Dawn of Victory

[Kersey]

It is impossible to determine when the invasion truly began, as it is entirely unknown when exactly their dormant Virus first arrived on Earth. It may have always been there, waiting for the opportune moment when the climate of the planet suited it best. For mankind, however, the first effects were felt in the early summer of 1936. From across Africa and the Middle East there came reports of a strange reddish-gold substance spreading quickly across areas of a certain climate, infecting anyone unfortunate enough to come into contact with it.

Clockwork_Magic Pat General Deth Glitch RIPSaidCone pilgrim_

 

[Pat]

Adolf Hitler visits the Reichstag to give a confidential speech to party leadership: decreeing his plans for conquering space for the permanent settlement of the Aryan race, outlining the methods via which inferior peoples are to be irrevocably removed from Germany's bloodline, discussing the continued militarization and subsequent economic revitalizing of the German Reich, and dictating the official government response to the currently geographically distant but nonetheless worryingly contagious and lethal African Flu.

Within the final months of 1936, the remaining technical imperfections of the existent experimental A-3 rockets of the Aggregat series (being its faulty guidance system in addition to the partially non-aerodynamic shape of the body and fins) are to be fixed for the mass production of twenty more such scaled-down test models before the halfway mark of 1937. Upon manufacture, their abilities are to be reviewed during successive field trials before a deadline of the close of the same year for incorporation into designs for the coming scaled-down A-5 testing rocket. This next prototypical iteration will feature an improved control system and profile more similar to that of the A-4 rocket, and is ultimately intended to determine the viability of the technologies and aerodynamic design that will then be utilized in the A-4. Over a period of the next two years, from 1938 to 1939, thirty A-5 models will be produced and tested to work out the remaining issues plaguing the A-4. Finally, in 1940, five heavily upgraded A-4s will be created with the dual objectives of entering outer space and putting a payload of five satellites into orbit before 1941, launching vertically from the existent isolated rocket site outside Peenemünde. All surviving components of the five rockets with the exception of the satellites given the very nature of vertical launches should land in the adjacent area of the city and are to be collected by the Waffen-SS in coordination with carefully selected elements of the Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe for research purposes. The satellites themselves will collect invaluable atmospheric information, and are not expected to survive reentry. This mission, should the secrecy of the German space program remain up to this point, would finally unveil the capabilities of the Reich due to the visibility of the satellites from nations across the world as they orbit the Earth, and pave the way for public involvement to accelerate spaceflight progress.

A plan of mass sterilization rather than mass extermination of non-aryan citizenry is set into motion. Ghettos within the cities and labor camps within the countryside are to house enemies to the state and undesirables that will serve as a disposable workforce for the government, businesses, and military. The surgical procedure is performed shortly upon their arrival or when they finally come of age. As the peoples in question are to be viewed more so as a resource instead of an infestation, living conditions will at minimum be survivable. Particularly valuable workers receive numerous privileges over unskilled laborers.

Militarization of the Wehrmacht is to continue as planned with the exception of ongoing and further development of the Kriegsmarine. Naval assets are to be maintained, but all funds set towards existent and future expansion programs are to be diverted towards experimental initiatives of the wider armed forces of Germany with the expectation that surface naval parity with the British Royal Navy is an impossibility. It is predicted by many that as a result, a variety of promising research venues will due to the substantial research funding now acquired for them be much more productive in achieving appreciable results for the war effort approximately a year ahead of previously estimated project completion dates on average.

Observers are to be sent to any and all British and French academic institutions free of infection that are conducting investigations regarding the African Flu to acquire knowledge of and if possible, safely contained samples of the virus for treatment and research purposes, respectively. Additionally, a mandatory quarantine period and comprehensive review of every personage and item that seeks to enter the German Reich from affected countries is instated, to be conducted by qualified medical professionals aided by soldiers of the Wehrmacht. Finally, the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin is cancelled to prevent any possible dissemination from taking place. Eventually, once the mission of the observers is accomplished and if the contagion goes on to progressively become a larger concern, the borders are closed to any citizens or goods of any nation known to be a carrier of the illness. Finally, a state-of-the-art facility is constructed underneath Berlin should samples come into German possession to aggressively undertake the effort to understand everything there is to know about the disease; utilizing human test subjects drawn from political dissenters.

 

[RIPSaidCone]

Sarangani, Philippines
1936

Report on the spread of the 'African Flu' - Office of National Defense Against the African Flu

As per the Executive Order issued by the Office of the President of the United States of America. The Office of National Defense Against the African Flu, with elements of the United States Army garrison assigned to the Commonwealth of the Philippines, conducted an expedition into the Sarangani region of the southern most island of Mindanao in response to reports of an increased spread of the 'African Flu'in the region which has in a period of 1-3 months spread across large portions of the Southern Hemisphere of the world. It should be noted by the Administration that researched conducted by ONDAF indicates the Flu's preference towards areas of high temperature and humidity, explaining the Flu's high level of virality in the Southern Hemisphere. The expedition, led by Doctor. Arthur Williamson of ONDAF was shocked to uncover several entire villages in the Sarangani region decimated by the African Flu, and although efforts continue from both regional and federal government institutions to retrieve any potential survivors from the region, it is of the opinion of this Office that no survivors will be found due to the Flu's lethality.

Affected villages in the Sarangani region were reported to be in almost 'otherworldly' conditions, with all local flora and fauna too having been decimated by the spread of the Flu. As the Flu seemingly over the long-term goes through a process of converting native flora in a region to flora of its own design. Doctor. Arthur Williamson going as far as to describe this process as artificial and by intent. Although this claim has been widely disputed by other leading experts within ONDAF and the Department of War, which has now taken a keen interest in the affairs of ONDAF and its research into the African Flu. The African Flu's influence does not limit itself solely to organic beings of the Earth however, artificial structures too are affected, with affected villages in the Sarangani region being entirely coated in organic shells made up of a composition similar to that of the African Flu, Dr. Williamson describing this coating as a 'slimy' paint like material with a 'reddish' tint, being remarkably similar to the growths formed on Human victims of the African Flu and the substance which replaces native flora.

