Alternate History Merkels Operation Walküre - Story Only

Interludium I, Part 1: A Journey Home

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
A Journey Home, Part I

Hamburg-Altona, June 5th 1944

It was just six o’clock in the morning when Maria Adomeit walked through her apartment door and closed it behind her. Driving her rollator with the handy handbag at the front to the elevator the old woman made her way down to the front doors of her apartment complex. When she arrived downstairs Maria could hear voices agitatedly discussing with each other, yet as she reached the door, the only thing Maria saw was her neighbour Jessica Schröder with her baby on her arms. In front of her stood an empty baby transporter, behind the woman her Audi car with its doors still open. In the distance Maria recognized two police officers walking away, both wearing ‘down time’ uniform.

“Hello, Frau Schröder,” Maria greeted the other woman pleasantly. Then – because it was only polite to do so – she asked: “Are you alright, my dear?”

“Oh, hello, Frau Adomeit,” Jessica greeted back. “I´m fine.” Clearly this wasn´t the case, Maria mused inwardly as she took in the obvious signs of distress she saw on Jessica. How tightly she clutched her baby as if she was defending it from something, the exhaustion in her eyes and the grim look on her face. No, clearly Jessica wasn´t fine and Maria conveyed her thoughts with one single sharp gaze at the other woman.

“Well,” Jessica carved in. “As you probably heard, I had a discussion with the police officers.”

“Were they racist?” Maria inquired. After all she had heard about the problems occurring after the Event, especially incidents between DT Germans and persons of colour.

“Yes…No…,” Jessica sighed. “No, they weren’t. I had this problem before…”

“It´s because of Mäxchen…” It was more a statement than a fact.

“Yes, again. I don´t even know why people…” Jessica stopped herself and took a deep breath. “Look, my father came from Senegal and his skin was of black colour. My skin colour is of a lighter brown, but my baby is white with blue eyes and blonde hair. I even looked it up: Something like that happens to 17 percent of children born from mixed parents. But I still have to prove that I´m the mother of my own child and not his nanny!”

“At least he inherited your and your father´s hair,” Maria commented. Well, right now the hairs were few and far between, but the signs were already there.

“Yes, indeed,” Jessica agreed. “I guess he´ll hate it, though.” She shrugged.

“Hmm, perhaps.” Maria paused for a moment. “Did you hear from your father?” She knew that Jessica´s father lived in the USA.

“No,” Jessica shock her head. “I haven´t. We came back just the day before The Event. I fear he´s gone like everyone else outside of Germany.” Another reason why Jessica was so tense these last few days, Maria thought. Hopefully Jessica´s husband Ralf would help his wife getting over her father´s disappearance.

“What are you doing here, though, Frau Adomeit?” Jessica asked, not willing to delve further into this topic.

“I just wanted to take a small journey,” Maria answered and winked conspiratorially. “I think I´ll be back again tomorrow.”

“Does your son know about that?” Jessica inquired with raised eyebrows.

“Of course!” Hell no, he´d never agree to that! “What are you doing outside at such an early time?” Better to change the topic as fast as possible.

“Max and Ralf fell ill,” Jessica replied. “Only a cold, I assume, yet Ralf is behaving like he´s dying.” She rolled her eyes and both woman – quite familiar with ill men and their antics – sniggered.

“And you are sure that he´s a physician?” Maria asked in jest; after all she knew that Jessica´s husband was working at Asklepsios Clinic Altona.

“Yes, he is,” Jessica said. “He even filled out this prescription for me, so that I can get some drugs for him. I was just on my way, so if you want I could take you to the station?”

“Oh, that would be so nice!” Maria replied delighted.

“It´s no problem,” Jessica said and smiled.

***

TBC
 
Interludium I, Part 2: A Journey Home, Part 2

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
A Journey Home, Part II

Purchasing a ticket for the ICE to Berlin had been no problem for Maria and now she was sitting in one which made its way to Berlin. Within her pocket she could feel her mobile. She may already be 90 years old, but unlike many of her peers, she was able to operate one without difficulties. But it wouldn’t stay that way: Maria had Glaucoma – incurable as she was too old for an operation – and soon she wouldn’t be able to read books or watch TV anymore. To make matters even worse her arthritis was acting up again.

It surely wasn’t a pleasure to grow old, Maria thought drily as she took a look at her watch. It was already 8:30. Maria was sitting in a 1st class cabin and looked out of the window, watching the landscape passing by. In contrast to Hamburg Maria didn’t recognize many changes around here.

Well, not that many, she corrected herself as she saw a steam locomotive. Johannes always drank too much coffee, Maria thought. That couldn’t be good for his heart. And as a medicine professor he should know better.

Born on November 1st 1945 Johannes was her only child due to exceptional circumstances. Together with his wife Angelika he had three children: Petra, Thomas and Michael. The two boys had already married and had two children each. Thomas’ Alexander was 16 and Sophie nine while Michael´s twins Christian and Sebastian were twelve. Petra, her oldest grandchild, was divorced.

Such a pity, Maria thought, Jürgen had been such a nice man. She sighed. But as professional soldier he had to move often and somehow the things between him and Petra went sour. Maria didn’t know more about the reasons for their divorce, though. Sabine, their only child, 19 and studying Law in Passau, was her darling, even though Maria knew she shouldn’t have any favourites.

Thinking about her family made Maria´s thoughts turn back to her Johannes again. She was so glad that they had a stable relationship with each other. Johannes worried strongly about her, though, and he would be strictly against the plan she had come up with. But he would never know until Maria had pulled it through.

Maria sighed again. For nearly her whole life – since 1949 – she had been living in the very same apartment in Altona. Johannes had wanted to move her many times, even going so far as suggesting that she would move into his villa. But Maria had declined every time. She didn’t want to live off her son´s money, even though her pension wasn’t that much.

Johannes may think himself very sneaky, but Maria knew for a very long time that he had bought the very apartment complex she was living in. It had been refurbished a few years ago and many inhabitants had had to move as they couldn’t afford the rent anymore. Not hers, though, which had remained stable.

But that would change soon. In a few weeks Maria would have had to move into a nursing home; a top residence, but still a nursing home. Deep down Maria knew that she had to, not only because of her glaucoma and the arthritis, but also because her doctor had discovered some irregularities with her heart. Maria could read the signs on the wall: She didn’t have much longer anymore, thus making this journey now and not later.

Maria was startled when her phone suddenly began ranging. With trepidation she took it out of her pocket. She was afraid that it could be Johannes. Maria couldn’t be found out now! She let out a breath of relief when the ID on the screen showed that it wasn’t her son but Sabine who was calling her.

“Hello, Bine,” Maria greeted her great-granddaughter after she took the call.

“Hi, Granny,” Sabine greeted back. “How are you?”

“I´m fine, thanks,” Maria replied.

“Where are you? I tried at your home, but you didn’t pick up the phone,” Sabine inquired, sounding a little bit reproachful. Well, that was definitely odd.

“Oh, I´m on the train to the city in order to do some shopping,” Maria lied.

“Okay,” was Sabine´s only reply. Now Maria knew that something was definitely up.

“Is there something wrong?” she asked.

“Ehm, can I call you back?” Sabine tried to deflect, but Maria would have none of it.

“Sabine, what´s wrong? Are you alright?” Now Maria was definitely worried.

“I´m fine, Granny, But I…” Sabine stopped talking.

“Come on, Marjell, you know that you can tell me everything, don´t you?” Maria encouraged carefully.

“I know, I know,” Sabine sighed. “I´m…I´m pregnant.” For a short moment Maria was speechless. That certainly wasn’t something she had expected to be told. She must have gaped like a fish, but she composed herself as fast as possible. Sabine needed her right now. She could hyperventilate later.

“That´s amazing!” Maria exclaimed happily. “Who is the father? Another student?”

“Yes,” was Sabine´s monosyllabically answer.

“Did he leave you?” Maria asked, already getting angry.

“No!” Sabine denied vehemently. “Sven even asked me to marry him after I told him.”

“So you plan to keep the baby?” Maria wanted to know.

“Of course!” Sabine exclaimed. “It is mom who is the problem. She always wanted me to study in Hamburg and she really doesn’t like Sven. When she hears it, she´ll explode! Dad will be more understanding, but…I need some help…”

“To explain it to your mother,” Maria finished her great-granddaughter´s sentence. “I understand and I´ll help you soothing the waves, but you need to talk to her. Better with your dad and grandfather in attendance as well. You can talk to her next weekend, how does that sound?”

“Sorry, but I have tests that week that I need to study for, so I can´t come,” was Sabine´s reply.

“I see,” Maria said and rubbed her temples. “I´ll do something.”

“Thanks, Granny.” Maria could hear Sabine´s relief even through the phone.

“I have to end the call,” Maria said as the train was moving into Berlin
Ostbahnhof. She didn’t want her great-granddaughter to hear any suspicious sounds.

“Okay,” Sabine replied. “Bye, Granny.”

***

TBC
 
Interludium I, Part 3: A Journey Home, Part 3

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
A Journey Home, Part III

Although the distance between “new” Ostbahnhof and the “old” Schlesischer Bahnhof was only about 100 metres it felt like a lot more to Maria´s old bones. As she looked around she saw many soldiers walking through the stations, some wearing Bundeswehr and other Wehrmacht uniforms. At the Reichsbahn counter she got quite a shock, though.

“We´re sorry, ma’am, but the train to Königsberg is full,” the clerk behind the counter said apologetic. “I can offer you a seat on tomorrow´s train, though.”

“Thanks, but there´s no need for that.” Full of disappointment Maria walked way. She had tried to get a ticket for the train to Königsberg beforehand, but the analogue phones of the Reichsbahn weren´t connected with the digital ones. That was planned to be amended soon, but it hadn’t been soon enough for her. And now the train was full, partly with “tourists”, partly with business men and then some unsavoury characters from whom Maria wouldn’t even buy a single nail.

