The Co-Prosperity Sphere

[Antonio Ferrari]

Tomorrow a chapter about the German Order and one about Allied bombings, similar to OTL SS we will get a overview of certain German Order Divisions, their leaders, equipment and other stuff for TTL.

May I ask you....if the Soviet are doing suicide charges at the Germans, considering they are far less of racist pricks, will there be instances where they try to tell the Soviets to stop?

 

[CountofDooku]

May I ask you....if the Soviet are doing suicide charges at the Germans, considering they are far less of racist pricks, will there be instances where they try to tell the Soviets to stop?

That could be a option, some might even do so or riot against their Red Commissars who order them to do so. ;D

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 649: The Teutonic Order: history, political and military structure

The history of the German Teutonic Order as a political and military power once again was actually the history of lucky circumstances and historical unique. It had formed out from the various former SS and SA movement and other paramilitary Landwehr/ Landsturm units. After the military Reichswehr coup against the Nazi government and it's political and ideological organizations, some of them had fled to East Prussia. That part of Germany was still divided from the rest of the new German Empire and surrounded by Polish and Lithuanian territory who had carved up some border regions (Memelland, West Prussia and Posen) out of this eastern German territories. Because of this Nazi and SS ideology of preserving German ethnic and culture as well as reconquering former German lands was heard with open ears there. On of the former SS and Nazi party members who got away without much problems had been Franz Joseph Maria Ludwig Anton Thassilo Prinz von Hohenzollern-Emden (English: Prince Francis Joseph of Hohenzollern-Emden; born 30 August 1891) who had adopted the surname Prinz von Hohenzollern-Emden in 1933, as well as joined the SS (member number 276,691) and the Nazi party (member number 3,765,580) before the military coup. Born as Prince Franz Joseph of Hohenzollern, this leading Roman Catholic nobleman and a near relative of the Habsburg, Bourbon, and Saxon dynasties, Franz Joseph had done much to lend respectability to the Nazi party. After the military coup Franz Joseph became Landeshauptmann (Land Captain), the head of the province, supported by the diet of East Prussia that elected a provincial executive body (government), the provincial committee (Provinzialausschuss). Thanks to the massive increase in former Nazi, SA and SS members fleeing to East Prussia and the German Irredentism of Danzig and Memel nearby, their radical ideology soon spread with support of Franz Joseph. In Königsberg and Marienburg (Malbork) they acquired the local Castles for a new German Order they had founded, the Teutonic Order who had come from Wien (Vienna) to retake their capital of Königsberg and regain many of their once lost territories in East Prussia thanks to Franz Joseph. However in return many former Nazis and SS member became part of the Teutonis Order, rose in it's ranks and quickly transformed it into a completely different organization.

They would do so under their new Hochmeister (High Master), Deutschmeister (German Master) and Großmeister (Grand Master, the later German General for the United Baltic Duchy) Hermann Eisenhut, who quickly increased their power base in East Prussia. He appointed so called Landmeister (Land or Realm Masters) who were at the same time Colonel or Master that would lead provinces. The first Landmeister would be Franz Joseph himself as the Landmeister of East Prussia, while at the same time the first Baleienmeister (Bailiwick Master) Leutenants (Rittermeister or Knights Officers/ Sergeants) were announced to establish branches in Danzig (Pommerenia), Memel, West Prussia and Posen among the German population, in hopes to gain new members and political influence they could use for the Teutonic Order Propaganda. Underneath the Landmeister who were responsible for Ordensburgen (Order Castles) and Teutonische Junkerschulen (Teutonic Junker Schools) were the Landkomtur (Land Commandery) under a Komtur (Commander or Knights Commander) administrated local cities, towns and regions. The Department of Königsberg was formed as the Seat of the High/ German and Grand Master, alongside the Department of Economy and Administration that helped with the administration, the Department of Teutonic Order Justice responsible for the judicature and the Department of German Life, that adopted German children to raise them in the ideals of the Teutonic Order and also use local Polish and Lithuanian Orphans (often including those who were simply imprisoned by the German Order) they deemed as Germanizable to raise them in the German language and culture, to increase the overall German or Germanized population in East Prussia.

When Poland gave into the demands of the German Empire and the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, suddenly Danzig, West Preußen (West Prussia) and Posen became part of the German Empire again. The Teutonic Order viewed this regaining of German territory and ethnic German lands as a massive propaganda victory and it's membership increased. The Internal German Order Security, the Teutonische Sicherheitshauptampt (Teutonic Main Security Office) with it's branches of the SIPO (Sicherheitspolizei or Security Police), KRIPO (Kriminalpolizei or Criminal Police), Gestapo (Geheime Staatspolizei or Secret State Police, more commonly known as the Getopo Geheime Teutonische Ordenspolizei), the TSD (Teutonische Sicherheitsdienst or Teutonic Security Service), the TOP (Teutonische Ordnungspolizei or Teutonic Order Police) and the Teutonensturm (Teutonic Prussian Landsturm/ Landwehr paramilitary/ militia) thereby quickly expanded into this new territories to sprad the influence of the Teutonic Order. Together with the then newly formed Department of Germanisation and Settlement, they encouraged ethnic Germans to re-germanize these regained lands with the help of the German Imperial government, while at the same time encouraging the Poles living there to resettle in newly build towns and houses in the Polish Kingdom instead. The lessions learned here and in East Prussia under Franz Joseph, Prince of Hohenzollern-Emden would soon come into fruition when the German Empire created the United Baltic Duchy under Duke Adolf Friedrich (who was also Duke of Mecklenburg and a member of the Teutonic Order) out of the nation states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. At the same time forces of the Teutonic Order alongside the German Expedition Army (the later Army Group North during the Eastern Crusade) were send to Finland so they could help them defend against the Soviet Union aggression when the Red Army arrived.

The United Baltic Duchy under Duke Adolf Friedrich meanwhile formed the new Cantons of Kurland (Courland), Riga, Lettgallen (Latgale), Südlivland (South Livonia), Nordlivland (North Livonia), Ösel (Saaremaa), and Estland (Estonia), alongside the Baltic Landwehr or Baltische Landeswehr ("Baltic Territorial Army") as a unified Baltic military. However this fresh forces and new army was soon greatly outmatched by the far superior equipped and elite skilled and trained trained Deutsche Order/ Teutsche Order (Teutonic Order/Knights, German Order/Knights), who quickly expanded it's Teutonic Order Divisions (lead by a Colonel or Master) and Teutonic Regiments (under a Commander or Knights Commander) into a full Teutonic Order Army. Nearly over night the Teutonic Order had become a state within the state and his Grand Master Hermann Eisenhut found himself in a special situation and place, as Duke Adolf Friedrich while theoretically being the head-of-state in the United Baltic Duchy was at the same time a lower ranking member of the Teutonic Order that supported his politics and ambitions. To do so the Teutonic Order presented itself as a elite force, as a German guaranty of Baltic independence from the yellow hordes (as they called them in their Teutonic Order Propaganda) of the Soviet Union that were coming from Siberia and Asia. This way they were not only supported by the German ethnic groups living in Ostrpreußen (East Prussia), West Preußen (West Prussia), Posen, Südlivland (South Livonia), Nordlivland (North Livonia), Lettgallen (Latgale), Estland (Estonia) and Kurland (Courland), but even by some of the Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians living there. At the same time the Teutonic Order tried to attract new German settlement into these Cantons in hopes that new German Colonists and a overall Germanization of the local population in language and culture would lead to these cantons becoming German (Deutsch) and could later be integrated into the German Empire directly.

