Blood, Soil and Empire: A War to End all Wars (A WW2 TL)

[KleomenesIII]

Hi, I'm KleomenesIII, aspiring writer, and I've been immensely inspired by this forum and all the fantastic fiction contained here, and I decided to see if I can contribute to it.

I've been tinkering with an alternate WW2 TL for some time, and I want to share with you what I came up with. I want this TL to be plausible (no ASBs), but I freely admit that I don't know every detail of every operation. As such, feel free to criticize and check the plausibility on every detail, and we can hopefully make this a better TL for everyone

Major pre-war PoDs:

1926: The discovery of post-mortem, alleged anti-fascist correspondence by Wilfried Pareto led to his discredit in fascist circles. Thus, when Mussolini announced his "Battle for the Lira", he left out the gold standard, favored by the late Pareto, and adopted a more Keynesian approach, helping Italy survive the depression with an economy in better shape.

1927: Marshal Pietro Badoglio is assassinated by a communist partisan at home in Piedmont. This hardens anti-communist sentiment in Italy and strengthens fascist authority. Giovanni Messe is appointed Chief of Staff on his place, inaugurating a period of accelerated modernization and rigid training in the Italian armed forces, with the objective of creating an elite combined arms force.

1931: Winston Churchill is killed in a car accident in New York involving Edward Caransano, an unemployed mechanic from Yonkers.

1933: Following the depression, Italian industries are reinvigorated by the IRI, which introduces a policy of mixed state investment and control over potential wartime industries, all o bring Italy into a "New Era" as a great power.

1936: Italy sends the Corpo Truppe Volontarie (CTV) to aid Franco in the Spanish Civil War. This force consists of a full 10,000 man motorized division, an armoured force of around 250 tanks (mostly actually tankettes), and a complement of 5,000 Blackshirts in the Fiamma Nera Division, by insistence of Mussolini.

1937: Influenced by Rundstedt and Jodl's criticisms of the Siegfried Line/Westwall project, Hitler orders it's reduction in size and scope to a couple of strongpoints designed to better help an elastic defence. The funds thus saved are redirected to the expansion and continued modernization of the Wehrmacht.

1938: Due to Hitler's war aims, the threat of the English Royal Navy and the rivalry with Göring and his Luftwaffe, Admiral Raeder's Plan Z is comdemned by Hitler as "Defeatist and conservative, most Un-Aryan characteristics". With Raeder discredited and put on harmless functions, Hitler elevates Karl Dönitz to the command of the Kriegsmarine, and authorizes full priority to all submarine programs and warfare strategies to defeat the Royal Navy.

Feel free to ask any questions. Next update will deal with the start of hostilities properly.

 

[TFSmith121]

One point comes to mind:

Hi, I'm KleomenesIII, aspiring writer, and I've been immensely inspired by this forum and all the fantastic fiction contained here, and I decided to see if I can contribute to it.

I've been tinkering with an alternate WW2 TL for some time, and I want to share with you what I came up with. I want this TL to be plausible (no ASBs), but I freely admit that I don't know every detail of every operation. As such, feel free to criticize and check the plausibility on every detail, and we can hopefully make this a better TL for everyone

Major pre-war PoDs:

1926: The discovery of post-mortem, alleged anti-fascist correspondence by Wilfried Pareto led to his discredit in fascist circles. Thus, when Mussolini announced his "Battle for the Lira", he left out the gold standard, favored by the late Pareto, and adopted a more Keynesian approach, helping Italy survive the depression with an economy in better shape.

1927: Marshal Pietro Badoglio is assassinated by a communist partisan at home in Piedmont. This hardens anti-communist sentiment in Italy and strengthens fascist authority. Giovanni Messe is appointed Chief of Staff on his place, inaugurating a period of accelerated modernization and rigid training in the Italian armed forces, with the objective of creating an elite combined arms force.

