Spain in the Axis, Turkey in the Allies: A Help or Hindrance?

They would leave Istanbul a disgusting wreck, unless they threw down their arms and gave their nation to the Germans.

I rasie this after watching "The Rape of Europa" which was basically a doco on how the Nazis stole art from Florence and wrekced the anceint architecure. Made me really sad and the idea of the Nazis looting Istanbul too depresses me...
 

JRScott

Banned
January 1941

Awake again

(Turkey is secular at this time, Full support from Spain will aid Germany, you are right about the food crisis coming though)

Britain declares war on Russia at the start of the year in retaliation for Russia's attack on Turkey (edited this in as it was an oversight)

Operation Excess is a failure, the loss of Gibraltar results in the capture of Convoy MC4 in Gibraltar before it can sail. In addition Force H is caught unaware of the loss of Gibraltar resulting in the loss of the Ark Royal, Renown, Malaya, and Sheffield. The Faulknor, Fury, Forestor, Fortune and Firedrake all suffer light to moderate damage.

Force A looses the Gallant and the Illustrious is heavily damaged and out of action for a year. Illustrious manages to slip out late in the month back to Alexandria from Malta where there is heavy bombing from German and Italian forces.

Force B losses the Southhampton.

Italian Subs no longer needing to find Force H are freed to look for other targets finding Force F. They sink the replenishment oil tanker Brambleleaf. The also sink the light cruiser Orion. They fail though to damage the York.

Charles Lindbergh testifies before congress citing the circumstances in Europe, the entry of Spain and the major losses by the British Med fleet in the last month as reasons for the United States to seek a neutrality pact with Hitler. He also points to the Soviets moving against the middle east.

British forces in Kenya do launch an offensive against East Africa.

Turkey late in the month falls to Soviet troops, though Turkish rebels will harass for the next few years.

Greek Dictator dies.

February 1941

The House of Representatives fails to pass the Lend-Lease Bill primarily due to Lindbergh's strong testimony.

Italian Navy seeks a broader role with the loss of British supply conduit through Gibraltar and the loss of key British ships the month before. Germany moves to reinforce North Afrika, Rommel takes command of the Afrika Corps.

German U-Boats lend assistance to the Italian Navy operating from Gibraltar. The British Navy seeking to limit further Navy losses, while determining if they can retake Gibraltar pull back primarily to Alexandria. Operation Compass begins to falter.

The British do get good news when Upright sinks the Italian cruiser Armando Diaz.

Churchill calls on America to help them more, to give them what they need. He deplores the failure of the lend-lease bill in the US Congress.

Soviets overrun Iraq and Iran cutting British supply lines from India to Egypt.
 
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JRScott

Banned
March 1941

British convoy attempting to reinforce Greece comes under heavy Italian U-Boat, surface ship and German plane attacks. The convoy's troop transports are lost, with heavy damage to most of the ships, the York limps away towards Crete from the battle.

Later in the month Italian forces sink the York, the Norwegian Pericles (a large tanker), another tanker and cargo ships at Suda Bay, Crete.

Rommel begins his offensive into Libya, the British forces undersupplied have to make hasty retreats towards Egypt.

Heavy convoy losses in the Atlantic.

Greece begins to buckle under the Italian spring offense, they start losing ground at a snails pace but without the supplies and troops of Britain they begin to loose. The pace is to slow for Hitler and Germany sends an army to assist, Greece will fall before the end of the month.

April 1941

Germany moves against Yugoslavia delaying any action against the Soviet Union.

Rommel's troops receive much needed resupply with the British naval assets in Med having taking a considerable hit the last couple months. As a result his offensive on Tobruk is successful and the city falls.

Albania, Yugoslavia fall to Germany.

Stalin's supply lines are extremely stretched. Britain begins a counteroffensive into Iraq at Basra using forces from India. Stalin dispatches more of his interior forces to bolster his holdings in the middle east.

Heavy bombing of Britain and Malta

Japan and Soviet Union sign a pact of neutrality.

