The Berlin Dome

[Zagan7]

Chapter 129. Gulf of Riga Battle



This chapter represents a contribution from @Tyr Anazasi.

Like all contributions posted by me, it is canon. Like in all other contributions, I have made slight changes, such as correcting some typos and adjusting the formatting to match the rest of the story.

Contributions are welcome. If you want to contribute anything you are knowledgeable about, please contact me with details in a private conversation. Thank you.



13 August 1948, Baltic Sea, Gulf of Riga, Off Ösel (Saaremaa)

Generaladmiral Schniewind looked through his binoculars, standing on the flagship SMS Gneisenau. The six 38 cm guns roared again. Only seconds later, he could see the hits on the targets near the beach defended by the the Red Army. Only 20 seconds later, the guns fired again. Ta 183 fighters armed with missiles of Marinejagdgeschwader 5 "Eismeer" flew combat air patrol to fight off any intruder of the Red Air Force. The planes carried four MG 213B 20 mm revolver guns and four Hs LKR 9A (Luftkampfrakete 9)¹ short range infra red guided missiles, enough to down any enemy plane out of the range of their guns. With nearly reaching Mach 1.0 -- indeed they could exceed that speed by diving -- they were the fastest fighters of the world. Not that there was much opposition left.

After the enlargement of the Dome, Stalin had ordered his Baltic fleet from Kronstadt to Riga to engage the German fleet there. The battleship Oktyabrskaya Revolutsiya, the heavy cruisers Kirov and Maxim Gorky, destroyers Kuybyshev, Leningrad, Minsk, Grozyashtchi, Steregushchiy, Sil'nyi, Storozhevoi, Slavny, Stoikiy, Strashnyi, Opytny and some smaller units. That proved to be a crucial mistake, when the Germans started Operation Avalon.



15 August 1948, Baltic Sea, Gulf of Riga, Off Ösel (Saaremaa)

Operation Avalon could be seen as a copy of World War One Operation Albion, the only successful naval invasion of that war. The Soviet Navy was completely surprised. In the morning, the German naval air arm attacked the Moon Sound Islands heavily, concentrating on ships and air fields. The Soviet piston engine fighters had no chance if they sortied. Indeed, many planes were destroyed on the ground.

The Soviet navy didn't fare better, as German bombers attacked the ships. And, although only Stoikiy and Opytny were sunk, nearly every other ship was damaged. Oktyabrskaya Revolutsiya had taken so much water, that it couldn't escape out of the Sound. Stalin's order not to leave her behind would be fateful as, at that moment, a flight of the other ships was still possible.

A day later that chance was gone. German M-Boats, torpedo boats and S-Boats had mined the exits and were patrolling. R-Boats and M-Boats were sweeping Soviet mines, backed up by the SMS Gneisenau, SMS Admiral Scheer, SMS Lützow, SMS Admiral Hipper, SMS Prinz Eugen, SMS Köln, SMS Nürnberg and SMS Königsberg, a former Dutch Cruiser captured in World War Two. Her sister, SMS Karlsruhe, was to be completed as the first guided missile cruiser. Still carrying three dual 15 cm DP turrets, she would carry a twin arm launcher of LAR 8 (Luftabwehrrakete 8)² and eight SZR 7 (Seezielrakete 7)³. However, she was still on trials and thus not present.



16-17 August 1948, Baltic Sea, Gulf of Riga

Attempts to lay new minefields at night proved to be fruitless, as the Germans had radar to drive away the wannabe mine layers. By noon, the minefields had been nearly swept, so the Soviets started their attempt to break through the lines. It was clear that this was without any hope, as the Germans were too strong.

The attack coincided with a German attack. 40 German FW 190 fighter bomber from the carrier Graf Zeppelin, each carrying a SC 1800 Satan bomb, attacked the fleet before they could reach the Germans. The Oktyabrskaya Revolutsiya was hit twice with another three near misses. She soon capsized and sank. As did the Maxim Gorky and four destroyers. As ordered, the Soviet fleet continued on its course and soon it was detected by the German fleet. The German cruisers and the Gneisenau fired upon the Kirov, which soon had to retreat, sinking slowly due to the damages. A last salvo of SMS Gneisenau finished off the heavy cruiser.

In the meantime, the Soviet destroyers were engaged in vicious fights with the German ships. They could heavily damage Z43 with a torpedo, but were engaged by over 20 enemy ships. Only Minsk could evade destruction for the time being but was finally sunk by the type 1945 destroyer Z52 off Arensburg (Kuressaare).

After the eventual destruction of the Soviet fleet, as only a few MTB and submarines were still there, the Germans could concentrate on the landing of forces on the islands, which soon fell.

Soon after the SMS Gneisenau had fired another salvo, Schniewind got back to his chair and made a few notes:

1. The use of capital ships in narrow waters is still dangerous and only possible if superiority at sea and in the air is achieved.
2. The use of air power is and will be crucial. The building of the Deutschland class carriers⁴ is a necessity.
3. The battleship is relegated to escort and bombardment roles. In these roles it will still be needed. This attack and the actions off Norway 1940 and the Philippines 1944 prove that. If an enemy capital ship manages to get in fire position, the carrier has little chances. Therefore a heavy escort is needed.

Out of those notes, the Schniewind Memorandum would be made.


1. AIM 9 B clone. The LKR 9B in development would be equal to the F variant.
2. RIM-2 Terrier clone.
3. SS-N-2 clone.
4. Modified Kitty Hawk class.



Selective Bibliography: Zerstörer 1945 History.

 

[JuliusClonkus]

Holy shit, you're telling me they finished the Graf Zeppelin?

Is it in its planned historical configuration? The one with a downright absurd number of secondary guns for a carrier?

 

[Zagan7]

1. Holy shit, you're telling me they finished the Graf Zeppelin?

2. Is it in its planned historical configuration? The one with a downright absurd number of secondary guns for a carrier?

Click to shrink...

1. Yes, of course. Why not?

2. No. In fact, I haven't thought about that as this chapter has been written by a contributor. Let's say that saner minds have prevailed.

 

[JuliusClonkus]

1. Yes, of course. Why not?

2. No. In fact, I haven't thought about that as this chapter has been written by a contributor. Let's say that saner minds have prevailed.

Click to shrink...

If saner minds prevailed, they probably had to redesign the whole ship. When you look at the armament list alone, you'd be forgiven for thinking you're looking at a cruiser, or even a battleship's secondaries.

It's like they expected her to operate all alone or something. Utter madness.

 

[Zagan7]

If saner minds prevailed, they probably had to redesign the whole ship. When you look at the armament list alone, you'd be forgiven for thinking you're looking at a cruiser, or even a battleship's secondaries.

It's like they expected her to operate all alone or something. Utter madness.

Click to shrink...

I'll ask Tyr for clarifications and come back with an answer probably tomorrow.

 

[Zagan7]

@JuliusClonkus

I'll ask Tyr for clarifications and come back with an answer probably tomorrow.

Click to shrink...

These are the answers I received on AlternateHistory.com from members who are more knowledgeable on naval matters than me (including the contributor of the latest chapter).

Considering that Graf was like 90% or more complete at the war's end OTL, I imagine they decided to just finish the damn thing, as bad as it was, so that they could at least get experience with carrier operations without having to build an entire 2nd ship. And against an enemy without their own carriers, the Graf Zep is better than nothing. Plus, they might've figured that actually sending her into combat would help them get a clearer picture of the mistakes they made.

