Hoi 4 Chapter 15

Chapter 15 - Dec 1944: Trinity

Although first a struggle, Britain's campaign in West Africa does well, and Prussia is nearly ousted in the first two months of the war.

On the 16th of December, the front line in Poland meets with the UBP's southern border. Now dozens of Stali divisions are trapped in North Poland. It appears that Russia underestimated how many troops it would need in order to defeat the UBP, and now their enemy has reached fairly far into Russia. Stara Ladoga was overrun a week before, but Leningrad holds out against the UBP.

As Winter sets in, Russian reinforcements arrive on the frontline with the UBP, and the offensive into Russia is halted. In Scandinavia, Sweden stops the US and British troops in their tracks. Stockholm, which was put under siege weeks ago, holds out against the Anglo Alliance, showing no signs of falling anytime soon. The only progress seen in the weeks leading up to Christmas is the fall of Poland.

By New Years day, the war has slowed down somewhat. Winter has thrown a wrench in the Anglo war machine in Europe, and they are no longer pushing the Stali Pact back.

General Chester Nomad, Air Corps Chief of Staff, begins the Nomad Bombing Campaign against Hungary. This campaign will bomb railroads and bridges in Hungary to destroy supply lines and slowdown troop deployment. The aim of this is to ease the Anglo invasion efforts from the west. Casualties have gotten so bad during the invasion that most of the offensives have been delayed due to a lack of men and supplies.

The Stali Pact launches a counter offensive in early February, attempting to take back the lands lost. While the lines do hold, there are beginning to be equipment shortages. First to go is the motorized vehicles, and many divisions are pulled back to recuperate. The US does not see strikes like the Autumn Riots of '41, but there are many demonstrations in major cities against the war. Countering these are a propaganda and war bond campaign featuring Major America, the strong and brave soldier ready to take on Russia!

Stockholm survives the Winter siege, but the Spring brings with it a fresh effort from the Anglo Alliance. It takes many more weeks, but the city falls as the last of the garrisoned troops surrender.

Castille joins the war on March 28th when it looks as though the Anglo offensive in Europe has failed. They declare war and engage the Teutonic troops on their border. But they bite off more than they can chew. General BPM's 12th Army, which finished clearing the Italian peninsula months ago, and the 8th and 18th armies are sent to assist the Teutons in the fight. They were preparing for the invasion of Eretna, but Castille is a more pressing concern.

What they really bring to the fight is their navy of 81 ships. While the Battle of the Mediterranean is winding down in Anglo favor, the introduction of another 81 enemy ships into the Atlantic poses a real problem. Carrier Group 1 and the newly formed CG 5 are assigned to deal with the new threat.

Carrier Group 1 collides with the Castillian navy. A dozen Castillian ships are sent to the depth of the ocean floor, while the rest retreat south.

As Castille joins, the first combat in Australia begins with the attempted British invasion of Castille's colonies.

The offensive in Sweden does well in the thaw, and the US troops reach halfway up the country by mid April. Even so, this far north poses many supply problems for the US, especially with snow still coming down in some places, and the offensive slows.

Castille's homeland in Europe is swallowed whole by the shear number of Anglo divisions attacking it. But kicking them out of Iberia will not be enough to defeat Castille. Their small territorial holdings throughout the world will be safe refuges for their government.

In the desert of New Mexico, A lone metal spire stands tall. In a bunker some 8 miles away, a timer reaches 60 seconds just as the clock ticks to 4:29. The scientists throughout the bunker have already secured their goggles to their heads. There was a worry of rain and lightning earlier, but as though by God's grace, the skies have cleared. Several scientists grip the edge of the bunker's one large window as the timer reaches 10. Will this work?

The timer runs out, and there is a split second that feels like forever as nothing happens. Then a blinding light illuminates the entire desert and even the mountains a hundred miles away. A slight tremor goes through the bunker, and the scientists all collectively let out their breath in pure awe at what they are viewing. A great mushroom cloud reaches far into the sky. The shock wave hits half a minute later, rattling the entire bunker and obscuring their vision with dust and dirt and deafening them with a sound louder than anything any of the scientists have ever heard before.

"He will pour out His wrath like fire, and all will be slain."

The first atomic explosion on earth happens at 4:30 AM April 26, 1945, in New Mexico, USA.