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

Tweaked the numbers a bit and renamed delegates to electors, as it seems to be the more appropriate term. If anyone has another suggestion, feel free to make it!
 
Tweaked the numbers a bit and renamed delegates to electors, as it seems to be the more appropriate term. If anyone has another suggestion, feel free to make it!
If FDR really did collapse, then 58% in the popular vote would be a good margin for a Wilkie landslide, though 56% is more doable. The 62% in the electoral collage is perfectly fine :)
 
North and South
RomanianArmy.jpg

The Romanian Army was expanded under Sima's leadership. Line troops are shown here conducting a military exercise near Brăila, February, 1940.


Tokyo, January 17th, 1941, 9:40AM


The Emperor had finally arrived, and the war council could begin.

-"General Sugiyama, you can't possibly be proposing a war on two fronts!" Said the Emperor.
-"Your majesty, with all due respect, we now have an opportunity like we never had before. Our army is a modern, well-equipped and large force, and the British defeat left India a bubbling cauldron, not to mention the North, ill defended and by an enemy we have easily beaten before."
-"We had the element of surprise and Dr. Ishii's new weapon. Now, I strongly suspect we'll have neither."
-"The doctor's concoctions may be of some use yet. But in any case, we'll match their strenght with a better equipped force and stronger supply lines, since we have considerably improved our infrastructure in Manchuria."
-"And what do you say, Mr. Tojo?"
-"I agree, your majesty. The operation carries its risks, but we have the tactical and material advantage in the north, and the strategic and numerical superiority in the south. And this new american president... He talks loudly about Asia, but he was elected on the promise to not shed young american blood on foreign wars. Besides, Britain's value as an ally is less its Asian posessions than it's geographical vantage point in Europe, to keep the Germans in check."
-"What about them, Mr. Tojo? Has any progress been made?"
-"We have received a secret communiqué stating that the invasion is due on the next few months. Rest assured we'll be ready, my Emperor, and the southern phase shall not be put in motion until we have a clear picture of our situation in the north."
-"Very well then, you have my blessing, and any funds you might require."
-"Thank you, your majesty."

Japan would achieve its greatness, and there's nothing the decadent West could do. Hirohito looked at his garden, the cherry would soon be in flower, their scent gracing the air, bringing peace. May peace last for a thousand years, but not before Japan claimed its rightful place. Not a moment before.

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Although by now the Wilkie government had heavy isolationist tendencies, those mainly concerned the European Theatre, not the Pacific one. So, fearing the rapid expansion of the Japanese in the East, Douglas MacArthur was recalled to Washington for a promotion in January, and immediately placed in command of a reinforced garrison of 42,000 men in the Philippines, 12,000 of which were Philippino Scouts, a light infantry force distinct from US regulars, but even so the new garrison was notably stronger, and served to send a statement to the Japanese government that intrusion on its territories or those of its Allies were to have grievous consequences. Around the same time, the Kingdom of Siam became a vassal and partner of Greater Co-Prosperity Sphere, as its leader, Plaek Phibunsongkhram, sought to preempt the expected Japanese invasion, thus hoping (and succeeding) in maintaining his country intact and a fair measure of power and influence over internal affairs.

In Europe, peace reigned since early September, and for a time, it seems that trouble in Europe were soon to blow over entirely. For the countries that saw territorial gains in the past year, such as the new Roman Empire, the priorities became cultural assimilation and administrative integration, while for others, like Greater Hungary and the Romanian Legionary State, modernization also became a top priority, if the country was to have any power and influence in the years to come. However, to the leaders of these countries, their future was still very much in check, as Germany held them in an iron grip, urging secret preparations for the war to come. Already in the Reich great quantities of men and material were being prepared and moved, as the whole nation prepared for the titanic undertaking of taking on the Soviet Union. After so many successes, both the military and political leadership were in high spirits, predicting a war of 6 months until Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev fell, and Stalin was forced to come to terms, if he wasn't already dead by the hands of some loyal "comrade". On the insistence of Heydrich, his SS divisions were expanded to three full armoured divisions, and lavishly equipped, to serve as speartips in offensive operations for each Heeresgruppe (or Army Group). A planned expansion to six divisions was laid out, to be complete by February 1942. These peaceful months also saw the first minor wave of German settlement in the African colonies, mostly Volksdeutsche living abroad (including Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina and a few US citizens) promised generous, "free" land (confiscated from non-desirable natives) and government support in the form of tax exemption for the first few years. Otherwise, the RuSHA, the Reich's office for race and settlement, had his hands full with the integration and settlement of the east, and the careful balance between racial and economic desirability, as germanization had to be gradual, so as to not provoke waves of partisanship and risking disrupting supply lines on the eve of war.