With consultation from ONDAF, the Department of War has issued Chemical & Biological Protection equipment to all United States military personnel stationed within the Commonwealth of the Philippines and a mandatory evacuation has been declared by regional authorities on the island of Mindanao to deny the African Flu the organic hosts that it requires to spread. The Office of National Defense Against the African Flu with support from the Department of War highly suggests that the President considers the usage of fire bombardment of jungles on the island of Mindanao to further delay or even halt the spread of the African Flu on the island and that increased financial funding may be given to the Department of War and this Office itself to further our national defense against this new menace to our way of life. ​

 

[Pat]

The military branches of the Wehrmacht, in addition to the entirety of the Schutzstaffel, are gradually outfitted with chemical warfare equipment and taught how to handle a plethora of situations involving biohazardous materials for the foreseeable future as more unsettling information is learned about the African Flu, the majority of personnel expecting to reach a satisfactory level of preparedness and competency by 1940.

A series of measures are proposed by Heinrich Himmler to address the great threat the emergent virus appears to pose to the nation. Starting immediately and without exception, an increased tax is levied on all individuals and organizations that operate within twenty miles of the German Reich's land borders, ten percent for the first year, twenty percent for the second year, thirty percent for the third year, and forty percent for the fourth, and so on, for an area that is systematically brought under the ownership of the government over the next four years and beyond and rendered void permanently by detachments of the Schutzstaffel of structures and flora and wildlife by whatever means necessary aided by workers drawn from labor camps across Germany. When the process is finished, the wasteland is to be patrolled by Waffen-SS units equipped with incendiary and flamethrower weaponry, wherever necessary supported by divisions of the Wehrmacht in order to accomplish its assigned tasks to protect the fatherland.

Schutzstaffel agents begin to watch Otto Hahn and his research staff due to the potential significance and expected ramifications of their ongoing project. Should the team achieve a breakthrough, the assigned personnel are to intervene and classify their results, compensating them generously for their efforts so far and assuming control of their future experiments to weaponize and refine their work, finding further funds once underway by selling off the entirety of the ships of the Kriegsmarine to interested foreign parties.

 

[General Deth Glitch]

Switzerland

With the situation worsening inrelation to the African Flu the nation has agreed to a loosening travel restrictions and has begun accepting refugees. Any of these known or suspected to have come from places already under the sway of the flu are to be quarantined in the south of the country's mountainous region. Once they can be assured to be healthy they will then be allowed into the country. The Swiss have also stated that they wish to support the American and British in their mission to fight the disease as best they can. While the situation doesn't yet seem dire enough to select a General and mobilise the army, the council felt it was wise to create a shortlist. In a speech in Geneva the Vice President stated "We have always been neutral but we have never been isolationist. The world is facing a strange and deadly virus. Like all things we will overcome it with time, perseverance and cooperation. Will this threat end humanity, of course not but it will cause widespread death and destruction with our brothers and sisters in the warmer climates of the world. We must do our part. Today our sovereignty is safe but that of many nations, in Africa, in Asia, throughout the southern world, theirs is not only under threat but fading in the light of this virus. Like all epidemics I have no fear that it will fade with time but, like all ailments it will surely return and without a cure there is nothing we would be able to do to counter it if it reaches our borders. It is because of this that is is not only to the benefit of those nations affected but also to ourselves. I would to announce that today we will be joining the fight against this virus. This is needed to protect our neutrality, our sovereignty." As a part of this a plan is devised to keep the virus out of Switzerland should it spread to Europe, sharing some similarities with its old neutrality policy​

 

[pilgrim_]

Russia
1936

​

Soviet scientists file into trains, setting off for research into the distant African Flu, at several secluded facilities around the warm steppes that line the southern border. Following them is mountains of paperwork, and troop movements from Siberia to the Volga- although kept secretive, they are primarily focused on securing the borders around the Transcaucasian districts (Armenia/Georgia, the Turkish border) and busy trainlines to prevent further immigration. Trade is under heavy inspection and regulation due to the news of the Flu.

Meanwhile, troop detachments have also been sent to deal with Kulaks, or the wealthier "peasants" found throughout the Union, by forcibly fining them according to their wealth or by conscripting teenage boys into the Red Army- mostly for construction/supply divisions. Due to the general instability of the world at large and the internal situation in Russia, Soviet policy has changed from previous efforts to coerce the Finns, allowing them to recognise their independence.

A debate around how to handle the vast plots of unused land in Russian territory has been debated between giving higher autonomy to the respective cultures that inhabit them, or to isolate ethnic Russians economically from other ethnic groups by urbanising the northern and western sections of the USSR.

​

 

[Nyq]

Manchukuo
1936​

For the Chinese race to be restored to greatness once again, all Japanese influences needs to go first. Li Chang, leader of the Tiandihui movement

Hsinking, Capital of the Manchukuo state

A man stared at the relatively empty streets of Hsinking through a window, holding up a cup of tea. He sighed as a couple of patrolling Japanese officers pass through the streets, as if lamenting the current condition of the state. The Manchukuo state is nothing more than a puppet of Japan, set up only to legitimize the Japanese rule over northeastern China. To be perfectly honest, it's more of a puppet state of the Japanese Army than Japan itself, but the difference doesn't really matter. While Manchukuo experienced rapid industrial growth during Japanese control, it is well known that the growth only served to benefit the Japanese, not the locals. The heavy industries are mostly state-owned, but recently, the tendrils of zaibatsu influence began creeping into the region itself, threatening to bind Manchukuo further to Japan. The various goods produced by the tolling Chinese factory workers never benefited the locals. In fact, all non-Japanese are treated no better than dogs and cats, with the Japanese immigrants enjoying all the privileges. The country is no better than the European colonies around the world, a colony exploited ruthlessly by it's colonial masters, the only difference being that this colony is set up under the disguise of a perfect Asian state. Even the defense of the state is handled by the Japanese, as the military was too weak to even handle bandits.

