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And on New Britain:

Finally: the weather for the next couple of impulses:

July/August 1943, Axis impulse number 5:

The OKW is astonished. The political leaders of Germany are flabbergasted. This was unexpected. The British did attack a guaranteed minor neutral. Unbelievable! And the US papers are calling this action despicable? Is there disagreement among the Wallies? What will the US do? In Sweden, the German ambassador visits the Prime minister. He offers to the Swedish government certain documents and a letter from von Ribbentrop, which contents are unknown at the moment...

The Japanese take a combined action, the Italians an air action and Germany a land action.

It's time for propaganda swing, isn't it: Charlie and his Orchestra - Japanese Sandman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Dq5zspPCXE

Italy flies a long range FTR into the North Sea. The Italians are looking for a fight, so they initiate combat. No additional planes are send into the sea area by both sides. Axis roll 2, Allies roll 4. Of course, the Axis only include the sea box with the Home Fleet (and they avoid Fighter Command, which is in a lower sea box). With no Allied FTR's being able to escort the fleet in Norwegian waters, admiral Fraser is again forced to rely on the AA guns of his ships.

The bombers press forward the attack. The Germans use the 3 surprise points to be able to select the target, so they can choose the first three ships to be targeted:

After seeing the damage being done to the transport ships, Fraser realises that Germany isn't interested in killing warships, but that Germany wants to disable the invasion capabilities of the CW. He radios this tactic to the First Sea Lord. The First Sea Lord answers: it doesn't matter. You have to stay and fight, whatever the losses taken by your fighting force. Fraser reports back that the Norwegian Coastal waters he is in, are again experiencing fog (Axis roll 8, Allies roll 6), so the combat ends.

More propaganda swing: Charlie and his Orchestra - I double dare you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdcMHeJ9XrU

The Japanese send a naval task force into the Bismarck Sea. They also replace the convoys in the South China Sea. They don't want to fight anywhere, but US submarines in the South China sea are searching during the storms for the merchantmen. Allies roll 8, Axis roll 8.

German long range bombers gronds strike the British at Stavanger:

On New Britain, Japanese carrier planes ground strike the US positions:

In the USSR, German artillery open fire upon out of supply Soviet units:

To the astonishment of the government in London, the Swedish government announces that it has reviewed it's relations with the CW. They withdraw their ambassador in London and give the British ambassador his passport and declare that diplomatic relations with the CW are broken, until such time as British units have left Norway, without overturning it's government. They also receive the ambassador of the United States in Sweden and file a protest with the US government in Washington. At the same time, Prime minister Per Albin Hansson announces that, while Sweden does not declare war on the CW and will not send troops into Norway themselves, they will support any nation in any way they can who will aid the Norwegians. Trains and ferry's are in use to transport large numbers of German soldiers and equipment into Norway. Mannerheim, currently in Siberia, is railed back into Finland.

The Italian airforce rails the Stuka out of Egypt into Germany. Next turn, it will arrive in Norway.

Yes, with the troubles between the Wallies, the German Radio is hammering it's listeners around the world with propaganda:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZpOR2e16ZU

Japanese fast divisions move further into Siberia:

Kesselring attacks isolated Soviet units near Perm:

Of course: the race for Novosibirsk continues:

At Tashkent, the Axis forces are patient waiting for the Luftwaffe to arrive:

In Morocco, Axis positions are strengthened:

In Norway, the King Haakon VII personally welcomes the German soldiers arriving by train out of Sweden:

July/August 1943, Allied impulse number 6:

In Washington, the Combined Chiefs of Staff are in a heated meeting. The British are accusing the Americans of “defaitism” and the Americans accuse the British to be unreliable. What has been gained by the British invasion of Norway? Absolutely nothing. It has ended to be a huge gamble. Why didn't the British generals stick with the agreement that the political leaders of the Wallies should go for a diplomatic solution, since one can only predict huge loss of lives on the battlefields with no victory for a very, very long time. The US generals estimates that it will take at least 5 years to get an advantage in numbers of man and equipment on the frontlines. If ever...

However the British refuse to listen to the Americans: “we have lost important parts of our empire to the Axis, you can't expect us to not do anything about it, can you...” The Free French also are very angry: “This war will not stop, before we are marching victorious through Paris, Strassbourg and Nice”!

Churchill and Roosevelt are informed by several generals that the Chiefs of Staff are in absolute disagreement. They ask for the political leaders to meet with each other, so they can discuss the situation...

Listen to: It Can’t Be Wrong - Allen Miller & Orchestra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUg8M42i0xo

The USSR and the CW takes land, the US an air and the French a pass action.

US heavy bombers, escorted by long rang British FTR's appear above the skies of Paris. Italian and German FTR's intercept:

The US aircraft drop their bombs, on a precision bombardment of the industrial area's:

British bombers attack Lille. Axis FTR's react in force after which fighter command send Hurricanes out of Dover:

Both bombers are cleared through, but AA batteries open fire:

The city of Lille again burns. But the industry is unharmed, again...

De Gaulle receives accounts of a fire storm raging in the center of the city. Again, the Gaulle calls Churchill and accuses him from attacking innocent French citizens...

Listen to: It Started All Over Again - Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra & Pied Pipers, vocal)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co_JKb4KHLM

In Norway, the British are moving towards the defending Axis units:

In the USSR, only minor adjustments are made to the Soviet positions. A lot of planes are rebased by the US towards the UK. And here's the weather of the next couple of impulses: