lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Sept 8, 2015 18:55:15 GMT
Chapter I
September 11th 1938
Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov flies to Prague where he assures President of Czechoslovakia Edvard Beneš that the Soviet Union mutual military assistance treaty with Czechoslovakia signed in May 16th 1935 will be guaranteed (Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov never flew to Prague on this date making this the POD for the TL-38 timeline).
September 12th 1938
Adolf Hitler during a speech at a Nazi Party rally in Nuremberg on the Sudeten crisis , condemns the actions of the government of Czechoslovakia in endangering peace in Europe with their actions against the Germans, Hungarians, Poles, and Slovaks population living in Czechoslovakia.
September 13th 1938
United Kingdom Prime Minster Chamberlain and leader of Germany Adolf Hitler meet at Hitler's residence in Berchtesgaden together with Konrad Henlein leader of the Sudeten German Party (SdP), a branch of the Nazi Party of Germany in Czechoslovakia.
September 14th 1938
Josef Stalin leader of the Soviet Union orders the Soviet Army to prepare for possible war with Germany.
September 15th 1938
Konrad Henlein leader of the Sudeten German Party is arrested by Czechoslovakian police when he arrives back into Prague after having meat with United Kingdom Prime Minster Chamberlain and leader of Germany Adolf Hitler two days earlier in Germany (in OTL he was never arrested but here the Czechoslovak government believing that Germany will not go to war with them due their backing of the Soviet Union decided to remove in their eyes a threat to Czechoslovakia).
Adolf Hitler is informed of the arrest of Konrad Henlein by Czechoslovakian police, while furious he decides to use the arrest to show the United Kingdom and the French Republic is a danger to all Germans living in Czechoslovakia. The same day he calls French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier where he make it clear that Germany will not stand by much longer while Germans are oppressed in Czechoslovakia.
September 16th 1938
French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier having a heated telephone discussion with Adolf Hitler flew to London where he meet British officials to discuss a course of action concerning the arrest of Sudeten German leader Henlein a day earlier. When the discussion ended, two proposals where made that the British and French hopped the Czechoslovak government would agree on (1) the United Kingdom and the French Republic demand the immediately release of Konrad Henlein and (2) Czechoslovakia is to cede to Germany all those territories where the German population represented over fifty percent of the Sudetenland's total population. In exchange for these two concession, the United Kingdom and the French Republic will guarantee the independence of Czechoslovakia.
September 17th 1938
The British-French proposals made a day earlier is rejected by the Czechoslovak government and opponents of it in United Kingdom and the French Republic itself.
Adolf Hitler orders the establishment of Sudetendeutsches Freikorps (English: Sudeten German Free Corps, a paramilitary organization that successor to Freiwillinger Schutzdienst, also known as Ordnersgruppe, an organization that had been established by the Sudeten German Party in Czechoslovakia.
September 18th 1938
Italy's leader Benito Mussolini in a speech in Trieste, Italy declared "If there are two camps, for and against Prague, let it be known that Italy has chosen its side," (this implication makes it clear that Mussolini will supported Germany in the crisis going on in Czechoslovakia).
During a meeting between Neville Chamberlain and the recently elected Premier of France, Édouard Daladier, and Daladier's Foreign Minister, Georges Bonnet, it becomes apparent neither the British nor the French governments are prepared to go to war over the Sudetenland.
September 19th 1938
The Czechoslovak government announces that they will not release Konrad Henlein on the ground that he was the former head of the Ordnersgruppe, an organization implication in large number of terrorist activities.
September 20th 1938
Czechoslovak government has announced the leaders of the United Kingdom , French Republic and Germany come to d Czechoslovak to discusses way to reduce the tensions.
September 21st 1938
United Kingdom Prime Minster Chamberlain, French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier and Germany Führer Adolf Hitler meet President of Czechoslovakia Edvard Beneš in Prague. During one meeting that evening with only Prime Minster Chamberlain and Führer Adolf Hitler and their interpreters attending Hitler asked Chamberlain "Does the United Kingdom fully back the transfer of the Sudetenland to Germany", Chamberlain responded "Precisely", to which Hitler responded by shaking his head, saying that with the arrest of Konrad Henlein by Czechoslovakia, Germany could only be satisfied by Czechoslovakia to be completely dissolved and its territories redistributed to Germany, Poland, and Hungary, and told Chamberlain to help him with this or face the consequences . Chamberlain was shaken by this statement. Hitler went on to tell Chamberlain that since their last visit on the 15th, Czechoslovakia's actions, which Hitler claimed included killings of Germans, the arrest had made the situation unbearable for Germany.
