1941: Hitler's Mediterranean strategy

17: The end of the war in Asia and the Pacific
  • @Wendell:
    1. Poland keeps Lemberg, but loses all the other areas in the East acquired in the war of 1920. And other than OTL, the German border is farther East - they keep parts of Pomerania, Silesia and all of Neumark.
    2. Stalin's Russia did most of the fight against the nazis, so it's fair that they get their occupation zone.
    3. The cabal? What are you talking of? The NSDAP was founded in Munich, that's true, but Hitler himself was Austrian, Göring and Goebbels came from North Germany, and the NSDAP was pretty much everywhere elected. In fact, in East Prussia more than 50% voted NSDAP. And of course it's easy to draw a line from the Prussian kingdom to the Third Reich - which is why Prussia was dissolved by the Allies in 1946, to prevent Prussian militarism rising again. It was more symbolically, but still.

    And now back to the story.

    The end of the war in Asia and the Pacific
    The fights in Shikoku are indecisive. Although the American tanks can smash the Japanese army in every battle in the countryside, in the cities the Japanese fight for every house and inflict high losses on the GIs. In China, however, the Americans are more successful and help Chiang Kai-Shek to drive the Japanese back in the valleys of Yangtze and the Yellow river. In the South, Hankau is reconquered, and more important, the harbor of Canton is liberated. Now the Americans can send even more help along the railroad to Changsha.
    In July, when the first nukes are dropped on Germany, the Allies hope that Japan might give up. This is not the case. While in Europe Hitler is toppled, Germany makes peace and is occupied, the fight goes on. In September, the scientists have finished two more nukes, which are dropped on the Japanese cities of Niigata and Nagasaki (after seeing the effects in Germany, it's decided that the GIs are too close to Hiroshima). Now the Japanese government is finally willing to surrender unconditionally. Stalin used the opportunity again to invade Manchuria (where he helps Mao's Communists to take power), South Sachalin and the Kuriles. After the Japanese army in China has surrendered, American troops are stationed in China - Truman is too suspicious of Stalin and doesn't trust the corrupt Guomindang to defend China properly against the Communists.
     
    B: Post-war Germany
  • @RKORadio: I'm gonna make some maps. Will take some time, though.
    @Wendell: The British Empire has more troops committed to Europe, while the US have more in the Pacific theater. Since you can only squeeze so many soldiers on a little island, I think they can spare some for China. They aren't spread all over the country, mostly in the NE around Beijing, in case Mao dares to attack from Manchuria.

    And now a bit about post-war Germany:
    Although many Germans hope for a reunification, at the moment the Allies forbid it. And besides, the different politics are driving the three states - the decentralized, conservative, free-market FRG, the Socialist SRG and the left-wing, centralized, but decidedly anti-Communist GDR farther and farther away from each other.
    The three states even are looking into different directions internationally: The FRG to the US, France and Italy; the SRG to the Soviet Union (they have to); and the GDR to Great Britain under Attlee (Churchill lost the election of 1945,
    although not as badly as OTL, and Attlee took over, but Churchill stayed in the government until the war was over).

    The new German states and their governments:

    Federal Republic of Germany (capital: Salzburg, as a compromise between Bavaria and Austria)
    The Bundeskanzler (federal chancellor) is the head of state and leads the government. His power is quite limited, though, since the central government has only a few more rights than during the time of 1871-1918.
    The five states (Hesse, Baden, Württemberg, Bavaria and Austria), i.e. their respective governments are represented in the second chamber of the parliament, the Bundesrat, which can block every law made in the Bundestag, the first chamber. Elections to the Bundestag are once in five years, starting in 1949. A party that wants to gain seats has to gain 5% of the votes in one state or win a constituency. Since Ludwig Erhard's reforms started in 1948, the economy is free-market.

