My timeline project (WW2 1940-1975)

Hello everyone, I have been reading this forum for years and I have finally summoned up the courage to post the alternate history project that I have been writing and researching on-and-off for the past four years or so.

This is yet another alternative Second World War but with this project I worked backwards. I imagined an alternate world in 1975 and then worked backwards to fill in the details to reach this world. I wanted an alt-hist WW2 world where:
- The USSR continued to exist as a major power
- Britain retained at least a vague semblance of the Empire
- Nuclear power played a more active role
- China was split between the Communists and Nationalists

I split this project in multiple parts to make it easier for me to organize.

1. The timeline
2. National profiles for the major nations
3. OOBs for the major nations
4. A short history of space exploration
5. An overview of the Axis automotive industry

I'll post the initial timeline and two of the national profiles first, if you all are interested I'll post the other information. I have tried to keep everything as plausible as possible but there are parts that I know are not as strong as others. I believe the parts dealing with Japan and China are the weakest. Hopefully you all can help me refine and strengthen this fictional world. :)

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Timeline
-Italy does not invade Greece in 1940-
December 7th, 1941 – Japanese forces invade Thailand, Malaya and the city of Hong Kong. Allied forces are unable to stop them and soon Japanese troops are sweeping through Southeast Asia. U.S. President Roosevelt protests publicly but the American people are not interested in joining a war to defend European colonies on the “other side of the world”.

Winter 1941-1942 – German and Soviet forces clash in brutal battles along the Eastern Front. A Soviet counter-offensive barely saves Moscow from capture.

Spring 1942 – The German spring offensive on the Eastern Front makes strong gains in southern Russia but the battle lines stabilize into a stalemate situation along the central and northern fronts.

August 22nd, 1942 – The USS George Jameson, a freighter carrying locomotives, is sunk by a German U-Boat within sight of New York harbor. 32 sailors die during the sinking and the event is widely publicized in American papers. American public opinion begins to favor war and President Roosevelt announces that American Destroyers escorting ships to Britain will now “actively pursue enemy warships” attempting to sink unarmed merchant vessels.

September 9th 1942 – The USS Lansdale, a Benson class Destroyer, is sunk after a short battle with the German Light Cruiser Nürnberg while escorting a convoy of American freighters. The event drives President Roosevelt to declare war on Germany on September 10th 1942.

Late 1942 – Japanese forces have almost completely driven the Allies out of the Southwestern Pacific and now control all of the Dutch East Indies and Indochina.

December 2nd 1942 – Japanese bombers attack Australia. They cause only minor damage but the attack greatly alarms President Roosevelt, who wishes to enter the war and assist his struggling allies. While the U.S. is now allied with Britain against Nazi Germany, Roosevelt can’t find enough public and political support to join the British in their war against the Japanese as well.

Spring/Summer 1943 – German and Soviet forces engage in several massive battles. The Battle of Tula ends with the Soviets barely stopping the German advance. In the south, a Soviet attempt to recapture Kharkov ends in disaster, with over 300,000 Soviet troops surrendering when fast moving German divisions encircle them. The failure of the Soviet southern offensive is a massive blow to Soviet morale and manpower. In Moscow there are whispers of a possible ceasefire with the Germans as both nations slowly bleed each other dry. Several influential German commanders also express their wishes for a ceasefire with Wehrmacht Chief of Staff Wilhelm Keitel. With America now in the war, the Germans fear a possible cross-channel invasion might crush any dreams of the Reich surviving the conflict.

British and American bombers begin attacking German cities and industrial centers in large daylight raids.

October 11th 1943 – After several widely publicized incidents with Japan (including the sinking of an unarmed passenger ship) President Roosevelt formally declares war on the Empire of Japan and sends American forces to assist British and Commonwealth troops in the Southwestern Pacific. The declaration of war is met with only lukewarm support by the American people, with isolationist politicians and celebrities leading protests outside the White House.

December 20th 1943 – Soviet leader Josef Stalin dies of a sudden heart attack at his Moscow dacha. Lavrentiy Beria and his supporters take control and announce a “massive new counter offensive” will be taking place within the coming month. In the wake of several recent disastrous military campaigns, many Soviet politicians and generals know this “offensive” is a charade and decide to act before the nation collapses. On January 19th 1944, a group of Soviet officers enter the Kremlin and arrest Beria. Beria is executed within an hour and the coup conspirators select Georgy Malenkov to become the new head of the nation. Malenkov is believed to be a weak-willed bureaucrat who will be easily controlled by Mikoyan, Molotov, Kaganovich, Zhukov, Khrushchev, Bulganin and other key members of the Soviet state. The Soviet military is in a state of chaos as a result of several military failures in the past summer. Through the Bulgarian Embassy, the Soviet government begins to send messages asking for ceasefire talks with the Germany. The first message is ignored by the Germans but the second and third messages are met with warmer responses. Hitler is reluctant to begin ceasefire talks but he is convinced after the impassioned pleas of several of his most trusted advisors (Speer, Keitel, Jodl and von Rundstedt being some of the most adamant supporters of the peace deal).

February 1st 1944 – German and Soviet peace delegates meet in an abandoned Tsarist dacha outside the city of Orel. Both sides are pleased to find that they both agree on the same set of terms: a “white” peace along the current frontlines and mutual exchange of prisoners. The Soviets also agree to accept any refugees forced from conquered lands now under German rule. Two days later the peace treaty (known as the Treaty of Orel) is announced and the fighting stops. The new German-Soviet border is drawn at Leningrad-Smolensk-Rostov, with the Soviets retaining control of those cities. Almost immediately, the Germans begin expelling millions of Slavs from the territories they hold. The Soviets have lost the Baltic States, Poland, Belarus and most of the Ukraine region to the Germans but they have managed to hold onto all of “traditional” Russia, the Caucasus region and the Central Asian republics. The treaty sparks intense debate in the Soviet leadership but military necessity wins out and the Soviets accept the fact that they must give up the German-occupied regions. In the German High Command, a few generals wish to continue the war but most are elated at their immense victory. The Reich has almost tripled in size and huge swaths of fertile land and abundant resources are now open to “Aryan settlement”.

Spring/Summer 1944 - 1945 - The Germans begin to shift hundreds of thousands of soldiers and thousands of tanks and planes from the Eastern Front to France and the Low Countries to face the expected Anglo-American invasion. After a long and somber meeting, Roosevelt and Churchill decide that the planned invasion of Europe will likely not be successful and it is cancelled. With the Soviets out of the war and the cross-Channel invasion cancelled, the two Allied leaders begin to question their ability to defeat Hitler’s Germany.

The Philippines are captured by the Japanese after a long and bloody six month battle with American, Filipino, British and Commonwealth forces. The disastrous land campaign is only partially compensated by two decisive Allied naval victories: the Battle of the Sulu Sea and the Battle of the Sanda Sea. These two battles result in the sinking of three Japanese carriers, two battleships and two heavy cruisers but with each passing day the Japanese solidify their holdings. The British public, relieved by the end of the fighting in Europe, now begin to question the country’s involvement in the protracted and bloody Pacific war. The 1944 American presidential election is won by Republican Thomas E. Dewey who runs on the campaign slogan: “Peace abroad, prosperity at home”. Dewey and Churchill meet in London to discuss the future of the war and both agree to approach the Germans and Japanese with “status quo” terms like the Soviet Union and Germany had both agreed on a year earlier. Such a peaceful settlement will allow both sides to keep “face” in the eyes of their citizens. Beginning to feel the effects of the massive Anglo-American bombing campaign, the Germans are eager to join peace talks. The Western Allies and Germany agree to peace on February 2nd, 1945 (Treaty of Lisbon) and the Western Allies and Japan agree to peace on March 10th, 1945 (Treaty of Zurich). The Second World War is over.

The rest of 1945 is a year of peace, demobilization and prisoner-exchanges for the major powers. The Soviet-German border becomes a heavily fortified no-mans land even as millions of Soviet citizens flee into Russia to escape the brutality of the Nazi occupiers. Millions of refugees are directed towards Siberia and the Central Asian republics, where they being to toil in newly settled farming, mining and factory towns. Many of these refugees will be sent to the Kazakh SSR where the population will quadruple in the coming years. The Soviet Union has lost almost 500,000 square miles of land to the German Reich. The conquered areas are twice as large as Germany proper and the new border is over 1,000 miles long.

The Soviet Union remains a powerful force but the Germans are confident that they will be able to control and eventually overpower the devastated nation. Hitler views the Soviet Union’s survival as a motivator to keep the German people constantly vigilant and prepared for future conflict, he remarks: “A civilization without enemies will become weak and degenerate. The German people must perpetually be ready for war.”

1946-1950 - The years between 1946 and 1950 are a time of rebuilding and cooling politician tension. While most of the powers begin rebuilding diplomatic relations, the Soviets and Germans continue to fortify the border zone and menace each other. Malenkov tours Communist China (North China) and meets with Premier Mao. Mao and Malenkov agree to forge closer ties and strengthen the Communist cause. Malenkov also pledges to send Mao weapons and aircraft for use against Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalists. American-Japanese relations remain tense but the Americans are allowed to ship food and medical supplies to the Philippines. Agents of the OSS infiltrate the country and begin to secretly assist Filipino resistance groups.

The Pacific War is over but the United States and Japan still greatly distrust each other. Prisoner exchanges occur and the first American observers arrive in the Philippines to ensure the safety of Filipino civilians but their efforts are hampered by the Japanese occupation army. When U.S. President Dewey hears that Filipino villages and towns are being pillaged by Japanese soldiers he orders the US Navy to move off the coast of Manila and escort freighters loaded with grain as they unload. The Imperial Japanese Fleet sorties battleships to block the US fleet from reaching the Philippines but when a dozen US carriers and battleships are reported forming up at Hawaii the Japanese back down. The American freighters, loaded with grain, arrive in Manila and the food is distributed throughout the island nation. President Dewey proclaims over radio that the US will do “everything possible” to ensure the Filipino people are treated with respect and dignity.

The Japanese rule their vast empire brutally and millions of non-Japanese Asians suffer from famine as the occupiers confiscate agricultural goods to feed the Home Islands. They also begin exploiting the vast resources of Asia to feed their growing economic power. The Japanese appoint puppet rulers in their new colonies to help maintain order.

As the years pass, the Germans, Italians and Japanese begin to consolidate their new colonial empires. The Germans embark on a brutal system of depopulation and colonization in the eastern lands of their sprawling empire. Millions of people are deported across the Soviet border and millions more simply disappear. The Germans blame the disappearances on “poor communication” in the brutalized eastern lands but rumors abound of “death camps”. The Soviet Union faces deadly food shortages as it struggles to cope with missions of displaced refugees flooding across the border. These famines are alleviated by American food shipments and new farms being established in the Central Asian republics.

In Africa, the Italians pursue an aggressive program of colonization and depopulation of natives to build their colonial empire. Mussolini works to gain favor with Arab leaders and appoints several Muslims to ranking positions in the colonial administration. In Italian Ethiopia, the Christian natives (Christians being the group most loyal to exiled King Haile Selassie) are treated harshly and forced out of the cities into desolate rural areas. Muslim natives are treated much better, with several remote Muslim regions being given limited autonomy.