FDR prays for an Axis attack that he might convince Congress to aid the allies. He orders US warships to escort merchant ships on the trade routes, noting the danger to them and his role as commander and chief.

May 1941

With the fall of Tobruk, Rommel looks to Egypt and the key port of Alexandria.
 
Mostly good, except for the bit where the Soviets start attacking, due to two questions (not including the poor state of the Turkish infrastructure):
1) Why (at this point Turkey is woefully unprepared for war, and no conflict exists between the Soviets and the Allies)?
2) With what (The Soviets are busy rearming, and can't really afford to be more aggressive than they need to be)?
 

JRScott

Banned
Well building on what the guy posted earlier, Stalin has left his interior woefully undermanned. He is believing Hitler will give Russia full status in the Axis.

As you see in April Britain has started a counteroffensive using forces from India into Iraq. This would have been triggered by Britain's treaty though a formal declaration does not yet exist of war. (Though that was probably an oversight on my part as they invaded Turkey, as such there probably would have been a declaration of war within a week of the Russian attack on Turkey, Just Britain is not directly where it can help nor is France, especially with the mess of losing Gibraltar). (Went back and posted a declaration of war in response to the invasion)

Turkey at the start of Russia's invasion had forces aiding Greece, this means much like Stalin's Interior they were not prepared for his advance. Most of the Turks thus get cut off but elements of their military survive and escape into the mountains of Central Turkey, they launch constant raids from here against Stalin's supply lines and harassment of his troops. This will actually help the British in Iraq, as Stalin is really stretched a bit to thin, though he has adequate forces in the south. It would not be so hard on the Turks if Spain had not also joined the Axis and Britain had not lost Gibraltar.

Keep in mind there was a strong pro Axis movement in Iraq, the Russians wouldn't have to do a lot to take it from British control, you'd basically just have to destroy RAF Habbaniya base.
 
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JRScott

Banned
May 1941


London is suffering heavy bombardment, the House of Commons is hit.

In a stroke of madness Rudolf Hess, third in line to control Nazi Germany flies a plane into Scotland and is captured. Early reports say he's sane and he's imprisoned but letters and other actions lead many to believe he's suffered a nervous breakdown. Churchill has interrogators wring what information they can out of Hess, Churchill needs information, without the US Lend-Lease program he needs some leverage, something to give hope.

Soviet Union recognizes and installs Rashid Ali's "National Defense Government" in Iraq setting it up principally as a satellite nation. Britain's forces from India receive support from Australia. A beachhead is formed. This earns Stalin wide support among Rashid's followers and enables him to spend less forces policing Iraq and more fighting Britain at Basra. The battle of Basra is going to drag on for at least a few weeks, maybe months.

The Battle of Alexandria would go down in the history books as one of the turning points of the Med war, right up with the Battle of Gibraltar a few months earlier. The Italian Navy having seen the faltering British influence decide to engage the port of Alexandria, it will be a combined assault, Rommel will command the ground forces, the Italian's will provide most of the naval assets, German and Italian air assets, German U-Boat wolfpack. The goal is to remove the British from the Med sea. Two weeks of planning go into the attack, as Rommel moves into Egypt and up to the city.

Germany transfers Fleigerfuhrer Irak to Mosul to support the Russians. Stalin is thankful for the German assistance. (This would be different than IRL that the force has bomber and fighter assets). They help provide air cover to the Russians in Basra, while also beginning to take pictures of Russian troops and fortifications.

Battle of Crete lasts 3 days with Italian Navy no longer concerned about the British navy hiding at Alexandria engages along with German troops. This is considered a warm up for the Battle of Alexandria coming up in the next week.

British forces make a bit more progress around Basra, though the progress is slow.

Special Staff F arrives in Iraq to support the Arab Freedom Movement. They have special orders from the Fuhrer.

Adolf Hitler issues Fuhrer Directive 30.

