The Thousand Year Reich : Chapter 22, The Finale

As the German summer offensive is being prepared it is becoming clear that the United States has started to waver as a state. The previously fanatical people and nation has been brought back to reality by the winter of 47-48 and is dividing internally. Calls for peace come from some will others demand a continuation of the struggle. While Truman refuses all calls for peace the Abwehr estimates that somewhere around 40% of the American public demand peace, at any cost.

All over the American front German troops move across the line to be concentrated in the southern and northern pincers of the attack. In the north oddly enough the Panzer Armee Süd and The Waffen SS under Marcks are gathered to advance. In the south old and calm, von Manstein stands ready to deliver the final blow to the American hordes. The Führerschlacht beckons.

Veterans of nearly 9 years of war stand ready for what is supposed to be the final offensive. Not only will it crush the majority of the American army and seize large amounts of land but also put our EF-132 jet bomber in range of San Francisco and enable us to drop the most deadly payload on this safe haven of Jewry and Democracy.

On the 25th of July it begins in Kingsport as Manstein unleashes his veterans upon the civilian divisions of the Americans after a brief but brutal battle they are pushed aside, unable to stop the tide.

In the north the Frenchmen continue to prove their worth as they launch themselves at the Americans.

While the SS and panzer divisions push through with blood and iron.

However not all battles end in victory. In London a large infantry assault ends in disaster as our troops pull away from the attack. While pinning down the enemy is important the losses weigh heavily on their commanders. Another 100 000 men lost.

But as our troops break the front it becomes increasingly clear that there are no American reserves. We broke the haphazard line put up by the Americans and now we are through into the open back lines.

And when a panzer division gets rolling nothing can stop it.

After a brief battle our troops enter into Atlanta. After facing brutal urban battles our troops are weary to enter cities but in Atlanta something different happens. The Americans stay at home, or in the case of the ones with German heritage, line the streets. A sense of doom has taken grip in many Americans, the loss of so many millions of men along with the ever looming sudden and complete destruction of a nuclear bomb why resist the inevitable?

On the 25th of August the work of reducing the soon to be pocket begins. All over our troops attack the demoralized troops.

With the seizure of Jasper the pocket is closed 500km long and 300km wide the pocket holds near a million troops in hundreds of divisions of varying sizes. Many divisions in the pocket carry equipment far beyond their troop numbers. In the case of one captured civilian divisions in the north 96 artillery guns were captured with only 177 troops between them. It is clear replacements are no longer reaching American units.

There is no resistance, like a boot against an ant the Americans are crushed.

In the Pacific the Japanese reclaim Hawaii that was lost a month previously in their offensive named “The Tsunami of the Emperor”. So far it has not reclaimed Saipan which the Americans have held for over a year. The logic in striking at Hawaii, 4200 kilometers away from Japan instead of Saipan at less than 1200 kilometers away is beyond our understanding. The Abwehr however clears up the reason why, The Americans have a garrison of 600 000 men on Saipan.

Desertions and horrific losses leave many of the civilian divisions empty. The mobilized American populace was crushed and now it hides, awaiting the end.

The Canadians try to hold Chicago but even they are having huge manpower issues. Getting enough replacements for the kind of losses they are taking is proving impossible. They never expected or even could accept the kind of losses a war like this takes. The Anglo-Saxon has been corrupted and left weak by Democracy.

All the remaining American troops are pushed towards Lexington. We shall corrupt another name the Americans remember with defeat. There will be no victories for the children of America to remember. Only defeat at the hands of Germany.

In Miami two paratrooper divisions await their fate at the hands of our panzer divisions.

Chicago is also spared the fate of cities like New York. Much of the city remains intact as the Americans pull out of the city. The American lines to the west are falling apart often having no troops for hundreds of kilometers, leaving huge gaps for us to exploit.

German boots reach another city as the honor guard of the Swedish volunteers march through the city. The honor guard still carriers the Karabiner 98k now antiquated it is still used in rifle drills.

The last troops being pushed into Lexington, awaiting their doom.

The Lexington soon to be POW camp.

Yet only 50 000 soldiers are captured with another 20 000 killed. The civilian numbers of the area has however swelled especially the male population. The SS are dispatched to go through the area and found all soldiers and traitors, with the aid of the locals either willingly or through force.

The Paratroopers resist unlike most American troops yet even the bravest among the Americans can only resist for so long.

Our troops advance everywhere through the open holes in the American lines. There is no real resistance as Panther tanks drive down every road across the land. The American highways now carry us through their land as their POWs walk down the road east.

Finally on the 29th of July flying from the airfield at Little Rock on the very edge of the front line Rudel sends his air wing towards San Francisco. His air wing carries the greatest nuclear bomb yet at over 40 kilo tons, over twice the blast yield of the first nuclear bomb, Kleiner Junge.

As the explosion rocks San Francisco the lone EF-132 bomber takes a picture as it leaves. Not realizing the effect their payload would have on the world.