Click to shrink...

Indeed. The carrier was a mixture of modern and, well, not so good innovations. The ship was nearly ready and so it was decided to finish her, also to learn about the mistakes done. I guess some mistakes could be changed though, as I hardly think, it will have 15 cm gun casemates. The next generation of carrier would be very similar, IMO, to the Kitty Hawk class. The Graf Zeppelin is just a kind of school carrier, to train operations, tactics and so on.

And although the German navy could beat the Soviet navy, it isn't a really great victory, as the Soviet Baltic Fleet was depleted and not a great enemy. Currently the Kriegsmarine would have problems to fight any other navy of a great power (Japanese PERHAPS excluded, as I don't know, what ships the US left them).

Click to shrink...

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 130. The End of the Crisis



26-31 August 1948, Europe

The new Dome Limit passed through (clockwise from the top): the Baltic Sea, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland (Byelorussia, Ukraine), Slovakia (Carpatho-Ukraine), Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy and Germany (crossing the common border 21 times), Adriatic Sea, Italy, Romandy, German Switzerland, Romandy, France, North Sea (passing one kilometre from the British shore), Norway, Oslo Fjord, Norway, Sweden, Baltic Sea.

By chance, no cities were bisected by the new Dome, although a few were very close to its limit.


The recently liberated Eastern Territories up to the new Dome limit (with a radius of 785 km, i.e. 35 km larger than the initial one) were officially (re)annexed and placed under Civilian Administration. The liberated territories situated outside the Dome limit remained under Military Administration for the time being.


Estonia did not gain any territory covered by the new Dome but the Kriegsmarine liberated the West Estonian Archipelago (the Moonsund Archipelago) with an area of 4,000 km² and a population of 45,000.

Islands: Saaremaa (Ösel), Hiiumaa (Dagö), Muhu (Moon), Vormsi (Worms), Kassari (Kassargen), Kihnu (Kühnö), Ruhnu (Runö), etc.

Important places: Kuressaare (Arensburg), the new de facto Capital of Estonia.


Latvia grew with 5,860 km² (70%). An additional 3,540 km² liberated by the Heer and the Latvian Army (the Outer Courland Peninsula) remained under Military Administration. The total growth of Latvia was thus 9,400 km² (112%).

Important places: Ventspils (Windau) in Inner Courland, Talsi (Talsen) and Tukums (Tuckum) in Outer Courland.


Lithuania grew with 10,150 km² (35%).

Important places: eastern half of Šiauliai (ghost city), Radviliškis, Kėdainiai, Jonava, Varėna (Orany).


Poland grew with 20,130 km² (11%), forested and thinly inhabited territory, mainly by Byelorussians and Ukrainians and with very few Poles. That territory included all of former Outer Poland Proper (the entire Polish Oblast, which was dissolved).

The Polish Army tried to capture Lwów, a mere ten kilometres from the Dome limit, but failed. The Polish Government insisted that the Germans enlarge the Dome a little more in order to include Lwów (and also Kowel), managing to annoy von Manstein.

Important places: none.


Slovakia grew with 3,100 km² (6%). About one quarter of that area was the former Outer Slovakia (the entire Slovak ASSR, which was dissolved) and the rest was the western part of Carpatho-Ukraine.

The southern part of both areas was added to the Felvidék Autonomous Region, the northern part of the former Outer Slovakia became part of Slovakia Proper and the northern part of Carpatho-Ukraine was created the Carpathia Autonomous Region. Tiny uninhabited former Inner Carpatho-Ukraine was joined to Carpathia.

Important places: Ungvár (Uzhhorod) in easternmost Felvidék.


Hungary grew with 14,900 km² (33%). An additional 3,840 km² liberated by the Heer and the Hungarian Army (Outer Transdanubia) remained under Military Administration. The total growth of Hungary was thus 18,740 km² (42%). Soviet Outer Hungary was almost halved.

Important places: Nyíregyháza, Szolnok, Cegléd, Kecskemét, Kaposvár in Inner Hungary, Szekszárd and Pécs in Outer Transdanubia.


Croatia grew with 5,050 km² (+145%), the peculiar location of the borders creating a rather distant western exclave separated by Slovene territory. The Heer and the Croat Army were advancing in Yugoslavia, overruning parts of Outer Croatia. After they reached the Adriatic Sea and captured Senj (Segna), the island of Krk (405 km²) was reintegrated into the Croat Civilian Administration. The rest of the liberated Outer Croatia remained under Military Administration.

The still ongoing Yugoslav War and its aftermath will be treated in another chapter.

Islands: Krk (Veglia), Rab (Arbe), Parvić (Pervicchio), Sveti Grgur (San Gregorio), Goli Otok (Isola Calva), etc.

Important places: Bjelovar, Zagreb (including its entire Metropolitan Area) in Inner Croatia, Virovitica, Sisak, Karlovac in Outer Croatia.


Slovenia (German Autonomous State) grew with 3,500 km² (31%). About two thirds of that area was the bulk of Outer Slovenia, which was immediately annexed.

The rest was the Slovene Autonomous Region from Italy. That desolate territory with an overwhelming Slovene majority and very few ethnic Italians was officially claimed by Germany (on the behalf of the Autonomous State of Slovenia) since the Peace Treaty with Italy. In fact, the only reason Germany didn't annex it at that time had been a desire to avoid an open border with Communist Yugoslavia outside of the Dome. When the Dome was enlarged to include most of that area, Germany asked Italy for its transfer.

Italy agreed to cede the Slovene Autonomous Region because that area had almost no value for Italy and it's eventual loss had been a certainty since the Bern Armistice. Moreover, the Peace Treaty with Germany clearly mandated the eventual unification of Slovenia after the removal of the Yugoslav threat.

To increase the validity of the land transfer, a Referendum was hastily organized:

• Status quo (Slovene Autonomous Region inside the Italian Kingdom) -- 11.12%
• Unification with the Autonomous State of Slovenia (inside the German Reich) -- 88.88%

The rest of Yugoslav Outer Slovenia (310 km²) was placed under Military Administration after being overrun by the Heer. Thus, all of Slovenia was united under German rule.

Important places: Novo Mesto.


The Adriatic Littoral (German State) became almost completely covered by the Dome with less than 0.3% of it being still outside.


Romania and Bulgaria did not gain any territory, being too far from the Dome limit.


The location of the new Dome limit in Italy, German Switzerland, France, Norway and Sweden was largely irrelevant, as those countries were not directly influenced by the change in the Dome's radius. Denmark and the Netherlands were completely inside the Dome.


Romandy was in a very difficult situation as its eight Cantons (Outer Jura, Neuchâtel, Fribourg, Vaud, Geneva, Valais, Wallis, Aosta) faced very different challanges.

Small former Outer Jura (fully inside the Dome) joined Jura which was an Autonomous State of France. Whether the reunited Jura would leave France and join Romandy was not seriously discussed at that time. France would have probably opposed that in any case but subsequent events made the point completely moot.

Aosta (outside the Dome) was under Italian Military Occupation. Italy claimed Aosta (with a mixed French and Italian population), considering it had been unfairly detached from it at the end of World War Two. Germany supported the Italian claim as a compensation for the lost Slovene Autonomous Region. France also supported the Italian claim in order to further weaken and destabilize Romandy.

