The Co-Prosperity Sphere

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 18: The Mengjiang Khanate:

Prince Demchugdongrub of Mengjiang had gained much territory in the Soviet – Co-Prosperity Sphere agreement that granted him and Manchuria the southeastern parts of the Mongolian People's Republic. Still despite this territorial growth Demchugdongrub felt week. His Bank of Mengjiang was depending on the Bank of Japan, his whole Air Force made up from 28 Japanese Fighters only had Japanese pilots and unlike in the Empire of Manchuria where Japanese Zaibatsu (conglomerates) invested heavily under the guidance of Nissan founder Aikawa Yoshiuke (and creating a state controlled industry) during the Five Years Plan. The Manchu Air Force even had 100 NakajimaType 91 from the Japanese, showing that his small 28 fighters were a clear statement how important Japan and the other members of the Co-Prosperity Sphere believed Mengjiang to be. How could Demchugdongrub lame them, he was only a prince, while the Emperor of Chosen was directly connected with his imperial House to the Imperial House of Japan and Emperor Piyu of Mandchukuo was even the rightful last Emperor of Qing China. Recently Mengjiang and Manchu had a border dispute about regions inhabited by both people and ethnics and Japan negotiated a treaty between them to end the conflict.

Sadly for Prince Demchugdongrub the Manchu and Piyu became most of the disputed territory because the Japanese did not recognize most mongols living there because of their nomadic lifestyle and constant border crossing between both states, Mongolia and even the Soviet Union. With the province of Hsingan, East Hopei, as well as parts of East Chahar (seen as a natural Mengjiang region) going to the Empire of Manchu, Mengjiang only got pats of Hsingan, East Chahar and the whole region of South Chahar. Japan even gave full control of Kanto-Shuandthe Diren harbor to Piyu so that Mancukuo just like Chosen could start it's own navy and control or guard the incoming sea trade themselves. While Manchu Jukogyo Kaihatsu Kabushiki Kasha (the Manchurian Industrial Developement Company) industrialized the Empire of Manchuria and the Manchu Society for Light Metal helped the Kwantung and Manchu Army and Navy grow stronger. Demchugdongrub meanwhile felt like a bystander unable to convince the Zaibatsu to invest in Mengjiang for now.

Intending to change this he pushed for a Monetary Currency Reform gaining a little bit more independence over the Bank of Mengjiang from the Japanese. With the help of the Directorate General of Communications Prince Demchugdongrub moved Mengjiangs capital from he more nomadic Zhangbei towards the southern border at Kalgan were most central train-rails in Mengjiang came together. Demchugdongrub then focused on urbanizing his nomadic state further and created a monarchic crown diet to support his rule. The original population of nearly 2 millian Mengjiang (Mongol) people quickly rose up to 4 million after the Suiyuan Campaign with a little help of Japanese, Mongols and Chinese that came to colonize, work and live in the new state of Mengjiang.

Marrying his son Dugursulong, to a Japanese noble woman, Demchugdongrub himself tried to gain more influence in the Imperial House of Japan, legitimizing his own rule and expanding his political independence and influence. Prince Demchugdongrub then declared his royal state the Mengjiang Khanate because he saw and refereed to himself as the heir of Genghis Khan. Since a Khanate or Khaganate was a political entity ruled by a Khan or Khagan, Demchugdongrub claimed this title for himself to get head to head with he Emperors of Japan, Chosen and Manchuria. Despite all this afford and the finally starting of a industrialization and the building of more infrastructure, Demchugdongrub knew that it was a long way till his dreams of the Greater Mengjiang Khanate were fulfilled. While he tried to push further into China with the Mengiang Army the Japanese warned him that the Khalkha Campaign (War of Reunification) against the Mongolian People's Republic should better wait until the Soviet Union would be occupied with a war in Europe.

