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'''Sicily'''
 
'''Sicily'''
 
''General'' George S. Patton counterattacks in coordination with British forces and a massive tank battle develops. Tiger tanks are still unreliable and most have broken down. Allied tanks are attacked by ''Stukas'' and ''Sturmoviks'' fresh from the Eastern Front. The Allies use Republic P-47 ''Thunderbolt'' fighter-bombers against Axis armor. Fighters from both sides try to protect their tank destroyers. Dogfights start over the battlefield and they continue throughout the day with neither side gaining superiority. Allied fighter pilots are taken aback by the resurgence of the Luftwaffe.<br />
 
''General'' George S. Patton counterattacks in coordination with British forces and a massive tank battle develops. Tiger tanks are still unreliable and most have broken down. Allied tanks are attacked by ''Stukas'' and ''Sturmoviks'' fresh from the Eastern Front. The Allies use Republic P-47 ''Thunderbolt'' fighter-bombers against Axis armor. Fighters from both sides try to protect their tank destroyers. Dogfights start over the battlefield and they continue throughout the day with neither side gaining superiority. Allied fighter pilots are taken aback by the resurgence of the Luftwaffe.<br />
The remnants of the surrounded 45th Rifle Division surrender and join thousands of other prisoners of war. They will be paraded through Rome to support Benito Mussolini. By the end of the day, tank losses are heavy on both sides and the battle lines stabilize. The Allied front line has been pushed back 50km. German repair shops work day and night to get precious Tiger I tanks running again. Damaged Allied tanks have been abandoned behind the front lines. This is the advantage of the attacker.
+
The remnants of the surrounded 45th Rifle Division surrender and join thousands of other prisoners of war. They will be paraded through Rome to support Il Duce Benito Mussolini. By the end of the day, tank losses are heavy on both sides and the battle lines stabilize. The Allied front line has been pushed back 50km. German repair shops work day and night to get precious Tiger I tanks running again. Damaged Allied tanks have been abandoned behind the front lines. This is the advantage of the attacker.
   
 
'''Saturday, July 31, 1943'''
 
'''Saturday, July 31, 1943'''
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'''Hamburg'''
 
'''Hamburg'''
 
The Allies conclude ''Operation Gomorrah'', an eight day air offensive against Hamburg. The city is devastated and 50,000 civilians have died, most during night attacks. Dr. Albert Speer reports that if the Allies can knock out ten more cities the same way, the war is lost. The weather is getting too bad for bombing though, so this is unlikely. In a stop gap measure, 200 captured Soviet Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers are converted to night fighters. They are excellent for the job, almost as fast as the English DH. 98 ''Mosquito''. The night fighter force will be expanded and improved upon, but this will take time.<br />
 
The Allies conclude ''Operation Gomorrah'', an eight day air offensive against Hamburg. The city is devastated and 50,000 civilians have died, most during night attacks. Dr. Albert Speer reports that if the Allies can knock out ten more cities the same way, the war is lost. The weather is getting too bad for bombing though, so this is unlikely. In a stop gap measure, 200 captured Soviet Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers are converted to night fighters. They are excellent for the job, almost as fast as the English DH. 98 ''Mosquito''. The night fighter force will be expanded and improved upon, but this will take time.<br />
The air war in the east will be waged with mostly novice pilots and German allies, a practical training area. ''Generalfeldmarschall'' Erhard Milch, who is in control of aircraft manufacture implores Focke-Wulf factories to speed up the development of the Ta-154 ''Moskito'' night fighter which is his favorite aircraft. He is told prototypes have been built but they await the new 2000hp Jumo 213 engine developed by Junkers. Milch promptly turns his attention to the Junkers factories, threatening to send factory managers to the front. This causes an anonymous director to state that Allied bomber raids are preferable to Milch's attacks. Nevertheless, it must be noted that wherever Milch directs his attention, things happen.
+
The air war in the east will be waged with mostly novice pilots and German allies, a practical training area. ''Generalfeldmarschall'' Erhard Milch, who is in control of aircraft manufacture implores Focke-Wulf factories to speed up the development of the Ta-154 ''Moskito'' night fighter which is his favorite aircraft. He is told prototypes have been built but they await the new 2,000hp Jumo 213 engine developed by Junkers. Milch promptly turns his attention to the Junkers factories, threatening to send factory managers to the front. This causes an anonymous director to state that Allied bomber raids are preferable to Milch's attacks. Nevertheless, it must be noted that wherever Milch directs his attention, things happen.
   
 
'''Wednesday, August 4, 1943'''
 
'''Wednesday, August 4, 1943'''
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'''Schweinfurt'''
 
'''Schweinfurt'''
 
The ball bearing factories of Schweinfurt are hit by a heavy US bombing raid. This is part of the Allied Pointblank directive to cripple German aircraft production. There is heavy damage to the factories but most of the machinery remains intact. The German reaction is vicious as Home Defense is reinforced with JG2 fighters from the Eastern Front. Of the 376 B-17s taking part, 80 are shot down and most are damaged.
 
The ball bearing factories of Schweinfurt are hit by a heavy US bombing raid. This is part of the Allied Pointblank directive to cripple German aircraft production. There is heavy damage to the factories but most of the machinery remains intact. The German reaction is vicious as Home Defense is reinforced with JG2 fighters from the Eastern Front. Of the 376 B-17s taking part, 80 are shot down and most are damaged.
During the night the RAF executes an attack on the rocket research center of Peenemunde. The British know that the Germans are up to no good there. 40 Bombers are lost but damage is minimal. Nevertheless A-4 rocket assembly will be moved to an underground site in the Harz mountains. The Führer gives the A-4 production the highest priority and sets a monthly production target of 4000 rockets.
+
During the night the RAF executes an attack on the rocket research center of Peenemunde. The British know that the Germans are up to no good there. 40 Bombers are lost but damage is minimal. Nevertheless A-4 rocket assembly will be moved to an underground site in the Harz mountains. The Führer gives the A-4 production the highest priority and sets a monthly production target of 4,000 rockets.
   
