Time of Writhe - Allies

[gwgardner]

late Nov '39


AP Helsinki

Wild cheering has been heard all along the frontlines, in the Russian camps. This is even as the Russian offensive has stalled in the heavy snows in the Finnish forests. Infiltrators and desertion reports apparently indicate some kind of political upheaval with Russia. How this will affect the fighting is unknown.

The Finnish army continues to take heavy losses along the front, but the Red Army has been slow to advance in the blizzard conditions.

[gwgardner]

snippets from the headlines in recent issues of Le Temps, Paris


Soviet Turmoil

Wild rumors that have been passed around of late concerning political turmoil in the Soviet Union are all about dissension in the officer corps of the Red Army, a heavy handed crack-down by Stalin, and rebellion within the ranks of the Moscow reserve army.

General Zhukov's name has been bandied about as the most likely leader within the Red Army in opposition to the communist dictator's recent costly and seemingly abortive attack against Finland.

[gwgardner]

As winter arrives across Europe the Germans press ahead with their attacks against Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembouorg.

The Wermacht is setting up a siege of Copenhagen, where the Danes have held out now for a month. Apparently the Wermacht did not expect any resistance at all, and it has disrupted their plans for an offensive in the West too much to send many forces to take Copenhagen.

Recon along the Western Front shows that the German buildup is continuing. Heavy losses to the French air force prove that the full weight of the Luftwaffe is now available to the enemy in the West. The battle in the skies has been so damaging to the French that it is doubtful they will be able to put up any more recon flights, much less defend the skies over the front.

The Supreme Commander of French military forces General Gamelin is confident that the Allied advance into Belgium will blunt the German offensive. German armored forces that were used in the attack on tiny Luxembourg have remained in place for the most part, with only minor forays against French border forces. French strategists see no threat from those forces, as they would become embroiled in the dense forests and hills of the Ardennes if any attempt were made to advance out of Luxembourg. Therefore French forces, in cooperation with their Belgian allies, have advanced beyond the Sambre/Meuse lines south of Brussels. Corps to corps, division to division, the Allies feel confident they can match the strength of the the Wermacht.

[gwgardner]

Meanwhile, the BEF continues to move forward in France, and in the Netherlands is holding fast with the Dutch allies south of Amsterdam. That great city was declared open by the Dutch authorities, but the govt's assurances are that they will not surrender, and will fight to retain Rotterdam to the end. An entire Dutch Corps is being withdrawn from the lower Rhine line into Rotterdam even now.

The BEFs 3rd Fusilliers are now manning the left of the French/Belgian line. Attempts to link up with forces in the Netherlands have failed so far.

[gwgardner]

1st Dec '39
Official Communique of Provisional Government of Russia
Kremlin

The governing council of the new Provisional Government of Russia has announced that General Zhukov will serve as interim chairman. The Council further issued General Order of the Council #1, stating that all Communist Party operations and organizations will henceforth suspend operations. Communist Party Politburo is henceforth disbanded.

[gwgardner]

Paris
Le Temps

In an unusual appearance before the press, General Zhukov, the new leader of the military government in Russia, was quite open on a variety of subjects, with the notable exception of the fate of Joseph Stalin.

Zhukov made it clear that the new Provisional Government, made up of high-ranking officers in the Red Army, sees its immediate purpose as bringing to end what he called the 'mistaken action' against Finland, the so-called the Winter War. He would not say if that meant diplomatically or by force of arms. He stated as the ultimate goal of the new govt. the restoration of the Imperial Government of Russia.


Budapest AP

It is rumored around the city today that representatives of the new provisional government in Russia have met with the pretender to the throne, Anastasia, the self-professed sole surviving member of Czar Nicolas' immediate family, and presumptive heir to the throne.

[gwgardner]

Russia:

The stalemate in Finnland continues, with the Russian forces packing enough punch to break open the Finnish lines, but unable to exploit such openings. The winter weather has been brutal this year, and mechanized units are said to be frozen in place. Literally.

