Aren't World Wars always just about Italians doing their best?
A New Balance
- Thread starter Jim Smitty
- Start date
The problem for Italy is that A-H now had Veneto and so can launch an attack from here by-passing the Alps and getting through the Pianura Padana aka the only place in Italy where a tanks can be very very usefull, plus there is Venezia and his port facility. Said that, the A-H army internal situation seem not very favorable to launch a direct strike at Italy in this moment...and going with the tattic at sea, i fully expect that saboteurs (probably recruited among the expelled people) will be sent on Veneto to impede the Austrian war effort
Bad News or Bad News?
Vienna
Hofburg
January 30, 1939, 1827 local time
Archduke Regent Felix was not in a good mood at the moment. The devious Italians attacked them this morning at Trieste, Polei, and Vlore. All within minutes of the Italian Ambassador to the Austro-Hungarian Empire handing his foreign minister their declaration of war against Vienna and Budapest. This was on top of the German Empire declaring war against them yesterday. France hadn’t formally declared war on Austria-Hungary yet but it was only a matter of time before that happened. Not that they expected French troops to be fighting Austro-Hungarian troops, it just cut another source of intelligence off.
Yet it was time for Archduke Felix’s evening briefing. Things have not been going well since the start of the war a few days ago and that was being nice about it. Generaloberst Erick von Erik who was giving this briefing had clearly not seen a pillow in a long while with the bags under his eyes. Then again, with everything going on within the empire it was understandable that the Chief of Staff of the whole complex Austro-Hungarian Military system was working overtime with everything that was happening. “Sir we have finally figured out how many units within the Common Army and the Imperial Royal-Landwehr have defected to the Germans.”
Even through, he didn’t want to hear it he had to hear it. “How bad is it?”
“A total of 19 division within the Active Common Army before the call ups are no longer answering or following orders we are sending.”
“19 divisions? That’s almost a third of the Common Army! By god!”
“Yes your highness. Units drawing from Austria, Tyrol, Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia are the worst effected units. We are trying to move in reserve units into the effect areas but from about Cheb to Salzburg are defenses are very spotty at the present, but given how the mobilizing is going this is proving to be harder than we first thought.” Units from the rest of the Empire were also effect but the units from those areas were badly affected. The only area not really affected by this was those Galicia, but then again the Poles and Ukrainians knew full well they would be forced from their homelands if the Austro-Hungarian Empire lost to the Germans after what happened to Poland in the aftermath of the last Great War.
“What about the traitor Dietfried?” The prince regent asked.
“He is commander of this massive munity, but he has seemed to move into Germany at the moment and is beyond our reach.” So far Germany hadn’t launched an offensive into Austria-Hungary but with all of the units that were swearing allegiance to Berlin they might not have to. The door was swinging open for Germany to simply waltz in and take sizable parts of the nation. Unknown to either man in this room Germany was only hours away from launching their offensive.
Going on to the Imperial Royal-Landwehr Generaloberst von Erik, “So far in the Landwehr, only the 13th and 45th Infantry Divisions have when over to the Germans. Yet they were station in the same area that there where a mass of Common Army defections, and because of their treason, this sector is wide open.”
“Ugh…” This wasn’t the way he wanted to become king. “How are the reserves mobilizing?”
“Not well sir.” Austria-Hungary had been the first nation to start mobilizing their reserves on the 23rd. Even through other nations started following suit, Austria-Hungary should had the edge as they were first, but they didn’t. “The only reserve units that are even close to being ready to go to the front is those of the Honved. The Landwehr units are mobilizing better than the Common Army but based on what I’m seeing it will be another 10 days before the first division size unit is ready to be committed to patch the holes in our defense or deal with the treasonous units. The Common Army through? It might be six weeks before the first unit of division size might be ready. Those units aren’t answering the call of the homeland all that well.”
“How bad was the navy hit in the strikes by the Italians?”
Going through some notes, “The Wien and the Budapest were both sunk at Trieste. The Monarch capsized as well there. The light cruiser Novara was blown clear out of the water by the blast and is a total loss. Two more heavy cruisers were damaged at Trieste. At Polei the Italians did a lot of damage to the port there but the ships there were largely undamaged. The attack at Vlore saw the Lissa[1] being sunk following her main magazine exploding.”
“The front in Romania?”
“Its stalled out sir.”
The bad news kept rolling in, “What about our communist allies?”
“I spoke with their ambassador before coming here. They are saying they should be launching their offensive by the 5th at the latest.”
[1] The SMS Lissa was a poorly designed carrier. Basically the OTL Graf Zeppelin was a better carrier.
Hofburg
January 30, 1939, 1827 local time
Archduke Regent Felix was not in a good mood at the moment. The devious Italians attacked them this morning at Trieste, Polei, and Vlore. All within minutes of the Italian Ambassador to the Austro-Hungarian Empire handing his foreign minister their declaration of war against Vienna and Budapest. This was on top of the German Empire declaring war against them yesterday. France hadn’t formally declared war on Austria-Hungary yet but it was only a matter of time before that happened. Not that they expected French troops to be fighting Austro-Hungarian troops, it just cut another source of intelligence off.
