End of the Second World War

July 1944

As the war rages on it's clear that there is little change on the Eastern Front as the Reich recalls a majority of its forces from the west to the east. Britain struggles to rebuild as they suffer an insurgent population. Struggling with losing Cornwall to the Wehrmacht as a base of operations on loan, and seeing a possible independence referendum in Scotland and Wales as Northern Ireland has reunited with the rest of Ireland. Yet the Scottish and Welsh parliaments lose their opportunity for independence as King Edward VIII formerly dissolves their parliaments and reinstated more aligned members of the newly established Royalist Party.

Though the Reich doesn't want to admit it, they've all but given up hope for their efforts to end the partisan insurgency in Yugoslavia, under Josip Broz Tito. But they allow the Croatian collaborationist government, Serbian, Italians, Bulgarians, Bosnians, and Romanians to take care of the Yugoslav Partisans.

On the Eastern Front, the Soviets once more launch an offensive to retake Stalingrad and another to enter the Crimean region. A second offensive is launched as the German center line in Belarus and Ukraine begins to slowly fall apart, even reaching 20 kilometers of the city of Minsk. But Esdeath, no longer on partisan liquidation duty, is sent back to the front lines to reinforce the Wehrmacht 6th Army.

Yet, as Esdeath is distracted on the Eastern Front. Several Wehrmacht generals and officers, members of the Reichstag, diplomats, lawyers, civil servants, and opposing politicians from disbanded SPD party and other political and Christian parties have joined in a coalition to bring an end to the war and an end to Hitler and his inner circle. With the primary ideal of replacing Hitler with a more conservative-authoritarian leader and a return to an aristocratic rule revolving around the Wehrmacht.
Striking at the 20th in an explosion attack against Hitler and a few members of Hitler's circle in the Wolf's Lair in East Prussia.

Soon Berlin goes into lockdown as the Wehrmacht begins to slowly take over, under the assumption that Hitler has died in the explosion. But soon, the plot has been unfolded within the day and the conspirators are all but uncovered by the Gestapo. Soon, the initial arrests begin with the arrests of several Wehrmacht Officers, a month later over seven thousand are arrested, predominantly those affiliated with the conspirators, mostly Wehrmacht and political opposition leaders. Eventually, many of those who are arrested are placed in prison or executed. Very few managed to get into hiding in other nations.

Göring, Guderian, and several other Wehrmacht generals and admirals make an attempt to clear up their underling's involvement in order to not weaken the Wehrmacht, saving only those essential in the Eastern Front and possibly standing up against the SS, and leaving others to the Gestapo. Rommel and several other generals were spared by both men but saw their ranks or duties diminish, the same as has happened to Zhukov. But unlike Zhukov, he managed to regain most of the control of the Caucuses and regained his field marshal position.

In the Pacific theater, the US launched multiple offensives and incorporated several British Royal Navy ships into its ranks as well as the Dutch and other nation ships that refused to go back to their home ports. But the US realized that the Japanese truly refused to surrender. Despite having the numbers advantage, they see that the Japanese Army keeps pushing forward, halting further advancement, making sure that each island that the US takes is only covered in blood.

September 1944
Reichskommissariat Ukraine

After two months of Esdeath liquidating the Jewish and Slavic partisan cell, Esdeath and her forces were also given similar tasks in liquidating several other partisan cells, some in towns and cities, others in the forests of the eastern Reichskommisarats of Ukraine and Ostland. Whether it be Jew or Slavic, Communist or Nationalist, Esdeath and her 9th SS Panzergrenadier Eis Division made sure that each and every cell is completely liquidated. She let her men do as they please with the civilians in each cell, many participated in simple shootings, a few in rapes, but many more pillaged and looted. Though there were some who decide to hide in the midst of the chaos. Though participating, they stand in the streets outside the house, operating the vehicle, or if spotted, playing an instrument. Though Esdeath could have sent her entire division, she only sent less than five thousand to contain the partisans as the rest hold their ground against the Red Army.

As time passes on, Esdeath has taken up other hobbies. Such as trying to capture Tatsumi's complexions in her drawings to using the camera in some of her victories. Though not much improvement, she still takes the time to doodle her habits and things she has seen. She herself has ideas for the Reich and for Hitler but sees that his inner circle is already in panic mode.