(Mengjiang, Manchu and Japan, their claims in the center, the new Manchu-Mengjiang border on the right)

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 19: The Ultimatum:

(left: border at the moment , middle: German and Austrian-Hungarian claims and guarantee promises, right: what the borders of Europe would looke like if Poland would accept the ultimatum and Germany/ Austrian-Hungarian guaranteed most states independance that bordered the Soviet Union)

Chancellor Adolf Hitler had just managed to convince Lithuania to give back the strip called Memelland to the German Empire in exchange for a guarantee of it's independence by the German Empire as well as Austria-Hungary. The so called Memel Ultimatum from 20. March 1939 by German Chancellor Adolf Hitler was not as nice as it sounded at first. Not known to many the Germans treated to invade Lithuania and enforce all their demands if Lithuania did not accept it within two days. Gaining more from accepting the ultimatum the government of Lithuania agreed to it and nearly immediately got his independence guaranteed by the German Empire and Austria-Hungary. Soon after German military and political advisers were send to help the state of Lithuania to eliminate all Communist threats inside their territory no matter if politicians or organizations (this included the socialists and liberals as well) forming a fascists and nationalized authoritarian Lithuania state to gain more power, rule and control. Lithuania even accepted to become a part of the Anti-Comintern Pact.

On orders of Wilhelm II, Chancellor Hitler increased german requests for the incorporation of the Free City of Danzig into the Reich, citing the "protection" of the German majority as a motive. In November 1938, Danzig's district administrator, Albert Forster, reported to the League of Nations that Hitler had told him the Polish frontiers would be guaranteed by the German Empire and Austria-Hungary if the Poles were "reasonable like the Czechs." German State Secretary Ernst von Weizäcker reaffirmed this alleged guarantee in December 1938. The situation regarding the Free City and the Polish Corridor created a number of headaches for German/Austrian-Hungarian and Polish Customs. The Germans requested the construction of an extraterritorial Reichsautobahn freeway (to complete the Reichsautobahn Berling-Königsberg) and railway through the Polish Corridor, effectively annexing Polish territory and connecting East Prussia to Danzig and Germany proper, while cutting off Poland from the sea and its main trade route. If Poland agreed, in return they would extend the non-aggression pact for 25 years. The German Empire and Austria-Hungary even tried to get the polish Government to join the Anti-Comintern Pact.

German newspapers in Danzig and Germany as well as Austrian-Hungarian newspapers in Vienna and Prague (aiming for Galicia) played an important role in inciting nationalist sentiment: headlines buzzed about how Poland was misusing its economic rights in Danzig and how German or Hungarian citizens were increasingly subjugated to the will of the Polish state. At the same time, Hitler also offered Poland additional territory as an enticement, such as the possible annexation of Soviet Ukraine and Czech inhabited lands. However, many Polish leaders continued to fear for the loss of their independence and a fate like that of Czechoslovakia which had yielded the Sudetenland to Austria-Hungary in October 1938, only to be invaded become split up protectorates in March 1939. Some felt that the Danzig question was inextricably tied to the problems in the Polish Corridor and any settlement regarding Danzig would be one step towards the eventual loss of Poland's access to the sea. Hitler's credibility outside Germany was still very high and even many British and French politicians approved of a peaceful revision of the corridor's borders.

In 1939, Nazi Germany made another attempt to renegotiate the status of Danzig; Poland was to retain a permanent right to use the seaport if the route through the Polish Corridor was to be constructed. However, parts of the Polish administration distrusted Hitler and saw the plan as a threat to Polish sovereignty, practically subordinating Poland to the Axis and the Anti-Comintern Bloc while reducing the country to a state of near-servitude as its entire trade would be dependent on Germany.

A revised and less favorable proposal came in the form of the Polish Ultimatum delivered by Chancellor Adolf Hitler in late August. At midnight on August 29, Joachim von Ribbentrop handed British Ambassador Sir Neville Henderson a list of terms that would allegedly ensure peace in regard to Poland. Danzig was to return to Germany and there was to be a plebiscite in the Polish Corridor and Galicia; Poles who had been born or had settled there since 1919 would have no vote, while all Germans and Austria-Hungarians born there (even if not living there anymore) would. An exchange of minority populations between the countries was proposed. If Poland accepted these terms, Germany and Austria-Hungary would agree to the British offer of an international guarantee, which would include the Soviet Union. A Polish plenipotentiary, with full powers, was to arrive in Berlin and accept these terms by noon the next day. The British Cabinet viewed the terms as "reasonable". When Ambassador Jósef Lipski went to see Ribbentrop on August 30, he was presented with Hitler’s demands. However, he did not have the full power to sign and Ribbentrop ended the meeting. News was then broadcast that Poland had rejected Germany's and Austria-Hungarian's offer.