But just as Maria was about to resign a familiar voice called from behind her.

“Maria! What are you doing here?” Maria turned around to see a man in a brigadier general uniform of the Bundeswehr standing there. It was Jürgen, Petra´s ex-husband whom Maria had always liked.

“Jürgen, what a surprise!” she exclaimed. “Where are they sending you to now?”

“I was ordered to Wolfsschanze as reinforcement for Manstein´s staff,” was Jürgen´s reply. “And you?”

“Oh, I just wanted to make a small trip to Königsberg,” Maria answered. Jürgen just raised an eyebrow at her.

“Does Johannes know about that?” he asked.

Damn, not another one. “Of course he does!”

“But it seems like I won´t be making that trip anyway,” Maria added ruefully. “There are no more tickets.” Jürgen seemed to think about something for a while.

“I can give you my seat,” he offered after a while. “I won´t need it anyway as I´ll be busy elsewhere during the train ride. You would need to take a short distance train from Rastenburg to Königsberg, though.”

“Thank you so much, Jürgen,” Maria beamed at the younger man. “That will be no problem. I´ll pay you the expenses, of course.” After all she didn’t want Jürgen to get in trouble just because he had given her his seat.

***

TBC
 
Interludium I, Part 4: A Journey Home, Part 4

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
A few minutes later Maria was sitting in one of the train´s cabin as the train left the station. As they made their journey through Brandenburg she was reminded of the last time she had travelled through the land – only it had been in the opposite direction.

Maria was torn out of her reverie when her phone started to ring. Without bothering to look at the display she took the call. “Maria Adomeit.”

“Mother, where are you?” came the slightly panicked voice pf her son. Oh dear, she had completely forgotten that he had planned to visit her today in order to prepare everything for her move to the nursing home.

“Hello, Johannes,” Maria greeted as she frantically thought of a way out of this situation. “Don´t worry, I´m completely fine. I´m on the train, doing some shopping.” Maybe he would believe her. Maria could hope.

“Train? Shopping?” Johannes exclaimed exasperated. “I´d have done the shopping for you! And since when do you take the train to go to the stores? Mother, what are you doing?” His voice became louder the more he spoke, tinted with anger and worry. Meanwhile the train ratted over the Oder Bridge at Küstrin.

“Like I said, don´t worry,” Maria assuaged her son. “I´ll be back soon. Look, I think I won´t have any reception soon. I love you, bye…”

“Mother, what…” Before Johannes could finish the mobile went dead. Maria sighed and pocketed her phone again. She felt bad for lying to her son and for making him worry unnecessarily, but she couldn’t turn back now.

It was at exactly this moment that Jürgen entered the compartment.

“Everything alright?” he asked.

“Yes, everything´s fine,” Maria answered. Then her eyes widened as an idea sprung into her mind. “Do you have five minutes? It´s about Petra.”

“Well, we don’t have much contact anymore since she left me,” Jürgen said awkwardly.

“It´s not only about Petra, but more about Sabine,” Maria amended her previous statement.

“Does she have any problems?” Jürgen asked forcefully, the protective father shining through his usually stoic demeanour.

“Erm, yes – and no,” Maria made a small pause. “She´s pregnant.”

“Pregnant!?!” Jürgen shouted as he visibly paled. “Oh dear! And I interrupted her this morning when we talked on the phone. I didn’t know…Who´s the father?”

“It´s a fellow student named Sven,” Maria answered. “And apparently Bine has some reservation when it comes to talking to Petra about it. Why´s that?”

“From what Bine told me, Petra underwent some changes over the course of the last year,” Jürgen explained. “Do you know she´s working for ‘Emma’?”

“That magazine for old women, with stories about celebrities that nobody knows?” Maria asked.

Jürgen had to laugh when she said that. “No, not that,” he said. “It´s a feminist magazine published by Alice Schwarzer.”

“That´s still being published?” Maria exclaimed astonished. “I thought it was already history. But please, don´t mention that stupid Dobermann. I know what it means when you can´t study because you´re a woman! But she…”

“Yes, I totally agree,” Jürgen assuaged her. “Sven did have a long discussion with Petra about that particular topic, resulting in Petra completely disliking him because of his opinions. At least that´s what Bine told me.”

“I think I should have a long talk with Petra when I´m back,” Maria murmured. “But what about Bine?”

“I´m rather overwhelmed,” Jürgen admitted. “I´m really happy, you know? I always wanted to be a grandfather, but now Bine has so much to juggle: she has to study and take care of her baby. That certainly won´t be easy.” He sighed. “But thanks for telling me.”

“Are you angry at Bine?” Maria asked. She had to know.

“No!” Jürgen shouted indignantly. “Never!” He paused for a moment.

“However, I´m worried.” He looked on his watch. “Damn! I have to go. Is there still something you need?”

“No, nothing,” Maria answered. “Bye.” Jürgen nodded at her and left the compartment.
 
Interludium I, Part 5: A Journey Home, Part 5

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
Maria looked out of the window and saw small villages, fields full of grain or cows passing by. Watching the familiar landscape passing by she was forcefully reminded of the horrors that had happened to her 70 years ago.

Back to one night in August 1944 when the RAF bombed Königsberg, subsequently destroying the historical parts of the city. Maria remembered running towards the bunker. She remembered that her ten-years-old brother Wilhelm had already reached its entrance when the air mine detonated behind her. She felt like Münchhausen riding on a cannon ball. How the pressure wave of the explosion had taken her from behind and had hurtled her forwards. When Maria looked back she had seen her mother lying there – motionless, scorched and her empty eyes staring into nothingness – and had wanted to run back to her, but then the next bombs were falling and she continued onwards. Maria was the last one to reach the bunker alive.

The next memory was from April 9th 1945. Another day of terror. Her father, owner of a small bookshop, was now part of the Volkssturm as a commander of a whole unit and that despite the fact that he didn’t have full use of one of his legs; a remnant of the Battle at the Somme in which he had partaken. Since the death of their mother he had become a shell of his former self, but now that the rest of his family was in mortal danger life rekindled in his eyes again.

He had kneeled in front of Maria and had pressed his pistol in her hands. Her father knew that the fight was in vain – that they couldn’t hope to win – and yet he made dozens of apologies to his oldest daughter, for never allowing her to study, and for letting the chance to escape West pass by. He hid both Maria and her brother in a small room underneath the roof from which they could climb onto the neighbouring houses and escape west where there was still territory held by Germans.

What Maria´s father failed to consider was the fact that from up there she and her brother could see everything occurring down on the streets. They both had to watch their father´s last stand in the destroyed streets of Königsberg. How he and his man managed to destroy three T-34 tanks and killed dozens of enemy soldiers. Yet the Soviets outnumbered them and so Maria had to watch her father die, riddled with what looked like hundreds of bullets.

But what came afterwards was even worse: Methodically the Soviet soldiers went through every house and dragged its occupants out on the street. Woman were raped, men were shot and babies thrown into the air and fired upon. It was horrible and the imagines of those monstrous acts burned themselves into Maria´s, so that she wouldn’t forget them until the day she´d die. This was the day that Maria lost her faith. How could there be a God so cruel as to watch those things happen while he sat there in Heaven and had the power to stop everything? Maria cried until she had no more tears to shed and till today she could not cry anymore.

When night descended upon them she and her brother slowly made their way through the city. Many of the enemy soldiers were drunk and didn’t know the city and its small passages as well as the both of them did, so they were able to evade them. But their luck did not hold: Exactly when Maria thought that they had escaped a lone Soviet sentry discovered them.

Before they had a chance to comprehend what was going on the soldier backhanded Wilhelm so hard that the boy was flung backwards, lying immobile on the ground. Maria screamed and wanted to run to her brother, but the other man held her back in iron grip. And then…and then…he had raped her. Maria still couldn’t think of that without feeling like throwing up. Even after 70 years she still felt tainted and broken, but also so full of hatred and loathing, when she recalled the soldier´s face, cruelty gleaming in his eyes and his expression distorted in some sick kind of pleasure. She had thought she would die here and now when she felt something cold and metal against her fingers. Wilhelm wasn´t dead and he had given her their father´s gun.

Without thinking Maria pointed the gun at her rapist and pulled the trigger. A loud bang and the soldier atop her slumped forward, half of his head blown away by the bullet´s force. Disgusted Maria pushed the corpse away and stood up, ready to continue the escape with her brother. But then another sentry appeared, a boy who didn’t look older like 16 years old. Completely stunned he looked at the soldier´s corpse, at the blood spattered over Maria and her dishevelled appearance. Then he pointed into the direction they should go.

“Why do you help us?” Maria wanted to know as she scooped up her brother.

“You…not…soldier,” the boy answered. “Just…girl. I…not…hurt…girl.”

“Thank you…”

“Iwan.” Not bothering to say anything else Maria just took her brother´s hand and simply ran, never looking back.

---

They managed to reach the German lines near Metgethen and were nearly shot upon by their own people. Luck was on their side, though, as shortly after they reached the relative safety behind the German troops, the first Soviet vanguards battled against the Germans.

Maria and Wilhelm managed to get a place on a barge, which transported them to Lübeck from where they continued traveling to Hamburg. Here – nine months after they arrived – Maria gave birth to a healthy boy. She decided against employing the service of an “Engelmacherin” for no child should be burdened with the sins of his father. And even though she hated the Russians with passion Maria named the child after the Russian soldier who had saved them, for Johannes was the German version of Iwan, meaning ‘God is full of mercy’.

It made Maria think back to the child she had lost before she had to flee Königsberg. The father to whom she had been married to had been stationed on the Tirpitz where he had found his death. Hearing that her love would never come back had distressed Maria so much that she miscarried, something she never told anyone. And now there she had another child, born out of rape, but Maria vowed to herself that she would love him with all of her heart nevertheless.

