at the expense of neighboring minor countries, and some of these areas were taken from Russia in the Peace of Versailles.
The Irish begin openly training with real equipment, but conceal the amount they have by rotating small units through the same marked training items. British observers report that the Irish can only properly equip a single regiment, but the equipment for almost 3 full divisions is in storage and more is still arriving.
In late May, as the end of France draws near, Italy opens their Greek offensive and Japan begins another campaign in China.
Italy and Germany announce the formation of the Continental Pact, and invite Russia to join. Frantic diplomatic activity by the smaller nations trapped between the three powers and the Domination convinces Russia there is something to be gained here. Tension mounts on the Russian border with British Afghanistan and India as both sides send in reinforcements, but Britain and Russia are still not at war.
Believing that Russia will join the Continental Pact, Japan asks Germany and Italy to consider letting it join as well, and enters negotiations with Russia and Germany to establish an acceptable sphere of influence in Asia first. Japanese negotiators convince Germany to transfer rule of French Indo-China to Japan when France surrenders. In return, Japan sets the existing border in Manchuria as the northern extent of Japanese claims in Asia, and makes generous promises to Russia on who gets portions of Mongolia and north central and western China that neither yet controls.
Britain stands alone as a major guarantor of peace, and the Assembly of Nations is obviously ineffectual now that Europe seems to be going up in flames. War advocates decry the waste of time before attacking Germany, and the opportunities lost to maintain a foothold in France or punish Russia for its aggression, but they are still in the minority. The Royal Air Force (RAF) operates from forward bases in France against the advancing Germans until the last, but is woefully insufficient, and overwhelming Luftwaffe superiority leads to RAF personnel being reviled by BEF survivors when they meet again in England.
[Much of the British conduct at this early stage of the war is from OTL, however no great wartime Prime Minister arises.]
- June 1940: The apparent division of all their territory between the surrounding powers galvanizes the Balkan countries into full mobilization. However, only Italy is engaged in military operations in the region, against Greece alone, and Germany is still digesting its recent conquests. Italy declares war on Britain when the British announce they will provide military aid to Greece as per the Pact of Paris — which should have been considered dissolved once Britain was the only remaining major power enforcing it. British attempts to supply Athens are intercepted in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, or bombed while passing Italy, and return to Gibraltar or Cyprus mostly unsuccessful or not at all. British positions in Cyprus are fortified, but begin suffering from lack of supplies as the Italian navy and air forces manage to interdict British supplies flowing from Gibraltar.
Russia joins the Continental Pact in mid-June. Once the agreements with Russia and Germany are in place, Japan announces that it has joined the Continental Pact too, although in hindsight they acted prematurely in not waiting to have a pretense of legal control of the Dutch East Indies as well. Japanese forces take legal control of French Indo-China immediately after France officially surrenders to Germany, but some French colonial forces resist. The French government-in-exile is set up in London, joining the Belgians and Poles, and diplomats of the Baltic States. Germany annexes several regions bordering France, and sets up a puppet collaborationist state with its capital in Tours, with German troops providing internal and border security for the foreseeable future.
- July 1940: Russia completes conquest of the Baltic States, and Finland mobilizes to meet an expected Russian invasion. Germany has troops dispersed throughout their conquered and annexed territories, particularly putting down the organized resistance that arose during the interval of minimal occupation in western Poland, but is raising new units for a campaign planned for early fall. Italy finds that the forewarned Greeks are tough defenders, and makes slow progress towards Athens. Small Italian operations against the other Balkan countries bordering Italy and Albania are quickly called off when they don't make significant initial progress, and ruffled feathers smoothed to concentrate on Greece alone.
The Netherlands has remained neutral so far, and their Anschluss referendum results in an overwhelming call for union with Germany. Accusations of widespread fraud are made, but the protesters are silenced by German troops, and thousands flee to Denmark and England in boats. Britain hosts a Dutch government in exile that asks for British protection for the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) and Dutch Guinea — the only significant Dutch overseas possessions. Britain is mobilizing units throughout the Empire, but is not seriously concerned over a cross-Channel invasion, as Germany shows no signs of the naval construction necessary for landing craft. The U.S. is officially neutral, although giving preferential military sales to Britain. Germany begins exchanging aerial reconnaissance and nuisance bombing with Britain.
Japan crushes French colonial resistance in French Indo-China, ignoring the protests of a French government-in-exile from London, and seriously threatening British and other Western interests in Southeast Asia and China. War with Japan is avoided for the moment only when the Sea Lord points out that the small British outposts east of India would certainly be lost before sufficient force could be brought to bear against Japan. Unspoken, but understood by nearly all sensible people, is that the Pact of Paris (which should compel Britain to act) is void now that France has surrendered, and can only lead to disaster while Britain stands alone.
