[dark angel]

Cheers for the posts, lads! I appreciate it. Not sure how I was being emo, but I did say a post was a post, so..

This section is going up in parts of five/four word pages, due to it numbering at nineteen, the new largest. Hopefully you will enjoy, some violent action is included!

1944:

January:

2nd: Monte Cassino is extensively bombed by Allied bombers operating out of Sicily.

4th: Widespread violence in the Philippines. Filipino soldiers, whom had been in hiding, invade the Ilocos Sur province.

7th: After fierce fighting, the port of Maungdaw in Burma is taken by a joint force of Burmese resistance members and British Royal Marines, it will become a vital staging point for the Allies.

11th: An American Parachutist is dropped into Germany, to reconnaissance Berlin and her surrounding area.

- The Americans launch an airborne attack on Monte Cassino, but are repulsed by the defenders.

- Count Ciano, the Italian Foreign Minister and son-in-law of Mussolini, is implicated in a plot against the Dictator. Mussolini, enraged, has Ciano executed by the present Gestapo.

14th: Operation Outward is preemptively launched due to a lack of communication between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the launch sites.

17th: Casualties are sustained in neutral Sweden after one of Operation Outward’s balloons strikes a train, flipping it. Winston Churchill publicly apologises to the Swedish Government.

20th: The RAF drop two-thousand-three-hundred tons of bombs on Berlin. Hermann Goering proposes another series of raids on London, in what will eventually become known as the Second Blitz.

- The United States 36th Infantry Division suffers cataclysmic casualties after landing in Italy. Due to bad weather, the landing vehicles are scattered far and wide, and the command structure of the Division is effectively fractured.

22nd: The Allies land at Anzio, Italy. The United States 45th Infantry Division make the initial landings, keeping the Germans at bay until reinforcements can arrive, four hours later. The Landings are deemed successful, despite the forces being pinned down in the city by expansive German bombardment.

- A Commando strike along the Rapido River in Italy against Heinz Guderian’s Divisions is mildly successful, knocking out a portion of Guderian’s 15th Panzer Grenadier Division and injuring the Inspector-General himself. General Walker, the organizer and leader of the strike, is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honour.

30th: Marine Raiders, supported by a large contingent of Rangers, invade Majuro in the Marshall Islands.

31st: The Americans land on Kwajalein Atoll, the largest in the world and a Imperial Japanese Navy depot, and many more of the surrounding Marshall Islands, encountering fierce defence on the Japanese’s part.

- The Battle of Anzio intensifies, with the Americans and British struggling to defend their foothold on Italy. More heavy bombing raids against Berlin, Monte Casino and Rome take place.

February:

1st: Marine Raiders pull out of Roi and Namur in the Marshall Islands after successfully taking them from the hands of the Imperial Japanese Army.

- The Germans launch a counter-attack on Anzio, but are pushed back by a naval bombardment, courtesy of the HMS Ramillies.

3rd: The Marshall Islands Campaign is nearly completed, due to rapid strikes on behalf of the Marine Raiders and their supporting Rangers.

- Terrorists strike Kiev. Two German Army Corps are the targets, resulting in several hundred dead. It is believed that the terrorists are not connected to the attacks on Berlin and Rome; but rather Ukrainian Nationalists.

- Americans bomb Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands, which will later become a major B-29 operating base.

4th: Kwajalein is secured by Americans. Two Japanese Submarines are sunk in the process, and the Americans capture a vast amount of ammunition and oil.

5th: The British Pacific Fleet bombard the Kuril Islands, north of Japan. The Japanese Government criticize the action, claiming that there was no Military presence, despite earlier sightings of Battleships.

6th: The continued bombing of Monte Cassino begins to demoralize the German defenders. The lack of a large Luftwaffe force in the area makes it nigh-impossible for them to starve off the attacks.

7th: Another major German counterattack on Anzio takes place. Under the cover of a sustained artillery barrage, an infantry attack reminiscent of the Somme takes place. The Germans take heavy casualties, resulting in a replacement of their commander.

- Aberdeen and Liverpool are bombed by the Germans, marking the beginning of the Second Blitz. Adolf Galland is given overall command of the Me262 Squadrons present.

8th: The planned Invasion of Europe, Operation: Downfall, begins to formulate. Eisenhower, masquerading as Overlord intentionally leaks false plans to the Axis, which claim that the Allies will make landings in Southern France and Norway.

- The American Agent in Berlin is found by Gestapo after being revealed by an unknown double-agent in the MoD. He is tortured by Heydrich’s right-hand man, Klaus Barbie, the infamous Butcher of Lyon.

14th: Eisenhower establishes the Operation: Downfall headquarters in England, at an unknown location. He handpicks his staff from a variety of nationalities, though his request to reinstate Patton is denied by Roosevelt. In his stead, Montgomery is offered, however he refuses.

- Java. An anti-Axis revolt takes place. The Japanese defenders are easily routed by the native’s sheer numbers, however a small group of Fallschirmjaeger hold their ground, despite being surrounded and heavily outnumbered.

- The Soviet Baltic Sea Fleet is sighted with Kriegsmarine vessels in the North Sea, amounting to fears that the Soviets and the Nazis are in league with one another. However, when accused, Stalin merely claims that they are on a joint operation ‘for the better of both the USSR and the Reich.’

- Hitler’s Cabinet propose a new province, named Ostland. However, many of the supposed lands which will make up Ostland are in Soviet territory.

15th: A second landing at Monte Cassino takes place, this time involving British Paratroopers. They make it to the ground, but are forced to dig in when elements of ‘Wiking’ are sighted to the North. Caught between the encroaching Schutzstaffel and the defending Wehrmacht, the Allies are forced to surrender. The historical monastery atop Monte Cassino is destroyed by incendiary bombs after an USAAF raid.

16th: The Germans launch a major counter-offencive on Anzio. The embedded Allies, who have recently been bolstered by forces transferred from the Pacific, refuse to relieve their hold on Italy, however. Despite tremendous losses, the Americans gallantly fight back against the SS.

- A sizable unit of Commonwealth Tanks fail to break out of the Canberra Pocket. The capital has been under heavy siege since the Invasion.

- London’s Dock District, still employing soldiers, is attacked in a daring day raid by the Luftwaffe. Several merchant ships are sunk, and the Light Cruiser HMS Penelope receives superficial damage to her superstructure. However, a bomb does hit the barrack area, killing three hundred crew.

17th: Americans land on the Eniwetok Atoll, encountering little defence from the weathered Japanese present, a motley crew of old men and war veterans.

18th: Truk is continuously bombed by the USAAF, a major Japanese base. However, it will later be bypassed of any land invasion due to it being unimportant to the War.

19th: In revenge for the bombing of London’s Docks, Leipzig in Germany is the subject of a massive two-night air raid. Leipzig is just the first in a week long attack against the Reich’s industrial cities.

23rd: Battlegroup Enterprise launches the Mariana Island Raids, a firebombing campaign on the Japanese positions in preparation for an eventual invasion.

26th: The week of bombing raids against Germany concludes. The P-51 Mustang proves to be essential at defending USAAF and RAF bombers against the advanced Me262’s.

- Adolf Galland’s Squadrons once again attack London, though they are fought off by an assembled force of Spitfires and P-51’s.

