Prince Charles Ascends or how a car accident saves Europe

If you haven't noticed in OTL the Germans have already nearly conquered Belgium by the end of two weeks. In this one, they haven't attacked the Dyle Line yet. Even when they get there they will have to prepare for a few days to get ready for that. This is another entrenched line so they won't be able to just keep on going.

The US is in the process of rearming itself. The tanks they sell aren't their latest, which aren't all that good anyway, because they want them for themselves. However, the Dutch had no tanks and the Belgians were short of them and are taking what they can get. France and GB need their tanks for themselves so they can't give them their tanks.

The battle is considerably bloodier than OTL and less one-sided. They are attacking a well-prepared position with significant reserves. When they are in the process of breaking through the French bring up their reserves to plug the gaps.

The Dutch think the M2A2s are good tanks because the Germans 1) Thought there were no tanks in the Dutch Army so didn't bring any weapons to fight them on that part of the line. 2) Had their schwerpunkt on a different part of the line in the Netherlands. 3) The French-Belgians are doing better than OTL and so troops that could have handled it went to Belgium instead which they see as the more important front. Because of all that the Germans didn't have all that much outside of their infantry to fight the tanks.

The Dutch never fought in tanks before and the training they have is mainly how to drive a tank and how to fire the guns. Their attention is mainly on that and fighting off infantry attacks than paying attention to the fact that the Germans haven't brought anti-tank guns. The Dutch are occasionally losing tanks to mortar and artillery which they are attributing to anti-tank guns.

In short the Dutch are basically in a perfect situation as far as their tanks are concerned but they don't realize it. As far as they can see it is doing its job well in mowing down infantry. So they are valuing the M2A2 tank far more than it deserves. They are drawing the wrong conclusions which is going to happen more than once in TTL.
 
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May 22, 1940
The first major Allied counteroffensive of the war and it works. It is meant only to distract enough Germans to allow their troops further back to retreat cleanly as it is apparent that they will retreat to the Dyle Line.

The French 7th Armee attacked the Germans on their southern flank. The Char B and the Somua S35 made an impression on the Germans. The Germans did see it as the start of a major offensive and sent reinforcements as quickly as they could. This allowed the rest of the French Army to escape far more cleanly than they otherwise would. On the night of the 23rd, the counteroffensive was ended and the French arrived in the afternoon on the 24th with Guirad the first French general of the war to be considered a hero. During the night the French heavy artillery bombarded the German lines as if they were preparing the field the next day and it worked. The Germans were surprised that the French had left and wasted hours trying to find the French Army figuring they were planning to attack another part of the line.

May 24, 1940

The Germans are none too surprised to find the French formed along a new line. The French Reserve of the Battle of the Meuse was now part of the front line along with units who were on quiet sectors of the front while the more exhausted units formed part of the reserve as they rested. For 3 days both sides conducted probing attacks to try to keep the other off balance and to find weak spots while they brought up supplies and rested their troops.

When the Germans strike they find it slightly better than before losing 7,500 KIA and 30,000 WIA while losing 125 more Panzers and hundreds of warplanes to boot with a larger percentage being Panzer IIIs and IVs than in the Battle of the Meuse. It is a little quicker this time taking only 12 days when the Germans manage to drive through a weak spot in the line.

The Allies take 11,000 KIA and 44,000 WIA and 125 tanks are lost and a further 12,500 men are captured as the Allies don't get away as cleanly as last time.

The Germans decide to pull all their remaining Panzer Is from the line to convert them to Panzerjaeger Is. They are considered to be useless against the French. However, since they can't be all converted at once it is decided about 100 a month would be converted until all remaining Panzer Is were converted. The Germans decide to merely "seal off" the Netherlands, for now, to concentrate on Belgium. Stole idea from PDF's A Blunted Sickle.

