a Valkyrie Rises Over Europe, a Alternate Story of the Cold War
- Thread starter Kaiser K
- Start date
The answer to that is... well just morbid.
Certain Nazi plans, thanks to the Reich's victory in the Second World War, are unfortunately still under fruition and going forward as scheduled.
sharlin
Banned
*shudders* but at least you're not doing what many 'nazi's do well
' TL's do and try and sugar coat the regime or go 'oh they stopped that in this TL in um..1936' because then its not Nazi's.
Commas do not signify the end of Ideas.
they symbolize a continuation in ideas, as if you are adding more to one point and only to that point.
For example, if I'm using this sentence to critique your grammar and sentence structure, it wouldn't make any sense for this to suddenly shift into something else, I don't think it's make much sense for the Atomic bomb to suddenly be referred to as the Hell-bomb, it's seems to cinematic and unprofessional, see what I mean?
the shift in information makes no sense, as the grammar critique and argument about the naming of the Atomic bomb have nothing to do with each other.
Just like the success of the Allies elsewhere in WWII doesn't really flow well into the political talk.
It makes a bit more sense if it was more like this:
Hmm, I see what you mean regarding the sudden shift in information, it's confusing for the readers and makes the information sitting in front of the reader more of a hassle to read as they have to figure out what is important in the sentence and what isn't. I probably could have put the political information in a more appropriate place that made that paragraph flow better with all the key informational elements direct and firm to the reader without random shifts in information and overall disruptiveness of narrative.
To be brutally honest, I suppose I really need to just proofread these better, Especially as I don't seem to notice these problems until someone points it out to me.
I can see that a mistake like that is probably amateur, but I am still trying to pat down my overall writing style and improve my overall skills as a Writer, as I am still learning many things about writing, especially Grammar and Sentence Structuring, which I never really learnt anything about until I joined AH.com and realized how bad my writing is.
I'll try to not make these same mistakes again in future chapters, through it's hard when I am still trying to find my style, per say.
Honestly a good way to do it is to read it out to yourself. It's written well, but just needs to be broken down. Think of a full stop like a pause in speaking, then read your paragraphs and only stop when there is a full stop. I think you'll get what we mean. At the end of an idea or statement, chuck in a full stop before moving onto the next one.
Otis R. Needleman
Banned
This TL definitely has potential, but agree the writing needs to be broken up. Your English is good but shorter sentences grab the reader's attention better.
the Writing of the Updates Aside, I do have Hitler's successor pinned, as well as a general idea of events through 1955 or so.
I'll try to get another update up sometime today, and take the writing advice into account, and maybe go back and fix the previous chapters.
I'm not going to shy away from what the Nazis are doing to Eastern Europe and the unfortunate people's caught in the Austrian Corporal's Madness, they are Nazis after all, it would be idiotic to sugar coat it and try to forget about the facts, otherwise you are just lying to yourself and thinking you're readers are too dumb and forget the fact these are the Nazis we are dealing with, and any Nazi Victory would definitely mean full speed ahead with the Holocaust and Generalplan Ost.
I'll try to get another update up sometime today, and take the writing advice into account, and maybe go back and fix the previous chapters.
*shudders* but at least you're not doing what many 'nazi's do well
I'm not going to shy away from what the Nazis are doing to Eastern Europe and the unfortunate people's caught in the Austrian Corporal's Madness, they are Nazis after all, it would be idiotic to sugar coat it and try to forget about the facts, otherwise you are just lying to yourself and thinking you're readers are too dumb and forget the fact these are the Nazis we are dealing with, and any Nazi Victory would definitely mean full speed ahead with the Holocaust and Generalplan Ost.
Narrative wise I understand the Reich getting the Bomb, but it is, nonetheless utterly implausible, far less plausible than the combination of no U.S. early entry and early defeat of the USSR.