 
'''Thursday, August 19, 1943'''
 
'''Thursday, August 19, 1943'''
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'''Friday, September 24, 1943'''
 
'''Friday, September 24, 1943'''
 
'''Kotelnikov'''
 
'''Kotelnikov'''
The strength of the Soviet Stalingrad offensive is a surprise to the Axis. Masses of Soviet armor race to Kotelnikov, threatening to disrupt the Axis Caucasus offensive. The 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division ''Wallonien'' commanded by ''Untersturmführer'' Léon Degrelle, digs in and refuses to budge. Increasingly desperate Soviet attacks are beaten back in savage hand-to-hand fighting. The resolute defense gives the German 6th Army time to prepare a counterattack.
+
The strength of the Soviet Stalingrad offensive is a surprise to the Axis. Masses of Soviet armor race to Kotelnikov, threatening to disrupt the Axis Caucasus offensive. The 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division ''Wallonien'' commanded by ''Untersturmführer'' Léon Degrelle, digs-in and refuses to budge. Increasingly desperate Soviet attacks are beaten back in savage hand-to-hand fighting. The resolute defense gives the German 6th Army time to prepare a counterattack.
   
 
'''Friday, October 1, 1943'''
 
'''Friday, October 1, 1943'''
 
'''Kotelnikov'''
 
'''Kotelnikov'''
The Soviet Stalingrad offensive finally crumples under a massive counterattack after a week long battle. The Soviet are short of resources: tanks, aircraft, supplies. They tried to compensate by sacrificing human lives but in vain. The 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division ''Wallonien'' composed of Walloons chases the Soviets back to Stalingrad.<br />
+
The Soviet Stalingrad offensive finally crumples under a massive counterattack after a week long battle. The Soviets are short on resources: tanks, aircraft, and supplies. They try to compensate by sacrificing human lives but in vain. The 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division ''Wallonien'' composed of French-speaking Walloons, chase the Soviets back to Stalingrad.<br />
General Von Kleist mentions the heroic efforts of several international waffen-SS divisions in a dispatch to the OKH. Hitler is delighted and sends congratulatory messages to the divisions involved.
+
''Generalfeldmarschall'' von Kleist mentions the heroic efforts of several international Waffen-SS Divisions in a dispatch to the OKH. The Führer is delighted and sends congratulatory messages to the divisions involved.
   
 
'''Saturday, October 2, 1943'''
 
'''Saturday, October 2, 1943'''
 
'''Caspian Sea'''
 
'''Caspian Sea'''
An Axis patrol reaches the Caspian Sea and radios the historic "Thalassa, thalassa" message. It is a repeat of a previous exploit in 1942. They set up a blocking position across the Baku-Astrakhan railway line and sever communication between Astrakhan and the Baku oil fields. The Caucasus is cut off from the rest of the Soviet Union except for the perilous Caspian Sea route.
+
An Axis patrol reaches the Caspian Sea and radios the historic ''"Thalassa, thalassa"'' message. It is a repeat of a previous exploit in 1942. They set up a blocking position across the Baku-Astrakhan railway line and sever communication between Astrakhan and the Baku oil fields. The Caucasus is cut-off from the rest of the Soviet Union except for the perilous Caspian Sea route.
   
 
'''Sunday, October 3, 1943'''
 
'''Sunday, October 3, 1943'''
 
'''Sicily'''
 
'''Sicily'''
A heavy artillery bombardment precedes an all-out attack by Axis 10th panzer division in Sicily. Tigers force their way through Allied lines and reach the shore, exchanging fire with Allied cruisers. Focke-Wulfs make attacks on Allied warships with guided He-293 bombs, causing some damage and a hasty withdrawal.<br />
+
A heavy artillery bombardment precedes an all-out attack by the German 10th Panzer Division in Sicily. Tiger I tanks force their way through Allied lines and reach the shore, exchanging fire with Allied cruisers. Focke-Wulf Fw 190s launch attacks on Allied warships with guided Henschel Hs-293 anti-ship glide bombs, causing some damage and a hasty withdrawal.<br />
After recent reinforcements both sides are equal in numbers but Axis tanks are superior to Allied armor. One of the most successful German Tigers is commanded by Major Wittman. During the attack he brews up a Sherman tank, his 100th victim. The radio operator promptly jumps out in the heat of battle and paints a new circle on the still hot gun barrel to mark the kill.
+
After recent reinforcements, both sides are equal in numbers but Axis tanks are superior to Allied armor. One of the most successful German Tigers is commanded by "panzer ace" SS-Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann. During the attack he brews up a ''Sherman'' tank, his 100th victim. The radio operator promptly jumps out in the heat of battle and paints a new circle on the still hot gun barrel to mark the kill.
   
 
'''Tuesday, October 5, 1943'''
 
'''Tuesday, October 5, 1943'''
 
'''Sicily'''
 
'''Sicily'''
Allies have evacuated Sicily, losing all heavy equipment. The deciding factor was a guided bomb attack on warships, a new element in war that needs tactical rethinking. 50,000 Soldiers become prisoners of war. They will be paraded through Rome to support Mussolini. The dictator has been released from prison and his former prison guards are now in the cells. Badoglio is put under house arrest. Such are the fortunes of war.
+
The Allies have evacuated Sicily, losing all their heavy equipment. The deciding factor was a guided bomb attack on warships, a new element in warfare that needs tactical rethinking. 50,000 soldiers become prisoners of war. They will be paraded through Rome to support Benito Mussolini. The dictator is released from prison and his former prison guards are now in cells. Prime Minister Pietro Badoglio is put under house arrest. Such are the fortunes of war.
   