May 26, 1940
Dutch soldiers fly into the US and taken to Ft Benning for training (French and British training centers are completely busy training Frenchmen and Brits) as it has the room. The soldiers are shown the M2A4 which they quickly realize is quite a better tank than the M2A2.

They talk the Dutch government to going with the newer tanks despite the greater expense. The Dutch pay for it with oil that the US Army sells off.
The French and Brits seeing an alarming drop in the number of their tanks order 400 M2A4s themselves. It proves to be quite a good light tank for the time. The Army opens up 2 more production lines and Rock Island is going all three shifts.

The French and Brits look at the M2 medium and see it as obsolete. The Belgians, desperate for tanks, order 15 of them. The Army decides to put the Stuart on the back burner for now while they concentrate on improving the M2 Medium.

May 28,1940

Stalin and Hitler make a trade agreement for 250 Panzerjaegar Is, 500 8 cm minomet vz. ,300 20 cm leichter Ladungswerfer and 8,000,000 20cm shells, 15,000,000 8cm shells,and 16,000,000 4.4cm shells for oil and metal ore.

Stalin figures this strengthens the Red Army and allows Nazi Germany to continue fighting. He wants the Germans, French and British all to wear each other down. He also tries to see how he can expand in the meantime.

Meanwhile Churchill OKs a plan called Operation Hammer. It is outside the main theater but it won't cost very much and may catch the enemy by surprise. British Marines start training in Scottland ....
 
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My impression is that in the future people will see this war and the previous as very similar in light and strategy.
 

nbcman

Donor
In the WW2 era, the US Army Armored training school was at Ft Knox but it didn’t open until later in 1940. 1st Armored Div was formed at Ft Knox during the summer of 1940 and 2nd Armored Div was formed around the same tine at Ft Benning with a Colonel Patton in charge of training.
 
In the WW2 era, the US Army Armored training school was at Ft Knox but it didn’t open until later in 1940. 1st Armored Div was formed at Ft Knox during the summer of 1940 and 2nd Armored Div was formed around the same tine at Ft Benning with a Colonel Patton in charge of training.

Oops, didn't know that. :oops: Do you have any other suggestions to where to send them for training? I thought I figured out a good place to send them as France and GB would have been too busy.

Worst comes to worst they can look at the new tanks, upgrade them and go back to the Netherlands right away to train there. This would be little more than getting used to the new equipment and the ones that were in the first fight give any advice, good or bad.
 

nbcman

Donor
Oops, didn't know that. :oops: Do you have any other suggestions to where to send them for training? I thought I figured out a good place to send them as France and GB would have been too busy.

Worst comes to worst they can look at the new tanks, upgrade them and go back to the Netherlands right away to train there. This would be little more than getting used to the new equipment and the ones that were in the first fight give any advice, good or bad.
At the time indicated in the TL when the Dutch are being sent to the US, the forerunners to the 1st Armored division (7th Cav Bde) was finishing up an exercise and the two Armor Divisions were in the process of being formed. I don't know the US would be willing to take on training the Dutch. But if you want to use Authorial Fiat, maybe send the Dutch tankers to Ft Benning to get trained by Old Blood and Guts?
 
At the time indicated in the TL when the Dutch are being sent to the US, the forerunners to the 1st Armored division (7th Cav Bde) was finishing up an exercise and the two Armor Divisions were in the process of being formed. I don't know the US would be willing to take on training the Dutch. But if you want to use Authorial Fiat, maybe send the Dutch tankers to Ft Benning to get trained by Old Blood and Guts?

OK, that is what I will do. FDR is pretty pro-Allied and will insist. Their training will be shortened (The Dutch want them back ASAP anyway), however, and their instructor will be among the newest.
 
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May 30,1940
GB sends the 2nd Infantry Division and the 2nd light Armored Brigade of the 1st Armored Divison to Narvik in preparation for Operation Hammer. 3rd squadron and 9th squadron are also sent. This is set into motion partly due to MI6 finding out German weapons were being sold to the Soviets in large numbers. This information is shared with France, Belgium and the Netherlands. It is also shared with the US to give them a sense of the seriousness of the situation.