The Domination breaks its silence by attacking Greece at the end of July, quickly sweeping past Salonika and eventually reaching the Italian vanguard southeast of Ionia. Italy declares war after the Drakans continue pushing on into the Italian forces, treating them with even less respect than the Greeks. The Continental Pact is officially at war with the Domination, but Germany has no access and Russia isn't prepared to take offensive action on the southern border.
[The Domination doesn't bother with a formal declaration of war with anyone. Besides expanding forces on the border, the first notice of war with the Domination is often incoming artillery, bombs or paratroops.]
- August 1940: The initial Italian response to the Domination's attack is disjointed, and uncoordinated attempts to bomb and shell Malta are repulsed with heavy Italian air and naval losses. Malta comes under sporadic Italian air and naval attacks until May 1942, although these soon serve to do nothing more than feed Italian forces into the teeth of a strong Drakan defense, which uses electrodetectors in dirigibles for airborne early warning and aircraft control. As the Drakans consolidate a position in Greece and begin expanding towards Athens and Albania, they offer to protect British evacuation from Cyprus in exchange for the island and a non-aggression pact with Britain. As the peace supporters are still strong in Britain, and even the war supporters realize that allies are needed, or at least fewer enemies, the offer is accepted. However, what the Drakans agree to is "mutual peace, and respect for the current borders of British Afghanistan and India"; none of the British immediately realize the implications for Russia and China in this language. Because the transport assets in the Indian Ocean are busy moving Australian troops to India, and the war supporters demand some action against Italy, Britain masses their remaining Mediterranean naval assets and some from the Home Fleet in Gibraltar. This fleet, which includes two aircraft carriers and is intended to steam un-refueled round-trip, prepares to make a long journey to either re-supply or evacuate Cyprus, under hostile Italian fire along the way if necessary. The Drakans reinforce their position in Malta, and pour additional troops through their narrow corridor along the Greek coast, but the Persian and Turkish borders are quiet. The Domination seizes Rhodes and several other islands in the eastern Aegean Sea with small combined amphibious and airborne operations against light Italian naval and Greek ground opposition. Russia slightly reinforces Georgia, but makes only token diplomatic moves protesting Drakan aggression against Italy, their fellow Continental Pact member — they are unwilling to call attention to themselves while preparing to fight on the northwestern side of Russia. Germany makes a few protests, but has no direct access to the Domination, is busy consolidating for the next step, and is apparently looking towards splitting the Balkans with the Domination regardless of Italy's presence in the Continental Pact. While neither side believes the secret German–Drakan non-aggression pact is worth anything, it has yet to be seriously tested. Bluff threats by Italian diplomats to withdraw from the Continental Pact are called; Italy isn't prepared to fight a land war against the Domination, and needs allies with better armies, so they back down and hope to get Germany and Russia involved soon.
In mid-August, Russia opens a massive offensive against Finland, which bogs down after initial success penetrates to a second line of defensive outposts separated by lakes. Small-scale amphibious operations by both sides attempt to outflank the line, but the Russians find that their only advantage is manpower against the fanatical but outnumbered Finns. A crucial decision is made to maintain the experience and strength of existing Russian border garrisons, and use green troops in massive quantities for offensive operations. Russian Socialist leaders continue to believe that offensive operations planned for the Balkans will not deplete the "surplus" manpower, and the current experienced border garrisons will deter invasion of Russia or its conquests.
The Drakans make progress towards both Athens and Albania, but the trapped Italians and remaining Greeks have made common cause against the Domination invaders, and Italy is now supplying Greece, calling their earlier invasion "a ploy to lure out the real aggressor." After a massive counterair campaign that knocks out the tiny Greek air force and temporarily drives the Italian planes away, the Drakans make the world's first large paratroop drop, putting the 12,000 Citizen paratroopers of the First Airborne Legion just outside Athens. This is closely followed by an amphibious invasion from several Turkish ports. The Drakans carry the capital, but with nearly 30% casualties to the paratroops and massive Janissary charges required against fanatical Greek resistance. The Greeks deliberately destroy several antique landmarks, including the remains of the Parthenon.
The British naval mission to evacuate Cyprus leaves Gibraltar near the end of the month.