Britain and the US lead the Western World with strong economic growth and home prosperity. The British hold onto their Empire by allowing certain colonies self-determination in exchange for military alliances. The dominion states of Canada, Australia and New Zealand join the United Kingdom as partners, helping form a buffer against the Axis powers. A general uprising in India is averted only by diplomatic talks that result in the nation becoming independent but still remaining a vital ally of the Commonwealth. The new India becomes a prosperous member of the Commonwealth and British goods flow into the country. In exchange for independence and generous amounts of developmental assistance the Indians remain loyal allies of the Empire.

On June 19th, 1947, the United States detonates the world’s first atomic bomb. The development of this revolutionary weapon having been delayed by significant technical difficulties.

1951-1955 The Third Reich and United States are the top military powers in the world with Britain, Japan and Italy trailing behind.. The Soviet Union continues to rebuild from the ceasefire. New mines, farms and factories in the Caucasus region, Siberia and Central Asia begin to produce huge amounts of resources. Extensive oil fields are found in Kazakhstan and the Caspian Sea. The United States and Great Britain send the Soviet Union teams of expert engineers and complex machinery to help exploit these energy resources.

Mao’s Communist forces invaded Tibet in 1952, sparking a minor crisis as Japan and the West found themselves in the awkward position of both protesting politically. The Republic of China launched its own pre-emptive invasion to secure several areas in Eastern Tibet before they could be captured by Communist troops. Troops from North and South China exchanged small-arms fire and artillery bombardments during the short invasion but pressure from the Soviet Union and the United States kept the war from spilling into a full conflict. Under American pressure, the Republic of China agreed to implement several economic and political reforms in order to receive military assistance shipments.

In the post-war period, Italy managed to settle over 100,000 new colonists in their colonial lands. A geological survey in Libya and Tunisia uncover oil deposits and the Italians move to quickly exploit these new finds. Italian efforts to establish colonial settlements in East Africa steadily move along but are hampered by corruption and sporadic native resistance.

By 1955 the war has been over for a decade, Axis and Allied relations continue to improve with the exception of German/Soviet contact. Even the US and Japan come to a settlement. The Japanese continue to hold the Philippines but newly elected President Kefauver manages to push forward a treaty that allows large numbers of Filipinos to immigrate to the United States. Some of these Filipino refugees later return to their home nation clandestinely as American spies. The US continues to supply food and medical supplies to the nation along with secret military assistance to resistance groups.
British, American and German relations also improve as business groups in the Western nations move to work once more inside Germany. Lufthansa resumes flights to the United States in 1953 and England in 1954.

Adolph Hitler dies in 1952 and is replaced by his shrewd accomplice, Martin Bormann. Bormann leads a government composed of Goring, Rosenberg, von Ribbentrop, Rudolf Hoess, Odilo Globocnik and Joseph Goebbels. Reinhard Heydrich takes command of the SS after Heinrich Himmler dies in a 1949 plane crash.

The Nazi Empire expands as “Aryan” colonists repopulate the lands once part of the Soviet Union and Poland. Pro-Nazi loyalists from Denmark, Norway, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands are also encouraged to settle these areas. Hundreds of miles of new Autobahn are built and the revitalized city of Germania (Berlin) is a glorious showpiece for the Reich. German continues to deny any allegations of “massacres” and “death camps”, writing them off as Soviet propaganda. To help divert attention, the Germans extensively (and publically) investigate sites of Stalinist terror located in the Soviet regions they occupy. International journalists are shown excavated mass graves and forensics evidence linking the Soviet state to numerous massacres. The prestige of the Reich is further increased by the first test of a German atomic bomb on March 7th, 1952. The United States responds by conducting the first test of a hydrogen bomb on May 16th, 1952. The United Kingdom tests its first atomic bomb on August 10th, 1953.

As the great powers continue to expand their global influence, new areas of conflict open up in Africa, Central America and South America. The Axis and Allied (UN) power-blocs try to convert neutral nations to their ideological cause. In South America, Brazil is a powerful ally of the West while Juan Peron’s Argentina openly courts the Third Reich. In 1952, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Peru, Venezuela and Colombia sign the United Americas Treaty (UAT), this military and economic alliance is intended to counter Axis influence in Central and South America. Large amounts of American developmental assistance money flows southward into UAT member states.

1956-1965 – The years of uneasy peace continue as the two world blocks (Axis and Allied) struggle to build up their own economic, political and military strength. In South America, Argentina continues to draw closer towards Japan and Germany as Uruguay and Chile also court the Axis powers. The American-led UAT alliance also grows in economic prosperity and military strength.

The German-Soviet border is a fortified and heavily mined no-man’s land that runs for over 1000 miles. The border area is defended on both sides by hundreds of thousands of troops and thousands of tanks and guns. The border is only crossed by groups of Slavic refugees fleeing (or being expelled by) the German occupation authorities. In the years between 1945 and 1965 nearly twenty million people flee across the border into the Soviet Union. This exodus is one of the largest in human history and places a massive burden on the Soviet Union as the nation struggles to provide enough food, shelter and work for the refugees. Many of the refugees are directed to the rapidly expanding cities in Central Asia, Siberia and the Urals region of Russia. The Soviets remain allies of the United States and Great Britain but they begin to move towards a more independent “third” path that places emphasis on self-reliance and a historical view of the war that casts doubt on the commitment of American and British leaders towards defeating the forces of Fascism. Several books published in the USSR even go as far to blame the Western powers for the nation’s war-time tragedies; claiming that “Western capitalists” were plotting to allow the Soviet Union to be defeated in order to make a separate peace with Hitler.

In the Pacific, Japan and the United States remain adversaries but there are moves towards demilitarization of certain areas and the Japanese even begin to loosen some of their stringent restrictions on Filipino citizens although the country remains under their firm control. The Japanese also reward some of their most loyal “allied governments” with limited autonomy although many low-level resistance groups operate in the occupied Asian nations. In the immediate post-war years, a renewed offensive by the Communists and KMT had freed coastal areas of China, pushing the Japanese back to the Manchurian border. Tensions between Mao and Chiang Kai-shek were soon approaching open conflict but before open war, the two Chinese leaders agreed to a ceasefire with the Japanese, who were also hoping for an end to the resource and manpower draining struggle. After the ceasefire, Chiang Kai-shek and the nationalists retained control of southern China (south of the Yangtze River), with Mao controlling the north and Japan dominating Manchuria. Mao’s People’s Republic of China (North China) became a loyal ally regime of Stalin while Chiang Kai-shek’s Republic of China (South China) became a pro-Western regime supported by the United States.

1965-1970 – In 1966 the final manifestation of the British Empire emerges as the “Commonwealth Federation”. Under this system, all overseas bodies will be given self-rule but they can decide on their future connection to the United Kingdom. Full entry into the Federation entails: supporting British foreign policy and joining in a formal military alliance with Britain, allowing British military bases to be established on their territory, joining Britain in an economic and trade partnership, agreeing to joint citizenship and customs discussions, accepting the British monarch as a symbolic “head of state” and accepting the British Privy Council as the body for final court appeals. In exchange for this, the nation would gain: military protection and assistance from Britain, preferential trade agreements, development assistance, a yearly quota for students to study at British universities and eased paths for immigration to the British Isles. The second option was similar but would allow the nation to pursue a fully independent foreign policy at the expense of not joining the formal military alliance (and thus not having guaranteed protection from the British armed forces) and having less preferential trade agreements. The third option was full and complete separation from the British Empire as it existed in 1965.
India did not take part in this world-spanning referendum, having agreed to a separate settlement with Britain years early. India had joined the United Kingdom in a military defense pact, a trade and customs treaty and allowed Britain to lease several base in India. Nations voting and ratifying “Option One” would be represented on a newly formed Commonwealth Council by two voting members. Nations voting for “Option Two” would get one voting member and less power in the council while nations choosing option “Option Three” would only get observer status membership and the limited power to raise issues before the council. Anguilla, Bermuda, Diego Garcia, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Montserrat, the Pitcairn Islands, the Saint Kitts and Nevis Islands, Saint Helena, the Sandwich Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands remained as “dependent territories”, under the complete control of the United Kingdom.

The results of the vote were as follows:

Option 1 – Total entry into the Commonwealth Federation
-Canada
-Australia
-New Zealand
-Trinidad and Tobago
-Jamaica
-Union of Arab Emirates
-Kuwait
-Guyana
-Barbados
-Mauritius
-Samoa
-Bahamas
-Seychelles
-Gambia
-Maldives
-Sierra Leone
-Ghana
-Solomon Islands
-Grenada
-Grenadines Islands
-Antigua and Barbuda
-Belize
-Saint Lucia
-Dominica
-Comoros
-Réunion

Option 2 – Entry into the Commonwealth Federation but retaining a fully independent foreign policy
-Nigeria
-Sudan
-Kenya

Option 3 – Full separation
-South Africa
-Rhodesia
-Tanzania
-Sri Lanka
-Pakistan
-Zambia
-Malawi
-Uganda
-Namibia
-Botswana

Small nations and the “settler” nations (with majority European populations) were quick to join the Federation while larger “post-colonial” states opted for the second form of membership or total separation. South Africa and Rhodesia opted for independence from the Commonwealth Federation but retained cultural and economic links with the United Kingdom. The citizenship process between the Commonwealth members and the UK was streamlined and immigration quotas were increased for favored member states.

In 1969, several prominent professors and researchers at Columbia University released a controversial paper known unofficially as the “Columbia Report”, which claimed 15 million people (7 million Jews, 2.5 million Soviet POWs, 4.5 million non-Jewish civilians living in conquered Soviet lands and 1 million Gypsies and others) died as a result of Nazi policies between 1939 and 1959. The report claimed that these deaths were the result of the following factors: starvation, harsh forced labor conditions and death from exposure and disease as a result of living in squalid conditions. The report also concluded that at least 2 million of these victims died as a result of execution by firing squads and “other means”. The report, which took almost 9 years to complete, was compiled from over 1000 interviews, meticulous research on pre- and post-war census data and Soviet government records concerning displaced refugees. The report also claimed that the Germans were able to dispose of the massive amount of bodies quickly through the use of “large crematoriums”. The report’s release was met with shock in the Western world and Soviet Union. Germany quickly denied the report’s findings and claimed that many of the deaths were indirectly caused by disease and Allied bombing raids on rail lines that supplied food to Jewish population centers. The German government also claimed that Soviet refugees interviewed for the report had been instructed by Moscow to grossly inflate the number of reported deaths. A massive anti-Nazi demonstration outside the German embassy in Washington D.C. was attended by almost 100,000 people. The U.S. government, acting in the desire for détente with Nazi Germany, only issued a statement decrying the report’s findings and called for Germany to admit any wrongdoing. Requests by the American government to allow investigative teams to visit the Eastern provinces of the Reich were quickly rejected by Berlin. Jewish groups within the U.S. were outraged and the Soviet Union was greatly disappointed at the lukewarm American condemnation. British PM James Callaghan became popular on both sides of the Atlantic after he strongly condemned the Nazi regime in light of the report’s findings.

1971-1975 – By the early Seventies, the Japanese Empire had been forced to take further actions to appease its large and restless colonial population. The state of Thailand had become almost fully independent and was a client of Japan, while the island of Java received autonomy as a reward for the population’s loyalty and pro-Japanese attitudes. Burma also received limited autonomy although Japan retained a large military presence in the area and dictated the state’s economic and foreign policy decisions. The unstable situation in Vietnam was placated as Japan granted autonomy to the government in exchange for an unalterable military and economic alliance. Vietnam was also forced to agree to house a large number of Japanese military personnel. Korea, Manchuria (Manchukuo), Hainan and Formosa remained under complete Japanese control. Anti-Japanese resistance movements remained active in occupied areas of the Philippines, the East Indies and New Guinea.

