Alternate History Merkels Operation Walküre - Story Only

[Tyr Anazasi]

Operation Steinadler, 09.-16.06.1944

The Operation Steinadler, or known as the Second Battle of Britain, was the code name for the attack on Britain. Most strikes were conducted by the Luftwaffe. The first targets were air fields, aviation factories and air defense positions. Within 24 hours most targets were hit and destroyed. This meant severe losses for the RAF and the 8th USAAF. Whole wings were eradicated. When the week was over, 698 planes of all kinds were left to defend Britain, among them 19 night fighters, 118 day fighters and 198 bombers. Most of them were hidden. Most aviation factories were destroyed and could no longer produce anything. The HQ of the RAF was destroyed as well. Harris, however, survived. If it was luck it might be questionable, as he, as a kind of scapegoat, was sent to the Falkland islands. As a commander of some obsolete fighters to defend some sheep farmers he thought.

But not only the air forces were attacked, the merchant and war navies as well. And indeed here the German navy took part of as well. In the night of June 10th a British fleet left Portsmouth, as they correctly assumed to be target of the Luftwaffe. The air strike should have been conducted only 12 hours later. Core of this fleet were the surviving battleships of Operation Overlord, HMS Nelson and HMS Rodney, six cruisers and 26 smaller vessels. However, their fleet was detected by a P-3C Orion of the German Navy, as such a move was predicted by the Germans as well. Not knowing they were detected they continued their voyage to Scapa Flow. Near Exmouth death came over them. It was nearly a copy of the battle destroying the Normandy invasion force. The guided missile FAC launched their MM-38 missiles on the escorts. The corvettes their RBS-15 Mk. III missiles on the cruisers. All British ships except the battleships were hit. Either they were sinking at once or they were sunk by the S-boats. Only five ships escaped. Of them two had to be beached and another was a total loss. The battleships tried to run but didn't get far. They were ambushed by the German destroyers and torpedo boats. And although damaging several of them, indeed the destroyer ZH-1 had to be scuttled a few hours later, the torpedoes found their mark. HMS Nelson was hit by six, HMS Rodney by nine. Both ships sunk in short time.

At the end of the week 648 merchant vessels of all types and 265 warships had been sunk. HMS Liverpool was the only cruiser left. The Soviet battleship Archangelsk was sunk by TAURUS cruise missiles.

For Churchill it had been a catastrophe. The RAF was heavily decimated, the RN de facto destroyed, at least in British waters, and the war industry hit badly as well. If the Germans did also attack the transport nodes like railway stations or harbours, Britain might be forced to surrender. So he pressed Stalin to attack. Stalin finally accepted and started Operation Bagration on June 16th.

That day the Luftwaffe flew a last sortie on Britain destroying the Palace of Westminster including Big Ben, Downing Street and the surrounding area. While the Germans had tried to avoid civilian targets being hit before, this was not done this time. Leaflets were dropped that they could each day destroy whole cities with minimal own losses if the Allies continued to deliberate attack German, or German Allied, civilian targets. If they used weapons of mass destruction Germany would "retaliate in kind". As the St. Thomas Hospital was hit as well, 3.699 British civilians died in this attack.

Britain was knocked on, but not knocked out, Churchill thought. He was still drunk since surviving in a bunker next to Downing Street 10. A few more days and Britain had to surrender. Now one could go on. Stalin will get a bigger share of the profit, which was frightening. He needed to talk with Roosevelt about help. He needed especially ships to defend Britain or a panic might happen. And planes- and a plan B if the Germans win against Stalin as well. But that would be risky. OTOH he had risked much before and he had won every time, hadn't he?

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Hamburg, Finkenwerder, Airbus plant, September 21st 1944

„General, it is an honour to have you here,“ said Kapitän zur See Velten, Commodore of the re-constituted MFG-1 (Naval Air Wing 1) after the subdued pomp and circumstance due a flag officer in wartime. “We have something to show you which I hope you will like.”

Newly-minted Brigadegeneral Johannes Steinhoff of the combined German air forces looked around, impressed by the Airbus construction facilities which dwarfed anything he had seen before. “Thank you for the warm welcome, captain,” he told his host. “It is still quite a novelty to see all the innovations that have taken place over the following seventy years. Or was it the preceding seventy years? All this time travel nonsense makes me feel like somebody put a knot into my brain.” Captain Velten had a chuckle at that. The men mounted a golf cart driven by an Airbus employee who then proceeded to drive them to a hangar a bit to the rear of the premises. Steinhoff noted that there were several flak and SAM emplacements around the expansive plane building plant.

Steinhoff had – along with most of the triple-digit kill “Experten” of the downtime Luftwaffe – been pulled from front line duty to make the most of his experience and leadership abilities. His almost legendary reputation in the uptime Luftwaffe had resulted in his promotion and the portfolio of chief of staff of the uptime/downtime Luftwaffe coordination bureau. He had been humbled, almost embarrassed even, to learn that a fighter wing had been named in his honour. He had been briefed and he had read about his post-1944 career. One thing he definitely would not miss was his horrific burning accident that would otherwise have happened in 1945 and disfigured him permanently.

He thought flippantly, at least I can keep my rugged good looks now. Then, he turned his attention back to his host. “What exactly is it you have invited me for?” “You will see in a few minutes, sir. In fact, you can see it coming up on the left there.”

“It” revealed itself to be a long, slim, two-engined civilian airliner obviously having been converted for military use. General Steinhoff was still amazed at the sheer size of most modern planes. That these…monsters could even lift off seemed almost a mkiracle to him. “She looks impressive. Please tell me more about her.”

Captain Velten harrumphed. “This is a converted Airbus A350-941, one of the first to have been built and one of only five in Lufthansa’s inventory. We impounded all five and started a military conversion program. This is the prototype. We call her the MPA 350 ‘Tiamat’ after the Babylonian goddess of salt water and chaos. Which we found the fitting for our current situation.”
The plane sported a digitally created paint job of a mottled mixture of sky-blue, light gray and white on the belly and undersides of the wings and a mottled haze-gray and dark grey camouflage scheme on top, in keeping with its maritime patrol role.

“The plane has a range of almost 20.000 kilometres and a top speed of over 900 kph. We converted the aft three quarters of the main body, adding a large fuel bladder and two rotary octuple bomb and missile racks. Service ceiling is almost 14.000 metres. The plane carries eight air-to-air missiles on hard points under its wings and we also added a remote-controlled 27mm BMK aft and one in a turret on top. Sooner or later, the Allies will have planes that can intercept her even at this altitude.”

The crew seemed like a good bunch of people too, very professional and intense but laid back at the same time. The plane had taken off and had made its way around the British islands to the north. The movements of ships in British waters had been duly recorded and the results been sent to Germany for analysis and integration into the war plans.
The captain and co-pilot of the MPA were reservists who had flown Breguet Atlantics and Orions during their time in the navy and who had then joined Lufthansa as pilots. They had been reactivated after the “event” and been involved in the Tiamat program since its inception.

Steinhoff had insisted the crew call him by his nickname, Macky, after all, most military pilots had informal call signs and he felt it helped ease fitting in.

“Macky, this is the OPSO,” the voice of the plane’s operations officer came through the headset. “Sir, we have a group of ships at two hundred miles bearing 081 true. I’ll highlight them for you. ESM detects several radars, indicating several larger warships. Standing orders are going for tankers, troop ships and large surface combatants. The captain will change course so we can VID the ships. With the current visual conditions, the camera should be able to do pick out individual ships at fifty or so nautical miles.” “Thank you, lieutenant, what is your weapon range?”

“We have a mix of high explosive and armour piercing glide bombs on board, ratio three quarters to one quarter. Range is over a hundred klicks, a hundred and twenty in good conditions. The poor bastards won’t even know what hit’em.”