September 22nd 1938
During the Prague Conference President of Czechoslovakia Edvard Beneš makes it clear to them that any military action by the Germans against Czechoslovakia will result in the Soviet Union supporting Czechoslovakia independence. Despite attempts by both Prime Minster Chamberlain and Prime Minister Édouard Daladier to seek a solution to the crisis the Prague Conference ends in failure as neither Germany or Czechoslovakia want to comprises.
September 23rd 1938
Adolf Hitler issues the Sudeten Memorandum, which demands that Czechoslovakia release Konrad Henlein and to cede the Sudetenland to Germany no later than September 28th in order to avoid war.
Unaware that the Soviet Union has plans to invade them, the Polish army masses along the Czech border.
September 24th 1938
A new Czechoslovakian cabinet, under General Jan Syrový, is installed who first decree is to begin general mobilization of the Czechoslovak army in responses to the German ultimatum. The Soviet Union also announce that unlike the United Kingdom and the French Republic, the Soviet Union is willing and able to come to Czechoslovakia's assistance.
September 26th 1938
United Kingdom Prime Minster Chamberlain sends Sir Horace Wilson to carry a personal letter to Hitler declaring that the United Kingdom and the French Republic want a peaceful resolution to the Sudeten crisis. Later that evening, Hitler gave his reply in a speech at the Sportpalast in Berlin, in which Hitler again made it clear, Czechoslovakia has until September 28th to release Konrad Henlein and cede the Sudetenland to Germany or face war.
September 27th 1938
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain makes a national radio broadcast, where he makes it clear that the United Kingdom will not go to war with Germany over Czechoslovakian independence.
Soviet Army divisions begin massing at the border with Poland, the Soviet plan to aid Czechoslovakia is simple invade Poland and seize control of Poland and make it a buffer state and prevent it from falling in the German sphere of influence and link up with the Czechoslovak army to assist them in driving out the Germans out of Czechoslovakia.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 8, 2016 11:27:28 GMT
Chapter II
September 28th 1938
At 08:00, The German Army launches Operation Fall Grün (English: "Case Green"), the German plan for an aggressive war against Czechoslovakia. Large numbers of Heinkel He-111 bombers escorted by Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighter aircraft bomb the Czechoslovakian capital of Prauge, Plzeň, Karlovy Vary, Brno, Ostrava and Bratislava, more than 1,600 people are killed by the bombings. While the Heinkels are bombing cities across Czechoslovakia, German artillery and Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers began hitting military installations behind the border fortifications, such as communication centers, artillery and armor concentrations. First German troops cross into Czechoslovakia where they face heavy resistance from Czechoslovakia defenders.
At 9:40, Stalin is informed of the German invasion of Czechoslovakia, orders the Soviet Army to begin operations against Poland.
At 10:00, Adolf Hitler addresses the Reichstag where he condemns Czechoslovakia for oppressing and terrorizing the Sudeten Germans, when the address is over Hitler is informed that the Soviet Union has invaded Poland with the aim of linking up to Czechoslovakia.
At 10:35, the Soviet Union began their invasion of Poland , Soviet Radio announces that the invasion of Poland is in responds to liberate the Ukrainians and Belarusians living in the eastern part of Poland who are being prosecuted by Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły de facto leader of Poland and that the Soviet Union fears that Poland will side with Germany in their war against Czechoslovakia. The Soviet Army, who while still suffering from the aftermath of Joseph Stalin's Great Purge of 1937 is still larger in terms of men, tanks and aircraft than the Polish Army.
At 13:00, Czechoslovakian President Edvard Beneš and Prime Minister Jan Syrový meet at a secure location somewhere in Prague where they discuss the political and military situation, now that war with Germany has broken out. Czechoslovakian President Edvard Beneš tells Prime Minister Jan Syrový that he never believed that the Soviet Union would attack Poland in order to come to their aid, now that the Soviets have launch their own invasion of a country friendly to the United Kingdom and the French Republic, President Edvard Beneš fears that they will not come to the aid of Czechoslovakia in their struggle against Germany.