The man was none other than Li Chang, the leader of the underground independence movement of Manchukuo, the Tiandihui. Taking their name directly from the Chinese independence movement back in the times of the Qing Dynasty itself, the movement aims to overthrow the fake Manchu rulers, and by extension, their Japanese colonial masters, and establish a free Chinese state in it's place. Working as a government official, he has access to certain secrets of the Manchukuo government, which he used to the benefit of his organization. Centered mostly around Hsinking and the nearby region, the Tiandihui covertly aids the local resistance to Japanese rule: Bandits, democratic and communist partisans, and the occasional deserters. Occasional meetings in his house would happen, with all members heading over taking extra caution as to not be discovered by the Japanese watchdogs in the city. It also has paramilitary garrisons scattered in nearby villages, disguised as poor villagers, ready to take power by force once given the opportunity. However, that day seems to be very far away, if it even exists. Li sighed again before putting down his cup, knowing that the day of independence probably wouldn't come in his lifetime, but hopefully, his work survives to that day when the Chinese can stand up and rightfully rule over their lands once again. Besides, it's time for work.
​

While Li was lamenting about the state of the nation, Emperor Puyi, the de jure leader of the Manchukuo, was nodding over and over to the suggestions of his Japanese 'advisors', who are the actual masters of the land. The military was to be trained by Japanese officers, and the officers themselves need to be trained by the Manchukuo government, which is just another way of saying that Japan must train all the officers. A law is planned for the Japanese to be able to conscript forced labourers into the army, but that is for the future. The myriad of suggestions was rubber-stamped by the Emperor, who has no real authority anyway and is just there to legitimize the puppet state. Japanese influences continued to seep into Manchukuo more and more as time passed, and the locals have no power to resist it. Farmlands were taken away from local farmers and given to Japanese immigrants, while inhuman experiments were being conducted by the infamous Unit 731 near Harbin. Although Emperor Puyi has heard of the worrying African flu spreading all around the world, he paid it no mind, as he thought that his Japanese overlords would handle it for him. The only thing on his mind is how he wanted to flog his servants after this bout ended. ​

​

 

[Pat]

The Reich annexes Austria, the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia, and Memel of Lithuania into itself in 1938 and 1939, the former in 1938, and the latter two in 1939, respectively, without bloodshed through means of diplomacy backed by threat of force, using the habitation of ethnic Germans within both of the relevant territories of the three nations and the reclamation of German land lost in the humiliating Treaty of Versailles in the latter country as justification for its aggressive actions on the international stage. Catapulted into the highest popularity of his rule, Adolf Hitler declares during his victory tour amidst the deafening roar of the celebratory crowds that he will see to it all Germans live in Germany, and all territory stolen and kept from the fatherland will no longer be allowed to be denied to it by foreign powers to tumultuous applause. In addition, in exchange for Danzig and the corridor separating East Prussia from the Reich, Bohemia and Moravia of what remains of Czechoslovakia is ceded over to the Kingdom of Poland once all national assets are absorbed and all new German citizens are sent westwards to their ancestral homeland, reuniting over ten million Germans with the country lost to them since the Great War.

Midair refueling technologies and techniques are researched and perfected by the Luftwaffe. Additionally, Enigma operating procedures are reviewed and systematically improved along with the accompanying hardware to truly become an unbreakable secure means of communication throughout all branches of the Wehrmacht. Finally, body armor initiatives are undertaken to give a compelling edge to soldiers defending the fatherland in infantry combat. These bold projects are expected to achieve appreciable progress by an approximate date of the year of 1941.

 

[Blorf]

Empire of Great Japan

1936​

As the virus appeared out of thin air in the far southern corners of the world, the Emperor and the military ignored it, except for cutting off immigration and visitation from those infected parts of Australia and South Africa. While the rest of the world began time and resource consuming research on this 'red virus', the Japanese focused more on internal stability via propaganda and military parades throughout every territory under Japanese control. While intimidating for some, the parades were not ones of oppression but ones of pure and simple power and propaganda: the parades were even divided in to sections based on ethnicity to show 'co-operation and peace' between the various Chinese groups and the Japanese. The message of the propaganda posters and speeches were clear: The lesser nations of the west wasted their time on a virus that had only affected some of their colonies, while strong Japan and her allies are being shown divine favor and are guided by the Emperor to remain unaffected thus far.

Development continues in all sections of the military, with the IJA strong on the Home Islands, Manchukuo, and other Chinese territory and puppets, and the IJN clearly being the dominant naval force in the Pacific.

The news of there being an evacuation in the southern Philippines, however, makes the government quite worried. The Emperor, in a strange yet sensible move, officially assigns a couple of researchers to this virus to work with western researchers and report findings to the government, but simultaneously blocks news of sending researchers to the Japanese public. The Empire wishes to ooze confidence in its superiority over the treacherous colonizers, and admitting worry about the virus before it neared its borders would do any good.

 

[pilgrim_]

Russia
1936-1940 Policies



​

Applause marks each month's new declaration- the 1936 reforms of the Supreme Soviet- the legislative body of the Union- have given the people power! Particular ethnic groups are now represented in any lawmaking or decisions, as well as every 300,000 people being accounted for by a deputy. These congresses "remove the notion that the Presidium is any sort of false tyrant," claims the General Secretary Stalin, "and reinstate the responsibility of the proletariat."

Given the rising threat of infection and the potential for the virus to harm food production (one of several priorities on the Soviet list), a number of work camps have been established around vulnerable areas, particularly around the southern portion of the country, filled with "undesirables" and common criminals. This has been done to assist in producing materials for troops in certain areas, as well as gathering raw minerals and coal, who will die in place of unfortunate Soviet citizens should the infection arrive- which, given its proximity in India and China, is a real possibility and a concern voiced by the Soviet leadership. To this end, borders must be secured, as outlined in a number of official policies.

After the relocation of "Aryans", primarily ethnic Germans (for a long negotiated, undisclosed sum), major borders have been fully closed, and Soviet scientists working on the Philippine Crisis have signed contracts, agreeing to "Containment Policy" - should they fear infection, they should flee and seek asylum in a country, with a month long validation period to ensure they are not infected before being allowed to enter.
In regards to this, several countries close to the Union, primarily India and Turkey, have been instructed to maintain "strong border policy" given the Kremlin's "lack of support in case of any refugee waves or disease crisis".

