The Mother of Ice

30 June 1940
Paris, Occupied France

Esdeath sits alone in front of a Parisian cafe, sipping on a cafe. After all of the festivities and the fighting, Esdeath takes the moment to relax and take in the sights of Paris. She allowed her men to do what they'd please in the capital city. Most of them ended up buying wine and cheese of great quality at a fixed rate that is more favorable to the Germans. Esdeath takes in the sights of Paris, from the cafe she is in she is able to see parts of the famous monuments of the city, such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Arc de Triomphe. She contemplates on visiting other sights as well that the city has to offer like the Lourve and the Palace of Versailles, the former home of the former French royalty. Esdeath is enjoying her time in this new world that she has found herself in. From the battles to the laytime, all has been well for her. Yet one thought has always been striking her mind ever since, Tatsumi. Esdeath is starting to feel lonely without him, with no one from her world to share these experiences even in the city of Paris. But Esdeath still trudges onwards in the new world she calls home. She takes out the money she owes to the cafe and pays. Esdeath simply gets up and begins to walk away from the cafe.

"That little cafe has such a nice tasting black coffee. Who knew the French would be so cultured that it even may put the Empire to shame. Perhaps I might come back to it one day. Even with Tatsumi if possible."

1940

The war in Europe is all but over, the new German Reich under the National Socialist banner became the masters of Europe. In less than a year it was able to take out Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and France. Even the British Army couldn't have slowed the advancement of the German war machine down. In less than a year, Europe now falls under the reigns of the Nazi grasp.

Britain now begins to see war on its doorstep, with bombs falling overhead in the capital city of London and other surrounding cities. Britain decides to open a second front in the North African theater to keep the Italian army away from Egypt and other supply routes in North Africa. With the aid of Churchill's fighting spirit, the British public, and the occupied people of Europe, Britain stands against the Nazi Luftwaffe attacks. Winning air supremacy in their home territory. Determined to keep on fighting, Britain begin to create and utilize commando units to hamper Nazi progression in the territories they occupied. Britain soon becomes the hotbed for anti-Nazi paramilitary groups, most notable is General of the French Army, General Charles de Gaulle, establishing the Free French Forces.

The Italian Kingdom, under Benito Mussolini, hoped to ride on with the success of their German allies. He begins to declare war on Greece but came across a staunch Greek resistance against their Italian invaders. Being pushed back to the Albanian territory, Mussolini calls for Hitler's aid. It will come but later in the next year.

1941

Greece and Yugoslavia falls to the combined arms of the German, Italian, and Bulgarian forces. After this success, it is shown to the world that the Nazi war machine is unstoppable. Except for Britain, which refuses to back down. Successfully repelling the Luftwaffe away from British skies. Even making major gains and success in the North African desert, pushing back the Italian Army and several German forces in Libya. The only major power that remained against the German war machine is the Red Army of the Soviet Union.

The British Empire, in part with the American lend-lease program with the British Empire and the Soviet Union, are able to resupply their forces in North Africa and even supply Greek resistance. Calling troops from all over the empire, from Canada, India, Australia, and New Zealand to help in the war effort. The island nation and its powerful Royal Navy have even made sure to secure their holdings in Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Africa, parts of the Mediterranian, Malta, and Gibraltar. Even fighting alongside Free French forces in Syria-Lebanon, rapidly taking control of the colony from Vichy France, hoping to find a place to re-establish a proper French government against Vichy France.

The Soviet Union is still healing from the purges Stalin had enacted, crippling officer staff of the party and the military. Stalin believes that Hitler would keep his promise made in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact signed before the war started, splitting up Poland and enacting a ten-year peace between the two powerful states. Stalin sees that this would be enough time to fix the army once again and modernize the Soviet Union rapidly, all before 1942. Having purged several high-ranking officers that he saw as detrimental to the state, but also several figures too. It has hurt the army to a degree, but Stalin hopes that Hitler isn't crazy enough to invade the Soviet Union.