Yet it was time for Archduke Felix’s evening briefing. Things have not been going well since the start of the war a few days ago and that was being nice about it. Generaloberst Erick von Erik who was giving this briefing had clearly not seen a pillow in a long while with the bags under his eyes. Then again, with everything going on within the empire it was understandable that the Chief of Staff of the whole complex Austro-Hungarian Military system was working overtime with everything that was happening. “Sir we have finally figured out how many units within the Common Army and the Imperial Royal-Landwehr have defected to the Germans.”
Even through, he didn’t want to hear it he had to hear it. “How bad is it?”
“A total of 19 division within the Active Common Army before the call ups are no longer answering or following orders we are sending.”
“19 divisions? That’s almost a third of the Common Army! By god!”
“Yes your highness. Units drawing from Austria, Tyrol, Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia are the worst effected units. We are trying to move in reserve units into the effect areas but from about Cheb to Salzburg are defenses are very spotty at the present, but given how the mobilizing is going this is proving to be harder than we first thought.” Units from the rest of the Empire were also effect but the units from those areas were badly affected. The only area not really affected by this was those Galicia, but then again the Poles and Ukrainians knew full well they would be forced from their homelands if the Austro-Hungarian Empire lost to the Germans after what happened to Poland in the aftermath of the last Great War.
“What about the traitor Dietfried?” The prince regent asked.
“He is commander of this massive munity, but he has seemed to move into Germany at the moment and is beyond our reach.” So far Germany hadn’t launched an offensive into Austria-Hungary but with all of the units that were swearing allegiance to Berlin they might not have to. The door was swinging open for Germany to simply waltz in and take sizable parts of the nation. Unknown to either man in this room Germany was only hours away from launching their offensive.
Going on to the Imperial Royal-Landwehr Generaloberst von Erik, “So far in the Landwehr, only the 13th and 45th Infantry Divisions have when over to the Germans. Yet they were station in the same area that there where a mass of Common Army defections, and because of their treason, this sector is wide open.”
“Ugh…” This wasn’t the way he wanted to become king. “How are the reserves mobilizing?”
“Not well sir.” Austria-Hungary had been the first nation to start mobilizing their reserves on the 23rd. Even through other nations started following suit, Austria-Hungary should had the edge as they were first, but they didn’t. “The only reserve units that are even close to being ready to go to the front is those of the Honved. The Landwehr units are mobilizing better than the Common Army but based on what I’m seeing it will be another 10 days before the first division size unit is ready to be committed to patch the holes in our defense or deal with the treasonous units. The Common Army through? It might be six weeks before the first unit of division size might be ready. Those units aren’t answering the call of the homeland all that well.”
“How bad was the navy hit in the strikes by the Italians?”
Going through some notes, “The Wien and the Budapest were both sunk at Trieste. The Monarch capsized as well there. The light cruiser Novara was blown clear out of the water by the blast and is a total loss. Two more heavy cruisers were damaged at Trieste. At Polei the Italians did a lot of damage to the port there but the ships there were largely undamaged. The attack at Vlore saw the Lissa[1] being sunk following her main magazine exploding.”
“The front in Romania?”
“Its stalled out sir.”
The bad news kept rolling in, “What about our communist allies?”
“I spoke with their ambassador before coming here. They are saying they should be launching their offensive by the 5th at the latest.”
[1] The SMS Lissa was a poorly designed carrier. Basically the OTL Graf Zeppelin was a better carrier.
The Italian saboteurs did a good job.
19 divisions it seems that they were not very patriotic, this will very seriously affect the morale of the Austrohungarian troops when they discover it since you can not hide it forever, or you can lie to them and tell them that those 19 divisions fought bravely until the last man but they were already Defeated by the German barbarians.
19 divisions it seems that they were not very patriotic, this will very seriously affect the morale of the Austrohungarian troops when they discover it since you can not hide it forever, or you can lie to them and tell them that those 19 divisions fought bravely until the last man but they were already Defeated by the German barbarians.
Well, an aircraft carrier, two battleships and a light cruiser sunk and a battleships and two heavy cruiser seriously damaged, plus the damage at Pola infrastructure (and A-H had very few real ports so it's a greater problem for the Austrian Navy...unless the base at Venice are operative or at least utilisable).
Well, Regia Marina can take a relief breath as the Adriatic is a little more safe...even if i expect some follow up attack both by air and by sea (more commando raid type or naval raid like the Austrian raid at the beginning of WWI...if Supermarina feel safe enough and with such result, many will be tempted to scrap what possible and launch a raid in Dalmatia and Albania to destroy facilities capable to attack South Italy)
Well, Regia Marina can take a relief breath as the Adriatic is a little more safe...even if i expect some follow up attack both by air and by sea (more commando raid type or naval raid like the Austrian raid at the beginning of WWI...if Supermarina feel safe enough and with such result, many will be tempted to scrap what possible and launch a raid in Dalmatia and Albania to destroy facilities capable to attack South Italy)
Buyer Beware
ARM Asueta
Gulf of Mexico
January 30 1939, 1459 local time
The Mexican Naval Program that was started by President Zapata was best put as over ambitious. Give the state Mexican Navy was prior to the 1938 treaty with the British it was too much too quickly. With the Mexican Navy prior the treaty with the British operating only a hand full of coastal ships and no submarines and the training pipeline being totally unready for such a massive influx of new recruits forced the Mexicans to use British sailors and officers in Mexican naval uniforms to man these new ships and submarines as the Mexicans worked on getting their own sailors and officers trained to perform the jobs needed to run these ships and submarines. The surface ships were running around 75% British crews with the submarines being closer to 95%. Even on shore positions there were a high number of British officers and ratings running things for the Mexicans.
