Part 109: Hearts of Iron II: Chapter 7 - First Blood: Jan - Jul 1938

January 1938 - July 1938: First Blood

With Indochina fully under their control, the Japanese set up a puppet state to rule the area in their name, using the old chinese name for the region - Annam.



The Jadakal Empire experienced a particularily rainy year in 1937, and suffered bad harvests as a result, adding fuel to the nationalistic fire already raging in its conquered provinces.


Iberia, Rome and Germany convenve in Cairo on January 8th to discuss renewing the Suez Treaty, the 1918 agreement that guaranteees Egypt's independence in exchange for a neutral Suez.


However, Germany is attending the conference with an agenda - as the weakest of the three powers in Africa and the Mediterreanean, Germany is seeking a natural ally in Egypt, who want support to rule Suez as their own sovereign territory and institute tolls on the shipping through it.


Secret negotiations begin amidst the conference, and the Egyptians prove amneable, asking only that Germany guarantee Suez as belonging to Egypt, and assistance with industrializing. An alliance agreement is signed, and the conference is called off.


The Iberian and Roman diplomats are forced to return home, blustering and angry. Germany has won a diplomatic victory for now, but there's no telling how long the Union will tolerate a German-controlled Suez.


Nonetheless, a new ally has been found, and the power of the HRE continues to grow.


The Atlantic Fleet is relocated to Mallorca, a visible sign of Germany's increased stake in the Mediterranean.


The Christmas Bomber is found and arrested in Toulouse in February. Upon interrogation, he gives up a number of names, prompting a harsh crackdown on nationalist and communist organizations throughout Occitania, and sparking resentment among the population against the Iberian regime.


Back home, mass recruitment of troops begins in March with the goal to raise eighteen new divisions within six months. These divisions will be sent east and south to strengthen the militias of Germany's allies.


The new Stukas are completed in April and form the new Close Assault Flotilla, deployed on the French border and given the task of cracking open French defenses in the event war breaks out.



The last of the new panzer divisions is ready later the same month and the newly formed Panzerkrops under General von Manstein is sent east to support Lithuania.



The situation in China as of June. The Nationalists have successfully established control over part of Southern Yuan, holding it from the Japanese for now, while the Yuan army is retreating to the west, parts of it encircled in isolated enclaves in the north.


The monotony of raising and readying Germany's war engine is interrupted by the outbreak of war in Africa in June, as Somalia revolts against its Egyptian overlord, drawing Germany and the entire HRE into the war.


An insignificant stretch of East African coast, Somalia undoubtedly did not realize they would be pulling half the world down on them through their revolt, but with it comes an invaluable opportunity to train the new elements of the German army and test out new tactics.


The sandy plains along the Somalian coast are perfect for tank warfare, and Guderian's light armored corps are loaded onto the transport fleet and sent south as an expeditionary corps.



The troops make landfall in late June. The Somalian army is of poor quality, but the Egyptian garrisons along the border are weak, and has thus far avoided conflict, giving up several provinces to the Somalians without a fight.


German tactical bombers, sent ahead of the ships, strike first, pounding a Somalian cavalry division into dust.


A second airstrike in Denakil is followed by Guderian's tanks, The Somalian militia can offer little resistance against panzers, and are quickly routed as German troops cross the Somalian borders.


First blood to the Germans.