Wallis (split in two unequal parts by the Dome), began to consider seceding and joining German Switzerland instead (it was the last remaining German speaking Canton of Romandy).

Geneva (outside the Dome) was under French Military Occupation after the invading Outer French forces surrendered to the Inner French. The French troops seemed in no hurry to vacate the Romand Canton.

From the remaining four Cantons, Neuchâtel was mostly inside the Dome (including its eponymous Capital), Fribourg was mostly outside (but its eponymous Capital and most of its population were inside), Vaud was almost completely outside and Valais was fully outside.

Germany reminded the Romand Authorities that, according to the Bern Armistice Treaty and the Peace Treaty with Germany, all countries situated in and around the Berlin Dome had to join the ECN and that not conforming to the New European Order and maintaining its neutrality were no longer valid options without de Gaulle's France to protect it.

With Outer Jura already gone, Aosta as good as lost and Wallis on its way out as well, the remaining four free Cantons and representatives from occupied Geneva met in the provisional Capital of Lausanne (in Vaud) in order to discuss the situation and come with a coherent plan of action.

The discussions went nowhere as the five Cantons could not decide upon anything in those difficult circumstances.

Neuchâtel and Fribourg, having most of their population inside the new Dome, believed that trying to preserve the neutrality was impossible and Romandy should join the ECN. Vaud and Geneva were categorically opposed and threatened to dissolve the Federation. Catholic Valais announced that it was considering to join France.

In the end, with the Federal Government deadlocked and non-functional, Vaud (the largest Canton both in terms of area and population) ceded its very small Inner areas to neighbouring Neuchâtel and Fribourg as well as other small areas in order to connect the Fribourg enclaves to the mainland. Immediately afterwards, Vaud proclaimed its independence, splitting Romandy into three non-contigous areas, thus basicly dooming the Federation. At the same time, Geneva ceded its small exclaves to Vaud (as they were free from French troops).

The next day, representatives from Neuchâtel, Fribourg, Geneva, Valais and Wallis met in Neuchâtel and dissolved the Federation. After a little more than three years of existence, Romandy was gone.

Two days later, Italy annexed orphaned Aosta as an Autonomous Region with a later referendum yielding 72% of the ballots in favour for returning to Italy.

Unviable as independent states because of their small population and population density, Valais and Wallis scheduled referenda for September asking their electorates to approve joining France and, respectively, German Switzerland.

Neuchâtel and Fribourg declared their willingness to become ECN Members. Stating that it had been created for Nations, that a French Nation already exists as a member and that it is ill suited for microstates anyway, the ECN asked them to join France instead and, alongside Jura, reform Romandy as an Autonomous State of France.



September 1948

During September, Wallis (89%) joined German Switzerland, Valais (82%), Neuchâtel (54%) and Fribourg (68%) joined France, with Vaud remaining an isolated and de facto independent country and Geneva still under French occupation.

France claimed both Geneva and Vaud but refrained from annexing them or invading Vaud. The other ECN members supported the French claims but urged for a peaceful solution.


Algiers France officially granted Associated State status to Morocco and Tunisia. This meant, both in theory and in practice, full internal self-rule and no French military presence on their territories. Full independence was promissed to follow in five years, although those countries were already, for all intents and purposes, de facto independent. The Algiers Government simply lacked the means to control them even if it wanted to. Under some international pressure, the Paris Government recognized the new elevated status of Morocco and Tunisia.

A half-baked attempt of the Paris Government to take Corsica ended in failure and put an end to further military operations for the time being. Both Corsica and Algeria were de jure declared Autonomous States, like Wallonia and Romandy (Jura, Neuchâtel, Fribourg and Valais).


In order to partially mollify the divided Swiss people, the ECN created the Swiss Cross-Border Cooperation Area, consisting of German Switzerland, French Switzerland (Romandy, see above) and Italian Switzerland (Ticino, Valtellina and Aosta). Besides visa-free travel, a number of economic facilities were included in the package.


Greece joined the World Forum, severed its alliance with the Soviet Union and proclaimed its neutrality. Stalin did not invade it. He had already a large Mediterranean Coast in Turkey. In fact, a neutral Greece was convenient for everybody and especially for the Greeks. If the Soviet Union were to attack it, the Western Powers would immediately seize most of the islands and probably the Peloponnese as well. If the Greeks were to renounce Communism or attempt to join the Western Powers or the ECN, they knew they would lose most of the mainland to the Soviets. The best way for the Greeks was to act as inconspicuous as possible.

Indeed, being a World Forum member was already considered a necessity. As a matter of fact, fourteen months after the creation of the World Forum, all its members were still around (with the exception of the four Arab States which merged to form Arabia, of which only Oman under duress). During the same fourteen months, from the sixteen countries which were not members, ten had disappeared altogether, one was badly mauled (Outer France), one had joined (Greece), one wanted to join (the Soviet Union) and the other three were European microstates.



24 September 1948, Iceland-Faroe

The Soviet Union was accepted as a World Forum member and, under the aegis of the World Forum, the Soviet Union, Germany and the other ECN members signed the far-reaching Treaty of Reykjavik, thus marking the official end of the 1948 European Crisis.

The Treaty of Reykjavik will be discussed in its own chapter.

 

[Adamgerd]

Germany reminded the Romand Authorities that, according to the Bern Armistice Treaty and the Peace Treaty with Germany, all countries situated in and around the Berlin Dome had to join the ECN and that not conforming to the New European Order and maintaining its neutrality were no longer valid options without de Gaulle's France to protect it.

Click to shrink...

Shouldn't there be some diplomatic condemnation at least of the ultimatum against their internationally recognized neutrality?

 

[Zagan7]

Shouldn't there be some diplomatic condemnation at least of the ultimatum against their internationally recognized neutrality?

Click to shrink...

1. When Switzerland split into Romandy and German Switzerland three years previously, it was German Switzerland who was the successor state of Switzerland, not Romandy. Therefore, only German Switzerland inherited the "internationally recognized neutrality status" (which it renounced when joining the ECN). Romandy unilaterally proclaimed its neutrality but there was no actual treaty recognizing it (like Turkmenistan in OTL for example).

2. The signatories of the Bern Armistice Treaty and of the subsequent Peace Treaty with Germany (the Western Powers) had already recognized Germany's preeminence in Mainland Europe ("in and around the Berlin Dome") and they are completely unwilling to intervene in any way. The Soviet Union and Greece had probably protested.

3. In any case, a couple of days later, Romandy was dissolved after its central and most populous Canton, Vaud, exited the Federation, so the whole thing became completely moot.

 

[JuliusClonkus]

2. The signatories of the Bern Armistice Treaty and of the subsequent Peace Treaty with Germany (the Western Powers) had already recognized Germany's preeminence in Mainland Europe ("in and around the Berlin Dome") and they are completely unwilling to intervene in any way. The Soviet Union and Greece had probably protested.

Click to shrink...

On top of that, would they prefer collaborationist France or violently revanchist France with a leadership hell bent on war, possibly including nuclear desolation of western Europe, especially after it lashed out against its erstwhile allies on multiple occasions?

Really not a hard choice. Who's to say a bomb won't fly to London as thanks for stalwart and unyielding support in WW2, had De Gaulle gotten them?

 

[Adamgerd]

On top of that, would they prefer collaborationist France or violently revanchist France with a leadership hell bent on war, possibly including nuclear desolation of western Europe, especially after it lashed out against its erstwhile allies on multiple occasions?