- Helsinki is badly burned after a fire, unrelated to the War, breaks out.

30th: The Admiralty Islands are invaded by United States Forces, although the vital anchorage will remain in a constant state of flux as to whom holds command over it.

March:

1st: The keels of the Carriers USS Tarawa and USS Kearsarge are laid down. However, it is expected that they will not be in service for another year.

- Anti-Fascists Strikes in Northern Italy are put down by the Gestapo and Mussolini’s Blackshirts. Further rioting takes place, despite the use of violence, however.

6th: The Chindits perform several forays in Burma, targeting depots and railway lines. The Japanese request the presence of Fallschirmjaeger, however Hitler refuses to allow it.

- Western Australia is attacked by a new wave of Japanese, supported by German Panzers. The Australians, already stretched thin, are slow to launch a counter attack. Indian Regiments are deployed, though they are quick to surrender after gas is employed.

7th: India is invaded by the Japanese. A considerable force of Japanese engage the Commonwealth Forces present, starting a four-month battle in and around Imphal.

8th: Hill 700 on Bougainville is attacked by the Americans. A five-day battle erupts, resulting in many dead on both sides, but the Americans are successful in taking the Hill.

- German forces begin to arrive in Norway and Southern France, away from the Allies’ intended landing sights in Normandy. The Europa Korps remain on position at the Atlantic Wall, however.

9th: An unexpected air raid on Tallinn in Estonia by the Soviets take place. Estonia, a Soviet-held country, is left without a ruling body and with 20,000 or more homeless. The reason to this devestating attack is never given, causing animosity between the Estonians and the Russians.

12th: More unruly fighting in Northern Italy and Greece. The Schutzstaffel are deployed in force to halt the demonstrations, to varying degrees of success.

13th: The Americans take Hill 700. However, the Japanese counter attack with an entire Division. The American defenders are forced to dig in and weather the attacks.

15th: The French Resistance scale the Eiffel Tower and plant a French flag there, replacing the Swastika which had been erected on top. The defenders of the Tower, an assortment of loyal Nazis and New-Franco militia, are killed.

- The prisoners taken at Monte Cassino stage a great escape. Organized into ad-hoc companies, they quickly overrun their defenders and make for Anzio, a great distance away. Many are killed during the escape, but many more make it to the coast.

- Manus Island in the Admiralty Chain is taken, with little losses to the Americans.

16th: The United States XI Corps arrive in the Pacific Theatre.

17th: Vienna is heavily bombed.

18th: Hungary is occupied by German forces. There is no resistance made from the Hungarians, many of whom are loyal members of the National Socialist Party.

19th: Trieste, on the border of Italy and Croatia, is attacked by Yugoslav partisans. The fighting is light, due to a lack of available weaponry on the Yugoslavian’s side.

22nd: Japanese Forces pass the Imphal Line, entering India at various points. Churchill promises troops, but in reality has little to spare for India. Uninspired, many of the cities surrender without a fight to the barbaric Japanese Soldiery.

- Frankfurt is the target of a bombing raid. The civilian losses are extremely high. Continuation of the Second Blitz, devastating London, Liverpool and Edinburgh.

24th: 335 randomly selected Italian men are kidnapped and executed in the Ardeatine Caves by the Gestapo and Germanic-SS, on revenge for a unit of German soldiers who were ambushed and killed.

- Orde Wingate, the Chindits’ commanding officer, is captured and tortured for information by the Japanese. However, he refuses to give up any knowledge, and is hung.

- The Second Blitz continues, this time targeting Military bases across England. The RAF and USAAF counter attack by using pyrrhic weapons on German cities.

28th: Japanese troops are put into retreat in Burma after a considerably force of Allies arrive. The Chindits, angered by the loss of Wingate, use guerilla tactics on the fleeing columns.

30th: The RAF suffer grievous losses after a night raid on Nuremberg, which had been reinforced by Jagdgeschwader71 ‘Richthofen’, one of the first all-jet units, under Erich ‘Bubi’ Hartmann, who earns the nickname ‘The Black Devil’, due to the paint scheme of his Me262.

April:

3rd: Allied bombers hit Budapest in Hungary, where Hitler had been amassing a large amount of troops for an unknown reason.

4th: Charles De Gaulle becomes the supreme leader of the True-French, appointing Henri Giraud as his vice-president.

5th: Oil fields in Romania are bombed by the USAAF, encountering a fierce defence by the Luftwaffe.

6th: The Plain of Imphal is engulfed in violence. The 17th British Indian Division is annihilated by the Japanese, while several others are routed. The German Indische ‘Tiger’ Legion is deployed to aid the Japanese, and due to their origins, they are used for propaganda and recruitment purposes. The entirety of the 23rd British Indian Division turn against the Allies, despite having been believe as fanatical loyalists to the Crown.

15th: A joint RAF and USAAF raiding force is dispatched to the Romanian Oil Fields. A Squadron of Bf110 Night fighters aces under Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer defend, causing heavy casualties on the Allied Fighters, but also several of their own.

17th: Mindanao in the Southern Philippines is invaded by the Americans. Filipino forces who had gone into hiding launch a series of attacks on the Japanese positions, catching them in a pincer.

- The Flying Tigers’ stretch of bases are attacked by Japanese forces in China. The Chinese fight to defend the American volunteers, but ultimately the Americans are forced to flee with their aircraft, leaving an abundance of ground crews behind.

21st: Mussolini’s popularity falters after several discriminating documents are made public. The Italian Secret Police, based on the Gestapo, round up the perpetrators and imprison them indefinitely.

- An Allied air raid on Paris damages the infrastructure, amounting up a large number of civilian casualties.

- Klaus Barbie and Reinhard Heydrich meet at the ruins of Warsaw, to discuss the concentration and death camps’ staff and inmates. It is decided that the Sonderkommando, Jewish inmates who help run the camp, is to be completely disposed of.

22nd: Widespread damage is dealt to New Guinea after American bombers attack Japanese positions. Marines and Rangers land at various points across the country.

24th: The British Divisions in India hold their ground against continued attacks by the enemy, who are using pilfered weapons against their former comrades.

27th: Exercise Tiger: In preparation for the upcoming Invasion of Europe, mock-battles are played out across England. However, U-Boats ambush one convoy, sinking it and killing nearly a thousand soldiers.

30th: Immense preparations for Operation: Downfall, nicknamed D-Day by the soldiers who will take part, continue.

- Heavy American naval raids on the Carolina Islands, including a particularly fierce engagement with Japanese Cruisers off of Truk.

 

[dark angel]

May:

1st: The Allies launch a bombing operation against Normandy for the upcoming D-Day, leading Rommel to request more troops to be stationed on the Atlantic Wall. Hitler narrowly agrees, though still keeps the defences along Southern France and Norway at the highest.

8th: The official date for D-Day is distributed amongst Division Commanders: The 5th of June, less than a month away.

9th: Sevastopol in the Crimea is subject to a terrorist attack after a German Regiment is allowed entrance. Bombs explode around key points in the city, including several of the hotels in which the Nazis are billeted.

- Anzio is once again counter-attacked by Axis forces. The Allies present, now with armoured support, starve off the attack.

- Monte Cassino is once again the landing sight for Paratroopers. This time the Germans are taken by surprise and quickly overrun, ending with steep casualty rates on either side.

