The American World War: Hell on Earth

AFTERNOON BRIEFING FOR ADMIRAL KING
JULY 2, 1941
1300 HOURS

Admiral Ernest King, CNO
Vice Admiral Samuel Robinson; Chief, BuShips

Vice Admiral Robinson: As of 0800 hours this morning, the following major ships were commissioned or are working up on the East Coast:

USS Appomattox (CVL-20) (just commissioned, beginning sea trials)
USS Columbia (CL-61) (sea trials completed, available for deployment)
USS Dayton (CL-69) (in final stages of sea trials)
USS Keene (CLAA-78) (sea trials completed, available for deployment)
USS Montpelier (CL-63) (just commissioned, beginning sea trials)
USS Santa Fe (CL-62) (just commissioned, beginning sea trials)

And the following are on the West Coast:

USS Amsterdam (CL-64) (just commissioned, beginning sea trials)
USS Biloxi (CL-70) (sea trials completed, available for deployment)
USS Birmingham (CL-65) (just commissioned, beginning sea trials)
USS Cabot (CVL-19) (just commissioned, beginning sea trials)
USS Wisconsin (BB-55) (just commissioned, beginning sea trials)

Admiral King: Remind me again, the Keene is that bastard half brother to the Atlanta class?

Admiral Robinson: Yes sir. Captain Bartlett says she is a great ship and ready to take on all comers.

Admiral King: So who gets what? Did the Fleet Commanders make their requests?

Admiral Robinson: Yes sir, Admiral Stark said he understands that the Pacific will get the majority of the ships, but he would really love to get the Wisconsin, at least for a short time.

Admiral King: Betty is going to be disappointed. Let him know that he is getting the Cabot, she’ll be useful escorting convoys or maybe in one of that anti-sub hunter killer groups the Brits want to start up. Tell him he is also getting the Biloxi, Columbia and the Keene. Tell him, I want the Keene in the Med; I’ll be interested in hearing how she does there.

Admiral Robinson: Aye, aye sir. And the rest go to the Pacific?

Admiral King: Yes, what’s next on the agenda?

GRANITE STATE SHIP GOES TO WAR!!
USS KEENE JOINS THE FLEET
KEENE SENTINEL
JULY 3, 1941
By Matthew Lee, Keene Sentinel Special Reporter

Bath, Maine. The Navy’s newest anti-aircraft cruiser has joined the fleet. The USS Keene, named after our beloved city, is under the command of Commander Benjamin Merrill Bartlett, a Granite State native.

The ship, which has just completed its shakedown cruise, is designed to escort aircraft carriers, battleships and other high value targets from enemy aircraft. She is an offshoot of the Atlanta class light cruiser.

According to Captain Bartlett, his crew, a mixture of regular sailors, reservists and draftees, is highly trained and ready to fight. His ship, a product of New England ship building and American ingenuity is ready for war.

CLASSIFIED BRIEFING FOR
PRESIDENT TIMOSHENKO
ON THE STATUS OF THE WAR

JULY 3, 1941

Present:

President Timoshenko
Vice President & Foreign Secretary: Kliment Yefremovich Voroshilov
Acting Army Chief of Staff: Colonel General Pavel Fyodorovich Yakubovsky
Chief of Staff of the Air Force: Colonel General Sergei Semenovich Grechko
Commander-in-Chief, Russian Navy Admiral Nikolay Gerasimovich Kuznetsov
Director of the GRU: Lieutenant General Alexei Ivanovich Masorin

Briefer: Brigadier General Vladimir Vasilyevich Ustinov, Russian Army

General Ustinov: Good morning Mr. President, I am here to present you the latest developments…

President Timoshenko: First off – where is Zhukov?

GRU Director: Mr. President, these are the facts as we know them. His convoy was ambushed outside of Kiev. We have not found his body, nor have we located any sign of him. We have some intelligence that he may have been captured, we are not sure if the Germans have him or the Communist rebels.

Timoshenko: You mean the Communist criminals! Scour Kiev, find him and if you cannot rescue him, kill him! What about Budnney? Are the Germans correct that they killed him during their raid?

General Masorin: We were able to interview the ten survivors. Most saw nothing; three saw the Field Marshal kill between two and three Germans before being gunned down. Since they burned the Headquarters as they left, we were unable to recover his body.

Timoshenko: The man was an idiot. Now Vladimir Vasilyevich, how much damage did the Germans do to our air force?

Brigadier General Ustinov: Mr. President, they hurt us badly. Most of our aircraft were lost…(Interrupted by General Grechko)

General Grechko: Ustinov, I have more accurate information Mr. President. Our losses were moderate in nature and our pilots are taking the fight to the enemy. In fact our bombers have inflicted much damage on the advancing fascists. (Interrupted by General Yakubovsky)

General Yakubovsky: You lie! My troops are screaming for air support! The Germans fly with impunity over my troops.

Timoshenko: Generals shut up! Vladimir Vasilyevich, tell me what information YOU have.

General Ustinov: With the exception of the reconnaissance squadron, every other squadron in the North Western Air Command was caught on the ground by the Luftwaffe; the vast majority of their aircraft were destroyed or severely damaged. The Germans control the skies over that sector of the front.

The Western Air Command got off slightly better. Yes, the majority of their aircraft were caught on the ground and destroyed. The Germans also destroyed the majority of hangers and fuel depots. It appears that both the commanders of the North Western and Western Air Commands failed to heed the lessons of the Blitzkrieg and Pearl Harbor. Their aircraft were grouped together to prevent Communist sabotage. The good news was that the Commander of the 22nd Fighter Division had dispersed his planes and most of them survived. Right now they are trying to fight the Germans, but they are vastly outnumbered.