Really not a hard choice. Who's to say a bomb won't fly to London as thanks for stalwart and unyielding support in WW2, had De Gaulle gotten them?

Click to shrink...

Was talking about Romandy. Although I don't recall France lashing out against its allies before their betrayal or really after, or maybe I forgot some incidents

 

[JuliusClonkus]

Was talking about Romandy. Although I don't recall France lashing out against its allies before their betrayal or really after, or maybe I forgot some incidents

Click to shrink...

I misread things there, sorry.

The French Navy ended up sinking an American vessel during the Vietnam thing, and it took a call between de Gaulle and whoever led America then to give them a much needed reality check.

 

[Zagan7]

Switzerland
Near the end of the 1948 European Crisis
With the final extension of the Berlin Dome
Previous Map from this series: July 1948



For a live zoomable and pannable map of the Dome, you may follow this link.​

Legend:

• National colours as usual (with the exception of the German Switzerland Cantons)
• De facto situation shown
• Black Lines: Borders
• Grey Lines: Internal Borders
• Stars: Capitals
• Circles: Important Cities
• Light Grey Curve: Original Berlin Dome (shut down), radius 750 km on the ground
• Pink Curve: Deactivated (opened) portions of the current Berlin Dome, radius 785 km on the ground

.

 

[Zagan7]

Western Europe
Near the end of the 1948 European Crisis
With the final extension of the Berlin Dome
Previous Map from this series: July 1948



For a live zoomable and pannable map of the Dome, you may follow this link.​

Legend:

• National colours as usual
• De facto situation shown
• Black Lines: Borders
• Grey Lines: Internal Borders
• Stars: Capitals
• Circles: Important Cities
• Light Grey Curve: Original Berlin Dome (shut down), radius 750 km on the ground
• Pink Curve: Deactivated (opened) portions of the current Berlin Dome, radius 785 km on the ground

.

 

[Zagan7]

Central Europe
Near the end of the 1948 European Crisis
With the final extension of the Berlin Dome
Previous Map from this series: July 1948



For a live zoomable and pannable map of the Dome, you may follow this link.​

Legend:

• National colours as usual
• De facto situation shown
• Black Lines: Borders
• Grey Lines: Internal Borders
• Light Grey Curve: Original Berlin Dome (shut down), radius 750 km on the ground
• Red Curve: Current Berlin Dome, radius 785 km on the ground
• Pink Curve: Deactivated (opened) portions of the Dome

Key:

1. Krk
2. Outer Slovenia
3. Romandy (French Autonomous State, 4 Cantons)
4. Vaud and Geneva (independent de jure)

.

 

[Zagan7]

Recapitulation #13



Scope: Chapters 120 - 130

Status: OK. The main portion of the TL is over.

Time period: June - September 1948


Main events

• The Treaty of Aleppo ends the Second Arab War, resulting in an United Hashemite Arabia and border changes with the Soviet Union.
• The Treaty of Tehran demarcates a new Soviet-Iranian border.
• The Soviet Union, Outer France, Germany and the United Kingdom are continuing their nuclear programmes.
• With help from the robots and their knowledge from the future, important technological and scientific progress is taking place in Germany.
• Adolphine allows Helga to alter the radius of the Berlin Dome.
• Adolphine (following instructions from the OKW) asks Skorzeny to kidnap Charles de Gaulle.
• Germany informs its allies that the Dome will be turned off for maintenance for a couple of days.
• The Wehrmacht and other ECN forces take position on the eastern Dome limit to defend against possible Soviet attacks during the time when the Dome is off.
• Skorzeny abducts de Gaulle from Geneva and delivers him to Adolphine at the Eagle's Nest.
• Amid generalized chaos and confusion caused by a disinformation campaign, voice impersonation, fake orders, etc, Outer France is invaded.
• After the collapse of the Outer French Army and State Authority, Mainland Outer France is reunited with Inner France and the Outer French Government takes refuge in Algiers.
• A concurrent Outer French invasion of neutral Romandy ends with the surrended of the Outer French forces to the Inner French.
  
• After ten days of captivity in the Eagle's Nest, Adolphine sets Charles de Gaulle free. He flies to Algiers where he joins his government in exile.
• After five consecutive weekly enlargements of 7 km each, the Berlin Dome reaches its maximum radius on the ground of 785 km.
• The eastern ECN countries advance to the new Dome limit, thus regaining part or all of their lost territories.
• As the Red Army is retreating ahead of the Dome, few battles take place, except in Yugoslavia.
• Germany asks the Soviet Union to retreat all the way to the 1938 borders. Stalin refuses but sends Molotov to negotiate.
• With the Germans advancing in Outer Croatia, the Soviets invade Serbia and Albania, allegedly in order to stop the Germans.
• The Heer liberates the Outer Courland Peninsula and the Outer Transdanubia.
• The Kriegsmarine destroys the Soviet Baltic Sea Fleet and liberates the West Estonian Archipelago.
• Unable to overcome the crisis, Romandy implodes.
• Greece breaks its alliance with the Soviet Union and declares its neutrality. Greece and the Soviet Union join the World Forum.
• Germany and the Soviet Union sign the Reykjavik Treaty, ending the Crisis.

Cast of Characters (in order of appearance)

• Computer Core Gilles (interfaced to Skorzeny's telephone)
• Rodolphe Rubattel (President of Romandy)
  
• Getaway plane pilot (unnamed)
• Otto Schniewind

.

 

[Adamgerd]

The French Navy ended up sinking an American vessel during the Vietnam thing, and it took a call between de Gaulle and whoever led America then to give them a much needed reality check.

Click to shrink...

Well in their defense, a) It happened after what they saw as Western Betrayal and more importantly that seems to have been an accident of firing at the wrong vessel, which is hardly the first time a nation misfired at a neutral ship

 

[Adamgerd]

• After five consecutive weekly enlargements of 7 km each, the Berlin Dome reaches its maximum radius on the ground of 785 km.

Click to shrink...

Maximum radius, so no more expansions are possible? Ah, otherwise I wonter if they would even want to expand further, since Sub-Carpathian Ruthenia OTL proffered to join Czech, not Slovakia nor indepedence, and it would be kind of awkward for Bohemia-Moravia to own land at the border

 

[Zagan7]

Maximum radius, so no more expansions are possible? Ah, otherwise I wonter if they would even want to expand further, since Sub-Carpathian Ruthenia OTL proffered to join Czech, not Slovakia nor indepedence, and it would be kind of awkward for Bohemia-Moravia to own land at the border

Click to shrink...

As I explained in the latest eight chapters or so, (i) there is not enough available power to sustain a larger Dome and (ii) a larger Dome would include portions of Great Britain inside it.

The first problem could be conceivably addressed by providing external power to the Hirn to account for the difference not produced by the Hirn's fusion reactor. The downsides would be massive costs, a logistical and security nightmare and the ever present danger of failures.

The second would result in the loss of diplomatic relations with the Western Powers, an economic embargo and possibly a total blockade (a return to the situation prior to the Armistice).

For all those reasons, it was decided to stop expanding the Dome.

Note that the other countries do not know the amount of power the Hirn's fusion reactor is capable of producing, although some crude estimates are available.


Indeed, it is absurd to make Carpathia a part of the Reich (join it to Bohemia-Moravia).