Starting a new life in Hamburg wasn’t easy by any means. She worked as cleaning lady and did other mini jobs as well. It was hard work, but she managed to raise both her child and her own brother. Wilhelm, though, had suffered a severe emotional trauma from which he never recovered. After two marriages and two divorces he died when he was 45 as a result of his excessive alcohol consumption.

Maria was torn out of her reverie when the train slowed down and entered the station in Rastenburg. From here she would be able to take a train to Königsberg.

Maria had nearly reached her destination and yet she felt tired like she never had before. She took out her phone and started to dictate three messages. One to her son, one to Petra – and one to her younger self. The others in the train stared at her, but Maria resolutely ignored all of them.
 
Interludium I, Part 6: A Journey Home, Part 6

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
It was around 5pm when the train arrived at Königsberg Central Station. Maria needed help to get out of the train and many people stared at her – or rather her rollator – as she made her way through the station until she was out of the building and on the Reichsplatz. It was here that a small boy, whom she knew from many decades ago, approached her with wide eyes.

“What´s that thing?” he asked her curiously and pointed at her rollator.

“It´s called a rollator,” Maria answered in the East Prussian dialect she hadn’t spoken since she had fled her old home. “It helps me to walk, Fritz.” The boy´s eyes widened in shock and scared as he was he just ran away.

Maria sighed. She had known Fritz as one of Wilhelm´s friends when they had still lived here. His whole family had died of starvation after the Soviets had conquered the city. Of the 150.000 inhabitants only 20.000 had been deported, the rest had died.

Maria continued her journey over Kruegerstraße, Posener Straße into the Vorstädtische Langgasse. Just as she was about to continue, a sharp pain tore through her heart and Maria´s hand shot to her chest. She gritted her teeth. No, she had come so far, she wouldn’t stop now! Gathering her strength she walked over the Grüne Brücke over the Pregel river and crossed the bridge to the Kneiphof, one of the three original cities of Königsberg. Maria turned right into the Magisterstraße and soon reached the Königsberg Cathedral.

Maria crossed the Domplatz and entered the cathedral. Slowly she made her way towards the first row where she sat down.

“Lord, thank you,” she said reverently with tears in her eyes. “For seeing my home once again. I apologize for not believing in you.” Now the tears were falling freely.

“We´re closing in five minutes...” Maria heard a voice from behind. She turned around. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, I´m fine,” Maria said, recognizing the man as Walter Strazim, one of the two priests that had always held the church service when she had been younger.

“Maria Adomeit?!? Is that really you?” Walter asked in confusion, clearly recognizing her. “How…ah, I see, the Event.” He paused for a moment then took in her teary expression. “Can I help you?”

Another shot of pain through her heart. “You may call an ambulance.” She searched for the pills she was supposed to take.

“Yes, at once,” Walter replied, having seen her shaking hands and her expression of distress. “I´ll be back as soon as possible.”

“I won´t run away,” Maria said drily and sat down again, the pain slowly becoming worse and worse.

---

When Walter Strazim would come back five minutes later he would find Maria Adomait dead, her expression full of joy and peace.

---

Two days later Johannes and his family arrived at Königsberg and for the first time since many years a family reunion took place, albeit a very subdued one. The three messages on Maria´s phone were found and given to their respective recipient.

Maria was laid to rest in Königsberg, the home she had once been forced to flee many decades ago. Her younger counterpart would start studying medicine, paid for by Johannes, a dream that the old Maria never saw being fulfilled. Seeing as both Maria and Bine were nearly the same age and pregnant they formed a close bond as Maria didn’t register as grandmother in Bine´s mind.

The only person that disrupted the family idyll was Petra who blamed Johannes, and partly Jürgen as well, for not preventing her grandmother from making the journey to Königsberg. Even the messages from Maria herself in which she clearly stated that it had been her desire and that Johannes could have done nothing to dissuade her, didn’t change Petra´s mind. A shouting match between Petra and Johannes ensued after which Petra left the city. Any attempts made by Sabine to stop her failed spectacularly. In the end Petra stopped any communication with the rest of her family. The last thing they heard from her, was that Petra had moved to Cologne and had married her girlfriend there.
 
Chapter I, Part 19: The Longest Day, Part 1

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
June 6th, 2:30 CEST, Channel

"Blessent mon coeur d’une langueur monotone." This part of Paul Verlaine's "Chanson d'automne" had been played only hours ago. That meant, the Allied invasion fleet was on her way. Fregattenkapitän Jörn Rühmann had given the S-Boats under his command the order to proceed to a point, from which both possible landing zones could be reached. He had the corvette Rügen, 10 Gepard class missile boats and 39 S-Boats under his command.

However, some problems had occurred. The original plan had been that he should have joined the corvettes of class 130, torpedo boats and destroyers under the command of Korvettenkapitän Heinrich Hoffmann, but light damage to some of his boats had delayed his fleet; thus Hoffmann´s fleet should join him in about half an hour.

“Herr Kap’tän, we received some RADAR signals,” the RADAR operator informed him. “And they don´t belong to any of our ships.”

“Indeed? Are they heading for the Normandy coast?” Rühmann inquired further.

“Yes, sir, but…” the operator paused for a moment, as if he was hesitant to continue.
“But what?” Rühmann urged him.

“It´s only a relative small force,” the operator replied. “Only about a hundred contacts or so.”

“Only?” Rühmann said. “This can´t be the main invasion force. It has to be a distraction.”

“Herr Kap’tän.” Rühmann turned around to the radio operator. “I just got intel that tells us that the main armada is heading for Pas-de-Calais. Army command has been informed as well.”

“That´s a problem,” the commander of the S-71 commented. “We are in-between this force and the invasion fleet. There´s the danger of encirclement.”

“Our ships are fast enough to escape them,” Rühmann stated confidently. “But where is Hoffmann´s force?”

“They are behind the small fleet in front of us,” the radio operator answered.

"Good,” Rühmann replied. “We should attack from both sides. We´re going to strike first, then the Allies will have to react and send forces against us. Afterwards the destroyers attack and will find gaps in their formation to exploit. Perhaps we can attack a second time, this time with our older boats."

"Aye, sir."

A quarter of an hour later the corvette Rügen fired her four SS-N-2 C "Styx" at one of two big vessels. One of them was the USS Arkansas. The old battleship was hit by all four of them. Modern anti-ship-missiles stood no chance at defeating 28 cm armour. However, the Styx missiles are equipped with a hollow charge, which made them akin to guided bazookas. As such they could crack the armour of the old battleship. The USS Arkansas immediately lost speed as the engines were hit. As the electricity did fail as well, the pumps did not work, so that the flooding could not be coped with. Soon after it had been hit, the old battleship listed to port and would capsize half an hour later.

At first the guarding destroyers believed that there was a U-boat near. Thus they started to drop depth charges, an action that proved to be futile as soon after the S-Boats fired their MM-38 missiles on the destroyers. 37 of 40 missiles hit. This had severe consequences for the Allied Task Force O. All twelve destroyers were sunk or disabled. Additionally, the French cruiser Montcalm was hit heavily and set ablaze.

Another catastrophe happened only shortly after, when the RBS-15 Mk. III missiles fired by the 1st corvette squadron hit the other cruiser, George Leygues- and the USS Texas. As the RBS-15 also conducts a pop-up-manoeuvre, strong side armour does not do much against a hit. And twelve missiles were more than enough to cripple the ship. Later the torpedo boat Kormoran would scuttle the burning wreck with three torpedoes. Until then the German ships ran havoc against the Task Force O. Within 45 minutes the Allied ships had been either sunk or surrendered. Among the people captured was a Canadian officer called James Doohan, who later wondered, why so many German soldiers wanted his autograph.

An air strike by British Beaufighters failed, as the RAM missiles downed most of them before they became too dangerous.

The diversion on Normandy was an utter failure. But it also meant that the German surface vessels could not engage the enemy main landing force.

The day had just begun.
 
Chapter I, Part 20: The Longest Day, Part 2

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
June 6th, 04:30 CEST, 20.000 feet AGL

The Colonel was worried. His crew was amongst the best the Allies had to offer and yet the air battle last week had been an utter catastrophe. His group had been at the end of the flight formation and thus had to ‘only’ face FW 190 and BF 109 fighters. His radio operator had been wounded and had to be replaced with a new one. Damn, what had been his name exactly? Ah, yes, Matthew or something like that. Didn't he want to become an actor? He would talk to him later.

Now they were back in the air again. This time their targets were German coastal batteries. The famous Lindemann batteries to be exact. Via radio the Colonel knew about the current state of the invasion and it wasn´t going well by far. Many transports had been downed and he wondered how many soldiers had made it out of this hell alive. Those damned Krauts must have invented a new secret weapon which was now directed against the Allies. There were many rumours as to what exactly this weapon was, but they got more ridiculous with each time, sounding like somethings straight out of a H.G. Welles roman.

They were nearing the French coast when he suddenly heard Matthew´s voice over the intercom.

“Bandits, 12 o´clock!”

He recognized them. It were Fw 190's. The escorting fighters engaged, but the German planes attacked from the distance with rockets it seemed. Some sent in whole volleys, others seemed to shoot them aimed. The result was often the same. He saw V-Victoria exploding, B-Baker lost a whole wing and was downed. And although he tried to avoid the rockets, his plane was hit nonetheless, but it continued flying. He pushed forward his objective.

The attack – if you could call it that – was over soon, though. The Colonel and his crew could claim to have shot down one of the Germans and his escorts got another three. Yet their own forces had suffered massive loss: a P-51 and 12 B-24, which together amounted to one third of his force.

The Colonel cursed. If – no when he made his way back to England, he would talk some sense into his superiors. They couldn’t continue fighting on like this.

