Albert Speer - What if?

This alternate history describes the events that could have happened if Todt would have died in 1938 instead of 1942 and Speer was appointed sooner. Only Italy not entering the war until later would not be affected by Speer's appointment.

1938 - Speer Gets a New Job

 * During July 1938, Todt, head of armaments, left for Berlin from Vienna. While his car was driving to the airport, a group of people against the Nazi annexation of Austria ambushed his car killing him and his driver, Hans Düsseldorf. Hitler gets word of Todt's death and quickly appoints a new minister. Hitler picks a young architect named Albert Speer to head armaments. Speer has no experience in this field before and tries to settle in as fast as he can to his new job. Germany has bigger plans than just the annexation of Austria, the control of central and eastern Europe. A few weeks after Speer is appointed, Speer learns of the German plans for the annexation of the Sudatenland from the Czechs.


 * Speer works on getting German manufactoring to produce more panzers and weapons a month than before. In September at the Munich Conference, Germany is given the Sudatenland without a single shot being fired. Hitler is pleased to have yet another 'oppresed' German people saved. But even more jubilant than Hitler is Speer himself. Speer sees the Sudatenland as a chance to expand German industry even greater. Speer uses the Sudatenland to a great extent and also the rest of Germany and by July 1939, a year after taking his job, has German military production increased by double from the July output of '38.

The Campaigns in Poland and the West

 * During the Summer of '39, the German General Staff has been working at a new operation, the invasion of Poland. The invasion of Poland, Case White, will use more motorized and panzer divisions than planned in the Spring of '39 due to the increase in German production. Germany now has 5 panzer divisions composing of 50% panzer II, 35% panzer III and 15% panzer IV. Germany also has 8 motorized divisions. The German plan is for an armoured thrust starting in East Prussia to strike at Warsaw while the infantry armies push from the eastern border of Germany.


 * September 1st, 1939 the plan is set in motion. 5 panzer divisions are used in the thrust from East Prussia and the divisions are under the command of Heinz Guderian, the father of blitzkreig. The assualt is a success reaching Warsaw within 5 days. The infantry armies are pushing the Polish armies towards Guderian's panzers and the Polish armies are getting destroyed. By September 16th, all of western Poland is under German control, including Warsaw. The Polish sue for peace on September 18th after the Soviet Union declares war and invades eastern Poland. The generals and Hitler are pleased with this victory. But the war isn't over yet. On September 2nd, France declared war on Germany. The UK hesistated and did not declare war on Germany. France now is standing alone against Germany.


 * In the winter of '39 and '40, the general staff plots it's invasion of France and the Low Countries. While Speer slowly increases production, Germany faces it's first air raid of the war. France bombs the Ruhr and cuts Ruhr production in half for the next few months. Hitler is furious with Goering for letting this happen. Hitler orders a retaliation attack on France. Pairs is bombed. This bombing run is a wake up call for Speer and Goering, if German industry is going to stay productive the facotories are going to need good air protection. Speer begins construct of Flak towers to be garrisoned by Luftwaffe troops.


 * In the spring of '40, the Germans launch their blitzkreig against the West while also invading Denmark and Norway. When German troops cross the Belgian border however the UK declares war against Germany. The Germans use a panzer strike through the Ardennes which by-passes the Maginot Line. The Germans are victorious and the West falls within a month. Britain never had a chance to send the BEF so the British do not lose many weapons and men in the Battle of France. In late June, Hitler takes some of his general staff and ministers, including Speer, in a tour of Paris. Hitler's next goal is to force a peace between Germany and Britain who's new Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, proclaims the British will never surrender.

Battle of Britain

 * The air war over Britain began in July 1940. Hitler ordered Goering to defeat the Royal Air Force to gain air supremacy over the English Channel and the British Isles for Operation Sealion. Goering in cooperation with Speer puts bomber production as the utmost importance. Speer believes this is a mistake. Speer's engineers have inspected captured British fighters used in the Battle of France and realizes that the German Me 109 is inferior to the new British fighters. Speer starts secret developments of new fighter aircraft behind Goering's back with Hitler's approval. Hitler approves this because of his now distrust of the Reich Marshall since the bombing of the Ruhr in the winter.