Currently the ARM Asueta was the fifth of the six coastal submarines to be delivered to Mexico. Even through, she was a commission warship in the Mexican Navy, there were only 2 junior ratings on the Asueta that were Mexicans by birth along with being Mexican citizens. The rest were British born crew members who have been assigned to help train the Mexicans in how to operate the Z Class Submarines. The Z Class only had a crew of 27, with only four officers on her. To be an officer in the Mexican Navy one had to be a Mexican citizen. But none of the British officer were. The Mexicans were simply overlooking this fact at the moment they didn’t have enough officers of their own as at the moment they only had two qualitied submarine officers in their fleet and another undergoing training in the British Isles at the moment.
Teniente de Navio Ricardo Smith was really Lieutenant Richard Smith of the Royal Navy. He had taken this assignment primary because he had a taste for women in foreign ports. The women of Mexico didn’t disappoint. However, at the moment he was on the third day of a three week training sortie to help break in those Mexican sailors on how to operate the Z Class boats. The Z Class was one of the newer submarines being built by the Royal Navy. They had been designed for operations in the North Sea and as such they were a little hot here in the Gulf of Mexico. But for a coastal submarine they were fairly well armed with three torpedo tubes with a single reload per tube and a 2 pdr cannon for a light surface and air defense.
Currently Zapata’s plans for his navy were still a long way from being finished. Then again, his plans for the Mexican Navy would take decades to build. The Mexican Navy had long been a back burner item for Zapata as he had been working on improving the national economy and building up an army that was loyal to him. He only felt safe enough in his position to start working on the navy now. His plans were calling for coastal defensive ships to serve as capital ships of the Mexican Navy. Destroyers and lesser ships for escort the coastal battleships. With a submarine force for the main striking arm. Even Zapata knew it would take a long time to build up such a force, but he wanted to make it clear that the United States couldn’t take another bite of Mexico again without paying a major price for it. Zapata was also planning for the day he could strike back at the Yankees and recover the lost provinces that had been stolen from Mexico during the Second Mexican American War.
In the Z Class through there wasn’t even enough space for the captain to have his own stateroom as the Officers had to hot bunk just like the rest of the crew. That said the officer stateroom was far nicer than where the crew had to sleep as they had proper mattresses to sleep on and had some of the sound blocked out from the rest of the sub from how it had been placed. It also made the only place where one could have conversation and keep it from the rest of the crew from knowing about it. Richard was looking at his chief, “Lets have it chief.”
“This is hot from Montserrat. We are to attack American shipping wherever we find them.”
“No shit chief.” The captain said as he took the message from one of his most senior enlisted ratings on the boat.
“I decoded it twice to make sure.” Unknown to the Mexicans the British kept their own code book built for these boats on board so they could take operational control if needed. This had been put into place as the British were worried about what the Americans might do if another war in Europe broke out. They hoped if that happened the Mexicans could keep the Americans busy as they dealt with Europe. Yet now they had no choice to use this backdoor they built into the Mexican subs they were building and for the most part operating. They wanted to keep the US busy in North America and hopefully get them to bow out from the wider war.
“Pass the word along to the senior ratings who need to know. The Mexicans are along for the ride now.”
“Where we heading captain?”
“Havana.”
Gulf of Mexico
January 30 1939, 1459 local time
The Mexican Naval Program that was started by President Zapata was best put as over ambitious. Give the state Mexican Navy was prior to the 1938 treaty with the British it was too much too quickly. With the Mexican Navy prior the treaty with the British operating only a hand full of coastal ships and no submarines and the training pipeline being totally unready for such a massive influx of new recruits forced the Mexicans to use British sailors and officers in Mexican naval uniforms to man these new ships and submarines as the Mexicans worked on getting their own sailors and officers trained to perform the jobs needed to run these ships and submarines. The surface ships were running around 75% British crews with the submarines being closer to 95%. Even on shore positions there were a high number of British officers and ratings running things for the Mexicans.
Currently the ARM Asueta was the fifth of the six coastal submarines to be delivered to Mexico. Even through, she was a commission warship in the Mexican Navy, there were only 2 junior ratings on the Asueta that were Mexicans by birth along with being Mexican citizens. The rest were British born crew members who have been assigned to help train the Mexicans in how to operate the Z Class Submarines. The Z Class only had a crew of 27, with only four officers on her. To be an officer in the Mexican Navy one had to be a Mexican citizen. But none of the British officer were. The Mexicans were simply overlooking this fact at the moment they didn’t have enough officers of their own as at the moment they only had two qualitied submarine officers in their fleet and another undergoing training in the British Isles at the moment.
Teniente de Navio Ricardo Smith was really Lieutenant Richard Smith of the Royal Navy. He had taken this assignment primary because he had a taste for women in foreign ports. The women of Mexico didn’t disappoint. However, at the moment he was on the third day of a three week training sortie to help break in those Mexican sailors on how to operate the Z Class boats. The Z Class was one of the newer submarines being built by the Royal Navy. They had been designed for operations in the North Sea and as such they were a little hot here in the Gulf of Mexico. But for a coastal submarine they were fairly well armed with three torpedo tubes with a single reload per tube and a 2 pdr cannon for a light surface and air defense.