Reich intel was beyond inept, to a degree that is almost stunning in scope. EVERY Nazi agent that was placed into the UK was caught and turned, every one of them (which makes the remarkable success of NKVD/GRU agent all the more remarkable). The Reich had no ready source of agents in the U.S., unlike COMINTERN, there was no Fascist equivalent, and Berlin never developed any sort of network IOTL.
There is also considerable evidence, circumstantial as it may be, that Heisenberg (the best known physicist in Germany once the ones with any trace of Jewish blood, or common sense, bailed) actively sabotaged The Reich's program.
Also, the U.S. had a production line for implosion (plutonium) weapons. Production was about 1 weapon a month in 1946/47, increasing to two weapons a month in early 1948, and ten+ a month in 1949.
As a BTW: How did the U.S. suffer 90,000+ KIA in a naval war against the KM?
TOTAL U.S. losses in the Pacific KIA/MIA/died in captivity were ~111,000, of those roughly 65K were ground forces (41K+ U.S. Army, 23K+ USMC/USN corpsmen), leaving 56,000 KIA/MIA/died in captivity for the USN over 45 months of combat, including Pearl Harbor, six major carrier battles, the massive surface actions that marked the Solomons campaign, losses from kamikaze's (which accounted for around 1 of three USN KIA), aviation training deaths, and deaths from non combat causes (everything from malaria to having a crate fall on you in Colorado). TOTAL USN KIA, in all theaters, were under 37,000.
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This is the unfortunate (while in this case, extremely fortunate) truth, it wasn't very likely the Reich was going to get a Bomb anytime soon even after a theoretical victory (through if it survived, it eventually might get one, eventually if it survived long enough and got things together, especially after Adolf's death), the Program itself was a Mess, it had ran off or murdered all of it's best scientists, and the Allies had better industrial capability and stronger scientific teams behind it, however for the sake of the narrative and to prevent the US from just going back in 5 years from now and pulverizing the Nazi's, seeing as that would kind of ruin the point of the story. I have some POD's going back into the 30's that facilitate the Reich's Nuclear Program later in the timeline and allow the Germans to establish a network of Spies in the US (Through, couldn't some of the Intel they collected end up as intel they extracted from the NKVD? through that's unlikely anyway, so never mind about that)
I'm also going to work under the assumption for this timeline that Heisenberg did not sabotage the German's Nuclear Program.
Now that I look back at those numbers, they are definately way too high, I way over estimated on that, I'll go back and fix that for sure.
Kaiser K, may we also assume that these Nazis (including the Austrian corporal!) are somewhat "saner" and thus more efficient and effective at things like intelligence, diplomacy, war planning, and... unfortunately also at implementing plans like Generalplan Ost.
What do you think about the assumption that Adolf et al. ITTL were more efficient, more effective, and did not make such insane and counterproductive (to their wicked cause) decisions?
What do you think about the assumption that Adolf et al. ITTL were more efficient, more effective, and did not make such insane and counterproductive (to their wicked cause) decisions?
The idea that the Nazis are any saner then OTL just kind of nullifies the fact of them being Nazis in the first place, certainly some within the party are, not as insane as others are, but you can't take the insanity out of the Nazis and still really call them Nazis.
Through I suppose ITTL, that the Nazis due happen to be slightly more efficient at a few things, but they are still Nazis, and I am not going to sugarcoat or skip over the facts and truths of this regime here, even if some evolution will occur as the leadership of the Party changes and the crazies of our OTL Nazi's either die or are forced out..
I think you could just tac another maybe 5 years to the Nazi nuclear program at least because really they were so far off it's not funny and they need time to develop the industry and start over. I don't it ruins the narrative, because I think after 5 years of limited warfare, assuming the Nazis don't attack the UK in some major way that the Americans would not put forward plans for an invasion. Then the Germans get the nukes and the US and Britain go "well fuck, missed opportunity there..."
Well my POD's are in the 1930's for this to be even remotely possible before 1950, so I think 1947 will work fine for this in the end.
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Chapter 4
A Cold Beginning..
