Hoi 4 Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - Dec 1941: The Invasion of North Africa

President Andrei Kornilov listens to the report, stirring honey into his tea. Picardy capitulated, Britain barely hanging on to Brittany, and the Americans struggling to hold the line in Iberia. The Covenant of Steel, the most hated fascists, will surely come out on top. Despite his hate for fascism, his hate for the Americans is nearly on par. Long has their government accused his of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He is also tired of the accusations of tyranny and, unbelievably, fascism! No, he would not be stepping in for a long time. Perhaps when Japan falls, Russia will look to the west.

In the US, another issue is added to Dunaden's troubled mind. The Election of 1942 is just 7 months away. Come July, his term will be over, and the people will decide who will replace him. Dunaden will not run for another term. In October of 1941, he was diagnosed with Polio. He would not be president for another 4 years. He would retire to the country, like his predecessor Jacobweller.

The first marines make landfall in Arabian North Africa on the 30th of December. The port of Al Rif is recaptured, as is the city. The Strait of Gibraltar, so long controlled by the Covenant, is back in Anglo hands. Since the port was taken, only submarines were able to make their way into the Mediterranean sea, but now even the largest aircraft carriers have access. The Iron Fleet is sent to gain control of the seas.

The tanks land right after, and  run to the east and to the west to capture naval bases begins. The 20 division 6th Army, hardened by the worst combat Peru had to offer, sets sail to take part as well.

Progress is quick, and soon the marines take most of the west. Inexplicably, Morocco seems extremely under guarded. A few Arabian and Lotharingian divisions hold up the advance eastward, but for the most part, there is little resistance to the invasion.

4 divisions are surrounded and, after a few days of fighting, they surrender. Now the way is clear to the east.

A million Covenant troops begin a suicidal offensive against the line. The majority of the attacks are stopped, killing thousands on each sound, but a few parts of the line give in and lose ground. The Covenant policy of quantity over quality is pulling through.

They break through the line by Perpignan, and the capital of the Teutonic Order is taken once more.

The tank division from North Africa is sent to deal with the breach, and it is under control within a week. Still, the offensive is still underway, and the entire line is suffering.

The push back up to Perpignan is made in mid March, and the city is back in Teutonic hands by the 24th.

Arabian North Africa is taken by the end of March. The invading forces prepare for the next step: taking Lebanon. Lebanon will make a great base for the invasion of Egypt, a necessary endeavor, if Arabia is ever to fall. The invasion date is set for May 30th, and the Iron Fleet does its best to clear the Mediterranean of Arabian, Carinthian, and Provencial ships.

Surprisingly, Britain has managed to hold on to Brittany, and a new push back to the east has begun. A US army of 7 divisions, 8th Army, sets sail from New England to join this offensive.

The Polish invasion of the NGF does not do well. Nearly a year after Poland started the war, only a few eastern provinces have been taken.

Meenen has had his eye on the small yet powerful nation for years now, and he does not want it to be taken by the likes of the Stali Pact. Knowing the NGF is on borrowed time, he declares war. It does not take long, and a few weeks later the country is swallowed by the Polish to the east and the Lotharingians to the west.

The invasion forces set sail on the 30th. The coast of Lebanon is spotted on the 14th of June, and the landings begin. They meet fierce resistance to the north, and minor to the south. The marines successfully take the central province and make their way north to aid in the landings up there.

As Lebanon is taken, construction of a runway begins. If Egypt is to be taken, air support is paramount. It takes another month to root out the last of the Arabian resistance in Lebanon.

After months of campaigning, the election takes place on the 7th of July. Dunaden's chosen successor of the Republican party, Amos Eternien, wins by a comfortable amount. Dunaden's policies will be continued.

The Covenant navy, destroyed so early in the war, has been rebuilt, and Carinthia's 37 ships meet the Grand Fleet in the Adriatic for the largest naval battle since the Battle for the Channel.

The Fourth Reich is reborn on the 12th of July as a puppet state of Lotharingia. The Covenant grows stronger.

The Covenant offensive against the line loses strength as tens of thousands lay dead. With Operation Rising Eagle in the dump, another offensive is planned. General Jabby launches the offensive in early August.

A week later, the invasion of Egypt begins.

By this point, there have been 6 million deaths from the war. The Pacific War has seen 4 million deaths. The last 5 years have been the bloodiest in history. Lotharingia has suffered nearly 7 million casualties since the war began, and their manpower is running low. Across the country, the supply of healthy young men is depleted, and suddenly many of the units are manned by those who are too many years young or too many years old. Its Air Force is also suffering, with barely 500 working planes left. As fearsome an adversary that Lotharingia appears to the Anglo Alliance, on the inside, it is rotting.