The Baltic German Friedrich Buchardt was another important member rising in the ranks of the Teutonic Order, who had before joined the ranks of the SA in October 1933, but left the following year, finding it to be too plebeian. Having completed his studies of law in the German University of Jena, Buchardt returned to Riga, where he tried to organize a national German-Baltic movement under the leadership of Erhard Kroeger (Kröger), a Latvian born Baltic German and later member of the Teutonic Order. Buchardt funded and contributed to the pro-German and pro-Teutonic Order newspaper Rigaschen Rundschau, which was closed by the Latvian authorities in May 1934 because it had too many connections with Nazi Germany. This plunged Buchardt into financial difficulties, so he became a lawyer for a marketing company in Germany, and then the economics head of the Baltic Institute. Because of this position he later was chosen by the German Teutonic Order to work for their Department of Economy and Administration in the United Baltic Duchy and the Teutonic Order regions. Erhard Kröger meanwhile became a member of the Department of Germanisation and Settlement, closely working with the Department of German Life to Germanize and resettle the United Baltic Duchy, as a destined mission (Drang nach Osten) of Germans since the times of the first Teutonic Order in the region.

Working for the Teutonisches Sicherheitshauptamt (Teutonic Main Security Office) since 1939, Rudolf Lange a German former SA (1933) and SS (1936) member served to establish the Teutonic Order intelligence, TSD (Teutonic Sicherheitsdienst, Teutonic Security Service), police and Teutonenwehr (Landwehr/ Landsturm) in Kurland (Courland)from his headquarters in Riga (former Latvia). Eduard Strauch a former Nazi Party, SA and SS member since 1933 had becoem the commander of the TSD (Teutonic Sicherheitsdienst, Teutonic Security Service) in the United Baltic Duchy and the SIPO (Sicherheitspolizei or Security Police) in the United Baltic Duchy for the Teutonic Order. For his remarkable service he was later promoted to do the same for the Teutonic Order in the newly formed Kingdom of White Ruthenia, hunting Soviet Union sympathizers former Red Army Commissaries and Commanders. Later he would help the Burgundian Order in former Belgium, Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine (German: Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen or Elsass-Lothringen) and former Switzerland to do the same. Meanwhile Franz Walter Stahlecker the commander of the SIPO and TSD in the United Baltic Duchy hunted down those opposing the Germanization and the new Teutonic Order.

Other German Teutonic Order members, like Kārlis Lobe a former Latvian Officer of the Imperial Russian Army had joined the Teutonic Order would work for the Latvian part of the Baltic Duchy Army, while at the same time bringing in new Latvian volunteers for the Teutonic Order. His involvement would lead to the participation of 29,000 Latvians in the Teutonic Order, who would later form the Teutonic Order Divisions Courland, Wenden and Samgallen (Zemgale) [OTL First and Second Latvian SS Divisions)]. As a commander of the Latvian Baltic forces, Lobe would participate in the Eastern Crusade and help fight Soviet Guerrillas and Soviet Union partisans in East Latvia and White Ruthenia with the Latvian divisions and police battalions of the Teutonic Order. During the fighting in the Eastern Crusade Lobe would rise to the rank of Colonel/ Master, leading the Wenden Division directly and created their own pioneer and construction battalion. His Latvian nationalistic views however alienated him from the majority of the Teutonic Order and their end goals for the United Baltic Duchy, leading to his open opposition and finally the relieve of his command and membership in the Teutonic Order. He would however remain a Colonel under the Latvian Army of the Baltische Landwehr (United Baltic Duchy Army) and rise to the rank of a General there, later leading the whole Latvian Army inside the United Baltic Duchy Armies.

Lobe and many other native Baltic's who realized what was going on, opposed the Germanization and also the Teutonic Order law to grand farm land and houses to their veterans paid for by the United Baltic Duchy and the Teutonic Order alike. The crisis was solved as the local Baltic farmers were guaranteed their farmlands and estate by the Duke Adolf Friedrich and his United Baltic Duchy government. At the same time the Teutonic Order tried to make the United Baltic Duchy a German province and state it was banned at first, but son legalized again after the German Protection and increasing influence in trade and the government. The United Baltic Duchy politics and economy became much more closer merged with the German Empire overall, joining the German Economic Union and the Monarchistic Block of Europe that was the Axis Central Powers. With the Soviet Union Red Army advance into Finnland and the Teutonic Order fight there alongside German and Finnish Army forces, the view on the Teutonic Order in the United Baltic Duchy changed for the better as a protecting force against the Asian Soviet Hordes.

To manage this responsibility, the Teutonic Order however had to get more independent from both the United Baltic Duchy and the German Empire. To do just that they had to equipp their elite forces, including their Imperial German Armored Sturminfantry (IGAS troops) on their own. This would be possible by their Teutonic Order military armor, weapons, tank and airplane manufacturer Teutonenstahl (Teutonic Steel, or TS) the soon main producer of weapons for the Teutonic Order, that was partly even owned by the order and it's members, including the Teutonenstahl owners who were members of the Teutonic Order themselves. Operating out of Königsberg and Riga, with the Teutonenwerke (Teutonic Works, or TW or TWK) they soon became a major weapons manufacturer for most of the United Baltic Duchy Army and even expanded into shipbuilding for the Teutonic Order and the United Baltic Duchy, by creating a naval branch of production; Teutonenwerft (Teutonic Yards, TW or TY), originating from Riga with secondary yards in Königsberg, Marienburg, Reval, Visby, Memel and Danzig soon. They would dominate the trade in the Teutonic (Baltic) Sea thanks to their massive produce of transport and merchant ships alongside naval vessels for the Teutonic Order, the United Baltic Duchy and even the German Empire, the Swedish Kingdom and the Kingdom of Finnland, as well as the Russian Empire's new Baltic Fleet. Of the Teutonic Order members origins an dformer professions, two percent were students, 29 percent were craftsmen/ skilled workers, 33 percent were merchants/ traders, 17 percent were freelancers and 19 percent were farmers/ peasants.

 

[Analytical Engine]

So, on the scale of 1 to 10, how much has Deus Vult intensified?