There! He could see the beaches of Pas-de-Calais. Faintly he recognized the invasion fleet which was under fire from the German forces. Through the fire and smoke he could see his target. Flak! He flew higher to avoid it, but it was in vain. A shell had hit the plane. A starboard motor was burning, the other made it barely. He could extinct the fire, but the damages were heavy. Only seconds later he felt the bombs falling. But again his plane was hit, this time twice.

His radio operator talked to him through the intercom.

"Colonel, we were hit badly. There is a huge hole, where the bomb bay was and the rear turret was destroyed. The gunner, I don't know his name, had luck, as he was looking for new ammo."

"And we lost one of our port engines, colonel." his co-pilot said. "The plane is completely out of control!"

"We must bail out." the Colonel said.

Only a minute later the Colonel was catapulted out of the plane, yet unfortunately the wind blew him east, away from the landing beaches and out on the Channel. A few moments of gliding through the air and then the water subsumed him. Now he had a big problem, though. He couldn't get rid off his damn parachute! The more he tried the more he entangled himself in it, making it more and more difficult for him to stay above water. Suddenly the Colonel could feel someone grabbing him from behind and helping him to get rid off the parachute. When he was finally able to keep himself above water he turned around and saw that it had been Matthews who had helped him.

"Thank you, Sergeant Matthews."

"My name´s Matthow, sir."

"I heard you want to become an actor?"

"Yes, sir."

"For my friends I am Jimmy. I will see, what I can do for you, when we're back home. But I fear, we will have some time to wait. That boat is none of us."

Only a little while later Colonel Jimmy Stewart and his crew were rescued by a KFK of the German navy.
 
Chapter I, Part 21: The Longest Day, Part 3

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
Near Boulogne, June 6th, 1944:

Heinrich was looking with awe and fear towards the the enemy landing craft nearing the beach. He was just a Gefreiter within the 352nd Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht. He had been conscripted just about two years ago. A few days ago he had been in Normandy, when suddenly the situation became confusing, to say the least. At first, he heard rumours about a coup, then stories about time travellers. Within a day it indeed seemed to be true despite the absurdity of such rumours and stories. But then new orders came from the HQ, which had been as confusing as the situation was at first. Somehow the division was relocated to Boulogne, while other divisions were relocated to Normandy. But orders are orders and shouldn't be questioned, at least to him. It made no sense to him, but now he was here.

And then the new soldiers came. One unit had a female officer in charge and a huge negro* Spieß. They showed us new weapons and gave us these G3 rifles. That Spieß showed us, how to use them. For him it was easy to shoot it even in automatic mode. When he tried, he couldn't even hit a barn door. The Spieß just laughed. He then took a MG42 and used it as assault rifle!

But that was the past. Now he had to face the enemy's fleet. Suddenly two jets flew over him and fired rockets. They retreated, but he could see the rockets hitting a destroyer, which sank at once. Another destroyer hit a mine and, seemingly out of control, drove into Boulogne harbour, where a group of soldiers tried to capture the US destroyer.

The first landing craft were in his firing range. There! The first craft was lowering its bow ramp. He fired his MG 42. His bullets hit the soldiers trying to storm out of the craft. The first fell, partly ripped apart by the bullets, which continued onwards to hit the men behind. The soldiers in the back were trying to advance, which they couldn't as the other soldiers in front had stopped. That proved to be deadly. Heinrich had reloaded and changed the barrel. He continued to fire. He guessed, there couldn't be many survivors in that craft.


He switched aim to another landing craft but it was hit by such an anti tank guided rocket. He saw the craft capsizing and sinking quickly. Only a few heads could be seen near to it swimming to the coast. Another landing craft was hit by a mine and exploded. Only few were hit by artillery. But then with devastating effects.

He finally found a new target and fired his MG 42.

***

David Silva was in one of the landing craft on the way to the beach. He couldn't see much, just the noise of a battle going on. His landing craft neared the beach and lowered the bow ramp. He saw several men falling, when the ramp was opening. He scrambled out of the boat- and nearly drowned, as the beach was still a bit too far away for standing. Somehow he managed to get onto the beach. The others had not as much luck. They drowned, as they couldn't get rid of their equipment in time. At the beach he found some cover behind an anti-tank obstacle. He looked back and could even see a swimming Sherman tank. But it was hit soon after and sank. His sergeant gave the order to advance, so he started to run. Soon some of the men hit mines and he decided to take cover behind yet another obstacle. He could see the victims of the mines. The more lucky were already dead. Others screamed. He saw a flame thrower soldier being smashed into a nearby Sherman with the leaking fuel being set on fire by a hail of tracers. With horror he saw the flame thrower soldier and the poor sods near him being set ablaze and scream in agony.

At another place three landing craft managed to reach the beach together. Nearly simultaneously several heavy shells exploded there, where they had reached the beach. In this moment David started to pray loudly. He received the order to start shooting, but after firing once, a near miss forced him back into the safety of cover.

***

Heinrich thought, these new artillery pieces- what was the designation? Ah, yes, PzH 2000- was a fine thing. 25 km away, they provided good fire support. With one salvo they destroyed three landing craft. As the enemy soldiers scattered, Heinrich switched to his G3 and fired in semi-automatic mode. Bang. One soldier was hit. But this other soldier, who had barely missed him, was still in cover. Well, perhaps next time. Bang. And yet another hit. Bang.

***

Next to David a group of soldiers started to advance. He heard a strange distant sound, like a series of plops . Then he could see some shells coming, which landed on this group. They seemed to be small grenades, as they exploded. Another soldier reached his position. "Be careful. There is a sniper out..." He said, but it was too late. The damn fool looked over the obstacle and was hit. The bullet penetrated his helmet and killed him instantly. David sighed. This was the moment, in which he decided to become a priest if he survived.

***

Bang. Heinrich had fired his K98k again. The G3 was too hot and he feared, it would be out of action, if it was fired again. So he switched to his old K98k carbine. His target, a man, who was crouching next to the man who missed him half an hour ago. He landed a hit on the crouching man's head and saw him slump to the ground, already dead. This was the first time he realized, he was shooting at real human beings. For a moment his rifles remained silent.

***

David again received the order to advance. And so he did. He fired wildly and didn't expect to hit anything. He was just near to the end of the sand beach, next to the grass, when he was finally hit by that "Beast". He felt tearing pain in his side and took cover. He couldn't see soldiers on the German side any more and was unable to do so again. He looked at his comrades in mute horror. One was carrying his own arm, completely shocked. Others cried. One of them was a man, who was literally halved. An arm was missing too. But he wasn't dead yet and just stared in silence at his other half. Finally a bullet ended his suffering. He thanked the man who shot him for mercy. After that he collapsed, weak from mental shock and blood loss.

***

Bang. And yet again Heinrich fired. He needed to switch to the MG though, as a group of soldiers was nearing his position. It was just after noon, when he realized, the landing craft were across the beach were uncoordinated, some retreating and some attacking. To him it made no sense. Chaos reigned.

It dawned on him, that the enemy's chain of command was out of action. He took a K98k, another one, as his own was definitely not usable any more, and fired. Suddenly someone he felt someone put their hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, son. They have surrendered." He looked up. This Spieß, Feldwebel Johnson, was standing next to him. He just nodded.

Heinrich stood up, at first ready to take cover any moment, but he just remarked the silence punctuated with the cries of the wounded and dying. He followed Johnson, who went to the beach to take prisoners. Other soldiers were accompanying them.

Heinrich stopped at the place, where he thought to find this soldier, who barely missed him. Well, he was nearly hit several times, but that shot was the nearest. To his surprise he found the man wounded, but alive. Johnson gave him the order to take him to a hospital. The soldier, who had been unconscious, awoke, when he and a comrade took him to hospital. "Thank you, guys." the soldier spoke silently. It was clear, he was in great pain. "What's your name?" Heinrich asked. "David Silva." "I am Heinrich. Heinrich Severloh." Heinrich introduced himself.

Both became friends after the war. Heinrich, who got the Knight's Cross for this battle, became finally Unteroffizier and returned to his father's farm after the war. David would become army priest.




* I am writing within the thoughts of a '40s DT soldier. The term negro, Neger on German, was, by then, not insulting. That didn't change until recently (which is IMO questionable, but that's another topic. For me it isn't insulting) I don't want to offend anyone.
 
Chapter I, Part 22: The Longest Day, Part 4

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
Somewhere near Boulogne, June 6th, 1944, 14:38:

1st Lt. Richard D. Winter had his men, at least the 14 he had found, together. The day was a real mess. No, a catastrophe. It had started in the night.

The evening before they had boarded their C-47 Dakota transports. They had been ordered to jump in the hinterland of Boulogne to take a certain bridge. Winters had heard rumors about some fantastic stories about time travel and such nonsense. He didn't believe them a second, but he had known, they were attacking an enemy, who was prepared. For him it had looked better to suspend the operation, but the orders had not been changed. The Dakotas had started in time, but that had been the only thing planned. Over Boulogne the "fun" had started. One C-47 after the other had been downed. He had had little idea, what had been going on, until his plane had been hit. There had been an explosion and he had been suddenly out of the plane. He had seen the silhouette of a jet aircraft, which had fired a kind of rocket on another transport, which exploded in the air. Then he had seen this aircraft attacking another transports. A string of shells he had been able to see coming out of that fighter. The tracer ammo had found the target immediately, which had been going down very fast.

Winter had opened his parachute in time. He had estimated, he had not been far away from his original point, which was true. However, while gliding down, he had been able to see few transports releasing their cargo. And of these parachutists many had died in the air, as the Germans fired on them. They had been in full alert. The others, who had tried to build up a defence, had been overwhelmed soon.

He had been able to land without being detected in a small forest, where he had been able to escape the massacre. On his way he had found some other soldiers, most of them from the Easy Company, but also two from Bravo Company. At first they had been 18, but four had died in a firefight with the Germans. He had ordered to retreat.