The German Empire and Austria-Hungary renewed their offer and even promised not only to guarantee the Polish independence if Poland accepted, but also to form a defense Alliance from Finland to Romania against the Soviet Union with Poland as a strong partner in the middle of it. Hitler even telephoned with Neville Chamberlain because of their good terms at the Munich Agreement and ensured him that if Poland would accept this would be his last territorial claims for Germany in Eastern Europe. The world looked towards Poland and waited curious what the polish government would decide in terms of this last ultimatum.
----
Vote to decide Poland's future:
http://www.strawpoll.me/14600329

 

[Icee]

we must reject the unfair demands on polish territory(i just wanna set the world on fire)

 

[CountofDooku]

we must reject the unfair demands on polish territory(i just wanna set the world on fire)

That may happen either way, who says Hitler, Wilhelm II and Otto keep their words in regards of the east (or just switch to other parts of Europe and the world- maybe reclaiming colonies somewhere)?! ^^

Also I still have not decided where this will all go in the end so I will include the readers with polls heavily, have all be warned.

 

[CountofDooku]

What map to use for editing to show the borders during the next update on China?

or:

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 20: The increasing Balkan Conflict:

Despite their good relations with the German Empire, both the Italian Empire under Mussolini and the Austria-Hungarian Empire under Otto had quiet some dispute. While Austria-Hungary joined the German Empire in the Dual Alliance it was quiet problematic for Emperor Wilhelm II or Chancellor Hitler to convince both, Mussolini and Otto to extend the Dual Alliance to the Tripartite Alliance that would include Italy. Both empires, Italy and Austria-Hungary had great ambitions and sadly both had them for the Balkan peninsula, were Italy tried to get the Yugoslavian coast of Dalmatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and some parts of southern Serbia and Bosnia. Mussolini even dreamed of annexing parts of Greece, French Tunesia as well as Corsica, Savoyen and Nizza from France and making the rest of the Balkan and Iberia his vassal states. Otto on the other hand dreamed of Austria-Hungary claimed their territories lost in the World War. Austria was to annex Slovenia and Dalmatia, while Hungary would regain the Banat, Croatia and Slovenia and some border regions lost. Bosnia and Herzegovina would then once again ruled by both states as would Montenegro and parts of northern Serbia that had to be annexed. In the east Hungary claimed all land lost to Romania (Transylvania and Bukovina) and Austria-Hungary just like Italy dreamed of making the rest of the Balkan peninsula their very own vassals. Some Austrian-Hungarians even dreamed of annexing all of Romania to get direct access to the Black See and make Greece a vassal that was not included in their ambitions after a victorious World War in 1914-1918. Overlooked by many there was another member of the Central Powers in the Balkan Peninsula eager to join the Empires of Germany and Austria-Hungary; Bulgaria that dreamed of annexing Macedonia from Serbia and Greece (as well as West Trace from Greece too) as well as claiming the Dobruja from Romania nullifying the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine. These ambitions and the growing threat from Austria-Hungary led to to Romania and Yugoslavia forming the Balkan Entente as a direct alliance against the ambitions of Otto and to a extend also against Mussolini's plans. Most shocked of this turn of events by far was Mussolini, he had just protected the independence of Austria and Hungary in the Romon Protocols and now all of the sudden after annexing the rest of the Czechoslovakian territories he faced a very ambitious neighbor in the north that managed to largely expend and modernize it's army thanks to Czechoslovakian equipment and industries. Greece on the other hand stayed neutral and hoped to remain that way, while Great Britain and France guaranteed the independance of Romania, Greece, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Poland to prevend Germany, Austria-Hungary or Italy and even the Soviet Union from forcing their demands on these states with the help of their military. Yugoslavia, Romania even got joined by Greece and Turkey that now together formed the Balkan Entente against the ambitiouns of Austria-Hungary, Italy and the Soviet Union in the region.

