World War Three May 1946

Kremlin

Moscow
June 6th, 1946
14:31 hours

“Sergo come in and brief me. What have you done with all your scientists and intelligentsia I have given you over the months? Do we have the solutions you promised to counter the American B29?”

“Yes your Excellency I believe we have. The only question is producing enough of the various weapons systems in time. I'm confident that the systems we have chosen will be able to make our losses bearable and will inflict heavy losses on the Americans and British. Again it is a matter of if we have enough time to produce them in the numbers required to cover enough of our strategic assets.”

“You let me worry about that. Our spies are feeding us with all the information we need. We will know when and where the large raids are going to be scheduled. This will give the army the time they need to re-base the planes and prepare the positions for the rockets you keep telling me about. To the Capitalist Pigs it will seem as though we have the entire motherland covered with an iron curtain. Everywhere they go the will run into fierce resistance.”

“I agree Comrade Stalin. If we can forecast where the first few targets of the raids will be we can set the trap. As far as the enemy knows it will be as if we have every possible area covered. If we have a week we can set up everything ahead of time and if our calculations are correct and the tests are accurate we should be able to achieve 30% or more casualty rates. They will not be able to sustain that and will have to cancel their bombing campaign. The key is the NKVD and it agents.”

“I hope you are right Sergo. We have made a great gamble to secure the motherland for the following generations. If we can convince the Capitalist pigs that we have the means to defend ourselves in the short run from their terror weapons we can then make sure we have the means to defend ourselves forever. They do not have the guts to meet us man to man on the battle field and will try to rely on their bombers to rain death and destruction down on us. They think they can do this with impunity. You, Sergo, have given us the chance to make even this threat too costly.”

“Thank you comrade Stalin. I am confident that our new weapons will work and will cause the enemy to have pause before they attack us from the skies.”

“One more thing Sergo, The British are planning a limited bombing raid in two weeks and we know the target. We will let this raid proceed without spoiling the surprise. We will let our conventional forces intercept the British bombers. We will save the big surprise for the arrogant Americans who think that their Super Fortress is unstoppable. From what I have been told you have used your time wisely and have made great use of the 3 B29 bombers that dropped into our laps.”

“Thank you comrade. We will not let the motherland be destroyed by the Capitalist terror weapons.”

 

Keep Moving
“We have to keep moving Greta. You can always take one more step. You are thirteen today. This is not the day to meet the Red Army soldiers fact to face. You have to leave your toys behind and just keep moving.”
“But Papa I'm so tired. We have been walking for days. All I want to do is sleep. Please just a few moments rest.”
“We cannot stop! If we stop we will die. Your fear must overcome your sleepiness. Keep moving. You can always take just one more step. Just one more step. Just one more. Another......”

 

Damn it General their getting slaughtered...we have to do something!

“Mr. President we have to stick with the plan. If we feed out troops in piecemeal straight off the ships it will be like putting branches in a chipper. They'll just get eaten alive one by one. We have to wait till we have the Louisville Slugger ready and hit em when they come over the plate.”

“This is the hardest decision we will every make. I know right now it looks like we are abandoning our troops and all the people of the Europe but we have to stick to the plan. To do anything else would be suicide. At this point we can only get 1 or 2 divisions a week over to Europe. We need 5 full Corps to even hold the line against the Reds.”

“Damn it Bob the press is handing us our hat and kicking us out the door. They're printing story after story about how we're turning tail and giving up without a fight. How were just giving up and letting the Ruskies take over the world. We've got the Atomic bomb for god's sake.”

“Sir we have to stay committed to making the plan work. I would suggest that we cannot change horses in mid-stream.”

“I know the press and world opinion is against us for now and calling us cowards. For the plan to work we have to maintain strict secrecy and a need to know only policy.”

“We can't even tell the Brits. We have overwhelming evidence that their is a mole or moles in the British leadership. Someone is feeding the Reds every move we make. The same is true for our atomic secrets. They know more about our Atomic bombs than I do. They know full well that we can't just bomb them back to the stone age with what we've got.”