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 650: The Allied Bombing of France and Germany

The fact that no Allied forces had gained a notable foothold in Europe by the End of 1942 once again did not mean that the Americans and British stood idle by while the Second Great War raged on all across the world, instead they started a campaign that would dominate the view on the war for many in Europe, the bombing of Axis Central Powers industrial targets even in cities and densely populated urban areas. The main targets for this campaign were at the moment northern France as a part of the collaborating French Empire, the Kingdom of the United Netherlands as another collaborating regime and the northwestern cities of Germany itself. Part of this mission was to enrage the Germans and Axis Central Power forces to a point that they would abandon their devastating assault on the Royal Air Force and switch to hitting industrial and civil urban targets as well, in hopes this would give the RAF time to recover and survive the onslaught during the Battle of Britain. The strategy worked partly at least as some of the German forces, mainly the bombers and some fighters as cover were redirected to do just that. At the same time American pilots together with their own fighters and bombers arrived in constantly growing numbers, giving the United Kingdom and the British Isles the desperately needed hope that they were not alone and nothing was lost just yet. This increasing pressure on the Western Front and majorly the Imperial German, Imperial French and Royal United Netherlands industrial and urban centers forced the Axis Central Powers to redirect many of their own fighters and bombers from the Eastern Front westwards as well as redeploy many of the newly build ones to the Air Battle for England and France too. This increased the Air Battles between German, Dutch and French pilots on the one side and the American, British and Commonwealth pilots on the other. Beside the so called Atlantic Wall the Axis Central Powers to defend Western Europe against a possible Allied Invasion, the Germans, French and Dutch also massively increased the numbers of radar stations, anti-air installations and their own airfields to counter this incoming flood of Allied fighters and bombers the best they could.

The Allies on the other hand tried to gain full control over the British/ English air space and at the same time try to gain air superiority over northern France, Germany and the United Netherlands for their own missions as well. After the Second Great War the legend would arise that Axis Central Power pilots had been much more skilled and superior to their Allied counterparts, because of a much higher number in shot-downs. The truth however was that the Allies so massively outproduced the Germans in terms of fighters, bombers and even tanks and other stuff, that in many battles starting in 1943 the Allies heavily outnumbered the Axis Central Powers in terms of reinforcements and supplies of all kind. Therefore shooting down a Allied fighter or bomber was not that hard for a Axis Central Power pilot, as the sky was nearly swarming with them. On the other hand the Allied air superiority meant that there were much fewer Axis Central Powers forces for them to oppose and shoot down. With increasing losses the Axis Central Powers, mainly the Germans realized that it would take something else to bring the British Goliath on it's knees and force them to negotiate for peace. Part of this new strategy and tactics switched directly to cutting of the Allied supply lines to Great Britain by using Spanish ports and airfields so that Axis Central Powers long range bombers with naval mines or submarines and raiding ships. That was one of the main reasons the Allies lead by the Americans had invaded the Spanish Canary Islands to cut off the forward German, Italian, French and Spanish operations against their shipping lines from there. The Nazis even tested new weapons and ideas, guided missiles and rockets fired from their bombers and fighters in hopes of destroying more Allied tonnage then they were able to build. Some of the more crazier ideas even involved linking torpedoes and miens with chains, so that even if one misfired and shot around the target somehow the rest might then in theory sling around and still hit it probably. One of Emperor Wilhelm III's favorite ideas was the Battlesubmarine a mixture of a Battleship and a Submarine that would dive to it's target, emerge, load it's weapons to fire and destroy before submerging once again. While in theory a interesting route to take, the overall idea was megalomaniac and crazy in itself as Germany already had a Inter Service Rivalry because of it's limited resources. So instead Submarine Cruisers and Submarine Destroyer variations were planned and partly tested in miniature models.

 

[Antonio Ferrari]

America: “Bombs Germany”
Germany: You Ued your last ha!

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 651: Coprospism ideology and intellectuals: Japanese State Shintoism

The rise of Coprospism incorporated local history, culture, traditions and region, to use them against foreign influence and ideas, while at the same time remaining open to change and modernism, to compete with this invading, foreign ideas. They would incorporate other ideas, like the Buddhist Abhidharma (Psychology and Philosophy), Sutras (words of Buddha) and Vinaya (Rules of Discipline), as well as the Buddhism teaches Paramitas (Perfections) like charity to help others and think about them and society not only one about themselves, make alms and merit (to reach spiritual maturity). The Coprospists even adapted some socialist and capitalist ideals along the lines, as long as it served their purpose, similar to what Sun Yat Sen had done in China before and many of their ideals and morals actually came from these base works. One of the main ideologies came also from the works of Ikki Kita (北 一輝 Kita Ikki, born 3 April 1883, died 19 August 1937; real name: Kita Terujirō (北 輝次郎)). As a Japanese author, intellectual and political philosopher, who was active during the early Showa period era in Japan. His harsh critic of the imperial system and the Meiji Constitution came from the believe that the Japanese were not people of their emperor, but the Emperor instead was the "people's emperor". Therefore Ikki Kita advocated a complete reconstruction of Japan through a form of statist, non-progressive socialism. Kita was in contact with many people on the extreme right of Japanese politics, and wrote pamphlets and books expounding his ideas. The government saw Kita's ideas as disruptive and dangerous; in 1937 as he was implicated, although not directly involved, in a failed coup attempt and executed. Still he was still widely read in academic circles in Japan and some of his believes of this new Japanese Nation State and the People's Emperor would make their way into the core ideology of Coprospism to build the new state around the Japanese Nation, guided by the Emperor who served it, as his the Japanese Emperors had done so since the Kami had put them on the Japanese throne. Another major influential figure was Girō Seno’o (妹尾 義郎 Senoo Girō, born 1890) was a Japanese Nichiren Buddhist and Marxist, who founded the short lived Shinkō Bukkyō Seinen Dōmei (Youth League for Revitalizing Buddhism, in 1931) and would influence Japan until his death in 1961. Since 1918 he had been a part of the nationalistic Kokuchukai, a Nichiren-Buddhist lay-movement and put in charge as the editor of the magazine for the "Youth Association of the Great Japanese Nichirenism Movement" which propagated the right-winged reinterpretation of Nichiren's teachings. Ten years later he was influenced by the no-self movement (muga) and began to change his orientation to an ideal of Buddhist socialism. From then on Seno’o argued that “the capitalist system generates suffering and, thus, violates the spirit of Buddhism.” He was critical of both orthodox Marxists who denied the importance of spirituality and of pro-war Buddhists who supported Japanese Imperialism. Seno’o saw suffering as something not just to be transcended through spirituality but also an existential material condition to be analyzed and eliminated. Seno’o believed in the creation of a “pure buddha-land” (jōbukkokudo) in this world through new Buddhist Socialist ideals which would lead to our spiritual liberation as well as social and economic emancipation (kaihō). Seno'o's new Youth League for Revitalizing Buddhism published a journal, Revitalized Buddhism (Shinkō Bukkyō 新興仏教) and held a yearly national conference. The league was opposed to nationalism, militarism, 'Imperial way Buddhism', and Japanese Imperialism while promoting internationalism, Buddhist ecumenism and anti-capitalism. The league's manifesto was based on three principles:

1. We resolve to realize the implementation of a Buddha Land in this world, based on the highest character of humanity as revealed in the teachings of Śākyamuni Buddha and in accordance with the principle of brotherly love.
   
   
2. We accept that all existing sects, having profaned the Buddhist spirit, exist as mere corpses. We reject these forms, and pledge to enhance Buddhism in the spirit of the new age.
   
   
3. We recognize that the present capitalist economic system is in contradiction with the spirit of Buddhism and inhibits the social welfare of the general public. We resolve to reform this system in order to implement a more natural society.
   

On 7 December 1936 Seno’o was arrested by the Imperial government and charged with treason. In 1937 Seno’o confessed his crimes and pledged his loyalty to the emperor after a five-month interrogation process. He quickly changed his overall view and ideology, starting to preach for Coprospism in 1940 and thereby beginning to influence and shape the ideology with the help of his groups quit a bit.