 

[skarosianlifeform]

The Entente may not even have to intervene, for the Axis/CP members might fight themselves...

 

[CountofDooku]

The Entente may not even have to intervene, for the Axis/CP members might fight themselves...

Maybe ;D
Despite being alternate history Italy's and Austria-Hungaries ambitions stay the same and with both in the same Axis/CP camp uniting them into one alliance might prove much more challenging for Chancellor Hitler than claiming any of the german territories and even rearming germany before ...

 

[skarosianlifeform]

On the other hand, AH has ambitions (shared with Germany) of having a large sphere of influence in Eastern Europe and destroying Soviet Union. Even now, Russia is more of an existential threat and rival than Italy. And Communism is an ideological enemy.

Italy has ambitions contrary to both Entente interests (which are to keep the Balkans independent) and AH interests. Leaving the CP would mean either renounce her plans or being a pariah opposed by both sides.

So, neither Italy nor AH can realistically afford a conflict now.

On the other hand, Italy pursuing her own plans (outside of their alliance) might be a blessing in disguise for the CP.
Italian aggression towards Albania, Greece and Yugoslavia might keep France and UK (and Italy herself) busy, while AH and Germany deal with Poland and the USSR. On the other hand, Italy as a CP member is not very useful for expansion in the East and might create problems with Paris and London.

So, if I were AH and Germany, I would tell Italy "we can't remain officially allied but we will not oppose your Balkan plans, we will even try to stop London and Paris from starting a war".
I would deal with the East (with Germany doing the heavy lifting), while Italy digs her own grave (with costly and moderately successful, or unsuccessful wars in the Balkans, tensions with UK and France).

Then, once the East is dealt with, I would turn my gaze to the Balkans, put pressure on Italy (which will be isolated, knee deep in war/counter guerilla/occupation, and deep in economical crisis), and if necessary go to war with Italy, to drive off the Italians from the Balkans.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 21: Axis Central Powers:

With the world watching the decision of the Polish Government in form of President Władysław Raczkiewicz, Foreign Minister Józef Beck, the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army, Edward Rydz-Śmigły and the cabinet, they were surprised that the polish decided in favor of accepting the demands of the German Empire and Austria-Hungary that would give the Germans all parts of Posen, Danzig as well as parts of West Prussia and East Prussia and Upper Silesia they claimed and Austria-Hungary all parts of Galicia they claimed. The treaty prevented a war in the east of Europe and while Emperor Wilhelm II and Chancellor Adolf Hitler of Germany as well as Emperor Otto and Austria-Hungary refused any pact or plan against Poland with the Communist Soviet Union they saw as the main enemy. The so called Berlin Agreement the Eastern Europe states from Finland to Romania at the same time got their independence guaranteed by the (Central/Axis Powers) of the German Empire and Austria-Hungary against any threats by the Soviet Union. Since the Polish Government and all other states protected by this Central European alliance agreed so on their own there was not much either Great Britain or France could do about it, but both Nations warned the renewed Central Powers to not interfere in any way in Western Europe or attack them in a attempt to regain German Colonies. The Berlin Agreement did not meant that the states in Eastern Germany or the Balkan Peninsula were safe now, quiet the opposite. Not soon after the Berlin Agreement Lithuania demanded the Wilno/ Vilnius region from Poland and asked Germany and Austria-Hungary as their new protectors to be the mediator over the despite. Sadly for the polish government most of the territory both claimed was given to Lithuania as both major Central Powers liked Poland to be small and depending on them almost like a puppet or vassal state. With the Soviet Union claiming the east of Poland there was not much they could do against the decision as they needed the protection of the Axis Central Powers to stay safe from the Red's that otherwise could possible overrun and annex all of Poland. Romania meanwhile had a similar problem after the Berlin Agreement since it officially ended the short lived Polish-Romanian Alliance and forced them to join the protection of the Central Powers (as well as their Anticomintern pact a year later in 1940 leading to Anti-Communist raids, press censorship and the banning of communist and socialist parties in these nations) against the Soviet Union too, slowly forcing Poland and Romania to fully support nationalist/fascist governments and to join the Axis Central Powers (also known as Central Power Axis or Axis of Central Powers) as full members. Josef Stalin meanwhile got worried by this Anticomintern Alliance aiming against his Soviet Union in the West and the Japanese/ Co-Prosperity Threat in the east would surround and attack him. Therefore the Soviet Union increased it's support for the French Section of the Workers' International (who together with the centrist won the 1936 elections as the Popular Front) and the French Communist Party, leading to their united block that nearly won the 1940 elections and was eager to join the Comintern (drifting Great Britain and the French Republic further apart as a alliance) if the Second World War in Europe hadn't prevented this.