Currently Zapata’s plans for his navy were still a long way from being finished. Then again, his plans for the Mexican Navy would take decades to build. The Mexican Navy had long been a back burner item for Zapata as he had been working on improving the national economy and building up an army that was loyal to him. He only felt safe enough in his position to start working on the navy now. His plans were calling for coastal defensive ships to serve as capital ships of the Mexican Navy. Destroyers and lesser ships for escort the coastal battleships. With a submarine force for the main striking arm. Even Zapata knew it would take a long time to build up such a force, but he wanted to make it clear that the United States couldn’t take another bite of Mexico again without paying a major price for it. Zapata was also planning for the day he could strike back at the Yankees and recover the lost provinces that had been stolen from Mexico during the Second Mexican American War.
In the Z Class through there wasn’t even enough space for the captain to have his own stateroom as the Officers had to hot bunk just like the rest of the crew. That said the officer stateroom was far nicer than where the crew had to sleep as they had proper mattresses to sleep on and had some of the sound blocked out from the rest of the sub from how it had been placed. It also made the only place where one could have conversation and keep it from the rest of the crew from knowing about it. Richard was looking at his chief, “Lets have it chief.”
“This is hot from Montserrat. We are to attack American shipping wherever we find them.”
“No shit chief.” The captain said as he took the message from one of his most senior enlisted ratings on the boat.
“I decoded it twice to make sure.” Unknown to the Mexicans the British kept their own code book built for these boats on board so they could take operational control if needed. This had been put into place as the British were worried about what the Americans might do if another war in Europe broke out. They hoped if that happened the Mexicans could keep the Americans busy as they dealt with Europe. Yet now they had no choice to use this backdoor they built into the Mexican subs they were building and for the most part operating. They wanted to keep the US busy in North America and hopefully get them to bow out from the wider war.
“Pass the word along to the senior ratings who need to know. The Mexicans are along for the ride now.”
“Where we heading captain?”
“Havana.”
That quote reminds me of this scene from a submarine movie... "Where the sun is warm and... so is the companionship."
Cryostorm
Donor
Mexico is completely screwed, and when this war is over will probably only control its more central provinces. The southern provinces are most assuredly going to be split off into one or two more nations and some of the more northern provinces will be the same if not taken by America. This will be the third war they have fought Mexico, the US will assure there will not be a fourth.
Sooner or later the fact that while these boats might be flying the Mexican flag, they are basically British crewed will come out - which will make any Mexican protestations of neutrality so much nothing. The position of the British crews in these boats may be somewhat ambiguous under international law. The Americans undoubtedly know that there had been 5 submarines delivered to the Mexican Navy, and if the USN is not looking for them and doing its best to clean up the Caribbean I would be very surprised.
Guam 39
USS Seawolf, SS-318
Guam Naval Base
January 31, 1939, 849 Local Time
Lt. j.g. Jim Smith USN was currently the watch officer of the Seawolf. Smith was the Engineering Officer on the Seawolf and had only just been promoted to where he could wear the half strip that came with being a jay-jee. Along with being the watch officer for the Seawolf, he was also the highest ranking officer on her as the Captain and Exec were both taking a briefing for the coming patrol. Currently he was a busy man, the Seawolf was prepping for its first war patrol. The boat was already fully fueled and armed, but they were still taking on food and other provision for this patrol. The scuttlebutt on boat was that they would be heading into the East China Sea to attack Japanese merchant shipping, and maybe lop off the other warship if one got in their way.
At the moment, the United States of America and the Japanese Empire were not officially at war with each other, but that was bound to change and quickly. President Olsen had already when before a joint session of congress yesterday and had asked for a declaration of war against the British Empire and her active allies in this war along with the Communist nations of South America. That was a grand total of six nations but oddly enough the Imperial Federation broke with London and declared themselves neutral in this war. That have sent shockwaves through the geo-political world. Yet Japan has already been busy. So far they have invaded French Indochina and the Southern Philippines. So far no action has taken place on Guam, but everyone knew Guam had to be hit. Guam and the rest of the Marianas had fallen to the Japanese in the Great War, and the war ended before the US could reclaim the islands by force. They however did get them back at the peace table.
Guam however wasn’t the same island it had been a little over 20 years prior. Even through at every naval conference during the 1920s and 30s efforts had been made to ban building up fortifications on Pacific Islands, it has always fallen through for various reasons. Guam was a well built up fort with a number of guns from decommissioned warships built into harden rebar reinforced concrete bunkers. There was a battery of mobile 16.5/50s on the island to duke it out with the capital ships. The marines had their 4 inch self propelled guns to deal with landings by the Japanese. The navy had a pair of Amphitrite Class monitors to give the Japanese even more problems. Further there was a brigade Marines plus the territorial guard to defend the island with the Army Air Force and Navy having just over 300 aircraft to defend the island with.