Until then Japan has had a long tradition of Buddhism, starting in the 6th century, when the religion and teachings were first imported from Korea and soon declared a state religion. Between the 12th and the 13th century Buddhist in Japan lived trough a phase of creativity and elan. During this time Amidism, the reciting of Nembudva (name of the Buddha Amithaba of Amida) is believed to be the only path to salvation as declared by Ryonin in 1124. From 1133 to 1212 Honen founded the Jodo-school of Buddhism that gained influence in the nobility and samurai, who support it's teachings in this age of Buddhist decline, securing it's success, by doing so. In 1173 Shinran, a apprentice of Honen founds the Jodo-shin-shu (true Jodo school), that has no monks, nor any form of living like movement, this makes it easy for people to join. Later the Nichinren sect named after their founder, is nationalistic and militant, partly because of the constant threat of mongol invasions in this time, ideals with that it will later influence State Shinto-Buddhism . When the Chinese Lin-Chi school becomes Rinzei in Japan, the Chinese tradition of the Tso-tung-school becomes the Japanese tradition and school of Soto during the Dogen Zenji time (1200 to 1253), both helps with the creation ofe Zen Buddhism, that focuses on the beauty of the world and creates it's own schools of architecture, sculpting, painting, calligraphy, literature (Basho, Hakkin). Zen as a intellectual approach to practical things is useless, instead it focuses mostly on created practices that help train the individual to use their logic to understand in practicing thing. In the Showa period (1335 to 1572) Zen supported by the government. Confucianism resurrects in the 17th century and in the 19th century Shintoism follows in his path. Starting in 1938 with Coprospims, Buddhism is becoming to be more and more integrated into State Shintoism, a process that will be completed totally in 1942 to 1944. State-Shintoism merges Buddhism with the native believes. Something that would be copied throughout the rest of the Co-Prosperity Sphere under Coprospism.

Shintoism meanwhile had ancient roots in Japan the earliest book dating back to it, the mythological creation of Japan and the Imperial Family (the Kojiki) dating back to 628 to 712, followed by the NihonShoki and the Shoku Nihongi (697 to 720), all of them compilations of prior oral traditions. The Kojiki establishes the Japanese imperial family as the foundation of Japanese culture, being the descendants of Amaterasu Omikami. There is also a creation myth and a genealogy of the gods. The Nihon Shoki was more interested in creating a structural system of government, foreign policy, religious hierarchy, and domestic social order. There is an internal system of historical Shinto development that configures the relationships between Shinto and other religious practices over its long history; the inside and outside Kami (spirits). The inside Kami, or ujigami (uji meaning clan), supports cohesion and continuation of established roles and patterns; and the hitogami or outside Kami, brings innovation, new beliefs, new messages, and some instability. Over the next 700 years this primal Shinto changed to a more formalized system and religion, these changes were directed internally by the various clans frequently as a syncratic cultural event to outside influences. Following from the Yamato dynasty's rise to power merged with the historic and religious traditions Shinto mythology, marriage customs, architectural styles, and technological developments such as lacquerware, textiles, laminated bows, metalworking, and glass making rise in this Yayoi period often influenced by outside forces and ideas from Asia and the southern Pacific area. During this time exchange between Japan and China in terms of writing, culture, art and religion increases drastically. Mirrors, swords and jewels start to gain a importance as special artifacts with divine status. All three of these have a direct connection to the imperial divine status as they are the symbols of imperial divinity and are Shinto honorary objects. Also the rice culture begins to blossom throughout Japan and this leads to the settlement of society, and seasonal reliance of crops. Both of these changes are highly influential on the Japanese people's relationship to the natural world, and likely development of a more complex system of religion. This is also the period that is referenced as the beginning of the divine imperial family. The Yayoi culture was a clan based culture that lived in compounds with a defined leader who was the chief and head priest. They were responsible for the relationship with their "gods" Kami and if one clan conquered another, their "god" would be assimilated. The earliest records of Japanese culture were written by Chinese traders who described this land as "Wa". This time period led to the creation of the Yamato culture and development of formal Shinto practices. The development of niiname or the Shinto harvest festival is attributed to this period as offerings for good harvests of similar format (typically rice) become common. The great bells and drums, Kofun burial mounds, and the founding of the imperial family are important to this period. This is the period of the development of the feudal state, and the Yamato and Izumo cultures. Both of these dominant cultures have a large and central shrines, the Ise Shrine in the North East and Izumo Taisha in the South West. This time period is defined by the increase of central power in Naniwa (the later Osaka), of the feudal lord system. Also there was an increasing influence of Chinese culture which profoundly changed the practices of government structure, social structure, burial practices, and warfare. The Japanese also held close alliance and trade with the Gaya confederacy which was in the south of the peninsula. The Paekchein the Three Kingdoms of Korea had political alliances with Yamato, and in the 5th century imported the Chinese writing system to record Japanese names and events for trade and political records. In 513 they sent a Confucian scholar to the court to assist in the teachings of Confucian thought. In 552 or 538 a Buddha image was given to the Yamato leader which profoundly changed the course of Japanese religious history, especially in relation to the undeveloped native religious conglomeration that was Shinto. In the latter 6th century, there was a breakdown of the alliances between Japan and Paekche but the influence led to the codification of Shinto as the native religion in opposition to the extreme outside influences of the mainland. Up to this time Shinto had been largely a clan ('uji') based religious practice, exclusive to each clan.

The Theory of Five Elements in Yin and Yang philosophy of Taoism and the esoteric Buddhism had a profound impact on the development of a unified system of Shinto beliefs. In the early Nara period, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki were written by compiling existing myths and legends into a unified account of Japanese mythology. These accounts were written with two purposes in mind: the introduction of Taoist, Confucian, and Buddhist themes into Japanese religion; and garnering support for the legitimacy of the Imperial house, based on its lineage from the sun goddess, Amaterasu. Much of modern Japan was under only fragmentary control by the Imperial family, and rival ethnic groups. The mythological anthologies, along with other poetry anthologies like the Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves (Man'yōshū) and others, were intended to impress others with the worthiness of the Imperial family and their divine mandate to rule. Beginning with Emperor Tenmu (672–686), continuing through Empress Jitō (686–697) and Emperor Monmu (697–707) Court Shinto rites are strengthened and made parallel to Buddhist beliefs in court life. Prior to this time clan Shinto had dominated and a codification of "Imperial Shinto" did not exist as such. The Nakatomi family are made the chief court Shinto chaplains and chief priests at Ise Daijingū which held until 1892. Also the practice of sending imperial princesses to the Ise shrine begins. This marks the rise of Ise Daijingū as the main imperial shrine historically. Due to increasing influence from Buddhism and mainland Asian thought, codification of the "Japanese" way of religion and laws begins in earnest. This culminates in three major outcomes: Taihō Code (701 but started earlier), the Kojiki (712), and the Nihon Shoki (720). The Taiho Code also called Ritsuryō (律令) was an attempt to create a bulwark to dynamic external influences and stabilize the society through imperial power. It was a liturgy of rules and codifications, primarily focused on regulation of religion, government structure, land codes, criminal and civil law. All priests, monks, and nuns were required to be registered, as were temples. The Shinto rites of the imperial line were codified, especially seasonal cycles, lunar calendar rituals, harvest festivals, and purification rites. The creation of the imperial Jingi-kan or Shinto Shrine office was completed, something Imperial Japan would later copy. This period hosted many changes to the country, government, and religion. The establishment of the imperial city in partnership with Taihō Code is important to Shinto as the office of the Shinto rites becomes more powerful in assimilating local clan shrines into the imperial fold. New shrines are built and assimilated each time the city is moved. All of the grand shrines are regulated under Taihō and are required to account for incomes, priests, and practices due to their national contributions.

