The Volkssturm March to War
"Now they are fighting with the frenzy of despair."
-Thomas Dewey, US presidential candidate
The Volkssturm March to War
Even after all its defeats, at the dawn of 1945 the German army remained strong. Millions of men still stood under arms, backed by heavy tanks and advanced jet fighters. Leading them were the same geniuses who carried it to phenomenal success in the early war. Its defensive lines were thick and well-supported by railways. Few still held any love for Nazism, but they were well aware of Allied post-war plans: Disassemble Germany, end its industry, and divide the pieces between them. Facing the destruction of all they lived for, even liberal Germans fell in with the regime that fought to save the nation.
Yet the strength Germany held was a brittle, hollow strength. Its cities and factories were being bombed to rubble. The only industry that remained strong was the harvest of Unicorn dust, which grew to a frenzied pace as they leaned on their last trump card. Of the millions of soldiers, too few were skilled veterans, and too many were drafted youths and Volkssturm militia. Their command and resources were divided by private armies of the Luftwaffe and SS at the time when unity was most needed. Skilled anti-Nazi officers were shot or sacked as Hitler’s paranoia rose. Though held in line by desperate patriotism, morale was low and desertions frequent. Germany was exhausted after five years of war, and many sought only to survive the final months.
Perhaps most crucially, while Germany’s officers remained canny, the Allies had grown wiser. Gone was the wasteful Soviet infantry charge, gone was the hesitation of Eisenhower’s coalition. The Russian army had become brilliant on the attack, enveloping whole fronts with broad armored thrusts and a hungry willingness to sacrifice. The Western Allies were less aggressive, but no less destructive, bombing miles of land ahead of their attacks with planes and artillery. Notably, they also began experimenting with closer human-Equestrian coordination. Pegasi carrying tiny bombs launched pinpoint raids, and platoons of unicorns proved a capable answer to Axis warlocks.
The weight against it proved too much for the exhausted Wehmacht. 1945 brought only disaster for Germany: Its army would break on all fronts, and May would see Russian troops in Berlin and the final surrender of the Third Reich.