Yes, I'm asking Geon that. Because numbers in the thousands like 1300 or 13700 or 25000, when used for deaths figures, are usually not exactly those numbers, but usually approximations. I'm asking Geon whether the 1300 killed by tabun is exact or an approximation.
How Silent Fall the Cherry Blossoms
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Yes, I'm asking Geon that. Because numbers in the thousands like 1300 or 13700 or 25000, when used for deaths figures, are usually not exactly those numbers, but usually approximations. I'm asking Geon whether the 1300 killed by tabun is exact or an approximation.
That bullet isn't dodged.
It'll be obvious what the target was and everyone in Washington will fear personally threatened and demanding full revenge for what might have been.
Garrison
Donor
The 1300 is probably just a round number estimate. I mean if someone crashed their car because of the gas and it burned up it may be impossible for the authorities to know for certain they were exposed to the Tabun.
Don't know if it would have mattered now, but why didn't the Germans specially outfit captured B-24s or B-17s (KG200 operated several of each) with enough extra fuel tankage for the one-way mission...or at least put US insignia on the Me-264s. A few extra minutes of uncertainty on the part of the P-47's might have made the difference.
Yeah, but Geon's the narrator; he should know the exact number even if no-one in-universe does.
Geon
Donor
Phase III of Trojan Victory
Date: December 18, 1944
Location: Boston
Time: 8:20 a.m. [EST]
As Philadelphia struggled with the chaos caused by the attack of the previous night the next phase of Trojan Victory was about to begin. The Arctic Dream was now approaching Boston harbor. Aboard the ship the final preparations were made. All of the cargo holds were now open to the air. Within the holds in addition to the cargo the Dream had originally been carrying there also a dozen artillery shells filled with Sarin gas. The shells had a special detonation mechanism connected to the bridge where a special switch had been installed. Once the switch was pulled there would be a time delay of two minutes before detonators would cause the shells to explode and release their lethal contents.
Skorzeny was in the wheelhouse with the command crew as they began their run into the harbor. The harbor tug sent out to take them in was surprised as the Arctic Dream sailed past them without even stopping. Several attempts to signal the ship to stop proved fruitless; in fact far from stopping the ship was speeding up as it barreled into the harbor area. A radio call from the tug quickly brought the Coast Guard and two ships tried to get close enough to see what was happening. But the first of the cutters sent out to investigate suddenly found themselves fired upon by two men with machine guns on deck. The other cutter also began to open fire but the men on board had been trained well. Both went prone as they saw the guns aimed up at them and returned fire. A running gun battle was now developing in Boston Harbor as crews of other vessels watched in amazement and horror.
Ahead a terminal for cargo ships came into view. They would hit the docks in a matter of a few minutes now. Skorzeny himself hit the switch and started the detonation timer. Then he reached into his pocket grabbed his capsule and bit into it. He would be dead by the time the ship slammed into the dock five minutes later. All over the ship each of the special team noted the time and quickly took their respective suicide capsules, the last being those on deck who had just hurled a hand grenade at one of the Coast Guard cutters. An explosion killed three men on deck and damaged the cutter forcing it to turn away just at the Arctic Dream slammed into the dock area. Barely a moment later there was a series of loud reports from aboard the ship.
Within moments the docks of Boston were in complete confusion. Police and Fire departments rushed to the scene only to have police and fire personnel falling dead at dockside as were workers trying to evacuate and crews on nearby boats. By 9 a.m. the next phase of Trojan Victory was over. In Boston harbor over 374 people were dead from the Sarin nerve gas cloud released over the dock area.
One final part of Trojan Victory remained to be implemented.
Date: December 18, 1944
Location: Boston
Time: 8:20 a.m. [EST]
As Philadelphia struggled with the chaos caused by the attack of the previous night the next phase of Trojan Victory was about to begin. The Arctic Dream was now approaching Boston harbor. Aboard the ship the final preparations were made. All of the cargo holds were now open to the air. Within the holds in addition to the cargo the Dream had originally been carrying there also a dozen artillery shells filled with Sarin gas. The shells had a special detonation mechanism connected to the bridge where a special switch had been installed. Once the switch was pulled there would be a time delay of two minutes before detonators would cause the shells to explode and release their lethal contents.