And now he was in this barn somewhere in Northern France. He was still unable to get contact, as no radio was there. Well, the radio they had had, was damaged beyond repair in the fight with the Germans. Together with the operator, who had been killed by a hand grenade. He didn't know his position, he didn't know, where the own forces were, he didn't know, anything about the tactical situation. Well, that wasn't completely true. He knew where the enemy was. Nearly everywhere. So he had decided to take cover in this barn somewhere in the nowhere. At night, he wanted to leave the barn to find the own lines, if possible. Others argued, it might be better to try to go to Spain, but he stopped these thoughts soon. But would it be better to try to find the own lines? What, if the whole operation had failed? Then there would be no own lines on this side of the channel.

Suddenly he heard a voice, seemingly out of a megaphone. "Allied soldiers! We know, that you hide in this barn. This is the German army. Surrender. The barn is surrounded and can be destroyed easily." Winter looked out of the barn, cautiously through a small hole. He looked straight into the barrel of a rifle.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed. "What shall we do?" was the question he heard. His men, who had partly slept, were awake and didn't know, what to do. Like him as well. He looked at them. He knew resistance was futile. He sighed. "Okay, boys, it seems war is over for us." He bound a white handkerchief on his rifle, opened the door of the barn and showed his intention to surrender. He stepped out of the building. He and his men would be sent into a PoW camp in Bavaria. There he was really stunned, when he found out, that the Germans had said the truth. He also saw this series "Band of Brothers", in which the story of his unit was told, well the story of an alternative timeline. In the end he had to cry. So many of his comrades had died, so few survived. And for what?
 
Chapter I, Part 23: The Longest Day, Part 5

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
June 7th, 8:30 CEST, Breslau

Schlesische Zeitung

Invasion defeated!

Boulogne – Yesterday the Allied Forces started their long awaited Invasion of the French Mainland with the area around Pas-de-Calais as their designated target. Of all possible invasion sites on the French Coast only two were viable to support such an invasion with one already having been neutralized by German forces which only left Pas-de-Calais. This enabled our forces to distribute themselves over the area as needed, awaiting the enemy forces.

Shortly after midnight the first transport made up of US troops tried to land and take vial positions in the hinterland of Pas-de-Calais, thus cutting our boys and girls off. You heard right: Not only did brave German man fight, but also women and let me just say that they fought as bravely as their male counterparts!

The enemy parachutists suffered great losses in the air already, something that continued on the ground as well. Only three of our positions were taken by enemy forces, yet all of them were retaken within twelve hours again. Currently there are still small groups of enemy soldiers scattered around, but leading officers which whom this reporter was able to talk expressed their confidence that those, too, will soon be caught. The bottom line is, that the British 6th, the US 101st and the US 82nd para divisions ceased to exist.

The same has to be said about the fleet trying to feint an attack on the beaches of the Normandy. They ran into one of our fleets, consisting of missile boats, destroyers and torpedo boats. After a fierce but short battle the enemy fleet was sunk with only little losses suffered by our own.

The new Luftwaffe fighters did a great job with their so called missiles to clear the sky from Allied Plane. According to information this reporter received, one of our own, Oberst Bernhard Taube, commodore of TaktLwG 73 shot down 38 planes with his Eurofighters within three sorties. In total about 2000 enemy planes were shot down by 150 F-4 Phantoms, MiG 29s, F-16s and Eurofighters. Additionally, in the early hours of the morning Panavia bombers made an attack run on the runways of several air bases in Britain, thus grounding most of the Allied Air Forces.

Despite these losses, the enemy continued to execute the invasion. As I was embedded with some colleagues of the RTL television group in a bunker I was able to witness the enemy landing boats coming. At this time neither side had much air support, as our forces had to either rearm or were thin stripped over a large area while the Allied Air Forces were either destroyed or grounded. The landing boats were rather slow, but they were many; too many to be taken down by our artillery, which was only able to sink a few. That changed, though, when few kilometres off the coast Milan anti-tank missiles were used to sink the landing crafts. One or two hits with one of these were able to sink the landing craft, with many enemy soldiers either dead from the explosion or because they could not get rid of their heavy gear, thus drowning in the ice-cold ocean. However, these few missiles were not enough to stop all of the enemy forces and soon they reached the beach where they were now hit with heave MG or rifle fire. Many enemy soldiers were slain as there was little cover for them to hide behind.

Seeing their comrades being cut down by our forces, the Allied fleet attacked as well, trying to create breaches for the infantry that was pinned down. However, by this time our air forces had rearmed and were able to re-join the battle. Using AS.34 Kormoran II and Taurus missiles they created harvoc amongst the enemy forces, sinking every battle ship and many smaller crafts. The Taurus cruise missiles hit the battle wagons and penetrated their armour to detonate in the inner parts of the ships. One ship, the HMS Warspite, did explode. Others sunk by capsizing, HMS Ramilies, or breaking in two like the USS Nevada. The US generals Eisenhower and Patton could leave the sinking vessel, but were captured when their landing craft surrendered little later, the greatest success of our troops on this day. Enemy flak fire was very ineffective except two lucky hits. One Tornado did explode due to a full hit, the other crashed into the sea. The pilots could eject but were captured by the enemy.

By now the situation had become pure chaos for the Allied Forces. The battleships sunk, most cruisers hit and no one to give orders, which was probably the cause why the fighting continued for two further hours. The destroyer USS Meredith was hit by a mine while driving 33 knots and heading directly into the harbour of Boulonge where it collided with the quay. As the destroyer still fired on our positions a group of marines under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Markus von der Marwitz attacked the destroyer now lying dead at the quay. And although he was mortally wounded, his men managed to capture the destroyer before scuttling charges were armed, managing to secure several caches of documents, which worth has yet to be determined.

At three points the Allies finally managed to break our lines, only to be driven back by the reserve forces. At 14:00 the enemy tried to start a retreat. But yet another air strike by both new and old planes let this retreat become an utter disaster. Dozens of ships surrendered while others left their position to retreat with full speed. Many of them were sunk, too.

At the end of the day 1.598 German soldiers were dead or wounded. The Allied losses can't be counted at this moment. However, with the loss of so many ships and over 35.000 soldiers captured, the losses must be severe.
In the late evening Federal Chancellor Merkel thanked the forces and expressed her hopes to end the war as soon as possible due to this victory.
 
Chapter I, Part 24: The Longest Day, Epilogue, Part 1

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
June 7th, 9:30 EST, Washington DC, White House, Oval Office:

President Roosevelt didn’t feel very well. He had just gotten the news about the defeat his forces had suffered, but no clear numbers had been given to him. The failed invasion, but the attacks on the nuclear sites even more so, seemed to have proven Germany´s claim that they were hailing from the future.

No, the day clearly wasn’t going well. Eleanor was so worried that he had decided to let her in the meeting that was about to commerce as well as his sons Elliot and FDR jr. Also joining them were “Wild Bill” Donovan, head of the OSS, General of the Army George C. Marshal, Vice-President Henry A. Wallace, Julius Robert Oppenheimer and Henry Morgenthau jr.

FDR: The situation is dire. We can assume that the Germans are telling the truth when they claim that they are from the future. Yesterday was a dark day, perhaps the darkest in the history of our proud nation. It was a sound defeat which may even decide the war. However, we should not act in panic, but rather after cool reasoning. Do we have any further details on our losses, George?

George C. Marshall (GCM): Our losses were heavy. Amongst them were the USS Arkansas, the USS Texas, several cruisers, destroyers and dozen smaller vessels. Of the landing forces we can assume that the paratrooper divisions were either killed or captured. The losses of the infantry were high as well; intelligence says about 60.000 killed or captured.

FDR: Dear God *silence* Can we replace these losses?

GCM: Not this year. Many of the men we lost were specialists, especially the amphibious scouts and raiders and the paratroopers. We have to recruit fresh flesh to fill the gap, but we have to train them first before sending them to Europe. Furthermore, we´d have to search for a new landing site as well. Even more difficult will be replacing the sunk ships in time for such an endeavour.

Elliot Rossevelt (ELR): That doesn’t make any sense! With those heave losses…why should we even continue this war? The Germans seem to be from the future and have weapons that can strike at their targets from thousands of miles away. Why don’t we accept their offer of peace?

FDR: As I told you before, we did not enter this war because of Poland or the Jews primarily, but to keep down a potent enemy. That nation has caused too many problems in the past, and we were thinking that we couldn’t allow them to continue doing so. However, you are insofar right in that we need a new strategy.

William Donovan (WBD): I may be of help here. We received news from Mr. Dulles from Bern who told us that they were contacted by a German civilian with valuable information. According to him she was some kind of priest. We didn’t consider this notice of any relevance as we didn’t believe the time travel story at all back then.

However, with the recent events in mind, we started working with the information she gave us and we´ve made some progress. Let´s get started with the fact that there are both good and bad news. The bad news is that – as we are all aware by now – the Germans are in possession of extremely advanced weaponry which we cannot hope to match. The good news, though, is that those weapons aren’t as numerous as we believed. Germany seemed to have come from a period during which they lived in an already 70 years lasting peace.

For a few decades the country was split into two parts, each belonging to a bloc that were feuding between each other; a period they call ‘The Cold War’. With its end, though, the armed forces were reduced dramatically. They are not prepared to fight a long war, especially a World War. They have little stocks of weapons available and should they run out they can´t reproduce them as easily as we can with ours. That means that every loss they suffer is a substantial one.

Eleanor Rossevelt (ER): Thank God! At least a little bit of light in these dark hours!

FDR II: But how can we use that to our advantage? We need new troops in Europe.

Henry A. Wallace (HAW): We may not have own forces in Europe, but we have allies, General Stalin for example…

ELR: Pah, that man is only marginally better than Hitler! The lesser of two evils, I´d say. We cannot trust him!

