Hallo zusammen,
the Slavs are on the move! Poland is marching on Berlin, while the Soviets attacked Turkey.
More details relating to the seven powers:
Britain: The Prime Minister may have thwarted a French landing, but Denmark was lost to Germany. Yet at least Britain's no long on its own. Poland has attacked Germany. And then there are the Turks and Nationalists. Will these intervene in the Franco-German war on England?
France: The President has time and again failed to cross the Channel. It remains to be seen what the Nationalists and Turks will do in western waters. A lot will hinge on that. France also let Italy into Algiers. Perhaps not voluntarily... This year, France might now lose all of her holdings in the Maghbreb. But at least Switzerland has joined the French-led customs union.
Germany: Nasty Polish attack. Yet the Wehrmacht should be able to defend Germany's industrial centres. With additional resources from Denmark being round the corner, the Chancellor will be able to beef up the country's defences. And, thank God for the Soviet Union! Bouncing the Poles out of the Baltic was critical.
Italy: A rather strong turn. Might Italy now make a comeback? Relations to Ankara are apparently good. Though the Russian attack on Turkey could really help the Duce.
Poland: Do Berlin! The Polish armies have streamed westwards. Yet will they harvest success? One would assume there now is a strong Slavic bloc, but the Baltic standoff adds a few question-marks to that equation. The press section also suggests that not all powers are friendly disposed towards the rzeczpospolita.
Soviet Union: The Red Army's surprise attack on Turkey looks fairly promising. Ankara's there for the taking. Russia's position would have been stronger if A Eastern Ukraine had headed into Rumania.
Turkey: The hero of Gallipoli now sees his nation in grave peril. The capital may well fall. Still, Turkey's strong and might well turn the tables on the USSR.
Summer 1938 follows on Friday, 30 October. Or perhaps earlier, depending on when I receive Lynn's retreat.
Cheers,
Charles
PLAYERS:
BRITAIN: Mark Utterback
FRANCE: George K. Atkins
GERMANY: Brian Diffell
ITALY & NAT. SPAIN: Mike Norton
POLAND: Sean O'Donnell
SOVIET UNION & REP. SPAIN: David Gould
TURKEY: Jerome Payne
ANONYMOUS PRESS:
Somebody do something about these damned Poles! They're starting to stick up everywhere.
FRENCH PRESS:
France is still reeling from the unexpected assault on French Legionary forces operating in and around Iraq, which resulted in their expulsion into the Palestinian mountains. The swift and vicious attack by the combined arms of two Soviet and Turkish armies was used punishingly against a small company-size French force who mandate was only to pacify local religious conflicts that threatened to expand into neighboring areas.
The French President, Mssr Renault Dauphin d'Estang la Comte de Plus-que-parfait, issued a statement condemning the obvious influence of Perfidious Albion in yet another attempt by Whitehall to undermine the importance of spreading French Culture in an otherwise untutored Europe. "Perhaps the Turks and Soviets are merely puppets of the British government," mused the President.
The President was asked how he could also condemn the Turkish-Soviet attack on French forces when French forces mercilessly attacked the Italian homeland, taking control of Milan and its environs. He replied "So, it is not the same. Here, we are merely expanding on an earlier pledge to bring Italy into the refined influence of the il de France. And so, we were here before, as you now, when we persuaded Leonardo da Vinci to spend his remaining years in a more hospitable and enlightened country. Along with his paintings, of course. We'll do the same now, by bringing the Papacy back to Avignon, along with the contents of The Vatican museums. All I can say now is 'Arriverderci, Roma! They have had their time and that was then. This is now...No, wait. Now is already past. THIS is now...No, coming up is Now. But if it is coming up, it cannot be now, no? Sacre! This is worse than politics!"
SOVIET PRESS:
From the desk of Stalin:
To paraphrase Marx, Islam is the hashish of the Middle Eastern masses. After our successes in Iran, it is time that the socialist project was extended to include all of those unfortunates who have had their class consciousness dulled or corrupted by insidious religious habits, edicts and controls. While these have been sufficient to empower the Arab and the Turk to overthrow or defeat the decadent capitalist colonial powers, the true revolution will occur when the soviets with Arab, Palestinian, Turkish and Kurdish members arise. And they are rising now. Marxist-Leninist doctrines tells us that race is part of the illusion created by capitalists and religiosists to suppress awareness of the real conflict: that between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.
All the people of the United Soviet Socialist Republics wish our soldiers the best of fortune in the coming struggle. And our message to the people of Turkey is this: do not allow your leaders or the leaders of the capitalist or fascist powers to confuse you as to what this war is about. We aim to liberate you from your bonds, even the bonds that you do not realise constrict you. Forward, comrades!
From Pravda:
In military news, Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov has been made Commander of the 3rd Cavalry Corps, which is part of the 3rd Moscow Army Group. The People expect great things.
From Izvestia:
The people of Syria and Kurdistan, riven by civil war for so long - a civil war exacerbated by the clumsy interventions by the failing western powers - have asked the Soviet Union for humanitarian aid, and the generous peoples of the one true democratic state have stepped forward. Many blankets, food items, medical supplies and clothing are being moved into these strife torn regions by peacekeeping forces under the Red banner. It is to be hoped that the capitalist and fascist backed militias that have terrorised the people for so long will restrain their bloodlust and not fire on those just trying to save innocent lives. However, if they do, the response will be swift.
