Europe Aflame Solo Run

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11 OCTOBER 1942 - USS MURPHY IS TORPEDOED IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC BY A GERMAN U BOAT WHILE ON CONVOY ESCORT DUTY - HER BOW IS BLOWN OFF - 14 AMERICANS ARE FEARED DEAD - FDR ISSUES A STRONG WARNING TO BERLIN THAT ANY FURTHER ATTACKS RISKS ALL OUT WAR.

IN GREECE OPERATION BYRON BEGINS AS GENERAL MONTGOMERY [ALLIED COMMANDER GREECE] LAUNCHES AN OFFENSIVE TO DRIVE THE ITALIANS OUT OF THAT COUNTRY.

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25 OCTOBER 1942 - OPERATION Rheinübung BEGINS - GERMAN BATTLE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE BATTLESHIP BISMARK AND THE HEAVY CRUISER PRINZ EUGEN WITH ESCORTING DESTROYERS ARE SPOTTED BY RAF COASTAL COMMAND OFF BERGEN HEADING DUE NORTH....

FIRST SEA LORD SIR DUDLEY POUND ORDERS ALL AVAILABLE SHIPS TO FOLLOW AND TRAIL HER MOVEMENTS...

LONDON, PARIS AND WASHINGTON EXPRESS GRAVE RESERVATIONS TO BERLIN THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS THAT ANY ATTEMPT BY THE KRIEGSMARINE TO INTERFERE WITH THE NORTH ATLANTIC SHIPPING LANES OR THE PASS THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTER WILL BE TAKEN AS HOSTILE ACTS AND AN EFFECTIVE DECLARATION OF WAR ON THE ALLIED POWERS.

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8 NOVEMBER 1942 - SOVIET BUILDUP CONTINUES ON THE ROSTOV - TAGRANOV FRONTS AS MORE UNITS ARRIVE IN THEATRE FOR THE LAUNCH OF AN OFFENSIVE TO CUT OFF GERMAN FORCES TO THE EAST

- CODE NAME 'OPERATION URANUS'

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8 NOVEMBER 1942 - US FORCES CONTINUE TO BUILD UP FOR DISPATCH OVERSEAS AS THE HUNT FOR THE BISMARK CONTINUES

- JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF ADVISE WASHINGTON THAT THE NAVAL THREATH MUST BE RESOLVED BEFORE ANY MORE TROOP CONVOYS SAIL ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

CURRENT LOCATION OF THE BISMARK CANNOT BE CURRENTLY PIN POINTED BUT SHE IS BELIEVED TO BE CRUISING IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC ASTRIDE THE MAIN SHIPPING LANES.

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15 NOVEMBER 1942 - RAF SPOTTER PLANES LOCATE THE BISMARK TO THE WEST OF GIBRALTAR - ALL NAVAL UNITS ARE ORDERED TO THE AREA.

ALLIED GOVERNMENTS ISSUE A STERN WARNING TO BERLIN THAT THE BISMARK AND HER ESCORTS MUST IMMEDIATEDLY DEPART FROM BLOCKING THE PASSAGE TO THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA - GERMANY PROTESTS CITING FREEDOM OF THE SEAS AND THAT THEY ARE ENGAGED IN A LEGITIMATE TRAINING CRUISE AND WILL DEPART WITHIN A MATTER OF DAYS FOR NORTHERN WATERS...

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22 NOVEMBER 1942 - OPERATION URANUS ATTEMPTS TO TAKE THE NAZI WAR MACHINE IN THE REAR - MAKING GOOD PROGRESS TOWARDS ROSTOV BUT THE AXIS ARMIES WILL INEVITABLY RESPOND

TO THE EAST THE PANZERS ARE BACK ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF STALINGRAD BUT THE CITY IS HEAVILY DEFENDED

CAN THEY FORCE THE SOVIETS FROM THE SYMBOLIC METROPOLIS AND ALSO RESOLVE THE CRISES ON THE LOWER DON SIMULTANEOSLY OR WILL THEY BE FORCED BACK ONCE AGAIN?