HAW: He is a trusted ally of this country, though. These propaganda stories the Germans transmit may be all fabricated lies.

FDR: He may or may not be trustworthy, that´s not the matter. We cannot allow him to get all the German´s technologies. No, we need own troops in Europe.

GCM: The only force we have left our bound fighting the Japanese in the Pacific.

FDR: Well, our strategy has always been ‘Europe First’. I think we have to put the war in the Pacific on the backburner and transfer some forces from there to Europe.

ELR: Is there enough time for that?

WBD: I guess so. The Germans will likely be busy with the coming Soviet offensives, which will lead to their stocks getting depleted. Then, next year, we can swoop in and deal the death blow.

FDR: Thank God, I was fearing to become the president who lost America a World War.

FDR II: Nimitz, Halsey and MacArthur won´t be very pleased with that decision.

FDR: George, it´s your decision to make them understand what I expect from them.

GCM: Yes, sir!

FDR: Now, to the other matter at hand. Mr. Oppenheimer, how´s the situation in Los Alamos and Oak Ridge?

Robert Oppenheimer (JRO): Bad, Mr. President, very bad. Both sites were – if I may be so bold to say it like that – annihilated. We´ve lost many good men. If we want to continue we need to rebuilt the sites and hire new scientists as well as redo several calculations. All in all, I think we lost several years of progress.

FDR: Grave news, indeed. We need those weapons as fast as we can produce them. And now we have to wait even longer.

JRO: To be clear, we still would have needed a year if the sites hadn’t been attacked. Now, it will be much longer.

FDR: We need to pick up the pace. Mr. Oppenheimer, money will be no problem. Go to Mr. Morgenthau and he will give you everything you ask for and more. Henry, I think we need a new plan concerning what to do with Germany if we win this war.

Henry Morgenthau (HM): Yes, sir, I´ll be updating my current plans.

ER: We need to eliminate the threat of Germany once and for all, gentlemen. We cannot allow them to rise again.

HM: I know that very well.

FDR: I´ll contact the British and Soviet ambassadors. This war shall go on!

FDR II: And what about the public?

WBD: Currently they are mourning. Also from the comments of the newspapers many agree to continue the war. But that may change fast, especially if truth is revealed.

FDR: That may not happen until the end of the war! For everyone we will fight a war against Nazi-Germany and no Wellesian future Germany. I will deal with problems on this front.
 
Chapter I, Part 25: The Longest Day, Epilogue, Part 2

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
June 7th, London, Downing Street 10, 21.45 GMT

Winston Churchill looked at his Whiskey glass, filled to the brim with the amber liquid and contemplated the current situation the world had found itself in.

Germany was from the future. What a shock! Now the whole situation had turned from fighting a boxer in the ropes to fighting an enraged gorilla. But did they truly had to continue fighting? Truly? De facto, the Germans had asked for peace, even going so far and declaring that they were willing to pay reparations for the damage the Third Reich had caused. But despite that, they would remain a super power, even after a peace treaty.

He took another sip from the glass.

Yes, Germany would remain a power. And that was exactly the problem! England had fought two wars to bring Germany down and now they were back again. Churchill had seen the necessity of both wars and it was still his believe that Germany had to be kept in check.

But recently those believes had been badly shaken. Stalin and his red menace was still out there, trying to get his pound of flesh, even though he would suffer greatly for it. But so would Britain, if they continued. They were sitting ducks for the new super planes of the Luftwaffe that had the ability to destroy their infrastructure at will.

Perhaps, Churchill, thought, perhaps it would be wiser to wait.

If – and that was a word with a big question mark in front of it – they were victorious over Germany they had to destroy the country once and for all, never allowing it the chance to resurface again. But the Soviets? They couldn’t be trusted. Unfortunately, the US government closed it eyes to that particular truth.

The glass was empty, Churchill noticed. He refilled it.

Yes, one had to fight Germany, adamantly, as long as there still was s small chance at actually succeeding. If they lost, though, there would be nothing preventing German hegemony over Europe. In the end, Germany would continue fighting as well, for they would never suffer a second Versailles.

The glass was empty, again.

Choice, Churchill thought bitterly, was just an illusion. FDR had hinted too much about money, American investment and lends to leave the choice of suing for peace open. If they asked for peace there would be no more American money forthcoming.

Another empty glass. Churchill filled it again.

You´re drunk again, a tipsy voice whispered in his head.

Yes, yes, I am, he shushed the voice, you can´t bear all of it without being drunk. We´re playing cards, the jackpot is full and we´re all in. He drank again.

Empty. The stupid bottle was empty! Damn! He opened another one.

If the Soviets defeat the Germans, Europe will be lost to Britain. If the Germans won, Europe would be lost to Britain, as well, as most of the man power came from their ranks.

No alternative but fighting, Churchill thought.

The next time his glass wasn’t refilled. Churchill had fallen asleep over his desk.
 
Chapter I, Part 26: The Longest Day, Epilogue, Part 3

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
Moscow, Kremlin, June 8th, 01:03 MSK


Stalin was infamous for his nocturnal meetings. So it was no surprise when this one was occurring late at night as well. No, not the time was the cause for the meeting´s peculiarity, but rather the issue that was on the agenda. Stalin had ordered in Lawrenti Beria, Wjatscheslaw Molotow and Alexander Wassilewski to discuss – like it had already been done in London and Washington – how to react to Germany´s sudden resurging strength.

Stalin (STA): The fascists were able to defeat the Allies. Oh, those weak-minded capitalists! I should have known before that they were weak in mind and body alike. Now they want us to bear the brunt of the enemy´s strength so that they can swoop in and take our people´s righteous victory from our hands.

Molotow (MOL): They claim that Germany is indeed from the future. That this is why they won…

STA: And you believe this fabricated nonsense? They are either incompetent – which I don’t believe – or they are plotting with the fascists, now that Hitler is dead. Germany cannot be from the future. It just cannot be!

Beria (BER): Woschd, it´s true, indeed! We have confirmation from several sources. The Allies send us indisputable proof! The impossible has become true; our greatest enemy has been sent back from the future.

STA: You as well? This is impossible. Impossible I say!

BER: I´m dead serious, woschd.

STA: It can´t be!

BER: This is what the Allies send us as proof for the German claim. They call it a ‘tablet computer’. It contains valuable data about the Germans we´re now facing.

Stalin was shocked at seeing this. His face had turned a deep shade of red as he had talked himself into rage, but now it paled within seconds. He didn’t dare to speak for fear that his voice would fail him. Wordlessly he beckoned for Beria to hand over the small device which surface began to glow, giving way for some kind of user interface. It was rather intuitive and after a while Stalin was able to access the data; most of it in either German or English. He overflew a few of the documents and then set the device aside.

STA: So it is indeed true. So now we´re facing fascist with über-weapons?

BER: Not necessarily. The Germans may have this advanced weaponry and technology, but their army is small due to the long phases of peace they lived through. For example, they only possess 250 tanks, each of them vastly superior to our own, but we have the greater numbers.

Wassilewski (WAS): Far greater numbers! Which we have to apply now when the Germans are still trying to catch up.

STA: 250 tanks, eh? Not much.

WAS: Furthermore, this Germany is led by a woman. A woman! They have a woman as führer now!

STA: A woman?! Ridiculous! A woman cannot be as though as a man!

BER: We shouldn’t make the mistake of underestimating our enemy before we have the hard facts.

STA: You speak true. But still, a woman may be able to lead a country in time of peace, but in war? Ridiculous. But back to the real topic: To paraphrase it, we have to fight a monster which is not ready for total war yet?

BER: Yes.

WAS. Yes.

STA: They need time to prepare; resources as well, both of which they lack. And I highly doubt that the Germans that remained here in the past will be very satisfied with their new führer. We might win this.

WAS: Yes, if we can beat them now. If they manage to fully mobilize we´ll run into problems.

STA: Operation Bagration has been planned already.

MOL: Our sources say that it is going to be a big victory as the German lines are too thin to defend them properly.

STA: And the new Germans won´t be able to help them in time.

WAS: Yes.

STA: Then we should go ahead.

WAS: It will cost more men, though.

STA: They will die for the mother country. This is the USSR! We have more than enough men!

WAS: But we have to see to our own production problems as well. Due to German attacks our tank production is down to 20 percent for instance. And we need a second front by the Allies this year or our own attacks won´t matter.

STA: I see. Molotow, please contact our Allied friends to send us more equipment. We need it.

MOL: Da, woschd!

STA: Perhaps we won´t need it anyway. The fascists are led by a woman who might relent and surrender much sooner. In any case, we need to get the knowledge of their technology before the capitalists get their greedy hands on it. And Wassilewski be careful. The fascists may want to surprise us.

WAS: We will be prepared.

STA: Then we will attack within two weeks!
 
Interludium II: A new Fate

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
Hamburg, June 8th, 14:00

At first, life went one as it did in the years before for Anne. Then, slowly but surely the first rumours began emerging; strange tales of time travel and other such nonsense, but she didn’t pay it much attention as she was too occupied with her own life to pay heed to anything else.

Then, however, several days after the rumours first started surfacing, she saw people walking along the street towards the house they were staying in. Anne knew that she wasn’t supposed to look out of the window, her father had said so, but she couldn’t keep her curiosity at bay. The people were holding strange equipment that she didn’t recognized. It had vague similarities with the cameras Anne knew, but these were much compacter.

And then these people were knocking at the door of their supposed secret flat! Panic took hold of Anne and her breath came fast and shallow. They had been found! And yet, amidst the panic and fear Anne was able to recognize that the Gestapo hadn’t arrived yet. Instead these people wanted to talk to them. To her! That was crazy. And then the German police came, but instead of being sent to a KZ they were placed in a hotel near Arnheim where the German officials explained to her and her father that they were indeed from the future. Anne´s eyes grew big as saucers at that proclamation. For the first time in years Anne could breathe freely, a big pressure lifting from her shoulders as the realisation sunk in that Hitler was no more and that she didn’t have to fear for the lives of her and her family.