September 29th 1938
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier issue a joint statement condemning both the Germany invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Soviet invasion of Poland but make it clear that due the delicate situation neither the United Kingdom nor the French Republic will go to war with either of them.
German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop tells Józef Lipski, the Polish ambassador to Germany that Germany is willing send military aid and volunteers to Poland to aid them against the Soviets, ambassador Lipski informs foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop that he will convey the offer to Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły.
September 30th 1938
Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły Commander-in-Chief of Poland's armed forces and de facto leader of Poland is notified of the German offer to send troops into Poland to aid them in their fight against the Soviets, to one of his aids he will later comment, " If we accept the German offer for help, they will never leave, but if do not accept Poland as we know it will be gone ". Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły decides to accept the German offer but under the stipulation that only military aid and volunteers are to be send to Poland as he knows that if regular German units are send, they will never leave his country.
October 3rd 1938
The first German volunteers and military aid consisting of vehicles and artillery begin entering into Poland to aid the Polish Army in their fight against the Soviet army.
October 4th 1938
At the Kremlin, Moscow, the leader of the soviet Union, Josef Stalin is informed that German volunteers have cross into Poland, As a result he orders the Soviet Army not to attack German territory so not provoke the Germans as for the time being his focus is capturing Poland.
October 8th 1938
The Soviet Army advance into Poland after ten days is in some places 100 kilometers but Polish and German resistance is fierce.
October 10th 1938
In a secret location in the bather capitol of Czechoslovakia, Czechoslovakian President Edvard Beneš and Prime Minister Jan Syrový discuse their option who are not looking good, with the Soviet Army still fighting in Poland and not able to come to their aid in time, the unwillingness of the United Kingdom and the French Republic to aid and the hug loss of live makes it impossible for them to fight on, therefore the come to the conclusion to save the lives of their citizens and soldier who are still fighting they must surrender.
October 14th 1938
In order to save his country, Czechoslovakian President Edvard Beneš announces on radio that his country surrenders unconditionally to Germany, ending the Czechoslovakia-German War.
October 13th 1938
Polish and German forces begin to regroup in central Poland but Soviet forces continue to advance steadily. Soviet Army elements are within 25 km of Warsaw.
October 17th 1938
The battle of Warsaw begins as after 19 days of fighting its way across Poland, the Soviet Army (Belorussian Front) has managed to surrounded Warsaw and begun to hammer the city with artillery fire and air bombardment. The Polish and German defenders who are still in the city continue to put up fierce resistance however.
October 18th 1938
Soviet Army (Belorussian Front) reach the border with East Prussia but as they have no orders to cross into German territory they simply dig in in alongside the border in order to prevent any more German volunteers and military hardware from reaching the Polish Army. Some polish units flee into German East Prussia where the German army is massing as a percussion against a possible Soviet aggression against Germany.
