Timeline (Zossen Conspiracy)

This is the timeline for A Soviet Axis. Please also take a look at the Overview Timeline. Thank you for viewing my timeline and I hope you enjoy!

Major PoDs

 * Wilhelm Solf, without whom German-Japanese relations would never have recovered after World War I, dies in 1919 due to a stroke. Due to this, Japan never recovers its relations with Germany, and never joins the Axis. In fact, over the next few years, relations worsen between the two states almost to the point of war.
 * Hitler does not change the main attack into France from northern Belgium to the Ardennes, which leads to a very prolonged stalemate between German forces and entrenched Allied forces. Operation Pike is not compromised, and the plan is carried out.
 * The USSR invades Japan in mid-1940

Minor PoDs

 * The Allies win several early battles such as Fort Eben Emael, Hannut, and Zeeland, which slows down the German advance.

Timeline (Pre-WW-II)

 * April 1, 1919- Wilhelm Solf dies of a stroke.
 * May 14, 1937- Moscow Treaty is signed between Germany and the Soviet Union. It gives each other more economic advantages to trading with each other, as opposed to other nations.

1939

 * May 22- Pact of Steel signed between Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union.
 * August 23- Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact is signed. It divides up Eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence.
 * September 1- World War II begins with the invasion of Poland by Germany.
 * September 3- France and Great Britain declare war on Germany.
 * September 17- Soviet invasion of Poland.
 * September 28- Poland capitulates to the USSR and Germany.
 * September 30- German-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Demarcation is signed.
 * November 30- The Soviet Union invades Finland. They have a massive numerical advantage, with three times the men, 30 times the aircraft, and a hundred times as many tanks.
 * December 6- All Finnish soldiers withdraw to the Mannerheim Line.
 * December 8- The Red Army attacks but is repulsed with heavy casualties.
 * December 12- The Red Army attacks again but is repulsed once more with heavy casualties.
 * December 12- Soviet 139th Rifle Division is defeated by a much smaller Finnish force.
 * December 16- The Red Army launches a major attack Summa.
 * December 22- The Red Army is repulsed from Summa.