During this time, Buddhism becomes structurally established within Japan by Emperor Shōmu (724–749), and several large building projects are undertaken. The Emperor lays out plans for the Buddha Dainichi (Great Sun Buddha), at Tōdai-ji assisted by the Priest Gyogi (or Gyoki) Bosatsu. The priest Gyogi went to Ise Daijingu Shrine for blessings to build the Buddha Dainichi. They identified the statue of Viarocana with Amaterasu (the sun goddess) as the manifestation of the supreme expression of universality. The priest Gyogi is known for his belief in assimilation of Shinto Kami and Buddhas. Shinto kami are commonly being seen by Buddhist clergy as guardians of manifestation, guardians, or pupils of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The priest Gyogi conferred boddhisattva precepts on the Emperor in 749 effectively making the Imperial line the head of state and divine to Shinto while beholden to Buddhism. With the introduction of Buddhism and its rapid adoption by the court in the 6th century, it was necessary to explain the apparent differences between native Japanese beliefs and Buddhist teachings. One Buddhist explanation saw the kami as supernatural beings still caught in the cycle of birth and rebirth (reincarnation). The kami are born, live, die, and are reborn like all other beings in the karmic cycle. However, the kami played a special role in protecting Buddhism and allowing its teachings of compassion to flourish. This explanation was later challenged by Kūkai (空海, 774–835), who saw the kami as different embodiment's of the Buddhas themselves (honji suijaku theory). For example, he linked Amaterasu (the sun goddess and ancestor of the Imperial family) with Dainichi Nyorai, a central manifestation of the Buddhists, whose name means literally "Great Sun Buddha". In his view, the kami were just Buddhas by another name. Buddhism and Shinto coexisted and were amalgamated in the Shinbutsu-shūgō and Kūkai's syncreticc view held wide sway up until the end of the Edo period. There was no theological study that could be called "Shinto" during medieval and early modern Japanese history, and a mixture of Buddhist and popular beliefs proliferated. At that time, there was a renewed interest in "Japanese studies" (kokugaju), partly also as a result of the closed country policy.

In the 18th century, various Japanese scholars, in particular Motoori Norinaga (本居 宣長, 1730–1801), tried to tear apart the "real" Shinto from various foreign influences. The attempt was largely unsuccessful; however, the attempt did set the stage for the arrival of State Shinto, following the Meiji Restoration (c. 1868), when Shinto and Buddhism were separated (shinbutsu bunri).This period starting in 1868 and would be known as the new "State Shinto period", as during these decades, Shinto elements came under a great deal of overt state influence and control as the Japanese government systematically utilized shrine worship as a major force for mobilizing imperial loyalties on behalf of modern nation-building. However, the government had already been treating shrines as an extension of government before Meiji; see for example the Tenpō Reforms However the Shinto Shrines and the Buddhist Temples soon incorporated in State Shinto, Coprospism and Japanese Nationalism and pan-Asianism had no combined organisation, doctrine and were even uninterested in conversion unlike many other state-religions or national-religions. The Meiji Restoration reasserted the importance of the emperor and the ancient chronicles to establish the Empire of Japan, and in 1868 the government attempted to recreate the ancient imperial Shinto by separating shrines from the temples that housed them. During this period, numerous scholars of kokugaku believed that this national Shinto could be the unifying agent of the country around the Emperor while the process of modernization was undertaken with all possible speed. The psychological shock of the Western "Black Ships" and the subsequent collapse of the shogunate convinced many that the nation needed to unify in order to resist being colonized by outside forces. In 1871, a Ministry of Rites (jingi-kan) was formed and Shinto shrines were divided into twelve levels with the Ise Shrine (dedicated to Amaterasu, and thus symbolic of the legitimacy of the Imperial family) at the peak and small sanctuaries of humble towns at the base. The following year, the ministry was replaced with a new Ministry of Religion, charged with leading instruction in "shushin" (moral courses). Priests were officially nominated and organized by the state, and they instructed the youth in a form of Shinto theology based on the official dogma of the divinity of Japan's national origins and its Emperor. However, this propaganda did not succeed, and the unpopular Ministry of Rites was dissolved in the mid-1870s. Although the government sponsorship of shrines declined until 1938 until the rise of Coprospism, Japanese nationalism remained closely linked to the legends of foundation and emperors, as developed by the kokugaku scholars. In 1890, the Imperial Rescript on Education was issued, and students were required to ritually recite its oath to "offer yourselves courageously to the State" as well as to protect the Imperial family. Such processes continued to deepen throughout the whole Shōwa period, increasing during the Second Great War when State Shintoism, Shinto-Buddhism and Coprospism was exported by Japan into Asia and the Pacific. Emperor Shōwa reassured that he was a akitsumikami (a deity in human form, send by Amaterasu herself) to prevent the militarists and pan-Asian radicals like “Shogun” Tojo, to claim the state and military for themselves alone. After the Second Great War Shunry Suzuki would make Shinto-Buddhism popular outside of Asia and the Pacific, mainly in Europe and West America and East Africa, where it's schools become part of educational and social movements. Like in Asian and the Pacific before Shintoism and Buddhism there would promote a statist and collectivist ideal form of citizen, nation state and even religion, where the well-being of the group, the state and the religion was viewed much higher then that of the individual. Like in nature under Insects, the single human was nothing without the group he belonged to and without it's individuel members this group would be nothing as well.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 652: Teutonic Order Conglomerates

The Teutonic Order used a series of self sponsored corporation and conglomerate of the Teutonic Order in Germany and the United Baltic Duchy. What made these companies special, even inside of Germany and the Axis Central Powers was the fact, that all of the chairman, presidents, leaders and major shareholders of these major suppliers of the Teutonic Order armed forces were all members of the Teutonic Order themselves. It all started with Teutonenstahl (Teutonic Steel) that produced the first hand held weapons of all kinds and sizes for the Teutonic Knights, mainly the Teutonensturm (Landsturm/ Landwehr), Teutonic Security and Teutonic Police, followed by the Teutonic Order Army. These first produced mostly pistols, rifles, but also clubs, grenades and similar infantry weapons, helmets and armor, as well as later mortar, rocket- and grenade launchers. Teutonenstahls sign was a Teutinic Order Sword all in back, shaped like a Cross over their signatory white shield. When the Teutonic Order started to become a State within the State however this priorities switched and Teutonenwerke (Teutonic Works) was established to produce more and better equipment of military grade to equip the Teutonic Orders own Armed forces, as well as that of the United Baltic Duchy. They produced everything from anti-tank guns, anti-air guns, artillery and later even fighters and bombers as well. The sign of the Teutonenwerke was a stylized T, for the word Teutonenwerk, as well as to symbolize Mjölnir/ Mjǫllnir, the Warhammer of the German God Thor. The last firm build by the Teutonic Order was Teutonenwerft (Teutonic Yards) specialised in building transport and merchant ships at first, as well as later on warships for the German Empire, the Teutonic Order, the United Baltic Duchy, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Kingdom of Finnland and even the Russian Empire. Teutonenwerft would dominate the trade and shipbuilding in the Teutonic (Baltic) Sea for decades to come until the tragic accidents of one of their ships that ruined the trust in the company overall and started their downfall. Teutonenwerft symbol was the cross of the Teutonic shield in form of a anchor. Later during the fifties and sixties, the Teutonic Order build another company Teutonen Luftfahrt/ Teutonic Airways (TA) that would become a rival for Deutsche Luft Hansa AG (German Air Hanse Corporation, DLH or GAH), Pax-Germania Airways (P-G A) and Gothic Airlines (GA) in the German Empire, Mitteleurope (Central Europe), Northern Europe and Eastern Europe (were it also rivaled Austrian Airlines (AA), Austro Air (Au Air) and the Austrian Air Services (AAS), Hungarian Airlines (HA), the Hungarian Air Transport Company (HATC) and the Magyar Air Services (MAS) for some time. However the black Teutonic Order Cross in the form of a airplane on their white shield, while two decades longer in business then Teutonenwerft, Teutonen Luftfahrt later renamed itself into Teutonen See Luftfahrt (Teutonic Sea Airways), specializing and focusing on lifting some of the personal and cargo transportation's left from the disappearance of Teutonenwerft. But similar to Teutonenwerft, Teutonen Luftfahrt would later be bought and incorporated into one of the bigger German conglomerates when the United Baltic Duchy became a province of the German Empire.

 

[CountofDooku]

On the weekend; Guadalcanal and Malaita campaign among other things ;D

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 653: The Battles on Guadalcanal and Malaita

With the Allied (Americans, New Zealanders, Australians and native forces) retreat to the Koli Point on Guadalcanal the situation for the United States Army and U.S. Marines on Guadalcanal had worsened. Imperial Japanies Army forces tried their best to break the American defenses and a series of engagements around the perimeter started. Three and a half battalions of U.S. Marines and Army troops under the overall command of Alexander Vandegrift and tactical command of Merritt A. Edson defended against a attack of Japanese units from the northern Guadalcanal coast to the southern mountains. The main attacking force was the Japanese Army's 4th Infantry Regiment under Nomasu Nakaguma together with various other support troops under the overall command of Harukichi Hyakutake. After heavy causalities in their frontal assault, the Japanese withdrew their force temporarily and halted their offensive. Their strategy now changed, as the Japanese reinforcements tried to fight the American defenses from their flank. The Japanese tried doing so by moving large numbers of their forces, including equipment and even heavy artillery over the central hills and mountains of Guadalcanal. From this elevated position they could fire upon the coastal American defenses from the flank and partly even behind. Combined with their naval superiority at night and their found air superiority, this allowed the Japanese to push back the Americans to the Bolesuno River until August 29th, 1942 under medium Japanese losses, were the Allies had established new, strong defenses. The Japanese moves over the mountains did not remain unnoticed and soon the Americans send their own forces to counter their offensive trough central Guadalcanal. Heavy skirmishes and raids along this front in the hills and mountains occurred, where well placed machine gun entrenchments and bunkers could prove devastating and control immense areas of lower level elevation, with only a minimum of own forces.

At the same time the Japanese tried to push the front on Malaita further south, while the Allies (Americans, New Zealanders, Australians and native forces) hoped they could hold the frontline between Auki and Dingo Dingo. At first the Japanese tried to use artillery and howitzers to weaken the American defense line, but soon realized that the Americans were well fortified on the hills and mountains in the center, while they had their main forces and reserves mainly at the western and eastern coast to stop the Japanese push there. As a result of this the frontline moved very little at first, even if both forces, the American Marine and the American Army on one side and the SNLF together with the Imperial Japanese Army on the other side tried their best to change this. The front only started to move again when the Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces under the cover of the night and some minor causalities managed to land on the east coast of the island near Malo'u behind the American front in the north. Fearing the Japanese might surround them, or push further into the central mountains and hills behind their lines, the Americans retreated to the new defense line (named the Malo'u line) further south themselves, till August 29th.

On Guadalcanal meanwhile the Allied forces fought along the Bolesuno River from the northern coastline to the central hills and mountains. The dense jungle and well skilled Japanese soldiers made their time there hell on earth. In the End the increasing Japanese reserves and the battled American forces, low on supply and reinforcements themselves because of the Japanese naval dominance at night and overall aerial dominance now used much longer supply lines from the south-east of the island were their own fighters and bombers from nearby Islands like Malaita could better cover, protect and escort their reinforcement and supply line. On September 6th commander Evans Carlson and his 2nd Marine Raider Battalion began the so called Carlson's patrol, also known as The Long Patrol or Carlson's long patrol, an operation against the Imperial Japanese Army till October 4th, whose main purpose was to prevent the Japanese from advancing in South Guadalcanal as well and to even push them back if possible. During this operation they fought Japanese forces under Toshinari Shoji, who tried to outflank the Americans in the south of the island in a attempt to encircle them and preventing them from joining with fresh Allied forces in the south-east of the island. This small unit engagements lasted for a total of 28 days during which the 2nd Raiders would lose only 18 soldiers, while killing 558 Japanese ones, halting their southern advance and preventing the Japanese encirclement of the American defense line in the north. However during the operation many Rangers were afflicted by disease, still they managed to capture a Japanese field gun that was intended to deliver heavy fire on the northern Allied defense lines on the Bolesuno River. Still at September 18th, the Japanese massive ongoing assaults had pushed the Allies in the north back to their new defense line at Tasimbako (Tsimboko).

On Malaita in the meantime, the Japanese had tried another, major assault, hoping that their push on Guadalcanal would force the Americans to redirect some of their forces there, while they themselves were reinforced by Chosen soldiers. The strategy worked partly as the Japanese still had to fight for every inch of ground captured with medium to high causalities, because of their mostly very forward assault on heavy Allied defense lines, including trenches, machine-gun bunkers, artillery and howitzer positions. Only with the help of their own increased bombardment and heavy support by Japanese fighters and bomber from the airfield in northern Malaita did they at last manage to push back the Allies a little bit. Still the overall American, New Zealanders, Australians and native forces manage to reestablish new defensive lines and partly even push the Chosen and Japanese forces back north till September 18th.

On Guadalcanal the Japanese felt like they were close to victory as they prepared their final assault on Tasimbako (Tsimboko) and Taira Point, believing the American and Allied defenders to be broken by then. While the Allies fought hard, the Japanese once again outflanked them in the central and southern hills and mountains. At the same time fresh Japanese reinforcements had arrived and together with the rest of their assaulting forces now managed to continuously attack the Allied lines, without giving them any rest or even sleep. The Allies under medium causalities were pushed back by the Japanese, who themselves had heavy causalities during this massive attacks and charges. Until October 15th the Japanese Army had captures the last northern point of reinforcement and supplies for the Allies, believing the enemy would now either capitulate or retread within the next days or weeks.