“Sir in just a few more weeks and we should have enough units in place to stop them. In the mean time we have to draw them in and keep em thinking that we're running scared. The trap is almost set in France. The Navy is almost into position to give them a big welcome we just have to keep them getting closer to the coast and not thinking about anything else. That's the key. Distract them from what is really going on.”

“Damn it I know the plan! It's just hell watching our boys getting the **** kicked out of them.”

“Don't worry sir our time will come to start kickin back.”

 

Diabolical

“So what do you think of the plan for controlling our "comrades" in arms Nikandr? Checks and balances, divide and conquer, keep your friends close but your enemies closer, no?.”

“It looks good Nikolai. You have the Poles watching the East Germans and the East Germans watching the Czechs and the Czechs watching the etc. The Ukrainians watching everyone and the us occupying the Ukraine. It should work. They distrust each other enough to make it so they will have no compunction about following regulations and stopping sabotage yet they will not be so ruthless knowing that their families are under similar occupation from an equally ruthless enemy. I think it is brilliant. Use their distrust of each other to keep each other from bothering their comrades who are at the front. Divide and conquer. Very well played Nikolai."

“There will be virtually no men who are not at the front or working on the communal farms or watching for saboteurs and none of them will be home for very long. Any male caught outside of his duty station will be thrown in prison and on his way to the gulag. It will be possible to keep track of everyone for the next year anyway. Things will start to breakdown after that but in the mean time is will work.”

“Your "no mans land" along supply routes will help also. Anyone caught in the zone will be shot and the closest community will suffer and all routes policed by ethnic enemies who will not hesitate to shoot. It's all quite fantastically sinister and it should work. Not much chance of bribery since no-ones speaks the same language or trust each other. Where you do have problems you make examples of the occupying troops by punishing them and their loved ones back home along with the surrounding communities.”

“Well it's working so far. We will have to constantly rotate commands so that they do not form attachments. It is a good place to use the commissars as well. Keep them off our backs. They can command the occupation forces and teach the proletariat at the same time. One of the keys it to keep the troops rotating on an erratic time schedule. Different commanders and non-coms do thing differently despite regulations so there is little chance that patterns can be formed and used against you.”

“Part of their duties is to work on the communal farms and how well they produce determines how well their families eat back home.”
“Sounds like Capitalism Nikolai. You better be careful.”
“It works well that you actually let the troops go on leave back to their homes every 6 months. It gives them something to look forward to and reminds them of all they have to lose if they fail in their duties. It's good to have them look into the eyes of their loved ones less they forget how they will suffer should they aide saboteurs and rebels. Not only they will die but all of their loved ones back home will too. Rotating only 25% at a time works well too. If one deserts they all pay so they keep track of each other. Plus they guard the trains and trucks both ways.”
“It's brilliant that you are using married men with children as well as the occupiers. They have more to lose than bachelors with old mothers and sisters.”
“We use the best troops at the front and leave the cowards to occupy their neighbors and all with Czechs and balances or Bulgarians if you prefer.”
“Ha good one Nikolai.”

 

It's Revile Again for Some

Draft to Begin Again
June 8th, 1946
AP
By Robert Nelson

In a not so surprising announcement before Congress, President Truman announce the renewal of the draft. As one senator put it "We knew it had to be done".

The President called on all service men to re-enlist and promised increases in rank for those who did so voluntarily. Every returning veteran would get one advancement in rank if they volunteered for 2 more years of service.

The first round of draftees would be all eligible males who did not serve during WWII and are between the ages of 18 and 21.

Then the luck of the draw would fall next on those with least number of points as follows...

1. Service credit -- One point for each month of Army Service since 16 Sep 40. More than 15 days will be counted as a full month.
2. Overseas credit -- One point for each month served overseas since 16 Sep 40.
3. Parenthood credit -- Twelve points for each child under 18 up to a limit of three children.
4. Combat credit -- Five points for each award of combat decorations since 16 Sep 40.

Combat credits, the War Department said, will be based on awards of the Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Merit, the Silver Star, the Soldier's Medal, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal, Purple Heart and bronze service stars for participation in battle."