The Amphitrite Class was one of the United States Navy’s efforts at building a monitor within the limits of the Bern Naval Treaty before the Monitor loop hole was closed at Boston. There was only one problem, with the loop holes of Bern, it was almost impossible to make a coastal defense ship that was worth a damn. To get a ship worth a damn the navy figured out you needed something between 11,000 and 12,000 tons. But 5,000 tons displacement which was the loop hole wasn’t no where near enough to build a proper coastal defense ship for the American far flung holdings in the Pacific. This was even with the navy lying about the true displacement of the Amphitrite saying they were 4,900 tons displacement, when they really were, 5,650 tons in displacement they were still poor performing ships. Further the 10/40s used by the Amphitrite Class were simply outdated. The Amphitrite class was due to be replaced by the Appalachian class next year. However, at the moment the Amphitrite Class would just have to soldier on.
Just as Jim was signing the paperwork for the last of the supplies being loaded on the Seawolf when the air raid siren to started to scream. “General Quarters!” Smith yelled at the top of his lungs. He then handed the paper work back to quartermaster who had been overseeing the supply effort. Not even waiting for the 2nd class to make sure he had the paper work in his hand Smith rushed up to the conning tower as the crew on the Seawolf were running to their battle stations. Once on the tower Smith called the engineering section.
Chief Engineering Petty Officer Ramirez picked up, “Engineering.”
“Chief fire up the diesels, we might be putting to sea here shortly.”
“Aye. Aye. Sir.” The chief answered.
Smith knew as well as anyone that a submarine couldn’t fight a surface fleet on the surface. Sure the Seawolf had a single 4/50 deck gun and 1.1 inch autocannon to deal with aircraft, the Seawolf couldn’t take a hit and work. No all she could to was dive and use her torpedoes to attack warships. The deck gun was to deal with merchant ships. But Smith knew the next few minutes were going to be his first in combat and he wanted his boat ready to put to sea if needed. Now the captain and exac just needed to get back to the fucking boat.
Guam Naval Base
January 31, 1939, 849 Local Time
Lt. j.g. Jim Smith USN was currently the watch officer of the Seawolf. Smith was the Engineering Officer on the Seawolf and had only just been promoted to where he could wear the half strip that came with being a jay-jee. Along with being the watch officer for the Seawolf, he was also the highest ranking officer on her as the Captain and Exec were both taking a briefing for the coming patrol. Currently he was a busy man, the Seawolf was prepping for its first war patrol. The boat was already fully fueled and armed, but they were still taking on food and other provision for this patrol. The scuttlebutt on boat was that they would be heading into the East China Sea to attack Japanese merchant shipping, and maybe lop off the other warship if one got in their way.
At the moment, the United States of America and the Japanese Empire were not officially at war with each other, but that was bound to change and quickly. President Olsen had already when before a joint session of congress yesterday and had asked for a declaration of war against the British Empire and her active allies in this war along with the Communist nations of South America. That was a grand total of six nations but oddly enough the Imperial Federation broke with London and declared themselves neutral in this war. That have sent shockwaves through the geo-political world. Yet Japan has already been busy. So far they have invaded French Indochina and the Southern Philippines. So far no action has taken place on Guam, but everyone knew Guam had to be hit. Guam and the rest of the Marianas had fallen to the Japanese in the Great War, and the war ended before the US could reclaim the islands by force. They however did get them back at the peace table.
Guam however wasn’t the same island it had been a little over 20 years prior. Even through at every naval conference during the 1920s and 30s efforts had been made to ban building up fortifications on Pacific Islands, it has always fallen through for various reasons. Guam was a well built up fort with a number of guns from decommissioned warships built into harden rebar reinforced concrete bunkers. There was a battery of mobile 16.5/50s on the island to duke it out with the capital ships. The marines had their 4 inch self propelled guns to deal with landings by the Japanese. The navy had a pair of Amphitrite Class monitors to give the Japanese even more problems. Further there was a brigade Marines plus the territorial guard to defend the island with the Army Air Force and Navy having just over 300 aircraft to defend the island with.
The Amphitrite Class was one of the United States Navy’s efforts at building a monitor within the limits of the Bern Naval Treaty before the Monitor loop hole was closed at Boston. There was only one problem, with the loop holes of Bern, it was almost impossible to make a coastal defense ship that was worth a damn. To get a ship worth a damn the navy figured out you needed something between 11,000 and 12,000 tons. But 5,000 tons displacement which was the loop hole wasn’t no where near enough to build a proper coastal defense ship for the American far flung holdings in the Pacific. This was even with the navy lying about the true displacement of the Amphitrite saying they were 4,900 tons displacement, when they really were, 5,650 tons in displacement they were still poor performing ships. Further the 10/40s used by the Amphitrite Class were simply outdated. The Amphitrite class was due to be replaced by the Appalachian class next year. However, at the moment the Amphitrite Class would just have to soldier on.
Just as Jim was signing the paperwork for the last of the supplies being loaded on the Seawolf when the air raid siren to started to scream. “General Quarters!” Smith yelled at the top of his lungs. He then handed the paper work back to quartermaster who had been overseeing the supply effort. Not even waiting for the 2nd class to make sure he had the paper work in his hand Smith rushed up to the conning tower as the crew on the Seawolf were running to their battle stations. Once on the tower Smith called the engineering section.
Chief Engineering Petty Officer Ramirez picked up, “Engineering.”
“Chief fire up the diesels, we might be putting to sea here shortly.”
“Aye. Aye. Sir.” The chief answered.