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 131. Treaty of Reykjavik



16 August - 23 September 1948, Reykjavik, Iceland-Faroe

The Soviet and the German diplomats, led by Molotov and, respectively, Adenauer, gathered in the Capital of neutral Iceland-Faroe, were working hard to find some common ground in order to end the Crisis created by the apparently relentless expansion of the Berlin Dome.

Besides those two main delegations, many other countries had sent representatives in order to support one of the two sides or to further their own interests. Near the end of the negotiations, the World Forum admitted the Soviet Union as a full member and stepped in to help the two sides finalize the treaty and confer it additional weight.


The German Reich wanted the Soviet Union to recognize the new geopolitical situation in Europe, its borders and its sphere of influence, regain as much territory as possible for its eastern allies and save the millions of Germans and people of other ECN ethnicities trapped in the Soviet Hell.


The Soviet Union had two existential problems. The first was the enlargement of the Berlin Dome which gnawed at its European territory and the second was the spectre of Germany raining nuclear fire on Soviet cities from behind the safety of its Dome.

Of course, the situation was not really that bad, for several reasons:

• After more than three years of hostility, the Soviet Union enjoyed a modicum of support from the Western Powers, no doubt allarmed by the renewed German show of strength. The United Kingdom was especially vocal about the expansion of the Dome which threatened to create a potential German stronghold on their otherwise unassailable island.
• Most scientists estimated that the Dome could not be extended very much in any case, mostly due to some energy constraints, while the Soviet Union could afford to retreat further east.
• If the Dome could be extended all the way to Moscow, the Germans would have probably been less willing to negotiate.
• Destroying Soviet cities and killing millions of people with rockets armed with nuclear devices in an unprovoked attack, while theoretically possible in a couple of years, would be unpalatable to the public opinion and would make Germany once again a pariah state, completely isolating it internationally.

Therefore, in order to solve those two problems and secure their survival, the Soviets needed a peace treaty or, at least, an armistice with Germany and were disposed to compromise on all issues, with one exception: the European armies would not be permitted to advance to the 1938 borders from where they could pose a direct threat to the core Soviet territory.

Russia needed a buffer in the West and ceding it was completely out of the question. That would have been tantamount to suicide. The invasion of 1941 managed to get to Stalingrad and to the gates of Leningrad and Moscow starting from positions further west. If the Germans were to control the 1938 borders, it was concievable they could actually capture and hold those cities in a renewed invasion and knock the Soviet Union out of the war soon afterwards.

Therefore, the Soviet Union was disposed to recognize the independence of the Eastern European Countries and most of their 1938 borders as long as it didn't have to actually evacuate the Red Army from that territory. When the Germans accepted that concession, the deadlock was finally broken and the rest of the discussion proceeded comparatively smoothly.


The Eastern ECN Members (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia) wanted to have their independence recognized (except Poland which the Soviet Union already recognized) and to recover their lost territories (except Slovakia which had already achieved its territorial integrity).

All ECN Members (but especially Germany and the Eastern Members) wanted all their deported citizens and all the prisoners of war from World War Two to be allowed to return to their homes and all their conationals from the rest of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia to be allowed to emigrate.


The United Kingdom wanted Germany to end the expansion of the Berlin Dome and to pledge that it wouldn't encroach on British territory with its Dome.

The Western Powers supported the United Kingdom wholeheartedly and the Soviet Union reluctantly.

Finland and Greece wanted their neutrality to be respected by all sides. Finland declined the chance to recover Karelia and Salla, correctly assessing that the ECN would be incapable of defending it in case of a new Soviet invasion.

Yugoslavia, Algiers France, Romandy (later Vaud and Geneva) and representatives of other peoples from the Soviet Union (Armenians, Georgians, Turks, etc) were not allowed to participate.

The World Forum wanted to assert itself as a powerful and useful international organization after its previous failures to maintain peace, first in Arabia and Turkey, then in France and Romandy.



24 September 1948, Reykjavik, Iceland-Faroe

Under the aegis of the World Forum, the Soviet Union, Germany and most other ECN Members signed the Treaty of Reykjavik, thus marking the official end of the 1948 European Crisis.


The most important provisions of the Treaty of Reykjavik are summarized below.



1. The Existing Geopolitical Situation

The Soviet Union recognized:

• the European Community of Nations under the leadership of the German Reich
• all treaties signed in Europe since 17 January 1945
• the borders of Germany and of the other European countries
• the Independence of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia
• the dissolution / annexation of Belgium, Flanders, Wallonia, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Switzerland, Romandy, Outer France, Czechoslovakia, Czechia, Slovenia
• the internal political structure of the European countries, etc

2. Finland

The borders of Finland remained unchanged (the post Winter War borders, as the Petsamo Province had been returned to Finland in November 1945).

The military neutrality of Finland was recognized. The Porkkala Lease was dissolved and the Soviet Porkkala Naval Base was closed. The Åland Islands remained demilitarized.

Finland was allowed to join the ECN economical and political structures but not its military alliance.

All ethnic Finns from the Soviet controlled territory were to be sent to Finland.



3. Karelia

The borders of the Karelian SSR were reverted to those of 1940, thus reincorporating the Karelian Isthmus and North-Eastern Salla into its territory. Karelia remained de jure part of the Soviet Union.

All ethnic Karelians (including Ingrians, Veps, Votes, etc) from the rest of the Soviet controlled territory were to be sent to Karelia. All foreign people settled by the Soviet Union in Karelia after 1940 were to be sent back home. No more deportations from Karelia or colonization of foreign people in Karelia were allowed.

Obviously, the large Russian population who lived in Karelia for generations was not removed. Former Finnish Karelia (and Salla) remained almost empty, except for the Soviet military forces stationed there. Viipuri (Vyborg) became a ghost city. However, Karelians and Russians from the rest of Karelia soon began to move to those empty areas.



4. Estonia

The Independence of Estonia and the Estonian Government in Kuressaare were recognized. The Estonian SSR was dissolved.

From the two areas annexed to the Russian SFSR in 1944/1945, the southern one¹ was returned to Estonia while the northern one² remained part of the Russian SFSR.

The West Estonian Archipelago was under the control of the Estonian Government. Mainland Estonia remained under Soviet occupation and administration while de jure a part of Estonia. The western coast of Estonia, facing the West Estonian Archipelago and the Gulf of Riga, was demilitarized.

All ethnic Estonians (including Võros, Setos, Livonians, etc) from the rest of the Soviet controlled territory were to be sent to Soviet controlled Estonia. All foreign people settled by the Soviet Union in Estonia after 1940 were to be sent back home. No more deportations from Estonia or colonization of foreign people in Estonia were allowed. A significant number of Russians remained in Estonia.

1. Petseri County / Pechory District -- strategically less important.
2. Jaanilinn Area / Ivangorod District -- the Soviet Union insisted that Russia keep that territory in order to have the border farther away from Leningrad and on a more defensible position on the Narva River.



5. Latvia

The Independence of Latvia and the Latvian Government in Liepāja were recognized. The Latvian SSR was dissolved.

The area annexed to the Russian SFSR in 1944 was returned to Latvia.³

Inner Latvia and Outer Courland Peninsula were under the control of the Latvian Government. The rest of Latvia remained under Soviet occupation and administration while de jure a part of Latvia. The Soviet portion of the Latvian coast and the Soviet side of the demarcation line in Outer Latvia were demilitarized.