1940

 * January 7- Semyon Timoshenko replaces Kliment Voroshilov as commander on the Finnish front. Timoshenko begins to work on a major offensive.
 * January 11- America begins Lend-Lease program, and shipping commences on January 17. It is comprised of arms, ammunition, APCs, tanks, and more.
 * February 11- The Red Army breaks through the Mannerheim Line.
 * February 19- Finland requests help from the British and French against the Soviets.
 * March 2- The British and French governments request to Norway and Sweden that their troops be allowed to pass.
 * March 5- Both Sweden and Norway deny requests from the British to pass through their land.
 * April 9- Germany invades Norway.
 * April 15- British troops land near Narvik, Norway.
 * April 31- Italy invades British Egypt with a large amount of men. However, it is repulsed easily by the British troops there.
 * May 1- Britain begins to evacuate their troops from Norway.
 * May 3- A German U-Boat sinks the Bahamas, killing 489 US citizens.
 * May 5- Norwegian government-in-exile formed in London.
 * May 10- Germany invades France and the Low Countries
 * May 10- German paratroopers are repulsed from the Battle of the Hague with heavy casualties.
 * May 10- Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
 * May 10- The United Kingdom invades Iceland.
 * May 10- The United Kingdom declares a state of emergency.
 * May 11- Luxembourg capitulates to Germany.
 * May 12- Belgian troops blow bridges over the Meuse River to slow the German advance.
 * May 12- US begins sanctions on oil, rubber, steel, iron, and other war materials against Germany, Italy and the Soviet Union.
 * May 13- Battle of Hannut begins.
 * May 14- Rotterdam is carpet bombed by the Luftwaffe. However, the Netherlands does not surrender.
 * May 16- Churchill visits Paris and is pleased to hear that there is a stalemate in north Belgium with the Germans.
 * May 18- Dutch forces finally surrender.
 * May 18- French forces hold off the Germans in the Battle of Zeeland.
 * May 19- German forces enter Antwerp.
 * May 19- German forces cross the River Meusse.
 * May 25- A German U-Boat sinks an American merchant ship, killing all 336 sailors.
 * May 27- USNC (US Naval Command) gives the order on unrestricted warfare on Axis ships in American waters.
 * May 28- German forces fail to take Abbeville, and are repulsed back with heavy casualties.
 * May 29- Belgium finally surrenders to Germany.
 * June 5- French and British forces begin to dig in for a long war.
 * June 5- Hitler orders German armies to continue advancing towards Allied positions.
 * June 7- The German army is defeated by the entrenched Allies in the Battle of Amiens. They are again forced back with heavy casualties.
 * June 9- Hitler, furious with how things are not going well in the Western Front, replaces Field Marshall Gerd von Rundstedt with Field Marshall Walter von Reichenau.
 * June 10- Soviet forces begin massing in the Far East next to Manchuria.
 * June 12- Under immense pressure from Hitler, Reichenau launches another offensive at Allied positions. However, fuel begins to run short on the tanks and the attack is foiled once more. Allied strength is at just over 400,000 men and almost 1,400 tanks, while the Germans have 110,000 men and 1,100 tanks. However, they have a huge advantage in airplanes, both in numbers and technology.
 * June 15- The Soviet Union begins an invasion of Manchuria from multiple points without a declaration of war. The Japanese, caught by surprise, are forced back dozens of miles. The might of the Soviet military machine begins to crush the Japanese army.
 * June 17- Rationing of food begins in Great Britain.
 * July 9- The Manhattan Project is begun by the United States and Great Britain, and chooses General Grover Leslie and scientist Robert Oppenheimer to run the project. It is set up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with thousands of personnel.
 * July 18- Britain invades Syria.
 * August 30- Germany and Italy arbitrate a decision on the division of the disputed province of Transylvania between Romania and Hungary. The loss of northern Transylvania forces Romanian King Carol to abdicate in favor of his son, Michael, and brings to power a dictatorship under General Ion Antonescu.
 * September 27- The Tripartite Pact is signed between Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union. However, the Soviet Union is not given equal terms as between Germany and Italy as they are not trusted as Germany and Italy trust each other.
 * October 7- The RAF bomb Berlin and Cologne, with heavy losses.
 * October 28- Italy invades Greece from Albania.
 * November 20- Hungary joins the Axis.
 * November 22- Romania joins the Axis.
 * November 23- Slovakia joins the Axis.
 * November 25- The Soviet Union offers to join the Axis.

1941

 * January 1- RAF bombs factories in Bremen, Germany.
 * January 5- Australian troops of XIII Corps (the re-designated Western Desert Force) capture Italian-held Bardia and 45,000 Italian prisoners are taken.
 * January 7- Tobruk Airport is taken by the British.
 * January 10- German-Soviet Border and Commercial Agreement is signed between Germany and the Soviet Union, and Germany and the USSR beef up their trading efforts. It also divided Eastern Europe between Germany and the USSR.
 * February 3- Lieutenant General Rommel is appointed head of the Africa Corps.
 * February 8- US Congress approves another $800 million of aid to go to the British from the Lend-Lease program.
 * February 15- The deportation of Jews to Poland begins.
 * February 24- The German U-boat operation is increasingly successful, although another passenger liner is sunk with the sub thinking it was a merchant ship. An additional 119 Americans are dead.
 * March 1- Auschwitz is expanded on Hitler's orders.
 * March 1- Bulgaria joins the Axis.
 * March 2- Franklin D. Roosevelt gives an ultimatum that if one more passenger liner is sunk the US will join the war.
 * March 3- Admiral Raeder gives explicit orders to U-Boat commanders not to target passenger liners.
 * March 12- 5th Light Division arrives in Africa.