The MPA’s war load consisted of two variants of the Pilum glide bomb, jointly developed with Israel before the event. The guidance package was a mix of 3D-CCD, electro-optical, laser and inertial guidance. The bombs were fire-and-forget but the weapons operators were able at any point to guide them into their target by direct control.

Convoy TCU 54 B, a fast convoy from new York to Liverpool, had been strengthened from its usual escort group of six to eight destroyer escorts to include an escort carrier, HMS Trouncer, and a cruiser, USS Boston in order to lend a bit more eyes, ears and punch to the escort group.

The crews were nervous. After an almost unbroken string of naval victories against the Kriegsmarine’s u-boats, losses had been increasing in the past weeks. Rumours abounded about new Wunderwaffen which the officers were trying their best to suppress. At least this crossing of the Atlantic had been uneventful. Another day’s sailing and the convoy would be in reach of land-based air cover. This had become possible only recently again.

“OPSO, camera operator. Numerous contacts. Visually identified as one US cruiser, Baltimore class, one escort carrier, Bogue class, eight destroyer escorts and twenty-five plus freighters, looks like tankers and ammunition carriers. Designated contacts as per operations plan.”

The operations officer, a Kapitänleutnant, thought for a minute and then gave his orders. “Targeting order of precedence, carrier, then cruiser, then freighters. Destroyer escorts lowest priority. Two HE for the carrier, two AP for the cruiser and one HE for each freighter.” He then gave a course and speed request to the pilots in order to maximize exposure of the targets to the target designators. In effect, the MPA would fly a circular route to keep the distance to the convoy and thus out of sight. The enemy air search radar would in all likelihood not be able to detect them, due to range issues and the radar-absorbent paint job of the plane.

“General, sir, we are about to engage the enemy convoy. Range 47 nautical miles. You are of course free to choose whatever surveillance channel you prefer. Guidance personnel, stand by for execution of attack sequence.”
The OPSO proceeded to feed targeting information into the first four bombs, each of which would be controlled and if necessary guided by one operator. The launching sequence check list was calmly ticked off one point after the other. Then it was time. The fore bomb hatch opened and the selected bomb was rotated to the downward position. The OPSO pressed the launch button. “Bomb one away.” The aircraft gave a minute shudder that was repeated three more times every four seconds.

The flight time for the bombs was almost five minutes. The autonomous optical guidance chip had sorted through its onboard library of WW2-era ships, found their respective targets’ files and were now aiming for pre-programmed weak spots in their hulls. The first indication for the convoy that something was very wrong was when four explosions, mere seconds apart, ripped through the carrier and cruiser. In both cases, the bombs penetrated the deck and burrowed into the ships’ innards before detonating, ripping deep gashes into their targets and causing sympathetic explosions, fires and flooding.. USS Boston was torn asunder as one of her ammunition stores was hit and detonated. HMS Trouncer was gutted by the twin explosions and quickly burned out of control. The surviving crew had to abandon ship and the burned-out carrier sunk an hour later.

As there had been no warning whatsoever, the rest of the convoy’s crews immediately assumed that the convoy was under submarine attack and began evasive procedures.

“Four good hits. Switching to freighters as targets.” Soon the next four bombs were on their way, all carrying high explosive warheads on their way to their four targets, three tankers an one ammunition freighter. The result was pretty much the same as with the first salvo, with the ammunition freighter vanishing in a fireball as it exploded with the force of a small tactical nuclear weapon when its load, several thousand tons of propellant, aerial bombs and artillery shells, exploded. The debris and shockwave damaged four other freighters and set the superstructure of a destroyer escort aflame.

“Whoa. Look at that ship blow up,” exclaimed the camera operator. Apart from this somewhat emotional display, the crew were going about the unpleasant business with grim determination and professionalism. To General Steinhoff, it was a direct introduction to modern warfare. He had heard that the MPA couldn’t have dared approach a fleet like it had done just now in the 21st century as the range of surface-to-air missiles would have made it a suicidal endeavor. As the affair played out before him, it seemed like the closest thing to murder he could think of. But times were desperate enough for this not to matter. Yet.

After the third salvo, the magazines did not hold HE bombs any more and the OPSO decided to hunt for targets of opportunity to the west of the British Isles and hopefully find a few juicy targets rating armour-piercing ordnance. The plane still had almost eight hours of loitering time left, after all. With most of the Royal navy gutted and playing artificial reef somewhere, the US Navy was left as the main antagonist in the Atlantic. The Soviet fleet was the same sad joke historical sources said it was.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Berlin, June 1st 1944

Professor Koch took his car to get from Dahlem to Kreuzberg. They had discussed at the institute, finally drawn straws and now it was his job to make an offer to the man his institute was named after. Koch had met the man before, when he was younger and the other man much older.

The city looked different, not a lot, but it sometimes felt almost as if two building where occupying the same space. That was physically impossible of course, but so was time travel, wasn't it?

Houses where much closer to the Autobahn as they had been days ago, he was sure about it.

He left the Autobahn at Tempelhofer Damm and gladly noticed that at least the Tempelhofer Feld had returned to being an Airport instead of being an pretty useless over-sized park. Only the old airport build looked strangely out of place.

Finding a parking space near Viktoriapark had never been so easy.

This area, as probably all urban regions looked a bit strange as the merger of the old and the new. Koch wondered if Konrad Zuse had already seen the commemorative plaque regarding his work in the UT past, the DT present.

Apparently he had. Konrad Zuse and his team where working in a half bombed out house so Koch didn't have a problem to get in. As for getting their attention he had brought his old mac-book opened it and showed some fancy graphics to the astounded men. “I am sorry, what you are doing here is or rather was groundbreaking work for the computer industry, but I am afraid it is also terrible outdated. That is not your fault, but way don't you take a day of, or you can have this computer to look at. You may keep it. Now, can I please talk to Mister Zuse?”

Konrad Zuse stepped forward: “And who are you exactly?”

Professor Koch handed over his card, Zuse took it, looked at it, looked back at the professor and back at the card.

“Yes, it I true, I am from the future and so is the Zuse Institute Berlin, yes we named it after you, and back then you were quite pleased about it. Can I have a couple of hours of your time? I can answer your questions, except how and why this all happened, because nobody knows. But first I would like to show you something. My car is parked outside if you are ready.”

Zuse just nodded and followed Koch to his car.

They didn't go far. With Zuse next to him Koch thought about the fact that his car had million times as much as computing capability than Zuses Z3, the computer that had gotten destroyed by a bombing raid in 1943.

Koch parked in front of the German Technical Museum, paid for both of them and Zuse who still hadn't said a word into the the entrance hall.

Koch wondered for a moment, if some other part of the museum had turned back to being an actual rail yard, but than he had to keep Zuse from being distracted. There was a lot to see after all.

“Mister Zuse, I just had to show you this, it is a museum from my time, 2013, and it has a section about your work.” They went upstairs.

What Koch hadn't thought of, was the fact that there was a picture of the old Zuse, next to the rebuild Z1 together with a short biography.

Both man walked through the exhibition for maybe half an hour in silence, than the downtimer spoke: “Another 50 years, not too bad. But apparently all I wanted to build and a lot more is already possible, what do you want from me?”

That was getting right to the point, why not, Koch tried to explain: “ We need to build a computer industry, while we got the knowledge, we hardly have production capacity, because most computer where actually designed in the USA and assembled in factories the far East. And we just don't have enough skilled people in Germany. So we need to get downtime people skilled as fast as possible, and want to work with you to set up training programs.”

Zuse reply was fast: ”You have an institute barring my name; so how could I say no?”