October 27th 1938
Polish forces and German Volunteers launch a frontal assault in order to relieve the brave Polish defenders hold up in a surrounded and devastated Warsaw who is pounded by Soviet artillery and air strike around the clock.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Jan 14, 2016 23:02:01 GMT
lordroel Under those circumstances I suspect that the German volunteers are very well trained and equipped and that the Poles, under the current circumstances, would increasingly turn a blind eye to this. While its going to be very nasty for a lot of people in eastern Europe this may be a pretty good one for the western powers as both dictatorships are going to be bleeding each other white for quite a while I suspect. Without the looting of its eastern conquests, as a lot of Czech weapons will have been used up in the fighting, or of western Europe Germany isn't the goliath it was in 41 OTL so although the Red army is still very weak the sort of deep conquests that occurred in 41 is highly unlikely. At the same time Germany has a lot more support from neighbouring states and possibly even from the Poles, depending on how well the Nazis manage to suppress their basic nature. I'm certain if it looks like Poland is going to go down Germany will intervene fully. If nothing else it will want the 1914 borders and a ground link to E Prussia. Its possible that might end up being the basis for some deal between the two. Germany gets Czechoslovakia and parts of NW Poland and the Soviets get the rest. Not sure if this is a deal Hitler would be happy with but if the army is starting to struggle it might seem attractive. Especially since, with the western powers showing no will to fight and Stalin looking very threatening I suspect just about every eastern and central European state will look to Berlin for protection. However think continued fighting is markedly more likely. Anyway, looking forward to seeing where you take this.  Steve |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 15, 2016 8:46:50 GMT
lordroel Under those circumstances I suspect that the German volunteers are very well trained and equipped and that the Poles, under the current circumstances, would increasingly turn a blind eye to this. While its going to be very nasty for a lot of people in eastern Europe this may be a pretty good one for the western powers as both dictatorships are going to be bleeding each other white for quite a while I suspect. Without the looting of its eastern conquests, as a lot of Czech weapons will have been used up in the fighting, or of western Europe Germany isn't the goliath it was in 41 OTL so although the Red army is still very weak the sort of deep conquests that occurred in 41 is highly unlikely. At the same time Germany has a lot more support from neighbouring states and possibly even from the Poles, depending on how well the Nazis manage to suppress their basic nature. I'm certain if it looks like Poland is going to go down Germany will intervene fully. If nothing else it will want the 1914 borders and a ground link to E Prussia. Its possible that might end up being the basis for some deal between the two. Germany gets Czechoslovakia and parts of NW Poland and the Soviets get the rest. Not sure if this is a deal Hitler would be happy with but if the army is starting to struggle it might seem attractive. Especially since, with the western powers showing no will to fight and Stalin looking very threatening I suspect just about every eastern and central European state will look to Berlin for protection. However think continued fighting is markedly more likely. Anyway, looking forward to seeing where you take this. Steve I do not think the Soviet Union is willing to give up any Polish territory after the fought and bled for i. |
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Jan 15, 2016 11:52:28 GMT
lordroel Which is one reason for the Germans to get in 1st. As I say I can't see them, especially under the Nazis and with their western border being secure, letting the Soviets have west Prussia and isolating their eastern province, or being so close to Berlin. Definitely can't see them letting the Soviet occupy Danzig either. Hence it sounds like the war in the east will continue and probably expand drastically. Anyway, see how things develop. Steve |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 15, 2016 12:12:44 GMT
lordroel Which is one reason for the Germans to get in 1st. As I say I can't see them, especially under the Nazis and with their western border being secure, letting the Soviets have west Prussia and isolating their eastern province, or being so close to Berlin. Definitely can't see them letting the Soviet occupy Danzig either. Hence it sounds like the war in the east will continue and probably expand drastically. Anyway, see how things develop. Steve Or the war will stop (still have to think of a name for it) and the Germans regroup (they have focus all of their attention towards Czechoslovakia) and hit when the Soviet less expect it, but you have to watch until Chapter III is out to now what is going to happen. |
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Jan 15, 2016 16:36:12 GMT
lordroel Which is one reason for the Germans to get in 1st. As I say I can't see them, especially under the Nazis and with their western border being secure, letting the Soviets have west Prussia and isolating their eastern province, or being so close to Berlin. Definitely can't see them letting the Soviet occupy Danzig either. Hence it sounds like the war in the east will continue and probably expand drastically. Anyway, see how things develop. Steve Or the war will stop (still have to think of a name for it) and the Germans regroup (they have focus all of their attention towards Czechoslovakia) and hit when the Soviet less expect it, but you have to watch until Chapter III is out to now what is going to happen. Lordroel Well might be away from the middle of next week due to family problems, but will wait and see. Steve |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 15, 2016 16:39:55 GMT
Or the war will stop (still have to think of a name for it) and the Germans regroup (they have focus all of their attention towards Czechoslovakia) and hit when the Soviet less expect it, but you have to watch until Chapter III is out to now what is going to happen. Lordroel Well might be away from the middle of next week due to family problems, but will wait and see. Steve I hoop to deliver a chapter in the future, problem is my mind has so many things it wants to do, keeping it focus on one timeline at a time is some times hard. |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 27, 2016 18:08:33 GMT
Chapter III
November 1st 1938
Polish troops after managed to link up with the defenders in the besieged city of Warsaw have as a result depleted much of their forces in order to relieve the capitol of Poland, the Polish Army is shocked to discover that new Soviet troops numbering some serval hundreds of thousands have entered into the fight, with that number the brave but outnumber Polish Army simply melts away under the force of the Soviet steam roller that they are facing.
