New York City
12/02/1919
Manfred was in wretched spirits as the RMS Cedric docked in New York. His nation was gone, a shell of itself, wracked by disease, communists, and partially occupied by the Belgians and French. He felt as if the sky had collapsed and there was nothing left, no glory, victory, or honor. Especially honor. He had downed 88 Entente planes but that was all for nothing, absolutely nothing. Walking down the gangway, he look at the looming skyscrapers that stood above him. The skyscrapers seemed endless.
America was truly the land of plenty his uncle Walter had spoken of when he visited the family many years ago. They were simply untouched by war. Businesses thrived, rationing was non-existent, and everything seemed to give off a positive aura. It would have been perfect if it wasn't for the Spanish flu that was sweeping across the world.(1) Many had already fallen ill or died in
Deutschland, where the lack of food and medical supplies was a widespread problem. The mere thought of the suffering made Manfred angry. He was angry at the
Generalstab for losing the war, angry at the Entente for the harsh terms imposed on
Deutschland, and angry at the communists for destroying what remained with their antics.(2)
He pushed the anger down and kept walking towards the Waldorf Astoria. It was time to focus on writing his autobiography.
New York City as Manfred would have seen it as he walked towards the Waldorf Astoria. The Roaring Twenties was a time of prosperity and greatness for America.
Deutsche Republik
25/04/1919
Oberleutnant Oskar Reinhart* was having a bad day. The communists were holding their positions and he had to wait for the artillery and
flammenwerfers to move up. Those bastards were tough. He had to give them that. They were suffering from a variety of shortages but somehow they hadn't broken and fled. But he was sure that the
der Stahlhelm would break through given enough time.(3) They would succeed just like how he and the other naval officers had suppressed the Kiel mutiny when he was just a
Fähnrich zur See.(4) Communism had no place in
Deutschland and Oskar intended to keep it that way.(5)
Stahlhelm troops waiting to be deployed for combat against Soviet Bavaria. The fledgling Soviet was crushed after a brutal week long battle, with all captured communists and socialists being executed for treason. Many
Stahlhelm members would join the SA as the Nazi Party gained power and popularity throughout Germany. Later, these same men would be assigned to the SS together with the rest of the SA after the SA leadership was executed and the SA itself dismantled following the Night of Long Knives.
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The Versailles treaty inflicted hardships and suffering on an already broken nation devastated by blockade and war. The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919 only made things worse. Germany suffered terribly during this time, which only added to general hatred against the Entente, the Versailles treaty, and communism. Antisemitism grew exponentially during this time, along with general desire for revenge. Communism was highly unpopular during this time, as they were seen as agitators destroying an already ruined country with their antics about the proletariat and workers councils. Nonetheless, it still had many supporters, who saw it as the path to the future.(6)
German rearmament continued in total secrecy. Many German owned factories in China were underground weapons manufacturing workshops that produced arms for various Chinese warlords while experimenting with new production techniques. The German military would eventually operate secret military training schools in the Soviet Union (after the Treaty of Rapallo) such as
Panzerschule Kama and
Kampffliegerschule Lipezk, but the most important contributor to German rearmament was actually located in the United States. It was a recreational flying and gliding organization founded in Denver by Manfred von Richthofen which simultaneously operated as a front for secret military pilot training. He had founded the organization in 1921 following the overwhelming success of his autobiography "My Name is Manfred", an highly truthful account of his life and experiences as a ace pilot in WW1. The book quickly became a bestseller in the US, UK, and Germany following its initial publication in 1920. Profits from the book quickly made von Richthofen a millionaire (in USD) and a large portion of the book's profits went towards the purchase of a large tract of land outside of Denver, Colorado.(7) This property soon became the Eagle Flying School, which soon attracted flying enthusiasts from all walks of life. Von Richthofen had chose Denver because of it's symbolic connection to the von Richthofen family, as his uncle Walter had lived there for many years and was a instrumental part of Denver's development. As well, Denver was located at a very high altitude, which boosted the altitude acclimatization of students.
The secret branch of the Eagle Flying School trained about 100 pilots a year, and many of their numbers become the Luftwaffe's top aces in the coming war. They were trained in instrument flying, navigation, and other vital aspects of aviation by special instructors, all of which were former German WW1 pilots.(8) Many of the pilots who trained here in the 1920s became training staff when the Luftwaffe was formed, while those trained in the 1930s became squadron or flight leaders, as aerial tactics were also a part of their training program. This secret program operated until 1935, when the institution was closed by Bolko von Richthofen, who ran it after his older brother Manfred returned to Germany with his family in 1930.(9) No one knew about the secret training program except for the instructors, trainees, and a small cadre of administrative personnel, all of whom were sworn to secrecy. The results of this training program were both game-changing and utterly shocking, as the Luftwaffe became the world's best equipped, funded, and trained air force when it underwent its baptism of fire in the Spanish Civil War.
Notes:
All characters marked with a (*) are fictional. But ITTL they will have a major role in defining the future.
1. Spanish flu pandemic was just like OTL. Same amount of people died.
2. Manfred is mad, really mad. OTL the guy was close to a mental breakdown when he was killed in 1918. ITTL this turned to anger and hatred against the people and groups he thought were destroying Germany.
3. Stahlhelm was a paramilitary organization that operated in the Weimar Republic. Most of its members joined the SA after Hitler and the Nazis grew in power. Those that did would join the SS after the SA was completely dismantled following the Night of Long Knives.
4. Fähnrich zur See is German for officer cadet; its a naval rank.
5. Communism is going to become real unpopular very soon in Germany.
6. People will still support it. And those people are going to suffer for their choice after the Nazis gain power.
7. He gave the draft to Charles Scribner's Sons. The rest is history.
8. Many instructors were former members of Jagdgeschwader 1 and other German WW1 fighter squadrons.
9. There were 3 von Richthofen brothers. Not much is known about Bolko, so I gave him some stuff to do.
As usual comments, suggestions and questions are encouraged and welcome!
Until next time y'all!
-Black Dragon