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Kreisau, Lower Silesia, June 10th, 15:00

Kreisau near Schweidnitz was the home of Helmuth James Graf v. Moltke and his family. And like in 1942 and 1943 his home was again used to discuss important topics. However, this time it was in no way secret. Moltke (Mo), Peter Graf Yorck v. Wartenburg (YW), Carl Dietrich v. Trotha (TR), Hans Lukaschek (Lu), Adam v. Trott zu Solz (TS), Claus Graf Schenck v. Stauffenberg (St), Henning v. Tresckow (Tr) and Carl Goerdeler (Go) had met to discuss the political changes in Germany in the last days and what strategy needed to be applied now.

Mo: Gentlemen, I´d like to thank you for coming. Several topics of immense importance need to be discussed.

YW: Thank you for inviting us, especially in these times. I´ve heard worrying rumours about these Nazi rabble making a move against you.

Mo: Indeed, they planned to. Yet, when these Gestapo thugs heard about the Event, they suddenly became much friendlier. One could say they couldn’t turn their coats fast enough, releasing us even before the soldiers appeared here.

Go: Typical. Knowing they bet on the wrong horse they now want to rescue their own heads. You don’t know what happened to them by chance?

Mo: Some were imprisoned, some were simply sent home. I don’t mind either way. Hitler was the problem, not these small-minded men and he´s dead now.

Go: Yes, one – albeit huge – problem gone, but others have sprung up.

YW: Indeed.

Tr: We need to set out a plan about how to tread from hereon.

Lu: It seems to me like Mrs. Merkel is a bit reluctant when it comes to the application of force, which I fear may be a hindrance in the things to come.

Go: I think we shouldn’t judge her by our time´s standards. She literally came from another time and for time being she knows more than we. And like we had hoped, she started negotiations, which was not wrong, at least in my opinion. We had the very same hopes.

St: She can act swift and hard as I have personally witnessed during the hours of the execution of Walküre when I was with her. She personally gave the orders to shoot Hitler even if he surrendered himself to their forces. Of course, nothing of that has been written down in the official reports.

Tr: And from a militarily point of view her actions made sense.

St: I agree.

YW: We all know better now. At least competent officers have been put in charge. No Lakeitel or Jodl anymore.

Mo: So, the questions that appears in front of us, is how to continue now. Shall we try to influence the politics of the new Germany on our own or shall we join with already existing parties?

Go: Well, the UT Germans can be quite arrogant sometimes, but imagine how we would act if we were sent back to 1918 or 1871. The officials I had to work with up to now have been competent and quite helpful. But it isn´t as if they don’t need our help as well.

Lu: True.

Go: Indeed. However, I fear that, if we were to try to break into German politics on our own we wouldn’t be quite able to reach the UT population which we need in order to succeed. And we need both parts of the German population to accept the other and work together.

Mo: Because of this, I have another guest for this illustrious round waiting in the room next door. Mr. Altmaier (Al) comes before us bearing a message of Mrs. Merkel in her position as chairwoman of the CDU. Are there any objections against hearing him out?

No one raises any objections.

Mo: Mr. Altmeier, it is such a pleasure to meet you.

Al: The pleasure is all mine. It is truly awe-inspiring to stand before you in this famous house. Yet, one should not waste time, there are important matters to talk about after all. With best wishes from Chancellor Merkel, I come here to ask you if you were open to the prospect of joining the Christlich Demokratische Union?

Go: We may be open to such a proposal, but firstly, we shall like to hear what exactly it entails.

Al: You are probably all aware that there are certain civil liberties that simply cannot – and shall not! – be retracted, such as equal rights between man and woman, the abolition of the capital punishment and others.

Go: While some of us may hold views that may seem ultraconservative to you, we´re all sensible men her and know when a cause is a lost one.

Al: The German constitution will apply to the DT Germans as well.

Go: That is a point where we may disagree. In tumultuous times as these the German people need something that binds them together…like a common constitution. Even if we end up just copying your constitution, it should at least be decided by all of us. We all witnessed how it turns out when a piece of paper is forced upon the people in 1918, didn’t we?

Peter Altmaier gulped. He feared just that. There was a reason why the Grundgesetz wasn't redone this way in 1990. It was seen as too problematic. What if one made a constitution like Weimar? The Grundgesetz was too good to throw away. However, the situation back then was different. One had possibilities to build up parties and structures. Some did already exist. This wasn't the case at the moment. Because of the war no elections took place. And time was precious for other things. However, he had talked to Merkel about this possibility as well. And luckily there was an understanding that this was possible. And after talking to several lawyers in his house he knew already the answer.

Al: We would accept a national assembly made up by DT and UT Germans under the condition that article 1 to 20 shall be in the new constitution as well, unchanged.

Go: I think we all can agree on that.

No objections from the attendees.

Go: Of course, there is also the question of the borders.

Al: Well, we won´t accept the loss of the borders of 1937 again.

Go: I´m glad to hear that. But what about the other areas?

Al: As we belief in the right of self-determination as fundamental part of international understanding, fair plebiscites shall be held in these areas. Due to the German majorities living there I see no danger of them not becoming part of Germany again. This is something we are not willing to compromise.

Go: Unfortunate, but I see that we cannot sway your mind on that particular matter. [Pause] Do you know what the other parties are currently doing?

Al: Well, the SPD decided to merge with its DT counterpart without questioning. The FDP is currently in talks with their liberal counterparts. They seem to have to hatch out some problems, but it will be likely that they succeed in their talks. We also contacted Zentrum and other smaller parties to join us; the former still debating hotly amidst their ranks. The Left is split over the issue if they should accept DT communists and the Greens have no debate going on as there is no DT counterpart for them.

Mo: Mr. Altmair, I think we need some time to discuss this proposal of yours. Could you please wait outside?

Al: Of course.

A few hours later Altmaier was on his way back to Berlin, smiling, as he had succeeded. Soon, the conservatives would start serious talks.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

June 12th 1944

Streng vertraulich!

From: BAAINBw

To: BMVg

Weapon procurement under the WMNBG

Modern weapon systems are to be produced in a greater amount. Total numbers are not known yet. Because of several reasons this won't catch up with the numbers needed. Because of this ww2 weapon systems have to be kept in production and development. This includes modernized versions with new weapons, machines, etc. as well as completely new systems. Older system production will run out once sufficient numbers of other products can be built.

Army

Pzkw. V F Panther: With Schmalturm, 88 mm gun and a new Diesel engine with 1.000 hp. Factory production needed.
Pzkw. VI C Tiger III: Tiger II with 105 mm Rheinmetall gun and 1.500 hp Diesel engine.
E-50 Project: To replace Panther production, but with 105 mm gun.
E-75 Project: To replace Tiger III with 128 mm gun.
Flakpanzer IV Ostwind SPAA
Flakpanzer IV Kugelblitz: 2 MK 213 C 30 mm revolver guns
Flakpanzer V Coelian
Jagdpanther: With 105 mm gun
Jagdpanzer IV with 88 mm gun
Heuschrecke 10: with 105 mm howitzer


Luftwaffe

These firms are ordered to continue production or reconstruction of these plane types:

Focke-Wulf: Fw 190, Ta 152, MiG-15

Messerschmidt: Bf 109, Me 262, Me 264, F-86

Arado: Ar 234, , Douglas A-4, P-3 Orion, Fairey Gannet

Heinkel: He 277, Canberra, F-84, G.91 Gina

Dornier: Do 335, Tu 95 Bear, Alpha Jet, MiG 21

Junkers: Ju 390, OV-10 Bronco, Il-28, Su 22, A-10

Horten: Go 229, Ho XVIIIA


Navy

Type 1936C class DD: As four more were ordered and the yard Deschimag has enough spare materials to begin two, the contract was signed to do so.
Type 1945 class DD: eight were ordered.
Type 1941 class fleet torpedo boats: As Schichau is certain to build the still ordered nine vessels in adequate time the order was given to do so.
Type 1944 class fleet torpedo boats: Redesigned to carry two twin 128 mm turrets.
Type 1941 class gunboat: Sub chaser, order given to HC Stülcken & Sohn, Hamburg, to build eight vessels.