 
'''Saturday, October 9, 1943'''
 
'''Saturday, October 9, 1943'''
 
'''Schweinfurt'''
 
'''Schweinfurt'''
Schweinfurt is attacked for the second time with 291 B-17s which was all that could be scraped together. This time the losses are even worse: 95 bombers are shot down. Only 120 bombers complete their bombing run and most miss the target. Daytime bombing of Germany is stopped until long range escort fighters are available. Only the British are now able to carry the fight to the Germans with night raids. But here the Luftwaffe is also improving and bomber losses are mounting.
+
Schweinfurt is attacked for the second time with 291 B-17 ''Flying Fortresses'' which was all that could be scraped together. This time the losses are even worse: 95 bombers are shot down. Only 120 bombers complete their bombing run and most miss their target. Daytime bombing of Germany is stopped until long range escort fighters are available. Only the British are now able to carry the fight to the Germans with night raids. But here the Luftwaffe is also improving and bomber losses are mounting.
   
 
'''Wednesday, October 20, 1943'''
 
'''Wednesday, October 20, 1943'''
 
'''Merseburg'''
 
'''Merseburg'''
The Ju-390 6-engined bomber/transporter makes its first flight piloted by Hans-Werner Lerche. The aircraft is comparable with the Boeing B-29 in size. It can carry a similar bomb load, 10,000&nbsp;kg and has almost double the range at 9700&nbsp;km. Its maximum speed is about 50 kph slower than the B-29 at 505&nbsp;km/h but its cruising speed slightly higher and the engines are more reliable. A first order is placed for 260 aircraft. There is a desperate shortage of cargo aircraft in the Luftwaffe.
+
The Junkers Ju-390 6-engined bomber/transporter makes its first flight piloted by Hans-Werner Lerche. The aircraft is comparable with the Boeing B-29 in size. It can carry a similar bomb load, 10,000kg and has almost double the range at 9,700km. Its maximum speed is about 50 kph slower than the B-29 at 505km/h but its cruising speed is slightly higher and the engines are more reliable. A first order is placed for 260 aircraft. There is a desperate shortage of cargo aircraft in the Luftwaffe.
   
 
'''Thursday, October 21, 1943'''
 
'''Thursday, October 21, 1943'''
 
'''Caucasus'''
 
'''Caucasus'''
Axis forces reach Astrakhan at the mouth of the Volga. The Caspian Sea supply line to the Caucasus is now completely cut off. The Soviet Union's oil supply is disrupted. Operations in the Caucasus mountains are slowed down by the approaching winter and the desperate defense of passes by Soviets. Armenian volunteers are dropped by parachute to disrupt Soviet reinforcement attempts.
+
German forces reach Astrakhan at the mouth of the river Volga. The Caspian Sea supply line to the Caucasus is now completely cut off. The Soviet Union's oil supply is disrupted. Operations in the Caucasus mountains are slowed down by the approaching winter and the desperate defense of passes by the Soviets. Armenian volunteers of the 812th Armenian Battalion, are dropped by parachute to disrupt Soviet reinforcement attempts.
   
 
'''Monday, October 25, 1943'''
 
'''Monday, October 25, 1943'''
 
'''Germany'''
 
'''Germany'''
In Germany the first He-219 squadron becomes operational. The He-219 is a fast night fighter equipped with radar and heavy cannon armament. During tests several Mosquitoes have been shot down. Marshall Milch has to accept the introduction of the He-219 as long as it doesn't interfere with development of the Ta-154. Germans don't have short wave radar yet but the existing sets are adequate for intercepting bombers. A British Stirling with a H2S radar set has been shot down and Siemens engineers are examining the strange device. This is a major setback for the Allies. They had hoped to keep the vital radar technology secret. To their chagrin the German engineers discover that the radar set is based on abandoned German technology. They have to admit that English engineers have been very clever in getting the radar to work.
+
In Germany, the first Heinkel He-219 squadron becomes operational. The He-219 is a fast night fighter equipped with radar and heavy cannon armament. During tests, several ''Mosquitoes'' have been shot down. ''Generalfeldmarschall'' Erhard Milch has to accept the introduction of the He-219 as long as it doesn't interfere with the development of the Focke-Wulf Ta-154 ''Moskito''. The Germans don't have short wave radar yet but the existing sets are adequate for intercepting bombers. A British ''Stirling'' with a H2S radar set has been shot down and Siemens engineers are examining the strange device. This is a major setback for the Allies. They had hoped to keep the vital radar technology secret. To their chagrin, the German engineers discover that the radar set is based on abandoned German technology. They have to admit that English engineers have been very clever in getting the radar to work.
   
 
'''Sunday, October 31, 1943'''
 
'''Sunday, October 31, 1943'''
 
'''Stalingrad'''
 
'''Stalingrad'''
Axis 6th army reaches Stalingrad, much weaker defended than a year before. The Soviet armies have been mauled in the failed Stalingrad offensive. The Volga is reached north and south of Stalingrad and 88&nbsp;mm guns shoot up barges that try to supply the defenders.
+
The German 6th Army reaches Stalingrad, much weaker defended than the year before. The Soviet armies have been mauled in the failed Stalingrad offensive. The Volga River is reached north and south of Stalingrad and 88mm guns shoot up barges that try to supply the defenders.
   
 
'''Thursday, November 11, 1943'''
 
'''Thursday, November 11, 1943'''
 
'''Caucasus'''
 
'''Caucasus'''
Axis forces take Batum on the Black Sea, advancing along the coast and bypassing the Caucasus mountains. There is little resistance. Armenian volunteers have been very useful as they are familiar with the mountains.
+
Axis forces take Batum on the Black Sea, advancing along the coast and bypassing the Caucasus mountains. There is little resistance. Armenian volunteers of the 812th Armenian Battalion have been very useful as they are familiar with the mountains.
   