12th: Chinese Troops enter Northern Burma, encountering retreating Japanese forces. A variety of skirmishes are fought, including several running battles that continue until the Japanese reach the coast.

13th: Another Commando raid up the Rapido River begins, though this time the attacking forces are slaughtered by Heinz Guderian’s Panzers. Elements of ‘Wiking’, under direct orders from Himmler, take any injured prisoner and transport them back to Berlin for interrogation.

- Adolf Eichmann meets with Reinhard Heydrich, Heinrich Himmler and Adolf Hitler in Berlin to discuss Jews, Muslims and Gypsies. No solid conclusion is met.

- Extreme Luftwaffe bombing of Monte Cassino eradicates a large portion of the Commonwealth Paratroopers, however, a small cell still remains. Heinz Guderian dispatches Otto Skorzeny to deal with the problem.

- Myitkyina Airfield on Burma is taken by a joint Chinese-American force. The city itself, however, remains contested between the opposing forces.

18th: The last Japanese resistance in the Admiralty Islands comes to an end after a particularly savage series of battles.

- New-Franco troops replace the Germans along Southern France, allowing them to be transferred northwards.

21st: The Bombing of France increases steadily. Civilian casualties continue to rise, despite the Allies’ best intentions.

23rd: Rome is subject to a vast bombing. Stubborn Luftwaffe resistance is encountered, the majority of which consists antiqued, half-faulty vehicles.

27th: Operation Hurricane begins. American forces land on Biak, Dutch New Guinea, encountering Japanese pilots wielding imported Me262’s. The American top-support is obliterated by the Me262’s, and the ground forces are cut off from further aerial landings.

31st: The Japanese and Indische Legion are forced back from India. The Crown-Loyal Indians capture many, trialing and hanging the members of the Indische Legion for treason.

June:

2nd: Rommel’s Europa Korps begin the fortification and reinforcing of inland towns and cities. The Tirpitz and Prinz Eugen are sighted off of Scotland, worrying the Royal Navy.

3rd: Daily bombings and bombardments of the Cherbourg and Normandy areas commence. Gunnery positions along the Atlantic Wall return fire, damaging several ships, although no major damage is committed.

4th: Operation: Downfall is postponed due to stormy weather, however the troops are forced to remain aboard their transports, rendering many sea-sick.

- True-French, British and American soldiers are dropped in Rome. The remnants of ‘Wiking’ left in the city play a pivotal role in the battle, defending the shattered Coliseum and the surrounding area. In a five-hour long battle, the Panzers clash with lightly armed Paratroopers. The Schutzstaffel eventually push the enemy back, albeit at the cost of a large percentage of their force. Mussolini is arrested by the Gestapo for incompetence and replaced with Cesare Maria De Vecchi, a member of the Grand Fascist Council and a fanatical supporter of Nazism.

5th: The beaches of Normandy are heavily bombed, creating foxholes and other defensive pits along their lengths. Rommel has many filled with mines, while others are cut off by scowls of barbed wire.

- The largest armada in History sets sail from Southern England, bound for Normandy. Returning from Luftwaffe raids in England, Squadrons support the sighting of large amounts of vessels, heading for various points.

- More intense fighting in Rome. At Anzio, the Americans and British push back the German and Italian forces present in an armoured attack that is shocking alike to the blitzkrieg tactics. Heinz Guderian, a master tactician when it comes to tank warfare, sets off with a large section of his Divisions.

- Paratroopers are dropped across Normandy. Due to stormy winds, however, they are dispersed far and wide. Several of the Europa Korps’ installations are destroyed, alerting Rommel and his staff that something is clearly not right. Security is increased across the Coast.

- Pearl Harbour is the sight of tremendous violence when the captured crews of the Pacific Fleet break loose. The Bismarck is boarded, though she is successfully defended by Fallschirmjaeger who do not distinct between prisoner and civilian. The Admiral Scheer bombards prison facilities on Pearl Harbour, killing hundreds.

- Violent outbursts in Berlin, orchestrated by the Allies, are viciously put down by the Gestapo, aided by the Schutzstaffel and Wehrmacht.

6th: Operation: Downfall, D-Day, commences.

- The armada of ships arrives of Normandy, unleashing a series of powerful broadsides against the defences. In retaliation, a host of V-2 Rockets are launched, though few actually reach their targets.

- Point du Hoc. Two Ranger battalions scale the cliffs of the Point, intent on neutralizing the powerful cannons there. However, they are met by a reinforced Wehrmacht Division, whom Rommel had had rotated in from the East. Caught in the interlocking arcs of fire, the 2nd Ranger Battalion is destroyed to a man without clearing the opening redoubts. The 5th Ranger Battalion succeed in knocking out the weapons, however they are overrun and destroyed several hours later, after intense combat. The area is later firebombed by the RAF.

- Omaha Beach. Credited for some of the most fierce fighting of the War, Omaha Beach was a bloodbath for both the Americans and the Germans. Severely fatigued by relentless naval bombardment, the German defenders are busy trying to collect themselves when the First Wave arrives. Met with little resistance, the landing soldiers advance inland, clearing the German defence systems meticulously. After the brutally quick taking, the order was given to send in the Second Wave.

That was when the offencive against Omaha Beach floundered. A considerable amount of vehicles and men from the 2nd SS Panzer Division ‘Das Reich’, under Klaus Barbie, arrived. Well-rested and in a state of bloodlust, the First Wave was decimated while trying to defend from the counter attack, leaving the Second Wave without a viable foothold on Omaha Beach. Brigadier General Norman Cota, amongst the Second Wave, gave the order to fall back. However, it was belayed and subsequently denied by his commanders, who drove them onwards.

Suspecting the upcoming slaughter, Cota ordered the dispersal of his men until a naval bombardment could clear away ‘Das Reich’. While his landing craft floated aimlessly in the surf, Klaus Barbie and his senior murderers were busy formulating a counter attack. It was one which would bring infamy to Barbie’s name, and one which would make him possibly the most hated man to the Allies.

After the desired naval bombardment, Cota’s men deployed on Omaha Beach, where they were faced by artillery barrages and infantry attacks. Dressed in the uniforms of dead SS-Mann and given mock-weapons, Allied POWs were driven forth at a charge by Barbie’s men, who reminiscent to the Commissars of Soviet Russia, shot those who turned. Faced with a massed infantry charge, Cota gave the order to dig in and open fire.

Men shouting claims of nationalities and innocence were gunned down by the Americans, while Barbie gleefully watched from atop the turret of his command vehicle. Only when an American POW reached the lines of Rangers, did Cota realise his mistake. He gave the order to cease fire, but by then hundreds of men already lay dead and dying on the sand. Barbie, happy with the results, handed over command of the situation to Dietrich Kraiss and his 352nd Infantry Division, one consisting of young men and old veterans, and left the field of battle.

Disillusioned by Nazism, the 352nd rained fire down on Cota and his men, slaughtering them in an hour of debauched violence. By the end of the day, some three thousand Americans and assorted prisoners of war lay either dead or dying, amongst them Norman Cota. Lieutenant General Omar Bradley, overall commander of Omaha Beach, halted any further landings and diverted his troops to nearby Utah and Gold Beaches.