Although confidential, the government's understanding of the virus has risen to unexpected levels, permitting research in other areas. Military research for a "large-scale" weapons program has been half complete, and should be finished by 1943 according to Kremlin estimates. Other research, if being carried out, is either too early to declare or unsuccessful at this point in time.

Multiple divisions, grouped under the Field Marshal Meretskov as the First Eastern Front, were allocated as part of the security policy, to the aforementioned region. The Manchurian border is expected to field several more armies, numbering a total of 400,000 men- including cavalry groups, regular infantry/construction troops, and light artillery. An air patrol made up of I-16s and Tupolev SBs demonstrated to troops the new containment doctrine- to eliminate illegal elements and allow for support before engaging themselves. These older planes are being maintained as reserves, however, since IP-1 fighters and Ilyushin DB-3s have been developed for training in the area. Military exercises have been strict for the Far Eastern troops, though the Kremlin has stated "there is no interest... in the Manchurian territories, and any such claims are paranoia discrediting our disciplined army".

​

 

[Nyq]

Manchukuo
1936​

Proposed Manchurian High Speed Railway, Binbei Line

A couple of architects surveyed a patch of land between Bei'an and Harbin, writing down their notes as they did so. A new military railway is to be built here by the South Manchuria Railway Company(Also known as Mantetsu), separate from the Manchukuo National Railway. This new railway, known as the Manchurian High Speed Railway, caters only to the military, and is only built to prepare Manchukuo for a war with the Soviet Union. It is also an experiment inspired by the high speed railway projects of Europe, with theoretical speeds reaching up to 130 km/h, slightly faster than the Asia Express, the fastest train in Asia at the moment. The whole railway is planned to be electrified, which justified yet another experiment by the Mantetsu, which will touched upon later. The Manchurian High Speed Railway is planned to stretch from Dalian to cities near the Soviet border like Manzhouli, Heihe, Hegang, Hutou, Suifenhe and Tumen, and once it's finished, it could transport troops from the southern lands of Manchuria, where the Kwantung army is stationed at, to the Soviet border within a day. Thousands of workers would work on the railway after the surveying is complete, which is projected to be completed around December 1937.


In order to increase the total electricity output of the state without building new power plants, the Mantetsu has purchased fifteen wind turbines from American companies and installed them in Liaoning as an experiment, linking them up with the existing power grid for the cities to enjoy the surplus of electricity. While this experiment was ongoing, the company has also decided to invest funds into the research of more efficient electricity generation methods. The Manchuria Airplane Manufacturing Company has also begun research into an improved airliner, as the available ones currently could only transport 6 passengers at a time. On the other hand, the Dowa Automobile Company has begun research into an improved electric car to decrease reliance on petroleum within the nation. However, breakthroughs wouldn't be expected to come soon.


Hearing of the virus outbreak in the Philippines, the Manchukuo government followed Japan's footsteps in banning visits and immigrants from the infected parts of the world. Not much is done about the virus however, as not much is known about it. However, the government saw fit to block all news of the virus from the public to prevent mass panic. Any visitors from Southeast Asia and Australia is also put into a week long quarantine before they were allowed to enter the country. Despite all the measure taken by the government to prevent the virus from making it's way into Manchukuo, no one in the government actually thinks the virus is going to make it that far. In fact, if you ask any officer working in the quarantine zones, they'll respond by saying: "It'll be like all the other plagues the Westerners are so hyped up about. It'll just infect some people, people make a fuss about it, then everything will be just fine. Nothing to worry about."


Meanwhile, a division of soldiers from the aptly named Manchukuo Imperial Army(MIA) went MIA after being sent to quell the Chinese guerrillas in Heilongjiang. The force went out of contact briefly after they started engaging the guerillas, and were never heard of again. But there were some disturbing rumors circulating within the Manchukuo command that they, just like their compatriots before them, surrendered and joined the enemy instead. However, the truth will probably never be known to the authorities.​

 

[RIPSaidCone]

The United States of America
1936

With the African Flu, now having been renamed by the U.S. Government to simply the 'Red Virus' continuing to spread at an uncontrollable pace throughout the southern hemisphere. The United States military has been ordered and funded to begin an exponential amount of growth in-order to respond to both increasing militarization from other states across the globe and the threat of the virus' spread to the southern United States, with the first signs of the Red Virus beginning to spread throughout South and Central America and the Virus already having progressed to the southern border of Mexico with seemingly no intention to stop. As such, the United States has closed its southern border for good, deploying the National Guard from several states to the border to prevent Mexican refugees from fleeing north, and potentially carrying the virus with them into the American homeland.

Across the Atlantic Ocean in secret however, a very different kind of deal is being made, as the Office of National Defense Against the Red Virus had met with both Prime Ministers of Australia, New Zealand and Japan to discuss the possibility of a large-scale evacuation of Australia and New Zealand, as the Red Virus had begun to consume the entirety of those two southern nations in recent months, and with President Roosevelt having stated the U.S. Government's willingness to house these Australian and Kiwi refugees Japan was brought in to discuss furthering relations between the United States and Japan by splitting the refugees 50/50 to lessen the load on each nation individually. However President Roosevelt due to having to deal with matters of homeland defense was not in attendance at the signing of the now-dubbed Australasia Accords, which determined that whenever possible, that the nations of Japan and the United States would cooperate to reform an independent nation for the now millions of displaced Australians and New Zealanders, who have already begun evacuating the island en-masse.

