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Without air cover the Chinese cannot wage a modern war what they win on the ground is lost in the air, so to sue for peace is the only rational option.

Germany continues to push on the British in the middle East. They are there in some force, but we are reinforcing.

We found the last RN carriers (?) and sank them. We also sank some old subs.

The Luftwaffe did some damage but most British assets are in the west of England, Wales and Scotland.

The Japanese are settling in to peace.

The US Continues to prepare for war. Between combating the public impressions and building up a war machine there is much to do.

The Chinese battered and war weary come to terms with a country mostly occupied by a foreign power, they can only leave offerings at the shrines and pray for a miracle.

The Germans had a much more active month than the staggering Japanese. The Japanese wish to remind the Chinese
that our diplomatic offices are open to their representatives. We are welcome to open negotiations with China.

Beirut has fallen and the Turkish front is the only one really active. At sea it is another story and there the
Germans punished the Royal and French navies.

There was an interesting sighting during the battles for Beirut. Among the many Axis allied troops there were German
units identified as being from the 1st Panzer Division. OOB specialists confirm that this is the actual unit, a
veteran of the French and middle European campaigns, and last spotted on the Soviet border in 4th Army (PanzerArmee).

Now however they are part of a unit not identified before, labeled the DAK. The 1st Panzer and associated DAK
infantry divisions destroyed the Beirut position.

The US Plods on shoring up her Pacific Island holdings.

Germany continued to face off against the British Empire. In the Middle East Jerusalem has come under German control
and Suez is weakly held. The Axis force in the Middle East is not large, but the British do not seem to be there in
much strength either. The resources necessary for modern war making are in this area and the Axis means to take them
as soon as possible. Can the Commonwealth get forces there quick enough to put up a fight?

The Axis has reached its maturity with Germany, Italy and Japan allied. Italy and Japan are enjoying the fruits of
peace.

The action is in the Middle East again.

Three major cities threatened.

Germany fights the British in the Middle East. Real battles this month, with losses on both sides. Alexandria held,
but in effect is cut off from the East due to the loss of Suez.

From this point onwards there are few "small wars", only the very, very big question of dominance in Europe itself.
We got a lesson in how tough this all is when we tasked the Luftwaffe to bomb Great Britain and were greeted with
swarms of Hurricanes which hurt our bombers very badly indeed. We lost about 30 bombers, and fighters were fairly
even. (Question : Are night fighter2 better than night fighter1? Mine are consistently losing more than they kill?)

This air setback is the first such we have suffered. It reminds us that Great Britain is capable of a surprise.

In other theaters we have dealt the British serious blows. The Middle East is looking very rough for them now.

Question : Are night fighter2 better than night fighter1? Mine are consistently losing more than they kill?

They should be. I´ll have bombur check the stats.

Germany's success has convinced the Persians to join the Axis, and Franco has joined the Axis also. Franco delegated
most of Spain to Italian influence but the areas facing Portugal and Gibraltar are reserved for Germany. This will
allow an Iberian campaign for Germany. Germany also decided to cement the domination of the Eastern Med by moving
into Greece. It is not known if the British will intervene.

Here is a map of the Middle East.

No pictures of the Middle East this turn.

No pictures at all.

Just a tale of perfidy. As Axis and Allies battle it out in this first month of the new year the world is rocked by a global attack by the Soviet Union. On the new "East Front", in Turkey, and in far China the Red Army attacks. The negotiated peace with Japan cast out. The long peaceful border with Germany scourged with blood.

German, Italian, and Japanese troops turned to face this once peaceful nation, now crimsoned with gore. No one was bothering the USSR. They pretended to be following plans for peaceful development, and then turned on their neighbors.

Are these the actions of Joseph Stalin, or has a coup by madmen occurred? Will good sense return to the Politburo? Will the Soviets offer peace to those they have attacked, or will they hazard all on a great, and bloody, struggle?

The Axis and Soviets battle on many fronts, but the Germans still had resources for the British.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

We are disappointed that we could not hold London but the British responded as they must. On the comeback Luftwaffe
attack we destroyed 37 Hurricanes for 15 BF-109s. The British surely know we will be back.

In any case, congratulations Larry!

China's army begins to reach its pre war levels, hopefully a more professional army but a ill equipped army none the less. We take our treaty with our enemy now neighbor Japan seriously. So seriously in fact we will not become involved in any of the wars being waged on or near our border.

Just grinding away at the enemy nations. Switzerland has joined us.

The Germans executed a nuisance raid on Plymouth, capturing and abandoning the port city. The Luftwaffe destroyed 14 Hurricanes, but we continue to have no luck in the nighttime.

On the East Front there are no sweeping moves, no vast encirclements. The Germans have various pushes going on. Near Kiev we are wearing down Soviet fortifications, heading south as we go. We have many raw Panzers so these attacks with veteran Panzer divisions help them see the elephant. We face T-34, KV-1 and various heavy and medium Red Tank units, while we are still in the PzIIIJ and PzIVe stage.

In Turkey and Persia we are frustrated by not quite having what we need. The Red Army defenders are in high mountain passes and very difficult to winkle out. As we approach India, we have paused to regroup and we do not expect any great progress soon.

The Fortress of Gibraltar has fallen and German troops have entered western Africa. With Suez and Gibraltar in German hands things do not bode well for the British in the Med.

Japan had to look for the Soviets this month as the Red Army tired of assaulting Shenyang, which was very strongly held.

The Germans bombed London, drawing out the RAF which lost 38 modern fighters to the Luftwaffe's loss of 15.

Grinding away on the East Front. We stepped back from Kiev and concentrated on the South. We are threatening Odessa. The Luftwaffe is beginning to operate in the East enjoying the Bf 109F's many qualities.

Not much doing in Turkey, but we batter away. On the Indian border we caught an exposed division and hurt it. The British are there in some strength.

The First Armee in west Africa pushes ahead, taking Casablanca.

The Italians found that all bombers must be escorted on the East Front.

The Japanese are on a small offensive. They have enough armor to make a difference. Their air force is very active.