Worldwide trade dropped slightly in the 1970s with Britain facing the most significant economic problems of the capitalist nations. The Soviet Union, buoyed by slowly rising world oil prices, continued to grow as a credible “third” bloc although the nation still maintained a firm anti-Axis and pro-UN diplomatic stance. Facing the growing power of North and South China, along with a powerful Soviet Union, the Japanese sought to build their nuclear arsenal and increase the power of their Asian client states (especially Thailand and Vietnam). The world struggle between the various powers had also moved into other fields, such as space exploration, scientific discoveries and influence in the neutral parts of the world.
 
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Greater German Reich
National Profile – 1975

Population: 95,875,000 (This number only reflects the population of Großdeutschland and the eastern settlement areas)
Government Type: National Socialist Dictatorship
Capital: Berlin
Land Area: 796,005 square miles (This number only reflects the land area of Großdeutschland and the eastern settlement areas)

Führer and Reich Chancellor: Martin Bormann
Reich Party Chancellor: Philipp Bouhler
Reichsführer-SS: Reinhard Heydrich
Reich Foreign Minister: Walther Hewel
Reich Interior Minister: Albert Speer
Director of the RSHA: Ernst Kaltenbrunner

5 Largest Cities:
1-Berlin
2-Hamburg
3-Vienna
4-Munich
5-Cologne

General and Political History: 1945-1975

On February 2nd, 1945 the Axis and Allied powers signed the “Treaty of Lisbon”, ending the Second World War in Europe. At the end of hostilities, Germany had accomplished many of its war objectives but still faced significant problems. Allied bombing raids in the last three years of the war had devastated portions of the German economy, guerillas and resistance movements remained active in many of the occupied countries and the ceasefire with the Soviet Union (signed on February 1st, 1944) had left Germany facing a still strong and vengeful Soviet state across the border.

The immediate years after the war saw troop demobilizations occur slowly as the German military sought to combat partisans and retain a strong standing defense along the Soviet border. The years between 1945 and 1948 were a time of hardship for the German people as the nation’s economy struggled to return to a peacetime footing. It is a testament to the faith of the German people in the Reich government and Adolph Hitler that they quietly went along with these years of hardship.

By 1952 the nation had been at peace for 9 years and citizens were beginning to reap the rewards of Germany’s new place as the dominant power in continental Europe. The hundreds of thousands of young soldiers returning home from military service provided a massive labor pool and added to Germany’s rapidly growing consumer market. The vast areas of captured land provided vast amounts of raw materials and new areas for agriculture.

On June 18th, 1952 Adolf Hitler died at the age of 63. In the last two years of his life, Hitler had been stricken with multiple illnesses and much of the day-to-day work of running the Reich had been passed onto a carefully picked group of potential successors. While he lay on his death bed, Hitler summoned a dozen of his most loyal subordinates and told them that Martin Bormann would replace him as leader of Nazi Germany. Bormann had been especially close to Hitler for decades and carefully controlled access to the Führer in his last years of illness. A shrewd bureaucrat, Bormann was a master at the political infighting that was an integral part of Nazi politics. He was especially skilled at forging compromises and alliances among the various “cliques” that existed within the German state and his 1952 appointment as leader of the Reich was met with only muted disapproval from certain groups.

Bormann went about overseeing the Reich’s continuing economic growth and moved to follow the advice of individuals like Albert Speer by encouraging consumer goods and foodstuffs production in order to the provide the German people with the highest standard of living in Europe (and thus securing their loyalty to the regime).

The integration of German’s occupied lands also became an issue of vital importance to Bormann. In 1947 Hitler had quietly ordered the ending of the outright killing programs and ordered all surviving “Jews, gypsies and Communists” to be immediately deported across the German-Soviet border. This program of deportation became one of the most contentious issues that the Allies and Soviet Union had to deal with in regards to the Reich. Millions of civilians were deported across the ceasefire line and sent into the Soviet Union. The USSR struggled to cope with these millions of exiles in the post-war era and American shipments of foods were especially important.

Germany’s occupation policy fell roughly into three categories. “Aryan” states like Norway, Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands continued to be occupied by German military forces but were left alone for the most part. Although the Reich called these states “independent Aryan allies” in propaganda, they were essentially puppet regimes subservient to the Reich. Germany completely controlled the foreign and economic policies policy of these states but they also made careful efforts to win over the populations of these nations with domestic autonomy and economic investment. Germany’s expanding economy viewed these developed states as vital markets for goods and by 1960 these efforts had paid off as the resistance movements in these countries had been effectively reduced to limited efforts by governments-in-exile and isolated groups. Inhabitants of these countries who directly helped the Reich were rewarded richly but many others were simply content with going on with their lives.

Areas like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Bohemia-Moravia were similar to the Western “Aryan” states but they had even less autonomy. Pro-Nazi local politicians were appointed to run these states and they became dependent parts of the Reich economy. Like in the Western “Aryan” states, German became the mandatory second-language in all schools and efforts were made to “Germanize” Aryan inhabitants of these occupied areas by encouraging them to enlist in special units of the Waffen-SS. Inhabitants of the Baltic states and Bohemia-Moravia who assisted the Germans and enlisted in the volunteer military units were rewarded with tracts of land and monetary bonuses.

The remaining occupied areas of the Germany (Poland, Belarus and the Ukraine) were under complete control of the Reich and efforts were made to completely erase the local cultures of these regions and fully integrate them into Germany proper. Tens of millions of inhabitants of these areas were deported across the Soviet border and “Aryan” colonists were encouraged to settle in the vast open areas of land. The inhabitants of these regions faced the most brutal actions of the German Reich and many fled for safety in the Soviet Union on their own accord. Remaining and isolated groups of local inhabitants who had accepted German rule were left to become gradually “Germanized”. The main areas of German settlement were known as:

-Reichskommissariat Ukraine (Ukraine)
-Reichskommissariat Weißruthenien (Belarus)
-Generalgouvernement(Poland)

Belarus suffered the most out of these regions, as almost the entire pre-war Slavic population was deported into the Soviet Union. In Poland and the Ukraine much of the population was also forced out in the post-war decades but certain groups were allowed to stay provided they accepted German rule. Groups like this included Cossacks in the Ukraine and the Goralenvolk in Poland.

Germany’s efforts to colonize the depopulated former areas of the USSR met with varied success in the post-war decades. Although the German military’s depopulation and anti-partisan operations ended many of the widespread resistance movements in the region, many German families were not excited about the prospect of settling the rugged and sparsely populated settlement areas. To encourage settlement, the Reich government began to offer tax-breaks, cash rewards and even free tractors for farmers. The Reich government also began to invite people of pure “Aryan” blood from Denmark, Norway, France and Belgium to settle in these regions.

These efforts resulted in thousands of small family farms begin built all over the lands of the former-USSR but the most productive agricultural enterprises were massive commercial farms known as “Kombines” (made possible by post-war relaxing of business controls). To counter the influence and growing economic power of these agro-businesses, the Nazi Party began offering subsidies to large communal farms (Gemeindwirtschaften) where groups of settler families (preference was given to loyal Party members) could pool their resources and money together on large plots of land. These community farms could not match the output of the commercial farms but they gave the Party leverage against industrialists and the military in the settlement areas.

As a result of these expensive programs there were almost six million “Aryan” settlers living in the settlement regions by 1975. Certain areas, such as the Crimea and Dnieper River region, had reached high levels of economic output and became vital parts of the Reich economy.

Germany’s settlement plans and the expansion of the military were vital issues in the post-war period but the complex nature of the Nazi regime itself was also an issue to be dealt with. The Nazi Party, SS, military, industrialists and numerous other groups all attempted to gain power and influence over the state. The growing power of the Waffen-SS was curbed only by the other branches of the armed forces (Army, Navy, Airforce) putting up a united front. By 1960 the SS had been forced to yield some power in the face of Germany’s traditional institutions but the “Black Order” still held enormous influence (especially in the eastern settlement areas).

Foreign Affairs:

Germany is the leading member of both the Tripartite Pact and the Anti-Comintern Pact. Germany’s most important allies are Italy, Japan (in addition to Japan’s puppet regimes), Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Finland and Spain. Secondary allies include Portugal, Croatia, Serbia, Argentina and Uruguay. Germany maintains friendly diplomatic and economic relations with Sweden, Montenegro, Greece, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan.

Economy and Trade:

As the second largest economy in the world, Germany can maintain both high standards of living for its citizens and a massive military. A “mixed” system, the German economy is dominated by large state-supported cartels (such as in the automotive and chemical industries) and influential private companies. Many aspects of heavy industry and resource extraction are run by massive cartels that work directly with the government in order to secure monopoly-like contracts. In contrast, most of the consumer goods industry is run by private firms. This economic system, combined with Germany’s wealthy and growing middle class, has allowed German citizens to experience a high standard of living. This high standard of living has no doubt contributed to the widespread public support of the regime into the modern age.

The vast territory of the Reich holds many natural resources but Germany imports much from neighboring states like Italy, Romania, Turkey and Sweden. German industrial products and consumer goods are exported all over Europe and even reach Japanese and South American markets.

Transport:

The Reich maintains an impressive system of roads and high-speed rail lines. Thousands of miles of high-speed Autobahn roadways connect all parts of the Reich. The explosion in private automobiles use in the postwar period and the need for military access resulted in several massive Autobahn expansion projects being undertaken in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Germany’s large consumer automobile market is dominated by six companies: Volkswagen, Opel, Borgward, Auto Union, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Foreign imports from Germany’s allies, especially Italy and Sweden, make up a small part of the market.

Germany maintains an impressive system of both passenger and rail lines. As of 1975, several high-speed freight and passenger rail lines connect most of Western Europe and Germany to the various parts of the occupied East and all major cites in between. High-speed freight locomotives pulling trains of refrigeration cars bring fresh fruit and vegetables from Eastern farms directly to the dense population centers of Germany and Western Europe.

Science and Technology:

As one of the world’s superpowers Germany maintains a high standard of scientific and technological advancement. Germany is a world leader in several fields such as rocketry, optics, chemicals, missile guidance and manned spaceflight. The German atomic energy program is highly advanced but still lags behind its American counterpart in terms of advancements and discoveries.

Germany’s advanced space program has been a source of national pride for decades. Starting from humble beginnings in the post-war period, Wernher Von Braun led Germany to launch the world’s first satellite and the world’s first manned mission. By 1969 Germany had landed the first men on the moon and was planning a lunar outpost. Lunar exploration has remained the focus of the program since then but there are plans in place for manned Mars expeditions in the coming decade. The technologies used for this program have significant military applications and Germany’s photo-reconnaissance satellites are also among the world’s most advanced.

Energy Resources:

The Reich government has constantly been worried about the security of energy resources to maintain the nation’s massive military. The experiences of the First and Second World Wars have taught Germany’s leaders that energy independence is a vital part of national security. This quest for energy security has driven Germany to invest heavily in synthetic fuel production and atomic power. As of 1975, over 72% of Germany’s electrical power is generated by atomic power stations, the rest being produced by coal, natural gas and hydroelectric sources. Germany’s atomic power plants are fueled by numerous uranium mines found in the Reich and four large fuel breeding centers.

