part 6

1941
A year has passed and Europe is under the iron heals of Germany with Africa under control of the allies and Norway a divided front much can change with Germany beginning to send military aid toward Italy and the Vichy French now members of the axis the war is only beginning to heat up , with the British having not to fear any battle of Britain the begin to focus toward srengting their holdings in Asia together with their strong allies the free Dutch and French the prepare to face a hungry juggernaut called Japan.

January 1 Germany begins negotiations with Bulgaria to allow German troops to use Bulgaria as a springboard for their attack on Greece.

January 3 The last of the Luftwaffe’s X Fliegerkorps arrives in Italy to support Italy’s air force battling British bombers.

January 6 The Luftwaffe launches its first attacks against British convoys bound for Malta and begins assisting Italy’s air force one raids against Malta ( the bombings on Malta are more heavily then in otl with Mussolini wanting revenche fore the British raids and hoping that maybe Malta will surrender giving Italy a springboard to retake Libya). Churchill request that troops to be released from garrison duties in Libya and sent to Greece and to replace them with free French troops.

January 10 Germany and the Soviet Union sign a fresh treaty, which recognises their existing spheres of influence and affirms current trade agreements ( everything what happened in otl has happened here but Stalin believes Germany is to weak to take him on). Roosevelt introduces his 'Lend Lease' bill to the House of Representatives as House Resolution after recognising that neither the members of the BFD or China could continue paying indefinitely for material supplied (with this all members of the BFD receive much needed aid without paying them something both the Dutch indie and free French need to support their colony’s and to strengting themselves against the tread of Japan).

January 11 Hitler confirms in Directive No 22 his intentions to send military support to the Italians in Albania. The operation is to be named Alpine Violets.

January 13 Hitler demands that Bulgaria joins the Tripartite pact, but the Bulgarians play for time hoping that if Greece wins the remain can neutral.

January 16 free French forces in Indochina launch an offensive against Thailand after numerous border provocations, but are unable to make much headway on land (this happened du the support Japan is giving towards Thailand and pro japans independence fighters based in Indochina because of that De Gaulle sent more then 30.000 troops to increase the already present forces there ) also the French inflict a naval defeat on Thai forces at Koh-Chang.

January 19 Hitler and Mussolini meet at Berchtesgaden, with Mussolini accepting German military help with deploying more Luftwaffe units in Italy in combating RAF raids and deploying a German army corps to strengthen Italy and to provide training to Italy army this units the army corps will be lead by general Rommel ( because Africa is already firmly in hands of the British and the free French Hitler believes sending a army corps will give him more control over the decisions of Italy and keep Mussolini on his side ).

January 29 In Washington, the US and British military leaders begin secret staff talks regarding co-ordination of a common war policy against Germany.

January 31 The Japanese intervene on behave of the Thai government and demand that free French stop ole hostilities between the free French and Thailand ,the French now the cant fight the japans fore now accept the cease fire ( as yet only 7.000 of the 30.00 reinforcements have arrived ).