At the same time on Malaita the Japanese had managed to lans SNLF forces on the southern neighboring Maramasike Island threatening the main allied southern supply and reinforcement harbor and airfield in Wairaha Bay on southern Malaita by doing so. Simultaneously the Japanese had concentrated the majority of their forces on the same right flank, knowing that their cruisers and destroyers supporting the landing operation could also support their push there at the same time. This allowed the Chosen and Japanese forces to break trough in the east of Malaita, forcing the Allies to retread further west, directly to the defenses around their Wairaha Bay airfield and Wairaha Bay harbor till October 15th. The situation was awkwardly similar to that of Henderson Field a few months before for all United States Army and Marines forces who had come as reinforcements from neighboring Guadalcanal.

The Japanese High Command for the Area of Nui Gui/ Papua in Rabaul believed that the Allies were finished in Malaita and Guadalcanal and would either soon capitulate, or retreat like the cowards that they were. General MacArthur, the Allied Supreme Commander of the South Pacific and Australia did not even think about doing so, knowing that fresh American reinforcements alongside Australians and New Zealanders were on their way. So General MacArthur copied the Japanese strategy and tactic, started to use native forces as scouts and bypassed the coast in favor of the hills and mountains of Malaita and Guadalcanal, forcing the Japanese into a guerrilla warfare in the jungles there. Knowing himself that this was not the solution, MacArthur played for more time, knowing that not only further reinforcements were on their way and that fresh United States Aircraft Carriers would soon be finished. This would allow to not only stop the Japanese assault, but start a Allied counter-offensive knew MacArthur. But his opponent Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was very well aware of the situation too, that was the reason why he planned and prepared new Japanese offensives on land, air and sea as well, hoping to archive his own goals before the American giant had fully awakened and was ready to trow his devastating full punches.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 654: Teutonic Order Division Number One: Deutschritter (German Knights)

Originally formed of the Remnants of the SS (1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler", short LSSAH) as well as parts of the SA (Sturmabteilung) and the Nazi Party in the size of a regiment that had grown into a elite division-sized unit until 1938, they formed the new Teutonic Order and within it the Teutonic Order Division Number One; Deutschritter (or German Knights) headquartered in Königsberg under Colonel/ Master Prinz Franz Joseph von Hohenzollern-Emden. Franz Joseph himself was shortly known as Preußenmeister (Prussian Master), as he was responsible for the Province of East Prussia under Hochmeister (High Master), Deutschmeister (German Master) and Großmeister (Grand Master, the later German General for the United Baltic Duchy) Hermann Eisenhut. It was a Panzer (Tank) Division of first class made up by Germans from the German Empire and ethnic Germans from neighboring regions at first. They also they would partly help build up the other German Order Divisions in the former Corridor that had returned to Germany from Poland, as well as in the United Baltic Duchy. During this time they even supported the movement of Polish settlers and colonists into the Polish Kingdom, often with the promise of newly build homes and good work and pay, sometimes however also with sheer brutality and threats. The Deutschritter/ German Knights would be send to the Finnish Kingdom, when the Red Army started the Winter War to fight alongside the Royal Finish Army and the regular Imperial German Army against the invading Soviet Union. During the Eastern Crusade against the Soviet Union, they would fight alongside the Imperial German Army in Kalverija, Kaunas, Alytus, Vilnius (Vilna), Maladsetschna, Smalyavichy, Lepel, Sianna (Sjanna), Wizebsk, Smolensk, Demidow, Duchowschtschina, Smolensk, Dedovo, Gluschkowa, Wjasma, Geschalks, Karmanowo, Klin, Jachroma and Moscow.

Behind the frontline a regiment of the Deutschritter/ German Knights would hunt for Communist Commissaries, Partisans and Saboteurs, even killing civilians when they accomplished in such acts, even killing up to 600 of them as prisoners after a military trial, who had before surrendered to them. At the same time they and the Imperial German Army would help train Polish, Lithuanian and Jewish militia and regular forces in the rear area to take over this duties from them. Because of the heavy losses the Deutschritter/ German Knights had as a spearhead during this Eastern Crusade campaigns and especially during the fight for Moscow, they soon opened up their recruitment of volunteers to non-Germans as well. It started with the Polish left in East Prussia and in the Polish Kingdom, followed by Lithuanians and later Jews and White Russians. While the later remained a minority in the Deutschritter/ German Knights Division of the Teutonic Order, at the End of the Second Great War the Poles made up 1/3 of the entire division. This was quit ironic in the context that one of the main goals of the Teutonic Order was the Germanization of the United Baltic Duchy as well as Polish border regions that Germany already had planned to annex in the chase of a First Great War victory. Because of this the true allegiance and loyalty of this non-German forces n the Teutonic Order was often questionable and questioned by the leadership of the Order as well. That was often times the reason why this forces were mostly used behind the frontlines to secure supply lines or fight partisans and even then mostly alongside German forces, not so much on their own. The only times this changed was when the German Order was positive that the hatred of this people against the Soviet Union's regime, the Red Army or the Russian overall rule of their land was much greater then any opposition and hate they could ever have against the German Empire, the Germans or the Teutonic Order themselves. This included Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and Jewish forces alike, but often only these who were known for their anti-Russian, anti-Soviet and anti-Communist activities as militia, paramilitaries or political party groups even before the Second Great War.

 

[CountofDooku]

Would you readers prefer a Battle of the Johnston Atoll, or a closer look at Frontlines in China, or a closer look at African frontlines in the next chapters?

 

[Praetor98]

Would you readers prefer a Battle of the Johnston Atoll, or a closer look at Frontlines in China, or a closer look at African frontlines in the next chapters?

Frontlines in China.

 

[Seandineen]

Africa!

 

[skarosianlifeform]

Agreed. Africa.

 

[CountofDooku]

Africa will come first as a map then.

--
Will however finish up my Stargate Atlantis TL to chapter 12 or so, so maybe start with this monday/ tuesday as the next thing up the line. ^^

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 655: The Frontlines of Africa

The War in Africa had lead to some different Theatres and fronts over the duration of the Second Great War. It included the Allied Middle East Theatre (MET), from Palestine to Persia where the Allied forces (mainly the Americans, British and Commonwealth ones alongside Free French and before the Iraqi coup even some local Iraqi forces) tried to stop the Ottoman/ Turkish and German assault on the Iraqi and Persian Oil Fields as well as their attempt to conquer the Palestine/ or Yehudah (Judea, Judah, or Yehud, as the Neo-Ottoman and Germans called the future Kingdom of Israel) and the Suez Canal from the East. There at Sinai and the Suez it connected with the Allied Mediterranean Theatre/ also known as the Allied North African Theatre (NAT), were the Allies (mainly the British Egyptian and Commonwealth forces, including Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, as well as some Greek and Free French) defending Egypt and Sudan as well as East Africa against the Axis Central Powers ambitions and push the Axis Central Powers out of North Africa in the process. At the border between Egypt and Libya, this front changed into the Allied Central African Theatre (CAT), mmainly Free French alongside some British and Commonwealth forces, that had managed to retake French Central African Colonies from the Fascist French Kingdom/ Empire and some allied Axis Central Powers or local forces. The newest and besides the Middle Eastern Theatre also the biggest in Africa was the Allied West African Theatre (WAT), established during Operation Torch, the Allied Landing in Spanish Colonies in West Africa. The main plan had been to connect the central African and Western Allied Frontlines and deny the Axis Central Powers any use of the coastal ports and airports for their ships, submarines and airplanes, as well as to take of Axis Central Powers pressure from the Allied Mediterranean/ North African Theatre and the Middle East Theatre. The general Allied reinforce and supply lines in Africa, even if coastal were far stretched, as their reinforces and supplies either came from Great Britain, or even America itself. Some of this allied shipment lines took the Carribbean and northern South America to bypass the Axis Central Power submarines and ships in the Northern Atlantik on their way to West and Central Africa from there on.