But the joy and elation was soon replaced by mortification and embarrassment when she was told that her diaries had been published, by her own father even! Her most intimate thoughts about love and sexuality – published. Her musings about her situation in Amsterdam – published. Anne had only ever written for herself, not for anyone else. She hadn’t wanted glory, at least not through her diary. She had just wanted to be a normal 15-year-old girl, at least as much as this was possible and now that. She felt like running naked through the streets.

Some of the once unbreakable trust Anne had had in her father had been shattered by this revelation. They had screamed at each other this morning, again, hurling hurtful things at each other until she couldn’t stand it anymore. Without thinking twice, Anne left the flat and made her way to the next train station. She had the 500€ the Germans had given her as provisional compensation in her pocket. Anne didn’t know how much it was worth, but it seemed to be enough to buy a ticket. To where? She didn’t know, only that she soon arrived in Münster.

The station had been completely destroyed, however, a makeshift station had been erected in its place instead. Anne didn’t like the Germans – which Jew would after what they had done? – but seeing the burnt remains of what once had been a little doll beneath the rubble somehow mellowed out these feelings.

She took the next train. It looked pretty futuristic and it would take her to Hamburg. But halfway through the journey what Anne had hoped wouldn’t happen did happen: She was recognized. The only thing that happened, though, was that she got a whole compartment for herself and free drinks and a meal. While she pondered her predicament, she munched on chocolate cake and sipped on her orange juice. Disgruntled, Anne had to admit that she had literally no plan as to how to proceed. Her problem was her diary, or rather it having been published. How could she change that or at least lessen its impact on her life? The answer to that question eluded her until she arrived in Hamburg.

Even though not many people were able to recognize her, Anne still bought a scarf and sunglasses at the main station there and made her way through what appeared to be a big pedestrian zone called Mönckebergstraße with many shops that offered things Anne had never seen in her whole life. Like every other 15-year-old girl she looked at the different fabrics and cuts with amazement. But then she saw the sign and it struck her like lightning: Rechtsanwalt. Attorney-at-law. If this new Germany was truly a state of law, how these people all had claimed, then surely there would be something she could do? Not here, though, these offices looked much too expensive. She just took the next bus and departed after several stations. There she saw an old building with lots of attorneys having their offices there.

Anne entered the building and rang on bell. The door opened and an older woman with bright red-coloured hair looked down on her.

“How may I be of help?” she asked and so excited was Anne that she had to remind herself to talk and not just stand there and stare.

“Eh, hello. I´m Fräulein Frank and I want to talk to –“ she took a quick peek at the sign “– Dr. Peter Voss.” She hoped that the woman was able to understand her as she spoke German with a strong Dutch accent.

“Of course, Fräulein Frank” the woman replied. “Why don´t you come in and sit down while I go and look of Mr. Voss has any free time?” She led Anne to a little area with a few chairs and a coffee table upon which a few magazines and newspapers were placed. While Anne busied herself with the publications the woman disappeared and reappeared after a while with a small and fat man.

“Fräulein Frank, I´m Dr. Voss. How may I be of help?” he asked her as he led her into her office. After he closed the door, she took off her scarf and sunglasses.

“Can I offer you something to drink – oh my god, you´re Anne Frank?!” Dr. Voss was silent for a moment and Anne felt very uncomfortable under his scrutinizing gaze.

“Sorry Miss Frank, for that temporary lapse of composure,” he said and shook his head. “With all these crazy things happening, it surely can fray one nerves, doesn´t it? Again, how may I be of help?”

“Did you read my diaries?” Anne asked.

“No, I didn’t,” Voss answered. “But…”

“Look, Dr. Voss,” Anne interrupted him. “The situation is as follows…” Over the course of the next ten minutes Anne explained her predicament to the older lawyer.

“So, you want to stop your diary from being sold?” Voss asked for clarification.

“Yes,” Anne confirmed. “Is that possible?”

“Well, let me explain your legal position first,” Voss began, “Firstly, you are the writer of the work and therefore you hold the copyright. The Bundestag – our legislative power – will soon pass a law which purpose it is to clear the confusion that has come up concerning copyright after the Event. The “Gesetz zur Modernisierung des Urheberrechts aufgrund der Folgen des Ereignisses” (Law concerning the modernisation of the copyright in regards to the Event and its consequences) will state that copyright holder is the person who has written or is currently writing a book. The 70 years clause of the extinction of the rights has been restarted, so that people having died after 1874 or who are still alive have all claims. Respectively their heirs, of course. This is true for all new copies made after the event. So you can therefore prohibit your diary from being sold.“

Anne sighed. She felt relieved, for a moment, before she remembered that more often than not good news only came bundled with bad ones. “But?”

“Well, this is more of a factual than a legal problem. Hundreds of thousand – if not millions – copies of your diary have already been sold and while you can put a stop to new one being printed, the ones already sold cannot be retrieved.”

Anne felt like she was about to cry.

“I think I know how you must feel now.”

“No, you don’t!” Anne shouted as the first tears started to run down her cheek.

“Your whole life, your every thought – even the most intimate ones – were published. It´s like you´re made of glass, transparent and you feel ashamed and hurt by the thought that everyone knows you and your mind.”

“Yes,” Anne sobbed.

“But you´ve never wanted that, do you? Fame and glory was never something on your mind.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“Anne,” Voss continued. “Fate or whatever you like to call it can be very cruel. And cruel it has been, especially to you. It seldom gives us second chances, yet you were lucky enough that your life has been derailed from the path it took in our history. That doesn’t mean that you have to accept everything or that you have to feel great about it, but your work – your diaries – has given our civilization a piece of literature that has become renowned in every corner of the world. You have given the victims of the Holocaust a face.”

“Holocaust?” she inquired.

“The murder of the European Jews by the Nazis,” Voss explained. “Like I said, you cannot change what has already happened. The only question you have to answer now is whether you want to accept what fate has given you or if you want to fight it.” Anne looked at him, not saying a word and it seemed like the doubts she was having were written clearly on her face.

“Maybe I´m not the man you should talk about these things,” Voss said. “I propose you should talk to Mr. Navon as he is the supreme rabbi of all liberal Jews in Hamburg.”

“There are still Jews in Germany?” Anne asked in wonder.

“Yes, there are,” Voss replied. “In the end, Hitler wasn’t successful in his hateful endeavour to rid the world of all the people he thought unworthy.” He paused. “Do you want me to contact Mr. Navon?”

“Yes,” Anne hiccupped. Dr. Voss left the room, probably to call the rabbi he had spoken of, and returned shortly later.

“From what you´ve told me, it seems like you have several issues with your parents,” Voss continued. “Not only am I an attorney but also a certified mediator. That is someone who mediates between people that have fights or other issues between each other. I allow each of them to state their point of view while the others and I are listening and more often than not, hearing the other out resolves much of the issues. Maybe this is exactly what you and your parents need in this situation. Think about it.”

Shortly after that Mr. Navon arrived at the little office. He and Anne withdrew in one of the other empty offices where Anne could spill her guts out to the rabbi while no one was listening in on her. They talked and talked and slowly but surely Anne came to face her situation.

She had to acknowledge that she had no chance at staying a simple and normal girl – at least in Germany and sooner or later in other countries as well. Her diaries were important works of literature – even world literature, if Voss was to be believed – and she could never undo their publishing. She could either run away and hide from her fame or she could use it to do something good – to change something. After all, as Navon so helpfully pointed out, she had been given a second chance.

“Thank you very much, Mr. Voss,” Anne thanked the man. “How much do I owe you?”

"Nothing. I hope you can find your way through this new world."

"Thanks." Anne said again. She left the building. It had not been the solution she liked. But a solution she could live with. Or learn to do so. Well, there were other problems to cope, too.
 
Chapter I, Part 27: A new Shark in the Pond

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
June 8th, 10:00 AM GMT, off the Irish coast:

Admiral Sir C. G. Ramsey was standing on the bridge, feeling both relieved and worried. Relieved, because he had heard that the Germans had recalled their U-Boats, which – if true – meant that there were less dangers for Great Britain to worry about and yet, you could never be totally sure. And then there were the news about the failed invasion, which worried him greatly. Well, that was many miles away from the convoy he was leading, consisting of 97 ships, HX 293, most of them to Liverpool which they would reach tomorrow. But until then much could happen.

It was in this exact moment that it happened. The Norwegian tanker Brasil suddenly exploded, breaking apart and both parts turning into a burning inferno before the sea consumed them. Only a few moments later the other two Norwegian tankers Fosna and Solfonn were hit as well and sank, followed by the British tankers Donacilla and San Adolfo. Ramsey couldn’t see any enemy vessel or aircraft, so obviously a U-Boat wolves pack had found his convoy and had attacked. He saw the escorts to steam around and fire patterns of depth charges. Calling the officer on the lead ship for more information he was told that the enemy would be fought with every measure available and yet, to him it looked like nothing was hit. The escorts seemed to act blind.

Half an hour another later Ramsey was forced to watch another of his ships sinking. The Panamanian Norbris, a tanker, exploded in huge fire ball, followed soon afterwards by the British San Vito and Rapana, the Norwegian Marit II and the Dutch Gadila. Within half an hour he had lost all of his tankers and again the escorts were pretty much useless. They were manoeuvring wildly through the sea, dropping depth charges to no avail.

Twenty minutes later the freighters George W. Lively and Nicholas Herkimer were both torpedoed and sank. The enemy was practically invisible, the escorts useless and even more of a mystery was the fact that each ship had been sunk with one torpedo respectively. Ramsey cursed to God. It had been such an uneventful journey until now! Losing 12 vessels with over 110.000 grt, but also losing all the tankers with fuel Great Britain so desperately needed!