FDR gets his wish, SS Robin Moore is sunk by a German U-Boat. The nation is startled. FDR calls upon Congress to pass the Lend-Lease Act that it previously had rejected. He makes an impassioned plea as it is clear that Germany considers our merchant ships fair targets in their war. We must act before all hope is lost. We must move to support those who are our friends, and we must recognize those that would be our enemies. The attack makes it impossible for Congress to pass a Neutrality measure.

The government of Ethiopia falls, but Italian forces continue the fight, some good news for the British.

The German dreadnought Bismark makes for the open Atlantic, in an engagement it sends HMS Hood to the bottom of the ocean and seriously damages Prince of Wales. Britain tries to rally its remaining naval assets in the hunt for the Bismark. Although damaged Bismark makes to the port of St. Nazaire for repairs (Ark Royal was sunk a few months ago, no other British ship can stop Bismark from making it, without those torpedo hits from Ark Royal's planes the Bismark's steering mechanism is never taken out of action). Fear begins to spread even to the United States that the Bismark might start targeting shipping. FDR moves to upgrade trade route escorts from just destroyers to include heavy cruisers, but still keeps US Battleships near his coast.

Italian squadron arrives to reinforce Special Force F.

In the waning days of May the attack is launched, it begins with bomb attacks on Alexandria targeting oil storage, munitions, ships, and airfields although Britain has almost no air assets left here. Ships in port escaping the bombs head into waters that are as dangerous as the bombs, Italian and German U-Boats quickly take out the remaining heavy ships, though they lose a couple of subs as well. The destroyers and light cruisers of Britain left are no match for the Italian battleships and heavy cruisers that are attacking their line. It is in all sense one of the worst Naval disasters of the war. Italian Battleships would then soften up the city with their guns, as bombing continued. Much as it had in ancient times, Alexandria would burn. Rommel sweeps in from the desert attacking what remains of the British defenses, within a week in early June Alexandria falls, leaving only Malta as the last British outpost in the Med with no air or naval assets.

June 1941

FDR seeing war is coming even if Congress doesn't forms the Tuskagee Airmen, with the 99th Fighter Squadron.

In the early days of the month Alexandria falls, within 2 weeks all of Egypt will belong to the Germans and Rommel will turn his attention south to reclaim the territory the Italians couldn't hold in July. HMS Illustrious is scuttled by the Germans and Italians, who do not yet see the need for an aircraft carrier. Some point out this was perhaps one of the blunders that started to turn the war.

A British convoy that had slipped past Gibraltar in the dark of night attempting to deliver relief supplies to Malta including new fighters is discovered and sunk by Italian U-boats and finished off by German bombers.

Congress feeling popular pressure passes the Lend-Lease Act at last. FDR signs the bill the same day.

Finland begins to mobilize.

The Battle of Malta occurs more as a cleaning exercise than anything. The woefully undersupplied British troops at this point surrender.

FDR uses the FBI to freeze all German, Italy and Russian assets in the United States. FDR orders the consulates in Germany, Italy and Russia closed and has their staffs evacuated.

Germany invades Russia, Romania joins Germany in the Invasion, Finland begins to allow German troops. Stalin is highly unprepared for this. His weak interior means that the German blitz reaches the oil rich Caucasus oil fields within 2 weeks. Hitler's forces are also to the outskirts of Moscow by then. Leningrad is under siege with to few Soviets to guard it.

Albania, Hungary, Slovakia declare war on Russia.

Minsk and Bialvystok fall before the end of the month their troops having been moved to support the war in the Middle East.

Churchill can scarcely believe Hitler has invaded the Soviet Union, with the Lend-Lease program, and now this he's got some time, there is hope in Britain that the Empire will not die. FDR watches from America, yes war was coming it was inevitable. One thing is certain its a good thing he avoided that neutrality pact, it stunk to high heaven and see how well the Germans honored that pact with Russia.