1931: Winston Churchill is killed in a car accident in New York involving Edward Caransano, an unemployed mechanic from Yonkers.

1933: Following the depression, Italian industries are reinvigorated by the IRI, which introduces a policy of mixed state investment and control over potential wartime industries, all o bring Italy into a "New Era" as a great power.

1936: Italy sends the Corpo Truppe Volontarie (CTV) to aid Franco in the Spanish Civil War. This force consists of a full 10,000 man motorized division, an armoured force of around 250 tanks (mostly actually tankettes), and a complement of 5,000 Blackshirts in the Fiamma Nera Division, by insistence of Mussolini.

1937: Influenced by Rundstedt and Jodl's criticisms of the Siegfried Line/Westwall project, Hitler orders it's reduction in size and scope to a couple of strongpoints designed to better help an elastic defence. The funds thus saved are redirected to the expansion and continued modernization of the Wehrmacht.

1938: Due to Hitler's war aims, the threat of the English Royal Navy and the rivalry with Göring and his Luftwaffe, Admiral Raeder's Plan Z is comdemned by Hitler as "Defeatist and conservative, most Un-Aryan characteristics". With Raeder discredited and put on harmless functions, Hitler elevates Karl Dönitz to the command of the Kriegsmarine, and authorizes full priority to all submarine programs and warfare strategies to defeat the Royal Navy.

Feel free to ask any questions. Next update will deal with the start of hostilities properly.

One point immediately comes to mind:

Messe, although well-regarded as a light infantry specialist after WW I and with excellent connections to the king, is a 44-year-old colonel in 1927... jumping him to chief of staff of the royal army is unlikely; jumping him to chief of defense staff is even less likely.

Best,

 

[KleomenesIII]

One point immediately comes to mind:

Messe, although well-regarded as a light infantry specialist after WW I and with excellent connections to the king, is a 44-year-old colonel in 1927... jumping him to chief of staff of the royal army is unlikely; jumping him to chief of defense staff is even less likely.

Best,

Improbable, but definetly possible, due to the reasons you outlined. As I said, I don't pretend to know every possible outcome (such as the list of possible candidates in the event of Badoglio's death), but Messe seemed fair enough, and certainly a good candidate for the modernization of the Italian armed forces, especially considering a system in which the whim of its leaders is every bit as important as other considerations.

 

[Statesman]

Sealion is Coming...

In all seriousness, best of luck, pal! I hope everything works out for you and I'll try to check in on this every now and then!

 

[KleomenesIII]

Sealion is Coming...

In all seriousness, best of luck, pal! I hope everything works out for you and I'll try to check in on this every now and then!

Thank you for your kind words!

Next (or rather first) update should be in later today/tomorrow

 

[KleomenesIII]

So, here it is, the next developments that will change the map of Europe:

October 7th, 1938: For fear of escalation and further foreign involvement that could result of the deadlock in the Spanish Civil War, Chamberlain and the League of Nations spur on the Treaty of Zaragoza, whereby the Spanish Civil War ends with Spain divided in two between both factions, creating two separate countries, the Free Spanish Republic and the Kingdom of Spain.

October 18th, 1938: After years of fighting together in Spain, Italy and Germany sign the Pact of Steel, promising friendship and immediate military assistance in the event of war. The pact also provides for numerous joint military development and officer exchange programs, as both countries seek to learn from the experience in the Spanish Civil War.

February 5th, 1939: Francisco Franco, the de facto leader of the Kingdom of Spain, fearing a Republican alignment with England, starts to rearm and prepare secret plans to take Gibraltar, to secure his hold on Morocco and prevent Republican expansionism. Both Italy and Germany promise limited support.

 

[Zheng He]

So, here it is, the next developments that will change the map of Europe:

October 7th, 1938: For fear of escalation and further foreign involvement that could result of the deadlock in the Spanish Civil War, Chamberlain and the League of Nations spur on the Treaty of Zaragoza, whereby the Spanish Civil War ends with Spain divided in two between both factions, creating two separate countries, the Free Spanish Republic and the Kingdom of Spain.

