The Iron Eagle - The History of the Cold War
- Thread starter Kaiser of Brazil
- Start date
Regardless, the development of China would be interesting, especially if the PRC still somehow becomes a thing here.
Considering the total war the Japanese unleashed in 1946, China is in a worse shape than it was in our TL. The NRA was completely depleted during the counter offensives, cities like Canton, Wuhan and Nanjing are in ruins, and all the problems the Kuomitang faced will be even worsened by an extra year of war spending, inflation, famine, corruption, and now with some of China’s wealthiest cities being devastated by the retreating IJA. I’m not saying Mao will win, but just because the Soviets are gone doesn’t mean the KMT is in a better shape to win.
North China is Best China! And speaking of which, what would be fun is if some ex-Soviets end up being prominent in helping develop North China in such a scenario.
Jes Lo
Banned
The Empire seems to have expanded a tad and is overseeing the former Danish territories of Iceland and the Faroe Islands.
Latin America and Africa will have more to talk about in the 50s, unfortunately I do not know enough about Oceania to make a detailed chapter yet.
Iberia isn’t much different other than more Fascist/Falangist influence in Portugal and Spain. They will get more interesting later on as the Colonial wars begin.
I see Vladivostok gaining in importance as US and Western aid and development is sent in and raw materials and goods come out. It becomes a hub for distributing aid to Russia, Korea, Manchuria and Japan.
Indeed, considering the Japanese harbors were completely destroyed during Operation Sunset, as well as the devastation of the war and underdevelopment of ports in Korea and China, Vladivostok is the gateway to Asia for at least a decade. Siberia is also a vast, almost untapped, source of wealth that is being opened up to western companies. Since there are no European countries to receive Marshall Plan aid (except perhaps Britain), the majority of the reconstruction efforts will go to Asia. Although Long will likely prefer to keep funds for his own internal programs.
Deleted member 170721
Yeah, but without soviet invasion of Manchuria and than the help that they provided in OTL the CCP will remain a particularly well organized guerilla force but won't become anything like a conventional military force. Even if the KMT will be significantly weaker than in OTL and still lose Manchuria but will be able to hold the line near Beijing and after regrouping defeat the CCP and maybe even invade Mongolia.
ITTL I don't really see Spain voluntarily giving up Northern Morocco like in OTL
It’s more likely that Speer and Himmler would unite out of hatred of Bormann, but who knows, he’s not the Brown Eminence for nothing.
XIX - DU LAND DER TREUE
THE IRON EAGLE
DU LAND DER TREUE
It was almost something mystical in some ways, the "Savior of Europe", "Führer of the Greater Germanic Reich", and so many other titles, lived in a luxurious residence on top of the European Alps. It was the beginning of a new decade in 1950, the Tag das Sieges, the day of victory which was celebrated across Europe, was not just the day of the greatest triumph in the history of Germany, but also the 61st anniversary of the man who lead to it, Adolf Hitler. Nobody can deny that, like figures such as Julius Caesar, Alexander, Napoleon, Karl der Grosse, Otto von Bismarck, and Temüjin and others, he had fundamentally reshaped a continent, if not the world history, and one can only wonder what would have happened had Paul von Hidenburg not appointed him as Chancellor in that fateful day of January 1933. Naturally, everyone came to these celebrations, or at least everyone important in the Reich, powerful figures within the NSDAP and the State apparatus seeking to get in the graces of the Totalitarian leader of Europe. As the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS marched down the streets of Germania, Italian troops paraded in Rome, and each of the Linz Pakt states made their own demonstrations of power, the real power of Europe came in the vehicles going up the Obersalzberg, towards the Berghof, black vehicles escorted by bodyguards, an increased measure of security since 1945. Before arriving at night, each black car had to go through an extensive checklist by units of Hitler's bodyguards. DU LAND DER TREUE
They each got out in the order they arrived. Naturally, Bormann was already there, always being wherever the Führer was, being responsible for organizing the reception and dinner. He was the natural choice for the occasion, known for his attention to detail and organizational skills both in bureaucracy and in more festive situations such as this one, after all he was the one who oversaw the construction of that very building. Next came in Hess, the most loyal and devoted no doubt, despite the fact he awkwardly was left out of the majority of the social occasions, Hitler still kept him around, an old friend and partner from his very early days before any of the others came in, his last vestige of the old roots of the National Socialist movement, and the technical Deputy Führer of the Reich. He came in with his more unusual mannerisms, being greeted by Bormann who was theoretically his own deputy, but at that point the Brown Eminence had already gathered enough influence of his own to vastly overshadow his superior. The two were also known to be quite cooperative with one another, in the way the primordial Machiavellian mind of Bormann had Hess firmly in his grasp. Then later came in Speer, the Minister of the Four-Year Plan, Minister of Armaments, and Chief Architect of the Reich. But above all, Speer had something no other member in the circle possessed, the genuine friendship with the Führer which gave him access bypassing what even Bormann's firewall could put between him and Hitler. The Architect entered the building with a good humor, trying to keep the spirits up in the room while the host was nowhere to be found yet. Nobody dared to disturb the Führer of course, there were just a few persons who could ever dare to enter a more intimate level with him to the point of summoning him to his own party.