MI6 only knows tanks are being sent, not what type, and used the worst-case scenario that they were Panzer IIIs. They also think the ammo is much more modern than it actually is. They see it as a sign that the Nazis are doing much better than they previously thought. "Operation Hammer" is seen as a way to disrupt their plans and shake them up a little. In fact, it is because the Nazis are desperate for resources. There is discussion in MI6 on whether there is a closer alliance between the USSR and Nazi Germany than they thought.

June 8th, 1940

The battles along the Eschaut Line are the most intense of the war so far. It is the last defensive line in Belgium. The Chasseurs Ardennais, in particular, was renowned for it valor in battle. The entire 1 ère Division de Chasseurs Ardennais was wiped out. Of the division 5,000 were dead, and 15,000 wounded with only 500 soldiers surrendering.

The casualties were shocking . In a month long battle the Allies lost no less than 25,000 KIA, 75,000 WIA and 30,000 captured while the Germans took 22,000 KIA , 37,500 WIA . Tanks, trucks, artillery pieces in the thousands are destroyed over the battlefield. A British Soldier named Joesoph Phillips put it thus "The bodies of the dead and wounded covered the ground as far as the eye could see. As I peered out of my trench it seemed to me I could walk to the horizon stepping on nothing but dead bodies."

June 10th, 1940

The French Government announced the FCM 36, Renault D2, and the Renault NC were to be discontinued leaving only the Renault R35/40 being built as an infantry tank. The Somua S35 was to be France's only cavalry tank that was to be produced in the near future. The production of the CharB was to be increased.

As far as aircraft the Dewoitine D.520 was to be the only French-designed fighter to be used. Its production was to be greatly stepped up but until it did France would rely on US provided Warhawks and it ordered 500 of them. No suitable light bombers were made in France although the Potez 633 showed some promise. More development would go into that, but until then France would buy Havocs ordering 150 of them. LeO 45 was to be the medium bomber. It was decided building heavy bombers was too labor-intensive so it was simply going to buy 100 B17s from the US. As far as dive bombers were concerned they would wait a month or two until they could buy 75 Vindicators Dive Bombers from the US. They also import 40,000 trucks from the US.


As far as the British the Covenanter was scrapped being unfit for service anywhere. The cruiser Mk IV would be used for now although the British were unsatisfied with it and looking for improvements. The Valentine would be the British Infantry Tank. The British fighter was clearly the Spitfire. The Bristol Blenheim would be the night fighter. Like the French, the Brits would buy Havocs ordering 130. The Stirling would be available next month and it looked good to go. The Brits would go with that. until Halifaxs were ready later in the year. It too would import 75 dive bombers from the US. The British also order 30,000 trucks from the US.

Note: This is counting only active production models. Both countries are busy building and testing prototypes for weapons in the future. Basically, they are specializing on their best models. Varients on these types will also exist.
 
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Western Intelligence is in fact starting to think that the Russians and Germans are planning together. This will strengthen over time. In TTL Nazi Germany will not invade Russia, obviously, as it isn't going to even conquer France.

The British and French have been rationalizing their production more because this TL has been a bloodbath. It has been far bloodier than OTL. Far more dead and wounded and far fewer surrenders. With it being much harder to maneuver the body count is going up fast. I don't think anyone will object to the Brits ditching the Covenanter!XD

Although in much better shape than OTL it isn't as apparent for the Allies as us. As far as they see they are in a bloodbath where they have lost over 50,000 men killed, nearly 150,000 wounded and over 100,000 captured. After the shipment of arms to the USSR they are sure they inflicted far fewer casualties than they have taken and they are becoming convinced Stalin is about to jump them somewhere. They are losing weapons faster than they can make them and are buying US equipment in large numbers as a result.