The South Western Air Command suffered the fewest losses.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of their losses were in the ground support and bomber units. Their fighter strength as of last night was roughly 30%.

President Timoshenko: Did the commanders of the North Western and Western Air Commands survive the German attack General Ustinov?

General Ustinov: Yes sir they did.

President Timoshenko: General Grechko you and those two fools are now privates in a penal battalion!! General Ustinov, how far have the Germans advanced?

General Ustinov: The news is not good Mr. President.

The North Western Front is in danger of a total collapse. The 8th Army folded less than 24 hours after the attack began and they are in full retreat. The German 25th Army has advanced 85 km in the last 36 hours.
The Finnish 1st Army was held up for about 8 hours before punching through our lines, they have advanced 75 km into our territory.

The 4th Panzer Army is rapidly approaching Saint Petersburg; we estimate that they will be on the outskirts of the City in 3 days. The 9th Tank Division chewed up one of their panzer divisions before it was destroyed.
The 16th Army has advanced 65 km since the invasion.

After the death of Field Marshal Budnney, his Deputy waited 8 hours before taking command, the information we have was that his staff could not find him and when they did, he was drunk. Right now he is pulling his forces back towards Kiev.

President Timoshenko: General Masorin, have him shot immediately!!

General Ustinov: The 4th Army completely wiped out the XXV Rifle Corps and has advanced 90 km into our country.

The XXIII Rifle Corps stalled the German 2nd Panzer Army for about 4 hours before they had to retreat to avoid being destroyed. The 2nd Panzer Army is 98 km inside our country.

The XX Cavalry Corps wrecked havoc on the German 3rd Panzer Army’s lead elements before being ordered back towards Kiev. Unfortunately they suffered severe losses during their retreat..

President Timoshenko: Enough! No more! General Yakubovsky, no more retreats! Your troops are to stand fast and stop the Germans. I want the commander of the Saint Petersburg garrison notified that I expect him to hold the city; he is not to surrender the city. Is that understood? In fact, begin evacuating the city of all non-essential civilians. Immediately transfer the XXXIV Rifle Corps there and the Corps Commander will become the garrison commander. Transfer the Airborne Corps to Kiev. Transfer the XXIX Rifle Corps to Murmansk. Start transferring as many forces as we can from Siberia and elsewhere. What is happening in Volgograd?

General Yakubovsky: The rebels have refused all offers to surrender and we have had some serious losses in our last attack, but we gained more ground. According to General Konev, he has replenished his losses and plans another attack within the next 72 hours.

President Timoshenko: We can no longer take the time to lance that particular boil. What do the criminals have in the way of protection against chemical weapons?

General Masorin: Our intelligence indicates that they have little in the way of chemical warfare defenses and the civilians have none at all.

President Timoshenko: Have as much mustard gas as Konev needs – artillery shells and bombs if we have them - transferred to Konev’s command and inform him he is authorized to use it. Wipe the city off the map. I want this done quickly – transfer what he needs in 24 hours and tell him he has 72 hours once he has them to wipe out the city and if he can’t do it, tell him to shoot himself.

Vice President Voroshilov: Sir, is that wise? If we open that can of worms, it could backfire on us.

President Timoshenko. Be silent! General Masorin, what is going on at the German Embassy?

General Masorin: Since the beginning of the invasion they have remained inside their embassy while they are waiting to be exchanged. They have burned their classified materials and destroyed their cryptography equipment. The Swedes have agreed to act as intermediaries between us and the Germans.

President Timoshenko: The Swedes can go to Hell! General Masorin, contact our embassy in Berlin, get anyone you deem vital out of Berlin by dawn. In the morning, I want you to personally go to the German Embassy and have every person in the building shot. They will pay for their crimes against the Russian people. Voroshilov, contact the American and British Ambassadors. I want to speak to them today, tomorrow morning at the latest. Let’s see if they can give us some help.

General Masorin: Mr. President, as I am sure the Vice President could tell you there are rules about treating diplomats like this…

President Timoshenko: General if you cannot handle your duties, I can find someone who can. Get it done! Now Admiral, what is your report….

(This meeting was secretly recorded by the GRU and declassified in 1966.)
 
CLASSIFIED MESSAGE TO
THE SECRETARY OF STATE
JULY 4, 1941

TO: Secretary of State Stettinius
FROM: Peter Winkler, Ambassador to Russia
SUBJECT: Russia

Mr. Secretary, I must inform you of the outrageous atrocity that occurred this morning here in Moscow! Just after 7:30 this morning, I was notified by our Military Attaché that the Russians were attacking the German Embassy. A battalion of the GRU drove up to the embassy and shot their way inside! Over the next hour, the GRU and the Germans fought a pitched battle inside the embassy. Survivors were brought down into the courtyard and executed! (The attaché was able to get some photographs which are being dispatched immediately to Washington). The attaché watched as the German Ambassador was hauled out of the Embassy like a common criminal. He saw General Masorin, head of the GRU, personally execute the Ambassador! I filed an immediate protest with the Russians.

Around 8am, I was summoned to an emergency meeting with the Russian President. I began protesting the actions of the GRU and I was ignored. President Timoshenko then demanded assistance from both the British and us. I asked what he meant by “assistance”. He laid out what he expected (and if you ask me, he is being most unrealistic.):

1. An invasion of France and Norway within the next few months.
2. The transfer of a field army to Russia (under Russian command)
3. The transfer of an air force of at least 8 squadrons of fighters and 15 squadrons of bombers to Russia (under Russian command)
4. The transfer of war materials to supply his forces under Lend Lease.
5. He wants an American military delegation in Moscow within 2 weeks to coordinate our war efforts. He wants to send a Russian military delegation to Washington at once and demanded that I provide visas for an initial delegation of 20 men and women.

