PLEASE CRITIQUE! TL for a class

With regard to this, Churchill used to fly around with several high-ranking members of his cabinet - I think in one case I read he flew off to see Reynard in the company of Attlee, Samuel and others... Have to re-read to remember

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

It was the afternoon of the 16th May, with him went Dill and Ismay
 

wormyguy

Banned
Here's one idea: the Germans put a bit more effort prewar into figuring out how they might actually go about defeating Britain.
The thing is that this requires a radical change in the Nazis', or, more specifically, Hitler's ideology. Hitler had a rather bizarre idea that Britain would be his ally (against the Soviet Union) due to the twin inevitable conflicts between Capitalism/colonialism and Communism (to be followed by National Socialism and Capitalism), and between Aryans and Asiatics. You'd have to inject the same (admittedly small) degree of realpolitik to Hitler's approach to the West as he showed in the East (Molotov-Ribbentrop, not demanding too much of the Finns, deciding that Bulgarians and Croatians aren't really Slavs after all).
 

The Vulture

Banned
A few words of explanation

I suppose it might help if I explain the assignment a little.

The main point of the assignment is to have Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan control two power blocs in a cold war by 1965. The status of the rest of the world is up to me, but some sort of conflict needs to have happened at some point between 1933-1965.

Geekhis Khan raised a few good points. I have a feeling that my professor will place more value on creativity than anything else, and I want to avoid some of the more cliched situations.

Also, forgive me if I seem a bit harsh about accepting other people's ideas. For reasons of academic honesty, I want as much of this TL as possible to be my own work. Therefore, unless it's proven completely impossible, I would like to use some variation of my original scenario.

As for Sealion, well, Hitler (as well as Stalin) had moments of idiocy/madness and made stupid decisions. I don't think it had a chance in hell as planned, but I think Hitler might very well have launched it if he thought he had an advantage.

Finally, if you want to ban me for my noobishness, go right ahead. I'm just trying to approach this from an academic angle and come up with a TL that my professor will find acceptable.
 

The Vulture

Banned
Apologies if I came off a little harshly on that last post.

I'll post the last few bits of my timeline as originally planned over the next few days, then begin the process of revision as criticism and responses come in.

Thank you for your kind attention and help in this matter!
 

The Vulture

Banned
As long as Japan and Germany are dominant, yes.

My intention was to have Britain defeated and slowly slide into fascism (with Colin Jordan as PM in 1965), then a three-way cold war between Fascist Europe, Imperial Asia, and a small democratic bloc led by the US, Brazil, and Australia. This is further down the line, though.
 

The Sandman

Banned
The thing is that this requires a radical change in the Nazis', or, more specifically, Hitler's ideology. Hitler had a rather bizarre idea that Britain would be his ally (against the Soviet Union) due to the twin inevitable conflicts between Capitalism/colonialism and Communism (to be followed by National Socialism and Capitalism), and between Aryans and Asiatics. You'd have to inject the same (admittedly small) degree of realpolitik to Hitler's approach to the West as he showed in the East (Molotov-Ribbentrop, not demanding too much of the Finns, deciding that Bulgarians and Croatians aren't really Slavs after all).

Have someone quietly remind him that the British were the Allied nation who did the most to harm Germany in WWI. Or just find some other way to have him add the Brits to his list of people he personally hated.
 

The Vulture

Banned
TL as planned, revisions will follow

-In India, Subhas Chandra Bose takes advantage of the British situation to organize a armed militant group, the Indian National Army. In a series of skirmishes, unorganized British expatriates are defeated and Bose declares India independent. With the diplomatic aid of an eccentric British fascist, Nigel Thackeray*, Britain, Germany, Italy, and the United States, among others, recognize India. India withdraws from the war shortly before the British sue for peace.

-Jan Smuts, determined to fight Nazi Germany alone if necessary, rapidly loses popularity with the Afrikaner public. An opposition group, the Continuists (so called because they feel an alliance or peace with Germany is the only way Afrikaner society will continue into the future) rapidly gains prominence under Louis Weichardt and Oswald Pirow. In December 1940, a bloodless coup removes Smuts from power, replacing him with Pirow. Smuts is imprisoned and Pirow essentially switches sides, making South Africa virtually a member of the Axis.

-Heydrich (who you may recall is now Fuhrer ITTL) asks for a secret feasibility study for invading Russia. In the months following the end of the conflict with Britain, Heydrich secures secret promises of aid from Mannerheim (who negotiated a peace with the Russians much as in OTL), Franco, Mussolini, Salazar, Quisling, Antonescu, Petain, Horthy and Hansson in the case of a Russian attack. This is collectively an anti-comintern alliance.

-Russian intelligence suggests that an attack on the Cacasus oil fields is probable. Stalin is wary of making a preemptive attack (as in OTL), but begins making some defensive preperations and begins searching for an alternate source of oil.