Utah Beach - The other American target, Utah Beach was far more successful that Omaha. Before the initial landings, under the cover of darkness, a small raiding party swam ashore to cut the communication lines, and succeeded in doing so without detection. Unable to report the disturbances, the German garrison were forced to dispatch a unit of their men to Caen, quite a distance away. The few fortifications were left undermanned, sometimes with upwards to five men gone.

Another key factor was the presence of two Airborne Divisions. 13,000 Paratroopers had landed on the night of the 5th, and had slowly made their way towards the Beach, clearing away defencive positions. Eliminating any possibilities of German counterattacks; the Divisions secured towns and homesteads inland from the Coast.

The Landing themselves had little casualties. Due to the widespread fortifications, the Americans were able to make landfall and drive into the countryside, bypassing the bunkers and pillboxes. B-26 Marauder bombers ran attacks on the German positions while the Americans advanced, forcing them from their burning positions, and into the hands of the enemy. The Germans were captured and demoralized, allowing the Americans to take Utah Beach in a scarce seven hours.

Gold Beach - Another failure. Despite the use of veteran Commandos, the attack on Gold Beach was doomed for failure before she started. Rommel had significantly bolstered the Europa Korps presence within the area around Gold Beach, a mere lucky picking. When the Commandos landed, they found themselves facing the amassed guns of an entire Division, including imported artillery support. The heavy cannons peppered the landing forces with shrapnel, cutting down many of the Commandos in the opening moments.

General Douglas Alexander Graham, overall commanding officer at Gold, was killed with many of the Second Wave as they landed, amongst the burning ruins of the First. Sporadic fighting around the dunes of Gold Beach took place; between desperate Commandos and determined Schutzstaffel. The arrival of Omaha’s remnants turned the favour to the Allies. The German Division was pushed back in the initial shock of the attack, however they quickly recovered with the arrival of Klaus Barbie and his Divisional elements.

There was no time for respite, though. Klaus Barbie drove the men of ‘Das Reich’ into the fleeing Germans, running them down where they stood, inspiring them with fear to turn and fight. The Americans and British, caught against the ocean, fought one desperate last stand around the body of General Graham, before finally, Gold Beach was lost with so many lives.

Juno Beach: Juno Beach underwent one of the worst naval bombardments of the War. Armed with incendiary rounds, the vessels of Force J had been given a simple order - Burn the Krauts out, and do it fast. The vessels were not choosing in their targets, and instead razed a long stretch of the coast, transforming it into an ember that illuminated the sky into the night. Precious time was afforded between the end of the bombardment and the Canadian-British landings.

They found that the vast majority of defences around Juno Beach had been abandoned. The charred ruins that they found were useless for further purposes, their ammunition stockpiles having exploded under the razing. Assuming that the Germans had fled, the Canadians began to establish a defendable position. That was when the Royal Winnipeg Rifles came under tremendous attack. A section of the German bunker system had been saved from any major damage, and were now raining rounds on the Regiment.

Many died in the water, floundering beneath the weapons fire and eventually drowning. Those who made it onto land were forced 200 yards to the seawall and relative safety. Further west, the North Shore Regiment landed to heavy fire, many suffering a similar fate to their companions of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. Hidden artillery decimated the Queen’s Own Rifles, with only twelve members surviving from one of the Companies present.

Covered by vehicles of the 1st Hussars, the Canadian Scottish suffered only light casualties and made it inland, though contact with their leading units were lost soon after and their commander ordered a full stop. Meanwhile, the landing craft of the Le Régiment de la Chaudière had drifted into a minefield, crippling and sinking many ships. The unit was all but destroyed in the following moments, as sharpshooters zeroed in on the swimming survivors, taking potshots at them.

By 12:00 PM, all units of the Canadian Third Division were onshore, but still suffering from a near continuous artillery barrage, which’s firers could not be located. Major General Rod Keller, the Canadian commander, reported that a foothold had been taken, however. Despite the vast amounts of Canadians stuck on Juno Beach, he was correct. Thus far, they had suffered heavy losses, but had been one of the few to take and reinforce their desired positions.

When the order came to make a push for nearby St-Aubin and Courseulles, the Canadians were happy to get off of the sand. When the attack was finally announced across Juno Beach, at 18:00, the Canadians had been on the Beach, soaked through, for nearly ten hours. With a great cry to Sovereignty and God, the assembled Regiments made their charge. It met almost instant disaster, when eddying gunfire ran along their ranks. Men collapsed to and fro, but still the hidden gunnery positions continued to mow down more brave soldiers.

Major General Keller called for immediate assistance, in the form of another bombardment. Himself injured in the throat by a stray round, Keller condemned hundreds of his men - He ordered the bombardment on his position, just from the seawall. Orders to retreat were quickly circulated amongst the officers, and several regiments, the Royal Winnipeg Rifles amongst them, made it back onto the relative safety of the beach.

The same pyrrhic rounds that had been used previously were dropped on the heads of good men, killing them instantly if they were lucky, or burning them alive if they were not. After the fires burned themselves out, the Canadians once again advanced across the scene of devastation, tiptoeing around remains of their fellows, edging onwards. And this time, no chatter of machine gun came until the Regiments reached their destinations. St-Aubin was a relatively easy take, with few defenders capable of holding up the Allies.

Courseulles was another story. Major Walter Schellenberg, a once-protégé of Reinhard Heydrich, who had fallen out of favour with his commander, and a jealous rival of Klaus Barbie, defended the town with a Regiment of loyal Gestapo and SS-Men. Infuriated fighting erupted around the outskirts of the town between the opposing forces, resulting in many deaths on either side. Schellenberg had declared that he would win back favour with The Hangman by holding the town alone, and he was in no position to give in. The German’s judicious use of hidden positions led the Canadians into varying traps, all of which drew Commonwealth blood.

Many of the engagements ended in grueling hand-to-hand combat, of which the well-rested Gestapo and Schutzstaffel usually came out on top. After sustaining heavy losses, Keller gave order to fall back, and requested an RAF bombing of Courseulles. It was granted, and at 22:00, the town was the subject of heavy bombing. Schellenberg suffered several fractured ribs after a piece of timber struck him, however he remained on location to direct the evacuation of his troops. For this act, he was awarded the Iron Cross.

Courseulles fell into Canadian hands, but not before any further bloodshed could be averted.

Sword Beach - Sword Beach was subject to some of the most violent opening actions. The Allied force consisted of hardened Commandos, veterans of North Africa and men who had defended Dunkirk. They were met by equally as hardened SS members, some of whom had once been involved in insurrection operations in Finland, Norway and (Covertly) Russia. The initial charge across the beach had been bloody, leaving many men dead and injured in the murk and sand.

The Schutzstaffel had concentrated a great amount of weapons and men in the area surrounding Sword Beach, twenty strong points stretched across and behind the area. The Beach itself offered a variety of cover, ranging from Dragon’s Teeth to impaled wooden stakes. However, the Commandos orders were set in stone. Get off of the Beach and move inland. General John Crocker, the overall commander for the Sword Beach Sector, landed with the initial wave to boost moral in his men, however it cost him his life when a stray Allied round struck him in the temple.