    Parties:
    Christliche Volkspartei (CVP) / Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) (christian-conservative), led by Josef "Ochsensepp" Müller / Leopold Figl
    Deutsche Volkspartei (DVP) (liberal-national), led by Theodor Heuss
    Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD), led by Karl Renner
    Bund der Heimatvertriebenen und Entrechteten (BHE) (refugee party), led by Theodor Oberländer
    Bayernpartei (BP), led by Josef Baumgartner
    Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands (KPD), led by Johann Koplenig
    Verband der Unabhängigen (VdU) (right-wing), led by Herbert Kraus

    Results of the first nation-wide election:
    CVP/ÖVP: 33
    DVP: 14 (but strongest party in Württemberg)
    SPD: 28
    BHE: 7
    BP: 5
    KPD: 4
    VdU: 3
    Others (not represented): 6

    Government:
    Chancellor: Leopold Figl (ÖVP)
    Exterior (since 1951): Leopold Figl (ÖVP)
    Finances: Fritz Schäffer (CVP)
    Justice: Thomas Dehler (DVP)
    Defense: -
    Social security: Wilhelm Hoegner (SPD, Bavaria)
    Economy: Ludwig Erhard (no party, closest to CVP)
    Traffic and Railroads: Josef Afritsch (SPD, Austria)
    Post: Eberhard Wildermuth (DVP)
    Inner-German affairs: Carlo Schmid (SPD)
    Refugees: Hans Lukaschek (CVP)

    (Yes, the central government isn't really powerful - agronomy, labor, police, culture, education from elementary schools to universities, and buildings are all state rights.)

    Minister presidents:
    Hesse: Werner Hilpert (CVP)
    Baden: Leo Wohleb (CVP)
    Württemberg: Reinhold Maier (DVP)
    Bavaria: Hans Ehard (CVP)
    Austria: Julius Raab (ÖVP)

    ----------------------------------------------------------------

    German Democratic Republic (capital: Cologne)
    The Kanzler (chancellor) is the head of state and leads the government, like the US president, and thus quite powerful. He's elected by the first chamber of the parliament, the Nationalrat. The second chamber, the Länderrat, isn't very influential. Elections to the Nationalrat are once in four years, starting in 1949. A party that wants to gain seats has to gain 5% of the votes in the whole state. The economy is similar as in Labor Britain: Banks, hospitals and mining were nationalized, other branches of economy are free.

    Parties:
    Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD), led by Kurt Schumacher/Erich Ollenhauer
    Christlich-Demokratische Union (CDU) (christian-conservative, but weaker), led by Konrad Adenauer
    Deutsche Partei (DP) (conservative to right-wing), led by Hans-Christoph Seebohm
    Bund der Heimatvertriebenen und Entrechteten (BHE) (refugee party), led by Waldemar Kraft
    Zentrum (left-catholic), led by Rudolf Amelunxen
    Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands (KPD), led by Max Reimann
    Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP) (liberal-national), led by Franz Blücher

    Results of the first nation-wide election:
    SPD: 38
    CDU: 20
    DP: 11
    BHE (Allies forbad a participation): -
    Z: 8
    KPD: 7
    FDP: 6
    Other parties (not represented): 10

    Government:
    Chancellor: Kurt Schumacher (SPD)
    Exterior (since 1951): Erich Ollenhauer (SPD)
    Interior: Rudolf Amelunxen (Z)
    Defense: -
    Justice: Gustav Heinemann (Z)
    Labor and social security: Hermann Lüdemann (SPD)
    Finances: Erik Nölting (SPD)
    Trade: Karl Schiller (SPD)
    Montan industry and energy: Fritz Steinhoff (SPD)
    Other industry: Alfred Kubel (SPD)
    Agronomy: Hinrich Kopf (SPD)
    Traffic and Railroads: Max Brauer (SPD)
    Post: Bruno Diekmann (SPD)
    Education and Culture: Adolf Grimme (SPD)
    Science and Universities: Carl Spiecker (Z)
    Buildings: Fritz Kassmann (SPD)
    Inner-German affairs: Walter Menzel (SPD)
    And the only woman, responsible for Health, Youth, Families: Annemarie Renger (SPD)

    The Socialist Republic of (East) Germany comes tomorrow...
     