Himmler and Heydrich's arrival was what brought the mood in the room to a much more tense situation, their mere presence in those black uniforms is what brought a discomforting sensation of fear. Surely, they would not dare to do anything, at least not while Hitler was here, but everyone knew what they were responsible of doing, the unpleasant task that all of them considered as necessary and yet none dared to actively partake to the extent both of them did. There was also the fact the SS was essentially the State within a State inside the Third Reich, with it's own army, economy, organization, and internal rules and policies, with the extension of it's power expanding all over the Linz Pakt. Heydrich had an added fear factor, something that maybe only Bormann could match, the blackmail. He knew everything as head of the Intelligence Services and the Interpol, including facts he only shared with the Führer in his reports. Heydrich was a more charming man than Himmler was and that was seen even from their appearance, Heydrich being 1.91 and Himmler being 1.74, the former being blonde and handsomely declared as a model Aryan, while the later was far from imposing, looking awkward and shy with his glasses. Son of musicians and adapted to high social circles, Heydrich already began to break the icy tension in the room by engaging in conversation, while Himmler more awkwardly greeted the others and asked about Hitler, with Bormann replying that the Führer was getting prepared for the celebrations in his room, receiving nothing more than a nod from the Reichsführer-SS. It was no secret they were hated enemies, everyone hated one another in there, Himmler being frustrated that him, the second most powerful man in Europe, still had to go through a snake-man like Bormann to reach the Führer, him, the "Loyal Heinrich", having to get in the graces of a bureaucrat that could twist his messages and words to his will.
Next came in more formal state guests, Kesselring as representative of the Luftwaffe and Dönitz as representative of the Kriegsmarine, and both of these guests were quite pressured over the recent events. Ever since the humiliating failure in the Middle East and the Russian Reunification, their sectors each received far greater budgets than before, something that resembled the military buildup of 1935-1939, and with good reason. The publishing of the "Second Book" made it clear to everyone that a war with the west was inevitable in the mind of their leader, the Navy and airforce, alongside the especial "Wunderwaffen" programs, had received high funds and expectations to prepare for an incoming war. The objective was to amass a force powerful enough to punch through the Canal and do what no one ever since William the Conqueror did, the Invasion of the British Isles. It wasn't just that, but plans were also being made to push eastwards to reach the Ural mountains, planning that this time Russia would be thrown back into it's chaos. There was an special plan in Hitler's mind to finish what Saadeh could not, launching an invasion of Israel spearheaded by the Waffen-SS to clean out "The most dangerous nest of zionist vipers in the world". All of that would converge towards a grand invasion of North America, using the French carribbean as a base to launch a campaign to bomb the East Coast, with dreams of rockets bombarding the greatest american cities and ending with a land invasion of the Wehrmacht to destroy the "Rotten structure of Judeo-Capitalist Degeneracy". So when the two leaders came into the anniversary, they brought along the newest reports of the aerial and naval modernizations and buildups, surely a gift that the Führer would appreciate.
The last one of the inner circle to arrive was Goebbels, who seemed to be quite in a hurry to come to Bavaria by plane. He had just arrived from Germania, where he gave his annual eulogy to the Führer during the parade by representing Hitler. It was no secret that Goebbels was gaining more and more prominence in the eyes of the people and the world, probably being the second most well-known figure of the Third Reich due to his growing appearances in public. The voice that once dragged millions was not what it once was, it was a closely guarded secret that most of the world did not know, but the seemingly invincible Führer was ill, his voice was weakening, and Doctor Morell's solution seemed to bring more and more pills down his throat. As soon as Goebbels, one of the most devoted figures towards Hitler in the inner circle, came in with his coat and cap being handed, the short man came to ask of the Führer's presence only to receive the same answer as Himmler, to which he resigned himself to head back to his corner as he began to talk with Albert Speer, who was already discussing the dockyard production facilities with Dönitz. As the night came in, each one was inside their own circle, mutually distrusting one another while awaiting the big man to come in. Bormann made sure to keep everyone in check as other figures came in, such as Klopfer, Lammers, Ley, Freisler, Funk, Frank, Ribbentrop, von Schirach, Axmann, Eichmann, Foster, Best, Rosenberg and many other Gauleiters, Ministers, and leaders of all across the Reich came into the Mountain retirement, the security of the place making it essentially a fortress.