The cataclysmic effects the bomb had on America became clear quickly. President Truman who had ignored calls to relocate into the countryside to continue the fight died in the nuclear blast. Alongside him goes much of the military staff including Eisenhower and MacArthur. What follows is complete panic and disarray. Over half a million people die in either the blast or the following fallout. As the Military situation becomes increasingly desperate and with the lack of a vice president which Truman refused to appoint the chain of command desnigrates.

Troops start to surrender en masse to the nearest German. In Northern Canada fighting finally stops as the troops there surrender following German victories. Within a day of the bombing George Marshall approached under a white flag to offer the surrender of the entire American army. At first attempts were made to negotiate. The guarantee of a democracy and the guarantee of the rights of minorities, especially the Jewish population were the primary points. Marshall begged Manstein as a fellow general to save civilian lives. Manstein just plainly asked if he wished for another nuclear bomb on Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix or perhaps the razing of his hometown of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Marshall quickly accepted the demands of unconditional surrender.

And so on the 20th of September 1948 the fighting comes to an end. 9 years, 2 weeks and 5 days after it started the war finally ends. Celebration erupts over the entire world. The swastika is raised high everywhere. In Tokyo the Japanese raise a swastika alongside the Japanese flag.

Berlin proved especially crazed in their celebration. Following a speech by Hitler to celebrate the heroic victory of the German race over the world the Berliners went crazy. Within 14 hours the city ran out of beer, after 24 hours there was no wine and by the 30 hour mark the city even ran out of the mass imported cheap Russian vodka, it was the party to end all parties.

Following the surrender of The United States a huge amount of South American troops became trapped deep in hostile territory. Hundreds of thousands of men were already held captive but now most of the armies of the rest of the Americas were lost as well. This led to quick negotiations by nations like Brazil to get peace. Having never been occupied they got off far easier than the USA or Canada did.

Venezuela, being the only nation in South America to remain neutral quickly petitioned to join the Axis after America surrenders. The rest of the nations of South America only have the treaty of New Germania enforced upon them. It Includes demands like the handing over of all Jews and German Emigrates along with the suppression of leftist parties and an alignment towards Germany.

The world finally had peace. Afro-Eurasia completely controlled by the Axis along with North America. Australia and New Zealand kept their nominal independence but aligned closely to Japan. Only Central and South America remained out of the Axis. Over time they would join willingly join the Axis.

Churchill, the first of our great enemies who resisted us since 1939 met his fate in Canada a few months after the end of the war, tracked down by the SS he was killed resisting his arrest. Hitler was overjoyed at the news that his great enemy was finally dead. The Advisor called him a perfect example of British resilience and bravery.

With the defeat of the “Free nations of the world” the German Reich stood dominant in the world. No one could match their strength in arms or industry and the terrifying display of nuclear weapons showed the results of the total war Truman had called for upon German landings in America. Fear would force the nations of the world in line before the German superpower.

Fear however requires enforcement and as such war became the never ending duty of the German people. In the east the extermination of the Russian population would go on into the 50’s and the demands of the purging of leftists the world over required never ending interventions by the SS which took immense manpower to achieve. The secondary powers of the world could not hope to match Germany. Germany alone had a stronger Industry than England, France, Italy and Japan combined.

The United States, the last great threat to Germany had been ruined in nuclear destruction. Their factories dismantled and arms restricted. The once proud nation was left an empty husk.

The white house burned down, the Washington monument ruined and finally the Statue of Liberty reshaped to give the German salute and to hold a copy of Mein Kampf. The people of the United States would undergo decades of oppression. At the top of the new America the German Americans lorded over the rest with the hierarchy going all the way down to the Negro. Negros were by far the most oppressed in America as the Americans implemented their own Nuremburg laws. Negros faced forced labor, concentration camps, forced emigration or outright killing. Large scale enforced sterilization took place throughout the 50's.

Under the constant guard of the American SS branch resistance was brutally suppressed. An example of this suppression is the revolt in 1949 in Warsaw, America where the locals, largely Polish in heritage killed 24 German soldiers. What followed was a brutal reprisal by the SS. They entered the town and a orgy of violence followed. For three days rape, death and torture became the fate of all the inhabitants. Men, women and children all faced the same fate.

Germans indeed found themselves policing much of the world and the required military service often saw young men employed outside of Germany suppressing revolt. Just as the nukes kept the nations of the world in line the German soldier kept the people of the world in line.

Yet the National Socalist state did not only suppresses and destroy. In Germany the advance of technology continued at an astonishing speed and the National Socialist Space Agency or NSSA for short which had been active during the war in testing came into its own. With the fanatical backing of the Advisor it made great strides in space aeronautics and in 1959, on the 20th of April to celebrate the Führer’s 70th birthday German astronauts landed on the Moon placing a Swastika on and claiming it in the name of Germany.

The Advisor won the adoration of the Führer as he presented him the moon as a birthday present. Outdoing Himmler who declared the Americas purged of Jews or Göring who held a combined air show of the German and Russian air force, both of which he controlled.