October 18th, 1938: After years of fighting together in Spain, Italy and Germany sign the Pact of Steel, promising friendship and immediate military assistance in the event of war. The pact also provides for numerous joint military development and officer exchange programs, as both countries seek to learn from the experience in the Spanish Civil War.

February 5th, 1939: Francisco Franco, the de facto leader of the Kingdom of Spain, fearing a Republican alignment with England, starts to rearm and prepare secret plans to take Gibraltar, to secure his hold on Morocco and prevent Republican expansionism. Both Italy and Germany promise limited support.

A map of Spain in this case would be helpful...

 

[KleomenesIII]

Everything is pretty much self-explanatory, save perhaps Madrid, who is divided in two, serving as de jure capitals for both countries, although most of the real administration will be transferred elsewhere for both, for security reasons. Also, all Spanish possessions except the Balearic Islands remain part of the Kingdom of Spain (i.e. the Nationalists). Bear in mind that I'm without my PC for a few days, but here goes the cellphone-edited but fairly accurate version:

Iberian peninsula as of the Treaty of Zaragoza, 1938:

 

[Zheng He]

That's great...

 

[BeardedHoplite]

That is the first time I have seen a divided Spain in a TL

Keep it coming

 

[KleomenesIII]

That is the first time I have seen a divided Spain in a TL

Keep it coming

Will do!

Thank you all again for the kind words, the next update is coming soon!

 

[Cryhavoc101]

February 5th, 1939: Francisco Franco, the de facto leader of the Kingdom of Spain, fearing a Republican alignment with England, starts to rearm and prepare secret plans to take Gibraltar, to secure his hold on Morocco and prevent Republican expansionism. Both Italy and Germany promise limited support.

Any threat to Gibraltar (real or imagined) by the Kingdom Of Spain will see Franco's fear of the United Kingdom realised and the UK would certainly certainly start rearming the Republicans.

Enemy of my Enemy and all that.....

Also war with Britain would result in a blockade and loss of colonies (Gibraltar's real defence vs Spain).

Franco was not stupid or a Fascist - despite everything he did die in bed of old age!

 

[KleomenesIII]

Any threat to Gibraltar (real or imagined) by the Kingdom Of Spain will see Franco's fear of the United Kingdom realised and the UK would certainly certainly start rearming the Republicans.

Enemy of my Enemy and all that.....

Also war with Britain would result in a blockade and loss of colonies (Gibraltar's real defence vs Spain).

Franco was not stupid or a Fascist - despite everything he did die in bed of old age!

That's pretty much an accurate assessment, Franco won't do anything without a good chance of success... For now the plan is firmly in "just in case" territory, and rearmament, at least covert is desirable anyway to prevent (real or imagined) Republican aggression.

Also, the enemies of one's enemies is not set in stone as of now, the Republicans were (and ITTL, still are, at least nominally) supported by the Soviet Union.

 

[Cryhavoc101]

That's pretty much an accurate assessment, Franco won't do anything without a good chance of success... For now the plan is firmly in "just in case" territory, and rearmament, at least covert is desirable anyway to prevent (real or imagined) Republican aggression.

Also, the enemies of one's enemies is not set in stone as of now, the Republicans were (and ITTL, still are, at least nominally) supported by the Soviet Union.

I appreciate that but remember that "Germany" was seen as the greater threat by 1938 and despite the Communist leanings the UK was not above making deals with a lesser Devil!

 

[KleomenesIII]

Elsewhere in Europe...

March 3rd, 1939: Frustrated by Jozef Tiso's reluctance in supporting German plans for an independent Axis-aligned Slovak state, Ribbentrop then starts to make overtures to Hungary, insist that they support the invasion of Poland in exchange for annnexing all of Slovakia.