All ethnic Latvians from the rest of the Soviet controlled territory were to be sent to Soviet controlled Latvia. All foreign people settled by the Soviet Union in Latvia after 1940 were to be sent back home. No more deportations from Latvia or colonization of foreign people in Latvia were allowed. A significant number of Russians remained in Latvia.

3. Abrene County / Pytalovo District -- strategically unimportant.



6. Lithuania

The Independence of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Government in Kaunas were recognized. The Lithuanian SSR was dissolved.

The borders of Lithuania remained unchanged.

Inner Lithuania was under the control of the Lithuanian Government. Outer Lithuania remained under Soviet occupation and administration while de jure a part of Lithuania.

All ethnic Lithuanians from the rest of the Soviet controlled territory were to be sent to Soviet controlled Lithuania. All foreign people settled by the Soviet Union in Lithuania after 1940 were to be sent back home. No more deportations from Lithuania or colonization of foreign people in Lithuania were allowed.



7. Poland

The Soviet-Polish border was NOT settled. The Polish Oblast from the Ukrainian SSR was dissolved.

All ethnic Poles from the Soviet controlled territory⁴ were to be sent to (Inner) Poland. Large numbers of Ukrainians and Byelorussians remained in Poland.

4. Byelorussia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Latvia, Russia, Central Asia, etc.



8. Slovakia

The dissolution of Czechoslovakia was recognized. The Independence of Slovakia was recognized. The Slovak ASSR was dissolved.

Inner Carpathian Ukraine remained under Slovak administration.

All ethnic Slovaks from the Soviet controlled territory were to be sent to Slovakia. All foreign people settled by the Soviet Union in Slovakia after 1945 were to be sent back home.



9. Hungary

The Independence of Hungary and the Hungarian Government in Budapest were recognized. The Hungarian SSR was dissolved.

The borders of Hungary remained unchanged.

Inner Hungary and Outer Transdanubia were under the control of the Hungarian Government. The rest of Hungary remained under Soviet occupation and administration while de jure a part of Hungary. The Soviet side of the demarcation line in Outer Hungary was demilitarized.

All ethnic Hungarians (including Szeklers, etc) from the rest of the Soviet controlled territory⁵ were to be sent to Soviet controlled Hungary. All foreign people settled by the Soviet Union in Hungary after 1945 were to be sent back home. No more deportations from Hungary or colonization of foreign people in Hungary were allowed.

5. Most Hungarians from Romania (Transylvania, Banat, Crișana, Maramureș), Ukraine (Outer Carpathia) and Serbia (Bačka and Banat) were excluded. They were in no direct danger of assimilation and there was no room for all of them in Hungary.



10. Romania

The Independence of Romania and the Romanian Government in Exile were recognized. The Romanian SSR was dissolved.

From the two areas annexed to the Ukrainian SSR in 1940/1944, the southern one⁶ was returned to Romania while the northern one⁷ remained part of the Ukrainian SSR. Western Transnistria remained part of Romania. Southern Dobruja remained part of Bulgaria.

Romania remained under Soviet occupation and administration while de jure independent.

All ethnic Romanians (including "Moldavians", Aromanians / "Vlachs", etc) from the rest of the Soviet controlled territory⁸ were to be sent to Soviet controlled Romania. All foreign people settled by the Soviet Union in Romania after 1940 were to be sent back home. No more deportations from Romania or colonization of foreign people in Romania were allowed. Large numbers of Hungarians (including the Szeklers), Ukrainians and Russians remained in Romania.

6. Southern Bessarabia / the Budjak -- Germany insisted to keep the mouths of the Danube in Romania as much as Russia wanted to keep Ivangorod. Moreover, the area had a very mixed population with a rather low percentage of Ukrainians.
7. Northern Bukovina and Northern Bessarabia (already reduced in area since 1945 with Herța and other areas with Romanian majority or plurarity rejoined to Romania) -- strategically less important and with more ethnic Ukrainians.
8. Ukraine, Russia, Central Asia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania, etc.



11. Bulgaria

The Independence of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Government in Exile were recognized. The Bulgarian SSR was dissolved.

Southern Dobruja, Macedonia and North-Eastern Thrace remained part of Bulgaria.

Bulgaria remained under Soviet occupation and administration while de jure independent.

All ethnic Bulgarians (including "Macedonians", etc) from the rest of the Soviet controlled territory⁹ were to be sent to Soviet controlled Bulgaria. All foreign people settled by the Soviet Union in Bulgaria after 1945 were to be sent back home. No more deportations from Bulgaria or colonization of foreign people in Bulgaria were allowed. A small number of Turks remained in Bulgaria after their deportations from the previous years.

9. Serbia (Macedonia), Albania (Macedonia), Romania (Banat, Bessarabia), Ukraine, etc.



12. Greece

The borders of Greece remained unchanged.

The military neutrality of Greece was recognized. The Soviet Union removed its military from Eastern Thrace and the Greek Straits Area. The freedom of navigation in the Straits and the Aegean was recognized.

All ethnic Greeks from the Soviet controlled territory¹⁰ were to be sent to Greece. Small numbers of Turks and Albanians remained in Greece after their deportations from the previous years.

10. Romania (Dobruja), Bulgaria, Albania, Ukraine (South), Russia (Crimea), Turkey (Black Sea Coast), Georgia, etc.



13. Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia was dissolved. The annexation of Slovenia to Germany was recognized. The Independence of Croatia, Serbia and Albania were recognized. All the Yugoslav Republics and Provinces were dissolved.



14. Croatia

The Independence of Croatia and the Croatian Government in Zagreb were recognized.

Croatia included Inner Croatia, Krk, Zara, the former Yugoslav Republics of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and parts of the Croat Autonomous Region of Italy. Eastern Syrmia and the Kotor Bay area remained part of Serbia.

All Croat territory was placed under the control of the Croat Government. Croatia had to establish Serbian and Muslim Autonomous Regions on its territory.

All ethnic Croats (defined as speakers of Serbo-Croatian of Catholic or Muslim faith) from the Soviet controlled territory¹¹ were to be sent to Croatia. All foreign people settled by Yugoslavia in Croatia after 1944 were to be sent back home. Large numbers of Serbs and Muslims and smaller numbers of Hungarians and Italians remained in Croatia.

11. Serbia, Hungary, Romania, etc.



15. Serbia

The Independence of Serbia was recognized.

Serbia included the former Yugoslav Republics of Serbia and Montenegro and portions of the former Yugoslav Republic of Albania (Kosovo and parts of Macedonia).

Serbia was placed under Soviet occupation and administration while de jure independent. The Soviet side of the border with Croatia and the Montenegrin coast were demilitarized.

All ethnic Serbs (including Montenegrins, etc, defined as speakers of Serbo-Croatian of Orthodox faith) from the rest of the Soviet controlled territory¹² were to be sent to Serbia. All foreign people settled by Yugoslavia in Serbia after 1945 were to be sent back home. No deportations from Serbia or colonization of foreign people in Serbia were allowed. A large number of Albanians and a smaller number of Hungarians remained in Serbia.

12. Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Ukraine, etc.



16. Albania

The Independence of Albania was recognized (restored).

Albania included parts of the former Yugoslav Republic of Albania. Kosovo and parts of Macedonia were transferred to Serbia. Northern Epirus remained part of Greece.

Albania was placed under Soviet occupation and administration while de jure independent. The Albanian coast and a portion of the border with Greece near Vlorë were demilitarized.

