The Russo-Spanish War (Atlantic Iron Curtain)
From Alternative History
| Russo-Spanish War | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | April 1, 1948 - 1949 | ||||||||||||
| Location | Spain | ||||||||||||
| Result | Russian Victory, Collapse of Facist Spain, Rise of Republican Spain | ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
This was a brief war between Franco and Khrushchev, which results in Spain signing the Berlin Pact.
Contents |
[edit] Opposing Forces
[edit] Spain
Spain, the last non-Communist country in Europe, was prepared for war. ever since the Red army moved into France, spain knew that an invasion was likely. The Spanish airforce had mainly german equipment, such as the Me 109 fighter. the primary spanish bomber was the CASA 2.111, a copy of the Heinkel He 111 medium bomber. the tank forces of spain were primarily equipped with German Panther and Panzer IV tanks, along with some Verdeja light tanks, which were manufactured in spain, and had a 45mm gun. in quality and quantity the Spanish army was heavilly outclassed.
[edit] Soviet Union
The PPKA (Red Army) was arguably the greatest land force in history at the time. its armies had defeated Hitler, and now were to remove the last fascist nation in Europe. Many soldiers were either veterans of the war in Europe, or the pacific or both.
the Soviet army was well equipped with modern weapons. the primary battle tank was the famous T34/85, which had given the germans such a shock in 1941. supporting it was the new ISIII heavy tank, with a rounded turret and a massive 122mm gun. The Primary soviet heavy bomber was the Tupolev Tu-4 Bull, a (illegal) copy of the American B-29 Superfortress.
The Soviets also had the ultimate last resort weapon: the Atomic bomb, and were working on the hydrogen bomb.
[edit] Opening moves
NKVD intelligence (under new management) inform the USSR that Nazi war criminals are hiding in Spain. The Soviets give the Spanish an ultimatum: hand over the Nazi officials or face a war. Franco refused.
Pact forces march through the Pyrennes, rapidly overwhelming the Spanish border troops. Soviet Tu-4 Heavy bombers pounded major transport hubs leading to the front
[edit] Spanish counterattack
The USSR are stopped at Seville, when they come under surprise attack from artillery. The Soviets are pushed back, but they eventually break the Spanish advance when a fresh batch of new tanks make their way through.Image:ISU 152.jpg
[edit] Soviet breakthrough
[edit] Operation Neptune
the Russian high command launched an amphibious landing south of Cadiz, to unhinge the Spanish defences.
[edit] The Threat
Khrushchev, against Zhukov's warnings, takes a gamble and threatens nuclear bombing of Spain. Franco, not wanting his country to share Germany's fate, surrenders at noon on April 9 and goes into exile per the surrender agreement. He later on dies in Iceland (which is a neutral country ATL, and served both the USSR and USA in being a buffer zone between the two countries)
[edit] Aftermath
Remaining Nazis, including Eichmann, Streicher and Mengele are handed over by the Spanish provisional government to Moscow, where after a quick trial, they are all brought before a firing squad. the Third Spanish republic was resurrected, and along with portugal, spain turned communist. this removed the last non-communist countries from Europe (except Switzerland, Iceland and Eire).