He said he is willing to give us something in return. He handed me a slip of paper with a name on it. He said to tell my superiors that that man (his name is Klaus Fuchs) was spying for Stalin and he is working in something called the Manhattan Project. He is willing to give up more of Stalin’s spies for our assistance. At that time, he dismissed me and I noticed that the British Ambassador was being ushered in; I can only assume that he will receive similar demands.

From the information we have gathered, it appears that the Russians are in full retreat from the advancing German armies.

Based on the events at the German Embassy, I have ordered the embassy staff to begin preparations to begin sending home all dependents and non-essential embassy staff. They will be sent home within a week. I plan on sending them to Murmansk and ask that you arrange a ship for them.

I await further guidance from you on how to proceed.


CONGRESS ADDS NEW MEMBERS
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
JULY 5, 1941

Alaska

House of Representatives

Representative John M. Comstock (R)
Representative Bonnie Roman (D)
Representative Caleb Winter (D)

Senate

Senator Marten Matheson (R)
Senator Ryan Pratt (R)*

Baja

House of Representatives

Representative Alfred Hayward (D)
Representative Joshua Hudson (D)
Representative William Watts (R)
Senate
Senator Cory Mays (D)*
Senator Samuel Troutman (R)

Chihuahua

House of Representatives

Representative Livio Ferri (R)
Representative Louis Jackson (R)
Representative Carl McNulty (D)
Representative Romeilo Montalvo (R)

Senate

Senator William Carey (R)*
Senator Charles Morneau (D)

Hawaii

House of Representatives

Representative Robert Craft (D)
Representative Howard Ferguson (D)

Senate

Senator Theodore Carroll (D)*
Senator Denver Jackson (D)

Jefferson

House of Representatives

Representative Ryan Brown (R)
Representative Anthony Page (R)
Representative Robert Rork (D)
Representative William Rumley (R)

Senate

Senator Robert Perryman (D)
Senator Amadeusz Symanski (R)*

Pershing

House of Representatives

Representative Timothy Johnansson (R)
Representative Kyle Parker (D)
Representative Richard Takko (D)
Representative David Victoria (R)

Senate

Senator Charles Hare (D)*
Senator Donald Moore (R)

(*) Indicates the senior Senator

EXCERPT FROM
SCOTTISH WARRIOR: THE LIFE OF
FIELD MARSHAL JAN NIEMCZYK, 1ST VISCOUNT NIEMCZYK OF CARACAS, KBE, DSO AND 2 BARS,
LEGION OF MERIT
BY
COLONEL SIR DAVID MILLER, KCMG, MC

CHAPTER XII - INDIA

In late June, early July 1941 we had been getting intelligence reports of a serious build up of Japanese forces across the border in Burma. We also had a number of Burmese civilians and Indian POWs, who had escaped the Japanese, also informed us about the increasing numbers of enemy forces. The Japanese Air Force started attacking our positions; they usually encountered RAF & RIAF Gnomes and Hurricanes on the way in, sometimes taking heavy losses, but also inflict damage on us.

On June 28, we got our first report of an anthrax outbreak outside of Imphal, the medical lads told us not to worry about it, these things occurred from time to time. On the morning of July 5, I received some nasty surprises during the morning briefing. Our intelligence boys informed me of 2 surprising developments. The first was that bubonic plague had broken out in Kohmia and the second was that 2 men had been caught trying to sneak into the division’s main ammo dump and blow it up. They had attempted to shot their way out and had been killed; one had been identified as a Free India, pro-Japanese agitator who had fled India several years before, the other was still unidentified. I asked about how that one anthrax outbreak was being dealt with, only to be informed that there were now 5 anthrax outbreaks spread out over India! Army Intelligence believed that the Japanese might be using biological and chemical warfare against us, so we had to be on the lookout.

We were almost finished with the briefing, when I received a priority message from Brigade HQ. The Japanese were coming; they were expected to launch their attacks within the next 48 hours. They came the next morning.

FRENCH ADMIRAL MURDERED
IN THE CAIRO HOTEL
WASHINGTON TIMES
July 6, 1941
By Barbara Palm, Times Special Reporter

Admiral of the Fleet Francois Darlan of the French Navy was murdered yesterday in his room at the Cairo Hotel. According to the authorities, it appears that the Admiral returned to his room to find a burglary in progress. Police spokesman Richard Roche declined to say what was stolen, he did say that the Admiral was shot twice in the chest. Neighbors heard a cry for help and the sound of someone running away. The FBI is assisting in the investigation.

The French Embassy has stated that they have confidence in the abilities of the Washington DC Police and the FBI in solving this case. They have announced that Admiral Darlan’s body will be returned to Tripoli for burial there.

OBITUARIES
LONDON TIMES
JULY 10, 1941

McLean, Donald Duart, 28, died in London as a result of injuries sustained in the German air raid of July 8. There will be a memorial service for Mr. McLean at the Holy Trinity Church in Penn, Buckinghamshire on July 20.
Mr. McLean was born in London to Sir Donald McLean and Gwendolyn Devitt McLean on May 25, 1913. He is survived by his wife, Melinda Marling McLean and his mother.

Mr. McLean graduated from Cambridge with a degree in Modern Languages. He had been working for the Foreign Office.

Philby, Harold Adrian Russell, 29, died in Madrid after a short illness. There will be a memorial service for Mr. Philby in the chapel at Trinity College, Cambridge on July 23.

Mr. Philby was born in Ambala, Punjab, India to St. John Philby and Dora Johnston Philby, the oldest of four children on January 1, 1912. He is survived by his parents and sisters; Ms. Danielle Philby, Mrs. Linda (Philby) Nichols, and Mrs. Samantha (Philby) O’Sullivan.

