Maantie on Kova Kävellä: A Finland Hoi3 AAR Part 10

Maantie on Kova Kävellä: A Finland Hoi3 AAR Part 10
Welcome back to Maantie on Kova Kävellä. The Finnish front has been quiet for over a month, as both sides prepare for a long winter. Field Marshall Mannerheim has given explicit orders to not attack regardless of the situation until winter passes. The United States has entered the war but we are confident our Japanese allies can defeat them.

Jouko Itälä, our minister of security, has recently enforced the "Derussofication" of our newly conquered lands. This includes the destruction of Russian Orthodox Churches, banning of the Russian language in public and requirement of all Russian children into the National Socialist Youth Wing. No longer will Russian culture exist within our borders! For we will purge them from the inside!

Itälä's reign of terror has soared our party to new heights of popularity. Dissidents and opposition leaders have "disappeared" and can often be found working in the labor camps of Nazi Germany. Those who are not part of our party are all too afraid to speak out against us or the war in general.

On the 4th of November, Hitler declares war on Norway. Their raw materials and ports will be useful for the German war effort.

50,000 Elite German Marines storm the beaches around Oslo, the Norwegian capital.

The Norwegians were caught off guard and given no time to mobilize their reserves. Hastily built defenses are constructed in Oslo but they will do nothing to slow down the Germans.

The German Marines are veterans of Operation Sea Lion and the Invasion of France and the Norwegians will provide no difficulty for them.

In the Far East, we receive reports of a large Japanese encirclement. It is estimated that at least 10 Soviet divisions are trapped here. Any Soviets killed are less that we have to deal with.

In just 9 days, Norway surrenders to the Reich.

The Norwegian citizens treat the Germans like liberators and not conquerers, like we have seen all over Europe. The Reich will truly last for 1000 years!

The USA is now fully in the war and American bombers are often shot down over Scotland and Ireland every day. Due to Operation Sea Lion, the Americans decided to align with the Soviets rather than the British.

In Calcutta, the British Government in Exile releases more propaganda about their "Allied Struggle" and "United Nations". We pay no attention to this country who could not even defend their homeland.

In Northern Ireland, the first of many revolts occurs against the Germans. The Irish Free State (Now an Axis Puppet) sends an infantry division to put it down.

Brother against brother fight in Northern Ireland as families are divided on the idea of Fascism. The fascists will prevail however, as they have the support of the entire German Reich!

Supplies continue to be a problem all over the front just as Winter sets in. The freezing temperature and lack of food causes casualties to steadily rise.

Danes revolt.

Brits revolt.

And Poles revolt.

All across the Reich, small bands of civilians take up arms to fight their occupiers. The Wehrmacht will have no difficulty dealing with them even if they are an incredible nuisance.

Battle plans are drawn up for a potential invasion of Sweden by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht. A simple two pronged invasion and a swift taking of Stockholm should end the war rather quickly.

An ultimatum is provided to the Swedish government on the 5th of March. Disband your army and join the Axis or suffer the same fate as Norway. The Swedish refuse and Germany marches again.

The SS march into the South as the Marines land in the North.

Ethiopia is the first Axis country to fall to the Allies. We hoped they could hold out but they were of no strategic importance to us.

Stockholm is taking after a few days of brutal fighting. It is now only a matter of marching until the Swedes surrender.

German officers enjoy the sights Sweden has to offer.

Russian partisans finally rise up against us up north in Apatity. This may be a result of our harsh treatment of the civilians but we will only treat them harsher after this.

Because we do not have any troops near them, bombing sorties are used to keep the rebels in one province. A division from the Leningrad front is given orders to march north and deal with these peasants.

Our fleet has remained anchored since 1936, going on only the occasional mission to sink Soviet convoys. Reports come in from the White Sea of Soviet ship sightings. We send our fleet to patrol the area in case their is some truth to these rumors. We can only hope our small fleet comes back in one piece.

In Apatity, the partisans disperse into the forests after extensive bombing. They will regret ever taking arms against us!

Sweden finally surrenders after their last major city falls. Another country is taken into the Reich's fold.

In southern Ireland the United States launches an amphibious invasion. While small in strength, this alerts many in the high command of the Axis due to the pitiful state of the Irish Army.

An entire Corps of United States Marines lands in Cork. 30,000 Americans in total have taken part in this operation.

A German Panzer division, on patrol in Northern Ireland is diverted to the south and quickly begins driving back the marines.

The Marines have spent 2 months preparing for this invasion in Reykjavik, Iceland. They put up a decent fight and try to hold their lines steady.

Across the globe Singapore falls to the Imperial Japanese Army. The numerically inferior Japanese manage to outwit and capture the garrison.

Over 80,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers are put into captivity. Many will not return home.

The Marines are cut off from Cork and no longer can receive supplies. They attempt to push north and east towards ports for evacuation but are beaten back by the Irish divisions.

In the White Sea, the first Finnish naval engagement occurs. Two Finnish heavy cruisers and one submarine find the rumored Soviet fleet consisting of two heavy cruisers. Our submarine fires its torpedoes and sinks the Molotov while the Väinämöinen trades deadly broadsides with the Maxim Gorkiy.

At the end of the day, the two Soviet cruisers lie at the bottom of the sea. The Väinämöinen takes slight damage in the battle. The fleet is sent to Arkhangelsk for repairs.

Another wing of Messerschmitts are completed. Our air force is now looking very modern and competent.

The last of the U.S. Marines surrender to the Germans. The Americans have lost over 10 surface ships and 30,000 men in this invasion while the Germans have only lost a single ship and 1,000 men.

Hitler and his Generals are now eager to strike at the Soviet Union, now that Western Europe is under the control of the Reich. Hitler wishes to work with the Finnish Supreme Command to ensure total victory in the East.

Mannerheim flies to East Prussia where he meets Hitler in the "Wolf's Lair". It is here that Operation Schlange (Serpent) is revealed.