Stalin needs his forces to help him, the closest armies are those in Turkey. Though furious he orders all troops in Turkey to leave that country realizing this was just a ruse by Hitler and to immediately counteract the German flank and make haste to the oil fields. He also issues orders to his forces in Iraq and Iran and they start to withdraw as well. British forces can scarcely believe their eyes.

The Turks inflict severe casualties on the retreating Russians using their forces, they want to make sure its a clear victory for their forces. They then occupy the abandoned Russian fortifications (and their former fortifications). Maybe Turkey will survive, though right now things not looking good surrounded as they are. Turk scouts cross into Iraq and make contact with the British in Basra.

British and Australian forces push back the Free Arab Government and Germans in Iraq, even as Turks come south to give support, both groups seeking to secure a line between them. Iraq is under British/Turk control at the end of the month.

The Italian Navy moves back to ports in Italy and refurbish. There next use will be against Turkey who has no real naval assets at this time.

Operation Arctic Fox.
 
Stalin signed the Molotiv-Ribbentrop pact precisely because he knew his army needed time to rebuild, and they weren't ready by even 1941, so the chances of them upping and invading another country (and one that will open another front with a separate power) at the time are practically null.
 

JRScott

Banned
I can see your point, I suppose I did an Soviet invasion of Turkey to soon. They would have at least waited til after their Neutrality Pact with Japan was in force Mid April, after all Stalin preferred not to fight a two front war though he also never believed the Japanese would honor the treaty. So earliest invasion of Turkey would be around mid May 1941.

Turkey then would continue to support Greece but probably would also create more fortifications along the Russian border as well as sea fortifications (or perhaps mine near their waterways as their navy is limited). They would also probably continue to support the British in Iraq, leading to a faster fall of the pro Axis government than OTL.

Greece/Turkey would make faster progress towards Italy and Germany making it necessary for the Germans to intervene here sooner. However this means heavier German/Italian casualties, certainly delaying any action against Russia, and meaning that the Free Greeks would escape to Turkey to continue the fight from there.

Most of the Med stuff would continue as I outlined though British forces from Crete and Malta would probably retreat to Turkey, some would probably be lost due to the increased Italian Navy presence but Turkey would afford a path back to the Empire.
 

JRScott

Banned
Turkish Navy circa 1940:

Submarines:

Birinci İnönü and İkinci İnönü German Type UB III built Dutch shipyard IvS in 1925
Sakarya Italian Vettor Pisani class sub 1931 entered service
Dumlupınar Italian Argonauta class sub 1931 entered service
Gur German Type IA sub 1936 entered service (built in Spain though)
Saldiray, Batiray, Atliay Ay Class (modified German Type IXA sub) (1939/1940 entered service)
Yildiray Ay Class (Under Construction in Turkey in 1940)
Oruc Reis, Murat Reis, Burak Reis, and Uluc Ali Reis modified Royal Navy S Class Sub all under construction in 1940, earliest delivery date 1942

Surface Ships:


Adatepe, Kocatepe Adatepe Class Destroyer (Built in Italy) Entered service 1931
Tinaztepe, Zafer Tinaztepe Class Destroyer (Built in Italy) Entered service 1932
Martı, Denizkuşu and Doğan Torpedo Boats, Entered Service 1931
Gayret Demirhisar-class destroyer (Built in Britain), Entered serive 1940
Demirhisar, Sultanhisar and Muavenet Demirhisar-class destroyer (Built in Britain), under construction in 1940, completion eta 1941.

There were also 2 minelayers built by Britain, not sure of class, or when they exactly entered service, ordered around 1939.
 

JRScott

Banned
Spanish Navy Circa 1940:

Note many ships of the Spanish Navy were lost during the civil war that immediately occurred before WWII they had no dreadnoughts remaining as it was lost during the civil war to sabotage.