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    C: Socialist Republic of Germany
  • Socialist Republic of Germany (capital: Berlin):
    The president (current: Wilhelm Pieck) is the head of state. The government is the Ministerrat, its head simply the Vorsitzender des Ministerrats (Otto Grotewohl), who appoints the ministers. The parliament, the Volkskammer, is elected once in five years (first free election was in 1950); they make the laws and have to approve the appointed government. Until the US interfered in 1949, the government was really controlled by the leaders of the Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands (SED) under Walter Ulbricht. The SED was founded in 1946 when the SPD was forced to unite with the KPD. In 1949, the parties split again, and Ulbricht (meanwhile "the most-hated man of Germany") also had to resign as the head of the KPD.
    Most of the economy is nationalized - only small firms and farmers with less than 100 hectars land weren't expropriated. The new government didn't change those decisions, although they promised that there won't be any further expropriations. They also didn't change the structure of the government with its many ministeries (one for each branch of the nationalized economy).

    Parties:
    Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD), led by Ernst Reuter
    Christlich-Demokratische Union (CDU) (christian-conservative), led by Otto Nuschke
    Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands (KPD), led by Wilhelm Pieck
    Liberaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands (LDPD) (liberal), led by Karl Hamann
    Demokratische Bauernpartei Deutschlands (DBD) (farmers), led by Ernst Goldenbaum

    Results of the first nation-wide and free election:
    SPD: 39
    CDU: 29
    KPD: 13
    LDPD: 16
    DBD: 3

    The new government is a coalition of SPD, KPD and DBD. It has the following ministeries:
    Exterior
    Finances
    Traffic
    Post and Telephone
    Culture
    Education
    Universities
    Health
    Justice
    Planning
    Press

    Economy ministeries:
    Ore mining, metallurgy and kali
    Electrotechnics and electronics
    Coal and energy
    Chemical industry
    Building / construction
    Glass and ceramic industries
    Material industries
    Vehicle industries
    Machine tool industries
    Heavy machines and constructions
    Agronomy
    Light industries
    Food industries
    Trade
    Import/export

    Interior
    Staatssicherheit (secret service)
    Defense

    And now the last news: In 1952, in both West and East Germany the centralist government dissolved the länder and replaced them by Regierungsbezirke ("administrative districts"). It's probably only coincidental, but both countries have 17 each.
     
    D: Supranational organizations
  • Supranational organizations

    (I don't want to develop the full post-war history, so only a sketch.)

    The Marshall plan (since 1947) also helps the Eastern European nations ITTL (except Finland, which the Soviet Union forbids, and for a while East Germany).

    In 1949, the NATO is founded to deter the Soviet Union. At the beginning it's made of the same states as OTL; after waiting a few months, the Eastern European states including the Baltic states (despite Soviet protests) join too. Greece and Turkey join in 1952, and in 1955 even South Germany.

    The EEC is founded in 1957, having the members France, South Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and Italy. After SG chancellor Figl and Austrian chancellor Raab negotiate, it's extended in 1963 to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Yugoslavia.

    Great Britain founds the EFTA as a counterpart in 1960, consisting of the Scandinavian states, GB, West Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Portugal. When the EEC extends, the EFTA in return lets the Baltic states join in 1966.

    East Germany doesn't trust capitalist organizations and thus keeps out, like Finland mostly trading with the Soviet Union (under better conditions than OTL, however); fascist Spain isn't welcome in either organization; and the other states in SE Europe are considered to be too backwards. The EEC makes associational treaties with Greece, Turkey, Romania, Albania and Bulgaria, though.
     
    E: The aftermath of WW2
  • The aftermath of WW2:

    After Stalin's death in 1948, Malenkov becomes new leader of the Soviet Union. Beria is purged, similar as OTL. Shdanov is already dead. The new government is in a weaker situation than IOTL, and historians write that this contributed to Mao Zedong's defeat in the Chinese Civil War. Russia gets the bomb in 1950, and doesn't manage to start the first satellite, lacking German scientists. They still try to undermine America's influence by supporting Communist parties in the West, resistance organizations in the restituted kingdoms of SE Europe, and in the colonies - not always successful, although the sometimes corrupt regimes aren't popular.