Speer has been questioned many times about his loyalty to Hitler though the man has placed his health on the line as the Minister of Armaments and War Productions. Esdeath was nonetheless impressed when she first saw the V2 rocket in action against the Allied forces in England. The V2 leveled several entrenched American positions that allowed her and her men to break through and take many American POWs, some were executed. She still holds some favors with the architect but doesn't see him as another great or much of a staunch political figure.

Esdeath still holds a minor grudge against Göring since he made her take ten weeks of German lessons. Seeing how the commander of the Luftwaffe is wasting away with his morphine addiction, but still sees that he's performing his duties well. Esdeath managed to strategize and coordinate well with Göring and the other Prussian officers of the Wehrmacht in the Luftwaffe, Heer, and Kriegsmarine, using any advantage she can get. But for now, she hopes that she can rely on him for a bit longer to keep the Prussian generals and admirals off of her. But after the July Plot, several high-ranking officers of the Wehrmacht were purged, so no need to rely on Göring so often before. But still, she has made decent connections with them.

Bormann is one that she, like all the others in Hitler's inner circle, hates the most. But she learned from the other's mistake of trying to stand up against his brown eminence. Sometimes it's better to double down. Esdeath can't help but compare him to Prime Minister Honest, seeing Bormann as Hitler's secretary and can always be seen by his side, just like how Prime Minister Honest was with the Emporer. But she learned to tolerate his existence.

Himmler, Esdeath rarely talks with him, especially after Heydrich's death in Prague. But she still respects him as a leader who is only second to Hitler as the SS was his creation. She sees that he still is a wannabe soldier and has conducted military conduct that brought less than favorable results that allowed the Red Army to assault Crimea and nearly encircled Stalingrad. Thusly Esdeath used her military strategy to stave off the Crimean offensive and pushed into Georgia. She did the same, pushing the Red Army away from Minsk. Perhaps if possible she can use Himmler in her hands when need be. She is appreciative that Himmler still sees her as the most valuable asset, but the general staff of the Waffen-SS and the Allgemeine-SS don't see her the same way as Himmler has. But she can easily put several of the younger officers in their place now that she has reached the most senior rank of the officer staff SS-Oberführer, but for her SS-Oberführerin.

As for now, Esdeath has her hands tied down in the Reichskommissariat Ukraine. The bulk of her forces have already pushed the Soviets back into Stalingrad and pushed them back after recovering the central front. Now they're taking a small time off in Reichskommissariat Ukraine to not only replenish lost numbers but also teaching the newly created counter-partisan divisions of the SS, primarily Ukrainians, to combat Ukrainian Soviet partisans. She knows that by the end of the month, the 9th SS Panzergrenadier Eis Divison would be sent back to the front lines to not only push forward onto Leningrad but also Moscow too. Though she thinks it's time to give some of her more veteran soldiers a resting period, they seem to not have taken any if at all type of rest from training and fighting.

Though Esdeath enjoys the complete and utter destruction of her enemies, she delights more in their survival so that they can bring her more war. Perhaps total elimination isn't in the long-term gain for her. Because without war, then what is she to do for herself? The only person who could've helped satiated her hunger for war and even made her turn into a different person was Tatsumi, but he isn't he nor would there ever be another like him. Esdeath looks out of her office and sees her men practicing their shots newly given to them by the productions of Albert Speer, training with the new G43 and StG-44.

March 1945

As the war on the Eastern Front draws to a close, the two warring sides have gotten tired of war, with both sides losing men by the day and no real change, both Stalin and Hitler finally came to an armistice agreement. The Greater Germanic Reich's most ambitious offensive to push onto Moscow and finally end the Soviet Union has fallen into disarray as several of their supply lines are stretched thin and encounter several partisan attacks. Soon, the armistice was signed between the two warring nations and the war slowly draws to a close.