On the side of the Axis Central Powers, there was the so called Axis Central Powers Ottoman Theatre (OT, or OF Ottoman Front) a front-line stretching from Yehudah (Judea, Judah, or Yehud, as the Neo-Ottoman and Germans called the future Kingdom of Israel) all the way to Persia. It's main purpose was to reconquer all lost Ottoman Empire territory it had possessed either directly or indirectly before the First Great War, yes even conquer the complete Arabian Peninsula (the Neo-Ottomans attempted to rename it the Ottoman Peninsual after getting rid of most traitorous Arabs there, who had back-stabbed them in the First Great War like the Armenians and Kurds in their opinion). In the East and North-East of this Theatre the Axis Central Powers as well as the Neo-Ottomans planned to connect their Turkish-German forces either with the Caucasian/ South Russian Theatre/ Front into a new Central Asian one that would threaten the Soviet Union in the South, cut off the remaining Allied supplies for the Red Army or even endanger British India/ British Raj from the West to aid the Japanese Co-Prosperity Sphere coming from the East. The area was also planned to establish a pan-turkish, pan-Mohammedan Ottoman Empire, stretching from Europe all the way to China in the minds of some Neo-Ottoman and pan-Turkish, pan-Mohammedan leaders, generals and ideologues, even if the very details and even much of their ideals and ideologies clashed beyond that. West of that there was the Axis Central Powers North Africa Theatre (NAT, or NAF North Afrika Front) were German and Italian forces pushed into Egypt to conquer it and the Sudan and threaten the west of the Middle East as well as be able to retake the lost Italian East African Colonies. In the Axis Central Powers West Africa Theatre (WAT, or WAF, West Afrika Front) the Axis Central Powers of Germany, Fascist French Kingdom/ Empire and Spanish as well as some Italians had redeployed more troops then before to secure their Egypt and Middle East operations, but even more so then the Allies, their supply lines were far overstretched and the front was to wide with to little infrastructure to equally and efficiently deploy their forces optional against the Allied landings. Only in Marocco, close to Spain and the Iberian Peninsula they managed to establish a big enough force to keep the Allies out of the Atlas Mountains and from pushing further inland thanks to their reinforces of Spanish and German Armies in Iberia close by and those in Morocco itself.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 656: The 100 Banner Offensive

“The hunt for glory and fame can make the sanest man crazy, don't ask what it does to those already insane.” - British Premier Winston Churchill about the Axis Central Powers Leaders

The so called 100 Banner Offensive (Chinese: 百橫幅進攻) had it's famous name from the Imperial Manchu Army, were a company was made up of 300 soldiers, 5 companies made up a battalion of 1,500 soldiers, 10 battalions formed a banner of 15,000 soldiers, quit similar to the Japanese Divisions of 10,000 to 20,000 soldiers during the Second Great War. The name was similat to the Chinese United Front/ Communist Hundred Regiments Offensive (Chinese: 百團大戰) shortly before. Overall the Imperial Manchu Army numbered 1,400,000 soldiers, or around 100 Banners. That was at the start of the Second Great War, or more accurate at the start of the Chinese Civil War and the later Hokushin-ron (北進論, "Northern Expansion Doctrine" or "Northern Road") into the Soviet Union's Far East and Siberia. Later the around 88 million citizens and people living in Manchuria would rise the numbers of those mobilized to 4 million, later a plan was made to rise them to even around 8 million at the End of the Second Great War, but that was never realized. The overall loyalty of the Imperial Manchurian Army was often questionable, as they were made up by warlord forces and even some former anti-Manchurian communist and Han-chinese rebel forces. That was at least, before the Tenkō from Imperial Japan was copied, were former leftists and liberal students and adults were brainwashed into Coprospism to be on line with the state (something similar to the Axis Central Powers reeducation camps). In a attempt to gain even further autonomy, independence and fame, Manchu Emperor Puyi ordered his Armies on the front to the Soviet Union a mass assault across the frontline. In a very Mussolini and Khan Demchugdongrub/ Prince De/ Teh fashion, Emperor Puyi did not inform the Japanese Kwantung/ North Asia Army or even the Japanese Emperor or his other allies at all.

While impressive on paper, the 100 Banners often still used old, outdated equipment, were wearing bright colors and banners and often even charged the entrenched Red Army lines full of bunkers, armored vehicles, tanks and artillery. Sometimes the Manchu Banners even stormed right into Red Army minefields or barbed-wire. Out of the nearly 1,400,000 Manchu Soldiers used in this massive offensive around 140,000 were killed and nearly as much wounded or deserted during the fighting. The hundred banners offensive was a huge disaster for the Co-Prosperity Sphere both in terms of propaganda and manpower. The Japanese Emperor Hirohito as well as Kwantung Army General Yoshijirō Umezu were outraged to say at least and in the End Manchu Emperor Puyi was falling out of favor by much of the Co-Prosperity Sphere. The failed Hundred Banners Offensive would later lead to the conspiracy by the Kwantung Army and Puyi's younger brother Pujie, who was married to the Japanese noble woman Japanese noblewoman and daughter of Marquis Saneto Saga and a distant relative of Emperor Shōwa. They actually had two daughters, Huisheng born in 1938 and Husgeng/ Kosei born in 1940, so unlike his homosexual tendencies brother his dynastic line was already secured and strongly related to the Japanese one. Because of this the Kwantung Army with it's around 2,000,000 soldiers in 50 divisions, including six tank divisions managed to spare enough forces for a internal Manchurian Coup later during the Second Great War. However Pujie had not killed, but imprisoned his brother Puyi, letting the now two-times former Emperor live until his death in 1967, in a enclosed, tightly secured palace outside of the capital were he would live for the rest of his life. For all the Manchurian public and others inside the Co-Prosperity Sphere knew, Puyi was killed in the coup/ uprising that was blamed on Communists rebels and Han-Chinese nationalists. According to the Kwantung Army they had been able to suppress this rebellion, before anyone in the Imperial Manchu Royal Family and Dynasty could be killed, strengthening the Imperial Japanese and Manchu relationship inside the Co-Prosperity Sphere.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

So, Prince Pu-Jie will become the Second Emperor of Manchukuo?

 

[CountofDooku]

So, Prince Pu-Jie will become the Second Emperor of Manchukuo?

Indeed very soon he will. ^^

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Edit: also upcoming Rommel and the Wang Jingwei Red Shirts ...