 

[TimTurner]

Watched.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 22: From Nazi Germany to the Third Reich:

With the end of Nazi Germany and his position as the Führer (Leader) Adolf Hitler had to readjust his ambitions and solely be put back into the role of the Chancellor. The aristocrats backed by the Prussian military tradition reclaimed many of their former positions inside the Second Empire. The rebuild German Empire would also be known as the Third Empire by some or even again as the Second Empire since Wilhelm 2 continued his rule. From 1938 to 1940 the former Nazi Germany was reformed into the new state and it's power secured. Wilhelm II and Chancellor Hitler (by now a close friend of Wilhelm II, because they had many political and ideological things in common) both needed each other to hold onto the power they now had at first and a unholy alliance formed between the aristocrats, the militarists and the fashists. Together the Nazi Party and the conservative German National People's Party (German: Deutschnationale Volkspartei, DNVP) as well as the Pan-German League merged to rule as the strongest party of the new Imperial Diet. Even former National Soialist Organisations like the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) were rebuild as the Imperial German Youth.

Combining their ideas, ambitions and dreams for the German Empire in a way Emperor Wilhelm II and Chancellor Hitler ensured Great Britain that their nation would stay loyal to the Anglo-German Naval Agreement from 1935 and only look for good relations with Britain. This of coarse was partly meant to split the British French Alliance and block that opposed their politics on the European Continent and in the former German Colonies that were lost after 1918. With the new Axis Central Powers and their agreement to respect the treaties with the British and French as Hitler assured the next step was made. With the argument of their respected guarantees and acceptance of the new eastern European Borders from Finland to Poland (not including Romania because of Austria-Hungarian claims there) the German Empire argued that a restructuring of their army was needed and a expansion of it. A newly formed Central Command in Königsberg was created to coordinate the armies of all these nations together in chase of a Soviet Union attack in the east.

The former Reichswehr (English: Realm Defence) formed the military organization of Germany from 1919 to 1935, when it was united with the new Wehrmacht (Defense Forces). The Reichswehr was at first limited to a standing army of 100,000 men, and a navy of 15,000. The establishment of a general staff was prohibited. Heavy weapons such as artillery above the caliber of 105 mm (for naval guns, above 205 mm), armored vehicles, submarines and capital ships were forbidden, as were aircraft of any kind. Chancellor Hitler simply argued that to defend these guaranteed states the German Military (renamed the Imperial German Army -IGA-, the Imperial German Navy -IGN-and the Imperial German Air Force -IGAF- after Wilhelm II return) should not be restricted anymore like before. The British had already accepted the that the German Army would field 300,000 men instead of just 100,000 in 1934. Now Hitler argued that the overall situation in Europe had changed drastically. Secretly rearming since 1934 with the conscription back since 1935 Germany managed to add 300,000 new soldiers each year. This allowed the Army of Hitler and later Wilhelm II to grow their forces secretly from 100,000 to 400,000 in 1935, 700,000 in 1936, 1,000,000 in 1937, 1,300,000 in 1938 and 1,600,000 in 1939. Claiming that his officially 300,000 allowed soldiers posed no threat for the 900,000 soldiers strong French Army.