- September 1940: The British fleet heading to Cyprus comes under increasing Italian air attack as it nears Malta. Drakan support to the British consists solely of informing them that Malta is under threat of Italian attack, and warning them not to attempt putting in there. As the British fleet passes south of Malta, the Drakan and Italian fleets both sortie, and a massive three-way naval engagement occurs southeast of Malta, out of range for both Italian and Drakan land-based aircraft. The British are under orders not to fire first on the Drakans, but the Italians are shooting at both when they can. The Drakans concentrate fire on the few Italian ships that approach them, but don't intervene to assist the British. This convinces the Italians to concentrate on the British warships instead; the two carriers, freighters and transports are sent southwest with a minimal escort to avoid battle. The melee lasts for several hours, with the Drakan ships staying mostly on the edge of the battle. The Italians have the advantage of numbers and a relatively close sanctuary their ships could flee to if heavily damaged; the British are obligated to protect ships that are damaged, as both Cyprus and Gibraltar are rather far away. The British have fewer warships, but better crews and equipment, and two carriers that launch multiple airstrikes to both attack the Italians and get "the big picture" as the battle wears on. The Drakan ships flank around to the west edge of the battle area, wait until the British warships seem to be breaking away to the southeast, then close to optimum range on the right flank of the Italians before simultaneously opening fire and then beginning their scripted fast maneuvers. Between the British and Drakans, only those Italian ships that left the battle early and several on the northern (left) flank make it back to Italy. Several Italian submarines intercept the British carriers and freighter/transport contingent; the carrier Ark Royal and two oilers are sunk before destroyers drive off or sink the subs. More Italian submarines enter the battle area after dark to finish off several crippled British vessels lagging behind, and begin pursuing the British ships to pick off stragglers. Overall, almost one third of the vessels involved in the day's fighting are sunk, with the Italians suffering the most, but the British cannot afford any losses if they must return the same way with loaded transports. The British are very relieved that the Drakans haven't turned on them, although they did stand off and let the British fight until the battle went in their favor.
The Drakan capture of Athens polarizes the combined Italian and Greek forces in Greece, and their resistance collapses in mid-September. But Albania remains in Italian hands, and the Drakan advance toward Tirane is rather slow. Italian calls for a united front against the Domination are met by disagreement among the Balkan countries as to which is the bigger threat, including Germany or Russia depending on proximity to those major powers in the Continental Pact. So far, the Pact hasn't done anything in a coordinated fashion, so the concern about the individual powers is still valid.
The losses suffered in running the gauntlet past Italy on the way to Cyprus convince the British to return the evacuation fleet through the Suez Canal instead. The Domination offers to supply more transport capacity for a price, and allow free use of the Canal at the 1916 rates, but only if some Cypriots are left behind once the military and British civilians are removed. Negotiations continue into October, with the British finally realizing that the Draka want a native labor force when they take control of Cyprus.
Drakan control of Greece, and exerting power over the Greek islands, are difficult as Italian-supported partisans spring up to resist the forces sent out to proclaim or enforce Drakan rule over the Greek mainland and hundreds of islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. The Italian navy continues to provide supplies to parts of western Greece as they try to extract remaining Italian troops and coordinate resistance behind the lines. The Drakan navy is chiefly around Cyprus and Malta, and trying to support a myriad of small amphibious operations in the Greek islands, and avoids operating in the Ionian Sea close to Italy and Albania.
Russia also begins reinforcing the borders with the Domination and British Afghanistan, although neither the Domination nor Britain is yet fighting Russia. The Domination and Britain both respond in kind, and tensions begin to rise in the region. Russia also begins aggressive patrolling on the long border with China and Mongolia, searching for signs of weakness in the Chinese Imperial forces.
Portugal is more afraid of Nationalist Spain than the Continental Pact, but they accelerate their purchases of arms from the U.S. and Britain to better equip the small defense force.
- October 1940: October is a continuation of September's activities in most areas, but the weather becomes less conducive to naval operations in the Mediterranean as many small storms sweep through the area. After some wrangling on the definition of British citizen, a large merchant fleet is collected in India, and the British promise to pay over ten million pounds worth of gold in fees to evacuate the entire population of Cyprus through the Suez Canal. Although Britain is increasing troop strength on the borders with the Domination and Russia in Afghanistan and India, they aren't prepared to wage an offensive war there. Advocates of war with the Domination are shouted down in Parliament, and the peace faction claims that all efforts are being made to avoid further loss of British lives, including a complete ("not a soul, farm animal or household pet will remain") evacuation of Cyprus.