Without a commander, the men on Sword Beach were fighting without any unit cohesion. Where initially Crocker had attempted to inspire his men, he had now brought them down. Units began to operate on Company basis, all attempting to get to the Schutzstaffel’s positions. The 9th Brigade were particularly successful. Composed of three Battalions, the units managed to retain some cohesion, leapfrogging over one another to reach the protective embankments. Seeing the relatively light scattering of bodies, other Brigades began to come together and take a page out of the 9th’s book.

Pinned down by machinegun fire from above and with their backs to the barrenness of the beach, the Commandos were forced to dig in. An act of bravery by Lord Lovat and his Commandos inspired the entire Beach. Bagpipes blaring, Lovat and his soldiers marched from their landing craft and advanced across the Beach at a slow-march, despite the heavy amount of rounds going off. When they reached the enemy positions, the Commandos finally opened fire on the Schutzstaffel, who had stopped firing in admiration for such callous actions.

Lord Lovat was injured in the following battle, stabbed in the shoulder and gut by a Boy-Soldier. However, his act of inspiration had aroused the Commandos into a new state of war lust, and they finally took command of the SS’ positions. There was no wrest for the wicked however, as a major counterattack by the 21st Panzer Division, one of the more esteemed organizations within the Europa Korps, took to the Allies.

By the end of the battle, more than sixty German tanks littered the landscape, and many men were dead. However, not one man amongst the Commandos had survived unscathed. It was enough to cement the Allies position in Normandy, and allowed a opening for further Waves.

- The Tirpitz and Prinz Eugen launch a rapid raid against the vast armada. In what is seen as a suicidal attack, both ships cause considerable damage to the warships of the Fleet, and sink several transports and munitions tankers. Sufficient damage is dealt to both vessels though, putting them out of operations for an estimated three months.

- Klaus Barbie orders a regrouping at Bayeux, after the situation on the Beaches becomes dire for his men. By the end of the night, Nazis still hold three of the six targets that the Allies had set out to take in the morning.

7th: Paratroopers launch a raid on Bayeux, expecting a lightly defended community. The force is beaten down and subjugated by Barbie’s assembled might, however.

- Europa Korps reinforcements arrive across Normandy, fortifying various positions, including major towns, cities and bridges.

- Schellenberg and his remaining men arrive in Bayeux, where Barbie has them given the most expensive hotel available.

- French Resistant members link up with Paratroopers in Normandy, offering them safe havens until more Allied forces can reach their positions.

- Heavy bombing raids against London take place, including the launch of V-1’s and V-2’s, an act which Hitler calls revenge against the Invasion.

- Rommel is recalled from Paris, where he has been holidaying with his wife for her birthday. He has her and his son, Manfred, taken back to Berlin, where he believes that they will be safe.

9th: Rommel arrives back in Normandy with the vast majority of his Europa Korps. The Allies reinforce their positions, rather than pushing deeper into Europe.

10th: Klaus Barbie gives the order for Oradour-sur-Glane to be destroyed. In the following actions, the population of the town is eradicated. No official reasoning is given for massacre, other than the cryptic; ‘Resistant Members, I know of them.’

- Distomo in Greece is razed by the Waffen-SS in revenge for an attack against their own men. Babies are bayoneted in their sleep, pregnant women are gutted and the village priest is beheaded. Men are rounded up and deported to Europe, where they are detained in death camps.

12th: American Aircraft Carriers in the Pacific launch raids against the Marianas, mostly focused at Saipan, preparing for the upcoming Invasion.

13th: London and Portsmouth are raided by the Luftwaffe. The use of gas is sanctioned by Hitler, though due to high winds, it never reaches the actual target. Rockets are once again launched, and they cause considerable losses when they hit Mid London.

- The United States Navy begin their bombardment of Saipan. The Imperial Japanese Navy respond with force, though the Americans evidently push back the Japanese after several hours of combat.

15th: After nearly two days of heavy bombardment, United States Marines invade Saipan, supported by elements of the Army.

16th: The main portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy rendezvous in the Philippine Sea for refueling operations, leaving them shockingly vulnerable.

17th: True-French forces arrive on Elba, liberating it in barely twenty-four hours. Little resistance is encountered.

- Assisi in Italy is the subject of an Allied bombing, and later that day, a small Paratrooper attack. The Germans flee the town, though not before firing several waves of flak into the skies.

19th: With American forces in position, the Battle of the Philippine Sea begins. Great losses are suffered on either side, including the sinking of several Carriers on either side.

- A severe storm in the English Channel forces supporting Allied vessels to return to Harbour in Southern England, leaving the soldiers stranded in Normandy.

20th: The Imperial Japanese Navy withdraw from the Philippine Sea, having lost three Carriers and with three more heavily damaged.

- The British suffer horrifying losses at Perugia, Italy. The failed attack leaves the men stranded behind enemy lines, in an hostile country.

- Imphal is bombed by the Japanese Airforce, causing millions of pounds worth of damage.

21st: The Allies continue to push the Japanese forces back in Burma.

22nd: A Wehrmacht Division is annihilated while attempting to take back Allied-held locations in Normandy, but instead encounter heavy defences, including the use of German weapons.

- The Battle of Kohima during the Burma Campaign results in British victory, despite them having been outnumbered by the Japanese.

26th: Cherbourg is assaulted and taken by American forces, marking another defeat for the Europa Korps. Klaus Barbie orders the city leveled, however Rommel declines it, clearly stating that the French already hate them enough.

 

[dark angel]

July:

1st: Heavy fighting continues in Normandy, however the Allies’ situation begins to look dire due to a lack of ammunition and other needed supplies.

2nd: Rocket strikes across England continue to inflict heavy material destruction and casualties.

3rd: The agricultural fields in Western France become a series of bloodbaths when the Schutzstaffel ambush and route a large force of Paratroopers and French Resistance Members who had been hiding there. The large majority of Allied forces are decimated, despite hours of intense combat.

- Sienna, Italy falls to True-French forces. Inspector-General Heinz Guderian deploys ‘Wiking’ to calm the situation, eventually leading to the True-French surrender.

6th: The largest Banzai charge of the war; 4,300 Japanese troops are killed after assaulting American positions on Saipan.

7th: A series of bombs explode across Lithuania, killing hundreds.

9th: Caen, France is the sight of a major Allied offencive. Klaus Barbie and ‘Das Reich’ defend the city against the British and American forces, pushing them back with surprising ease. Me262’s clash with Spitfires above the city in a prolonged dogfight, while tanks and men battle below.

- Encouraged by Japanese officers, a series of mass suicides take place on Saipan, despite the American’s best efforts to stem the rituals. Saipan is declared secure, although the population are clearly supporters of the Japanese Empire.

10th: A new wave of fighting in New Guinea takes place, with new loads of Japanese soldiers arriving under the cover of darkness.

- Tokyo is badly damaged after a night of bombing on behalf of the Americans. The American Carriers are credited for the successful raid, though their location remains a secret.

11th: Roosevelt announces that he will be running for a fourth term at presidency.

12th: Field Marshal Walter Model informs Hitler of his concerns with the German Reserve Army, after being delivered information intended for someone else. The Führer dismisses Model, stating that he is sprouting contempt lies and accusing Model of attempt to incite fractions in the Reich.

16th: The Gestapo orchestrate violence in Brazil against the indigenous populations, forming the Brazilian Expeditionary Force, who lead several unconventional attacks up the Amazon.