Further more Wilhelm II and Hitler claimed that such a limited size could not fulfill the new role of the German Empire as protectors of it's eastern neighbors against the Soviet Union. Hitler then used parts of the former MacDonald plan proposed by the British in 1933 for his arguments. Instead of reducing the French Army in any form Chancellor Hitler offered a treaty much similar to the Anglo-German Naval Agreement from 1935 towards the French. The so called French-German Army Agreement offered the Third French Republic to allow a army of 400,000 men as many as were left in the armed forces after 1919. The Italian Empire under Mussolini now also bordering the German Empire even said to agree towards a Imperial German Army of 480,000 men (a number still smaller then that of the Imperial German Army in 1871 with 500,000 troops) because of the new situation in Europe. With some British and European politicians even willing to accept a German Army of 600,000 to 800,000 soldiers to protect the eastern European states against the Soviet Union, while still smaller then the French Army that had believed to be already in impenetrable position behind the Maginot-Line the plan of Chancellor Hitler and Emperor Wilhelm II worked.

With many British politicians and even Neville Chamberlain accepting a higher number for the new task of securing the eastern European borders against the Soviet Union, the Third French Republic suddenly saw itself in a very isolated diplomatic position. Instead of securing Versailles Threat most European Powers were now fine with Germany breaking more and more terms of it as it looked like trough french eyes. Even more worrying the powers of Europe accepted Germany guarantee of the eastern European states and borders thereby in a way accepting the results of the Treat of Brest-Litowsk in the east of Germany.

What both the British and the French didn't know was that Wilhelm II and Hitler were willing to accept the new army numbers. For a elite, specialized part of their army at least. Most of their new recruits would soon fall under the Imperial Landwehr that combined ideas of the old German-prussian militarist army with the ideas of Ernst Röhm for his Sturmabteilung (SA) to replace the Reichswehr or merge it with his forces to form a true people's army like the Soviet Red Army. This at the time alarmed both political and military leaders and to forestall the possibility of a coup, Hitler sided with conservative leaders and the military. Röhm and the leadership of the SA were murdered, along with many other political adversaries of the Nazis. Now a few years later Chancellor Hitler proposed a variation of that exact plan to Wilhelm II.

The SA itself (once 400,000, later 2,000,000—20 times larger than the Reichswehr at that point) together with other conservative/fashist paramilitary groups like the Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten ("Steel Helmet, League of Front Soldiers", also known in short form as Der Stahlhelm) with 100,000 troops as well as other similar Freikorps (Free Corps) of volunteer units that were trained like soldiers (and better equipped than regular police or the reserves) but no official part of the Imperial German Army would together form the new Landwehr. Officially the Landwehr would support local Militia and other groups like the Prussian Police or the reformed Imperial Secret State Police (German: Imperiale Geheime Staatspolizei Amt – ImpGeStapA/Gestapa) but was secretly the extended branch of the army in reserve and guard duty with their full supplies and armaments close by. The 400,000 soldiers most European powers agreed too for the German Empire, were now in reality only consisted of the most elite forces of the German Empire as part of the Axis Central Powers, namely the mobile infantry, the tank force, the artillery force and the mountaineers. Despite their talking about peace both Hitler and Wilhelm II knew that and it's soon depending vassal states in eastern europe would still need the Ukraine to prevent a new starving like during the Great War and to also weaken the Soviet Union after they had taken more lands during a new war in the east that they planned by now.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 23: The Chinese Civil War - Great Wall Campaign and Itagaki Encirclement Campaign:

In China the forces of the Co-Prosperity Sphere faced a different situation, while troops and volunteers (more likely whole Divisions and armies send to help) from Japan, Chosen, Manchukuo, Mengjiang, Yankoku and Taikoku supported Wang Jingwei's Shanghai Nationalist Government and the Kuomintang under Chiang Kai-shek had problems getting supplies from the European and Western powers since Yunnan and Tibet joined the Co-Prosperity Sphere openly the situation was not as dire for the Chinese Communists. Mao used the tactic of guerrilla warfare to start pocket resistances inside Northeast, East and Southeast China, inspired by the Soviet Revolution in the Russian Empire. While Manchukuo managed to deal with these communist rebels in a campaign until late 1940 and the Mengjiang Khanate under Khan Demchugdongrub had the so called Great Wall Campaign where they destroyed or drove back all Communist barbarians south of the Yellow River or the Great Chinese Wall.