Mr. Philby graduated from Cambridge with a degree in Economics. He had been working for the London Times.

BRIEFING FOR PRIME MINISTER CHURCHILL
JULY 13, 1941

Attending

Prime Minister Churchill
Rear Admiral The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester

Briefer: Colonel George Mayhew, SIS

Colonel Mayhew: Good morning gentlemen, there are a number of topics that you indicated you wanted more information on.

India: Kohmia is about to fall to the Japanese. General Slim has pulled his forces out of the city, burning it as he pulled out. The city had been ravaged by bubonic plague and his forces had suffered, plus of course there were the 4 battalions of the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division that mutinied in front of Kohmia. The Americans are reporting that the Japanese High Command ordered their 1st Division to launch suicidal attacks on the 4th Indian Division because the Japanese division had become infected with both anthrax and bubonic plague. According to the Americans, those soldiers who survived the banzai attacks were shot as they approached Japanese lines. If we at SIS were to hazard a guess, it looks like the Japanese were using biological weapons on us.

Churchill: Hmmm perhaps we should be repaying the Japanese in kind. Please give me a report on what weapons we can ship to India. But I want solid proof that they are using such weapons against us.

Prince Henry: Good Lord Prime Minister, is that wise? Perhaps I should bring this up to His Majesty.

Churchill: You do that Your Highness, I am certain that he will back me up.

Mayhew: Among the dead in Kohmia is Mr. Ghandi. He went there to help the locals and ended up dying of the plague.

Churchill: How the hell did he get in? Wasn’t the place under quarantine?

Mayhew: Yes sir it was, but Mr. Ghandi went in anyway. General Slim is confident that Imphal will be held. The 4th Indian and the British 42nd Infantry Divisions are putting up an excellent defense. The Japanese will go no further than Kohmia.

Churchill: Now is the news from our ambassador in Moscow true? Did the Russians use mustard gas on an entire city? And what of the information we got from the Russians?

Mayhew: Prime Minister, the information we have out of Russia is that yes the Russians blanketed the city with mustard gas. We have reports of between 150,000-220,000 dead and thousands more wounded. I must also state that when the Russians went in, they simply killed anyone who was blinded or were otherwise incapacitated. They made no distinction between civilians and rebels. There is still sporadic fighting going on in the city. Now as for the information they gave us. When we attempted to arrest Mr. Philby in Madrid, he attempted to escape; he shot two of the men sent to arrest him before he himself was shot. He died of his wounds before he could be questioned. Mr. McLean chose to take poison rather than surrender. We are questioning the other two – Blunt & Cairncross – they claim they are innocent of the allegations. We are continuing our investigations. I have no doubt there are more besides those four the Russians gave up. I understand that the Americans have arrested Mr. Fuchs, we have no idea where they are holding him. And the American Ambassador to Russia has been replaced. I understand he is now a resident of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. He is “resting comfortably” according to Donovan’s people.

Churchill: Humph, well I guess we should repay our new found Russian friends. Contact Supermarine, inform them that they will be sending Spitfires to the Russians and we will also send them tanks, we’ll have to talk to Brooke, see what he recommends. We are not sending troops, but perhaps the Navy can send a few submarines.

Mayhew: We have reports that the Germans have moved the Scharnhorst, Prinz Johann Georg, the Leipzig and eight destroyers to Northern Norway. We aren’t sure if they are planning another break out, we have notified the Americans. The Frederick the Great has put to sea undergoing her sea trials. Also at sea undergoing trials are the Tirpitz and Prinz Octavio. We have two submarines in the Baltic; we haven’t been able to torpedo the Germans yet. Based on our intelligence, the Germans have stopped all construction of ships larger than destroyers, although they are building a large number of U-Boats, E-boats and smaller numbers of destroyers.

The last two Drake class battle cruisers are now in service with the Home Fleet – HMS Beatty & HMS Jellicoe.

Prince Henry: Such fine ships. I have spoken with the Admiralty, and they are transferring HMS Dudley to the Australians.

Churchill: Your highness what is the latest on the Atlantic convoys?

Prince Henry: Prime Minister, last month the Germans sank 186,871 tons of merchant shipping. They also damaged the battle cruiser HMS Hawkins, and three destroyers. We, the RN & USN, sank 18 U-boats and Italian submarines and damaged 15 more.

Churchill: Colonel, what further information do you have on the situation in Sicily?

Mayhew: The mutiny was put down by German troops. The Germans have moved part of the 64th Infantry Division onto the island, including a panzer battalion. The Italian island commander now has a German “advisor” on his staff. We believe that he is an SS officer and is the de facto island commander now. The Germans have also moved the 30th Panzer Division into Italy. The Italians mutinied over low pay, horrible living conditions and the fact that we bomb them every other day.

Prince Henry: There is something else you might be interested in Prime Minister. As you know, the French destroyer Fantasque was sent to pick up Admiral Darlan’s body. She left Norfolk on July 10. She was last seen by An American patrol plane out of Bermuda on the 12th and hasn’t been heard from since. The French have declared her overdue and missing….

ARMY GROUP NORTH
MORNING BRIEFING
0630 hours
July 15, 1941

Present:
Field Marshal von Leeb
Generalleutnant Max Pemsel, Chief of Staff
Generalleutnant Ludwig Kubler, 25th Mountain Army liaison officer
Generalmajor Hans Cramer, 4th Panzer Army liaison officer
Generalmajor Herman Niehoff, 16th Army liaison officer
SS Brigadefuher Dr. Franz Six, SS liaison officer
Eversti (Colonel) Ismo Ikonen, Finnish liaison officer
Oberst Max Radl, Abwher liaison officer
Oberstleutnant Freidrich Lang, Luftwaffe liaison officer

Generalleutnant Pemsel: Good morning Herr Field Marshal! We are here to brief you on the progress of the units under your command since yesterday afternoon’s briefing.