 
'''Monday, November 15, 1943'''
 
'''Monday, November 15, 1943'''
 
'''Malta'''
 
'''Malta'''
The pressure on Malta is mounting. The air offensive was restarted after the Allied retreat from Sicily.<br />
+
The pressure on the island of Malta is mounting. The air offensive is restarted after the Allied retreat from Sicily.<br />
Total monthly Luftwaffe losses have been reduced by 50% after the Kursk offensive. The Luftwaffe is now making a determined effort in the west and against Malta. Medium bombers raid at night and captured Sturmoviks escorted by FW-190s and La-5s are sent in by daylight. Sturmoviks are a source of amazement to the British. Their armor makes them almost invulnerable to anti-aircraft fire and fighters.
+
Total monthly Luftwaffe losses have been reduced by 50% after the Kursk offensive. The Luftwaffe is now making a determined effort in the west and against Malta. Medium bombers raid at night and captured ''Sturmoviks'' escorted by German Fw-190s and Italian La-5 fighters are sent in by day. The ''Sturmoviks'' are a source of amazement to the British, their armor makes them almost invulnerable to anti-aircraft fire and fighters.
   
 
'''Sunday, November 21, 1943'''
 
'''Sunday, November 21, 1943'''
 
'''Caucasus'''
 
'''Caucasus'''
Tblisi, the gate to the oil center of Baku, falls to the Axis. Pockets of resistance are left in the Caucasus mountains, to be mopped up later.<br />
+
Tbilisi, the gate to the oil center of Baku, falls to the Axis. Pockets of resistance are left in the Caucasus mountains, to be mopped up later.<br />
6th Army is closing in on Stalingrad. The Soviets try to block the enemy at Mamayev Kurgan hill, the scene of many months of fierce fighting one year before. The hill is a serious obstacle, the Soviets soldiers are dug in and well protected against artillery fire.<br />
+
The German 6th Army is closing in on Stalingrad. The Soviets try to block the enemy at Mamayev Kurgan hill, the scene of many months of fierce fighting the year before. The hill is a serious obstacle, Soviets soldiers are dug-in and well protected against artillery fire.<br />
It is amazing how much difference one year makes in war. WASPs of 411 battalion are called in. The soldiers arrive in their Mercedes trucks and they are a strange lot indeed. They act with the air of chemists preparing an experiment, observing fortifications, making notes and calculations, waving their slipsticks around - the engineer's main weapon. They don't respond to questions. Eventually they set up their 80&nbsp;mm mortars and prime nerve gas shells, red for Sarin and yellow for Tabun. The mortars cough and cause innocent puffs of dust and smoke on Soviet positions. It seems like a leisurely affair. The soldiers wait patiently like dentists waiting for narcosis to set in, then they send reconnaissance units in chemical suits over. They report total success: no enemy is left alive. Decontamination teams are sent in to neutralize the nerve gas with sodium hydroxide spray.
+
It's amazing how much difference one year makes in war. ''WASPs'' of the 411th Battalion are called in. The soldiers arrive in their Mercedes trucks and they are a strange lot indeed. They act with the air of chemists preparing an experiment, observing fortifications, making notes and calculations, waving their slipsticks around - the engineer's main weapon. They don't respond to questions. Eventually they set up their 80mm mortars and prime nerve gas shells, red for Sarin and yellow for Tabun. The mortars cough and cause innocent puffs of dust and smoke on Soviet positions. It seems like a leisurely affair. The soldiers wait patiently like dentists waiting for narcosis to set in, then they send reconnaissance units in chemical suits over. They report total success: no enemy is left alive. Decontamination teams are sent in to neutralize the nerve gas with sodium hydroxide spray.
   
   
 
'''Monday, November 29, 1943'''
 
'''Monday, November 29, 1943'''
 
'''Prague'''
 
'''Prague'''
Recent conquests in the Caucasus make more bauxite available increasing aluminium production. Captured factories in the Moscow area are already contributing aero engines and tanks to the war effort in a project energetically driven by Marshall Milch, who is perhaps the greatest organizer in the Reich. As a result the Ju-390 goes into full-scale production and an order is placed for 40 Me-264 "America bombers" as a reward to Professor Messerschmitt. Are the Yankees going to get a surprise!<br />
+
Recent conquests in the Caucasus make more bauxite available, increasing aluminum production. Captured factories in the Moscow area are already contributing aero engines and tanks to the war effort in a project energetically driven by ''Generalfeldmarschall'' Milch, who is perhaps the greatest organizer in the Reich. As a result, the Junkers Ju-390 goes into full-scale production and an order is placed for 40 Messerschmitt Me-264 ''"Amerika Bombers"'' as a reward to Professor Messerschmitt. Are the Yankees going to get a surprise!<br />
At the same time an unprecedented order for 2000 Ju-252 cargo aircraft is placed with the Junkers-controlled Amiot company in France. The Ju-252 is five tons lighter than the Allied DC-4 but it has similar speed and payload and is cheap to manufacture. It has the major novelty of a hydraulic ventral loading ramp which is destined to become standard for cargo planes.
+
At the same time, an unprecedented order for 2,000 Junkers Ju-252 cargo aircraft is placed with the Junkers-controlled Amiot company in France. The Ju-252 is five tons lighter than the Allied Douglas DC-4 but it has similar speed and payload and is cheap to manufacture. It has the major novelty of a hydraulic ventral loading ramp which is destined to become standard for cargo planes.
   
 
'''Tuesday, November 30, 1943'''
 
'''Tuesday, November 30, 1943'''
 
'''Stalingrad'''
 
'''Stalingrad'''
Axis 6th army has captured the ruins of Stalingrad almost casually. The previous defeat has been turned around causing immense satisfaction in Germany, just as intended. Hitler in a radio speech proclaims that he always delivers on his promises. He hints that the warmongers in London and Washington are trembling in their hideouts. He is not far wrong as Roosevelt has been secretly muttering to his staff "We were wrong to get involved in this war by Mr. Churchill."
+
The German 6th Army has captured the ruins of Stalingrad almost casually. The previous defeat has been turned around causing immense satisfaction in Germany, just as intended. The Führer in a radio speech proclaims that he always delivers on his promises. He hints that the warmongers in London and Washington are trembling in their hideouts. He is not far wrong as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt has been secretly muttering to his staff ''"We were wrong to get involved in this war by Mr. Churchill."''
   