Type 1943 M-Boot: Production is to be continued.
R-Boats: To be continued
Type 1939/1940 S-Boot: To be continued
Type XXI Uboat: To be continued
Type XXIII Uboat: Production is halted after the materials stored are spent.
landing craft: to be continued

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Operation Heckenschütze, June 10th-12th 1944

Vis had been an island fortress for centuries. It had been the place of some very important sea battles, the most recent having occurred in 1866. Then the island had still another name. Lissa, the Italian and German name. Now it was a fortress again.

Here he was rebuilding his HQ since the Germans had tried to capture him only some days ago. He had barely escaped the trap. He, Josip Broz, called Tito, had been Field Marshal of the Yougoslav partisans and their leader. He had the support of all Allied powers and only thanks to British help he had escaped the last trap.

He was very aware the Germans might try it again, but Vis was an island and the few ships the German navy had in the Adria were of no problem for the RN, weren't they? And this new government might not have the balls of such an action. They were led by a woman. A Woman! The Allied defeat at Boulogne was a serious setback though but it seemed an ill planned operation. Anyway, he likely would get more information about that tomorrow.

He would never got to know about them. Indeed the German HQ had ordered to try to make a second attempt on him.

Shortly before midnight on June 10th the RADAR of the Allies in this area was jammed. The operators could only see white noise. Only little later the three Hunt class escort destroyers in the harbour of Komiza were shaken by explosions. They soon settled to the bottom of the harbour. Indeed they were hit by German Kampfschwimmer, who had placed mines on them. They came from the near coast, where some helicopters had brought them and their equipment, including diver propulsion vehicles.

Only mere seconds later KSK soldiers attacked Tito's cave near the town. They had landed with parafoils shortly before. Only minutes later C.160 Transall transport planes launched 250 Fallschirmjäger, who were able to build a security parameter around in order to have a landing zone for reinforcements, which came soon after.

In the meantime F-4F fighter bombers attacked targets on the island and near to it. Two further Hunt class destroyer escorts were sunk, which patrolled in the vicinity of the island.

For Tito it became dangerous. Especially as the cave was going to be surrounded. Because of this he gave the order to evacuate once agin. He barely managed to escape. Others of his men and Allied soldiers had not so much luck. The Soviet lieutenant general Nikolai Vasilevich Korneev was wounded and captured, others killed. Korneev, who had lost a leg in the battle of Stalingrad, lost his other leg in this battle.

Tito, however, was not yet rescued. He had managed to get through the German lines only to hear, that there were only some MTB ready to evacuate him and his team as the other ships were sunk or damaged. So only little later he was on a RN MTB. Bari, once again.

But this time the German navy had added several Westland Lynx helicopters, each armed with four Sea Skua light anti-ship missiles. One of them detected a group of four fleeing MTB. A first missile was launched, which sank one of the MTB, which went down in a huge explosion. As the other boats continued despite his attempts to warn them doing so, he fired a second missile. The consequence was a second MTB to be destroyed. Then the others surrendered. The heli escorted them back to Lissa, where they were already greeted by German forces. Here the Germans got the news, that in the second boat Jozip Broz had been. And although the Germans looked for him, one could only find his dead body. A British sailor was the only survivor of this boat. The other had two.

The fights on Lissa were not over until noon the day after, when the last Partisan stronghold surrendered. The death of Tito, who had been the strong man of the Partisan movement, led to a severe crisis of the Partisans. Several officers demanded the leadership. This led even to an infighting of the several other groups. This in turn led to a massive decrease of Partisan activity. The more moderate groups of ethnical Croats and Bosnians switched the sides while the communists stood firm. The partisan war continued, albeit more as a combat against Communists and Serbians than Yougoslavs. However, with the loss of Tito the Partisan movement was headless and their infighting made it much easier for the Germans.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Berlin, June 15th 1944, 20:00

Geheime Verschlusssache!!!

Fleet list of the German Navies

15.06.1944

Kriegsmarine fleet:

BB (6):

Bismarck class

Tirpitz
Bismarck (II)

Scharnhorst class

Gneisenau (with 6 38 cm guns and 20 12,7 cm/45 SK C/41)

Littorio class

Friedrich der Große (ex Impero; 9 38 cm/52 SK C/34 and 20 12,7 cm/45 SK C/41)

Cavour class

Maria Theresia (ex Cavour)

Bretagne class

Tegethoff (ex Bretagne)

BC (2):

Dunquerque class
Scharnhorst (II) (ex Strasbourg; 6 38 cm/52 SK C/34 and 15 15 cm/60 SK C/25)
Blücher (II) (ex Dunquerque; dito)

PB (2):

Deutschland class

Lützow
Admiral Scheer

PD (2):

Deutschland class
Schleswig-Holstein
Schlesien

CV (3):

Midway class
Deutschland
Preußen
Graf Zeppelin

CA (5):

Admiral Hipper class
Admiral Hipper
Prinz Eugen
Seydlitz

Zara class

Von der Tann (ex Gorizia)

Trento class

Radetzky (ex Bolzano)

CL (11):

Emden

Nürnberg

K class

Köln

Leipzig

La Gallisionière class

Breslau (ex La Gallisionière)
Stettin (ex Jean de Vienne)

de Ruyter class

Königsberg (II) (ex de Ruyter)

Capitani Romani class

Kolberg (ex Mario; with 8 15 cm/48 TbsK C/36)
Pillau (ex Sulla; dito)

Etna class

Danzig (ex Vesuvio, with 6 15 cm/48 TbsK C/36)
Küstrin (ex Etna, dito)

DL (3):

Guépard class
ZF 8 (ex Valmy, 4 15 cm/48 TbsK C/36)

Mogador class
ZF 9 (ex Mogador, 8 15 cm/48 TbsK C/36)
ZF 10 (ex Volta, dito)

DD (41):

Type 1934

Z 4

Type 1934A

Z 5
Z 6
Z 10
Z 14
Z 15

Type 1936

Z 20

Type 1936 A

Z 23
Z 24
Z 25
Z 28
Z 29
Z 30

Type 1936A (Mob)

Z 31
Z 32
Z 33
Z 34
Z 37
Z 38
Z 39

Type 1936B

Z 35
Z 36
Z 43
Z 44
Z 45

Type 1936C (OOC Note: Skippy repaired the ships damages and so they were nearly ready for launching, so that she decided to complete them as well)

Z 46
Z 47

Type 1942

Z 51

Gerard Callenburgh Class (1)

ZH 1 +

Le Hardi class

ZF 11 (ex Le Hardi, 6 12,7 cm/45 SK C/41)
ZF 12 (ex Corsaire; dito)
ZF 13 (ex Epée; dito)
ZF 14 (ex Lanquenet; dito)
ZF 15 (ex Fleuret; dito)

Soldati class

ZIT 1 (ex Corazziere; 4 12,7 cm/45 SK C/41)
TA 33 (ex Squadrista; dito)

Maestrale class

ZIT 2 (ex Maestrale)

Freccia class

TA 31 (ex Dardo)

Navigatori class

TA 44 (ex Antonio Pigafetta)

Turbine class

TA 14 (ex Turbine)

Sella class

TA 15 (ex Crispi)

Beograd class (4 12,7 cm SK C/34)

TA 43 (ex Beograd)

Dubrovnik class (4 12,7 cm SK C/34)

TA 32 (ex Dubrovnik)

TB (82):