17th: Rommel is injured in the left arm after his car is strafed while alternating between the front and rear lines. The other passengers and his driver are killed when the car is flipped, however Rommel miraculously escapes without any serious injury.

18th: St. Lo in France is taken by an Allied strike, though German resistance is stubborn.

- Emperor Hirohito of Japan appoints General Kuniaki Koiso to perform a major reform of the Japanese Military, including the reintroduction of the Samurai.

19th: Further heavy skirmishing in Italy leads to several cities surrendering to the Allies. Heinz Guderian and his German units are reportedly witnessed burning Italian towns discriminately.

20th: As suggested by Walter Model, the German Reserve Army launch a series of attacks on Hitler and the Schutzstaffel. A bomb detonates in the Wolf’s Lair, an high tech command centre that Hitler operates out of. The perpetrator, one Claus von Stauffenberg is killed in the incident and General Alfred Jodl has to have three hundred splinters removed from his torso and neck area, resulting in permanent scarring. Hitler himself is uninjured, though he suffers from perforated ear drums and his clothes are tattered.

- Berlin is put under martial law by the German Reserve Army. High ranking members of the Nazi Party are placed under arrest, including Minister Goebbels.Heinrich Himmler, accompanied by elements of the Gestapo and the Schutzstaffel launch a counter attack against the Reserve Army, engulfing sections of Berlin in brutal combat. Reinhard Heydrich promises reinforcements, but secretly omits from giving any such order, still engrossed in the reestablishment of Warsaw.

- Hitler is announced to have survived, largely unscathed by the attack. This fact alone threatens to destroy the coup, and many fall into submission and repentance upon hearing the news. Himmler remains bogged down around the Reichstag building site, along with the majority of his forces.

- Loyalist forces begin to arrive in Berlin, capturing rebelling forces across the City. Hitler himself is reported to be on route, and to be greatly angered. By midnight, the July 20th Plot has already sunk into damnation. The Gestapo immediately begin performing executions and arrests, forced on by a furious Führer.

21st: United States forces land on Guam.

24th: Majdanek Concentration Camp and its prisoner are disposed of in a week-long operation, presided over by Adolf Eichmann, on behalf of Himmler. The criminally insane and Germans of non-pure ancestry are housed here.

- United States bombers mistakenly drop munitions on their own soldiers in St. Lo, saving the defending Schutzstaffel from any further losses.

- Marines land on Tinian Island in the Marianas, marking the ending stage in the campaign, having already conquered Saipan and Guam.

- Operation: Cobra, the breakout of Allied positions in Normandy, is now in full swing. A rapid strike by an assortment of captured Nazi and Allied armour form a spear tip, penetrating deeper into France than initially intended.

26th: The Me262’s win another major victory over the Allies above Northern France.

30th: The inmates of Majdanek Concentration Camp have now either been ridden of, or transported to other facilities in Poland. The deconstruction of the Camp itself now begins, using a mixture of explosives, tools and sheer manpower.

August:

1st: The Warsaw Reconstruction Site is the target of a Polish attack. Heydrich has the culprits captured, tortured and then hung, personally overseeing the actions. This is the last major attack on Warsaw, though smaller, disjointed attempts are made for another tragic sixty-four days, halting production.

- Tinian is captured by the Americans, though sporadic fighting is still witnessed across the Island, the defenders vehement in the fact that they will not surrender.

- Guam, is the sight of brutal guerilla tactics. The Marine Raiders, veterans one-and-all , are now present to deal with them.

3rd: Myitkyina, Burma falls into Allied arms after a concentrated attack on Japanese positions.

4th: Florence is witness to a fierce battle between the SS and South African Troops. The battle cumulates in Allied victory, though the Germans destroy many historically important buildings and bridges.

- Those conspirators against Hitler who have not already been disposed of are put under trial, presided over by the infamous Judge Roland Freisler.

- The Allied attempt to liberate Rennes ends in failure after a substantial counterattack by New-Franco and German forces.

5th: A mass break out of Japanese POWs in Australia is staged. It ultimately ends in failure, with the escapees suffering huge losses.

8th: The plotters against Hitler are found guilty and hung by meat hooks. Due to Himmler’s new Blood Guilt law, their families are deported for concentration and death camps in Poland.

10th: The Marine Raiders free Guam of any Japanese presence. The Marianas are now in complete American hands, and will eventually become a Military staging point for the Navy and Airforce.

11th: Another series of attacks aimed at Heydrich end in failure, after the would-be assassins are captured by a Gestapo force. It is believed that they were betrayed by one of their own, in favour of money.

14th: The Falaise Pocket, a concentration of German Divisions, is the sight of a major battle. The Allied Divisions are unable to route their German counterparts, although tremendous casualties are sustained on either side. Critically claimed to be a Nazi victory, although the Allies dispute this.

- Fort Lawton, America. German and Italian POW’s who had been captured in North Africa and Italy, stage a night of unruliness. They target African American soldiers, killing upwards to forty-two with eating utensils and barbaric methods. Only one Italian is convicted and later executed by lethal injection.

15th: Heinz Guderian’s war of hate in Italy continues, savaging cities that are compliment with the Allies. Cesare Maria de Vecchi permits these acts, stating that whatever will drive the Allies from Italy must be done.

- Operation: Dragoon. Allied forces land in Southern France, suffering few losses due to a lack of Axis power. New-Franco Infantry Divisions do inflict serious losses on Romeo Beach, however.

19th: Uprisings in Paris begin. The French Resistance stage a series of attacks on German depots, cutting off supplies from the localized units. The New-Franco Government condemn the acts, deploying troops against the rioters.

21st: The United Nations Against Fascism (UNAF) is formed by the Allied countries.

22nd: Romania makes her intentions of leaving the Axis in favour for the Allies known. In response, Hitler forcefully takes command of the Country and her oil fields.

25th: Fallschirmjaeger forces arrive in Normandy, halting the Allied push. Klaus Barbie and his Division retreat to Lyon, where he earned his nickname.

- Paris is still in a state of chaos. Hitler orders, that if the rioting continues, the capital is to be burned.

28th: The Allies surrender in Toulon after a short battle against the Germans, where they were both outnumbered and outgunned.

- Patton arrives in England, at the head of his new Armoured Division. However, Operation: Downfall is beginning to falter, with widespread surrendering taking place in France and Normandy.

- The Romanian Government is replaced by German sympathizing Romanian nationals. The oil fields are officially made German property, after the Romanians agree to sign them over.

29th: Members of the Czechoslovakian Resistant Movement are ambushed and murdered by Czech National Socialist supporters.

30th: Rouen in Northern France is attacked by American forces. They are largely captured after a daring German pincer movement.

31st: True-French Foreign Legionnaires duel with their New-Franco counterparts on the outskirts of Paris. They are driven off by a Luftwaffe bombing run, which results in light casualties on either side.

- Heinrich Himmler proposes making peace with the Allies, Hitler, however, refuses.

September:

1st: The Berlin Project is announced to be near completion, with the final tests now going into motion.

- Dieppe is taken by the Allies, although they are nearly wiped out in doing so due to stubborn German defence.

