AN: Since a lot of TTL situations are escalating at similar times, I thought I'd try a sort of more than flash but less than full update on each of these. Let me know if it works!
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During one week in February, 1942...
Guangzhou, Republic of China
WANG Jingwei had seen the writing on the wall. The situation was bad and getting worse. The opposing Allied forces drew nearer to Nanking, concentrating their forces, and squeezing the salient formed around the city itself closer and closer. It even became difficult to ascertain just what forces the Allies were massing because of how adept they had become at shooting down reconnaissance aircraft. It was all but inevitable that the city would fall; a question of if rather than when, and the when seemed to draw ever closer.
It seemed like everybody except Chiang finally understood what a fool's errand this war was, and how the Germans had taken him for a fool, all while massaging his huge ego. This could only lead in one direction.
At last, Wang agreed to meet with Soong Chingling and Li Jishen to hear what alternatives they were proposing. Revolutionary stalwarts that they were, perhaps they could get Chiang to understand...
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Eastern Burma
GENERAL Li Zhongren read by the light of a flickering gas light, a (poorly) translated paperback copy of Heinz Guderian's book Achtung - Panzer! in a bid to learn as much of the art of armoured warfare as he could, in the absence of competent German advisors.
The ones they sent were useless political appointees, more interested in rooting out what few Jews there were in southern China and introducing bizarre racial theories and symbolism. Chiang (and some say at Madame Chiang's urging) developed no small amount of disdain for these "advisors" and ordered most of them to return to Germany, with little regard for their safety.
This, however, left a vacuum- someone had to figure out how to fight this war. In absence of a better solution, the question arose: How would Guderian assault Rangoon?
Shanghai, Union of China (de facto)
American HQ
THE old Manila Gang had seen some additions in the previous months, although they would do little to fundamentally alter the character of MacArthur's "court". The most notable among these was Colonel Bonner Fellers, who had been given a portfolio which included both signals and intelligence, which aggravated Willoughby to no small degree.
Today's briefing, however, was a joint session with Auchinleck and the Japanese generals Terauchi and Hata. Hata wasted no time in reinforcing territory endangered by Tojo's disastrous attack on Huchow. An armoured train and two railway guns were brought up to defend the railway line linking Tsingtao to the north, and troops from Japan and Manchukuo were concentrated as well. The push on Nanking, due to these commitments, will be a largely Anglo-American effort, albeit with a Japanese presence.
Perhaps remarkably, the highly diverse Allied forces managed to operate cohesively. Auchinleck's task was made much easier by Symonds' and Morsheads's abilities to motivate their troops through inspiration and a combination of inspiration and terror respectively. Terauchi and Hata, having worked together so long, operate almost as if two parts of a highly effective whole, a trait that has not gone unnoticed by MacArthur and Fellers.
That MacArthur's court manages to not alienate all of its allies rests largely on the strength of Dugout Doug's personality. He's the only one with an ego and stubbornness to outmatch Patton's and manages to stay a step ahead of Stilwell and channel his abilities effectively.
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Singapore
ARTHUR Percival, at long last, had a chance to be alone with his thoughts. The last two weeks had been a whirlwind of activity, requiring all of his skills in the military, diplomatic and political aspects of generalship. Singapore must not be allowed to fall, nor the Straits of Malacca be allowed to fall within the reach of Chinese bombers.
Among these many tasks were visits to the Thai-Malayan border, and the troops defending Singapore's water works. Attempting to absorb Leigh-Mallory's innovative theories on air power, and Mountbatten's naval strategies and integrating them with his own troop's operations required that no detail be overlooked, which was no easy task. He had met with General Yamashita several times as well, and perhaps some of Yamashita's audacity rubbed off on him when he told notorious defeatist Major General Bennett to shut up in an uncharacteristic outburst.
In spite of all of this, all Percival could do now was wait. The Chinese were coming- and only Monty could slow them down now.
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Western Soviet Union
OBERLEUTNANT Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche couldn't bear to look, but couldn't turn away either. His conscience begged him to join them, but his legs wouldn't move. Some of the men in his platoon looked equally disgusted, and one young private tried to mask tears.
It was obvious what was going on- the SS marching lines of half-naked women and children towards a line of pits that forced labourers had dug. He turned away. The young private gritted his teeth and muttered "I am no longer German"
The sound behind him, although hundreds of metres away, would haunt him for the rest of his life. Desertion would mean certain torture and death for no consequence, so he hoped the next battle would take his life. But even that wouldn't be enough.
Someone had to stand up against this criminality- but just how would he do it, and who would listen?