Type 1923

Möwe
Kondor
Falke

Type 1924

Jaguar

Type 1935

T 1
T 2
T 3
T 4
T 5
T 7
T 8
T 9
T 10
T 11
T 12

Type 1937

T 13
T 14
T 16
T 17
T 18
T 19
T 20
T 21

Type 1939

T 22
T 23
T 24
T 28
T 30
T 31
T 32
T 33
T 34
T 35
T 36

Type 1940

T 61
T 63
T 65

Type 1941

T 37
T 38
T 39
T 40
T 41
T 42

le Fier class

TA 1
TA 2

Sleipner class

Löwe
Panther
Leopard
Tiger

enh. Sleipner class

TA 7
TA 8

Najaden class (ex Danish)

TA 50 (ex Najaden)
TA 51 (ex Nymfen)

Pomone class

TA 9 (ex Bombarde)
TA 10 (ex La Pomone)
TA 13 (ex Bayonnaise)

Curtatone class

TA 16 (ex Castelfidardo)
TA 19 (ex Calatafimi)

Palestro class

TA 17 (ex San Martino)
TA 18 (ex Solferino)

Kawakaze class

TA 20 (ex Kawakaze, ex Intrpido)

Indomito class

TA 21 (ex Insidioso)

Pilo class

TA 22 (ex Guiseppe Missori)
TA 35 (ex Guiseppe Dezza)

Ciclone class

TA 23 (ex Impavido)
TA 25 (ex Ardito)
TA 26 (ex Intrpido)

Ariete class

TA 24 (ex Arturo)
TA 27 (ex Auriga)
TA 28 (ex Rigel)
TA 29 (ex Eridano)
TA 30 (ex Dragone)
TA 37 (ex Gladio)
TA 38 (ex Spada)
TA 39 (ex Daga)
TA 40 (ex Pugnale)
TA 41 (ex Lancia)
TA 42 (ex Alabarda)
TA 45 (ex Spica)
TA 46 (ex Fionda)
TA 47 (ex Balestra)

Spica class

TA 49 (ex Lira)

FF (4):

Type Kanonerboten Design 1937
K 1
K 2
K 3

Artevelde class

K 4 Lorelei (ex Artevelde)

FS (26):

Flower class

PA 1
PA 2
PA 3
PA 4

Gabbione class

UJ 202
UJ 205
UJ 206
UJ 207
UJ 208
UJ 2221
UJ 2222
UJ 2223
UJ 2224
UJ 2225
UJ 2226
UJ 2227
UJ 2228
UJ 6081
UJ 6082
UJ 6083
UJ 6084
UJ 6085
UJ 6086
UJ 6087
UJ 6088

Mehrzweckboot (1)

MZ 1

SC (62):

Type XXIII

U 2321- 2371; U 4701- 4712

SS (126):

Type XXI
U 2501-2552; 3001- 3044; 3501- 3530

MB (193):

Type 1935 (47)

M 1 - 4; 7; 9; 10; 12- 23; 25; 27- 38; 81- 85; 102- 104; 131; 132; 151; 154- 155; 201- 206; 251- 256

Type 1940 (119)

M 261- 267; 271- 279; 291- 296; 301- 307; 321- 330; 341- 344; 347- 348; 361- 371; 373- 378; 381- 389; 401- 408; 411- 413; 415- 416; 421- 428; 431- 434; 436- 438; 441- 446; 452- 456; 460- 463; 470- 476; 484; 486; 489; 495- 496

Type 1943 (13)

M 601- 607; 801- 806

Type 1916 (14)

M 566; 72; 75; 584; 98; 102; 104; 509; 110; 117; 122; 126; 145; 157

PF (188):

Type 1933 (7); training only

S 7- 13

Type 1934 (3); fast sub chaser

S 14- 16

Type 1937 (7)

S 18- 22; 24- 25

Type 1939 (8)

S 30; 33; 36; 54; 57; 58; 60; 61

Type 1939/40 (140)

S 26; 28; 39; 40; 42, 45, 47- 52, 62, 64- 69, 72, 76, 79- 86; 89- 92; 95; 97- 101; 103; 105; 107- 110; 112- 118; 120; 122- 123; 127; 130- 133; 135- 136; 138- 140; 142- 146; 148- 150; 167- 184; 185- 231*; 301- 305*; 701- 709*

Type MAS (7)

S 501-507

Type S 1931 export (16)

S 601- 604, 511, 512, 621- 631

Additionally R-Boats

Bundesmarine fleet

DG (1)

Class Z 103B (1)

Mölders

FG (18)

Class F 122 (8)

Bremen
Niedersachsen
Rheinland-Pfalz
Emden
Köln
Karlsruhe
Augsburg
Lübeck

Class F 123 (4)

Brandenburg
Schleswig-Holstein
Bayern
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Class F 124 (3)

Sachsen
Hamburg
Hessen

Class F 125 (1)

Baden-Württemberg

Type MEKO A-200 (ex Algerian; 16 RBS 15 Mk. 8; 1 12,7 cm LW; 1 32 cell VLS Umkhonto SAM; 2 3 cm Seahawk Mk. 2 guns; 6 MU 90 ASW TT) (2)

Stuttgart
München

FS (6)

Type Tarantul I (1)

FS Rügen (ex Hans Beimler)

Class K 130 (5)

Braunschweig
Magdeburg
Erfurt
Oldenburg
Ludwigshafen am Rhein

SC (4)

Class U 205 mod. (1)

U 10

Class U 206A (3)

U 15- 17

SS (13):

Class U 212A (6)

U 31- 36

Dolphin class (ex Israeli, 2)

U 37 (ex Tanin)
U 38 (ex Rahav)

Class 209-1500 (ex Egyptian, 2)

U 39- 40

Project 641B Som (ex Soviet; NATO Tango) (1)

U 434 (ex B 515)

Project 651 (ex Soviet; NATO Juliett) (1)

U 461 (ex K 24; ex B 124)

Oberon class (ex British; 1)

U 41 (ex HMS Otus)

PG (10)

Class S 143A (10)

S 71 Gepard
S 72 Puma
S 73 Hermelin
S 74 Nerz
S 75 Zobel
S 76 Frettchen
S 77 Dachs
S 78 Ozelot
S 79 Wiesel
S 80 Hyäne

MB (20)

Class M 332 (8)

Fulda
Weilheim
Sulzbach-Rosenberg
Bad Bevensen
Grömitz
Dillingen
Datteln
Homburg

Class M 332B (Minentaucher; 2)

Bad Rappenau
Rottweil

Class M 333 (5)

Kulmbach
Überherrn
Herten
Laboe
Passau

Class M 352 (5)

Ensdorf
Auerbach/Oberpfalz
Hameln
Pegnitz
Siegburg

This list includes the museum ships. The Kriegsmarine Uboats of the types II, VII and IX are excluded.