22 June 1941

The Germanic Reich under the Nazi leadership of Adolf Hitler declares war against the Soviet Union and pushes back the unprepared Red Army. Within a matter of days, the Red Army has been pushed back and demoralized. The Baltic states have fallen to the advancing Wehrmacht units and most of the Ukraine and Belarus territories have fallen to Wehrmacht and SS units. With many SS units either supporting the Wehrmacht on the front or in the rear. Capturing and sending Red Army soldiers to POW camps.

10 September 1941
Kiev, Soviet Union

Esdeath strolls around the captured city of Kiev she is a bit surprised but also disappointed by the Red Army's lack of effort in defense and offense. On the one hand, they stood out and fought hard against the Wehrmacht and SS advancements but on the other, they lacked discipline and weren't ready for a war. During the battle of Kiev, the Wehrmacht soldiers have begun their encirclement process and were able to push back the Red Army units stationed in the city. But they stood firm and hard against the Wehrmacht troops. That is until Esdeath herself came three days prior with her Ice-Jaeger squadrons. She was sent to the city under the request of Himmler but against the discretion of Wehrmacht Heer General Heinz Guderian, who claimed that his panzer divisions are in the process of encircling the city.

When Esdeath had arrived at the city days prior, she was told it might take another week or two to fully capture it. She proclaimed that she needed less than 24 hours. In a display of ice that awed both the Germans and the Soviets, Esdeath was able to freeze the western half of the city. Freezing both Soviet civilians and soldiers, Esdeath also froze the Dnieper river that connected the eastern half of Kiev. With the Red Army units stationed on the western half of the city and the remaining units on the eastern half still reeling from the awesome caused by one woman have given the German Army a spearhead push. Funneling out into the eastern half of the city, the Wehrmacht was able to push forward and the city was captured on that day. Many Red Army soldiers who stood their ground on the eastern side of the river have either surrendered or shot by the advancing Wehrmacht, the majority were put to rout.

"*Sigh* I honestly thought this would be a better fight against the Red Army. But nope, they surrendered as the last one had." Esdeath said with disappointment in her voice. "I thought I would be facing a hardened enemy, but I guess I've set my expectations too high for them. I'm starting to doubt if they would be able to fight against the Empire or at least the Revolutionary Army." Esdeath draws comparisons from her old world. In some parts, she has a sense of disappointment by the lack of resolve by the Red Army. She has heard the reports about the Russians and the wider Soviet public being a proud people, willing to die for the motherland and their leader. But her expectations may have been set too high for them. "Either way, most of them are now our prisoners of war. I wish I could bury them once again, but alas, I can't. Can't believe I have to give them up to the Allgemeine-SS and the SS-Totenkopfverbände. I don't think I'm getting enjoyment from this. Perhaps I should ask for a transfer to another group. I did hear good things about the Einsatzgruppen, perhaps I should join them?" Esdeath ponders about transferring. "No, I'm already in too deep with the Waffen-SS and I can't abandon my men. Oh well. Guess I have to wait it out then." Esdeath looks around.

"Hauptsturmführerin Partas!" Sturmmann Oppenheim comes running from the corner. Esdeath turns to him.

"Great, what does he want?" Oppenheim stops in front of Esdeath, panting from having to run and find her.

"Heil *pant* Hitler. Hauptsturmführerin Partas." Oppenheim salutes.

"Heil Hitler, Sturmmann." Esdeath salutes back. "What is that you have brought me?"

"This." Oppenheim hands a telegram letter to Esdeath. "It's from high command. They said they were pleased with your actions in Kiev. Saving precious time that would've been lost if we were to continue an encirclement process."

"Oh really." Esdeath opens the letter and reads it. "Well, I guess it is nice to be recognized for my actions on the battlefield. Any reports about the enemy?"