Former enlisted men up to the equivalent rank of Sergeant will receive double pay for the fist 6 months of active duty if they re-enlist within 30 days. Veterans with amphibious warfare training will receive and extra $300 signing bonus. Aviators will receive a $1000 signing bonus.

 

Map Room
White House
Joint Chiefs of Staff
June 9, 1946

Are you going to be able to do this in time Admiral?

It will be tight sir but we can pull it off. We will have to count on the air umbrella provided by not only our own resources but also the Brits. We should be able to concentrate on the Big Guns and not worry about air attacks. So far the Soviets have shown no signs of Kamikaze behavior and we expect no such activity.

How are we coming in getting our new jets into the fight General?

We are moving units to England as fast as possible. We don't want to commit them piecemeal. We will be doing limited operations over strategically important objective but the tactical stuff will still be up to the prop jobs. The Reds have so many planes in the air that we don't want our new jets to be wasted going low and slow and swarmed by Yaks.

It will be nice to see the Shooting Star in action finally.

Yes it's quite a plane. We should have had it much sooner but we were able to hit the German jets on the ground or when they were landing and taking off in 1945. Kind of similar to what would happen to our jets if we put them too close to the front lines in Germany or France.

 

Free French 1st Army HQ

Our allies will call us fools. They are willing to give up our land so that they may fight again. We do not have that luxury Their homes and families are not in danger from the boot of communism. They are not in danger of losing their freedom and honor once again to a petty dictator who hates all that France stands for. They will not have the iron curtain of suppression weighing down on them for generations. They will not have the dishonor of being a conquered people who did not fight.

Would the British just retreat from London without a fight? Would the Americans run to Mexico if they were invaded by Stalin and his henchmen? No, I think not and neither shall we.

I call on the Americans to use the atomic bomb. I would rather die than live under the boot of communism.

I call on all true Frenchmen to come to the aid of their country and culture. Together we can make the invader from the East shed blood for every village and town they rape. We can make them pay to steal our freedom. We can make them pay for trying to take our honor.

Today we make our stand. Here is where we make it. Not one more meter of French soil will be given up without the stain of French blood. We will retreat no more. We will sacrifice our lives for the honor of France.


Vive La France!

[video=youtube;sImkTIvcQ3k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sImkTIvcQ3k[/video]

 

Question, is this just an occupation of Germany or will they move on to France. Can the Soviets really afford to maintain a large army to occupy and control Europe? Due to the devastation of the war, the Soviets have a huge manpower shortage and fighting a new war when the country has just started to rebuild is questionable. Where will the food to feed Europe come from, with out the US there would be a potentially devastating famine. Do not forget that the Borders are vast and the US can come from different directions, especially the Pacific.

 

Keep in mind that this is speculative fiction, and of course can deviate from what we know or believe to be true. Enjoy it or not as you will but I would address specific questions to the author in a PM where you can debate as you may or perhaps begin a new thread of your own to debate the issue. Hairog's just trying to tell a story.

 

What the hell is De Gaulle doing?

What the hell is De Gaulle doing? Who authorized this? What is going on? He resigned for gods sake. He no longer has a post in the army. Why are they listening to him? This is ridiculous. This is a disaster for more than just France. Doesn't the idiot realize that? His little stunt will rip a hole in our lines that you can drive a Mac truck through. Does that stupid clown think we are really going to use an atomic bomb in France? The French and the rest of the world would hate us forever. The Brits might even pull out of the fight all together.

Well sir I guess he just has had enough. After spending all those years in England waiting to liberate his country and then to only see it free for a few months...you gotta feel for the guy.

I don't give a rats ass for his feelings. His actions will kill a lot of people and not only Frenchmen. This could be a disaster in the making. Any ideas gentlemen on how we can rectify the situation?

Well sir it appears that De Gaulle and his rebel units are making their stand near the French border for both symbolic, political and practical reasons. It's easily defended from the the Soviet tanks and they are going to use some of the most historic battle grounds for his little drama. They are anchoring their right on the Maginot line defenses which are still intact and going to pivot South using the fortifications until he's surrounded.