Heydrich had also not been idle. Besides the training of elite forces both in counter-espionage and in the field, he also took upon himself to continue and expand the SS Schools at Bad Tölz and Wewelsburg, under the noble pretext of "forming the future leadership of the Reich", but while also having the much more practical effect of forming a fanatically loyal cadre of highly educated and trained officers he could rely on. But for now, more practical questions arose. With peace on the Atlantic and the French State as their ally, a great stream of Jews, from both France and Germany, began to be systematically deported to Madagascar, generally without ceremony and after having all their belongings confiscated. It was proceeding at a steady pace, but Heydrich already had the outlining of an alternative plan, should this one fail. In any case, the Jews would be driven out of Europe, one way or the other. The Führer also allowed several individuals and groups to appeal for asylum to the British government, only to be immediately denied on account of rising tensions between violent zionist organizations, such as the Irgun and the Haganah, in the British Mandate, a region now vital do the much-reduced Empire's economic and strategic integration. It was also decided that the Einsatzgruppen, special SS units for racial cleansing, were to be greatly expanded, so as to form a rear wave that would immediately begin the work of "racially improving" the conquered territories of the east, by conducting mass extermination of the intelligentsia and anyone remotely linked to government politics or any known communist organization.

In Romania, Sima's leadership was proving to be the most ruthless in Europe. In the months since being named plenipotentiary and Conducator of Romania, the Legionary leader had greatly expanded the country's repressive apparatus by transforming the Iron Guard from a party of agitators into a ruthless police force, with the name "Legion of the Archangel Michael" serving to baptize a new, military army of the government. Both were used extensively in the assimilation of the Bulgarian territories, and violently crush any hope of rebellion. The Bulgarian "White Vlachs", considered by themselves and by the government to be ethnically Romanian, were also heavily recruited for use in infiltration and intelligence roles, an ad-hoc organization named the "White Guard", who would later become the governments main internal intelligence bureau. Jews were also rounded up and killed regularly, and the gradual starvation of ghetto populations was also common, both viewed as a much better alternative to any "convoluted deportation plans". In practice, however, wealthier Jewish families often left Romania entirely, a procedure authorized by the government on the condition that a generous sum be contributed to public coffers, and total revocation of rights and citizenship, including confiscation of immovable property (generally sold cheap to pay this so-called "Leaving Tax"). Sima also turned its new, southern resources into an expansion of the army, as former Bulgarian army components were disbanded to work on the economy, many on forced labor camps, freeing up Romanians for military service. Thus, the Conducator sent Berlin a secret communiqué by the end of January, promising 20 fully-equipped divisions for the Russian campaign, on the understanding that Romania would be returned the territories ceded to the USSR as part of the Molotov-Ribbentrop provisions, as well as a slice of Ukraine, including Odessa.
 
I hope that Israel is still formed by all the deported Jews and rises to be a major power in the Middle East, backed up the the US and British against the Germans
 
I hope that Israel is still formed by all the deported Jews and rises to be a major power in the Middle East, backed up the the US and British against the Germans

The problem with that is that the British never liked the idea of Israel until post-war and the Holocaust, and there were several zionist groups with worked actively and violently to destabilize British authority in the area, and if the British weren't happy IOTL, now that the area is much more important they are even less so.

But that's something for a couple years ahead at least.
 
The problem with that is that the British never liked the idea of Israel until post-war and the Holocaust, and there were several zionist groups with worked actively and violently to destabilize British authority in the area, and if the British weren't happy IOTL, now that the area is much more important they are even less so.

But that's something for a couple years ahead at least.
Well, the Arabs will be more inclined to support the Germans, so perhaps the British go pro-Jewish to destabilize the Nazis in the region
 
Well, the Arabs will be more inclined to support the Germans, so perhaps the British go pro-Jewish to destabilize the Nazis in the region

Could happen, but ITTL it's more likely this would be a conflict between the Italians and the British than involve the Germans, since they washed their hands of mediterranean affairs after the peace.
 
Storm Clouds
bose-1.jpg

Subhash Chandra Bose, leader of the Azad Hind (or Free India), during his first visit to Berlin, March, 1941.

Berlin, March 3rd, 1941, 11h30AM


Subhas Chandra Bose was nervous. This was the first true strategic meeting between himself, the Führer, and the Japanese ambassador, Hiroshi Oshima. As he entered the well-adorned room, Oshima was there, and shook his hand, his face unreadable. A few seconds later the Führer appeared, and they all sat down on a great oak table, while refreshments were served, as the lunch was being prepared.

-"Herr Bose, please, make yourself comfortable. Have you tried Sauerbraten? Helga's to die for! Reminds me of my childhood." Said the Führer, with a disarming smile.
-"I'm looking forward to trying it, Herr Goebbels."
-"Thank you for your hospitality as always, mein Führer. I am honored." Said Oshima, with reverence.
-"Please, please, Herr Oshima, there's no need for such formality. You're always an honored guest in my house."

With initial pleasantries exchanged, a small silence prevailed, marred only by the clinking of spoons and porcelain, while they enjoyed fresh juice and tea. Despite the fact that matters at hand shaped the future of nations, there was a strange relaxation to the gathering, an almost friendly atmosphere. The Führer was, again, the one to break the silence.

-"Herr Bose, tell me, how does the movement fare in India?"
-"Growing by the day, Herr Goebbels. British defeat showed my people that the Empire wasn't the invincible giant it once was, and now we have more than a hundred thousand supporters throughout the country, although so far we have only three divisions worth of men, though one more is in training. And we lack heavy equipment of course, and training exercises are limited by our need to remain concealed until the time is right to strike."
-"Great. I think I speak also for Herr Oshima when I say we would like very much to welcome you into our alliance".
-"Yes, that is correct. The Japanese would like to help you in your struggle, so we'll provide basic infantry and support equipment, as well as a few armored vehicles and the promise of military support when the time comes. A Japanese official would also help with training and maneuvers, if you so wish."
-"Thank you, it is a very generous offer, Herr Oshima. We'll be forever in debt with your Empire, and would be honored to stand among your allies once our land is freed".
-"Very well gentlemen, I'm pleased we all came to an agreement. Now, let's eat, shall we? Helga, please."

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By late March, preparations were well underway for both the German-led Axis invasion of Russia, and the Japanese invasion of Malaya and Singapore. In the west, almost all of the 171 divisions were fully assembled and ready. Of those, 130 were German (many overstrength), 20 Romanian, 7 Hungarian, 8 Italian, 3 French, 2 Spanish and one Croatian. Those divisions, along with the 16 Finnish Divisions in the north, amounted to little more than 4.3 million men, the largest invasion force ever seen. In contrast, the western portion of the Red Army consisted of 3 million men, but held massive advantages in terms of tanks (almost 3 to 1) and airplanes (more than 2 to 1). A clash of titanic forces and large-scale warfare the likes of which the world had never seen, or would again. While the different officer corps, led by the OKW, applied themselves to achieve maximum coordination and establish clear objectives for the various army groups, Stalin conducted his purges of the Red Army unabated, ruthlessly eradicating every thought of dissent, and leaving almost every military concentration in Russia with its chain of command in tatters, and in the hands of inexperienced or even barely trained officers. In paper the Red Army was every bit the fearsome red bear, colossal in structure and strength, and with a considerable logistic capacity and an awe-inspiring productive capacity behind it, thanks to Stalin's ruthless economic policies. In practice, however, scarcely any of its divisions were at authorized strenght, and many were either poorly led, poorly trained, or under-equipped. A further problem was that, despite reports informing the Kremlin of possible troop concentrations for an Axis invasions, Stalin reacted with utter disbelief, and continuously disregarded the possibility of war with the Reich, as well as the suggestion of a diplomatic rapprochement with England and/or the United States. Despite that, Stalin was persuaded to approve the construction of fortifications along the western border, although the allocation of limited resources on a gigantic front meant that most of these would also prove of limited use against the German "Schwerpunkt" tactics of armored concentration.

In the east, the Japanese prepared for the invasion of British Malaya, using Thailand as a staging ground, 7 specially equipped divisions under general Iida, totalling just under 30,000 men, poised for amphibious strikes along the Malayan coast, designed to rapidly capture territory concentrating forces, isolating the British elements, and then move to establish a front to stage the next step, the invasion of Singapore. The Japanese also decided to conduct a further, larger scale test of the Shinokaze, against better-equipped troops on the garrison at "Fortress Singapore", in an attempt to limit defensive retaliation by the huge guns of the British. Even considering the Shinokaze's poor longevity as an effective weapon in the Empire's arsenal, Dr. Ishii's facilities continue to enjoy lavish support from the government, on the orders of the Emperor himself.

The end of March also marked the complete collapse of the KMT-led Nationalist China, as it's rival states gobbled up what was left of its territory. Conversely, Ma Bufang's Islamic Republic, now for all intents and purposes at war with the Chinese Soviet Republic, became officially a British ally, while an agreement was reached between the Soviet Union and Britain that no direct intervention would be permitted in the conflict, although material aid was plentiful from both sides. Persia also joined the British alliance, after months of negotiations with the Shah, promising British economic and scientific assistance in the modernization of the country, while the Shah also privately studied opportunities for Persian expansion into the Middle East, as Iraq slowly but surely drifted into the Roman sphere of influence.

In Spain, things also began to heat up. Part of Stalin's dogged disbelief of a invasion led by the Reich could be explained by the Spanish situation: Since the treaty that split the country in twain, the Soviet Union focused most of its diplomatic energies on first turning Spain into a satellite state, and since them strenghten their position to serve as a counter-balance in Western Europe that could threaten the Axis flank, and force a war on two fronts. The Free Spanish Army was rapidly becoming a well trained force in spite of the small size, while it's leadership, hardened in the Civil war, wasn't gutted under Valentín González. That, coupled with a tradition of guerillas, promised a bogged front to everything but a large, determined offensive. In addition, the country inherited some of the more industrialized regions of the peninsula, and pushed hard in that direction, a decision supported by Stalin since it became obvious that it would be impossible to mantain any regularity of material aid once the conflict erupted. The Axis nations were also not blind to this conjuncture; Although much was focused on the eastern offensive, the OKW in conjunction with the Reich's allies came up with a plan for a Spanish front. This was to have Germany would contribute 7 Divisions, Spain itself would bring 14, while France and Italy would join with 5 divisions each, although once the campaign was over some territorial adjustments were to be negotiated. They would be facing an estimated 12 Free Spanish divisions, along with 5 Soviet divisions and 3 volunteer divisions from (Stalin-aligned) communist parties all over the world.

Storm clouds gathered once again over Europe...
 
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The USSR and Republican Spain are screwed. The British better be preparing for biological warfare, and I think Japan is making a huge miscalculation not going after Russia first
 
The USSR and Republican Spain are screwed. The British better be preparing for biological warfare, and I think Japan is making a huge miscalculation not going after Russia first

Britain knows it's not over yet, Japan thinks nothing can stop them now, and Stalin could be a better diplomat (and could avoid killing most of his own military leadership, but I digress...).
 
What can you tell about the state of finnish armed forces compared to OTL?

Mostly similar, with a few differences: The early lifting of the military import embargo through german territory means that the Air Force has a few more airplanes, around 600, including 42 BF-109Ds and Es (almost completely phased out of Luftwaffe service by now), and the armored forces were also boosted by the acquisition of 4 Panzer IVs, 14 Panzer III and 35 Panzer IIs (mostly the updated ausf. Fs, which ITTL saw almost no service in the Wehrmacht, as the Panzer II production phased out entirely by the start of Barbarossa). So, they pack a little more punch overall, but are still a small army that still had to recover from the last conflict and had some serious deficiencies (heavy artillery was severely lacking, for example).
 