Chapter 4
A Cold Beginning..
The Successful Test of the First German Hell Bomb came as a immense shock to both the American and British Governments, the revelation came to both at a realization at how their attempts to root out German spies and prevent them from acquiring the intelligence of the Manhattan Project had ultimately in the end failed.
With the German Acquisition of Atomic Weaponry, the World had entered a New Era, a Atomic Era, one it could never back out of, however unbeknown to the World, it would soon also enter a New Era in a entirely different way.
Over in the United States, the 1946 Mid-Term Congressional Elections came as a huge blow to President Truman and the Democratic Party, already unpopular with the American Public, losing both Houses of Congress to the Republicans would prove to be a bloody lesion restricting Truman's ability to properly govern as President, with the opposition Congress, Truman was unable to largely pass most of his domestic or public agenda, especially in the face of increasing unpopularity, the German Atomic Test in August of 1947 did give a boost to his standing among the American public, with Truman recording a record 43% Approval Rating in September, however this spike in approval would be short lived, Meaning the President would have a tough battle ahead of him as the 1948 Presidential Elections arrived.
President Truman addresses Congress regarding the German Atomic Test, circa August 1947
As campaigning season arrived, the President made it clear he intended to run for another term in the Oval Office, despite his unpopularity and bad standing among the American public, Behind the scenes many Democratic Party Bosses considered the idea of "dumping" Truman from the ticket due to the President's standing among the voters, and replace him with a more popular Candidate, Groups within the Democratic Party considered several candidates in their search, including former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's son, James Roosevelt, Frank Hague, William O. Douglas and several others, however most of the other possible candidates in the end declined to run or ended up withdrawing during the early campaigning season, leaving President Truman and Georgia Senator Richard Russell Jr. as the main candidates for the Democratic nomination, however infighting within the Party, mainly due to several of Truman's stances on issues, particularly Civil Rights, caused over three dozen Southern delegates to storm out of the Convention, (whom would later form a splinter third party to combat both the Democrats and the Republicans, led by South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond).
This infighting and bickering with the party effectively left Truman the only remaining viable candidate among the Party, and thus the President was nominated in his own right as the Democratic Presidential nominee (having been Roosevelt's running mate in 1944), Truman would end up choosing Kentucky Senator Alben W. Barkley as his running mate.
Things in the Republican Camp were more hotly contested as several candidates competed for the party's nomination, Early frontrunners included New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey (who had been the Party's Nominee in 1944 against Roosevelt and Truman), as well as Ohio Senator Robert A. Taft, Taft was a favorite among Conservatives, but however disliked by a large amount of officials within the GOP due to his overall isolationist stance on US involvement in Foreign Policy and regarding the Reich, while Dewey was younger and more liberal but not overly radical like many considered Truman due to the President's position on Civil Rights, and seen as a fair Middle Ground candidate that could appeal to both Liberals and Conservatives, it seemed liked Dewey had the nomination secure, but unfortunately for Dewey, General Douglas MacArthur entered the picture.
General MacArthur, a Hero of the Pacific War against Japan was a favorite among many Conservatives, and a favorite among the American populace as well, the Stories of "Dougie Mac's" Heroism and how he had "Whacked the Japs all the way back", including MacArthur's famous island hopping campaign and Liberation of the Philippines had garnered him much fame and popularity among the Common American, partly because of his seemingly down to Earth but rough and gruff demeanor, He was seen overall as a people's choice among many Republicans, but also as a safe choice, considering the risky bet of placing their Presidential hopes on someone who had already lost a election once, potentially leaving a Sour Taste in the Mouths of Many Americans.
Douglas MacArthur at a campaign rally, shown above speaking to the crowd in his usual charismatic, passionate and bombastic manner.