Meanwhile the United States Army has begun an incredible push for new recruits, which are coming in the hundreds of thousands already as what could even be considered war propaganda is spread out across the nation, calling the public attention to the spread of the Red Virus and its approach towards the American border. With the US economy slowly but surely being revitalized for a massive militarization effort, the United States Navy to begin growing in a pace of up to a thousand ships being produced a year as the hope, though these ships will primarily be transportation vessels used to ferry both supplies to allied nations and refugees to the United States as during an address to Congress, President Roosevelt spoke of "the unmeasurable suffering imposed on the peoples of the world by this horrific and relentless disease" and that "as Americans we should always stand up for these people in need and extend a much needed hand of friendship" this speech having been the build up to his announcement of the evacuation of Australia and New Zealand, which had not yet been made officially public.​

 

[Kersey]

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1936

The Governor-Generals of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the British Raj are instructed to begin/support the immediate evacuation of all non-essential British subjects to Great Britain, Ireland, and Canada, with nearly a thousand vessels of the Royal Navy rerouted to assist in this monumental task. The Viceroy of the British Raj, Victor Alexander John Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow, is directed to contain the red virus by any means necessary, commencing with the expansion of the British Indian Army from 205,000 men to 2.5 million and its deployment to the presidencies of Madras and Travancore. Following the actions of the Americans, gas masks are issued to all British soldiers deployed in affected regions; older models such as the black veil respirator, hypo helmet, and phg helmet are issued to Indian soldiers due to shortages.

His Majesty, Edward VIII, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, chooses to delay his abdication and marriage with the support of the prime minister, The Right Honorable Stanley Baldwin, in order to preserve the stability of the British Crown in the eyes of its subjects during these trying times. His Majesty The King addresses the world on 11 December 1936, affirming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's commitment to combating the virus.

 

[Nyq]

Manchukuo
1937​

Lushunkou

Yet another ship filled with refugees arrived in the ports of Lushunkou, with hundreds of refugees looking eagerly towards their new home. Once they arrived at the port, they would be greeted by guards wearing thick linen full-body suits and donning gas masks, before being ushered into one of the various quarantine centres set up in the region before they can actually enter Manchukuo. Any person showing signs of the African flu would be burned alive within their quarantine cells, along with everything that is inside. After a week long quarantine, they would be sent on their way to Harbin to aid in the development of the city, after receiving a medical check up and having certification that they are free from any contagious diseases that is. Most of these refugees hail from Southeast Asia, coming from the French Indochina, Siam, British Malaya, Borneo, and the Dutch East Indies. A few residents of the British Raj can also be seen among the refugees, but most of them are Burmese in origin. All of these refugees are allowed to enter Manchukuo under the 'Asian People's Refuge' program, a program that calls for Asian peoples around the world abandoned by their European colonizers to flee to Manchukuo to escape the African Flu, which continues to devastate the Southern Hemisphere even as more refugees arrive at Lushunkou. Some of the wealthier citizens of the nations had volunteered for their ships to be used to transport the refugees to Manchukuo to secure favour from the government, while some of the wealthier refugees used their own ships to flee to the nation. Some of the more enterprising ones even began selling tickets for other refugees to board their ships as they flee their homeland. Meanwhile, the government struggles to expand the quarantine zone as more and more refugees arrive, creating a situation where ships are forced to wander the waters as the docks are full with refugee-filled ships waiting for their turn to be quarantined. In order to handle the refugee crisis, the government has begun work on creating more quarantine zones in other port cities, such as Jinxi and Yingkou, to allow admission of more refugees. A coastal guard has also been set up on the coasts of Manchukuo to prevent refugees from attempting to swim up to the shores and avoid quarantine. These guards are ordered to shoot on sight with no exceptions. To further avoid the risk of contamination, all fishing activities are ordered to be suspended until further notice, with the only ships allowed to leave being government sanctioned ships that takes extreme precautions to stay uncontaminated. These ships are mostly either ships on diplomatic visits, or shipping to Japan, and they are still subject to quarantine when they return. Curfews are also enforced around the country, with guards ordered to detain anyone that is outdoors during curfew. Border security is with the Soviet Union, Mongolia, and China is also strengthened.

Quarantine zones are also set up in Gubeikou and Shanhaiguan to accept refugees from China, which is considerably fewer than those from Southeast Asia, as it still seems unlikely that the virus would spread over. The fact that there's a lot of space in China to flee to, the unawareness of the Chinese populace towards the virus, as well as Manchukuo's dismal reputation also contributed to the difference in refugee amounts. Although border is still full with refugees fleeing the plague in Southeast China, it is not as bad as the situation in the ports. However, the wealthier ones that arrive immediately begin funding factories in the Harbin region, some even heading deep into rebel-controlled Heilongjiang, never to be seen by the authorities again. While suspicious, the government simply noted them as 'missing persons', as they had more important stuff to do than to find people heading into rebel-controlled zones.

On the Korean border, quarantine zones are also being set up for any immigrant that wishes to head into Manchukuo, including those of Japanese origin, as the risk of contamination was too great to simply allow them free access into the region. However, for the quarantine zones on the Korean border, the execution of infected citizens was considerably more merciful, with guards shooting the infected dead before burning the corpse, as well as anything within the cell, into ashes.


Meanwhile, the government, having noted that the so-called 'African Flu' is growing out of control, had sent researchers to cooperate with Japan in matters regarding the virus. Some concerned botanical and zoological enthusiasts, noting the virus' tendency to kill every living thing it comes across, had formed the 'Manchurian Life-Preservation League' and gotten permission from the government to head over to the regions in Southeast Asia at risk of infection to study, and potentially bring back some salvageable species from those areas. They are their cargo would still be subject to quarantine when they return for obvious reasons.


On another note, the Manchurian High Speed Railway has finished construction in May of 1937, seven months before it was expected to. The MHSR was immediately put to use to transport troops over to the Soviet border to strengthen border security. Entire divisions of the MIA were brought to the border from the Liaoning region within a day or two, where they prepare to stand guard against anything that might come over from the Soviet border, but in reality, they are more likely to flee from anything that came over the border than to actually stand ground.


On matters of research, some progress was made on producing Manchukuo's own wind turbines, and blueprints of a new airliner has been drawn. A prototype airliner would be constructed in the following months and it's capabilities tested. However, progress on electric cars had been slow, and the Dowa Automobile Company has purchased the La Jamais Contente from the French to aid their research. Research into more efficient mass transit was conducted by the Mantetsu as the MHSR has been completed. Noting the threat that the virus poses, the government has also ordered research into better hazmat suits to minimize the chances of infection for medical personnel.