(II) means ships renamed after a ship lost in the war.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

The Mediterranean Fleet:

BB (3):

Littorio class

Friedrich der Große (ex Impero; 9 38 cm/52 SK C/34 and 20 12,7 cm/45 SK C/41)

Cavour class

Maria Theresia (ex Cavour)

Bretagne class

Tegethoff (ex Provence)

BC (2):

Dunquerque class
Scharnhorst (ex Strasbourg; 6 38 cm/52 SK C/34 and 15 15 cm/60 SK C/25)
Blücher (ex Dunquerque; dito)

CV (2):

Midway class

Preußen
Graf Zeppelin

CA (2):

Zara class

Von der Tann (ex Gorizia)

Trento class

Radetzky (ex Bolzano)

CL (6):

La Gallisionière class

Breslau (ex La Gallisionière)
Stettin (ex Jean de Vienne)

Capitani Romani class

Kolberg (ex Mario; with 8 15 cm/48 TbsK C/36)
Pillau (ex Sulla; dito)

Etna class

Danzig (ex Vesuvio, with 6 15 cm/48 TbsK C/36)
Küstrin (ex Etna, dito)

DL (3):

Guépard class
ZF 8 (ex Valmy, 4 15 cm/48 TbsK C/36)

Mogador class
ZF 9 (ex Mogador, 8 15 cm/48 TbsK C/36)
ZF 10 (ex Volta, dito)

DD (14):

Le Hardi class

ZF 11 (ex Le Hardi, 6 12,7 cm/45 SK C/41)
ZF 12 (ex Corsaire; dito)
ZF 13 (ex Epée; dito)
ZF 14 (ex Lanquenet; dito)
ZF 15 (ex Fleuret; dito)

Soldati class

ZIT 1 (ex Corazziere; 4 12,7 cm/45 SK C/41)
TA 33 (ex Squadrista; dito)

Maestrale class

ZIT 2 (ex Maestrale)

Freccia class

TA 31 (ex Dardo)

Navigatori class

TA 44 (ex Antonio Pigafetta)



Turbine class

TA 14 (ex Turbine)

Sella class

TA 15 (ex Crispi)

Beograd class (4 12,7 cm SK C/34)

TA 43 (ex Beograd)

Dubrovnik class (4 12,7 cm SK C/34)

TA 32 (ex Dubrovnik)

Torpedo Boats (29):

Pomone class

TA 9 (ex Bombarde)
TA 10 (ex La Pomone)
TA 13 (ex Bayonnaise)

Curtatone class

TA 16 (ex Castelfidardo)
TA 19 (ex Calatafimi)

Palestro class

TA 17 (ex San Martino)
TA 18 (ex Solferino)

Kawakaze class

TA 20 (ex Kawakaze, ex Intrpido)

Indomito class

TA 21 (ex Insidioso)

Pilo class

TA 22 (ex Guiseppe Missori)
TA 35 (ex Guiseppe Dezza)

Ciclone class

TA 23 (ex Impavido)
TA 25 (ex Ardito)
TA 26 (ex Intrpido)

Ariete class

TA 24 (ex Arturo)
TA 27 (ex Auriga)
TA 28 (ex Rigel)
TA 29 (ex Eridano)
TA 30 (ex Dragone)
TA 37 (ex Gladio)
TA 38 (ex Spada)
TA 39 (ex Daga)
TA 40 (ex Pugnale)
TA 41 (ex Lancia)
TA 42 (ex Alabarda)
TA 45 (ex Spica)
TA 46 (ex Fionda)
TA 47 (ex Balestra)

Spica class

TA 49 (ex Lira)

FS (22):

Gabbione class

UJ 202
UJ 205
UJ 206
UJ 207
UJ 208
UJ 2221
UJ 2222
UJ 2223
UJ 2224
UJ 2225
UJ 2226
UJ 2227
UJ 2228
UJ 6081
UJ 6082
UJ 6083
UJ 6084
UJ 6085
UJ 6086
UJ 6087
UJ 6088

plus additionally S- and R-boats.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Distribution of US ships by Federal Executive Order No. 9509, June 16th 1944

Pacific

CV

USS Enterprise
USS Saratoga
USS Exeter
USS Hornet
USS Wasp

CVL

USS Independence
USS Monterrey
USS Princeton
USS Belleau Wood
USS Cowpens


BB

USS Pennsylvania
USS New Mexico
USS Idaho
USS Mississippi
USS Tennessee
USS California
USS Colorado
USS Maryland
USS West Virginia

CA

USS Pensacola
USS Salt Lake City
USS Chester
USS Louisville
USS Portland
USS Indianapolis

CL

USS Nashville
USS Phoenix
USS Boise
USS Honolulu
USS St. Louis
USS Cleveland
USS Columbia
USS Montpelier
USS Denver
USS San Diego
USS San Juan
USS Oakland


Atlantic

CV

USS Yorktown
USS Franklin
USS Ticonderoga
USS Lexington
USS Bunker Hill

CVL

USS Langley
USS Cabot
USS Bataan
USS San Jacinto

BB

USS North Carolina
USS Washington
USS South Dakota
USS Indiana
USS Massachusetts
USS Alabama
USS Iowa
USS Missouri
USS New Jersey
USS Wisconsin


CA

USS New Orleans
USS Minneapolis
USS San Francisco
USS Wichita
USS Baltimore
USS Canberra
USS Pittsburgh

CL

USS Birmingham
USS Santa Fe
USS Mobile
USS Vincennes
USS Pasadena
USS Springfield
USS Biloxi
USS Houston
USS Miami
USS Astoria
USS Wilkes-Barre
USS Reno



Training

CV

USS Ranger

BB

USS Wyoming
USS New York

CL

USS Savannah
Omaha class

Med:


CV
USS Intrepid
USS Hankock
USS Bennington

BC

USS Guam
USS Alaska

CL

USS Brooklyn
USS Vickburg
USS Duluth
USS Flint

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Japanese Fleet as of October 15th 1944

CV

Shokaku
Zuikaku
Hiyo
Junyo
Taiho
Shinano
Unryu
Amagi
Katsuragi

CVL

Hosho
Zuiho
Ryuho
Chitose
Chiyoda

BB
Kongo
Haruna
Fuso
Yamashiro
Ise
Hyuga
Nagato
Yamato
Musashi

CA
Aoba
Myoko
Haguro
Nachi
Ashigara
Takao
Atago
Maya
Chokai
Mogami
Suzuya
Kumano
Tone
Chikuma

CL
Tama
Kitakami
Oi
Kiso
Nagara
Isuzu
Natori
Kinu
Abukuma
Noshiro
Yahagi
Oyodo
Yasoshima

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Royal Navy as of July 1st 1944:

Home Waters:

CL
HMS Liverpool

Indian Ocean:

CV
HMS Illustrious
HMS Indomitable

CVL
HMS Unicorn

BB
HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Valiant
HMS Howe

BC
HMS Renown

CA
HMS Cumberland
HMS Suffolk
HMS London
HMS Sussex

CL
HMS Caradoc
HMS Newcastle
HMS Phoebe
HMS Nigeria
HMS Kenya
HMS Ceylon



Mediterranean:

CL
HMS Aurora
HMS Dido
HMS Euryalus
HMS Royalist


Atlantic:

CL
HMS Dauntless (South Africa, training)
HMS Birmingham (USA, under repair)
HMS Cleopatra (dito)
HMS Uganda (refit, USA)



Pacific:

CL HMS New Foundland


2 CV
1 CVL
3 BB
1 BC
4 CA
16 CL

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

French Navy as of July 1st 1944:



Indian Ocean:


BB
Richelieu

CA
Suffren


Mediterranean:

BB
Lorraine

CL
Duguay-Trouin
Jeanne d'Arc
Émile Bertin
Gloire

Atlantic:

CV Béarn (USA)

BB Jean Bart (Casablanca, incomplete, damaged)

CA
Duquesne
Tourville

1 CV
3 BB
3 CA
4 CL

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Italian Navy as of July 1st, 1944



Interned in Bitter Lake:

BB
Italia
Vittorio Veneto

CL
Raimondo Montecuccoli
Eugenio di Savoia


Mediterranean:

BB
Guilio Cesare
Andrea Doria
Caio Duilio


CL
Luigi Cadorna
Emanuele Filiberto Duca d'Aosta
Attilio Regolo
Pompeo Magno
Scipi Africano


South Atlantic:

CL
Duca degli Abruzzi
Guiseppe Garibaldi



3+2 BB
7+2 CL

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Hamburg, June 16th 1944

Dear Helmut,

I arrived without incident at Langenhorn the day before yesterday. The reason why I only write you now, though, is that I was at UKE yesterday, accompanied by Walter. You can relax, dear, the staff at the hospital told me that he was fine.