Petroleum produced by the liquefaction of domestic coal accounts for 41% of Germany’s fuel use, with the remaining 59% being met by Norwegian oil fields and imports from Romania and Italy.
 
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United States of America
National Profile – 1975

Population: 215,973,000
Government Type: Federal Republic
Capital: Washington D.C.
Land Area: 3,794,066 square miles

President: Lyndon B. Johnson
Vice-President: Henry M. Jackson
Secretary of State: Dean Rusk
Secretary of War: Thomas S. Gates
Secretary of the Treasury: Henry H. Fowler
OSS Director: William R. Peers

5 Largest Cities:
1-New York
2-Chicago
3-Los Angeles
4-Houston
5-Philidephia

General and Political History: 1945-1975

The history of the United States in the postwar period is a history of seemingly boundless prosperity and upheaval. The average American citizen has a standard of living ranked among the highest in the world with personal consumerism being a driving force behind national growth. This powerful economy has allowed the United States to build a massive military while still maintaining high levels of training and technological advancement. The United States has taken on the role of global leader for the United Nations alliance and it is the most powerful democratic-capitalist state.

This position as the “global leader of Democracy” has made the American relationship with the Axis powers tense. The relationship with Japan remains especially poor although the two nations slightly improved their relations after Japan started allowing Filipino refugees to leave the occupied country for the US. Japan also made moves to make life more bearable in the former colony by investing in infrastructure and healthcare.
The most vital issue in American domestic affairs came with the 1952 Presidential Election. Republican President Dewey had presided over the nation’s postwar transition and success but the electorate seemed ready for a change. Democratic Senator Estes Kefauver faced Republican Senator Robert Taft. While Taft ran on an almost isolationist campaign similar to Dewey’s 1944 election (Peace Abroad – Prosperity at Home), Kefauver spoke about “Spreading the light and hope of Democracy around the world”. Debates about foreign policy were quickly forgotten though when four black men, waiting at a bus stop, were beaten to death by a group of intoxicated white youths in Atlanta, Georgia. National controversy arose when the white youths were acquitted by the Jury as having acted in “self-defense”. The NAACP and other groups (including many white activists) staged protests all over the segregated South and both candidates were forced to make statements about their views on civil rights. Senator Kefauver, who had been influenced by the pro-integration and pro-civil rights writings of British Anthropologist David Jacobs, broke with Southern “Dixiecrats” and declared his support for rapid integration and the ending of all discrimination in the United States. Senator Taft, hoping to gain the support of disaffected Southern white Democrats, voiced his support for a more gradual process of integration. When the election results came in it was clear that Kefauver had won by a small margin and the national political landscape was thrown into chaos. The Kefauver win was attributed to multiple voting groups:
-Voters who were angered by news of Japanese and German actions and wanted a more aggressive foreign policy.
-Union members
-Northern whites outraged by images of Southern segregation and police brutality towards African-Americans
-“Ethnic white” voters in northern cities motivated by a campaign speech that had been given by Kefauver’s Vice Presidential pick Adlai Stevenson. In this speech, given in Madison Square Garden, Stevenson stated that “…When the black man in the south has reached the level of prosperity and equality found in the rest of the nation, he will want to stay in his home town and prosper. He will have no desire to pick up and leave… he will take pride in his hometown or city… and he will want to build it to the standards of the rest of the nation…he will not need to take his family north, he will have no need…” Considered one of the most effective political speeches in American history, Stevenson’s “Hometown speech” rallied urban white (especially “white ethnic”) voters in the North and Midwest who were worried about growing African-American populations in their cities. By playing on the fears of these voters, the Democratic Party was able to win them over to the idea of integration.

Kefauver’s first efforts to end segregation were met with strong opposition in the South and he was forced to call out the National Guard to enforce the new federal anti-discrimination laws in several cities. In the 1954 Senate elections, pro-integration Democrats were able to gain several seats. The Senate campaign was directly influenced by negative advertisements in which pro-segregation candidates were linked to the Nazi regime and images of German brutality. The Democratic Party had been cleverly able to turn civil rights into a patriotic issue although the exodus of Southern whites from the party continued. By drawing attention to the political goodwill around the world that could be gained by ending segregation, the federal government was able to push through the “Citizen and Voter Rights Act” in 1954. This act forbid all forms of racial, religious and ethnic discrimination in the United States and made voter intimidation an illegal act. After Kefauver won reelection in 1956 he was able to continue the civil rights progress that had been made earlier. In 1957 several federal acts called for city and town services to begin hiring African-Americans and direct more funds to assisting poverty-stricken neighborhoods. Federal funds would also be available when needed and Police forces were asked to crackdown on cases of Police brutality. These efforts were not without controversy and several civil disturbances broke out in the South and even Northern cities during this period. After a high profile 1958 murder by the Ku Klux Klan, President Kefauver ordered the FBI to investigate the Klan and by the end of his second term the Klan had been greatly weakened by arrests and investigations.

In the field of foreign policy, President Kefauver found allies in South and Central America by forming the “United Americas Treaty” and put pressure on the Axis powers by supporting governments-in-exile and expanding the US military. Hundreds of millions of development dollars poured into Central and South America.

Democrat Hubert Humphrey won the 1960 election and presided over a two-term presidency that saw the nation’s civil rights progress continue along with growing economic and military might.

The 1968 election was a strongly contested one as Democratic Governor Pat Brown faced Republican Governor Nelson Rockefeller. Rockefeller was able to portray Brown as being “too far left” to represent the common American. As someone who had fully embraced the 1950s civil rights movement, Rockefeller was also able to divert the nation’s attention away from domestic issues and focused on foreign affairs and ideology. Rockefeller called for decreased support of the Soviet Union (which had recently taken an “anti-West” turn in terms of foreign policy) and he believed that the competition against the Axis powers should take the form of economic and technological domination as opposed to pure military brinksmanship. Rockefeller won the election by a small margin and the Republican Party welcomed their return to the White House after twenty years. Rockefeller’s election victory was attributed to the “National Republican Coalition”. A coalition comprised of southern whites weary of the rapid integration process, “western conservative” voters, pro-business lobbying groups and the new “cultural conservatives”.

Rockefeller’s presidency was relatively stable until 1969 when the explosive “Columbia Report” was released. This report, released by several professors and demographers at Colombia University, started that the Nazi regime had been directly and indirectly responsible for the deaths of almost 15 million people between 1939 and 1959. This report incensed the Jewish American community and there were immediate calls for President Rockefeller to demand answers from Nazi Germany. Rockefeller summoned the German ambassador to the White House to answer questions but the ambassador told him the report was a “product of Soviet propaganda” and that the millions of “lost” people were simply living in remote areas of the Reich or in the Soviet Union. During his visit tens of thousands of protesters gathered outside the White House and the German embassy in Washington D.C. Rockefeller also issued a strong declaration on television but his administration, unsure of how much international support could be garnered, stopped short of taking more direct action.

In 1971 Reinhold Wiermann, a German economist assigned to the German embassy in Washington D.C., was shot and killed outside of the embassy. Police quickly apprehended the two shooters and it was revealed they were both Jewish-Americans, one of whom had come to the United States by way of a Soviet refugee camp. The trial quickly became a sensationalist affair with thousands of protestors calling for the men to be released and the German government calling for the two men to face “the full might of justice”. The two men were found guilty after a short trial and a riot took place outside the courthouse during sentencing.

The 1972 election pitted Rockefeller against Democratic Party strongman Lyndon Johnson. Johnson won the election by a small margin in the Electoral College but the Republicans were able to maintain their control of the Senate. Rockefeller was criticized by many for not pardoning the two shooters of Wiermann but others praised his decision not to pardon them as a “powerful statement about the American system of justice, something not found in many foreign lands…”

President Johnson took office at a time when foreign affairs were becoming more dangerous and when the American political landscape was changing as the euphoria of the civil rights era began to fade and was soon replaced with images of poverty and inner-city crime.

Foreign Affairs:

The United States is a member of the United Nations treaty, the United Americas Treaty and has a treaty of “friendship and cooperation” with the Soviet Union. The first two treaties call upon the US to declare war on an attacker of a treaty member state. The treaty with the Soviet Union makes no such promises and has increasingly become irrelevant as relations between the Soviet Union and the West continues to deteriorate.

The US’s strongest allies by far are the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Federation. The US military cooperates fully, shares intelligence with and often takes part in joint-exercises with the militaries of Britain and the Commonwealth Federation. The US is also the main supplier of military arms and training to the member states of the United Americas Treaty and the Republic of China (South China). The United States also maintains friendly relations with India, Saudi Arabia and Persia.

Economy and Trade:

The United States is the strongest economic power in the world and this is driven mainly by the nation’s massive domestic consumer market, trade links to other prosperous nations and the fact that the country remains the center of global financial market. America’s three most important trade partners in 1975 were Canada, Mexico, Australia, the Republic of China (South China), Brazil and the United Kingdom. Although the Western powers ascribe to free market principles most nations do maintain limited levels of protectionism. In the United States there are protectionist acts in place to protect domestic automobile, steel and agricultural production. By the late 1960s, Mexico and Canada had begun protesting American protectionism of the domestic agricultural and consumer goods markets and in 1971 a trade agreement was signed with both nations. This trade agreement opened up the American market more for agricultural products from both nations but American farmers still retain strong trade protections. By 1965, many members of the United Americas Treaty had also become important partners of the American economy as sources for raw materials and markets for consumer goods, automobiles, electronics and appliances.

Regardless of trade agreements, the powerful force of the American domestic economy continues to be the main force of the nation’s power. Every year in the United States millions of automobiles are sold, tens of thousand of new residential and commercial structures are built and thousands of new businesses are started.

Transport:

America has an extensive system of local and national roads, ports and rail tracks. The 1948 “Rail Act” ended most of the stringent regulation and taxation obstacles rail companies in the country had faced for the last two decades and provided funding for rail companies to improve the national rail infrastructure. The 1952 “Infrastructure Improvement Act” (IIA) called for the building of five major interstate highways linking the East and West Coasts.

IIA Interstate Highways:
Highway 1 - Lincoln Highway – New York, NY to Seattle, WA
Highway 2 - Franklin Highway – Philadelphia, PA to San Francisco, CA
Highway 3 – Washington Highway – Washington D.C. to San Jose, CA
Highway 4 – Jefferson Highway – Virginia Beach, VA to Los Angeles, CA
Highway 5 – Gulf Highway – Jacksonville, FL to San Antonio, TX

The act also paid for the construction of over a dozen four-lane modern regional highways to link major cities not touched by the interstate highways.