 * The Luftwaffe begin to bomb British factories and airfields. The war of attrition starts out in favor of the British. The British are producing more fighters in the months of July and August than the Germans. But Goering's Luftwaffe has the British on their last leg. The British have enough planes but not enough skilled pilots let alone pilots themselves. The Germans shift some of their bombing campaign to terrorize London and other major cities. This gives the British time to rebuild their fighter fleet.


 * In the month of September the last days of good weather for cross channel landings is over. Hitler is furious with Goering for not being able to defeat the British sooner. The general staff sighs a sigh of relief. A cross channel attack would have been a difficult feat. Due to the Kreigmarines weakness in the sea, the number of transports would be large and the Kreigsmarines didn't have enough gathered even if the Luftwaffe had air supremacy in August as wanted by Hitler. Operation Sealion is suspended for the winter of '40 to '41.

Future Plans and Politics

 * The year 1941 started with the Luftwaffe licking it's wounds from the defeat during the Battle of Britain. Speer finally reveals his new fighter designs to Goering. Goering is inraged and yet satistified. The Luftwaffe is ordered to build up for a new air offensive in April. Code named Operation Eagle, the plan is going to do the final blow on the British Isles. The Germans plan on both bombing airfields and cities simulatanously. The Luftwaffe are going to need 1500 bombers and 2000 fighters for this operation which Germany already has 689 bombers and 789 fighters.


 * The ground war is going good for Germany at this point. With the conquest of all of Western Europe and Poland. Germany's southern flank could be in threat though. Mussolini's Italy hasn't gotten in the war yet. Hitler asked for Italy to declare war in '40 but Mussolini rejected. Mussolini's excuse was that Italy isn't going to be prepared for war until 1942. Hitler is secretly infurirated over this but will not show his frustration to his only ally in Europe. Italy has invaded Yugoslovia but the Allied powers ignore this. Britain wants Italy to join the war on the side of the Allies as in World War I. Italy's entry in the war could alter the outcome either way.


 * As the war in Europe insued in 1940, the Soviet Union stood idle. The USSR realizes that the German industry is very well advanced. Stalin has read 'Mein Kampf' and knows Hitler's views towards the communists and Slavic people. The only thing that is keeping war from breaking out between the two major powers is that both, unknowningly, are afraid of each other. A war between the USSR and the Third Reich would lead to a disaster for both countries. Hitler decided early in '39 that he is going to avoid a two front war at all costs. Hitler plans on invading the Soviet Union after Britain is out of the war. Hitler is slowly gathering allies in the Balkans. Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary are all afraid of communism and will side with Nazi Germany in the future war of extermination.

Operation Eagle

 * Speer's industry has meet the demands for the Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe has all the bombers and fighters it needs and then some. Speer has changed German industry drasticly. German production is five times that of September 1939. The Luftwaffe has a 2:1 ratio to the RAF in fighters and a 4:1 ratio in bombers. Within two weeks after the start of the offensive British cities and airfields are destroyed. British industry has dropped down 75% due to the bombing of factories. Churchill still states Britain will never surrender, but his generals and admirals are planning something of their own.


 * May 14th, 1942 the British generals and admirals do a military coup. Ousting Churchill from office and locking down Parliament. The leaders of the coup quickly declare martial law and send feelers to Berlin. Hitler is willing to make peace with the British under reasonable terms. Britain is to pay reparations to Germany and ceded Gibralter, Malta, Cyprus, Suez Canal zone and large parts of the Middle East to the German Reich. Britain agrees and a peace between the British Empire and the Third Reich begins.


 * A month later, Italy joins the Axis and invades Egypt and Greece. Hitler sends the Afrika Korps headed by Rommel with seven Panzer divisions to help in Egypt and sends his now idle armies through Yugoslovia, still undefeated, to Greece. Bulgaria, Romania, Fascist Spain and Hungary join the Axis.