FM von Leeb: Good morning gentlemen. Have we good news that we may report back to the Furher?

Pemsel: Colonel Lang, what is your report?

Oberstleutnant Lang: Hunting has been good Herr Field Marshal! The Russians have been evacuating civilians from Saint Petersburg, and they make excellent targets for our Stukas. We have also been shooting up military convoys heading towards St. Petersburg. And we are bombing the city itself.

Oberst Radl: If I may interrupt a movement? I have some intelligence regarding St. Petersburg that will be of interest. The first is during the Luftwaffe’s air raid on July 13th, they destroyed the city’s two largest warehouses containing food supplies. As of now they are on half rations. Second, Lt. General Kowalczyk, the new garrison commander was killed when fighters shot up his convoy.

von Leeb: Excellent! Please go on.

Oberstleutnant Lang: Right now we control the skies over the front; we can strike where we want and when we want.

Pemesel: Colonel Ikonen, what is your report?

Ikonen: Sir. Our troops are 10km outside of Borovoy and we should have the town by tonight. Resistance has been sporadic at best. And we did capture approximately 60 men claiming to be from the Communist 3rd Guards Rifle Division fighting the illegitimate government of President Timoshenko. We simply sent them onto the POW enclosures behind the lines.

Dr. Six: Herr Oberst, did you not understand the Fuehrer’s orders regarding Jews and Communists? He clearly stated that political commissars, junior officers and enlisted men were to be shot and all senior officers turned over to the SS. Why didn’t you do that? There is an SS unit following your army.

Eversti Ikonen: Sir, with all due respect to Herr Hitler, but we take our orders from Field Marshal Mannerheim. When he dispatched this army, he made it quite clear that we were to obey the rules and regulations of the Finnish Army and to conduct ourselves with honor. We do not execute unarmed prisoners of war, not even Russians.

Dr. Six: Oberst, I don’t think you understand what is happening here…

von Leeb: Oberst, please pass along my compliments to General Jutila and inform him that I am ordering him to turn over to the SS the Communist prisoners at once.

Eversti Ikonen: Sir, I must protest!

von Leeb: You have my orders Oberst, please carry them out. Who’s next?

Pemsel: General Cramer, your report please.

Generalmajor Cramer: Sir! I am pleased to report that the survivors of the XI Corps surrendered last night and early this morning we captured the headquarters of the Russian 8th Army, I am sorry to report that their commander chose not to surrender. Our recon units are on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. The lead elements of the XIX Panzer Corps are 22km outside of the town.

von Leeb: Excellent news General! Excellent! Well done.

Cramer: I do have something else to report Herr Field Marshal. Our tankers have reported going up against a monster Russian tank that is almost impossible to kill. We have encountered about two dozen of these tanks. They have thick armor that is impervious to our standard panzer weapons, fortunately for us, they are rather cumbersome and they are not impervious to being hit with artillery. It is obvious that we need newer tanks with heavier weapons.

Radl: Field Marshal if I May? According to our sources, the Russians have fewer than 300 of these tanks and are not likely to get many more in the near future as their main factory was in Volgograd and was badly damaged. And considering what just happened there…

Pemsel: Colonel, we will deal with Volgograd shortly. Please hold your comments until then. General Niehoff, your report.

Generalmajor Niehoff: Sir! We continue to encounter Russian rearguards and deal with them accordingly and we are making excellent progress. We did capture a person of significance; Herr Trotsky has been turned over to the SS.

Dr. Six: You see Ikonen? That is how proper German officers follow their orders.

von Leeb: Enough! General Kubler, report!

Generalleutnant Kubler: Good morning Herr Field Marshal! We have completely wiped out the enemy’s IX Corps we expect to be on the outskirts of Murmansk with in the week, ten days at the maximum.

von Leeb: Taking the port should really hurt the Russians. Take it will all possible speed General. General Pemsel, please fill these gentlemen in on the Volgograd situation.

Pemsel: Gentlemen, the following information is to be relayed to your commands:

1. Within the last 48 hours the Fuehrer sent the following message to Western Allies via the Swiss: The Fuehrer, having fought in the trenches of the last war, has horrific memories of the use of mustard gas and other similar weapons. Therefore, Germany will not use such weapons against the Western Allies as long as they (the Western Allies) do not use such weapons against Germany or her allies.

2. The Fuehrer has not sent a similar message to the Russians. After what they did in Moscow, he is willing to use these weapons on them, if they use them on us first.

3. President Timoshenko and his ministers are to be captured alive and taken back to Berlin to stand trial.
 
PRIORITY RADIO MESSAGE TO
GENERAL YAKUBOVSKY
JULY 14, 1941

General, I must regret that the units under my command (25th & 38th Rifle Divisions) have failed to gain access to St. Petersburg. German Panzer units and constant air attack have blocked our way and we have been unable to get into the city. I regret that the 33rd Rifle Division has been destroyed. St. Petersburg has fallen! We are falling back on Kolpino.

Respectfully,

Major General Lukin, Acting Corps Commander (1)

BBC WORLD NEWS
JULY 20, 1941

Good Evening, this is London. General George C. Marshall, the Chief of Staff of the US Army, arrived in London on an inspection tour of US Army forces in the United Kingdom and Middle East. He met briefly with His Majesty the King and then with Prime Minister Churchill. He spent the afternoon conferring with Mr. Churchill and General Sir Alan Brooke, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff.