Aircraft Carriers:

Dedalo class seaplane tender (1)

Dédalo (1922–1940) (ex-Neuenfelds 1901-1921) (Note it was scrapped in 1940 OTL, however if they are entering the war they'd keep it)

Submarines

B class Holland F-105 (6)

B-1 (1921–1941)
B-2 (1922–1951)
B-3 (1922–1940)

C class Holland F-105 (6)

C-1 Isaac Peral (1928–1950)
C-2 (1928–1951)
C-4 (1929–1946)


Archimede class (2)

General Mola (1937–1958) (ex-Archimede 1934-1937)
General Sanjurjo (1937–1959) (ex-Torricelli 1935-1937)



Cruiser

Navarra class (1)

Reina Victoria Eugenia > Republica > Navarra (1923>1934>1936-1955)

Blas de Lezo class (2)

Mendez Nuñez (1924–1963)

Almirante Cervera class (3)

Almirante Cervera (1928–1965)
Principe Alfonso > Libertad > Galicia (1927>1936>1939-1970)
Miguel de Cervantes (1930–1964)

Canarias class (2)

Canarias (1936–1975)
Baleares (1936–1938)

Destroyers:

Alsedo class (3)

Alsedo (1924–1957)
Velasco (1924–1957)
Lazaga (1925–1961)

Churruca I class (7)

Sanchez Barcáiztegui (1928–1964)
José Luis Díez (1929–1965)
Almirante Ferrándiz (1929–1936)
Lepanto (1930–1957)
Churruca (1931–1963)
Alcalá Galiano (1931–1957)
Almirante Valdés (1933–1957)

Churruca II class (7)

Almirante Antequera (1935–1965)
Almirante Miranda (1936–1970)
Ciscar (1936–1957)
Escaño (1936–1963)
Gravina (1936–1963)
Jorge Juan (1937–1959)

Alessandro Poerio/Huesca class (2)

Huesca (1937–1953) (ex-Alessandro Poerio 1915-1937)
Teruel (1937–1948) (ex-Guglielmo Pepe 1915-1937)

Minelayer

F-00 Marte class (2)

F-01 Marte (1938–1971)
F-02 Neptuno (1939–1972)

F-10 Júpiter class (Marte modernized*) (2)

F-11 Júpiter (1937/1960*-1974)
F-12 Vulcano (1937/1960*-1977)


Aquila/Mărăşti/Ceuta class (2)

Ceuta (1937–1948) (ex- Falco, ex-Viscol 1919-1937)
Melilla (1937–1950) (ex-Aquila 1916-1937) (ex-Vifor 1919-1937)

Gunboats:

Recalde class (4)[52]

Laya (1910–1940)
Lauria (1912–1940)

Cánovas del Castillo class (3)[53]

Canovas del Castillo (1923–1959)
Canalejas (1924–1951)
Eduardo Dato (1925–1953)

Calvo Sotelo class (1)

Calvo Sotelo (1938–1957)

Torpedo Boats:


T-1 class (22)
T-1 (1912–1940)
T-7 (1915–1946)
T-9 (1915–1943)
T-14 (1916–1952)
T-16 (1917–1941)
T-17 (1917–1952)
T-19 (1920–1941)
T-20 (1920–1940)
T-21 (1921–1940)
T-22 (1921–1940)

Soviet G5 class[58]
11 (1937–1946) renamed LT-15 after Spanish Civil War
21 (1937–1946) renombrado LT-16 after Spanish Civil War

Schnelboote[59]
Badajoz (LT-15) (1937-1944) ex S-1 German
Oviedo (LT-12) (1937-1940) ex S-3 German
Requeté (LT-11) (1936-1946) ex S-4 German
Toledo (LT-14) (1939-1944) ex S-5 German

MAS[60]
Sicilia (LT-18) (1938-?) ex MAS 100 Italian.
Nápoles (LT-19) (1938-?) ex MAS 223 Italian.
Cándido Pérez (LT-16) (1938-?) ex MAS 435 Italian.
Javier quiroga (LT-17) (1938-?) ex MAS 436 Italian.
Ulloa (1937–1963)


They also have a variety of tankers, transports, training ships, and a sub rescue ship.
 
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