 
'''Sunday, December 18, 1943'''
 
'''Sunday, December 18, 1943'''
 
'''Caucasus'''
 
'''Caucasus'''
German armor finally enters Baku. The miserable remnants of the Soviet Forces, about 500,000 out of ammunition and short of food, become prisoners of war. Some Soviet forces retreat to British-occupied Persia and join up with British 9th army. The balance of forces in the Middle East has changed. The Axis has significant forces in the area that can be used to attack Persia. Turkey may now join the Axis. Italy, Romania and Bulgaria are encouraged and send more troops to the East now that is relatively safe to do so. As a bonus the dispirited Soviets have not completely demolished the oil refineries of Baku.
+
German armor finally enters Baku. The miserable remnants of the Soviet Red Army, about 500,000 out of ammunition and short of food, become prisoners of war. Some Soviet forces retreat to British-occupied Persia and join up with British 9th Army. The balance of forces in the Middle East has changed. The Axis have significant forces in the area that can be used to attack Persia. Turkey may now join the Axis Powers. Italy, Romania and Bulgaria are encouraged and send more troops to the East now that it's relatively safe to do so. As a bonus, the dispirited Soviets haven't completely demolished the oil refineries of Baku.
   
 
'''Tuesday, December 20, 1943'''
 
'''Tuesday, December 20, 1943'''
 
'''Russian front'''
 
'''Russian front'''
Activity on the Russian front dies down. The Soviets build up new armies to replace the heavy losses and the Germans prepare for a spring offensive. The OKH estimates that three million Soviets have been killed or captured in five months, almost half of their army. Mountains of equipment and supplies have been captured. 12,000 Soviet tanks have been destroyed or captured and 6000 aircraft. Surely Soviet manpower must be exhausted?
+
Activity on the Russian front dies down. The Soviets build up new armies to replace the heavy losses and the Germans prepare for a spring offensive. The OKH estimates that three million Soviets have been killed or captured in the last five months, almost 1/2 of their army. Mountains of equipment and supplies have been captured: 12,000 Soviet tanks have been destroyed or captured along with 6,000 aircraft. Surely Soviet manpower must be exhausted?
   
 
'''Saturday, January 1, 1944'''
 
'''Saturday, January 1, 1944'''
 
'''London'''
 
'''London'''
The year does not begin on a good note for the Allied combined Chiefs of Staff. The Africa campaign was a success but the Sicily invasion was a fiasco. The Soviet Union is in danger of collapse releasing 200 Axis division to the West. Germany seems to have developed a new type of poison gas. New German tanks have been encountered that are superior to the best Allied tanks. Fortunately the war in the Pacific is going well.
+
The year does not begin on a good note for the Allied combined Chiefs of Staff. The Africa campaign was a success but the invasion of Sicily was a fiasco. The Soviet Union is in danger of collapse releasing 200 Axis divisions to the West. Germany seems to have developed a new type of poison gas. New German tanks have been encountered that are superior to the best Allied tanks. Fortunately the war in the Pacific is going well.
 
[[Category:Morgen die ganze Welt]]
 
[[Category:Morgen die ganze Welt]]

Revision as of 18:51, 10 April 2018

Timeline: Morgen die ganze Welt

Tuesday, July 27, 1943 Sicily, South-West of Messina The 501st Tiger Battalion and 35th Panzer Division attack in the early morning after a short artillery bombardment. Tiger I tanks are used to spearhead the attack followed by masses of T-34 tanks. Forward observers of the US 7th Army watch horrified as anti-tank rounds bounce off the Tigers. Dug-in M4 Sherman tanks try to stop the advance but they're outclassed. Here, the Shermans earn the nickname cigarette lighter as they almost instantly burst into flames when hit.
As the German attack rolls up the Allied front line, the first US aircraft appear and strafe German tanks. The Luftwaffe also shows up in unexpected numbers and with new determination. Both sides tackle each other in vicious dogfights while bombers attack tanks. Ironically, the Italian Regia Aeronautica uses captured American Douglas A-20 Havocs in those attacks. Italian Lavochkin La-5 fighters prove tough opponents in low-level dogfights, fast and agile. For the first time, the Regia Aeronautica has a fighter equal to the Allies best. Allied pilots make contact with Sturmovik bombers for the first time. They are baffled by the toughness of the aircraft, armored like a flying tank. Although the Luftwaffe refuses to use the captured Sturmoviks, considering them inferior, Italian pilots have adopted them eagerly. Now they use the aircraft's 37mm guns to shoot up Allied tanks with great success.
The Allied front crumbles quickly as T-34 tanks pour through. Even worse for the Allies, the T-34s show unexpected ability to cross terrain thought unsuitable for tanks. The US 7th Army is routed, pulling back to the south. The 45th Rifle Division is pinned down and surrounded. It's like the Battle of Kasserine Pass all over again.

Wednesday, July 28, 1943 Sicily General George S. Patton counterattacks in coordination with British forces and a massive tank battle develops. Tiger tanks are still unreliable and most have broken down. Allied tanks are attacked by Stukas and Sturmoviks fresh from the Eastern Front. The Allies use Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bombers against Axis armor. Fighters from both sides try to protect their tank destroyers. Dogfights start over the battlefield and they continue throughout the day with neither side gaining superiority. Allied fighter pilots are taken aback by the resurgence of the Luftwaffe.
The remnants of the surrounded 45th Rifle Division surrender and join thousands of other prisoners of war. They will be paraded through Rome to support Il Duce Benito Mussolini. By the end of the day, tank losses are heavy on both sides and the battle lines stabilize. The Allied front line has been pushed back 50km. German repair shops work day and night to get precious Tiger I tanks running again. Damaged Allied tanks have been abandoned behind the front lines. This is the advantage of the attacker.