Geon

Donor
-"Herr Bose, please, make yourself comfortable. Have you tried Sauerbraten? Helga's to die for! Reminds me of my childhood." Said the Führer, with a disarming smile.

Kleomenes two minor nitpicks.

First, Hitler is a vegetarian so it is unlikely sauerbraten would be on the menu. While he did cheat on his diet I don't believe sauerbraten was part of it.

Second, Mr. Bose is probably Hindu. I suspect depending on how devout he is he would have problems with marinated beef, which is what sauerbraten is.

Just two minor thoughts.
 
Comments are always welcome, sir!

There are those known to argue that Hitler was not a strict vegetarian! But alas, the Führer is not Hitler, but Goebbels :p

And I thought about making Bose object (or change the menu), but although he was nominally Hindu, from what I read he wasn't religious at all, and encouraged the diversity of faiths among his men, uniting them through love of the nation itself instead (as did many other countries at the time).
 
Just went through this. Only comment I will make is that the USA even at its most isolationist, will not allow Spain to gain Trinidad and Tobago. Both the Monroe Doctrine (reintroduction of European countries to Western hemisphere) and the potential threat to Venezuelan oil fields. With the cooperation of the locals (who most certainly don't want to be part of nationalist Spain) the USA can occupy T&T in a heartbeat. As far as Dutch possessions in the Caribbean, as long as they are under the control of the Dutch government in exile, no problem - if that changes and the Germans claim them, US occupation (again with local support). With regard to the French possessions, I'm sure the USA will inform the French that any military buildup is unacceptable, and any German presence/bases will result in action being taken. Even the most isolationist elements would not accept German bases in the Caribbean (or German access to French bases).

The Spanish might bluster about T&T but they can't do anything. Germany might be unhappy at not eventually get the Dutch islands, and the German and the French unhappy at restrictions on French possessions, but the French can't take on the USA in the Caribbean and right now the Germans do not want a war with the USA.
 
Just went through this. Only comment I will make is that the USA even at its most isolationist, will not allow Spain to gain Trinidad and Tobago. Both the Monroe Doctrine (reintroduction of European countries to Western hemisphere) and the potential threat to Venezuelan oil fields. With the cooperation of the locals (who most certainly don't want to be part of nationalist Spain) the USA can occupy T&T in a heartbeat. As far as Dutch possessions in the Caribbean, as long as they are under the control of the Dutch government in exile, no problem - if that changes and the Germans claim them, US occupation (again with local support). With regard to the French possessions, I'm sure the USA will inform the French that any military buildup is unacceptable, and any German presence/bases will result in action being taken. Even the most isolationist elements would not accept German bases in the Caribbean (or German access to French bases).

The Spanish might bluster about T&T but they can't do anything. Germany might be unhappy at not eventually get the Dutch islands, and the German and the French unhappy at restrictions on French possessions, but the French can't take on the USA in the Caribbean and right now the Germans do not want a war with the USA.

First, thanks for the comment!

I thought long and hard about that, and decided that the an isolationist USA wouldn't invade a Spanish T&T if (and only if) they didn't do any overt militarization of the region, and the same goes for the French islands. The US has its eyes peeled on the Caribbean, and any sign of military staging of any sort would probably prompt war immediately. So far it's kind of balance on a knife's edge, and that was one of the goals. But rest assured that this balance won't last for much longer...
 
Also Monroe Doctrine does not apply, it states that the US would regard any take over of an independent nation by a colonial power as an attack on US interests.

The transfer of T&T back to Spain from GB does not apply. Also the Axis nations already control French and Dutch colonial lands and islands. Adding T&T is only a minor item.

But you are correct in that the US would object stringently to any militarisation of the Caribbean. This will also apply to the Brits. In fact I anticipate that the Caribbean will be declared an exclusion zone like OTL where strict neutrality will be enforced by the US Navy.
 
Student.jpg

General der Fallschirmtruppe Kurt Student, famous for his actions during the Low Countries campaign, was one of the masterminds behind the Gatell Villa Raid.