In Harbin, more factories had been constructed as a part of an initiative to improve the nation's heavy industry sector. Production of heavy weapons, aircraft, automobiles among others have been improved as a result, as the nation continues to prepare itself for the worse to come. More land is cleared for farms, and the fact that the virus is spreading over the tropical and subtropical regions had caused the more entrepreneurial citizens to begin planting flax to prepare for the inevitable cotton shortage.

Development in Harbin had also led to the discovery of a massive oil field in the region. The government immediately ordered for all development in the region to be ceased while prospectors were sent to evaluate the oil field. It is also deemed necessary for a new company to be founded to handle the increased oil export, so the Manchurian Oil Company was founded, with the Mantetsu owning up to 50 percent of the stock. An oil refinery was constructed right nearby the oil field to process the oil before it was exported to Japan. However, it isn't likely for it to start working before the oil could actually be extracted, as Manchurian technology proved inadequate to extract the oil at the moment.


In Heilongjiang, the MIA continues to try defeating the infamous Ma Zhan Shan and his rebels, but recently, his forces had grown in strength, being more formidable in battle against the MIA troops. The trend of the MIA surrendering and joining the enemy continues, albeit lessened as their increased training had slightly increased the discipline of the soldiers.​

 

[Pat]

The German Reich institutes the greatest measures yet in ensuring the territories that constitutes its dominion over europe are populated solely by aryans in the coming generations by dramatically stepping up existent policies in encouraging acceptable racial unions to bear as many offspring as possible, allowing the largest families of the fatherland to become among some of the richest as well. To great controversy, some mandatory procreation laws are put into effect, the most notable of which being the two child policy that decrees every couple that is able to conceive must birth at least two children. Additionally, in light of the growing concerns worldwide as a result of the African Flu, the Führer, Adolf Hitler, proclaims any aryans are welcome in Germany, and begins to instruct his subordinates to work closely with foreign officials to bring as many aryan refugees and orphans into the country as possible once sufficient interviews and wellness tests are passed within specialized quarantined immigration centers. And at last, polygyny is quietly legalized with a mutual understanding between the regime and its citizens who choose to undertake such an unusual form of marriage are subsequently subject to: having much more children than the national average for a family and being watched by Schutzstaffel personnel to ensure both the continued cooperation of the aforementioned party and to stop the potential of negative irregular familial behaviors and disturbing social deviances before they even occur.

The German Reich makes a staggering offer of 200,000,000 Reichsmarks to the Kingdom of Denmark for the province of Northern Schleswig, in addition to its unprofitable colonies of Greenland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. Upon acceptance, divisions of the Wehrmacht and elements of the Schutzstaffel deploy into the acquired territories to ensure a smooth transition of power takes place.

Subhuman recruitment efforts into all branches of the military begins in every ghetto and labor camp. While generally considered a distasteful decision by the rank and file and the wider populace of Germany they serve, the lesser races are seen as a thousand more times expendable than those of aryan ancestry by the unempathetic high command of the Wehrmacht and the leadership of the Nazi Party alike, despite the widespread belief of their inferiority as soldiers. While usually relegated to non-combat roles in order to free up yet more aryans for combat duties, several divisions solely comprised of the undesirables are created. As a result, conscription for the Nordic peoples of the Reich comes to an end and is instead instituted for the non-citizenry. Those who manage to survive their minimal period of a decade (if having served voluntarily with distinction) will in addition to the momentary benefits their family receives during their deployments across the world will be allowed to live segregated with their loved ones from the rest of society and granted generous pensions payments for the rest of their days.

 

[pilgrim_]

Russia
1937

​

Behind the Volga River, numerous infantry divisions crawled in a large column as part of an operation to deploy near India, at the narrow Afghan-Soviet border in response to a request by the British government to take a large refugee outflow. Seven mixed-arms Rifle Corps chained supply from previous fortifications, organising a general headquarters 200km from the border. Mechanised divisions were used to help clear the area, or assist in supplying the movement of the eight million fleeing the plague that has hit south India.

A minor setback was encountered during this operation, however, when an uprising backed by Muslim Turk rebels shook tensions in the Chinese province of Xinjiang (also known as Tunganistan), attempting to declare themselves "free of Communist influence, to carry jihad to India and Siberia". Given Soviet interests in the region and the stability of South Asia, a detachment of 5,000 infantry, supported by large transport planes and a squadron of biplane fighters- arrived around summer, August, to fight the Turk rebels.

Following harsh travel conditions, the detachment pushed through initial resistance easily- after flatter terrain was covered, and combat retreated to more irregular ground, air support became a dependency. Military intelligence rumoured that the leader, Ma Hushan, may escape to British India, but air units remained in regular action in Xinjiang.
This slow attack pattern was broken when a disguised group of Soviet-supporting provincial troops attacked the rebels, helping Russian troops apprehend a minor commander and several officers. All were executed, along with any surviving foot soldiers.

After surrounding the remaining enclaves of jihadists, it had in fact turned out military intelligence was relatively correct as to Ma's plan, since he had entirely disappeared from the region. All bodies of the Turkic rebels were burned for "security reasons" by Soviet officers.

Talks with the Chinese government produced a provisional government, as opposed to a Soviet-supportive one. This was given to "ensure Chinese cooperation in Soviet efforts to unify as many nations as possible in withstanding the so-called African Flu". 550 of the new Il-4 planes and 500 IL-15 biplane fighters have been allocated to the Indian Front, while 700 Il-4s are expected to reach the Far Eastern Front in 1938, along with 500 more Il-15s and 100 I-16s. To this end, the forces in the East have risen to 600,000 , counting engineers' divisions.

