Part 131: Hearts of Iron II: Chapter 28 - League of One: Jan 1944 - Jan 1945

January 1944 - January 1945: League of One

1944 begins with an expansion of the transport fleet in preparation for overseas adventures.


The battle in Iberia is initially slow as the Iberians resist hard to keep Germany contained to the pyrenees, holding the line in Sargossa and Tarragona.



But with reinforcements pouring in from the Middle East, the increasingly exhausted and depleted Iberian defenses begin to crack, and in May, German forces punch through in Saragossa, moving out onto the Iberian interior plain.



With no natural boundaries to hold, numbers quickly begin to tell, and by July, Central Iberia is in German hands.


By August, all that remains is a tiny enclave around the capital.


A few weeks later, Iberia surrenders.


With peace achieved in Europe at last, troops are pulled back for a much-needed reorganization. Military control of allies and puppets is relinquished, expeditionary forces recalled, and the splintered army reorganized into three- and six-division armies.


A few minor setbacks occur during these months, with the destruction of the Transport Fleet and a Vinland invasion of Ceylon, but compared to the crushing blow dealt to the League with the loss of Iberia, they are inconsequental. With only puppets and minor nations for allies, the League of Democracies is now a League of One - Mazula.



Ljanistar is under invasion from all sides, and High Command expects Africa to be pacified within six months.


In a demonstration of power and spite, V2 rockets are sent to hit the various capitals of Germany's new world enemies, showing our foes that they are not safe.


A flurry of coups are also attempted, and much to the surprise of the German intelligence agency, one of them actually succeeds, as the government of Gustavia is overthrown and an alliance secured.



With Gustavia as an ally, Germany now has an overseas platform to strike from, and aircraft and troops are quickly sent over in preparation.



In November, German troops attempt a landing in Qtizi to strike at Mazula's underbelly, but are repulsed by the Qtizi National Guard after heavy losses, and retreat to Gustavia to lick their wounds.



As the year comes to an end, an alarming report comes out of Mazula - aerial surveys have reported testing of some kind of devastating new weapon in the western deserts, a bomb of unparallelled destructive power.


The spies do not know what to make of it, but Waldemar, High Command and Werner Heisenberg know exactly what has happened. Mazula has finished a prototype weapon that for Germany is still months from completion.


Mazula has the bomb.