November 3rd 1938
The Second Battle for Warsaw is fought between the Polish Army and Soviet Army.
November 5th 1938
The Second Battle for Warsaw is turning into a huge defeat for the Polish Army who faced against the Soviet Army who using their superior numbers have been able for the second time to surround the Polish capitol Warsaw by a Soviet ring of steel.
November 13th 1938
The Remains of Polish resistance near the German border are defeated by the Soviet Army, more than 600,000 Polish soldiers surrender. Despite the Soviet siege the brave Polish defenders hold up in the city of Warsaw continue to resist despite.
November 15th 1938
Top Polish government officials including Polish President Ignacy Mościcki and Commander-in-Chief Edward Rydz-Śmigły leave Poland for Romania.
November 17th 1938
Polish President Ignacy Mościcki and those who managed to escape with him travel from Romania to the German province of East Prussia where the plan to establish a government-in-exile.
November 20th 1938
After having hold out for more than 17 days the Second Battle for Warsaw is over as the Polish army in Warsaw surrenders to the Soviet Army.
November 26th 1938
The Democratic Polish People's Republic is installed by the Soviet Union as the new government of Poland.
November 30th 1938
With the 2nd Polish-Soviet War and the Czechoslovakia-German War over both the Germans and the Soviet Union have learned a lot regarding things like tactical and strategic issues.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Mar 11, 2016 10:57:29 GMT
Chapter IV
December 6th 1938
Supreme High Command of the German Army orders mass production of the Panzer and Panzer IV in responds to lesson learned during the 2nd Polish-Soviet War and the Czechoslovakia-German War.
December 7th 1938
German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop visits Paris, where he is informed by French Foreign Minister Georges Bonnet that France now recognizes all of Eastern Europe as being in Germany's exclusive sphere of influence as France sees Germany despite the Czechoslovakia-German War as a major force in preventing the Soviet Union from getting more influence in Eastern Europe.
December 16th 1938
At Prague Castle, former residence of the president of Czechoslovakia, Adolf Hitler issues a proclamation creating the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and Reichsgau Slowakei thereby ending Czechoslovakia that had existed sins 1918.
December 17th 1938
Adolf Hitler believing that the Soviet Union is not done with conquering other countries in the region begins a diplomatic offensive to bring the countries who share a border with the Soviet Union into one major alliance headed by Germany.
January 27th 1939
Adolf Hitler orders Plan Z, a 6-year naval expansion program intended to provide for a huge German fleet capable of crushing the Royal Navy by 1945 (in OTL the plan was to have a fleet able capable of crushing the Royal Navy by 1944 but the after effect of the 2nd Polish-Soviet War and the Czechoslovakia-German War has moved that a year back in order to allow more production of tanks to happen).
January 28th 1939
In the German city of Munich, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania sign a an agreement called the Munich Pact winch sees the five countries form an alliance with the main goal is to counter the Soviet Union.
February 6th 1939
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain states in the House of Commons that any German attack on France will be automatically considered an attack on the United Kingdom.
February 27th 1939
The British and French governments recognized General Francisco Franco's regime in Spain.
March 17th 1939
The nationalist governments of Spain and Portugal sign the Iberian Pact in Lisbon, pledging mutual defense of the Iberian Peninsula and neutrality in the event of a general European war.
March 18th 1939
Virgil Tilea, the Romanian Minister in London, spreads false rumors that Romania is on the verge of a Soviet attack.
March 19th 1939
Germany and other members of the Munich Pact begin mobilization of their armed forces after getting word that Romania believes that they are on the verge of a Soviet attack.
March 20th 1939
Foreign Minister of Germany Joachim von Ribbentrop informs Foreign Minister of Lithuania Juozas Urbšys that his country has two choices allow German forces into Lithuania to protect the country from any Soviet hostile act or Lithuania is to give up the Klaipėda Region (also known as the Memel Territory), which had been detached from Germany after the Great War, if Lithuania allows German troops to be garrisoned in Lithuania than Germany will not demand the Klaipėda Region.
