A Shift in Priorities

[paulo]

Simply fantastic !!!

[Expat]

Ha! Wonderful! I'd totally forgotten the legitimate government was captured and not executed.

Well this should change the shape of things, and might likely mean that Trotsky's forced out of another country. With Mosely more or less running the show, Trotsky could expect to work quietly and independently behind the scenes. I can't imagine he'd be able to do that now, and I doubt the government will appreciate his presence on their turf. Maybe it's off to Mexico again?

I wonder if the return of the government makes it more or less likely that the country will moderate after the war?

One other question that arises is MacDonald's status as a Scotsman, given Scotland's new status as a neutral power in the war. It seems like something that could be ignored, but it might cause some people a certain amount of confusion.

[Peabody-Martini]

All these events over two days. WOW!

All of the RAF aircraft were sitting on the ground waiting to the attack the HSF when it came into range, something that never happened. This left the airspace in southern England wide open for the Zeppelins.

Heads will roll for this, just who's though?

[Kelenas]

I certainly didn't see this coming. Makes it all the more awesome, though.

- Kelenas

[Jotun]

After a day or two af absence I just read the pastupdates and can only say "wow". Especially concerning the last one. Go, Schneller Heinz

Originally Posted by Peabody-Martini

All of the RAF aircraft were sitting on the ground waiting to the attack the HSF when it came into range, something that never happened. This left the airspace in southern England wide open for the Zeppelins.

Heads will roll for this, just who's though?

I agree with the heads about to roll, however, the airspace over southern England could have been swarming with fighters during the commando zeppelins' approach to Fair Isle and it would not have mattered a bit. It's located between the Shetlands and the Orkneys

[stjernkjempe]

Originally Posted by rast

Flash News

Berliner Tageblatt, morning edition, June 1st, 1931.

BRITISH GOVERNMENT LIBERATED BY BRAVE BRANDENBURG ZEPPELIN FUSILIERS
(by our correspondent Egon Erwin Kisch via radio telegram from the Zeppelins returning home)

A valiant detachment of Zeppelin Fusiliers led by intrepid Colonel Heinz Guderian has liberated the members of the MacDonald Government on Fair Isle in the early morning hours today.
All formerly interned British cabinet members are up and well; the Fusilier Detachment suffered only minimal losses.
The Zeppelins are currently on their way to Manchester, where Acting Prime Minister Sir Oswald Mosley is going to publicly welcome his colleagues at the airport. Scottish Government has warranted free passage.

This should give the English a whole new proverb about putting all the eggs in one basket. Did they liberate only the ministers or all the imprisoned pm's too?

[rast]

Originally Posted by stjernkjempe

Did they liberate only the ministers or all the imprisoned pm's too?

They did. But those were not 'worth' the first headline.

[Jotun]

Damn! Rast, you are awesome! Even the "embedded" reporter is a RL person...I only saw it just now and realized I knew the name. My virtual sombrero off to you. Is Kisch a Communist activist as IOTL or did the somewhat different development ITTL let him mellow out a bit? Did he even desert in 1918 as he did IOTL?

[rast]

Originally Posted by Jotun

Is Kisch a Communist activist as IOTL or did the somewhat different development ITTL let him mellow out a bit?

Let's say he's a left socialist and a friend of Miss Luxenburg's position. Obviously, the events in 1918 ITTL took another course than IOTL, thus Kisch remained a loyal member of the A-H armed forces - and was honourably discharged at the end of the war.

[Jotun]

Makes sense, thanks for the info

[nerdknight01]

¡ WOW !, ¡ WOW !,
About the newspaper style, well done.
About the mexican situation, yep, all the USA efforts in México are going down, down south. Now when the truth are know about México, how the USA goverment can explain to the common people in américa that the peace and the democracy in México is a myth, and they have a new war front, and the mexican people are rivals and not the peacefully neighbouring who aparently belived, i really wish to see the internal fights and conflicts in the White House for the mexican liberation war.
Finally, about Churchil and co., when the british elites see that all is doomed and what be doing about this, run, fight to death, etc.. or worst, like revenge to the socialists maybe be beginning to destroy all the brithish resourses, industries, etc..., and creating for revenge a poor sad England. And last, i wonder this events are see in the eyes of Tolkien, Orwell, etc. Thanks and good luck.

[Bmao]

Originally Posted by nerdknight01

¡ WOW !, ¡ WOW !,
About the newspaper style, well done.
About the mexican situation, yep, all the USA efforts in México are going down, down south. Now when the truth are know about México, how the USA goverment can explain to the common people in américa that the peace and the democracy in México is a myth, and they have a new war front, and the mexican people are rivals and not the peacefully neighbouring who aparently belived, i really wish to see the internal fights and conflicts in the White House for the mexican liberation war.
.

Heh, rast's going old school on us...

As for Mexico, I don't really think the US public cares if democracy is being practiced in Mexico, as it would be far worse to have a Mexico that's being sponsored by Germany, which again would be a slap to the Monroe doctrine. The US already had troubles with Mexico in the mid 20s with the whole Trotsky and Luxembourg in Mexico affair, so they're well aware of how unstable that country is, and I doubt the US public would become surprised at this turn of events. If anything, the first people that the US government will suspect would be Luxembourg and her ilk, regardless of whether she had anything to do with this latest uprising or not. IMO though, the outburst of rebellion seems to large and too widespread to seem like something that did not have a little help from outside.

Mexico's simply too close to the US proximity wise, and relies too much on the US market to escape US dependency for long. The US in fact, might decide to cut their losses and end the war with Germany so they can deal with this latest Mexican uprising. Thus, the US Government can use the uprising in MExico to distract the US public from the economic problems...

[nerdknight01]

¡ Hi ! Bmao in some part is true, the mexican economy is really integrated to the US economy, but in this timeline the diferency is that the profits, goods, etc... are going to USA, and the mexican people in general don´t see or have some profits of the USA economy, and that is bad because you have a big mayority of people hopeless, with anger and ugly short lifes seen the good life of a really small group, and worst like salt to a wounded that small group is of another country, and that is the recipe for really blody events. The worst part is that the USA goverment sell to the common citizens that México, his goverment, his democracy, etc.. have some troubles but are in the good way, and now how can to explain that México is in flames and need new sacrifices and that México are in a second independence war.
Finnallly, one more problem to the USA because the blood for the war is money, and because of the war in Europe, the internal problems, the begginigs of the Dust Bowl, etc... the money and resourses for making and winning a war are less and less. Thanks and good luck.

[Shogo]

Hmm, if the leadership is even halfway intelligent (I think they've mostly just been portrayed as angry and dicks but not patently retarded) . . . The Mexico situation could be a springboard for ending hostilities with Germany.

I seriously doubt the US will lose control of that country, economic crisis waiting to hit or not.

[rast]

And manly hearts to guard the fair.

Already the first night had taught Admiral Sir Michael Henry Hodges, Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, what his enemy’s intent was. Five destroyers and two light cruisers had been lost to mines and torpedoes. HMS Lion had blown up completely for unknown reason. HMS Tiger had been severly damaged in a confused collision with HMS Ramillies; after damage control had failed, her captain had decided to beach her near Scarborough. The whole night had been filled with uncontrolled gunfire, beaming spot lights and dangerous manoeuvres.

And this had only been the first night, when many German assets could not yet have arrived on the scene. No, this approach was bound to rapidly wear down his outfit. Granted, the Huns couldn’t reinforce their troops on British soil, but this didn’t matter any more.
Whitehall had communicated that the UKAC had been committeed against Grimsby – and that red armour had smashed into its left flank and annihilated the armoured corps. Thus, his Home Fleet was the last remaining powerful military tool of the loyalists.
However, with a mixture of red tanks and Hunnish infantry driving down on London, commanded by the turncoat General Fuller, he was manning a forlorn outpost – and tying down precious air assets...

Even worse, a number of air bases had already been overrun by communist ground troops, and his aerial shield was getting weaker by the hour.