2nd: Allied Paratroopers land in Belgium and Holland, where the Germans have been concentrating their forces for a counter-push into Normandy. The Allied Paratroopers are slaughtered on all fronts, while the survivors are deported for labour in Eastern Europe.

3rd: The battered elements of the Paratroopers arrive in Brussels, where they dig in on the outskirts in preparation for the arrival of the pursing German Panzers.

- Klaus Barbie and ‘Das Reich’ fight off the Allies at Lyon, themselves suffering little casualties due to fortified positions, but inflicting many on the enemy.

- Luftwaffe long-range bombers containing the first product of the Berlin Project fly on Tehran. At exactly 4am, the first of the Berlin Project’s bombs are dropped. The resulting blast not only flattens the city and kills thousands, but also turns night into day for several long minutes.

4th: News of the successful bombing run reaches Hitler, who immediately commissions more such weapons.

- Inspired by the results, a mass Axis counterattack begins across Europe. The British 11th Armoured Division are destroyed at Antwerp by Rommel and his Europa Korps, however they cannot halt the destruction of the city by V-2 Rockets.

- The United States VII Corps arrive in the European Theatre, but are stalled from landing on the Mainland due to storms.

- Iran signs a peace decree with Nazi Germany, fear of further reprisals bringing them into submission. Stalin approves of Hitler’s new weapon, though when he asks for a trade of research materials, he is denied.

6th: Further fighting around Lyon causes substantial damage to the city, much to Barbie’s chagrin.

- Ghent is extensively bombed by both the RAF and Luftwaffe, who each try to dislodge the embattled forces.

8th: Canadians land at Ostend in Belgium, where in the ensuing battle, the centre-piece church is hit by artillery and destroyed.

9th: The Second Blitz continues, including the deploying of large amounts of V-2 Rockets and experimental Jet-Fighters. Amongst the Me262’s, Messerschmitt Me163 Komets are sighted, in far larger numbers.

- Winston Churchill is informed of the recent atomic bombing on Tehran. It is said that he immediately begins to formulate a plan to recall forces from Europe, believing that the Nazis are ready to launch an invasion. However, Eisenhower refuses to even acknowledge the idea of retreat, arguing that to many lives have been lost.

- De Gaulle, horrified by the attack on Tehran, begins a withdrawal of True-French forces from France. He refuses to abide to Eisenhower’s order to halt, and Overlord has him and his staff arrested.

10th: Luxembourg becomes the staging point for German Forces.

- The forces on Sicily are attacked by Fallschirmjaeger overnight, taking the majority of them by surprise. Casualties are heavy on either side.

- A renewed Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe assault on Malta begins, resulting in the sinking of the HMS Ramillies, with a large loss of life, and the heavy damaging of HMS Warspite. The remaining vessels flee the Island-State, leaving her in the clutches of the Axis. HMS Rodney is deprived of a commander during the escape, after the bridge is struck by a lucky shell. The consequent bombardment of Malta devastates the Island, killing thousands, including abandoned RAF crews.

- A unit of volunteers are parachuted into Germany, intent on halting the Berlin Project.

- Dutch railway workers go on strike, forcing Schutzstaffel units to commandeer the trains. Rommel gives the Europa Korps permission to starve the Dutch, something which result in a famine.

11th: The United States XXI Corps make landing in Normandy, in a new effort to win the War by Eisenhower.

13th: The Allied team in Germany are forced to splinter after they run into a staging point for the 10th SS Panzer Division ‘Frundsberg’ under Heinz Harmel. Several of the team are injured and are forced to be left behind by their teammates. Heinz Harmel has them sent back to Berlin for interrogation.

15th: American Marines invade Peleliu in the Palau Islands, igniting a bloody battle that will be long drawn and shattering.

17th: Operation: Market Garden, the attempted liberation of Arnhem, begins. The Axis, under the command of a quartet of esteemed officers - Gerd von Rundstedt, Walter Model, Kurt Student and Wilhelm Bittrich - Successfully repel the Allies in a fierce eight day battle. Elements of ‘Das Reich’ under Bittrich are particularly noted for destroying an armoured Division in its’ entirety.

- The Nazi Occupation of San Marino ends, despite Guderian’s best intentions to keep it in their hands. After completion of the taking, the Allies themselves withdraw from the country.

18th: Brest is bombarded by the Royal Navy, and then taken by a large force of Royal Marines. However, they are driven back after a night of tremendous fighting amongst the streets.

- The Allied team in Germany are cornered by Harmel and his Division in Aachen. After several hours of fierce fighting between the remainder of the team and the Schutzstaffel, the unit is deemed destroyed. The hunt for other team members continues for several weeks, however, after false information is given by one of the captured Canadians in an attempt to throw the others off.

19th: Nancy is bombed by the RAF after they learn of a large concentration of munitions that are discovered by local Resistance Members.

20th: The retaking of San Marino by Otto Skorzeny and a crack Regiment of Fallschirmjaeger ends with bloodshed after civilians attempt to rush his position.

21st: Rimini in Italy is witness to an armoured battle that Heinz Guderian himself orchestrates. The Nazis defeat the Allies, and push onwards for their headquarters in Italy - Anzio.

- San Marino police officers, armed with baroque weapons, attack Skorzeny’s positions. The Sanmarinise Government declares war on the Axis, and the subjugation of San Marino begins with a Luftwaffe firebombing of the capital.

22nd: Boulogne-sur-Mur, an Allied staging point for the push into Germany, is torn apart by a day-long Luftwaffe bombing. Long range artillery also strikes fleeing civilian and military columns, indiscriminately hitting them.

- The keel of The Fatherland, the third Bismarck Class Battleship at Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven.

- The Lützow engages and sinks an American troop convoy in the Atlantic, leading to the deaths of hundreds.

23rd-14th October: The Bismarck, Admiral Hipper and Admiral Scheer launch a series of raids out of Pearl Harbour against American and Commonwealth convoys in the Pacific.

- Marine Raiders take Ulithi Atoll, one of the largest, in a rapid strike against the Carolina Islands.

25th: British Troops pull out of Arnhem, cementing the Axis victory. Hopes for an early end to the War are completely abandoned.

- The United States XI Corps arrive in the Pacific, despite numbers being needed in Europe.

- Continuous fighting in Western and Northern Australian slowly turns back into the favour of the Allies after Japan is bombed once again.

 

[dark angel]

October:

2nd: Another attempt on Reinhard Heydrich’s life ends in failure after he brings down a considerable amount of stored bricks upon them, crushing them.

- American Paratroopers are dropped on the German-New-Franco border. Caught between the supporting New-Franco Soldiery and the Waffen-SS, the Paratroopers are rounded up and detained.

- Allied forces land on Crete, and after catastrophic casualties on the beaches, penetrate deep into the country.

5th: Canadian Troops land in the Netherlands, and are met by stubborn resistance in the form of massed Panzer Divisions.

6th: Widespread violent protests in Czechoslovakia over the deployment of Project Berlin begin.

10th: Corinth in Greece is the sight of a clash between the joint Allied forces and the remnants of a German Division, after both sides advance on one another.

-Various locations around Prussia are bombed by the USAAF.

12th: Athens is taken by the Allies after a grueling siege. The Hitler Youth members who are defending the city refuse to surrender or retreat however, and take their own lives. When the bodies are discovered, the Allied Chaplains refuse to preside over their burials, though no formal statement is given to the superior chain of command.