All ethnic Albanians from the rest of the Soviet controlled territory¹³ were to be sent to Albania. All foreign people settled by Yugoslavia in Albania after 1946 were to be sent back home. No deportations from Albania or colonization of foreign people in Albania were allowed.

13. Most Albanians from Serbia were excluded. They were in no direct danger of assimilation and there was no room for all of them in Albania.



17. Norway

All ethnic Norwegians from Soviet controlled territory¹⁴ were to be sent to Norway. All Soviet citizens from Svalbard were to be removed.

14. Mostly Murmansk Oblast.



18. The German Reich

Besides its borders recognized in the Bern Armistice Treaty and the Peace Treaty with Germany, the German Reich also included former Outer Slovenia and the Slovene Autonomous Region of Italy as integral parts of the Autonomous State of Slovenia.

All ethnic Germans from the Soviet controlled territory¹⁵ were to be sent to Germany. All ethnic Slovenes from the Soviet controlled territory¹⁶ were to be sent to German Slovenia. All foreign people settled by Yugoslavia in Slovenia after 1945 were to be sent back home.

15. Estonia, Latvia, Byelorussia, Ukraine, Russia, Central Asia, Romania, Serbia, etc.
16. Mostly Serbia.



19. The Soviet Union

The Soviet citizens trapped behind the new Berlin Dome limit¹⁷ were allowed to return to the Soviet Union. The citizens of the ECN countries who wanted to emigrate to the Soviet Union or to the Soviet occupied territories¹⁸ were allowed to do so.

All remaining prisoners of war were exchanged. The ECN countries were not responsible for the Soviet prisoners of war who had been released or had escaped and had moved to various Western countries.

The Soviet Union was not allowed to set up a Fleet in the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The Soviet Baltic Sea Fleet was limited. The Soviet Union was not allowed to locate weapons of mass destruction, nuclear reactors and missiles in the territories situated west of its 1938 borders, in the Karelian SSR, in the Murmansk Oblast, in the Leningrad Oblast and in the Baltic Sea.

The Soviet Union was a full member of the World Forum. As a Great Power it was a Permanent Member with Veto Power of the World Forum Security Council.

17. Mostly Byelorussians and Ukrainians.
18. A few Byelorussians and Ukrainians from Poland, a few Serbs from Croatia and some Communists from different countries.



20. The Ceasefire

The Soviet Union on one side and Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria on the other side entered a Ceasefire with a duration of five years. The Ceasefire could be repeatedly extended every five years with the accord of both sides if a Peace Treaty was not signed in the meantime.

The State of War between the Soviet Union and Croatia was ended in a white peace. No reparations were paid by either side.

The Berlin Dome remained closed on the portion situated between the intersection with the demarcation line in Latvia and the intersection with the demarcation line in Hungary.

Germany pledged to refrain from further enlarging the Berlin Dome.

The ECN countries and the Soviet Union pledged to refrain from using weapons of mass destruction against civilian targets.




The aftermath of the Crisis in the next chapter, followed by maps, then a little bit of Adolphine's life.

After another two or three chapters we will arrive to 1950 and then we will have decade-long chapters (with the exception of the fall of the Soviet Union and other important events).

I think the whole story is going to end well before chapter 200. We may also have a few special chapters. I may decide to write short spin-offs in the future.

 

[Adamgerd]

The citizens of the ECN countries who wanted to emigrate to the Soviet Union or to the Soviet occupied territories¹⁸ were allowed to do so.

Click to shrink...

Makes good sense, the ECN and Germany can decrease its communist population while the Communists get to experience communism

 

[Adamgerd]

The Independence of Romania and the Romanian Government in Exile were recognized

Click to shrink...

So there is a Romanian government in exile? Or is that a typo? Probably the latter

 

[Zagan7]

So there is a Romanian government in exile? Or is that a typo? Probably the latter

Click to shrink...

It's the Government in this enclave (scroll down). Even though it is located on temporary Romanian territory, it is still an exile.

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 132. The Aftermath of the Crisis



General Considerations

The end of the 1948 European Crisis and the Treaty of Reykjavik were received favourably by the Europeans, with dissenting voices being few and far between.

The short, victorious war created a sense of European camaraderie and a favourable image of Germany as protector of Europe, strenghened the position of the European Governments and helped many people from the Eastern ECN Countries forget about poverty and shortages and bask in hollow nationalist glory for a change.

Although the admittedly unrealistic demand for the 1938 borders with the Soviet Union had not been met, the whole endeavour could nonetheless be considered a major success. The European Community of Nations secured its borders in the West by incorporating Mainland Outer France, gained important territories in the East and forced Stalin to end his policy of ethnic cleansing and Russification in the annexed territories.

In fact, stopping the Soviet ethnic cleansing had been the most important result of the Crisis and the Treaty of Reykjavik can be seen like a clever temporary measure in order to gain time and prepare for the second round. Thus, with no more altering of the ethnic makeup of the Soviet controlled territories, Europe would have a valid claim on those lands after the future demise of its arch-enemy.

The naysayers pointed to the very limited gains, deplored the loss of life or warned about the increase of the German power.


The most happy with the result were Inner France (reunification of Mainland France), Croatia (recovered almost all of its claimed territory, growing 17 times in size), Estonia (got a foothold in Outer Estonia) Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary (recovered important territories), Slovakia, the Netherlands and Germany / Slovenia (recovered the entirety of the small areas they were still missing).

Less happy were Italy (regained Aosta but lost some Slovene and Croat lands in Istria), Romania, Bulgaria (failed to recover any territory but at least had the ethnic cleansing stopped) and Poland (gained a large but thinly inhabited area populated mostly by Ukrainians and Byelorussians, stopped a few kilometres short of much coveted Lwow and the Soviets didn't concede the Kresy, not even de jure if not also de facto).



The German Reich

Perversely, the Nazis had been among the most vocal opponents of the war, in one instance even demonstrating against the war alongside left-leaning pacifists. They claimed that, with Germany having renounced its plans for Lebensraum, war in the East was not only useless but also counterproductive because it strengthened Poland and other "inferior" countries on Germany's eastern border.

Moreover, the Nazis deplored the inclusion of more Slovenes in the Reich as citizens having equal rights with the Germans. Speer even claimed that, with their purported higher birth rate and propensity for intermarriage with the Germans, the Czechs and the Slovenes would one day overtake the Reich from the inside, relegating the Germans to an oppressed minority. In the end, that attitude only made the Nazis lose more supporters.


Adolphine was content that significantly fewer people than initially expected had lost their lives in the short conflict and that she had managed to save Charles de Gaulle from being hanged for treason by the Inner French.


After the Unification of Slovenia under German rule, the German Reich declared that it would never again use force to expand its borders and that, besides German Switzerland, it didn't expect any other territories to join the Reich in the future.



France

The Invasion of Outer France claimed the lives of 239 German paratroopers and special forces operatives, 1,800 Inner French soldiers, 3,200 Outer French soldiers, 1,300 soldiers from other ECN countries (mostly Spain and Italy) and about 400 French civilians. The more than one million Outer French soldiers who surrendered during the short and chaotic war were quickly released. The massive French Army inherited from Outer France was downsized to a more manageable size of cca. 400,000 men.

The Invasion of Romandy claimed the lives of 400 French soldiers, 300 Swiss soldiers and less than 100 Swiss civilians.