He's counting on our support and is going to go down swinging. You know the French and their pride. They can be quite dramatic at times. Their history is full of futile and heroic stunts just like this. I kind of admire the guy myself.

Horse ****! How can we use this to our advantage? I need suggestions and I need them now!

Well sir we could possibly use this to further the Louisville Slugger operation.

How so? I would think that this would really mess it up and throw it out the window.

The Reds will see this as a huge hole in our lines and will come pouring through. If history is any guide they will then cut behind our lines and attempt to encircle us trapping as much personnel, equipment and supplies as they can. Just as they've done throughout the war so far. The key would be to make them swing wide enough to draw them in. Making them keep widening the net to trap more troops. Keep their attention of the coast and off us.

De Gaulle and his fanatics should be able to hold out at least a week, maybe more, slowing up the Soviet advance as they deal with the trapped French troops. They can't afford to leave a piss off Frenchmen in their rear area. Plus it make for good headlines for the people back home. All those French troops surrendering makes for good propaganda films. This will slow up the advance towards the South.

We use the time to separate our forces and follow the plan Griddle presented by the JCS last month. Meanwhile the Brits get their act together and along with the French forces that are still in the fight, form around Le Havre just like we planned. Then we execute Louisville Slugger.

 

There was some considerable discussion of this in one of the Alternate History Forum threads.

 

Sit down Dave we need to talk.

What's this about Fred. You know that even though we're friends you can't stifle free speech in this country. The public has a right to know. So far the NATO, so called powers, are getting their ass kicked and the public has a right to know why and I've been telling em. You can't intimidate me Fred if that's what this is all about. The incompetence of this administration and our generals has to be part of the public record so this never happens again. The public has a right to know!

Calm down Dave. Just let me fill you in on a few facts that you should keep in mind. Some are all well known public facts. Easily looked up and easily verified and some I'm letting you in on off the record. Capish?
Off the record huh. Well since were old pals and all just this once I'll listen to your little speel. If I can confirm by any other source any thing that we talk about I'll print it ... Capish
I'll take my chances Dave but his has real world consequences that can kill a lot of people if you mess up. Just keep that in mind as I fill you in.
Off the record ... currently the US has 15 half strength divisions remaining in Europe, the Brits have 7 full strength the French have ramped it up to around 15 but most are very weak and untrained.

There are only 2 US divisions capable of offensive action the rest is just cannon fodder at this point. They have just enough power to save there own skins and that is by running. There is no time to destroy bridges, supplies of anything if you want to stay a cohesive fighting force while backing up as fast as you can while the other guy is running full tilt at you.

Imagine it's the Army Navy football game and your a Navy defensive back. Army's Doc Blanchard is coming straight at you. Would you have time to run over to the bench and dump the drinking water before trying to tackle him?

You can destroy the supplies or save your life....most of our boys are into saving their life and I can't blame them.

So far from what we have been able to gather the Soviets have yet to use their own internal supplies. You know the supplies that they are carrying with them. Why should they? They just stop at the nearest supply depot fill up and move on. They are not even doing much shooting. The most critical things are spare parts for their T34 tranks.

If your tank breaks down just grab a M4 Sherman. There are plenty of spare M4 left abandoned and plenty of parts for them. Leave your broke down T34 and grab a Sherman or two. Let the second line troops fix your tank. Just keep moving is what they've been told. The Germans made great use of discarded equipment as did every army and the Reds are no different. The Soviets have the added advantage of having American Lend Lease transports both air and ground and now replacement parts are all over the place.

Now look at our situation. Think of the French in 1940. It's true we have better air cover but we're still outnumbered 3 to 1 in the air. Then you add the disadvantage of no units to fill the line. At least the French in 1940 had a huge army, probably bigger than the Germans.

Now think our boys just plain not having enough units to even physically make a cohesive defensive line. There is just too much territory to cover with 30 or so divisions.

Divisions that have to withstand a Tank Army which was slightly larger than our full corps and there are three of these for our one.