There is also news from Valencia. The Trotskyite-Zinovievite-Kamenevite Leftist-Counter-Revolutionary Bloc has been implicated in the breakaway forces posing as communists in the Spanish Civil War. Operatives who understand how things should operate under true Marxist-Leninist doctrine have been sent to Valencia to educate unreconstructed elements in proper thought and deed. It is believed that Vasily Mikhailovich Blokhin is going to be the chief instructor.
Late addition: the journalist responsible for the previous piece has been removed and sent to Siberia for a lack of proper understanding of the dynamics of fascist treachery operating in the realm of the Soviet Union. The proper term for enemies of the state at this time is not 'the Trotskyite-Zinovievite-Kamenevite Leftist-Counter-Revolutionary Bloc'. Instead, it should be referred to at all times as 'the Trotskyite-Kamenevite-Zinovievite-Leftist-Counter-Revolutionary Bloc'. We thank Comrade Stalin for taking time out of his busy schedule building the revolution to victory over all enemies to correct the paper on this important point.
Pravda classifieds:
The Red Orchestra's Danish overture was an outstanding success. Scandinavia shall hear the music. London?
From Leningrad: While the Leningrad Soviet welcomes Polish visitors to its fair city, it hopes that the recent influx is not a symptom of something wrong with the Polish state. The Polish government has thus far refused to comment, but there are certainly rumours of significant numbers of the Polish military about to choose to spend their leave period in the first city of the revolution.
ORDERS:
Britain:
F Denmark - Southern North Sea
F London Supports F Denmark - Southern North Sea (*Cut*)
F Irish Sea - English Channel (*Fails*)
F Northern North Sea Supports F Denmark - Southern North Sea
France:
A Algiers - Morocco
A Belgium - London (*Fails*)
F Brest Supports F English Channel
A Marseille - Switzerland
A Milan Supports A Marseille - Switzerland
A Palestine Hold
A Paris - Marseille
F English Channel Convoys A Belgium - London
Germany:
A Austria Hold
A Central Germany - Czechia (*Fails*)
F Hamburg - Denmark
A South Tyrol - Austria (*Bounce*)
F Southern North Sea Supports A Belgium - London (*Dislodged*)
Italy:
F Rome(wc) - Tuscany
F Tripoli - Egypt(nc)
F Tunisia - Algiers
Poland:
A Cracow - Silesia
A Czechia Supports A Cracow - Silesia (*Cut*)
A Gdynia - Pomerania
A Latvia Hold
A Warsaw - Cracow
F Gulf of Danzig - Baltic Sea (*Bounce*)
Soviet_Union:
A Eastern Ukraine - Stalingrad
A Iran - Kurdistan
F Leningrad(nc) - Finland(nc)
A Moscow - Kazakhstan
A Norway - Sweden (*Fails*)
A Rumania - Bulgaria
A Stalingrad - Eastern Anatolia
F Sweden - Baltic Sea (*Bounce*)
Turkey:
F Ankara(sc) - Levantine Sea
A Iraq - Syria
A Istanbul - Thrace
F Izmir - Aegean Sea
A Serbia Supports A Rumania - Transylvania (*Void*)
F Suez - Atlantic Ocean
F Libyan Sea Supports F Tripoli - Egypt(nc)
Nationalist_Spain:
A Burgos Supports A Portugal - Madrid
F Madrid - South-Western Approaches
A Portugal - Madrid
Republican_Spain:
A Catalonia - Madrid (*Fails*)
Egypt:
A Egypt Supports F Tripoli (*Disbanded*)
Greece:
F Greece Hold
Hungary:
A Hungary - Austria (*Bounce*)
Switzerland:
A Switzerland Hold (*Disbanded*)
Yugoslavia:
A Croatia Supports A Hungary (*Ordered to Move*)
RETREATS:
German F Southern North Sea can retreat to Hamburg or Netherlands.
SC OWNERSHIP (Winter 1937):
Britain (4): Denmark, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London.
France (8): Algiers, Beirut, Belgium, Brest, Marseille, Milan, Morocco, Paris.
Germany (5): Austria, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Netherlands.
Italy (3): Naples, Rome, Tripoli.
Poland (6): Cracow, Czechia, Gdynia, Latvia, Lithuania, Warsaw.
Soviet_Union (8): Finland, Iran, Leningrad, Moscow, Norway, Rumania, Stalingrad, Sweden.
Turkey (7): Ankara, Bulgaria, Iraq, Istanbul, Izmir, Serbia, Suez.
Nationalist_Spain (3): Burgos, Madrid, Portugal.
Republican_Spain (1): Valencia.
Egypt: Egypt.
Greece: Greece.
Hungary: Hungary.
Switzerland: Switzerland.
Yugoslavia: Croatia.
SCHEDULE (3 PM GMT):
Summer 1938 Retreats: 30 October
Fall 1938 Moves: 4 November
Winter 1938 Retreats/Adjustments: 6 November
Spring 1939 Moves: 11 November |