Almost four years have passed since the beginning of Operation Barbarossa and the border is drawn where the front battle lines were. The Ukraine, Belarus, Baltic States, and half of the Caucusus falls to the Greater Germanic Reich as well as land within Russia but 150 kilometers away from Moscow and 100 kilometers away from Leningrad. As the news of the armistice reaches Stalin, he becomes angered as many of his generals haven't done much to push forward despite the advantage of the number of men who are in the Red Army. Though Stalin wishes to continue on he still agrees to peace on no terms until the official signing of an official peace treaty. Stalin then begins to try and purge several Red Army general officers, politicians, and commissars, but not to the same level as he did a decade prior.

26 March 1945
Washington D.C., United States

President Franklin. Roosevelt sits in his wheelchair as he looks out of the window of his Oval Office. Watching the cherry blossoms in full bloom, its pink petals breaking off and gently blown by the wind, landing throughout the D.C. area. If there was one thing that FDR respected Japan for, then it was the cherry trees that were donated to the US thirty years ago in an act of goodwill between the two nations. Though he ordered the deportation of thousands of Japanese Americans to internment camps for the duration of the war, as he viewed it, it was a justifiable act in the name of national security.
He couldn't enjoy the cherry trees for a major reason though. Over a year has passed since he had sent American Expeditionary Force to England to halt the Nazi's advancement, and in roughly nine months he was forced to recall them back. Over a quarter of their number had died or were wounded. The thought of not having sent troops to Britain sooner still haunts him. He had hoped Hitler would've declared war on the US previously, but the US declared first to defend Britain. Now Britain for the most part had practically become a puppet state, with an unpopular party led by an unpopular and a former abdicated king. Leaving only the Soviet Union and the Greater Germanic Reich as the sole superpowers in the European continent. before, like the Soviet Union, the US also signed an armistice to end hostilities in Western Europe after England had completely fallen.
An attendant opens the door and enters the Oval Office.

"Mr. President, the military staff has arrived."

"Thank you. Send them in will you, and help me transfer from my wheelchair to my office chair." President FDR ordered his assistant. The assistant then helps him from his wheelchair and onto the presidential chair. The assistant then rolled the wheelchair out of the Oval Office through the other door. Roosevelt still disliked his inability to walk due to his polio. Another of his White House staff opens the door, letting in the generals and admirals of the Army, Navy, Marines, and the Army Air Corps. They stand in rank with the most important in front, generals: Marshall, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Patton, and Bradly, as well as USAAC General Henry Arnold. And admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, and King.
"Generals and admirals, I'd thank you for taking my invitation and arriving at the White House on short notice." Roosevelt opens up. "Firstly I'd like to know the progress of both theaters of war." Roosevelt looks at MacArthur and Nimitz. "General MacArthur and admirals Nimitz and Halsey would you please step forward," Roosevelt commanded.

Admiral Nimitz stepped forward first as he represents the entirety of the Naval pacific fleet. "You see, Mr. President. The current situation of the Pacific theater had already been decided since Midway. The United States Navy already has beaten back the Japanese Imperial Navy, which is a good sign for us, and the Philippian government has already begun collaborating in the fight against the Japanese." Nimitz continues as he ceases to allow MacArthur to speak

"Along with the Philippines and the Navy, the Army has made considerable strides against the Japanese Army." MacArthur stops speaking to collect his thoughts. "But it's not without gross casualties that fall on our side, their side, and the civilians that get caught in the firefight. It appears that since Midway, we're facing off against a weaker foe but is still strong enough to deal damage to us. Banzai charges are decreasing but still, we've encountered delays by a true enemy that hamper our progress everywhere for the past two years." "Hopefully, we can possibly surround the island nation by the end of the summer, at most. Possibly an invasion if necessary on the island of Japan." General MacArthur finishes his report.

"Understandable, thank you general and admirals." president FDR thanks, MacArthur and Nimitz. "Now, everyone is dismissed except for generals Eisenhower, Patton, Bradly, and Arnold, as well as Admiral King." MacArthur, Nimitz, Halsey, and Marshall saluted FDR and he saluted back, the aforementioned proceeded to step out of the Oval Office.. Eisenhower can sense that this isn't just a debriefing, but a comparison of what is happening. At best, they might be let off with a scolding and even a threat, but at worst, they might need to start looking at retirement. But the men resolve themselves. Then, president FDR stands up using the table for support. "The report that was given to us by General MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz is what I would've also expected from the European theater. The American Expeditionary Force was able to raise up a quarter of a million soldiers, with another quarter million being transferred from the Pacific. Of that initial number, 160,000 made it to Britain."