A good old fashioned carpet bombing is months away and you need a static front for that.

Bomb their supply lines. What supply lines? This is Genghis Kahn time. Rape and pillage without the burn. Military supplies including fuel where sitting around like a Walgreen's in Chicago. Just pick up some ice cream when ever you want.

Just think back a few months Dave. We had over 12 million men in arms. We were in the process of demobilizing all but 3.5 in less than 6 months. It is truly amazing. They use battleships and carriers for troop transports but you know that. One made close to 10 round trips taking back thousands at a time camped out all over her decks. It was without a doubt the biggest mass migration ever.

You also know that Truman wanted to slow it down and even stop it until we knew what the Soviets planned. And you also know who was the most vocal critic at the time don't we Dave?

Ah come on Fred how did we know that Old Joe was up to no good.

Exactly Dave and you and others like you didn't want to know. Now I'm asking you a favor. You need to back down and little and get some of your rabble rousing buddies to come in line as well. We have a plan and we are executing it now but you have to trust us. If the Reds found out some of what I just told you there would be hell to pay and firing squads lined up to take care of the squealers. You catch my drift old buddy.

No Dave this is ugly...real ugly for us. This is just about as ugly as ugly can get and right now we don't need any more grief from people in the press who don't know the score card.

Alright Fred I capish. I'll back off and see what I can do. Now... how much of this is on the record?

The part where Old Joe is up to no good Dave... that part.

 

June 9, 1946

Whatcha got today Smitty.

Ah jeez Bill. You sure you're not telling anyone about this? You could get us into a lot of trouble.

Don't get you panties in a bundle. I'm the apex of discreet.

You're what? Never mind just hand em over.

You heard about this DeGaulle guy? You know the one that just resigned. I guess he's gathered a bunch of die hards and they are going to fight to the death using the old Maginot Line as cover.

Yeah...lets see them maps. View attachment 15899 Well that first one don't look so bad.

View attachment 15900

Now that's a horse of a different color. Dang they split the line and are over running the French. This is not good. Just when we finally stopped runnen to.

 

+ 10

May 12th, 1946
Outside Munster, West Germany
07:46 hours

“Jees Mac how are we supposed to stop em here? All the pill boxes and anti tank ditches are facing the wrong way. What are we supposed to do just close the door in their faces? Did you see those tanks they got. Ours are like toys compared to those monsters. You can't count on the flyboys to wack em like when we fought the krauts. Hell all you had to do was shout Tiger and the ground pounders would be all over em. Now we have to wait for hours and even then they don't show up most of the time. They're busy fighting with the commie pilots and not paying attention to what is going on down here in the mud.”

“Shut up Jess! I got y'all this far now just shut the hell up and pay attention. We've been ordered to make a stand here just to slow em up and to give us time to destroy our depots behind us. We can't move them and we don't want the Reds getting a hold of all them nice US Army c-rations. I know you hate to have a commie chewing on your chipped beef.”

“Anyway the top brass has scrounged a bunch of planes and plans on surprising old Ivan later today when they try and cross the river. They've been gitten kind of frisky lately and throwing haymakers left and right. We're goin to throw them a few jabs to slow em up and make em at least look through the window before they bust open the door if you catch my drift.”

“The flyboys will actually be there when we need em for the next couple of days anyway. Get Sparks to call in the mud movers and punch a few holes in those commie tin cans.”

“Now y'all y'all..That's yous to you Dutch... need to be a part of the jab. For the next few days until they flank us, this town is ours and we do what we have to do to keep it.”

“If those Jews in Warsaw could hold out for weeks with only rifles we can do it with some 105s and bazookas. Now get your ass out there and find a hole to hide in. We got plenty of ammunition so don't hold back. Use it or lose it. Interlocking fields of fire. You know the drill. Stick em and move then move back and stick em again. The papers are calling it a "fighting retreat". I call it an ass woopin.”

 

AP/UPI/CBS/NBC/ABC
May 13th, 1946
3:34pm London England

In an unprecedented announcement not heard since the start of World War Two the Western nations have formed an alliance called N.A.T.O. which stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The purpose of this organization is as follows...

