A Fatal Berliner

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BDV
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A Fatal Berliner

#1

Post by BDV » 10 Mar 2014, 22:58

Thanks to his relentless toadyism to Schickelgruber, Erich v Manstein ot Lewinski is promoted to Generalstab des Heeres on July 1st 1935.

To celebrate his promotion he partakes in a giant dinner at a fancy restaurant. After a scrumptious meal, generously sprinkled with fine Mosel wine, EvMoL decides to complete the meal with a delicious marmalade-filled Berliner. However, after taking the first bite, EvMoL stands up, making the international choke sign. As Doktor Heimlich is at the time but a 15 year old jewish highschooler in downstate New York, EvMoL turns blue, and after a few minutes he becomes EX-EvMoL.

Now, of course, Adolf needs to find himself a new GdH - but that should not be a problem, just name the runner-up to the position.

HOWEVER! The impact on the affairs of WWII is tremeduous. Tremenduously beneficial to Germany, I propose. Political changes happen as per historical, so the wars happen on schedule, more or less.

EQUIPMENT:
The Sturmgeschutz loses its powerful proponent. As a result, detouring sparse PzIII hulls to an inferior product does not occur. For infantry support, the expedient of ordering continued production of the Skoda S-I-j is taken. War breaks out without a heavy casemate self-propelled armor piece. Germans roll over Poland and Scandinavia as per historical. However, for Barbarossa, in addition to the S-I-js, the trophy french infantry tanks are added, and serve (for the infantry support task) nicely. For tackling Soviet T34-and KV tanks, a larger complement of PzIII tanks is available, mitigating the lack of short-barreled Sturmgeschutzen.

MILITARY:
SickelSchnitt
Ach, the Mansteinian masterpiece. With a more classic attack through Belgium considered, the FrancoBritish forces make better headway into Flanders - only to be destroyed nevertheless by the operationally superior Germans in the meeting encounter around Mons. Dynamo becomes a series of small evacuations, and most of the BEF perishes in the Flanders Fields, still Sea Lion is not feasible. However, germans do take more casualties, and the need for more (heavy) artillery is impressed on the generals, in particular infantry specialists. France is doomed, but the slower pace of defeat may give the politicians advocating the continued fighting from the colonies.

AGN drive on Leningrad
A more competent general either eschews VBock&Hoepner's imbecilic splitting of forces post-Pskov, and if ordered to do so anyway, does not run headlong into a soviet trap. Who knows, with two armor goups driving from Luga in mid-July maybe Leningrad WILL fall in 1941?

Crimea
Post Kiev Pocket, the duty of the 11th Army was to march on Rostov. It was detoured from that goal, however, by its new honcho, a (the?) virtuoso of forward-falling, the crafty EvMoL, who was going to capture Crimea by daring coup de main. The 1st panzer did manage to take Rostov by a daring maneuver, but had to beat a hasty retreat with unprotected flanks. Meanwhile Manstein could not deliver Crimea, despite the detour of additional Luftwaffe resources (taken from supporting the attack on Torzhok), and Sevastopol fell only in the next sumer. Also, the overstretched romanians and germans were abused that winter by a soviet amphibious assault, which was defeated only after further LW resources were detoured to bail-out Schicklgruber's favourite over-promoted junker.

Stalingrad. Overstretch will make its effects felt, one way or the other, and germans will find themselves in a nice encirclement in winter '42-'43. The assembled armor relief would be commanded by someone slightly more competent, and as such achieve somewhat more than historical. Cherkassy pocket in January '43?

The big one will be someone else (anyone) in charge of the the attack on the Kursk pocket and the subsequent defense of Ukraine. Ukraine (and more) was lost, by the Manstein-led forces, in about 8 months. Maybe that's all germans could, but it's hard to see how they could have fared worse.
Nobody expects the Fallschirm! Our chief weapon is surprise; surprise and fear; fear and surprise. Our 2 weapons are fear and surprise; and ruthless efficiency. Our *3* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency; and almost fanatical devotion

Carl Schwamberger
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Re: A Fatal Berliner

#2

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 11 Mar 2014, 14:32

I'm not the expert, but feel Mansteins role in many events is over stated. Like most WWII generals he wrote a self serving biography that cannot be relied on in several key details. At least one other writer of self serving autobiography claims the "Sicklecut" plan as his own.

A few years ago I went though every book on my shelf & a few other concerning the 1940 campaign & noted every reference to the development of the German campaign plan. The pattern of development that emerged did not support Manstein as the inspirational genius, but rather as a good staff officer who executed the directives from his commander and the army COS very well. Just one of a number of decision makers and planners for a long series of evloutionary battle plans.

I know little about thewar in the east so maybe the claims for Mansteins role there are on better ground?


recidivist
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Re: A Fatal Berliner

#3

Post by recidivist » 14 Mar 2014, 20:33

I think a Berliner is too soft in consistency to choke on easily. A fish bone or perhaps shellfish fragment would make the scenario far more probable.

That aside, I would like to know who would replace von Manstein in his various historical positions? Paulus perhaps?

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BDV
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Re: A Fatal Berliner

#4

Post by BDV » 17 Mar 2014, 14:43

recidivist wrote:I think a Berliner is too soft in consistency to choke on easily. A fish bone or perhaps shellfish fragment would make the scenario far more probable.

That aside, I would like to know who would replace von Manstein in his various historical positions? Paulus perhaps?
I presume Paulus, a undistinguished but hardworking dullard could be the Head of Operations Branch, Generalstab des Heeres, where his qualities could be an asset, as opposed to the endless machinations of Manstein, and the Wehrmacht may end up with the Brauchitsch-Paulus deskjockey duo, and maybe Halder ends up leading one of the infantry armies, or even army groups (possibly instead of vLeeb?). For 1941, I presume General Lutz can be recalled earlier, and ideally it means that Hoepner is given only leadership of 56th panzer korps, and Lutz commands the 4th Panzer Army as a whole.
Nobody expects the Fallschirm! Our chief weapon is surprise; surprise and fear; fear and surprise. Our 2 weapons are fear and surprise; and ruthless efficiency. Our *3* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency; and almost fanatical devotion

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