Hoi 4 Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Jan 1938: Golden Tiger

Prime Minister Gratz looks over the countryside outside of Modena from his Summer villa as he sips his tea. His aids stand to the side, nervous. In front of him is general Guilla, his most trusted military adviser. Guilla salutes and leaves as their conversation ends.

Lotharingia and Carinthia are both Fascist nations; each believes the ends justify the means. However, each also has a very different idea as to what those means are. Meenen of the Volksreich is not lying when he claims he stands for all the people of Lotharingia. He truly cares for his people. What makes the free world quaver is what he might be willing to do to extend Lotharingian power, including the destruction of any country which might oppose him.

Gratz, on the other hand, would gladly sacrifice his entire nation if he thought he might not be able to achieve his goals. He cares little for his own people. While his nation thinks he does what he thinks is best for the people, what he desires most of all is a rebirth of the Carinth-Hungarian Empire, and perhaps even a new Roman Empire.

Whether these two forms of Fascism will be able to work together is still to be seen.

One of the aids informs Gratz that, to keep on schedule, he would have to head to the private runway about a mile away. Gratz is well into his 60s and was a young man when the first aero plane took off, yet he has never liked air travel. He grumbles softly in acknowledgment of the aid.

He has also never liked Meenen. Meenen gave off such an eccentric and genuine desire to see Lotharingia strive that it comes off as almost fake. Their two personalities clashed quite a bit during the conference, but Gratz still chose to ally his nation with Lotharingia. This was partly because Prussia, a sizable foe, has been Carinthia's enemy since the Empire broke apart, and partly because Hungary, which was the subordinate in the union, may be thinking of reforming the Empire with a different hierarchy.

Thousands of miles to the east, the first of the American troops arrive on China's front. The operation is being called Operation Golden Tiger. 43 thousand troops led by General TheButterflyComposer (General TBC) form up with the Chinese and Russians in their first engagement: closing a small pocket of resistance in Jin Manchuria.

It is a quick and easy victory, and 7 thousand enemies are killed or captured. General TBC takes his men north to help with the last of the Jin.

The men led by General BPM gets to the northern line in late September, and they begin an offensive to push the Koreans back to the Manchurian mountains and out of Mongolia.

With the American boots on the ground, there is a definite change in the tide, and Korea begins caving in. By mid October, with 1.2 thousand Americans dead and twice that injured, Korea is on the verge of collapse.

Stateside, there is a small opposition to the war, led by the American Fascist party. However, War Support overall is very high, and the opposition gains no traction.

The push into Manchuria is a success, and the next push, to cut off hundreds of thousands of enemy troops, is planned. This will be a risky push to the coastline just south of Vladivostok, eventually up the coast to cut off all supplies to the troops still left in Manchuria. The plan is not launched, allowing reinforcements to arrive and Chinese and Russian troops to shore up the line.

To the north, the difficult push through the mountains must be made. Plans are drawn up to cut off enemy divisions by an offensive straight south into the mountains. It will not be easy.

The push to Vladivostok begins on New Years day. In -17C weather, the troops smash through Korean and Japanese lines, until they reach the mountains. Supply lines seize up in the frigid temperatures and rough terrain, and the offensive slows.

All across Manchuria, the offensive move has stopped. General BPM's troops stop making progress in the north, and all Russian and Korea attacks are halted. As mid January is reached, temperatures drop to the -20s.

In Europe, a strange war has started. The tiny nation of Olomouc has declared war on the equally small nation of Domazlice. It appears that the Fascist government of Olomouc, unwatched by the free world, declared Domazlice rightfully part of Olomouc and now seeks to annex it entirely. This is a rather inconsequential war, but the US will keep an eye on it.

The war does not last long, and within a week Domazlice is no more.

The offensive picks up again in late February, as temperatures rise. American troops are just miles from the coast, days away from cutting off the enemy in Manchuria. They break through the mountains, and there is no sign of enemy resistance on the flats leading to the coast.

Just weeks after the war ended, loyalists to the original monarchy of Olomouc attempt a coup of the Fascist government. However, they fail, but the remnants of Domazlice rise in support, and the Civil War of Olomouc begins.

On March 9th, 1939, the Pacific Ocean is seen. US troops reach the coast. Now the job of capture the countless enemy cut off beings.

In Olomouc, the old monarchy prevails in April, and now Domazlice and Olomouc are united under King Nemecek.

General BPM's army is moved south to the Korean peninsula, to prepare for the ousting of all enemy forces from mainland Asia. Their plan is to push back the enemy past the river.

As the enemy is pushed back, Vladivostok holds strong, and more troops are landed in the city as it is surrounded. 7 divisions of mostly foreign troops from Hungary, Arabia, and Carinthia hold the city.

The city finally falls on the 13th of June, 1939. The american deaths were upwards of 3000, with 5000 wounded. 70 thousand enemy soldiers are captured.

With the capture of the city, Manchuria is all but secured. All that remains is for the Peninsula to be taken.