"The Parties of NATO agreed that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all. Consequently they agree that the armed attack by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and its allies will cause each, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense, to assist the Party or Parties being attacked, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area."
United States, United Kingdom, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Iceland are the initial signatories with Greece and Turkey expressing interest at the highest levels.

It is felt that the unmatched barbarity of the Soviet attacks forced these diverse nations to unite in haste without the usual diplomatic discourse.

NATOs spiritual leader Winston Churchill remarked, "If the Western nations lay down their weapons, the Soviets would occupy all of East, West and Southeast Europe along with the greater part of the world. An iron curtain would fall over this enormous territory controlled by the Soviet Union, behind which nations would be slaughtered (my apologies to Goebbels)."

 

June 16th, 1946
Field HQ
Northern Group of Forces (NGF)
Near Bastogne

The French are done

Well Nikolai the French are finished. That was their last futile attempt to break out and they are starting to surrender in droves. I hope the cameras are working overtime for comrade Stalin's entertainment. I personally found it distasteful see the waste of so many men's brave lives on such a hopeless cause. Too bad our French communist comrades did not try harder to put a stop to it soone

You know Marshal Rokossovsky that they are with us now. The hero of the Free French that de Gaulle fellow has died. He was a brave but foolish man. I heard he put up quite a personal fight in one of the old forts and died very heroically. I suppose someone with a nose that big cannot help but be a hero. It was the only way to get women.

Do not speak ill of the dead Nikolai. He may have been a great man under other circumstances but as fate would have it he is now dead. Zukhov assigned us to mop up here and we did while he continues to attack along the coasts. Now it it time to unleash our armies and do what we do best. Now is the time for "deep operations". After this delay we can get on with trapping the Western forces against the sea.

We have finally made Stalin understand that cities are should not be the primary focus. The enemies armies are the key. We will be by-passing Paris and going for Le Havre where the NATO forces seem to be gathering for another Dunkirk. We will not make the same mistake that the Nazis made and will crush them with our armor or drown them in the English Channel.

Sounds like another glorious victory for the Red Army and for you personally Marshal Rokossovsky.

Yes it will be. Zukhov captured Berlin but I will win the whole of Europe for Tovarishch Stalin and the workers of the world with one lightning thrust.

It should be a glorious day Marshal.

 

Georgy and Vasily

I'm glad those Frenchmen have finally given up Vasily. This crawling around in these old forts was not very heroic. War is not what I had imagined. It is so noisy and confusing. How do you function so well?

Very easily Georgy...I'm mostly deaf in my left ear so I just don't hear much of what is going on so I can focus on what is in front of me. I have to rely on you to keep me from getting shot from behind. You are a good soldier Georgi. I'll keep you alive by killing things in front of us and you keep watching our backs and we will do fine.

Vasily... I have heard rumors that the Americans are giving up. They say that most of their units are nowhere to be found. Our comrades up north are complaining that there are no Yankees to kill anymore only Limeys and Frogs. The Yanks have turned and run away according to what I hear.

Why do they want to kill Yankees more than the other capitalists?

Because of the treasures they have in their pockets and their watches are amazing, Zippo lighters... According to Mikhail they have diamonds sewn in their hems of their clothes.

Don't be so stupid Georgy and don't go passing on those silly rumors. I'm sure our leaders are aware of what is going on. They will come up with a plan to crush the capitalists once and for all. You read the reports of how the capitalist pigs were using the Germans for slave labor. We have to save the workers of Western Europe from a fate worse than death. Sometimes it takes hard times to bring good times. What we are doing here will bring true freedom to the oppressed masses of the world.

You sound like a commissar Vasily.

Well I guess you have to be taught how to think Georgy. I don't want to lose you because of some misplaced counter revolutionary ideas. Just listen to me and what's behind me and I'll do the fighting and thinking for both of us. Don't worry about the disappearing Yankees. They are just running faster than we can catch up. They can't run across water so we will catch them on the coast. Our leaders have led us to victory so far. First over the Nazi pigs and now we have destroyed the French forces in front of us. Soon we will be setting the workers of Europe free and trapping the Yankees against the sea. I just hope they give up easier than the French did.