Smith knew as well as anyone that a submarine couldn’t fight a surface fleet on the surface. Sure the Seawolf had a single 4/50 deck gun and 1.1 inch autocannon to deal with aircraft, the Seawolf couldn’t take a hit and work. No all she could to was dive and use her torpedoes to attack warships. The deck gun was to deal with merchant ships. But Smith knew the next few minutes were going to be his first in combat and he wanted his boat ready to put to sea if needed. Now the captain and exac just needed to get back to the fucking boat.
Things happened too fast for the Japanese to launch at the same time as the British. Everyone and their brother was thinking this would start in the summer.
I hear you but they blew a golden opportunity there to really, really piss off the USA.
I've always wondered what might have happened had Japan entered the war in 1940 in OTL?
Montserrat
Landing Craft LCP-182
Off the Coast of Montserrat
February 2 1939
1st Lieutenant Harley Williams was crewing on a stick of juicy fruit gum as the landing craft he was in was racing in to take the last British out post in the Caribbean; Montserrat. The US gave Montserrat back to the British at the end of the last Great War as a peace offering to allow the two sides try and return to something of normal reasons. Well that and Montserrat was damn near worthless and it was worth the effort to get better relations with the British as it would had been cheap to. But that fell flat on its face after Churchill and his ilk came to power. Now it was Williams’ job along with the rest of the Marines of 2nd Battalion 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division to take the island again. The island in theory should be a cake walk as the British were treaty banned from having military forces or fortifications on the island.
The first explosion rocked the landing craft that Williams was on. ‘So much for this being a cake run.’ Williams thought. They were already locked and loaded as they had started their trip to the last remaining outpost of the British here in the Caribbean. So there was no need shout out new commands. All they could to was wait till the ramp dropped.
After Churchill came to power he started looking for ways to stick it to the Americans. Montserrat was one of those places he had his hands tied. He understood there was no way in hell the British would hold Montserrat. The admiralty had made that clear to him as he started to lay his pieces on the board. Short of invading the North American continent they had no way of projecting power that far into the Caribbean. So what Churchill did was started to ship out of date weapons that weren’t good for anything more than colonial duties and started shipping them carefully to Montserrat. He also formed Gendarmerie to have the ability to legally have a uniformed present on the island. Yet all it was meant to do was make the Americans bleed as the main thrust of the British thrust fell elsewhere.
Currently a battery of British Ordnance BL 15 pounders were raining down shells on the landing craft that was racing for the beaches. The crews manning them through were out of practice. Given the location of Montserrat the British hadn’t been able to perform any live fire training with these guns. They did perform a number of dry fire drills, but that couldn’t make up for live fire training. Shells were falling short and to the right of the landing craft that were coming in for Blue Beach.
Williams reached into his mouth and pulled out the gum he had been chewing on and threw over the side of the boat. The helmsman commanding this boat yelled out, “30 seconds!”
“I want you Marines to move your ass when that ramp drops!” Williams said as he thumbed off the safety of his Tommy Gun. The sounds of the destroyers that had escorted this group from Puerto Rico was returning fired could be heard. Their 4 inch guns were much deeper than the British 15 pounders. The British were also opening fire with their Vickers Machine Guns to kill the Marines as they were landing on the beaches of Montserrat. The ramp dropped and 303 rounds started to fill the landing craft holding areas with those at the front dying within seconds. Williams screamed as his remaining Marines, “Over the sides!”
As he was welling his orders he was jumping up and trying to get over the side of the landing craft. A bullet grazed his ear as he when over and dropped into the surf below. It was about 7 feet to the bottom of the gulf at the point Williams have when over on the other side. Williams pushed forward as bullets fill the water around him. He pushed his head through the top of the water gasping for air. With one gasp he when back under and when back at trying to get to the beach. Finally he reached the point where he couldn’t swim anymore.
Williams rushed forward as he was fighting the lack air in his system, the ocean and the British. Once he clear the ocean enough he threw himself onto the sand of Montserrat. He looked around and didn’t see many of his Marines. Unknown to him most of his platoon never got off the landing craft alive. Yet he couldn’t say here and get shot up by the British. Looking around he saw what he was looking for and jumped up and ran for three seconds before throwing himself back on the ground. He repeated this again till he had reached the tree line.
“Lance, where is your radio.”
“Dead sir!” Answered the lance corporal. It took a bullet that was meant for him.
Williams saw some British Gendarmeries moving and fired a burst from his Tommy Gun. One of the British paramilitaries dropped. “Follow me!” As he put another burst of fire down range. He saw where one of the machine guns that was cutting down the marines coming ashore and this was going to stop now.
Off the Coast of Montserrat
February 2 1939
1st Lieutenant Harley Williams was crewing on a stick of juicy fruit gum as the landing craft he was in was racing in to take the last British out post in the Caribbean; Montserrat. The US gave Montserrat back to the British at the end of the last Great War as a peace offering to allow the two sides try and return to something of normal reasons. Well that and Montserrat was damn near worthless and it was worth the effort to get better relations with the British as it would had been cheap to. But that fell flat on its face after Churchill and his ilk came to power. Now it was Williams’ job along with the rest of the Marines of 2nd Battalion 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division to take the island again. The island in theory should be a cake walk as the British were treaty banned from having military forces or fortifications on the island.