 

[Nyq]

Manchukuo
1937

Hsinking

The night in Hsinking was as silent as it can be. Faint footsteps could be heard coming from the streets if you're paying enough attention, otherwise, the city sounds just like a ghost city at night. The curfew starting from a few months ago killed all night time activities in the city, if there was any to begin with. However, it also provided a golden chance for Li and his comrades in the Tiandihui. Despite the seemingly strict patrols in the city, Li knew that the Japanese officers in the Kwantung Army wouldn't bother enough to actually patrol the streets themselves. In fact.they were all stationed on the Soviet border, with only a small token force actually stationed within the city, while their 'Manchurian' underlings did all the hard work for them. For months, Li and his comrades were planning on a massive night time operation throughout all of Manchuria, striking all major cities at once in a fell swoop. The Tiandihui has spent months painstakingly arranged for defected MIA officers to be on patrol duty at night, while contacting General Ma Zhan Shan in Heilongjiang to ask for support, as well as coordinate their movements for this massive operation dubbed as Operation Assassin. While the Tiandihui and it's paramilitary strikes the cities, General Ma would lead a massive assault on the Manchukuo armies stationed in Heilongjiang, making it seem like a massive Soviet assault. Having possession of Soviet equipment and training does make it easier to fake it, and the cowardice of the MIA would only aid the operation. After months worth of efforts, Li and his comrades had finally seen the day where all of their plans came into fruition. A few hours before the actual execution of the plan, he and his soldiers were hiding in the buildings around the city, reviewing the plan over and over as they wait for the sun to set.

Knowing that he had nothing to do at the moment, Li went ahead and talked to one of his lieutenants, who greeted him with a smile on his face. "Greetings, commander. It's a fine day isn't it?" Li noted the excitement that was practically oozing out of him. After all, this is the day they would be liberating their homeland from it's Japanese oppressors. "So, how's the preparations going, Zhang?" nodded Li before he said. "Everything's been going on fine, commander. At this pace, we would take Manchuria before the Japs even notice it. It's like the heavens themselves are helping us." replied the man. "Great, now it's just having to wait until night time. Damn, the sun seems like it really doesn't want to set today." Li took a seat on a vacant chair and stared out of the window, looking at the slowly setting sun. "Yeah, it is moments like these that time seems to pass slower than usual." Zhang said as he took the seat beside Li. The two of them drank cups of tea as they continued their small talk right before the big event. "Damn, that's some good tea, where did you get it, commander?" Zhang sipped some of his tea and asked. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. The lavishness of the puppet government had always been astounding, even as the common folk had been struggling to even feed themselves." Li also took a sip from his cup before replying. "So, you stole it?" Zhang's question elicited a slight nod from Li, who answered. "I also had some bottles of expensive wine in my house, we should open it after this operation. Think of it as a celebration of sorts." The conversation went silent for a few seconds. "You know what, I'm not questioning it." said Zhang before both of them burst out laughing. Just as their small talk went on, the sun had finally set, with the two men admiring how the sun looks like a massive salted egg yolk. "You know what, after this, I'll go get myself some salted egg porridge." said Li just before the sun has fully set and the skies turned dark.

With the arrival of the cold dark night, soldiers started walking on the streets to enforce curfew, while Li gave his men the signal to start. Tiandihui soldiers rushed out of their hiding spots, with some patrolling officers expecting their arrival and knocking out their loyalist companions before letting the soldiers through. Li dashed onto the streets of Hsinking holding a rifle of Japanese make, nodding at one of those defected officers who was dragging an unconscious loyalist officer into the alleys before he moved on. Elsewhere throughout Manchuria, similar scenes happened all over the southern cities, some of them even having fallen into the hands of the Tiandihui just as Li and his men made their way into the Kwantung Army's barracks. Meanwhile, General Ma had launched a massive assault at the Manchukuo armies garrisoned at the Soviet border. Defectors within the MIA quickly began sabotaging their comrades just as the Heilongjiang rebels closed in on their camps. Weapons and supplies were hid away, the barbed wire surrounding the Manchukuo camps were cut, and scouts returning to report the sudden rebel incursion were assassinated before they could bring the news to the officers. The sabotage, coupled with the shock and confusion of the Manchukuo armies, quickly caused the MIA to collapse and retreat from the border, with only a couple of troops, emboldened by the presence of Kwantung Army officers around them, continuing to resist them. The Kwantung Army would then hastily move towards Heilongjiang to pacify the rebellion. General Ma then led his troops across the Soviet border, expecting the Kwantung Army to just give up and return to their stations.


A few Kwantung army officers stood before the gates of the Kwantung Army garrison in Hsinking, expecting a normal night to pass by before they can return to their duties. However, that wouldn't be the case for them. A couple of Manchukuo officers jogged towards them, with panicked looks on their faces. One of the guards halted the Manchukuo officers. "Halt! Spit it out or fuck off immediately before we bash out rifles onto your pathetic faces!" The officers replied in their shabby Japanese. "Si....Sir! We....we have very bad news!" Displeased by the fact that their peaceful night is disrupted by what is probably something petty that the shitty Manchukuo army couldn't handle, a guard stomped towards them and punched an officer in the gut. "You fucking bitch, piece of crap can't even handle something fucking petty! Now, fuck off and do your jobs before I stick my bayonet...." The guard never managed to finish his sentence, for a blade was stuck in his throat as he gurgled. The Manchukuo officers began dashing towards the guardsmen, who were still too shocked to react. "You insolent..." one of them barely managed to form a reply before his throat was slit on the spot. Once the guards had been dealt with, their bodies would be dragged into alleys while their uniforms were donned by Tiandihui officers, who would use it to infiltrate the Kwantung Army barracks. Alarm systems were turned off, and patrolling officers within the barracks would be dragged into dark corners before having a blade jammed into their spines. Then, the Tiandihui army dashed into the barracks, arresting all of the sleeping officers on the spot. Those who attempted to resist were shot dead on the spot, for the soldiers had no sympathy for their oppressors. Fortunately, most of the token force left behind was too sleepy to actually resist.

