Standing Resolute : Chapter 2, Operation Oak

It has been 5 months since the start of the Second World War. Poland has fallen and now Germany prepares herself for her invasion of the west. In the North Sea the battle continues to rage between the Royal Navy and the Kriegsmarine.

The most pressing concern for the Royal Navy is the German battleship ravaging the North Sea, the Tirpitz. A modern and powerful ship it has avoided our battle fleets in favor of sinking convoys and hitting our Anti-Submarine Fleets.

But the Atlantic Reserve Fleet led by the HMS Hood is on the hunt. Engaging the Tirpitz it damaged the ship at the cost of some destroyers.

The HMS Ark Royal is launched on the 27th of February 1940.

In an attempt to keep the Tirpitz from escaping into Wilhelmshaven the Atlantic Fleet engages smaller ships on the German coast before escaping.

But upon hearing the news of the Admiral Hipper being spotted to the north Ramsey sails for Silverpit. In the early hours of the 5th of March the Admiral Hipper takes a hit to engines making it unable to maneuver, a few hours later it is sunk in a hail of shells.

All must serve.

On the 13th of March a German ship is intercepted by the Royal Navy inside of Norwegian waters. Carrying an entire company of German soldiers the ship was headed for Narvik as part of the German Operation Weserübung, the German invasion of Norway. The captured documents indicate the scale of the invasion and the Norwegian government agrees to our offer for aid.

Turkey worried by the increasing aggressive state of Europe decides to mobilize.

And following that Iran join the Axis for “protection against the threat of a Turkish invasion”

Under heavy pressure from Churchill the bravery of the poor Finns who fight on under equipped and outnumbered is rewarded by a gift sent to the Finnish government. We may not be fighting the Soviets openly but their treatment of the Poles in 1939 leave us with no choice but to regard them as an enemy.

Following the announcement of the Iranian Axis alignment the British Operation Irani Freedom is prepared. The large oil fields which we have invested so heavily into will not aid Hitler one bit.

Another bunch of submarines are sunk in the seas of Silverpit they join the Hipper and other German cruisers at the bottom of the sea.

After an escort mission to Norway leaving 6 British divisions in southern Norway the Atlantic Reserve Fleet finally gets to take a rest after the hunt for the Tirpitz. “We’ll get them next time!” As Torvey told the news.

The 2. BEF with nearly 100 000 men set up in the south of Norway. Narvik will be defended by the Royal Navy, our primary fears for Norway is the Luftwaffe.

And our fears are vindicated on the 10th when German paratroopers drop in Kristiansand and Stavanger.

And a mere two days after German forces declare war on both Belgium and the Netherlands and as such Operation Oak is activated.

25 divisions rush to the front.

And 5 days later the Germans engage us in Betuwe as the Germans try to cross into this vital junction of rivers.

The Royal Navy has yet again proven itself as the greatest fleet in the world as it continues to stave off the Kriegsmarine.

We rush to try to block German troops from crossing the Rhine.

Following 10 days of battle the Paratroopers in Kristiansand give up as another division of British troops arrive from Oslo.

In Roermond our hopes are dashed as the Großdeutschland division crosses the Rhine.

The French throw themselves at the Germans racing for Aachen which has been left opened as German troops smash into the Netherlands.

With reinforcements Stavanger is secured.

The French troops march into Aachen and are instantly engaged by German troops.

Using our armor divisions we secure Roermond from the Germans.

Germany marches into Luxemburg who promptly surrenders.

Considering the vast amounts of French troops in and around the Ardennes we move another 4 divisions holding the southern part of Belgium north to aid in holding onto our positions in the Netherlands. Besides the French high command has deemed the Ardennes impassible to armor, we have nothing to fear in leaving it in the hands of the French.

Goodbye Mosley.

As the harsh battles continue in the Netherlands our troops are being worn down. Our troops are rapidly approaching the breaking point.

The French fill in the defenses in the Ardennes, the worries of our commanders about a Ardennes offensive are put to rest.

In Asia the Chinese communists fall to the Japanese although Mao is still on the run.

The Spanish civil war sees seemingly no end as the right wing nationalists continue to try to batter down the left wing republicans holding out on the east coast.

On the 13th the Germans launch a huge raid on the docks of Dover in an attempt to cripple the Royal Navy. The RAF is struggling to keep up with the sheer size of the Luftwaffe.

The German troops cross the Rhine and now threaten our hold on both Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

Yet the 2nd Armoured division newly formed rushes to maintain the German breakthrough.

German BF-109’s soar over our skies searching for Hurricanes and Spitfires to hunt. Using large drop tanks they can stay over the British Isles for an extended period.

In the Middle East Operation Irani Freedom is activated as Indian and Royal Marine troops set out for the Persian Gulf.

Our attempts to hold onto the north side of the Meuse are proving impossible.

And we are forced to retreat with heavy loss of life.

As German panzer divisions flood across the Rhine our troops trying to hold onto Rotterdam got trapped. Now with their backs against the ocean only the Royal Navy can get them out but the air is filled with Stukas and the Tirpitz is still out there waiting for a chance to strike.

120.000 British troops are trapped and our line is falling apart. The calls go out to the exhausted arms of the Armed Forces. The Army must hold on, the navy must evacuate and the Air force must hold back the Luftwaffe hordes. The Battle for the Netherlands is over. The Battle for France is about to begin.