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29 NOVEMBER 1942 - IN A DRAMATIC CLIMBDOWN THE BISMARK BATTLE GROUP DEPART THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTER AND SAIL FOR HOME

- BERLIN ANNOUNCES THAT ITS ATLANTIC CRUISE IS NOW COMING TO AN END.

ALLIED FLEETS SHADOW HER AS SHE MOVES NORTH...

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30 NOVEMBER 1942 - 24 HOURS AFTER BISMARK SAILS FOR HOME THE OLD US DESTROYER USS BUCHANAN NOW HMS CAMBELTOWN IS RENT ASUNDER IN A MASSIVE EXPLOSION WHILE SAILING TO GIBRALTER AND SINKS WITH ALL HANDS.

ANOTHER 3 MERCHANT NAVY SHIPS STRIKE WHAT APPEARS TO BE MINES, ONE SINKS WITH HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE.

SIGNAL SENT TO ALL ALLIED SHIPS NORTH ATLANTIC - 'SINK THE BISMARK'

WAR IS NOW ONLY A MATTER OF DAYS AWAY BETWEEN THE ALIED POWERS AND NAZI GERMANY...

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6 DECEMBER 1942 - BRITAIN, FRANCE AND THE USA DECLARE WAR ON NAZI GERMANY.

RAF AND Armée de l'Air BOMBERS RAID THE BRIDGES ACROSS THE RHINE AT COLOGNE, ESSEN AND MAINZ.

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13 DECEMBER - BISMARK IS SIGHTED IN GALWAY BAY OFF THE IRISH FREE STATE - ROYAL NAVY WILL ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY

USS WASP CARRIER GROUP IS IN SUPPORT.



UPDATE - THE BISMARK AND HER ESCORTS ARE ALL SUNK OFF GALWAY BAY BY THE ROYAL NAVY AND AIRCRAFT FROM USS WASP

GALWAY HOOKERS [LOCAL SHIPS LADS!] RESCUE HUNDREDS OF GERMAN SAILORS WHO ARE TAKEN TO LOCAL HOTELS AND DETAINED PENDING INTERNMENT.

THAT NIGHT ADMIRAL GUNTHER LUTJENS CIC OF THE GERMAN FLEET COMMITS SUICIDE IN HIS HOTEL BEDROOM IN GALWAY CITY.

Admiral Gunther Lutjens, commander in chief of the German Fleet

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NOELLE FRONT OCCIDENTAL 25/12/1942

THE FRENCH ARMY HAVE CAPTURED SAAREBOURG

- BUT THE GERMANS HAVE DRIVEN THE FRENCH FROM STRASBOURG!

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27 DECEMBER 1942 - OPERATION URANUS HAS BROUGHT BIG GAINS FOR THE SOVIET ARMIES AS THE GERMANS ARE FORCED TO WITHDRAW FROM THE STALINGRAD FRONT AND FALL BACK TO MORE DEFENSIBLE LINES SOUTH OF ROSTOV

TAGRONOV AND MARIPOL HAVE FALLEN BUT THE AXIS FRONT LINE IS BEGINING TO STABILISE AS REINFORCEMENTS ARE DRAFTED IN TO STEM THE SOVIET JUGGERNAUT.

THE CITIES OF AZOV AND ROSTOV ARE STILL IN GERMAN HANDS BUT WHETHER THEY CAN BE HELD FOR MUCH LONGER IS AN OPEN QUESTION.

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COAST OF LIGURIA 10 JANUARY 1943

- THE FRENCH AND AMERICAN ARMIES HAVE BROKEN THROUGH THE ITALIAN LINES AND SEIZED THE PORT OF GENOA - THEY CONTINUE THEIR ADVANCES SOUTH AND EAST OF THE PORT.

HITLER RUSHES RE-INFORCEMENTS TO THE ITALIAN FRONT TO PROP IT UP AS THE ALLIED ADVANCE BEGINS TO RUN OUT OF STEAM.