Serra d'en Gatell, Outskirts of Barcelona, May 13th, 1941, 22:45PM

Despite the clear weather and the large, beautiful windows of the villa, the room smelled of cigars and spilled wine. Valentín González, also known in former times as "El Campesino", the peasant, frantically searched through the stack of papers delivered to his office in the last few days. Last night he thought he saw it, but there was too much wine to cloud his head... But it couldn't be. Comrade Stalin himself assured him it was impossible. Yet there it was, an intelligence debrief gathered from a captured fascist pigs from Madrid, a synchronized offensive. East and West, no, no... Moscow had to be warned, now.

He paused, telephone in hand. He thought he saw something through the window; The moon was bright tonight, and before she was covered by the clouds, he saw a shadow towards the villa's rear, near the small airfield. Better safe than sorry, he thought. He called his chief o security, Felipe. The man, though already asleep, quickly woke up and immediately rounded 5 men up to investigate, and bade another 3 to stand at the office's windows to watch over the Secretary General. Momentarily distracted as he watched Enrique and his man cross the patio, he turned back to his papers, and remembered the call to Moscow. As he picked up the fone, it gave no signal. It took a moment for realization to dawn upon him, the fascist pigs were actually doing something. Shit, he had been too lax.

He had to think fast. Enrique and his men might not come back. He ran up the stairs to wake up his wife and his chidlren, escorted by his guards. Hearing the urgency in his voice, they rapidly packed some clothes and made a run for the entrance, while shouting for his driver, Arnau. The driver was already awake, and as he ran forward to start the car, Valentín froze as he heard the shots. He watched in horror as Arnau dropped suddenly, striking the car at a run, his left arm and leg pierced by bullets, while a single one had pierced the head from temple to temple, killing him instantly. He saw men in black uniforms spread out to secure the perimeter, taking his own guards by surprise. Shortly after, a man in black SS uniform slowly walked towards them.

-"Herr González?" Asked the man, curtly.
-"Cerdo fascista!" Shouted Valentín, as he tried to tackle the man to the ground. From the side, quickly came the buttstock of a carbine, and his head exploded with pain.
-"Herr González, do not resist. You are to be confined to your quarters. Obey, and your family won't be harmed."

Bleeding and dizzy from the wound on his head, he slowly nodded in agreement. The german soldiers quickly took all their weapons, and escorted the seven of them to his bedroom on the third floor, a paratrooper locking the door behind him. He was ready to die, but there had to be a way to escape. He quickly ordered the guards to help him make a rope from the bedsheets, and smiled as he took his hunting knife and a small pistol from a loose tile on the floor. In a matter of minutes the rope was ready, but then a thick pall of smoke started invading the room, and once again, despair dawned on him. When he opened the window, the entire villa was already on fire, a fire he had never seen, that seemed to burn even through the marble columns beneath. He want desperately to save his children, and took his Enrique, his son, in his arms as he dove towards the patio, hoping there was still time. He felt his legs break on the landing, but the Enrique was safe, and he told the boy to run, and run he did. His eyes welled up from the pain, and his last sight was his wife and baby falling, like burning angels, as the world around him was consumed in flames.

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The Gatell Villa Raid would become one of the most famous covert operations of the whole war. Jointly masterminded by General Kurt Student and recently promoted Hauptsturmführer Otto Skorzeny, a promising officer rapidly raising through the ranks with the patronage of Heydrich himself, the operation was a resounding success. 39 men, including Skorzeny, dropped in 4 modified gliders under the cover of night, departing from a prepared airfield south of Perpignan. While one of the gliders experienced a slight malfunction, the landing was succesful, with only two men suffering minor injuries. The soldiers then spotted an armed group coming from the house, and set up an ambush, killing all six without firing a shot. They then moved to surround the house, eliminating the remaining guards, while securing First Secretary Valentín, his family and three guards up on the master bedroom. The soldiers then proceeded to drench various rooms with gasoline and depositing a 10kg canister of so-called "N-Stoff" with a small detonator attached, before leaving. The soldiers then stole all the vehicles of the household and proceeded to the rendezvous point, where they used a pattern of signal flares to confirm success, and were rescued by a modified Ju-90, which flew back to Perpignan at very low altitudes. Furthermore, the whole operation had to be moved up two days, when the capture of a Spanish Royal Army captain in Madrid by Communist militias represented a leak of very sensitive information, and it became a race against time.