30 km away Korvettenkapitän Stefan Mayer was pleased. His U-31 had fired the first shots in anger and had sunk 12 vessels. The enemy had not detected him and was still hunting in another area. Pity, he thought, but he had no more eels left. Time to go to St. Nazaire.
 
Chapter I, Part 28: Polish Considerations

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
London, Polish Embassy, June 7th, 23:00 GMT:

Wladyslaw Raczkiewicz: So, it is true. The Germans are from the future. Oh, Lord!

Stanislaw Mikolajczik: Yes, it seems so. We can confirm that with the data we have from our men in Poland and from the Germans themselves. They offered us a separate peace, including high reparations.

WR: And the borders?

SM: Of 1937, Mr. President.

WR: No East Prussia?

SM: No, sir. We had signed the Atlantic Charta only under the condition to demand East Prussia. And Upper Silesia.

WR: Yes, we have. But we have to look at the situation before we act. Once we're at war with the Germans. And we have severe problems with the Soviets as well.

SM: Yes. Mr. Churchill tries to mediate with Stalin, but he seems adamant. And when we can believe the Germans he will make Poland to a communistic nation under Soviet yoke.

WR: Knowing Stalin this is believable.

SM: Yes, it is.

WR: However, what are our options?

SM: We have two. Option one is to accept the German proposal.

WR: That meant we would de facto leave the Alliance with Britain and the USA. We are already isolated in this alliance, so we might not lose very much. However, we would have to align us to Germany. The question is, are they able to win the war?

SM: Hardly. They have much better technology, true. But they have as well little to no supplies to fight a long war. They will likely be overrun, albeit with higher losses.

WR: So they will lose?

SM: Very likely.

WR: This doesn't sound a good possibility. And the second option?

SM: To continue as before. We can hope the Germans will keep the Soviets at bay for some more time, in which the US and Britain build up new forces. With some luck after a successful invasion the Germans surrender and we can be in Poland before the Soviets. In any case I already ordered the Home Army to stand down and wait. If the Soviets are nearing they should try to make an own revolt. And then try to keep them at bay. Hopefully the Western Allies help us later.

WR: They didn't do much in this regard before. I doubt they will.

SM: To be honest, me, too. However, we have not many possibilities. Either we leave the Alliance and make peace with Germany, in the hope they win. Or we have to continue fighting them in the hope to keep East Poland Polish.

WR: Grodno is Polish. As is Lwow. No, we have to continue to fight. If the Germans had a chance, we might have had an alternative. But not under these circumstances. Furthermore, we need East Prussia. We can't live without it.

SM: Shall we continue the talks with the Germans? For the case?

WR: No. They are beaten and without Hitler they will soon surrender, if these reports are true. On this way we can show FDR and Churchill we are still supporting the alliance. Perhaps then we can get more of it.

SM: Yes, I agree.

WR: However, if the Germans are victorious we might have thrown away a too good deal.

SM: They won't. They are run by a woman.

WR: True. So true.
 
Chapter I, Part 29: D-Day Summary

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
June 8th, 12:00 CEST, Berlin


From: OB West
To: BMVertG, BKAmt

Nur für den Dienstgebrauch (confidential)

Regarding the results of the Allied landing attempt on the French coast near Boulogne on June 6th 1944.

The Allied landing attempt had been an utter failure for the Allies. Our forces have shown great courage, discipline and skill. The modern equipment and forces were however decisive. So it was possible to attack and destroy the forces to make a mock attack on Normandy before they could land. The missiles used could sink the escorts so that the older ships could go in for a kill without great dangers. There were only slight damages to report. 6 men died, 24 were wounded.

The enemy paratrooper forces had great losses before they could even land. The troops managing to land were often either captured immediately or overwhelmed after short fights. Only at few positions greater forces were able to take their objectives, though none of them succeeded in holding them for more than a few hours. Smaller troops and some scattered soldiers were able to avoid being captured that day but most of them were caught in the following days.

The war in the air had been tougher, as we were not able to destroy all enemy air bases in time. Because of this our fighter pilots report 1.269 enemy planes downed. First reports indicate this figure as true, perhaps even a bit too low. Most of them were downed by modern jet fighters. Our losses were 26 Bf 109, 18 FW 190, 12 Do 217, 18 Ju 88, 12 He 111, 6 He 177 and 2 Panavia Tornadoes. 144 pilots are dead or missing, 28 wounded.

At the landings the Allies were unable to break the defence line decisively. Here artillery, MILAN missiles and the new rifles were of great use. It can be reported that the G-36 did work well. There were three cases though in which the rifle had failed. But this happened at points, where also other weapons failed as they became too hot of use. Here also six K98 rifles and over a dozen MG 34 barrels had to be exchanged in the battle, more after it. The G-36 showed in no way overly bad results. The only point to discuss is the lack of man stopping power, especially at greater ranges. The G-3 issued to former Wehrmacht forces was better in this regard.

The Allied losses of men were high. 36.894 bodies had been recovered after the battle. We assume there are more losses, especially in the waters in front of the landing sides. 32.168 men were captured, including the wounded. Further 14.398 men were captured on the ships surrendering.

Enemy ships sunk: 5 battleships, 19 cruisers, 69 destroyers, 2 Monitors, 299 smaller warships, 101 transports
Enemy ships captured: USS Quincy (II), which was beached to avoid being sunk, USS Meredith (II), HMS Cattistock, HMS Cottismore, 68 landing craft, including 12 LST, 47 transports

Own ships sunk: 3 VP boats, 2 R-boats, 36 men killed, 24 wounded.

GFM Rommel
 
Chapter I, Part 30: Operation Sodom

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
Operation Sodom, Berlin, 08./09.06.1944

Operation Sodom was the answer on the German proposals to make peace. Shortly after it was clear the war would go on, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Harris had given the order to attack German cities again. He knew, it would cost substantial forces, but was confident to force the Germans into surrender. They seemed to be pacifists, so it should not be that difficult. And despite the losses he still had about 2.000 heavy bombers to use for. Operation Sodom was a planned attack on several German cities. He ordered Berlin to be the first target. This was because of several reasons. Once he wanted to test the German defense and the construction structures of the new buildings. But he also wanted to ignite a firestorm in Berlin, like it happened in Hamburg the year before. And at last, it would be a message to the "Huns".

At 23:00 o'clock the on June 8th the bombers started from their bases. Shortly before midnight the bombers arrived the continental coast near Amsterdam. Since they flew very low and the only AWAC plane available had been grounded due to a small malfunction, the German RADAR had not tracked them until now. The AWACS were limited in numbers and even more limited in crews as the squadron was a NATO squadron and not so many German operators were there to man all planes. In this case the replacement plane could not take off from Geilenkirchen until 01:12. For the RAF that had been an advantage to fly that low.

The disadvantage was that flak could engage the enemy planes much better. And indeed 18 planes out of 1.097 were destroyed before they could reach Berlin. A further 116 were destroyed by Patriot SAMs of the batteries defending the Ruhr area, Hamburg and Berlin. In the meantime the Luftwaffe scrambled to intercept the incoming bombers. 48 Eurofighter and 22 MiG 29 attacked the enemy shooting down 492 bombers.

Despite these losses the British bombers pressed for Berlin and made an attack run on Berlin hitting Berlin-Wedding and the surrounding places badly. Airport Berlin-Tegel was put out of action as well. 2.937 civilians died. On the way back another 225 bombers were lost, most due to the jets, which could be rearmed and refueled in time. But also the DT night fighters, flak and SAMs got their share. Hardly 80% of the RAF bombers were shot down. Only two DT night fighters were lost.

But for the Allies the horror continued, even after they landed, as these places were already attacked partly when the bombers were just landing. 38 Tornados did start and attack the RAF bases. In one case a Tornado pilot attacked the landing machines with his AIM-9 L Sidewinders and 2,7 cm guns before making the bombing run. He downed two bombers with the Sidewinder missiles and four more with his strafing run, two of them just landed.

For Harris it seemed to be a catastrophe. The very next day the RAF had only 18 bombers of this attack still operational. The loss of nearly 9.000 men captured or dead meant the whole Bomber Command had to be reformed. The aircrews of the RAF and USAAF were were very close to make an open mutiny. Many felt "sick", others openly protested against such actions. For the next months a new attack on Germany was out of question. It would last weeks or even months to pacify the situation with the pilots.

And still it came worse. For the UT population with foreign roots the Event was an even more shocking one, as they felt unsafe, more so than the average UT German. Here many would not want to fight, but that changed after this attack as 48% of the German causalities were of foreign origin, especially of Turkish, African and Arabian origin. This changed their point of view dramatically. The days after many young Turks and Arabs volunteered to fight the Allies, even if they were no German citizens. The pacifists with their "peace now" demand were de facto silenced. No one did listen to them any more.

Also this was the cause for the approval of the German Operation Steinadler.
 
Chapter I, Part 31: Another Address to the Nation

Tyr Anazasi

Well-known member
Bundeskanzleramt, Berlin, 09.06.1944, 10:15

Speech by Federal Chancellor Merkel to the nation:

"Meine lieben Mitbürgerinnen und Mitbürger,

Berlin was the target of a terror attack by the British. Over 2.500 people have died. In these minutes the fire-workers, THW and Bundeswehr are working to control the fires and help the injured. We want peace. We never wanted this war. We tried to negotiate an agreement benefiting both sides. All we got is violence. To this day we hoped to find another solution. That was in vain. Thus we are forced by the Allies to answer in kind and to force them to come back to the negotiation table. We will do so. We will take every step necessary, and I repeat every step necessary to enforce negotiations. And we have the means to do so. The Allies will have to change their point of view. As I am talking here German bombers are flying towards Britain and retaliate. We didn't start this mess. But we will end it!

Thank you for your patience."
 

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