Continued reconnaissance shows that the Finns are able to regularly produce new forces and send them to the front.

General Zhukov has made it plain that the halting, ineffectual strategy employed by the deposed dictator Stalin, will end. He intendes to prepare for a multi-pronged offensive when weather improves, including the use of naval and air forces.

[gwgardner]

Western Front:

The noose has closed around the Netherlands. Dutch and British forces are fighting ferociously to withstand the assault on Rotterdam. Realistically, the War Office in London expects to have to withdraw the British forces soon, but will attempt to hold on as long as the Dutch forces do.

[gwgardner]

General Gamelin has been persuaded to take a second look at the intentions of the Wermacht forces that have so far only made probing attacks south of the Ardennes. Due to the French advance into Belgium, the line estending west from the Maginot fortifications is notably thin.

Intensive air strikes have been called in on the forward elements of the German panzer forces there, and several mobile divisions have been recalled from Belgium to provide some depth in the center.

Of note: The Luftwaffe was ineffectual in its attempts to intercept the French air strikes against the German 10th Panzer Division.

[gwgardner]

2nd week Dec

Western Front:

All along the line in Belgium and France, the defense has broken against unrelenting German assault. General Gamelin's handling of the war has been proven completely wrong, and the govt has called in General Weygand to take his place. The first and only task of the new supreme commander will be to reestablish a defensive line.

Weygand's first order was to release all the divisions that were still in the Maginot fortresses. That line has been outflanked already, and to hold those forces there would be useless at this point. Unfortunately, they are not very mobile, so it unlikely that they will be in place to help halt the German advance towards Paris.

Upon the complete collapse of the Belgian defense, the forward elements of the BEF have been called back to a position near Lille. Similarly, the remaining cohesive elements of the French advance forces have been ordered to retreat back into France.

The situation is obviously desperate. The British government, sensing a develooping panic among their French allies, has urged the French government to quietly leave the capitol and establish a communication hub at Nantes.

[gwgardner]

Russia

With a window of good weather High Command ordered an extraordinary winter landing of amphibious forces west of Vyborg, to plug a gap that had opened up in the Finnish line. The Finns had apparently hoped to extend their line to the north, to avoid a flanking maneuver by Russian infantry and armor. Their line stretched to the breaking point, and it is expected that Vyborg will fall within the month, thus shortening supply lines for the Russian army.

[gwgardner]

late Jan '40

The collapse of France continues, but a lone corps holds out in paris. The BEF has departed for the defense of the isles, and North Africa. The French are building up a defense around Marseilles, with a large infusion of Polish, Dutch and Belgian volunteers.

In North Africa, the Italians have used mobile forces to attempt to outflank the British position on the border. The effort has succeeded only in lengthening both lines. However, the Italians currently have the edge in manpower in the region, and are able to concentrate for overwhelming attacks at key points.

[gwgardner]

AP St. Petersburg

By acclimation of the reconstituted Duma, Tzarina Anastasia has been proclaimed. She appeared before the assembly not in regalia and formal attire, but in a corporal's uniform of the Imperial Guard, with the newly breveted Marshall Zhukov at her side. Surviving members of the Romanov family also appeared in uniform. What this signals is as yet unknown, but all indications are that the relatively young woman and and the stodgy head of the Provisional Government have formed a good working relationship, and that the Tzarina does not intend to be a figurehead. She gives every appearance of being a leader with energy and nerve.

In news from the Front, the Russian army continues its stranglehold on Viborg, but the intense cold and frozen condititions are making any advance impossible. There are reports that the Russians are finally building up forces for a push in the far north to take Petsamo, with the intent to cut Finland off from all Western aid. On that note, Marshall Zhukov has been overheard to say that Sweden and Norway would do well to look to their own house, rather than meddling, or allowing the meddling, in Finnish affairs.

[gwgardner]

All fronts reporting relative calm. Intercepts out of Italy say that their merchant fleet has been nearly destroyed. There is some evidence at the front in NA that Italian units are running low on supply, but the news just seems too good to be true. The Desert Force will proceed cautiously for now.