You…or should I say he – ach, that´s all so very confusing business – is very accommodating. He gave us a nice room with a view on the gorgeous garden. However, as I – or his wife – is dead I don’t dare to ask for permission to work here. Though, it’s a more than eerie feeling too walk in the garden and gaze upon Walter´s grave stone. Anyway, he “found” me a small job with the Zeit magazine, but only after I harassed him for quite a while. He can be quite stubborn; where did I see that before?

I can only express it again, but we were very lucky, indeed. Others were not, like Agnieszka, the Polish caretaker of him. She lives onsite with her family, but her parents and siblings were in Poland. A friend of her lost even more, his whole family vanishing in the Event. I shudder when I think about the same happening to us. I try to help and assuage their worries as much as I can. That´s the least I can do.

Our parents – both sets – are at his summer house at Lake Brahmsee right now and as far as I know they are all well.

Later he proposed that we could go to university and take up our studies again. I think that would be fantastic. I worry, though, that I´m demanding too much of him. What would you want to study? And shall I really study biology?

I hope all is well. I hope you´re back soon. One thousand kisses.

Yours,

Loki

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Pearl Harbour, June 20th 1944, HQ of Chester W. Nimitz


MacArthur: Have you read the orders from the president? They are unreasonable, the Japanese are withdrawing and are almost crushed and the president wants to send a large number of ships and troops to help the British against Germany because they are beating them at the moment! I came the long way from Brisbane to get you along with me to protest against this idiocy.

Hasley: I also don’t agree with the orders and I also did protest. To no avail. But the British appear to have lost nearly all the ships they have had in England, and the Germans have some kind of weapons and planes that destroyed D Day invasion and sunk the British ships. They have the ships to raid any supply fleets and possibly raid the British island and the president wants troops and ships sent to help the British. Still I concur. The Japanese should have beaten before one deals with Germany.

Nimitz: I don’t agree either. With these ships we could beat the hell out of the Japanese. However, my protest was also in vain. I was going to send as few ships as possible, but unfortunately Washington sent a list of ships and forces. Anyway, we still have enough shps to hold the Japanese at bay. The Japanese still have a large navy, at the very worst we are going to end up with equal numbers of ships as the Japanese. This means as well, that we can't do any offensive until new forces arrived or the forces sent to Britain return.

MacArthur: That means the Philippines will not be recovered from the Japanese for extended period of time! That’s intolerable and we are giving the Japanese time to reinforce or extract troops that can be shattered and removed from war! The war is going to be longer and longer, and more American soldiers are going to be killed. I suggest that that we demand that the British send their ships to protect England and that we keep out troops and ships and end the war earlier.

Nimitz: That would not mean much. The British are needed in their places as well. There will be no difference if we send the ships to Britain or to the Indian Ocean. Furthermore I want to keep the fleet together, so that there is hope we get them back together again. That's why I ordered Spruance to take command.

MacArthur: We should go to the president himself and demand the redemption of the order. Or we will resign.

Hasley: I will not agree to that demand I will follow orders but, as I said, I will send as few ships and troops as possible.

Nimitz: I agree with Hasley and will not go against the president orders further.

MacArthur: ...

Halsey: I think you should do so, too. Or do you want to give him a reason to fire you?

MacArthur: No. Without your support I have no possibility to succeed. However, that won't be my last word. Washington. Politicians. Bah!

Halsey: We have no means to change this course yet.

MacArthur: And that's the problem.

Nimitz: Do you want to make a coup?

MacArthur: Of course not. But someone must teach these idiots in Washington how a war is won.

Halsey: Then go into politics.

MacArthur: No bad idea. But not yet. Unfortunately.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Bucharest, Royal Palace, June 17th 1944, 11:00

Michael I: The new Germany is a fascinating country. the technology they have can change the war. They have already stopped the British/American invasion and have sunk or wrecked most of the British navy and air force if the news are true.

Prime minister Nicolae Rădescu: They are true. I have seen the evidences.

Michael I: And they don’t demand that we follow their orders as strictly as the previous government. They seem to want to work with their allies on an equal basis as much as they can and all they ask, that we follow their suggestions military wise. I know that the suggestions are normally the best possibility. But still they accept if we deny them. Getting rid of Antonescu was a necessary step.

Rădescu: That’s true. They somehow decided to ask you to appoint me to be the prime minister of the government based of future information of my life, which is interesting and terrifying. And although we are playing a very risky game the alternative would be a Romania of poverty and led by bloody dictators. We need to win this war.

Michael I: True. I trust that you will be a worthy prime minister and will help Romania be a vanquisher of the Soviet opponent. The new technology and support the Germans have delivered is making the Romanian army stronger and our plants are manufacturing more supplies and weapons than before and more and more people and joining the army to prevent the Soviets from winning.

Rădescu: With any luck this time your majesty will not be exiled because of the communist and will help Romania become an influential member of Europe.

Michael I: Yes, but that's not important now. What’s important now is that the Soviets are stopped. Because if they are stopped there is a chance they will ask for armistice, which is something that is doubtful for the Americans and British. If the current government is reelected.

Rădescu: Considering the situation I think you're right. The Allies know the truth. They still fight on to destroy Germany. And we won't get away much better. We will know soon if Romania will be a winner or a loser. For the moment we have increased security in the palace and additional guards will be with you for the moment. And thanks to German information we have arrested a number of communists in the government and the army. We are still searching for any that have escaped.

Michael I: I'm not pleased about the additional guards but I will agree to them for the moment. Keep me updated of the situation and let me know when the Russians begin their operations.

Rădescu: I will keep you updated and will see what can be done to keep morale strong.

Michael I: I will now call Mareșal Sănătescu in. He can explain us the war plans he made with Generalfeldmarschall Guderian.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Near Boulogne-sur-mer, June 12th 1944:

The cleaning of the beaches had been a tremendous work. The soldiers guarded Allied POW doing so. And "cleaning" meant also dealing with the dead Allied soldiers. A huge new graveyard had been created to bury the dead. DNA probes were taken from the bodies or body parts not being able to be identified in the hope to find living relatives later. On June 12th much had been done. But several things were still a problem.

Of the ships at the beaches many were total losses. But not every ship. The USS Quincy (II) had been hit by 4 heavy artillery shells, 3 bombs, 2 bomb near misses and two aerial torpedoes. Surprisingly most damages were not heavy. The superstructure needed repairs, but most critical systems were intact. If one did not count the dormitories as critical. Or the kitchens. Below the waterline the bomb damages and the torpedoes had caused severe damages though. The ship had been sinking and Captain Senn had ordered to abandon the ship. The ship was near the French coast and the captain had assumed the ship would sink. This, however, did not go as fast as he thought, so two German M-Boats arriving soon after were able to beach the ship on the nearby coast. The Allies had other worries in the next days so that they simply overlooked the fact the Germans were working at the ship and that it maybe not a wreck.

On June 12th, shortly before midnight, when RAF Coastal Command made a first attack on the ship. However, the Germans used Braunschweig class corvettes to defend the ship. The 28 Mosquitos were shot down by RAM missiles before getting near. Two nights later they tried it with MTB, but here again the corvettes were sinking 12, partly also with RAM, until the other boats retreated.

The plan to send a submarine was not executed as on June 15th the ship was watertight again and could be brought to Wilhelmshaven. Here it became clear that three of the turbines were wrecked. A new set of engines would be needed. However, instead of ordering new turbines the Germans ordered new CODAG engines. Also some systems were to be rebuild to a more modern standard, including VLS systems, RBS 15 missiles and modern RADAR. It would last still 18 months until the ship would be ready though.

The destroyer USS Meredith needed a new aft part and some other lighter repairs. She arrived at Wilhelmshaven in the very same convoy. The two Hunt class escort destroyers were also not much damaged. They could become a part of the German navy soon.

Another ship arriving at Wilhelmshaven was the battleship Bismarck (II). "Found" in Brest, where the hulk of the French battleship Gascogne should have laid, she was taken over as soon as she was discovered. However, a new crew was needed to man her and indeed it was only a very rump crew to drive the ship home. A serious battle she could not engage yet. However, air defense and most naval guns could be manned. And as the RN and RAF were in serious troubles no one expected many problems. And indeed the German "Behindertenflotte" (fleet of the disabled) how she was called by the average seaman, politically totally not correct, did reach their destination without only a single shot to be fired. The British did not want to spend more forces needed to defend Britain.

For them, as well as for the US, the two Midway class carrier and the Bismarck were only "dummies" to fool them. They had the prove the UT Germans had no carrier and no other third Bismarck class battleship. Especially after they saw the Tirpitz lying off Norway. Thus the ships were to fool them. Even though the Résistance and and Italians did report these ships they were not believed.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Washington DC, White House, Oval Office, June 14th 1944

Dear Mr. President,

We received these tablet computers from the OSS and like them we were unable to detect anything suspicious, despite the obvious. However, we still have no idea how these devices work and because of that caution has to be advised. We should not use them in the same vein as General Stalin who has commandeered several of these computers for his own personal use. Furthermore, the tablets have faulty batteries, as far as we could tell, and will soon run out of energy if we use them too much.

You also asked me about the morale of the American people: Currently the citizens of America are behind the government and – while they mourn for our losses – also cry for blood to avenge these brave, fallen souls. This situation can change fast, though, should the true extent of what is happening in Europe become known to the wide public. Right now, no one in his or her right mind is believing the tales of a Germany from the future, but another big loss may change that.

On a different note, I heavily protest against your decision to allow Soviet spies to return back to the USSR in secret. They need to be detained and punished for their crimes, regardless of what Stalin thinks of that. He poses another danger to the US and shouldn’t be trusted at all. Our only common goal is the defeat of Germany, nothing more.

Notice of Roosevelt: Hoover is exaggerating. Stalin is in no way as great a danger as he makes the man out to be.

Mr. President, at least allow me to ask of you to stop listening so much to those who think allying to Stalin is a wise choice. They may be another source of danger, should the truth ever come out.

Notice from Roosevelt: Wallace already lost his post as VP.

In regards to the other problem, I urge you to be more discrete in the future. On your orders I have been able to stop these stories from being published during the elections, but I don’t know how long I can continue to do so.

Best regards,

J. Edgar Hoover

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

June 20th, Schloss Bellevue, Berlin

Sehr geehrte Frau Bundeskanzlerin,

Regarding your letter concerning the current system of decoration within the Bundeswehr I must say that I completely agree with your statement that the Ehrenkreuz is no longer sufficient for the ongoing struggle we find ourselves in. Thus, I´m currently revising the honours the Bundeswehr can award to its soldiers and came up with the following which is to be regarded as final draft:

Eisernes Kreuz:
The Iron Cross can be dated back to the days of the Liberation Wars against Napoleonic occupation of Germany. It has been the most basic military honour in the Prussian and later the German army since then and shall be revived as such in two different classes. It can only be awarded to soldiers.

Ehrenmedaille and Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr:
For faithful acquittal and superior achievements not justifying a higher honour or deeds outside combat situations the Ehrenkreuz shall remain in four classes.

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
The Knight´s Cross is the second highest honour that can be awarded for superior achievements over a long duration. It is separated into four different classes, which the others shall be Eichenlaub, Schwerter and Brillianten.

Ehrenkreuz für Tapferkeit
The EfT is the highest military honour for a soldier to be rewarded with and as such can only be awarded once without any class distinctions. If the awardee has committed several deeds which would justify a second honour, the Ritterkreuz shall be awarded in its next higher grade. The recipient may carry an additional golden bar after receiving the EfT.

Bundespräsident Gauck

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

June 21st, Berlin, Chagall Bar, 20:45

The Chagall, a ‘Kneipe’ in Berlin had been the meeting point for countless personal of the ‘Realo’ wing of the Left party since its inception, so it wasn’t very surprising to find one of its most prominent members, Gregor Gysi (G), occupying one of the quieter corners of the establishment. His guest, Ernst Thälmann (T), though, was visiting the bar for the first time in his life.

G: How are you, Genosse Thälmann?

T: Under this circumstances surprisingly fine. My family has been released from its incarceration and I guess I can become an active politician once more.

G: I´m overjoyed to hear of your fortunate chance in fate. It is my understanding that it´s the latter why you chose to talk to me.

T: Indeed, it is. As you´re probably aware, the KPD doesn’t exist anymore and likely won´t ever exist again. With the exception of your Left Party there´s no other force of the left that can be taken seriously.

G: That´s nothing new.

T: Yes, and that´s the problem! We Leftist shouldn’t let ourselves be divided by something so trivial as party affiliation. To move on we need to unite!

G: Erm, move on with what?

T: The world revolution, of course!

G: Did you actually read our program at all?

T: Yes, of course, and there´s need for some serious adjustment, but nothing that will derail our course.

G: What kind of ‘adjustments’ are you talking about?

T: Firstly, we need to introduce a more communistic course. Your program leans too much on that of the social democrats. Then we need to unite all the left parties under one banner, especially the MLPD.

G: And who determines what constitutes as ‘communistic’? Moscow?

T: Who else?

G: You know that Ulbricht holds leadership over what´s left of the KPD?

T: No need to remind me. But he´ll fall from Stalin´s grace soon enough, mark my words. He´s not able to lead a party, much less a whole country!

G: So you´re also of the opinion that the Allies will win the war?

T: The Allies? *snorts derisively* No, Stalin! Just look at the newspapers.

G: I´m surprised you´d talk so open with me.

T: Why shouldn’t I? You were a member of the SED. You kept the party alive when no one else would, that alone is enough to merit a Lenin Order.

G: So, let me get this straight: You think our party program is just – what – some kind of camouflage?

T: What else would it be? No self-respective communist would truly stand behind such a capitalist abomination. Though, we need to keep it a little while longer if we are to preserve against the capitalist forces.

G: And let me guess, the leadership of such a united left would naturally fall to you, wouldn’t it?

T: I´m not averse to it. But there´ll be enough jobs for everyone, even for you.

G: I´m so relieved to hear that.

T: Genosse Gysi, it appears to me as if you don’t take me serious. Let me make this clear, the world revolution….

G: No, Herr Thälmann, let me make something clear to you. I´ve come here as gesture of good faith to hear what you had to say. You have spoken and I´ve heard enough. The positions of the Left may be 80 years from the future, but we firmly believe in democracy and human rights. Yes, we do want change, but we want this change to happen in a democratic way. And no foreigner, especially not Stalin, will have any say in inner-German matters. We don’t want to repeat the mistakes of the past and we certainly don’t want the GDR to emerge again…

T: What you say is treason!

G: No, what you were saying was treason.

T: You betrayed the communist struggle. I will...

G: You´ll do nothing! Your application for membership in the Left Party was denied.

T: That´s treachery even worse than the Social Democrats. You will be hanged for that…

G: Herr Thälmann, I don’t have to listen to your nebulous threats. I guess our talk here´s finished. Have a nice day!

T: We shall see each other again!

G: I certainly hope not! And just a small observation: Talk like yours can get you up to 15 years…

Thälmann left the meeting furious, now knowing that Germany´s biggest left party (he snorted at that) had no place for him. Maybe the MLPD would be more open to his suggestions. A pity that they only had 1,800 members. But the revolution had to continue!