GD1938v3 ACQ

[cpdeyoung]

10 January 1938

The Soviet Union has had enough of Romanian theft and bluster. The Italians, whose leader knows much of bluster, have supported the Romanian provocations and now Romania, and her Italian sponsors have a war on their hands.

Italian resistance to the Anschluss Österreichs has already infuriated the Germans, and their cordial relationship with the USSR has resulted in the transfer of 3,000 fuel and supplies to Germany from her comrades. If Soviet arms are successful enough to gain the Romanian oil resource we are sure to continue to sell fuel to Germany. Together Germany and the USSR can slap some sense into Mussolini. Germany can rest easy knowing that the Romanian oil will be safe in the friendly hands of the Soviet Union.

As the new year begins the USSR is sorry to have to go to war. The Politburo wants to assure the world that we are not interested in aggression. As an example we have sent a brigade to Spain to help the legitimate government defend itself from the North African upstart. In Spain also Italian troops are muddying the waters. We are proud to help resist their brigandidge.

Joseph Stalin

[Bombur]

Wow, this is indeed unusla, but what happens if the Germany player decides to help its Italian comrades.

[cpdeyoung]

10 January 1938

Well, what does happen? Stavka was given the task to discipline the Romanians. Italy took umbrage, and declared war on the USSR. We think this is a mistake on Italy's part, but it is their mistake to make. We have assured Germany of our intention to continue selling them fuel (3000/5), but if they choose to follow Italy into war with the USSR, so be it. The choice for war has been an option for Germany for many years. Why they would allow Italy, and Romania, to influence the timing is curious.

The border states of the Soviet Union often contain lands stolen from the Russian Empire in the troubled time near the end of the Great War. After much hard work, in carefully crafted Five Year Plans, the workers of the People's State have regained their strength. Our actions in part begin to address these thefts. The USSR has matured. We are well aware of the animosity that a people's state must endure in a world of rapacious capitalism, but we intend to be a powerful bastion for the Left. The Comintern will continue to encourage the workers to vote for peace and bread. The internal conflicts of capitalism will bring it down, but the Soviet Union means to protect the workers from international state violence.

Germany will do what it will. They are a powerful state, but other powerful states will try and prevent it from becoming the overlord. In the immediate future we will continue to suppress the Romanian thieves, and assume the Italian interest will wane as they realize they are in our vestibule.

[ArmouredLion]

February 1938

In a move for peace, Italy has turned territory over to German peacekeeping forces. Since Germany and Russia have a cordial relationship there is hope sanity will prevail. Germany has spoken to several powerful nations about supporting them in this bid to keep the world at peace. The hope is several nations will deliver peacekeeping forces to Romania. Only if the Soviets are truly bloodthirsty will this war continue. Germany has full confidence that peace will be reestablished. During his tense time, the relations between Italy and Germany have never been closer.

[cpdeyoung]

7 February 1938

Well, that certainly did not result in peace.

A party of Italian soldiers marched out in German uniforms, under a Swastika flag. They informed Brigade commander I. I. Pavlov that Christinau was now under German protection. They had official German documents. The news reached the Politburo by three in the afternoon. The decision was unanimous - "continue the battle". No Germans were killed because only seventeen Germans were present, a single planeload of "diplomats in Feldgrau". There is now a state of war between Germany and the USSR. All because of some Romanian bandits. Germany has badly misjudged Secretary Stalin.

This, of course will mean the end of any fuel shipments from the USSR to Germany.

[cpdeyoung]

7 March 1938

Very slow going in the cold, wet, mountains of Romania. There were few battles and few casualties. We hope to make more progress next month.

[cpdeyoung]

7 March 1938

On a pretty Spring day bathers, on the shore of Vladivostok's harbor, were excited by the sight of very large warships at sea. Soon the shelling started, as the Japanese, not known for such formalities as declarations of war were attacking. By land and sea Japanese warriors were at the gates. The Motherland's finest prepared to ward off the foe.

[Bombur]

Again we are seeing the consequences of early Soviet activity. It maybe very well that cpdeyoung is skilled enough to defeat both Japan and the European Axis, but it will be done at such a cost that even a mediocre allied player will able to win the game with almost no effort. Remember the Axis here works as a united front in the pursuit of victory. You provoke one and the two other go after you.

[cpdeyoung]

4 April 1938

There has been a lot of speculation and discussion about the Soviet strike on the Romanian bandits. I have a perspective which differs from most, so let me say a few things.

A. I never thought of this as a big deal. I usually want a small war to gain some experience before bigger things come down. Romania looked attractive, and Italy did not look too formidable.

B. The Soviet Union has a war with the Axis, all Axis nations. I did not expect the Axis to take Romania so seriously. I expected Germany and Italy to continue to expand diplomatically, with a war coming in late 1938, perhaps. I expected Japan to fight China, and to let the sleeping Red dogs sleep. I do not consider Romanian oil to be vital to the German war machine, nice, certainly, but not vital.

C. The Allied player is shaping up nicely, but has a lot of experience to gain. I suspect the Axis player is enabled by the lower pressure from FR, GB and CH.

D. The Red Army is at a very low readiness level. They are struggling with the Romanian campaign, but will improve. In the Far East we are doing much better. The Japanese, like the Soviets, have low CE values. There are a lot of Chinese nearby, and Soviet logistics are improving. It is rough getting pounded by the IJN, but Vladivostok is not critical to the USSR either. I have no idea how this battle will shape up, but just now I think we can defend successfully.

[ArmouredLion]

april 1939

Japan suffered the highest level of losses since the war began, but the Chinese casualties were several times higher. Only miles away from a key supply line, China is on the verge of being split in half. New artillery is making its way to the front and should prove quit effective in breaking the will of the Chinese forces.

[ArmouredLion]

April 1939

In the northern campaign, armor is slicing through Chinese force in desert combat and the advance is gaining momentum.

[cpdeyoung]

2 May 1938

Slow progress. I chose this map to show the important country of Hungary, which the Axis is trying to recruit.

[ArmouredLion]

May 1938

Japanese saw another increase in casualties in the South but major gains were achieved and a key supply line was cut off to the south.

[ArmouredLion]

May 1938

The Northern campaign in China saw the construction of an airbase. There was one fierce battle that saw mass casualties of Chinese. Also on the Soviet front, Vladivostok was taken and there were heavy casualties of Soviets soldiers with light Japanese losses.

[ArmouredLion]

May 1938

War was declared on Czechoslovakia. German forces swarmed the country and encircled its mining district. The cruel battled ended in a triumphant German victory. Czech forces were destroyed down to the man with extremely light losses by German forces.

[ArmouredLion]

Casualties:

[ArmouredLion]

May 1938

War was declared on Belgium. Belgium soldiers were deeply entrenched and exacted a fair toll on German soldiers for all their gains... but the gains were many. The attack stalled out on the Border of France. Next month German forces expect to put their boots on French soil.

[cpdeyoung]

30 May 1938

The loss of Vladivostok is very unfortunate, but with the pressure from the IJN it is a difficult city to hold. The Axis tide rises, as tides will, but they are taking on tasks on many fronts. Here is a look at the situation in Romania.

[cpdeyoung]

27 June 1938

The Japanese are very strong in the Far East. We are steadily reinforcing there.

Here is a snapshot of the Romanian situation.

[ArmouredLion]

June 1938

Despite the creation of a vast German airfield and cutting the allied forces in half with the taking of Rotterdam, the brave stand of Belgium forces in Brussels have led many to speculate that the German offensive has stalled in the West. German forces having pulled back out of Luxemburg has not helped Germany's denial that they will be back on schedule within the month.