This afternoon, RAF Fighter Command shot down over 50 attacking German bombers, a fitting tribute to Air Chief Marshal Sir High Dowding, a day before his retirement. He will turn over command to Air Marshal Sir Keith Parks.

In other news, the Russian Army has claimed that a massive counter attack outside Saint Petersburg will recapture the city within the next few days.

Excerpt from
ACTORS & ACTRESSES WHO
SERVED THEIR COUNTRY IN WARTIME
By Wes Zumwalt
Pelican Publishing
2003

July 20, 1941

Eugene “Gene” Roddenberry.

Lieutenant (j.g) Gene Roddenberry had joined the Navy after being rejected by the Army Air Forces and now he was flying a Catalina out of Darwin on an anti-submarine patrol. He had been in Australia for two months now and this was his 22nd anti-submarine patrol. They were three hours into their mission and they fully expected this one to end as all the others had – in sheer boredom. He was wrong.

At 1000 hours, his co-pilot spotted a submarine on the surface and it was not (at least for now) attempting to dive. After checking the information that they had gotten in the pre-flight briefing, they were certain that this was an enemy sub. They were carrying 4 depth charges and they were armed as Roddenberry pushed over the controls and the plane began its shallow dive towards the sub. The sub’s crew began firing on the Catalina as soon as they spotted her. The radio operator was having problems raising their base as the Catalina shook from being hit.

The two depth charges landed wide before exploding, jamming the starboard forward diving plane. Looking back, Roddenberry made the decision to attack again. As he was bringing the plane around, Roddenberry asked his crew if they had seen what he had – a German flag flying from the sub? The right waist gunner and the flight engineer both replied that they had, everyone else missed the flag. Bringing his plane in closer (and taking a lot of hits in the meantime), he dropped his depth charges on both sides of the sub, breaking it into two halves before the sub sank with all hands. But the sub had gotten its licks in as well. The plane’s hull was severely damaged, port engine out, starboard engine dying and the plane was losing altitude and fuel. Sending out a mayday, he aimed for a small island that was approximately 250 nm NNW of Darwin. The plane crash landed just off the beach, and the five unwounded sailors helped the 2 wounded men off (the flight mechanic had been killed in the attack on the sub.) and onto the beach. Roddenberry ordered two of his crew to remain with the wounded (and at the same time, to attempt to salvage what they could from their wrecked airplane) while he and the others explored the island. The island, while small and apparently uninhabited, there were plenty of Jackfruit trees and several fresh water ponds and plenty of cover where they could hide until help arrived. The radioman told Roddenberry that he had received a faint reply before they crashed, so hopefully they wouldn’t wait for long. As it was a Coastwatcher station had picked up their Maydays and forwarded it onto their HQ. An Australian submarine was dispatched, but it took a week to get there and both wounded men died.
When Roddenberry and his crew returned to their base and were debriefed, no one believed that they had sunk a U-boat, but they were credited with sinking a Japanese sub.

Roddenberry after a brief liberty, returned to flying Catalinas out of Darwin.

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED FORCES EUROPE
MEETING
July 21, 1941

Attending:

General George C. Marshall, US Army Chief of Staff
General Sir Alan Brooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff
General Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander Europe
Air Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, RAF, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander
General Jacob Devers, USA, Allied Land Forces Commander
Admiral Sir Bernard Ramsey, Acting Allied Naval Forces Commander (2)
Air Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, RAF, Allied Air Forces Commander
Brigadier Sir Francis de Guingand, SACEUR Chief of Staff

Marshall: Gentlemen thank you for being here today. I spent most of yesterday afternoon in discussion with Sir Alan and the Prime Minister. What follows is classified Top Secret Ultra. As far as you are concerned, this is as secret as what is going on over at Bletchley Park, and this will also explain why the French and Russian liaison officers are inspecting landing craft in Portsmouth today.

This is going to seem harsh and cruel, but we cannot change the facts.

1. The Russians are our allies in name only. They are demanding a lot from us and not offering much in return, and based on what they did to Volgograd, I wouldn’t want them as allies.

2. We estimate that in 4-6 months, based on the current speed of the German advance, Moscow will fall.

3. We need to keep the Russians fighting for as long as possible, so we will send supplies to the Russians.

General Eisenhower, your staff has plans for the invasion of Europe in the works. That is to change. The majority of the German Army is in Russia and the Balkans and getting them back to France in a hurry will be difficult for them. Once Moscow falls, your forces should be prepared to make a landing in Europe. Once a beachhead is established, you are to push your forces through. I want a basic plan drawn up within the next three weeks and forces ready to land in France less than two weeks after the fall of Moscow.

General Eisenhower: Sir, with all due respect, this seems rushed. Aside for General Brooke and Prime Minister Churchill, have any of the other Allied leaders been briefed?

Brooke: Ike, if you and your people aren’t up to the job, let us know, and we can replace you. General Marshall briefed me, the Prime Minister, and His Majesty yesterday and we all gave our blessings.

Brigadier de Guingand: Pardon me sir, but why isn’t Colonel St. Pierre here today?

Marshall: Brigadier, he is not here because I didn’t want him reporting back to his superiors before I could discuss this with them. Besides, after the murder of Admiral Darlan, the French aren’t exactly happy with us. When I spoke with Admiral Darlan before his murder, he indicated that the French Army was not prepared to land in France until the summer of 1942. Admiral Ramsey and Air Marshal Leigh-Mallory, I haven’t worked with you gentlemen before, but I have heard great things about you and you have my utmost confidence in you.

Eisenhower: Sir, if I may, what are you going to tell the French?

