An Unholy Alliance

[Julian]

Prior to the setback of the Battle of Britain, Hitler was talking of war with the Soviet Union in 1942 or 1943. The timing was advanced because he (wrongly) concluded that the British were holding out in the hope that the Soviet Union would come to their aid and that if he defeated the Russians quickly, the British would negotiate. He gambled that the Soviets would collapse so quickly the British wouldn’t have any opportunity to make use of the fact that Germany was fighting a two front war. Hitler had been vehemently opposed to fighting a two front war, seeing it as the reason Germany lost the First World War, but he thought the British were quiescent and the Russians weak so he gambled.

With the British fighting the Soviets there is no possibility of anyone making the mistake of assuming that they were waiting for Russia to rescue them; Hitler would not have rushed forward his plans for the Soviet Union.

That is true.

 

[Sean Mulligan]

American Elections

October - November 1940

On the sixth of October, FDR has fallen out of bed, cutting his third-term run for office short. He had broken his hip. Nearly a week later death came by way of a pulmonary embolism. Fortunately he did not die after November, then the Republic would fall into a slight grey area. Unfortunately he died before November. The Democratic Party did not want to run Wallace for President, and even if they did, they would have to also select a new Vice President. It was a close nomination.

It would have be either President Garner or Farley. Farley's political clout would make him the first non-WASP President. Had he won the election. Or the nomination for that matter. Ballots had to be reprinted, in some poorer smaller counties Roosevelt's name was scratched off and Garner's name was written underneath.

Garner barely had time to campaign. It was no wonder that Wendell Wilkie would go on to be elected President in a very close election.

Why would Garner be the nominee. I thought he was politically dead by 1940.

 

[ryackov]

Politically dead to Roosevelt. But he is President of course.

 

[RhoOmicronMu]

In an attempt to collapse both the Soviet Union and Germany, Operation Pike is carried out. Bombers launching from air fields in Northern Iraq were to hit Baku, a site of 90% of Soviet oil production. Nearly a hundred tons of bombs were dropped over the course of several day via numerous sorties, however later sorties had to deal with alert local AA batteries. Due to poor bomb sights compounded by the suppressive effect of AA fire, only 5% of all bombs reached their targets. Only 25% of the Baku oil refining capacity was damaged, but much of the damage was reparable within a month, and so were much of the oil fires.

What happened to the French? It was their idea in the first place and they had already expanded airbases in Syria and moved additional bombers there. Bombers where also supposed to take off from Syria, Iran, and Turkey, not Iraq IIRC.

Did you give any credence to this:

as a result of the manner in which the oil fields have been exploited, the earth is so saturated with oil that fire could spread immediately to the entire neighboring region; it would be months before it could be extinguished and years before work could be resumed again.

 

[ryackov]

If that was true, in the course of normal warfare with high explosives, wouldn't the area light up in flames? At any time, why didn't it light up in flames?

November 1940
Support to partisans within France continues with air drops deep into France. Several squads of commandos are also dropped in, bleeding the resources of the occupying Germans.

The Action Franqaise are hopeful to be placed in power by war's end as they collaborate with the Germans. A Third French Empire is planned.

The German U-boat campaign continues to isolate Britain, and the Battle of Britain begins. The Luftwaffe duels with the RAF over the skies of Britain, with two initial aims: to assert air superiority, and to prepare Britain for Operation Sealion.

British ambassadors in Japan negotiate the possibility of Japan joining the allies.


December 1940
Ambassador Joseph Kennedy is replaced by President Garner after Kennedy suggests that the British aren't fighting for democracy and that democracy itself is doomed in Britain.

The Battle of Britain escalates with the accidental bombing of a residential block. The British respond by bombing Berlin. German propaganda insist that all German bombs hit military targets with total accuracy. The air war with the RAF continues, but the Luftwaffe continues to suffer heavy losses. British target lists are also expanded to include factories and Buckingham Palace.

 

[Cook]

British target lists are also expanded to include factories and Buckingham Palace.

Should this read ‘The list of Luftwaffe targets in Britain is expanded to include…’ or has Milo Minderbinder started working for the R.A.F?