Li and Zhang surveyed the captured officers with a look of disdain on their faces as their men were busy confiscating the equipment of the Kwantung Army. "Damn, the shock on their faces were nice to look at." said Zhang with a vague hint of amusement in his voice, eliciting a smile on Li's face. "I still can't believe it worked. So, what now, commander?" The smile on Li's face immediately vanished at Zhang's question. "I don't know, Zhang. My fear is that our comrades didn't succeed in their operations, and we would be immediately set upon by the Japs." Zhang laughed. "Come on, commander, we can worry about that in the future. My only concern is whether we are going on our own, or pledge our loyalties to Nanjing. I really don't want to fucking serve Chiang though, if my opinion is a counted that is. Also, we might have a little too much captives for us to handle, maybe we should hand some over to General Ma, he probably knows what to do with them." While Zhang spoke, a realization dawned upon Li. "Maybe we should try to negotiate with the Japs, they would want their men back." "Really, commander? I don't think they would be happy with our little uprising." replied Zhang. "Well, it doesn't hurt to at least try."

"Before you go and do your thing, commander. Are we fucking serving Chiang?"


A few hours later, Li and the higher ranking members of the Tiandihui sat around a table, discussing the various paths of action they could take after the success of Operation Assassin. A heated debate has occurred between the Tiandihui members regarding their future: some of them want Manchuria to return to the rule of the Nanjing government, while some wanted full independence, there's also a minority that desires a communist government under the rule of the CPC. The dispute remains unsettled even as Li walked out of the room to address his men. However, a consensus was reached to establish a provisional government at the time being and to negotiate with Japan and the Soviet Union for their independence to be recognized, as the military strength of both nations remains superior when compared to the new state. The Northeast Provisional Government was set up by Li and his comrades, and the Northeast State Army was set up by the new government, comprised of the Tiandihui's paramilitary. Telegrams were sent to both Japan and the Soviet Union, calling for negotiations between the states.

On the other hand, the former Emperor of Manchukuo, Puyi was captured by the Tiandihui and paraded on the streets alongside the captured Kwantung Army officers for all to see. Despite the best efforts by the Northeast State Army to control the angry populace, a horde of angry civilians still broke through the line and start hitting the Emperor with an assorted array of 'weapons', ranging from brooms to hammers. The screams of the once prestigious 'ruler' were overshadowed by the yelling of the angry populace, who cursed and insulted the Emperor while they vigorously hacked him into pieces. Once the people were done with him, the Emperor's body lay in pieces on the streets on Hsinking. The first army officers that went to recover the body were disgusted by the gory scene being presented in front of them and retched on the spot. The body was eventually burnt to ashes as no one wants to even touch the meat chunks that was the Emperor. The smell of cooked meat that permeated the streets after that was something that couldn't be easily forgotten by those who were forced to oversee the impromptu cremation, many of which later became vegetarians. The captive officers would be then shoved into hastily built prison camps, with the higher ranking officers being 'privileged' enough to actually earn a cell in the Hsinking prison. However, those that cooperated with the Japanese aren't as fortunate, as they were not needed for the impending negotiations. Those within the Concordia Association, as well as those that worked with them, were branded as Hanjian, traitors to the Chinese race, and mercilessly hunted down by the new state. Oftentimes, any Hanjian that was found was immediately shot on the spot, and their bodies were immediately cremated. Soon after, Li would announce to the populace that the Northeast Provisional Government is officially established, with himself being the president of said government, and his comrades taking up various branches of the government. As part of an agreement with the Heilongjiang rebels, General Ma would be appointed as the Defense Minister of the state, even though he wasn't in Hsinking to actually begin fulfilling his duties. However, official celebrations wouldn't begin, at least until negotiations were done.​

 

[Pat]

Berlin is redesigned from the ground up to become more resistant to the spreading of the African Flu, a one mile lifeless perimeter surrounded by a five meter wall lined in watchtowers being created around the city limits for this purpose. Unnecessary parks and flora are removed, public sanitation is fanatically improved, bunkers possessing decontamination facilities are built within the underground, and the populace is made aware of how to safely and properly combat disease by a plethora of government civil defense organizations. An ongoing project without an end date, similar reforms are expected to be undertaken throughout the Reich's most important cities in order to prepare them for what is increasingly viewed as not only a threat to the existence of the Aryan people, but humanity as well.

Self-sufficiency efforts begin throughout the German Reich in order to prepare it to shut itself off from the rest of the world, expected to be feasible by the coming of 1942. The highest agricultural subsidies in the world are given to farmers, doubly so in Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands, in addition to the levying of high tariffs on organic imports from foreign countries to further bolster domestic growing of staples. Every family with the room for gardens are heavily encouraged to plant vegetables and fruits for their larder for the good of their race and fatherland. To further conserve supplies, drastic rationing measures are introduced; the most lenient aspects concerning food and basic luxuries for now, in order to later ensure Germany can endure a crisis lasting years in duration unaided and alone if need be.

A four meter seawall with occasional guard posts is constructed along the majority of the coast line by hundreds of thousands of forced laborers sourced from ghettos and camps across the country, a vision realized by the winter of 1941. Where river mouths empty out into the ocean, sophisticated dams with extensive redundant filtering systems and locks are created to ensure no infected organic material can successfully enter the nation by sea. Ports are one by one closed and integrated into the seawall with the exception of Hamburg, which remains open by necessity.

 

[Skyenagowa]

FINLAND​

In light of the African Flu, the government of Finland has made plans to not only grow its own population, but to aid southern nations, and peoples groups as well. Plans were drawn up, and voted on by both sides, to send the entire naval fleet, as well as a few merchant ships, shipping out from the capital city of Helsinki. The ships shall sail between Sweden and Denmark, an equal distance from each coast. All ships have been strict orders to not attack even if they themselves are under fire, and to instead, continue the journey to the southern state of Madagascar. Before the trek, however, both the President and Prime Minister are asking for negotiations to be held with Sweden and Denmark, to ensure both nations understand the intentions of the Finnish government.

The arduous journey will take the take the ships down to the southern tip of Madagascar. From there, they will double back, and stop at any friendly ports, along the way, for any refugees to board the convoy of vessels. Upon returning to the north, the ships shall make the same exact trip, between Sweden and Denmark, and shall dock in Helsinki. All refugees shall be given naturalized citizenship, and will be given room and board in any open house in the city of Helsinki and all nearby cities and towns. Refugees shall be given jobs in the mining, logging, and agriculture fields, in order to achieve a more sustainable economy for the nation.