[gwgardner]

late Jan '40

Debilitating debates within the French government practically paralyzed defensive actions in what little of Metropolitan France that is not yet occuppied.

An abortive effort to set up a defensive line to make a last stand at Marseilles, has ended due to the decision to refuse an armistace offer, and to fight on in North Africa. At this point an orderly evactuation is taking place, with all forces converging on Marseilles.

The Italian offensive in the Savoy mountain passes is wearing the French defenders down. With a complete dearth in supplies, there is little that the local commander can do to forestall an Italian move directly against Marseilles. It is only that thin line of valourous troops on the Italian Front, along with the Wermacht's sudden caution in advancing south, that is going to allow the transport of the remainder of the French army to Tunis.

Thankfully the roads south are clear. Or at least better than should be expected. As news spreads of the relatively benign treatement of the populace by the Wermacht, under it's commander General AC Meuller, the French people are staying in their homes.

With the heartland of France gone that supply situation is dire, and it won't get any better in North Africa. France's part in the Allied cause may center on keeping her navy strong and helping to control the Med.

[note: I have been unable to move the French/Polish air division near Toulouse.]

[gwgardner]

The troops are calling it Anastasia's Luck.

In a series of successes, the Imperial Army, with the aid of the air and naval forces, has taken Viborg. Intensive naval bombardment of the city reduced the effectiveness of its defenders drastically. The air force was less effective, while taking great losses, but it is believed that week-long air attacks reduced the defenders strength by approximately 10%. After an infusion of supplies and men into the units surrounding Viborg, those forces smashed into the outskirts of the city. The continued frozen conditions made it impossible to immediately advance into the city, and the fear was that outlying Finnish troops would retreat and reoccupy it. Therefore the decision was made to make glider and parachute landings inside the city. That attack was completely successful, without the loss of a single soldier or glider.

The story has already spread throughout Russia that the Tzarina herself was among the first of the troopers who entered Viborg via the gliders. Whether this story has any basis in truth, the High Command has so far not offered a confirmation or denial. It is a fact, however, that the Tzarina has been photographed, kitted out as a paratrooper, standing in the Viborg city center.

[gwgardner]

late Jan 40

Western Front: The enemy is in sight of Marseille. Approx 70% of the French army has been shipped to Tunisia. The supply situation is chaotic, but French infantry is creeping across the desert to Tripoli. still a hundred miles away.

In Egypt, British forces are gaining easy ground towards Tobruk, as the Italian army, still suffering from supply restrictions, falls back.

On the Finnish front, the Finns are in danger of being encircled, as Russian infantry has turned their northern flank, northeast of Helsinki. Since Viborg fell to the Imperial Army, frontline units have been resupplied to full strength. Combined naval bombardment, aerial strikes, and armored assault brok open the Finns southern flank. Paratroopers were then dropped in front of the stalled Russian armor, in hopes in the coming week this ground can be held.

[gwgardner]

March 1 '40

The evacuation of the French Army is completed, with one lone division stranded beyond all capability of the navy to get out. British supplies are pouring into French North Africa from shhips docking at Casablanca. As the UK gains more assurance in its ability to bring ships forward into the med, that supply line can be shortened.

French forces are in position to advance towards Tripoli, but a sudden increase in Italian supply strength has stalled the movement.

[gwgardner]

The UK continues to take advantage of the Italian supply disruptions, however, by sending mobile forces deep into the desert, to cut Tobruk off from Tripoli.

[gwgardner]

In Finland, the enemy was able to fend off the encirclement by withdrawing to safer lines. Continued attacks all along the front are keeping the Finns off balance.

The improving weather situation will soon make the Russian armor more effective.

The key to the Russian advance has been the ability to shatter the coastal defenses of the Finns, by naval bombardment. This has repeatedly forced the Finns to redraw their lines further back.

In the far north, Petsame will soon be invested.