Happy and Glorious.

[Garrison]

It's shaping up to be a sort of 'Soviet Spring' with very variable levels of violence and coercion as bit's of the state begin to break away. Another A-bomb and the cracks could rip wide open.

[Tyg]

For all the threads that have discussed an early WWIII, I don't think there have been any which have elaborated on the panic and gradual breakdown of public order nuclear bombing engenders as well as this one.

Sadly, the western allies probably aren't fully aware of the USSR's domestic disintegration, leading to more nuclear strikes than necessary. I wouldn't be surprised if they even believed that an escalation was necessary, targeting two cities in simultaneous strikes with another warning and demand for surrender.

[Devolved]

Originally Posted by iainbhx

Looks like ideal conditions for Ukrainian partisans to start up, I would be tempted to drop a bomb near but not in the Ukraine for the next one if I was the Wallies.

Armenia on the brink as well, mind you, the Turks won't be welcome as liberators there.

Interesting moves by the Politburo and it looks like Beria is up to even more no good than usual.

The Ukrainian partisans have been active and are launching attacks. They would have been heavier if it wasn't January. I haven't dwelt on them or on the Baltic partisans too much but they are always there and plotting trouble.

[Devolved]

Originally Posted by Tyg

For all the threads that have discussed an early WWIII, I don't think there have been any which have elaborated on the panic and gradual breakdown of public order nuclear bombing engenders as well as this one.

Sadly, the western allies probably aren't fully aware of the USSR's domestic disintegration, leading to more nuclear strikes than necessary. I wouldn't be surprised if they even believed that an escalation was necessary, targeting two cities in simultaneous strikes with another warning and demand for surrender.

Me neither. IMO the domestic situation is more significant that the events on the battlefield. The Western Allies are getting some intelligence from emigres who have contacts in the Soviet Union plus members of the Gehlen organisation left behind by the retreating Nazis and now working for the Americans. They will be aware of some problems but the NKVD has been able to marginalize them and some of the reports especially from the Gehlen organisation are made up!

[Devolved]

Happy and Glorious

continued


January 27th 1947

Germany

Vatutin was receiving mixed reports from the front. The destruction of a whole US regiment was good news but had not happened often enough. There was also too much looting going on. Living off the resources of the enemy was one thing but getting drunk and refusing to get out of beds when ordered was another. Some units reported desertions, especially after the bombing of Baku.

He was also informed that the crossings of the Rhine were all securely held by Allied troops. An attempt to force a crossing at Cologne had been repulsed by well entrenched British troops. Total Russian losses in Germany had now reached 16,800 dead, 41,000 wounded and 7,000 missing. This was lower than most pre war estimates for this stage of the battle but Vatutin knew that this was because the Allies had only fought rearguards in their retreat to the Rhine. He wasn't sure of Allied losses but he knew his forces held 1,891 British, 2,914 American, 58 Danish and 43 Dutch prisoners (this didn't include murdered prisoners.

Berlin

Another call on the Allied garrison to surrender was rejected. The local Russian commander now gave up waiting for the seige and ordered an assualt. By nightfall the Russians had captured a third of the Allied sector but losses were heavier than he expected.

Poland

More than half of Warsaw had been taken but still the Poles fought on. Russian casualties in Poland had totalled 7,200 killed and 15,500 wounded. The Poles had lost 11,800 killed 24,000 wounded and 175,000 captured. As in World War two there was no possibility of the Polish government actually surrendering.

Czechoslovakia

Czech army resistance outside Bratislava collapsed under a renewed assault and the city fell to Russian troops.

Austria

Innsbruck fell after the Americans withdrew. To the south other Russian troops reached Klagenfurt. This threatened the rear of the Allies in Yugoslavia.

Greece

Greek and British troops launched a counter attack against the Albanian and Greek communist forces and began to push them back.

Bulgaria

Russian troops in Varna tried to break out and advanced 9 miles before pausing.

Romania

A Soviet troop train was derailed by sabotage and there were 4 reported partisan attacks on Russian troops that day resulting in the total deaths of 37 soldiers.

Istanbul

Soviet agents blew up a British ammunition ship in Istanbul harbour killing 19 people. Some fragments struck HMS Renown anchored close by but caused little damage.

TBC

[Garrison]

The Soviet troops keep grinding forward but I think its too slow to keep ahead of the disintegration in the USSR, and of course the clock is ticking until the next bomb is dropped.

[usertron2020]

Originally Posted by Garrison

The Soviet troops keep grinding forward but I think its too slow to keep ahead of the disintegration in the USSR, and of course the clock is ticking until the next bomb is dropped.

One of the legends (myths) that emerged from WWII was that Colonel Tibbets was under orders to drop one bomb every three days until the Japanese surrendered. The idea being that this three day delay on each strike would allow the enemy time to absorb the shock from each strike, and either allow them time to finally surrender or else to ignite collapse of their government or national revolt by the Japanese people against said same government.

Of course, we all know now that the US at the time would never have been able to keep up with such a demanding schedule for lack of bombs.

But ITTL, with a starting inventory of 15 bombs, a current building program designed for 4 bombs a month by March (and probably about 3-4 more delivered between January and the start of March), that would yield an arsenal capable of keeping up a 3 days per strike (baring logistics for bombs made in March and April) schedule through mid-April! (23 attacks!) Mind, I'm not claiming these calculations are absolute (nor what Truman's designated strike schedule will be), and the OP hasn't lined out US A-Bomb production between the start of WWIII and the end of February.

That nuclear metronome could hammer the USSR out of existence not just physically but politically as well. The terror of such a regular three day cycle would be indescribable. How long before Soviet soldiers on the front see it as their duty to desert?

[DocU]

Wow. Just caught up with this over the last two weeks. A great timeline - WWIII is ... interesting.

Keep up the good work

[Garrison]

Well we're all still here; just waiting for the bomb to fall.

[Devolved]

Originally Posted by Garrison

Well we're all still here; just waiting for the bomb to fall.

I still can't decide on target number two.

[iainbhx]

Originally Posted by Devolved

I still can't decide on target number two.

Minsk makes a lot of sense to me.

[Astrodragon]

Originally Posted by Devolved

I still can't decide on target number two.

Slough.

(this wont make any sense to Americans, will it..?)

[new statesman]

[QUOTE=Devolved;6260648]I still can't decide on target number two.[/QUO
Stalingrad !!

[Garrison]

Originally Posted by iainbhx

Minsk makes a lot of sense to me.

How about Smolensk? In Russian proper and a couple of hundred miles from Moscow, refugees fleeing eastwards can bring the horror stories to Moscow and put more pressure on the infrastructure and transport systems.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Astrodragon

Slough.

(this wont make any sense to Americans, will it..?)

Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough!

[usertron2020]

Minsk, Stalingrad, and Smolensk are all cities already devastated by the Nazis. The level of damage done in each by GDP will be minimal compared to untouched cities, thanks to Adolph Hitler. Belarus and the Ukraine didn't regain their lost pre-WWII populations until the mid-1970s!

Though I have been convinced about the viability of Maikop and Grozny. Hit them, and no more oil. Also, it completely takes away the "Americans will only Atom Bomb non-White people!" charge. Though in reality while Baku pretty much took care of that anyway, political perception won't recognize that anymore than Stalin did.

[Garrison]

Originally Posted by naraht

Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough!

To which the obvious response is if you turn Slough into a nuclear wasteland how will anyone tell the difference?

[iainbhx]

Originally Posted by Astrodragon

Slough.

(this wont make any sense to Americans, will it..?)

But will they be friendly bombs?

[Ash's Boomstick]

Any chance of 'Accidentally' finding Stalin's current bolthole and having him get a million degree suntan?

Just don't hit Moscow, last thing we need is Zombie Lenin getting pissed at the west.

[iainbhx]

Originally Posted by usertron2020

Minsk, Stalingrad, and Smolensk are all cities already devastated by the Nazis. The level of damage done in each by GDP will be minimal compared to untouched cities, thanks to Adolph Hitler. Belarus and the Ukraine didn't regain their lost pre-WWII populations until the mid-1970s!

This is indeed correct, but we are also looking for a site that will damage logistics and transport towards the West. Minsk is a much more important railway junction than Smolensk or Stalingrad. 53.879022,27.52749 should do nicely.

There's not much untouched in Western Russia thanks to the Nazis.