Marshall: Ike, the basic plan we worked out in Washington was this:

1. American troops will land on Sardinia, at the same time; French troops will land on Corsica
2. Two days later, American and British troops will land in Sicily.
3. All of this activity will draw German reinforcements to the Mediterranean and away from the Russians.
4. After we have Corsica and Sardinia; Ike, your forces will launch diversionary attacks in Norway and the Low Countries. In the event that these diversionary attacks are even moderately successful, we will pour troops and material into the region.
5. By this time, we hope Hitler will be totally confused. We then land on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of France within 30 days, with an invasion of Italy occurring at the same time or shortly thereafter.

Now we have ramped up production of landing craft and we are diverting resources from the Pacific.

Air Marshal Tedder: Begging your pardon sir, what if the French refuse and say that they need more time?

Marshall: we have considered that Sir Arthur. In the event that they refuse, we ignore Sardinia and Corsica and we go after the Italians. And we cut the flow of supplies to the French by one third; those supplies are needed for men who will fight.

Now gentlemen, if you will excuse us, Sir Alan and I are having lunch with the King and Queen

Excerpt from
CHAPTER XII – INDIA

SCOTTISH WARRIOR: THE LIFE OF
FIELD MARSHAL JAN NIEMCZYK,
1ST VISCOUNT NIEMCZYK OF CARACAS, KBE,
DSO AND 2 BARS, LEGION OF MERIT
BY
COLONEL SIR DAVID MILLER, KCMG, MC

In the early morning hours of July 22, 1941, Niemczyk’s battalion received a detachment of Royal Engineers who had brought along chemical mortars and mustard gas shells (the anthrax shells would arrive later in the day). The detachment commander informed Niemczyk that his orders were to fire the gas shells at 0300 July 23 and then follow up with an infantry charge. Having heard all the horror stories about gas attacks during the Great War, no one in the battalion was comfortable with this and but they had our orders. They would be supported by divisional artillery and would have air support at first light.

Several hours later, Niemczyk received a report from his scouts that the Japanese were digging in and fortifying their positions. From what they were telling him, it looked like the Japanese were planning on staying in India, at least for now.

Just before noon, disaster struck. Niemczyk had ordered his to keep their gas masks handy and fortunately most of them listened to him. The Japanese, after having been quiet for a few days, launched a massive artillery barrage at 1145. At first they were hitting in front of the British positions but then the artillery fire shifted on to the battalion’s positions. As he huddled in his foxhole, Niemczyk prayed that the Japanese wouldn’t hit any of the “special” ammunition. His prayers were not answered.

At 1156, Niemczyk heard a shell land near the RE positions and seconds later heard the hissing of escaping gas and the cries of “Gas!” “Gas!” Wasting no time, he put on his mask on and ran over to the RE detachment to see what he could do. What a mess! The RE detachment commander was dead (killed by shrapnel), most of the canisters had been destroyed and the area was deep in Mustard Gas. Worse yet, his outposts were reporting that the enemy was advancing! Ordering B Company to stand to, he ordered his runner to the battalion HQ to order the rest of the unit to stand to and to ask for artillery support.

Niemczyk heard his Bren guns opening up on the advancing enemy, when he heard airplane engines. Looking up, he saw at least six multi-engine aircraft fly overhead before dropping their bombs on the Japanese positions (but missing the majority of the approaching Japanese troops). (3)

The Japanese, seeing what was happening behind them charged headlong into the British positions. Unfortunately for them, they also charged headlong (and unprotected) into an expanding cloud of Mustard Gas. Those that were not killed by the Mustard Gas were killed by the defending troops.

Lt. Colonel Niemczyk’s 6th Battalion lost 62 dead (mainly from the Mustard Gas) and 157 wounded, including Colonel Niemczyk who had to be evacuated (over his protests) to the rear. However, his wounds, including shrapnel to his face and chest, a bayonet gash to his left leg and a broken right leg, were serious enough that to merit his evacuation.

As they were recovering from the Japanese attack, a runner from Division HQ arrived with orders to cancel the gas attacks!

CLASSIFIED MEMORANDUM TO
FIELD MARSHAL THOMAS BLAMEY

To: Field Marshal Blamey
From: Commander, Station Hydra
Date: July 23, 1941
Subject: Japanese military

cc: Admiral Mountbatten, C-in-C SEA
Admiral Nimitz, C-in-C CPTO
Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, C-in-C CTO

1. Japanese Army High Command has ordered 2 Pioneer Battalions to the islands of Tulagi and Guadalcanal. All islands with a garrison of battalion sized and larger are to make a study (to be completed within 30 days) on the feasibility of constructing air fields on their islands.

2. Imperial Japanese Navy High Command has ordered the following:

a. Expedite the construction of new aircraft carriers
b. Has ordered the top 10% of all aircrews in all IJN land based squadrons to be transferred back to Japan for conversion to carrier air crew
c. The IJN has also indicated that the Germans are in the process of transferring up to two dozen U-boats to the Pacific, including their two U-Boat Cruisers. As this command has no information on such ships, we can not provide any specifications. However, the IJN Ordnance Department has been tasked with providing 8 inch shells for resupply purposes (The Germans would provide the specifications for the shells).

We feel that in the short term, until the Japanese get more carriers into service, they will use island airfields instead.

ABWHER INTELLIGENCE REPORT
NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA
JULY 23, 1941

North America:

Intelligence gathering is still relatively easy to accomplish in Canada and the US. Assassination of prominent political figures is difficult at best. Since the assassination of the American Vice President, all top politicians travel with armed escorts. The Canadians have taken similar measures.

Our decoy operations in the Boeing B-17 plants have been closed down due to FBI counter-intelligence operations. The good news is that the Americans are convinced this was due to the Communists and are conducting massive anti-communist operations.

Enlistments among Blacks and Latinos are quite high.