Nevertheless, MacArthur still had to throw his hat into the ring, which he subsequently did upon his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport from Tokyo in January of 1948, the Primary and Campaigning Season would be a well fought contest between Dewey and MacArthur, the former using the latter's lack of Political Experience against him, while MacArthur slung the mud back at Dewey by accusing him of having various affairs with other women, his lack of international political experience and his naivety towards many issues, as well as the fact he had already lost a Election, and thus should not be given another chance, MacArthur's political maneuvering garnered him many allies, and generally almost all but secured him the Republican Nomination, a fact that was confirmed at the Republican National Convention arrived in July, beating out Dewey to face Truman in the General Election, MacArthur would select Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen as his running mate.
The General Election itself between MacArthur and Truman would turn out to be a highly memorable one, as it was one of the first to use Mass Media in such a capacity as MacArthur and Truman utilized the media forms of Radio and Newspaper to their full advantage as the two campaigned against one another, Truman being the incumbent, still had support throughout much of Agrarian Midwest and Upper South, as well as DC, however his campaign issues, which included several issues such as Tax Reform, Decreasing of Overseas American Presence, and other issues, but most importantly a large Civil Rights Platform, alienated American Conservatives, especially those within his own party, effectively costing him the entire South, and Truman's continued unpopularity did nothing to help his campaign, on the other hand MacArthur's platform which prioritized issues such as full scale economic reform, increased investment in public housing, increased Civil Projects to expand and create more Jobs for unemployed Americans, Expansion of Veteran's Affairs and increased benefits and aid to American Veterans, as well as a foreign policy heavy agenda and cautionary stance on the issue of the Germans appealed to many Americans when they headed to the polls in November to vote, the General's public heavy campaigning schedule also allowed him to connect with the American public in stronger way then Truman was able to leading up to Election Day.
In the end, Truman's already abysmal domestic standing, his apparent waffling on the issue of the Nazi's and their Nuclear Program, along with his failure to effectively campaign against MacArthur in several key swing states ended up costing Truman in the end, when the Chicago Tribune printed the now famous front page headline "Dougie Mac whacks Harry's Trap" in the evening of that fateful Tuesday in November, MacArthur's comfortable victory in the General Election, by a tune of 363 Electoral Votes to Truman's 86, was all but assured.
Millions of Germans gathered in Berlin to pay their respects to their late Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler, during his State Funeral on June 15th, 1948, Hitler unexpectedly died the previous month on May 25th, and was buried in a specially constructed Tomb which would later become known as the "Hitler Mausoleum", a Museum and Memorial in downtown Berlin where the former Fuhrer was laid to rest.
Across the Atlantic in Europe, the Mood was a very different tune within the German Reich, the success of the Valkyrie Test in August 1947 was understandably received greatly within the Reich, many a patriotic German citizens cited the successful test as a true showing of German might, no one was happier about the test then the Führer, Adolf Hitler himself, who was quoted upon the successful test as saying "The Successful Test of this Magnificent Device is a true testament to the true power and might of our German Reich, and to the Ingenuity and Genius of the German Mind and the German Worker, I give my personal congratulations to the Scientists and Officials involved with the project, and wish them luck with further projects in the future", after the successful Valkyrie Test, Hitler established the "Reichsministerium für Atom-Wissenschaft und Energie" (Reich Ministry for Atomic Science and Energy), Designed to oversee the Development and Maintenance of the Reich's Atomic Arsenal, Albert Speer, Hitler's Minister of Armaments was appointed the Reichs Minister of the RMAE, tasked with overseeing and Managing the Reich's Atomic Arsenal as well as everything related to the Arsenal and any Atomic related projects.
the Greater German Reich would however be struck a large sucker punch when Adolf Hitler, Führer und Reichskanzler of Germany since the Reich's establishment in 1933, suddenly passed away on May 25th, 1948, a mere few weeks after the Führer celebrated his 59th Birthday, the renamed Reichs Ministry of Public Relations reported the official cause of death as an apparent "Heart Attack", however unknown to much of the German Populace, and even to much of the German Government itself, Hitler suffered from several health problems, including a irregular heartbeat, and Parkinson's, of which he took a plethora of medications for, nothing can be significantly proven, but it is suspected that the former Führer more likely died from one of the plethora of conditions he suffered from or even a drug overdose, or even as suggested by some, murdered by power hungry Ministers who sought to assume control of the Reich themselves, however it can not be proven on what specifically was the ultimate and final cause of death of Adolf Hitler.