Second Half of 1941

 * With the Axis dominating all of mainland Europe, North Afrika, and the Middle East. 75% of Germany's divisions are stationed in Poland and Romania. The German Afrika Korp is in Turkey, which now has joined the Axis. Ever since the British surrender, the Soviet Union has been planning a pre-emptive strike against the Axis in Europe. Hitler has also been planning his own attack of the Soviet Union. By September, tensions are high all along the Eastern Front. Two large armies face each other just waiting for their final preprations and orders to attack. Nazi Germany has 150 divisions in Poland and Romania and 25 divisions in the Middle East. Germany has 25 fully equiped panzer divisions ready for the attack. There are 48 minor Axis partner divisions in the Balkans and 79 Italian divisions in the East and 10 divisions in the Middle East. Many minor Axis partners are using mainly German equipment. Germany has produced excess guns, panzers, and aircraft and has given the equipment to the minor nations in an Axis form of the Lend Lease program. All German divisions are fully equiped with full manpower. Germany is facing a manpower shortage though. Speer has presuaded Hitler to let women work in the factories until after the war is over. Which relieved some men for the front. Speer's work force comprises 75% forced labor while 25% are women. But with new factories opening every month, more women will be put to work in factories for a pay while forced labor are paid but not to much or most of the times not at all.

The German Plan

 * The German plan was going to be to seize the Soviet's vital cities and resource points. The plan called for four army groups. Army Group North will attempt to seize the vital port city of Leningrad and gain a land connection with the Finnish troops, Finland has joined the Axis. Army Group Centre will strike at Minsk then advance to Smolensk and then on to Moscow. Army Group South will strike toward Kiev then towards the oil fields of the Caucasus and link up with Army Group B which will be striking from it's launch point in Turkey.The operation is entitled Operation Vaterland. Hitler and the general staff want to have the war over by November at the latest. Hitler believes the Red Army is weak because of the Red Army's failed attack on Finland in 1940. The commanders for the Army Groups are as follows: Army Group North is commanded by Field Marshal von Leeb, Army Group Centre is commanded by Field Marshal Bock, Army Group South is commanded by Field Marshal von Rundstedt and Army Group B commanded by Field Marshal Rommel.

Operation Vaterland

 * Operation Vaterland started on May 19th, 1942 at 6 am. The operation started with an intense artillery barrage for fifteen minutes then the assualt troops launched. The assualt intially was a success. Some Russian units stood their ground while others folded causing gaps in the line. Many of the Russian defenses on the frontier where surrounded by the end of the first two weeks. Stalin ordered no ground is to be given up. This order lead to many disasters for the Red Army. Many Russian armies where surrounded in Minsk. Most of the Army Groups made a steady advance in the next month. Army Group B had problems in the Caucusus due to the mountains. Rommel couldn't do the blitzkreig he did in Africa so his troops got bogged down by bitter Soviet resistance. The Soviets knew they couldn't hold the German advance. The Germans had more tanks and men in this sector of the front than the Soviets had. So the Soviets started doing a tactical withdrawal against Stalin's wishes. In their withdrawal, the Soviets burned all the oil fields and anything esle the Germans could use. When the Germans arrived, the Germans arrived at burning oil fields. Even though Stalin eventually agrees to this tactic of scorched earth, Stalin still ordered the executions of all the officers in command of the divisions.


 * The German advance was doing quite well. The Germans reached Smolensk on July 25th. The Soviets did a massive counter attack against Panzer Gruppe Guderian which failed. Army Group South reached the outskirts of Kiev on August 17th. A massive seige battle ensued. This would hold Army Group South up for weeks, which required Army Group Centre to send it's two panzer gruppes to aid Army Group South. Army Group North captured Leningrad on September 1st with it's panzer units. The infantry still lagged behind the panzers but the commander tried for a bold move which Hitler approved of. By September all of the Germans short term objectives where held. The capture of Leningrad, Smolensk, Kiev and the oil rich regions in southern Russia. Only two objectives remained: capture of Moscow and the push to the A-A line.