I guess you're right Vasily. I should have more faith in our leaders. We have come so far and so fast how can we doubt them?

 

Number 10 Downing Street
London England
6:36 hours
June 19th
So the trap has been set and the bait is in position I presume.

Most certainly Prime Minister. It will be something to behold. It all depends on how aggressive the Reds are but from what we've seen they will blunder their way into it no matter what. The common soldier is more afraid of the commissars than he is of death it self. We expect them to come in fast and furious with everything they have. The only tip off might be the massive air umbrella we are going to put up but they should expect that being so close to England.

We have tricked the Slav before and I suspect this will do it again. Old Joe will be beside himself if this works and maybe the damage will be so great he will sack his commanders. They have done an excellent job so far by the way. They are worthy opponents as the Germans found out. I do love going up against a good adversary but war is war. We shall have to plant the seeds of doubt after the plan is carried out and make it look obvious what we had in mind all along so that Zhukov and gang look like fools for falling into so obvious a trap. Maybe even make it look like they were assisting us some how. Probably a far stretch but Joe is exceedingly paranoid and mentally unstable.

This should push him over the edge and possibly cause another purge thus depriving him of his best commanders once again. My major concern is making sure the bait can get out in time.

Don't worry sir we have everything well in hand and expect that the air cover over the area will prevent any interference with the evacuation of the rear guard. There are enough Frenchmen who no longer wish to retreat and do not want to leave France to make it convincing for quite a while. If all goes as planned it should be all over in a matter of hours and the Soviets will be so stunned that it will take days to react. And even then they will be very reluctant to get near the coast again. We estimate it will take 2 weeks for them to recover and discover exactly what happened.

Well Admiral even if they don't ride into the trap it will still hold their attention and keep their eye off the ball as the Yanks say and the rear guard will still get away to fight again. Old Joe thinks this will be his answer to Dunkirk but we shall make it his Charge of the Light Brigade.

 

45km from the English Channel

Between Paris and Le Harve
June 20th, 1946
Northern Group of Forces

I am worried Marshal Sokolovsky the Americans have disappeared from the front lines. We cannot penetrate past the air units of the capitalists and we are blind as to what lies south of us and along the French coast. It is a stalemate in the air war. We are blind to their intentions and can prevent their ground attack units from attacking but we are also blind and cannot use our Sturmoviks. We gave their bombers a bloody nose but they will be back. That was only the British. Where are the Americans?

Don't worry Filipp the Yankees are just the first in line to get on the boats. You've seen the newsreels and reports from England complaining about how the Americans are getting to go on the transports first. Our Southern flank is well guarded by the Western Group of Forces. The 1st 2nd and 4th Guard Tank Armies are in position to overrun the last organized capitalist forces in Europe. We will not make the same mistakes the Nazis did. We don't need the air forces to crush what forces remain trapped along the coast. We just need them to keep the enemies planes from disrupting our plans. We have stopped the air forces of the capitalists at every turn and as demonstrated our tanks are vastly superior. We shall cut them to pieces and use them for fish bait. They are finished on European soil. It's time to look towards the oil in the Mideast. We don't need it but they do.

 

Operation Louisville Slugger

June 20th, 1946
4:54 hours
English Channel 5km off of the French coast near Le Havre

The Soviets have pinned what they believe are the last surviving fighting units of the NATO forces in Western Europe in a 60 mile perimeter around Le Havre France. Assigned to the assault are 753 of the Soviets newest heavy tanks. Model Iosif Stalin 3s and T-44s are lined up tread to tread. 4623 guns, rocket launchers and mortars are ready to fire on command. 453,163 men are manning the guns and tanks or on foot. They are anxious to get it over with and start the assault.

Just over the horizon appears one of the grandest sights ever in naval history. The largest fleet of modern battleships ever assembled starts to come into view. Bow waves are visible as these creations of human ingenuity move through calm waters. They are on a mission. This mission means the destruction of tens of thousands of fellow human beings and their weapons.

