Operation Duetschland, and the rest of 1942

April 20th,1942

Operation Duetschland, Soviet Union

At 03:30 hours on the morning of April 20th a 40,000 artillery barrage begins at the front lines of Army Group South in Southern Russia. Army Group South is ordered to advance into the Caucasus's and head onward towards the vast Russian oil fields and the river Volga. However this is not the main German offensive. 185 miles from the outskirts of Moscow, Army Group Centre having been given a huge amount of reserve Divisions and reserve Panzer Divisions the Army Group begins the main offensive towards Moscow. A half an hour before the start of the main offensive a 2,000 artillery barrage struck the front lines of the Soviets. The Operation for the total defeat of Soviet Russia was,

Operation Duetschland: Military Operation to defeat the Soviet Union in 1942

Operation Outline:

Operation will begin on April the 20th,1942 at 03:30 hours first in Southern Russia,

Army Group South will begin the offensive against Soviet Forces in Southern Russia, their objective to head for the Caucasus and the vast Russian oil fields, also the russian river the Volga.

Army Group Centre will wait one hour after Army Group South launches its attack to begin its offensive. Its objective is Moscow.

Army Group Centre will create a double pinzer around the city and invade it.

 

The Soviets believing that Army Group South is launching the main offensive they send all Red Army Formations to try and halt the advancing Germans. In front of Army Group Centre, Red Army resistance is light. Until Joseph Stalin and the Soviet High Command become aware that Army Group Centre is launching the main thrust. Stalin and his commanders had fallen into a trap by the Germans. Only 20 Divisions are in the capital to defend it. While 0ver 100 German Divisions advance towards Moscow. 

May 11th,1942

Operation Duetschland

In Southern Russia , Army Group South encircles a large portion of Red Army troops. The surrounding of the Russians is only 40 miles from the city of Stalingrad and is close to the Volga River. In the pocket is 380,000 Red Army soldiers including 15 commanders,1800 tanks,2,400 aircraft.

May 21st,1942

Second Battle of Moscow

Formations of Army Group Centre are fighting near the center of the city. Meanwhile as the Soviets lose the city, Joseph Stalin and others hide in a bunker. Military commanders try a radio for reserve formations from Eastern Russia to come to the cities relief.

June 3rd,1942

Allied Bombing

Roosevelt and Churchill begin the bombing of German Cities again. Over 300 allied bombers bomb hamburg but lose over half of their aircraft. Both leaders then decide to cancel the bombing again.

June 18th,1942

Second Battle of Moscow

The Kremlin falls to the German Army. Over the Kremlin the hammer and sickle is taken down and replaced by the Nazi flag. It signals that Moscow has fallen and so has the Soviet Union. The Second Battle for Moscow is over.

June 21st,1942

Moscow

Joseph Stalin and other senior Soviet leaders,military commanders are found in a air raid bunker by the 6th SS Division. Under orders from Adolf Hitler himself they are to be shot. The men of the 6th SS Division kill Stalin and his officials. Their bodies are hung in front of the Kremlin as a signal of the fall of Soviet Russia.

June 28th,1942

Berlin,Germany - Armed Forces

After the fall of the Soviet Union the officials in Berlin notice in their reports of the Wehrmacht in the East their is a severe shortage in manpower and material. The reports are scary to the German High Command and to Adolf Hitler. Reports are,

Wehrmacht in the East 1941

8.2 million Axis Troops

7.8 million German Troops

Wehrmacht in the East 1942

4.6 million Axis Troops

2.8 million German Troops

Since the beginning of the Soviet invasion the amount of killed and wounded have been very high. From 1941 to 1942 over 4 million German troops have been wounded and 1 million have been killed. Knowing they have conquered Russia, The High Command gives the order to conscript women from age 17 to 40. In this month alone over 1.5 million women German Troops are sent to the East. 

July 17th,1942

Wolf's Lair, Adolf Hitler's Head Quarters

To his military commanders, Hitler orders plans to be drawn up for the invasion of North Africa. The offensive to begin in September totals the invasion force of,

1.3 million German Troops

1.2 million Axis Troops

2,360 Panzers

3,500 aircraft

German forces are up against only 600,000 Allied troops, mixed of British,Australian,Free French,Free Polish and others. German plans are final on July 27th.

September 13th,1942

North Africa, German Invasion

At 02:20 hours the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) opens up with 8 battleships and 5 cruisers firing their guns on Allied forces. Two hours later the German invasion begins. Over 2 million Axis Troops land in three days and force the Allies back to Egypt by November.

November 25th,1942

Egypt

Since the invasion over 200,000 Allied soldiers have been either killed or captured. At the end of November the German Armies cross Egypt's border and prepare to wipe out the last large bulk of Allied Forces. German troops have lost over 130,000 men and only 190 tanks. 