The Germans aren't that happy themselves as they are taking more casualties than they wish and aren't charging in Belgium as fast as they did in Poland. They are starting to worry that the Allies are building up faster than they are being destroyed. One big help for them is that the Soviets sold them a lot of raw materials. Their foundries and factories are going full tilt. No Panzer Is are being made and few Panzer IIs. A lot of Panzer IIIs and IVs. ME109s are being built as fast they can make them. The Germans are making a lot of Stukka but are designing a replacement. They are no longer thrilled with the design but they are stuck for now.

I forgot to mention it before but the Norway Defense was also stolen from A Blunted Sickle.
 
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No suitable light bombers were made in France although the Potez 633 showed some promise. More development would go into that, but until then France would buy Hudsons ordering 150 of them.

What about the A-20/DB-7 Havoc? The French were actually buying them OTL and some even saw action in the Battle of France. Also, with the US getting ready to transition to the Dauntless, I think Washington would be happy to sell the French off the shelf Vindicators which would make sense - not only are the available now but the French actually have experience operating the type. The first mark of the SBDs were not available until late 1940 OTL and if you want to know what the US Navy thought of them - they passed them directly to the Marines.
 
No suitable light bombers were made in France although the Potez 633 showed some promise. More development would go into that, but until then France would buy Hudsons ordering 150 of them.

What about the A-20/DB-7 Havoc? The French were actually buying them OTL and some even saw action in the Battle of France. Also, with the US getting ready to transition to the Dauntless, I think Washington would be happy to sell the French off the shelf Vindicators which would make sense - not only are the available now but the French actually have experience operating the type. The first mark of the SBDs were not available until late 1940 OTL and if you want to know what the US Navy thought of them - they passed them directly to the Marines.

OK , I will change them. You must admit getting rid of the Covenanter is a good idea! By the way, when I say scrapped I mean scrapped in this case. They are melted down and turned into decent tanks.
 
I was thinking that the Brits/French would request that the US turn the Warhawk strictly into a dedicated ground-attack aircraft. With the Thunderbolt planned to be produced next year, the US would probably agree with that, particularly with the war less threatening to it, it is more driven by foreign sales than OTL. How would you change the Warhawk into being a dedicated ground-attack aircraft?

How about changing the guns under the wing to .50 calibers and adding 2 more of them, and add additional armor? They would be slower but that doesn't matter as much with ground-attack aircraft.
 
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June 12, 1940
An MI6 operative who managed to get himself to be a part of a Wehrmacht delegation sent to the USSR to work on the details of the deal and to turn over the instruction manuals of the weapons gets wind of the fact that Stalin is sending the equipment to the Romanian border later in the summer. He sends word to London which is distributed to the other allies and the US. FDR is advised by his men that it was now "Highly Likely" that the USSR and Nazi Germany were now or about to be full-fledged allies.

After much discussion, they decide to inform Mussolini. With the Soviets seemingly about to pounce south they wouldn't look unfavorable at the idea if Italy were to make a deal with Romania, Yugoslavia and Hungry. The Balkan states are informed of this as well.

June 16, 1940
The NKVD gets wind of this and they tell Stalin. Stalin becomes convinced that members of the Ordinance Branch of the Red Army has spies who leaked it to the Allies and the branch is purged by the NKVD.

The HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror depart the UK to take part in Operation Hammer. They are escorted by 4 I class destroyers and the Kingfisher Group.


Idea stolen from A Blunted Sickle though the Allies are more actively behind it than in his. Frankly, I hate Stalin more than Mussolini and I don't see anyone better in the short term to make Stalin more nervous in the short term than Mussolini. It isn't that he is particularly scared of Italy but outside UK/France the rest is even less scary than Italy and the French and Brits are busy. Also, it won't be only Italy but Italy, Romania, Yougoslavia and Hungry. That is enough to even make it difficult for the Red Army to attack all at once.