The question was: Should he attack the Hun fleet – or chicken out?
The 16-inch cannons of the Battle Class giants had an effective range of 35,000 yards, far superior to any guns the Huns had on their vessels.
The Huns mockingly remained just out of range of land based fighters. If he now sent out his Fairey Foxes as escorts for the land based bombers, and relied on land based fighters as protection of the Home Fleet?
He certainly had more Fairey Foxes at his disposal than the Huns had fighters on their carriers. Once the Huns were under air attack, he could dash towards the Huns and batter them with the 16-inchers at superior range. At least his vessels were as fast as those of the Huns, and no sitting ducks like the US battleships had been at Iceland.

There certainly would be an air strike by Hunnish land based bombers, the dreaded Ju 37s and He 15s of Iceland fame, once the air attack on the High Seas Fleet was ongoing, against his Home Fleet. But with the more powerful land based fighters for cover, this hopefully could be neutralised.
Whether his own bombers scored against the Huns wasn’t really important; but it was paramount that the Hunnish fleet was kept busy when his attack commenced.

When, however, the Hunnish land based sorties did not come as an immediate answer to the British air strike on the High Seas Fleet, he would come into danger of being attacked at a moment where his own fighters were still engaged – and the land based ones at the limit or beyond their range.
On the other hand: Iceland had shown that air attacks could disable some few ships, but never a whole fleet.

If he ran away, he could bring his fleet home without further losses. And he need not test his hodgepodge crews in battle without prior training and familiarisation. But this was the loyal core of the Royal Navy, those of the true spirit. Tiptoeing into port and leaving the Huns triumphant without offering battle would ultimately blunt Britain’s finest sword – and communist mismanagement later inevitably would ruin and spoil it into ignominy.

Damn, he was no wimp! Rule, Britannia! With loud voice, Admiral Sir Michael Henry Hodges, started barking orders.

On board SMS Seydlitz II, Admiral Adolf von Trotha was alerted by his staff, when the English carriers started emitting clouds of planes and dense swarms of land based craft were detected approaching.
“Ah!” he exclaimed. “One day late, but still in time for Jutland reloaded!”
It was 10:31 hours German time on June 1st, 1931.

[Peabody-Martini]

One last clash of the leviathans before the end of the battleship era. Total badass. Those German fighter-bombers are going to come as quite a shock.

[Beer]

Once again cool developments by rast! But I have two nitpicks, nothing serious: I don´t know of the cuff if the original WW1 SMS Seydlitz is still part of the HSF. If not, then Seydlitz II would loose the II, becoming simply SMS Seydlitz. By the way, I anticipate the time when the HSF ships change their SMS to IMS (Ihrer Majestäts Schiff = Her Majesty´s ship), just for the change in style and society, with the first ruling Kaiserin of the Second Empire.
And the second nitpick: Von Trotha calling Skaggerak Jutland? Unusual.

[rast]

Originally Posted by Beer

I don´t know of the cuff if the original WW1 SMS Seydlitz is still part of the HSF. If not, then Seydlitz II would loose the II, becoming simply SMS Seydlitz. By the way, I anticipate the time when the HSF ships change their SMS to IMS (Ihrer Majestäts Schiff = Her Majesty´s ship), just for the change in style and society, with the first ruling Kaiserin of the Second Empire.
And the second nitpick: Von Trotha calling Skaggerak Jutland? Unusual.

Seydlitz I was lost at Cape Arnautis, this is the replacement vessel, thus Seydlitz II. I'll just keep the numbering in order to avoid confusion.

Kaiser Wilhelm IV. has assumed full office some months ago, so, SMS is correct - and always was, because Cecilie only acted as regent.

When translated to English, von Trotha talks of Jutland, when he says Skagerrak in German.

[Beer]

Hi, rast! I know that it is and was SMS on the ships, but there might come a time when the coming ruler will be a Crown-Princess. And with her ascension to the throne, the painters in Schlicktown will have to change the paint.

[Monty Burns]

Originally Posted by rast

Iceland had shown that air attacks could disable some few ships, but never a whole fleet.

There's always something new to learn... Anyway, the outcome of the battel is rather irrelevant. The Churchillians loose, and even if the HSF suffers major losses the US cannot profit from this. Probably Adenauer will get some busy times traveling to bring about the new role of Britain in Europe - and probably the new shape of the British Empire as well. Or would he go to China? This surely is a burdensome TL for a German foreign secretary.