Hungarian Foreign Ministry informs the Germans that the rumors that Romania is on the verge of a Soviet attack turn out to be false and where made up by the Romanian Minister in London who has been recalled back to Romania. After the Germans are inform that no soviet attack is going to happen it ends the mobilization of its armed forces, soon after other Munich Pact also end the mobilization of their armed forces.
March 23rd 1939
Fearing of losing their only port and also seeing the soviet Union winning the 2nd Polish-Soviet War, Lithuania comes to the conclusion that the garrison of German forces is the lesser of two evils and such Lithuania agrees to the garrison of German troops in their country.
March 25th 1939
The German-Lithuanian treaty of protection is signed by Foreign Minister of Germany Joachim von Ribbentrop and Foreign Minister of Lithuania Juozas Urbšys allowing Germany to station up to 50,000 troops in the country.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 14, 2017 20:19:45 GMT
Chapter V
April 1st 1939
The Roosevelt administration officially recognized the government of General Francisco Franco as the official government of Spain.
April 3rd 1939
Germany offers Estonia and Latvia the same treaty of protection as which was made with Lithuania.
April 4th 1939
Adolf Hitler orders the German military to start planning for a future conflict with the Soviet Union, this incudes having the German industry accelerating production of war related material needed to support a future invasion of the soviet Union.
King Ghazi of Iraq is wounded in an automobile accident in Baghdad (in OTL he died in this automobile accident).
April 6th 1939
Estonian foreign minister Karl Selter arrives in Berlin for talks with his German counterpart Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop about a treaty of protection, a treaty that is already made between Germany and Lithuania (Latvia is also in talks with Germany about having treaty of protection, both Estonia and Latvia fear the Soviet Union more than they fear Germany).
April 7th 1939
Spain refuses an offer by Germany to join the Munich Pact.
Italy invades Albania (the invasion happens as in OTL but one difference is that Benito Mussolini feels that he is in a much stronger position knowing that the United kingdom nor the French Republic will go over war over Albania as they did not went to war when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia).
April 27th 1939
The British government introduced military conscription for all men aged 20-21 in an effort to increase the kingdom's military forces by 300,000 men. The Chamberlain government also increased military expenditures to $4 billion for one year.
April 28th 1939
In a speech in the Reichstag, Chancellor Adolf Hitler officially renounced the Anglo-German Naval Treaty of 1935, which has forced the German navy to be one-third the size of the Royal Navy.
May 9th 1939
Francoist Spain announced its withdrawal from the League of Nations.
May 10th 1939
In Berlin the German-Latvia treaty of protection and German-Estonia treaty of protection are signed, with it all three Baltic countries have agreed to allow German troops in their country for their protection.
May 11th 1939
Soviet People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs (Minister of Foreign Affairs) Maxim Litvinov condemns the Baltic decision to sign a treaty with Germany(because relations between the Soviet Union and Germany are not that good Maxim Litvinov was not replace by Molotov as in OTL).
May 16th 1939
Admiral Erich Raeder presents to Adolf Hitler German Navy's plan for conducting war against the Soviet Union in the Baltic Sea and against Britain and France in the Atlantic Ocean.
May 20th 1939
Bolded with the victory of Poland, Stalin orders his generals to begin preparations for operations against Finland.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Feb 15, 2017 12:27:26 GMT
Lordroel Had forgotten about this. Good to see it reviving again.  Not sure that Stalin would prepare for an attack on Finland under those circumstances. Hitler isn't a de-facto ally and hasn't given a green light to such an attack as OTL. In fact with the Baltic states occupied by Germany that is a much greater threat to Leningrad in particular and western SU in general and I would expect any war planning would be directed against the clear threat from the Nazis, whether offensively or defensively. Coupled with this is the lack of any sign of war between Germany and the western powers so German plans, even if rumours of the Z plan are about, are overwhelmingly directed against the Soviets. As it is the Soviet position in Poland does seem to be in a potentially dangerous salient, although without the blitzkrieg attacks of OTL that may not be as clear to the Soviets. Steve |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 15, 2017 15:10:03 GMT
Lordroel Had forgotten about this. Good to see it reviving again. Not sure that Stalin would prepare for an attack on Finland under those circumstances. Hitler isn't a de-facto ally and hasn't given a green light to such an attack as OTL. In fact with the Baltic states occupied by Germany that is a much greater threat to Leningrad in particular and western SU in general and I would expect any war planning would be directed against the clear threat from the Nazis, whether offensively or defensively. Coupled with this is the lack of any sign of war between Germany and the western powers so German plans, even if rumours of the Z plan are about, are overwhelmingly directed against the Soviets. As it is the Soviet position in Poland does seem to be in a potentially dangerous salient, although without the blitzkrieg attacks of OTL that may not be as clear to the Soviets. Steve Stalin believes that nobody is going to stop him, nobody stopped him taking over Poland, therefore Stalin assume that if he goes after Finland nobody will try to stop him as well. |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Feb 15, 2017 18:14:03 GMT
Chapter VI
June 3rd 1939
The Soviet government offers its definition of what constitutes "aggression", upon which the projected Anglo-Soviet-French alliance will come into effect. Both the French and British reject the Soviet definition.
