War of Attrition
In Beijing Mao Zedong was carefully studying the situation of the frontline. He was happy that finally his Grand Plan had been put into action. Six months ago when Germans launched their campaign against Russia Mao had been very concerned. The might of the German army had seemed unmatchable. But now after the five party treaties in Shanghai and after the successful operations of English forces in the Western front the situation seemed like a perfect chance to gain considerable power in the Central Eurasia. Mao was sure that if he could defeat the Germans in the following months he could elevate China as the greatest power in the world.
To make his fantasy come true Mao had himself planned the offensive against German Empire. He called it as the Grand Plan. His plan was to wage a war of attrition against the German forces. He was sure that with the overwhelming numerical superiority, Chinese forces could deplete German armies and reserves. Some Chinese generals were opposing the plan because it used tactics wich were already obsolete. After carefully studying the two German campaigns, the Chinese generals were convinced that they too should use their forces in a same way, finding the weak spots on the defence line and pushing deep in the enemy territory with fast cavalry troops. But Mao was so obsessed with his plan, to destroy the whole German army in one big battle, that he didnt take any criticism and so the plan went ahead.
The Grand Plan was initially planned to begin on 16th of January but the movement of troops through Russia and keeping it all secret proved to take one extra month. The German offensive launched on 12th of February clearly signaled that the Grand Plan had been exposed to Germans but this didnt concern Mao anymore because he was sure of his victory.
In Berlin the general mood was gloomy. Some people still couldnt believe that the enemy was now closing on German borders and those who did where angry and felt betrayed by their leaders. Bismarck had promised to erect the German Empire in to its old glory but now it seemed that his actions were driving it into a final destruction. Bismarck had also promised peace after the enemies of German Empire had been dealt with but now the peace seemed like a distant dream. Even if the enemy could be stopped, there seemed not to be any imidiate end for the war.
Bismarck had realised how dangerous it was if the German people lost their faith in the leaders. Everything would then collapse and Bismarcks dream of ruling the Central Eurasia would be forever lost. He planned a smart propaganda campaign where he accused Western Powers for a conspiracy against the German people long before the war had even broke out. He also stated that German Empire had just done what was nessesary to prevent annihilation of the German people. In other words he made it all sound like the campaigns of the last year where just defensive operations. This propaganda seemed to make some difference and the peoples will to defend the fatherland somewhat rose during the gloomy days of February.
Before February German military production hadnt much efected the other production but by the end of February government issued new war regulations that gave priority for making rifles, ammunition, artillery and other military equipment. Many factories were now converted to produce military equipment and in the South all rebuilding efforts in Viking cities were stopped to free workers to produce war machines.
On 25th of February Chinese first army under the command of General Liu reached the German-Viking border. On his right side, some 100 km to East, Chinese second army was also making good progress towards the border in North. Even more to the East Chinese third army of General Xiaoping had turned east to cut the main roads and railways between Nidaros and Stuttgart. Chinese first and second armies were to push North through an area called Seelow Plateau. The plateau continued over 100km to North all the way to Stuttgart and was mostly just fields used for farming. This would be easy to cross as there were no natural defence positions. On 27th Chinese first and second armies launched the assault to Seelow Plateau and Germans made no effective resistance. It seemed that Stuttgart could be reached in few days. In the East General Hindebrau had organized the last effort to halt the Chinese right wing by ordering his troops to take defensive positions in the hills West of Skagerak Forest. But in the morning of 26th Chinese third army easily crushed the German defensive positions and Hindenbrau had to continue his withdrawal towards Nidaros.
Chinese advance 23.2 27.2
On 25th of February Bismarck released Field Marshall Müller from the command of the Army Group Centre and replased him with Field Marshall Weinkell. Weinkell, who had organized the defence of Smolensk, was known for his cruel and extreme means when the situation was at its worse. He quikly ordered harsh sanctions to all who did not obey their superior commanders and in few days the chaotic withdrawal calmed down. Bismarck had made it clear for Weinkell that Stuttgart can not fall and all else was irrelevant.
Weinkell reorganized the defence very near the city because Seelow Plateau offered little natural fortifications. He also summoned more troops from the Nidaros region to Stuttgart and sent the remaining reserves from Uppsala to Nidaros. This was huge gamble as Uppsala was left virtually with no defence. No troops could be sent from the western front of Smolensk and Vladivostok so this was all that Weinkell had.
One of the main problems for the Germans was the railway between Stuttgart and Nidaros, this lifeline between the two cities was crucial when organizing a flexible defence. If the railway would be cut the troops would have to travel via Cologne and Köln, a 1000 km extra journey. So in many ways the situation was very grave for the Germans.
The 30th of February saw the Chinese forces capturing positions only 30km from Stuttgart. In the East Hindenbrau had to withdraw all the way to Nidaros where he could finally have some artillery support for his cavalry. Some of his troops were sent to Stuttgart on Weinkells orders and then on 1st of March the railway between Stuttgart and Nidaros was captured by the Chinese. The lifeline was no broken and Hindenbrau would have to survive with the troops left to him, no imidiate reinforcement were in sight. In Stuttgart the situation was somewhat better due to the better transportation routes and fresh troops but the city was also facing the bulk of the Chinese forces.
General Xiaoping, the commander of the Chinese third army, was beginning his final push towards Nidaros which now lay only some 150km to East. But on morning of 3rd of March he received direct orders from Beijing to send most of his troops to North to support first and second army. Xiaoping strongly opposed the order as he had reliable information that Nidaros was weakly defended and that the rest of the southern regions would be easily taken after Nidaros had fallen. But the orders came direclty from Mao who had changed the plan and wanted more troops to strike Stuttgart, He was so obsessed with destroying the German army that the capturing of vast areas in the South was irrelevant.
Both leaders were now firmly focusing on Stuttgart and some of the best divisions of the both armies were concentrated there. Although the Chinese enjoyed great numerical superiority, the Germans also had substansial forces in the city reinforced with massive amounts of artillery and suplies. As the opposing forces inevitably came closer and closer, the biggest and the most decive battle in the whole war started to unfold itself.
Situation on 5th of March
I don't mind if you use the same layout. I used to do maps with photoshop too but I found it too hard for big maps.