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31 JANUARY 1943 LIGURIAN FRONT

AXIS FORCES HAVE NOW SEALED OFF THE ALLIED BREAKTHROUGH AND HAVE LAUNCHED LIMITED COUNTER ATTACKS

HOWEVER MORE ALLIED DIVISIONS ARE ARRIVING FROM LE NORD INC. ELEMENTS OF THE BEF

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14 FEBRUARY 1943 - MONTY'S SPRING OFFENSIVE GETS UNDERWAY - OPERATION ACHILLES - AS THE ALLIES ATTEMPT TO STRIKE AT THE SOFT UNDERBELLY OF THE AXIS - THE BALKANS

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NEW TAKE ON OPERATION ACHILLES

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21 FEBRUARY 1943 - ROMMEL'S COUNTER STRIKE AS HE LEADS PANZER GRUPPE GRIECHENLAND TO STRIKE THE BRITISH FROM THE EAST

TURKEY FORMALLY JOINS THE AXIS POWERS

ITALIAN ARMY IN GREECE STARTS TO COLLPASE AS THE REMENANTS FLEE NORTH INTO ALBANIA....

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28 FEBRUARY 1943 - TURKISH ARMY CROSSES THE FRONTIER AND BESIEGES THE FRENCH HELD CITY OF LATIQUIE [LATIKA]





RIOTS TAKE PLACE IN THE BELGIAN CAPITAL BETWEEN FRENCH SPEAKING WALLOONS AND THE FLEMISH DUTCH SPEAKERS.

PARIS RAISES ITS CONCERNS ON THE MATTER WITH THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT [WHICH IS ON THE POINT OF COLLAPSE] AND CALLS ON HITLER NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION.

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14 MARCH 1943 - GERMAN OCCUPATION OF THE LOW COUNTRIES CONTINUES APACE

TIMELINE

28 FEBRUARY: RIOTS TAKE PLACE IN THE BELGIAN CAPITAL BETWEEN FRENCH SPEAKING WALLOONS AND THE FLEMISH DUTCH SPEAKERS.

PARIS RAISES ITS CONCERNS ON THE MATTER WITH THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT [WHICH IS ON THE POINT OF COLLAPSE] AND CALLS ON HITLER NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION.

1 MARCH: THE CODES OF THE DEUXIEME BUREAU HAVE BEEN BROKEN BY THE ABWEHR -THEY REVEAL THAT FRENCH MILITARY INTERVENTION IN THE LOW COUNTRIES IS IMMINENT & IS ONLY DAYS AWAY.

4 MARCH - BELGIAN GOVERNMENT COLLAPSES! ANARCHY RULES THE STREETS OF BRUSSELS. THE HAGUE IS INFORMED BY BERLIN THAT THEIR NEUTRALITY IS NO LONGER TENABLE AND CALL UPON THEM TO PEACEFULLY ACCEPT THE STATUS OF A PROTECTED STATE.

6 MARCH: THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT RELUCTANTLY ACCEPTS THE OFFER AND TROOPS OF THE WEHRMACHT CROSS THE BORDER WITHOUT RESISTANCE

9 MARCH - RIGHT WING FORCES IN BELGIUM STAGE AN ATTEMPED COUP AND CALL FOR GERMAN MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO LIBERATE THEM FROM DUTCH TYRANNY. HITLER GIVES THE GO AHEAD FOR THE OCCUPATION OF BELGIUM TO PROCEED AND STEAL A MARCH ON PARIS.

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11 APRIL 1943 - ALL QUITE ON THE WESTERN FRONT...

SPRING MUD & RAIN BRING OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS TO A HALT - BOTH SIDES ARE DIGGING IN

ANTWERP & NAMUR HAS FALLEN TO THE FRENCH BUT AXIS FORCES SHOULD BE ABLE TO SLOW DOWN IF NOT STOP ANY FURTHER ALLIED ADVANCES IN THIS THEATRE.
BRUSSELLS THOUGH IS NOW AN AXIS SALIENT, WHETHER IT CAN HOLD OUT ONLY TIME WILL TELL.