Hearts of Iron: The Empire of Japan
August 19th, 1936 The New York Times Special Edition!
Republican forces now fighting in Nationalist Capitol!
Republican troops this week launched a surprise attack upon the Nationalist capitol in Burgos after several weeks of hard fighting in central and southern Spain as well as Barcelona. Since the initial Nationalist defeat in Madrid on July 18th, the Republican forces have gone on to take mile upon mile of Spanish country side as the Nationalists retreat towards there strongholds in the Northern part of the Iberian Peninsula.
While Republican forces captured the key central cities of Zaragoza and Valladolid in the month long offensive, the Southern front has turned into a massive slogging match between loyalist and rebel forces. The front line has solidified around the countryside near the cities of Badajoz and Albacete and shows no signs of letting up. Republican forces are however currently outnumbered with only three divisions in the fight against the Nationlists four. Soviet tankers are currently on route from Madrid and their presence may tip the balance on what so far has been a bloody southern front.
While the Nationalists still have the numbers in the south the same cannot be said in the north as the Nationalists are thought to be outnumbered at least two to one in the entire theater. General Jose Miaja has so far led a lightning assault upon rebel possessions in Central Spain and has begun the execution of any captured rebel officers, partly as many people believe, because of the August 1st slaughtered of as many as 2,000 POWs held by the Nationalist forces retreating from Barcelona.
Nationalist forces, lured into the now almost cut off area surrounding the city of Pamplona are now racing back towards their capitol of Burgos in full retreat. The Republican Air Force is bombing their path of retreat and near every bomb crater men can usually find the corpses of rebel soldiers, sometimes nothing remains of them save small pieces of clothing.
With three divisions now on the front door step of General Franco's doorstep it is only a matter of days before the rebel threat is crushed once and for all.
- Associated Press, Ernest Hemingway
"It seems you may have been wrong about the Nationalists General Togo. Their latest counterattack has been nothing short of magnificent. With the remaining Republican forces in the North cut off from the rest of the country they will fall quickly. It’s a shame however that General Franco took his own life before the counter attack bore fruit."
General Togo looked up a Field Marshall Hata after looking at the current map of Spain for several moments.
"I wouldn't call it a shame Hata, the man in retrospect just never had the ability to see it through, he was weak as most Europeans are. However this counter-offensive is most surprising. I thought the Nationalist forces in Spain were finished after the Southern front collapsed upon them after that Republican general...what was his name?"
"General Barceto, Sir."
"Yes, after General Barceto led the Republican reserve forces behind enemy lines and encircled them, without the supplies from the read they were as good as done. The attacks in the North were most unheard of however, the Republican forces have lost just about everything they gained in their initial advance upon Burgos and now they may even lose Madrid itself. I wouldn't have thought it possible even a month ago. But enough of the Spanish Civil War, the conflict is on the other side of the world. General Kotohito, I have been told that your commanders have recently perfected a new infantry defensive doctrine?"
"Yes General Togo, this new practice which we call Deep Area Defense takes into account the new kinds of armored warfare that our infantry may encounter in the future, particularly against Russia if we come to arms against them. To counter this armored threat it has been decided that the infantry should develop a series of defensible hardpoints, equipped with anti-tank guns and other heavier weapons from which we can counter the enemies attacks."
"Excellent work General. Any new news on the situation in Manchukuo? The attack date is approaching fast Kotohito."
"The situation has remained the same for several months now General Togo and we are only awaiting a valid reason to invade the country. By December however we should have the entire country under our command."
"Well then seeing as we have nothing left to discuss, it seems this meeting is over."
October 19th, 1936 The New York Times Special Edition!
Republican Forces Launch Surprise Counter-Attack, remaining Nationalist forces collapse under attacks!
A month ago the cause seemed almost hopeless for the democratic Republican forces in the Iberian Peninsula. Now the situations are totally reversed, the Republicans hold the initiative and the Nationalists are once again close to defeat at the hands of the legitimate government.
Not even forty-five days ago the situation wasn't nearly as hopeful for the Republicans. Advancing rebel forces had cut off the northern part of the country and Barcelona and the remaining Basque areas were set to fall to the fascists. In the south the Nationalists had salvaged their forces in a small way and still held the city of Seville.
With the Nationalist forces on the very doorstep of Madrid again word began reaching the troops that their leader, General Franco took his own life over a week before at the height of the assault upon Burgos. The moral now broken for the Nationalists, a critical mistake was made. The now fractured communication system for the rebels allowed the Republican forces to retake the now critical area around Zaragoza, linking up with the trapped forces in Burgos. With men now available the forces wheel south and attack the Spanish plains around Valladolid and Salamanca, taking out the defending Nationalists. However with the defenses now lowered in Burgos the Nationalists retake their capitol city. While Burgos is lost the Republican forces trapped in a pocket North of the front lines retake the rest of the Basque countryside and its important factories and resources. The drive continues along the coastline ended up in Vigo in early October and the remaining Nationalist fleet is forcibly put to sea, it cannot link up with the rest of the rebel fleet as the Republicans have installed a naval blockade of the Straights of Gibralter. (I've never seen the A.I. make any kind of a naval blockade so far. They've been sitting there for several weeks!)
An assault of Seville started October 8th and still rages the last of the rebel forces are close to surrender and no form of naval rescue has been sent. In the north the Republican pocket is almost relieved as the lone armored Nationalist division is outnumbered two to one on the Mediterranean coast leading to Barcelona. A fresh assault too has begun just hours ago upon the Nationalist capitol itself. Heavy air fighting can be heard near the city itself and round the clock bombing of Nationalist areas has been reported by Republican wounded being shifted to the rear.
With October half over Republican officials are publicly hoping that the war may be over within the month.
- Associated Press, Ernest Hemingway
November 13th, 1936 The New York Times Special Edition!!!
WAR IN SPAIN OVER!!!
After almost five months of hard fought battles in the Iberian Peninsula the Nationalist forces have finally capitulated. The capitol of Burgos fell just hours ago and with it most of the remaining senior military leaders left from the rebellions start were either killed in the battle or executed thereafter. When news reached Nationalist forces in Pamplona and Leida they collapsed and started to retreat and at once the way to Barcelona was reopened to Republican forces after weeks of siege by the fascists. Seville in the south capitulated just hours ago not knowing that the capitol in Burgos had fallen and the remaining three thousand fascist defenders were hung and otherwise executed by the victorious Republican forces. The remaining troops still loyal to the fascist military regime surrendered yesterday in their last stronghold - the mountains surrounding Pamplona.
With the rebellion now over Spain can now look forward with its democratic government towards a better Europe.
- Associated Press, Ernest Hemingway