December 11th,1942

Egypt

German Armies surround the Allied Force near Egypt's Capital. Some escape by sea, but the rest are captured. 207,000 Allied troops are saved by Allied ships while the rest are taken prisoner. The Third Reich now has North Africa,All of Europe and the former Soviet Union. 

      

Russia fights back Winter 1942, And so does the Allies

In January of 1942 in the aftermath of the Battle of Moscow the Red Army begins a massive counter attack against Army Group Centre which is threatening Moscow. The Red Army forces are 700,000 troops with 400 tanks. They launch an offensive against 900,000 German Troops with only 200 tanks. Even with the advantage in manpower the Germans are slowly pushed back even further. Red Army formations make good progress in their timetable until two days after the start of the offensive the sky's over the battlefield clear to a degree and the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force launch's a 1000 bomber attack over the Russian offensive. In that one day the German Air Force single handed wins the battle. They destroy over 350 Russian Tanks and kill over 200,000 men. But even with the losses, Joseph Stalin orders his Red Army Commanders to continue the advance. What the Soviets did not know was over the halt in the offensive the front line units of Army Group Centre were sent reserve divisions and several fresh panzer divisions. That reserve force is able to halt the Russian advance,cut it off and wipe it out. Over 500,000 Red Army troops are killed or captured by units of Army Group Centre. 

January 27th,1942

Third Reich, Germany

During the month of January Allied bombing increases very rapidly over the sky's of Germany. Roosevelt and Churchill still try and place pressure on German industry in spite of massive losses in aircraft and men. In this month the Allies lose over 800 bombers and 3,400 pilots and airmen

March 11th,1942

Wolf's Lair, Adolf Hitlers Head Quarters

The Fuhrer orders his military commanders to built up a German Home Army in an event of a home crisis. Leader of the SS Heinrich Himmler is given the task of leading the Home Army. IN two weeks of this meeting the Home Army raises 60 Divisions totaling 1.2 million men. Also the Hitler Youth now reaches a massive number of 17 million members. Nearly 300,000 of them will reach the military age and be drafted into the Wehrmacht by the month of May.

March 17th,1942

Western Europe, Allied Bombing

After losses in aircraft and manpower reach a height that can not be allowed, Roosevelt and Churchill decide against the wishes of their Soviet partner Joseph Stalin to suspend the Allied bombing of German Cities. German City Air Defenses had destroyed over 1,570 Allied Aircraft and killed over 6,000 Allied Airmen.

April 3rd,1942

Berlin,Germany

German Leader Adolf Hitler gives to a roaring crowd of 30,000 germans a deadly ultimatum towards the Soviet Union stating that Germany wants the total surrender of the russian state known as the Soviet Union or face total destruction in the next two years. Joseph Stalin leader of the Soviet Union gives a defiant reply stating "Soviet Russia will never surrender while a victory is within reach". Hitler orders plans for an operation to totally defeat the Soviet Union in 1942 and 1943.

April 16th,1942

Wolfs Lair, Adolf Hitlers Head Quarters

German plans for a blitzkrieg offensive against the Red in April 1942 are complete. Code named Operation Deutschland is ordered to take place on the morning of April 20th,1942. A birthday present to the German dictator from his country on his 53rd birthday.

The Operation to take Moscow Winter 1941

On December the 8th,1941 the German Army begins its offensive against the Soviet Capital,Moscow. Stalin still inside Moscow calls upon all reserves from Eastern Russia to help the Red Army defend Moscow. The Red Army in Moscow is only 40 Divisions strong totaling to 900,000 men with only 700 tanks. Reserve Red Army forces reach Moscow on December the 12th with 60 more Divisions equaling 1.3 million men. Forces in Moscow seem well as the Germans begin their advance towards the city in the middle of a snow storm. Army Group Centre leads the attack with 90 Divisions totaling 1.5 million men,2,500 tanks,3,500 aircraft. At once the gas lines freeze and Axis troops begin to freeze. On December 23rd,1941 the Germans are only 25 miles from Moscow. But the fresh Red Army troops tip the balance against the Germans and push them back 190 miles away from Moscow. The Russians had scored an important victory against the Germans. 