IIA Regional Interstate Highways:
Regional Highway 1 – Bangor, ME to New York, NY
Regional Highway 2 – Cleveland, OH to New York, NY
Regional Highway 3 – Chicago, IL to Denver, CO
Regional Highway 4 – Tacoma, WA to Riverside, CA
Regional Highway 5 – Seattle, WA to San Diego, CA
Regional Highway 6 – Billings, MT to Las Cruces, NM
Regional Highway 7 – Kansas City, MO to Austin, TX
Regional Highway 8 – Cleveland, OH to Jacksonville, FL
Regional Highway 9 – Miami, FL to Jacksonville, FL
Regional Highway 10 – Jacksonville, FL to Washington D.C.
Regional Highway 11 – Washington D.C. to Philadelphia, PA
Regional Highway 12 – Pittsburgh, PA to Charleston, SC
Regional Highway 13 – Chicago, IL to New Orleans, LA
Regional Highway 14 –Aberdeen, SD to Kansas City, MO

The act also gave money to state governments to construct smaller state roads designed to link towns and cities to the national highway system. Finally the act also gave millions of dollars to private railways to improve track infrastructure and commuter service (which had been declining rapidly since the end of Second World War) by upgrading more lines with high-speed track and buying new passenger coaches and faster, more efficient, locomotives.

As of 1975 the automobile is by far the most popular means of personal transport in the United States and dozens more local highways have been built by state governments in the decades since the IIA program. The federal highway system has been upgraded over the years and almost all of the Interstate and Regional highways are modern six-lane roadways with 70mph speed limits.

General Motors, the Ford Motor Company, Chrysler and the American Motors Corporation dominate the domestic American automobile market. Air travel has also exploded in popularity and is now the main means of travel across oceans and makes up a large percentage of the long-distance travel market.

In the late 1960s, the federal government mandated a series of mergers in order for the struggling railroads to qualify for federal subsidies. The government also agreed to nationalize all passenger rail travel in the United States, thus relieving the private rail companies of the massive problems they had faced attempting to run unprofitable passenger routes.

The nationalized passenger and commuter rail lines were taken over by a government-run private company known as “US-Rail”. Commuter lines in the heavily populated Washington-Boston corridor were organized as the “Metro-Capital” system, lines in Southern California as the “Metro-Pacific” system and lines in the Chicago area as the “Metro-Chicago” system.

Passenger rail usage has shrunk dramatically in the last forty years but still makes up a significant part of the commuter market in three areas of the country (the densely populated Washington-Boston corridor, southern California and the Chicago metro area). Long-distance rail travel survives as a niche part of the market, mostly served by high-speed trains operating between large cities. Most of these passenger trains are aimed at the luxury, business and vacation travel markets and some feature auto-rack cars allowing passengers to bring their personal automobiles along for the trip.

Class I Freight Railroads – 1975:
-Burlington Northern Railroad
-Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
-Pennsylvania Railroad
-New York and New Haven Central Railroad
-Union Pacific Railroad
-Southern Pacific Railroad
-Missouri Pacific Railroad
-Illinois Central Railroad
-Kansas City Southern Railroad
-Norfolk Southern Virginia Railroad

Science and Technology:

As the world’s most powerful economy, the United States is the center for many advanced research programs. The United States is the world leader in nuclear technology and has very advanced aerospace, electronics and computer research programs. Many American universities and corporate labs have become world leaders in their respective fields. Examples include the University of Chicago (physics research), Bell Laboratories (electronics research) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (computer research).

The American spaceflight program lagged behind both the German and Soviet programs during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The American people and President Humphrey soon rose to the international challenge and the National Aerospace and Rocketry Administration (NARA) was soon launching manned missions, culminating in the 1969 launch of the advanced ‘Liberty’ space station.

Energy Resources:

US domestic oil production peaked in 1972 and the nation depends increasingly on imported oil with each passing year. The largest exporters of oil to the United States are Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Canada and Venezuela. The US has extensive coal and natural gas deposits, allowing the country independence in terms of those resources.

The first American commercial nuclear power plant opened in 1958 and by 1975 nuclear power accounted for 43% of all electrical power generated in the United States. Construction of American nuclear power plants rapidly expanded in the early 1960s and the Atomic Energy Commission’s “Energy Independence Program (EIP)” is a major component of the national budget. The largest nuclear power plant in the nation is California’s San Luis Atomic Generating Station with five reactors and over 6400 megawatts of generating power. In addition to power plants, the federal government operates two nuclear reprocessing and fuel breeding faculties in Nevada and Kentucky.
 
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United Kingdom
National Profile – 1975

Population: 56,226,000
Government Type: Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Capital: London
Land Area: 94,526 square miles

Queen: Elizabeth II
Prime Minister: James Callaghan
Chancellor of the Exchequer: Denis Healey
Foreign Secretary: Michael Stewart
Home Secretary: Roy Jenkins
Chief of MI6: Maurice Oldfield

5 Largest Cities:
1- London
2- Birmingham
3- Glasgow
4- Liverpool
5- Leeds

General and Political History: 1945-1975

The 1945 armistice left Britain in an uneasy state, while many people were happy at the end of hostilities most were vocal in their demands that the power of the Third Reich be matched at all times in order to maintain a credible deterrence. The harsh realities of the war situation and a desire for change led the British voters to put Clement Attlee and the Labour Party into power in 1945. Winston Churchill retired into private life and continued to be a vocal author of anti-Axis speeches and writings. Attlee was faced with an extremely difficult position as Britain faced a hostile European continent, a disintegrating Empire and economic problems at home. Attlee’s solution was a vast program of nationalization covering many vital parts of the economy such as the railways, the Bank of England, utilities companies, the steel industry and the coal mines. Attlee honored earlier agreements with India and the nation became independent in 1948. India, menaced by the powerful Japanese Empire, became a member of the Commonwealth and signed a treaty of “Trade and Assistance” with the United Kingdom in 1950. This treaty allowed India to benefit from the military might and technical assistance of Britain while at the same time providing the former home nation with a vital source of raw materials and a massive market for goods. Britain’s economy was slowly recovering by the time of Attlee’s second term (1951-1955) as the nation continued to build strong trade links with the United States, Canada, Australia and India. Under Attlee, the British detonated their first atomic bomb in 1953 and by the end of his term Britain had over one hundred atomic weapons.

In the 1955 general elections, British voters were impatient with the slow recovery process and put the Conservatives back into power. Harold Macmillan became PM and he immediately went about garnering loans from the United States and other Commonwealth members. These development loans, paid back with considerable interest, were controversial but they gave Macmillan the monetary capital to fund projects such as the nationalization of Britain’s airlines into one carrier called the “British Overseas Airways Corporation” with a domestic component called the “British Home Airways Corporation”. Macmillan also partially nationalized Britain’s automobile manufacturers, giving them government-backed funds to upgrade factories and increase production. All of this was part of a general strategy to raise the standard of living in the United Kingdom and have the nation join in the prosperity that was being seen across the Atlantic in the United States and Canada.

Macmillan, like other leaders around the world, was greatly influenced by the writings of American economist and physicist Harold J. Reinman. Reinman’s 1949 book The Future Well theorized that the conflicts of the future will be driven by the battle for dwindling energy resources, with “victory” only going to the nation or alliance that could become free from the dwindling supply of world energy resources. Reinman was a powerful advocate for atomic power and nuclear fuel breeding as a means of freeing a nation from the need for vast amounts of coal, oil and natural gas. Reinman’s book was highly influential in the United States and British politicians were also praising it by the late 1950s. Macmillan launched an expensive program of atomic power plant construction and the first reactor went operational in 1957.

In terms of foreign policy, Macmillan was a continuation of the hard-line policies of Churchill, harassing German flagged freighters in the Atlantic and making anti-Nazi political statements whenever possible. Macmillan tied the nation’s military closer to the military forces of the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The problems of maintaining the Empire continued and Britain was forced to put own small rebellions in Kenya and Nigeria.

Macmillan remained in power until the 1964 general election when British voters put the Labour back at the nation’s helm. The relatively young James Callaghan became Prime Minister and immediately went about tackling the “Empire Issue”. Callaghan was a strong supporter of the earlier plans of a more federalized Empire with equal partnerships for former colonies. These plans were soon recognized as unwieldy though, given the fact that most of the African colonies had no interest and were seeking complete independence. By 1965 a modified “Commonwealth Federation” was proposed. This federation would allow many of the African states to become independent but it would bind Britain closer to the “white” dominions (Australia, Canada and New Zealand) and a myriad of small colonies and islands that wished to benefit from British investment funds and military protection. In 1966 a worldwide referendum was held in all parts of the British Empire. As expected, most of the African states voted to become independent although the small West African nations of Ghana and Sierra Leone voted to become members of the federation. In addition to over a dozen small islands, the Union of Arab Emirates and Kuwait also voted to join the federation. These small Middle Eastern states joined in order to benefit from British military protection and also to find secure and wealthy Western markets for oil exports. While many of the small islands that joined the Commonwealth Federation offered little economic benefit they did offer Britain worldwide locations for bases and intelligence gathering posts.

While nations that left the federation were technically not under British protection, the UK signed separate defense and trade treaties with Nigeria and Kenya, guaranteeing their national protection and allowing them to access British development funds.

During the 1960s immigration from Commonwealth Federation states and former colonies was growing steadily. By 1975 there were over 200,000 immigrants living in Britain, most from India, Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana and Pakistan. In addition to permanent migrants, there were thousands of foreign students attending British universities through various Commonwealth Federation scholarship programs.

Relations with the Axis powers remained poor although both sides made minor efforts to lower the tension. The findings of the 1969 “Columbia Report” shocked the British public and PM Callaghan’s strong public condemnations of Nazi Germany made him popular all over the “free” world as a man who would not betray his principles.

After the 1970 elections, Labour and Callaghan remained in power. Although British economic growth had slowed by the start of the 1970s, Callaghan oversaw a nation that wished to confront the dangers of the world Axis alliance in a more direct way.

Foreign Affairs:

Britain is a member of the United Nations treaty and the Commonwealth Federation treaty. Both these alliances require Britain to defend member states should they be attacked and the British military maintains an overseas presence in Bermuda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Australia, Southern New Guinea, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Trans-Jordan. Britain maintains military protection treaties with several non-Commonwealth Federation member states such as Saudi Arabia, Transjordan, Kenya, Nigeria, Persia and India. Like the United States, the UK also maintains an increasingly irrelevant treaty of “friendship and cooperation” with the Soviet Union.

Economy and Trade:

The United Kingdom experienced impressive economic growth after 1950 but growth had slowed considerably by 1971. Britain’s primary trade partners are the United States, India and the Commonwealth Federation, with Pakistan, Persia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria serving as important secondary trade partners. British exports fell steadily during the 1960s but protectionist policies were soon enacted that slowed the decline, although these policies sparked protests from economists and politicians in Canada and the United States. London is the financial capital of the Commonwealth Federation and British factories manufacture a wide variety of trade goods that are shipped all over the world.

Regardless of the economic slowdown, the United Kingdom is one of the world’s largest economies and British citizens enjoy a high standard of living.


Transport:

Britain has a large and modern system of motorways and rails. The nation’s freight and passenger trains are run under the nationalized British Rails company. Although the number of riders on passenger trains declined in the last two decades the railways remain a vital part of the British transport system. A new generation of fast and modern passenger trains entering service in the last four years has done much to draw riders back to the railways.

Britain’s expansive motorway system has been steadily improved and expanded since the end of the Second World War, although the explosive growth of personal automobile usage has forced the country to spend large amounts of money maintaining and upgrading the increasingly crowded motorways.

Britain has several large domestic automakers, all partially nationalized since 1956:
-British Motor Holdings (Includes the following brands: Jaguar, Daimler, Austin, Morris, MG and Wolseley)
-Rootes Motor Group (Includes the following brands: Aston-Martin, Sunbeam, Humber, Hillman and Singer)
-Leyland Motors (Includes the following brands: Rover, Standard and Triumph)
-Vauxhall Motors (UK arm of General Motors)
-Ford of Britain (UK arm of the Ford Motor Company)

Note: Vauxhall Motors and Ford of Britain were not nationalized but are governed under the “Foreign Motorcars Manufacturing Act” which requires them to keep a large percentage of jobs located inside the United Kingdom.