June 5th 1939
Finland is invited to talks in Moscow.
June 9th 1939
Finland orders a gradual military mobilization under the guise of additional refresher training having thanks to a Soviet source been made aware of Stalin plans for Finland.
June 13th 1939
A Finnish delegation led by Foreign Minister of Finland Eljas Erkko meets the Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Litvinov in Moscow where the Finnish delegation is informed that the Soviet Union demands the handing over of territory in the Karelian isthmus, islands in the Gulf of Finland, and the Rybachy Peninsula, as well as the lease of a naval base at Hanko. The Finnish delegation responds is immediately, No, Finland will not turn over any territory over to the Soviet Union nor will they allow any Soviet troops to be station in Finland.
June 14th 1939
The Finnish delegation returns home.
June 21st 1939
The heads of state of Finland, Norway, and Sweden met to discuss the tension between Finland and the Soviet Union. Germany true Sweden has send a message noting that Germany will not get involved directly should war break out between Finland and the Soviet Union at the present time.
June 23rd 1939
Finland begins full mobilizing of its military.
June 29th 1939
In Moscow, Finnish Foreign Minister of Finland Eljas Erkko meets both with met with Joseph Stalin and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Litvinov, Stalin makes it clear that the demands the Soviet Union makes are for the good of Finland as he assures Erkko that the Soviet Union needs to be in a strong position to protect itself and its neighbors which include Finland from German aggression, Stalin makes it clear that failure to accept the Soviet demands will have serious consequences for Finland.
July 11th 1939
Soviet troops fire serval mortar shells into a field near the village of Mainila, Soviet Union, claiming the Finnish Army was responsible for the attack.
July 12th 1939
Finland sends the Soviet Union a message noting that the Finnish Army was not the one that fired any shots into Soviet territory.
July 13th 1939
The Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs releases a statement that as of July 13th 1939 the Soviet Union will renounce the Soviet-Finnish non-aggression pact, noting that Finland had committed an act of aggression for the shelling of Mainila, two days prior.
July 15th 1939
21 Soviet divisions crossed the border into Finland after about one hour of artillery bombardment.
July 16th 1939
Hitler having been informed of the Soviet invasion of Finland authorizes the sending of arms, supplies and ‘’volunteers’’ via the Baltic Sea towards Finland.
July 18th 1939
Adolf Hitler orders the Kriegsmarine to increase its naval presence near Finland, to fulfil this he orders the Deutschland-class heavy cruisers KMS Deutschland and here sistership KMS Admiral Graf Spee as well as dozens of u-boats to be moved to Miinisadam Naval Base located in Estonia where.
July 21st 1939
Heavy fighting takes place between Soviet Army and Finnish Army in the Karelia region in southern Finland.
July 28th 1939
German fighter aircraft operating out of Estonia clash with Soviet fighter aircraft over the Gulf of Finland, both sides quickly withdraw leaving only some fighter planes damaged.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Feb 15, 2017 20:05:20 GMT
Especially if Norway and Sweden are talking with Finland for mutual protection and the concerns about Russia after the 'attack' on Poland I wonder if the western allies would probably be offering some support to the Finns, in the hope of establishing a Scandinavian bloc and getting some influence there?
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