The first explosion rocked the landing craft that Williams was on. ‘So much for this being a cake run.’ Williams thought. They were already locked and loaded as they had started their trip to the last remaining outpost of the British here in the Caribbean. So there was no need shout out new commands. All they could to was wait till the ramp dropped.
After Churchill came to power he started looking for ways to stick it to the Americans. Montserrat was one of those places he had his hands tied. He understood there was no way in hell the British would hold Montserrat. The admiralty had made that clear to him as he started to lay his pieces on the board. Short of invading the North American continent they had no way of projecting power that far into the Caribbean. So what Churchill did was started to ship out of date weapons that weren’t good for anything more than colonial duties and started shipping them carefully to Montserrat. He also formed Gendarmerie to have the ability to legally have a uniformed present on the island. Yet all it was meant to do was make the Americans bleed as the main thrust of the British thrust fell elsewhere.
Currently a battery of British Ordnance BL 15 pounders were raining down shells on the landing craft that was racing for the beaches. The crews manning them through were out of practice. Given the location of Montserrat the British hadn’t been able to perform any live fire training with these guns. They did perform a number of dry fire drills, but that couldn’t make up for live fire training. Shells were falling short and to the right of the landing craft that were coming in for Blue Beach.
Williams reached into his mouth and pulled out the gum he had been chewing on and threw over the side of the boat. The helmsman commanding this boat yelled out, “30 seconds!”
“I want you Marines to move your ass when that ramp drops!” Williams said as he thumbed off the safety of his Tommy Gun. The sounds of the destroyers that had escorted this group from Puerto Rico was returning fired could be heard. Their 4 inch guns were much deeper than the British 15 pounders. The British were also opening fire with their Vickers Machine Guns to kill the Marines as they were landing on the beaches of Montserrat. The ramp dropped and 303 rounds started to fill the landing craft holding areas with those at the front dying within seconds. Williams screamed as his remaining Marines, “Over the sides!”
As he was welling his orders he was jumping up and trying to get over the side of the landing craft. A bullet grazed his ear as he when over and dropped into the surf below. It was about 7 feet to the bottom of the gulf at the point Williams have when over on the other side. Williams pushed forward as bullets fill the water around him. He pushed his head through the top of the water gasping for air. With one gasp he when back under and when back at trying to get to the beach. Finally he reached the point where he couldn’t swim anymore.
Williams rushed forward as he was fighting the lack air in his system, the ocean and the British. Once he clear the ocean enough he threw himself onto the sand of Montserrat. He looked around and didn’t see many of his Marines. Unknown to him most of his platoon never got off the landing craft alive. Yet he couldn’t say here and get shot up by the British. Looking around he saw what he was looking for and jumped up and ran for three seconds before throwing himself back on the ground. He repeated this again till he had reached the tree line.
“Lance, where is your radio.”
“Dead sir!” Answered the lance corporal. It took a bullet that was meant for him.
Williams saw some British Gendarmeries moving and fired a burst from his Tommy Gun. One of the British paramilitaries dropped. “Follow me!” As he put another burst of fire down range. He saw where one of the machine guns that was cutting down the marines coming ashore and this was going to stop now.
The Foolish Man Who Built His House on the Sand
Budapest
Királyi Vár
February 5 1939
The Hungarians in this room were all critical to the future of Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen. Prime Minister Henrik Bendeguz was standing off to one side overlooking Budapest via the window he was standing to. Crown Princess Hanna the widow of the Archduke Otto was sitting at the table as they were waiting for the final person they needed to start this meeting. Vice Admiral Karoly Rudi was setting at the same table as Crown Prince Hanna. Unlike the glowing Princess Hanna who was wondering in her mind, the admiral was reviewing paperwork from the action going on in the Adriatic. They were waiting for Generaloberst Janos Fenenc the commander of Honved.
A few minutes past 10 pm local time Fenenc came walking in. He standing ramrod straight as he walked into the room where the meeting was being held. Henrik looked back from the window he was looking at and saw the general come walking in. “I believed its high time to get started” he said. At that he moved to a take a seat at the table.
With the Prime Minister of Hungary taking the seat Fenenc walked to the front of the room where the map was. “Gentlemen and lady, the picture coming in from the Austria-Bohemia from is bleak. Linz fell to the German 2nd Army a few hours ago.” There were a few gasp, “In Bohemia,” the general when on, “The German 3rd Army is driving on Prague. Based on their speed, I wouldn’t be surprised if Prague falls in the next few days.”
Henrik spoke, “General how our the Germans advancing this fast? Gas?”
“No sir. Its more lack of resistance. The Common Army is falling apart. Many units have simply surrender in mass or switched to fighting for the German instead of fighting them. The reserves aren’t mobilizing. Many of the reservist are simply refusing to report for duty, others are coming in with doctors notes saying they can’t fight. The Austrian Landwehr reserves are performing better but there simply enough to stop the Germans. Its looking like the whole front is in danger of collapse.”
“The attack into Romania out of Transylvania is bogged down. Our Honved has performed well but without the artillery support from the common army we can’t hope to beat the blasted Romanians. Many common army units assigned to this offensive simply don’t attack on time or when they do its half-hearted and many units are back at the starting points six hours later. Without their artillery support we can’t hope to advance to our objectives let alone take them.”
The sole woman in the room spoke up, “What about the Italians?”