The above six companies make up almost 94% of the total automotive sales in Britain each year. The remaining 6% of automobiles are sold by specialty manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce/Bentley or are privately imported foreign cars.

Science and Technology:

While Britain slightly lags behind the United States and Germany in terms of scientific discoveries it does hold advantages in several key areas. British research into areas like RADAR and chemical weapons have remained at the forefront of the world. The British have also invested greatly in advanced nuclear fuel research, enabling the nation to claim the world’s most efficient nuclear fuel breeding facilities.

While a British manned spaceflight program remains only a dream in the minds of devoted enthusiasts, the nation has been cooperating with Australia and Canada as part of the “Commonwealth Rocketry and Satellite Program” since 1958. By 1967 the first Commonwealth reconnaissance satellites were operational and civilian communications satellites were also being launched.

Energy Resources:

Britain’s famous coal industry was nationalized after the Second World War armistice and was a vital supplier of energy during the 50s and 60s. By the early 1970s many of the aging mines were closed and plans for several new coal-fired power plants were canceled. As of 1975, coal accounts for 19% of energy use in the UK and natural gas accounts for 3%.

Oil imported from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Nigeria, the UAR and Canada accounts for 16% of the nation’s energy. The importance of imported oil for the British economy is easily seen by the number of British military forces based in the Middle East.

Nuclear power accounts for 62% of Britain’s energy usage and as of 1975, three more large power plants were under construction. Britain’s access to uranium is considered secure as the nation operates two atomic fuel breeding centers and highly guarded Canadian and Australian uranium freighters are a common sight in Plymouth Harbor.
 
??? why does Italy not attack Greece (although pressure from Germany MIGHT do it)

???? why does Japan not attack the US on 7 December 1941? They believed that they absolutely could not let the US forces on the Phillippines stand astride of their sea-lanes south; and were convinced that the US would declare war on them if they attacked European colonies.

While it is true that Roosevelt couldn't likely get a DoW over European colonies, the Japanese didn't know that. Also, the US were building up their forces in the Philippines and in a few months would have been able to defend them when the war ultimately happened. (If Roosevelt gets a DoW on Germany in the spring/summer of 1942, then he probably gets one on Japan.)


So why do the Japanese not attack the US?
 
I can see you put a lot of work into this.

There are a few things which seem illogical, of which most important:
- Why does Germany manage to detonate an atom bomb sooner then the Brits?
The Brits were probably further on the technological path to an atom bomb in '41 compared to the Germans in '45 OTL.

and

- Why do the Brits detonate their first atom bomb actually a year later than OTL?
Sounds odd to say the least, with only a cease-fire instead of total victory over the Axis?

and

- A continuous ceasefire for over 30 years between the Soviet-Union and Nazi Germany?
As soon as one of the other decides they have a small but distinctive advantage militarily, they'll be at each other's throates again.
For Germany that could be for example when they have a handfull of nukes.
 
Yes, well done for all the work you have put in:

?Why do the Italians have an 'empire'? The only comment about them prior to the 'peace' agreement with Germany in '44, was that they did not invade Greece. But I do not see how that stops them losing their possesions in East & North Africa? If anything, it makes it happen quicker - without any distractions in Greece - more chance of the British clearing the Italians out of Libya.
Moreover, with this TL the US has less Pacific losses to worry about, so as per OTL there is more chance that most of Italian is in Allied hands by the time of any 'peace' deal, and while there may be some flexibility - Italian Axis Empire (?) - don't see that.
Also, as a result of above - seems likely that Metropolitan France is run by Vichy, but the Free French have control of the rest.
 
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read it all. I am at work right now so I will reply more later when I get back on my home PC. :)
 

CalBear

Moderator
Donor
Monthly Donor
Welcome to the Board as a poster!

Clearly a lot of work went into this effort. I applaud you for your work. It is unfortunate that it is stunningly implausible.

Just a few specifics:

For Japan to NOT attack the U.S. forces in the Philippines, at Wake and Guam, would be a repudiation of the Empire's war planning dating back to the early 1920's. It would leave a terrifically hostile nation (something that dated back to BEFORE WW I) inside of the Japanese defensive perimeter, with bases located perfectly to cut access to the Souther Resource Area, attack Empire positions in the Mandates, and leave a rapidly rearming USN in perfect position to devastate Formosa and the Home Islands. Japan knew that it would have to fight the U.S. at some point, that was an absolute, the Empire's security required nothing less than a tamed USN and a U.S. which acknowledged that its interests ended at Midway.

It is critical to remember that virtually ALL of the warships that hunted the IJN to oblivion were ALREADY ordered by 12/7/41. The ships that arrived very late in the war, including the Midway class CV and Oregon City CA, were the only classes actually ordered AFTER the war began. By 1943, even if there was no war, the U.S. was going to be so strong that it would be effective invincible (Congress sort of went into panic mode when France Fell).

Japan had a vanishing small window to make her gains, extending from the commissioning of the Zuikaku and her subsequent addition to the Kido Butai until roughly Summer of 1943 to capture all of the Southern Resource Area, secure a defensive perimeter so strong that it would be horrifically costly to reduce, and ensure that the U.S. would not be a threat for a generation. This was, as history has shown, a Fool's Errand, but it was, in the Empire's view, the only chance Japan had. In your proposed T/L Japan has allowed that time to slip away, meaning that the overwhelming might of the USN without any of its early wartime losses, is now available to crush the Combined Fleet (which would, by late 1943 include, 14 fleet carriers, 5 Light carriers, 12 fist BB, 9 modernized "Standard" BB, 2 CA, 22 CL, 200 DD, Modern fighters and fighter bombers for the carriers (the F6F was ordered in June of 1941) and a massive fleet train, all of which was ordered and paid for in 1940 & 41)


A second serious problem that your scenario ignores is also related to the Pacific, although it is the exact opposite of the only discussed above. If the USA and Japanese Empire at not at war as soon as the decision is made to enter the War against Germany, and by extension ally with the USSR, the Pacific would allow the massive amounts of material the USSR needed to be shipped, virtually without loss, across the Pacific to Vladivostok, from there to be shipped via rail to European Russia (with a total travel time from Vladivostok to the Ural factories of less than a week). In this circumstance the USSR will be far better supplied than IOTL.

Next, one must look at the actual chances that Hitler could be convinced to agree to end any sort of fight with the USSR before the country was destroyed as a threat. Hitler had very specific plans for the East, and a cease-fire wasn't one of them. The Slav was to be reduced to a slave race, you don't leave slave races with massive field armies, allies to supply them, and time to rebuild. Hitler was nuts, but he knew what he wanted to do. Your scenario also greatly over states the concern that Hitler felt about the Americans. Hitler could have moved less than a quarter of the Heer from the East to the West and outnumbered the Allies 3-1 and he knew it. That was why he rather casually declared war on the U.S. in 1941. He was an idiot to do so, as history has shown, but his advisers simply didn't have a prayer of getting Hitter to do anything except what he wanted (if they had, the "Bulge" offensive would never have happened, German forces would have withdrawn to reasonable defensive lines in the East in mid 1944 rather than fight for every inch of ground, German deployments in Italy would have been reduced by at least half, East Prussia would have been evacuated, etc.)

Since everything else in your T/L depends on these initial scenarios, and since any one of them actually happening, much less all of them, is very unlikely, when taken as a whole the foundation of the T/L appears to be built on quicksand.
 
Italy: I have yet to write up the detailed history of Italy but I am running under the idea that Italy never enters the war and sits it out ala Franco.

Britain and the Bomb: I have delayed the British bomb a year later because I delayed the American bomb by a year and thus (unimaginatively) figured that a year later would seem plausible.

Soviet-German Ceasefire: IIRC I read in Stephen Montefiore's book The Court of the Red Tsar (A great book I must add) that there were several attempts at a ceasefires, so maybe it was not out of the question. I tried to convey the idea that the weeks after the death of Stalin and the chaos of the failed counteroffensive might have given a tiny window of opportunity for those seeking peace (for whatever reason) on both sides to push their agendas, especially if some of Hitler's "favorites" are pushing to sign the deal?

Japan/Pacific: Yeah, as I said this is the weakest part of my timeline and the part that has me scratching my head the most. I really would like to have the 1975 world of my timeline as close as possible to the original, what do you all think I can work around to give me a world as near as to my 1975 profiles? I agree that the American-held Philippines represented a dagger at Japan's jugular but I think having Japan attack the US first in any scenario will only result in total defeat for the Empire, as the American public would be outraged and united for total war. So I am trying to find a scenario where America is forced to make the first move, thus at least giving some of the public doubts about the cost and sacrifice?

As you can probably guess, I devoted about 75% of my effort and research into fleshing out a fictional world, with the remaining 25% going into building the timeline.
 
For Japan to NOT attack the U.S. forces in the Philippines, at Wake and Guam, would be a repudiation of the Empire's war planning dating back to the early 1920's. It would leave a terrifically hostile nation (something that dated back to BEFORE WW I) inside of the Japanese defensive perimeter, with bases located perfectly to cut access to the Souther Resource Area, attack Empire positions in the Mandates, and leave a rapidly rearming USN in perfect position to devastate Formosa and the Home Islands. Japan knew that it would have to fight the U.S. at some point, that was an absolute, the Empire's security required nothing less than a tamed USN and a U.S. which acknowledged that its interests ended at Midway.


Hrmm. Let's play this out, for the sake of argument.

Japan screams, and leaps in December of 1941 against the European colonies... and takes them.

Will FDR send the fleet to attack Japan? IMO No, and Congress won't support it. What will he do? My guess is he'll try a neutral zone around the Philippines, fortify the islands, and try to provoke a conflict, getting Japan to shoot first.
But will this happen before we're at war with Germany? And once we are, will there be support for another second, more expensive conflict for European colonies?
 
Turiddu,

Welcome to the board.

Other posters have already brought up most the problems I noticed. However this...

September 9th 1942 – The USS Lansdale, a Benson class Destroyer, is sunk after a short battle with the German Light Cruiser Nürnberg...

... was my first WTF moment while reading your timeline.

A German surface warship operating against Britain-bound convoys in 1942?


Bill
 
Turiddu,

Welcome to the board.

Other posters have already brought up most the problems I noticed. However this...



... was my first WTF moment while reading your timeline.

A German surface warship operating against Britain-bound convoys in 1942?


Bill

I agree 100% Perhaps you meant to say sunk by the U-boat? ;)
 

Sachyriel

Banned
Welcome to our strange corner of the internet! :)

I liked it, I even made popcorn because it was great stuff (not just because it was so long). I do see some odd parts, most of the others have voiced as well, but details are tiny things when you have an immense undertaking like this and I suspended my disbelief (like any person does with popcorn in their lap :D ) in order to enjoy it.

It's well thought out, nice format, much like a Shared Worlds almanac! Have you been to that part yet? I think you'd be GREAT at it. Keep this up, and I'd certainly come to read more, hopefully you can do nation-sized breakdowns of Canada, Brazil and India.