Overhead the skies are filled with an umbrella of warplanes many of them coming from the over 20 fleet aircraft carriers combined into another great fleet who's task it is to guard the safety of the stately steel fortresses below. Over 600 naval fighters combine with 1203 land based fighters in a tightly choreographed display of military might. All of this power is concentrated in a 50 mile square patch of the English Channel.

This patch of concentrated power and combination of 16" and 14" naval artillery is highly mobile and ready to move where it is most needed firing it's salvos from over the horizon, seemingly coming from nowhere to wreak havoc and destruction on an unimaginable scale with accuracy no other weapons system could match.

According to an after action reports of Operation Neptune submitted by the German High Command after D-Day "a cruiser may be compared with a regiment of artillery. Battleships carrying 38 cm. or 40 cm. guns have a fire-power which to achieve in land warfare is difficult and only possible by an unusual concentration of very heavy batteries." Only a small number of railroad guns can match their size and range. There are over 450 of these guns moving at up to 15 knots.

Blinded by the air umbrella put up by the NATO forces the Soviet Tank Armies start their advance. Spotter planes cruise up and down the coast guarded by NATO fighters. The fist ranging salvos cause no concern among the Soviet Generals as they unleash their artillery blindly into the enemy’s enclave hoping to silence the artillery that remains in the opposition forces. The naval guns far out ranging the Soviet artillery guns and concern grows as the salvos from the massive 16" naval guns start to land far inland. Guns of unimaginable power and shells of massive proportions that have been waiting since the day they were assembled to do what they were designed to do.

Then the full salvos start. One hundred and six 16" guns from ships with the names of the USS Wisconsin, HMS Nelson, Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, West Virginia, Alabama, South Dakota, Indiana, and Massachusetts landing almost in unison with unimaginable accuracy and carnage. One hundred and twenty 14" guns from ships named the Howe, Duke of York, Mississippi, New Mexico, Tennessee, California, Idaho and others add to the chorus with spotter planes directing their flight. 113 of the Soviet army's heaviest tanks are obliterated in the first two salvos. Dozens disappear with every salvo after.

Panic ensues and shell shocked Soviet troops and armor that are caught in the open run for cover. But there is no cover for miles. Miles of open ground offering no cover leaves thousands of the finest fighting men on earth with nowhere to escape. They stagger over terrain chosen by their tank commanders. Chosen for its lack of obstacles. Chosen for its lack of cover.

Their doom is sealed. All they can do is to await their appointment with death and dismemberment. They have no prepared bunkers, trenches, fox holes or even a place to hide. They are literally just waiting to become dead meat.

Out ranged and blind, the Soviet artillery parks are blow to piles of smoking debris. Many not even knowing what hit them. High explosive shells coming from out of nowhere ending their lives far from home

The area outside the outskirts of Le Havre are instantly turned into an image of World War One's no-mans land. Giant craters filled with smoking and burning, flesh, fuel and steel strewn the landscape for miles and still the salvos continue. Raining death an destruction on anything caught in the maelstrom of screaming steel and explosives. Each shell exploding with unimaginable force and destruction and leaving in their wake a massive crater full of death and dying.

The noise is indescribable. It is beyond comprehension. Never has such a concentrated and mobile force of human destruction rained down on other human beings with such accuracy. Never have 22 modern battleships joined together in a chorus of unimaginable destruction.

This display of firepower makes carpet bombing look like child's play. The shelling is done with pinpoint accuracy and it is constant at over 450 2000lb shells being fired per minute if needed. The salvos continue until there is nothing alive and nothing moving. Everything larger than a rat is dead or dying. It is horrific even to those who have perpetuated the slaughter. Even to those who hate the enemy with a white hot passion. Only an atom bomb can compare.

The salvos fall for only 36 minutes. That's all the time that is needed. In those 36 minutes 739 Soviet Heavy tanks were obliterated, 232,624 men are dead or wounded and 3542 guns, rocket launchers and mortars are destroyed.