Central America:

Mexico:

Again, intelligence gathering operations are still possible; however we have few assets in the region. Those are deep cover assets and cannot be compromised unless vitally necessary. The few remaining Mexican resistance groups have been completely infiltrated by the Americans.

There is, however, a bright light. Agent Blackbird has managed to get a job in the Mexican oil fields and believes he can sabotage some of the wells, if not destroy them outright. Agent Blackbird has NOT, repeat, NOT been compromised by the enemy.

South America:

Our operations in Venezuela, Peru and Uruguay continue on schedule and with little hindrance from the Americans and British.

We have a report from Agent Starling that President Roosevelt may be traveling to Mexico, Brazil and Argentina in the near future.

ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF
ARRIVES IN NORTH AFRICA
Stars & Stripes
July 24, 1941

General George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff arrived today in Casablanca from Gibraltar. He was met by French General Weygand and General Gerow. General Marshall is on an inspection tour of US forces in the European and Mediterranean Theatres. Enjoy your time in the sun General and don’t drink the water!

MARSHALL MEDITERRANEAN THEATRE COMMAND
BRIEFING
July 25, 1941

Attending:

General Marshal
General Weygand – French Defense Minister & Commander-in-Chief, French Army
General Pierre Duchesne, French Army-Supreme Allied Commander
General Sir Richard O’Connor, British Army – Deputy Supreme Allied Commander
General Henri Closterman, French Air Force - Air Forces Commander
General Leonard Gerow, USA - Land Forces Commander & Commander, US Army Mediterranean
Admiral Royal Ingersoll, USN – Naval Forces Commander & Commander, US Navy Forces, Mediterranean

General Marshall: Gentlemen thank you for coming. I want to brief you on future operations. The German invasion of Russia has opened up very good opportunities. We feel that Moscow will fall in 4-6 months based on their current advancement. We need to keep the Russians fighting for as long as possible, so we will send supplies to the Russians.

The War Department War Plans Division came up with this idea after St. Petersburg fell. They brought it to me; I took it to President Roosevelt. Once I had the President’s approval, I flew to London and briefed Prime Minster Churchill, General Brooke and the King. All three gave their blessings and so now I am here. The majority of the German Army is in Russia and the Balkans and getting them back to Western Europe in a hurry will be difficult for them.

General Weygand: What magnificent idea is this and why did you not bring this to the attention of the French liaison officers in Washington and London?

Marshall: General, I didn’t inform your liaison officers because I wanted you to hear it from me. General the plan is after Moscow falls:

1. American troops will land on Sardinia, at the same time; French troops will land on Corsica

2. Two days later, American and British troops will land in Sicily.

3. All of this activity will draw German reinforcements to this region and away from the Russians.

4. After we have Corsica and Sardinia, General Eisenhower’s forces will launch diversionary attacks in Norway and the Low Countries. In the event that these diversionary attacks are even moderately successful, we will pour troops and material into the region.

5. By this time, we hope Hitler will be totally confused. We then land on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of France within 30 days, with an invasion of Italy occurring at the same time or shortly thereafter.

Now we have ramped up production of landing craft and we are diverting resources from the Pacific.

General Duchesne: Not possible! Our forces will not be ready for at least 9 months, we would prefer a year.

Marshall: General O’Connor, can your forces be ready?

General O’Connor: They are ready to go and kill some more of the enemy sir.

Marshall: General Gerow, your forces?

General Gerow: Ready to go sir.

General Duchesne: It does not matter General Marshall, our forces will not be ready before spring 1942.

Marshall: General Weygand, do you concur with General Duchesne’s opinion?

General Weygand: I do not sir, but he is partially correct. We have enough combat ready forces to take Corsica, but not enough to invade our homeland with any reasonable chance of success. I would suggest holding off an invasion of Southern France until next spring.

Marshall: General, your forces helped to push the Italians out of North Africa. Surely sir you are joking, your forces performed admirably. By next spring, your country will have been liberated and all you will have to do is come in after us. What would you need to land in Southern France this year?

Weygand: General Marshall, our forces were fighting the Italians, not the Germans. We require two fully equipped armies, with follow up American and British troops and a lot more supplies. Of course, General Duchesne or I will command all of the Allied forces in France.

Marshall: I cannot guarantee all that you are asking for, but I will try to get you what you need. As for the Supreme Commander’s position, General Duchesne is still the Supreme Commander here in this theatre. Once the Allied Armies join up in France, the Supreme Commander will be determined by one simple criterion. The country with the most troops on the ground will also nominate the Supreme Commander.

Duchesne: French honor demands that the Supreme Commander be French!

Marshall: General, with all due respect and French honor aside; you got kicked out of your homeland and require our help to get it back. The majority of your artillery, heavier weapons and vehicles are coming from American factories. You are not in a position to demand anything.

(At this point Major David Niven, junior aide to General O’Connor, entered the conference room and passed a message to General O’Connor.)

O’Connor: Pardon me General Marshall, but I have message from General Brooke. His Majesty is dead!



1. [FONT=&quot]Lukin was arrested two days later and charged with incompetence and cowardice and was executed.
2. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Admiral Stark was in the US on emergency leave; his wife had died the week before. Stark would retire and Admiral Ramsey would take over as Allied Naval Commander at Eisenhower’s insistence (and over Admiral King’s objections).
3. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]These were Bristol Beauforts from No. 15 Squadron, RAAF[/FONT]
 
There is more, and I am still writing. Not sure when I'll post the next lot. And this story ends when the war ends and we are no where near the end of the war.
 
OTL Eastern Front is hell. TTL Eastern Front will be... (how do you describe a place worse than hell again?).

Good, good stuff, NOF.

Marc A
 
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