Skorzeny was in the wheelhouse with the command crew as they began their run into the harbor. The harbor tug sent out to take them in was surprised as the Arctic Dream sailed past them without even stopping. Several attempts to signal the ship to stop proved fruitless; in fact far from stopping the ship was speeding up as it barreled into the harbor area. A radio call from the tug quickly brought the Coast Guard and two ships tried to get close enough to see what was happening. But the first of the cutters sent out to investigate suddenly found themselves fired upon by two men with machine guns on deck. The other cutter also began to open fire but the men on board had been trained well. Both went prone as they saw the guns aimed up at them and returned fire. A running gun battle was now developing in Boston Harbor as crews of other vessels watched in amazement and horror.
Ahead a terminal for cargo ships came into view. They would hit the docks in a matter of a few minutes now. Skorzeny himself hit the switch and started the detonation timer. Then he reached into his pocket grabbed his capsule and bit into it. He would be dead by the time the ship slammed into the dock five minutes later. All over the ship each of the special team noted the time and quickly took their respective suicide capsules, the last being those on deck who had just hurled a hand grenade at one of the Coast Guard cutters. An explosion killed three men on deck and damaged the cutter forcing it to turn away just at the Arctic Dream slammed into the dock area. Barely a moment later there was a series of loud reports from aboard the ship.
Within moments the docks of Boston were in complete confusion. Police and Fire departments rushed to the scene only to have police and fire personnel falling dead at dockside as were workers trying to evacuate and crews on nearby boats. By 9 a.m. the next phase of Trojan Victory was over. In Boston harbor over 374 people were dead from the Sarin nerve gas cloud released over the dock area.
One final part of Trojan Victory remained to be implemented.
Geon
Donor
You're right this is an approximation. It may be a bit difficult to show how many died from the attack and from natural causes. A person dropping dead from a heart attack for instance, did he die from the gas or from the shock? Later, I will alter the numbers to reflect greater realism.
Geon
Huh? Oh, the V2s?
If I were Hitler, I'd be pretty disappointed in the US mainland attacks when I found out they netted fewer than 2000 casualties - a poor night's work for the RAF. Where is that Diebner and his atom bomb anyway, I'd scream at Speer.
Garrison
Donor
Well in OTL casualty estimates in such incidents are usually repeatedly revised as new information arrives.
My guess it will be the UK. And since Geon dropped the hint earlier that either FDR or Churchill would not live much longer, and FDR at least survived this phase of Trojan Victory to die later of natural causes, the surprise might be that London and Churchie gets it.
In that case, germany better get used to vegetarianism for the foreseeable future.
Interesting idea, and this late in the war with Germany already on the ropes despite their nasty low blows, it's probably something not all that risky. Does that mean Sweden might then join NATO if and when it is established in this TL?
Geon
Donor
Meanwhile in Washington!
Date: December 18, 1944
Location: Washington, D.C.
Time: 12:00 noon [EST]
In Washington, D.C. to say that chaos was reigning would be the greatest understatement ever made! In the White House, in the Capitol, at every office building in the city involved in the war effort people were scrambling to find answers to what had happened.
At the White House reports were now coming in hourly from Philadelphia and Boston. In Philadelphia every hospital was now filled to overflowing and emergency hospitals were being set up in various older buildings around the city. In Boston the docks had been temporarily evacuated while the army sent in special teams to scour the Arctic Dream and find out what had happened. In cities along the East Coast panic reigned. Just as immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor there had been fear of a Japanese invasion on the West Coast so now there were fears of a German invasion on the East Coast. Unrest had broken out again in New York and there were reports of riots in Boston and Philadelphia as people tried to reach emergency medical centers. The army had been called in to restore order in all three cities.
For FDR the day had begun long before sunrise when the secret service had burst into his bedroom and hustled him down to the White House bomb shelter when word of the bomber approaching the Washington, D.C. had been received. He was now dealing with several different crises at once. Not only had cities on the East Coast been hit but news indicated that the Battle in the Ardennes was now a rout with American soldiers retreating with no real guidance from above. General Patton had already been ordered to drive north and launch a counter attack but it would be several days before he was in a position to do so and Montgomery was now starting to realize he might well face a situation similar to his British counterparts at Dunkirk in 1940.