But while the Western Powers and to an extend even the Soviet Union did not supply the renewed Chinese United Front of Chiang and Mao as much as before, their rebellious tactic was quiet efficient. The Japanese puppet state and member state of the Co-Prosperity Sphere Yankoku had so much problems with the Communist rebels that they threatened it's mere existence. To stop the problem the Japanese appointed General Seishirō Itagaki as the Commander in Chief of the United Co-Prosperity Sphere Chinese Expeditions Army (UCPS-CEA), tasking him with the mission to root out the communists and rebels in Wang's China. Under Seishirō Itagaki the UCPS-CEA started the so called Encirclement strategy inspired by Chiang's successfully campaigns against the communists before and used the rovers and railroads in China to further advance Wang Jingwei's Shanghai Nationalist Government into mainland China. This strategy of cutting off the communist supply lines if there were any and then totally encircling and annihilating all communist rebels in the area they hided in together with so called sympathizers (often civilians who were themselves forced to support the armed rebels by the communists) proved a great victory for Wang and was soon adapted by other members of the Co-Prosperity Sphere with similar problems. Under General Seishirō Itagaki the Gaoshan Brigades (a Japanese loyal minority on Taiwan that had joined the Imperial Japanese Army) soon became feared in China for their combat abilities and ruthless fighting every rebel and enemy army even if heavily outnumbered themselves till the end. Some japanese politics and militarists even discussed splitting the chinese member states of the Co-Prosperity Sphere further down into mall minoriy states to make them even more depending on Japan, but the majority opposed this idea, because then they would get to week to protect their independance against the Chinese Rebells and Soviet Union feared the government and the military in Tokio.

 

[LanzCorporalAssWipe]

Just found your awesome story earlier.
Whats your plan for the Philippines? (I'm Filipino) Hope the US gets kicked out of here (Philippines). Maybe by way of secretly starting a revolution by Japan.

 

[CountofDooku]

Just found your awesome story earlier.
Whats your plan for the Philippines? (I'm Filipino) Hope the US gets kicked out of here (Philippines). Maybe by way of secretly starting a revolution by Japan.

Thanks a lot.

The Japanese plan is to support the Independence Movement (either diect by war or indirect by a rebel movement) there and set up ap a collaboration government that would join the Co-Prosperity Sphere (under the Ganap Party) and secure the trade path towards the southern ressource regon.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter 24: The gang up on Yugoslawia:

“There is enough of Yugoslavia for all of you.” - Adolf Hitler

The ambitions and plans of Otto of Austria and Mussolini in Yugoslavia and the Balkan Peninsula resulted in both nations splitting further apart. Because Emperor Wilhelm II was much closer to Austria-Hungary, then Italy. Chancellor Hitler meanwhile had his great fascist idol in Mussolini and hoped to get the Italians to join the Axis Central Powers. It was his dream to extend the Dual Alliance with Austria-Hungary to the Tripartite Alliance that included Italy. While Austria-Hungary could secure the Balkan Peninsula, Italy could help this plan and also provide a second front against the French Republic, both on the European main land the colonies. While Hitler planned a Alliance with Great Britain, Wilhelm II hoped the Italians could help on the southern flank not only with France but the British Empire attacking their colonial empires and the southern flank across the Mediterranean. Should the situation escalate again and the British-French Alliance fight Wilhelm and Otto's Empires they could be forced to split up their troops if Italy would join the Central Powers this time.