The French and Brits are too busy fighting the Germans and the US is still isolationist and 3,000 miles away. The French are worried about the Russians and are happier if the Italians are in Romania instead of Western Italy.
 
June 21, 1940

3rd Mountain Division was rudely awakened to the sound of 15-inch guns going off in their midst as the coastwatchers were taken out by British Commandos who landed out of sight and snuck up on them. Situated just behind the Skjomen fjord, it is badly hammered. Its commanding general Eduard Dietl was killed along by a 15-inch shell landing on his building with his command staff. Half the divisions already slim supplies were also blown up. Cruiser Mk IV tanks of the 2nd light armored brigade are already landing from small landing craft crossing the fjord.

The 9th squadron then targets the unit knocking out 2 anti-tank guns. 4 more were knocked out by the monitors and another 3 by artillery. There were only 15 37mm anti-tank guns remaining due to previous battles to take out the Cruisers Mk IV. This is far from enough to contain an entire armored brigade and 138th Mountain Infantry Regiment is simply run over. The artillery gets some M-kills but that is far from enough. By the time night falls 1,000 Germans are dead, 2000 wounded and 1,500 captured. All of its artillery and anti-tank guns are destroyed and supplies are very low. British casualties are much lighter with only 400 dead and 800 wounded.

The next day, surrounded by tanks and motorized infantry what is left of the division surrenders. This is the first real offensive victory of the war for the Allies. Up until this moment, all they had was counter offenses and raids.

The Germans were astounded by the loss. The loss of a single division was of no great concern but they had only one other in Norway and that at half size. They would have to reinforce Norway if they didn't want to lose it and losing Norway would make it easier for the Brits to supply the Netherlands.

June 24, 1940
Mussolini announces the formation of the Rome Bloc consisting of Italy, Romania, Hungry and Yougoslavia. Italian troops under the command of Field Marshal Balbo. start crossing the border headed towards the Russian border. France quietly sends 200 M2A4s to Italy(to be replaced by the US in 2 weeks) in exchange for 300 L3/35s which are sent to a 3rd country on behalf of the US. 100 Warhawks are exchanged for 150 Ba.65s to be sent to the same 3rd country. Henry Ford agreed to sell 40,000 trucks to Italy in a hastily concluded deal. The upgrading of equipment and the retraining by the army is declared a state secret by Il Duce.

FDR declares that the US will now allow weapons to be sold for pounds and francs.

The troops are sent from the French border and other places in Italy. Italy is to get favored trade from the bloc and Mussolini is eager for the Romanian oil. The army is very pleased with the upgrade. M2A4s aren't Somua S35s and getting a bit old in this fast upgrading period but they are a good light tank, much better than an L3/35 tankette! The Warhawks are much better than the Bredas as well.

Meanwhile, the US sells Belgium 30 M2 Medium Tanks. The tanks are improving from OTL as they are actually being bought and made so some of the weaknesses are being addressed. It is by no means a Char B but it is improving. British and French tanks are improving as well with the British improving faster than OTL due to less of a panic.

June 25, 1940
Stalin orders the invasion of Bessarabia and northern Bukovina the next day under his favorite general Budyonny (instead of Zhukov of OTL). Unknown to Stalin the Italians already sent 5 infantry divisions and 2 armored. He also doesn't realize Budyonny is completely and totally incompetent.

Nominally he massively outnumbers the Romanian/Italians but the fact is due to huge administrational and logistical snarls his army is far more dispersed than it should be or he admits. By the time of the invasion, there are only 14 infantry and 4 cavalry divisions actually on the front line. There is nothing but infantry and cavalry invading because he thought tanks could never replace cavalry and so didn't plan on bringing any but allowed 3 motorized divisions and 2 armor divisions to be included at the last minute and so they are the furthest from the front of the army. He does have planes though. Although he eventually wins the campaign it is at a huge cost.
 
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