Saturday, July 31, 1943 Berlin Generalfeldmarschall Friedrich Paulus is brought before a military court in Berlin. He is accused of treason in that he cooperated with the enemy making propaganda broadcasts and he is accused of cowardice in the Stalingrad battle. The defense pleads insanity and mentions his record in battles before Stalingrad but to no avail. Paulus is condemned to death by firing squad. The prosecutor stamps his feet in righteous indignation and shouts that a traitor must be beheaded. He is placated with difficulty by the understanding judge who explains the difficult situation: "There is no precedence for the execution of a German Field Marshal. Indeed a Field Marshal is theoretically immune from prosecution and demotion so the court-martial is technically illegal. However the Führer has decreed that an exception is warranted." Paulus averts the problem. He cracks mentally, stands up and delivers a tirade against "that Bohemian Corporal", Adolf Hitler. He ends by shouting "I refuse to take a bullet for that madman!" then crumples to the floor. MPs rush forward but it's too late, Paulus is dead. He is blue in the face with small glass splinters on his lips: the remains of a cyanide capsule.
Friedrich Paulus is buried in an unmarked grave and an SS regiment marches over the spot in a symbolic demonstration of contempt.
In Sicily, the Allies have been pushed back steadily to the beaches where Allied cruisers bombard the enemy and temporarily stop the Axis advance. Palermo is retaken by the 35th Panzer Division, General Patton having to withdraw precipitously. The Italians are now completely confused, unable to determine which side is winning the war.

Sunday, August 1, 1943 Heide

Kursk19430804

Caucasus August 4, 1943

The OKH has decided to keep the Soviet Union off balance by starting a new offensive in the South. This will exploit the Axis capability of rapid concentration of forces.
Meanwhile, the Gorki airfield is expanded. It will be used for a long-range bomber offensive against trans-Ural factories.
German forces under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Ewald von Kleist unleash Operation Heide, an offensive aimed at capturing the oil-rich Caucasus region- for the second time. After a furious artillery and air attack, the reborn German 6th Army breaks through enemy lines. This army was wiped out in Stalingrad but is now stronger than ever before. It has received the new Panther tanks, the best armor in the world although suffering from teething problems.
Simultaneous but limited offensives at Voronezh, Gorki and the Northern Front are designed to prevent the Soviets from reinforcing the Caucasus. The Soviet Southern Armies have been weakened as many divisions have been transferred to the Gorki area. The fall of Moscow and Gorki has made Soviet communication with the North and Southern Fronts slow and difficult.

Tuesday, August 3, 1943 Hamburg The Allies conclude Operation Gomorrah, an eight day air offensive against Hamburg. The city is devastated and 50,000 civilians have died, most during night attacks. Dr. Albert Speer reports that if the Allies can knock out ten more cities the same way, the war is lost. The weather is getting too bad for bombing though, so this is unlikely. In a stop gap measure, 200 captured Soviet Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers are converted to night fighters. They are excellent for the job, almost as fast as the English DH. 98 Mosquito. The night fighter force will be expanded and improved upon, but this will take time.
The air war in the east will be waged with mostly novice pilots and German allies, a practical training area. Generalfeldmarschall Erhard Milch, who is in control of aircraft manufacture implores Focke-Wulf factories to speed up the development of the Ta-154 Moskito night fighter which is his favorite aircraft. He is told prototypes have been built but they await the new 2,000hp Jumo 213 engine developed by Junkers. Milch promptly turns his attention to the Junkers factories, threatening to send factory managers to the front. This causes an anonymous director to state that Allied bomber raids are preferable to Milch's attacks. Nevertheless, it must be noted that wherever Milch directs his attention, things happen.

Wednesday, August 4, 1943 Rostov The German 6th Army recaptures Rostov in an irresistible drive. At the same time as planned, Axis forces break out of the Novorossiysk bridgehead aiming for the oil city of Maikop. The Führer's decision to hold Novorossiysk at all costs is vindicated.

Sunday, August 8, 1943 Heide Operation Heide progresses well. Maikop is easily recaptured by the Germans. Enemy supply dumps are captured, showing that the Soviets were preparing an offensive of their own. The capture of a supply dump is a significant event in an area where supply lines are more than 2000km long.

Tuesday, August 10, 1943 Heide German armored pincer movements close north of Maikop and a Soviet army is surrounded.

Thursday, August 12, 1943 Clark Gable Famous Hollywood actor Clark Gable has taken one risk too many. He was observer in a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress of the 92nd Bomber Group targeting Bochum in the Ruhr. Focke-Wulf Fw-190 Würgers made several passes at the bomber setting the fuel tanks ablaze. Clark Gable bailed out with the rest of the crew. He was arrested by local farmers and became the target of a group of peasant women who posed with him for pictures and demanded his autograph.

Saturday, August 14, 1943 Clark Gable Clark Gable is offered a commission in the Luftwaffe directly from the Führer, who is a great admirer of the actor. Gable flatly refuses and demands to be treated no differently from other prisoners. He is sent to the VIP prison of Castle Colditz, however. The Führer remarks to his adjutant that he wishes that German allies would show the same moral fiber as Clark Gable.

Tuesday, August 17, 1943 Schweinfurt The ball bearing factories of Schweinfurt are hit by a heavy US bombing raid. This is part of the Allied Pointblank directive to cripple German aircraft production. There is heavy damage to the factories but most of the machinery remains intact. The German reaction is vicious as Home Defense is reinforced with JG2 fighters from the Eastern Front. Of the 376 B-17s taking part, 80 are shot down and most are damaged. During the night the RAF executes an attack on the rocket research center of Peenemunde. The British know that the Germans are up to no good there. 40 Bombers are lost but damage is minimal. Nevertheless A-4 rocket assembly will be moved to an underground site in the Harz mountains. The Führer gives the A-4 production the highest priority and sets a monthly production target of 4,000 rockets.

Thursday, August 19, 1943 Jeschonnek Generaloberst Hans Jeschonnek, Chief of staff of the Luftwaffe shoots himself as he is being unfairly blamed for the failure of the Luftwaffe to stop Allied bombers.


Friday, August 20, 1943 Heide Axis forces move through Elista on the way the the Caspian Sea in Operation Heide. They have advanced 300km in ten days. Soviet troops surrounded near Maikop are mopped up. They show remarkably little fighting spirit.