The last one to arrive was the representative of the Deutsches Heer, while men like Keitel, Guderian, Manstein, Model, Remer and Schörner would be more appropriate as a leadership figure, it was none other than the Desert Fox himself who arrived. General Erwin Rommel, the dazzling poster boy of the Panzer army, the man who took the City of Alexander the great, outmaneuvering and defeating armies twice his size, and the man who earned much of the praise in bringing Britain to the negotiating table during the 1943 invasion of Egypt. Rommel arrived in the room in a flamboyant way, greeting first other military officers present, especially Kesselring, who was one of the Luftwaffe commanders responsible for providing the support to his Afrika Korps. He commented that he would've arrived into the party with his Panzer, but did not wish to destroy the garden, which provoked laughers from many around, there was no doubt the man was popular, something that many considered a threat, especially since he sometimes mocked the Waffen SS troops and their performance in battle claiming that their greatest victories were in shooting when nobody was shooting back. There was no doubt he was a Hitlerite, in fact he was chosen specifically because he was the Führer's favorite commander. Himmler seemed to avoid Rommel during the party and the feeling was mutual, both of their branches despised one another.
The men were not the only ones in the party, their families naturally came to visit, the Goebbels', the Himmlers', the Heydrichs', the Bormann's and many others. Goebbels' children were quite responsible for lifting up most of the activity and noise in the room, to the point Bormann had to request Magda to take the children into a separate large room alongside the other wives. There was one presence who stuck out the most, Emma Göring, the widow of the dead Reichsmarshall Hermann Göring and one of the wealthiest women in Germany after she took over her husband's proprieties. Although she had been previously barred from the Berghof due to her rivalry with Eva Hitler, the Führer lifted the ban, much to his wife's discontent, as a tribute to the Iron Marshal's untimely demise. All of these women, especially Magda Goebbels and Emma Göring, disputed the spot for "First Lady of the Reich" in the past, but the official marriage between Adolf and Eva brought an abrupt end for this competition, and while everyone knew that the two had a romantic engagement, nobody truly expected that the "Avatar of the German Volk", who for many years was considered above such things as marriage, would have a wife. And to make it even more "scandalous", nobody expected the coming of young Klara Hitler, born on the 6th of October 1947. Many had disputed if their leader was infertile, doubts which were laid to rest once the result of the marriage produced a true-blood descendant of Hitler himself, and while it was an unsatisfying affair due to the fact it was a girl, Eva first blaming herself for her failure in giving her husband a firstborn son, Adolf seemed surprisingly accepting, perhaps due to his greater connection to his mother, which is what led to her being named after her. The baby was healthy, and by 1950 was already speaking a few words and walking, playing around with other children under the watchful eye of Eva, who considered it her duty as an Aryan woman to be devoted to her child, and seeing that as a show of devotion to Adolf himself. Hitler privately stated that his decision to have a child was a reflection of his duty towards the German people as being their example to be followed, after the war Germany would need it's future settlers, future laborers, future soldiers, future mothers and fathers, even his own family was seen more like a show to the public, as he was always to place the welfare of the German people over his own publicly, something which Goebbels greatly used towards his pro-natality propaganda which was partially responsible for the post-war baby boom.
Finally, it would be the time. Everyone immediately stopped their conversation and raised their right arm in salute towards the elderly Führer. Despite being only 61, the signs of his decaying health were visible, with his two hands behind his back to hide the shaking, his eyes seeming more tired, his voice no longer as loud and powerful as it once was. Nobody dared to raise those issues, at least not in there, and nobody dared to talk first before their leader. It was an awkward silence as Hitler greeted each one of the guests by shaking hands, engaging in nothing much other than a short talk before heading over to the next. Finally he finished the greetings and turned over to the guests as he began one of his speeches, which all were forced to stand and applaud once he was done with his achievements and the accomplishments of the "Germanic Race". Finally the entire ceremony was finished and the celebrations restarted, each one offering their tribute to the feudal lord. Goebbels made an annual grand speech in public to the Führer in Germania and offered a recording of one of the newest American films that his leader so dearly loved, Speer updated on the conclusion of his Museum in Linz and gave a Persian tapestry, Himmler offered him a ceremonial sword, said to have belonged to Emperor Friedrich Hohenstauffer, also known as Barbarossa, Emma Göring presented him with one of her husband's personal paintings, Bormann offered a golden watch and a handcrafted pen, which was quite suited from a bureaucrat, and Heydrich offered a silver pistol, an special request to Fritz Walther.