"Well, we were done counting and we captured about two hundred thousand soldiers of the Red Army who surrendered."

"*Sigh* One thing that I do miss from my world is being able to do what I pleased with those who surrendered. One such case I did was burying 400,000 Northern Tribesmen alive. Ha, ha, was that much fun for me and my troops then and terror for everyone else in the Empire."

"What?"

"Forget about what I said. What does high command want?"

"Well, after your victory and the capture of the city in less than 24 hours. They wanted you to expand your troop size from 200 soldiers to a battalion of 2000 men. You basically skipped an entire rank. Congratulations, Obersturmbannführerin. Sieg Heil."

"Fu, fu. Well then, this does work nicely. I guess the more important cities I take the more battlefield promotions I can get. Perhaps I might earn general ranks before the war's end." Esdeath thinks to herself. "Well thank you Sturmmann for the good news. I was feeling pretty down by the lackluster of these Red Army soldiers. Now then, I believe it's time for me to expand the Ice-Jaegers squadron from just being a part of the 3rd division and actually become its own division. How do you feel like actually leading it as a proper NCO, Rottenführer."

"That would be nice, Obersturmbannführerin. But it's Sturmmann."

"Well, not anymore. I guess it's time to recruit the best that the Reich and the SS have to offer me."

Moscow, Soviet Union
The Kremlin

Nikita Kruschev walks through the halls of the Kremlin. He stops before the door that led to the war room that Stalin is in. Just a few hours ago he was told that Kiev has fallen and that only 100,000 soldiers of Kiev made it out. Over 500,000 were captured or killed, most being civilians. But one fact disturbed him more, the entirety of the western half of the city was literally frozen over by ice. Kruschev himself was in disbelief at how the city fell. He wanted to get as many civilians and soldiers out of the city but was ordered to stay by the orders of Field Marshal Timoshenko. Kruschev himself was in a bit of relief, as he got out of the city days prior to demand Stalin to approve the withdrawal order. But all was too little too late. Worse yet, how will he break the news to Stalin about the fall of Kiev.

Kruschev takes in a deep breath in and out. "I don't have time to worry about this. The entire fate of the Soviet Union rests in our hands. If I go in there, there is a chance I might be killed or sent to the gulags. Either way, I must report on this." Kruschev summons up the courage he has. He knocks on the door. A Soviet guardsman opens the door to let Kruschev inside the little. "General Secretary Stalin. I must inform you about the progression of the front." Kruschev enters the room. He feels the eyes all around him.

"Let's hear it Comrade Kruschev."

"The city of Kiev has fallen to the Germans, and I don't know how to say how the city fell. But the entirety of the western half of the city was literally frozen with ice." Kruschev reports. Stalin removes his pipe and places it on the table.

"Comrade Kruschev. What you're saying better be true. I will not tolerate such lies within my office nor in my presence. Do you wish to end your career this early?"

"What I am saying is the truth, Comrade General Secretary. The city fell, significant loss of the Army in the Ukraine, especially in the city of Kiev. And as I mentioned, the western half literally froze over. I wish I was making this up, but I am not. Here are photographs and reports from officers on the ground who managed to get out." Kruschev hands Stalin his report about the fall of the city of Kiev. Stalin reaches for the photographs and it was apparent. Krushev was telling the truth. The entirety of the western city was frozen with ice along with the Dnieper river which allowed the Germans to move through and encircle the Red Army units stationed in the Ukraine. Stalin passes the photos along with the other member's in the war room, both civilian and military, "I wish I could say something to Field Marshal Timoshenko, but it might be too late. But with the fall of the city. Moscow now lays wide open for the Germans to advance. I highly suggest deploying the reserves to prevent the Germans from reaching Moscow."

"I wish you were kidding about this. But how is this possible? How is half the city able to freeze like that?" Field Marshall Zhukov asks.

