Downfall 1943

[joegrundman]

Spring 1943

British invade Malta



The Malta Invasion force during the unsuccessful attempt by the Italian fleet to interrupt the invasion

Using Free French forces under de Gaulle that have been preparing specially for the invasion for the last two months, the Royal Navy landed on Malta. The beleaguered Italian defending force put up a small show of defiance for the sake of honour before surrendering.

[joegrundman]

Spring 1943

Allies capture Tunis and Tripoli, axis forces in North Africa now eliminated



Allies capture Tripoli and Tunis in heavy assaults. Casualties were significant in both cases - but especially in Tunis.

The axis forces have been swept from North Africa, and now the Allies can contemplate an attack across the sea to Sicily.

[joegrundman]

Spring 1943

Britain's fleet of Avro Lancaster bombers is now ready to begin operations



Britain constructs her bomber forcepool and can now join the Americans in the strategic bombing campaign over Germany.

The American bomber force has also grown in strength

[joegrundman]

Spring 1943

United States Task Force Recaptures Dutch Harbor



Catching the Japanese by surprise, an American Task Force arrived at Dutch Harbor and landed troops to recapture the island and port from the Japanese.

The assault was victorious, but two cruisers were lost to mines and shore-based gunfire while providing shore bombardment of the Japanese defenses.

The recapture of Dutch Harbor allows an increase in economic aid to flow to the Soviet Union via the Alaska Highway. Up to 10 brps/turn

[joegrundman]

Spring 1943

Attrition on the Eastern Front, Russia reopens communications between the Ural and Caucasus regions


russian attrition regains key hex in the Astrakhan region.

Isolated pockets of russians overrun in the north

[joegrundman]

Summer 1943

Naval Aviators from USS Saratoga sink Japanese cruisers near Midway



Magic intercepts revealing the ETA of a naval force escorting supply to Midway enabled a small task force centered around the USS Saratoga to intercept.

A float plane flying from one of the American cruisers identified the Japanese convoy on course and schedule and the Saratoga sent all her attack squadrons out to engage.

The Japanese were caught completely by surprise and put up an ineffectual air defense. Two heavy cruisers were left "gutted and abandoned" after being hit by bombs and torpedoes from the American planes.

After the strike, the Japanese convoy returned to Japan leaving Midway isolated. CA2 sunk, 0 nas lost

Supply was also challenged to the Japanese port of Lae. Air battles raged, but the Americans were not able to get through to attack the convoy. Some ships were lost to American patrols operating in the Bismarck sea area.

1 aaf and dd1 lost to Japan, 1 aaf lost to the US

[joegrundman]

Summer 1943

U-boats suffering increasing losses



U-boats still causing significant disruption to convoys, but losses are increasing.

6 transports sunk, 8 inverted for 2 uboats sunk. 16 transports remain in atlantic

[joegrundman]

Summer 1943
Renewed German offensive in Russia creates major breakthrough



German forces launched a new offensive in Russia, hoping to force a surrender.

The offensive smashed the central sector of the Red Army that was defending the southern approaches to the Urals, leaving the Northern Red Army command separated from the Caucasian Red Army command.

Large numbers of prisoners have been taken and the Red Army between Kuybyshev and the Caspian has been isolated.

An airdrop by the 1st Fallschirmjaeger completed the encirclement.

Russia is again facing great peril

[joegrundman]

Summer 1943

Fall of Leningrad



After an enormous siege, Leningrad finally fell under assault from German, Finnish and Vlasov troops.

[joegrundman]

Summer 1943

Italian forces in Ethiopia surrender to the Allies



After a 6 month campaign, the surviving Italian forces surrendered to British Commonwealth troops in Ethiopia, marking the final removal of axis soldiers from the African continent.

This has triggered a political crisis in the Italian government.

[joegrundman]

Summer 1943

Allied ASW sinks Italian subs off Tunis



Italian submarines attempting to disrupt allied supply to Malta came under attack from Allied Air and Naval units. Several submarines were sunk using advanced allied ASW techniques. No allied ships were lost.

Italians lose 1 sub factor

[joegrundman]

Summer 1943

Allied Heavy Bombing over Germany



With the RAF heavy bomber fleet now operational, the allies have split the workload with American B17s bombing in the daylight and the RAF Lancasters bombing at nighttime.

The German defenses have so far chosen to defend only against the daylight bombers, substantially reducing the effectiveness of the American bombers. But the RAF's unchallenged campaign has been immediately devastating.

The Americans lost 4 air factors in air combat, the Germans 3, and bombing over Berlin caused 7 brps damaged

The British over Leipzig caused terrible damage, getting 19 brps and damaging the Synthetic Oil Facility in the city.

[joegrundman]

Summer 1943

Allies take control of Sardinia and Corsica



The United States 82nd Airborne division drops onto Cagliari, Sardinia and takes control of the island from the Italian garrison. The 101st Airborne, making like marines, land on Corsica supported by the Royal Navy Task Force1 and take control of that island too. The island cities promise important air basing capability for further Mediterranean operations, according to a British government spokesman.

[joegrundman]

Summer 1943

Operation Overlord





An invasion of France has taken place at the more lightly defended area of France in Brittany, around the port of Lorient.

The invasion was by Canadian and American units, with a British light armor division exploiting from the bridgehead to secure Brittany and the port of Brest.

Even so, German defense was very strong and inflicted very heavy casualties on the attackers.

But the allies have a toe-hold in western France. It is hoped that this invasion, rather than knocking out Italy, will relieve some of the pressure on Russia.

Attackers lose 9 factors to Germany's 3. Losses were taken from supporting naval units. CA8 and 1 AAF

[joegrundman]

Summer 1943

Invasion of Midway



United States Forces invaded Midway. After a two day battle, the well-defended island was declared secure.

American losses were substantial

But a second disaster struck on day +2 of the invasion when the new super-carrier USS Constellation came into the periscope crosshairs of the submarine I-53. Hit by two torpedoes while retrieving aircraft returning from strafing defense positions on Midway, the carrier erupted in flames.

The submarine captain reported a successful sinking, however the carrier was saved by the very impressive damage control procedures of the USN. The flames were extinguished within an hour and although power was lost, the carrier was taken in tow back to Pearl Harbor



Midway taken 2-2, 1n2 lost, CVB4 damaged