Monday, August 23, 1943 Sicily Axis reinforcements including the redoubtable 10th Panzer Division arrive in Sicily. The soldier's morale is high after the good news from the Eastern Front and the successes in Sicily. Crucially, heavy artillery arrives to pound the Allies on the beaches. There are no plans to use nerve gas in Sicily. Neither Generalfeldmarschalls Rommel nor Kesselring even know about the gas. The Allies lack good airfields in Sicily and have to support the battle from Tunisia and Malta. Italian Sturmoviks continuously attack the bridgehead causing little damage but badly affecting Allied morale.
General Patton advises to get out "while the going is good."

Sunday, August 29, 1943 Edelweiss Grozny is captured by Axis forces. Anti-Soviet rebels join in the attack and help to capture the oil refineries intact. Soldiers watch in amazement as the local population rounds up political commissars to lynch them. Hundreds of civilians volunteer for service with the Axis. Chechnyan rebels ask permission to form their own SS division. Joseph Stalin is not very popular here. Many locals have been transported to other areas of the Soviet Union as hostages and slave labor.

Friday, September 10, 1943 Volga The Soviets attack in the Gorki area using human wave tactics. They use poison gas for the first time but without success. Both sides have gas masks that protect against conventional war gas. The poison gas hinders the Soviet attackers more than the Axis defenders.

Thursday, September 16, 1943 Volga The costly Soviet offensive at Gorki peters out without result. Although the Soviets advanced 10km in some areas, counterattacks drove them back. The elite Brandenburg Division was mentioned in dispatches. It slipped through Soviet lines and took positions across the line of retreat of the Soviet 334th Division. The desperate Soviets tried to break through in waves but were mowed down with all available weapons. Panzerfausts were fired into the massed ranks with devastating effect. The Soviet division was annihilated in minutes.

Sunday, September 19, 1943 Stalingrad The Soviets start a major offensive from Stalingrad aiming south to hit the flank of the German Caucasus offensive. Somehow they seem to come up with a surprise every time the German generals think they're finished.

Wednesday, September 22, 1943 Maikop German engineers are already at work in Maikop to restart the oil wells. Retreating Soviets have thoroughly destroyed the well heads. This project is given the highest priority as the OKH realizes that oil is the key to the future of the war. Already, Axis mobility is hindered by oil shortages.
Under emergency war conditions, such a project will take weeks where in peacetime it would take a year.

Friday, September 24, 1943 Kotelnikov The strength of the Soviet Stalingrad offensive is a surprise to the Axis. Masses of Soviet armor race to Kotelnikov, threatening to disrupt the Axis Caucasus offensive. The 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien commanded by Untersturmführer Léon Degrelle, digs-in and refuses to budge. Increasingly desperate Soviet attacks are beaten back in savage hand-to-hand fighting. The resolute defense gives the German 6th Army time to prepare a counterattack.

Friday, October 1, 1943 Kotelnikov The Soviet Stalingrad offensive finally crumples under a massive counterattack after a week long battle. The Soviets are short on resources: tanks, aircraft, and supplies. They try to compensate by sacrificing human lives but in vain. The 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien composed of French-speaking Walloons, chase the Soviets back to Stalingrad.
Generalfeldmarschall von Kleist mentions the heroic efforts of several international Waffen-SS Divisions in a dispatch to the OKH. The Führer is delighted and sends congratulatory messages to the divisions involved.

Saturday, October 2, 1943 Caspian Sea An Axis patrol reaches the Caspian Sea and radios the historic "Thalassa, thalassa" message. It is a repeat of a previous exploit in 1942. They set up a blocking position across the Baku-Astrakhan railway line and sever communication between Astrakhan and the Baku oil fields. The Caucasus is cut-off from the rest of the Soviet Union except for the perilous Caspian Sea route.

Sunday, October 3, 1943 Sicily A heavy artillery bombardment precedes an all-out attack by the German 10th Panzer Division in Sicily. Tiger I tanks force their way through Allied lines and reach the shore, exchanging fire with Allied cruisers. Focke-Wulf Fw 190s launch attacks on Allied warships with guided Henschel Hs-293 anti-ship glide bombs, causing some damage and a hasty withdrawal.
After recent reinforcements, both sides are equal in numbers but Axis tanks are superior to Allied armor. One of the most successful German Tigers is commanded by "panzer ace" SS-Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann. During the attack he brews up a Sherman tank, his 100th victim. The radio operator promptly jumps out in the heat of battle and paints a new circle on the still hot gun barrel to mark the kill.

Tuesday, October 5, 1943 Sicily The Allies have evacuated Sicily, losing all their heavy equipment. The deciding factor was a guided bomb attack on warships, a new element in warfare that needs tactical rethinking. 50,000 soldiers become prisoners of war. They will be paraded through Rome to support Benito Mussolini. The dictator is released from prison and his former prison guards are now in cells. Prime Minister Pietro Badoglio is put under house arrest. Such are the fortunes of war.

Saturday, October 9, 1943 Schweinfurt Schweinfurt is attacked for the second time with 291 B-17 Flying Fortresses which was all that could be scraped together. This time the losses are even worse: 95 bombers are shot down. Only 120 bombers complete their bombing run and most miss their target. Daytime bombing of Germany is stopped until long range escort fighters are available. Only the British are now able to carry the fight to the Germans with night raids. But here the Luftwaffe is also improving and bomber losses are mounting.

Wednesday, October 20, 1943 Merseburg The Junkers Ju-390 6-engined bomber/transporter makes its first flight piloted by Hans-Werner Lerche. The aircraft is comparable with the Boeing B-29 in size. It can carry a similar bomb load, 10,000kg and has almost double the range at 9,700km. Its maximum speed is about 50 kph slower than the B-29 at 505km/h but its cruising speed is slightly higher and the engines are more reliable. A first order is placed for 260 aircraft. There is a desperate shortage of cargo aircraft in the Luftwaffe.