By the way, I think when you were talkin' 'bout 'merica you said something about their three biggest trading partners and listed more than 3. Talk about the extra mile, you got in the zone!

Maybe you could read the story in my signature? Please and thanks, it isn't exactly like this...us
 
A lot of interesting ideas (and some incoherences too).
But I have a question: what about France?
If I understood well the French are neutral?
What territories did they lost (Alsace-Lorraine, Savoy, Nice and Corsica?).
Do they still maintain an Empire in North Africa?
What about the Free French?
 
I agree 100% Perhaps you meant to say sunk by the U-boat? ;)

Yes, thats what I meant :D

@mmmeee0: Thanks for reading it. :) I have looked at that "Shared Worlds" forum a few times. It looks intimidating but I am definitely interested! Are there any new "worlds" being launched soon? I'd would like to join one from the start. Your story is definitely unique, I'm an old RATM fan from way back so I caught that reference! :D:p

@Kara Iskandar: I have yet to write up any detailed information about France but I am imagining it as a conservative Vichy regime allied to the Axis powers. As for those regions, yes I am sad to admit (I see your French) that they will be going to the Axis. I have Italy staying out of the war but I would still like them them to receive at least Savoy and Nice, maybe there will be some kind of deal with the Germans in the 1960s or so, where Italy agrees to supply ample amounts of Libyan oil in exchange for nuclear research and those territories.

---
Some more:

United States Military Equipment:

Ground Vehicles:

M66A1 ‘Casey’ IFV: The M66A1 ‘Casey’ is built on a modified M96 tank chassis. This 32ton armored vehicle is designed to transport a squad of soldiers into battle and then support them with its 30mm cannon and two .50cal machineguns. The M66’s weapons are mounted in a small turret and it has a large armored hull to transport the soldiers within. Mechanized infantry units are significantly more expensive than normal infantry but they have much more firepower and are better suited for mobile combat.

M78A2 APC: The M78A2 APC (which replaced the earlier M59) is an armored vehicle designed to transport infantry. This “box on tracks” is armed with a single .50cal machinegun mounted on the roof and is only protected against shrapnel and small arms fire due to its light armor.

M301A1 ‘Comanche’ Armored Car: The 4x4 ‘Comanche’ is a new wheeled armored vehicle used by the US Army as a recon and patrol platform. Armed with a 20mm cannon in a turret and a .50cal machinegun, the ‘Comanche’ is useful for scouting enemy positions and patrolling rear areas.

M96A1 ‘Groves’ Light Tank: The 35ton M96 ‘Groves’ is a highly mobile light tank designed to engage enemy tanks and APCs in combat. Armed with a high-velocity 90mm cannon and two .50cal machineguns, the ‘Groves’ is outclassed by enemy medium and heavy tanks. Although weaker and less powerful than the much larger ‘Walker’ and ‘Bradley’ tanks, the M96 is useful as a fast attack, scouting and patrol vehicle.

M108A2 ‘Walker’ Medium Tank: The M108A2 ‘Walker’ is the main battle tank of the US Army. This 53ton tank has strong armour, a powerful diesel engine and a 105mm main gun. The dependable ‘Walker’ is the most widely used tank of the US Army.

M101A2 ‘Bradley’ Heavy Tank: The most powerful tank in US service is the heavily armoured M101 ‘Bradley’. This 70ton tank is armed with a powerful 120mm main gun and two defensive machineguns. The ‘Bradley’ was designed in response to the latest German tank designs. The M101A2 is intended to give heavy fire support to the lighter ‘Walker’ tanks.

M79A1 Tank Destroyer: The M79A2 is a version of the M78 APC that carries a anti-tank missile launcher instead of soldiers. Anti-tank missiles are a new and relatively unreliable technology but they show much promise. The M79A2 is useful for destroying enemy tanks at long ranges but it is very weak in close combat and against enemy infantry.

LVT-6/6C Amphibious APC: The standard amphibious APC of the US Marine Corp is the LVT-6 tracked carrier. This large and moderately well armored vehicle can carry up to 30 fully equipped soldiers and has a .50cal machinegun mounted on the roof. The LVT-6C fire-support variant is similar but has a roof mounted turret that holds a 105mm cannon and an additional .50cal machinegun.

M49A2 Self-Propelled Artillery: The M49A2 is a large tracked vehicle that carries single 155mm howitzer. This self-propelled artillery piece is useful for giving fire support to fast and mobile armored divisions. Like all artillery units, the M49A2 is very vulnerable to direct attack.

M58A1 Self-Propelled Artillery: The M58 is a tracked armored vehicle that carries single 203mm howitzer. This self-propelled artillery piece is useful for giving fire support to fast and mobile armored divisions. Like all artillery units, the M58 is very vulnerable to direct attack. The M58 fires a larger and more powerful shell than the similar M49A2.

M42A1 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft: The replacement of the M19 ‘Duster’, the M42 is a tracked armored vehicle that mounts two 40mm automatic cannons in a fast rotating turret. The M42A1 has an onboard RADAR system to help target enemy aircraft and helicopters.

M66A1 ‘Guardian’ Self-Propelled SAM: The main surface-to-air missile used by the US Army is the ‘Guardian’ missile. Carried on a tracked carrier, the ‘Guardian’ is capable of giving effective anti-aircraft defense to mobile tank and mechanized infantry formations. The ‘Guardian’ missile is slower and has a shorter maximum range than the bigger ‘Sparrow’ and ‘Sentinel’ but it is far more mobile and can be ready to fire in less than a minute.

MIM-22 ’Sparrow’ SAM Battery: The ‘Sparrow’ is a large surface-to-air missile system used by the US Army. The complete ‘Sparrow’ system is carried on several large trucks and takes almost a full hour to prepare for operation. The ‘Sparrow’ missile is useful for shooting down enemy aircraft flying fast or at high altitudes. The ‘Sparrow’ missile flies at Mach 2.8 and has a ceiling of 50,000 feet.

MIM-55 ’Sentinel’ SAM Battery: The most powerful surface-to-air missile in the American arsenal is the Boeing ‘Sentinel’. This large missile can reach speeds of Mach 4 and is capable of hitting targets at extremely high altitudes. The ‘Sentinel’ system is transported by a convoy of specialized trucks and requires several hours to prepare for firing. SAM batteries such as this are not very useful in frontline combat situations; they are best used for defending large and immobile strategic targets such as cities, bridges, depots, airfields and industrial areas.

Aircraft:

F-120A ‘Phoenix’ Interceptor: One of the most powerful interceptors in modern service is the North American Aviation Company’s F-120A ‘Phoenix’. Powered by two massive GE jet engines, the F-120A can reach speeds over Mach 3 and altitudes of 70,000+ feet. This delta-winged interceptor is crewed by two (pilot + weapons/radar operator) and is intended to intercept enemy bombers before they reach American cities. The F-120A is not as agile as other fighters but it fits the high-altitude/high-speed interceptor role perfectly. Interceptors like the F-120A use their powerful RADAR systems to guide missiles to targets many miles away.

F-108C ‘Falcon’ Fighter: The frontline fighter of the USAF is the McDonnell Douglas F-108C ‘Falcon’. This swept-wing jet can fly up to Mach 1.8 and is armed with two 30mm cannons and hardpoints for up to six air-to-air missiles. Fighters like this are intended to “dogfight” with enemy fighters for control of the airspace above a battlefield.

F-103B Fighter: The supersonic F-103B fighter (unofficially nicknamed the ‘Jet Eagle’) is a jet fighter designed for long-range escort and tactical interception missions. It is armed with two 30mm cannons and six hardpoints for air-to-air missiles. The F-103 and F-108 share the fighter missions of the Air Force; with the F-108 flying combat air patrols and air superiority missions while the F-103 escorts friendly bombers and intercepts enemy aircraft.

F-90C ‘Superchief’ Fighter-Bomber: The “Super C” is a rugged fighter/bomber used by USAF frontline tactical squadrons. The F-90C is armed with cannons and hardpoints for rockets, missiles and bombs. It can engage enemy fighters and attack enemy ground units. The F-90C is outclassed as an interceptor by the F-103 and F-108, so it is now used as a formidable fighter-bomber.

A-90C ‘War Chief’ Attack Aircraft: The main attack aircraft of the USAF is the Northrop A-90C ‘War Chief’. This large twin-engine jet bomber can carry a fearsome load of bombs, rockets and air-to-ground missiles to attack enemy ground units. The A-90C is capable of sustaining heavy damage from enemy ground fire but is vulnerable against enemy fighter aircraft and requires fighter escort for most missions.

B-7C ‘Assaulter’ Bomber: The Boeing B-7C ‘Assaulter’ is the newest jet bomber in the USAF inventory. Powered by two jet-engines, the ‘Assaulter’ is smaller than the B-64 and B-80 but it is more agile and is very effective as a frontline tactical bomber. Carrying several tons of weapons in an internal bomb bay, the B-7C can also carry rocket pods and air-to-ground missiles mounted on wing hardpoints.

B-64A ‘Stratoknight’ Bomber: The most widely used USAF bomber is the Convair B-64A ‘Stratoknight’ four-engine jet bomber. Carrying up to 15tons of bombs, the B-64A has a maximum range of over 3,000 miles. The B-64A has a 20mm defense cannon in the rear tail in addition to a large load of electronic countermeasures to defeat enemy air defenses.

B-80C ‘Paladin’ Bomber: The largest bomber in service anywhere, the Boeing B-80C ‘Paladin’ has a 220 foot wingspan and can carry up to 40tons of bombs or six cruise missiles in a special rotary launcher. Capable of hitting targets in Germany and the Japanese Home Islands, the Boeing B-80C is one of the most potent weapons in America’s arsenal. The B-80C avoids destruction by flying high and carrying a large defensive countermeasures suite, defensive air-to-air missiles and two dedicated crewmembers tasked with “electronic warfare and countermeasures”. The B-80C can also be outfitted to carry Boeing AGM-80A air-launched cruise missiles with either nuclear or conventional HE warheads.

H-19D Helicopter: Helicopters are useful in scouting, utility and medical evacuation roles. The H-19D is a reliable design that can be armed with two .50cal machineguns and rocket-pods. Helicopters can land and take-off anywhere but they are highly vulnerable to attack from enemy fighter aircraft.

P-9M ‘Poseidon’ Patrol Bomber: The P-9M is a large four-engine jet maritime patrol aircraft that can fly for hours over the ocean to search for enemy ships and submarines. In addition to carrying sophisticated RADAR and SONAR systems, the P-9M also carries several torpedoes and depth charges in an internal weapons bay.

ES-9A ‘Guardian’ Airborne Command Aircraft: The Boeing ES-9A is a modified version of the P-9 airframe that is outfitted to carry powerful RADAR arrays and a full onboard command-and-control center. The ES-9A ‘Guardian’ is designed to fly high above the battlefield, using its powerful RADAR to track enemy aircraft and coordinate friendly units.

C-200 ‘Starhauler’ Transport: The C-200 ‘Starhauler’ is a large four-engine jet transport used to carry troops and vehicles. Transports are unarmed but they are useful for dropping paratroopers or carrying vehicles, men and supplies to remote airfields.

Carrier Aircraft:

F21C ‘Tiger Shark’ Naval Fighter: The US Navy’s most advanced fighter is the jet powered F21C ‘Tiger Shark’. This fast and large aircraft carries a crew of two (pilot + weapons/radar operator) and is armed with up to six air-to-air missiles. The F21C is designed to defend the carrier battle group from enemy air attack.