Germany momentarily gains the upper hand in the air campaign against Britain, but the Cliff Chain electrodetector network is too redundant to knock out, so the RAF can meet German raids against the airfields and still rotate weary fighter groups out to the north. The advantage swings back to Britain when the most experienced Luftwaffe units are withdrawn to support the kickoff of an invasion campaign against the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Requirements are issued for design of modular landing craft that can travel across the English Channel from French ports, in several configurations carrying infantry, a clank, artillery, or supply vehicles.
- November 1940: The Japanese had official and now have practical control of French Indo-China and continue their advances in China. The Italians obtain sufficient support from Serbia to decisively halt the Drakan advance into Albania just short of Tirane.
Kennedy is reelected President on support for his successful New Deal programs and credit for trade with the warring powers that has reduced unemployment. America declares its intent to face any and all aggressors if American shipping or personnel are attacked, an ambiguous threat aimed at Germany that is as far as Congress will allow support of Britain at the moment. But the Germans have not concentrated on naval construction so far, and so have only a few U-boats and some coastal patrol boats; there is little danger of a U-boat offensive damaging British supply lines, or a German fleet sortie into the North Atlantic. And Japan is still obtaining valuable raw materials from trade with the US.
The Anschluss referendum finally occurs in Denmark, and to little surprise the Danes vote to join Germany. Through a combination of fraud, fear of German aggression, or disappointment in the Pact of Paris and Assembly of Nations, the Danes join Austria as the second volunteer in the growth of the German Reich. Their annexation is peaceful, but many fishing boats full of people escape to Norway or Britain. Iceland and Greenland both declare independence from Denmark, and neutrality. British and American diplomats begin offering military protection and/or amalgamation, but the two isolated islands only enter a mutual defense pact with each other, and ignore the Danish government-in-exile set up in London. Britain offers to provide military assistance to Norway, but both Norway and Sweden reiterate their neutrality. Britain's Prime Minister Goodley secretly orders plans drawn up for a spring invasion of Norway, with contingencies for both a pre-emptive strike or a counter-invasion after notice of a German invasion. Home Defense is increased, and Gibraltar emptied of all dependents, but there are no signs of imminent attacks against Britain or its possessions besides the continuing aerial war with Germany.
With strong Drakan and British naval escort, the British transport fleet evacuates the entire population of Cyprus through the Suez Canal to Pakistan without interference from the Italians. The Domination graciously forgives most of the canal transit fees in exchange for taking possession of an uninhabited Cyprus, for a net cost to Great Britain of 2 million pounds in gold for losing several ships and giving up Cyprus to a repulsive partner. The Prime Minister narrowly wins a vote of confidence when the complete deal is publicized. He keeps his office only by pointing out that war with the Domination would be much more costly, and conflict with Italy is now practically impossible, as Gibraltar is purely defensive, will be heavily reinforced, and never surrendered. The abandonment of Greece and the Balkans is not brought up in the heat of the moment, but low morale afflicts Great Britain as the muddled policy of alternating appeasement and intervention is continued.
- December 1940: The Japanese begin seizing control of the rest of the Chinese coastline from the ineffective Chinese army, and commit atrocities in Nanking and Shanghai against the Chinese and a few Westerners. The U.S. warns of "dire consequences" should American interests in the area be interfered with, but there is no mobilization to back this up. Japan announces an "Asian Co-Prosperity Region" encompassing their recent gains and all of China. Chinese Imperial forces are being pushed back by the more modern Japanese army and air force, but resistance is fierce around Peking. Britain and America begin providing open military support to China, but can eventually do so only through Burma or Tibet and the enclaves of Hong Kong and Macau.
The Russians negotiate a cease-fire with the Finns at the stabilized defense line, after a fall and early winter of continuing bloody but inconclusive frontal assaults and failed flanking amphibious operations on both the interior lakes and the Gulf of Finland.
Germany completes conquest of the Czech Republic (trivial, as the Sudeten Germans undermine the defenses) and Slovakia (tougher, but too small to hold for long), but halts before entering Hungary due to heavy snows. The Luftwaffe regains the advantage against the RAF as experienced and new units are transferred west once the conquest is completed.
[Splitting OTL Czechoslovakia into two sovereign states makes it easier for Germany to conquer both, as the western one has the Sudeten Germans in areas bordering pre-war Germany and Austria, and the eastern one is too small to defend itself for long. Also, the Anschluss referenda in both were scheduled for early 1941, but Germany has abandoned legal pretense now that general war has begun.]
January 1941
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[Map uses OTL 1917 boundaries outside Europe, slightly modified 1922 in Europe.] |
^ Up: 1940 in the "era" timeline ^
> Next: 1941 in detail >
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