Thursday, October 21, 1943 Caucasus German forces reach Astrakhan at the mouth of the river Volga. The Caspian Sea supply line to the Caucasus is now completely cut off. The Soviet Union's oil supply is disrupted. Operations in the Caucasus mountains are slowed down by the approaching winter and the desperate defense of passes by the Soviets. Armenian volunteers of the 812th Armenian Battalion, are dropped by parachute to disrupt Soviet reinforcement attempts.

Monday, October 25, 1943 Germany In Germany, the first Heinkel He-219 squadron becomes operational. The He-219 is a fast night fighter equipped with radar and heavy cannon armament. During tests, several Mosquitoes have been shot down. Generalfeldmarschall Erhard Milch has to accept the introduction of the He-219 as long as it doesn't interfere with the development of the Focke-Wulf Ta-154 Moskito. The Germans don't have short wave radar yet but the existing sets are adequate for intercepting bombers. A British Stirling with a H2S radar set has been shot down and Siemens engineers are examining the strange device. This is a major setback for the Allies. They had hoped to keep the vital radar technology secret. To their chagrin, the German engineers discover that the radar set is based on abandoned German technology. They have to admit that English engineers have been very clever in getting the radar to work.

Sunday, October 31, 1943 Stalingrad The German 6th Army reaches Stalingrad, much weaker defended than the year before. The Soviet armies have been mauled in the failed Stalingrad offensive. The Volga River is reached north and south of Stalingrad and 88mm guns shoot up barges that try to supply the defenders.

Thursday, November 11, 1943 Caucasus Axis forces take Batum on the Black Sea, advancing along the coast and bypassing the Caucasus mountains. There is little resistance. Armenian volunteers of the 812th Armenian Battalion have been very useful as they are familiar with the mountains.

Monday, November 15, 1943 Malta The pressure on the island of Malta is mounting. The air offensive is restarted after the Allied retreat from Sicily.
Total monthly Luftwaffe losses have been reduced by 50% after the Kursk offensive. The Luftwaffe is now making a determined effort in the west and against Malta. Medium bombers raid at night and captured Sturmoviks escorted by German Fw-190s and Italian La-5 fighters are sent in by day. The Sturmoviks are a source of amazement to the British, their armor makes them almost invulnerable to anti-aircraft fire and fighters.

Sunday, November 21, 1943 Caucasus Tbilisi, the gate to the oil center of Baku, falls to the Axis. Pockets of resistance are left in the Caucasus mountains, to be mopped up later.
The German 6th Army is closing in on Stalingrad. The Soviets try to block the enemy at Mamayev Kurgan hill, the scene of many months of fierce fighting the year before. The hill is a serious obstacle, Soviets soldiers are dug-in and well protected against artillery fire.
It's amazing how much difference one year makes in war. WASPs of the 411th Battalion are called in. The soldiers arrive in their Mercedes trucks and they are a strange lot indeed. They act with the air of chemists preparing an experiment, observing fortifications, making notes and calculations, waving their slipsticks around - the engineer's main weapon. They don't respond to questions. Eventually they set up their 80mm mortars and prime nerve gas shells, red for Sarin and yellow for Tabun. The mortars cough and cause innocent puffs of dust and smoke on Soviet positions. It seems like a leisurely affair. The soldiers wait patiently like dentists waiting for narcosis to set in, then they send reconnaissance units in chemical suits over. They report total success: no enemy is left alive. Decontamination teams are sent in to neutralize the nerve gas with sodium hydroxide spray.


Monday, November 29, 1943 Prague Recent conquests in the Caucasus make more bauxite available, increasing aluminum production. Captured factories in the Moscow area are already contributing aero engines and tanks to the war effort in a project energetically driven by Generalfeldmarschall Milch, who is perhaps the greatest organizer in the Reich. As a result, the Junkers Ju-390 goes into full-scale production and an order is placed for 40 Messerschmitt Me-264 "Amerika Bombers" as a reward to Professor Messerschmitt. Are the Yankees going to get a surprise!
At the same time, an unprecedented order for 2,000 Junkers Ju-252 cargo aircraft is placed with the Junkers-controlled Amiot company in France. The Ju-252 is five tons lighter than the Allied Douglas DC-4 but it has similar speed and payload and is cheap to manufacture. It has the major novelty of a hydraulic ventral loading ramp which is destined to become standard for cargo planes.

Tuesday, November 30, 1943 Stalingrad The German 6th Army has captured the ruins of Stalingrad almost casually. The previous defeat has been turned around causing immense satisfaction in Germany, just as intended. The Führer in a radio speech proclaims that he always delivers on his promises. He hints that the warmongers in London and Washington are trembling in their hideouts. He is not far wrong as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt has been secretly muttering to his staff "We were wrong to get involved in this war by Mr. Churchill."

Sunday, December 18, 1943 Caucasus German armor finally enters Baku. The miserable remnants of the Soviet Red Army, about 500,000 out of ammunition and short of food, become prisoners of war. Some Soviet forces retreat to British-occupied Persia and join up with British 9th Army. The balance of forces in the Middle East has changed. The Axis have significant forces in the area that can be used to attack Persia. Turkey may now join the Axis Powers. Italy, Romania and Bulgaria are encouraged and send more troops to the East now that it's relatively safe to do so. As a bonus, the dispirited Soviets haven't completely demolished the oil refineries of Baku.

Tuesday, December 20, 1943 Russian front Activity on the Russian front dies down. The Soviets build up new armies to replace the heavy losses and the Germans prepare for a spring offensive. The OKH estimates that three million Soviets have been killed or captured in the last five months, almost 1/2 of their army. Mountains of equipment and supplies have been captured: 12,000 Soviet tanks have been destroyed or captured along with 6,000 aircraft. Surely Soviet manpower must be exhausted?

Saturday, January 1, 1944 London The year does not begin on a good note for the Allied combined Chiefs of Staff. The Africa campaign was a success but the invasion of Sicily was a fiasco. The Soviet Union is in danger of collapse releasing 200 Axis divisions to the West. Germany seems to have developed a new type of poison gas. New German tanks have been encountered that are superior to the best Allied tanks. Fortunately the war in the Pacific is going well.