"What is it that you're trying to insinuate, Mr. Presidnet?" Eisenhower asks.

"Don't cut me off, General Eisenhower." Roosevelt snaps back. "Of that 160,000. 43,00 are either dead or wounded, with another 22,000 of them becoming POWs. The rest were evacuated safely but had to leave equipment behind in order to maintain capacity for our allies as well. Many of whom, would be returning back to their homes destroyed or broken."

"If I may Mr. President," Patton speaks up. "We're still negotiating with the Nazi government for not only prisoner transfers but also the return of many of our boys to be brought back stateside."

Roosevelt then slams his fist on the table, catching the attention of his generals "As I've said previously, General Patton. When we heard of the reports by the Pacific commanders, I also wished to hear similar reports in Britain by you men. But what has happened instead?" Roosevelt asks, and the room remains quiet. "We've failed, gentlemen. That is what happened. Poland, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Greece, Yugoslavia, and now Britain is all now under the domination and puppetry of the Greater Germanic Reich and the Italian Empire along with their other fascist allies. All that remains now is the Soviet Union that stands in Europe."

"Mr. President, if I am allowed. I don't wish to argue. But the fall of Britain wasn't supposed to be inevitable. We had the capabilities to push the Germans out of Britain and beat back the Kriegsmarine and the Wehrmacht." Eisenhower speaks up. "But it was due to several factors. Partially because of the amount that was poured into the Pacific Theater, but also because of the weaponry the Nazi government has. You've seen it in our reports and the intelligence from our British allies."

"Aside from the V2 Rockets, are you talking about that Ice General of theirs?" FDR asks in a rhetorical manner. "Because From what I've learned, that one woman army put an end to an offensive and taken many prisoners." FDR then sits back down. "If it weren't for British and Soviet intelligence, then we would've never have learned about her exitance. But our biggest mistake was underestimating and even initially throwing her off as this myth." FDR stops his rambling. "With war being over in Europe, it would practically be near impossible to recover our loans from Britain, placing us into deeper debt." FDR looks up to the Generals. "Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley, and King. I want you four to coordinate with general Marshall and with any remaining allied generals. I need you, men, to find a way to prevent Nazi aggression from reaching the United States and her other allies in the Western hemisphere and the globe. Anything will do, diplomatic, military, anything. I want to see your ideas here on my desk before the end of April. If you don't have any sensible ideas, then I would happily look forward to signing your resignation letters. Now dismissed." The generals and admiral saluted and FDR saluted back and then they leave the office. FDR then turns his chair around and looks out at the cherry blossoms once more. "I pray that the future that's in store for the US wouldn't end up in the control of the Nazis. Perhaps soon I might need to enact another executive order for our POWs. Four terms and I can't give up now."

March-July 1945

As soon as the war has ended. The problems in Europe begin to arise.

Britain, in order to maintain peace with the succeeding powers, made concessions of ts territory in Africa. The Italian Empire and the Greater Germanic Reich begin to partition Africa, with Italy incorporating most of North Africa, but not Algeria, and central to South Africa into the Greater Germanic Reich but are almost left on their own. India becomes independent with the aid of the Germans. King Edward VIII instantly becomes an unpopular monarch to his people, seeing him more as a fascist puppet than a true Englishman. Edward VIII now has to contend with the United Kingdom in Exile and his brother's family, all now in Canada, still having considerable influence on the fracturing island nation.

In Vichy France, the pain of losing the war still remains in the hearts of many Frenchmen. Many decide to accept the new Pétain government, yet there are some who joined up with Free France in Algeria to fight to free France, but also wished to rebuild France back into a republic, a monarchy, or a communist state.