- United States vessels bombard Taiwan. Just hours after the initial attacks, the Carriers launch an air raid against the Island, targeting Imperial Japanese Army positions.

- Churchill and Roosevelt meet in Quebec to discuss military cooperation in the Pacific and Europe. When the discussion changes to the dividing of Germany between the Allies, both leaders take their leave.

- The United States XXII Corps arrive in Australia, bolstering the defences along the North. Further breakout attempts in Canberra end in failure, due to the sheer amount of Japanese forces that have been mustered around the city.

14th: A Gestapo Cell-in-hiding is discovered in Athens, leading to a short skirmish between newly arrived British troops and the fanatical Germans.

- Erwin Rommel’s arm is amputated below the elbow after his wound becomes gangrenous. Hitler commissions Albert Speer to design him a prosthetic that will make all envious.

15th: Aachen is bombed by the Allies, who are attempting to open up a gap in the German border for the strike on Berlin.

16th: Admiral Horthy, once a fanatical supporter of Nazism; Dictator and Regent of Hungary, is murdered by the Gestapo while attending a public speech after it becomes known that he no longer believes the Axis can win.

- A terrorist attack strikes Paris. Both Axis and Allies are killed in the resulting blast, thus is the intensity.

18th: Hitler makes it mandatory for all men between eighteen and sixty to serve in the Home Guard, an unprofessional unit of veterans and boys.

21st: Continued Paratrooper assaults on Aachen leads to heavy damage to the historical buildings in the city. Luftwaffe presence is heightened, most notably a trio of Me163 Squadrons, supported by Me262’s.

22nd: The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Regiment is fractured and captured by Heinz Guderian’s Divisions in Italy.

23rd: Charles De Gaulle is released from custody, however he refuses to abide to the rules set down by Eisenhower.

- The Battle of the Leyte Gulf begins. It is one of the largest naval engagements in History, with a large portion of the American Fleet taking part.

- MacArthur and his Marine Raiders land on Leyte, despite being under fire from land, air and sea. Casualties are heavy, but a bridgehead is successfully cut through the front lines.

- Systematic bombing of Tokyo begins, with American bombers operating out of Tinian Island.

25th: Bombs explode all across Romania. The oil fields are the targets of an unsuccessful series of attacks by the terrorists, but are ferociously repulsed by the defending Wehrmacht and Schutzstaffel units.

27th: Hurtgen Forest in Germany is set alight after the accidental release of pyrrhic bombs by Luftwaffe bombers enroute for London.

November:

1st: The civilian situation in Salonika, Northern Greece becomes desperate. The German occupiers have begun random executions, targeting anyone who will pose a future threat, including babies and other children.

- Operation: Infatuate, the freeing of roads leading to Antwerp, begins. Many of the roads are blockaded by the Wehrmacht and elements of the Schutzstaffel.

- More sporadic fighting around Lyon takes place, but still the forces under Barbie refuse to give ground to the Allies.

2nd: Zeebrugge in Belgium is witness to brutal urban combat between Canadians and New-Franco Foreign Legionnaires.

4th: After murderous actions against the Greek natives, the Nazis finally withdraw from the Island, abandoning hundreds of Italian and New-Franco. When Kriegsmarine ships are requested to return and deliver salvation, no word returns from the Germans until after the Island is in complete and utter Allied control.

- British General John Dill, dies of natural causes in Washington. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full honours, the only foreigner to receive such a thing.

5th: Singapore is bombed by the Americans, though only Japanese positions are targeted by the USAAF.

- Zionist terrorists assassinate a series of British officials in the Middle East. Forceful retaliation is taken against the insurgents, despite the Government’s best wishes.

6th: Franklin D. Roosevelt is reinstated for his four semester as President.

- The USS Lexington is attacked and sunk by kamikaze fighters with an huge loss of life. Few survivors are plucked from the water, and those who are suffer from horrific burns due to being amongst flaming oil.

9th: Patton arrives in Normandy with his Armoured Division, however many of the vehicles are lost to the Channel after malfunctions in their landing craft.

10th: Another Rocket attack on London strikes the Thames, causing few casualties. However, it heralds a massive Luftwaffe raid on Southern England.

12th: The Tirpitz is discovered in a fjord in Norway, now nearing her repairs. Before the RAF can launch a raid, she escapes the fjord into the Atlantic, however.

17th: Albania is the sight of extensive fighting between Albanian partisans and the Nazi occupiers. The partisans are supplied with Allied weapons, including bazookas and heavy machine guns.

21st: Unrest in San Marino continues, despite the Nazis best attempts to halt them.

24th: More raids out of Tinian commence, devastating areas of Tokyo and causing extreme casualties amongst the civilian populace.

- The reintroduction of the Samurai Order begins, with little persuasion from the Japanese population.

- The USS Intrepid is robbed of launching capabilities by a trio of kamikaze attacks. The munitions aboard the Carrier explode in the resulting fires, killing a significant amount of crewmembers and forcing the ship to be abandoned.

25th: The Japanese take Nanning in South China, continuing the War in China.

26th: The War in Italy halts to a stalemate, partially because of bad weather and partially because of incompetence in the Allied Command.

28th: The Allies arrive on the outskirts of Antwerp, although it becomes a standoff between the Schutzstaffel defenders and the Allied attackers.

30th: Kunming airbase in China is threatened by constant Japanese attacks. The RAF elements present are given the order to abandon station.

December:

1st: After years of brutal occupation, the people of Greece are allowed rest and recuperation. However, a series of clashes rip through the city, organized by left-over Fascists.

3rd: The British Home Guard is put on increase, with Churchill believing that the Nazis will attack in the New Year.

5th: Ravenna in Italy is taken by the Allies, despite muddy conditions.

8th: Heavy bombardment of Iwo Jima begins, to soften the Japanese defences for the upcoming invasion.

15th: American and Filipino forces clash with the Japanese at Mindoro, injury and death rates are moderate.

17th: Admiral Halsey’s Third Fleet is caught in a typhoon. Three Destroyers capsize and several Carriers’ hangers break open and shed their shipment of loose planes into the depths.

- The Malmedy Massacre. African American POWs are rounded up by units of members of Kampfgruppe Peiper under their namesake, Joachim Peiper, a trusted adjutant of Heinrich Himmler and an highly capable commander. They are then transported to secluded Malmedy, where they are shot and disposed of in secret.

- In Australia, the situation once again switches on the Allies with the arrival of the new Japanese shock-troops, veterans given the name Samurai.

23rd: The Second Blitz continues, with a new Axis push against North Eastern England. For the first time, Italian aerial forces are employed by the Luftwaffe, though more as cannon fodder.

24th: The Belgian transport ship S.S. Leopoldville is torpedoed and sunk off of France by U-Boats. In excess of eight-hundred American troops are lost in the sinking, as is the vast majority of the crew.

- Manchester is attacked by a concentration of V-1 Rockets.

28th: Churchill and his Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden arrive in Athens in secret, in an attempt to make peace between the warring Fascists and British. When Hitler learns of this, he immediately orders the Berlin Project’s production rate to be doubled.

 

[Bane_of_Kings]

Ohh, intresting. Can't wait to see what happens next .