What happened behind the closed doors late in the night was a show of appearances, the members of the inner circle all came to surround the Führer in watching a movie in his private cinema. Goebbels hated Bormann, Bormann hated Speer, Speer hated Himmler, Himmler despised them all and felt more like an outsider, only seated close to Heydrich which belonged to his SS Inner circle alongside other men like Lammers, Dietrich, Seyss-Inquart, Pohl, Hausser, Dietritch, Wolff, and Müller. Heydrich had his own ambitions, naturally, but retained his loyalty to Himmler for the moment by keeping their old partnership, although there were certainly doubts if he would not want to succeed Himmler in the future, perhaps expecting that if Himmler became the successor of the Führer, he would be placed in charge of the SS. Then there was Hess, aware of the world of intrigue but not desiring to be involved, lacking the ruthless ambition of the others and content in remaining completely devoted to the elderly Führer. They spent most of the night awake even after most of the guests had left, due to Hitler's habits of sleeping late and the fact nobody would dare go to sleep first and let their opponents discredit them, Goebbels in particular was tired from the long trip from Germania and had to force himself awake until around 3 AM. The themes discussed ranged from all kinds, from listening to Hitler go in a rant over the lack of reported progress on the Atomic project, to a casual conversation and joking about trivial matters. For a few moments it seemed as if the dictator was decades older than he was, being visibly aged due to the excessive medicine he demanded due to his hipocondriac paranoia, as well as dozing off occasionally while more serious discussions were made such as Heydrich's most recent reports on antipartisan operations. The night ended with a discussion left in Goebbels' diary, where Hitler spoke in a callous manner, talking about the preparations for war, claiming that by the next year the Tag das Sieges would be celebrated in Downing Street, he spoke with Himmler and Heydrich about making preparations for the eventual "pacification" of England, and of a "neutralization" of Israel. He dismissed Israel as a mere show puppet of a much greater scheme of Financial Jews from London and New York, but it was also necessary to ensure that the "base of operations" must be destroyed to safeguard the Mediterranean. He then spoke of his great designs for the Atom program, claiming that the competition between the Reich scientists was naturally superior to the cooperation between "mediocre idea-stealers", that Atomic science could only be the product of an Aryan mind, the idea being stolen by Jewish physicians, the struggle between the different programs, especially between Heisenberg and Diebner, would result in a weapon far superior to the American one. It was a sign for the listeners, cooperation was made by the weaker species, the Aryan competed and the best triumphed, the ideas of social darwinism that were a core of the NSDAP, at least that was what Goebbels registered in his diary on the following day after they all returned to their stations, back to the world of lies and scheming of leading "The Land of the True".
How could they fight against all odds? How could defy what seemed like an invincible monolith? How could they topple a god? The officers of the Heer knew what was coming, a war that they had no hope of winning, it was one thing to fight the Soviets in a land war, but challenge the Naval and Industrial power of both America and Britain was just unthinkable. And yet what could they do? Hitler was invincible, he was the man who made the world's greatest gamble and it paid off, he made a broken republic into a Continental Superpower in less than 20 years. His word was like the word of God to the German people, nobody would dare raise a criticism and even his most fierce critics had to recognize his triumph over all of Germany's rivals, doing what the Kaiser could not. Even if the true responsible for the victory was the Wehrmacht, the propaganda machine did not show it that way, and even in the Wehrmacht itself they had a declining base of support, former sympathizing Generals and commanders retiring and their positions being taken by Hitlerite dogs like Schörner, Model, Remer and Krebs. However, their one hope was a fact that the Party propaganda desperately tried to keep hidden, the fact that Hitler was a mortal man. His public appearances were more and more limited every month, the last time he made a speech in the Volkshalle was in 1948 and even there one could just notice the tiredness in his voice, in a few occasions during meetings, a few generals were able to spot his hand shaking, always hidden behind his back. There is a reason Goebbels was more and more becoming the public figure of the Regime as the Führer's gifted oratory was declining, he rarely even came to the Welthauptstadt! The moment he was gone is the moment the monolith, the illusion, would break, and the true divisions inside the NSDAP would be revealed at last. The SS, The Gauleiters, the Bureaucrats, the Populists, the Industrials, all hated one another for differing reasons, and soon they would all devour one another for the throne. The bandits in brown shirts could not be allowed to drag Germany and Europe into ruin, that is what Unternehmen Walküre was for, a secret plan to declare a state of emergency if the Reich fell into a State of Chaos during the war, a leftover that was never removed, and now it could be their one chance to make things right, their one chance to stop the madness that consumed Europe while still possible. They could only hope that the Austrian Corporal had the minimal decency of dying before he started the most destructive war in History.
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