At 12:15 FDR received word that investigations were about to be launched by representatives in Congress from Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. One noted congressman from Pennsylvania was quoted as saying, “A few days ago we were told that the situation was under control and the worst of these attacks was over. If this is what it means to have a situation ‘under control,’ then sir I am Daffy Duck!”
By 12:30 p.m. Roosevelt’s White House butler brought in a tray of lunch for him; soup, a sandwich, a piece of fruit and coffee. The butler had just turned to leave when he heard a moan behind him. Turning around he saw President Roosevelt holding onto the desk and trying to frame words in his mouth then collapsing back into his chair. The butler quickly came closer and loosened FDR’s tie. After checking his pulse and noting he was still breathing he called over the intercom for help. Within moments the Secret Service had entered and one of them quickly ordered the President’s doctor to be brought in. A half hour later the President was in his bed upstairs as the doctor briefed the immediate White House staff and the Secret Service. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had suffered a stroke from the stress.
Date: December 18, 1944
Location: Washington, D.C.
Time: 12:00 noon [EST]
In Washington, D.C. to say that chaos was reigning would be the greatest understatement ever made! In the White House, in the Capitol, at every office building in the city involved in the war effort people were scrambling to find answers to what had happened.
At the White House reports were now coming in hourly from Philadelphia and Boston. In Philadelphia every hospital was now filled to overflowing and emergency hospitals were being set up in various older buildings around the city. In Boston the docks had been temporarily evacuated while the army sent in special teams to scour the Arctic Dream and find out what had happened. In cities along the East Coast panic reigned. Just as immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor there had been fear of a Japanese invasion on the West Coast so now there were fears of a German invasion on the East Coast. Unrest had broken out again in New York and there were reports of riots in Boston and Philadelphia as people tried to reach emergency medical centers. The army had been called in to restore order in all three cities.
For FDR the day had begun long before sunrise when the secret service had burst into his bedroom and hustled him down to the White House bomb shelter when word of the bomber approaching the Washington, D.C. had been received. He was now dealing with several different crises at once. Not only had cities on the East Coast been hit but news indicated that the Battle in the Ardennes was now a rout with American soldiers retreating with no real guidance from above. General Patton had already been ordered to drive north and launch a counter attack but it would be several days before he was in a position to do so and Montgomery was now starting to realize he might well face a situation similar to his British counterparts at Dunkirk in 1940.
At 12:15 FDR received word that investigations were about to be launched by representatives in Congress from Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. One noted congressman from Pennsylvania was quoted as saying, “A few days ago we were told that the situation was under control and the worst of these attacks was over. If this is what it means to have a situation ‘under control,’ then sir I am Daffy Duck!”
By 12:30 p.m. Roosevelt’s White House butler brought in a tray of lunch for him; soup, a sandwich, a piece of fruit and coffee. The butler had just turned to leave when he heard a moan behind him. Turning around he saw President Roosevelt holding onto the desk and trying to frame words in his mouth then collapsing back into his chair. The butler quickly came closer and loosened FDR’s tie. After checking his pulse and noting he was still breathing he called over the intercom for help. Within moments the Secret Service had entered and one of them quickly ordered the President’s doctor to be brought in. A half hour later the President was in his bed upstairs as the doctor briefed the immediate White House staff and the Secret Service. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had suffered a stroke from the stress.
Hello President Wallace!
Then President Truman? With the election over and Truman the VP designee but not sworn in, could we see a constitutional crisis? This story gets better and better every update.
Not at all surprising, but wow!!!
Succession crisis, here we come. I'm not sure of when the Electoral College convened during the 1944 election cycle, but this presents a huge problem for them.
One hell of a TL, Geon. Great work so far.
Succession crisis, here we come. I'm not sure of when the Electoral College convened during the 1944 election cycle, but this presents a huge problem for them.
One hell of a TL, Geon. Great work so far.
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