Europe Aflame Solo Run

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7 April 1940: Polish Forces inside Warsaw are forced to capitulate after a week of heavy fighting

Hitler mulls his next move...

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Fall of Warsaw Close Up

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7 April 1940: Polish Forces inside Warsaw are forced to capitulate after a week of heavy fighting. The city is now in German hands.

Remnants of the Polish Armed Forces fight on but the situation is hopeless. Remaining aircraft attempt to reach the UK & France in desperate attempt to stay in the Fight.

9 April Stockholm: Peace negotiations between Finland & the Soviet Union break down as the Finns refuse the Soviet terms for a Treaty. Molotov walks out taking the whole Russian delegation with him, he is heard to remark that

‘ the talking is over!’...


14 April: Wehrmacht continue mopping up operations in Poland. Adolf Hitler summons a full meeting of the Heads of all the Armed Services in Berlin for the 21 April.

14 April: The Treaty of the Hauge signed between Germany, France & Britain with an Armistice to take immediate effect. No more hostile acts are to be engaged in by any side. The Allies agree to recognise a German sphere of influence in Denmark and Norway who will full internal control of their internal affairs.

Germany consents to militarily withdraw from both States within five years but the border between Denmark & Germany will be restored to the 1914 frontier.

Sir Winston Churchill condemns ‘this wretched deal’ & retires to his Country Estate.

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14 April: Eastern Poland implodes into anarchy as a Free Byelorussia Government is declared in Brest-Litovsk but has little military forces to enforce its rule. NKVD & Abwehr agents attempt to garner support for their respective sides.

In Moscow Stalin mulls an occupation of Byelorussia in a ‘police operation’ style crossing of the Frontier. Marshals Budyonny & Zhukov meet Stalin and press hard for him to intervene citing clear evidence that there has been a huge build up of Nazi forces on their side of Poland.

The First Secretary is hesitant citing the continuing problems with Finland which could lead to another War [as Molotov is advising] and that any intervention in Byelorussia is bound to provoke Hitler.
Budenny slams Stalins’ desk in anger and calls him a Coward! He apologises but the damage is done.

21 April: Berlin, Hitler tells the Heads of the three Armed Services that the invasion of Russia will commence on 21 May - Operation Barbarossa! Intense buildup of air and land forces continues apace...

NKVD agents inform Stalin that all the indications are that Germany will be ready to launch an offensive by mid summer at the earliest. He decides to press the Finns further and orders his reserves to Karelia to conduct a lightning attack and capture Helsinki by 1 June.

28 April: In a surprise offensive the Soviets launch an Attaque à outrance on the Finnish lines. After a series of heavy assaults the Finns hold their positions - the Soviets take huge casualties!

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19 May - Continual Soviet attacks on the Finns fail to break them, Russians take huge casualties for negligibal gains. Finnish resources begin to sag and Marshal Mannerheim appeals to Berlin for material help.

Brest-Litovsk - Revolutionary Committee of the Byelorussian Soviet People’s Front attempts a Putch in the city, barricades go up as both sides appeal to Moscow & Berlin for help.

Stalin orders the dispatch of NKVD troops to guard the Revolution.

Marshal Budenny’s plane who was on his way to inspect the fortifications of Odessa is reported missing over the Pripet Marshes. Despite widespread searches nothing is ever found...

Adolf Hitler delays Operation Barbarossa by one week to allow the logistical build-up to continue. All combat forces are now in place.

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26 May: Operation Barbarossa begins - Italy, Rumania & Bulgaria join the Crusade against Bolshevism

Army Group C advances at a rapid pace meeting very little resistance.

Rumanians start across the river Dniester but the Soviets are on the alert and halt them.

Mussolini dispatches an armoured Corps to Rumania to join the Crusade. He mulls an attack on Greece under cover of greater events further north.

Slovak Corps raised for dispatch to the Eastern Front.

General Rommel is put in command of a Panzer Corps to be used to help the Rumanians.

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Back Areas on the Central Front

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RUMANIA

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1 June: The Kremlin - Stalin address the Soviet People and calls for full mobilisation to defeat the Fascist invaders.

He closes down the offensive against Finland but demands free passage through the Baltic States to secure strategic lines of defense.

On their refusal he orders in Soviet armies to secure areas of State security in Estonia and Latvia.

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1 June: The Kremlin - Stalin address the Soviet People and calls for full mobilisation to defeat the Fascist invaders.

He closes down the offensive against Finland but demands free passage through the Baltic States to secure strategic lines of defense. On their refusal he orders in Soviet armies to secure areas of State security.

6 June: Sweden joins the Axis & dispatches an Expeditionary Corps to Finland.

Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia join the Axis.

They all form ‘The Baltic League’ along with Finland to fight Bolshevism.

Army Group Centre advances to the Minsk Line.

THE MINSK LINE

SEF LANDS AT RIGA

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16 June Hungary joins the Axis - Admiral Horthy pledges full support for the War.

German supply situation on the Eastern Front is now fully operational - Hitler orders all out attacks to commence at once.

Soviet troops advance towards Petsamo.

Soviet offensive into the Baltic States cuts off Estonia and north Latvia.

On the Central Front the line holds off all German attacks but they are in danger of being outflanked.

The Odessa Front is solid with all lines held.

Stalin orders up the Reserve Armies to stem the tide.

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30 June 1940:

Barbarossa continues with the Axis making slow but steady progress.

In the Artic a German expeditionary force is making its way to Petsamo to defend the city.

In the Baltic States the Soviets have managed to seize about half its territory but are being slowly pushed back. The Swedish Army has sent units to help the offensive there.

Stalin orders the building of defense lines to guard Leningrad.

Army Group Centre is locked in heavy battles with the Soviet Central Front - no breakthrough yet but steady progress made

Army Group South is locked in another slugfest with Soviet Armies to the West of Zhitomir with neither side gaining the upper hand.

On the Dniester line Rumanian, Hungarian and Bulgarian forces have a gained a tenuous foothold on the left bank of the river but the Soviet line is still holding well.

Border clashes reported on the Greek - Albanian border between the Italians & the Greeks. Both sides blame each other. In Rome Il Duce publicly address a Fascist Rally and says he cannot ignore insults forever!

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GRUPPE NORD - NORTHERN FRONT

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ARMY GROUP NORTH - BALTIC FRONT

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ARMY GROUP CENTRAL - CENTRAL FRONT

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ARMY GROUP SOUTH - SOUTHERN FRONT

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SOME SITUATION MAPS 7 JULY 1940

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MINSK 7 JULY 1940

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BREAKTHROUGH AT UMAN 14 JULY 1940

Note - Italian & Rumanian armour in the lead. Bulgarian,German and Humgarian forces advance behind them.

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Decision- turn North and either surround or storm Uman

- or go hell for leather across the steppes for the bridges on the Dnieper River at Cherkassy?