    The Saarland was seperated from Germany (the French wanted it); in 1955, a plebiscite would decide whether they wanted to 1) join France, 2) join South Germany, 3) join West Germany or 4) stay independent. The SPD propagated for West Germany, the CVP for South Germany, the liberals for independence. When the first plebiscite didn't turn out a clear majority, it was repeated, leaving only the two most-voted options: West or South Germany. In the end, the pro-South faction wins 58:42.

    Israel was founded in 1948, after the Brits decided to give control of Palestine to the United Nations. The collaboration of the Arabs with the nazis didn't make many people in the West sympathize with them, and so, it's decided to give the Jews all of Palestine including Gaza. Most Arabs leave the country, settle in Egypt or Transjordan, which becomes the republic of Jordan in the same year. As revenge for the loss of Palestine, the Arabs kick out the Jews from their countries. Israel ends up with a higher population than OTL (more than one million people more) and has a better strategic position for the future.

    India was split in 1942; when the Japanese had to retreat from Bengal, they declared Bengal's independence. The artificial division wasn't long-lasting, though; after Bengal was reconquered, Gandhi did the necessary negotiations, and Bengal returned to India. The new British government gave India independence in 1947; the split into India and Pakistan was unavoidable, though.

    Japan was allowed to stay an empire, but had to give up all the colonies, Okinawa, Sachalin and the Kuriles and accept the American occupation.

    In China, the position of the nationalists was a bit stronger thanks to the fact that the Americans helped them conquer many areas in the North back before the Japanese surrendered. After the US mission (who wanted the nationalists and Communists to form a coalition government) had failed, Mao defeated the Chinese nationalists several times; but OTOH, he never managed to break out from Manchuria. The American threat to throw a bomb on Harbin also didn't help the Communists. Neither did the fact that Stalin died in 1948 and the following months were spent in Moscow by in-fighting for his succession, which prevented Russia interfering. The war dragged on until the cease-fire in 1952.

    Korea was occupied by the US after the Japanese left it. The stronger position of the Americans in Japan and China helped them to take control of the whole country, which was never split. The Communist resistance under Kim Il Sung, supported by Russia and Mao, meant a lot a trouble for the new government, but never could take control of Korea.

    OK, that's the TL for now. Maps will follow soon. If anyone wants to continue, feel free.
     
    F: Map of post-war Europe
  • First Map

    Here the map of post-war Europe.

    Colors:
    Red = Communist (duh)
    light Red = minor Communist / Socialist countries
    Dark Green = Founding members of EFTA
    Light Green = Joining EFTA later
    Dark Blue = Founding members of EEC
    Light Blue = Joining EEC later

    Abbreviations:
    R = republic of
    K = kingdom of
    FRG = Federal Republic of Germany
    GDR = German Democratic Republic
    SPRG = Socialist People's Republic of Germany
    CSR = Czechoslovakian Republic
    K Gr = Kingdom of Greece
    KA = Kingdom of Albania
    S = Saarland (later joins FRG)
    T = Free city of Triest (later divided between Italy and Yugoslavia, as OTL)

    pwe.gif
     
    H: Allied reconquests in the Pacific theater
  • Allied reconquests in the Pacific theater (note the radioactive symbols):

    japan2.png
     
    I: German expansion
  • German expansion (note the pocket of Jewish freedom fighters in North Palestine and the British thrust from the Sinai to rescue them):

    germany1.gif
     
    J: Allied reconquests in Europe
  • OK, that's it, folks. The TL is finished, and here's the last map.

    (Areas reconquered/liberated by the Allies are in light grey for the Western Allies, dark grey for the Soviet Union. And note that I corrected the area around Moscow a bit, compared with the last map - the Germans came a bit farther ITTL.)

    Feel free to comment or continue the TL.

    germany2.gif
     
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