F17A ‘Sea Stallion’ Naval Fighter-Bomber: The main fighter-bomber of the Navy is the Grumman F17A. Armed with cannons, rockets, bombs and missiles, the F17A can attack enemy aircraft and ground units. F17A squadrons are usually the largest of a carrier’s air wings.

A3C ‘Barracuda’ Naval Attack Aircraft: The Navy’s main ground attack aircraft is the Grumman A3C. This formidable aircraft is powered by two jet engines and can carry a large load of bombs, rockets and missiles in addition to its four 30mm cannons. The A3C’s main mission is supporting Marine units during amphibious landings and island operations.

A6A ‘Sea Skimmer’ Naval Bomber/Anti-Ship Aircraft: The Republic A6A is a large two-engine jet bomber that can carry a load of bombs, missiles or torpedoes to attack enemy ground targets and naval vessels. The ‘Sea Skimmer’ is designed to fly low and fast, thus avoiding enemy RADAR contact. The ‘Sea Skimmer’ can also be outfitted to carry a camera pod for reconnaissance missions.

SH-11B ‘Hammerhead’ Naval ASW Helicopter: The SH-11B is a naval helicopter that is designed to hunt for enemy submarines with sonobouys and magnetic field detectors. The SH-11B can carry several depth charges and two torpedoes to attack enemy submarines.

Naval Vessels:

’Abraham Lincoln’ Class Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier
Displacement: 100,000 tons
Length: 342 meters
The main carriers of the United States Navy are the massive ‘Lincoln’ class Super Carriers. These nuclear-powered behemoths can carry up to 85 aircraft and helicopters. ‘Lincoln’ class carriers, like all carriers, must depend on their escorts and air-wing for defense but they do carry several “Sea Sparrow” missile launchers for use against enemy aircraft. These are the largest carriers currently in service anywhere in the world.

’Lincoln’ Class Airwing:
7x SH-11B ‘Hammerhead’ ASW Helicopters
14x A6A ‘Sea Skimmer’ Bombers
14x A3C ‘Barracuda’ Attack Aircraft
20x F21C ‘Tiger Shark’ Interceptors
30x F17A ‘Sea Stallion’ Fighter-Bombers

’Detroit’ Class Heavy Cruiser
Displacement: 25,700 tons
Length: 255 meters
The large and powerful ‘Detroit’ class Heavy Cruisers were designed to provide heavy missile support to ‘Lincoln’ class carrier battlegroups. Ships of this class are armed with multiple ‘Sea Sentinel’ heavy SAM launchers and ‘Poseidon-2’ heavy anti-ship missile batteries. The ‘Detroit’ class is equipped with a powerful RADAR array that allows them to target enemy ships and aircraft many miles away.

’Los Angeles’ Class Heavy Cruiser
Displacement: 21,000 tons
Length: 222 meters
Slighter smaller than the ‘Detroit’ class, the ‘Los Angeles’ class are designed for surface combat and are armed with large launchers for the powerful ‘Poseidon-2’ anti-ship missile. These ships are also armed with ‘Sea Sentinel’ SAM launchers, RADAR controlled AA guns, depth charge launchers and 30mm rapid-fire defense guns. Like the ‘Detroit’ class, these ships are also armed with two 5.5inch cannons in two forward turrets.

’Trenton’ Class Light Cruiser
Displacement: 8,500 tons
Length: 168 meters
The ‘Trenton’ class is a versatile design intended to defend carrier battlegroups and lead independent surface combat groups. These ships are armed with ‘Sea Sparrow’ anti-aircraft missiles, ‘Sea Javelin’ anti-ship missiles, two 3inch rapid fire guns, torpedo launchers and several 30mm close-in defense guns.

’Norman Scott’ Class Destroyer
Displacement: 4,200 tons
Length: 122 meters
The ‘Norman Scotts’ are effective escorts designed to hunt enemy submarines and provide RADAR screens to carrier battlegroups. These fast ships are armed with ‘Sea Guardian’ anti-aircraft missiles, depth charge launchers, torpedo launchers, four RADAR controlled 40mm AA guns and two 30mm defense guns.

’John D. Bulkeley’ Class Destroyer
Displacement: 4,000 tons
Length: 111 meters
Slightly older than the Scott class, are the still useful Bulkeley class vessels. These fast warships are designed to hunt enemy submarines and escort convoys. These ships are armed with ‘Sea Guardian’ anti-aircraft missiles, depth charge launchers, torpedo launchers, four RADAR controlled 40mm AA guns and two 30mm defense guns.

’Fort McHenry’ Class Dock Landing Ship
Displacement: 20,000 tons
Length: 200 meters
Dock Landing Ships are the main amphibious assault vessels of the US Navy and Marine Corp. Each ship is armed with only a few anti-aircraft guns so they must be escorted at all times. Each Dock Landing Ship can carry up to a dozen 80ton LCMs (Landing Craft, Mechanized) and a single USMC battalion. If the LCMs are not carried, the Dock Landing Ship can carry up to fifty LVT-6 amphibious tractors.

’Boulder’ Class Tank Landing Ship
Displacement: 8,800 tons
Length: 160 meters
Smaller than the Landing Ship Dock design, the Tank Landing Ship is designed to beach itself and disgorge tanks and vehicles directly onshore. To accomplish this, the ‘Boulder’ class has a large ramp on the front of the ship that can be lowered onto the beach to allow vehicles to drive directly off the ship. Each ‘Boulder’ class can carry a single US Marine Corp tank company of twenty medium tanks or twenty-five LVT-6 amphibious tractors.

’Harpers Ferry’ Class Amphibious Transport Ship
Displacement: 18,000 tons
Length: 195 meters
These unarmed ships are transports used to carry men, vehicles and supplies to support amphibious assault landings. After the first waves have landed, these ships move alongside the Dock Landing Ships and have their cargo transferred onto waiting Landing Craft to land at the beach site. Each ship of the ‘Harpers Ferry’ class can carry up to 2000 soldiers and several dozen vehicles. Four large cranes mounted on the deck allow the ship to quickly transfer vehicles and cargo from inside the hull to waiting landing craft tied up alongside.

’Adirondack’ Class Amphibious Command Ship
Displacement: 20,000 tons
Length: 175 meters
The specialized ships of the ‘Adirondack’ class were designed from the keel-up to be dedicated command and control ships for large amphibious operations. These unarmed ships are designed to support large command staffs and are equipped with multiple meeting rooms, offices and command centers. These ships are also equipped with sophisticated encrypting and decrypting systems to allow for secure long-distance command and control of operations taking place over vast areas.

’Swordfish’ Class Attack Submarine
Displacement: 3,700 tons
Length: 86 meters
The newest attack submarines of the United States Navy are the boats of the ‘Swordfish’ class. These fast and well-equipped submarines are armed with four forward torpedo tubes and a powerful SONAR array. Through the use of a snorkel and advanced batteries, boats of this class can remain submerged for up to seven days.

’Triton’ Class Attack Submarine
Displacement: 2,200 tons
Length: 73 meters
Slowly being replaced by ‘Swordfish’ class, the ‘Triton’ class remains a powerful part of the US Navy submarine fleet. These fast and long-range diesel attack submarines are armed with four forward torpedo tubes.

’San Jose’ Class Large Combat Support Ship
Displacement: 56,500 tons
Length: 240 meters
The large and unarmed ships of the ‘San Jose’ class are fleet replenishment ships that can transfer huge amounts of fuel, munitions and supplies to friendly ships at sea. Support ships like this are crucial for supporting naval operations across huge distances (such as the Pacific Ocean).

’Merrimack’ Class Combat Support Ship
Displacement: 38,700 tons
Length: 200 meters
Similar in design to the larger ‘San Jose’ class, the ships of the ‘Merrimack’ class are intended for the same role: underway replenishment of naval vessels. Ships of the ‘Merrimack’ class carry large amounts of fuel, munitions and supplies to replenish friendly vessels at sea and are most often used to restock light cruisers and destroyers, leaving the larger ‘San Jose’ class ships to support heavy cruisers and the massive carriers.

’Altair’ Class Fast Transport
Displacement: 62,000 tons
Length: 292 meters
The unarmed transports of the ‘Altair’ class are designed from the keel up to be dedicated transports for military equipment, vehicles and soldiers. These ships resemble civilian designs but they have military-specific features. Each ‘Altair’ class transport has a modular cargo bay that can be configured to carry up to fifty heavy tanks, four hundred trucks or four thousand soldiers and their equipment. Ships of this class have no amphibious assault capability and must either dock at a port or receive assistance from specialized amphibious assault ships (such as ‘Fort McHenry’ class Dock Landing Ships) to unload their cargo onto beaches.

’Shrike’ Class Minesweeper
Displacement: 810 tons
Length: 66 meters
The small ‘Shrike’ class minesweepers are designed to detect and neutralize enemy sea mines. These ships are vital especially when a fleet is entering formerly enemy waters and ports. These ships are armed with only two 40mm anti-aircraft mounts and have hulls made of special non-magnetic materials.

’McCurry’ Class Submarine Tender
Displacement: 23,000 tons
Length: 198 meters
The submarine tenders of the ‘McCurry’ class are designed to support US Navy submarines. These large and unarmed ships carry fuel, weapons and supplies to replenish submarines at sea or when docked in foreign ports. Submarine tenders are essential for the support of long-range diesel submarine patrols.

---

United States Nuclear Weapons:
Research and Test Sites:

Los Alamos National Laboratory (Los Alamos, New Mexico) (Research)
Edward Teller National Laboratory (Livermore, California) (Research)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, Tennessee) (Research)
Nevada Proving Ground (Nye County, Nevada) (Weapons Testing)
Cape Canaveral Aerospace Center (Cape Canaveral, Florida) (ICBM Testing)

Weapon Systems:

LGM-22B ‘Comanche’
Type: ICBM
Range: 8,000 miles
Warhead: 4x 250kt
Service Entry: 1967

AGM-80A
Type: ALCM
Range: 500 miles
Warhead: 200kt
Service Entry: 1972
Platforms: B-80C

B56
Type: Free-fall Bomb
Range: -
Warhead: 15kt
Service Entry: 1970
Platforms: A-90C, F-90C, A6A, A3C

B44
Type: Free-fall Bomb
Range: -
Warhead: 400kt
Service Entry: 1965
Platforms: B-80C, B-7C, B-64A, A-90C, A6A

B43
Type: Free-fall Bomb
Range: -
Warhead: 10mt
Service Entry: 1964
Platforms: B-80C, B-7C, B-64A

B40
Type: Free-fall Bomb
Range: -
Warhead: 1.5mt
Service Entry: 1962
Platforms: B-80C, B-7C, B-64A
 
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@Kara Iskandar: I have yet to write up any detailed information about France but I am imagining it as a conservative Vichy regime allied to the Axis powers. As for those regions, yes I am sad to admit (I see your French) that they will be going to the Axis.

Well, considering the post war situation it's a sad but unavoidable outcome!

I have Italy staying out of the war but I would still like them them to receive at least Savoy and Nice, maybe there will be some kind of deal with the Germans in the 1960s or so, where Italy agrees to supply ample amounts of Libyan oil in exchange for nuclear research and those territories.
---

Ok thanks for the explanation!
 
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