At the end of June, the Soviets and the Nazis finally come to an official treaty for peace on the continent after over two months of negotiations. The two forces signed and officialized the treaty in neutral Stockholm Sweden. Soon when the ink dried and the borders are now officially, the Nazis begin to implement Generalplan Ost. Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarussians, who are close to the new border are given a one-month time frame to simply leave their homes and villages and so many did. Hundreds die as Stalin now has to deal with a massive influx of refugees entering his country on top of purging those who failed him or are plotting to replace him. Thousands more are deported from their villages and homes and another several thousand are imprisoned with connections to various partisan groups.

Czechs, Slovaks, and Poles still residing in the borders of the Greater Germanic Reich begin to see an influx of Germanization.

Yet the millions of people: Jews, Pole, political prisoners, Romani, etc. who are imprisoned in concentration, labor, and death camps will never be seen again. As the work of the SS in perpetuating the Holocaust would continue. Using many who are fit for slave labor, and those who aren't are outright killed. Since the artisan uprising, a few camps were liberated in order to bolster the partisan numbers in their fight for the freedom of their homelands.

Soon after the war, many southeastern Asian nations declared independence from British and Dutch colonization.

In the Greater Germanic Reich, Alber Speer: The Architect of the Reich, begins to enact the rebuilding effort of Berlin. The city has suffered bomber damage from American and British planes as well as Soviets, sam as many other German cities. But instead of rebuilding how it was, he enacts the Germania project. Rebuilding Berlin to become the centerpiece of National Socialism. Using native Berlin citizens to help rebuild the city and slave labor from the SS camps to use in material production. Reconstructing the city into the image of both Speer and Hitler.

16 July 1945
Alamogordo, New Mexico
0529

"Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, zero." The announcer counts down. After announcing zero, at five-thirty in the morning, a large flash of blinding light appears followed shortly by an intense strong wind that blew anything that wasn't heavy or bolted to the ground, and a loud bang that continues on for a few seconds. The flash of the explosion is immensely bright that it made the stars in the night sky disappear, and the ground begins to shake as if the earth beneath them is splitting up. As soon as things settled in the first few seconds, all that is left is a large fireball of smoke that reaches up into the air like a mushroom. The force of the explosion was nothing as it was seen in history, this was no ordinary bomb, but a single bomb that can level an entire city, the atom bomb.

After successfully testing the atom bomb, now president Truman is told about the success of the atom bomb. Now with the war focused on Japan, President Truman hopes he can end the war that was started by his predecessor. Seeing the desperate situation his forces are in and how well entrenched the Japanese are in the pacific.

6-15 August 1945

In the span of three days, the Japanese mainland was bombed. But no multiple bombers were sent as a lone bomber was sent. On the 6th of August, the first atomic weapon in a time of war was dropped, leveling the city of Hiroshima. This is a warning for the Japanese government, but the Japanese Army still continues to fight and hold a staunch resistance against the Americans.

Three days later, another bomb was dropped over Nagasaki. Similar casualty figures as seen in Hiroshima but still no official order of surrender from Tokyo. Seeing as how they were given no choice, the US threatens to drop their next bomb on their next target, Tokyo, the heart of the Japanese Empire and residence of the Japanese imperial family.

Three days later, an attempted coup was made by the Japanese military leadership against the Emporer and the ministers who favor peace. But the coup soon failed. By 1200 Japan time, Emporer Hirohito broadcasts the terms of surrender to the whole nation, officially ending the war in the pacific.

As the war ended in China. The Kuomingtang forces begin to rebuild but were hampered by the ever-growing People's Liberation Army of the Chinese Communist Party. Springing into action and catching the Kuiomingtag off guard, reigniting the Chinese Civil War.
In Korea, with no Soviet intervention against the Japanese, the entire peninsula becomes united under one government in Seoul.

In the months after the war, Hitler saw how Esdeath became popular with her soldiers of the SS. In the months ending, Esdeath was forced to reduce her number from 20,000 at her peak to only 50 to act as her bodyguard. Esdeath sees that the world has now slowly become accustomed to peace. But she know well, that this peace would only last for less than 20 years. She knows that the Reich wouldn't stop here as they will most definitely make an attempt to expand and secure their territories, putting down revolts. She hopes that she can be used again, serving in the front lines as an SS-Gruppenführerin. Perhaps she would be let to do so when the time comes, but for now, she lies in wait for the next war to come and for a potential love to come once again.

End of Arc I