*** Add in numbers of casualties during the fighting from June 22nd 1941 to Jan 1st 1942***

The Big Gamble: Operation Barbarossa the invasion of the Soviet Union

Having been defeated by the British in the air battle of Britain, Hitler turned to the East. On June 22nd 1941, a huge force of nearly all of German Armed Forces invade the Soviet Union with German Allies. The massive force by the Axis Forces are, 8.2 Million troops of them 7.8 of them German Troops, with 4,500 Panzers,and 4,350 aircraft. In three massive Army Groups the Germans advance with 90 miles per day. Against this Axis Force is 3.9 million Red Army troops, 3,600 old tanks, and 4,389 aircraft. On the first day the German Air Force the Luftwaffe wipes out over 3,000 of the Red Air Force's aircraft on the ground. The blow to the Soviet Army is un measurable. In July the Germans surround over 400,000 Red Army troops trying to attack Army Group Centre. Another large Red Army Force fighting against Army Group South is surrounded totaling 800,000 troops. Leader of the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin orders all troops to hold their ground in face of the overpowering Axis Armies. The order given to the Red Army to hold fast meets disaster as in the months of August and September 500,000 Red Army troops are killed,350,000 troops captured, another 2,000 planes wiped out either in the skys or on airfields, and 1,500 tanks destroyed. Attempting to achieve a victory against the Axis, Stalin orders an entire front withdraw. New Soviet Army positions are built only 150 miles out side of Moscow. As the Soviets retreat in a form between good and a total mess another 100,000 Soviets are killed and captured. By the date December 6th 1941 the Germans are only 185 miles from the gates of Moscow. Victory once again for the Germans seems only a matter of time. 

The First Years 1939-1941

Year : 1939 

Eastern Europe, September 1st,1939

At 04:45 hours on September 1st, on three sides of the Polish border 60 German Divisions of the German Army with 4 brigades,and 3 Waffen SS regiments along with 2,750 Panzer tanks invade the country of Poland. A day earlier the Germans staged a "Polish attack" on a radio station in order to give Germany the right to invade. Up against the German Army is 39 Polish Divisions but some are never operational during the invasion.  Two days after the invasion by the Germans into Poland, Britain and France declare war upon Germany. Along with several other countries that begin to form into the Allies. On September 17th,1939 in a secret pact signed by Germany and the Soviet Union , the Soviets attack from the east while the Germans fight on the west. Soviet forces in the invasion of Poland are 33 plus divisions of the Red Army. The Poles cannot hang on in face of overpowering forces. Nearly a month later the Polish Government surrenders to the German Army on October the 6th,1939. In the pact signed by the Soviets and Germans the two countries divide Poland into two. Losses for the Germans are 16,343 troops killed in the field, over 27,000 wounded. To the Polish losses are 66,000 men killed in action,133,700 men wounded and  694,000 Polish troops captured by invading forces.

Winter 1939-1940

Western Europe, German-French Border

During the winter of 1939 and 1940 on the Western Front there is a lack of fighting between the Allies and Germany. Known as the phoney war no fighting happens until the winter ends. On the Western Front the forces are 110 British and French Divisions against 23 German Divisions.

1940 

Denmark,Norway

After the Phoney war Germany launches an invasion of Denmark and Norway on April the 9th in 1940. In response in an earlier incident the German High Command sees these countries as needed bases in future operations such as the planned invasion of Britain and France. Germany has a force of 9 Divisions while the two countries total can only bring up 8 Divisions. On June 10th German has achieved yet another victory. And more countries have fallen under the German jack boot.

1940

Western Europe

On May the 10th,1940 the German Operation Fall Gelb (Case Yellow) starts against France. 3 Army Groups totaling 141 German Division, totaling 3,350,000 million troops with 2,445 Panzer tanks, and 5,638 aircraft begin the invasion. Against them is 144 Allied Divisions. Using the new military tactic Blitzkrieg the Panzer Divisions cut threw the Allied lines and head for the coast. Slicing the Allied Forces in two the Germans make rapid progress. German troops surround a large army of Allied troops at Dunkirk but told to stop the attack by Adolf Hitler, the Allied troops are able to escape via the english channel. But over 200,000 Allied troops are taken prisoner. On June 5th the German war machine begins a new offensive and heads for the capital of France, Paris. With the French been near defeated and the Germans at the gates of Paris the French Government names Paris an open city. The leader of France announces an armistice to Germany. Hitler in his moment of victory demands the surrender to take place where the Germans surrendered in the first World War in 1918. A crease fire goes into affect on June 25th,1940. Paris and Half of France becomes part of the Third Reich while the lower part of france becomes Vichy France a puppet government put in place by the Germans.

The German Armed Forces 1933-1939

On January 30th,1939 Adolf Hitler came into power in Germany. For the next 6 years he grew the German Armed Forces from only 100,000 men to millions of troops. He created an Air Force and a Navy in the beginning phase of planning for war. The Numbers are the following for the German Forces

German Armed Forces in the Year 1933

Wehrmacht (German Army) - Total troops        100,000 men

Luftwaffe ( Air Force) - N/A

Kriegsmarine (Navy) - N/A

German Armed Forces in the Year 1939

Wehrmacht (German Army)- Total       2.5 million men

Luftwaffe (Air Force)- Total          Nearly 4,000 aircraft

Kriegsmarine (Navy)- Total          N/A

Beginning

We all know how the war in europe went during the Second World War. In the end Germany was defeated and surrendered on May 8th,1945 to the Allies. 

But what if the war didn't go the way we all know it today. What if Germany won the Second World War. This is a history of the Second World War... If Germany won.