Nevertheless, Hitler's unexpected demise left a gaping hole within the Power Structure of the Reich, his final will and testament named Hermann Goring as Fuhrer and Joseph Goebbels as Chancellor, however other factions within the Government moved to challenge Goring and Goebbels for ultimate power, including Heinrich Himmler and the SS, as well as the Minister of Armaments, Albert Speer, who unexpected threw his hat into the ring, all of the various factions, the SS, Heer, and Luftwaffe fell into a Power Struggle over final control of the Reich, not unlike those seen in the Soviet Union, Goring was opposed by many due to concerns regarding his morphine usage and his ability to properly govern the Reich as a whole, while Himmler, despite being extremely effective and at his positions controlling the SS and Chief of German Police, had acquired many powerful enemies within the German High Command ever since the establishment of the Nazi regime in 1933, including most of the Conservative Wehrmacht General Staff, who hated Himmler personally and were afraid at the ever growing power base of the SS, they sought to stint the SS in the bud and stabilize their influence in German politics, while Goebbels on the other hand had made as many enemies as Himmler did, and was seen by many as a eccentric and outlandish individual, partly contributed from the rumors of various affairs that Goebbels had supposedly had, Goebbels was considered by most as a Official who had only remained due to his skill in running the Propaganda Ministry and due to his close relationship with Hitler, and with Hitler out of the way, many of Goebbels and Himmler's enemies saw it as their chance to eliminate the two main threats to their power base.
in the photograph above, Minister of Armaments Albert Speer oversees the christening of the Kreigsmarine's newest vessel, the K.M. Gotenland, during a ceremony on June 9th, 1948 , Speer would later win the power struggle that ensued following Adolf Hitler's death for control of the Reich in the following month, re-combining and assuming Hitler's old post of "Führer und Reichskanzler", thus becoming the Supreme Leader of the Greater German Reich.
In the end, the one who was able to get the support of the Heer would ultimately end up winning the power struggle once they had the guns behind them to put them above the other officials fighting for Power, and due to the fact that Goring, Himmler and Goebbels were relatively disliked by many within the German regime, the Army found itself putting it's support behind Albert Speer, whom the Army considered a safe candidate due to the fact that he was already a proven domestic leader and capable Minister within Hitler's cabinet, and the fact he would respect the Wehrmacht's interests within the Reich, and not play favorites with the SS, made him the lesser off four evils in the eyes of those who opposed Goring, Himmler and Goebbels, the subsequent "mysterious" deaths of Heinrich Himmler in a car accident in downtown Berlin and Joseph Goebbels in a yachting accident off on the Black Sea Coast, as well as Hermann Goring's abrupt and sudden resignation from his post as Führer were a testament to the political sway and power the Army could carry within the Greater German Reich, especially if it put it's support behind a single individual.
With everyone who opposed Speer either dead or out of the picture, the Reichstag would subsequently approved the former Armaments Minister as "Führer und Reichskanzler" in a special session conducted on July 1st, 1948 regarding the matter of the vacant positions, with this approval, Albert Speer assumed full and supreme control of the Greater German Reich.
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Dirk_Pitt
Banned
You just had to do it didn't you. You just had to have a general president. You know what this means, don't you? We will all sucked in by MacArthur's all consuming ego! YOU'VE. BLOODY. WELL. DOOMED. ALL. MANKIND!
Also I've got to agree on the Nazi's nuke program. Even the Soviets took till 1949 to get the nuke OTL.
Also what about proxy wars? It's not a cold war without proxy wars.
Edit: Also that pic of MacArthur is really disconcerting. It shall haunt my nightmares.