“So far they haven’t launched anything more than probing attacks into Veneto they have been oddly quiet on the ground. In the air through they been far more active as they have been striking key logistical hubs needed to support the Landwehr and Common Army garrisons holding that sector of the front.” He was leaving out the fact the Italians have taken Malta in a bloody battle.
“If the Italians are that active over Veneto I don’t know where they are getting all their aircraft. They have been pounding the navy for days.” Admiral Rudi added. The Italians have been pounding all the Austro-Hungarian Naval bases save Venice. Yesterday they sunk the battleship Prinz Eugen at Pola. That was fourth battleship sunk by the Italians since the start of the war and the navy still hasn’t sortie yet to challenger the Italian Navy in open sea.
The prime minister spoke again, “What about our Communist allies?”
“They have only launched a limited strike against the Germans with their air force. If that’s what they are going to do then what can we expect from them?” Unknown to General Fenenc the Soviets had decided to attack the Germans as they were treaty bound to, but for the most part they planned to allow the Germans and Austro-Hungarians bleed each other white then move in to sweep up the bigger prize, a communist controlled Europe that was centered in Moscow.
After a moment of silence, the only in the woman spoke, “Gentlemen you know what much be done.”
“What about your baby.” The admiral asked.
“He is of Hungarian blood and will be raised as a Hungarian not an inbred Habsburg. I will give the people of Hungary a king they should be led my instead of the Habsburgs who have done nothing for our people.”
They spoke for a few more hours before ending the meetings. Orders were started to be send to different Honved commanders and Hungarians in the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Commanders who could be trusted.
Királyi Vár
February 5 1939
The Hungarians in this room were all critical to the future of Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen. Prime Minister Henrik Bendeguz was standing off to one side overlooking Budapest via the window he was standing to. Crown Princess Hanna the widow of the Archduke Otto was sitting at the table as they were waiting for the final person they needed to start this meeting. Vice Admiral Karoly Rudi was setting at the same table as Crown Prince Hanna. Unlike the glowing Princess Hanna who was wondering in her mind, the admiral was reviewing paperwork from the action going on in the Adriatic. They were waiting for Generaloberst Janos Fenenc the commander of Honved.
A few minutes past 10 pm local time Fenenc came walking in. He standing ramrod straight as he walked into the room where the meeting was being held. Henrik looked back from the window he was looking at and saw the general come walking in. “I believed its high time to get started” he said. At that he moved to a take a seat at the table.
With the Prime Minister of Hungary taking the seat Fenenc walked to the front of the room where the map was. “Gentlemen and lady, the picture coming in from the Austria-Bohemia from is bleak. Linz fell to the German 2nd Army a few hours ago.” There were a few gasp, “In Bohemia,” the general when on, “The German 3rd Army is driving on Prague. Based on their speed, I wouldn’t be surprised if Prague falls in the next few days.”
Henrik spoke, “General how our the Germans advancing this fast? Gas?”
“No sir. Its more lack of resistance. The Common Army is falling apart. Many units have simply surrender in mass or switched to fighting for the German instead of fighting them. The reserves aren’t mobilizing. Many of the reservist are simply refusing to report for duty, others are coming in with doctors notes saying they can’t fight. The Austrian Landwehr reserves are performing better but there simply enough to stop the Germans. Its looking like the whole front is in danger of collapse.”
“The attack into Romania out of Transylvania is bogged down. Our Honved has performed well but without the artillery support from the common army we can’t hope to beat the blasted Romanians. Many common army units assigned to this offensive simply don’t attack on time or when they do its half-hearted and many units are back at the starting points six hours later. Without their artillery support we can’t hope to advance to our objectives let alone take them.”
The sole woman in the room spoke up, “What about the Italians?”
“So far they haven’t launched anything more than probing attacks into Veneto they have been oddly quiet on the ground. In the air through they been far more active as they have been striking key logistical hubs needed to support the Landwehr and Common Army garrisons holding that sector of the front.” He was leaving out the fact the Italians have taken Malta in a bloody battle.
“If the Italians are that active over Veneto I don’t know where they are getting all their aircraft. They have been pounding the navy for days.” Admiral Rudi added. The Italians have been pounding all the Austro-Hungarian Naval bases save Venice. Yesterday they sunk the battleship Prinz Eugen at Pola. That was fourth battleship sunk by the Italians since the start of the war and the navy still hasn’t sortie yet to challenger the Italian Navy in open sea.
The prime minister spoke again, “What about our Communist allies?”
“They have only launched a limited strike against the Germans with their air force. If that’s what they are going to do then what can we expect from them?” Unknown to General Fenenc the Soviets had decided to attack the Germans as they were treaty bound to, but for the most part they planned to allow the Germans and Austro-Hungarians bleed each other white then move in to sweep up the bigger prize, a communist controlled Europe that was centered in Moscow.
After a moment of silence, the only in the woman spoke, “Gentlemen you know what much be done.”
“What about your baby.” The admiral asked.
“He is of Hungarian blood and will be raised as a Hungarian not an inbred Habsburg. I will give the people of Hungary a king they should be led my instead of the Habsburgs who have done nothing for our people.”
They spoke for a few more hours before ending the meetings. Orders were started to be send to different Honved commanders and Hungarians in the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Commanders who could be trusted.
Things are falling apart faster then I expected. But I suppose that when something is totally rotten on the inside, one swift hard kick could make things crumble.