The operation, succesful in spite of the great risk, was nevertheless not discovered or divulged immediately. The Free Spanish authorities, being called on the next day by a messenger, found the site little more than blackened rubble, apparently the result of some great conflagration. While experts were brought for a more complete analysis of the scene, rescue teams were dispatched along the region to look for survivors. It was only on the late afternoon of the next day that they found Valentín's son Enrique, wandering aimlessly through the fields of the Serra. The boy had small burns dotting his body, and was weak, so hungry and thirsty he could barely speak, and passed out a few minutes after rescue came. Thus, it was only on the 20th, after sufficient recovery, that Enrique mentioned "men in black", between sobs, as he remembered the death of his parents. At this point, the forensic chief had already argued a strong case for arson, and so a dossier was made, and Moscow was informed on the 23rd.

Now, as soon as Reich was informed and authorized the operation, they knew all it could accomplish, besides the momentous blow to the Free Spanish leadership on the eve of war, was to delay the knowledge of the invasion. Logistically and strategically speaking, the invasion was ready, so a move up of a few days shouldn't be a problem, if not for the spring rains in Russia. They were late to stop, and the roads were still muddy, which meant a considerable loss of effectiveness in one of the most crucial aspects of the Blitzkrieg: The Panzer arm. Thus, the offensive had, just a few days earlier, been moved to the second week of June, where, it was expected, the roads were sufficiently solid for armored advance. Now, the choice was to attack now, and risk bogging down in the mud enough to allow the Soviets a coordinated retreat and counter-attack, or stick to the plan, and allow them time to prepare. Thanks to local newspapers, it was soon a known fact that González's son had survived, and that a link, however tenuous, could be established, thus giving the Soviets anything from 10 days to three weeks of preparation, depending on the exact speed of the investigation. In the end, a compromise solution was decided upon: The invasion would begin a week early, on June 3rd, where it was estimated that only a few areas would have impassable roads, and that plans could be adapted to take them into account, as to put the timetables behind by just one or two days, at the cost of giving the Stavka probably a week to ten days of preparation.

What remains difficult to predict though, is the human element. The dossier reached the Kremlin on the 23rd, in a pile of documents. Despite being marked as "High Priority", documents from the Spanish were generally given less priority than internal political documents, of which there were a few, since Beria's NKVD was still regularly producing dossiers on purge-worthy candidates in the military. Although the whole batch was sent directly to Beria's office, as was the custom for important documents, the 23rd was a Friday, so it took him two days to sift through the latest batch of internal dossiers, before taking a look at the one from Barcelona, on early Wednesday. Beria was intrigued, but he didn't yet knew the connection or the discovery of the fascist plans, so, there was some back and forth communication for another two days until the matter was cleared up. So, it was late in the night of the 29th, Thursday, and as it was common, Stalin was working in his office, and Beria approached him with the document. Stalin's first reaction was expected, as he shouted in furious denial and blamed the incompetence of the Spanish in protecting their leader. Beria, knowing Stalin for a long time, decided to let the matter settle, and approach it with him again the next night. The second reaction was unexpected: Stalin abruptly left for his dacha at Kuntsevo, and not a word came from there until Sunday, June 1st. That day he invited Timoshenko and Beria, determined to try and correct such a massive miscalculation on his part, but, despite his anger at Goebbels and the Reich, he realized how precarious a position he was caught on, his army weakened, his foreign relations either strained or outright hostile. So, his orders were threefold: The Red Army was to stand their ground at all costs, the Air Force was to stand in maximum readiness, but on the ground, and diplomatic probes would be sent to try and defuse or delay the situation, or at the very least, buy the Stavka some time.

These orders too however, would prove disastrous. As soon as Berlin became aware of the tentative Soviet diplomacy, they knew they had, somehow, still caught them by surprise. Thus it was that, before
daybreak on June 4th, 1941, the big guns, like the war drums of old, heralded the march of nations to war...
 
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