March 7th, 1939: After being threatened with a general trade embargo by Germany and open German support of Hungarist leader Ferenc Szálasi, Miklós Horthy agrees to aid the Germans with 50,000 troops in the event of war, and formally annexes Slovakia with little resistance.

March 31st, 1939: Fearing German expansion in the east, France and the United Kingdom declare that they guarantee Polish independence against foreign aggression.

 

[KleomenesIII]

And a sneak peek of things to come...

April 3rd, 1939: The human experimentation team of Unit 731 of the Kempeitai under Dr. Shiro Ishii accidentally discovers the most toxic and virulent form of Anthrax known to man, baptized "Shinokaze". The IJA's command immediately authorizes increased funds for further development and weaponization.

 

[KleomenesIII]

So, any thoughts? I think it's no ASB, but it's always nice to hear another's opinion about the plausibility of the whole thing

Anyway, thing are going to get very hectic next update...

 

[KleomenesIII]

Tensions begin to escalate...

April 10th, 1939: Italy annexes Albania, without meaningful resistance.

April 18th, 1939: The Soviet Union tries to secure a Triple Alliance with France and the United Kingdom. The alliance is rejected, and a furious Stalin promptly guarantees the independence of the Free Spanish Republic.

May 6th, 1939: The Spanish Communist Party, or PCE, stages a coup in Madrid to remove the largely unpopular government, led by Manuel Azañas, from power. The coup is well executed with the support of NKVD elements operating in Spain, and Valentín González, a prominent communist and military commander, assumes as General Secretary of Free Spain.

May 9th, 1939: Stalin authorizes the shipment of Russian military equipment to Spain, despite numerous warnings not to do so by the League of Nations. Both Germany and Italy denounce the Soviet initiative, but a pact of non-intervention is signed by Italy, Germany and the Soviet Union, stating the that all three powers would refrain from lending direct support in the event of a war between the spanish nations.

May 11th, 1939: Border conflicts erupt between Japan and the Soviet Union over the japanese-occupied Manchurian Territories, escalating tensions between the two powers.

 

[KleomenesIII]

July 12th, 1939: Renowned physicists Leo Szilárd and Eugene Wigner are hospitalized after grave injuries sustained in a car accident while driving to Peconic Bay in Long Island.

July 20th, 1939: Eugene Wigner dies in a hospital bed in Long Island, while Leo Szilárd slips into a coma.

August 22th, 1939: After a massive air offensive, Zhukov wins a string of victories in two days of fighting against the Japanese on the Manchurian Border.

August 23rd, 1939: Despite unease about the so-called "Spanish Situation", the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact is signed between Germany and the Soviet Union, dividing eastern europe into their respective "Zones of Influence".

Manchuria, August 26th, 1939, 2:40AM:

Zhukov had trouble sleeping. He sat at the table, idly looking at the maps displayed before him while sipping his vodka. The damn japanese were almost beaten out, their main force encircled, and their armor assets few and far apart. He hoped to be received in Moscow as a hero, but on the very moment of his success still feared the envy of Stalin. Well, he would serve the motherland as best he could.

A strange noise suddenly distracted him from his thoughts... A faint motor sound. A plane! He rose suddenly, startled, and bust out of his tent, yelling orders of attention. This was foolishness! The japanese hadn't enough air assets in the area to cause any significant damage to his forces!

As the planes passed, flying low overhead, and circled back in the darkness, he braced for the explosions he knew would follow. None came. What was this, some form of trap? Surely an attempt to draw his fighter wings in pursuit. He would not give, and ordered all air assets to not pursue, but stand at full attention in case they tried something.

As he lay down in bed, he felt feverish, his throat sore. He gulped down the rest of the vodka and went to sleep.

Next morning, Georgy Zhukov was dead, and his dug-in army, sick and dying. Then the Japanese came.

 

[KleomenesIII]

As always, comments are always appreciated

Anyways, expect more fiction in the next updates!