-The SS recruits heavily in Britain, Sweden, Finland, and occupied territory. It is sometimes jokingly referred to as the "German Foreign Legion". Some SS detachments are sent to aid the Japanese in China. In exchange for military, economic, medical, and strategic aid, the Japanese negotiate settlements with Australia and New Zealand and explicitly avoid any confrontation with the Americans (no Pearl Harbor).

-Soviet diplomats attempt to secure permission to search for oil in Alaska and lease wells. Wary of getting involved in European politics, American diplomats refuse. Already militarized due to concern over the war, the military presence in Alaska is stepped up. Canadian military alerts are also stepped up, although Canada withdrew from the conflict as the British did.

-Stalin finds his answer: North Sea oil. Using the puppet state of Laplandia as a base, the Soviets begin to conduct preliminary drilling operations in the North Sea.

-Heydrich steps up atomic and rocket research. Determined to protect the borders of German conquests, the military presence on the borders (including Laplandia/Norway) is increased and naval patrols also increase.

-Inevitably, the two forces collide. In April 1942, Soviet and German naval patrols exchange fire. Although the incident is brief, it gives Heydrich the excuse needed to unleash his preformed plan of invasion and rally Europe to a crusade against Communism. The uneasy peace gives way to what is later referred to by historians as "The Great Red Ousting", beginning May 1, 1942.

More to follow. My schedule is such that I can only do a bit at a time.


*Fictional character. I wanted a little wiggle room on some things, as you might imagine.
 
@ The Vulture:
Wow your professor must be nuts. I mean the WWII Japanese army, navy and everything else, is completely outclassed by the Americans, on every conceivable level. The only reason that America was defeated early on was due to the surprise factor and the distances involved. While a Japan not attacking America scenario could work, you'd have to ask yourself just how long would it be before the Japanese or Hitler got their balls swollen too big and decided to take America down.
 

The Vulture

Banned
It's not a matter of realism so much as creative thinking and understanding of historical principles, which I thought was what this site encouraged.
 
Yes this site does, but both Pre and Post 1900 are much more centered on realism than say, ASB. Sorry if i insulted you or something, but yeah you'll hear that a lot from the ppl on this site.:D
 

The Vulture

Banned
Actually, I think I owe you an apology for being a bit snappish. Perhaps I might be better served to redirect this to the ASB forum.
 

The Vulture

Banned
Great Red Ousting

North Sea Theater events:

-Kriegsmarine's Nordseeflotte eventually wins naval superiority over Soviet Navy, oil drilling operations seized for German use.
-With German material support, Finnish troops strike towards Viipuri and East Karelia. Finnish troops also seal off the border between Soviet-controlled Laplandia (in Finnmark) and the Soviet Union (Murmansk Oblast).
-Norwegian soldiers loyal to Quisling and Nasjonal Samling strike north into Laplandia, alongside German army detachments. They are aided by the anti-Communist resistance in Laplandia. Thoguh many Soviet troops and collaborators surrender after token resistance or without even firing a shot, there is still several fierce pockets of resistance that take months to clean out.
-In early June, Hansson succumbs to political pressure and commits Swedish soldiers to the war in Laplandia.
-By October 1942, the last group offering resistance surrenders. Quisling declares Laplandia part of Norway once more, becoming a popular figure in the fascist and democratic spheres for his anti-communist stance.

Eastern Front events:

-German armor spearheads the attack, followed by coalition forces who clean up any resistance and guard the supply lines.
-Thus, Leningrad and Stalingrad are mostly bypassed and the 1st Panzer Army reaches the Baku oil fields by late November 1942, to be reinforced by more German troops, Romanian, Spanish, and Italian armies. Winter equipment is sent to the Axis troops in quantity, as Heydrich anticipates a long, drawn-out battle.
-Stalin recognizes the need for controlling the oil fields, and sends enormous amounts of troops to the area. The result is the Battle of Baku.
-Fought in and around the city until June 1943, each side commits thousands of men to the fight, and casualties are extremely high. Priceless historical monuments like the Maiden Tower and Palace of the Shirvanshahs are fortified by either side, and more often than not, reduced to rubble, like most of the rest of the city. The fighting slows the Axis advance considerably, although gains are made elsewhere.
-Heydrich, aware of the need for more men, takes a suggestion from Franco: International Brigades. Painting the fight as a noble crusade against the evils of Communism (from which he claims Hitler was merely trying to protect Europe), Heydrich campaigns in anti-Communist circles all over the world.
-President Roosevelt threatens to revoke the citizenship of anyone who volunteers to fight for Germany, yet nearly 12,000 Americans do, inspired by the anti-Russian sentiment sweeping America after Stalin's attempt to develop Alaska. They form a major part of the 87,000 volunteers from all over the world to answer Heydrich's call.
-The Axis begin to break the deadlock in Baku and the Cacausus, as Axis forces drive towards Moscow.

Next up: America and Japan get invloved.
 
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