Hallo zusammen,
Europe's statesmen for the most part appear to be more interested in opening their pockets for new planes, tanks and artillery pieces. Submarines, cruisers, battleships are currently second and third priorities in the powers' rearmament plans. Almost as if they all agreed on renewing the Washington Treaty of 1922 which limited naval rearmament...
BTW, should you be interested in learning more about the history of the times the game covers, let me recommend Richard Overy's "The Road to War". It's a very readable one-volume history that devotes a chapter to every power featured in the game (other than Turkey, which wasn't really considered a great power, albeit a significant regional player). I personally find my enjoyment of a given (war)game rises when knowing a little more about the topic it covers. The relevant chapters of Paul Kennedy's seminal "Rise and Fall of the Great Powers" also makes for a good companion read to the game, since it appraises the strengths and weaknesses of the great powers (albeit Poland, not universally recognised as a great power, and Turkey, not recognised as a great power by anyone at the time) sadly are left out of that account.
I'm currently rereading Roman Debecki's "The Foreign Policy of Poland 1919-1939". Has its biases as the author himself belonged to the Polish diplomatic corps at the time, but I find it most interesting to consider Poland's very ambitious foreign policy schemes. Gives rise to interesting what-ifs...
I'm musing how one might rate the respective leaders of the time were they diplomacy players. Mussolini would probably get an F in my book. I think it was Paul Kennedy who described him as a "strategic liability of the first order". Kinda the erratic and inept sucker you'd probably finish off quickly in a Diplomacy tournament.
Poland's Jozef Beck (actually only the foreign minister, but he was wholly in charge of foreign affairs - quite unusual an arrangement) strikes me as being little better. Kinda your "chainsaw player" who manages to get on everyone's nerves. Greedy (see Munich Crisis) and myopic. Universally disliked by Europe's statesmen - never a good mark in a Dipper! I guess an E is in order.
Chamberlain... Arguably too maligned by the general public. He tends to get a friendly treatment from present-day historians. Appeasement really was the only course Britain could follow and he wasn't the naive and cowardly sucker his detractor made him out to be. His basic strategy was pretty sound, making concessions as he swiftened Britain's pace of rearmament and rallied the nation and commonwealth. But on diplomatic tactics and implementation... Not so great. D.
Daladier... He operated under severe contraints and showed considerable resolve in harnessing French strength for war and got the Brits to finally make a continental commitment. C.
Stalin... Hm, he played Roosevelt masterfully. But he gravely miscalculated with the German-Soviet Pact, displaying a dictator's characteristic avarice. Didn't see the biggest and most obvious stab in historiy coming. C
Hitler... A reckless gambler. But achieved diplomatic stunning successes in the 30s. Good at charming or bullying people, as required in a given diplomatic situation. Too easy diplomatic victories made him however overconfident and that contributed to him miscalculating the situation in September 1939, leading to the general war yet didn't (just yet) want. Certainly a man of considerable ability, but such a diplo-style probably is going to "outstay its welcome". Kinda scorched earth mentality brought to the diplomatic arena. C.
Atatürk... Not only a great military leader, but was able to reconcile with his erstwhile Greek foes and extricate territorial concessions from France. Was a greatly respected figure in the diplomatic arena, always a big plus. Got what he wanted on the Straits Question. I'll give him an A, cuz I gotta give the top grade to somebody. :p
Well, excuse my rambling... What do you think of those very tentative ratings of those leaders' diplomatic skill?
Anyway, the Spring 1937 Moves prelims are due NLT 6PM CET on Saturday, 1 May.
Let's see what the new year holds for us all!
Liebe Grüsse,
Charles
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PLAYERS:
BRITAIN: Michael Thompson
FRANCE: Joao Queiros
GERMANY: Ghostine, Jimmy
ITALY & NAT. SPAIN: Dirk Knemeyer dirk@knemeyer.com
POLAND: Kyle Overby-Lee
SOVIET UNION & REP. SPAIN: Nigel Phillips
TURKEY: Repu Maoni
HEADLINES:
o DAMAGED SUEZ SQUADRON LIMPS OUT TO SEA; BRITISH HOME FLEET DOWNSIZED
o FRENCH ARMEE D'AFRIQUE WINTERS IN TUNIS
o THROUGHOUT EUROPE CONSCRIPTS RECEIVE BASIC TRAINING
o ALL NAVIES SAVE TURKEY'S COMPLAIN ABOUT INADEQUATE FUNDING
PRESS:
Pic of the Day: Soviet T26-towed artillery pieces on parade
Quote of the Day: "The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it." -Thucydides
RETREATS:
Britain:
F Suez - Libyan Sea
France:
A Algiers - Tunisia
Italy:
A Piedmont - Milan
ADJUSTMENTS:
Britain:
Remove F English Channel
France:
Remove A Palestine
Germany:
Build A Hamburg
Build A Munich
Italy:
Build A Rome
Poland:
Build A Gdynia
Build A Cracow
Turkey:
Build A Ankara
Build F Istanbul
USSR:
Build A Stalingrad
Build A Moscow
Build A Leningrad
Nationalist_Spain:
Build A Burgos
SUPPLY CENTER OWNERSHIP (Winter 1936):
Britain(4-1=3): Edinburgh, Liverpool, London, -Suez-.
France(5-1=4): -Algiers-, Beirut, Brest, Marseille, Paris.
Germany(3+2=5): +Austria+, Berlin, +Czechia+,Hamburg, Munich.
Italy(4+1=5): +Algiers+, Milan, Naples, Rome, Tripoli.
Poland(3+2=5): Cracow, Gdynia, +Lithuania+, +Rumania+,Warsaw.
Turkey(3+2=5): Ankara, +Bulgaria+, Istanbul, Izmir, +Suez+.
USSR(3+3=6): +Finland+, +Latvia+, Leningrad, Moscow, +Persia+, Stalingrad.
Nationalist Spain(1+1=2): Burgos, +Madrid+.
Republican Spain(1): Valencia
Neutrals(23-9=14): -Austria-, Belgium, -Bulgaria-, Croatia (Yug.), -Czechia-, Denmark, Egypt, -Finland-, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, -Latvia-, -Lithuania-, -Madrid-, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, -Persia-, Portugal,
-Rumania-, Serbia (Yug.), Sweden, Switzerland.
DEADLINE SCHEDULE: (all orders are due NLT 6PM CET (GMT+1)...not local time)
o Spring 1937 Moves: (1) 3 May
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