By his 70th birthday however the Führer was a sick man. Every technological investment had been made to save his life and doctors worked relentlessly in saving their Führer. Yet on the 28th of June 1959 Adolf Hitler, the first Führer of Germany passed away. His will, which had been far modified since the early days of Göring being his replacement gave the title of Führer to the Advisor. Within hours the Advisor was declared Führer of Germany and the troops swore the new oath. Swearing allegiance to the Führer both the first and new.

He was not able to take over without resistance as Göring quickly had himself declared the rightful successor of Hitler by the Reichstag on the same day and had his own troops, The Fallschirm-Panzerkorps Hermann Göring placed around Berlin. To his dismay however the commander of the Korps refused his call to enter Berlin and finish the "coup". Declaring his loyalty to the Advisor who had always been on the side of the military. So instead Erich von Manstein entered the city with a hundred men and compelled the Prussian police to stand down as they arrested Göring for high treason. Göring was executed the same day.

After securing his rule in Germany the Advisor went on to reform the Reich. Easing the brutal oppression many nations faced he instead began to unite the world under Germany. His catchphrase becoming Deutschland über alles nicht Deutschland gegen alles, Germany above all, not Germany against all. This slogan would embody his rule.

Even so his reign also saw the final extermination of the Jewish religion and race in 1961. The enemies of the Reich were shown no mercy. Millions would perish long after the war and for some ethnic groups there would be no recovery. The Ukrainian, Polish and Jewish groups were exterminated to the last man, woman and child.

In his classified memoirs the Advisor would only devote a paragraph to the genocide taken on by the German government.

"As my powers within Germany grew I could have and should have done more. I never wanted to risk the loss of influence me protecting the Jews would have had on my relationship with Hitler. For a long time I denied the fact that my hands are covered in the blood of millions. I never saw the Jews as subhuman like so many did but by the time I was the second most powerful man in Germany there were no brakes that could be pulled on the machine that wanted to end the Jewish race, that machine being the German nation, government and people."

The Advisor would in turn die in 1980 at the age of 64, the last of the "War Generation leadership" his passing would see the next generation take over. Fully brought up in the National Socialist way of thinking this generation would be the cruel beyond all reckoning. Only the reforms passed by the Advisor during his reign would keep the world together. Even so war would once again plague the world as the Germans tried to keep the entire world in line. Terrorism would become a key issue and would require many foreign interventions. The worst legacy of this second generation would be they attempts to exterminate the African race with large scale biological warfare. Millions would continue to perish under the German boot.

Yet the Third Reich prevailed through their many struggles. The Thousand year Reich would become a Ten Thousand Year Reich as Germany led the thoroughly purged earth into the stars in search of foreign beasts to slay. The story of The Thousand Year Reich thus comes to an end.

The story that I started 5 months ago has reached its conclusion. America finally collapsed following a complete breakdown in IC / MP and division numbers. They were broken in every way a nation could be broken having over a thousand manpower but not enough IC to reinforce their divisions even with the Black Ice "Desperate Reinforcements" modifier.

Now I ask you what I should do next. Note that this poll is not a 100% I will do what you vote for. Much like Brexit I will only use it to gain a sense of what you want.

http://www.strawpoll.me/11838992

Now as for the choices

United Kingdom, A interesting choice for sure as they get to fight the entire Axis and of course also have the Soviet Union as a looming enemy to do battle with. It also needs a good balancing act between theaters and the Army/Navy/Air balancing act.

Japan, Just like the UK they got lots of good opponents and a more interesting lead up period with the war against China that can be a real pain in Black Ice. They also have a easier government type to AAR in as the godlike powers you hold as a player are easier to present as the will of the head of state than in a democratic society like the UK.

Germany WW1 mod, This being the Hearts of Iron III WW1 mod. A different time period while still being in Hoi3 it sure is a interesting game to play. With custom made modifiers and events I am sure a interesting story could be made with the incompetent Austro-Hungarian Empire at my side.

Also, These choices are not the only things I would consider so feel free to leave comments in the Reddit thread with any suggestions you may have. I will however throw out some I wont be doing.

Soviet Union - Overpowered, no real threat to a experienced player like me. No opponent of doom to face. Even with Gröfaz you can easily out tank the Germans and swamp them in the glorious T-34.

Minors - Most are unable to make a large enough impact (as they shouldn't be able to) and fall behind in both technology and eventually run out of manpower and die. If on the allied side you get to watch as the Americans and Soviets kill the Axis and if on the Axis you get to be killed by the Americans / Soviets. Only with lots of custom events and op buffs would they become feasible, especially in Black Ice.

Stellaris - I know the ending sorta turned into a "OMG SPACE!!! STELLARIS!!!!" thing but I find no enjoyment in Stellaris or Hearts of Iron IV for that matter. So I'm afraid it won't be happening.

Finally thank you for all the comments and for following along with my story. I hope you enjoyed it and as always feel free to leave a comment in the Reddit thread about anything. You can also ask anything about the post war world and I will answer. I have crafted large events in my mind that I might make a mini chapter out of. So If you want to know what happened in the Indonesian war of 1953 or what Argentina did in 1954 or anything else. Just throw a comment in the thread.