After the unification of Jura and the accession of Neuchâtel, Fribourg and Valais to France, the French Authorities planned to invade Vaud and annex it as well as already occupied Geneva, thus reuniting all French speaking Romandy under French rule.


Careful not to antagonize Germany or German Switzerland with an unprovoked invasion, France raised the issue in the European Community of Nations. With 14 votes for, 3 abstentions (Norway, Sweden and Denmark) and one vote against (German Switzerland), the ECN adopted a Resolution proclaiming the abolition of the European Microstates as useless remnants of a bygone feudal era and an antithesis of the modern concept of National States.

Thus, with a stroke of a pen, Vaud, Geneva, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City lost their status as independent countries.


Realizing that any resistance against the whole Continent was futile, Vaud and Geneva acquiesced and rejoined Romandy which had been recreated as a French Autonomous State.


Monaco was simply dissolved and added to the Department of Alpes-Maritimes. Ageing and ailing Prince Louis II of Monaco refused to acknowledge the French takeover and did not leave his palace until his death less than one year later. The Monégasque Monarchy was subsequently abolished.


Administrative Divisions of France in October 1948

• Mainland France
  • 86 Departments
• Corsica (Autonomous Department), controlled by Algiers France
• Wallonia (Autonomous State)
  • 5 Provinces (Brabant, Hainaut, Liège, Luxembourg, Namur)
• Romandy (Autonomous State)
  • 6 Cantons (Jura, Neuchâtel, Fribourg, Valais, Geneva, Vaud)
• Algeria (Autonomous State), controlled by Algiers France
  • 3 Departments (Alger, Oran, Constantine)

• French West Africa (Colony), controlled by Algiers France
  • 8 States (Sahara, Mauretania, Senegal, Guinea, Sudan, Volta, Niger, Chad)
• French Equatorial Africa (Colony), controlled by Algiers France
  • 7 States (Gabon, Cameroon, Ubangi-Shari, North Congo, East Congo, South Congo, Central Congo)

• Morocco (Associated State), de facto independent
• Tunisia (Associated State), de facto independent

.


Italy

After regaining Aosta and ceding the (considered useless) Slovene Autonomous Region to German Slovenia, Italy was required by the Peace Treaty with Germany to organize a referendum in the (significantly more important) Croat Autonomous Region (Eastern Istria, Fiume, Cherso, Lagosta, Cazza) regarding its unification with Croatia.

Italy was adamant to keep the region and seeked German support on the matter. With Croatia posed to gain very large territories in Yugoslavia with little Croat population (such as Eastern Bosnia), Germany favoured the continuation of Italian rule in most of the Croat Autonomous Region.

Because a referendum would have likely yielded a majority in favour of joining Croatia, Italy and Germany convinced Croatia to accept an unequal division of the territory. Its small, rural and almost 100% Croat northern part was transferred to Croatia, while the rest of Eastern Istria, Fiume and the Adriatic Islands remained part of Italy, being joined to the adjacent Autonomous Region of Istria.


San Marino was annexed as an Autonomous Region, while its Republican institutions were largely maintained, in a similar manner with Ticino.


The Lateran Treaty was unilaterally annuled with the tiny Vatican City becoming once again a part of Rome. A new treaty was negotiated with the independence and extraterritorial rights of the Holy See being guaranteed.


Administrative Divisions of Italy in October 1948

• 15 Regions (Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Marches, Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria)
• 9 Autonomous Regions (Sicily, Sardinia, Istria, Trentino, Valtellina, Ticino, Aosta, San Marino, Tripolitania, Cyrenaica)

.


Other Countries

The Netherlands integrated former Outer Flanders without issues. Under French pressure, French majority Brussels was granted wide cultural and linguistic rights.


Estonia placed the West Estonian Archipelago under civilian administration. The tiny Estonian Enclave in Kaunas was dissolved and ceded back to Lithuania.

Latvia placed Outer Courland under civilian administration.

Hungary placed Outer Transdanubia under civilian administration.

Important effectives of the Wehrmacht remained stationed in all three Outer territories to have a chance to fend off or slow down any possible Soviet invasion.

In all recovered eastern territories a thorough process of decommunization and desovietization was started.

Slovakia organized an Ukranian Autonomous Region called Carpathia in northern and central Inner Carpatho-Ukraine.


The limited military operations against the retreating Soviet forces claimed the lives of 6,700 German soldiers and another 9,800 soldiers from the other ECN countries while the Red Army counted at least 25,000 casualties. About 80,000 Soviet prisoners of war were taken by the ECN forces. Soviet bombings of Lithuanian, Polish and Hungarian cities caused the deaths of more than one thousand civilians and widespread destruction. The Lithuanian Parliament Building in Kaunas was heavily damaged and was demolished shortly afterwards.


The lengthy and logistically difficult process of moving millions of people (prisoners of war and civilians) all around Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union was started in September and was declared finished more than one year later (more information in a future chapter).



Yugoslavia

Faced with a Soviet invasion from the east while fighting the Germans in the west, the Yugoslav People's Army quickly dissolved into small bands of Partisans, restarting their World War Two struggle for freedom, albeit that time against both the Germans and the Soviets. The Yugoslav Partisans would continue to harass their enemies for a long time. With the small and ineffective Croat Army utterly incapable to control the large Croat territory, large effectives of the Wehrmacht remained deployed in Outer Croatia, recreating the ulcer from World War Two.

The Yugoslav campaign claimed the lives of 11,500 German soldiers and 3,700 Croat soldiers, while the number of Yugoslav casualties cannot be easily determined. Up to one hundred German soldiers would continue to die each month until the insurrection started to wither away some time later. At least two thousand civilians died during the war and 191 Serbian "terrorists" and 53 Croat "traitors" were tried by military courts and executed.


With Yugoslavia partitioned between the Soviet Union (Serbia and Albania) and the ECN (Croatia), German agents approached King Peter II of Yugoslavia, who was living in exile in London, and asked him to form a Serbian Government in Exile.

King Peter accepted the dissolution of Yugoslavia, took his predecessors' title of King of Serbia and, together with exiled Serbian Anti-Communist politicians (mostly Chetniks), formed a Government in Exile, claiming to represent Soviet occupied Serbia.

The Serbian Government was initially located in the Romanian Enclave where King Peter was the guest of his first cousin, King Michael I of the Romanians. In 1949, after a rump Serb State was carved from the Serbian majority parts of Bosnia, King Peter and his Government relocated there (more information in a future chapter).


Similarly, exiled Anti-Communist Albanians from the Balli Kombëtar Nationalist organization formed an Albanian Government in Exile, claiming to represent Soviet occupied Albania. They were later granted a small Enclave in Croatian Herzegovina (similar to the Romanian and Bulgarian ones in Slovakia).

Both Serbia and Albania were immediately accepted in the European Community of Nations, raising the number of member states to 20.

 

[Adamgerd]

proclaiming the abolition of the European Microstates as useless remnants of a bygone feudal era and an antithesis of the modern concept of National States.

Click to shrink...

Huh, kind of surprising. Also may the reasons be explained for all of them, if France wants to invade Vaud, why abolish it of other micro states? Will there be consueqneucnes from some radical catholics given the annexation of the Vatican or in Italy, since the church still has a lot of power?

Otherwise, looks like the Nazi's are like always. "Czechs outproducing Germans", If only it was so. Also what is an "Aromanian", never heard of that term.