"I do not know. But we must be ready because this will happen to Moscow if we don't find out who or what caused this." Kruschev responds. He moves back to sit down in his seat in the war room.

"I see that our German adversaries have a new type of weapon at their disposal that could destroy the Soviet Union. Should we take precautionary measures and evacuate the city of Moscow?" Georgy Malenkov responded. "Specifically the essential personal heading to the dacha and conduct war plans from there?"

"No such decision would be made comrade Malenkov. We will stay in Moscow unless it is completely necessary. Even if the Germans arrive here, we will stay." Stalin responded to Malenkov. He stands up and addresses the rest of the war council. "We shall reinforce our lines and call up the reserves. We shall put an end to this fascist menace that dared to tread on the Soviet motherland. The Revolution has succeeded and we shall persevere that flame of revolution. We shall push the Germans back to Berlin. We shall face off against this new enemy the Germans have, and we will succeed in defeating the Germans." Stalin turns to his field marshals. "You men, I want you to reinforce the front lines to Moscow from the south and the center. Moscow shall prevail, the Soviet Union will destroy the Germans and the communist banner shall fly once more over Europe." Stalin gives out his orders. His war council all leave the war room, heading over to their offices to rework strategies to halt the German advance, even turning the tide against the Germans.

Stalin walks to his office window as he lights up his pipe with fresh tobacco. He then takes in a puff of smoke and exhales it. "It seems that our natural weapon may turn against us. That is an impossibility but something we need to account for. For now, Moscow needs to be secured against the Germans. If we can utilize our airpower, then that would be our weapon against this new threat. But I need some better photo evidence if this is the workings of a new weapon or a person." Stalin takes another puff of smoke and exhales it. "If we can somehow get Britain involved once more, then that can give the Soviet Union a chance to make progression."

7 December 1941
Hawaii, United States
Pearl Harbor

Air raid sirens blare throughout the entirety of the US naval base of Pearl Harbor. What was once a normal calm and sunny day in the naval base in Hawaii has turned into a war zone as Japanese zero fighters and torpedo bombers attack the base of the US Pacific Naval Fleet.

"Attention! Attention! This is not a drill! Pearl Harbor is under attack by Japanese fighters! All crew members report to your stations immediately!" The announcement rings out throughout the island. "Attention! Attention! The Japs have struck the USS Arizona!" The announcement rings out throughout the entire base as the USS Arizona explodes into a fireball of steel, wood, and fire. The explosion and destruction of the USS Arizona affect other US naval ships nearby.

With a preemptive strike by the Japanese Empire against Pearl Harbor, the United States is now at war.

December 9, 1941

"My Führer. You should declare war on the US now while we still have the time." A member of Hitler's cabinet urges Hitler to declare war on the US.

"On one hand we should uphold our agreement with the Japanese. But on the other hand, the US may be a powerful state and an economy to back up. I want all f you to leave me for the day till I make my decision." Hitler orders. His ministers then leave the room. After hours of consolation from his inner circle and his generals, most of whom want to go to war with the US. After a few days of thought and reasoning, Hitler comes to a decision. The German Reich will not be going to war with the United States.

December 15, 1941

The Japanese Empire, after hearing the news, officially cuts all diplomatic and militaristic ties with the German Reich. Citing that Germany is not upholding the terms of their alliance and that the Germans are supplying the Chinese resistance to the Kuomintang with equipment and training, hampering Japanese efforts in East Asia.

With the US dragged into the war, but only in the Pacific Theater, President Franklin D. Roosevelt makes preparations along with his generals to fight against the Japanese. But what bothered him more is the fact that the Nazi government hadn't declared war against the US. He's heard of the Nazi prejudice against the US, especially with its non-white minority populations, mostly Black, Hispanic, and Jewish populations. He hopes that sometime in the future he can find an excuse to fight against the Nazi threat in Europe. But at least h's thankful that the Japanese attacked, allowing the United States to expand and no longer become an isolationist nation.