The main problem was that Duce Mussolini's and Emperor Otto's Ambitions over the Balkan and the Yugoslavian territory escalated even after the Treat of Trieste because both states claimed Dalmatia, Slovenia or even Bosnia and Herzegovina for themselves. While Mussolini hoped to claim the western part of Yuoslavia and it's coast and islands Otto hope to gain the rest of all lost Austrian-Hungarian territory. While Otto wanted to annex Bosnia and Herzegovina as a dual governed Austria-Hungarian province or protectorate like the Czech and Slovakia state, he also hoped to form a similar territory out of the remaining Yugoslavian state as the new Austria-Hungarian state of Serbia and Montenegro out of Northern Serbia. To get ahead of Mussolini in the Balkan Peninsula Otto and Austria-Hungary formed a alliance (Austria-Hungarian Bulgarian Alliance) with the Kingdom of Bulgaria under Tsar Boris III and Prime Minister Georgi Kyoseivanov. While remaining neutral for now it would lead to Bulgaria joining the Axis Central Powers later and it opened the path for Otto and Boris to join forces and increase the pressure against both Yugoslavia and Italians ambitions.

Emperor Otto was soon after invited to Yugoslavia in hopes of deescalating the situation. The Yugoslavian government even overheard commends from Austria-Hungarian Generals and politicians that Sarajevo was not a safe city for the Hapsburg Monarchic Family. Otto spoke German, Hungarian, Croatian, English, Spanish, French and Latin fluently. In later life, he would write many books in German, Hungarian, French and Spanish. His mother made him learn many languages because she believed he one day might rule over many lands. But his speech was non of peace as Otto claimed that the Slovenes were more independent as parts of Austria, the Croatians as parts of Hungary and the Bosnian people as part of Austria-Hungary using the national independence movements against Yugoslavia just as Serbia had once used them against Austria-Hungary before the Great War. Not soon after that Mussolini answered with the Italian invasion of Albania (April 7–12, 1939), a brief military campaign by the Kingdom of Italy against the Albanian Kingdom. The conflict was a result of the imperialist policies of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Albania was rapidly overrun, its ruler, King Zog I, forced into exile, and the country made part of the Italian Empire as a separate kingdom in personal union with the Italian crown. Using this move Mussolini claimed the Yugoslavian Cosovo with it's ethnic Albanians for a Greater Albania under Italian rule and to spur the last non Serbian minority in Yugoslavia against the central state. To prevent the whole situation from escalating, Hitler, Wilhelm II, Otto, Mussolini and Zog met in Venice to get to a form of agreement. Because Austria-Hungary had no own navy anymore and Italy also other claims in Europe and Africa a solution was found. Mussolini would get most islands as well as parts of Montenegro and southern Serbia, while Bulgaria got western Trace and the rest would go to Austria-Hungary. In exchange for this Bulgaria would also get it's independence and claims of Greece agreed to by Italy and Austria-Hungary, while Italy would not have to worry about the Balkan Peninsula anymore. A small stripe of land for a road would be leased to Italy by Austria-Hungary to link it's main state to Albania and both Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria would support the Italian claims in Tunisia, Corsica, Egypt, Sudan and it's planned annexing of most of Greece. Hitler and Wilhelm II meanwhile used the so called Yugoslavian Crisis for their claims on lost territory against Belgium and Denmark. Chancellor Hitler also felt secure that his idea of a Tripartite Alliance was now in the realm of reality.

(Yugoslavia and Italy and Austria-Hungary claims/plans)

 

[Analytical Engine]

Austria-Hungary restored = good.

Hitler still German Chancellor = bad.

I'm torn.

Will Hitler have an "unfortunate accident"(TM) at some point?

 

[CountofDooku]

Austria-Hungary restored = good.

Hitler still German Chancellor = bad.

I'm torn.

Will Hitler have an "unfortunate accident"(TM) at some point?

Maybe if he disagrees with Wilhelm III after Wilhelm II death later too much...

 

[CountofDooku]

Tomorrow's Chapters:

The Schleswig-Holstein Question

Reintegration of Eupen Malmedy?

 

[skarosianlifeform]

I fail to see how AH and Germany will avoid war with Britain (they can't afford such a war and know it), WHILE supporting Italian designs on French and British colonies + Greece.